'24 Recap, '25 Goals

I wrote this in November 2024

Oddly enough, I’m being quite proactive with this post. Perhaps it is a combination of free time, a desire to write something, and a pride of what I’ve done in the past year. We’ll flesh out this post further but it’s nice to get it started while I can.

2024 Things I’m Proud of

  • Had my best baseball season ever. I exceeded nearly every expectation I set for myself coming into the season, and I made my league’s all-star team. I was more conscious about my hitting, played defense across a multitude of positions, and had some of the best games of my life while friends were attending.

  • I made baseball cards for my adult league team. I was thrilled with how they turned out. I designed them based off of 2022 Topps sets and made one for each team member that I could photograph.

  • Wrote a memoir comprising of two essays (Masculinity, and Happiness), 30 quotes I find interesting, and 10 years worth of film photography that I curated

  • Met with my grandma and recorded conversations about her and my mother growing up. Took her portrait.

  • Attended the NYPL Library Lions Gala with a blind date. I love dressing up in Black Tie attire.

  • Canvassed in Pennsylvania for the Election. Something about feminism, getting involved

  • Donated more money this year than I ever have in my life. This was an intentional effort coming into this year, giving to more causes that I found worthy or invested in. Including friend’s running goals, church tithing, mission trips, and small ways to help my community

  • Took home my largest earnings ever. Mostly due to Spotify stock, but I’m really proud of the number I earned, even if it’s superficial.

  • Advanced my photography to a greater level by photographing sports games and and travels.

  • Officiated the wedding of my two closest friends in New York. I was honored to officiate their wedding in the Bahamas on a cruise.

  • Attended weddings in four states, intentionally sought out time with friends across the USA.

  • Obtained one of what I believe to be the best baseball cards of the 21st century.

2025 Goals

  • Photography project capturing MTA conductors pointing at the signs

  • Photography of friends in boxes

  • Monthly passport pictures at Eliz Digital

  • Video curating my fall outfits

  • More usage of B&W film photography

  • Cooking/hosting monthly themed dinners with friends

  • Surpass six figures in revenue with sportscards

  • Commit to a Core group through church

    • Meaning I actively, intentionally, and mindfully show-up at least 25 times over the year

  • End the year in/having been in a romantic relationship

  • Start, consistently use, and end the year on a GLP1, goal of losing 40 more pounds (already down 10!)

  • Find 20 instances of invested rejection throughout the year.

    • This means I’m challenging and pushing myself in things that matter

  • Attend 4 black-tie events because dressing up is fun

  • Mindfully use my Google Calendar to keep track of my life more

2024 Goals

In Progress. So far:

Put significant effort into a significant romantic relationship. Maybe it’s a couple months, maybe it’s longer, it could even be shorter. I’ve found that in 2023, my romantic relationships, while painful, have been life-giving and something I am excited to put effort into moving forward

Be okay with losing at sports. I can be a hyper-competitive person on a field. When I lose, I can become sulky. I try not to take it out on others but unfortunately have found myself quicker to anger/resentment on the field. I take a lot of pride in my athletic abilities, especially despite my physical stature, and when I’m let down by myself or others, I get frustrated, which, in a meta way, frustrates me. I don’t want to lose at sports, but I will challenge myself to be better at losing when I do.

Look better. It’s a combination of being insecure of my weight and appearance, combined with a desire to take advantage of my physical peak during the lifestage that that is possible.

Feel more. I think this one’s easier. I want to add a “feels wheel” on my door such that, everytime I leave my apartment, I consciously take stock of how I’m feeling.

Earn a promotion and raise. I was actually more intentional about my wording in this one. I don’t want to be given a promotion. I want to feel the accomplishment in earning a promotion, by succeeding at what I do. I’ve lied to myself about taking my career seriously for, frankly, a lot of my career. I don’t need to be an Executive, but I want to take the next step. That being said, I’m okay letting this one go if other priorities take precedent and more time/effort/energy than I expected.

AS 26, 2C - New York Joshua

I almost always take a redeye from SEA->JFK on Alaska, usually flight AS 26 which departs at 1130pm and arrives at both an ungodly early hour if I’ve adjusted to Pacific Time, and a normal morning if it’s an Eastern Time. I tend to get lucky with the upgrades, as the flight isn’t too in-demand and I end up in Premium, or often First Class. Regardless of seat assignment, I find the space, physical, mental, and emotional, ripe for digesting my feelings. Alas, as I type this from 2C on a 737Max, I reflect on my current state, and journey. This one will be more scattered than usual, as I’m a feeling a bit frazzled.

Looking back at my previous blog posts and taking stock of my memories and values, I’ll travel to Seattle for someone that matters to me. Whether that’s celebrating for a wedding, finding time to see specifc people, cheering on a beloved team with friends, or something else, I’ve only recently realized the level of intentionality I put on my trips to Seattle. I will always, always try to maximize my trips with multiple interactions. This trip was to see a friend’s newborn, amongst other things.

I don’t know if I have ever truly associated myself with New York City, until now. I was not born here, and though I have fallen in love with the bustling nature of the city, it’s only been 2.5 years since I said, “Welcome to New York”. When someone asks me where I’m from, I proudly say Issaquah (or sometimes, Bellevue, to make myself seem more high class and affluent than I am). All of the sports teams that I affiliate myself with are from Seattle. My alma mater is Washington, perhaps more than just literally. But for the first time in my life, someone else labeled me as “New York Joshua,” at which I chuckled at. A new character in my story and I in theirs, they only know me as someone who lives in New York, yet I hesitate to accept the sobriquet. Am I a New Yorker? Maybe it’s the endless quality food options, the diversity of people I meet, or perhaps the haute Style? My heart may be Seattle, but that hasn’t stopped me from loving New York.

To start this upcoming February, I’ll be headed down south for a Royal Caribbean cruise, ironically on the same cruise line my sister performed shows on. I’m headed to, you guessed it, the Caribbean. I am so, so proud of my sister. She continues to push herself in her Wushu career, accomplishing and achieving beyond my Wildest Dreams. Some good friends whom I met in my church community group in NYC are getting married, and asked me to officiate their wedding. I don’t think I’ll ever say “no” to participating in a wedding as, in my eyes, it marks a monumental relationship either past or present. I’m flattered, honored, and thankful for the times someone asks me to be in their wedding, whether it’s a friendship that has sprouted in the past few years, or longtime buddies who shared impactful stages of life with me. I’ve never officiated a wedding before.

I’m grieving over something that, although not established, nor lengthy, nor labeled, I cared about. Is It Over Now? Grief is a tough feeling to have. I was going to say it’s one of the worst feelings, but having something to grieve over means you’ve appreciated and valued something, and in this moment, while that’s an upsetting feeling, I’d also argue that having those things that matter to you (whether kept or lost) is a core tenet to living. I put a lot of effort into things I care about, and I’m sad when things don’t work out in the way I dream about. The existential questioning of what and why I care about things is beyond my capacity right now, but I know I’m feeling sad about loss.

This week is Spotify’s Wellness Week, which they give employees off to “be well”. Many people use the week to take a free vacation; last year I used the time to get my medical, dental, vision, etc. checkups. This year, I’ll do the same, but am hoping to take some time to really feel what my goals in this upcoming year are. I regret not setting more goals in 2023, as I felt like I fell short of things I wanted to do and the person I wanted to be.

Below are some questions I hope to think about during this week. I doubt I’ll ever find true answers, but at least they’ll spark some conversations and thoughts.

  • What am I looking for in a relationship? I’ve been on quite a few dates in the past years, but some meant significantly more to me than others. I would like to have some stronger sense of a checklist. I suppose step one is identifying How You Get the Girl.

  • What makes a good friendship? What nurtures a healthy one? What kills one?

  • Who do I want to be in 2024? What do I want to achieve? How do I want to treat people? What will make a “successful” 2024?

The last time I truly cried, bawling with tears flowing down my face, was on my very last day of high school. I don’t like that, because the typical comment after that is, “did I peak in high school?” I truly did love high school and am blessed to have had four incredible years surrounded by a community that cared. I adored my classmates, I genuinely appreciated the teachers, and was invested across a variety of activities. The last day of school I remember sitting on a concrete ledge to the left of my high school’s entrance, crying because the adventure I loved was over, and I didn’t know what was next. Luckily, I headed off to the local university where additional friendships were formed.

this is out of date, the last time I cried is now only two days ago, after Cal Raleigh hit his game-winning homerun to break the Seattle Mariners’ 21 year drought of the playoffs

//

I often find myself writing on planes and tonight, the opportunity sits ripe yet again. I’ll usually be leaving from or heading to events I’m excited for which evokes a jambalaya of emotion and thoughts. Most flights, I’m limited to offline access unless I want to chuck a few more dollars to capitalistic ‘Murica to fiddle around Instagram and reddit. Because I typically take red-eye flights, I find myself conflicted about paying for the internet knowing I wont get good usage out of it. 

Well, as I crosstrek back to New York City on a redeye flight fresh off of an incredibly wholesome weekend, I’d be a fool not to take advantage of the time and space to reflect. A close high school friend who helped plan our 10yr Issaquah High School reunion snoozes to my left in 6A, I in 6C, while the seat between us fortunately sits unreserved. Ignoring my liver’s cry, I sip a can of wine while yet another play of Taylor’s All Too Well (10min version) streams through my headphones.

//

One of my favorite writers often ends his musings with “Life is so rich.” Such a simplistic sentence, yet it provokes so much of what I’ve started to define as success. I spent less than 72 jampacked hours in my hometown, spending every second savoring connections I’ve made. While I never am able to see everyone I hope to, my time visiting Seattle is almost always a refreshing shot of vigor into my life. Coffee to the soul, if you will. 

All three of the events I traveled for were joyful celebrations. While my late twenties are sprinting by, I’ve become more and more aware of how blessed I am to live the life I am living every day and let the investments across relationships, connections, and love continue to pay dividends.

  1. Issaquah High School, Class of 2012’s 10 year High School Reunion surpassed every single expectation I had. As far as I know, most people don’t go to their high school reunions for a variety of reasons. Yet on Saturday, about 100 people showed up; a mix of former classmates, spouses, kids, dogs took the time to traverse across the depths of hell the 520 bridge despite hours of traffic, to reach a brewery that some ambitious high school classmates rented out. I was shocked not only by how many people showed up, but also by the amount of sheer joy, pure laughter, fond memories, and reminiscence. Unlimited beer may have helped, but I can’t put into words how much seeing these old friends show up brought an inexplicable sense of happiness to my soul. There were memories I had forgotten about, and families that I hadn’t met yet. People came from around the state (and beyond) just to connect with classmates they hadn’t seen in years. I don’t think this is normal, and nor do I expect this out of most high schools, but one of the senses I got from my high school class is that there was a sense of community and unity amongst ourselves, uncommon to most. I vividly remember crying the last day of high school, sad that it was “over,” and yet I was able to celebrate and reconnect with people I hadn’t seen since that day. I am so genuinely happy, proud, and excited for everyone I saw there. Hearing stories of their endeavors and lives since has grounded me in abundant joy. I had to leave a little earlier than I liked, given that I had another plan that night, but will cherish the time I had with each of the people there.

On top of that, I had dinner with some friends on Monday evening who drove across the water (yet again) to eat Thai food in our high school hometown. Laughs were had, and I am forever thankful for the effort people in my high school friend group make in keeping in touch.

2. The Washington Huskies football team had a frustrating year in 2021, leading to a much anticipated coaching change this year. In college, football games are a social event as much as a viewing spectacle, and having moved to the Bay Area for four years and now New York City, I rarely get to experience my university’s team in person. Luckily, they were in town this weekend and I was generously gifted an extra ticket by a close couple I keep in touch with. The game unfortunately was at the same time at my high school reunion. After I had made a few rounds at the brewery, I ubered up to the stadium anticipating more reconnections, but this time with college friends.. I arrived at the half and spent a quarter with each of the two couples. On the northwest end of Husky Stadium, I shared laughs with a friend I play video games weekly with, and his wife who was my neighbor in college, plus their sibling and friends who I knew in college. After the 3rd ended, I headed up to the southeast corner of the stadium, where I reconnected with a couple who were in a Christian fellowship I occasionally attended on Tuesdays and Thursdays in college. I also played flag football with Danny, and we chuckled over routes we’d draw up in flag football while our football team demolished Stanford on the field was an absolute treat. I don’t get to see either of these couples in person nearly as much as I wish I could, but I savor the moments I spend with them.


After the game ended, I headed to Ballard where I was initiated into the Kangaroo and Kiwi culture with a short stop at Shingletown. Thank God these places weren’t around when I was in college, as if Earls and Wells Wednesdays weren’t enough. Before I knew it, it was 2am in Seattle (which is equivalent to 5am on the east coast… not sure how I stayed awake) and I needed to get home.

3. Wedding Szn is upon me as someone in my late-twenties, and I was extremely lucky to have had my high school reunion conveniently the same weekend I was invited to this wedding. Okay, I may have had some hands in the strategic planning for that. I don’t know if the groom of the wedding remembers, but the first time I met him I was upset with him for not running out a ball in our fraternity’s intramural softball game. Somehow, I was able to connect with him over baseball cards and F1, and I graciously attended his and his now-wife’s wedding celebration this weekend. The bride has a fantastically curated sense of creativity and it was well apparent at the wedding venue- each table was thoughtfully organized and named after things they had in common. For me, tens of my fraternity brothers and our sorority neighbors from which the bride was a part of, we sat at a table named after the street our houses were on. How cool is that? There were probably twenty guys from my fraternity at the wedding and while I was close with some and distant with others, I treasured getting to hear what each of them is up to. I am so, so proud of the people they have become, the careers they lead, and the relationships they continue to build. When I joined my fraternity in 2012-13, I never thought that it would lead to this level of connection and, literally, fraternization. On top of that, the wedding was beautiful. I can’t get over the unique touches in the planning that were so meticulously organized and well-executed. I’m happy for the couple (thought they’ve technically been married for a while because of COVID), and am confident that they are the best versions of themselves with each other.

I stayed this entire weekend with my parents at my childhood home. When I woke up this morning, my mom gave me a plate of apples to eat while I worked and took calls from home. She put a little bathtoy with a picture of me (as a baby) and my dad in my bathroom so I could see it. While it’s a little cheesy, I smiled when I saw it. I shared with them my thankfulness for the events I was allowed to experience above, all of which really are spawned out of a loving home that they created for me and my sister.


The leaves outside are beginning to turn to shades of burnt orange with streaks of lightning and hints of auburn. Fall in the most beautiful place in the world is around the corner yet again. I embark back to the concrete jungle, where I’ll head straight into the office, inserting myself back into the machinery that is Corporate America.

Perhaps I too may end this writing both quoting and truly embodying the words of Scott Galloway, Life is so rich. 

I am so lucky and thankful to have the life I have with the connections I’ve made. While I’ve written these words on paper, I canot articulate the emotions that have positively overwhelmed me this weekend. I am grateful for so many people who I have had the fortune to cross paths with. It is well with my soul.

Joshua

Time spent writing this: 4x plays of ATW 10min version, 1x New Year’s Day, 2x Cornelia Street, 2x It Is Well (live) by Bethel.