{"id":4073,"date":"2026-02-12T20:47:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T04:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/?p=4073"},"modified":"2026-02-12T20:47:54","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T04:47:54","slug":"2025-reflections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/2025-reflections\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 reflections"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I am 31 now. There was a snowstorm in New York a couple weeks ago, the coldest in 8 years \u2014 the perfect excuse to stay cozy, stare at my bellybutton, make a few snowballs. Friends in the midwest and the Nordic regions will laugh at what\u2019s considered a snowstorm here, but it\u2019s big in my California mind. There\u2019s still snow on the sidewalks today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21oPfC%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F28bdd6ff-97e2-4d4f-b828-f8e7fd037e4e.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21oPfC%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F28bdd6ff-97e2-4d4f-b828-f8e7fd037e4e.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Over at Tompkins Square Park, the day of the snowstorm a couple Sundays ago. In other parts of NYC, you could see people with skis and sleds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve been staring more at my phone recently: just in the past month there was an almost-war with allies over Greenland, friends with family in Iran during their protests, that recent news with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c8d5pl34vv0o\">Jimmy Lai<\/a> sentenced to 20 years in a Hong Kong prison. Watching the Minnesotans and more people I look up to speak out &amp; push back against ICE and the current administration gives me hope. I worry it will get worse this year; I hope I don\u2019t fold under the pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Some personal anniversaries to note:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This January marks my 6th year in New York City, the longest I\u2019ve lived in one city in adulthood. San Diego gets second place with 5 years.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Last December marked my 5-year anniversary of working at the big blue tech pretzel, the longest I\u2019ve stayed at any one company.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Last October marked my 3-year anniversary of working part-time as a bookseller at Yu &amp; Me Books. The bookstore itself turned 4 years old last month.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All this is to say: I think I am nesting well here in the big apple, especially as someone who does not sit still often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>I traveled more in 2025 than any other year in my life \u2014 4 Amtrak train rides and 24 flights \u2014 mostly for research work, but also for weddings, milestone celebrations, reunions with family &amp; friends, and even once to give long-distance love a shot. (That didn\u2019t work out, but it did feel lovely to experience a whirlwind romance at least once in a lifetime. In another universe there\u2019s a version of me shifting my entire life around to be in Korea or Singapore).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was gone from NYC for 97 days, or more than a quarter of the entire year. My brother says that\u2019s a lot of wasted rent money. I\u2019m not even a consultant or wear a suit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To me it\u2019s still worth it. But it\u2019s also the first time I felt disoriented from all the travel. Establishing a regular sleep &amp; social rhythm gets tougher, and it starts to feel sad when you miss people\u2019s birthdays or celebrations, or even watch neighborhood NYC life go on without you (see: FOMO). Then again, I also had the chance to see faraway friends I hadn\u2019t seen in years, multiple times! So it evens out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Better to do this while I still have the energy and desire, and while my family is still healthy. And while I don\u2019t have any little ones to take care of, human or otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Some events to note:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>American passports expire once every ten years, and I renewed mine in the summertime. Ada let me borrow her living room wall in Seattle and took my photograph (thanks Ada!). I was relieved to part ways with my old chipmunk cheeks photo from 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21dFeh%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa9117963-077f-4d38-af05-7e9e33f48a4f.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21dFeh%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa9117963-077f-4d38-af05-7e9e33f48a4f.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Loved riding the auto rickshaws in Mumbai.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21UUg9%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc5582962-cfb0-4ede-abe5-2b33c8757178.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21UUg9%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc5582962-cfb0-4ede-abe5-2b33c8757178.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At a Mumbai post office. I waited here while the staff was trying to find postage stamps in their inventory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21_y_J%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d90acef-6204-4f6a-a7fd-ee7c05e89ba0.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21_y_J%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d90acef-6204-4f6a-a7fd-ee7c05e89ba0.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Marine Drive in Mumbai after work.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21yIfk%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fde86e02d-8cae-4916-a046-1c1e4d507013.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21yIfk%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fde86e02d-8cae-4916-a046-1c1e4d507013.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cricket time in the Oval Maidan, also in Mumbai.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Leading an international study for the first time in India, and making new friends there! <\/strong>The company had just done a giant round of layoffs the week before, and I worried I\u2019d be next on the chopping block if I didn\u2019t get it right. One week in Delhi &amp; Gurgaon, one week in Mumbai \u2014 a combination of home visits and office interviews, more than 30 in total (big thanks to Ankit for making those happen!). Ankit, Flavia, Mihir, and Maithili generously showed me around Mumbai, and Ankit\u2019s mom even spoiled me with her home cooking and chai. South Asian hospitality is next level. Even while doing research interviews and entering people\u2019s homes as a stranger, I\u2019d get spoiled with chai and treats, and it got me thinking I need to step up my own hosting skills for friends and guests. Their level of generosity towards a clueless foreigner like me was really touching. On the way back home I even experienced my first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ndtv.com\/india-news\/air-india-mumbai-new-york-flight-returns-after-threat-was-above-azerbaijan-7889275#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bomb threat on my Air India flight<\/a> (turns out it was a hoax). Someone had scribbled a bomb threat on a napkin and left it in the bathroom, and the police in the Mumbai airport made every passenger recreate the bomb threat note via their own handwriting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21FfnY%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0ce1a19e-57f1-49fc-a36a-f79671f5ba3f.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21FfnY%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0ce1a19e-57f1-49fc-a36a-f79671f5ba3f.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Coffee, south Indian style.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21zlLX%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F291071e7-8ff1-4e2a-b44c-8e0cd1c0c82b.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21zlLX%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F291071e7-8ff1-4e2a-b44c-8e0cd1c0c82b.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Taj Mahal in Agra, India.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21hSaF%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff1bfa12d-2b40-43c9-89aa-2ef37e42c892.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21hSaF%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff1bfa12d-2b40-43c9-89aa-2ef37e42c892.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">India Gate in New Delhi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21QRCZ%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd662e5c3-1f74-4e59-9e85-6e46a7a0b939.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21QRCZ%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd662e5c3-1f74-4e59-9e85-6e46a7a0b939.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Around Ipanema in Rio, Brazil.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21FGcm%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e946633-3666-4a86-af59-8b6f9a0472b1.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21FGcm%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e946633-3666-4a86-af59-8b6f9a0472b1.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sunrise in Copacabana, in Rio. Lots of people awake and already up and about.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Joining Roxie on research work she was leading in Brazil &amp; Korea! <\/strong>Great to see an old friend &amp; collaborator lead fantastic research work \u2014 and to meet teammates from the international offices. This was also the first time I\u2019d ever been in Brazil &amp; Korea. In Rio, I was surprised by the wonders of cheese bread and how people regularly wake up to see the sun rise or get a beach workout in, even during the regular work week (there are so many people out even at 6 or 7 AM). In Seoul, I adored the open picnic culture at the Hanggang River Park (so many people brought their own lawn chairs and blankets, and plenty of soju bottles, too), and all the late-night cafes, pochas, and 24\/7 hangover soup shops. After the business trip was over I spent a few extra days in Seoul, and stayed at a <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/FiZGcZo3JXeCZ36F7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hostel<\/a> Samson recommended after he befriended the owners \u2014 the hostel doubled as the owners\u2019 family home, and we both wonder what it must have been like to have grown up there. <br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7246-1-scaled.jpg?w=1680 1680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">After research work was over, I swiped on Bumble and ended up meeting someone really lovely from Seoul \u2013 she was visiting family for <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chuseok\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chuseok<\/a>. On the first night we spent 8+ hours wandering around Itaewon &amp; the N Seoul Tower, pictured above. I\u2019d see her again in the Netherlands the month after.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21pVzf%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb34e1965-dc72-4484-8e6c-b758e3d90e02.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21pVzf%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb34e1965-dc72-4484-8e6c-b758e3d90e02.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Underneath the Mapo Bridge in Seoul.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Some work milestones: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.meta.com\/blog\/live-translation-ai-glasses-deep-dive\/?srsltid=AfmBOooHhmiTQP0XRoByRaSccST-SgSn50TakeI1Oi52m6gZ_7c2dOaR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Live translation<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/tech\/779566\/meta-ray-ban-display-hands-on-smart-glasses-price-battery-specs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">live captions<\/a> launched on the glasses \u2014 cool to see it out in the world after the whole team worked so hard on it. I also started interviewing research job candidates for work. At first it felt odd to be partly responsible for whether someone gets hired or not (especially in today\u2019s competitive market), but I do enjoy all the stories I get to hear. There\u2019s so many people doing amazing work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Meeting more literary heroes in person, and watching friends start their own journeys in becoming literary heroes. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!fHn-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6efb3471-0e89-427c-945c-738985756fe4.heic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a>Viet Thanh Nguyen on the right, Hua Hsu on the left.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Seeing <a href=\"https:\/\/centerforfiction.org\/event\/the-center-for-fiction-presents-viet-thanh-nguyen-on-to-save-and-to-destroy-writing-as-an-other-with-hua-hsu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Viet Thanh Nguyen<\/a> at the Center for Fiction was really cool, especially after he published a new essay collection <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/217446823-to-save-and-to-destroy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cTo Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other\u201d<\/a>. Apparently while he was writing his book a friend challenged him to write about joy since all his other chapters were serious, and that became the essay \/ chapter the \u201cJoy of Otherness\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Hua Hsu was interviewing him, also from the Bay. And during the Q&amp;A, half the question askers were from the Bay Area. We really do stick together. (It\u2019s also especially rare to see suburban San Jose in mentioned in great works of literature). <a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!wj00!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70c3e02d-3e32-4658-916a-510f6b73a6c2.heic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Then there was Ed Park with his short story collection, <a href=\"https:\/\/ed-park.com\/an-oral-history-of-atlantis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cAn Oral History of Atlantis\u201d<\/a> \u2014 a compilaton of work over decades! During his talk he shared a story about how when he first found out he got nominated for the Pulitzer, he was preparing for an upcoming class lecture, and he had to keep going as if everything was normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Jeremy Tiang who translated my favorite Chinese novels like Zhang Yueran\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jeremytiang.com\/translation#\/cocoon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cCocoon\u201d<\/a> &amp; <a href=\"http:\/\/jeremytiang.com\/translation#\/women-seated\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cWomen, Seated\u201d<\/a>, and Shang Xuetao\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jeremytiang.com\/translation#\/rouge-street\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> \u201cRouge Street\u201d<\/a>. I did not realize Jeremy Tiang had such a spectacular British accent before meeting him. I remember him talking about how while it\u2019s great to be known as an excellent translator, he also aspires to be known for his original works, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; And then <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecut.com\/article\/jessie-yuchen-chef-new-vanguard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jessie<\/a> wrote their debut history + cookbook on mayonnaise together with Elyse Inamine (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DL2bBG-OBs6\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cFor the Love of Kewpie: A Cookbook &amp; Celebration\u201d<\/a>)! <a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!lWa0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0af78588-3ce7-472b-995a-e4ae16878904.heic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a>Granada, Spain \u2014 walking back from the Alhambra<a href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!4lw-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0f81e377-effc-413d-9505-e4e841f27e05.heic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a>Malaga, Spain \u2014 for Lea &amp; Tadhg\u2019s wedding<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Celebrating milestones with family, reunions with faraway friends:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Mom officially retired, and so my brother and I flew back to California to celebrate together with her and Dad in June. Now they both get to travel around the world and do retirement hobby things. I wonder what they\u2019ll get up to this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Aunt Alice &amp; Uncle Ming themselves made a big USA trip all the way from Hong Kong; got the chance to show them the NYC spots (Central Park, DUMBO, the NYC ferry and Staten Island ferry, fancy steakhouse, the whole works). They really wanted to see the Wall Street bull, and so we all got pictures with its metal balls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Traveled to Spain for Lea &amp; Tadhg\u2019s wedding, and then to deeper Jersey for Jina &amp; SangHyun\u2019s. Both weddings doubled as reunions; the first with exchange year friends and Bay Area life (two worlds colliding), and the second with friends from the Clubhouse app where we all spent hours of the day yapping with each other because we were bored out of our minds during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; I spent my 31st birthday in the Netherlands (rode bicycles around the <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/xqcdkXuEdsRjPkNT7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amsterdam forest<\/a> and even visited a <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/jqqJPHYT32P3PkVV7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">goat farm<\/a>). I was there to see a lovely woman in the Hague, and the entire week was spent with more special people in my life: my Dutch teacher Marc, Ben &amp; Domhnall from the Erasmus days, Sake &amp; Lazlo &amp; Victor from the speedskating team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; It had been a few years since I saw Marc in person, and over a decade since I last saw my skeedskating friends. In the moments before the reunion, there\u2019s that thought in the back of your head (and he tells me he had the same thought too): will you still have that connection all those years later? But as long as you are all asking the same kinds of curious &amp; warm questions about life, you\u2019re very likely to find that same wavelength once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21LLpa%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff48d3e87-cb36-4d39-804a-b82675a95971.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21LLpa%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff48d3e87-cb36-4d39-804a-b82675a95971.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cafe Jan Primus in Utrecht. Sacred grounds, of course. I spent many Friday afternoons \/ evenings on those wooden benches together with Marc as an exchange student.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions and themes on my mind for 2026:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Handling societal shifts without going insane, going numb, or losing spirit: <\/strong>Every generation in history encounters its own challenges, although the modern ones feel more absurd: one minute I\u2019m following tech trends and cartoon clips, and the next minute I see clips of ICE agents killing someone innocent &amp; the government trying to lie about it. And then I am back to work in the office one hour later, watching someone panic about a figure on Google Slides. I can\u2019t let this make me cynical, although it\u2019s taking more conscious effort.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>More innocent societal shifts \u2014 is it the end of snail mail? (no way) <\/strong>A few weeks ago I saw that even the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/dec\/21\/denmark-postnord-postal-delivery-letters-society\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Danish post office closed down their doors after 400 years<\/a>. The U.S. still has theirs for now. I\u2019ll rebel for as long as I can, but the world is indeed moving away from handwritten anything (it\u2019s harder and harder to find postage stamps while traveling for example). All the more reason to keep it alive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>AI stuff: <\/strong>I use Claude nearly every day for research work and for personal use, something I wouldn\u2019t have said in the beginning of last year. These models are growing so quickly. Even more fascinating is watching people who usually aren\u2019t early adopters for tech start to integrate it everywhere. I feel like I need to pump up the pace of learning the tools if I don\u2019t want to get automated myself in this new world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Out of the entire family, I still think mom is the biggest power user of AI tools, especially for ChatGPT. She\u2019ll take photos of home, ask it for decluttering suggestions, and send photos of its recommendations to the family group chat \u2014 a not-so-subtle hint for me to also organize and declutter. (I came to NYC with just two suitcases, and now after 6 years I\u2019ve amassed all sorts of books, papers, clothes, sentimental knick knacks, etc).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21-GP5%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73f83e53-3135-4e5f-afe9-6b94bdd56667.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21-GP5%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73f83e53-3135-4e5f-afe9-6b94bdd56667.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">On the subject of AI &amp; art: I\u2019ve been enjoying the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/poetry.camera\/?hl=en\">Poetry Camera<\/a>, thanks to Kelin. It prints out cute poems on receipt paper depending on what it sees. Runs on Claude, too. I took a picture of my brother while he was visiting and the poetry camera waxed poetic about someone laying about on an air mattress. He tells me in another life he\u2019d love to be a bohemian layabout.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Love &amp; relationships: <\/strong>The other day, Boris Cherny the creator of Claude Code came to give a Q&amp;A talk at the company. The pro tips for Claude Code and discussions on where the field is going were cool, but then I also found out he moved to Naru, Japan after his partner (now wife) got a dream job there just a few months into the relationship. He moved for love!! And I didn\u2019t. Aaa!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; To be fair to both of us, starting a long distance relationship from the beginning is really rough. A relationship that\u2019s 90% FaceTime calls and WhatsApp messages day-to-day is my nightmare (even though I have other dear friends who make it work). I still think it\u2019s the right call for me, sad and unromantic as it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Steven &amp; Rachel like to ask me if I\u2019ve ever been in love before. If being in love means changing (for the better) after meeting someone, then yes that has definitely happened. For more details, ask me out to beer or tea time together. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Anyways, all this is making me think more about what compatibility means in relationships, and what I\u2019d be willing to give up (or not) for a shot at building something together with someone special.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What are the active tradeoffs I am making if I keep doing what I am doing? <\/strong>Earlier I wrote about all the different 3-6 year anniversaries I am celebrating. That is: staying at my current research role, staying at the bookstore, staying in New York City, living the bachelor pad life. (I actually really like my life, which is why I keep doing these things). But if I was still doing the exact same routines five years from now, a large part of me would be kind of wondering if I squandered other chances to explore new ways to grow. I have no big decisions made yet, but this is how I\u2019m feeling today.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Closing the loop &amp; tightening the time between thinking about doing something and then actually doing it (especially for communication). <\/strong>Mostly, I want to reduce the number of \u201csorry for leaving you hanging there\u201d kinds of apology texts to friends who write \u201chow are you\u201d messages that deserve a thoughtful response beyond \u201cgood, you?\u201d. While we\u2019re not meant to respond to messages and notifications 24\/7, many of my busiest friends and colleagues are also the most responsive. Responsiveness is another way of being reliable in the modern age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Separately, I\u2019ve been told in the past by people I\u2019ve dated that I don\u2019t text or check in on them often enough (e.g., multiple times per day), to the point that they think I am no longer interested in them, when I actually am. My takeaway is that everyone has a different way of feeling seen, and it doesn\u2019t kill me to send in a check-in text now and then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; I\u2019d like to get better at <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pebbling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cpebbling\u201d<\/a> throughout the week \u2014 not to everyone, but for the homies whenever I think of them. Some penguin species will do this for their partners and friends. Most of the human pebbles I receive are usually news articles, memes, and IG reels from Samson, Szeyin, my brother, and mom \u2014 they are actually really good at doing that in my life. They are my top pebblers, and they inspire me to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21dfQz%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7864292e-c046-4aad-9d4a-2dc6ce002ff6.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21dfQz%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7864292e-c046-4aad-9d4a-2dc6ce002ff6.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">With my family, somewhere around the U.S. Virgin Islands.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Curating personal spaces and environments. <\/strong>Research fieldwork made me good at being a guest in people\u2019s homes (though I like to think I was pretty good at that before).And I can play host in places that have already been furnished and decorated (e.g., late nights at the bookstore). But what about a space that I am completely responsible for decorating or arranging? Then I haven\u2019t really put much thought into that. I\u2019m talking about my 300 square foot \/ 28 square meter studio here. There\u2019s artwork and gifts from friends I haven\u2019t hung up yet, so my walls are blank other than the giant IKEA Billy bookshelf.And Samson, Rachel, Steven, Jeff, and my brother have all told me a sofa would be good. Jeff says decorating your place is like offering a window into your soul, and has been checking in on me nearly every single week since the new year started. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21-HTQ%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6c2805b8-951c-4be3-a557-444ebc271861.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21-HTQ%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6c2805b8-951c-4be3-a557-444ebc271861.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samson took me furniture shopping at IKEA, which was super kind of him \u2014 somehow I think he is more excited about me decorating my apartment than I am lol<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s all for now! Enough talking, time to do stuff. 11.5% of the year has already passed!! I\u2019ll wrap up with my favorite work from M.C. Escher that I got to see in person at the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/WH2NBSzsThw87s2M8\">\u201cEscher in the Palace\u201d<\/a>. I did not realize these pieces of work were all woodblock or limestone etchings before Escher turned them into prints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21Z_-m%21%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb0ff652e-2b4d-4925-bec4-6e42e448898b.heic?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_%21Z_-m%21%2Cw_1456%2Cc_limit%2Cf_auto%2Cq_auto%3Agood%2Cfl_progressive%3Asteep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb0ff652e-2b4d-4925-bec4-6e42e448898b.heic?w=840&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Up until then I had only seen M.C. Escher\u2019s \u201cDrawing Hands\u201d in high school history textbooks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I am 31 now. There was a snowstorm in New York a couple weeks ago, the coldest in 8 years \u2014 the perfect excuse to stay cozy, stare at my bellybutton, make a few snowballs. Friends in the midwest and the Nordic regions will laugh at what\u2019s considered a snowstorm here, but it\u2019s big in &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/2025-reflections\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;2025 reflections&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3MSpn-13H","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4073"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4079,"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4073\/revisions\/4079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wesleyschan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}