OfframpQ's Newsletter: December 2023
Asia trip + 2023 look back
Hi, I’m Qinghui Ji. This is my newsletter, where I share updates about my life, interesting findings, and maybe a poll.
Asia Trip
We spent December in Asia, mainly in Shanghai (where I grew up), and visited Suzhou, Singapore and Taipei. We met with family and friends, visited nostalgic locations, and explored new attractions in the city. My parents fed us home-cooked meals every day and did most of the chores. We were still responsible for the childcare, but it was refreshing to not think about the rest. This was also the first time we left the children with grandparents and traveled on our own to Singapore and Taipei. Though the trips to Singapore and Taipei were only a few days each, we felt recharged.
The first few weeks in Shanghai felt very surreal. I thought ‘there is no way I am here.’ I’ve been dreaming about going back to Shanghai for years. Every time I woke up from those dreams, I would feel extremely sad, and ponder if it would ever happen, especially during Covid when everything seemed doomed. The only time I felt this way before was when I first arrived in the US after wanting to come here for years.
As a kid, I eagerly want to escape my hometown, but now I want to move back.
2023 Look Back
1 Decision
Besides having babies, quitting my job is probably the biggest decision I’ve made in the recent decade. So far, I can’t emphasize enough how much it has made my life better.
40 Films
This is the fewest number of films I watched in a given year. No surprise as it’s our first year as a family of four.
I gave up looking for obscure artsy films, instead, watching whatever is available on streaming services. As a result, most of the films I watched are more recently made. Even though I tried to find more non-US films, about 50% are always from the US.
Favorite films of the year
This movie is probably uncomfortable for some to watch. It’s a spot-on portrayal of bougie life. Not only is this film well shot, it is also full of surprises, a rarity in films these days. The cast is another highlight, consisting of mainly newcomers. They help viewers to fully immerse in the story without distraction from stars.
This film is not well unknown outside China, but it’s the third highest-grossing film of all time in China and the second by any female director in the world. I didn’t know the stats in advance, because I stumbled upon this film on a flight. The main actress and director, Jia Ling, is a famous comedian in China. This is her directing debut. A comedy drama about a mom and a daughter plus some time travel doesn’t sound that appealing, but surprisingly, Arun and I couldn’t stop crying and laughing throughout the whole movie. It’s not the best film of the year in term of cinematography. However, the story resonates strongly with many Chinese people who grew up in the time period. In addition, to me, as a daughter and a new mom, the story hits very hard.
45 Books
Aside from children’s books by Shinsuke Yoshitake, here are my favorite books of the year:
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
This is a non-fiction story about the Kate Beaton’s life as a female oil sands worker in northern Canada. It transports you into this heavily man-dominated industry. I love how she was able to capture the loneliness and dullness of her life, while sprinkling in humor. The book is beautifully illustrated. Beaton has her own unique style that is approachable, yet not too mainstream.
My Name is red. Recommended in my previous Newsletter.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
Unlike Sapiens, which contains concepts I found mind-blowing, Four Thousand Weeks is full of ideas familiar to me. Nonetheless, Burkeman did an amazing job calling out people’s inner conflicts regarding time management, life fulfillment, and other complex topics. I can’t say I know exactly what to do with my time after reading this book, but it calms me down when I am anxious about wasting time.
52 Comics
My comic is my only consistent activity. Here are my top five comics in 2023 based on user engagement.
Thank you for reading till the end and your support throughout the year! If you have any thoughts or feedback, you can always comment or reply to this email.
- Q