Weekly Report #1 - Beyond Art, Curiosity, and Code#
This article is a record and reflection on life during the two weeks from June 5, 2023, to June 18, 2023.
Photography#
Finally had time to watch a complete sunset, captured the moment of the subway passing through the evening glow, and experienced the joy of getting the M file, almost able to recreate the shock of being there, straight out of the original image.
Photography is probably a way to help me pull my attention back to life, allowing me to immerse myself in observing the intricate details of life, chasing a sunset, watching a complete evening glow, and remembering the time, layers, and colors of the changing clouds.
I really enjoy adjusting parameters to restore the scenery in front of me, presenting different tones, capturing, composing, observing light and shadow, changing angles, and choosing the right moment to press the shutter.
I think this is probably the joy of creation and sharing.
Actually, the initial intention of buying a camera was to encourage myself to go out more, rather than staying at home in self-isolation. At 24, I bought an A7M4 with the money I saved from working for over a year, and I didn't expect to like photography even more than I imagined, or rather, to need photography. Photography allows me to maintain sensitivity to the outside world in certain moments, to reassess a programmed life with a fresh perspective, to reignite curiosity and a desire for exploration, and to freeze moments in the mundane for nostalgia.
Beyond the daily grind, in the gaps of breathing, there are these wonderful and unforgettable moments captured in the camera, adding color to the dull working life.
Learning Swift#
Currently, I am mainly learning from the YouTube channel ChaoCode, I really like her voice and teaching rhythm, and she explains things in detail and comprehensively, which is very suitable for beginners. Then I also refer to the official Apple Swift tutorial, "The Swift Programming Language" in the Chinese version.
I wrote my first line of code, wrote "Hello world," and learned how to greet, so happy! Also, ChatGPT is really a great assistant for learning; when I encounter problems and ask it, it answers patiently.
I accidentally found on ChaoCode’s personal website that she has created a wonderful collection of Swift-related materials, with serious recommendations attached, where I discovered many amazing iOS developers whom I think are super cool.
Drawing#
This week I drew Mi Youren's "Xiaoxiang Wonder Map" and Yun Shouping's poppy, and it was my first time drawing a 3-meter long scroll.
Although I studied science in high school, a minor language in college, and entered the internet industry after graduation, I have never had any relationship with drawing. But I am very happy that over the years, although intermittently, I am still drawing.
After a few years, I finally picked up the brush again last summer and started copying ancient paintings with Aqi.
I made many new attempts that I previously dared not try, whether in terms of subject matter or style, feeling that my vision and perspective were constantly expanding. I realized that I should not easily limit my abilities; many things I once feared or resisted, after exposure, feel wonderful. For example, the relatively complex Song paintings, which I would have absolutely avoided before, as I always thought my impatient character suited big expressive strokes, just a few strokes, not seeking resemblance but spirit. If I encountered something I lacked patience for, I would just hastily blur it. Although I had tried many types of paintings within my comfort zone, I now realize that I unconsciously set many constraints on myself.
Immersing in the moment of painting brings me much excitement, as I carefully experience the various traces left by the brush on paper with different shades or strengths—dry, wet, withered, solid, coarse, fine... The distracting thoughts and restlessness in my heart seem to disappear; all I need to think about is how to paint the next stroke, focusing on feeling the dryness and richness of the ink, the rhythm of the brushstrokes, and the interplay of space. Such focused and immersive moments are very precious to me.
I really need such relaxed moments, to empty myself whimsically outside of the schedule, without a strong sense of purpose, just following curiosity to wander and pause.
Day after day, working in a fast-paced city, sometimes I feel confused and empty, but thinking about the existence of painting, which brings me such passion, and friends like Aqi who share the same aspirations, I still gather my spirits to continue earning and saving money, hoping for more choices in the future, to do what I love more freely, and to realize my small dreams.
Input#
Recording some interesting articles, blogs, books, movies, etc., that I have read recently.
Podcast#
This week I listened to the podcast channel "Beyond Code" by Geekplux and Randy, and here are some insights I noted while listening.
Find your own keywords and learn to search#
GeekPlux read "Hackers and Painters" after graduation and thought Paul was amazing. In fact, Paul didn't initially want to be a programmer; he just wanted to create, and writing programs and articles were just means to that end. After creating, he helps those who want to create. GeekPlux also wants to be a technical person with attitude and influence, aiming to create value through things he loves. With this prototype, he found his keywords and could start searching.
Randy Lu watched "The Social Network" over ten times; he thought it was cool to create products that many people like using technology, and he wanted to be that kind of person, which became his lifelong goal. This movie directly led him to give up desktop software development and officially switch to web development, learning PHP during this period.
Reflecting on my growth, I have also encountered a few role models or friends like Paul, whether far away or nearby. They are like points of light in the darkness, guiding me forward. They may not have provided me with substantial help, but their existence is a great encouragement, showing me more possibilities and confirming what kind of person I want to be. Then I search and learn, gradually getting closer to this ideal self.
Break the limitations of the environment, think about what you really want, and then go out#
As a "second-generation factory worker" in a northern state-owned enterprise, GeekPlux's parents see the factory as the biggest world, believing that the best place in the world is to work in the factory, so their input is limited to that factory. But he wonders, is the future really only about working in the factory? He keeps thinking and eventually realizes what he wants, and the first step is to go out.
I deeply resonate with this; I have a very similar upbringing and understand that if I don't want to be bound by the current environment, I must constantly struggle against old thoughts and paths, fight against my old self, and seek inwardly and outwardly. In the process of repeatedly negating the negation, I persist in what I love. I also understand Randy Lu's feeling of "I have to produce results that they can see under pressure to earn their understanding"; I am very familiar with this desire for self-proving.
Create, whether it's coding or writing#
Randy Lu says he likes coding not for the code itself but because he wants to create something. Outside of computing, creating often requires certain costs, but in computing, as long as you can code, you can create almost anything at zero cost. Knowing how to code means mastering or being able to create productive resources. GeekPlux enjoys coding for the sense of freedom it brings.
This reminds me of a passage I read recently in Fromm's "The Art of Loving": "In the process of creation, a person connects themselves with the world. However, this only applies to productive work, only to those tasks where I plan, create, and can see the results of my work. In the contemporary work process, and in the labor of workers tied to endless production lines, this kind of work that unites oneself with the external world has almost disappeared. Now workers have become appendages to machines or bureaucratic institutions."
Corporate culture is also an important part#
For example, some companies have systems designed to "manage people," while others have systems aimed at making your experience more comfortable, considering human care in various details, and providing channels for bottom-up feedback. When Randy Lu joined, he received training related to various implicit and explicit discrimination.
This week, I found that Randy Lu and GeekPlux started recording the podcast "Beyond Code" together in the latest issue of @pseudoyu's weekly report, so I listened to it. After finishing, I also read most of the articles in Randy Lu's blog, feeling empowered by them.
I really like Pseudoyu's weekly report; I have read almost every article and feel that this is the creative state I long for. He studied languages like me in undergraduate, started a business after graduation, and then went to the University of Hong Kong to study computer science. It's quite a coincidence; I actually saved two of his articles on the minority site last year, one about building a blog and the other about transitioning from humanities to coding. His blog is rich in content, with some solid technical articles, explorations of life and work, and sharing good information, books, and films. Whether in overall structure or in the details, it is very logical and yet feels delicate, which is rare, perhaps achieving a relative balance between "quality" and "beauty."
As he wrote:
Besides specific knowledge and tutorials, one can also see the kind of person they aspire to become, fostering more curiosity and a desire for exploration, and having more expectations for the future.
I am probably someone who can gain courage from sincere and powerful written records, which helps me understand many things. Perhaps I become more open-minded, perhaps I see my ideal future life and work state, perhaps I find resonance in my many small emotions that others have also felt, perhaps I see that the things I want to do and the paths I want to take are already being walked by others, and I gain encouragement from that. Perhaps I discover that the world is indeed vast.
I also want to record and share more!
Blog#
This week I basically finished reading the dropout and entrepreneurship series by Zhan Yuhan, the founder of Heptabase, on his blog, which is very worth reading and has given me a lot of inspiration and resonance.
I strongly agree with what he wrote in “Don’t Be a Screw, Be Yourself”:
What is important to learn, and what is not, has already been decided by the school. They package knowledge and place it on a platform called the classroom, allowing students to download the same knowledge into their brains like computers.
I have always had three reasons for learning: "I am curious," "I like it," and "I need to learn it." Curiosity and liking usually generate great efficiency, but because the school has decided everything, many university courses ultimately fall into the category of "I need to learn it."
Upon further reflection, do you really need what the university requires you to learn? Do the courses you take genuinely provide substantial help, or is it just because completing them earns you a diploma, which is very useful?
This is where I think universities get it backward. You spend a lot of time learning theories and technical details that you have no idea when you'll use, yet you ask yourself too few questions about why you need to learn these things. Over time, details will be forgotten, and because you never properly considered their value and spirit from the beginning, the initial learning becomes wasted.
Various types of knowledge have different weights of importance, but clearly, you don't need to fully understand them from the start; you can learn by doing and delve deeper when necessary. Besides theoretical and technical aspects, the process of researching and solving problems is also a form of training for oneself. When you encounter an unfamiliar field today, how do you get to know it and become friends with it?
I deeply resonate with this; university education is often rote learning, while I prefer a model where knowledge and action complement each other, where I like to take the lead in my learning, and enjoy the thrill of exploring while solving problems.
His candid writing about his dropout experience has also given me a new perspective on my previously poor university grades. Perhaps I really am not suited for the current university education; I don't care about GPA, I just want to learn the courses I am interested in. I detest "easy courses" that fail to impart knowledge and also restrict freedom, which is the greatest waste of time. Previously, I felt some guilt or embarrassment about these matters, thinking I wasn't a good student, but now I feel that perhaps the fault was never mine. Of course, I am also grateful that I remained true to myself, spending a lot of time on courses that had no impact on my GPA but that I genuinely loved, even if some of them weren't even considered electives, just auditing.
Fortunately, some of my individuality has not been completely worn away. In the midst of self-doubt, I did not compromise; I did not go with the flow or sacrifice precious time chasing so-called "fame." I did not become like most people, taking the same classes, writing the same assignments, and seeking the same jobs. I still firmly fought for what I loved in each choice I made, striving to walk the path I wanted as much as possible. I am who I am; I don't want any scholarships, nor do I aspire to be an excellent graduate. I just want to learn what I want to learn.
I want to be myself, not a screw under a standard template.
After working for two years, looking back at my university life, I actually have few regrets. At least I audited or took many courses I truly wanted to take and did many things I genuinely wanted to do.