Hey there, how’s it going?

April marked my 3-year work anniversary at Apple, which also meant I’ve officially been at Apple longer than I ever did at Walmart. I don’t know why this fact conjures up big feelings for me — it’s true, after all — but a fact that nonetheless feels crazy for me. I still remember my Amtrak trip right before starting at Walmart, followed by working at the San Bruno campus before moving to a bigger space at WeWork in San Mateo, all before the insanity of working from my parents’ place during COVID (especially that week where the sky was orange)… My time at Walmart just felt really long, yet here I am officially at Apple for even longer.

I recently read this article that suggested we should all work like it’s the 90s — that is, to leave work at work. One of my biggest fears when starting at Apple was its reputation of not having any work-life balance. Three years in, I would say it’s not as daunting as I initially feared, though like a frog in boiling water I’ve also been acclimated to having daily 8 a.m. meetings and 5 p.m. meetings sprinkled throughout each month. Like all of this is fine, but none of this is ideal — all this before considering the leash that is Slack. Working like it's the 90's is a cute thought tho.

• Why You Should Work Like It’s the ’90s
• A skeptic’s guide to quitting your smartphone

Volunteer

I am officially a volunteer at my local library! I learned there’s a Cantonese Club meetup last month and have been joining ever since. Most of the people there want to (re-)connect with the Cantonese language and culture, and I’m excited to contribute what I know on something that’s so dear to me. And not to sound like I’m a selfless saint, because through this Cantonese Club I’ll get to learn the Jyutping system — something even most native Cantonese don’t know. (Instead, we just learn through tough, tough love.)

• Cantonese Tones Made Easy (Amazing channel, and her pronunciation is better than some native speakers)

Graduation

My journey with my counselor finally wrapped up. It was never supposed to be permanent, and she’d already suggested it was time to “graduate” a couple of times before. I learned quite a bit from her during our time together, especially on hope and resilience, so I’m happy she can now use her time and expertise to help other people. It’s a bit daunting to imagine not having her support amidst this darkest timeline we live in — but even as things worsen we agreed I’ve got what it takes to bounce back.

Breath of the Wild

My continued disassociating from the news headlines is going fine, but idyllic island life in Animal Crossing can only do so much. Amidst all the hoopla surrounding the new Nintendo Switch 2, I decided to restart The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild from scratch. I didn’t progress too far the first time playing it anyways, since this game is so much more difficult than the ones that came before. It’s still difficult this time around, but at least it’ll be a good distraction for me as the game will literally take hundreds of hours to complete.

The Story of Classical

Along with playing Breath of the Wild, I’ve also replaced the news briefings I’d normally listen to during my commute to work with a great explainer from Apple Music. Aptly titled The Story of Classical, every track offers a primer on a specific period of classical music, from Medieval down to the modern day. My favorite is still the classical period — I just love the symphony structure, and knowing exactly what to expect in each one. But there's something to like in most periods really… except for the “music” in the late 20th century (most absolute trash imho).

• The Story of Classical (Apple Music)

And here's the rest of it…

Thanks for reading this and being with me on this journey. Let me know what’s going on in your world and be sure to share something with me that’s been giving you life (just hit reply or on Bluesky)! You can also check out past issues of Dear Friend, on my website. Here’s the rest of it:

• The photos I took this month
• What’s worth remembering in April 2025
• Interesting enough to share but not enough to write about:
  • Nature: National Arboretum (2 minutes of nature)
  • Give me 9 min, and I'll improve your storytelling skills by 176%
• I’m on Bluesky, follow me there!

Love wins