Letter to Aunt and Uncle

October 20, 2025

Dear Aunt and Uncle,

First, I want to express my deepest condolences for the loss of your mother. I know how much she meant to you, and I'm so sorry for your grief during this difficult time. I'm grateful that she was able to see us before you had to return to China, and I hope those moments together brought some comfort.

I've missed you both! I'm writing this letter because my spoken Chinese isn't what it used to be, though I'm committed to relearning it properly over time. I only want to master two languages in my life: English and Chinese. I know I'm long overdue for a visit to China - I hope to make that happen within the next year or so.

I owe you a real update on the past eight years of my life, really the whole decade since I graduated college. I'll be honest - I definitely haven't chosen a normal path. Sometimes I second-guess the different career moves I've made, but it's been such a fun and interesting journey. I'm so grateful to have parents and a brother who support and love me as I pursue an unconventional path.

I'm a fairly creative and entrepreneurial person, and when I feel drawn to explore something new - whether it's cryptocurrency, AI, or social work - I really go all in. For the most part, I didn't choose to stay in those spaces permanently, but I've learned so much about different industries and had amazing experiences traveling the world and meeting fascinating people.

I've mostly been involved in technology spaces and have done a lot of software engineering over the years. But as my brother Tony likes to say, I seem to thrive at the intersection of multiple domains and skill areas - like community building, events, and marketing across different industries I care about. For example, a year and a half ago I organized a 3,000-person event in Denver, Colorado where we discussed AI, crypto, and biotechnology.

More recently, I've been doing independent consulting work in technology, including projects with educational systems that use AI to enhance learning. I'm currently working on several consulting projects while enjoying some time with my parents. I'm planning to head back to Texas, where I spent most of this year, in mid-November.

Life continues to be interesting in unexpected ways. I've been pulled into fascinating conversations about AI and religion - I'm actually going to an AI conference in Vatican City in two weeks, which should be quite an experience!

As for my personal life, I wasn't ready to settle down and find a wife yet. My worldview has been evolving so much that I didn't feel comfortable saying "this is someone I want to spend the rest of my life with." But I know many people in my generation, even when they do get married, won't have kids. I definitely want to have children. When I find someone who's a good fit for me - and part of being a good fit is wanting to have kids soon - I'm going to go for it. I want to make sure my parents have grandkids, and I believe raising a child is a sacred opportunity and an important part of life.

I have so many questions for you both! How have you been doing? I know it hasn't been easy with COVID affecting everything, including children's schooling. Has your daughter found work that she enjoys? Is she dating someone? How is your health? What can you tell me about China's economy - does it feel safe there? When would be a good time for me to visit next year?

I'm sure you have lots of questions too. My parents can help translate between us if I can't understand something in Chinese, but I'm working on improving that.

I'm so excited that you're visiting on October 21st and that you'll be joining my parents at Zion National Park. It'll be wonderful to see you both, even if just for a couple of days. I'm really glad you're here.

I hope this gives you a good update on where my life has been. It's so great to see you!

With love and gratitude,

Gary