I bought two avocados last night and planned to make breakfast with them this morning. I ordered them on a takeaway platform from a big supermarket, which I trusted very much.

However, when I opened the box this morning, I found that the quality of the avocados was much worse than before. They were fully ripe but somewhat firm, and lacking the soft, creamy texture of butter.

I’m a little disappointed and decided to buy avocados from the physical fruit store in our neighborhood next time.

I’m a little curious about the English idiom “dog days of summer”. I know it means 三伏天 in Chinese.

The Chinese character “伏” has a human on the left and a dog on the right, indicating that dogs can protect humans. This is the original meaning of the 伏 period.

So, is it a coincidence between the English idiom and the Chinese idiom? Or it is a translation from Chinese, which dates back approximately 2700 years.

Today is the Great Heat of the year according to the 24 solar terms.

In China, this means that today is the hottest and sunniest day of the year. At this time, the combination of dampness and heat reaches its peak.

It’s true. Even yesterday, the day before the Great Heat, was very humid. At night, when I cleared my coffee cup from the morning, it seemed to have mold on it.

Even though it’s one of the most unbearable days for Chinese people, our culture honours it since it’s also the time when crops grow the fastest. Different regions have different ways of celebrating it.

I need to learn this type of positive attitude from the traditional culture.

Yesterday, my camellia died in the extreme heat. This morning, the only fruit on my fig tree fell. I should calm myself down and focus on the growing plants, since I’ve tried my best on my little windowsill garden.

I’ve been slacking off for a few days. Old friends may notice this from my lack of entries here.

The weather is the main reason. Under the high heat and air conditioning, I only want to do the things that I have to do. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, our yang qi is damaged because we stay in air-conditioned rooms too long. I think, to some extent, this statement makes sense.

Another reason is the mosquitoes. I don’t know why, but after COVID-19, I have become allergic to mosquito bites. Each bite could cause unbearable itching. Dealing with these itches takes me a lot of time and really annoys me.

I’m trying to let those unchangeable things go and come back to normal.

I hope I can manage it.

In China, there’s a metaphorical term that refers to a job market situation where companies create positions specifically tailored for certain individuals. This means the hiring manager already has the candidate in mind, but due to compliance rules, they still have to go through the formal recruitment process.

This term is called 萝卜坑, which literally translates to “radish pit.”

Last night, a headhunter approached me and recommended a position at an international company. Over the phone, it sounded like a good match for my experience, but after reading the JD she sent me afterward. I realized it might be a radish pit.

The JD includes so many specific requirements and qualifications that you can almost picture the person it’s written for.

The headhunter seemed experienced. She probably recognized the situation too, but still had to fulfill her client’s requests.

It’s quite an interesting situation.

Twenty years ago, the radish pit situation typically occurred in local businesses, and rarely in international companies. But nowadays, the trend has reversed.