2014 is a difficult year for me to describe. It had high highs and low lows, and for whatever reason, they were more pronounced this year than before. I can think of a few culprits. It was my first year of Official Adulting, or at least not spending most of my days in school. I went through two moves – from California back to Manila for a few months, and then from Manila to London (which was also my first time ever being in Europe). I went up a ski lift. I (barely) solved two Mystery Manila rooms. I endured three harrowing visa applications.

I also tried, as best as I knew how, to be a ‘working writer.’ A lot of the times it felt like patting my back with one hand and slapping my face with the other. But there’s a lot to be grateful for.