What I’m Doing Now #7
I’m a bit late updating the “now” page, but it’s better late than never, as they say. February went by like a whirlwind; so much happened, including confirming that I am indeed going to be a parent, which is both exciting and terrifying (in a good way).
We still haven’t finished unpacking the boxes in our new apartment. Maybe it’s because I’ve moved around so much all my life, but I just don’t feel like unpacking. A part of me keeps thinking, “What’s the point? We’ll probably just have to pack them up again in a year.” My spouse and I have decided that enough is enough with renting, so we should just bite the bullet and start looking around at property to buy. It would be better to have the stability, especially with children hanging around. My grandfather used to say, “Renting is just paying someone else’s mortgage!”. We weren’t certain that we would stay in this city, but it hit me one day that if we move, it would be much harder for my family to visit—and it’s already difficult as it is.
A short time ago, I unexpectedly wrote an analysis of Dostoyevsky’s A Gentle Spirit. I had been reading it after my curiosity was piqued upon hearing how others analysed it. Yet, I couldn’t disagree more with some of the analyses I encountered… it seemed as though they were missing the point and not reading the subtext at all. I also found a new admiration for Dostoyevsky’s show-don’t-tell style.
On and off, I’ve been experimenting with some Cantonese-style cooking recently, and reading about Sichuan cuisine. I don’t think I’ve found a cuisine from China I don’t like. It’s the main place I hope to one day visit to take in the sights, the history, the culture, and especially the food.
Up until a few months ago, I had been worldbuilding for a new graphic novel project, but for some reason my heart wasn’t in it. After a break, I realised the scope was too big for the armature and my current energy levels. I decided instead to create something cosier and more intimate, set in the same world, but on a much smaller scale, and surprisingly, I haven’t run out of motivation yet. I’m really enjoying this project—more than most of my projects. But I know now that that’s a trap! It’s always the work I enjoy the most that everyone else likes least…
On the topic of writing, I hope I can get back on track with the blog; I’d like to write more often and post more analyses. I think my previous essays were stiff in places because I had taken such a long hiatus from writing before starting this blog; my skills were incredibly rusty, and even my ability to think seems to have dwindled. I was really struggling to generate ideas and to write flexibly and creatively. But now I feel the dust is starting to fall off, so I’m hoping to keep improving and continue writing here in the future.