About

Hi. Tom here.

I live in Toronto and work in hospitality. Twelve years in, starting as a teenager, currently working the night shift as an in-room dining supervisor at a downtown hotel.

I moved here from Vietnam at fifteen. English came slowly. I failed the IELTS exam three times before I passed it. I worked in restaurants and hotels through school and have not really stopped since.

I write about what I am learning on the side of the job — money, books, Korean, hospitality life, credit cards, family. The site exists because the things I am most curious about do not always fit into one neat category.

I have written two books.

Pursuit of Success in a Foreign Land (2019) — a memoir about leaving Vietnam at fifteen and the long road of becoming someone here.

Alive After Hours (May 25, 2026) — about working a full-time job and quietly building something on the side. Investing. Hobbies. Side projects. Showing up to a shift the next morning.

I also run deskpainfree.com, a small site for people who spend long hours on their feet or at a desk.

I am still figuring most of this out. I write it down so I remember what I learn, and so anyone on a similar road has another voice to read along the way.

If you want to reach me, you can find me on Instagram or send a note through the contact page.

Thank you for being here.

Tom