2024: The Year I Turned 30, Traveled the World, and Found My Zen
This blog post reflects on my 2024 – the highs, the lows, my travels, new beginnings, career wins, and the unexpected twists and turns that kept things interesting.
Q1 2024: Setting the Stage for a Year of Adventure
January was off to an interesting start when someone tried to break into the house I was living in in Culver City. Long story short, the perpetrator was never caught, but thankfully no one was hurt, nothing was stolen, and it made for an interesting story (read more about it here).
February brought a whole new adventure: a trip to Melbourne and Sydney with a few of my friends, Matt, Connie, and Stacy. The main reason for the trip? Taylor Swift. The girls in the group are huge fans and if you're not familiar with how quickly Taylor Swift tickets sell out, they sell out FAST (nice profit margins on resale tickets though). Personally, I don't really care for Taylor Swift, but I figured this would be a great opportunity to visit Australia and see one of the world's biggest pop icons live.
The group decided that this trip would only happen if one of us actually managed to get tickets. After 45 minutes of joining the online queue, one of the girls actually secured 4 tickets for all of us! Just like that, the Australia trip was on. I have to say - Australia has an amazing public transportation system, their food is incredible, and the coffee is on another level.
March was a month of new experiences. I bought a Meta Quest (yes, I know, I'm late to the party) and was soon spending 1-2 hours after work playing ping pong in the virtual world. I also ran the LA Marathon in March – though, full disclosure, I didn't train for it properly. Still, I was happy with the medal (it was in the shape of a clover since the marathon was on St. Patrick's Day), and my roommate, John, got an awesome video of me as I was nearing the finish line. It's funny because I remember feeling like I was zooming towards the end, but the video tells a different story.
My roommate, John, cheering me on as I ZOOM like SONIC
The highlight of March was definitely my trip to NYC with my brother, Nim, and his roommate, Shaf, to find an apartment. I had always wanted to move to NYC, and it was finally happening. After touring about 10 places, we finally found our perfect place and signed the lease!
Q2 2024: Farewell to LA, Hello to the World (and AI)
In April, I went to Las Vegas for work, as part of the annual Google Cloud Next conference, Google's big event showcasing the latest in AI and cloud technology. I got to capture all the exciting action happening at the different customer booths. After the conference, I explored the city with a friend and even won some money playing blackjack and walked away with $183.
In May, my awesome friends threw me a farewell party. It was bittersweet leaving LA, where I'd lived since August 2022. I'd made so many amazing friends and memories. And I was also fortunate to present at a high-profile marketing event in the Bay Area.
Malibu Dreams by Kenny G
In June, I led AI training sessions in Seattle and Finland. I was even able to take some PTO after my training sessions in Finland, and my friends, Matt and Evans, joined me in exploring Estonia, Sweden, and Denmark together.
I finally returned to NYC in late June, and even though I had technically moved there in mid-May, I hadn't really experienced much of the city or even set up my room yet. It was time to settle in and create a new routine. I got a Citi Bike membership and started biking to work, which quickly became one of my favorite parts of the day. The 25-minute ride took me along the Hudson River Greenway, a scenic bike path with beautiful views of the river.
Q3 2024: Cruises, Concerts, and Career Wins
July kicked off with a bang as Nim, Shaf, and I hit up Coney Island for the 4th of July. I also caught my first baseball game in NYC – a Red Sox vs. Yankees game at Yankee Stadium. But the highlight of July was the Studio Ghibli concert, conducted by the one and only Joe Hisaishi. As a huge anime and Studio Ghibli fan, hearing those iconic soundtracks performed live by a full orchestra was an unforgettable experience.
Towards the end of July, my friend Jerry was leaving NYC to get his MBA at Northwestern. He introduced me to a bunch of his friends and we all went on a 2-hour nighttime cruise to give him a proper send-off. I even smoked a cigar for the first time, paired with a glass of whiskey, for the full "sophisticated gentleman" experience. It wasn't quite as smooth as I imagined – I definitely coughed a few times – but at least I looked cool. Most likely the first and last time I smoke a cigar.
August was a whirlwind of activity. I launched AI Boost Bites, a video training series on AI for Google marketers, which became a massive success and adopted as a Google-wide initiative. This was a project that I had been working on with my boss, Cam, for the past couple of months. It involved countless late nights and weekend work, but seeing it all come together was incredibly rewarding. We even got some shoutouts from senior leaders for the impact it was having on helping marketers upskill in AI. It was awesome to see our hard work paying off.
Later in August, I went on a Virgin Voyages cruise with my best friends from college, Randy and Teddy, to the Dominican Republic. We started with a few days in Miami before embarking on this epic 5-day cruise. It was non-stop fun – we went snorkeling, tried almost every item on the menu at every meal and had a fantastic time.
I wrapped up August by catching a tennis match at the US Open with Nim and Shaf. I loved my time at the US Open and will definitely be going back in 2025.
Nim and I kicked off September with a trip to DC and Philadelphia for the Labor Day weekend and to celebrate my 30th birthday. We explored the historical landmarks in DC, like the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, and even got a tour of the Capitol Building. In Philly, we did the obligatory touristy things like posing with the Rocky Balboa statue and having a vegetarian cheesesteak.
On our way back to NYC, we stopped by the BAPS temple in New Jersey, the largest Hindu temple in the US. It was breathtaking. The intricate carvings, the peaceful atmosphere, and the delicious food at the temple canteen made it a memorable experience.
In mid-September I had a quick work trip to Cleveland (not the most exciting city, but I got hooked onto the music of Teddy Swims, a recommendation from my friend, Teddy) and also celebrated my birthday with family in Dallas.
Intensity, Inner Peace, and International Adventures
October was an intense month, both professionally and personally. The AI Boost Bites program was going global, with nearly 1,000 Google marketers signed up. We initially planned to run the program for just three months, but with all the positive feedback and engagement, we knew we had to keep it going. So, it was back to the drawing board (and the recording studio) to create another round of Boost Bites.
But that wasn't all. Our marketing leadership also wanted Cam and me to develop a comprehensive 60-minute AI course for our marketers. To stay grounded amidst the chaos, I leaned heavily on my faith and developed a regular routine of meditation, affirmations, and manifestation. One of my favorite quotes, "Tough times don't last, tough people do", became my mantra during this period. And after seven weeks of intense work, we finally launched AI Boost: Elevate in mid-November. It was a huge relief and a major accomplishment.
After launching AI Boost: Elevate, I was ready for a break. Thankfully, I had a Thanksgiving trip to Taiwan planned with my friends Matt, Evans, and Brittany. Here are some highlights in pictures:
On December 1st, instead of flying back to NYC from Taiwan, I hopped on a plane to Munich for work. I was tasked with leading an AI session for GCM Jam, Google Cloud Marketing's annual team offsite. It was also announced at GCM Jam that the AI Boost Bites program had won an award for AI innovation - I'm supposed to be getting some kind of trophy soon.
After my AI session, I had some time to explore Munich. It was the perfect time of year to visit, with Christmas markets twinkling in every square and the aroma of gingerbread filling the air. Here are a few of my Munich highlights:
While I was in Munich, I received some exciting news: I had been selected to attend the Vipassana meditation retreat that I had signed up for back in November. Nim had shared an article about Vipassana back in August, and it had piqued my interest. But with the intensity of October, I felt a strong pull to finally take the plunge and apply for a retreat. I was initially on the waitlist but was thrilled to get a spot in the December retreat in Shelburne, Massachusetts, from December 18th to 29th. You can read more about my Vipassana experience here. It was the perfect way to decompress and recharge after a jam-packed year.
After the retreat ended on December 29th, I spent the rest of the year enjoying the holiday season in NYC. I explored the Christmas markets, indulged in delicious food, visited the enchanting Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden and spent New Year’s with a close friend. It was a magical way to end an incredible year.
Reflections on a Year Well Lived
As 2024 drew to a close, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for all the experiences, challenges, and triumphs that had shaped my year. From the adrenaline rush of dodging a break-in to the profound peace of a silent retreat, I had grown in ways I never imagined.
I'm excited to see what adventures 2025 has in store, but for now, I'm savoring the memories of a year that truly pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me discover new depths within myself.
Truly a year full of great memories and "work hard, play hard" epitomized! Incredible.