2021 New Year's Resolutions Review

For those who don't know, starting all the way back in 2009 I've tried to write 100 goals for myself almost every year! It's one of my personal traditions and I'll often reflect on how I did before coming up with another set for the next year.

This was quite a year lmao I'm scared to see how badly I did. (That said, there was every excuse for doing badly, I'm forgiven, I don't care!!!)

The reason I'm bent on reviewing 2021 though is because I don't plan to do 2022 resolutions for now. ;v; It would just be, like, 70% health-related resolutions which is boring as heck.

There's too much uncertainty about whether/when my throat will recover and the other health things preventing me from working on projects or my skills much—I've been set back so much that I don't want to think too hard about distant goals. This year I really just need to take care of myself by staying disciplined and extremely careful about my lifestyle, appreciate the small things in life, and keep my pessimism in check believe that everything will get better soon!

- - -

— Highlights of my 2021:

[link to MV if embed breaks]

• After an extremely long editing and color grading process, I finished the Ph03n1x 4sh music video that I had the huge opportunity of directing back in 2020—and it premiered at Virtual Anime Expo!!! The biggest accomplishment of my life. 😭
  
  
• Vaccination! I'm very fortunate that most of my loved ones and I have steered clear of COVID. Just one friend that I see sometimes caught it right before New Years ;;
  
  
• Neither a high nor low but...... I... went to my high school 10 year reunion, omg.........
  
  
• Spent a good amount of time with friends to make up for 2020's lost time ❤️
  
  
• Before cases surged again (cries), I got to travel a bit again! Went to LA and Seattle and made lovely memories!
  
  

— Lows of my 2021:

• In the spring, workload was insanely overwhelming and I lost control of work-life balance and dealt with the worst burnout I've ever experienced.. Like, bursting into tears trying to write an email asking for time off because I felt so deeply uncomfortable and guilty about it sort of bad. What has this bloody pandemic done to our psyche?? Anyway I can't relate anymore; my work-life balance is great now! 💁🏻‍♀️
  
  
• Health sux I can't sing I see many doctor I sometimes feel not great blah blah blah blah

The future like the wind~ 🍃

YAAAAY! I've been looking forward to this collab more than anything and I'm so happy it's out in the world to be shared! 🥺💖 It was my huge honor and delight to sing the part of Shibuya Kanon for Mathew's English translyric cover of Liella!'s "Mirai wa Kaze no You ni" aka the ending theme from the Love Live! Superstar!! anime.

My heart was fully invested in this, in so many layers hahaha. First of all I'm a big fan of Love Live and while Liella's season 1 wasn't the greatest I still have fond memories from watching it and bonding over its ups/downs with friends (including Mathew). In terms of my personal taste in music, I'd probably say Liella is a close second to Nijigasaki for what I would regularly listen to.... Their songs just sound so lovely and light and refreshing and uplifting without going overboard. ;v; There are a few Liella songs I like a lot and the anime ending is one of them! It's such a nice song!! Plus you always get sentimentally attached to the theme songs after watching a show haha.

There is definitely a soft spot in my heart for Kanon's character and the first episode that introduced her as having crippling stage fright (fucking up performances and auditions) and yet having a passion for singing and making music and it destroys her that she can't do better. It was the first time I related so deeply to a Love Live character... And was totally unexpected for the protagonist, at that! For a silly idol anime, I appreciated how grounded and full of heart it was. 🥺

GUESS WHO REWATCHED EPISODE 1 TO TAKE THESE SCREENSHOTS AND ENDED UP SOBBING UGH. It hit me harder now than the first time. (Though of course the bad news is that they went on to ignore this super important piece of character development for like 9 episodes but who's counting--)

Given all this, it meant a lot that Mathew entrusted me with singing Kanon's parts and for representing the protagonist of the group....... Such a great honor 😭😭😭😭

And on top of everything, I've been listening to the covers that Mathew puts out for a while—I genuinely enjoy and admire them a lot! Every video of his is sparkling with passion and love and warmth. He brings together such lovely casts and writes touchingly inspiring lyrics and his mixes are magical (the blend is always amazing!) and it's so cool how active he is with idol cover projects and getting them finished at a time when many projects never see the light. :') 💕

That said, ofc I've been wanting to work with him but a few opportunities didn't pan out because they were at really bad times for me... And when this one came along...... I'd already been dealing with throat issues and taking a break after clearing my urgent projects........... but I just knew that if I said no I'd regret it forever?! My response to Mathew was literally: "My heart tells me I should say yes this time 😭" This was the only project I recorded in the middle of my vocal rest periods—I did try to be careful not to push myself too hard or sing for too long so it was recorded over many days and I tried to respect my limits.

After this was when my throat took a turn for the worse so this is the last thing I recorded before taking my serious vocal rest! And of course my thoughts lead me here... that if I never recover..... and am forced to retire......... I'd be happy that this collab is the one that marks my retirement. ❤️ THOUGH OF COURSE I'm GOING to recover!!! and NOT retire!!!! so yeah!!! ( •̀ᄇ• ́)ﻭ

Also I will admit that I'm actually happy with my solos in this,,, It's been ages since I could say that LMAO. Considering the circumstances it was recorded in that's surprising, but I think I managed to sound as well as I'd hope to sound—I don't dislike this timbre that was used to sound closer to Kanon and I expressed everything I wanted to express and don't sound like a bad singer quq Success, I'm actually quite proud!

The cast is just wonderful. Such pretty, lovely, adorable, sweet, soothing but energizing voices and I love everyone and hope I can sing with them all again. ;u; I'd absolutely still be a gushing fan even if I weren't involved since this collab is a delight to listen to—I've been looping the mix drafts for a while and now that the video is out I'm still not stopping!!

We will give our all, so let us take flight, you and I~ ✨✨✨!

Mirai wa Kaze no You ni (Liella!) ⌈english cover | Sepia Pro.⌋
Vocalists ►Eva @waterpixieva ►Hikari Kira @Hikari Kira ►Cheri Fish @cherifish ►Odin @❤ Shoujo Brave ❤ ►shoyun @shoyun Mix ►Mathew @Sepia Days Music English Lyrics ►Mathew @Sepia Days Music

The Not-So-Little Mermaid

praying for a full recovery from all your health issues Eva; you got this 🙏

tell your throat that K-pop idol mermaids need their voices regardless of what sea witches think 😤

— David Guthrie Music (@djguthrie5) January 2, 2022

 

Just wanted to share this analogy made by my friend David that BLEWWWW MY MIND AND POSSIBLY CHANGED MY LIFE LOL...... My throat issues may perhaps just be the chapter of my mermaid fairytale in which a nasty sea witch has stolen my voice, before I defeat her in the name of love and restore my place as princess of the seven seas...!!! ✨💫✨💫✨

You know those times when you have to explain something serious or disagreeable to children, so you make it sound way cooler and simplified by relating it to something childish and they're dumb enough to accept it?

That still works on 28-year-olds btw.