2008: My year in review

JANUARY

• Clare came to visit all the way from Australia... after leaving the UK for a year...
• I watched my first football match in the UK after I've been here for more than 5 years!
• Started our biannual shopping trip to Barcelona (although now I'm not sure it's worth going anymore considering that the £/€ exchange rate now is 1-1 already!!)
• I made a promise to myself to walk away... and I'm glad that I did...

FEBRUARY

• One of my cousins from HK came to London for a business trip... I'm quite glad that since my trip to HK last year, we kept in touch and they would always let me know that there are in town...
• Made pineapple tarts for Chinese New Year!! =) hehehe... thanks to Zhi Rui!!

MARCH

• Bade farewell to Chong... things may not be as rosy as one would expect, but I really do hope that everything will work out eventually for you...
• We started our weekly Sports Day and I'm proud to say that it's still going strong... it has been a good year for me in terms of exercising!!!
• Booked a spa weekend with Sook Leen and it was really good... probably should do it more often and pamper myself...
• I'm glad that we both made the decision to try things out... thank you dear, for giving me the opportunity to be part of your life and for being part of my life...

APRIL

• Espana extravaganza... and not Barcelona this time!!
• Went travelling with new faces... Yan Bing, Wally and Shandip... it was good fun at Spain...

MAY

• May Bank holidays road trips!!! Never knew Britain could be that beautiful... Cornwall was amazingly breathtaking... also went to Salisbury and Stonehenge with Sook Leen and Grace...
• Summer BBQs!!!!
• Watched the famous Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performed

JUNE

• Home sweet home!!! Haven't been home for the past two years... and there's really no place like home...
• Grace's wedding!!! My first experience as a bridesmaid!! =)
• Bon Jovi's Concert - Prior to this, I didn't know a single song from them... but I did my homework and at the concert... surprise surprise... I actually knew more songs than any of my friends... hahaha...

JULY

• My first experience of a live poker tournament event... although I was there to support Bin Bin, Nav and Drakey... and not to play myself!!! It was an interesting night and I now know someone who had won a poker tournament before!! Kudos to Bin Bin!!!
• Yi Hua came to visit with her family and I accommodated all 6 of them in my tiny flat!! hahahah....

AUGUST

• Went to Brussels for the second time... it's a nice little city... but hopefully, I won't be there for the 3rd time... hehehe...
• Olympics, Olympics, Olympics... yes, the craze here in London was unbelievable... my colleagues were counting the number of golds that team GB was raking... sadly, Malaysia didn't take home any gold... but hopefully... one day we will!! I truly believe in the Malaysia Boleh spirit!!
• Home again.... for the 2nd time in the year?!?!?! Hahaha... I don't go home for 2 years and all of a sudden, I'm home twice a year...
• Well, this time... it's for Cheau Yann's wedding... and I was one of her 姐妹!!

SEPTEMBER

• Went to see a fortune teller... and she said some very interesting stuff... but... at the end of the day... I firmly believe that my life is in my own hands, and I'm not about to make this a self-fulfilling prophecy!!!
• Met up with Li Leng, one of my high school friend which I've not seen for about 7-8 years prior to that... and we went for a makan trip to Ipoh together with Grace and hubby...
• Australia!!! Haven't been on a family holiday for so long!!! As we are all grown up now and have our own lives now... I don't know when we'll be able to have another one in the near future... the good old days...
• GIRO - my first overseas conference... made a couple of new friends, did some networking, enjoyed business travelling, visited southern Italy including Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and Positano... felt more like a holiday than a work trip!! =)

OCTOBER

• My birthday!!! Thank you dear, for making it so special for me... I had a wonderful time and it meant a lot to me!!
• Surprise birthday trip to Madeira!!
• Am officially a qualified actuary with my 3-year anniversary of working...
• Made some of the most important and difficult decisions in my life... made the decision to buy a flat... even put down a holding deposit for Maple Quays... but in the end, I also made the decision to walk away from the deal... I don't know whether I will regret it as I walk past it everyday... it was such a painful experience for me!! God knows how many people I consulted!!!

NOVEMBER

• My first business trip... to Bermuda...
• And I even flew by business class... now that is travelling with style...
• Found out that one of my very close friend is planning to leave London for good... felt a bit sad as it will mean that things will be quite different and our friendship may drift away... but I sincerely wish you all the best and I will definitely miss having you around!!!
• Had a not very nice experience at work... but I'm determined not to let it affect me...

DECEMBER

• Yuni's visit!!! I'm really so glad that Yuni came over to spend Christmas with me...
• Went to Nice with Yuni and two of her housemates... it was an interesting experience to travel with them...
• For the first time in many many years, I sat at home to countdown on New Year's eve and watched the fireworks on TV instead of being out...

Well... whether I like it or not, the clock keeps on ticking... so GOODBYE 2008... and WELCOME 2009!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!