2024: Some Chapters Open, Others Close
A review of the year.
There have been many new subscribers in recent months. Welcome, everyone! I’m curious to know how you discovered this newsletter. Feel free to leave a comment or reply to say hello :) With 2024 coming to an end, it’s time for the traditional year-in-review.
《翻譯鳥事一籮筐》是中英文雙語電子報。如果只想收到中文版，請到網站右上角的「My Account」內進行操作。有任何問題都歡迎來信聯絡，請直接回覆這封 E-mail 或寫信到 transcreation@substack.com。再次感謝你的訂閱支持！
這篇文章的中文版在這裡。
I revisited my reviews for 2022 and 2023 and looked back at the New Year’s resolutions written in my diary at the start of 2024 (to take on fewer projects and spend more time learning new things). I’d say I achieved about half of them.
My Chinese translation of The Dawn of Everything, submitted at the end of 2023, was finally published in August 2024, followed by my next translation project, Ancient Bodies, Ancient Lives, which was published in September. Translating these two archaeology books inspired me to visit the Sannai Maruyama site during my trip to Japan in April, unexpectedly adding depth to my cherry blossom viewing experience.
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The year 2024 unfolded like this: I completed a few translation projects and several commissioned articles while also finding time to travel occasionally. Although I did take on fewer projects, it feels like I’ve merely shifted from constantly rushing to meet deadlines to occasionally rushing to meet deadlines. This year, the number of lifers in my birding adventures surpassed 200, as did the number of subscribers to this e-newsletter! Thank you all for your support and encouragement.
Some of my New Year’s resolutions were successfully achieved, some fell short, and others led to unexpected rewards. All in all, I had a fulfilling and joyful year. I think I’ve earned a round of applause and a few warm hugs. Here’s to more birding adventures and joyful writing in the year ahead!
In 2024, I experienced the loss of my two beloved parrots, Chirpy and Sunny. We often assume that the people and animals we love will always stay by our side, but the moment of parting inevitably takes us by surprise. In the face of such loss, the old cliché holds true: seize the moment. It’s heartbreaking to see their many years of companionship come to an end. However, I am deeply grateful for the wonderful memories they gave me, and I will continue to support and care for the welfare of birds in other meaningful ways.
There have also been many new beginnings in 2024. I earned the EMT-1 license, passed the Hokkien/Taigi B2 test, participated in the monthly Sanxia River Bird Survey, and attended two local workshops, all of which made me feel more connected to the community. In addition, I picked up my paintbrush again and started learning scientific drawing. I’ll share my works with you as I make more progress! What impressed me the most, however, was learning to cook and exploring the art of taxidermy.
I rarely had the opportunity to cook in my youth and was somewhat resistant to learning a skill traditionally classified as “women’s work.” Later, during trips to Europe and the United States, I picked up basic cooking out of necessity—essentially just heating food until it was edible. This summer, however, I finally had the time and mindset to challenge the gender stereotypes I had internalized, approach cooking as an enjoyable and practical gender-neutral skill, and explore its techniques and principles.
I was thrilled to cook several meals for my family and friends in September. Through this experience, I’ve come to better appreciate the effort involved in preparing a table full of dishes (a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has hosted me!). I’m also deeply grateful to my family and friends for joining me at the table. It’s your presence that turns these meals into truly wonderful moments and cherished memories.
Another particularly special experience this year was participating in a five-day bird taxidermy class at the end of the year. The class was hosted by Director Yao Cheng-te of the Research Center under the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute (TBRI) in Nantou and held at National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. As I plan to study the history of ornithology, I recognized the value of understanding taxidermy techniques and signed up without hesitation.
Before attending, I felt a bit nervous—after all, I’m a liberal arts student and had never dissected an animal. However, by following the instructions step by step, I managed to slice open and peel off the bird’s skin, carefully clean it, shape a polyurethane foam body to fit inside, sew the skin back together, and preen the feathers to finalize its posture. With significant help from my teaching assistant, I successfully completed a mounted bird taxidermy.
Though more than 60% of the work was done by my TA, who is a highly skilled taxidermist and runs her own studio, the experience was deeply fulfilling. I’m especially grateful to her for her guidance and for making my Taiwan barbet look so adorable, with its head tilted just right!
2024 has come to an end, and I hope to successfully achieve my New Year’s resolutions for 2025. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
