2007 - The Year That Was

In five days, 2007 will come to a close, and on to a new year. Golly, where has the time gone? I'm not one who makes New Year resolutions because I break them. I'd tell myself I'd do this, and I'd do that, and come the end of the year, I'd be "shucks, oh well, next year then".

2007 was a whirlwind of a year for me. Things were happening so fast before I draw in a breath and say woah. Highlights of my year:

• I got engaged (no fancy-schmancy proposal, but I was still happier than a bunny on crack).
• Went to Melbourne, and celebrated my birthday with Tim for the first time. I know I didn't blog about that trip (sorry babes, I know you were so looking forward to reading it, but I just didn't get around to finishing it. I still have the draft, you know :p), but that was the very first time he wrote me a song, and sang to me on my birthday.
• I planned a wedding. Very stressful period for me; it still is, but I simply can't wait to see everything fall into place when the day of the wedding comes.
• I got married. Well, technically, Tim and I registered our marriage. The wedding's yet to come.
• I have a 2-year provisional visa to Australia (seriously, if anyone was to ask me before if I would ever migrate to Australia, I would have flatly said no. I wanted to return to the UK, y'see).
• I threw in the towel and resigned from my job to move to Melbourne.

That's my 2007. Lots of laughter, lots of tears. Lots of OMG-get-the-hell-outta-my-face-you-turd moments. Lots of new lines on my face (*gulp*). Lots of love. Mostly, it gave me lots of hope for the coming year.

So here's to you, 2007. It's been a great year, and I wouldn't change any of it for the world. And to 2008, here's to a new chapter in life, in a new place.

Cheers!

Feliz Navidad 2007!

Dear friends,

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
There'll be much mistletoeing
and hearts will be glowing,
when loved ones are near.
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

A very blessed Christmas and season's greetings to all, and here's to a smashin' new year!

Love,
Tine & Tim

PS: We'll do a proper holiday card next year ;)

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Behold our 6-feet, themeless and over-decorated Christmas tree!

Gaudy in many ways, but for some reason, I like it. In a way, it's a good thing we never did do a colour theme, or else we won't be able to buy the Christmas baubles we'd really want, I mean, having to stick to a specific theme and all.

Anyhoos, it's pretty much my last Christmas at home, unless we plan to come back for Christmas in the years to come. I doubt it though, as we may not be able to come back for Chinese New Year given how close the two festive seasons are. Mum kept rubbing it in that she'll be losing me soon. I'm like, err, I'm just moving away; I'm not dying.

"Aiya, same what. My daughter's leaving me soon ... sigh ... "

Golly, it all does sound pretty melancholic, doesn't it?

On a lighter note, I've got one more Christmas pressie to get, and that's for Dad. It's funny that I can never think of what to get for him for Christmas. I mean, heck, you'd think I'd have years of experience already, but I still can't think of what to get for him. Any ideas?

Last minute Christmas eve shopping. Man, I'm really pushing it, aren't I? *gulp*

My New Favourite Author

I just finished another book by Cecelia Ahern, and I have to say, I'm totally in love with her books. Come to think about it, I haven't done the whole read-the-book-from-cover-to-cover-in-one-day in a long time now, but I finished Where Rainbows End in 8 hours today. And I absolutely LOVED it.

Can't wait to get my mitts on another one :p

*sigh dreamily*

I'm On A Christmas Break!

Whee, my Christmas break has started. Will be on leave till December 25. A very long weekend for me, which is good, 'cos I still haven't started on my Christmas shopping! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Instead of just a wedding registry, people should have Christmas registries, or birthday registries, etc. Makes it so much easier to figure out on what to get!

Okay people, what do you want for Christmas? Remember now, I'm no fairy godmother. But I'll try ;)

Where's mine, by the way? *looking around*

PS: Oh, and I've just finished reading Cecelia Ahern's PS I Love You. Fantastic book. I cried buckets. It's also been made into a movie, which I heard is quite far from the book. Oh well. Figures. Gerald Butler's smokin' HOT though *lick lips*.

Bonus Is In!

It's 5.54pm and I'm still stuck at the office. Hey, for someone who's about to leave, that's very late, k?

My annual bonus came in today. Considering the fact that I'm about to cabut real soon, I'm pretty pleased with what I received. And you know where all this money is going to go? No shopping for nice-nice stuff for meself, no sirree.

My air ticket to Melbourne, and a shitload of credit card bills (biggest percentage was to settling the final payments for the bridal portraits). And then some.

Gah :(

So, what are you going to be doing with your bonus? Save it for a rainy day? Splurge on a holiday? Do indulge and make me jealous.

It's A Wet Friday & I Ain't Happy

I just realised it's 27 more days before I leave my workplace, and go on a temporary break (I said temporary because contrary to what a lot of people think, I DO intend to continue working once I'm in Australia. But gimme a break, ya? I know I deserve it). Most of the time, I really do feel heavy-hearted to leave, but there are also times when I just can't wait to get the hell out.

What I'm Going To Miss

• My peeps. I've made some beautiful friendships with some of my colleagues (a few of whom are now some of my closest friends), and it's them whom I'm going to miss the most *sob*.
• The comfortable working environment. Working there for 4 years has earned me at least some sort of recognition amongst my peers and seniors, and even though I don't have me own cubicle, I do like my big workbench. And my PC (I'm so going to miss my 19" monitor. I know it may be small to some, but it's huge to me, and it was all mine). And my comfy chair.
• The rush in adrenaline when having hot debates with the managers during meetings, and the brainstorming sessions with my girls. It keeps my brains working and from going mush.

What I'm NOT Going To Miss

• The ridiculous policies that we had to adhere to, which proves no productivity nor any good, but we all have do it because it's the RULES. Sigh. So what else is new, eh?
• The idiot in my office, who is giving me more grief day after day. To say I detest him is an understatement. He's what I'd call an irritating fly, which I'd dearly love to swat. Sometimes I wish I had a wittier tongue when it comes to dealing with him. I just can't believe the number of times I actually let him get away with his words with me :(
• Dealing with incompetent people. Many a time, other than tearing my hair out, I just wanted to ask them if they were born stupid. Really.

Sigh ... it's just one of those days in which I wished I was out of here sooner.

Happy gloomy and wet Friday, folks.

To the idiot, thanks for ruining my Friday, jackass.

A Christmas Card

Oooh, whaddya know, my very first Christmas card from a blogger pal!

Thanks very much, dear Jemima, for the lovely Christmas card you sent Tim and I. I actually haven't even gotten to my Christmas shopping yet (let alone cards *sigh*), but keep a look out for yours next week ;)

The Unexpected Wedding Gift

Today I received something which I never expected to get.

A wedding angpow from THE ex.

I didn't know how to react. It was so strange. I could sense his heavy heart when he handed it over to me. He said that he might as well gave it to me now lest he "forgets".

I knew he was lying.

I remembered the many tears I cried when I gave him one when he got married. In fact, I couldn't even give it to him face-to-face; I had a good friend hand the red packet to him. He never did thank me for that packet. Perhaps he thought it too awkward then.

The amount I received was the exact amount I gave him, including the red packet I gave him when his son was born.

Would this mean that we no longer owe each other anything?

I truly do not know.

Sigh

Sometimes the most unexpected person to piss you off about your wedding can be the most hurtful.

:(

How Safe Are Bloggers Outside The World Wide Web?

What with the current rise of crimes in Malaysia, this has been bogging my mind for quite some time now. And quite frankly, it scares me.

Have you ever thought of how safe bloggers are when we're "offline"?

It's amazing of how much we subconsciously reveal to the world via the Internet. Through our words, we are read like an open book. We post pictures of ourselves on our blogs (some of us in skimpy bikinis, even). We post photographs of our children, our spouse, our family, our house, etc. We pretty much revealed to the world.

Are we safe?

We have flame wars with other bloggers on the Internet over sensitive matters such as religion, socio-political issues, etc. What if someone crosses the line and physically take that anger out on the real world?

Again, are we safe?

How different are the so-called celebrity bloggers from the local celebrities? Both are widely photographed and widely talked about (not in pay, I'd imagine :p).

Are these celeb bloggers safe too?

I once came across an article in a local magazine, which featured a very popular lady blogger. However, in the article, it was not mentioned that she was a blogger, just an average jane who won a competition. But I recognised her from the many photographs she posted of herself on her blog. Her real name was not mentioned in her blog, but in the article, her full name was published.

Anonymity is dead, people.

It's not difficult to find out where a blogger lives when he/she post photographs of their house, of the surroundings, etc. By following their blogs, the photographs could tell me where you live and where you work. By looking at the photographs you post of your living room, I know what valuables you have. By reading your journal, I know where you have been, and where you will be.

We're getting more and more recognised by any Tom, Dick and Sally with Internet access. With our blogs, our lives become someone else's life. We witnessed one's heartbreak, one's loss of a job, one's wedding, one's birth of a child, to one's death. Yet, we do not personally know them.

When we religiously follow another person's blog, do we come to a point where we get angry if he/she does not update often? Rejected if he/she leaves and stops blogging altogether? Have we then subconsciously become stalkers?

Having said all this, with our lives open for the world to see, could we also unwittingly become open targets for crimes?

What do you think?

C'est Si Bon

Photo: agaw.dilim

C'est si bon,
De partir n'importe ou,
Bras dessus bras dessous,
En chantant des chansons,

C'est si bon,
De se dir' des mots doux,
Des petites rien du tout,
Mais qui en disent long
- C'est si bon

Vous vas blah, blah bleu blah *spit spit*

This is what happens when you listen to too many French songs at work ... *sigh*

PS: Don't ask me if I'm going there for my honeymoon. Gua pun tak tau.

One Of Those Days

I believe I'm not the only one who looked at the blogging platform page, clicked on Create New Post, and then stared at the screen because I just do not know what the heck to blog about. Or am I?

I'm having one of those days. It's not like I don't have anything to write, I just do not have the heart to do so. The same goes for my beauty and wedding blog. This is a classic example of what they call biting off more than you can chew. Sigh.

Okay, gotta shake this laziness off.

Think, Tine, think!

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Don't reckon you'd be interested in knowing what I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner instead? :p