Tick, Tick 2014

By Elie - 7:29 AM

So it’s another year. Another moment, another memory. As I always do, this year doesn’t steer clear from a clearing of my resolutions and there wouldn’t be a new year without new resolutions either. But with the hits and misses of this year, perhaps I could set things that aren’t too much to bother with in the next. First things first…

THE HITS

Enjoy whatever a job I have in hand

This Chinese New Year, I attended my first company dinner ever.

It’s sad to say, no I did not stay in my first job. I loved it; the lifestyle, the people I met and the things I’ve learned but I did not get to stay. I did however enjoy it so much that I consider this resolution absolutely done. It was a good 8 month run and now I have a new job in tow. Perhaps this time I could do even better but I will always remember how much the first job I had have taught me and I am most thankful for everything that came through with it.

Go on a holiday alone

Making jump shots because standing there is boring.

I guess this is only a partial hit as it wasn’t quite an ALONE trip per say but I got to go to the Philippines courtesy of AirAsia and the glorious sponsors from the Philippines itself. Still a fantastic experience to have left the country without my parents and I learned that there was so much that I had to see for myself in self-discovery. I also made 2 different trips to Penang; both of which without my family but instead with friends; breaking open a very new experience all together.

Have more patience with my parents

Mi familia.

This is perhaps also just a partial hit as I found myself away from home a lot more and for that, we had less time in interacting with each other. That results in less arguments, less patient-losing moments and more grown up talks with them. In fact, I found so much comfort in my parents this year as things unfolded that I learned of how they will be there regardless what has happened and it doesn’t matter whether you’re 2 or 22, they will always still be there.

Pick up all my pieces

To clean up my act, to begin again.

Dear God, if there was something I have been proud of this year, it would have been the courage I have found to let go of what should have been long gone. This year, I grew to become stronger and while I am still not capable of what others can, I believe in the improvements I have made over the past 364 days and today is no different. This pride, this feeling...is unbelievable.

THE MISSES

Be healthier; exercise more, sleep at regular times and eat less junk

I did a 21km bridge (half) marathon in Penang and a 7km trail run in Kepong. Quota done?

No. Just no because I absolutely have not been anymore healthier and in fact have gotten worse this year with a major sick month spanning in June and November (Stretching over to December!). I even broke my doctor visit streak this year, getting my first jab to lower my temperature over in June; a feat that I have kept undone since 4 or 5 years back. Sadly enough, my sleeping times were also topsy turvy and I have made no skills in exercising nor eating less junk. Fail.

Take my family on a holiday

Throwing back to Hong Kong 2013.

A picture complete with my old watermark, isn't that great?

This unfortunately, did not materialize. In fact this year I made a lot of trips but none of which was with my family. I think it is something I am most sorry for but I will keep trying and one day when this does happen, I want to be able to look back and be proud that I finally did it. I’m sorry, Lam family.

Master Japanese in a way that I could converse normally

にほんご。にほんご。にほんご。

I wish I could have done more this year. I wish I could have worked harder this year. But unfortunately I didn’t. I do try to speak in Japanese as much as I can and I do extras such as listening to music, watching movies and animes, and reading light things online. It is however not as easy as it seems and I am still on my learning path. Meeting Masaaki this year however helped me a lot and I hope to meet him again another day. For what this is about, hang on till my next post. Or the one after, I don't know what's being scheduled later on.

Keep a Project 365 diary

Stop staring, move along because it's sped up on purpose.

I’ve gone up to (June) but it eventually became too much to keep up to what with taking a picture every single day and I am just a tad bit shy with having to take a selfie in front of everyone. This resulted in mostly low lit pictures as I was in the office too early or left too late so I quit midway. I did however keep a diary for my everyday so I guess that counts instead? There isn’t a “Selfie A Day” though but it was fun while I tried.

Make sure I meet up with my best friends at least once a month

I didn't want to bombard everyone with pictures all over so a GIF will have to do!

This didn’t work out and I am beyond sad! We have all become so bothered with life, so messed up with routines that we couldn’t figure things out to have a sit down each month. What happened however was that I did get on Skype with Callie almost every day since she has been in UK and Sue Yin once in a while. I do also get in touch with Yen Wern because somehow it’s the far ones that always comes closest. Sigh, I should do better.

Read all the books I bought from the Big Bad Wolf sale

And then I bought more.

No, no, no. I am utterly disappointed at myself over this resolution that I missed because I could have sworn to have gotten the bite of a bookworm but the magic didn’t last too long and I began to succumb to the freedom of reading on the iPad and that is horrible! I swear to be better in the next year. I swear.

It almost appears as though I have more misses than hits, gee what am I doing wrong? Have I been setting things too high or have I just become lazy to keep up to what I want to do? Maybe in the following year, I should print out my resolutions to look at every day just so I won't miss out on them. Till 2015 beckons, enjoy it all!