Four years ago, I was picking up pieces of myself off the ground. Three years after that, I focused on rebooting my career. This past year, I focused on my new puppy and myself.
2014 was a pretty miserable year for me. I'm sure one would ever expect it. What people tend to forget is social media is just a giant online highlight reel. There’s a whole 'lotta life that happens in between posts, and for me, it was pretty shitty.
For the twelfth straight year, without fail, here is my annual survey of how I spent my year 2014.
I've spent a lot of my time this year focusing on myself. Taking a step back, looking at the good times I cherish, and the hard times that humbled me. I've been putting it together to see how all of that has affected who I am today.
I'm gaining a much better understanding of myself now. I really starting to understand what makes me tick, what inspires me to take bold steps, and what kind people/things hold me back.
I think know the right formula for me to move on (at least I think I do). I just have to put it all together.
A big part of that formula is getting my career back on track. Because when I have financial freedom, I can go out and spend more time with people that inspire me.
That's why my career has been my top priority for the past year.
Anyways, without any further ado, for my 9th straight year, here is my annual survey.
Holy crap! Thank you guys so much for all the birthday wishes. My facebook, twitter and cell phone were going crazy the whole freakin' day!
Not gonna lie, I've had some miserable birthdays in the past...so I've learned to appreciate the simplest birthdays of facebook/myspace comments, twitters, text messages and just being around people that I love. Yesterday was all about that and I loved it.
A few days ago, I was thinking of doing something like, "for every person that wishes me happy birthday, I'll do a body roll for one second." Damn, if I actually did that, it'd be a video of me doing body rolls for over 2.5 minute!! :laugh: Maybe next year. Maybe.
Anyways, lotsa love to the people that wished me happy birthday (in chronological order):
Wush
Michael
Hazel
Melissa G
Michelle T
Hammy
Kris Mark
Joanne
Paolo L
Mom & Dad
Sheena
Ernie
Sierra
Phatts
Tracie
Tops
Chany
Roth
BM-Mike
Loval
Loris
RJ
Raelynne
Crissy
Mquerol
Nessa
Naythen
Jackielyn
Jae -- omg pole dancing video??! :rofl:
Nikki
Kina Grannis -- :biggrin:
Drew -- loved the body roll video :bangin:
Roy
Van
Marlo
Confi
Cristina Blake
Tillmann
Stefan
Hollykinns
Slimbeats
Courtney
Nicole P
Japstaboi
DesoMatt
Fred
Nam
Stephanie C
Michelle
Meliss
Dru
Jimbo
Amanda H
Ulysses
Jon G
Tam
Abel
Dee
Rochi
Julie
Lorraine
Kulay Mike -- awww yehhh :hehe:
Adriee
Melissa V
Ashley
Angel
Justine
Renabette
Sara
Renato
Mike E
Vicki
Pete
Erin
Amy T
Samir
Paolo
Ariana
Jasper
Justin H
Kim T
April
Nadin
Rachel
Pat
Jason C
Deland
Ernie
Phil
Kishan
Richard J
Mary
Dae
Noa
Wing
James
Chris P
Dimples
Preston
Jennie
Allie
Erleen
Chain
Erin
Lisa J
JR
Joanne
Ashley S
Norm
NJ
Stephanie R
Elisa
Bobby Lee, I mean, Cathy Nguyen -- :chill:
Thomas Yu
Gayle
Devin
Jon Chan
Katzy -- <3 video mail
Alex John -- all the way from Chicago?!! :noway:
Jec -- zomg, awesome drawing skillz!! :coold:
Josh S
Darwin
Daniel
Chris P
Brianne
Goldy
Nirav
AJ -- thanks for dedicating a song to me with Cathy. :cheers:
Janice
Jessica M
Kathleen B
random people at AJ's show that apparently recognized me from blogtv (whoa!?!)
Ronan
Bryan Keith
Angel
Rex
Amy
Megan
Ray
Mark M
Kim
Tiff
Dana
Heather
Stan
Adoboy
Laila
Sara T
Elwood
Khaing
Ron P
Audrey P
Cynthia
And on a random note...
This Ralph Emerson quote popped into my head yesterday. I've posted this before but I just love this quote so much I wanted to share it with you guys again:
Ralph Waldo Emerson:
To laugh often and much.
To win the respect of intelligent people,
and the affection of children.
To earn the appreciation of honest critics,
and endure the betrayal of false friends.
To appreciate beauty.
To find the best in others.
To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition.
To know even one life has breathed easier,
because you have lived.
That is to have succeeded.
// Due to my crappy internet, I'm gonna have to keep this blog post very, very short...
Thanks for your patience, everyone. It took me a few days longer than expected but 300 photos are up on my Flickr! (There's actually a total of 853 photos and videos which I'll make available for download soon)
What can I say? It was a very chill reunion, filled with a lot of nostalgia and laughter; it was a nice change of pace for once, compared to our past wild reunions. Once again we find ourselves as a group of people in the middle of no where, doing what we do best -- chilling, drinking and finding ways to amuse ourselves.
The highlights of the reunion are all in the photos.
Randoms:
Loren: you'd think it was only us kids that were drinking and partying but really it's just the adults were a lot better at dodging us than we were at them.
Mel:petting the dogs Alan: hey Loren, do you have any peanut butter? (Reference to the movie Road Trip)
Mel:quick, deep, hollow fart Samir: what? Loren: dude, was that your ass?? Samir: oh shit! I thought he said "yo"
Re-Created Picture of the Moment:
In Closing...
In the movie Garden State, a wise Zach Braff one said:
Home is so much more than just a house to put your shit in.
The more I think about that quote, the more I realize how true it is. Home isn't just a house. It's not just a town. It's a time. A moment. It's the people around you in a certain phase of your life. It's the world in the eyes of someone before all that real world stuff.
Home is an experience when you're there, and a state of mind when you're not.
Let's face it, none of us will ever truly be able to "go back." Even if we decide to go to that Ar@mco sponsored reunion in Saudi next year, it wouldn't be the same. It's not that same time and it's not the same place.
But the people -- us -- we'll always have. And that will never change.
Maybe that's what 'family' really is: a group of people that miss the same imaginary place.
