Honest confession: I should have saved up enough money so that I don't have to worry about working too many hours while still having adequate time to work on coding projects.

This pleasant feeling reminds me of the times when I was doing some reading for my college coursework in relation to Political Economy. As if this isn't obvious enough, but I graduated with a degree in Political Science and took some intro-level Economics classes (in high school and college). Sometimes I feel like as though I am stuck in the bottom of what Jeffrey Sachs would define as the ladder of development. Anyhow, ever since graduation, I had the same aspirations as any other college graduate. I want a stable job, I want to be able to pay affordable rent, and I don't need a car because I have the option to commute everywhere and the transportation system in Seattle isn't all that terrible (even though I have second thoughts about it right now).

I decided to start working. I landed a sweet deal working in the food industry at the Woodland Park Zoo. I went through one interview and did not even have any formal email relaying the fact that I am starting the job in a week or so. I packed my bags and went to my last Model United Nations conference in New York City. After I experienced my last stress-free week, I started working and hasn't stopped since then. It was 2013. (Disclaimer: A little late. I'm not trying to sound like as if I am some spoiled brat that I drag the fact that I have to be working retail. I simply want to share a little snippet of my story ever since I graduated from UW).

Throughout the years, I hated the job. The management was terrible but I managed to still do side projects that I am genuinely passionate about. In late 2013, I started working for Starbucks. I naively thought it was a life changing moment. You know, a moment when you just feel so stuck that anything else seems better. Like when you're sick as dog sitting at home and can't go out to get food, and that moment when you found some leftover food in your fridge or finding that lukewarm Diet Coke that has been sitting on your table for way too long. Something like a mundane discovery under such horrid circumstances make you appreciate it so much more.

And here I am forgetting what my original intention was in writing this blog post. I suppose what I am trying to say is to be patient and never stop trying. I have been one of those kids where you try to read all these self-help books in trying to motivate yourself. I signed up for classes and also did the coding bootcamp hopefully to diversify my skills and also to be challenged. I took risks. I broke some dreams. I picked up some new hobbies and passions. At the end of the day, it's all about finding the proper ways to deal with adversity and a shitty situation. Other people can keep telling you the things you don't want to hear and you don't have to listen to them. What makes everything overcoming moment even more difficult is the fact that you, yourself is prohibiting yourself from looking at things from a different perspective.

We all want to take the high road. We all want to quickly have accomplishments that we want to share with friends and loved ones. Because this is how social media has shaped the current generation. I don't deny the fact that I feel even more pressured because my friends are always posting about their weekend getaways at a different country or having the meal of their lives at the fanciest fancy restaurants in town. You know, all those things that could make you wonder what you're doing with life while working in an industry that isn't so glorious at all?

I do not regret the decisions I have made. And sometimes I have come to realize that it might be take me longer to get to where I want to be.

I'll leave my trip to Ellensburg in another post. But I finally understand the need to be away from stress and city life. I truly enjoyed being in nature for a few days. I also finally understood the reasons why my dad has always enjoyed being over here instead of Hong Kong sometimes. The older I get, the more similar I am becoming as my dad and I am damn proud of it.

Last week, I went to Web Dev Con, hosted by Amazon. It is a conference dedicated to front-end web development. My favorite talk was the last talk on React Native and UI. And as mentioned, I also took a trip to Ellensburg which I shall discuss at a later time.

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."