A life, in his own words

Hey there, I'm Coda

Coda is a name I gave myself. In music, a coda is the final passage that comes after the main body of a piece. It carries everything that came before it, yet stands on its own as it brings the music to an end. I've always liked that idea.

I like rain.

Rain reminds me of the misty bamboo groves by Jiulong Lake in my hometown, Ningbo; of the ethereal calls of spotted doves drifting over its quiet, intricate waterways; and of the faint scent of osmanthus slowly seeping into the room through the damp air, bringing with it a strange sense of calm.

It also reminds me of countless rainy nights spent with friends. Back then, we sat on opposite sides of our screens, fighting side by side in games—or betraying each other without the slightest hesitation. Years later, after we had all grown up, we somehow found ourselves together again on nights much like those, staying up late and working toward the same thing, only this time in the real world.

My actual life is not quite so poetic.

I get lost easily and never learned how to ride a bicycle, so my friends often have to lead me around. Most of the time, I'm staying up too late falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes, forgetting to reply to messages, calling people “professor” or “bro” because I can't remember their names, buying games on Steam that I will probably never open, leaving most books half-finished, exercising in sporadic bursts, and perpetually trying to lose weight.

Some friends tell me I'm an unusually complicated and multifaceted person. I think all of those sides are simply me. I've just become fairly comfortable admitting it.

Oh, and apparently I never mentioned anywhere on this website that I'm into historical fencing. Put simply, it involves two people wearing protective gear and hitting each other with steel swords. It's somewhat dangerous, but extremely satisfying.

Fortunately, I have a slightly inappropriate sense of humor, and I'm reasonably good at knowing what food is worth trying, what drinks are worth having, and what books, films, music, and other works are worth recommending to friends.

So, for now, people are still willing to go out with me.

Otherwise, I'd probably be a caveman.