Hoping for a better 2018!!

The end has come. Kouhaku finished. Johnny's Countdown has passed. White team won (woops, spoilers?) Now it's just time to wait for January 3rd, for all the new years specials, and then fast forward to 99.9 season II, which by the way, I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT.

But before I get ahead of myself, let's take a look back at 2017 and see what type of year it was. I know for many people, particularly in the states, it was a fantastically shitty year all across the board. On a personal level? I still have not really come to a conclusion about what I think. So, let's take a look, shall we?

Games Played
- Fire Emblem: Awakening* - Paper Mario [PT] - Rhythm Tengoku - Pokemon Picross - Puzzle and Dragon Z - FFXV - Persona 4 - Dark Souls [PT] - Persona 5 - Horizon Zero Dawn - Age of Mythology - Civilization V - Sims 3 - Pokemon Sun - Hotel Dusk: Room 215 - Dark Souls II

Shows Watched

-Kimi ni Sasageru Emblem - Sherlock S4 - Once Upon a Time s6 - Modern Family s8 - Pushing Daisies* - Gokusen* - Kazoku Game [1/10] - The Mindy Project - Kindaich Shounen no Jikenbo s1 - Bokura no Yuki~Miman Toshi~ - Orange - Game of Thrones s1 [3/10] - Atypical - The Bold Time - Kim's Convenience - Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood* - Nigeru ha Haji Daga Yaku ni Tatsu* - Sakamoto desu ga - Ashita no Yakusoku - Bungo Stray Dogs

Books Read
-The Raven Boys - The Dream Thieves - Blue Lily, Lily Blue - The Raven King - Thick as Thieves - The Good Divorce - Platinum Data [日本語] - American Gods - Good Omens - Pride and Prejudice [Audio]* - Many Lives, Many Matters - Being Mortal - Northanger Abbey

Movies Watched

- Bridget Jones Baby - Ratatouille* - The Sound of Music* - The Mummy* - The Mummy Returns* - Finding Dory - The Way - Dr. Strange - Moana - Museum [JP] - From Las Vegas to Macau - Crazy Stupid Love* - Beauty and the Beast - Kimi no Na Ha* [JP] - Erased [JP] - Hidden Figures - Lion - My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday [JP] - My Big Fat Greek Wedding - Train to Busan [KOR] - I, Robot* - Rise of the Guardians* - Shinobi no Kuni [JP] - Wonder Woman - Close Knit [JP] - Rush Hour 2* - Thor: Ragnarok - Logan - Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince*

* - not my first time playing/reading/watching the item.

[PT] = watched a playthrough

1. Did you enjoy this year?
2017 wasn't a great year, but it wasn't terrible. I don't exactly have any super fond memories, but I was able to make some friends and do a few new things, so that was good. I think in the grand scheme of things, it sort of felt like a "filler" year. It was a year to transition me in to 2018, when I'm finally going to have to start thinking about my future and jobs and my life etc. etc. So. Overall. Did I enjoy 2017? Maybe? Nothing stood out. And you know what - considering what is happening in the world these days, maybe that's a good thing.

2. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before?

• Drank tequila
• Went to Wonderland amusement park in Toronto with a group of friends
• Went to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
• Went to a clubbing function (technically - it was at the ROM - I just wandered around the museum, not dancing occurred)
• Started counseling actual clients!!!!! (started working at the school clinic)
• Got a part-time job at KUMON
• Worked at a call-center (Never again. NEVER AGAIN). 
• ...spilled water on my laptop (oops?) 

And probably many more things that I can't remember. I mean, for a lot of these I'm kind of knit-picking, but there is nothing wrong with that right? I think I've learned to treasure new experiences a bit more than I did when I was younger. I always felt like "new experiences" have to be a "big deal" where you go through a lot of emotion and a huge epiphany, but... not really eh? So yeah. The biggest thing I did was obviously start working as a therapist, but besides that, there were also just a lot of little things that have happened that I think have had an impact on me. How, I'm not sure, but I'm sure they have. 

3. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
Let's see, looking at my past list.

1. Work out. Bulk up. Gain weight. --> I... tried? I did work out I think for about 3 weeks in the new year, and then sporadically throughout summer.... and that was it. I actually lost weight after a bad round of food poisoning and getting sick. Also - the pull-up bar ended up being a failure. I couldn't put it up and nearly destroyed the tiling in my shower. Oops. 
2. Get a job --> I did this! Yay me. First at the call centre, which I hated, and then at Kumon. So I am making money, not a lot, but enough to cover my miscellaneous expenses like food and leisure. 
3. Learn Korean --> Hahahahaha..... ah... right.

For next year?

1. Start yoga --> This is a funny one. I've always hated yoga, but I've finally accepted that I'm getting old and I'm becoming very stiff, which is actually leading to some back problems. Literally, I can lie down to sleep and my back hurts. So.... what is the best way to combine stretching + actually working out? Yoga. And there are probably millions of free yoga lessons online so... I really want this one to work out.
2. Graduate and get a job --> I think this is pretty self-explanatory. I hope things work out well for me T-T

And that's it. Just two for next year, but two resolutions I definitely want to say that I kept by the end of 2018. Good luck self!

 

4. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not that I know of. 

5. Did anyone close to you die?

Is it really morbid if I say, not yet? My uncle has cancer. He doesn't have much time left - half a year at most. So, we'll see how I answer this question next year.

6. What countries did you visit?

Spain (Barcelona, Madrid and a bunch of places in the middle), and Hong Kong.

7. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017? 

A lot of games that are coming out. A legitimate full-time job. My counseling license(s). Many things. Like I said, 2017 was a transition year to get me to 2018, where I'm finally going to have to make some major life decisions. We'll see how it goes eh?

Also. A new phone. I absolutely need a new phone, and by 2018, I will have one.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

This isn't really an achievement, but, just starting my career as a therapist. Seeing my first client. Seeing multiple clients. All these things. It's definitely my biggest point of pride this year.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Spilling water on my laptop? More things related to my sister? I definitely had a lot of little failures, that's just life, but nothing this year really stood out to me as "the biggest one".

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? 

Oh yeah. Had a day where I had a really bad reaction to tea/lack of sleep that pretty much sent my blood pressure/heart beat OFF THE CHARTS. About a couple weeks after that, I got food poisoning and all I ate for 3 days was literally half a cup of rice that I had turned into congee, and about 3 saltine crackers. Then, after that, I got sick. Like, coughing, runny nose, endless supply of phlegm being expelled out of my body.

And pretty much for about half the year starting from July - December, I was having terrible digestion related issues. I couldn't figure out what. A doctor told me I had IBS, I later learned, on my own, that I probably was just suffering from very bad acid reflux symptoms. Took some pills for 3 days and was, for the most part, much better. But due to all this, I ended up losing a lot of weight, lost a lot of energy. Food-wise, this was not a good year for me.

11. Did you have to go to the hospital?

Nope. Hoping it stays this way for a long time.

12. What was the best thing you bought?

My PS4 and all the games I have bought along with it. Also my new laptop - just in time because I spilled water on my old laptop and destroyed it literally a couple days after my new laptop arrived. Woops!

13. Where did most of your money go?

My new laptop. It was um... roughly $1500 CAD. 

14. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Buying my PS4 and being able to play games on it. Also going home for the winter holidays.

15. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Exercise. Take care of my health. I think the latter part of 2017 really showed me that I'm not getting any younger. My health is just going to get worse and I really need to start paying attention to my body a bit more.

16. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Procrastinate probably xD;;;

17. How did you spend Christmas?

At home. Went for brunch my parents. Had a steak dinner. But for the most part I just stayed at home. Didn't even open any presents. The night before, Christmas Eve, we had a family dinner at my place. But that was literally about it. Boxing day went shopping in the morning, picked up my sister at the airport, went to visit my uncle in the hospital, and then another family dinner. As far as Christmas celebrations go - it was par the course for me and my family.

18. What was the best book you read?

I loved Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner. It was a hilarious gay romcom (I will fight you on this). But currently, the book I'm reading now, Being Mortal by Atul Gawande is also really good. I don't read Non-Fiction much, but I think it is important for anyone in the health profession to read, so I would highly recommend it.

19. What did you want and get?

PS4. New laptop.

20. What did you want and not get?

A new phone. I'm really picky with what phone I want. The phone I want pretty much doesn't exist and I really do not like the design of 99% of most smartphones that exist so... I'm currently stuck in a rut. Something is going to have to budge and it definitely is not going to be me.

21. What was your favorite film of this year?

Thor: Ragnarok. To be honest, I watched a lot of great movies this year, but Thor was just... I was surprised at how much I genuinely enjoyed it. It's a great movie on it's own. I also really enjoyed Hidden Figures and would highly recommend it for people who are not big on Hollywood Blockbusters. Hidden figures is such a great movie. Fun, funny, but also hits your right in the heart in terms of subject matter.

22. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 23, and I have no idea what I did. Nothing probably.

23. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If the student clinic I'm at was able to get me more clients so I wouldn't be so panicked about reaching the required amount of hours needed to graduate.

24. What kept you sane?

Video games. Arashi. The usual stuff.

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017:

Acceptance is often the key we need to move on from our problems and fears. Whether it is accepting that one is going to die, or accepting that a family member is never going to change and that it's not your fault. Or even just accepting that perhaps you don't know. Or that you did something wrong. Acceptance, acceptance, acceptance.

26. What was your favourite moment of the year?

I can't say I have one to be honest.

27. What was your least favourite moment of the year?

When I was literally bedridden, not able to eat anything, and in my delirium, genuinely wondering if this was how I was going to die.

28. Did you make any new friends in 2017?

I did. I became closer with many of my classmates and we have created a friend group. Also volunteering and work friends.

29. What was your favourite month of 2017?

End of April/May when classes ended and I went on a family vacation to Spain. I feel like everything honestly just went downhill from there.

30. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?

I think so. I feel like I did, but I can't remember what anymore. 

31. How much money did you spend in 2017?

A lot. On games. On technology (my computer, jesus christ). But also just going out to eat and hanging out with friends. This is probably one of my biggest spending years in a while.

32. What was your proudest moment of 2017?

I think, those moments when I was able to make breakthroughs with a few of my clients, or just in those moments when I felt like I was actually in control of a session and I wasn't just floundering at things to do, grabbing at whatever straw I could reach.

33. What are your plans for 2018?

Get my required amount of hours. Graduate. Get a counseling or mental health related job somewhere, Vancouver or Toronto, I am not going to be picky. Go traveling with my parents somewhere. See friends. Play more games. Translate more Arashi videos. Read more books. Watch more shows and movies (I finally got a netflix!!).

Ultimately. My plan is to just do my best and make do with the cards that are handed to me. Don't get too down on myself. Don't be so afraid. Have more confidence. Trust in my abilities and trust that in the end, things will work out.