I was sick with COVID last week (yes, I had the plague) and was unwell throughout the entire week. I am now starting to feel slightly better but still taking it easy for the time being. Unfortunately, my entire family also fell ill last week and we all spent the week bedridden. As November 30 arrived and it was time to reflect on the past month, I found myself too unwell to engage in any activities. Instead, I decided to ride it out until I am able to blog again.

When reflecting on November, I can confidently say it was a consistently busy month. There was always something demanding my attention, whether it was attending appointments, taking my children to their appointments, or working diligently. It seemed as though time flew by, and before I knew it, it was the end of November.

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Sick and Sick Some More

At the beginning of November, I fell ill and thought I had recovered completely. However, to my dismay, I soon developed a persistent cough which turned out to be COVID. It seems like my immune system didn’t fully recover from my earlier illness in November. If I learned anything, it’s to never take your health for granted. One day you could feel fine and the next be completely bedridden. So be prepared for anything.

It should come as no surprise that I haven’t had much motivation to write recently because I was sick and it’s hard to write when you are sick. I did renew my WordPress plan, but I downgraded from the Premium Plan to the Personal Plan. Honestly, I haven’t noticed much of a difference and I don’t miss the Premium Plan as much as I thought I would. Additionally, I would like to mention that I have successfully resolved the PayPal issue I encountered last month, and the money is now visible in my PayPal account. Although I have not transferred it yet, it is reassuring to see it there, and Redbubble has reset my earnings on their end. Overall, Redbubble has been a super slow month, but I did manage to make a few sales during Black Friday week.

(っ◔◡◔)っ P.S. I am currently accepting sticker requests for anyone who is interested. Feel free to visit my shop and browse through the designs I have uploaded so far. Currently, you have a selection of 87 designs to choose from!

👉 Follow me on Redbubble: @sereneluna

NOVEMBER RECAP 2023

Career Goals:

• Go back to work I did go back to work, but then I got sick again and missed more shifts.
• Reply to manager’s email regarding COVID swab result I sent not one but 2 emails because I ended up with COVID in the end.
• Catch up on work emails I am mostly caught up. There’s a couple minor things I still need to do.
• Complete BLS renewal Yes, I completed it. This reminds me, I should probably email work a copy.
• Complete 80 total designs for #Redbubble I currently have 87 designs in my shop. You can check out my #Redbubble designs here.

Hi #Twitterfam! Just wanted to give you a quick update of what's currently available in the shop. If you're interested, check out the link I’ve included and please give a ♥️ if you see something you like. Thanks for your support!

Link: https://t.co/zvhtvEBgQj pic.twitter.com/BAbMS5t4xv

— Hilary Tan  (@serene_hilz) November 4, 2023

Personal Goals:

• Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly recap This is the monthly recap lol Additionally, I have compiled a list outlining what I am able to do and what I cannot do, which you can find and read here. I also wrote about a week that was almost laughably crappy, but it pales in comparison to what was to come the following week, which you can read here.
• Send email to SW regarding International Gov form In the end, we decided to scrap the idea after encountering a roadblock.
• Attend Domestic seminar this month Yes, we attended the seminar. The process is still super slow and frustrating.
• Complete and submit International Seminar Questions Yes, I submitted all 11 pages but again, we ended up scrapping our plan in the end.
• Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments Managing my family’s busy schedule is exhausting. Text message reminders have been a lifesaver for me in staying on track with all of my appointments.
• Complete and submit Application B Nope, that didn’t happen. We still need to submit Applications B & E, which are more extensive. We have hit a bit of a roadblock with the application process as well.
• Daily Duolingo practice 🇩🇪 I have managed to keep the streak going, but that’s pretty much all I am doing with it at this point. Unfortunately, I just don’t have the time to learn German these days. When I looked back at what I did this year, the results were surprising.

Look how much I learned on Duolingo in 2023! How did you do? #Duolingo365 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/1B6A0Y5Kgj

— Hilary Tan  (@serene_hilz) December 6, 2023

Health Goals:

• YMCA 2x per week minimum I have been going to the YMCA on twice a week on weekdays when I am feeling well, and this routine has greatly benefited my overall mental and physical health.
• Buy a new bathing suit for the pool My bathing suit is falling apart and I need a new one badly. I haven’t been to the store.
• Finish Kool-Aid and Nuun drink mixes I am considering getting rid of the Nuun drink mixes, but for now, I occasionally add them to my water when I am working. However, these days, I prefer using Gatorade drink mix, as I find it much more enjoyable. While it may not be the healthiest option, if it helps me drink more water, I don’t really care.
• Leave the house once a day and get some sunshine ☀️ I fell ill twice in the month of November, which resulted in me staying home most of the time. The limited exposure to sunshine had a significant negative impact on my mood and further exacerbated my feelings of depression.

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(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

Wow! Can I just say that November was a challenging month? Not only was I sick at the beginning of November, but I also fell ill again towards the end of the month and unfortunately caught COVID. On top of that, I had a rough couple of weeks. However, despite feeling nervous about returning to work, I am grateful that I am now [mostly] healthy again. You don’t realize the importance of your health until you fall sick. Immunity is something that should never be taken for granted. I still need to write a blog post about my December goals, and I plan to do so either tomorrow or sometime next week. In the meantime, enjoy listening to some soothing beats that will help you stay focused on your work..

Have something to share with me? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below ↓ Currently, email is NOT the most efficient means of reaching me as I behind in relying to emails. Leaving a comment is the quickest way to get in touch, unless you are one of the lucky ones who has my phone number.

(っ◔◡◔)っ FYI: If you’re not already following me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), you can get real-time updates about my day-to-day life there. I recently made the decision to join X/Twitter and I’m excited to see what it has in store for me.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥