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.

Life lessons

I've been browsing through for my usual lazy Sunday blog reads and stumbled across this write up by a popular Singaporean blogger.

To cut the whole story short

1. She is currently living with her boyfriend who is Caucasian.
2. She is wanting to settle down, have the big wedding, diamond ring, mixed kids etc
3. He is saying that since they are living together already, why rock the boat as in his own words "We are as good as married"
4. Due to that, she in her mind thinks that they are "engaged"
5. She has logged on HIS Facebook account and changed his rship status to engaged.
6. And has accepted and both Facebook status now reads as "engaged".

But SERIOUSLY!

I don't know really. Is marriage really needed these days? I have been doing quite a bit of thinking now that it has come to a point where I have to start planning the logistics of my own. I have 12 mere months before I become a Mrs (I am planning to keep the Ms thank-you-very-much) and even though it is not freaking me out *yet*, a small part of me does wonder sometimes. After all, I have been independent and living on my own since 16, I have travelled the world, I have/am working abroad, am used to calling the shots.

I already see changes in pattern.

It is not so easy wanting to just drop everything and get away from it all. I have the other half to think of (living together has its responsibilities).

I cannot simply just say "Honey, I am wanting to go off now, see ya later!"

The old (single) me would have just went away without care and reason.

Getting married is not simply about the wedding, it is about the marriage.

It is about compromise.

I have started thinking about the wedding prep though; am still uncertain whether I will have a celeb here in Melbourne but the slightly bigger traditional do will be held in Malaysia. The guest list here will be just family but the traditional wedding will also still be small for Asian standards. Nothing more than 180 ppl with only my close friends invited and the rest being from my parent's guest list.

The date has been set, the countdown now starts.

Money money MoneY

I'm feeling very guilty.

In this recent months of dire straights and financial difficulties (where depending on the bank ) the standard variable rate home loan is at 9.58 per cent , BF and I have been spending like there is no tmr.

Things spent over the past few weeks -

1. Golf set - for him (from me)
2. A golf putter - for him
3. A golf driver - for him
4. Snowboarding boots - for him
5. Snowboarding pants - for me
6. Snowboarding hoodie - for me
7. Snowboard bags - from me for us
8. Flight tickets to Japan for 2 (from him for us)
9. Accommodation deposit for Japan for 2 (from him for us)
10. Leather boots - for me
11. Snowboarding trip - Mt Buller for 2
12. A Hugo Boss suit - for him (I'm expensing 1/2)
13. A Hugo Boss shirt - for him
14. 5 sessions with the personal trainer - for me
15. Some beauty products purchase - Kose, Clinique, Benefit

This does not cover my unexpected trip to Malaysia and the medical and other miscellaneous expenses that came with.

On top of that, my best friend is coming to Mel later on for a month, a mates wedding, a few more snowboarding trips, our trip to Europe coming up in October, trip to Malaysia next Easter for the wedding preps and the trip later the same yr for our wedding.

On top of that we both want new snowboarding jackets and have yet to finalise our tix and accommodations for Bruges and Amsterdam and football tix for a Premier League match in England. OMG!

Don't get me wrong - it is not like we are strapped for cash and we have all this debt on credit - we don't. The credit rating is still pristine and we are not struggling to pay the mortgage + bills. We also put away money monthly although saying that, without all these "expenses", the bank balance would have been much healthier if you know what I mean. Yeah, yeah - I know that we can't take it to the grave yadda yadda but perhaps.. mayhaps.. hmmm..

Yeah it will be nice to have a bigger place but that means getting a bigger mortgage. Or if we go down the other track of saying it will be nice to go out on every weekend like what I used to do before, it literally means drinking the money away PLUS most probably feeling like shit the next day.

It is a lifestyle choice now isn't it?

The ppl have spoken. Malaysia elections 2008

I really did not want to do a post about the Malaysian election as I was disheartened and discontent. One of the key reasons? Malaysian citizens not residing in the country are lawfully not allowed to exercise their rights. Yes, I checked. As soon as I heard that it was elections time again, I checked at the embassy and later from Wisma Putra

In short,

***********
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

Registration of voters for Malaysians abroad is divided into two categories:

• Postal Voters / Absent Voters consisting of:·

Armed forces that are in service.·

Government Personnel (Federal Government, States Service or local authorities) who are in service abroad.·

Individuals studying full time abroad (only if they are sponsored by the Government).· Spouses to the list above.

• Normal Voters·

Comprising of Malaysian Citizen other than sated above.

Registeration of voters for Malaysians abroad is divided. When the time comes for election, normal voters need to return to Malaysia to cates their votes based on the area they are registered in.

*****************************

What Bullsh!t. Is this democracy? Yet another strategy to manipulate the outcome. Typical Govt propaganda -afraid of loosing power as Malaysians abroad (unless they are Govt officials or students (unless Govt sponsored, not private students) are deemed to susceptible to "outside" influences or are indebted to the Govt.

Don't get me wrong here now though. I DID exercise my rights during the last election as I was fortunately in the country and I did vote for the BN coalition. But seeing how the country is going to the dogs and the injustices and corruption all over, one but feels somewhat defeated esp as Malaysians have always had this lackadaisical "Tidak Apa" attitude when it comes to anything political. More "We'll let the other person do the work" than the "My vote sends a message".

Why am I *finally* putting up a post election blog? My daily reads of the Malaysian dailies and the results are in. No 2/3 majority and a massive 4 state control loss + 1 retain control win. Some of the major "stalwarts" in politics have been defeated by freshfaces. Some of the biggest heads has rolled.

The ppl are speaking in volumes.

10 things I learned in 2007

1. Working hard is pure evil. Working smart is the way to go.


2. I can put aside pass griviences. Not forget mind you, but put aside at least


3. I need to put time aside for self pampering ..


4. Money does not grow on trees.


5. I can live on a budget


6. Credit cards are a necessary evil... and I still pay it off in full at the end of the month.


7. Travel less, but experience more.


8. Good friends are forever.


9. Life is about compromise.


10. Snowboarding is not as painful as it looks!