2008 Round-Up.

As always, the end of the yr always feels like a punch in the face - completely unexpected.

End of the yr is also used as a moment of reflection of the how's, when's and why's - after all, isn't this the time to dust out the ol memory cabinet i.e racking the brain to see whether one has achieved their goals (if any) for the yr?

I will not go into the whole resolution thing yet - that goes into a completely different reflection time altogether but perhaps use this to see whether I have achieved anything at all in 2008.

Lets see -

1. I did a fair bit of travel this yr -

• Malaysia to visit my parents and friends
• Singapore for some catch up time with mates
• Japan to see what the hype was about - and absolutely loved it!
• Malaysia again - but this was because of Dad's accident - he is still in recovery mode but thank God he is getting there
• England (Leicester, Hinckley, Birmingham, Coventry, Milton Keynes, London)- to meet the future in law's, the rest of the family and to catch up with my mates
• Brussels ( Belgium) and Amsterdam (The Netherlands) - went with the future bro in law and sis in law
• Barcelona (Spain) - long set dream now a reality thanks to BF, went with the future parent-in-law. Great bonding time.

I know that I told myself that I would not travel as much in 2008 but the reality is, it is our lil vice - travel, and whilst I can afford it, I see no harm in indulging in a lil getaway before or until we get shackled by the responsibilities of children and old age.

2. I was asked, and the reply was "yes" aka I got engaged.

• Hmmm...some ppl are still surprised that I said yes, and I do still forget to wear the ring that "brands" me as engaged but unlike the other rships I have been in, I am not feeling like it is a burden to be in the rship. Perhaps it is true what the magazines say that Women like to be with men who make them laugh.

3. Workwise, it was a great yr.

• My yr-end performance review went great, I KNOW I did well overall and even though there is a slight smidgen of a cloud with the possibility of that US-based investment company wanting to take over the company, I am pretty certain that we will weather the storm even if we are bought over.

4. Not so debt-free anymore.

• Finally started thinking "adult" and got onto the property market. It felt like the right time and the place felt like home. In a nutshell, perhaps this would mean of my fancy free and footloose ways and the start of the more serious less gallivanting side of me perhaps - who knows?

Overall, 2008 was a good yr for me. Yes, my bank balance is definitely a lot smaller (think non-existent even) and my buffer is gone towards the home deposit and extensive travelling but do I regret anything I've done in 2008? Not by a long shot.

2009 will prove an interesting yr - indeed.