Goodbye, 2015.

Another year, gone.

I blame this blog, in all it's entirety, for making this year fly by.

Just kidding..

Sort of..

Not really.

Each week, on Thursday, I would think, "I'm sure I've got more posts left. I'm sure there are few weeks left." And before I knew it, lo and behold, it's the last day of the year.

I've already given my shout-outs, I've already said my thank yous, and I've done my year in review. But this was for everyone else. I choose today to be a personal day. A day I want to think of how far I've come in 2015. A day to go through my to do list of the year and see what I've achieved.

And I hope you all do the same today too.

Take a moment for yourselves. Be proud of everything you did this year. Think of everything you accomplished. Everything new you learned. All the new adventures you had. All the new people you met, the new relationships you created, the old ones you cherished. It was all you. You made it all happen. You made it through 2015. Kudos to you.

I read the very first post I wrote this year, and I am so happy to see my consistency in my goals for the new and upcoming year. I still want to carry the same bucket list forward.

I grew up a lot this year. Not only did I learn a lot about myself, the way my mind and my heart functions, but also how I deal with different situations. I learned about my obsession, my passion, my compassion, my limits, my patience, my impatience... quite extensively. And they have all been such great lessons. I probably learned them in the most optimal ways too.

So, goals for 2016?

It's going to be a Leap Year!

So, logic follows, that we all take leaps of faith in the upcoming year.

Get even crazier with your goals. Step even father out of your comfort zones. Do things you never thought you'd do, or go places you'd never imagined going. If there's one thing I've learned, it is that life is short. And that makes cherishing each moment so important.

I am so thankful that I took on this project at the beginning of this year. I feel like I've accomplished like out of Julie & Julia, which, if y'all remember, was the whole reason I started this blog to begin with! I am happy that I saw this project of writing every week through to the end. It was so much harder than I thought. And if I were being completely honest, I did miss one week. I wasn't able to get a post out on one of the Thursdays this year, but still! I consider this an accomplishment. I learned that it's not easy making such a huge commitment. But thanks to this blog, I also realized how much I missed writing and needed it to maintain my sanity. This blog was the outlet of my frustrations for several weeks.

But I now want to give my writing a direction. I want to give it a purpose. And I want to start working towards to different goal. I probably won't be writing each week, because I'd rather not compromise the quality of my writing. Instead, I'm going to revamp my blog, change it up a bit, and (hopefully) write really well. Whichever journey I choose, I hope y'all will come with me! I hope you go with my into the new year and I hope 2016 is even more exciting, adventurous and memorable than 2015.

For the last time this year, to one and all...

A very Happy New Year!

Hasta la-buh bye!

'Tis The Season!

It's Christmas Eve!

And there's no snow on the ground. :-(

And it's not cold, nor does it feel like winter. :-(

But it's the season to be jolly!

Today was the first day I had off, in goodness knows HOW long. I slept in, I relaxed, I watched TV, I lounged around the house, I cleaned up my room, and did so many things that normal people do on a "day off". After what have seemingly been the 4 most hectic months of my life, I appreciated every single moment today had to offer me. Even doing chores around the house was enjoyable today. After many days, the most stressful thing on my list was whether my blanket linens matched my pillow covers, and not how I could complete impossible work-related tasks.

It felt good.

So as always, I haven't a clue what today's post is about. I'll just write.

We have guests staying over today. And my cousin. He's cool. The guests I'm not sure about. I like having people stay over, makes vacation more fun. We have tons of things planned for my cousin. This kid and I go way back. Since he was born, really. We used to hang out at my grandma's place together all the time, and we used to be up to no good. The shenanigans we got up to were quite epic.

But anyway, this post is another one of my rambles.

I am so excited to spend this "vacation" with my family. I am replaying the year that flew by in my head. I wouldn't change a single moment that I lived this year, there are some things I wish I'd done better or differently. The last 4 months have been insanity. And that's why the next month that I've managed to get off will be dedicated to my family, myself and all the things I didn't have time to do because I was so caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Eugh, I sound like I'm wearing real people pants =/...

Anyhow.

Here's my parting advice:

Enjoy this holiday season with your nears and dears. The time gone by won't come back again, so cherish every moment. Have an adventure every day. Do something that's out of your comfort zone. Make new friends. Call old friends. Hold your parents close. Give a lot of hugs. Smile sincerely. Try to be good. And above all, be kind to everyone... treat others the way you'd want to be treated.

Jeez, I feel like I should be a Hallmark card writer.

With that, I'm over and out. I wish everyone celebrating a very, very Happy, Merry and Jolly Christmas! I hope it is magical and brings you all closer to your loved ones.

Hasta la-buh bye!

Shout-outs.

Today's post was a very cool idea I thought of earlier this week. I did a quick tally after last week, and I realized there are only 3 more posts left for me to write this year, including today's post. And considering I already have 2 ideas that I *should* write about before the end of this year, that makes this post mandatory to be written today.

What is today's post for?

I wanted to do sort of a "year in review" and give shout-outs to all those people who influenced my 2015. Whether it was helping me get out of a tough spot, giving me advice when I needed it, being the listening ear when I needed to vent, being the critical eye when I needed a perception check. All of these individuals impacted me and my thought process this year, and I owe them thanks for helping me to be where I am now.

Of course, there are no actual names..just aliases, but I hope that all of these people read this post, know it's about them and actually enjoy it.



Poochie: My Better Half

She's been there with me from the very start to finish of this year. We celebrated quite a few successes this year, both hers and mine. There were times when I felt dismal about life, and she never left my side once. Through the ups and downs, she's stuck by me. I look forward to celebrating our 10-year anniversary! I give her a shout-out for being my rock and always looking out for me, no matter how far she is from me. Although I miss her every day, she remains the closest to my heart.

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Kryptonite: My Silent Guardian

What I am most grateful for, is for him knowing me better than I know myself. He has been my savior several times this year whether it was about work, school, family matters, personal stressors, or goodness knows what else. His truly big heart, forgiving nature, sharp intuition and incredible kindness are things that I yearn to learn. This year marked a milestone for him, and for that I am so happy. I thank my lucky stars every day that I have such an amazing presence in my life to guide me whenever I am lost.

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Mumble-Wumble: My Adventurous Instigator

Words are not enough to describe my admiration and appreciation for this superstar in my life. I thank him for creating so many memories each time we are together, and to never be out of crazy ideas to act on. It has been a heck of a year for our friendship, and I am couldn't be happier with where we are. I am excited to have more adventures with him, and I thank him for everything he does in the oddest and most unique of his ways.

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Bae: My Partner in Crime

This fiercely loyal friend of mine lights up my day with her adorable laugh, her headstrong spirit and bottomless, unwavering optimism. The bond we share, going on 3 years now, gets stronger as we have more experiences and adventures together. The more we share, the more common ground we find to share. She understand my #browngirlprobz. I give her a shout-out for always being there when I need her most, for helping me figure things out, and for always cheering me up when I'm down.

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Tall Guy: My Exotic Bestie

With him is the quickest I've ever gone from being complete strangers to becoming besties in less than a couple of months. His diplomatic outlook on life, his determined nature and his amazing capability of being a compassionate friend always remind me to hold him close and be thankful for him. I am proud of all his accomplishments, and I am so excited for everything the new year is about to bring him.

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JJ: My Witty Shenaniganizer

He has been my reliable travel buddy, a friend who is always there when I need to vent, someone I find it surprisingly easy to share the most difficult situations with, just because he has such a carefree, laid-back view on life. He helps me realize that everything does not need to be as serious, and something funny can always be found in the most serious situations. I thank him for his dry humour, for nit-picking my brains, for giving me anxiety with his careless approach to important things in life, and for secretly being a caring and true friend.

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Argillaceous: My Steadfast Inspiration

Last, but definitely not least, this guy who was the inspiration behind today's post. He "picked a bone with me" for not staying on top of my posts. He wasn't mad or upset. He simply (very gently) pointed out that I had not been keeping up with my weekly writing. He made me realize that people out there have been reading my blog, and I should deliver what I promised at the beginning of the year. I thank you, Argillaceous, for reminding me why I started this project at the beginning of this year, and for making sure that I see it through till the end of the year.

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These people were hands down the most important reason I survived 2015. But it would be extremely unfair to say others didn't help me too. A few other friends, some co-workers, and most of all my parents all played a huge role in shaping me to be who I am this year. I am thankful for everything I've learned about the world and about myself. I look forward to starting up a new project in 2016!

Until then, I bid you all farewell.

Hasta la-buh bye!

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PS - Mumble-Wumble gets an extra special shout out this week for his birthday! Happy Birthday to this guy who I've come to respect, admire and love so much in the last 2 years. I hope your day, week, month and year (were and) are filled with surprises, adventures and all things spontaneous that you'll love. I can't wait to celebrate you for the years to come, and to get started on that bucket list! =D