It's december ALREADY!!!

Time does fly rather quickly ...very cliche but very true ...it is now the second week of December ..before long it will be Christmas ..and a week later it will be the New Year ....it is always that time of the year when I'll be asking myself (i) where did the time go?; (ii) what have i done this year; (iii) what is my plan for next year ...

Well, i guess I have been very busy this year ...both in my work and the personal front. Let see, what i have done:

(i) Holidays & mini breaks

Ciater Hot Spring, Bandung (January 2011)

Well, I did a fair bit of traveling in 2011 ..I started with a mini holiday to Jakarta and Bandung with Kiky and Tijot, which was really great - but when I come to think of it, it seems like years ago ...then I had my family holiday to Sabah - also an awesome adventure, tiring but great fun! Then comes the unexpected trip to Kuantan to visit my best buddies ...in between we had a family beach retreat at Sematan ...and here, there and everywhere weekend trips ....family bonding time!



(ii) Work related travel

My WOW trip was the Shanghai trip ...awesome, seeing a country that is very much contradictory in nature ...a very modern city with its traditional values very much intertwined ...a city of contrast ...and my usual Penang trip for conference ...as well as other research trips to various areas in Sarawak ...

(iii) PhD thingy

At long last, I am ready (both mentally and physically) to do my PhD ..so, this year was busy with proposal writing, applications and so on ....obstacles emerged, solutions and alternatives to be considered and so on ...still yet to be finalized ...fingers crossed, I'll know the outcome early in 2012 ...

(iv) financial planning (I hate this!!!!)

I managed to refrain from shopping and put up some $$$ into my future ..hahahaha when I say refrain - it does not mean all the time ....but, I am proud to say that I did refrain from excessive shopping and put a bit for my future ....enough said, it will make me want to go to the shop and BUY BUY BUY ...

(v) new office

Yes, finally moving to our permanent campus ...got a nice room with nice neighbours ..this was my 3rd move since joining the university ..and this is the last move (I'm told that even when I am going away for my PhD, the room will still be mine - waiting for me to come back!) ...


Now that I have it listed, it doesnt seem much! But I like my dad's motto in life ...it is not about the numbers, it is about quality ...if you are happy that is all that matters ....if people asked me if I am happy with what I did in 2011, i guess I am happy with it ...with how things turned out ...

Things to look forward to in 2012:

a new life as a student?
more holidays to far-away places?
more $$$ to spend?
quality time with friends and family - DEFINITELY!!!


There you go folks ....always be happy in life ...and be thankful for what you have ...