It's been five days into 2015, and things have been fine. I feel like everyone puts so much pressure to start off the new year on a positive note, and any imperfections in his/her life now will some how predict their fortune for the whole year. No, December 31, 2014 is just as valuable as January 1, 2015. So I do not set any new year resolutions, I just enjoy every day as it comes, and set new goals to improve myself any day of the year.
For the past month every one have been posting their year end review on Facebook, and since I rarely post anything on Facebook, the pictures Facebook pulled up for me really isn't a great representation of my year. I felt a little bummed out because I could not show off the awesome adventures I went on, and my year somehow felt less exciting than everyone else's.
So I am going to do a little review here, and I will even throw in a few never before posted photos as well.
January:
I started the year in Wuxi, China, and welcomed 2014 with a traditional Buddhist New Year ceremony. My boyfriend's family and I had the pleasure to struck the 88th ring of the great bell in the Buddhist temple. (88 is a super lucky number in Chinese culture). The night was super cold, but it was a lot of fun. We prayed to the Buddha and wrote down our wishes. After the ceremony was done, we ran back to the car and went back to our warm home. I did not take any pictures that day because I think it's disrespectful to take pictures at religious settings.
We returned to Canada in mid-January
In Nanjing, China
February:
By February, I was suffering vacation withdraw, so Draco (the boyfriend) took me to Niagara Falls, Ontario for Valentines day. Although I have been to Niagara a million times, and probably never wish to return again. This was actually the one and only time I went to Niagara with Draco. We played mini golf, visited Ripley's Believe It or Not museum and ate a lot of food. It was a short trip but funnies.
March:
In March, I started my Youtube channel Sunny DIY. I have posted videos to Youtube occasionally over the years, but this time I am committed to post weekly DIY videos. DIY is my passion and hobby, and I thoroughly enjoy it. With the motivation from my boyfriend, I am proud to say I have been able to consistently post new videos every week for the past 9 months. As with anything else, there is a learning curve, and I have pulled down some of my videos, so, unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to see some of the initial videos any more.
Escape room was the latest thing at this point and my friend and I attempted, but epically failed at escaping from a locked room.
May:
I had a few vacation days left for my fiscal year, so Draco and I went back to Montreal. We revisited some of my favourite restaurants and ventured to a number of new places. We also went to our first board game cafe in Montreal. At the board game cafe, we were invited to market test a new board game. It was fun to participate in something not everyone has a chance to do and to play a game that's not yet in market, plus we got a free drink out of it.
McGill University campus, Montreal, QC
I also chopped off my long hair (about 8 inches) in May. The next time I cut off my hair, I will be donating it to the Canadian Cancer society to make wigs for cancer patients.
June:
The temperature was finally heating up in Toronto as summer arrived. Toronto in the summer is really fun, I visited a few neighbouring towns, went to pick Strawberrys and participated in a few local events.
St. Jacob, ON
Strawberry picking
July:
I was invited to up-state New York (Sullivan County) to the awesome Beaver Brook cabin. One of my favourt things to do is to hang out with new friends, doing new things. I had a ton of fun the last time my friends and I went camping and met a bunch of new people. This time, I enjoyed the cottage life with a bunch of Americans who were super cool and awesome. The bonus was that Draco was with me this time. The cottage we stayed at was very secluded, and we were basically living in the forest. It was a very different and exciting experience. Although the logistics of getting there was a bitch, I am so glad I made the trip.
Beaver Brook cabin
We spent the second part of our New York trip in Manhattan, enjoying the metropolis.
August:
Draco and I had fun at our favourite street festival "Buskerfest," and Draco also moved to a new apartment in August. The process of moving and buying new furniture was hectic, but we did it together, and decorating the new place together give me a sense of how awesome it would be to have our own home some day. August was also when the Ice Bucket challenge, raising awareness for ALS disease, really took off. I also got in on the action and participated.
pigging out on churros and lemonade
September:
September rolled around and one of my best friends, Krystle, was getting married. The wedding was beautiful, grand, awesome, fun and crazy! I am fairly sure I will want to have my wedding at a much, much later date so people can't do a direct comparison. I am so happy for Krystle and I am so glad I had my friends to share the day with. Honestly, it wouldn't have been half as fun without them. Some of the things that happened were talked about for months to come, but I wouldn't share the details with the internet.
Good friends + wine
October:
My birthday month! This year for my birthday, I was treated to the Cirque du Soleil- Kurios performance. I also drove in down town for the first time because it was very inconvenient to get to the Cirque du Soleil location via public transit. I have never previously driven to down town because the traffic is always so bad. But I think I am finally at the point where I am comfortable driving anywhere.
Cirque du Soleil- Kurios, Toronto ON
December:
2014 honestly just flew by, so much happened in so little time. I still remember the black out during December 2013, and now it's a year later. Draco's birthday is in December, and as a part of his birthday celebrations, we went to Ripley's Aquarium. Draco loves aquariums. The super awesome part of December is Christmas of course, but I am more excited about Boxing Day. Boxing Day was awesome this year because a family friend gave us a VIP day pass to Yorkdale (a.k.a. my favourite mall). With the pass, we got valet parking, free drinks and snacks, and VIP resting lounge, coat and bag check and free gift wrapping. Valet parking was the most important part, because finding parking on Boxing day is next to impossible, plus, having a gentleman opening my car door and greeting me and treating me like a princess is always a bonus. The whole experience was awesome, I certainly enjoyed my sneak peak of high class living.
We quietly ring in the new year with a small family dinner, then Draco and I went to a tea shop to just hang out and chat.
2015
I didn't realize how great 2014 was until I recounted everything that happened. I encourage you to do the same. 2015 will be even more awesome. In less than two month, Draco and I will be travelling to Shanghai, Wuxi, Xi'an and Taipei. I can't wait.
