2006: A Review

(This should've been done at the end of last year but I only just saw it on Jenny's blog and am stealing it now. d= )

1. What did you do this year that you’ve never done before?
Volunteer. Work. Wear a jumpsuit. Go through surgery. Job interviews. Learn a new language.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any last year, nor in the year before, as far as I can remember. Was never in the habit of making new year resolutions but just for fun, this year I have made two: To make an effort to appear more friendly (cos I've been told by quite a few friends that I come across as cold/aloof/uninterested); and to stop buying chocolate in between lectures. I have already broken the second one. d=

3. What countries did you visit this year?
Italy, on two separate trips. Scotland.

4. What would you like to have in the next year that you lacked this year?
Will power. Single-mindedness. Ambition. Drive. Spontaneity.

5. What date from this year will remain etched upon your memory - and why?
None in particular.

6. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Looking him in the eye and smiling from my heart. No resentment.

7. What was your biggest failure of the year?
Letting my emotions get the better of me.

8. What was the best thing you bought this year?
My FCUK jacket!! (=
A ticket to Palermo with six other wonderful people. (=

9. Where did most of your money go this year?
Travelling.

10. What did you get really, really, really excited about this year?
Watching a jazz gig featuring Steve Tyrell at Ronnie Scott's. First day of work at GSK. Last day of work at GSK.

11. What songs will always remind you of this year?
'Don't Feel Like Dancing' by the Scissor Sisters. 'Cannonball' and 'Accidental Babies' by Damien Rice. 'You Could Be Happy' by Snow Patrol.

12. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? Apparently, (after looking back at my blog archive for Jan 2006) on this day last year I was thinking about the subject of marriage. I am at the moment boyfriend-less. Does that tell you anything? Hahaha. Just joking la. (Really I am) But judging from my blog entries in Jan 2006, it seems there were the downs, although I suppose in general I am in more ways than one happier now than I was this time last year.
- richer or poorer? Poorer, beyond any shadow of doubt. Lol.
- thinner or fatter? Fatter. (Or at least that's what I'd like to think..)

13. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Pay attention in lectures.
Speak my mind.
Smile. Be thankful. Tell someone about Jesus.
Read the Bible. Talk to God.

14. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Dwell on the past.

15. What was the best book you read this year?
I don't think I remember all the titles I read in 2006, but off the top of my head, my faves were 'War Trash' by Ha Jin, 'An Artist of the Floating World' by Kazuo Ishiguro and 'Shalimar the Clown' by Salman Rushdie which I'm currently reading.

16. What was your favorite film of the year?
The Wizard of Oz. (=

20 people

I know I said I didn't have much to write about but this meme I found on Charlotte's blog was just too irresistible!
______________________

Name 20 people u can think of and then tag 5 more people to do the survey. Do not read the questions before you write.

1. Eric
2. Sook Meng
3. Alan
4. Barathy
5. Justine
6. Jin Rong
7. Ni-Tsia
8. Tzyy Jian
9. Zhon Wei
10. Melissa
11. Nimalen
12. Chuan
13. Guan
14. Thuan (Wesley)
15. Debbie
16. Chi Wei
17. Chris Tock
18. Lydia
19. Lance
20. Chong Ka

** Disclaimer **

I would like to copy Charlotte's disclaimer to say that the list isn't in order of preference or in ANY order at all... I just put down the names as and when they came to mind (and in the order that I was checking my msn list). If your name isn't here, that does not make you any less special to me!!!

1. How did u meet #14 (Wesley)?
IC MSoc Freshers Camp. I thought he was kinda cute and he thought I was 'posh', lol.

2. What would u do if u hadn't met #1 (Eric)?
Er, I think I wouldn't have been born.

3. What would u do if #20 (Chong Ka) and #9 (Zhon) dated?
Laugh my head off.

4. Would #6 (Jin Rong) and #10 (Melissa) make a good couple?
Yeah! Except that instead of one extra mouth we'd have two extra mouths to feed whenever he comes over for dinner. In fact I think we'd have to make him pay subscription to the Kitchen Fund too. Hehe, kidding only ya Jin Rong! d=

5. Describe #3 (Alan)
He sings really well. Cooks decently well. Doesn't remember places and streets and directions well at all. Sleeps like a log. Shops like a girl.

6. Do you think #8 (Tzyy Jian) is attractive?
HAHAHAHA. Okay la. To be fair, yes I think girls his age would find him attractive. d=

7. Tell me something about #7 (Nits))
She, like me, loves all things green! (=

8. Do you know anything about #12 (Chuan)'s family?
He has an uncle who plays golf and taught him how to. (=

9. What is #1's (Eric) favourite thing?
#15! But #15 isn't a 'thing', so I guess probably his camera?

10. What would you do if #11 (Nimalen) confesses that he/she likes you?
I already know he does! Teehee.d=

11. What languages does #15 (Debbie) speak?
English, Malay and Canto.

12. Who is #9 (Zhon) going out with?
No one, I THINK. Haha.

13. How old is #16 (Chi Wei)?
24, and I never grow tired of teasing him about his age! He's the oldest close friend that I have!

14. When was the last time you talked to #13 (Guan)?
Just two nights ago on MSN.

15. Who is #2 (Sook Meng)'s favourite singer?
I don't think she has one...

16. Would you date #4 (Barathy)?
Date my mother? Are you kidding? Lol!

17. Would you date #6 (Jin Rong)?
*cough*

18. Is #15 (Debbie) single?
NO! Go away!

19. What is #17 (Chris Tock)'s last name?
Tock. Hahaha!

20. Would you consider being in a relationship with #19 (Lance)?
No! Hahahhahaa sorry Lance, but the truth does hurt sometimes.... d= But you're still my "beloved housemate".. Hahaha!

21. What schools did #17 (Chris Tock) go to?
KTJ. Don't know about the rest.

23. What is your favourite thing about #5 (Justine)?
She's one of the warmest, kindest people I know!

24. What do you think about #13 (Guan)?
He says the funniest random things and makes me laugh all the time (=

25. What do #4 (Barathy) and #18 (Lydia) have in common?
They are both very outspoken, confident and bound to become really successful women in the future (=

26. What special qualities does #5 (Justine) hold in your life?
Awww.... she will always be my favourite grandmomma and one of the special people who made my days in Taylors such a memorable time.... (=

I tag everybody who wants to do this meme!

Foursome

Yuen Ai tagged me!

4 movies I can watch over and over again
1) Forrest Gump
2) Serendipity
3) Crash
4) Kill Bill Volume 1
N/B - This list isn't anywhere near exhaustive!

4 places I have lived
1) Bentong
2) Subang Jaya
3) Singapore
4) London

4 of my fav. dishes
1) Pork noodles with lots of pork mince!
2) Thai anything!
3) Italian anything except gnocchi
4) Four Seasons' duck rice

4 sites I visit daily
1) gmail.com
2) outlook.ic.ac.uk
3) Facebook, haha
4) my blog!

4 places I'd rather be right now
1) Home
2) Home
3) Home
4) Home

4 blogheads I'd tag
1) Jenny
2) Debbie
3) Charlotte
4) Chris Tock

Three One-things

Debbie tagged me! (And yes, madam, I have finished doing all my Maths past year papers, madam!)

1) What is the one thing that you dream of doing with Jesus Christ if you had all the time in the world and there was no one else in the world but Him and you?

I imagine at first I will not be able to do anything but bow down in adoration and worship, I'd just be completely speechless and in awe! But once I get more used to being in His wonderful presence - we'd talk and talk and talk. And laugh together, even discuss worldly things like music, food and hobbies. He would tell me all the things I didn't even know about myself. I would definitely want to hear His own account of the Passion, although I know it would make me cringe and even make me cry. (Hmmm, and the Bible says there will be no tears in heaven...) But whatever it is, I reckon we'd have a jolly good time together! (=

2) What is the one thing you would do if you could be where your best friend (or super close friend, no need to provide names) is right now.

I think I'd like to be at the beach with her, just minutes before a sunset. And we'd sit leaning back to back, maybe share a box of Krispy Kremes. And depending on the mood, we'd either just sit in one another's presence in silence while enjoying the sunset, or we'd be yakking our heads off like that evening two years ago in an abandoned playground in Ipoh, talking about the future we'd go through together, the future we wouldn't go through together... oh no, this is beginning to sound depressing! Lol.

Other than that, I would love to be at a sumptious eat-all-you-can Thai buffet with her. We'd sit for hours and stuff ourselves silly, and in between buffet rounds we'd be gedik, tease one another and laugh at one another. If we felt like being noisy and silly (and even more unashamedly gedik), we'd go to Redbox!

Or, we'd be in Bentong, and we'd go everywhere together and people would ask if she's my long-lost twin sister.

3) What is the one thing you would start doing if you had a pay / allowance rise?

Er, go for the aforementioned Thai buffet with afore-unmentioned best friend (but maybe I shouldn't publish this here, later the greedy girl come to me demanding her buffet....)? Haha. But I suppose you meant things I'd do on a regular basis if I had an allowance rise, right Debbie? In that case, I'd buy more original CDs. Save more money every month so I won't need my parents to send so much. Not feel so bad about choosing to take the tube over the bus.

N/B: At this point, the author realises that the title of the tag is "Three ONE-things" and not "Three many-things" - oooops. d=

P/S: And oh dear, I'm so bad at answering questions! The second question was what would I like to do if I could be where my best friend is right now... not where would I like to be with my best friend if I could be with her right now! Big difference. Lol!

[Edit] Forgot to tag three other people, eheh! I pass the tag to Sook Meng, Jenny and Grace (=

Book-tagged!

From Charlotte's blog

Total number of books I own: Alamak, you don't expect me to actually count them one by one, do you? Well, offhand, I'd say in the region of 110-120?

Last book I bought: See previous entry. *sheepish grin* Not my usual staple, mind you.

Last book I was gifted: "Conceptual Design of Chemical Processes", given to me by Chi Wei. Hahaha!But no, that doesn't count. =P J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit", given to me by an old old buddy, Hong Aun. And that was yearssss ago.

Last book I read: Dai Sijie's "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" and Philippa Gregory's "The Queen's Fool".

Currently reading: I have a (bad?) habit of reading two books at the same time. Currently, it's Mark Salzman's "Iron and Silk" and Erich Segal's "Love Story".

Five books that mean a lot to me: (in chronological order)
1) "Anne of Green Gables" by L.M. Montgomery. A girl's childhood couldn't possibly have been quite complete without reading this set of books!
2) "Gone With The Wind" by Margaret Mitchell. Definitely the longest book I've ever read, lol!
3) "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt.
4) "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy. Possibly my favourite book of all.
5) Last but not least, the Book of Books, the Living Word, my Daily Bread - the Bible!

I hereby pass this tag to:
Sook Meng!
Jenny!
David!
Alan!