pseudoyu

Preface#

This article is a record and reflection of my life from September 19, 2022, to September 26, 2022.

This week has been exceptionally busy, with several days where I didn't get home until late. However, it's amazing that I seem to have more motivation to do more during these times. I finished reading a book, caught up on many movies and TV shows, and completed many tasks, but not much else happened, to the point that even this weekly report is a bit delayed.

Finding Pleasure in Busyness#

Today, while scrolling through my feed, I came across an interesting conversation between Xiangyashan Liuneng and Yunfeng:

Xiangyashan Liuneng: When I'm working, I always think about doing side projects, but when the weekend comes, I just want to play games and watch shows...

Yunfeng: How about doing side projects during work and working on weekends? That way, you won't have time to play games and watch shows on weekends, because if you don't work on weekends, you won't have done anything. This approach also has another advantage: if your work and colleagues are interdependent, there won't be any conflicts because there's no parallel work. You can fully consider the changing requirements of the product before starting to work.

Netizen: The implication of this idea is that you can finish your work in two days.

Yunfeng: The actual effective workload of a long-term project is far less than 2/5. If you really can't finish it, you can extend your working hours on weekends. In addition, you have five days a week to estimate this workload, so you generally won't be wrong. So, in essence, this method means: think more, do less.

Xiangyashan Liuneng: It's true that thinking more and doing less often leads to smoother progress, but it's difficult to only do serious work on weekends. I thought you were joking. And it may not be suitable for many people. For example, if I postpone all my work to the weekend, I would probably give up due to too much pressure 😳.

Yunfeng: It's partly a joke :) But in recent years, I have indeed done many important tasks on weekends or holidays.

Upon careful reflection, I realize that I always have this tendency. When I was preparing for the English test and the software test in my sophomore year, even though I had very limited time for revision, I seemed to use that time to learn many unrelated (but not useless) things. The time squeezed out feels especially precious, and everything I do has an extra sense of enjoyment.

When I'm extremely busy and racing against time, I often have the thought, "I can accomplish so much in just one week. When I finish the exam/have a vacation/have free time, I will definitely be able to learn/complete xxx." But when that moment actually arrives, I find myself procrastinating.

Upon careful consideration, I realize that most of the additional skills or knowledge I acquire are obtained when I'm not focused on my main tasks. Even now, I still benefit greatly from what I learned during those "unproductive" times. On the other hand, the main tasks are often completed at the last minute before the deadline, and it seems to yield good results. This confuses me about the correlation between time and efficiency, as well as the impact of mindset on motivation.

Everyone has different patterns of task arrangement and time management. I may be someone who values efficiency, but I'm definitely not someone who plans their time in extreme detail. To some extent, I enjoy a sense of randomness that allows me to complete all tasks without a strict order. This makes me feel like I'm not enslaved by the items on my to-do list, but rather in control of my own time. As a side effect of this pattern, I often have to "turn the tide" in certain situations. Over time, my mindset has become more stable, or rather, I have gained some standards and accumulated confidence in my ability to solve problems.

Inertia and enjoyment also play important roles in this.

This was particularly evident during the period when I was locked at home for nearly 50 days due to the pandemic in May and June. During that time, my mental state was not good, and I was fully immersed in work. In the gaps between meetings or tasks, I was constantly learning additional things and started writing blog posts again. It seemed like I wanted to exhaust all my energy in the extremely limited time. Even now, I still benefit from the habits, decisions, and cultivation I developed during that period. However, during the period in July and August when the project ended and I had some free time, even though I followed my plans and did some things, I couldn't find the same sense of immersion.

Later, I realized that it depends on how we perceive these things. Learning or relaxing during busy work is an additional state of escape from the heavy and repetitive daily routine. It's easier to feel the joy in these moments, and it doesn't require much adjustment or preparation. It's also easier to switch based on the momentum of work. However, when we have free time that we can control, we have to treat it as a task and allocate time for it, which has a higher cost and more resistance.

So now, even in the limited time I have after work on weekdays, I try to allocate some time for side projects or learning. On weekends, I hope to fully engage in outdoor activities or indulge in books, movies, TV shows, or games. It seems like a good way to divide my state and I will explore it.

Others#

This section will record my inputs and outputs, as well as other interesting things I come across.

Inputs#

Books#

• The Details of Rule of Law: I have watched some videos by Luo Xiang and read his book "Circle of Justice." I feel that instead of being "awake," Luo Xiang maintains a sense of "awe" and "humility" towards everything. On top of that, even though I feel like I can never achieve it, unable to draw a perfect circle, I am always in pursuit. I have gained a lot from it. The part about reading classics was challenging for me. I have read it several times but still struggle to digest it. The theme of "freedom, equality, and love" is so grand, yet Luo Xiang can explain it so eloquently. It seems that I need more accumulation.
• A Bullet for You: Currently reading. I really like Liu Yu's speaking style.

Podcasts#

• Fork It - #22 - PoW vs PoS: With the occurrence of "The Merge," this topic has become popular again. This episode provides a good conceptual exploration and is worth listening to and taking notes repeatedly.
• Fork It - #23 - Is PoS a Lie?: It took me three days of commuting to finish listening to this episode. There were a few concepts that I had to repeatedly listen to for clarification, and I discovered many gaps in my understanding. I plan to study BTC Study to fill in the gaps.
• TechCrunch: Have You Been Scammed by Sheep?: This is a recent phenomenon in the gaming industry, but I'm not particularly interested. I listened to this episode to learn more about it. It's short, but it's an interesting topic for popular science.

Movies#

• Spring is Not the Time for Reading: At first, I thought the male lead was a bit too eccentric, but as the story progressed, I realized that this is a way of life without limits, and it's so joyful. I watched it back-to-back with "The Breakfast Club," and it awakened my rebellious spirit.
• The Sandpiper: I've been working overtime a lot recently, and I remembered some animated short films that have been on my list for a long time. They are surprisingly healing.
• Dallas Buyers Club: The portrayal of despair and suffocation in the film is so detailed. The sound effects of tinnitus and the claustrophobic visuals create a strong sense of immersion. I saw a cowboy's attitude towards life, seemingly tired of everything but genuinely loving life. He seems indifferent to others but willing to give his wholehearted support. It's so cool. Also, although there isn't much romance in the film, the eye contact and expressions between the male lead and the female lead in the second half are very memorable. They are well-matched.
• In the Mood for Love: The repeated shots of walking through alleys and brushing past each other, the restrained desire and unspoken affection, show that love can truly grow and spread from the eyes. It can be felt without being vulgar, and it's perfectly balanced. Perhaps this is the unique charm of Hong Kong and that era. Also, I really like the English title of this film, "In the Mood for Love." It's so beautiful.
• La La Land: Interestingly, I attended two live concerts of the "La La Land Suite" but only just watched the complete film for the first time. It was released in the distant year of 2016, and I missed it on Valentine's Day due to some reason. I recently heard a friend mention it, so I watched it over two nights and truly felt the charm of the song "City of Stars." A song that tells a lifetime of imagination.
• Casablanca: When the female lead in "La La Land" mentioned that she used to imitate this film repeatedly when she was young, I decided to dig it out and watch it. I have to say that films from that era are classics. They don't need too much dragging of the plot. The dialogue alone is enough to convey most of the themes. The conversation between the three characters at the airport about revolution, nationality, and love, with just a few lines, vividly presents their personalities and corresponding choices. It has a unique charm.
• Dunkirk: There are no grand war scenes in the film, just scenes that constantly switch between the chaos of war on the beach, the small boats sailing on the sea without hesitation, and the dogfights in the sky, creating a strange sense of beauty. The contrast between the burning plane and the train running on the homeland silently reveals the cost of war, which is heartbreaking.
• Nope: It took me about three sessions to finish watching it. The narrative is a bit messy, and I was a bit confused halfway through. Maybe it lacks rendering. If it were directed by that director, the plot development might be more reasonable (but it's downplayed). However, the motivation of the brother and sister to do these things is really insufficient (maybe it's some strange family pride). As a result, I couldn't really understand it in the end.

TV Shows#

• Life Cutter: This is a well-received drama recently. I really like its overall style and pace, especially the opening sequence. It's stunning. The story has a new setting, rebelling against a distorted "Work-Life Balance" technology. However, maybe because the first season ends abruptly, I feel that the motivations are lacking. I look forward to further development.
• Line of Duty: The most classic in this genre is still "Person of Interest," but the compact rhythm of British dramas also suits this narrative style. I think I watched the first season a few years ago, and there are no problems with the continuity of the plot. I can guess the ending after watching about half of it, but the final big show of the real twist still got me excited. It's truly worthy of being a BBC drama, very powerful.

Anime#

• Red Pepper: Catching up on the works of Satoshi Kon. Originally, I mainly wanted to watch it for the storyboarding and transitions, but I discovered that it contains many metaphors and imaginative elements. Now I understand the origins of many tributes to Satoshi Kon.
• Summer Wars: Currently watching, it's about to end. It's so cool.