Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by! My throat feels warm today, parched no matter how much water I drink. Maybe I’m coming down with something. Geez louis. Still, hydration has got to count for something, right? And sleep. I can probably use a nap this afternoon I hope wherever you are reading this, the day is relaxing and if it’s not, maybe it can wind its way there in time. Maybe a book or warm drink is in order. Welcome to my researcher’s rest journal.

For this week’s rest, I had a chance to get out of the house for a change. To anyone reading this, don’t worry, I’m not under house arrest :D My present family situation is that we are caregiving for my granddad around the clock after my grandma passed away last year, so while my dad works and my mom cooks, I spend most of my day watching him—when I’m not reading or writing or conducting research. Also, I happen to be a homebody as it is, so I’m usually fine not leaving the house.

Maybe I should get a hobby

Sorry, clearly feeling some Stranger Things nostalgia. At least, for Season 1, which felt more grounded in storytelling, more heartwarming, and reminded me the most of E.T, one of my favourite childhood movies.

But to my week. My mom had the simple yet brilliant plan of visiting my childhood park, five minutes from my granddad’s house. I was maybe 8 when we moved out to our own place. Now I’m 30, so lots have changed!

My city, Kuching, had planted more trees, tons more than I remember. There are generously shaded areas on both ends of the park. Like, shaded.
Fun fact: There are a lot of etymology theories around the name Kuching, but the default one is that it’s derived from the Malay word ‘kucing’, which means ‘cat’. So we are nicknamed ‘Cat-city’

I’m convinced these many trees together actually makes the air smell fresher, with all that oxygen condensed in that space. It helped that it was windy too. The playground brought back memories of me and my older brother playing there, and I was super glad to see kids still on it because for the longest time, I had this impression of today’s kids being on their phones a lot (I know, I’m that older person).

What made me feel the best, though, was the chance to walk the park’s trails and just be in constant motion around the trees and plants and mini-lake. Not only did I just need to be on the move, but it’s what I used to do in that exact same park as a child, and it just made me feel so nostalgic and peaceful.

I used to imagine dinosaurs here (this era of was around the time I watched the BBC miniseries Walking With Dinosaurs as well as Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park trilogy).

I mean, look at this, who ***wouldn’t*** imagine dinosaurs?

So yeah, it was a much needed time out of the house and away from the screens. And then, with that valuable rest, I got the energy to go back to the synopsis for a novel I’ve been working on. I actually completed it today, so yay for that.

My fellow history enthusiasts and historical fiction writers, give that a try sometime if you’re like me, always holed away indoors working on something. Even today, many people still think of a life with history as boring and lifeless and gray, let’s actively chisel away at that stigma.

Time outside, especially in nature and greenery, will add some balance to your life in the archives, both physical and virtual.

Journal question: Where did you last go to clear your head and get some fresh air from researching and writing? Where would you like to go next?

See you again next week,
Ian Tan, intern
History Through Fiction