Mark Zhang > Recent Status Updates

Bratja! Oh Brothers! Honestly have a lot of high hopes for this one - everyone I’ve talked to has hyped up Brothers Karamazov.

A hit of nostalgia - revisiting the streets of Novigrad ( memories of 2019 winter vacation and playing Witcher).

I can’t remember why I didn’t continue the series after Last Wish but gosh it’s different to read good fantasy.

He was filled with faith and love
Faithful to his soul’s ideal
Blazoned AVE, MATER DEI
In his blood upon his shield

To live is Christ, and to die is gain

Paul’s letters!

Ippolitcore - bro just didn't live long enough to experience the joys of doomscrolling ans situationships. Oh Ippolit you would've loved 2025

Catching up on my readings between 05:30 space walkthroughs and being dismissed at 23:00… incidentally not really having much to do from 1200 onwards.

Turns out Nepo baby got an inheritance and people started to like him and then others tried to scam him. Messy love triangle but if I were rich like that I’d also shoot my shot with the kept woman fr

Innocence and broke Nepo babies

Unfortunately reading Dostoevsky always reminds me I’m base and evil (Ganya) and too removed from the lamb of Christ that is Myshkin

But oh Nastasya! We need to bring back falling madly in love with beauty at first sight

Enjoyed that Steinbeck loved Wisconsin. I miss home!

@Seamus when you see this just know that I am also pledging my fealty to the American novelist

Tbh this reads less like a memoir of a great American novelist than an ordinary guy trying to find greatness in America. Maine in the 60s was endearing but I have a sense that much of this story will be negative - if not filled with hope for better like all Steinbecks

Actually really enjoy Corinthians

Lotta yapping to say don’t kill yourself tbh

Honestly hurts brain a little to read - but then again I’m not the target demographic of Camus enjoyers

Africa, Americas, Australia and New Guinea just sorta resource cucked from the start on domesticable plants and animals fr

But imagine how cool Bison 🦬 cavalry or Hippo 🦛 riders would’ve been in a different timeline where they were less temperamental

Basically, war is fought with bread rations and whoever can find the bread rations most efficiently to maintain cohesion of the giant rabble (army) that they lead.

Jokes aside holy speed - Napoleon positively blitzes the Austrians down with river crossing after river crossing. 6 Maneuver general for sure (EU4 Canon accurate 6/6/6/2). He who dictates the momentum of battle wins the battle.

The Austrians attack!

Unsurprisingly they are rebuffed by Massena

And Napoleon replies!

It’s really amazing to see just how meticulous Napoleon is at planning the movements of his divisions to concentrate at the schwerpunkt. We see on numerous occasions that the Austrians and Piedmontese match the French in bravery and skill, but cannot compensate at the army level to Napoleon’s talent for organization.

Stage is set! Whew that was a long intro to the campaigning season of ‘96

Key players introduced:

Napoleon (very little in the way of personal treatment as the subject is primarily the Italian campaign itself)

Berthier (Chief of Staff), the Divisional Commanders: Massena, Augereau, Serurier

And the Austro-Piedmontese ofc

Kafka is a bad person in love - but so am I. ETF this Friday or maybe Thursday I’m sorta being bent over backwards by work/watch recently.

Kafka is a simp but so am I?

Halfway through Acts!

Part 2 Absolutely sublime - Mahound is tempted and utters the satanic verses (inspired by Gibreel), only to repudiate them after another message by Gibreel

Day by day! On to the Gospel of John.

I love love stories and stories of loving life.

Actually quite enjoyable and interesting framework for viewing life.

I typically clown on D School/ Silicon Valley but genuinely like this so far