Taro balls

Today I ordered a taro boba drink with taro balls in Palo Alto. I was waiting for my boba and the guy goes, “Sorry, we need to make more taro balls. It takes about five minutes.”

Twenty minutes later, I got my drink and he goes, “Sorry for the delay. The taro balls took a while.”

According to my calculations, before receiving my drink, his team made four batches of taro balls: 5 * 4 = 20. And I know that’s correct because I passed the third grade. Also, I may have used a calculator.

Now some of you may be thinking: “But it takes time to make your drink after the taro balls are made.”

You’re right, but they basically just had to pour a cup of flavored milk into some ice to make my drink, which takes like 15 seconds. So we can assume 20 minutes for the taro balls.

Anyway, I have to say, those were some of the best taro balls I’ve had. So do yourself a favor and try them at Tong Sui.

But warning: the taro balls may take twenty minutes.

Forgot to post on Memorial Day

which is the day of remembrance - isn’t that ironic?

In all seriousness: land of the free, because of the brave 🇺🇸

On worrying

There’s remarkably very little to worry about in life. We make pretty much all of it up.

So focus on getting better at what you’re doing, and hang out with people who give you energy. And let those hand-wringing worries dissolve away, like sugar inside a warm latte. Or like electrolytes inside a cold glass of water. Or like these terrible analogies as thoughts inside of your brain.

So I bought a dinosaur

mount. I bought a dinosaur mount in Guild Wars 2 for $30.

They had given me a free trial dinosaur so I could run faster, but then the trial period expired and I was back to running like a turtle through the fields. So I caved and paid $30 for the mount.

Congrats, ya got me.

Guild Wars 2 in a Nutshell

Humor

Silliness is the goal. Monitor what people are saying. Watch what they’re doing.

Now I know what you’re thinking: that’s really creepy, Aaron. Well don’t be creepy about it, and then it’s not an issue.

Thought of something to say? Try it out in your head first. If it’s funny, then go for the laugh and say it out loud.

P.S. Yes, I drank matcha from home today - does that make me a tech bro?

Should I even be drinking

coffee? It costs $7 per cup now.

Honestly, I should probably drink matcha from home, but god that feels so tech bro.

Will Aaron tap into his inner tech bro and start drinking matcha from home? Find out on the next episode of aaron.do ~

About my nose

Today I’m getting a nose job, but not the kind that makes you handsome. It’s the kind that makes you breathe like a normal person. Cool.

A secret to success is...

bringing exactly one item with you to a cafe or somewhere away from home that’s directly related to what you want to work on: one book, one journal, one whatever. Make it one. Computers and tablets don’t count because logging in is like stepping into a land of entertainment like Disneyland - we’re not tryna be Mickey Mouse.

Another secret to success is knowing that time & effort always works.

Combine the two, and that’s where the magic happens. One might call it the secret sauce. Consistently step in one direction and you’ll get there… eventually.

Sounds obvious, but basically nobody does this in the digital age. In fact, if you look around, people physically can’t do it - they be hooked to their devices. But this is what people like Einstein did back in the day. And just look at him - his brain is huge bro.

Oh, there’s actually one more ingredient… but I can’t give everything away :)

Good luck, it’s distracting out there.

On being human

I’m health-conscious, but I’ll impulsively eat a donut.

I try to save money, but I buy $5 coffees.

I wake up early to be productive, but I’ll browse on my phone.

I tip well to make someone’s day better, but I’ve hurt people.

I prefer electric vehicles and can afford one, but I drive a gas-powered car.

I’m optimistic, but sometimes I’m pessimistic.

I apologize, but there are things I haven’t said sorry for.

I take cold showers, but sometimes I’ll cave into a warm shower.

I eat well when I’m losing weight, but I may eat terribly when I’m in shape.

I take responsibility, but sometimes I succumb to weakness and blame.

I believe social media isn’t good for you, but I use Facebook.

I’m not afraid of dying, but the thought of eternal void feels unpleasant.

I have diamond hands, but I’ve paper handed.

I’m human.

Endurance training

I’ve been training for a triathlon. And to be honest, I’m not entirely sure why I signed up. Maybe it’s just to see if I can do it because I don’t have the natural talent for endurance sports. Maybe it’s because my friends are doing it. Or maybe it’s just to try something new.

I come from the world of short-distance and powerlifting, so training has been tough and unlike anything I’ve done. Sustained cardio for hours is a different animal than deadlifting a large amount of weight for a few seconds. Neither are easy, but I much prefer the latter.

Or so I thought.

Somehow, the prolonged suffering has grown on me.

To me, an endurance workout is maneuvering around steady, unforgiving pain that intensifies as the session drags on. It’s thinking you’ve given everything you have, only to be reminded by your watch that you’re just a quarter of the way done. It’s putting up with boredom and constantly saying no to that lazy voice in your head that tells you to just take a rest for two minutes, or even to quit early and take a warm shower. It’s overcoming seemingly insurmountable discomfort by escaping into your mind, recalling your goals and demons, and somehow drawing out the inspiration to continue struggling.

And what’s most fascinating is that a part of me feels great throughout this agony, and there are therapeutic effects that persist even hours after the workout. Endurance taps into nature’s contradictory pain-reward pathway in a way that I haven’t quite experienced elsewhere. It’s like a rag that slowly wrings out stress and worry. Mile 1: goodbye anxiety. Mile 2: I’m pretty lucky. Mile 3: I can accomplish anything. And when I’m done, it’s as if nature says congrats, you’ve put up with hell so take this bliss drug and enjoy your day. I’m sore, but nothing hurts.

Ultimately, I’m curious to see how this will influence other parts of my life. Maybe it will condition me to realize that I have a lot left in the tank when I think I’m done. Or maybe it will encourage me to just get started.

A run to Chipotle

We’re actively in a mandatory quarantine for COVID-19, which means enforced stay at home to reduce the rate at which the virus spreads. But sometimes this makes me bored and, when I get bored, I develop the urge to eat. So naturally, I drove to Chipotle.

Upon arrival I grabbed the door with my bare hand and swung it open when the smell of fresh Mexican food permeated my nostrils and uplifted my soul. I scanned the menu (not sure why because I knew what I wanted) and ordered a steak quesadilla. After paying I turned to my right to the hand sanitizer dispenser, pressed a few drops into my palm, and rubbed it thoroughly between my fingers.

To my left was a girl appropriately keeping her distance wearing a navy blue “Tokyo 2020 Olympics” hoodie. I thought that was pretty neat because the Tokyo 2020 Olympics got postponed to 2022. Will that hoodie one day be a souvenir? An iconic Olympic event that will have never happened because of a global pandemic? I wonder how she got it… she probably got it as a gift or traveled to Japan recently. I thought about my own trip to Japan a year and a half ago, a rejuvenating break from work when I walked somewhat aimlessly around Tokyo in awe of its large buildings, advanced train system, meticulous care in the most minute details, and incredibly polite people. During that trip I had felt a sense of solitude and vague familiarity, almost like I had been before.

“Order number 211!”, yelled the cashier. I grabbed my quesadilla, thanked him, and walked out.

The invariants of doing well

Be curious, try new things, and really learn from failures

This has become a cliche, but so many people I know just don't try new things. This is especially true when there's no material payoff at the end such as a certificate.

Grit & commitment

Carry through. If you change your thing every week and run away, you're not going to run very far.

Aim high

If you don't aim high, you won't shoot high.

If I can't explain it...

I don't know it.

Hard Choices, Easy Life

Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?

Hard, by definition, is requiring a great deal of endurance or effort. Easy, by contrast, is achieved without great effort.

Hard is linked with discomfort and fear, so we tend to put off what's hard and immediately seek what's comfortable, or easy. But that great deal of endurance or effort is what makes us stronger, smarter, more capable, and reach our goals. Therefore, what's hard is often precisely what we should be doing.

On the other hand, easy is comfortable: taking shortcuts, putting things off, and avoiding our fears. While this may feel good in the moment, it's a poor longterm strategy that often leads to stress, regret, and disappointment.

And that's a hard life. In the short term, one clear example is procrastination and stressing to meet the deadline at the last minute, often with subpar results. In the long term, it gets even worse and tends to accumulate: you won't get into the college you want, get your dream job, or execute your business idea. Eventually, you'll reach your 40s or 50s and wish you had done a bit more or tried a bit harder. And there's no going back.

On the other hand, doing what's hard leads to an easy life. Consistently challenging yourself and keeping your promise will enable you to reach your goals, meet the right people, and even be financially stable, because you're capable. All the while significantly reducing those negative emotions tied with the easy choices.

So, what are you waiting for? I challenge you to choose your goal that you fear most—the hard one you've been putting off—and get started. 

Creative Writing

I've made a goal to improve my creating writing skills. I'm doing this for two reasons: (1) being primarily in a left-brain field (computer science), I'd like to exercise my right-brain as well by imagining stories, new ways to construct sentences, and unique ways to describe settings, and (2) I'd like to improve my written word in general. To get a feel for creative writing, I am currently taking detailed notes on The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, one of the most revered creative writers today. When I'm finished with this, I will read and take notes on Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and On Writing by Stephen King.

I'm enthusiastic to set aside a few hours each week to work on this craft, as it's going to be incredibly fun and an invaluable learning experience.

Honor of Achievement

Today, I received this:

While this is nice, I can't help but feel that the real joy came from the thrill of learning. The challenge of struggling through the problems, and the satisfaction of finally figuring them out. The humbling moments when I thought I had the best insight, but realized after collaborating with my classmates that there was so much more. The recognition of my ignorance after our professors introduced exciting new ideas, and the arousal of my curiosity.

An honor of achievement is nothing more than a cherry on top of a cake. A cake made of unique challenges, perspectives, and lessons to take forth for the rest of our lives. 

Don't Do Things You Don't Want to Do

There's been a general rule of thumb I've been following this past year that has helped a lot: don't do things you don't want to do. Following this rule has given me more time and productivity, less stress, and better relationships. 

Of course, like all rules of thumb, there are certain exceptions. For instance, I believe we should go out of our way for those important to us or step outside of our comfort zone sometimes to grow.

If you find yourself saying 'yes' when you know you should really be saying 'no', think about all that is gained by saying 'no'. It helps.

Calculated Actions

If an action isn't urgent, it almost always pays off to give it a day or two of thought before acting. Think about the best and worst case scenarios, ways it may be done better, or whether or not it's even worth doing.

You'll be thankful.

Having Fun

I've been working very hard since graduation to improve my machine learning skills. In fact, I've been so driven that I thought hanging out with my friends would take me away from my goal. I was wrong, as working too much blunted my interest.

After spending this past weekend with my family at Disney World, I have no regrets. I've bonded with my family and explored incredible parts of Disney I've never been. It's as if a reset button has been hit, and I will be more productive than ever when I return to my work.

While I've always known that going out is important, I now realize that perhaps I haven't been having fun enough. I will work to change this.