New Year & Life Updates

 Oops I kinda forgot I had this blog! I tend to journal a lot more so than write publicly, so it's probably why this blog hasn't been updated very often. It's okay though because this blog is more for me rather than for an audience so this is mostly for me to go through! 

The last time I wrote something was in September, so here are some life updates since then! But first, here's a picture of the Boston Public library :)

To be quiet honest, life has been quiet and slow since September. October was by far my favorite month because I love fall (not too hot, not cold, it's chilly and the perfect time for sweaters, scarves, denim and leather jackets). October was the month of drinking coffee, fall foliage, last few summer farmers markets, and lots of dogs. 

November was my least favorite month because I got laryngitis and lost my voice for almost the whole month. But the biggest highlight of November was going to a Jonas Bros concert so TRULY A 10/10 EXPERIENCE 🌟 This was early November though, so the days after that...truly a blur. 

I will say that the biggest update (although not life changing) was that in October I started to go to coffee shops more often  -- my goal was to try as many coffee shops in the salt lake area as possible. But aside from drinking coffee, I actually started to draw again. And no, not digital part if that's what you're thinking. I started to draw DRAW, like physically, on paper. I started sketching again because I went to an arts and crafts market and one of my favorite artists had several of her sketchbooks displayed for the public to look through. Let's just say it inspired me to buy my own little sketchbook. 

Coffee to me is an experience -- I don't care about the caffeine. I hate getting coffee to go. I go to a coffee shop for the experience. What it looks like and what it feels like. Then the taste of the coffee. I don't like my coffee to be bitter or sweet- it can't be too overpowering or intense so I usually opt for a hot vanilla latte. I think the reason why I love vanilla lattes more than anything else is because of the milk- it's steamy and creamy, but just a hint of subtle espresso. But then again, what do I know about coffee? I don't make coffee at home because I'm not an everyday coffee drinker. I actually only drink it once a week on the weekends and usually with a friend or my dad. 

I have a specific memory associated with every coffee shop I've been to. I haven't been to ALL the coffee shops, but I remember every single one-- what it looked like, what it felt like, who I was with, and what I was doing. So, reader, if you're ever interested in hearing about my life experiences in these coffee shops feel free to ask. 

And finally, December! Wow I feel like after September the rest of the year really just flew by. December was the most eventful month by far. The biggest moment were: 1) my 1 year work anniversary and 2) visiting my friend Zahra in Boston, and 3) I got back into some artsy hobbies. 

I ended up loving Boston a lot more than I thought I would. It's a super small and walkable city rich in architecture, parks, good food. But I really fell in love with Cambridge. It felt more homey - older but colorful houses that remind me of San Francisco architecture, children and their parents at the park, lots of cute cafes and amazing bagels. Definitely more of a neighborhood feel than boston. 

And finally, creative hobby exploration. I'm a big collector and hoarder-- i love collecting movie tickets, receipts, stickers, cards, etc. I needed to do something with them so I ended up taking a lot of them and putting them into a scrapbook notebook and business cards of artists I've collected for a few months now on a cork board. I also have my journal where i brain dump about life and two sketchbooks (one for quick sketches that i can take with me anywhere and another where a drawing may require more time to sketch). 

So yeah, I guess that's how my 2023 ended. I spent the holidays with family and watched the typical christmas/holiday movies curled up on the couch. Living life slowly but calmly. I don't know what 2024 will bring, but I hope it's a good one.