Tag: food

Dry January

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO200
 “Lonely Saké” Cedar Park, 2026

This year I gave Dry January a try and made it through the entire month without drinking alcohol. Well, almost. On New Year’s Day I had a tiny sip of saké with our traditional Japanese osechi meal, and I also tasted a cocktail my son had made. But those barely count, right?

I’m not a big drinker to begin with, so getting to the end of the month wasn’t difficult. What I was really curious about was whether cutting out alcohol would have any effect on my eczema. The verdict? Hard to say. Maybe it’s a little better, but it’s definitely not gone. Still, it was an interesting experiment.

The best part is that I finished Dry January without any cravings at all, which feels like a small win. And now… that lonely little bottle of saké in the fridge is calling my name.

Burger Nite

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/40 sec, ISO200
 “Mariko’s Burger” Cedar Park, 2026

Mariko and Bay are heading off to Japan for a long visit, and before they left, Bay made one important request. Burgers. Happy to oblige! I thought I did a pretty solid job with mine, as pictured below, but let’s be honest. Mariko’s burger assembly skills are on another level.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/40 sec, ISO200
 “My Burger” Cedar Park, 2026

A Day in the Office

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO250
 “Water Bottle” Austin, 2026

I went into the office today. Thursdays are our in-office day, and I also picked up my new work laptop while I was there. I am upgrading from my trusty Dell, which I actually really liked, to a new Microsoft Surface. It is slick, fast, and feels very modern. So far, so good. Re-logging into every single website is a bit of a chore, but that is just part of the new-computer initiation ritual, I guess.

I also brought in a water bottle. Mariko was about to donate her King Arthur water bottle to Goodwill, but I rescued it and decided it will live at work instead. It is a great bottle, and I am happy it has a second life.

Thursdays also mean free lunch at work. Today was a “power bowl” day, where you build your own salad. I went heavy on the salmon, and it was pretty good. Not mind-blowing, but certainly nothing to complain about. Plus, I will always appreciate having a healthy option waiting for me.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO250
 “Water Bottle” Austin, 2026
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/80 sec, ISO200
 “Lunch Bowl” Austin, 2026

Korean BBQ at Home (Open the Windows!)

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO320
 “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.