So…what the hell happened in 2019?

Our parents decided to say hello to us this year. My parents decided to visit and welcome 2019 in Washington. Chris’ parents decided to visit during Halloween. Well we showed them the usual tourist trappings Seattle has to offer. A lot of walking, a lot of food, and a lot of sights. Hope they had fun. And hopefully they consider coming back to visit us again.

Our first winter. Well, this was not the first time we’ve seen snow but this was the first time that we experienced snow in the city that we lived in. First time driving in the snow too. Which was interesting. My car was definitely not up to the task but Chris’ car was. So thank goodness for Subarus.

Chris and I enjoyed the little bit of snow, the dogs however was a different story. We wanted to let them experience playing in the snow but they had other plans. The moment they went outside, they ran for a few seconds and decided snow was not for them. Ran back towards the door to let them in the building. Adorable.

I quit my job with the company that I’ve been with for about 10 years. Not going to lie, leaving was bittersweet and definitely emotional. Not as emotional when I left the San Diego branch but definitely still emotional. But I was burned out and tired of the nightshift/overnight job so when the opportunity rose, I took it. But of course like any other big decisions, there are bit more reasons why I chose to leave the comfort and the security of a very well known established company for a start up.

Regardless, I believe this to be one of the best decisions I made this 2019. There was nothing more gratifying and satisfying to me than the feeling of working with a company instead of the ten years of working for a company.

When I visited Seattle a few years ago, I wondered why everyone wears a backpack. And one year in Seattle, I finally caved and invested in a backpack of my own. A lot of young professionals working this city prefers to commute by bus instead of driving. And I found myself embracing that life once I started my new job. And there I understood the efficiency of just carrying a backpack compared to carrying around a huge shoulder bag or tote bag. My EDC backpack holds an umbrella, my lunch, my water bottle, my bujo, a book, my emergency kit, and a jacket, sometimes I carry a laptop in there too depending on the day. And it has secret pockets. and since I commute to work, I liked the fact that the zippers are hidden. And one of the most important detail, this backpack is waterproof and that detail definitely came in handy during the wetter Seattle days.

My reading game was on this year. 2019 was my best reading year so far. Clocking in with 139 books read. Impressive right? Well, for me at least, this was an accomplishment. I normally just read about 20 books a year at the most the past years, so 139 books was impressive to me. How did I accomplish that? Reading apps. The commute to work gave me ample amount of reading time. Not to mention I was able to listen to audiobooks while working. And with my new job, I didn’t have to do overtime, which gave me more reading time at home. And I loved it. I took advantage. Hence 139 books read this year.

The Libby app and library cards (I have 2 – from the Seattle Public Library and the King County Public Library). This app made so many ebooks and audiobooks available to me the latter half of the year. With my phone, I was able to read on the bus comfortably without having to carry a book all the time or my nook or my tablet.

I’ve also been a fan of Audible this year. I borrow a book on the Libby app, loved and enjoyed that audiobook, I would purchase it on Audible. Making the book available to me to reread the books whenever I want. And reread I did!

And I’ve also used my Kindle app so much this year. The ebooks I borrowed from the Libby app are compatible with Kindle. So whatever ebooks I borrowed from that app, I am able to read on the Kindle app giving me the power to customize the reading to my liking. Same thing goes for this one too, if I loved the ebook enough, I would buy it on my Kindle so I can reread the book to my heart’s content. Again, reread I did!

So what is in store for me in 2020? I don’t really believe in resolutions, so goals would be a bit more accurate in my case. Read more for sure. At least continue on my reading streak from 2019. Cook more – since with my allergies, I would be able to control the ingredients more if cook at home. Go back to school and finally get my master’s degree, god knows I’ve procrastinated enough. These are the only planned goals I made myself for 2020. Being a planner, I don’t like winging things out. But this year, I’d like to be a bit more carefree. I just want to loosen the reins a bit. You know, go with the flow, so 2020 is a go with the flow year for me. Well, maybe.