It's Saturday, 18th of April, 2026.

I just realized when writing this that my dad's birthday is coming soon. He would be 65 this 23rd, if he were still alive, of course.

I just cleaned my little rented room. I'm still working as a chemist at the same company. God, I was so excited when I was promoted. I wish I still possess the same excitement. I thought I would kill it at my job! Well, I am just doing the bare minimum. Nothing extra. Because I realized that I just don't have the energy and the time to be "killing" at a job that .... appreciates you, when convenient.

Anyways, I went to Da Nang, Vietnam last February. It was fun. I saw people there, lived quite a different .. way, that we are here in Malaysia. I mean, a certain way, not quite entirely different. They love their coffee, they love their veggies. I don't mean this in a not so nice way but I didn't see ONE fat person there. Like seriously. I guess they are just that healthy.

It was fun. I get to travel, mostly I was accompanied by a co-worker that I appreciate, so much. I am so grateful for her. We are at the same age, quite the same personality, and have the same opinion that our workplace kinda sucks now. We took pictures of each other, of the view, of the food we ate, of the stuffs we bought. 

Well then, it's April. 4 months into the year I was so excited about. I turned 26 last March. I can't believe I started writing here since I was 12, 13? Can't remember. There was a simpler time. And time, now is not simple, I started thinking about buying a house, buying a car. I can't help it. 

Waking up at the intersection. Time flew by fast. I just don't, realize that. Until at this point in life. I guess I was taking a mental nap? I guess the routine gets too repetitive. Wake up, get to work, having to interact with co-workers that I am not so fond of, having to tolerate their requests, having them not thinking about the situation of other co-workers, having them criticize you and laugh about it, me, having to juggle multiple job scopes, go home, sleep, and repeat. 5 days a week. 

And now I am at the intersection, where, I guess I am at a familiar headspace. Just wanting to start a new phase in life. Maybe a new job, a new environment, a more, appreciative set of new co-workers, and, a HANDSOME salary. God this job pays so little. I can't help but complain. 

I remember when I graduated high school, I was excited to start university. Then I graduated university and got my Bachelor's Degree of Science with Honors in Industrial Chemistry - I thought, "I am so gonna rock this world". Well, NO. I just threw a rock, at myself for being quite a joke, honestly.

 This intersection, is a sign. For me, to work harder at work, and at the same time, maybe start finding a new company. Heck yes. Maybe I should start thinking about that. Actually I have started thinking like months ago, LOL. No, I should START looking. Yes, that's the right phrase.

Maybe I am getting older, where I started to complain so much. 

Waking up at THIS intersection. Wanting to start anew. 

Whoever's reading this entry, wish me luck. I miss my dad.

Wholeheartedly,

Wendy.

Life these days has been a mix of work, new responsibilities, and planning for what’s next. If I had to describe it in one phrase? Chaos mostly organized, but chaos nonetheless.

So, I officially graduated in December, finally closing the chapter on university life. The rush of finishing my degree, the stress of final exams, and the relief of walking across that stage, all of it still feels surreal.

And then came an even bigger milestone: my promotion to Chemist! It was unexpected but incredibly rewarding. The transition from being an intern to an employee, and now stepping into this new role, has been a whirlwind of learning and growth. I’ve taken on more responsibilities, from analyzing samples and ensuring lab procedures are followed meticulously to troubleshooting unexpected issues that arise. It’s definitely a step up in terms of workload and expectations, but I’m embracing the challenge.

Of course, imposter syndrome likes to creep in from time to time, do I really know what I’m doing, or am I just convincing everyone that I do? But each day, I remind myself that I’ve worked hard to be here, and every mistake is just another learning opportunity.

Oh, and remember how I literally injured myself by breaking a beaker? Yeah… classic me. Fortunately, no recent accidents to report. Yet. I’ve been extra careful in the lab, but let’s be honest, knowing my luck, it’s only a matter of time before I find myself in another clumsy mishap.

Outside of work, I’ve been looking into organizing a beach cleanup event for my company. There’s still a lot of planning left to do, securing volunteers, getting the necessary permissions, and making sure logistics run smoothly, but I’m excited to see it come together. 

Oh, and can we talk about how graduation felt like a lifetime away, and now it’s already behind me? It’s such a weird feeling. There’s this sense of relief, knowing that I don’t have to stress over assignments anymore, but also a touch of nostalgia. The friendships, the late-night study sessions, the shared struggles, there’s a part of me that misses all of that. And of course, there’s also the potential for awkward encounters with people I’d rather not run into (you know who you are).

So yeah, life’s been moving fast, and I’m just here trying to keep up, one day at a time. Hopefully, the next update will include a well-deserved break or at least another win. Until then, back to work, planning, and making sure I don’t accidentally break more lab equipment.

Catch you in the next one! 😉