Tuesday, January 04, 2011
2011!
Another new year ahead. I realise I've taken a long hiatus from writing, partly because of our big event at the end of 2010. I'm so glad it's over, but even now we're still tying up one or two more loose ends. Maybe a recap of 2010 is in order?
1. We've pulled off a wedding of an unplanned scale (courtesy of dad), thanks to so many people who have helped us along the way. It was more than a year's worth of stress building up, but we're ever so grateful that our friends really came in to grasp the reigns so perfectly on that day.
2. I took over the job of being the mental health guy at work, and must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. If I were to be very honest with myself, I really would have continued with this job, if not for the fact that I still disapprove of this organisation and most things associated with it.
3. Friends are getting married left, right and centre. We just had an explosion of weddings to attend this month, and I can see this pattern recurring for the next few years at least. Then will come the red eggs getting delivered.
4. The home-moving was really formidable. I never realised how particular I could be, or how incompetent some self-proclaimed 'professionals' can really be. But I do love the new place - in fact I'm typing this entry whilst lounging on the balcony with a cup of coffee. Yes, a sensible balcony at last, which doesn't require world-class acrobatics to access.
5. Holidays-wise it had been dry. OK, I must confess that I don't usually indulge in hard-core traveling, and even more so this year as we were quite prudent with expenditures due to the wedding. We did the obligatory birthday treat in March to the Gili Islands, and loved it. We saw more turtles than we could ever care to see, the ubiquitous horse poo was an eye-opener, we brought back (cheap) stuff for our new place, and of course, the magic mushrooms were such a treat.
6. Did some hardcore weight-loss this year. Thrilled that I can now wear my secondary school-time things (with room to spare), but far from thrilled that I'm having to spend a bomb on a major wardrobe overhaul. Work clothes are hanging off me.
I probably missed out other things that had been added to the melting pot in the last 1 year, but I guess much of it had been overshadowed by the wedding.
And now, for 2011. I've never been one to care about resolutions, mostly because I know I can't quite keep them. Some thoughts about the year ahead, more or less in chronological order:
1. Getting back into my usual hobbies. First one to kick start the year is a new batch of home brew. A mini carbonator/dispenser is on its way from the US even as I type. Also eagerly anticipating the break of spring in the UK - I've been on the darned waiting list for
S. x moorei 'Leah Wilkerson' and it's finally my turn, thanks to Mike! I'm also
entertaining the thought of procuring some rather milder herptiles for the airwell, if I get past Yx and my parents.
2. Chinese new year - our first after getting married, and I suspect I'm going to feel quite irritated at that time.
3. The end of a 2-year break in late Feb. I suppose that'll merit a separate post on it's own. I remember May 2009. It was such an ordeal; and looking back, my cardio
shifu was right in more ways than one.
4. Looking forward to our honeymoon. We're doing a huge trip this time, and spending 3 weeks in total between Palau, Yap and Donsol (Philippines). Given the remoteness of the darned pacific islands, we're looking at a staggering budget plan. But hey. It's really now or never to visit these places. Air tickets and accommodations have been booked - in fact, much of it is already set in stone. We're also investing in our own diving gear at last, since we figured that rental gear at $50 per person per day is eventually going to justify this purchase.
4. Back to work proper in May. Yay, finally got my no-pay leave approved! I don't know what their problem is this year, but people are getting rejected. And the start of my darned Residency in July. I'm feeling very upset and sore about this. Call me a stick in the mud, but I really prefer the old BST/AST system. It's also partly cause my batch is severely disadvantaged from the conversion. I *could* have saved a year in training. F*CK. And maybe Part I of the exams end of the year.
5. Brother-in-law's getting married in Oct, and we're (hopefully!) heading down to Sabah for some of the fun. That, and it's the perfect excuse AND season to make a detour to Mabul/Sipadan. And maybe even Mount Kinabalu for the Nepenthes villosa, though for some very strange reason the in-laws aren't too fond of the mountain.
That's about it for the year to come. Throw in a few knick-knacks to make life interesting (waiting for iPad 2's release, for example) and a few upset episodes here and there, and we're set. How very prescribed. Once again, I'm overcome by an overwhelming urge to just pack up and go wandering / starting it over in some foreign land, where I'll most probably be mugged, discriminated against, don long wiry hair and multiple tattoos, and eke out a living by adorning the streetsides with my
revolting ravishing artwork or be a blues singer in a dingy bar.
Wenky
7:25 PM
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