This article is a summary of the biweekly period from January 29, 2023, to February 12, 2023. There were quite a few things that happened during these two weeks, and I was quite busy, so I had to combine two weeks into one and write a biweekly report.
Scenes#
The setting sun hid behind the withered branches, emitting a dim light, casting a reddish glow on the distant snow-capped mountains.
The golden full moon hung low in the deep blue night sky, enveloping the two stubborn and proud excavators on the wilderness.
The full moon shuttled through the birch forest, and fireworks bloomed in the sky above the village.
These three scenes were all encountered on the fifteenth day of the lunar month when I went skiing at Nanshan Ski Resort. The first scene was at the end of the day session, where I enjoyed the sunset in the ski resort. The scene reminded me of the poem "Every tree is autumn, every mountain is sunset," except it was already winter.
The second scene was after the day session ended, when I returned to the parking lot. It was already night, but the sky was not completely dark yet, still a bit blue. I saw this distant view. Before seeing this scene, there was a small turn, and before the turn, the moon was blocked by obstacles. So when I suddenly saw such an open and desolate scene after the turn, the momentary sight was truly stunning.
The third scene was on the way back, with the moon gradually rising. It was the fifteenth day of the lunar month, and fireworks were constantly blooming above the village in the distance. Driving in the moonlight and fireworks scene was not the first time, as it also appeared in Scene 3 of Week#1. Perhaps it was because driving on the open road accompanied by moonlight gave me a sense of freedom, I was often touched by this scene.
Red, yellow, blue, purple, layers of light circles, enveloping me, getting closer and closer, from small to large, faster and faster, endless.
This scene was seen while driving through a tunnel at night on the highway. It was a sight composed of layers of light circles arranged at fixed intervals around the tunnel. The colors of the lights happened to be very bright, red, yellow, blue, purple, full of dynamism, even a bit hallucinatory. Unconsciously, I was driving faster and faster (please do not imitate this dangerous action), and when I came to my senses, I found that I was already speeding at 150km/h.
Here is a photo of Scene 2:
Life#
WeChat Account Suspended#
On February 4, 2023, in the morning, my WeChat account on my phone was logged out. With a sense of unease about the unknown, I logged in again and found that my account had been permanently suspended. It is not entirely accurate to say that my WeChat account was suspended because even all the QQ accounts associated with my phone could not be logged in.
Recently, especially during the Spring Festival holiday last week, I witnessed the thriving revival of the entire tourism industry. I often feel that all this prosperity seems unreal, until my WeChat account was suddenly suspended - especially when I haven't posted any moments for more than two months and rarely participate in WeChat group chats.
I may write another article to express my thoughts on the suspension of my WeChat account in more detail, but for now, I'll just briefly mention it. Even if I actively try not to rely on WeChat, passively relying on WeChat in this society has still brought me a lot of inconvenience. I don't know if it's worth it or not, I know many people think it's unnecessary, and there may have been moments when I hesitated and wondered why bother. But in the end, I still believe in my answer:
A relatively clear-minded person will find himself "officially violating" the so-called "most sacred laws in society" again and again because he wants to obey even more sacred laws. There is no need to be so unconventional, and his determination has already been verified... He will put certain things aside and cross an invisible boundary, establishing new, universally understood, and more free regulations around him and deep within his heart. Otherwise, he will expand the old regulations and obtain new interpretations that are more favorable to him from a more free perspective, so that he can live as a higher-level being.
- "Walden"
"Do social interactions need to be decentralized?" I think I understand this question better now, and I hope I can apply what I have learned to building a new world.
Moving#
Recently, I was entrusted by relatives to help them contact a moving company and complete a local move. This was the first time I learned that there are moving companies that provide services for categorizing and packing items as well as unpacking and arranging them in the new home. Another novel experience was sitting in the passenger seat of a truck for the first time in my life.
In addition, by chance, I encountered some fragments of my past writings during the moving process. Glancing at the past, I realized that it was a mix of emotions. I would complain, "This person is so annoying, why do they always talk about love?" But at the same time, I would feel a bit sorry, realizing that even after so many years, I can still be affected by past emotions. However, I also marveled at how much I have changed in many aspects without even realizing it. If the 15-year-old me saw what I look like at 25, she would be happy for herself - of course, the 25-year-old me also loves the 15-year-old me.
Sports#
I recently tried rock climbing for the first time, which was also my first contact with this sport. It's not that I didn't like rock climbing before, in fact, I really like it. I like its freedom and strength (which is probably the most fundamental motivation for me to enjoy most sports), I like the closeness to nature that it implies, and I like that it is not highly competitive. The reason why I didn't try it until now was probably due to my fear of difficulties - I thought my upper body strength was poor, and I'm short with short arms and legs, so rock climbing seemed too difficult. But after accumulating more experience in trying different sports, I seemed to have gained more confidence.
And after actually trying it, I have to say, I am convinced that rock climbing will be one of the sports I really enjoy. It's not because I have enough strength to "conquer" rock climbing, but because I really enjoy the process of constantly practicing self-acceptance in rock climbing. Height, which is an innate physical advantage, can directly determine whether others can easily climb certain routes, even if you practice hard, you may not succeed. But I know that I can always do better than my past self, and I can sincerely enjoy the freedom and joy of rock climbing. "Doing better than my past self" is a simple truth that we often forget. Climbing a route that I couldn't climb the first time but can climb the second time, experiencing the joy of progress, is a great exercise in self-acceptance.
Another reason that made me fall in love with rock climbing is the atmosphere of the climbing gym. I don't know if all climbing gyms are similar, but the one I went to had two floors. The first floor was the climbing area, and the second floor had a large table, a microwave oven, serving as an office and dining area, and a fitness area with simple dumbbells and kettlebells. For someone who works remotely and enjoys sports and the community atmosphere, a climbing gym meets all my needs. I love it.
Friends#
In the past two weeks, I have had some conversations with friends that are not common. Whether intentional or unintentional, I believe we are all trying to redeem each other in this difficult world. I am also gradually brave enough to see the hidden parts of myself and reconcile with that part of myself. Perhaps all the regrets point to my poor ability to handle interpersonal relationships, but at least I am trying to accept this part of myself.
Expired Driver's License#
In the early morning of February 4, 2023, when I had the idea of registering as a ride-hailing driver, I found that my driver's license had expired a month ago - realizing that I had been driving without a valid license for a month. Because I have many plans that require driving, I felt a bit panicked, even though I hadn't had a physical examination yet. I thought it wouldn't hurt to try, so I hurriedly took photos and submitted an application on the Traffic Management 123 app overnight. Unexpectedly, it only took 5 hours for my new electronic driver's license to be approved (I submitted the application at 4:30 am, and it was approved at 9:30 am the next morning).
To be more at ease, I wanted to get the physical driver's license as well, so I woke up in the morning and realized that my application had been approved. I rushed to the traffic management office to pick up my driver's license, making it just in time (it was Saturday, and they closed at 1 pm). When picking up the driver's license, the staff told me to complete the physical examination later.
Looking back now, although I felt a lot of anxiety at the time because of the expired driver's license, the renewal process went very smoothly, and I hardly experienced any negative consequences.
Driving in the Snow#
Just after arriving in Chongli last week, I encountered heavy snowfall that I hadn't seen in years (although the weather forecast said it was light snow). This was my first time driving in snowy and icy conditions, and the life lesson I learned was not to drive a rear-wheel-drive car in the snow (especially without snow tires), as it can't climb slopes.
If Life Is Like This#
The last part about life is a bit abstract. Sometimes we fall into pessimistic moods, feeling that many things seem endless and insignificant, leading to a mediocre life without joy or sorrow... If life is like this, at least the joy brought by today's sunshine is worth cherishing. Facing the future without expectations, I think that's the only thing I should strive to do when facing emotional lows.
Information#
I haven't been reading much recently, only reading a few articles about Cancel Culture. I have some superficial thoughts about Cancel Culture and Web3, and I hope to have more in-depth thinking and output on this topic.