Still learning. Always learning. She/her/她.
#Maryland transplant in #Taipei, #Taiwan.
Before: Startup community building, marketing, & product development. Burned out (repeatedly).
Now: Teaching, doing translation/localization, & writing to make a living. Reading, learning languages, & investigating family history to make a life.
Hashytaggies:
#CPTSD ➡️ #ADHD
#books #audiobooks #podcasts #VR #languagelearning
Can't live without: #Obsidianmd #AmazingMarvin #Airtable #Focusmate #Withings
Just realized there may be some folks (newcomers) in #Taiwan who don't know about #Whoscall.
Consider this toot as my strong recommendation, as a satisfied user for year and years now. It's the most effective solution here if your phone is always blowing up with #robocalls and #scams.
BBC: 'Taiwan's front-line battle against mobile phone fraud'
@dbsalk @bookstodon Glad to know the heads up is helpful!
I've certainly had to put down some otherwise good books due to unexpected disturbing content (especially if it felt shallow and exploitative).
That said, "Finding Layla" was both a tough and worthwhile read, and some folks with difficult upbringings might find Layla's attitude to be familiar or comforting. That's what kept me reading, and what has me still taking notes about my reactions a day later. Really powerful writing has echoes.
Got to reading about the island of Mustique after seeing a mention somewhere, and had to stop because it was so infuriating.
"I was shocked when Basil told me that on Christmas and New Year locals are not allowed on the most popular beaches, as they are reserved for international homeowners. He referred to the local village as a "gated community" and the foreign homeowners as "vampires of vanity.""
From: https://suitcasemag.com/articles/undocumented-mustique
Also see: https://therake.com/stories/paradise-found-mustique/
Book recommendation:
Finding Layla, by Meg Elison
Binge-listened all day. Still on my mind hours later.
You know the writing is effective when you feel frustrated with the main characters and yet can’t blame them at all for their behavior under the circumstances.
Content note: includes child abuse and neglect, bullying, addiction, and squalor, so perhaps skip this book if you’re not in a good emotional place for reading about them.
Chatting with an AI about Taiwanese sovereignty. Better than many human reporters, to be honest.
Chinese-American author Yiyun Li likes to read slowly.
“When you spend two to three weeks with a book, you live in that world,” she says. “I think reading slowly is such an important skill. Nobody has ever talked about it, or taught me that. I’m a very patient reader. Even if it’s a very compelling book. I don’t want to rush from the beginning to the end.”
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/dec/02/i-want-to-savour-every-word-the-joy-of-reading-slowly
Yes! It's perfectly fine to take your time on a book. I do that. My challenge is to remember where I stopped because my bookmarks get lost, or to remember to go back to reading because there are a lot of new and shiny things capturing my attention.
Update 2:
Compromise.
✨ When they hear I live with one of each, people almost always ask me if dogs and cats get along.
Dogs get along with cats just like people get along with cats. Always give the cat what he wants, and he’ll allow you to continue existing. Deny him and there are no guarantees.
Joe Dean
Pwnallthethings
Kerim Friedman 傅可恩
Jeff Yang
Christine T