Let me see who it is. When synchronizing the blog modification records, I uploaded an empty document again. It's just a summer with only three heading words. How silly.
I moved back to the dormitory from my workstation at the end of June for a week, feeling like I was on vacation, and I slacked off.
I Heard the Cicadas Singing!#
Have you heard the cicadas singing? Have you had some delicious watermelon? Summer is really here!
But in summer, as soon as you step out of the dormitory, it feels like entering a sauna. During the week I moved back to the dormitory, when I went out for lunch, the sun almost purified me.
The first thing I did after returning to the dormitory after lunch was, of course, to turn on the air conditioner. I immediately felt refreshed!
BTW, I really like being in a small space, pulling the dormitory curtains halfway, creating a dim and mysterious scene. It makes me feel great whether I'm studying or gaming, immersed in my own little world.
In the evening, the sun gradually showed signs of exhaustion, not as scorching hot as before. After dinner, it was time to buy watermelon! To enjoy a delicious watermelon, I had to walk for ten minutes to buy my beloved fruit. Then I would return to the air-conditioned room and savor it spoon by spoon.
On the way there, passing by the West Gate, I faintly heard the cicadas singing. It was a pleasant surprise. Oh, it's summer! (Their sound will become much louder in July.)
An Art Class Eight Years Later#
This semester, our branch participated in a volunteer activity. Last week, two classmates and I went to an event for children with Down syndrome organized by Alipay.
When we arrived downstairs at Alipay, I couldn't help but sigh at how high the educational requirements have become for big companies like Alibaba and miHoYo in order to quickly screen applicants. It will be difficult to get in in the future. Just a side note.
After wandering around for a while, we saw the children who came to participate in the event at 4:30. When I saw the children with Down syndrome, I was stunned.
The person in charge told us that today we would be painting with them. Most of these children have difficulty concentrating, so it would be great if we could take good care of them during the two hours.
After distributing the paintbrushes and paints, a little boy sat in front of me. He was as dark-skinned as I was when I was a child. It was obvious that he had more severe symptoms compared to the other children today.
After sitting down, he looked around anxiously, holding a photo tightly in his hand. "What's your name, little friend? Today, let's paint a picture together, okay?" He continued to look around, ignoring me. I became hesitant and stumbled over my words...
I looked at the girl next to me and the person in charge, desperately seeking help. Help, help...
The person in charge told me to draw an outline for them and help them with coloring. I looked at how easily he communicated with the children and admired his communication skills. The children seemed to be familiar with him and were willing to talk to him. Meanwhile, I felt extremely awkward.
After I drew the outline of a crane, I couldn't help but laugh and cry at myself. I looked at the girl from the art school next to me... She helped me outline the drawing, which was a great help!
During the rest of the time, I comforted the children while holding the boy's hand and coloring. Today, it felt like I was taking an art class for the first time in eight years.
The two hours passed in awkwardness, but with the help of the girl from the art school, we finished coloring the picture. Here it is:
During this process, one parent accompanied their child the whole time, reminding the child to concentrate and listen to the volunteers. At first, the child happily sat down and painted quietly. From an observer's perspective, this child seemed quite normal. However, after a while, she walked away to play and couldn't stay still to do anything. The parent didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but when they saw their daughter finish a painting, they smiled with satisfaction.
In contrast, there was another parent, the father of the child I was facing. When he came over, it was probably after work, and he seemed tired and impatient with his child. I stood far away, wanting to show him what his son had drawn today (although most of it was drawn by me), and wanted him to praise his own child... But this father, dragging his tired body, hurriedly left with his child...
Thinking about living in Shanghai and having a child with Down syndrome, it must be very difficult. They have to face the pressures of life while raising their child. As I go through different stages of life, I feel like adults are invincible, but also like an oyster with a shell that can be precisely pierced at any moment.
They work hard to guide their children, hoping that their children can live a normal life. It's not easy for both the exhausted father who rushed to pick up his child and myself.
I consider myself a selfish person and dare not imagine the future.
Miscellaneous Daily Life#
This month, I read two books, both of which I finished reading on the subway. They were both written by Qingshan Qiuhui: "Wind" and "Good Weather for a Solo Trip."
I brought my headphones with me when I went out and opened my cup noodles on the subway. Maybe the books themselves weren't long, but I finished reading both of them during two trips. I secretly celebrated that I achieved my KPI for this month.
I have also read similar books written by other Japanese authors. If you mention the titles, I might know them, but I have probably forgotten most of the content. However, during the process of reading, I am always moved by the ordinary and mundane lives depicted in these books. It makes me quiet down while reading.
In addition, I recently watched "Restart Life." I have only watched the first four episodes so far. The female protagonist, after a car accident, learns that she will be reborn as an anteater in her next life and relives her life to accumulate good karma for her next life as a human.
Clearly, many things can be foreseen and changed. The worldline will also remain unchanged due to some small details. In this process, the protagonist tries to accumulate as much merit as possible...
Oh, I forgot to mention that it's a Japanese drama, just like the books I read. When the trivialities of daily life are projected before us, we can't help but feel how beautiful they are. When we experience them ourselves, we tend to overlook many things. In anime, in books, in Japanese dramas, the Japanese aesthetics, such as trams, the particularly blue sky and sea, the sound of cicadas, wind chimes, and watermelons, create my longing for summer.
In reality, going out without air conditioning and eating make me sweat profusely, which is a real slap in the face.
When I do go out, I prefer taking the subway. Of course, I enjoy a good meal! A senior intern treated me to a shabu-shabu buffet.
Here's the report:
- 35 plates of beef for three people
- 40 peeled shrimp
- A stack of tripe
- Two plates of crayfish (my personal achievement as a side dish)
- ...
The soup base was really, really sweet, to the point that even those who love sweets got overwhelmed. However, when dipped in chicken broth, the taste was surprisingly delightful!
In June, I also went out with my roommates to watch "The Flash." Doing something special and putting off other things temporarily is a great way for me to relieve stress. Overall, as a cloud player, I am very satisfied.
That's all for my ramblings in June. Summer is here, so let's enjoy some ice-cold watermelon and ice water~