Bye-bye 2008!

In just a few hours time, 2008 will be history!

I've been so busy in the last week that I haven't had time to even ponder on the year that is to be, and make resolutions for the new year. Let alone having time to post a year-ender which i really wanted to do!

In a while, I will be going out with my sis and nephew - to be a reveller in the heart of town for new year's countdown! This is definitely not the norm.. I haven't been out there partying on New Year eve for so long! Rather I chose to attend my church's watch night service where individuals would share of their testimonies in the year and giving glory to God.. I find it more meaningful to usher in the new year in the presence of God and his people..

But today, it will be different - because my sister is back from Hong Kong and she and the kids usually are not back at this time of the year. Since my eldest nephew requested to go out for `count down' and fireworks (and he has never been in HK) I thought why not since it will be those `once in a blue moon' thing for us anyway.

So the plan is, dad will drop us off near Sentral monorail station where we would take the train to Bukit Bintang! I missed the Xmas decor at Pavillion last year and I don't want to miss it agian this time round.. so tonight is going to be my last chance.. and would be nice since sis wants to see Bintang Walk at night. Ya, she's quite like a tourist than a true-blue Malaysian! :p

As the fireworks will be over at KLCC, we will try to see if we could take the train over there for the countdown.. really, everything will be played by ears! Just hope we won't suffer too badly with the revellers and crowds!!

So..what are some year-end thoughts? One thing which I find it so `scary' is how fast time flies by these days. Especially this year - 2008 just went by with a blink of the eye. I don't know if it's to do with getting older I no longer look forward to the new year. Rather, if I have a choice, I want time to stand still for at least a while..

Compared to 2007, I think 2008 is quite eventful in every aspect of my life. Work has steadily picked up and by middle of the year, I was quite happy that I had enough regular works to keep me going. Unfortunately in the last quarter, things had taken a change - I don't know if it has to do with the economy down-turn but I've so many lost opportunities, so much so that I was beginning to get a bit worried on how I'll survive this year.

But God is good. After some rather relaxing `break' recently, I had stumbled upon something new and challenging for at least the first half of next year. For the last two years since I quit full-time journalism, I have been writing for publications as my main bread and butter. I've hope to branch out to other forms of writing and now, I can say that I'm given the opportunity. It's to do with something I have a great passion for - but I'm still a freelancer and this is of a part-time basis. At this moment, I won't reveal too much..

But I'm quite excited about as well as some of the on going work.. though I've met some hiccups in the last two months as far as writing is concerned, which even made me doubt whether I'm suited to be doing this..

2008 was also quite a fruitful year for travelling.. although I did not make it again to go to the U.S. as I wished to from last year. In May, our family went to Zhuhai, China and then Hong Kong to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. I went to Krabi for a seaside escape in July but the highlight must be the short-term mission exposure trip to Yunnan with my church in September. Indeed, that one week opened up both my physical and spiritual eyes to so many things.. It was a memorable trip that is also paving ways for more opportunities in the missions field.

On the resolutions side.. I think I did not deliberately make any resolutions for 2008 based on past failed experiences. But there were a few areas which I wanted improvement in, and these are like the perpectual resolutions since eons ago. And yes, again I failed miserably - especially in terms of losing weight/diet, exercise and sleeping earlier.. In fact, some of them went from bad to worse!! This over-weight-internet-addict-OWL can't change!! :((

I don't know how determined I would be in 2009 but I don't think and seriously hope things won't get worse.. In fact, I should buck up and live a healthier life before I hit the big 4-0!

So ya, not much serious thoughts and reflections for this year end - in particually today. And the next post will be next year..

Happy New Year 2009 everyone! May God bless...