Keep Moving Forward

Another holiday post! It is an hour away from midnight, which also means that we are an hour away from 2021 as well. Simply put, I’m writing this short blog post to document the turn of the hour… as odd as that sounds. I’m currently sitting in front of my desk in my dimly lit room, with firework noises ringing outside but I’m here typing away on my computer accompanied by a cup of green tea on my right side. Somehow, as I get older, the more I appreciate holidays that are spent quietly. And not quite surprisingly, I’m in my PJ’s and there’s just no shame in that! Happy new year, indeed.

I’d say my last day of 2020 was spent well, but there was nothing particularly grand about it. To be frank, it had been just like any other day of the year. No complaints about that, though. At this point, if you’re going out and partying for the new year, I’m judging you (honestly, though). It just isn’t safe out there yet. I believe that staying in to celebrate in your own way is still the smartest and safest way.

So, that’s what I did! A quiet, relaxed, new year’s eve was all I could ever ask for, currently at least. I woke up and spent the morning through to noon with my current read: I’m rereading the last Harry Potter book. Somehow, that little voice in the back of my head tells me that it’s quite strange not to be “celebrating” the new year in full blast during times of pandemic. But then again, that’s just how it is for now. We’ve truly got no choice but to deal with it and welcome 2021 in the safest way possible. That makes me sad, too, of course. Which is why I thought that rereading the book that brings me the most comfort would be ideal. And turns out it really is, Hogwarts does make things seem a little better, at least. That’s got to be enough for now.

We had our usual lunch at home and in the afternoon, I tried to write. And I mean, really tried my best, but unfortunately—it turns out that I’m suffering a case of writer’s block at the moment. I just couldn’t write anything good enough and my mood took quite the turn. All’s well now, though. Fixed it up by watching a few episodes of The Big Bang Theory, worked like magic.

And finally, our little New Year’s Eve feast! It’s nothing heavy—mom made salmon steak for dinner, seasoned mushrooms, potatoes, and broccoli on the side, as well as some ham and fruits. We also had some pie and my mom’s crema de fruta (off the photo) for dessert. At the end of the day, it’s the good food that matters! 

Now we’re here in my room, twenty minutes have passed since I started writing this blog post, and we’re officially counting down to 2021. It feels strange to be saying goodbye to the year that has passed because it’s both been eventful and uneventful at the same time, I can’t be the only one who thinks this way. 

In the general sense, everything did change when the lockdown/quarantine (whichever applies to you) started—now we have a “new normal”, which I honestly feel uncomfortable referring to because this isn’t how things are supposed to be. The overall effect of the pandemic is just debilitating for everyone, yet here we are, trying to cope with what’s considered the “new normal”. But it’s also been an uneventful year in the sense that we’ve all just been at home for the most part of the year—and I mean about 75% of it. It’s an ironic situation we’re all apparently stuck in.

Nevertheless, we keep moving forward. 2021 is just around the corner, whether we like it or not. I personally would like to stay on the optimistic side and hope that next year’s going to be a better one. With thirty minutes left on the clock, I wish everyone a jolly new year and hope that your New Year’s Eve is going well. Stay safe and see you around!

Chia x