REFLECTIONS

i know that this is so NOT original, but i too would like to document (in a nutshell) how the year 2005 has been for me. for the longest time, my new year resolution had been to lose weight. and it was no different for 2005. this is what i wrote in my organiser on 31st December 2004:

(the items below were written in my usual oh-so-fabulous-handwriting.. heheh. tgkla, once i'm savvy enough, it'll take a snap shot of what i wrote and post the photo here... sizz... a little help here ;P)

Resolution 2005

1. not to make any regretful purchases in 2005 (this was on top of my list because back in Sep 2004 i actually signed up for a facial package at Men's Skin Centre : RM 699 for 5 sessions. suffered from temporary insanity when i signed up for the package - was hypnotised by the evil, commission-hungry beauticians)
2. to take better care of health
3. to be a better muslim
4. to take part in at least 1 singing competition
5. to be xx kg by the end of the year (actual value is kept confidential to save face..hehe)

this was my life before i entered 2005. i never paid any attention to my emotional needs (due to its abnormality). therefore i had no resolution to address that part of me. there was no 'find a girlfriend' or 'get engaged' (i don't know whether str8 ppl put this as their resolution.. but i don't). but i think it is safe for me to say that 2005 has changed that.

anyway, let's see how many of those resolutions were accomplished:

1. ACCOMPLISHED - after the Men's Skin Centre incident, i have been very careful with my purchases. and although i have made a few purchases of large items this year (digicam, refrigerator, microwave oven) i'm happy to say that i am contented with my purchases.
2. LARGELY ACCOMPLISHED - physically, i am definitely healthier this year. have been going to the gym somewhat regularly, have been eating better. even emotionally i feel that there has been a marked improvement. last year i was still working in an accounting firm (and for those not in the know - accounting firms treat their staff like slaves). i guess i wasn't really happy there but i didn't realise that ppl around me were aware of it until my ex-housemate said this to me when he saw me again 2 months ago "u look a lot happier now. dulu masa ko kerja kat tempat lama bila ko balik rumah pun aku takut nak tegur.. muka masam je". yes, that's a testament of how much happier i am now ;)
3. err.. no comment
4. ACCOMPLISHED - i took part in my current company's 'Idol' competition this year. got through the semi-final (although i felt like i should have made it to the finals - to sing anuar zain's mungkin on-key is no small feat okeh?)
5. SOMEWHAT ACCOMPLISHED - although i have not met the targeted desired weight, i'm proud to say that i'm more than halfway there. i now weigh 16% less than what i used to weigh earlier this year :)

OVERALL VERDICT: not so bad, eh? ok la except for item no. 3 which is a little bit too personal to be discussed here.

OTHER 'ACHIEVEMENTS' OF 2005 (bear with me ok... nak bangga diri sikit)
- received 4 job offers this year (taken up 2 so far... and in the process of taking up the other 1)
- being offered a five-figure-income job (Dubai la mana lagi)
- had one of the directors of my company (a mat salleh guy) compliment me on a report which i prepared for my boss (bangga siut.. mcm nak frame je email tu)
- passed the unit trust agent exam in a record time of 21 minutes (time given was one hour... a few other candidates ternganga when i left the exam hall.. hehehe)
- became a landlord at the age of 25
- live on my own and still keep my sanity in tact (well for most of the time at least)
- learned how to use a digicam and upload photos to my laptop (kesian kan?)
- learned how to use pivot table and vlookup instructions in microsoft excel
- bought a new car
- still keep my virginity (wouldn't have made it to my list of achievements if it was last year.. but this year, it definitely deserves a mention here)
- started this BLOG!!!

THINGS WHICH I AM NOT SO PROUD OF WHICH HAPPENED IN 2005
- puasa enam tak habis
- i still drive bare-footed
- even after 7 months of staying in my new apartment, i still have yet to tegur my next door neighbours
- have yet to sell a single unit trust to anyone (not even to myself)
- was forced to join amway by an ex-colleague (and agreed to attend a few meeting sessions before i actually said no)
- i sometimes spend a day in the office doing nothing but surfing myspace, chatting on ym and writing my blog (today is one of those days.. heheh)
- only read two fictions this year - Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and Paulo Coelho's the Alchemist (should start reading more often)

THINGS WHICH-DO-NOT-FALL-IN-EITHER-CATEGORY-BUT-I-STILL-WISH-TO-MENTION WHICH HAPPENED IN 2005
- embraced my PLU-ness (to some extent)
- been kissed by a (few) guy(s)
- fooled around in the cinema (NOW i know why couples go to cinemas)
- started wearing contact lenses (and wear shades - it's true, shades ARE cool.. hehe)
- had a major fight with my brother AND sister (because they can be major assholes at times)
- had a minor accident (not my fault)
- had my phone bill reach RM500 for a particular month (last month to be exact)

and that, ladies and gentlemen is my 2005 in a nutshell. i will always remember the year that i turned 25. it is UNFORGETTABLE to say the least (well actually, i will have this blog to somehow help me remember in case i forget). what's in store in 2006? who knows. but if i am actually going to dubai, i think it'll be unforgettable and full of experience too. good or bad - tak tau la.

with all the things that's happening at the moment ... i have not had time to stop and think about my resolutions for next year. well at least i have item (3) and item (5) of this year's resolution to start with...

HAPPY 2006, everyone! alamak -2006? i'll be 26. that sounds so old! NOOOO!!!!! heheh