I saw an article on Twitter called "40 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Year" (stephango.com/40-questions), so I decided to use this article as my year-end reflection.
- What new things did you do this year that you had never done before?
I thought about this question for two minutes, but I couldn't come up with an answer. I guess I'm a boring person.
- Did you keep the promises you made to yourself at the beginning of the year?
Well, it seems like I didn't make any promises at the beginning of the year, or maybe I forgot. I think I should write them down in the future so that I don't forget.
- Did anyone around you have a baby?
It's quite a coincidence, but I had my own baby this year, and it's a little bundle of joy. I'm a dad now.
- Did anyone around you pass away?
No.
- Which cities/states/countries did you visit?
I didn't go anywhere, not even out of the province.
- What do you want to achieve next year that you didn't have this year?
I'll take note of this question, so I won't have another awkward answer. Maybe I want a DSLR camera so I can take more photos of my child and family, or maybe a desktop computer because Macs can't play PC games. But as a new dad, I think I'll have less and less time for myself, so I probably won't buy these things. But I'll still take note of it.
- Which day(s) of this year will be memorable to you and why?
I think it's the day my child was born (20231010). I think this day will be etched in my memory because it's the day I became a dad.
- What is your biggest achievement this year?
My biggest achievement this year is becoming a dad. I think it's the biggest achievement of my life.
- What is your biggest failure this year?
I lost some money in investments.
- What difficulties did you encounter this year?
It seems like I didn't encounter any difficulties.
- Did you get sick or injured this year?
I had hives, and it made me suffer for a long time. I took antihistamines for almost 3 months.
- What is the best thing you bought this year?
Probably the Apple Watch. My wife was pregnant, so I wanted to buy a watch that could monitor heart rate to better take care of her health. But now it belongs to me.
- Whose behavior deserves praise?
I think it's my wife. She has done a lot for me and our child, and I think I should thank her.
- Whose behavior shocked you?
There doesn't seem to be anyone whose behavior shocked me.
- Where did most of your money go?
Does the stock market count? If not, then probably rent. Surprisingly, eating out is the least expensive.
- What made you super, super, super excited?
I think it's the moment my child was born. I think I'll remember that moment for the rest of my life.
- Which song will always remind you of this year?
None, it seems.
- Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? Did you become thinner or fatter? Did you become richer or poorer?
I'm happier, fatter, and although I lost some money in the stock market, overall I became richer.
- What do you wish you could do more of?
I wish I could spend more time with my family. I used to work overtime a lot, but it seems like it's unavoidable.
- What do you wish you could do less of?
I wish I could work less overtime.
- How did you spend the holidays?
Usually, I would go out for a meal.
- Did you fall in love this year?
Hahaha, I think we can skip this question. I'm already married and have a child.
- Is there someone you dislike now that you didn't dislike last year?
It seems like there isn't.
- What is your favorite TV show?
I haven't watched TV in a long time.
- What is the best book you read this year?
Investment book: "The Intelligent Investor," technical book: "10 Go Mistakes," literature book: "Tai Bai Jin Xing Is Annoying."
- What is the best song you discovered this year?
The first song that came to my mind is "Cheng Ai Ying" by Zhao Lei.
- What is the best movie you watched this year?
I watched several movies, but the one that I can remember the name of is "The Annual Meeting Must Not Stop." It's not because it's my favorite, but because I watched it recently. I tried to find the page on Douban where I marked the movies I've watched, but I couldn't find it.
- What is the best meal you had this year?
Probably a certain beef hot pot, but it wasn't as good when I went there again.
- What is something you wanted and got?
A daughter, hahaha. Many of these questions are about children.
- What is something you wanted but didn't get?
It seems like there isn't. Contentment is the key to happiness.
- What did you do on your birthday?
I didn't do anything. It was probably a busy day, and my birthday became just an ordinary day.
- What is something that, if it happened, would make this year incredibly fulfilling?
Year-end bonus? Hahaha, in a company that had three rounds of layoffs this year, will there be a year-end bonus?
- How would you describe your personal style this year?
I don't understand fashion. Generally, I prioritize comfort when buying clothes.
- What keeps you sane?
Actually, sometimes I'm not a rational person. I often like to stick to my own ideas. That's something I should change.
- Who do you admire the most, celebrity/public figure-wise?
Luo Xiang.
- Which political issue made you feel strongly?
Seeing how Taiwan chose its leader made me feel a lot of emotions.
- Who do you miss?
Recently, I played a game of League of Legends by chance, and I realized that I couldn't even find where the mouse was. After one game, it felt meaningless, but then I saw that all my friends on the list were grayed out. I think I must miss them. But then I uninstalled the game.
- Among the people you've met this year, who is the best?
It seems like I didn't meet anyone new this year.
- What valuable life lessons did you learn this year?
Share more, communicate more, and have more conversations.
- Can you summarize your year in one sentence?
I've been looking at this sentence for a long time, but I can't find a suitable one. The past few years, including this year, seem to be unchanging, and the only change is the arrival of my child. The arrival of my child has made me cherish my family and life even more. I think that's my summary for this year.