Blog | AK Lee

April Prompt: Budding

Warmth. Light. Air. The sun pours life and energy from its lofty seat. A gentle pulsing echoes through each cell: exhale, inhale, exhale. I can feel the silent urging: open, open, open. Not yet, I think. Her hands are tentative as she holds me. Her fingers brush over me, soft as a breath. She is filled with anticipation. High expectations. I will be her first, she declares aloud to no one in particular. Two ants pause to exchange messages on a leaf stalk. I will be her fir

A.K. Lee

3 days ago2 min read

a pair of clay-stained hands making a large bowl on a wheel

March Prompt: 2 Potter at the Wheel

I wanted to write about an old potter who spent her life shaping clay with her hands.

Writing

A.K. Lee

Mar 213 min read

February Prompts 1&4: Correspond; Viewing the Moon, Thinking of You

Outside the porthole, the stars twinkle a welcome back . They have emerged from hyperspace 2.8 million light years away from Waystation-1, heading directly towards the colony where their destination waits in stationary orbit. Two more jumps through hyperspace and they will get to the mothership where they will dock for a Standard week, and then start on the return voyage. The shuttle is silent. They are used to it. The silence makes it easier for them to take note of minor pr

Writing

A.K. Lee

Feb 255 min read

January Prompt 1 & 2: Awakening / A Cup of Coffee

Sometimes coffee is just coffee. Sometimes it is more. The kids call it a situationship nowadays. Back in my time, what I called him was Not My Boyfriend, with the implication that he would be in the future. My mutual friends understood that he and I were close to each other in a way that transcended mere friendship or flirtation. He was my person - we talked daily, whether in person, on the phone, or via instant messaging (ah, those were the days). We were not dating because

A.K. Lee

Jan 214 min read

Reflections & Intentions

I wrapped up 2025 with a trip to Hokkaido, Japan with my partner, and came to the conclusion that while snow is pretty to look at, I am not a Snowy Weather person. I always knew I didn't enjoy the cold and before the trip, I suspected that I wouldn't like the snow, but I wanted to challenge myself to try it out and not let my prejudices stand in the way of having a good time. Unfortunately, snow didn't win me over fully, but I gotta give it credit for making the world look a

Life Stuff

A.K. Lee

Dec 23, 20251 min read

Sugarcane

In the back of the kitchen was a decent-sized grove of sugarcane.

Life Stuff

A.K. Lee

Nov 26, 20252 min read

Reflection of a Teacher

I was reflecting on my work today, as one does towards the end of the year.

Writing

A.K. Lee

Nov 18, 20252 min read

interlude with my cat (her name is Duck)

I have a lot to do today. But when she naps She purrs – purrs – purrs. I lie down, Close my eyes. To-do list on the coffee table. Fingers...

Life Stuff

A.K. Lee

Jul 22, 20251 min read

Sleep is for the Old

As a teenager, I used to go 24, 36, 48 hours without sleep. Now?

Life Stuff

A.K. Lee

Jul 11, 20251 min read

Wake

When the hearse arrives, we're told to kneel with our backs to it and to keep our heads down and our eyes closed. The scent of incense...

Writing

A.K. Lee

May 13, 20251 min read

Black Dress

The bottom eight inches of my black dress swish when I walk, and twirl when I turn. It's of a different material than the rest of the...

Life Stuff

A.K. Lee

May 13, 20251 min read

an open suitcase with various travel-related objects

Vacation

When planning for a vacation, I like to choose three to four must-see locations or must-do activities, and then wing it for the rest....

Writing

A.K. Lee

May 13, 20251 min read

woman at a bus stop looking at her wristwatch

Cursed

My partner and I firmly believe that we are cursed. Not in the “let’s find an exorcist” way, just mundane commonplace curses that inconvenience us.

Writing

A.K. Lee

Apr 17, 20251 min read

Translating Children's Books

In 2024, I translated three children's books. These stories were about landmarks in Singapore's past that are no longer around today. I translated them from English to Chinese, and while it wasn't my first experience translating per se, it was still a learning experience.

Writing

A.K. Lee

Apr 17, 20252 min read