My blogger bio over time by CJ Q. '23
what does it take to get to know someone?
I’ve changed my bio, which you can view on my author page, once every few months since I started blogging. I thought I’d record how it’s changed for posterity, maybe before I change it one last time before I graduate.
September 2019
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live in East Campus. I could tell you that CJ is short for Carl Joshua, or that I have two first names, because a lot of Filipinos have two first names.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Homestuck and grilled tomatoes and calligraphy. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Splendor or Carcassonne, and if we get enough people we could play Modern Art. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. There’s this nice spot in the MIT tunnels with beautiful murals that animate when you point a camera at it. We can take the T to Faneuil Hall, cram ourselves into the hallways, and buy lunch together. We could head downtown Boston and window shop at Newbury; we could go to Prudential and complain about how expensive everything is.
We could cross Harvard Bridge at two in the morning. We could stare at the river and the stars, and watch electric reds and blues painted on the Boston skyline. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about my body, and it feels like I’m hovering over the water. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
January 2020
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live in East Campus. I could tell you that CJ is short for Carl Joshua, because I have two first names, because a lot of Filipinos have two first names.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Homestuck and grilled tomatoes and calligraphy. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Gizmos or Modern Art, and if we get enough people we could play Castlefall. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. There’s this nice spot in the MIT tunnels with beautiful murals that animate when you point a camera at it. We can take the T to Malden Center, and buy lunch at this Chinese place I know. We could head downtown Boston and window shop at Newbury; we could go to Prudential and complain about how expensive everything is.
We could cross Harvard Bridge at two in the morning. We could stare at the river and the stars, and watch electric reds and blues painted on the Boston skyline. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about my body, and it feels like I’m hovering over the water. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
March 2020
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live(d) in East Campus. I could tell you that CJ is short for Carl Joshua, because I have two first names, because a lot of Filipinos have two first names.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about typography and grilled tomatoes and Esperanto. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Just One or Tractor, and if we get enough people we could play Castlefall. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. It’s a sign of aging, I guess, but I now think that staying all day in the Floor Pi lounge is an adventure. We can take the T to Harvard, and buy lunch at this Japanese barbecue place I love. Or we could head downtown Boston and window shop at Newbury; we could go to Prudential and complain about how expensive everything is.
We could cross Harvard Bridge at two in the morning. We could stare at the river and the stars, and watch electric reds and blues painted on the Boston skyline. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about my body, and it feels like I’m hovering over the water. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
August 2020
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live in East Campus. I could tell you that CJ is short for Carl Joshua, because I have two first names, because a lot of Filipinos have two first names.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about vexillology and mac and cheese and Tetris. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Coup or Singaporean Bridge, and if we get enough people we could play Castlefall. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We could play Bomb Party or Drawphone or Skribbl. We could hop on a call and sing off-sync to background music. Or we could gather some friends, watch a movie, and we’ll laugh at each other’s reactions.
We can hop on a Zoom call until two in the morning. And we’ll talk about rivers, skyscrapers, and stars. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about the distance, and the screen, and it just feels like us, side-by-side, talking. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
December 2020
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I (used to) live in East Campus. I could tell you that CJ is short for Carl Joshua, because I have two first names, because a lot of Filipinos have two first names.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Celeste and logic puzzles and Clover’s BLTs. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play NMBR 9 or Bomb Party, and if we get enough people we could play Sleepsort. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We could stream video games for hours on a voice call. We can take turns reading paragraphs from cheesy fanfiction. Or we could gather some friends, watch a movie, and we’ll laugh at each other’s reactions.
We can hop on a Zoom call until two in the morning. And we’ll talk about rivers, skyscrapers, and stars. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about the distance, and the screen, and it just feels like us, side-by-side, talking. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
February 2021
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live in East Campus. I could tell you that CJ is short for Carl Joshua, because I have two first names, because a lot of Filipinos have two first names.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Slay the Spire and semantics and Chipotle. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play War Chest or Quoridor, and if you convince me maybe we can even play Hanabi, but only if you convince me. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We could stream video games for hours on a voice call. We can take turns reading paragraphs from cheesy fanfiction. Or we could gather some friends, watch a movie, and we’ll laugh at each other’s reactions.
We can hop on a Zoom call until two in the morning. And we’ll talk about rivers, skyscrapers, and stars. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about the distance, and the screen, and it just feels like us, side-by-side, talking. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
June 2021
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live in Macgregor. (But I’d rather be in East Campus. Scratch that. I’d rather my room have a sink.)
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Luck be a Landlord and formal verification and rice cookers. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play The Shipwreck Arcana or Mascarade, and yes, that’s spelled Mascarade, with a C. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We could stream video games for hours on a voice call. We can take turns reading paragraphs from cheesy fanfiction. Or we could gather some friends, watch a movie, and we’ll laugh at each other’s reactions.
We can hop on a Zoom call until two in the morning. And we’ll talk about rivers, skyscrapers, and stars. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about the distance, and the screen, and it just feels like us, side-by-side, talking. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
November 2021
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live in East Campus (for not much longer, it seems).
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Monster Train and type theory and Domino’s. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Spirit Island or Lost Cities or Innovation. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We could take a walk along Downtown Crossing and get lost on the way back. We could grab some Nerf guns and have a shootout in some empty classrooms. Or we could wear silly hats and take pictures together.
We can sit in the couch in my room until two in the morning. And we’ll talk about jobs, and anxieties, and the future. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about all the decisions I have to make, and for a night, it’d feel like I can stay at MIT forever. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
February 2022
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you that I’m an international student from the Philippines, or that I live in East Campus.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Stardew Valley and how email works and Clover. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Spirit Island or Go or Arboretum. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We could go to the Museum of Fine Arts and talk about all the artwork. We could go to a party and dance until two in the morning. Or we could go on a road trip, and I’ll try my best not to get motion sick.
We can sit in the lounge and watch a movie together. And we’ll talk about capitalism, and loneliness, and love. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about all the homework I have to do, and for a moment, it’d feel like I could live forever. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
June 2022
What does it take to get to know someone? One of the first things people ask me is where I’m from. Is it the Philippines, where I grew up and spent my high school in? Is it East Campus, the dorm I’ve come to call my home? Is it Mountain View, the city I’m living in for the summer? At once, it’s all of these, and none of these.
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Epic Battle Fantasy 5 and how Redux works and dumplings. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Castlefall or Beavers Against the Humanities or Aeon’s End. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We can ride the Caltrain for two hours and complain about public transportation in the Bay Area. We could spend all day in the Computer History Museum. Or I can give you a tour of the office I’m interning at, which, while mostly empty, has a lot of snacks.
We can go to an overpriced coffee shop and buy pastries. And we’ll talk about housing prices, and adulting, and medication. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about how tired I’m feeling, and for a moment, it’d feel like I could live forever. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
October 2022
What does it take to get to know someone? I could tell you my name (CJ), my year (’23), my course (18 and 6-3), my dorm (East Campus). I could give you a laundry list of fun facts. We can do all the icebreakers you want. Is that it?
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. We could talk for hours about Dicey Dungeons and meditation and monads. I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite board games. We can play Xoragrams or The Crew or Terraforming Mars. We could listen to music all afternoon, and I’ll tell you all about my favorite artists.
Or we could go on an adventure. We can go around Downtown Crossing and window shop at all the stores. We could spend all day in the Banana Lounge playing with all the art materials and eating bananas. Or I can give you a tour of the spiffy new admissions office, which has a lot of snacks.
We can go to a library and get one of the rooms. And we’ll talk, quietly, about grief, and big tech, and making friends. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about how tired I’m feeling, and for a moment, it’d feel like I could live forever. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
February 2023
What does it take to get to know someone? Here, I’ll tell you something you want to know, and something I want you to know. You probably want to know my name, CJ, or my class year, ’23, or where I’m living, East Campus. Here’s something I want you to know: I’m graduating in a semester, and that thought terrifies me, because I don’t think I’m ready for the real world just yet.
You probably want to know about the things I like. We could talk for hours about Vampire Survivors and interactive fiction and compiler optimization. Or maybe you want to know what board games I like? I like Roll for the Galaxy and 7 Wonders and NMBR 9. Here’s something I want you to know: I have a particular taste in music, and I can tell you about all my favorite artists.
Maybe you want to see some places I like. We could go to the ESP office in the Student Center, or the SIPB office just upstairs. We could walk down Revere Beach, and I’ll complain about how I hate getting sand on my feet. Or we could go to 66-110, my favorite lecture hall on campus, even if I’ve never taken a class there.
Here’s something I want to do. We’ll go to a random lounge. And we’ll talk about AI, and anxiety, and faith. And sometimes it gets quiet enough that I forget about how tired I’m feeling, and for a moment, it’d feel like I could live forever. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.
May 2023
What does it take to get to know someone? A few words, a few sentences, a few pages, a whole book, more? From the fact you’re reading this, you already know a few things about me. My name is CJ, and I’m an MIT ’23. You can see my avatar, which is what I looked like, once. If you clicked Keep Reading to read the rest of this, you can see above that I’m in Courses 18 and 6-3, which are Mathematics and Computer Science. Is that it?
We could talk about the things I like, if that will help. My favorite video game genre is deckbuilding roguelike, like Backpack Hero, which I’ve been playing a lot of lately. More academic interests include model theory, dependent types, fan studies, and linguistic typology. I like Galaxy Trucker and Roll for the Galaxy, which, despite the similar names, are unrelated board games. I like pop music, for some definition of pop music.
Or we could go on an adventure. Many of my favorite places aren’t accessible right now because they’re in the Student Center: the ESP office, the SIPB office, La Verde’s. Lobdell and La Sala, W20-407. When East Campus will close for renovations later this summer, more of my favorite places will disappear: my old room, the TV Lounge, KL, my new room.
We can learn, experimentally, what exactly it takes to get to know someone. We can talk about institutional change and the meaning of distance. And maybe it’d get quiet enough that I forget about how tired I’m feeling, and for a moment, it’d feel like I could live forever. And maybe you’d feel the same way.
And then we could tell each other stories.
But until then, I hope you enjoy reading mine.