lessons learned from skiing

things i learned from skiing for the first time last weekend:

i have acclimated to colder climates. my cozy parka from madison was actually too warm for me

my legs are weak sauce. which means, i need to work out more, which has been difficult lately since my knee still hurts from twisting it over the holidays

intense sports still require a lot of courage. downhill skiing and other friction-less sports are not for the feint of heart

the big toe is vital for walking. my ski boot did not fit quite right, which caused my toes to squish up and leave me with bruised big toes. the toes still hurt when walking


overall fun and much easier than snowboarding (for me). more trips are scheduled already. interesting start to the year.

Hello 2015

As severely evident by lack of posts, I became rather lazy towards the end of 2014, which was opposite of what I wanted to happen. Or perhaps the swing between 'social' and 'hermit' was just a lot more evident, I can't decide.

Anyway, a look back on 2014 through themes, because I can:
Firsts - had a lot of firsts in 2014. From my bucket list, I visited Japan (as a first solo international trip), watched a sunrise, participated in a music video, and went snorkeling in the ocean. Other significant firsts included outdoor hot springs, snowshoeing, bamboo forests, formal first dates, and sadly had my backpack stolen (with laptop, tablet, and lots of other things... sigh)
Travel - besides the various trips to Vancouver BC, Austin/Dallas, and San Francisco, I finally made a trip to Japan, relaxed in Hawaii (Maui), and explored the Olympic National Park
Weddings - attended several weddings, many of whom are long-standing friends. Also saw many newborns on my newsfeeds, which made me reflect on my current track into "adulthood"
Festivals and events - the memorable ones were ECCC, Video Games Live, Adventura, Fremont Fair, paintball, Underground Tour, NW Tea Festival, NW Chocolate Festival, Apple Festival, MOHAI, and local orchestra concerts
Hikes and active outings - the Pacific Northwest continues to amaze me with all its beautiful scenery. Made 5-6 hikes around the Cascades, trekked near Mt. Rainier, explored the Olympic National Park, and hiked to Scenic hot springs. Also embarked on the Pipiwai trail in Maui
Family - for once, my family visited me to spend Thanksgiving exploring Vancouver BC. This year also gave me a glimpse of dealing with an ailing parent, through my own and watching coworkers
Job - frustrations with new processes and certain characters in the office were offset by closer friendships with coworkers and finding my voice
Social media - I became much more active on Instagram yet supremely lazy posting photos (3000 photos from 2014, unfiltered)

Overall, I'd say it was a growing year. More awareness in everyday aspects of people's lives.

So for 2015, a new set of goals:
1. Do something life changing, ex. house, dog, career, relationship, car (at least one of those)
2. Be less selfish
3. Finish projects that I start
4. Do at least one social activity a week
5. Find the balance between being vocal and being patient


PS - a small shoutout to curiousnotions, because she may not know it, but reading her posts inspired (and reminded) me to write my own :)