There is so much to say about 2024 and how much it affected my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined. But as I say adios to the year, I have been thinking about how I want to describe it without feeling very guilty moving forward.

Earlier in the year, I’ve discovered a lump on my back. I immediately had it checked on and discovered it was a benign mass of fat tissue that somehow managed to form without any due cause. it’s called a lipoma and it’s easily treatable. However, it did took a lot of my resources to have it sourced out and realized, as a 30-something adult, that health issue like this can really be financially straining even if you’ve been trying to save up and have saved up for situations such as this.

Now, around the same time, I had to say goodbye to one of the few projects that I can honestly say that I’ve really enjoyed being a part of, TeleNovela Channel. I was its editor for the past three years and professionally, it was a devastating setback as I had big plans for the channel, having lead a strong effort to strengthen the brand of the channel and realize its potential. However, the business side of things was not in its favor and it was definitely beyond my control. The shifting dynamics of Philippine broadcasting as a whole have really led to a shutdown of many cable, satellite, and digital channels, which was only hastened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The channel was fortunate to have survived the height of that worldwide crisis with a couple of lifelines that gave it some additional years in its run. I can still feel the void it left but the time I’ve spent as its editor will always be something I’ll always cherish.

Considering that I’m now 34 years old and have been in my job for nearly 10 years now, I feel like I’m at the crossroads of where I want to go, career-wise. My parents have been more than wanting me to leave my job that I love so much and more for something that offers more monetary support and ideally in the public sector.

As many of you may know from reading my past entries that I have been in the public sector before. I enjoyed my time but ultimately, left it for other opportunities. My dad has always been persistent that I take up on his job offer at his place of employment and I have had a negative experience at the time when I did entertain him that time. This year, I decided to entertain my dad again just so he can stop nagging me on this and for my mom to stop guilt-tripping me about my future. I know that my parents are doing this because they care for me but ultimately, I feel like I’ve been robbed of making my own choices affecting my life. Like, adulting is already hard as it is but being made to follow what they want isn’t helping thing either and I have been a miserable mess for a good chunk of the year.

Now, it was obvious from the start my dad wanted me to take a jab at this open position at an agency he once led and it screams nepotism. Other than that, there was so much about it that have made me uncomfortable although I did my best to present myself as a viable candidate for that job. In the end, other factors relating to it have made me consider to not go forward in the process. I’m not sure if my parents have been told about it but it was a decision that I made for myself and my own interests. If ever an opportunity comes my way, it should come under my terms and not of others.

This year, I think I have been to quite a lot of wakes than ever. I attended the wakes of a couple of teachers of mine from high school, the wake of a grade school classmate’s parent, the wake of my college graduate’s grandpa, and the wake of a workmate. It really hits you when you’re starting to attend a lot of wakes as you age and it’s something that has gotten me thinking about how I want my life to be remembered if my moment comes (cue existential crisis).

Despite the highs and lows of adulting I had to experience this year, I still managed to find ways to be in touch with my inner child. Being able to watch cartoons and anime for one has kept me going, from resuming Naruto Shippuden (and discontinuing it despite only a dozen episodes left before I can finally finish it) to watching the likes of Seven Deadly Sins, Four Knights of the Apocalypse, Voltron, The Dragon Prince, Vox Machina and Kaiju No. 8, to reliving the fever that was Pokémon. I plan to carry that over to the next year in addition to going to see more movies in theaters.

Moving forward, as I’ve probably kept on telling myself in previous years, that I’ll make the most of what life has in store for me. I have been serious about my fitness and perhaps I need to step it up (without going broke). A return to my reaction video YouTuber phase is in the cards as well but we’ll see how I could balance that between my work, my life, and my passions.

To 2025 we go!