2004

since i seem to b in a somewhat reflective mood today i might as well write a little about how last year was.

2004 was a major year for me. it was a year of change. a new job with a new challenge - i was finally a journalist and i loved it. (i still am of course and i am indeed thankful for having a job this year). i was on my own, relationship-wise but i made so many new and good friends. then i did meet someone who meant a lot to me. but i dont want to talk about him here.

my job took me places - margaret river (just after i returned from a personal trip to see radiohead in sydney) club med cherating and tokyo (this is the crazy part - i found myself on the UA flight back to tokyo just 1 1/2 days after i landed in Sg from tokyo - another personal trip)

my job let me meet people - Colombian artist Fernando Botero, photographer Russel Wong, authors like Chang Rae Lee and Jasper Fforde, film-makers, the beautiful, talent and blind Jessica Callahan, the inspiring Siew Ying of Metta Cats. honestly the list could go on and on.

so i've been very fortunate. of course there were days when i just wanted to pull out my hair and scream but those were far and few.

i've also worked with a good bunch of people. sad to say that we've had to split up and be redeployed in different departments, different papers and some, sadly, retrenched. i hope we somehow remain in touch. an alumni of sorts.

apart from all things new, i've also still had a good bunch of friends to drink coffee, watch movies, go wakeboarding, go shopping and just hang out and talk with. so thank you, if any of you actually read this (probably one or two), for being my friend.

here's what i hope for the new year.
i want to do well in my new job, work hard work smart and not have to find myself stuck in the office way past midnight everyday (*shudder*).
i want a life outside of the office. i dont want work to consume me.
i want to meet more people, make more friends and hopefully meet someone who's right for me
i hope that my family and friends will be happy healthy safe and sound.
i want to write more. and not just for work.
and i want to travel more, although it's highly unlikely that i'll be on junkets this year. so it'll have to come outta my pockets.
i want to continue exercising regularly and eat better. (ever since i've done that organic food story, i've been wondering what kinda crap i chow down on everytime. but if i really worried about that the whole time, that would be crazy. it's impossible to eat healthy all the time. i guess i can start by cutting out packaged foods, which prob comes straight from hell. mwahhahah)
i'd like to watch many more movies, read many more books, listen to much more music. and make the time to do all that (re: "i don't want work to consume me")
and i'd also like to make plans to study overseas. to figure out what is it i really want to do with my life. that's probably one of the biggest mysteries.