#365 ~ That's All, Folks!

Zounds! WE DID IT. 365 motherfrakkin days. I can't believe it's been that long. Sharifa and I started this like it was only yesterday. I still remember it. We were at her place, she was packing for a trip abroad, and we were like "Let's do it. Let's do a 365 project." For me, it was something to test my level of commitment on. I also wanted to work on my photography, instead of just jumping up and saying "HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK A NEW LENS WILL HELP ME IMPROVE." I already have 2 lenses and a camera, and what I needed wasn't more equipment; what I needed was to understand how the camera worked and how to use it. 

Am I any wiser now than I was last year? I AM AFRAID NOT. I mean, sure, I learned how bad my pictures can get, and what exactly causes my bad pictures to be frightfully horrid, but I still have a long, long way to go.

But I am now the Valedictorian of Commitment. So that's something, hey?

It's been a horrible year, let's be honest. There were so many instances throughout 2011 when I was in real danger of losing it; it's been emotionally, physically, financially and mentally exhausting. But let's also be honest about this part: it's those ugly moments that make our triumphs so glorious. 

I dedicate this post to everyone and everything that has made me a stronger and better person, whatever bullshit they flung my way. In the words of Alanis Morissette, "Thank you, India".

So yalla, let's play us some Alanis and go through stuff I've earned and learned this year.

Badge Unlocked!

Here's one that was really unexpected! I've got some photos published in a magazine! Not just any photos, but the ones that were specifically part of THIS 365-project. Dude, double badge unlocked! I've never had my name published as a photographer, so I get bragging rights. Thank you, Shaharaine, and thank you Garage Pilipinas!

Books

Because I'm never content with just one thing, I decided to further prove myself unworthy by starting a reading challenge this year. 30 books, I said, in one year, and then I later upped it to 50 books. That was either ambitious, or arrogant, or both. I managed to make it, crawling and gasping for a McDonalds cheeseburger, to 30 books. 

The biggest thing I got from this reading challenge is how it helped me narrow down my interests, in this case: sci-fi and non-fiction (but no auto-biographies). 

Fear, you done got faced!

Thanks to my friends who dragged me screaming, kicking, whimpering and whining to the open sea (TWICE!), I finally got to face my fear of swimming in the sea. At one point, I got so bold I ventured out on my own, far from the boat and everyone else, just hanging out in the sea with them fishies and stuffs, until I got funny ideas about sharks and had to swim back to my people. GOOD TIMES.

Running

I started this challenge towards the end of the year, and failed it miserably. I was training for a 5k run that I was supposed to do in a compound somewhere (potential FML moment), but crazy schedules at work only allowed me to go running twice a week, which wasn't nearly enough. When I first started, I could barely make it to 30 seconds of running, but I had slowly built up to 5 minutes straight. I'll have to re-start asap, but I still consider this a badge unlocked.

When I first posted something about this on the blog, I'd said that it felt like such an accomplishment because it was my very first attempt at running. I was corrected by a college friend, though, because in fact, I used to run regularly in university for an hour each day. Haha. Seriously, how do people forget these things? I couldn't believe I had forgotten. So yes, technically, when I re-start my training, it will be the 3rd time in my life I will be doing this.

I love you, sports!

I've always been into sports. Not because I'm the athletic type or anything, but because I grew up with a bunch of boys with whom I could only prove my worth by winning at a sport. This year, I learned a new sport with Ghaidaa: Squash. The best part? We learned it by watching Youtube videos and reading about it online. It took lots of LOLs and practice to get to where we are now: playing squash without hurting ourselves.

Arabic

I've also finally taken my Arabic studies one step further: learning it seriously. I still fail so much at Arabic, but I've got me my notes, and my grammar, and my friends can't get away with cussing at me in Arabic anymore. Wait...

Sleep

This one, I'm most proud of. I've finally fixed my sleep, y'all! My daily 7 hours. I've had such a hard time bouncing back from my university days of running on 3-hour sleep. 11 years of a fucked up sleeping cycle, no wonder I'm half-insane this whole time. The real win here is that I managed to fix it without the help of medication, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't try.

Fitness

This year, I also started a project with family and friends that involved getting fit and healthy. It's a super win if you take into consideration the fact that I'm the biggest, unhealthiest slob you could ever meet. We are only 4 months into this challenge, however, but it's paying off big-time, if I may say so myself. One thing that really helps? The support group. 

Switching to Mac

Oh, shut up. I'm not gonna go on and on about how Mac is superior to PC. There's already a whole bunch of websites and virgins dedicated to this cause. It's one of the best things that has happened to me this year, though. Before the Mac, I was already content with my PC; I knew how to work around it, I had my routine and my shortcuts, and I knew enough to make my workflow as smooth and enjoyable as possible. When I switched, it was like learning a new language. My Macbook is awesome, though, because it's much, much less clunkier, it's different, and because it was a birthday gift from my super awesome friends.

Back to School

I'd been toying with the idea of going back to school. This year, I finally did it. I'm learning my computer stuff: a little programming, a little web designing, and I've already gotten past the most difficult part: actually doing it. I'm still studying, though, so I'm not sure where this would take me. 

The J-Pod

The podcast moved on up this year when we committed to stepping up our quality game. Yes, I haven't been the best of producers in terms of.. well, doing ANYTHING, but I'll count this as a win. Libra Productions is our first and current studio, and they have been nothing but supportive of us.

Making Friendly

Hey, who doesn't like making awesome friends? We all lose friends, we lose people we love, for whatever reason. But every once in a while, we also hit the jackpot. I've made awesome friends this year, and I'm always thankful for that. When you live in a potentially crippling environment, it's always good to have inspirational people around you, so you don't fall into that stupid funk. My old friends, on the other hand, have graduated to family. I can't imagine going through life without touching bases with them. 

Photography

Aside from the 365-project, this year also marked the second year I'd been working with Sharifa as a photographer. I learned so much from working with her, and it's unfortunate that I'm not good enough to keep up with it. I love taking pictures, I love looking at pictures, but I think that maybe I will put away my camera for the coming year. I've never been an artsy person, and I think this hobby has finally taken what little creativity I have. 

This is the last picture I took with my Nikon. I was gonna go and take a "better" shot, adjust my ISO for less grain, fix my aperture (and my hair), adjust the focus, the shutter speed, the whatnot. Then I was like fuck it. It's perfect as it is.

So say we all.