The Asterisk

My dad jumped into the conversation: “If Jordan ran for public office, would you vote for her?”

My Idea Notebook

My drawer has a single inhabitant, my idea notebook. A physical extension of my mind, each page frames the different parts of me. This essay embodies Ethan Samuel Lin. This essay is me.

Oaths, Shapeshifting, and Magic

In my free time, I love to research the Cosmere collection, an expansive fictional universe where Brandon Sanderson’s series of books take place. I am drawn to the Cosmere because of the similarities between the books and my own journey and life experiences.

The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

I was twelve years old and obsessed with words like phantasmagoria when I tumbled into the digital pages of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. It’s an archive of homegrown neologisms for the emotions and experiences we don’t have words for, yet. Since then, I’ve added entries of my own.

Plants

Each morning, I wake up in my jungle. It isn’t a tropical rainforest filled with spiders and bizarre scents; it’s my room, filled with dozens of houseplants.

Silence

I like science. When everything is quiet, I am able to organize the waterfall of thoughts of which, using simple words, I rarely can express a droplet.

Three Wishes + Psychology

Day 264 of the campaign in the Forgotten Realms. My character, Bragern the Elvish Rogue, and the rest of my party have entered the cave, fought the dragon, and saved our gnome guide, after which our Dungeon Master describes a chest overflowing with energy. I open it and inside is the Ring of Wishing. I learn that this ring holds three wishes for whatever I desire. So what do I desire?

Animals

Lola the lamb. Diego the snake. Jack the Dog. Nutmeg the rabbit. And a Bearded Dragon named Zigzag.

Mazes

I’m standing at a crossroad with three options: turn left, turn right, or walk forward. Where is the way out? I wonder.

Skin

While other 5-year-olds played with rubber ducks in the bath, I sat in the sweet strawberry scented tub of childhood, perfecting my bubble beard, and discovering my interest: skin.

Cheers

While my friends binge The Office, I’m at home with my favorite family tavern, Cheers. Reminiscing on my first visit five-years-ago, going into my tenth visit, I realize the gang at Cheers is my mirror: they reflect how I’ve grown.

Water Bottle Excavation

‘Yǐn shuǐ sī yuán’–today’s nugget from my gratitude jar. The Chinese proverb echoes in my mind as I head out to work and press play on Revisionist History Season 3 Episode 6.