1.
What did you do last year that you had never
done before?
Ever since Jubilee was born, many of the
things that I had never done before are related to her experiencing things for
the very first time. Things like taking care of a sick baby because she got a fever
first the first time, or flying with my baby because she traveled by airplane
for the first time. It’s hard to distinguish my firsts from her firsts; we’re
learning together, and it’s been amazing. A few more firsts for us were visiting
the zoo, visiting the children’s museum in San Jose, potty training, getting
her passport, trick-or-treating, and singing songs together. As for myself, I
went on my first business trip since having Jubilee, got into a major accident last
spring that totaled my car (the guy did a hit and run on the freeway), went to
House of Prime Rib, planned a baby shower, tried my hand at calligraphy, cried
at work, and successfully cooked kalua pork, mushroom risotto, and meatloaf!
2.
Did you keep your resolutions and will you make
more for this year?
I did not make any specific resolutions
last year but said I would take care of my health. I do believe I achieved
this! Starting in the summer, I began to pay close attention to my caloric
intake and exercised when I could. Even if it would only be 20 minutes at the
gym, 20 minutes was better than 0 minutes. I got back down to my pre-baby
weight and was finally able to fit into most of my pre-pregnancy clothes again!
It wasn’t just about the physical weight loss, but I got my self-confidence back
on track, and I’m really proud of that. For 2020, I’m going to continue taking
care of my health. On a separate note, I want to print more photos. One of the
things that Chris and I have been talking about is to buy a house as we also
plan to expand our family. It would be wonderful to fill a new space with lots
of pictures of our family and our friends. Oh, and I’m going to take Jubilee to
Disneyland.
3.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Bebe
4.
Did anyone close to you die?
No
5.
Where did you travel?
In August, Chris and I went to Pacifica for
a weekend getaway without Jubilee. It was sort of like a couples retreat with a
group of our friends. Then in December, the three of us flew down to spend
Christmas with Chris’s family in Murrieta and visited the San Diego zoo while
we were in town.
6.
What would you like to have this year that you
lacked last year?
I’d love to move from our condo into a
house and perhaps have another baby.
7.
What dates will remain etched in your memory?
Mar 3 – On the way home from Noah’s Ark, we
were struck hard by a speeding individual who ran off after he left my vehicle
totaled on the freeway. The impact was largely to the passenger’s side, where
Chris was sitting. I was driving, and Jubilee was in her car seat behind me. I was
thankful that none of us were seriously injured, but I was sad that my car was
gone. I had bought it only a year and a half ago. A week later, I replaced it
with the 2019 Touring version of my car. Out of the ashes, the majestic phoenix
rises again.
May 17 – My brother and Rebekah got
married. It was beautiful to see him so loved and very much grown up on his
wedding day. Everyone had the kindest words to say about him, because he truly
is the most selfless person I know. Jubilee was a flower girl and stole the
show during the ceremony. It was absolutely ridiculous how cute she looked in
her little white dress and flower crown, which she tore off her head
immediately after stepping into the church.
Dec 17 – Bebe gave birth to Emma. Since
Bebe is more like a sister to me than a friend, I felt like a proud aunt whose
niece was born. Particularly after the loss that she and Jerry went through the
year before, I was beaming with radiant joy when I finally held my teeny tiny
goddaughter in my arms.
Dec 29 – Jubilee turned 2. I made up a
separate question below to talk about her birthdays from now on. The pride and
joy that I feel to be her mom is so powerful; how did I get this lucky? I often
can’t express myself apart from crying tears of awe and thankfulness.
8.
What was your biggest achievement?
I finished one of the biggest and most
complex proposals we’ve ever worked on in my team. It was the most challenging
project I’ve ever worked on and left me feeling drained. I’ve since been on a
stretch assignment doing something else, but I think I’ll get back to leading
proposals full time again in 2020. One pretty neat thing when the proposal
finally got on contract was getting recognized by the director of our line of
business. He commended and thanked me for my effort, and he threw in a nice
little bonus for getting the job done.
9.
What was your biggest failure?
I can’t think of a specific experience
where I felt like I failed. I know that during development of the
aforementioned proposal, there were several moments when I wanted to throw in
the towel. I was so close to quitting that project and even told my boss that I
wanted to stop. He encouraged me not to quit, and although I’m glad I
eventually saw it through, I sometimes wish I never got that deep into the proposal
in the first place. I know now what I can handle and how far I can stretch, but
more importantly, I learned that just because I can stretch myself thin, it’s
sometimes not worth the sacrifice. Most importantly, I learned that that’s
okay.
10. Did
you suffer illness or injury?
Not that I can recall
11. What
was the best thing you bought?
My new car and my Holly Golightly costume
12. Whose
behavior merited celebration?
It’s hard not to say Jubilee from now on,
particularly right now as she’s soaking up everything she sees and hears,
learning about the world around her. She’s speaking so much, mostly in Chinese
but also a lot of English. She is very musical. She can sing several songs (on
key!) and loves to listen to tracks from Frozen, Moana, and the Lion King. She
attempts every obstacle on the playground fearlessly, and she knows when she
has mastered a climb, because she’ll squeal and clap her hands and jump up and
down excitedly. Watching her learn has been emotional, especially when she
learns the hard way, like burning her hand against the fireplace because she
wouldn’t trust our direction to steer clear from it.
13. Whose
behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I can think of typical answers like the
country’s leaders, but in my personal circle, I can’t say I was depressed by
anyone’s behavior. The usual people who aggravate me still aggravated me, but
I’ve come to expect that from them.
14. Where
did most of your money go?
Paying back my student loan for the rest of
my life. Haha, I guess aside from that, I’ve been spending less on eating out
for lunch and instead buying groceries each week to meal prep. It’s been a fun
activity cooking with Chris on Sunday nights and packing up our lunches. Quite
a money-saving idea as well! I’ve also spent more on myself, something I rarely
do. It’s nothing crazy, but I’ve finally reached an income level where I’m more
comfortable purchasing whatever I desire. Like a $25 mascara at Sephora instead
of a $12 one at Target :p
15. What
did you get really excited about?
I found my ugly Christmas sweater! My
brother had it in his closet for years not knowing it was there. My mom had put
it there, because she thought it was his.
16. What
did you get really sad about?
Losing my Forester and then feeling scared
to drive months after the accident
17. What
songs will always remind you of last year?
I think I’ll always remember those
Cocomelon nursery songs that Jubilee loves to watch hundreds of times in a row.
18. Compared
to this time last year, are you wiser? Healthier? Richer?
Yes on all three accounts
19. What
did you wish you had done more of?
I used to journal everyday. Realistically,
I don’t think I have the time or energy to do that these days, but I wish I
captured my thoughts more often. In attempts to practice my handwriting with a
fountain pen, I started to write a little more toward the end of last year,
even if it’s a few sentences that talked about the events of the day. At least
it’s something.
20. What
did you wish you had done less of?
Sleeping in just a little bit longer. I did
that way too often last year, and as a result, I had been late to work on
several occasions. I used to wake up immediately when my alarm rang. Not that I
was fully awake, but I never let myself linger or hit snooze. Obviously with a
baby, I’m more tired than I have ever been before, so it’s almost impossible to
force myself to get out of bed in the mornings when another 15 minutes feels so
good.
21. How
did you spend Christmas?
On Christmas Eve, we flew down to Ontario
and rented a car to drive to Murrieta. We opened presents on Christmas Day and
spent time with Chris’s parents at home. The next day, we drove down to San
Diego to take Jubilee to the zoo for the first time. She loved seeing all the
animals! It was really cute. Everything was either a cow or an elephant. Before
leaving the zoo, we stopped by the gift shop, and she picked out this small
giraffe. She calls it her “chang jing oo!”
22. What
new hobbies did you pick up?
Thanks to Sandy for inspiring me to try new
things, I started to write with a fountain pen. Chris got one for me last
Christmas, and it’s so pretty. I love it! I’ve been playing with inks that
Vincent gave me. I’ve also started to dabble a little in watercoloring (also
thanks to Sandy). It’s fun to be creative in these new ways!
23. What
was your favorite TV program?
3Below, Stranger Things, Queer Eye, Call
the Midwife, Great British Baking Show, We Bare Bears, murder shows, any nature
show where David Attenborough narrates
24. What
did you do for your anniversary?
Chris and I celebrated Year 4 at Scott’s
Seafood in Downtown San Jose. There was a small two-man band that evening that
played jazzy covers of classic show tunes, and we had fun guessing the songs.
Like every year, we reflected on our marriage in the last year and agreed that
although it was harder with a baby, we’ve never felt closer. I admitted to
feeling unhappy at the beginning of the year, although I could not pinpoint
what was making me unhappy; but it seemed that with more and frequent
conversation, I grew more in love and satisfaction as the year progressed. We
started to do weekly devotions together and prayed for each other out loud.
25. What
were the best books you read?
I got into Webtoon comics: Lore Olympus and
Let’s Play. I also got into romance novels, thanks again to Sandy! Code Name
Verity, All the Light We Cannot See, Big Little Lies are some favorites as
well.
26. What
was your greatest musical discovery?
Two words: Disney Karaoke
27. What
did you want and get?
Ginkgo leaves wax stamp, Drunk Elephant
polypeptide moisturizer, to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes
28. What
did you want and not get?
Jubilee to sleep through the night again
29. What
were your favorite films of the year?
The only movies that I watched in theaters
were Avengers Endgame and Spiderman: Far From Home.
30. What
did you do for your birthday?
I went to Jack’s with Chris and Jubilee and
Bebe and Jerry.
31. How
did you celebrate Jubilee’s birthday?
We had a spectacular sushi dinner that my
dad prepared, and I bought a small Chantilly cake for Jubilee. She blew out her
candles this year, and she loved doing it so much that we lit them again and
again for her to blow them out. She knows the birthday song, so she was really
excited to hear us sing for her! Rebekah and my brother got her this play set
of cleaning supplies, like a broom, mop, and duster, hahah! It’s really funny
actually, because she loves to pretend clean with our vacuums and Swiffers, so
now she has her own set in her size. Chris and I got her a three-wheel scooter
and a little plastic cup with the initial J on it. It’s a “real” cup and not a
sippy cup, so she loves drinking her cocoa (aka “baby coffee”) like a big girl.
32. What’s
one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If we bought a house, but then that’s what
this year is for. It isn’t a critical thing for us, and to say the least, it’s
a humongous financial investment, so Chris and I are taking this decision very
slowly and carefully. Besides, I already feel like I have everything in the
world. I already feel like it’s not fair that I’m this lucky.
33. How
would you describe your personal fashion concept?
Jeans, tees, and a knitted cardigan sweater
34. What
kept you sane?
Having amazing, supportive family and
friends who constantly check on me. Also Netflix.
35. Which
celebrity or public figure did you fancy the most?
Chris Evans
36. What
political issue stirred you the most?
Too many to list, but largely women’s
reproductive rights
37. Who
did you miss?
My friend who isn’t my friend anymore
38. Who
was the best new person you met?
Emma Chiao
39. What
is a valuable life lesson you learned?
Let Jubilee be a kid. Shortly after
Thanksgiving, the empty dirt lot outside our neighborhood began its setting up
for the annual Christmas tree sale. Chris and I decided to take Jubilee for a
walk to look at all the pretty trees. It had been rainy for a few days, so the
lot was muddy and filled with branches. Jubilee squealed in delight as she ran
from branch to branch, picking up one after another. I was growing uneasy by
the second. Her shoes were getting so dirty. Her leggings were also getting
dirty from all the mud kicked up from her running around. Her hands were filthy
from holding tree branches. I started to scold her, but Chris told me that this
is what kids do. They find sticks and then find bigger, better sticks. They get
dirty. Their clothes get dirty. These things can be washed, but running around
like this is what makes childhood fun. He proceeded to teach Jubilee how to
hold the stick against the chain link fence while running, which made her so
happy. I watched her laugh the entire time and enjoy herself. I’m glad Chris
intervened and reminded me what was important.
40. What
is a song lyric that sums up your year?
Our lives are made in these small hours
These little wonders, these twists and
turns of fate
Time falls away, but these small hours
These small hours still remain
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