I started this blog in high school, I'm almost 30 now.

It's time for another yearly update for future Catherine (and whomever stumbles upon this blog). I realized I have had this blog since I was in high school. When reading my entries, I can see how much I have changed, and have grown from a girl to a woman (that was the point of my constantly journaling and blogging). I always record and take pictures of everything, so I wouldn't forget. 

I moved out last year in September. I finally bought a place (with my dad's help) and moved out. I decorated my home as I would have loved when I was a child. Life is peaceful and I have grown to appreciate my family more. I think we just needed the space. 

After I moved, I would only wake up to silence, not the sound of my dad's tv or my mom on the phone. My cat, Jiji, is no longer there to wake me up. I also would come home to silence and darkness, not my dad cooking dinner or my cat coming to greet me. But it is peaceful. 

My best friend, Sam, sent me a flyer about a black cat who needed a home. She was already called Gigi so Sam thought it was funny that there's another black cat with a similar name. 

I put in the request for her adoption and finally got her in November 2023. Now I have two black cats, Gigi and Jiji (who still lives with my parents). Gigi is so cute and affectionate, just like Jiji (although she doesn't like other animals). I found out she had aids in January :( but she is still a healthy cat otherwise. 

She taps you when she wants pets, she's very vocal, and she loves being cradled like a baby. I now wake up to her screaming (I can not sleep in because she knows the time that I wake up each day). I also come home to her screaming. Life is still peaceful. 

Other life updates -

I went to Japan for the first time with my family last summer! It was one of the best moments of my life. We went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Osaka within two weeks. The food was great, the places were beautiful, and the people were kind. 

I performed twice last summer. I injured my shoulder over training and it wasn't the same since. 

I also went to Sedona and Phoenix last winter. Sedona was great! Phoenix was meh. 

I started tattooing early this year. It's something I've wanted to do for so long. I read a post that if you receive a calling, don't ignore it or it'll come back when you're in your 40's, and that is your mid-life crisis. At least if it doesn't work out, I know I have done my best. 

Tattooing isn't easy. It is as if I'm working two jobs (my full-time and this one). I'm still improving my skills, very slowly. I just starting tattooing humans last month! My work is on IG: @inkedbycatherine. I made this page last year not knowing when or if I will become a tattoo artist. It feels so great when people want to get my flash art tattooed on them. I feel so appreciated. 

I ended my five-year relationship about two months ago. My relationship before that was also five years. Hm. The relationship ended a week before my birthday. We usually celebrate my birthday together, but because I am now single, I didn't want to be excited for my day (even though I always did). My coworker suggested we go out for drinks. I had lunch with mom, took myself to a solo date to the bookstore, got myself flowers, and then went to the restaurant with my work friends. They got me presents and cake. They sang happy birthday, and I honestly truly felt so loved and grateful in that moment. 

I wonder if I am going to a quarter-life crisis. To be honest, I still feel pretty lost in my life right now; not as much as when I was in my early-twenties. Compared to my early 20's, life is so much better now. I have more confidence, independence, money, and experience in life. I have a lot more friends (good ones too) than I had eight years ago. I also definitely look better than I did when I was younger; I wear less makeup now and stopped dying my hair. I am financially stable and am no longer a broke college student. I know life isn't that bad, but I still feel like my life is in 'limbo' right now. I wish there was a manuel or spoiler alert of how my life will turn out. 

Ok bye! See u next year. 

BTW, I saw cherry blossoms for the first time in my life last month. For the past 3 months, I have taken allergy shots every week, and two separate allergy pills, nasal spray, and eye drops every single night.