2014 Diary
Happy New Year, good people!
What better way to bring in 2015 than to reflect on 2014?! Well, that's what this blog post is about. It is the highlights, if you will, of last year.
In 2014, I started a personal campaign diary and wrote down all of the new, exciting, and abnormal things that I've done (accomplished). This list remained as an email draft until today, and it was the first time I read it over. It was interesting to read fragments of my life in a year. All in all, I thank God for the highs and lows of twenty fourteen--they were all worth it! I hope you enjoy my journey. I'm thinking of continuing this diary theme throughout 2015.
What do you think?
JANUARY
-Tried chitterlings for the first time
-Saw Mali Music in concert, again
FEBRUARY
-Got a new job within a week of layoff from another
-Joined a new church
-Celebrated my 1-year book anniversary for "SoKoDiaries: An American Teacher Living in South Korea"
MARCH
-Made potato salad for the first time
-Drove to San Diego w/o dying of fear over the Pacific Ocean
-Got on a boat (San Diego harbor tour)
-Experienced San Diego's nightlife
-Experienced my first rooftop party at the Marriott hotel
APRIL
-Saw my first Marvel movie, Captain America (or was it called something else?)
-Went to Atlanta
-Experienced my first Alumni Step Show
MAY
-Ate brunch at BJ's restaurant (Fox Hills Mall) for the first time. The french toast was awesome! I met the cook who said that he would hook us (my aunt & I) up next time we go to the restaurant since my aunt's french toast wasn't cooked all the way
-Didn't celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but I ate an abnormal amount of Mexican food (more than I normally eat)
JUNE
-Had a milkshake and felt like Kelis (i haven't had a milkshake in years)
-Helped plan Outpour at my new church
-Discovered that I hate the word "bae" and then found out that it stands for Bacon And Eggs, so now I love it. LOL
-Went to Knotts Berry Farm and rode Ghostrider (at night), and now I'm back to being afraid of roller coasters
-Bought food at a theme park--I think that was a first time. I paid $15 for a chicken burrito, beans, rice, and a drink
-Went to Catalina Island for my birthday, got on boat by myself, took pics, and fell in love with photography again
-Was a part of the BETExperience which included VIP seats to an event. the total cost for everything was $1.50 and that was the cost of the train ride back from the staples center
-Saw Tamar Braxton in concert
-Re-enrolled into my school's teacher credential program
-Realized that I don't know the difference between TeachER'S Credential and TeachING Credential
-Applied to HACU's internship program
JULY
-Went to Arizona for 4th of July weekend
-I think I ate at Outback Steakhouse for the first time
-Attended the James Brown movie premiere
-experienced my first fellowship outing with my new church at Knotts Berry Farm
-Re-released my 2nd and 3rd book via Amazon's exclusive Kindle Direct Program (KDP)
-Spoke at Free-N-One's Drug and Rehabilitation Program
-Applied for a Social Media Concierge position (outside of my 9-to-5 job)
AUGUST
-Went to the La Brea Tar Pits museum
-Ate at Oh My Burger and had an "Oh My Luther" combo w/a Krispy Kreme doughnut bun
-Quit my job w/ no guarantee of the HACU internship
-Sent my short story (screenplay) to a famous L.A. actor
-Applied to Teach for America on Aug 22nd (after 5 years of rejection) and finally got an interview
SEPTEMBER
-Sept 5th I got the call, while at the gym, that I was accepted into the internship program in Oakland
-Got my first check at a real freelance job (non-profit company)
-One of my closest friends got married :)
-Drove across the state to Berkeley, CA by myself
-Started another position at the Department of Veterans Affairs and it was nostalgic
-Visited Pastor K.R. Woods' church in Berkeley and loved it
-I ate Spanish bread (senorita bread) via Filipino food for the first time
OCTOBER
-Experienced TheCall Berkeley and it was my first outdoor revival. There were thousands of people there from all walks of life, just glorifying God. It was amazing!
-I fainted in Subway. I guess I was dehydrated and the combination of being in the sun for hours and not eating anything didn't help
-Drove to Sacramento, CA. I had to cross a bridge to get there from Oakland, but it wasn't that bad
-After I crossed the bridge on my way to Sacramento, I came across another unexpected driving obstacle...a toll road. It was $5 cash only, and I only had $1 in cash and a debit card. The toll road officer wasn't havin' it and gave me a ticket
-Attended my first Spanish service (although there was an English translator) in Oakland. The church was one freeway exit after "Fruitvale Ave." That made me nervous. Have you guys ever seen the movie, Fruitvale Station?" If you have seen the movie, then you know why I was nervous
-Ate at Gussies Chicken & Waffles and Mamas in San Francisco for the first time
-Took the Bart underwater to San Francisco and felt like I was in a submarine
-Attended my Teach for America interview in San Francisco
-Drove (rode) across Golden Gate Bridge
-Drove (rode) down the infamous Lombard Street in San Francisco
NOVEMBER
-Watched all seasons of Gilmore Girls on Netflix
-Ate a Swedish-American breakfast at IKEA
-Spent Thanksgiving away from my family in NorCal
-Served the community (on Thanksgiving) at my guest church
-Ate the best dressing that I've ever had in my life (don't tell my mom)
-Had an "aha moment" with school and teaching
-Decided to give my career to God
-Failed my first week of class in my teacher credential program. My 3.8 GPA laughed at me
DECEMBER
-Blogged (almost) every day in December for Blogmas
-Ended my internship in Oakland
-Sang in the praise team for the first time at my new church...I was beyond nervous!
2105 is the year of recovery. Get ready, people!
Hello, World!