As the title says, despite my very long hiatus from blogging, I’m still here! I just re-read my last post from 8 months ago (oof), and it’s insane how much has happened in that time. Similar to then, I’ve recently gotten back from a trip to Dallas, and I’m now comfortably typing from my living room couch in Boston, while it snows outside and Coconut snoozes near my feet. Ain’t that somethin’!

Overall, things have been busy but good! My biggest challenge continues to be balancing a full-time job, grad school, exercise, and a social life. (The latter two are always the first to be deprioritized. *sigh*) Sometimes it can feel like I’m only ever in one of two states—happy or stressed—and that’s a binary I’m trying to soften.

I’m a big believer in buckling down and just doing what needs to be done, whether that be waking up at 5 AM to watch lectures or coding into the night to meet a work deadline. There are certainly occasions when such extremes are necessary. But I’ve also come to realize that a life of constant stress isn’t what I signed up for nor want.

I—and the people around me, probably, at least to some extent—have grown tired of being a frequent canceller of plans and someone who takes weeks to text back. I recently read an article about how people spend less time with friends than ever before: a little under three hours weekly, down from six in 2014. My first thought was: “Six!? HOW!?!” And my second, much quieter and more shameful, was: “I definitely haven’t been meeting the current average…”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still getting social interaction in general. My boyfriend (!!) and I see each other most days, and I’m in the office at least a couple days a week. But friends? I honestly haven’t made enough time for them, which I’m committed to changing. Starting with not cancelling on dinner plans tonight!

Other fun life updates:

1) I’m back on my reading game—just finished The Maid by Nita Prose, which was superb.

2) Had a skin cancer scare on my right calf; the mass was removed in early January. Turns out it was benign, but better safe than sorry. And after five long, doctor-ordered weeks of “no strenuous (leg-related) exercise,” I can finally run again! Yesterday was my second run since the surgery, and it was tough but so, so satisfying.

3) My boyfriend and I have been baking up a storm! Our most recent creation was Claire Saffitz’s babkallah, which turned out delicious. We made two versions: the classic chocolate/cinnamon combo and s’mores.

4) I’d like to watch more movies this year. I saw a ton over winter break with my cinephile brother-in-law and felt particularly inspired after visiting the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. A couple weekends ago, I finally watched 2001: A Space Odyssey for the first time!

5) Work’s been really fun. My team is small (just me and my tech lead), and I recently started leading a new project. My office is dog-friendly, so I try to bring Coconut in once a week. He’s a hit—people are always stopping by my desk on his days!

6) I recently saw some old photos from when I was a kid, and I loved the way I dressed! My outfits were fun and bold, and I’m trying to channel more of that energy into my current wardrobe….like in the orange pants below!

7) As I mentioned earlier, I’m still in grad school. My current class is “Advanced Linear Algebra for Computing,” and while every week’s a challenge, I’ve managed to stay afloat so far! Math is….so hard lol.

8) Yet another thing I mentioned earlier—I’m dating someone now! He’s great.

9) Some online content I’ve been consuming: I’ll occasionally pop into Cup of Jo; I love Nedra Tawwab’s newsletter (and can’t wait for her new book, Drama Free); and I’ve recently started watching fashion-fluencer Laini Ozark’s Youtube channel.

Aaaand that’s that! I don’t wanna make promises I can’t keep, but I’d genuinely like to blog more—writing this post alone has brought me so much joy. (One blog idea that’s been stewing in my mind: most quality-of-life-improving purchases! Lookin’ at you, stone bath mat…)

If time allows, y’all will hopefully be seeing more in the near future. ✌️