今年是我「二十幾歲」的最後一年，我送了自己兩件生日禮物。
This is the last year of my twenties, and I got myself two gifts.
You raise me up, Dad | 你鼓舞了我，爸爸
爸爸，今天是你的生日——生日快樂！
Happy birthday, Dad!
The Banished Immortal | 《通天之路》
I recently read Ha Jin’s original “The Banished Immortal: A Life of Li Bai” on my parents’ recommendation.
最近在爸爸媽媽的推薦下，我讀了哈金原文（英文）的《通天之路：李白傳》。
蔥油餅｜Scallion Pancakes
蔥油餅是我最早學會做的幾道菜之一，是小學放暑假回爺爺奶奶家時，爺爺教我做的。
Scallion pancake is one of the first dishes I learned how to make. I learned to make it when I visited my grandparents over summer break in elementary school.
夢想｜Dreams
「小孩子從小就應該要胸懷大志、勇敢做夢。長大了之後為了屈就現實，夢想會越變越小。如果你小時候有遠大的夢想，即使它慢慢隨著時間變小了，你的格局還是會比其他人都大。」
My dad once told me, “As a kid, you should dream big because when you grow up, your dreams will shrink as reality hits. If you have big dreams as a kid, even if your dreams shrink as you get older, you will still have greater visions than others.”
今天是妳的生日，媽媽
兩年前，因緣際會聽見李健唱的這首《今天是妳的生日，媽媽》，深深觸動了我的心弦，讓我想起了我的媽媽，和十幾年來漂泊在外的心境。今年初，研究所的一位好友搬到紐約，將他帶不走的吉他留給了我。
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謹以我最愛的一首歌，獻給我最愛的朋友們。謝謝你們讓我的世界變開闊，無論在何方，都願你們平安喜樂。
One of my favorite songs for my favorite friends. Cheers to all the wonderful moments we have shared together.
A Letter Not to a Senator
I will never forget my lab group meeting on Monday, January 30, 2017. Kate asked us to take a few minutes to write down what is on our mind — “Just anything.” I saw my colleagues pick up their pens and start to write with flying strokes. I thought I would do the same, but instead, I froze for a little while before I could start writing.
Five Months, Five Decisions
Five months ago, life struck me with a series of events. I had a very difficult time dealing with the synergistic effect, but after I dried my tears, I marked my calendar and told myself this would be the beginning of a new stage of my life — I am going to rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
525,600 Minutes Since I Left Northwestern
Well, I would say I could measure the past year in how many times life has hit me — probably more than it did during all my four years at Northwestern combined. But just like what Khalid said to me winter quarter of my freshman year, “Pain makes you strong.” — with each hit, life has indeed made me grow stronger and taught me to appreciate things around me more.