CNY 2006

It's the first day of the lunar new year and I'm just back home from visiting. The plus side is that I'm now alot richer than I was yesterday. The downside is that I've found this CNY rather depressing. Despite the dog year finding me in new, exciting circumstances - new home, new job, new independence... the intense focus on family over the CNY period leaves me thoughtfully retarded down a spiral.

And I don't understand it... and after so many years I thought I'd have worked right through it... but even with all the pretense and abuse, I guess I do miss them sometimes, and I wonder what if they worked out.

I'm not completely without perspective, and I do believe
that things happens for a reason
that we are the creators of our own circumstances
that things change and the rest of life moves right along...

but I guess that is every human's struggle between heart & mind.

Taken from The Economist, "He's Back", Jan 20th 2006.

On Osama's latest video:

"The reaction from Washington to this week’s tape was swift and predictable. Scott McClellan, Mr Bush’s spokesman, said its tone showed al-Qaeda was “on the run” and “under a lot of pressure”. He added that: “We do not negotiate with terrorists. We put them out of business… at a time and place of our choosing.” America’s vice-president, Dick Cheney, making a planned speech in New York, equally predictably took the chance to link the tape to an American controversy over wiretapping."

*sigh*

Battle of the tribes.

Meme of 4

Tagged by Miss Linda Chia

4 Jobs You’ve Had In Your Life
Laptop technician
Car salesman
Bank job
Wait... I've only had 3 paying jobs to date.

4 Movies You Could Watch Over And Over
Starship Troopers
Return of the Jedi
Four Rooms
Sleepless in Seattle

4 TV Shows You Love(d) To Watch
WRC!! (though I'm never able to catch it)
Seinfeld
Grey's Anatomy
Takeshi's Castle

4 Places You’ve Been On Vacation To
Pulau Redang
Patong Beach Phuket
London
California

4 Places You Would Rather Be
Hawaii
Miami Beach
Some exotic white-sands-clear-water beach in the Philippines or South India
Whistler-Blackcomb

4 Of Your Favourite Foods
Red bean buns
Eggs benny
Chirashi sushi hmmmm
Anna's Tequiera Burritos!

4 Websites You Visit Daily
Gmail
Economist.com
Adpost.com/sg/
Cdnow.com

4 Tagged
Trina
Tor
Maddy
[Insert your name here]

A nice life lesson

Before dad bought the GTV for me - when we were still just considering the exciting little car, I remember hesitating over how much it'd cost to maintain an old Italian sportscar. I wondered how thirsty she'd be, how much repairs would cost, how I'd afford to use her on an entry-level salary.

In his excitement, Dad insisted that it wouldn't be much of a task. "It's just the rust, they're very robust machines... It's 1.6L - she won't be that thirsty. I don't remember mine drinking very much..." Dad spoke of the Alfa, as he always has - with much fondness and also much authority, having had 2 GTVs, a Giulietta Ti and a Giulia Super in the seventies.

I have heard countless times the stories of his younger days, hanging around with the car junkies adjusting carburetors, removing air filters, cutting ride springs short along the streets of Tiong Bahru before taking the cars (Minis, Alfas and a couple of Fiat Abarths) for a run up to Yong Peng and back. He'd tell me how the Minis would rip up the winding roads, flat out around the corners, but were no match for the Alfa's top speed, how even back in the day the Alfa could reach 100 mph and how nobody could match the genius of Italian design and engineering...and the legend of the Alfa Romeo GTV consumed me through the words of my greatest hero.

I've had the GTV for a year now, and for living's sake I've decided that I can't afford to keep this wonderful machine anymore, neither financially nor emotionally, and its time to let her go. The experience of Alfa aside, its been an invaluable lesson learnt in making decisions for myself.

A wise loved one once told me in other words that ownership of a decision, and its consequences, is one of our greatest entitlements in life.

I'm going to claim each and every one.

Thanks 2005, here's to 2006.

I'm certainly not one to use these question-answer format posts but seeing that my last post was quite depressing, and that I don't want to start 2006 on a sad step, here's an effort to a better start, borrowed from the princess.

01. Was 2005 a good year for you?

Ups & downs & yup.

02. What was your favorite moment of the year?

There were alot of them and one of them was my first visit to http://lindachia.blogspot.com

03. What was your least favorite moment of the year?

Gee I can't remember.

04. Where were you when 2005 began?

At home putting my drunk girlfriend at the time to bed.

05. Who were you with?

I'd just left the party with Ambrose & gang.

06. Where will you be when 2005 ends?

I was at home. In bed :)

07. Who will you be with when 2005 ends?

Heh heh. No prizes for this one.

08. Did you keep your new years resolution of 2005?

I can't remember.

09. Do you have a new years resolution for 2006?

I came up with one yesterday.

• Stop drinking on a mission.
  

10. Did you fall in love in 2005?

Yup!

11. If yes, with who?

:)

12. If yes, do they know?

Yup!

13. You regret it?

Regardless, I have a no regrets policy.

14. Did you breakup with anyone in 2005?

Uh huh.

15. Did you make any new friends in 2005?

Sure did.

16. Who are your favorite new friends?

Gonna pass on this one. I'm a libra after all.

17. What was your favorite month of 2005?

Most fun in April.

18. Did you travel outside of Singapore in 2005?

Yup!

19. How many different countries did you travel to in 2005?

Just Malaysia & Thailand I think.

20. Did you lose anybody close to you in 2005?

Not eternally.

22. Did you miss anybody in the past year?

Oh yeah...

23. What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2005?

Hmm. Not sure.

24. What was your favorite song from 2005?

Ooh favorite songs... Way too many, no earth shaking ones though.

25. What was your favorite record from 2005?

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

26. How many concerts did you see in 2005?

Hmm The Eagles (think that was this year), Quidam, Stomp, Black Eyed Peas.
Just realized I didn't pay for a single one either. *sigh* thank you, thank you, I am grateful.

27. Did you have a favorite concert in 2005?

Black Eyed Peas WOO HOO Rock da house!

28. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2005?

Yeah... even though I couldn't find my fucking glass.

29. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2005?

Nope.

30. How many people did you sleep with in 2005?

Rather not say.

31. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?

Sure did.

33. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2005?

I don't remember.

34. Did you treat somebody badly in 2005?

Yes.

35. Did somebody treat you badly in 2005?

Gee I can't remember. Not that badly I guess.

36. How much money did you spend in 2005?

Bit more than I earned. :(

37. What was your proudest moment of 2005?

Badly wanting to go on an emotional revenge streak, and not doing it.

38. What was your most embarrassing moment of 2005?

Ho ho. Representing the bank to a hall full of primary school children? SMS-ing crap to my boss? Getting drunk before my D&D performance? Getting drunk before Linda's wedding performance? ... and these are the ones I haven't motivated myself to forget.

39. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2005 and change something, what would it be?

I wish I thought a little bit more, took a little bit more responsibility, took more care with other people & tried harder to understand... but I guess it all served to get me to today.

40. What are your plans for 2006?

I want to give more. I want to take more from it as well.
I'm going to work harder at throwing out my emotional burdens.
I'm going to work harder at loving those that facilitate my emotional burdens.
I want to make lots of money.
I want to shake off the pressure to make lots of money.
I'm going to move out.
I'm going to find my home.
I'm going to bring it with me, everywhere.

I want 2006 to be a triP.

Happy new year, thanks for reading!