Six years later
Technically, the last time I published a post here was in 2016, and not 2014. However, all those posts don’t feel personal, and to me the last personal writing I shared was written on March 26, 2014, titled “Thoughts on the Future and a Perfect Day”.
I neglected this space for many years, though I did, and do continue to link to it on my personal and professional profiles. I kept telling myself I’d start writing again after I clean up my site, but really, that’s just an excuse to not write. It’s now July 2020, and about time I finally dust off the virtual cobwebs on my blog and start writing again.
My husband and I were chatting about my website while having lunch today, and he asked me if I had a strategy and who my target audience is. The answer is that I don’t have one. My intention is to put my thoughts and ideas in writing, with the audience being whoever stumbles upon this blog. I have no desire to become an influencer or professional blogger, though kudos to anyone who is on that journey.
So, what’s new in my world since 2014? Here’s a quick summary.
2014: Started a marketing/communications internship with VentureLabs (a startup accelerator based out of my alma mater), completed my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Simon Fraser University (after taking years and years to complete my program), co-organized Startup Weekend Vancouver (and met Wade for the first time, who would be my CEO at Zapier a few years later!), went backpacking through Southeast Asia.
2015: Started my first post-graduation job by getting hired at VentureLabs, met Paul on OkCupid (the day I returned from Southeast Asia, then went on our first date a week later!), travelled for the first time to Las Vegas, Yosemite National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park, and Jasper. My book club friends went on our inaugural “kamp krew” trip, which is now an annual tradition.
2016: Made the leap to (and discovered a passion for) customer support, with my first support role being at Buffer. Towards the end of the year, I joined Thinkific. This was a big travel year, and Paul and I travelled together to France, Italy, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Los Angeles, New Zealand, and Indonesia. We also went on my first multi-day canoeing trip at Bowron Lakes, a 116 km/72 miles of lakes, rivers, and portages.
2017: Started working at Zapier, and travelled to San Jose, Toronto and Las Vegas for work trips. Moved in with Paul, and got engaged!
2018: Travelled to South Carolina, Tennessee and Arizona for work trips. Planned our wedding. Got married to the love of my life. Went on our honeymoon in Portugal and Germany.
2019: Travelled to New Orleans for work. Joined the Premier Support team, a small team that takes care of Zapier’s highest-value customers. Shared with our family, friends and colleagues that we’re expecting a baby! Had our son in the summertime. Went on maternity leave, adjusted to our new lives as parents and met parent friends in our community. Returned to work and re-learned work/life balance. Travelled to San Francisco.
2020: Promoted to Team Lead in Zapier’s Premier Support team in March, right when COVID-19 was declared as a pandemic. This has pretty much wiped clean all the work and personal trips and events that were planned. George Floyd’s death ignited the Black Lives Matter movement, and I’ve been spending a lot of time learning and discussing the injustices to Black and Indigenous folks with family, friends and coworkers. During Filipino Heritage Month, I attended lectures, talks and screenings hosted by Sulong UBC to learn about the Philippines’ history of colonialization and resistance. There’s still plenty for me to learn.
Now, here we are today. I hope I’ll write more often, and that it won’t be another six years until my next post. I think I want to write about motherhood, balancing work/life as a working mom in my thirties, and simple living. Those are the things I think a lot about these days.