daily slice-of-life photo blog of a Gen-X dad
Welcome to my blog! I hope you enjoy your visit. Here are a few quick links to my most popular content:
“‘Oli” Cedar Park, 2026
I’m so in love with my ʻOli ukulele. It’s an absolute joy to play, and the quality and craftsmanship are far beyond my other ukuleles. Even my beloved Mele can’t hold a candle to it. Honestly, it’s shaping up to be one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
“Badly” Cedar Park, 2026
My hairstylist recommended Badly in Love on Netflix, and it ended up being such a fun watch. It’s a Japanese reality dating show, a genre I already love. It feels similar to Love Village, but instead of older participants, the cast is made up of former yankii and rebellious youth.
The whole series was really entertaining, and I ended up finishing all ten episodes in just a week. I’m especially happy to hear that a second season is already on the way!
“KBBQ at Home” Cedar Park, 2026
Tonight’s dinner was simple, but it felt special. Korean BBQ at home always does that. We grilled some marinated spicy pork from H-Mart and paired it with kimchi, spinach, lettuce, onion, jalapeño, cheese, and rice. Easy, interactive, and so satisfying.
We also added pickled daikon, which Mariko first tried at a restaurant over the holidays. It was a great addition and super refreshing alongside the spicy pork.
I really love doing KBBQ or yakiniku at home. One important tip though: close your closet doors and open the windows. Things get smoky fast, but it’s absolutely worth it.
“Nasu” Cedar Park, 2026
The before and after. This beautiful eggplant turned into a seriously delicious donburi. Mariko is a wizard in the kitchen! 🍆✨
“Nasu Donburi” Cedar Park, 2026
“Outside Grilling” Cedar Park, 2026
We wanted to grill some fish for dinner, but didn’t want the house smelling like it afterward, so I broke out the portable burner and grilled out back instead. The evening was surprisingly warm, which made it a really pleasant way to cook and unwind. The saba turned out great, though I should have taken the photo after flipping it so you could see that beautifully grilled skin. Oh well, it looks better in the photo below anyway.
Do you ever take the cooking outside just to enjoy the weather, or to save your kitchen from lingering smells? It kind of feels like camping. So fun!
“Saba Dinner” Cedar Park, 2026
