| JAN | 05 | SUN |
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Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing okay. Me? I'm getting by. And yes, I still remember my account details for my website (crowd cheering). It's truly been a while. As always, a lot has happened in life. November was a whirlwind of emotions: we moved in to a new apartment, I finally got my visa grant and I had to squeeze in all social responsibilities one would have when leaving the country for a prolonged time in two weeks. Then December came and my brain only managed to process everything that has happened by January... which is why I finally willed myself to sit down and open the code editor.
I really wouldn't get into the details because I myself don't know how to even sort out my thoughts about moving to a different country alone and away from family. I had to adjust to timezones, especially now that Kerotan and I have a 16-hour difference (damn you DST! [old woman yells at cloud]). And of course, I knew it was coming sooner or later, homesickness and the ever perpetual feeling of never feeling I belong (it's fine I feel this everywhere, even in my own home country). It's definitely still a lot to take in but having a bit of internalization made me realize I'd rather keep my mind in the present rather than being stuck in the past and future. Like, I really can't deny the immense upgrade to the quality of life since I got here so I might as well enjoy the slow living that North Elysians seem to practice.
Year in Review
Now that a year has passed in pretty much a blur...
my thoughts exactly
I've always wanted to do this year in review thingy ever since I stumbled upon caffeine.wiki's Yearly Notes. And of course, now is The time. Yay! But instead of yearly notes, I just want to call this a Year in Review as a Gavis Bettel reference. I do want to also have a wordart pic just like he does, but he's far more committed to the bit than I am.
Highlights
- Literally on the first day of the year I got a job offer and I immediately started working on my visa process
- My brother, who I haven't seen irl for 13 years, went home for his birthday and I got to meet his lovely fiancee :3
- I saw ENHYPEN live!
My Heeseung delulus were at an all-time high(albeit the pre-concert experience was truly the Pre-Concert Experience Of All Time lol the hours I spent queued up under the 32C heat was worth it... I'm insane yea ik) - Created my personal website! <3 Learned so much about webdev on the way
- Once again... I hit 22 million event points on an UNDEAD event (stream Swingin' Paroniria!)
- Watched 3 days of VNL! I had so much fun with sis and her friend
- Kerotan flew to my home country again. Best three weeks of my year :blush:
- I got to celebrate my birthday with Kerotan aaaaa <3
- Moved to a new apartment!
- And eventually... moved to an entirely different country... :-D
Best of 2024
- Album: I'm really torn with choosing Buzz by NIKI because it came to me at the right time when I was going through It, and The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan because it was just so good from start to finish but I reckon, why not both? :D They were constantly in my rotation and I can't count the times I looped each album
- Books: ...I'll try again this year. :")
- Game: Final Fantasy XVI easily. It still lives in my brain rent free.
- Memory: Domestic living with Kerotan in our rented AirBnB (uwu), family being finally complete after 13 years
- Stationery: My custom TN cover! <3
Reflections and resolutions
You know, for someone who had a lot of time, I really didn't do much variety... haha...
This year, there were high highs and low lows but that's just how it is. At this point I'm not really perturbed by the unpredictability of life. I've long accepted no amount of planning will actually get my shit together and it's better to just adapt to whatever comes my way. My incoming motto will be 'What the hell, sure.'
I only have one personal resolution this coming year: spend more time and money with my hobbies. I mean, I already do that but I just want to continue as it is (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ Site-wise; I want to publish blog posts more frequently. But still I know better to manage my expectations with myself LOL
Things I'm looking forward for 2025
- Out of country trip (hopefully Japan with Kerotan and my family)
- More finished otome games
- More books borrowed (and read!) from the library
- Buying Steamdeck
- Meeting up with family in North Elysium ^^
- Seeing Kang Daniel live with Sis
- Losing weight healthily
- Registering as APh by end of the year
- Consistent updates and maintenance for my personal website
- Publishing more fics and letting them see the light of the day instead of being locked up in my WIP basement
Now that I've settled down in my new place, I hope to get back on my groove again, both irl and online. Here's to a prosperous, slow and intentional year. I'll see you again in the next entry!
niki