October was a month of new experiences, reconnecting with friends and a few unexpected blessings. It was also a month that reminded me to slow down, make room for reflection, and be intentional about the things that matter.
One of the highlights was attending my first opera! I watched Carmen at the LA Opera on opening night and absolutely loved it. The costumes, set design, and performances were incredible. I enjoyed the experience so much and am glad to have splurged on a season package for five shows this year. I’m looking forward to discovering more operas! I’ve also continued enjoying time with friends, from meals around Los Angeles and Orange County to Oktoberfest at Rasselbock. There were opportunities to catch up with familiar faces, meet new people, and spend time together outside our usual routines.
October brought the UP Anniversary weekend, a special opportunity to reconnect with church alumni and see familiar faces from different seasons of life. It was lovely to be part of the celebration and spend time with the community. I also attended a Framework Fellows alumni gathering and several other networking events. These gathering are always a reminder of how valuable it is to bring people together, share experiences, and continue building relationships. On Halloween, I celebrated belated birthday with friends over an incredible Imperial Feast at Bistro Na’s. It was a wonderful way to close out the month, enjoying good food and company.
Healthwise, I had my first colonoscpy. The preparation was certainly an experience, but the procedure went well. A polyp was sent for testing and I’m awaiting the results. My sleep schedule has completely shifted as I often find myself up at 2-4am. It’s a reminder that taking care of myself requires ongoing attention, not just when scan or test demands it.
Professionally, these past few months have been quiet. I’m grateful to receive a new one-month consulting engagement in November. It was an encouraging development and timely reminder that new opportunities can come when we least expect them. I’ve also been presented with interesting full-time opportunities and need some time to pray to even consider such possibilities again.
October reminded me to keep exploring, stay connected, and remain open to new opportunities. Whether it was experiencing the opera for the first time, reconnecting with alumni, celebrating another birthday or beginning a new consulting engagement, there were plenty of reasons to be grateful. As I head into November, I hope to be more intentional about making time for reading, creative pursuits, meaningful conversations and experiences that help me grow.
Praises & Highlights
- Fun Activities: Carmen at LA Opera, UPC Anniversary, Pepperdine Alumni Networking, Coworker Dinner
- Listening to the Bible via The Bible Experience Audiobook
- Side effects-to-date: High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Pre-diabetes
Prayer Requests for Nov
- Pray that I can continue to trust the Lord as Jehovah-Jireh to provide all I need. Pray for new professional opportunities and guidance in using my skills faithfully
- Pray for new contract job – it will be a tight turnaround to fulfill audit requests
- Follow-ups on lab results
