100 Years Ago and Today...

It's about time for me to utilize my analytical skills to help you see Covid-19 stats horizontally and vertically.  Attached below are the Covid-19 numbers from yesterday, 12/28/2020. 

Infected cases: US = 23.7% of the world

Deaths: US = 18.9% of the world

During the 1918-1920 Spanish Flu, US deaths = 1.35% of the world (675000 / 50mil = 1.35%).

US population in 1920 = 106.5mil.  US Spanish Flu death rate = 675000 / 106.5m = 0.63%.

US Covid-19 death rate (model projection through 3/31/2021) = 560000 / 331mil = 0.17%.  However, 3/2021 will not be the end of the Covid-19 death.

When reaching 675K deaths in later 2021, the US Covid-19 death rate = 675000 / 331mil = 0.20% (not much better than 100 years ago, when we didn't have vaccine or ventilators or Ecmo machines, etc.).

It's hard to comprehend the fact that 100 years later, with the most advanced medicine in the world, US in 2020-2021 will have at least 675K deaths from the pandemic, the same amount as the pandemic from 100 years ago.  Just take a minute to think about it -- if this is not stunning, what is????? 

I hate to express all these deaths as numbers.  Dr. Michelle called me late Sunday night crying -- because of the overwhelming amount of the dying patients in her ICU unit... So many people's lives have been deeply impacted and altered, forever.  Take a minute to let it sink in.  Cherish life and share love with those who are in need.

 

 

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays!!

Feels like I have been sending these holiday greetings for the past many, many years... However, this year is different, in many ways.

As difficult as it has been for all of us over the past 9 months, I am grateful for everything I have. The past 280 days have taught me how to truly understand the pain and suffering of many other people; and how to truly appreciate life - each and every day.  Although the concept of "living life fully" has become a bit harder to grasp these days, I sincerely hope that 2021 will offer new opportunities for all of us to challenge our limits, test our true capacity to live a happy and productive life during uncertain times.

Wishing you and your family a safe, healthy and happy holiday season!!

The Unthinkable...

Did you ever have dreams about going to school without your backpack? This nightmare had followed me for years until long after college... I remember every time waking up from the nightmare, I felt that the event was so unthinkable that it would never happen to me in real life.

Well, the unthinkable did happen to me this morning, in real life!!

I was dragged out of bed by the alarm clock at 6am.  I planned to go take some special photos of the red maple leaves.  The place was about 35 miles away from my home. I rushed through everything and got into the car... When I arrived at the location, I realized that I forgot my camera bags -- two of them, carefully packed and put by the doorway last night.

Wow, can you imagine that?  For a few seconds, I really didn't know what to do -- Do I go home to get the camera bags?  Do I even have time to come back to catch the first light??  Should I just forget about the whole thing???  

What should I do???  Wait, didn't I just learn to accept imperfection?  With that, I pulled out my iPhone and snapped 1 shot -- just to record the first sunlight shining through the fall leaves. 

Not perfect, but it captures the sentiment... 

Hoffman Estates, IL

October 24, 2020

Sound of Autumn (2)

Knowing how precious, fragile, and unpredictable lives are, what I've learned over the past 6 months is to accept imperfection -- it's okay to take a trip without producing perfect photos; it's okay to take a photo without perfect lights; it's okay to frame an image without the leaves perfectly lined up...

Life is actually perfect when you allow yourself to step outside of your own world and be able to enjoy it thoroughly -- in whatever shape or form.

Door County, WI

October 10, 2020

14 hours covering 612 miles

 

Sound of Autumn

Have you ever let yourself step outside of your world, blend into the colorful falling leaves, close your eyes, and just listen to the sound of autumn?  I did, yesterday, and it was an amazing experience...

Door County, WI

October 10, 2020

 

32 years ago...

Today was the 32-year anniversary of me being in this country.  I found the 2 diary entries I made right before I left Beijing and right after I arrived in Chicago -- pretty incredible how we dared to drop everything and just came to a strange place...

1988.9.13（二）

 

到了最后的时刻，也许这是我在中国的最后一篇日记了。

几经周折和苦难，终于要出国了，这对我到底意味着什么呢？要走了，离开这温暖的家，离开妈妈，这对我到底意味着什么呢？

明天下午上火车，15日到上海，19日从香港飞美国。这期间的艰难旅途无人知晓…

这本日记到这里就结束了。留给我的后代，但这对他们又会意味着什么呢？

别了，旧日的生活；

别了，养育我的家；

别了，妈妈…

创业艰难！

 

1988.9.21 （三）

一切梦想都成了现实，

在这现实之中，

生活竟好似梦幻一般。

9月19日下午4点到芝加哥，我像仍在飞机上漂然，完全在梦中了。无意中踏上了梦寐以求的土地... 这是新生活的开始。尽管我根本不知新生活会给我带来什么，但我深深地意识到，这种新生活对我整个一生的影响都是无法估量的！

Venturing Out (3)

It feels like Fall now, especially early in the morning.  There is this crisp, fresh coolness in the air that wakes you up, especially when you're out in the middle of nowhere... 

After 2 hours and 113 miles, we arrived at a vineyard in Michigan.  The old couple greeted me with warm smiles and directed me to the location of 2 specific types grapes I was interested in: Concord and Jupiter. It was a sunny, beautiful day with mild winds spreading the sweet smell of the concord.  It reminded me of my childhood days when concord grapes were our family favorites.  Little Jupiter grapes were not only tasty, but also beautiful -- hanging there waiting for you to envy them and love them back. At that moment, the world returned back to normal.  The sun was still shining, the wind was still waving, the gentle sweetness in the air was still enticing... The grape-picking experience was calm, pleasant and relaxing -- you'd take your time, pick your favorite bunch of grapes and let your mind wondering freely... 

Why is this not heaven on earth???

Vineyard, Michigan

September 18, 2020