I’ve always been captivated by watercolor, particularly from the works of architects and fashion designers. Recently, I discovered a beautiful watercolor series from a Court Kings NBA card set that I like. I aspire to learn how to paint with watercolors in the future. For now, I’m content to capture some watercolor-like photos during my morning jogs.
“I’m sure it’s obvious by now, but nothing motivates me more than watching someone work hard” – Karen
This was my second time joining the event, competing in the Men’s Doubles with my gym coach. The event remains popular with a great atmosphere, and it’s good to see so many fit, health-conscious people.
I’m not sure I will participate in future events, unless a family member wants to join, or I feel the desire to try a solo competition to see how I fare in my age group. Most of these exercises I can do on my own if the aim is to stay fit, and I prefer to focus more on improving in specific sports.
Karen: So you like him?
Chinatsu: Maybe not that degree just yet.
Karen: What? Not yet? What do you mean?
Chinatsu: How do I explain it? It’s like I’m growing a flower. Being interested is like when the plant starts to sprout. Back when I used to see him during morning practice, I just thought of him as some guy who was always around. After talking and getting to know him, I realised he was a nice guy, and the seedling began to grow. The more things I find that I like about him…the bigger and bigger the plant grows. But since I’m so focused on basketball, and considering my situation, it hasn’t quite blossomed yet.
Karen: We all go at different speeds when it comes to love.
Flow: Serene and beautiful. Every animal has its quirks. As one review noted, “anyone with a tendency to hoard accessories and to overpack when travelling will feel a kinship with the lemur.” It also reminds me of the science-fiction game Stray.
Poppoya – Railroad Man: It’s a nostalgic film with beautiful background music and scenic landscapes from Hokkaido. Ken Takakura, the very actor Dadadan’s Momo Ayase admires, plays a devoted railroader. He’s stoic, stubborn and makes decisions that some might disapprove, but he lives with no regrets and is a character that I respect. Ryoko Hirosue also stars in the film. Here’s a review.
Grand Maison Paris: I prefer the drama over the movie, as it allows more time to develop the characters. The movie packed too much into a short span, making the sudden changes in personality feel less believable. That said, Kimura Takuya remains charming at his age. I like many of his dramas. He often plays characters with different occupations, showcasing his strong-willed personality and dedication to work. Here’s a review.
Cells at Work! Movie: If one can overlook the absurd and silly aspects of the adaptation, it’s not bad. Here’s one review.
Lost in Starlight: A science fiction story set in future Seoul. It follows how the main characters pursue their dreams and navigate romantic relationships. Though it contains many elements I usually enjoy, somehow it didn’t resonate with me, as compared to some of Shinkai Makoto’s earlier works. Here’s a review.
Blue Lock The Movie Nagi: I’m not a fan of this anime. For sports animate I prefer more realistic type. This movie retells the Blue Lock story from Nagi’s perspective. His relationship with Reo is probably the most compelling aspect. People change, and we often want to evolve alongside those we value. But sometimes it’s not possible, leading us to grow apart, a tension between loyalty and self-actualization.
Black Mirror Season 7: Still disturbing yet gripping and at times thought-provoking. Eulogy is my favorite in this season. For those who have watched the series or don’t mind spoilers, Noah Smith reviewed nearly every episodes.
Karen: Does she [Chinatsu] sometimes stare off into space?
Taiki: She does.
Karen: And then when you start eating snacks, she stares at you instead?
Taiki: She communicates a lot with her eyes. It almost feels like time slow down around her. I don’t hate it.
This is my first time back in New York since 2019. It hasn’t lost its energy and reminds me a lot of Hong Kong—fast-paced, diverse, and full of character.
One thing I loved about big cities is how they support all kind of niche interest. You see people sharing tricks at magic shops, opening card boxes or battling TCG in card stores, and hunting collectibles. And of course, one can find everything from major brands to flagship stores. There’s a well-stocked Kinokuniya bookstore with plenty of anime goods, manga, and illustration books, some of which I couldn’t even find in stores across Asia.
If the New York Knicks had made it to the NBA Finals, I imagine the city would’ve gone wild following the games. But maybe because they lost to the Pacers, I spotted people walking around in OKC jerseys instead.
One of my favorite routines here is waking up early to run a loop around Central Park as the sun rises, then find a cozy diner for a hearty breakfast and a cup of coffee.
Thanks to the city’s cosmopolitan nature, it’s easy to find all kinds of food. Unlike in some places, I can easily get cooked vegetables, kombucha, and even natto at a Japanese grocery store for my daily needs.
PS: David Perell on living in NY.
Henry Oliver wrote an article comparing two of my favourite authors, Jane Austen and Adam Smith. Both have a deep understanding of human psychology and behaviour. I’ve admired Knightley’s and Darcy’s character and self-command ever since I read Jane Austen’s novels when I was young.
Excerpts:
Smith argued that people want to be praised and to be praiseworthy. That they want to be loved and to be deserving of love. Smith says we must be virtuous to be happy. His virtues are prudence, benevolence and justice. His vices are pride and vanity. “The proud and the vain man . . . are constantly dissatisfied,” he writes. The route to virtue is through “self-command”. Therefore we must achieve “superiority over the most ungovernable passions of human nature”.
Self-command is a question of willpower, education, habit. It comes from being bred in “the bustle and business of the world” when we are exposed to “violence and injustice of faction”. To those who are miserable, Smith advises in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, “do not mourn in the solitude of darkness . . . Live with strangers, with those who know nothing or care nothing about your misfortune.”
As the economists Bohanon and Vachris write, both Smith and Austen prioritise self-control as a means of achieving balance and self-improvement. By attaining the skill of self-command, Marianne is able to cultivate virtue.
What marks out the capacity to improve, in Smith, is being able to see ourselves as an “impartial observer” would see us…Emma is unable to improve morally until she takes Knightley’s advice. Like Marianne, she must learn to see like those with more self-command. It is when Emma sees things as Knightley does that she is able to reform. “I doubt whether my own sense would have corrected me,” she acknowledges to Knightley.
Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken.
“It’s tough working hard but never feeling like you’re improving…When there’s someone you want to beat and you make that your goal, all you can see are the things you can’t do. You stop giving yourself credit for the things you can. He [Taiki] acts like he has to cross a desert without water to get anywhere. But there’s no need for that. He faces his issues so diligently that he forgets to keep himself hydrated.” – Haryu
“Well, I know what it feels like to want to progress faster. Even people who do remember to hydrate still end up quitting. But…if you don’t want to give up, you just have to keep moving your feet. Because standing still hurts the most.” – Chinatsu
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