as the year draws to a close i feel like it's almost obligatory that i do the usual end-of-year review. the stumblingtumbling annual for 2008, if you will. but i was about to say something that i feel i've said before a year ago, and i looked back at older entries and there you have it:

I used to like this time of the year. A time when all that newspapers features are look-backs on the past year, in individualized sections. grouped into movies, home, sports etc so we can take stock in a more organized manner. A way of looking back in a nostalgic, oh-man-i-remember-that, laugh-at-ourselves way. It gives you an option: easy and simple. Count your blessings, understand your worldviews, look back on the world on an annual, calendar-year basis. It's reassuring, to know that the media and the hardworking journalists (which now includes two friends) have done it for you: diligently divided the year into the Best and Worst of 2007, subcategoried, ready-with-opinions, for easy digestion.

But then you realize that the packaged look-back was of the world, and not yours. And that's where you have to come in: you are Supposed to look back on your year, think about it, (you dont' necessarily have to come to conclusions), be motivated enough to come up with New Year Resolutions, and then when all that is done, take out your party hats and poppers, and celebrate the New Year.

So there. it's been said. But i guess what's different for me this year is that i've tried out new things, did a bit more drawing, and basically spent the year in anticipation of the next one. learnt more about people i guess. And i believe there were many days this year where i came home and genuinely thought to myself: this was a good day. and that is a bigger and far greater feeling than any there is. not trying to be holier than thou; in fact this all sounds old and terminal. i should stop myself-

this post is getting a little too reflective and introspective, and i really should just return to my roots when i blogged about my day, or something vaguely funny that happened, or the lack of anything that interested me. haha. this blog sucks in this way.

there are people who are enthusiastic about things, and people who are cynical. and i guess anybody who enjoys a good bitching session around a table- in a cafe too noisy for eavesdropping- is cynical to some degree. at this point i really don't know how i came onto this topic - i guess it's to do with the idea of celebration and new beginnings; i think cynicism has to take a back seat when it comes to times like this, when a real and sincere self-celebration will do good for anybody. it's actually a pretty good feeling: release from the burden of the year that fades one year back into memory, coupled with a genuine interest in the year ahead, and wanting to do a little better, if not some good, in this coming year. before we come to the end of that, again.

wasn't too bad. but have a better year anyway

hello. haha alright it was too tempting to not-blog just to prove janice's reverse psychology attempts futile. anyway, right, i'm back, for a while.

actually i've been neglecting this space recently partly because i've been spending more time on atumble.tumblr.com, so yeah, do visit it! it's a new thing, and i don't know how far it's going, but well, it appears more sustainable to me right now. i'm just running out of things to talk about, maybe.

my dad came home yesterday and was over the moon at coming in fourth in his annual bowling competition, and at the fact that he scored the highest game of 240, beating others who have expensive bowling balls and shoes, and practice way before the competition, while he only bowls that one time a year. haha. he's always returning with all these random triumphs. that day he was telling me about how he got scolded by his boss for no reason, but he made it sound like his triumph in a way. i really can't explain it. and oh no this is the person i'm gonna grow up to be like!

i think i'm really terrible at driving. hence i shall save up more money, for a better bicycle. and cycle for the next 30 years under the pretext of eco-friendliness.

one week of leave! and i'm bent on making it fulfilling. so far it's been great! new stuff and things to do i need more than a week away