Cover of this issue: A stunning scene obscured by reinforced concrete.
Reading#
Last weekend, I went to the library to return the book "I Am a Cat" that I borrowed last time, and borrowed three more books: "Ten Years in Germany", "A Man's Holiday in Hokkaido", and "Searching for Haruki Murakami's Tokyo".
This is my fifth time going to the library since coming to Shanghai. The first time I went, it was still during the epidemic control period. Due to lack of preparation, I impulsively went. But when I arrived at the location, I was told that I needed to make an appointment in advance, so I had to reluctantly return. The second time, I made an appointment early and the first thing I did after arriving was to apply for a library card. Then I spent the whole afternoon in the library, but I couldn't find a seat to sit comfortably the whole afternoon. After familiarizing myself with the library during the first two visits, the subsequent visits were mainly for borrowing and returning books, and I didn't stay in the library for long (mainly because I couldn't find a seat).
These are some verbose sentences, which can also be considered as a small record of my leisure reading.
Sharing#
Here are some things I have come across recently:
- A healing, funny, and inspirational Japanese anime: Yuru Camp
- A very interesting website for digital nomads: Nomad List
- A video by a Bilibili content creator: "I Would Rather Suffer Than Be Numb"
Reflection#
I often feel panic and anxiety about myself because of the many outstanding people around me and the excellent sharing I see on the internet. This continuous feeling keeps raising my fantasies and leads me to make many unrealistic decisions and actions. This kind of state not only consumes my physical and mental energy, but also wastes the personal time that could have been used more effectively. Countless pieces of advice warn you not to get caught up in meaningless internal conflicts, and although you understand the principles, you still find yourself in this situation.
I have come up with a few ways to deal with this, such as:
When comparing yourself to others, don't just compare yourself to the outstanding ones. It's also helpful to understand the bottom level and carefully study the top and bottom of a certain matter when necessary. This will help you have a clear understanding of your own position and set appropriate expectations before you start comparing. When you compete with something, you are often defeated by the competition itself. When your expectations are based on the actual situation, you will feel much more relaxed.
For example, when it comes to reading, don't let yourself be influenced by bloggers who list various reading lists and their reading experiences. It seems like others can finish a book in three days and gain a lot from it. But for me, I spend three days fishing and two days drying the net, so this adds a burden to my reading behavior. You can think about the fact that many people around you don't even have the habit of reading. Even if you only read for five minutes a day, or even if you initially set a rule for yourself to read for only five minutes a day, not a second more. Isn't this also a kind of self-satisfaction brought about by comparison? When you turn this into a reading habit that satisfies yourself, and then continuously adjust and expand your harvest, you will truly focus on reading itself, rather than trying to finish a book in a few days, or how many classics you have read...
Conclusion#
A little story: Last Friday, after working overtime until around 10 o'clock, I was rushing to catch the subway when I encountered an old man who took the initiative to ask me for directions. He had a temporary ticket in his hand and was carrying a large package. He had a northern accent, but his Mandarin was already quite good.
He said he wanted to go to a certain station, but it was his first time taking the subway and he didn't know how to do it. Since I wasn't very sure either, I said I would check for him. But as soon as he heard me say that I wanted to check, he quickly said it was not necessary, and I felt that he might be afraid of bothering me. I told him the results I found after checking, such as which direction to take, which station to transfer to, which exit to take, and approximately how long it would take. He kept thanking me, and when the train arrived, we got on together, but we were not in the same car.
After I got on, I suddenly realized that he might miss the last train when he reached the transfer station. I thought of his simple appearance, so I felt that I must remind him that he might miss the last train. So I relied on my memory to walk through the crowd and several cars to find him, and told him about the possibility of missing the last train. I also told him about how long it would take and how much it would cost to take a taxi if he missed it, and what kind of taxi it would be, and so on.
I couldn't think of any other way to help him, so I felt relieved, and that night, despite being tired from working overtime until late, I didn't feel exhausted. As for that tall man, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and jeans that were neat and clean, and speaking with a bit of shyness, I don't know if he caught the subway transfer or if he safely reached his destination. I don't know, so I hope he is safe!