What is the single best thing that happened in the past year?
Paul got employment offers from multiple fire departments (including his dream country). He’s been waiting for this to happen since we first got together, and even a year before then. He came home holding the letters in the mailbox and we read them and then re-read them over and over again. My eyes were glassy, and I was so incredibly proud of him.

What is the most challenging thing that happened to you in 2016?
It was accepting that I would have to be patient with myself and my career goals. We agreed that being remote was best since we would be doing a lot of moving very soon, and though I’ve felt insecure about my contributions, with his hands cradling my face, reassuring me that we were doing this together I knew that we would be more than alright.

What thing did you learn the most from this year?
I learned how to finally take some time for myself. After going to school with multiple jobs and then jumping right into a job after graduation (and never requesting vacation), it felt wonderfully selfish to travel, to experience other cultures, and to just sleep in multiple days in a row.

What is the kindest thing you did this year?
I had to save this question for last. I really am not sure. It seems kind of narcissistic to choose your own kind gesture, lol. Being kind is just… something that feels natural / good for your soul.

Did you lose anyone close family member this year?
No, thank god. I always worry about my grandma (we call her Lola). She’s like a second mother to me. Growing up, she let me pick cookies from her recipe books to make together and we’d watch Whose Line Is It Anyway & The Price is Right. I always sat on her lap and she always made breakfast and lunch. I don’t know what this year would’ve been like if I lost her.

Pick three words to describe 2016.
Challenging, Uplifting, & of course… “MAGA”.

What did you do in 2016 that you never did before?
Two words: Vegas & deja vu.

Did you keep last year’s resolutions? What were they?
I don’t think I made any. I know I’m terrible at them. So, every year, I just strive to become a better version of myself.

Did you travel to any interesting places in 2016?
Yes! The Philippines. As usual, I still need to upload the photos. But Paul (and Tim) got to meet my family there – a bunch of cousins, aunts, uncles, and so many more. There are too many stories that I still need to blog about. We met some of the kindest, most honest & hardworking people, had amazing sisig (& lambanog) à la Tito Bard, fell off a banana boat in the middle of the ocean, learned Tagalog slang, and so much more. We’re already talking about going back. We also went to Arizona for Paul’s fire test and got to see his favorite cousins there. And to Vegas for Estrada’s birthday.

What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
A strong sense of direction / my path that I want to take career-wise. I have a small list of ideas, but I’m not quite sure which is the smartest route.

Do you believe that 2016 had an occurring theme for you? If so, which theme and why?
Remembering to appreciate the ones you love / those who love you. It’s been a painful year for quite a few people I know, and it’s reminded me to really cherish those around you. My world is nothing without Paul, my family, and my friends.

Do you feel like 2016 went by too fast?
A little bit. Though, every year tends to feel faster than the one before. Which, I guess, mathematically makes sense (1/26 of my life vs. 1/25). But I’m excited to dive into 2017, and I don’t remember the last time I’ve been this thrilled about a new year.

Did you fall in love with any new artists during the year 2016? List them.
I don’t get strongly attached to artists, but if I had to remember one, Selena Gomez (to my surprise) had some pretty catchy songs. And as Paul would say, “Rae Shtudashmaker”.

What is the best book you read this past year?
The Name of the Wind! I’m still on the second book (which is great because the third and final book hasn’t been published yet). If you love LotR, HP, or GoT this book is for you :).

What was your favorite movie this year?
This is tough since Paul & I tend to just rewatch Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings all year long. Grimm (a tv show) was also our guilty pleasure this year. But for a 2016 movie, we’d probably would choose Warcraft. It got mixed reviews, but as passionate fans of the game, we thought it turned out wonderfully.

If you could fly anywhere in the world in 2017, where would you go?
That’s tough. I’ve always wanted to go to Japan. But Paul’s already been once, and we both want to see Europe so there’s that. New Zealand sounds beautiful too though.

What was your biggest regret of 2016?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being with Paul, it’s that I shouldn’t regret anything. I love who we are, where we are, and it’s been such an incredible ride. There’s absolutely nothing I’d change.

Do you think you’ll be having a better 2017 than 2016?
Something tells me that we definitely will ;).

Did you make any new friends this year? Lose any friends?
Not really. We tend to keep our group pretty close-knit, and I would be horrible with trying to keep up with too many friendships. I think we got closer to a handful though :).

What was the biggest adventure of last year?
Definitely the Philippines. We had fancy dinners on the beach, walked around the town at any time of day & interacted with local residents, learned more about the history & culture, saw art & had wonderful coffee at Kape Kesada, went ziplining over the ocean & took a bumpy jeep ride through the “jungle”, saw the Mall of Asia, practiced my Tagalog, and just thinking about it all makes me miss it so much more.

Did you get cake on your birthday? Presents? What you wanted?
Paul let me pick out a cheesecake at Ralph’s. I got the mechanical keyboard of my dreams, and I was around the one I love & our friends. It was a perfect birthday, and I felt way too spoiled.

How much did you change this year? What’s different about you?
I think I’m way more comfortable in my own skin. It used to be pretty easy to shake me, get me embarrassed or make me feel inferior. But now I’ve gained a type of self-love that took a long time to find.