And bye to 2009...

let's check back on my resolutions for year 2009

Resolutions for Year 2009
1) Land a good job which I enjoy working and with good pay and benefits.
Kind of fulfilled I guess? My job's stable although benefits are minimal and pay is not that fantastic but wells, many people are still struggling to find a job!

2) Travel overseas again!
Totally fulfilled!
Diving trips to P.Aur, Tioman and NhaTrang (Vietnam)
Short trips to JB, Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, P.Besar
Leisure trips to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau, Zhu Hai

3) Swim at least once a week to keep fit.
Yes I did! But ever since starting my long distance jogging twice a week, swimming became less frequent

4) Good health for my family, friends and me.
I think everyone around me has been quite healthy (not considering those minor flu and fever)less the fact that many of those who started working are expanding horizontally =D

5) Economy to improve and less people suffers.
I feel that it's getting better but people are still suffering. I was especially affected by the environmental issues now that Copenhagen Summit has ended and no concrete measures are in place

Reflecting on year 2009, I guess it's a combination of ups and downs as with any other years or maybe more?

One of the most significant event must be that I embarked on my career path - 1st permanent job after graduation. I must say it was a stable year for my work and I was full of drive and energy when I first started out. I learnt a lot about an industry which I had zero knowledge of prior to taking on this challenge. I am particularly grateful that my boss offered me an opportunity to grow with the company even though I was a fresh grad at that point and the economic situation was worst than one could imagine. Brushing aside the fact that I might be cheaper to hire, hmmm let's not go into that, in the positive light, my boss saw potential in me! Anyways, all was not so smooth-sailing for me. The truth is, I missed my US life a lot and I can't help reminiscing the good O' days I had with my 3 other gal buddies in US. The carefree life we led, the places we got to see, the time we spent together and all the great people we met! It got especially unbearable when I had time on hand to recollect the fond memories with familar music blasting my eardrums from my mp3 player during my bus rides to workplace, even if it's just a short 20mins is enough to make me sign. Other than my own emotions roaring, I also had difficulties coming to terms with my job sometimes. Being always the earliest to get off work, waiting for friends to get off work to meet me which leads to the previous point, having to spearhead various unrelated work issues, not doing job functions I really want to do hence losing interest and focus on my job and not being constantly challenged proved too much for me to bear. I would sometimes question myself of my existence and my satisfaction towards my job. It also doesn't help when people keep thinking that my life is good and especially for my job. Maybe I am too impatient, but I am someone who's just out of school, ready to take on the world, if you know what I mean. For now, I have spoken to my boss and let's just hope that things gets better for the coming year.

Well there is always a saying that you gain something when you lose something, not really reflective of the situation I have here but somehow similar. I feel really lucky to have met nice colleagues in the company whom I can really call my friends and I believe I will stay in contact with them even when in future we are not working for the same organisation anymore. How often do you get the chance to be able to complain to your colleagues about work? Colleagues! Mind You! Are the very people you guard your arse against politics and more politics right? So I consider myself very fortunate in this respect.

As work now forms a big part of my life, I have dedicated quite a huge quota of words to it. Nevertheless, I would also want to reflect upon my personal life. First up let's have my family. The year can still be referred to as smooth for us less some usual family matters unsettled and some angry, irritable and emotional moments. My sister is planning to get married and I wish her all the best and hope she can take more time to do self-reflection to be a better person. As for my parents, I just hope they can live peacefully and be healthy always. Next up, my soulmate. I feel happy that we have been going quite strong and the main factor is that we share similar interest such as travelling, diving, swimming, hiking and exploring places we have never been to. However, there is really much improvements to be made for how we treat and accomodate each other. It proves to be a huge challenge and the worst thing is that he doesn't see it as a problem at all, which is worrying to me. Last but not least, Friends. Had some minor unhappiness with few friends at different times. Guess it's unavoidable especially when all of us are now working, less time, more commitments and different agendas. Nevertheless, it's good to know that Bimbos are meeting up regularly, once a month vs once in ages previously. WAT babes are also meeting regulartly plus an overseas trip to Macau and Zhu Hai. However, I haven't really made the effort for other friends (stood up RaRa gathering =( and seldom meet my primary school bestie; what about my sec sch buddies? Am I only going to see them during BIG events like wedding and baby's birth?). Hope to really get down to it in year 2010!

Seems like a satifying year huh? I have achieved my few resolutions for 2009. It's always good to set achievable targets. Shall now move forward to set more viable targets for the year ahead. In no order of preference:

My Resolutions for 2010
1) Bring my family on an overseas trip (maybe Great Wall of China?)
2) Pay increment, Bonus and more job functions to satisfy my ambitions
3) Achieve measurable success in my marketing job function
4) Leisure Travel to Australia and many other places
5) Dive trip to Sipadan and more
6) Travel to Taiwan with Bimbos
7) Exercise 5 times a week, no joke! combination of swimming and jogging
8) Take part in NIKE SHAPE Run doing 5km
9) Meet and catch up with all my friends
10) Attend enrichment courses e.g. Photography, Personal Development, Spanish
11) Obtain Powered Pleasure Craft Driving Licenses (PPCDL)
12) Do my part to save the environment
13) Engage in some volunteering activities
14) Good health for myself, my family and friends
15) Economic situation to get better and more jobs created
16) More concrete plans from the authorities to save Mother Earth

Hope to strike off all 16 points at the end of the year when 31 Dec 2010 arrives...