又到了這個時刻，在去年體驗過許多新鮮事以後，本以為今年會「安分」點，然而計劃永遠趕不上變化，今年確實是個跌宕起伏，卻收穫滿滿的一年。依照慣例從各項成就指標開始回顧好了，時間依序為：回台灣捐髮、開車帶父母半環島、完成馬爾他語及文化課程第一階段、登Dcard熱門、帶父母環歐、母單終結、瑞士繞一圈（地獄難度）、公司升遷、公司萬聖節裝扮第二名、受邀擔任馬爾他在地導遊、受邀上德法公視節目、在馬爾他藝術中心表演、完結耗時兩年的馬爾他菠菜系列。到過的地點：巴黎(第二次)、布達佩斯、雅典、聖托里尼、米蘭(第二次)、科莫湖、義大利提拉諾、瑞士盧加諾、蘇黎世(第二次)、琉森、因特拉肯(第二次)、日內瓦、格林德瓦(第二次)、策馬特，繞了大半個瑞士，羅馬(第二次)、伊斯坦堡。這個月將要有的聖誕行程：波蘭格但斯克、華沙、威尼斯、瑞士巴塞、法國科馬、斯特拉斯堡、巴黎（第三次了）、英國倫敦(第二次)。每天都非常充實，背後也有著不少辛酸血淚，先從年初的回台計劃開始說起吧。其實今年回台灣是去年十一月臨時起意，且沒有任何的通知。原先是為了回台灣見一位女孩子，陸陸續續在網路上互動將近一年，對方也時常在我的限時動態且互動挺熱絡。由於去年算命提到今年有桃花，因此決定賭一把，約在情人節的前一天2/13見面，結果對方2/12臨時問我結束後能否載他到高鐵站，此時已經覺得不對勁，見面當天臨時說要挑卡片，見到朋友也請我先迴避，我也是這時才發現對方的好友名單有一位用相同濾鏡當頭貼的男性，像是情侶頭貼一樣。此時的我其實心裡大概有底，但仍舊好奇心驅使，想探究一個人的底線。最終，晚餐我刷卡、送的巧克力也被對方帶著去見男朋友。當中最令我難受的是，對方直到最後都不承認。之後也才有了臨時跟各位朋友見面的行程，其實原先是計畫將所有時間保留在那位女孩上的。要說不受打擊是騙人的，畢竟千里迢迢花費時間以及精力，當時的我更是頂著時差上班之外，還要上馬爾他語課程，每天凌晨4-5點才睡。 之後由於心情過於低落，想著要騎車環島轉移注意力，結果父母堅決反對，畢竟我的身障手冊就是多虧機車拿到的，最後折衷以開車的方式，且父母堅持要跟隨（怕我做傻事，拜託，你們兒子才沒有這麼溫室）。但剛好我跟父母都沒有開車到花東的經驗。隨後每天8點起床就是開車到晚上，晚上之後寫菠菜系列文章，再繼續上馬爾他語課程到凌晨2-3點，白天再聚精會神開車，身心俱疲的情況下也就沒有餘力去想有的沒的。回到馬爾他後，上班之餘還有陪父母觀光，半夜規劃行程找住宿，有著兩位年近70且有慢性疾病的父母，我必須考量到方方面面，承擔各種風險。且由於瑞士是他們畢生所願，必須將開銷拿捏的精準到位，省吃儉用準備了兩年的預算，內心的壓力難以言喻。母親在離台灣的前一天因緊張問能不能不要上飛機，剛到馬爾他的第一週就因生理狀況問能不能回台灣。每天到凌晨2-3點才睡，8點起床上班。好在總體而言父母在旅途的過程也很給力，最後其實也幫了我不少忙，其實以第一次出國來說也是相當厲害。而期間當中最重要的是，遇到了妳。算命還真的有點東西。之後則是遠距離這項巨大挑戰。整個1-6月基本上就是每天只睡5-6小時，將自己burn-out，緊接而來的7月年度考核升遷，正所謂能力越大、責任越大，事業壓力更重。排山倒海的公司的業餘活動及應酬不提，一個人生活的日常家事也足夠將剩餘時間填滿。8-9月開始規劃年底的見面行程，10-11月意外的收到各種邀約，一對有在看我文章的夫婦、從部落格找到我的節目記者、和在馬爾他藝術中心表演的機會，每一項都是足以單獨寫一篇記錄的故事。是的，又在挖坑。與此同時，長期連載的菠菜系列也終於來到尾聲，耗時兩年的時間，總字數達7萬5000字。必須說，以非專業作家的身份我對這項結果已經很滿意。要知道職業因素每天看電腦及手機螢幕長達8小時候，下班還要繼續寫作，真的是件相當硬核的事情。而且長篇系列越寫其難度也隨之提高，時間跨度大的情況為求前後邏輯通順，風格、人設一致，我自己也要不斷重複閱讀以前所寫的內容。相當一部分內容到最後甚至還做了刪減，想了想還是覺得做人留一線，到後來重點還是放在我自己身上。儘管我相信系列還以相當大改進的空間，然而有時候「完成比完美」還來的重要。明年還有馬爾他語言及文化進階課程，還有駕照這些大魔王在等著我，直接了當的說，這系列我已經奮鬥到最後一刻，真的真的真的！必須在此時此刻做個了斷！最後分享一件事，來總結我今年的狀態。萬聖節公司裝扮得名可以自選禮券，當詢問是否有超市禮券不得時。我意識到，自己竟然不知道想要什麼，如今的我，已經很滿足了。ENG Version:It’s that time of year again. After experiencing so many new things last year, I thought this year would be a bit more “peaceful.” But plans never keep up with changes. This year was truly full of ups and downs, yet also overflowing with gains.As usual, let me start with a review based on my personal milestones, in chronological order: returning to Taiwan to donate my hair, driving my parents halfway around the island, completing the first stage of my Maltese language and culture course, making it to the Dcard trending page, taking my parents on a tour across Europe, ending my singlehood, completing a “hell-difficulty” loop around Switzerland, getting promoted at work, winning second place in my company’s Halloween costume contest, being invited to be a local tour guide in Malta, being invited onto a German–French public TV program, performing at the Malta Arts Center, and finally concluding my two-year-long Malta Spinach Series.Places I’ve visited this year: Paris, Budapest, Athens, Santorini, Milan, Lake Como, Tirano in Italy, Lugano, Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Geneva, Grindelwald, Zermatt—pretty much circled most of Switzerland—Rome, and Istanbul.Upcoming Christmas trips this month: Gdańsk, Warsaw, Venice, Basel, Colmar, Strasbourg, Paris (for the third time), and London.Every day has been incredibly fulfilling, though not without its share of blood, sweat, and tears. Let me start from the beginning of the year with my trip back to Taiwan. In fact, the decision to return was made suddenly in November last year, without informing anyone. The original purpose was to meet a girl I’d been interacting with online for almost a year. She was often in my Instagram stories, and we had a lively connection. Since a fortune-teller had told me I’d have good romantic prospects this year, I decided to take a gamble and arranged to meet her on February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day.But on February 12, she suddenly asked if I could drive her to the high-speed rail after we met. That already felt off. On the day we met, she said she needed to pick a greeting card; when she ran into a friend, she asked me to step aside. Only then did I notice she had a guy in her close-friend list using the same photo filter as her—basically matching couple profile pictures. At that moment, I already understood the situation, but curiosity pushed me to see how far things would go. In the end, I paid for dinner, and the chocolates I gave her were taken straight to her boyfriend. What hurt most was that she never admitted anything.After that, I ended up arranging a bunch of last-minute meetups with friends. I had originally planned to dedicate all my time in Taiwan to that girl. To say I wasn’t hurt would be a lie—after traveling all that way, spending time and emotional energy, all while keeping up with work through jet lag and taking Maltese language classes, sleeping only around 4 or 5 a.m.Because I felt so down afterward, I wanted to go on a solo motorbike trip around the island to clear my mind. But my parents strongly objected—after all, I got my disability certificate because of a motorbike accident. So we compromised and decided I’d drive instead, and they insisted on coming with me (worried I’d do something stupid—please, your son is not that fragile). None of us had ever driven through eastern Taiwan before.Every day we woke up at 8, drove until evening, and afterward I’d write the Spinach Series and continue with Maltese lessons until 2–3 a.m. With mental and physical exhaustion stacking up, I didn’t have much capacity left to dwell on anything.After returning to Malta, I had to work while also traveling with my parents, planning itineraries at night, finding accommodations—just imagine: two parents nearing 70, both with chronic health conditions. I had to consider every detail and shoulder all the risks. And since Switzerland was their lifelong dream, I had to be extremely precise with the budget, living frugally for two years to prepare. The pressure was indescribable. The day before leaving Taiwan, my mom was so nervous she asked if we could skip the flight. During the first week in Malta, she asked if she could return home because of her physical condition.I slept at 2–3 a.m. every day, woke up at 8 for work. Thankfully, overall they were strong and supportive throughout the trip, and ended up helping me quite a bit. For a first-time overseas trip, they were honestly impressive.And during this period, the most important thing happened: I met you.Seems the fortune-teller was onto something after all.What followed was the massive challenge of long-distance.From January to June, I slept only 5–6 hours a day, burning myself out. Then came my promotion in July. As the saying goes, with greater ability comes greater responsibility—my work stress only intensified. Add to that a wave of corporate events and social obligations, plus all the daily chores of living alone filling the rest of my time.From August to September, I started planning the year-end trip to see you.In October and November, I unexpectedly received various invitations—from a couple who read my articles, a journalist who found me through my blog, and a chance to perform at the Malta Arts Center. Each one of these could be a full story on its own. Yes, I’m digging myself more pits.Meanwhile, the Bo-Cai Series finally reached its end—75,000 words over two years. For a non-professional writer, I’m already very satisfied. Considering I stare at screens for eight hours a day for work, then continue writing afterward—it’s incredibly hardcore. And the longer the series went on, the harder it became to maintain consistent logic, tone, and characterizations across such a long timeline. I had to constantly reread everything I’d written. I even cut quite a lot in the end—sometimes it’s wiser to leave things unsaid, and ultimately the focus of the series returned to myself.Although I believe there’s still huge room for improvement, sometimes “done is better than perfect.” With the advanced Maltese language and culture course and the driving exam looming next year—huge bosses waiting for me—I can say with certainty: I fought until the very last moment of this series, and now is the time to let it go.Finally, I want to share one thing to summarize my current state. As a prize for the Halloween costume contest, the winners could pick a gift card. When I asked whether they had a supermarket gift card and they didn’t, I realized—I didn’t actually know what I wanted.And now, I find that I’m already very content with life.

這是一篇遲來的文章，年初回台灣，大概是去年11月底開始安排。此次回台灣有著許多任務，當中最重要的一項失敗了，儘管消極了一段時間，一方面也感到慶幸，原來還有讓我如此在乎的事情，久違的情感，內心五味雜陳。然而，我沒有過多時間緬懷過去，還有許多計劃待實現。我將頭髮剪掉，捐給癌扶會，是一年半前開始留長髮時就決定好的，帶父母來歐洲，則是長久以來的夢想，如今的我終於有能力實現，我們的終極目的地是瑞士，會是一項艱鉅的挑戰。同一時間，我開始了馬爾他的融入課程，為明年永居做準備，花了一週時間自駕帶父母到花東走走，晚上寫文章之外，凌晨還要繼續上課到凌晨2點半。說不累是騙人的，但如同上一篇所述，當前的我正在跟時間賽跑，有許多想要完成的事情。事實上，我做過許多看似不相關的事情，都是朝著同一個目標前進，當中不少已籌備數年之久，獨自默默耕耘著。同一時間，與台灣的老朋友進行會面，多數為臨時邀約，卻仍然很給面子，真的令我很感動。對於台灣這塊土地，有著複雜的情感，太多的回憶，有開心的、有難過的，都非常深刻。我喜歡這塊土地上的人、事、物，卻偶爾也會因長期離開這片土地而面臨自我認同的問題。有意思的是，朋友帶我到夜市買雞排，我覺得超級好吃，朋友卻覺得很普通，可見我有多想念台灣的食物。是的，我不能肯定未來會發生什麼，然而道路依舊明確，我相信自己能夠克服。

先前提過，我是一個很少過節日的人，當中卻仍有於我而言別具意義的日子，那便是生日。其實還有一個，便是新年。倒也不是為了什麼儀式感，只是恰逢年末的生日適合審視自己，而新年則適合立定年度計畫。雖說按表操課不是本人的風格，尤其生活實在有太多突發狀況。但我認為新年期許這件事，賦予了生活「意義」。因此從2022年成立部落格開始延續至今。開始之前，先簡單回顧從生日至今這消失的一個月吧。其實從生日過後，我便有意抽離社交一段時間。IG、FB、Whatsapp、Line，除非緊急，多數訊息是這幾天才回覆，在此先致歉。那這一個月的我都在做什麼?「打遊戲」。沒錯，整個十二月的主題就是打遊戲，連跨年也是叫了桶肯德基喝著快樂肥宅水，配101煙火打遊戲度過。2024於我而言絕對是別具意義的一年，經歷許多的同時也略感疲憊。於是乎在期待已久的【流亡暗道2】開放遊玩之後，整個十二月我都在家上班，連走路五分鐘的通勤時間都省下來打遊戲，畢竟連世界首富可都在飛機上玩這款遊戲。我也確實放縱了一回，或許稍晚在巴哈發表遊戲心得攻略後，可能，差不多該收心了?隨後新年的第一天，決定將家裡打掃一番，也因此這篇文遲了一、兩天。一直以來，我將自己的三十歲設為死線，這邊的死線某種意義上來說並非形容詞，而是程度上抱著自己的生命在三十終結的態度在過日子，除了對自己的三十歲有所期待，在我的人生規劃中也屬於一個分水嶺。有許多想達成的成就，我都期許能夠在三十歲完成。首當其衝的，便是帶父母來體驗歐洲生活。這一直都在我的人生計畫之內，去年也曾提及，然而前年的我遠端參加了奶奶的喪禮、今年又遇到外婆過世，讓我深有感觸。不瞞地說，我父母的年紀比多數同儕的父母年長許多，有些事，錯過就錯過了。因此我已經買好了這個月的機票，將從一萬公里之外，搭超過20小時的飛機回台接父母過來。這會是我整個上半年的重點項目。當中還有一條主線，便是我的機車駕照，幾個月前我申請了Cate A，也就是俗稱的重機駕照，而且我報名的還是擋車而不是自動。然而再經歷幾堂課之後，教練語重心長的建議我改報名A1，而當下我也欣然接受。起初其實有點意外自己輕易的就接受這件事，事後我卻對這樣的自己感到自豪。現在的我雖說少了年輕時的鋒芒，取而代之的是面對世俗凡事的處變不驚。我知道自己的能耐，也學會放下與妥協。若是硬著頭皮堅持拿到了擋車駕照，除了可能要花上幾千歐元，上幾十堂課以外，我每一次更是要來回通勤三小時，只為了那一小時的駕訓班，時間對我來說才是最致命的。馬爾他駕照真的不好考，教練抓超細，交通文化還都跟台灣有所出入。況且同事給我的機車其實也是擋車外型的電動車，只要有A1駕照就能騎了。當初會報名Cate A，也就是沒騎過擋車想嘗鮮，至少，我試過了。期許今年的自己有車可以騎。下半年，沒意外我會開始準備馬爾他永居的事項，不知不覺地明年就要滿五年了。對我來說當中最有挑戰性的是馬爾他語檢定，去年我已經報名政府課程了，但將近一年我還在排隊。馬爾他小是小，但每年的移民人數真的很多，因此房地產也是起飛。不過世事難料，我也不排除任何機緣將我引領他處，甚至回台灣發展，就是走一步算一步了。文章則持續更新，今年是絕對會將菠菜系列完結的，原因在於還有其他系列在排隊。包括先前提過關於我父母的故事，也是這次歐洲行的附帶行程之一，想想這算是另類的重金採訪吧。我是真的很想跟大家分享，或許這則故事，各位能夠從中獲得我所認為這世間逐漸缺失的某種重要事物。同時，我在歐洲公司入職也快三年，同公司經歷了區塊鏈這三年的風風雨雨，面臨的各種挑戰及摩擦。相信都會是不錯的故事，應該吧?啊如果行有餘力的話，我可能會更新部落格v3支持多語言。以上是目前能夠想到的主線任務，但依照過往經驗及本人的尿性，肯定會有數不勝數的支線任務在等待著我。而如今的我有絕對信心，面對將至的各種挑戰。大聲的說出，「放馬過來。」----------------------------------------------ENG:Earlier, I mentioned that I’m not someone who celebrates many holidays.However, there are two days that hold special meaning for me: my birthday and the New Year.It’s not about rituals but rather their timing. My year-end birthday is a good opportunity to reflect on myself, while the New Year is perfect for setting annual goals.Although strictly following a schedule isn’t my style—especially with so many unexpected events in life—I believe New Year’s resolutions give life a sense of “purpose.” This tradition has continued since I started my blog in 2022.Before diving into plans, let me briefly recap the month since my birthday. Afterward, I intentionally took a break from social interactions. I delayed replying to messages on Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Line unless urgent. Apologies for any inconvenience.So, what did I do this past month?"Gaming."That’s right—December’s theme was gaming. Even New Year’s Eve was spent gaming with a bucket of KFC and a soda in hand, watching the Taipei 101 fireworks.2024 was a meaningful yet exhausting year for me. When Path of Exile 2 launched, I indulged in gaming throughout December, even saving the five-minute commute from home office to play. If the world’s richest man can game on a plane, why not me? Perhaps I’ll snap out of it after sharing my game insights on Bahamut later.On New Year’s Day, I decided to clean my home, which delayed this post by a day or two.A Milestone Year: Facing ThirtyFor years, I’ve set my thirties as a deadline. Not just metaphorically—it’s almost like living with the idea of my life ending at thirty. I’ve always held great expectations for this age, seeing it as a watershed moment in my plans.Goal #1: Bringing My Parents to Experience European LifeThis has always been part of my life plan. Last year, I mentioned it briefly, but recent events—attending my grandmother’s funeral remotely and losing my maternal grandmother this year—deeply moved me.To be candid, my parents are older than most of my peers’ parents. Some things, if missed, cannot be recovered.So, I’ve already purchased tickets for this month. I’ll be flying over 20 hours and 10,000 kilometers to Taiwan to bring them here. This will be the highlight of my first half of the year.Goal #2: Obtaining My Motorcycle LicenseA few months ago, I applied for a Category A motorcycle license (for large motorcycles). Interestingly, I signed up for manual, not automatic.After a few lessons, my coach suggested I switch to A1 (a smaller license category), and I readily agreed. Initially, I was surprised by how easily I accepted it, but in hindsight, I feel proud of my adaptability.I may no longer have the sharpness of youth, but I’ve gained composure in handling worldly matters. I know my limits and have learned to compromise.Getting a manual license would’ve required thousands of euros, dozens of lessons, and three-hour commutes for a single one-hour class—time being my most precious resource. Malta’s driving tests are notoriously strict, and its traffic culture differs greatly from Taiwan’s.Besides, my colleague’s motorcycle—though manual in appearance—is an electric bike. An A1 license suffices.At least I tried.I hope to be riding a bike by the end of this year.Goal #3: Preparing for Maltese Permanent ResidencyBarring surprises, I’ll begin preparations for Maltese permanent residency in the latter half of the year. Next year will mark five years since I arrived here.The biggest challenge? The Maltese language exam. Although I registered for government classes last year, I’m still on the waiting list due to Malta’s growing influx of immigrants.Malta is small but sees significant immigration, driving up real estate prices. However, life is unpredictable; I remain open to opportunities, whether they lead me elsewhere or even back to Taiwan.Goal #4: Completing the Spinach Blog SeriesThis year, I’m determined to finish my spinach-themed blog series, as other projects are already in the pipeline.These include stories about my parents, tied to their upcoming European trip—a kind of “luxury interview.” It’s something I truly want to share, as I believe it reflects a value increasingly lost in today’s world.Additionally, this marks nearly three years at my European company, weathering blockchain industry ups and downs, challenges, and friction. These experiences should make for compelling stories—or so I hope.If I have the capacity, I might even update my blog to support multiple languages (version 3).These are the main goals I can think of for now. Based on past experience, many side quests will undoubtedly arise.Still, I have full confidence in facing whatever challenges lie ahead.Boldly, I declare:"Bring it on."

明明今年的我時刻與文字為伍，然到此時，仍顯得有些不知從何處開始著墨。這一年，發生了許多許多......仔細一想，二十八剛好是成年以來的十週年，就當作進入三十大關之前的期中考吧。先從簡單地複盤今年的各項成就指標開始好了，今年嘗試了不少新活動如: 騎馬、打靶、瑜珈、游泳、跳水、獨木舟、開始用限動(老人?)去過的地方: 西班牙塞維利亞、德國法蘭克福、柏林、斯圖加特、慕尼黑、奧地利維也納、捷克布拉格、斯洛伐克布拉提斯拉伐、瑞士蘇黎世、因特拉肯、西西里拉古薩新身分: 公司最潮票選第二名、換日線專欄作者、仇女參與過的挑戰(搞事): 一個月穿搭不重複挑戰、60天體態挑戰、料理挑戰事業: 年度考績再次爆表感情: 0上一次生日提到了，關於情感上的自我察覺，到今年似乎更加顯著，對於諸多事情已毫無波瀾。一覺醒來見到投資帳面少了幾十萬無動於衷，面對任何離別只覺得就這樣吧，無數個獨自的夜裡，我甚至已不再做夢。同事兩年沒見過我生氣、上次傷心也彷彿許久以前，平時的笑容，也分不清是否發自內心。可以隨時十秒落淚的我，感覺已近乎完全掌控了情緒。雖然偶爾覺得自己的情緒穩定，在發展任何關係上似乎不具優勢，但至少目前的日子還算自在，畢竟已感受不到任何負面情緒。就連被指稱為仇女時，與其說有情緒，或許更多的是無奈吧。自己鮮少談感情的事，至今確實母胎單身，我爸甚至還懷疑過我是同性戀。但其實有過一些曖昧對象，只是結果都......一言難盡。一些經典的例子，比如發現曖昧對象其實已經有男友，而自己只是被玩玩罷了。同一時間，無故斷聯的前曖昧對象打電話來找我說聊聊，結果哭訴被新的網戀對象劈腿，還稱對方是自己的「初戀」，從沒對任何男人如此動情過。在此之前的我則像個小丑一樣，以為自己才是那個「初戀」。一路走來，一些女孩擅自闖進了我的生命，我則淪為「廁紙」般，最終什麼都不是。儘管如此，自己仍時刻提醒女孩子預防渣男，偶爾傾聽女孩們對於生活上的各種紛擾。對於沒有感覺的對象會直接跟對方劃清界線，因為覺得女孩子的時間寶貴不能耽誤人家。偶爾跟我爸調侃他的專一基因在現代很不吃香，導致我只要有曖昧對象就容易錯失很多機會。甚至曾經許過的生日願望是希望自己成為渣男。然而，曾經的我，去美容系選修頭皮養護，為得是希望有朝一日能幫心儀的她分擔三千煩惱絲。平時的我，對於飲食沒有多大慾望，仍盼能一睹未來的那位因自己的料理而幸福的笑容。現在的我，規劃未來、專注事業、充實自我，也都是希望未來自己不要成為那個豬隊友。一直以來感情沒有及格過的我，或許不再過度期待，但仍保有憧憬。說完自己的弱項，該來到吹噓的部分了。去年轉正的時機剛好遇到年度考核，當時考核爆表所以試用期過後職階升遷，今年考績又爆表，在現有職階又再度觸頂，所以明年升遷可以期待。但老實說若能選的話，我倒是希望能只調薪不升遷，畢竟升遷事情會變多。其實有時懷疑自己感情的運氣都跑到事業上，連續兩次入職參與的專案最終以裁撤收場，但自己總會先被挖腳而倖免於難，成為「少數遺孤」。雖然當下可能會有愧疚感，覺得沒有跟團隊共進退，但現在也已經習慣了，可能經歷過太多離別，也意識到自己能力有限。自己一人在國外無依無靠，想當初加入馬爾他台灣人社團是預防萬一，結果不只從沒發問過，反倒每篇文章都能見到我留言解答，幫助過人數不下數十位。至於成為換日線專欄作者這件事，其實起初只是把投稿當人生志願的一環，重在參與，沒有想過成真這件事。為此我特地寫了一篇投稿，結果總編最後看上的反而是部落格裡的早期文章，只能說整件事都很出乎意料。經營了兩年的部落格也終於在這時有了用武之地。對了，文章系列進度目前已經超過三萬字，當中兩萬是這兩個月產出的，大概就是每日固定寫一篇500字作文的概念，是希望能在今年完結，但懷疑目前可能連一半都還不到，估計最後完成會是一本長篇小說的文本量，可能是在換日線當小說寫的第一人。總體而言，今年也是個忙碌且充實的一年，在時間洪流推波助瀾之下，自己只能不斷向前，「從前種種，譬如昨日死。從後種種，譬如今日生。」就以這句，來為二十八歲的自己，畫下句點吧。Twenty-Eight: Like the Past Dying YesterdayThis year, I’ve spent so much time with words, yet even now, I find it difficult to know where to start writing. This year has been filled with so much... On closer reflection, twenty-eight marks the tenth anniversary of adulthood, perhaps a midterm exam before turning thirty.Let’s begin with a simple review of this year’s accomplishments:New activities tried: horseback riding, shooting, yoga, swimming, diving, canoeing, and even started using Instagram Stories (Am I getting old?).Places visited: Seville in Spain; Frankfurt, Berlin, Stuttgart, and Munich in Germany; Vienna in Austria; Prague in the Czech Republic; Bratislava in Slovakia; Zurich and Interlaken in Switzerland; Ragusa in Sicily.New identities: Voted second trendiest in the company, columnist for Crossing, and a “misogynist.” XDChallenges taken: Outfit challenge (not repeating outfits for a month), 60-day fitness challenge, cooking challenge.Career: Performance review rated as topRelationships: Still zero.Last year, I mentioned increased self-awareness in relationships, and this year it seems even more pronounced. I feel indifferent about many things. Waking up to see tens of thousands gone from my investment account? No reaction. Facing any goodbyes? Just a sense of "oh well." During countless solitary nights, I don’t even dream anymore. Colleagues haven’t seen me angry in two years, and the last time I felt truly sad seems like ages ago. Even my usual smile feels hard to distinguish from genuine emotion. I can shed tears in ten seconds if needed, yet I feel I’ve nearly mastered my emotions. Though I sometimes think this emotional stability isn’t advantageous in relationships, at least my days feel peaceful. After all, I no longer feel any negative emotions.When labeled a “misogynist,” I didn’t feel angry, just resigned. I rarely talk about my love life. I’ve been single since birth, and my father once even wondered if I was gay. In reality, I’ve had ambiguous relationships, but... the outcomes are too complex to explain.Classic examples? Discovering that someone I liked already had a boyfriend and was just toying with me. Or when a former crush, who ghosted me, called to lament being cheated on by a new online boyfriend. She tearfully called him her “first love,” saying she had never been so deeply in love with a man before. Meanwhile, I had thought I was that “first love.” Over time, some girls have entered my life uninvited, and I’ve ended up as nothing more than disposable “toilet paper.”Despite this, I still advise girls to beware of players and listen to their troubles. If I feel nothing for someone, I make it clear because I believe girls' time is too valuable to waste. Sometimes I joke with my father that his “faithful genes” are a disadvantage today, causing me to miss many opportunities. I even once wished to become a player.Yet, the old me chose scalp care classes in cosmetology, hoping to one day help the girl I liked with her hair worries. I don’t have much passion for food, yet I dream of seeing her smile because of my cooking. Today, I plan for the future, focus on my career, and improve myself—hoping not to be a burden to a future partner. Though I’ve never succeeded in relationships, I still hold some hope.Now, for the boasting part. Last year, I was promoted right after my performance review. This year, my performance was stellar again, maxing out my current level, so the next year could be expected. Honestly, I’d prefer a raise without the added responsibilities. Sometimes I wonder if my luck in relationships transferred to my career. Twice, projects I joined were shut down, but I was spared both times, becoming a “sole survivor.” I’ve grown used to it, realizing my abilities are limited. Alone abroad, I joined the Maltese-Taiwanese community as a safety net but never needed to ask for help. Instead, I’ve helped dozens through comments and advice.Becoming a Crossing columnist was unexpected. Initially, submitting articles was just a personal goal. Surprisingly, the editor chose an old blog post instead of my submission. Now, my two-year-old blog has found purpose. The article series has exceeded 30,000 words, with 20,000 written in the past two months—like writing a 500-word essay daily. I hoped to finish it this year, but I suspect it’s only halfway done. It might end up as long as a novel, possibly the first one on Crossing.Overall, this year has been busy and fulfilling. Time keeps pushing me forward."As the past dies like yesterday, the future is born today."With this, I mark the end of twenty-eight.