2020 ending

In one word, 2020 is an extra-ordinary year. Yep, the dash is there for the pun. I started the year still having fun in Tokyo Disneyland and my usual yearly reflection was only completed in February. While I did not have any travel plan this year since my free visa to Japan was over in April, I certainly never expect the extreme opposite for not able to travel overseas at home. In midst of all the disruption due to COVID, I honestly feel quite positive about it overall. WFH is really heaven-sent and I hope it is going to continue forever and ever.

Surprisingly, 2020 was the first time that I was able to fulfil many of my new year 'resolutions'. Thanks to the combined power of COVID+WFH, I am able to rest and not travel during holidays although sadly it is not resting at home that I wished for. With more time at home, I also finished my financial tracking and with the lack of travel this year, my bank account is finally seeing green after about 5 years. Haha.. I also managed to lose so much weight thanks to the lockdown. I started at around 68kg before the WFH stuff and ended with 58-60kg at the end of it. Sadly, I started to gain again with the end of WFH. Looking at it positively, 62kg now is still better than 64kg at the start of 2020.

Who would have thought that the trip to attend friend's wedding would be the last trip for the whole year? It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to travel while wearing N95. It was not the peak of the COVID yet and it was more of being kiasi. I think at that time, the COVID name was not invented yet. I certainly would not expect that it was my last time seeing my dad. The experience of losing my dad without the ability to see and be with him in his last days and up to his funeral has not been easy. Looking back at my old post, I was quite surprised with my post on 28 Feb when I started to have that bad omen feeling of losing him. Although I am alone, I know God is with me and has prepared me for this with being alone for so long. I was sad but I could accept and I did not breakdown unreasonably just because I could not be there and all that.

The lockdown period is an affirmation that diet control is more important than exercise. With the gym closure, I only did exercises in my room which were no where close to the intensity of gym exercises. Yet I was able to lose a lot of weight because WFH allowed me to just eat one meal a day (lunch), keep with my banana for dinner, and no snacking with most of the potato chips were running out of stock and the snack shops were not allowed to open.

Attending Mass online is another first. I am honestly surprised that my faith did not wither because of church closure. The bigger surprise, however, I appreciate attending Mass physically than attending online. Haha.. My initial anticipation was: wah let's continue with Mass online even when COVID is over as it will provide flexibility and convenience. Reality: Gosh this feels very sleepy and distracting as I am still in the environment where I usually just laze around and sleep. Haha..

The highlight of 2020 for me is Thai dramas. With FF Mobius went out of commission, watching dramas is the only alternative entertainment that I have access to. Many Thai dramas are uploaded officially in Youtube (and later on one LINE TV when it becomes accessible here) so it does not give me so much frustration as watching Japanese dramas from other websites which have a lot of pop up ads. In total, I completed 45 series for the whole year o_0 with another 3 which is currently ongoing. There are few more recently completed and currently ongoing titles that I am interested but have not watched as they are not available in Youtube so I do not know where to watch yet.

I also completed 2 photobooks this year. I have another one in progress which I am not able to continue thanks to having to return to office haiz. I am also too busy with Genshin Impact lately so that really takes a lot of my time. Hehe..

Although many will say 2020 sucks, I think it has been okay for me. Until the last 2 months when things started to go downhill. Firstly thanks to the politicking office bitches which really made me think otherwise of them and seriously thinking of starting to find another job. Having to get back to office, albeit once every 3 weeks, also destroyed my diet and my shiokness of staying at home. After the successful Landings run online, I also sort of run out of steam with my spiritual life. While I register for Mass attendance when there is a chance, I find focusing for my daily rosary getting more difficult. I certainly cannot keep up the commitment with daily rosary and Chaplet of St Michael so the latter is often sacrificed.

As I go into 2021, I do not really have a lot of expectations. I still have no purpose in life and being dead is still my number one priority. Dear God, when will you call me? Meanwhile, while I still have to live my shitty mortal life, I hope the WFH continues. I do not really care if COVID continues or what as long as WFH continues. It will be a cherry on top if office bitches can disappear too hehe or I am praying that perhaps I can find another job. Lastly, I am still hoping for my perpetual wishes of losing weight and feeling high spiritually.

Happy 2021 or perhaps Happy 20-21°C. It has been raining nonstop since yesterday and I do not mind if such cool weather stays.