Weekly Report #51 - Lawrence the Star Chaser and Being Ill

Preface#

This article is a record and reflection on the life from 2023-11-22 to 2023-11-29.

This week, both my senior sister and I were down with the flu, which had a significant impact on our daily lives and work. We finished recording the podcast we mentioned last time and chatted for over an hour. We had a fever over the weekend, but I still managed to go out on Sunday to see the offline event of chasing star Lawrence. After the fever subsided, I went to the hospital for a check-up just in case. Fortunately, there was nothing serious, but I still have to wait for a full recovery. There were also many interesting things that happened.

Star Lawrence#

A long time ago, I started to minimize my sources of input and the time spent on various media platforms, but Bilibili is still the app I open every day, and "Star Lawrence" is the main reason.

meet_lawrence_1

I started following him about three or four years ago. At that time, Lawrence often traveled to seek himself, leaving behind many memories in Japan. Whether it was because of some similar sceneries or his lonely but intensely passionate attitude towards the world, I always felt that his camera work and storytelling had a beauty similar to Hirokazu Kore-eda's films. Later, I heard in a Q&A session that his favorite director is indeed Hirokazu Kore-eda. Just as I suspected.

meet_lawrence_2

Later, he met Teacher Mi.

I watched every episode of their videos as soon as they were released. I watched as Mi gradually appeared more in Lawrence's shots, telling stories about him and his cat, having conversations with his past self from ten years ago, and the ceremonial feeling of year-end summaries. And then, the recent proposal. It's hard for me to describe the kind of beauty that exists between them. They both have their own lives and pursuits, moving forward on their own paths, but they are also attracted to each other, redeeming each other and pulling each other out of loneliness.

At that time, I was also searching for my own path - "Confessions of a 23-Year-Old: Seeking Meaning". I was lost and didn't know what to do, but I stubbornly pursued the meaning of life itself. Later, I experienced the pain of studying abroad for what I wanted to do, the loss of a loved one, and the confusion caused by changes in life. When I was feeling overwhelmed, I would repeatedly watch Lawrence's videos and find a place of empathy in his storytelling, which gave me strength. Later, I started raising cats and recorded these bits of life through writing. I used year-end summaries to say some words to myself and regained the courage to live. After that, I often received feedback from readers who found resonance or drew strength from my words. Suddenly, I realized that this seemed to be a way of passing on the inspiration I received to more people.

I happened to get a spot at Lawrence's "Today At Apple" sharing session. He talked about his creative work and stories about life itself. I was familiar with all the references and details in his videos, and I realized that this has become a part of my life.

He mentioned that the next video would also be bittersweet and used a similar muting technique as Amélie. I didn't expect it to be a proposal!!! Congratulations!!!

Highlights of the Week#

I really feel that my physical condition has declined this year. In April, I had a severe case of acute gastroenteritis, and in May, I had my first sunburn (although it only lasted two days). This week, I caught the flu and had a fever for a few days. I still feel the aftermath. It's really uncomfortable. I need to pay more attention to keeping warm in autumn and winter. I've been falling behind on my plans, and it's giving me a headache.

Because I've been stuck at home for too long, I haven't done anything extra, and I don't have the energy to cook much. I hope everything will return to normal soon. This weekend, I will go back to Hangzhou for a while. I can meet some colleagues and go to the long-awaited "Crazy Thursday" in Liangzhu.

Interesting Things#

Input#

Although most interesting inputs are automatically synchronized in the "Yu's Life" Telegram channel, I still want to list some of them here. It feels more like a newsletter.

Books#

"Up At the Villa" is a small book that can be considered a "suspense novel" with little plot. It has more dialogues and psychological descriptions, but it is still quite captivating and can be finished in one go. It tells a story of "desperate love." A young violinist regains his expectations for life because of Mary's "love" but quickly falls into despair and commits suicide. Edgar only loves the pure and flawless Mary in his memory and imagination. Rowley is a wealthy playboy, but he loves the most purely, passionately, and recklessly. Mary is contradictory. She knows her own heart clearly and can be confused by wealth and status, but she insists on confessing everything that has happened to her before accepting Edgar's love. Love is accompanied by utilitarianism, self-righteousness, and self-satisfaction. Perhaps by filtering out these aspects, one can truly feel the essence of love.
"Neurosis and Human Growth" recommended by Homura. I read a bit every night.

pseudoyu