It has been a long time since I wanted to create a viz about Jason Mraz. And here it is!
Probably like most people, I first knew him because of I’m Yours. I was in a summer camp after the most stressful Gaokao exam (The National College Entrance Examination). A girl sang this song in a competition and won first place. I was eighteen that year, and his songs have accompanied me through my adulthood.
In grad school, I was super busy with my classes and projects as a research assistant. I used Life is Wonderful for my alarm. Every morning, I wake up with the thought that life is wonderful and meaningful.
In December 2018, one of my colleagues asked me if I would like to go to his concert at UT Austin. Had she not asked me, I would not have had the opportunity to see his live concert. When he came to the stage, he immediately noticed a board saying 3G fans, and asked what 3G stands for. The audience in the front shouted “three-generation fans”. The whole family came to the concert. It was in this concert that I got the inspiration for this viz.
During the first month of lockdown, it was not very easy for me to not socialize with people. In addition, I did not get the H1B lottery in March 2020, which means I had to leave my job in the United States. I started to listen to Have it All.
May you have auspiciousness and causes of success
May you have the confidence to always do your best
…
And may the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows
And may the road less paved be the road that you follow
Maybe it’s an opportunity for me to travel on the road less paved and explore something new in my life!
I would end this post with the lyrics in Mama Mia.
So I say
Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Qichun Dai 