32

I’m turning 33 in a few weeks. I noticed that I don’t remember much what happened in recent years so maybe I should be writing down things more so I can remember.

This year, I…

… got married to Angel Ruin Macabenta after 150 months of dating. People change. If you asked me 10 years earlier, I didn’t believe much in marriage. Being married counts for little in having a happy and successful relationship. Over the years, though, I’ve come to appreciate the rights that it gives the spouse and it was something that I wanted to give to Angel.

… had Lasik surgery. I no longer need glasses anymore. My eyesight is now 20-15 (even better than 20-20).

… am driving a new-to-me second-hand car. It’s company-owned, so it’s not mine. I’m just its caretaker but it’s still a nice perk.

… think I’m getting better at being kind to myself. I can stop working at 8 hours a day without feeling guilty about it. I, at least, have some benchmark on how much I value my time. I’m able to say that “I’m doing too much, and it’s OK if I let go some of the things that I’ve been handling because it’s just really too much”. For the longest time, I’ve been overseeing sysad duties and for the past year, I just kind of dropped it and don’t feel really guilty about it. I’ve done so much for it even if it’s not my space. It’s still broken AF but my duct tape is still holding up, for the time being. I know I have to go back to it sooner or later, but for now, I don’t want to and I don’t feel bad about it.

… think I’m financially more stable than I’ve ever been. I no longer have to think about day-to-day expenses and I’ve automated most of my bills payment. My credit card bills, while still high, is not unmanageable. I can probably pay it off by the end of the month just continuing with my current lifestyle.

… still sometimes regret that I have not tried working abroad. True, we have US & AU clients but whenever I think about the opportunity cost, I still have that FOMO. I could easily earn 5x what I’m earning. I also feel like I’m stuck with the POVs that I see because I’ve always been operating in the “startup” scale.

… am generally happy. There are things I’d like to improve (like consistency in workout and physical activities and maximizing earning potential) but I feel like I’ve done a relatively good job all in all.

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What do I want to be writing next year?

• That I’m not worried about our upcoming mortgage.
• That maybe I’ve taught a couple of people well.
• That maybe I can try working part-time abroad or that our US/AU market is expanding.
• That I’m still happy and for the most part content.