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Archive for September, 2025

Infrequent Routines

Posted in Daily Life, Happiness, Travel, tagged , on September 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I like routine. I used to think that travel disrupts my routine, since I won’t be able to practice piano, draw, or train as normal. But now I think travel can provide a different type of routine, and it’s not a bad idea for the body to experience something different from time to time.

When I visit London during my annual work trip, I always run in Hyde Park. Similarly, when I visit Tokyo, I stay in a hotel not too far from Yoyogi Park so I can run there in the morning. This kind of infrequent routine has become something I value. Even though I don’t visit Manhattan often, a run in Central Park still brings back familiarity. An annual snowboarding trip to Naeba has also become a family tradition.

There is a trade-off between visiting new places and revisiting familiar cities. When we are young and haven’t seen many places, it makes sense to explore more. But when we are older and have a better sense of our preferences, revisiting places we like becomes more valuable.

I still enjoy exploring new places once in a while, but increasingly I also like to revisit places I like. It seems like as long as we are mindful about it, routine can be established anywhere, and infrequent routines can be as valuable as the regular ones. Be present and every day could be a perfect day.

Hyde Park in different seasons

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Seeing Differently

Posted in anime, Art, Hobbies, tagged on September 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I don’t have any of my childhood drawings anymore, but I remember drawing in a similar way to my son when I was in primary school: pressing hard with harsh lines, often getting proportions wrong, and being impatient with details (I still am). Although my technique has improved over the years, there’s an innocent charm in my son’s drawings that suggests he sees the world differently. While I can’t go back in time to experience that perspective again, the cliché about reliving our childhood through our children feels surprisingly true.

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Sketches: Blue Box IX

Posted in anime, Art, Hobbies, tagged , , on September 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Karen: Everyone’s overthinking things. It’s nice to consider how the other person feels, but in the end, that’s just how the Chii in your head feels. Sometimes it’s important not to think about anything. Anyway, at this rate, you’ll be hitting the ball against the wall forever. Are you okay with that?

Taiki: I want a back-and-forth rally.

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What I watched recently

Posted in anime, Movies, tagged , , , , , , , on September 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »

1st Kiss: A film about time travel, fate, and love. Does marriage change romance, or do we simply overlook what matters? As the movie suggests, we fall in love by discovering what we like in each other, but after marriage, we often dwell on faults and gradually grow distant. It’s a reminder to focus on what truly matters. With a bit of awareness, that focus can make the difference between a happy marriage and divorce. Here’s a review.

Last Song For You (久別重逢): Another time travel movie that changes the future through what you did in the past. Self doubt is common among artists. Persistent, or just stubborn? Should we make art for ourselves or for the world? The film suggests that having someone believe in you often helps sustain motivation. I haven’t watched a Cantonese movie in a long time. It’s nostalgic and reminds me of when Ekin Cheng starred in 古惑仔 (Young and Dangerous) and 風雲 (The Storm Riders). Here’s a review.

My Beloved Stranger: I like milet and have looked forward to her first movie. The story is somewhat predictable, but thanks to a movie like this, we don’t need a parallel universe to remind us of how often we take things for granted.

Takopi’s Original Sin: A dark yet imaginative take on how dysfunctional families can lead to bullying, a lack of empathy, or a desperate craving for validation. Kindness and good intentions (as embodied by Takopi) are good, but without an understanding of human nature and a moral compass, they can cause more harm. As one reviewer put it: “Takopi is about what it costs to care, especially when you don’t know how. It’s about the limits of kindness and the absurdity of innocence. The awful beauty of watching someone try, even as they fail, because trying is the only thing they know how to do.”

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity. Released around the same time, it offers a light refuge from Takopi’s heavier theme. It’s a pleasant shojo romance so far, but might feel escapist, with characters that seem too good to be true.

Marry My Husband (Japanese) and Glass Heart: Both star Satoh Takeru. Marry My Husband offers a more engaging story and character development. Glass Heart is for music fans, featuring songs by famous Japanese artists. While it has some nice moments, like the reconciliation between Naoki and his brother, the characters and story are less compelling. Here’s a review.

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