Well it’s nearing the end of 2019 and some of you may be wondering – where was Glen this past year? Not to worry, kind reader! I’ve been alive and well, and after an eight-month hiatus, I’m back again posting on this blog. But in all seriousness, as we hit the end of the 2010s, blogging is feeling more and more like a throwback. I’m determined to keep at it, despite the changing tides of the Internet (Gen Z is making me feel old). I have so many blog post ideas, and I’ve been eager to flex my dying writing muscles. I just need to find the time.
So, as things wind down at the end of this year, and I find myself with a bit of down time before the craziness of the new year, I’m determined to sit down and just write. This post will be a repository of the events, thoughts, and ideas that have been on my mind. It may be a bit scattered at times, so bear with me. Sit back and hope you enjoy the read.
Travels
I won’t go into all the details of my travels in 2019 – that will be the topic of my annual end-of-year “review” post. But I will say that 2019 was not much different than the past few years when it came to travel. From multiple out-of-state snowboarding trips to weekend jaunts for music festivals to my annual Formula 1 pilgrimage (this time to Italy), 2019 was another busy yet adventure-filled travel year.
However, where I felt the most accomplishment when it came to trips was leading multiple backpacking excursions for my friends this year. For quite a few folks, these trips marked the first backpacking trip of their lives or a bucket list backpacking location. I’m honored to have been a part of that, and I hope I was a good steward of the outdoors. I had such an amazing time backpacking in Desolation Wilderness, Sequoia National Forest, Butano State Park, and the Lost Coast. Shout out to all the crews that came with and made each trip fun and memorable!
Trip Planning
Speaking of traveling, I’m known among my friends as a go-to trip planner. So much so that now a lot of trips don’t happen unless I plan it, ha. I’m always happy to do it, and I’ve done it enough where I’m comfortable and confident in doing it well. It might come as a surprise to many of you – but trip planning wasn’t something that I was good at, or something that came to me naturally.
I still remember making the decision to become a more active planner maybe 4 to 5 years ago. Up until then, I’d typically relied on friends taking on the burden of making plans and joining in on trips and events. I realized that I was always taking and not contributing, so I made it a goal to change myself in that regard. The change was gradual and didn’t come easily. I made plenty of mistakes along the way. But with each new trip planned, I learned and became better at it.
The reason I bring this up now is because I’ve been thinking a lot about change and self-improvement. A lot of these things happen over long periods of time, with nothing to show for it along the way. A lot of times I continue to stick to a practice or habit that I’m working on, and only after looking back after some time am I able to actually see major improvement. Seeing my planning chops now is a reminder that there are so many things “in progress” – and while it’s discouraging to be in the thick of it and not have results, the important thing is to stick with it. The change will come over time, and it will probably be a lot more significant than you’d ever imagined.
The Process
That leads me to another concept I’ve been thinking about recently – embracing the process. Back in the fall, I was struggling with not seeing enough results in my life from the seeds that I’d planted and have been conscientiously cultivating over the past 5 or 6 years. Whether it was my approach to money, exercise, or living, I just wished there was more to show in the here and now, markers that would encourage me to stick with the plan.
But I believe this strongly – the path I’ve taken in these areas of my life will continue to grow and compound, and I need to stick with them, even though I can’t see the benefits every day. It’s about embracing and enjoying the process – including the little victories that I might have overlooked – with an eye towards realizing the big changes that have happened.
Around this time, I came across a blog post about the phrase “Hold Fast” – something that sailors would get tattooed across their fingers to remind them to grip the riggings firmly to stay on course, even in the face of strong winds and waves. The phrase became a good personal reminder of holding firm to my own values and goals, even when storms of doubt or setbacks come up.
Health & Setbacks
And there were definitely some challenges this past year. Originally, I’d made 2019 a year of focusing on health. Little did I know that 2019 would turn out to be a pretty big year for it. It was around Thanksgiving 2018 when I first noticed the pain in my lower right abdomen area whenever I sat down for longer periods. By the end of the year, the pain was so bothersome that I could no longer sit for more than an hour without experiencing it. I got myself checked out, and long story short, I found out that I had a hernia and needed surgery to repair it.
This was just around the time I’d gone all-in on my snowboarding season, with multiple passes purchased and multiple trips booked. So I had a good conversation with my specialist surgeon, who also happened to be an avid snowsport fan, about the possibility of holding off on the surgery until after the season. He was more than happy to agree (I think he typically dealt with much more serious issues requiring surgery), so we scheduled the surgery for the end of March 2019, after my snowboarding trip to Japan.
So for 3 months, I couldn’t sit for long periods at work without standing up or using special seat cushions. I also couldn’t ride my bike or motorcycle in comfort, swim certain strokes, or go too hard during exercise and outdoor activities. But it all worked out in the end, and about a week after my Japan trip and 10 days before Coachella, I had a successful surgery. The initial healing time? 10 days. Perfect.
And while the road to complete recovery was much more involved than I made it seem (I didn’t feel 100% until 7 months after the surgery), I consider myself very fortunate to have health insurance, good doctors, and solid friends. So while my initial resolution for 2019 was to focus more on healthy living and getting old injuries checked out, it soon morphed into something entirely different, yet still related.
Other Big Changes
Another big change is that I finally moved, for the first time in 5 years…from my old room to my current room…in the same apartment unit. It might not seem that big, but it was quite a change, and the result is definitely a life upgrade. I went from about 110 square feet to maybe 160 square feet. That’s like 1.5x!
Naturally, moving into the other room meant roommate changes, and 2019 was a big year for it. Prior to this year, I had the same two roommates from the last several years, including one who moved in with me 5 years ago. Since the start of this year, I’ve now had 4 new roommates (2 sets, 6 months). I’ve been lucky that they’ve all been great, but it’s definitely something different than what I’m used to. I’m rolling with the punches and embracing this aspect of city living.
Having more space meant that I’ve been buying some upgrades this past year, including media stuff, furniture, etc. I’ve known this for a long time – I don’t need the newest or biggest place. I’m actually very happy in smaller spaces that I can customize to my liking. It took over 6 months (another gradual change), but my “new” room is finally close to where I want it to be. Hoping to host more movie and wine nights in the coming year.
SF, 6 Years Later
I have always believed in the city, despite the naysayers. People told me not to move into San Francisco 6 years ago because it would be too expensive. Moving here turned out to be one of the best decisions I’d ever made. These days, it’s about the state of the city – its cleanliness, safety, and homeless “problem.” I agree – there are many things that need to be fixed. I want to be a part of that, whether that’s through staying informed, getting to the voting booth, or being involved with organizations.
But every day, I’m grateful that I get to live in SF, and I still can’t get over all the incredible things here that speak to me and to my passions and interests. Even though I’m not sure how long I’ll be here in the long run, I’m here as if I’ll be living here for the rest of my life. Not with an eye to whatever’s supposed to come next – with my full attention and energy on enjoying and giving back to the city, in my own little ways.
It’s about embracing the process, staying true to my values, and holding fast. What an amazing run so far, and I can’t wait to ring in 2020 from my now-upgraded, 160-ish square-foot apartment in downtown San Francisco!
