Life Lately (And A Goodbye of Sorts)

Today, I woke up early and spent the first hour of my day scrolling through Instagram and Tiktok, in no hurry to make any productive movement. After awhile, I decided to call home to catch up with my family through a low-res video call.

When hunger kicked in, I finally rolled out of bed to make myself coffee. I put on the laundry while I wait for the water to boil. I carried my Kindle to the kitchen and vowed to finish a book I was struggling to read. Suddenly remembered that I had an IPL schedule and rushed to shower, only to have the appointment moved. Then I cooked myself lunch and soon after the afternoon breeze (it’s chilly today) lulled me to a nap when all I wanted to do was read. Was supposed to go for an evening run with friends, but it was raining so I found myself writing here instead.

Spending my Saturday in no hurry and in such leisurely manner made me realize that lately life has been good. Still far from perfect, but still so good.

It’s been awhile since I made one of these life lately posts, and I was genuinely surprised that my last post was back in 2023. It was a year and a lifetime ago, when I still used to religiously post every start of the year and every birthday. This blog has been a keeper of sorts, a documentation of my adult life since I graduated from school, a journal of my mundane reality. I still cherish it so.

I find it more and more difficult to write long-form content (blogging included), and as I grow older, I want to share less of my life publicly. I guess that’s why over the past year I had been hesitating whether to still post here.

Blogging has been an integral part of me. I had been blogging since I was 13! I have so many friends I met through blogging, and a lot of them I have even met in real life. Some I still talk to from time to time, and some I still talk to almost everyday! In a way, the friends I made through blogging will always be my people. They are not just random strangers online.

This blog in particular has been with me for the past 15 years, and it witnessed most of the ups and downs of my life. But less so in the past five years, when I learned that I want to keep a part of my life private, far from any prying eye.

Oh I still post a lot on social media, and I still post my useless rants on a regular basis. My daily reality is still very much shared online, just not here. Shared in a space where I can at least control who can have access to my life.

Aside from my blogger friends, I don’t really know anyone else who blogs. I guess blogging is dead, or something like that. Now people post a reel or a Tiktok video of a day in their lives, instead of spending an hour or two typing away to describe their mundane life in written words.

And I admit there are days when I am tempted to do the same. But life manages to get in the way, which isn’t exactly a bad thing.

So how has my life been lately?

Last year I spent a lot of time traveling—from random JB trips to flying to Bangkok to see TVXQ to going back to Korea again!! finally!! to riding the sleeper bus to Sapa. And going home whenever I am homesick.

There were months wherein I was so burned out and exhausted from work and even told my boss that I barely had spare time to think. Don’t worry, I am okay now. I know that I still enjoy what I do, but what’s next for someone like me?

But the highs were really high. I mean, seeing Changmin and Yunho in the flesh? And traveling with my closest friends will always be a core memory for me.

Last year I discovered Pilates. I continue to run and to play soccer, though for both I am barely mediocre. Just doing it for fun, I guess!

I did a lot of falling in love and did some hurting, but not so much.

Still, I am learning a lot about myself.

Sadly, I haven’t been creative. My soul misses having a creative hobby, and blogging has been the main creative outlet for more than half of my life!! And yet, I am barely doing it.

This year, I vow to be more creative.

I guess I procrastinated writing this post, because I know it might be the last one in a long time. Not just because I am lazy to write (okay, maybe I am lazy), but it’s no longer the space where I feel safe to share my deepest, darkest secrets and desires. Which in hindsight, never should have been the space to do so. But what can I say, when I started blogging, oversharing online was normal and accepted. Only slightly regretting it now.

To put it simply, I can no longer be unfiltered and honest here.

Cliché as it may sound, this is not really a goodbye, but more like a see you later. Or a see you around, because the internet is small and we’ll still likely cross paths in the abyss of web pages and social media posts. I am, and always will be, a creature of the internet.

Today is the first day of the second month of 2025, so we still technically have 11 months to live this year to the fullest. Or to the wildest, whichever floats your fancy.

This year, I am entering my mid-30s, and it’s terrifying and exciting.

This year, dear reader, I am wishing you the loveliest naps and the most daring adventures. Wishing you good health and financial stability and the warmest hugs from the people you love. A listening ear when you need one, and arms to hold you close when the world isn’t being too kind. Wishing you an unabashed life where you can express yourself freely. And again, I wish the same for me.

See you around, dear reader. You know where to find me. 🙂