13:32 First Time Stir-Frying Spicy Chicken
I used too little oil for frying the chicken, so the meat didn’t dry out enough. I overlooked the saltiness of the fermented bean paste, which led to oversalting.
I accidentally set the rice cooker to “keep warm” instead of “cook,” so I took the opportunity to fry a potato and mix it in. I continued stir-frying the chicken over low heat, and by adding the potato, the spicy chicken dish turned into a dry pot chicken with potatoes.
The potato helped balance out the saltiness, so it turned out fairly successful.
18:34 Taking Notes Can Improve Focus
Clear and logical notes have a creative aspect to them, providing a certain level of positive feedback that helps enhance concentration.
Sometimes, impatience makes the process feel slow, but remember: slow is fast.
22:36 Learning to Use GeoGebra
Today, I had a need for drawing graphs. I had always used matplotlib before, but today I realized that for simple calculations and plotting, GeoGebra is incredibly convenient. No need to write extra code—just input the function directly.
22:40 Mom Feels Like She’s Good at Nothing
Mom came to Shuicheng to help my brother and sister-in-law take care of their child. Differences in opinions often arise over small things, like what the child should eat or whether they should wear more or less clothing. Mom has always been the type to endure in silence, and it seems she can’t assert any of her own opinions here. This has led her to feel unacknowledged. During the day, when the child’s parents are at work, she feels heartbroken seeing the child uncomfortable.
Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts often stem from these trivial matters, with one side usually feeling wronged. I believe people should be on equal footing. Mom isn’t just a machine that follows orders—she’s a woman with rich experience as an elder. I want to encourage her to fight for her right to speak, even if it leads to unpleasant consequences.
I want her to communicate with my brother and sister-in-law: their roles are the same—they are both caregivers and guardians of the baby. They should have equal authority and be able to make decisions based on their own judgment during their respective caregiving times. Others, when not in a position to supervise, should also trust the person currently responsible for caregiving.
After discussing it with Huanhuan, I realized communication is quite difficult, especially when people are biased or unwilling to engage. Facing the conflict head-on and standing up for one’s rights is actually the easier approach. Focus more on your own feelings and don’t fear conflict.
23:31 If It’s All Love, Why Does Conflict Arise?
My brother and sister-in-law’s love for Xiaoyu is real, and Mom’s love for Xiaoyu is real too. So why do conflicts arise when it comes to practical matters? The key lies in people’s biases and lack of trust in each other—both of which are foolish.
I believe raising a child isn’t all that difficult. Occasionally eating a little more or less, or wearing a little more or less, won’t affect the child’s growth.
On the contrary, the conflicts that arise from these disagreements may end up hurting the very people who should be close.