I started off 2009 with something that was less of "a resolution" but more of a promise to myself to adhere to a list of 8 things I saw as centrally important to my life. I wasn't going to change or discard anything, per se. I was just going to consciously do more of the things that mattered. Thus began what I titled my Eff-All Campaign 2009.
And what a year it was for me. I'd done so much that to read all that I had taken time to record over the last 12 months still boggles my mind now. "I did ALL that?? WOW..."
And here's the re-cap:
1. Family: I've somehow succeeded in spending more time with my Ma (and sis) with the now-regular Saturday breakfast outings to Sri Paandi, me for my ghee dosai and Ma for her appam. She would dutifully carry her own little container of gula merah in her handbag to sprinkle on the appam because the shop doesn't serve it. I spent more time with extended family as well, making a conscious and concerted effort to attend more family gatherings, made more meaningful with the number of deaths experienced in the immediate family last year; four to be exact, three of whom were in succession within a three-week period. I've met cousins, nieces and nephews from all far-flung corners who I have not met for a long while and Facebooked many more long-lost cousins.
2. Friends: I've met a lot of new people throughout the year, including a lot of kids! It is an achievement because I still maintain that I am a dreadful curmudgeon and generally very anti-social. But meet new people, I did... somehow. And some have been great, they know who they are. Rekindling old ones is a little more lacking but for sure, there have been some significant recognition of who were NOT worth my time and a whole lot of one-on-one conversations.
3. Fitness: I wanted to be involved in a lot of sporting activity. And I was. I wanted to try new stuff and here, I will just rattle off the things I did of significance or for the first time in 2009: 78km bike ride to Putrajaya, not-quite-ultimate Frisbee, 40km group ride in Putra/Cyberjaya, Cycle Singapore 2009, Dragon Boating, 5km at the Stanchart Marathon 2009, Diving in Perhentian, Badminton Tournament (where Tzee and I didn't lose ALL our games), Tennis with random strangers and intermittent table tennis games. It's been GREAT!!!
4. Free time: Phew! I was quite breathless amidst everything in 2009 and kept busy a lot. I think I now crave my me-time more than ever! Seriously, I would have liked to spend more alone time but that hasn't always been possible. On that note, I have somehow managed to travel 6 new cities, watch 55 movies, attended 11 arts/theatre events and read a measly 3 books.
5. Faith: On my Facebook profile, I listed religious view as "Catholic Agnostic" because I was Catholic first, before I could even recognize who my mother was, and then grew into agnosticism later. I posted that in my warped sense of humour. But I now truly believe it more and more. Learning to surrender when all else fails and in doubt has been more trying. Breaking away from human forms and conformities of the human mind is never easy. I learn, yet.
6. Filosophy: It has been a tough to shut up and conscientiously listen to other points of view before offering my own (if at all). It has been a large challenge but once the I had gotten the hang of it, it was really quite insightful. And what was most apparent to me was the fact that what I thought or what I had to say was sometimes irrelevant or more powerful left unsaid. I don't always have to say something, nor is it expected of me. Silent observation offers a world of insight.
7. Food: Oh, my word... where do I start? I had been to 166 new places to eat in 2009 that I had never been to before. And this does not include the places (including the 166) I've been back to for repeat visits. And the evidence of all this?? It's in my gut... I feel it! ;-)
8. Fear: [Not of fear itself but the acknowledgment of its existence acceptance of its influence and effect on the things that we do.] This one was a little more complicated. It was more of externalizing and understanding other things and people around me and why things happen the way they do. Understanding the fear that drives people to do the things they do and say what it is that they say. It's hard to quantify how successful I have been in this area but it is something that I continually strive to achieve.
Top 5 of 2009:
1. Melbourne, Australia (May 2009)
2. Showdown of Champions 2009, Kuala Lumpur (December 2009)
3. Carcassonne, Figueras, Barcelona (October 2009)
4. Bangkok, Thailand (February 2009)
5. Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary (August 2009)
It's been a an action-packed year. It had its ups and downs and its share of drama but never once, has it been dull. I could write so much more but I fear that writing about the past year will only eat into my time of recording down the year that we're in now. And 2010 will be even greater!
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