2024 Reflection – The Year of Openness

Dear future Marcus,

I hope you see this as a pivotal year. Many things have happened to you during 2024. You have surprisingly started and done a lot of things. I hope you’ll look back and appreciate what a wonderful year this is – both its ups and downs 🙂

In short – you have:

1. started exercising and gained 25 pounds lol
2. went back to school for your second Master’s degree at UT Austin
3. witnessed total eclipse in Plano, TX
4. met several new people and reconnected with old friends
5. traveled to over a dozen cities
6. spent a gajillion dollars on your own server rack….
7. re-awakened my spiritual walk
8. caught feelings for someone and then experienced heartache
9. went to therapy for the first time lol
10. rebooted this site, though unfortunately lost everything

1. Started Exercising

I started out weighing 100 pounds…. there is a picture of me before all this, someone said I look like a holocaust survivor. No I will not post it here. Maybe next year?

Now I’m 125 pounds 😌 and I’m not stopping!

2. Second Master’s Degree

In 2023 I’ve quit work (probably the worst decision in my life lol). This year I’ve started my Master’s program at UT Austin. Planning to finish end of Summer 2025.

3. Total Eclipse

4. Friends

In 2023 I’ve wanted to travel around and meetup with the people I haven’t seen in awhile. I didn’t expect it to actually happen though hahaha.

5. Over a Dozen Cities

Where I traveled to:

• Temple, Austin, & Houston, TX
• Phoenix & Tuscon, AZ
• Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma
• Hong Kong & Guangdong China
• Washington DC & Baltimore
• Canada & Cruise:
  • Montreal & Quebec City
  • Charlottetown → Sydney → Halifax → Portland → Bar Harbor
  • Boston, Massachusetts
• Todd Missions (Renaissance Fair)

5a Temple, Austin, & Houston

I went to Temple to visit my college friend Ethan and drove down to Austin together. After that I drove to Houston and reconnected with the people I’ve met when I attended University of Houston back in Fall 2023.

5b Phoenix & Tuscon

I flew to Arizona to visit my high-school friend Steven. William (my college friend) went with me. Worst part was flying back home – the flight was delayed by more than 16 hours….

5c Wichita Mountains

After hiking for the first time in Arizona – I fell in love with it and decided I wanted to hike again. This time Wichita Mountains with William.

5d Hong Kong & Guangdong China

Decided to fly to Hong Kong and stay there for 4 weeks around April to May 17. There to visit my grandma and relatives. My sister and her husband arrived to HK a couple days after me. Good times 🙂

Hong Kong – Exploration

Hong Kong – Parks

Hong Kong – People

My grandma pictured below is being baptized. I’ve joined several groups near the end of my trip.

Hong Kong – Skyline

first two are taken from atop of trolley tramp thing

Hong Kong – Street Markets

The shrine is called Temple Street

Hong Kong – Where I Slept

All four 4 weeks I slept on that cot – minus the 3 nights at the hotel 😌

Hong Kong – Subway

Hong Kong has by far the best public transportation system.

Hong Kong – Harbor

That random guy just posed in front of my picture

Hong Kong – Disneyland!

Went there with my sister and her husband.

Hong Kong – Gym

I’ve spent way too much money to gym

Hong Kong – My Comfort Food

The classic must have is the “western toast” with that slice of butter on top. But my goto is usually noodles lol

Hong Kong – More Food

Hong Kong – Desserts

My favorite is the Japanese ice-cream sandwich.

Hong Kong – My Dad’s Dad & Grandparents

Apparently it’s bad luck to take a picture of this? But oh wells.

The picture on the left is my grandpa, I still remember when he passed away in 2016. The picture on the right is his parents.

China – My Mom’s Parents

My mom’s parent’s both lay rest in China. Apparently, where they rest must be renewed every 50 years? Otherwise they will clear the spot automatically 🙁

China – Ocean Park

My uncle (mom’s brother) took us to an ocean park in China – with a builtin hotel stay. Bought some ocean park cards? Still haven’t opened them yet to this day.

China – Other

Needed to use the restroom – but find out it was a squatting toilet 🙁

5e Washington DC & Baltimore

Flew to Washington DC with William to visit my high-school friend David.

Washington DC – Sites

Washington DC – China Town

Washington DC – Food

If you ever go to Washington DC, you must go to “The Hamilton” by far the best calamari. Also avoid the slushies at the food trucks at national mall. I didn’t know it was $16 until I checked how much they charged my credit card.

Washington DC – Museum Highlights

Washington DC – Other

David won 10 cents at a casino with 10 dollars.

Baltimore

David and William really wanted to boat pedal.

Baltimore – Aquarium

Washington DC – Hike

5f Canada & Cruise

This was a trip to Canada from September 7 to 22. With Geoffrey, Erina, Steven and William.

Montreal

When we arrived to the airport….

On the first night we went to China town and ate at “Nouilles de Lan Zhou”. Steven slept through his alarm and missed his flight. So it was just Geoffrey, Erina, and I. William showed up way later (the day before the cruise).

Montreal – Exploring

Steven arrived the next day – we explored Montreal.

Montreal – Cathedrals

Montreal – Food

Drive From Montreal to Quebec City

We drove a rental car up to Quebec City! We stopped by Costco. I bought a pecan pie

Quebec City

Checkout the airbnb we stayed at

We needed to return back the rental car – so Steven and I crossed the ferry. I took some pictures on the way back.

The next day my foot hurt – so I stayed back and the three others explored without me.

Here are some photos they took while I stayed. They ate at Poutine-ville.

The next day William arrived and we all went off to explore more of Quebec City.

We ate at some outdoor restaurant and William graciously footed the bill.

We continued to explore

For dinner I took them to eat duck confit omelette

We explored more of the city and ate ice cream lol. We bought some honey mead and went back home via ferry.

Cruise

The next day, we boarded the Norwegian GEM.

These are photos throughout our week in the ship

For some reason, William brought one-hundred one dollar bills.

Cruise Stop #1 – Charlottetown (City in Prince Edward Island)

Cruise Stop #2 – Halifax?

Cruise Stop #3 – I Forgot

I didn’t explore much because my foot still hurts

Cruise Stop #4 – Portland Maine

Cruise Stop #5 – Bar Harbor

Cruise Stop #6 – Boston

This concludes the Canada & Cruise trip.

5g Todd Missions (Renaissance Fair)

Randomly got a text from Justin (my coworker) whether I want to join him and his group to Renaissance Fair at Todd Missions. I said yes.

Little did I know I’ve ended forming my own group and drove down to Houston for dinner and then to Todd Missions.

6. The Gajillion Dollar Server Rack

I’ve always wanted my own server rack – it’s not until summer I began researching the billion parts from every which companies in order to assemble this bad boy.

Don’t ask me why I bought this. It’s just for me to tinker.

7. Re-Awakened My Spiritual Journey

I first started reading Scripture in 2018, but I stopped in 2020. In the summer of 2024, I picked it up again, and since then, I’ve gradually made it a more regular part of my week. Over time, I’ve created what I call “prayer mantras”- prayers formed from a collection of scriptures and meaningful quotes, from which I repeat to myself regularly. These mantras have become a source of strength and guidance, and they’ve truly helped me along the way.

8. Caught Feelings

When I first met her in person I said to myself she’s beautiful – but I didn’t tell her.

I enjoy spending time with her. I really do. Even though we just met, she’s like that very good friend whom I haven’t seen in awhile and we’re just catching up in life. I like how open and vulnerable she is – I wish I was more like that. But my doubts blocked me from truly expressing how I felt. It’s been years since I’ve caught feelings for someone and I didn’t know how to manage it. So I’ve cut things off and said things that hurt her. It was a disaster. I’ve reached back out but it was too late. The past is already in the past.

I still care for her though. Whenever she’s sad, I would just want to be there for her. I don’t know what to do but I would just listen and perhaps banter (which ends up annoying her lol). I remember when she asked me, “Will you still talk to me like this”, and I said, “Yes”. But the past is in the past. The past is in the past. I will never talk to her like this again. It’s so eerie that the structure of what we had can end so fast but the bond can linger for so long. It’s a time to reflect. Some say I should move on; yes I do agree – but that doesn’t mean I should avoid the past. Moving on isn’t the same as avoiding the past. This is a learning opportunity and I will make the most out of it – to learn how to live in right relationship with others.

She is one of the finest people I know – beautiful inside and out. And I hope she ends up with someone who treats her well.

I’m sorry.

9. Therapy

I began therapy in the fall of this year, largely because of the disaster mentioned earlier. But honestly, if it hadn’t been for that – I might not have taken the steps to address this part of my life. Doubt has always been a constant companion of mine, and there lies the doubtful whispers that seem to take over the most vulnerable parts of my mind.

• my mind focus on one thing intensely; it takes awhile to adjust

I just needed some time.

The rush of thoughts has slipped away,
And peace now leads where chaos lay.
No longer does my heart take reign,
For reason whispers through the brain.

A tranquil calm, a steady light,
To guide me through the silent night.
The storm has passed, the skies are clear,
And quiet is the voice I hear.

Therapy sessions came to an end. Though I may return for a checkup – who knows.

10. Rebooted This Site

Jenny, Edward, and Mindy all mentioned that writing/journaling helps. So I rebooted this site. Unfortunately I’ve lost all the old posts while setting this site back up. oh wells.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Here are some of the things I’ve learned; while in therapy, opening up to friends and my individual walk in spirit:

• do not be too hard on yourself in finding the “right” answer. sometimes there isn’t one; you just gotta make a choice and go with it.
• sometimes the right thing to do isn’t to make things right, but to just let it go
• it’s okay to not always be right – that’s how we learn, right?
• be open and vulnerable; to the right people whom you trust
• guard well your spare moments and do not waste your joys. And neither should you waste your sorrows

From,

Marcus of December 2024