December and January were rough months for me. Work was stressful, my grandmother passed away, and then in January I suffered from debilitating migraines for three straight weeks. I think it was the culmination of all the anxiety and stress I was holding inside.
Late last year, my paternal grandmother passed away. She was an incredible woman, flaws and all. I wrote a short eulogy for her funeral.
One of my earliest memories of my grandmother was when I was about five years old. My parents had left me at her house for a few hours, and upon returning, found me hiding behind the sofa. They asked me what was wrong, and I told them I didn’t want to eat anymore. Ngin Ngin had fed me so much that I had finally had enough and had to remove myself from the situation.
That was how Ngin Ngin was. Whenever I called or visited, she always greeted me by asking me if I wanted food. “Hoo mm oo” was her favorite phrase with me. “Do you want this?” And she would wave some delicious home cooked food in front of my face. One time I told her how much I loved her fu jook soup, and that ended up being the only soup she’d make for me for the next fifteen years.
I don’t really speak Toisan, her dialect, and she didn’t really speak English, but we still managed to communicate. I would sit with her for hours while she painstakingly told her stories to me. About traveling to Hong Kong and the US, about her village in China and the famine she suffered though, about her struggles to raise her children by herself. She always emphasized that despite her struggles, God had blessed her with everything in her life.
She always reminded me how much she loved me and would giggle whenever I hugged her or kissed her cheek. Even at her last, she was smiling as I held her hand and told her I loved her.
I love you, Ngin Ngin, and I look forward to one day seeing you again in Heaven.
This week I talk with Gabrielle Wee, who’s done loads of creative coding work here on CodePen but like so many other creative people we talk to, her creativity explodes into so many other areas like illustration, photography, drawing, and even gardening. Plus a desire to share those techniques. Her path has led her to be working at Apple, a dream job.




It’s been a while since I’ve really done a proper update on this website. I’d like to talk through the last few years of this site, and what I did to make this current iteration happen.
Finally got this thing up and running. It’s late and I’m exhausted from churning this out in a couple of days, so I’ll write a proper introduction tomorrow. ✌🏼
%main
%canvas.totem{"width"=>"500", "height"=>"500"}*, *:before, *:after { box-sizing: border-box; }
body, html { height: 100%; }
body {
background: #A3C4D0;
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #f8f5da 0%,#FFF4E2 20%,#A3C4D0 50%,#3e4f53 100%);
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#f8f5da', endColorstr='#3e4f53',GradientType=0 );
overflow: hidden;
}
main {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
align-content: center;
justify-content: center;
height: 100%;
@media only screen and (max-height: 470px) {
scale: 0.75;
}
}
canvas {
cursor: move;
opacity: 0;
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference) {
translate: 0 100vh 40px;
animation: enter 2000ms cubic-bezier(.075,.820,.165,1) 500ms forwards;
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
animation: fade 500ms ease-out forwards;
}
}
@keyframes enter {
from {
opacity: 0;
translate: 0 100vh 40px;
}
to {
opacity: 1;
translate: 0 0 40px;
}
}
@keyframes fade {
from {
opacity: 0;
}
to {
opacity: 1;
}
}let illo = new Zdog.Illustration({
element: ".totem",
dragRotate: true
});
let anchor = new Zdog.Anchor({
addTo: illo,
rotate: { x: -Zdog.TAU / 24, y: Zdog.TAU * .66 }
});
// groups
let one = new Zdog.Anchor({
addTo: anchor,
translate: { y: -216 }
});
let two = new Zdog.Anchor({
addTo: anchor,
translate: { y: -108 }
});
let three = new Zdog.Anchor({
addTo: anchor,
translate: { y: 0 }
});
let four = new Zdog.Anchor({
addTo: anchor,
translate: { y: 108 }
});
// shared
let sharedTopBottom = {
width: 96,
height: 96,
color: "#FDAA4E",
fill: true,
stroke: 0
}
let sharedTopGroup = {
rotate: { x: Zdog.TAU / 4 }
}
let sharedBottomGroup = {
rotate: { x: Zdog.TAU / 4 },
translate: { y: 96 }
}
let sharedFrontGroup = {
translate: { x: -48, y: 48 },
rotate: { y: -Zdog.TAU / 4 }
}
let sharedBackGroup = {
translate: { x: 48, y: 48 },
rotate: { y: -Zdog.TAU / 4 }
}
let sharedLeftRight = {
width: 96,
height: 96,
color: "#FED240",
fill: true,
stroke: 0
}
let sharedLeftGroup = {
translate: { y: 48, z: -48 }
}
let sharedRightGroup = {
translate: { y: 48, z: 48 }
}
let sharedEye = {
diameter: 72,
color: "#FFFFF9",
fill: true,
stroke: 0
}
let sharedPupil = {
diameter: 48,
color: "#9F355A",
fill: true,
stroke: 0
}
let sharedLeftRightBorderOne = {
width: 84,
height: 84,
color: "#C2C9CC",
fill: true,
translate: { x: -6, y: 6 },
stroke: 0
}
let sharedLeftRightBorderTwo = {
width: 72,
height: 72,
color: "#FED240",
fill: true,
translate: { x: -12, y: 12 },
stroke: 0
}
let sharedLeftRightBorderThree = {
width: 60,
height: 60,
color: "#C2C9CC",
fill: true,
translate: { x: -18, y: 18 },
stroke: 0
}
let sharedLeftRightBorderFour = {
width: 48,
height: 48,
color: "#FED240",
fill: true,
translate: { x: -24, y: 24 },
stroke: 0
}
let sharedLeftRightBorderFive = {
width: 36,
height: 36,
color: "#C2C9CC",
fill: true,
translate: { x: -30, y: 30 },
stroke: 0
}
let sharedLeftRightBorderSix = {
width: 24,
height: 24,
color: "#FED240",
fill: true,
translate: { x: -36, y: 36 },
stroke: 0
}
let sharedFrontBack = {
width: 96,
height: 96,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
stroke: 0
}
let sharedButton = {
diameter: 48,
length: 6,
color: "#FDAE56",
frontFace: false,
backface: "#FEEE57",
fill: true,
translate: { z: -4 },
stroke: 0
}
let sharedButtonInside = {
diameter: 24,
color: "#EF9355",
fill: true,
translate: { z: -6 },
stroke: 0
}
// cube one
let oneTopGroup = new Zdog.Group(Zdog.extend(sharedTopGroup, { addTo: one }));
let oneTop = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedTopBottom, { addTo: oneTopGroup, color: "#FFFD68" }));
let oneTopBorder = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: oneTopGroup,
width: 84,
height: 72,
color: "#E4FFFF",
fill: true,
translate: { x: 6 },
stroke: 0
});
let oneTopBorderCenter = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: oneTopGroup,
width: 72,
height: 48,
color: "#FFFD68",
fill: true,
translate: { x: 12 },
stroke: 0
});
let oneTopBorderInside = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: oneTopGroup,
width: 60,
height: 24,
color: "#E4FFFF",
fill: true,
translate: { x: 18 },
stroke: 0
});
let oneBottomGroup = new Zdog.Group(Zdog.extend(sharedBottomGroup, { addTo: one }));
let oneBottom = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedTopBottom, { addTo: oneBottomGroup, color: "#FDA13E" }));
let oneLeftGroup = new Zdog.Group(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftGroup, { addTo: one }));
let oneLeft = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRight, { addTo: oneLeftGroup }));
let oneLeftEye = new Zdog.Ellipse(Zdog.extend(sharedEye, { addTo: oneLeftGroup }));
let oneLeftPupil = new Zdog.Ellipse(Zdog.extend(sharedPupil, { addTo: oneLeftGroup }));
let oneRightGroup = new Zdog.Group(Zdog.extend(sharedRightGroup, { addTo: one }));
let oneRight = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRight, { addTo: oneRightGroup }));
let oneRightEye = oneLeftEye.copy({
addTo: oneRightGroup
});
let oneRightPupil = oneLeftPupil.copy({
addTo: oneRightGroup
});
let oneFrontGroup = new Zdog.Group(Zdog.extend(sharedFrontGroup, { addTo: one }));
let oneFront = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedFrontBack, { addTo: oneFrontGroup }));
let oneFrontBorder = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: oneFrontGroup,
width: 72,
height: 84,
color: "#D7ECE4",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 6 },
stroke: 0
});
let oneFrontBorderInside = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: oneFrontGroup,
width: 48,
height: 72,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 12 },
stroke: 0
});
let oneBackGroup = new Zdog.Group(Zdog.extend(sharedBackGroup, { addTo: one }));
let oneBack = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedFrontBack, { addTo: oneBackGroup }));
let oneBackBorderOne = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: oneBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 12, y: 0 },
{ x: 84, y: 0 },
{ x: 48, y: 84 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let oneBackBorderTwo = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: oneBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 24, y: 0 },
{ x: 72, y: 0 },
{ x: 48, y: 56 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#FEF440',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let oneBackBorderThree = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: oneBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 36, y: 0 },
{ x: 60, y: 0 },
{ x: 48, y: 28 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
// cube 2
let twoTopGroup = oneTopGroup.copy({
addTo: two
});
let twoTop = oneBottom.copy({
addTo: twoTopGroup,
color: '#FDAA4E'
});
let twoBottomGroup = oneBottomGroup.copy({
addTo: two
});
let twoBottom = oneBottom.copy({
addTo: twoBottomGroup,
color: '#FDA13E'
});
let twoLeftGroup = oneLeftGroup.copy({
addTo: two
});
let twoLeft = oneLeft.copy({
addTo: twoLeftGroup
});
let twoLeftBorderOne = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRightBorderOne, { addTo: twoLeftGroup }));
let twoLeftBorderTwo = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRightBorderTwo, { addTo: twoLeftGroup }));
let twoLeftBorderThree = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRightBorderThree, { addTo: twoLeftGroup }));
let twoLeftBorderFour = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRightBorderFour, { addTo: twoLeftGroup }));
let twoLeftBorderFive = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRightBorderFive, { addTo: twoLeftGroup }));
let twoLeftBorderSix = new Zdog.Rect(Zdog.extend(sharedLeftRightBorderSix, { addTo: twoLeftGroup }));
let twoRightGroup = oneRightGroup.copy({
addTo: two
});
let twoRight = oneRight.copy({
addTo: twoRightGroup
});
let twoRightBorderOne = twoLeftBorderOne.copy({
addTo: twoRightGroup
});
let twoRightBorderTwo = twoLeftBorderTwo.copy({
addTo: twoRightGroup
});
let twoRightBorderThree = twoLeftBorderThree.copy({
addTo: twoRightGroup
});
let twoRightBorderFour = twoLeftBorderFour.copy({
addTo: twoRightGroup
});
let twoRightBorderFive = twoLeftBorderFive.copy({
addTo: twoRightGroup
});
let twoRightBorderSix = twoLeftBorderSix.copy({
addTo: twoRightGroup
});
let twoFrontGroup = oneFrontGroup.copy({
addTo: two
});
let twoFront = oneFront.copy({
addTo: twoFrontGroup
});
let twoFrontBorderOne = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: twoFrontGroup,
width: 96,
height: 84,
color: "#CAE7DE",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 6 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoFrontBorderTwo = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: twoFrontGroup,
width: 96,
height: 72,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 12 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoFrontBorderThree = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: twoFrontGroup,
width: 96,
height: 60,
color: "#CAE7DE",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 18 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoFrontBorderFour = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: twoFrontGroup,
width: 96,
height: 48,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 24 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoFrontBorderFive = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: twoFrontGroup,
width: 96,
height: 36,
color: "#CAE7DE",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 30 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoFrontBorderSix = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: twoFrontGroup,
width: 96,
height: 24,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 36 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoFrontBorderSeven = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: twoFrontGroup,
width: 12,
height: 24,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 12 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoBackGroup = oneBackGroup.copy({
addTo: two
});
let twoBack = oneBack.copy({
addTo: twoBackGroup
});
let twoBackBorderOne = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: twoBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 0, y: 72 },
{ x: 0, y: 96 },
{ x: 12, y: 96 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoBackBorderTwo = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: twoBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 96, y: 72 },
{ x: 96, y: 96 },
{ x: 84, y: 96 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoBackBorderThree = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: twoBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 0, y: 16 },
{ x: 0, y: 46 },
{ x: 25, y: 96 },
{ x: 40, y: 96 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoBackBorderFour = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: twoBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 96, y: 16 },
{ x: 96, y: 46 },
{ x: 71, y: 96 },
{ x: 56, y: 96 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoBackBorderFive = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: twoBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 12, y: 12 },
{ x: 84, y: 12 },
{ x: 78, y: 24 },
{ x: 18, y: 24 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoBackBorderSix = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: twoBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 24, y: 36 },
{ x: 72, y: 36 },
{ x: 66, y: 48 },
{ x: 30, y: 48 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
let twoBackBorderSeven = new Zdog.Shape({
addTo: twoBackGroup,
path: [
{ x: 36, y: 60 },
{ x: 60, y: 60 },
{ x: 48, y: 84 }
],
closed: true,
fill: true,
color: '#D7ECE4',
translate: { x: -48, y: -48 },
stroke: 0
});
// cube 3
let threeTopGroup = oneTopGroup.copy({
addTo: three
});
let threeTop = oneBottom.copy({
addTo: threeTopGroup,
color: '#FDAA4E'
});
let threeBottomGroup = oneBottomGroup.copy({
addTo: three
});
let threeBottom = oneBottom.copy({
addTo: threeBottomGroup,
color: '#FDA13E'
});
let threeLeftGroup = oneLeftGroup.copy({
addTo: three
});
let threeLeft = oneLeft.copy({
addTo: threeLeftGroup
});
let threeLeftButton = new Zdog.Cylinder(Zdog.extend(sharedButton, { addTo: threeLeftGroup }));
let threeLeftButtonInside = new Zdog.Ellipse(Zdog.extend(sharedButtonInside, { addTo: threeLeftGroup }));
let threeRightGroup = oneRightGroup.copy({
addTo: three
});
let threeRight = oneRight.copy({
addTo: threeRightGroup
});
let threeRightButton = threeLeftButton.copy({
addTo: threeRightGroup,
translate: { z: 4 }
});
let threeRightButtonInside = threeLeftButtonInside.copy({
addTo: threeRightGroup,
translate: { z: 6 }
});
let threeFrontGroup = oneFrontGroup.copy({
addTo: three
});
let threeFront = oneFront.copy({
addTo: threeFrontGroup
});
let threeFrontBorderOne = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: threeFrontGroup,
width: 72,
height: 96,
color: "#CAE7DE",
fill: true,
stroke: 0
});
let threeFrontBorderTwo = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: threeFrontGroup,
width: 48,
height: 72,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
stroke: 0
});
let threeFrontBorderThree = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: threeFrontGroup,
width: 72,
height: 12,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 30 },
stroke: 0
});
let threeFrontBorderFour = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: threeFrontGroup,
width: 24,
height: 72,
color: "#CAE7DE",
fill: true,
translate: { y: 12 },
stroke: 0
});
let threeBackGroup = oneBackGroup.copy({
addTo: three
});
let threeBack = oneBack.copy({
addTo: threeBackGroup
});
let threeBackBorder = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: threeBackGroup,
width: 72,
height: 84,
color: "#D7ECE4",
fill: true,
translate: { y: -6 },
stroke: 0
});
let threeBackBorderCenter = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: threeBackGroup,
width: 48,
height: 72,
color: "#FEF440",
fill: true,
translate: { y: -12 },
stroke: 0
});
let threeBackBorderInside = new Zdog.Rect({
addTo: threeBackGroup,
width: 24,
height: 60,
color: "#D7ECE4",
fill: true,
translate: { y: -18 },
stroke: 0
});
// cube 4
let fourTopGroup = oneTopGroup.copy({
addTo: four
});
let fourTop = oneBottom.copy({
addTo: fourTopGroup,
color: '#FDAA4E'
});
let fourBottomGroup = oneBottomGroup.copy({
addTo: four
});
let fourBottom = oneBottom.copy({
addTo: fourBottomGroup,
color: '#FDA13E'
});
let fourLeftGroup = oneLeftGroup.copy({
addTo: four
});
let fourLeft = oneLeft.copy({
addTo: fourLeftGroup
});
let fourLeftButton = new Zdog.Cylinder(Zdog.extend(sharedButton, { addTo: fourLeftGroup }));
let fourLeftButtonInside = new Zdog.Ellipse(Zdog.extend(sharedButtonInside, { addTo: fourLeftGroup }));
let fourRightGroup = oneRightGroup.copy({
addTo: four
});
let fourRight = oneRight.copy({
addTo: fourRightGroup
});
let fourFrontGroup = oneFrontGroup.copy({
addTo: four
});
let fourRightButton = threeRightButton.copy({
addTo: fourRightGroup
});
let fourRightButtonInside = threeRightButtonInside.copy({
addTo: fourRightGroup
});
let fourFront = oneFront.copy({
addTo: fourFrontGroup
});
let fourFrontButton = fourLeftButton.copy({
addTo: fourFrontGroup,
color: "#FDAA55",
backface: "#FFFD60"
});
let fourFrontButtonInside = fourLeftButtonInside.copy({
addTo: fourFrontGroup,
color: "#FDAA55"
});
let fourBackGroup = oneBackGroup.copy({
addTo: four
});
let fourBack = oneBack.copy({
addTo: fourBackGroup
});
let fourBackButton = fourFrontButton.copy({
addTo: fourBackGroup,
translate: { z: 4 }
});
let fourBackButtonInside = fourFrontButtonInside.copy({
addTo: fourBackGroup,
translate: { z: 6 }
});
// render
illo.updateRenderGraph();
function animate() {
illo.updateRenderGraph();
requestAnimationFrame(animate);
}
animate();












