Why I Disliked School

Although I had plenty of positive experiences, my general impression of primary and secondary education was unfavorable. Classes were frequently unchallenging, originality was punished, and my social ineptitude led to years of bullying. Sometime after I graduated from high school, I discovered Paul Graham’s Why Nerds are Unpopular. Suddenly, everything made sense. The essay was …

Another Year of Flânerie

Two years ago, I left my job and moved out of my apartment. For the first time since university, I didn’t have regular employment or a fixed address. I didn’t have any specific plans either, preferring to see what serendipity I might encounter. The first year was excellent. I lost a ton of weight, traveled …

Happy Dragon Boat Festival!

Every year, China celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the traditional Chinese calendar. For 2020, that’s June 25th – today! Originally a cultural holiday, it was accorded public holiday status in 2008. The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of …