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Reflections 2012
I did the same for 2010, and 2011. I think doing reflections for the year on the last day is in a way beneficial. It enables me to reflect on the good things that had happened, the mistakes that I made, and the plans for the new year.
Comparing with 2010 and 2011, I am beginning to see the light in 2012. When it comes to career, I finally left the company that I was with for more than a decade. There was much apprehension and doubt before I decided to finally take the plunge. It was not an easy decision to make, especially when I was with the same company for so long. However, the career progression was stagnant, and while there was a change in management, I will be doing the same stuff in the near future. I wanted to try something new, and to see how it is like out there. Besides, I have enough with the monetary part, no bonuses for more than a decade, no salary increment in like half of those years that I was there. I was really falling behind my peers when it comes to not just career progression, but also my salary package. I was also encouraged by the fact that I was offered my job back if things do not work well in my new place, though I am not sure if I would have taken up the offer.
The new job comes with more responsibilities, and so far, it was what they had promised me during the rounds of interview. I am traveling more, working with people from all over the world, and managing projects regionally. While the company is not that big locally, it is huge globally. Like I mentioned to my boss during my annual review, I am definitely happier here than my old place. Also, I have learned my mistakes made previously and tried not to repeat them here. In a way, perhaps not able to jump ship in 2011 due to a lost opportunity was a blessing in disguise. Hopefully this will continue to improve. I have lots of catching up to do.
I also managed to start exercising again, though it was pretty late in the year, November in fact, when I started. However, this spell looks good, it has been two months and I have not been slacking off. I feel less tired, more energetic, and requires less hours of sleep. The weight loss has been marginal, though I am exercising mainly for health reasons. I am also eating healthier food, with more intake of fruits and vegetables, and less salt and junk food.
In other areas, things have be pretty stagnant. Due to procrastination, I have yet to take the examinations for a course that I took this year. I should have done it, instead I kept pushing it back by telling myself that I need time to settle down in my new job. Actually I was just lazy. Based on this experience, I am not too sure if I can go ahead with the other plan of getting a MBA.
I also travelled more in 2012, mostly for work, though not all to the countries that I want to go. For the new year, i want to travel more for leisure, while definitely keeping the costs down on these trips.
2012 was a year where I think I took quite a laid lack look at life, taking things slowly and not getting all worked up and emotional over a lot of stuff. Perhaps it is due to age, or perhaps it is a change in perception to ‘live and let live’.
For next year, I am planning for more self growth, be it in terms of health, or emotionally, or intellectually. I want to participate in a running event at least once, be it 10km or 21km run. I want to continue with my healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly and eating healthier food. I want to pass my exams and get certified, and perhaps re-examine what other avenues are available besides MBA. I want to write more, and read more. I had set out a target of at least 50 books read in this year, and ended up not even reading 5 books. I also need to really manage my finances better, instead of just planning but not following through. Perhaps there is something else that I need to get a confirmation to see where it is going. And I want to plan monthly, and not just in the beginning of the year. I also need to track my progress regularly, and not once in a blue moon. Also, I should explore contributing back to the society or the world in 2013. Perhaps look at some way of volunteering for issues that I strongly believe in, like animal and nature conservation.
I think if I visualise the whole year as a game, then it will be easier for me. Perhaps visualising each item as an achievement, and when I achieved it, I should indicate visually somewhere as a reward, something like how Nike tracks my runs, or how World of Warcraft rewards me after multiple hours of farming. But no matter what, I should not waste any single second of my life anymore. I need to spend time constructively.
So if the proudest achievements of 2010 and 2011 were that I survived, then my proudest achievement of 2012 is one of that not only I survived, but baby steps have been taken.
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Today
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Dwarven Song About Old Wealth
I was looking back at my old blog entries last year in December, and I came across my blog entry on the first release of the Hobbit trailer. I repost the words of the haunting ‘Dwarven Song About Old Wealth’. And I should really go watch this movie.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.
The dwarves of yore made mightly spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.For ancient king and elvish lord
There many a gleaming golden hoard
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
To hide in gems on hilt of sward.
On silver necklaces they strung
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
They meshed the light of moon and sun.
Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeouns deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To claim our long-forgotten gold.Goblets they carved there for themselves
And harps of gold; where no man delves
There lay they long, and many a song
Was sung unheard by men or elves.
The pines were roaring on the height,
(The pines were roaring on the height)
The winds were moaning in the night,
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
(The fire was red, it flaming spread)
The trees like torches blazed with light.
The bells were ringing in the dale
(The bells were ringing in the dale)
And men looked up with faces pale;
The dragon’s ire more fierce than fire
(The dragon’s ire more fierce than fire)
Laid low their towers and houses frail.The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
(The mountain smoked beneath the moon)
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
They fled their hall to dying fall
(They fled their hall to dying fall)
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.Far over the misty mountains grim
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him!The pines were roaring on the height,
(The pines were roaring on the height)
The winds were moaning in the night,
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
(The fire was red, it flaming spread)
The trees like torches blazed with light.
The bells were ringing in the dale
(The bells were ringing in the dale)
And men looked up with faces pale;
The dragon’s ire more fierce than fire
(The dragon’s ire more fierce than fire)
Laid low their towers and houses frail. -
The Best Rewards
Acts of kindness performed, not expecting any reward, compensation, praise, acknowledgement or good karma. Acts of kindness done because you want to, and most of the time, feeling good afterwards is the reward itself.
In the few rare instances, when people are happy as a result of your act, their happiness are multiple tenfold within you. The joy you feel, the spring in your steps, the rose-tinted world view, the smile on your face, all these will remain for a very long time. These are the best rewards.
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It Still Hurts
It still hurts.
While it has been some time now, there are still objects and places that will inevitably trigger a flood of memories, and feelings. And sometimes as I drift off to sleep, I will think of you, wondering what you are doing, how you are doing.
And it still hurts.
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Important Things In Life
Got this off Facebook, thought I will put it here to remind myself:
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles roll
ed into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’
The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed..
‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—-your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—-and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else—-the small stuff.
‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.
Take care of the golf balls first—-the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.
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On My Way Home
Some pictures that I have taken on my way home. Will miss all these when we move office soon.
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Revisit Perhaps
It’s being many years, perhaps it is time for another revisit. My emotions were all over the place the last time.
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iPhone5
iPhone5 was released in Singapore yesterday.
But I am not getting one. From iPhone3G, to iPhone4 and current iPhone4S, I have been upgrading my phone each time Apple releases another new phone. In the process, I have queued up for hours to get it on day one, paid hundreds of dollars, all because I want to be one of the first few to get the latest phone.
No more this time. I am going to get off the upgrade treadmill.
No more upgrading to get the latest phones, iPads, gadgets. I will only change if there is a good reason, like when it is beyond repair and no longer working.
