Daniel's 2023 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, This year I reach you from our West Beijing apartment, where we've finally moved in. The place is quiet and spacious, there's a park downstairs to walk around in, and I'm certain we’ve found the greatest La-Z-Boy sofa in existence. It's paradise for introverts like Flora and me.JapanBut we couldn't sit still on that sofa for long. After the Chinese government lifted COVID restrictions, we got right back to traveling. We rented an apartment in Tokyo over ...
Daniel's 2023 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, This year I reach you from our West Beijing apartment, where we've finally moved in. The place is quiet and spacious, there's a park downstairs to walk around in, and I'm certain we’ve found the greatest La-Z-Boy sofa in existence. It's paradise for introverts like Flora and me.JapanBut we couldn't sit still on that sofa for long. After the Chinese government lifted COVID restrictions, we got right back to traveling. We rented an apartment in Tokyo over ...
Daniel's 2022 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, For me, 2022 was another year of too much doom and gloom. But—unlike 2021—it was punctuated by many moments of profound delight and optimism. Let’s get the unhappy stuff out of the way first: Uncertainty about the COVID lockdowns in China. Seeing the US and Chinese governments lumber into a lose-lose cold war like two drunken apes. And a whole lot of disappointment at work. Each spiked last year, and I have trouble shaking them from my mind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just evolvi...
Daniel's 2022 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, For me, 2022 was another year of too much doom and gloom. But—unlike 2021—it was punctuated by many moments of profound delight and optimism. Let’s get the unhappy stuff out of the way first: Uncertainty about the COVID lockdowns in China. Seeing the US and Chinese governments lumber into a lose-lose cold war like two drunken apes. And a whole lot of disappointment at work. Each spiked last year, and I have trouble shaking them from my mind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just evolvi...
Daniel's 2021 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, I had no good reason to be unhappy in 2021. Flora and I were healthy, our families were safe, we had good jobs, and we were able to live quite freely in terms of going out and domestic travel. Yet I still felt bad almost every day, and the low mood kept me from pursuing things I thought were important. I’ve had years like that before, and I bet more will come. It’s surely more common than social media feeds would have us believe. Fortunately, unsatisfying times trigger reflectio...
Daniel's 2021 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, I had no good reason to be unhappy in 2021. Flora and I were healthy, our families were safe, we had good jobs, and we were able to live quite freely in terms of going out and domestic travel. Yet I still felt bad almost every day, and the low mood kept me from pursuing things I thought were important. I’ve had years like that before, and I bet more will come. It’s surely more common than social media feeds would have us believe. Fortunately, unsatisfying times trigger reflectio...
Daniel's 2020 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, Last year, my letter began, “I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavius.” Global spread of that disease has since brought massive suffering around the world, and disheartening unrest back home in the U.S. glued me to the news for too much of 2020. Nevertheless, the year also brought new joys and perspectives. Habits COVID-19 upended everyone’s daily routines, so my earlier lament about the difficulties of changing habits feels moot. What better time to...
Daniel's 2020 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, Last year, my letter began, “I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavius.” Global spread of that disease has since brought massive suffering around the world, and disheartening unrest back home in the U.S. glued me to the news for too much of 2020. Nevertheless, the year also brought new joys and perspectives. Habits COVID-19 upended everyone’s daily routines, so my earlier lament about the difficulties of changing habits feels moot. What better time to...
Daniel's 2019 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, This year I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavirus. Offices are closed for safety, so I'll be working from home until the outbreak dies down. Flora and I are fine—if a little stir-crazy—we’re more concerned for folks in Wuhan and other places whose livelihoods are threatened by the disease. Nevertheless, the quiet is an occasion to reflect. For the first year in a while, my world lacked enormous changes. Flora and I lived in the same place and ...
Daniel's 2019 Annual Letter
Dear Friends, This year I greet you stuck in our Beijing apartment trying to avoid Coronavirus. Offices are closed for safety, so I'll be working from home until the outbreak dies down. Flora and I are fine—if a little stir-crazy—we’re more concerned for folks in Wuhan and other places whose livelihoods are threatened by the disease. Nevertheless, the quiet is an occasion to reflect. For the first year in a while, my world lacked enormous changes. Flora and I lived in the same place and ...
