My preschooler son’s current obsession is Minecraft. It has ascended to 走火入魔 (being consumed by an obsession) levels. My spending habits have thus shifted to fit his obsession accordingly.

Since I’m already pumping so much money into supporting his addiction, I might as well gain some mileage out of it. So, from the Minecraft books he reads, I tried to highlight those words and phrases that are associated with primary school Science:

livestock, farm crops, grow mushrooms, harvest wheat, feed animals, combine ingredients, weed gardens, plenty of light, air food & water to stay alive, automated watering system, use technology, farming tools, domesticated sheep, magnetic compasses

Let me prepare some Chinese phrases to complement the above list:
植物，农业，耕田，家畜

His obsession is real. I managed to sign him up for a free trial class next Monday with The Empire Code because it appeals to his heart by promising to teach coding via Minecraft. This is the FIRST TIME he has agreed to undertake an enrichment class!

Happiness Journal 9/6/25  

Went for a free trial class in Minecraft coding, courtesy of The Empire Code. Initially, I expected to avail myself of hard selling of its courses during the 30-min lesson. Hence, I was pleasantly surprised to note that no parents were allowed in the premises, which meant that I could enjoy some respite at the nearby Starbucks.

My 30 mins of freedom flew by in a flash. I appreciated how the trainer took time to give me feedback on how my son had taken to the course. Again, I was expecting to have to stay for a sales talk. However, contrary to my expectations, the receptionist waved us goodbye, stating that someone would be in touch with us later. I really enjoy The Empire Code’s non-pushy way of doing business!

Got ChatGPT to generate a list of useful words and phrases that depicted my son’s experience. First-hand experience FTW!