Year in Summary 2018
1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?
So many things:
- Got my advanced scuba open water certification
- Resigned my job in China and had to reject the rejection of my resignation (I mean seriously now)
- Got a job in tech in Silicon Valley
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did keep my goals for the year, which were:
- to pay off my largest student loan (completed in February)
- to find a new job in the US (completed in November)
- walk an average of 10,000 steps a day for the whole year (still to be determined)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Steph had baby Avi early this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, the US, South Korea (but only just a layover)
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
A significant other, I guess. Enough money to pay off my loans. Job and liveable wage stability.
7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The first week of November, because I literally got my contract offer 1 day before I was planning to resign, anyway.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Achieving what I set out to do: aka, paying off my largest student loan, finding a new job in the US, resigning from my job in China, and relocating to the US.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not keeping the weight I lost off. My entire focus this year has been career, so I've sort of maintained my weight, kind of, but I'm going to focus on health a little more this year, I think.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I caught the flu after returning to the US. I'm slowly recovering.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My scuba course in Phuket.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Siv. My accountability partner who really helped to set me straight, and gave me a lot of encouragement throughout the year.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Upper management in my company, as usual. Watching them annihilate my entire department, and then be shocked when people they wanted to remain started quitting.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Student loans, rent, and plane tickets.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting a short term contract in Silicon Valley.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
《刚好遇见你》 by 李玉刚
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Marginally happier, I guess.
ii. thinner or fatter? Neither thinner or fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? I'm less negative than I was, so yay?
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Kept a larger emergency fund. Exercised more. Lost more weight. Slept more. Travelled more.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Staying home. I wish I'd gone and travelled more and seen more of China.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
My company shutdown for Christmas week, so I spent it moving into my new... room. Thing. Rents in Silicon Valley are expensive af.
22. Did you fall in love in 2018?
No, but I wish I did.
23. How many one-night stands?
None, I'm clearly not the type
24. What was your favorite TV program?
I didn't watch TV.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
The King's Avatar by Butterfly Blue aka 《全职高手》 by 蝴蝶蓝
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Two Steps From Hell. Clearly I've been living under a rock.
28. What did you want and get?
Paid off my student loan, and got a new job.
29. What did you want and not get?
A significant other
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn't watch any.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 35. I was in Phuket, spending all day scuba diving for my advanced certificate.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Definitely a significant other. I miss cuddling, companionship and having somebody there to lean on.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
Game industry casual, with lots of skirts and dresses. My fashion tastes are moving more and more towards the grey, black, and white minimalist colour scheme.
34. What kept you sane?
Reading, sleep, Siv.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Didn't have time to consider this.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The craziness in international politics. The crazy way China is monitory its own citizens and the residents living there. I'm glad I left China, but not sure how I feel about being back in the USA.
37. Who did you miss?
My family.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Jeehye, my new boss.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018:
If I put my mind to it, and I plan things out, I can accomplish great things, one small step at a time.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
我曾经跨过山和大海 也穿过人山人海
我曾经拥有着一切
转眼都飘散如烟
我曾经失落 失望 失掉 所有方向
直到看见平凡 才是唯一的答案
我曾经毁了我的一切 只想永远地离开
我曾经堕入无边黑暗 想挣扎无法自拔
我曾经像你像他像 那野草野花
绝望着 渴望着 哭着 笑着 平凡着
我曾经跨过山和大海
也穿过人山人海
我曾经问遍整个世界
从来没得到答案
我不过像你像他像 那野草野花
冥冥中这是我 唯一要走的路啊
时间无言 如此这般
明天已在眼前
风吹过的 路依然远
你的故事 讲到了哪
《平凡之路》 by 朴树
So many things:
- Got my advanced scuba open water certification
- Resigned my job in China and had to reject the rejection of my resignation (I mean seriously now)
- Got a job in tech in Silicon Valley
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did keep my goals for the year, which were:
- to pay off my largest student loan (completed in February)
- to find a new job in the US (completed in November)
- walk an average of 10,000 steps a day for the whole year (still to be determined)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Steph had baby Avi early this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, the US, South Korea (but only just a layover)
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
A significant other, I guess. Enough money to pay off my loans. Job and liveable wage stability.
7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The first week of November, because I literally got my contract offer 1 day before I was planning to resign, anyway.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Achieving what I set out to do: aka, paying off my largest student loan, finding a new job in the US, resigning from my job in China, and relocating to the US.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not keeping the weight I lost off. My entire focus this year has been career, so I've sort of maintained my weight, kind of, but I'm going to focus on health a little more this year, I think.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I caught the flu after returning to the US. I'm slowly recovering.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My scuba course in Phuket.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Siv. My accountability partner who really helped to set me straight, and gave me a lot of encouragement throughout the year.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Upper management in my company, as usual. Watching them annihilate my entire department, and then be shocked when people they wanted to remain started quitting.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Student loans, rent, and plane tickets.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting a short term contract in Silicon Valley.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
《刚好遇见你》 by 李玉刚
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Marginally happier, I guess.
ii. thinner or fatter? Neither thinner or fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? I'm less negative than I was, so yay?
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Kept a larger emergency fund. Exercised more. Lost more weight. Slept more. Travelled more.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Staying home. I wish I'd gone and travelled more and seen more of China.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
My company shutdown for Christmas week, so I spent it moving into my new... room. Thing. Rents in Silicon Valley are expensive af.
22. Did you fall in love in 2018?
No, but I wish I did.
23. How many one-night stands?
None, I'm clearly not the type
24. What was your favorite TV program?
I didn't watch TV.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
The King's Avatar by Butterfly Blue aka 《全职高手》 by 蝴蝶蓝
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Two Steps From Hell. Clearly I've been living under a rock.
28. What did you want and get?
Paid off my student loan, and got a new job.
29. What did you want and not get?
A significant other
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn't watch any.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 35. I was in Phuket, spending all day scuba diving for my advanced certificate.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Definitely a significant other. I miss cuddling, companionship and having somebody there to lean on.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
Game industry casual, with lots of skirts and dresses. My fashion tastes are moving more and more towards the grey, black, and white minimalist colour scheme.
34. What kept you sane?
Reading, sleep, Siv.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Didn't have time to consider this.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The craziness in international politics. The crazy way China is monitory its own citizens and the residents living there. I'm glad I left China, but not sure how I feel about being back in the USA.
37. Who did you miss?
My family.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Jeehye, my new boss.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018:
If I put my mind to it, and I plan things out, I can accomplish great things, one small step at a time.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
我曾经跨过山和大海 也穿过人山人海
我曾经拥有着一切
转眼都飘散如烟
我曾经失落 失望 失掉 所有方向
直到看见平凡 才是唯一的答案
我曾经毁了我的一切 只想永远地离开
我曾经堕入无边黑暗 想挣扎无法自拔
我曾经像你像他像 那野草野花
绝望着 渴望着 哭着 笑着 平凡着
我曾经跨过山和大海
也穿过人山人海
我曾经问遍整个世界
从来没得到答案
我不过像你像他像 那野草野花
冥冥中这是我 唯一要走的路啊
时间无言 如此这般
明天已在眼前
风吹过的 路依然远
你的故事 讲到了哪
《平凡之路》 by 朴树