mindy tsai etcetera is a personal blog about a life that’s somewhere between ordinary and exceptional. I share a mix of articles, short stories, and photos about topics that I care about, such as traveling, food, schizophrenia, dating, digital health, and life’s little moments and inspirations. Most of them are from a happy heart. But some are of happiness mixed with challenges, observations, learning and regrets. I am still finding my voice and welcome you to be part of my writing journey.

I am an American memorist. Becoming Whole, A Memoir is my debut book. I have schizophrenia and write from my own personal experiences with the disease in my first memoir.

I was born in Taipei, Taiwan and moved to New York City when I was a teenager. I did not know any English at the time but was welcomed by everyone at Booker T Washington JHS 54, which was filled with predominantly Spanish and African American students at the time. A group of four girls took me under their wings and I learned to speak again! The Librarian Mrs Capaldi paid extra attention to me and became a parent figure to me.

I was introduced to the suburb life when we moved to New Jersey. I went to Millburn High School, which was an excellent public school that sent most of its students to top colleges in the country. I met one of my best friends, learned how to drive, and how to fence. My English teacher Mr. Gordon took an interest in me. I got an award from him for “A pleasure to have in class!” I was good at math and science. But I enjoyed English. Unlike most teenagers, I was a late bloomer. I stuck with girlfriends and did not date. I did not go to the prom, which was still a foreign concept to me. During my free time, I watched movies, went to Gap, did babysitting and worked at Ideal Jacobs during summer breaks.

My professional background is rooted in mathematics and science. I earned degrees in electrical engineering (B.S.) and engineering management (M.Eng.) at Cornell University. Ithaca is a beautiful city to become an adult. I made many great friends there, got drunk for the first time, and met my first boyfriend.

After college, I have been working for software companies in Boston. Currently, I am a manager for the digital healthcare consultancy Medullan in Somerville, Massachusetts. I joined Medullan because it focuses specific on digital health. When I have free time, I love to read and write. I have two young cats Bilbo and Frodo. I adopted them on March 14, 2019. They are both cuddly and mostly well behaved. I got lucky finding them at Ellen M. Gifford Shelter.

Through my website, I hope to sprinkle little moments from my life to yours. Thank you for visiting and happy reading!

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