Funemloyment

Since I left my startup job following its acquisition by a big e-commerce company, I've been getting a lot of questions from friends, family, and former colleagues about how I'm doing. Well, the short answer is: I'm doing pretty well. This is actually my first career break in about 8 years since I started in tech as a software engineer. Time has flown by, and I'm realizing how much of life's fun stuff I've missed while focusing solely on the 9 to 5 grind (just kidding, 9 to 9), just coding away.

Now that I am back in my favorite city after a 2 year experiment living in Seattle, I am feeling a lot happier than before (especially now that the pandemic has ended). There's so much more to enjoy, even just taking a simple walk. I've picked up hobbies like going to museums, libraries, and vintage stores. And living in the heart of Queens, I'm surrounded by such diversity in terms of food, languages, cultures, and more.

I do miss the Upper West Side (or the Upper Best Side), where I practically lived my entire NY life, but Sunnyside in Queens has really grown on me. It's such a friendly neighborhood. The only downside is that it's not exactly trendy, but on the bright side, it hasn't been gentrified yet. When I'm in the mood for something trendier, I just hop on the MTA to Greenpoint. I'm probably there three times a week. It's super accessible from my place, and it's not as chaotic as Manhattan.

Anyway, whoever came up with "funemployment" deserves some recognition. I'm having a lot of fun during this break.

But let's be real. Being just an ordinary human, it's not always sunshine and rainbows. After my intentional two-month break from job hunting, I'll have to figure out how to make money again. I mean, I live in NYC, where just breathing seems to cost money.

Sometimes I feel like I'm just a tiny speck in the universe. But I also know I'm here for something bigger. I need to find my purpose in life and, most importantly, figure out what truly makes me happy.

Finding self is a difficult journey at any age, but particularly hard in my mid-30s. I find myself asking questions like, "Why do I have so many passions and interests? Am I too old to try new things when I've already built a career? What does success really mean—is it about money, fame, or happiness? Do I want to stick with what I've been doing or pivot to something completely different?" Certainly, I don't have all the answers yet, but one thing I'm committed to is exploring more. Regrets are my worst enemy. I'm grateful to have many supportive people around me, reminding me not to compare my journey to others. Feeling behind sucks, but it doesn't help my growth. Feeling trapped in thoughts like "I'm not as successful as this person" or "I'm not making as much money as that person" is harmful to my mental health. I'm just an ordinary human, and these thoughts sometimes get to me, but I constantly remind myself that they'll pass when I focus on myself rather than comparing myself to others.

I want to be proud of my life in my own way, even if it's taking things slow. I'll define my own success, and I know I'll get there eventually.

Finally, I’m taking action to start a blog.

Holy shoot. It's taken me ages to finally write my first blog post, even though I planned to do it over a decade ago. Hello world, I’m Luna. My lazy procrastination has been the main obstacle, but today that ends. I'm so motivated to share my life with the world through blogging. I don't care who reads it, but if you're here, thank you. I hope you have a beautiful day, and thanks for your support.

This page is meant to be a journal where I share my day-to-day experiences, bringing my most authentic self. I'm too old to worry about pretending to be someone I'm not just to be liked by everyone. So, I'll be brutally honest here.

Anyway, that’s it for now. See y’all in my next post!