8.10
About the Match Last Night
I got up a bit late this morning because I couldn’t fall asleep last night after watching the live broadcast of the Paris Olympics Table Tennis men’s team final. It was difficult to maintain a sense of calm and peace of mind after the tense and exciting competition.
Team China won the match in three straight games. I’m extremely happy for the three great athletes, especially for Ma Long. He’s my favorite athlete on the whole China national table tennis team, and this match probably is his last one in the Olympics. It’s his six-time Olympic gold medal; that is to say, he has done great things for the team.
Speaking of Fan Zhendong, every time I watch his games, it feels like my heart is in my mouth. Although he won most of the time, it was always hard. Maybe he isn’t always in the best condition, but he is firm and tenacious every time.
Wang Chuqin is the youngest one on the team. He has been doing well, but compared to his predecessors, he still has much to learn and practice, in both technique and spirit.
Team Sweden did a great job too. As one of my friends said after the match, Team Sweden made us find that maybe the time when the Chinese team is sure to win has passed.
In a nutshell, it was a great match that showed the beauty of competitive sports.
8.9
Waiting for a Live Broadcast
Right now, I’m waiting to watch the live broadcast of the Paris Olympics Table Tennis men’s team final, which will happen in 40 minutes ( that’s 9 PM Beijing time). That is to say, I need to stay up late to watch the game.
Luckily, it’s Friday night, a perfect time to watch a live broadcast.
The best way to do it is with my friends, but I’ve just recovered from my latest case with COVID, and still have a bit of a cough. So, I’ll watch the game alone this time.
Good luck to Team China!
8.7
One of My Favorite Channels
It’s extremely hot these days. I don’t want to eat, but I have to, so I watch videos at dinnertime to distract myself from reality and work up an appetite.
One of My Favorite Channels is 滇西小哥 Dianxi Xiaoge. Her account is @dianxixiaoge on YouTube. She also has an account on Bilibili, which I normally watch.
I like her channel for many reasons.
The first one is the dishes she makes, of course. All of them are the perfect combination of color, aroma, and taste. Even just watching her cook can make your mouth water.
The second reason is the atmosphere in her family. Everyone loves and helps each other — This makes me a bit envious, especially her grandma who reminds me of my great grandma.
The scenery is the third reason why I love those videos. Yunnan is her hometown, so most videos were taken in Yunnan Province. I’ve been there four times and have traveled to six cities in Yunnan. They are so gorgeous that I want to explore more.
I highly recommend this channel to you! You might learn how to cook Chinese dishes from her.
8.6
The Ongoing Heat Wave in Shanghai
The heat wave continues to broil us in Shanghai.
How hot is it?
A piece of news on social media says that a guy found the glass on his windowsill had cracked because of the temperature.
That is really scary.
My windowsill is ok, but the plants that I planted on it are all wilting. I’m a little afraid that they will not survive this horrible heat.
In terms of daily life, I’ve quit ordering takeaway food for the moment. I worry that the delivery man might get sunstroke on the way to deliver my food.
8.3
The Biggest Impact that the Olympics Has Had on Me
I started watching the Olympics on TV before I entered elementary school. Now I’m watching the live broadcast of the Paris Olympics Table Tennis women’s singles final. It feels like I’m more excited than the two girls on the field.
I played badminton, table tennis, and volleyball when I was a student due to watching these sports on TV, but I was not proficient in any.
As you may know, I don’t play any of them now.
However, there are other impacts that I want to mention.
The biggest one might be the belief that I must have some ambition and I can achieve the goal if I put my effort into it.
It seems a bit obvious to many people, but as a girl in a big family that prefers sons to daughters, I first got that from the Chinese women Olympic athletes.
When I was a child, adults around me sometimes said that women held up half the sky, but in fact, they ignored girls and treated the boys as the hope of the family.
The women athletes in the Olympics made me believe that I also have power as a girl.
I would like to thank the mentors I have never met!
8.2
Severe Heat and My Weekend Plans
Recently, It has been extremely hot in Shanghai and the surrounding areas. My pet fish doesn’t want to eat, just like me, even though we are staying in the air-conditioned room all the time.
I have to give up my weekend hike plan. I’m a little upset because if I can’t wake up before 6:00 tomorrow morning, I’ll have to stay home all day.
If I have to do that, I will watch the Olympics live or some replay videos.
If I wake up before 6:00 AM, I will go cycling along the Huangpu River again and return before 8:00 AM. Because after that, the temperature will exceed 35°C.
The plan for Sunday is the same.
Oh, I finished an article about last Saturday’s hike in Chinese a few minutes ago. If you want to see pictures or Chinese sentences, here is the link.
8.1
Today
I’m not feeling very well today. My throat has been hurting for a whole day as if a knife has been stuck there. It hurts every time I swallow, and I have been dizzy since I woke up this morning.
So I took a day off to let myself lie in bed.
I feel better now, so I am making a video of last Saturday’s hike. I call it “A River Tracing in Eastern China”. You can see the first version here.
It’s really joyful to see those beautiful waterfalls and ponds again. It seems I am still in nature, which makes me want to finish my jogging routine.
That’s it for today. I’m going on jogging along the river near my apartment.
Although I will probably just walk due to my current health situation.
I hope you have a healthy and nice day.