Beth Nguyen

50 years ago today, April 29, my family left Saigon. Boat, refugee camps, resettlement in the US. This is my origin story, my family story, the story I keep telling, to understand it. I didn’t write an op-ed or essay for this anniversary. Instead, just thinking about how the past keeps changing us.

Earlier today I quoted Prince to someone: “you can be the president / I’d rather be the pope.” Just realized today is also the ninth anniversary of his death. (He also sang, “I’d rather be so happy”) 😢💜

Also, the JW Marriott in LA was by far the smoothest and best-run AWP hotel and bar I’ve ever experienced

Hope everyone had a good / useful / interesting / fun / 👀 AWP

About to leave for the airport and the music in the hotel lobby is “we found love in a hopeless place” which feels so appropriate for AWP

In LA for AWP and almost all the clothes I brought are for LA rather than for AWP. Because we are not in Kansas City anymore

Haha seriously? I love that! Makes me wonder what people are gonna get up to in LA

Yes and I’m still with both so either they’re ok with my weirdnesses or, maybe more wisely, didn’t read

Behind Closed Doors: On the Steamier Side of AWP (preview) Beth Nguyen examines romances that began at the annual writing conference, including her own.

Because AWP is next week, here’s a piece I wrote for the Writer’s Chronicle last fall about, well, hookups and hot times at the conference
writerschronicle.awpwriter.org/TWC/TWC/2024...

It is true: the U.S. government has disappeared a permanent resident because of his political activism. Yes, this is where we are.

I have no cultural or religious connection to this day; I just love all kinds of doughnuts. These excellent paczki (and other pastries) are from Bloom bake shop in Madison WI

On top of everything else, Love Is Blind S8 (Minneapolis) is so incredibly boring, I’m not sure whether to be proud or ashamed of these midwesterners

When the school district sends a 9 pm email basically saying sorry fuckers, you were hoping for no school tomorrow but we are staying open! Yeah it’s gonna be -20 wind chill but our threshold is -25 so put on some extra clothes hahaha

I stopped my social media break because of Love Is Blind S8. Minneapolis! Not that we have even escaped the pods yet, my god why do they have so many goblets

I had to identify them as “guy who doesn’t read”; “guy who doesn’t vote”; “guy who really isn’t that short, why the fixation; “guy who’s really worried about avoidant behavior” (and I’m still not totally sure I’ve got the correct guys here)

Appreciate Lila Shapiro’s work in writing and researching that piece. Thinking a lot about the women here, and his family. (I barely know who he is and never read his work, and never will)

Saw people saying the info in that article on Gaiman was horrific. That’s the word I kept seeing. Yet I read it anyway. Or tried. People were correct. Horrific abuse, assault. Sickening.

Oh I’m pleased that Ali Wong got a Golden Globe for her comedy special. I still laugh thinking about divorced mom energy and I don’t care how many brain cells you have, I don’t care if you pronounce hors d’oeuvres “whores devours”

Saw Babygirl recently without reading anything about it ahead of time. Loved it. Was moved by it and by the complications. Appreciated how almost unnervingly average the guy is. Also, the music! “Never tear us apart” AND “Father figure”!

!!

Ok that is way worse than existential despair!

I need a new dentist because my current one stopped accepting my insurance but mostly because they play the saddest most despair-inducing music and it’s become unbearable. Why, good dentist, why

yet another reason why pandering to men is ludicrous yikes / lol / depressing

I use meringue powder to make an easy royal icing. Still takes ages to dry properly. Usually prefer sugar cookies but wanted to try crisp gingerbread

The time of year when I stress-bake and decorate cookies. Very soothing especially when alone and listening to choral music

Thank you! I actually forgot about Costco and I do have a membership

I have to buy a refrigerator. French door style. I so dread doing this and am overwhelmed. Grateful for any recommendations

I was just in New Orleans and tried as many beignets as possible because I love them so much, and every single one is different re texture, rise, chew, shape. Going to do a bunch of research and make these at home soon

So he actually talks the way he writes? Good lord imagine being stuck in an elevator with this dude

I learned that once you need reading glasses you actually need like 10 pairs so you can keep them all over your house, in your car, in your bag