2010 in review

I’m back in my cosy shell that I’ve called home for the past few decades, and its with a rather unordinary mood that I’d be writing in my blog after a long spell. But here I am again about to rant about my world that’s spun for the last 52 weeks.

As with most of my years, I can’t really recall a lot from what happened early in the first quarter. But since I was still fighting hard for my degree, I do remember being a little less energetic than what I would have been without that burden on my shoulders. I also remember that was just about the time I completely stopped my gym and exercise routine. It was becoming hard to juggle my time between my work, relationship, studies, hobbies, and time for family.

I spent very little time with my family early in the year. I had classes, and time was scarce. After work I had little choice, I either meet up with my girlfriend, or make a trip to Starbucks or McDonalds to catch up on chapters. I tried to make a little time for myself to RnR, knowing that come April and May I’d have very little time to any of that.

It was one of the hardest first few months, as I was trying to keep my relationship healthy with hun, and yet having to cope with challenges on my modified role in the office. I had requested more challenges and responsibilities to stretch myself, and I could not think of a better time to do it as the entire team was going through re-structuring. It was a bit worrisome at the same time, wondering if I would have gotten the boot for the strangest of reasons. No one likes to be part of a retrenchment exercise.

I spent as much time possible to catch up on my chapters. I felt confident in ICP, but POM was hampered by a lecturer who made the subject feel extremely vague to me. My results in the end were pure irony, as I failed ICP and passed POM. Not quite the result I expected. But nonetheless, I made it. I finally got that piece of paper that will more or less entitle me to apply for the slightly upper echelon of jobs.  I also got that raise that I was hoping for when I got my degree… apparently taking up those extra responsibilities paid off. I knew that if I had busted my ass at work, it would at least given me the chance to justify asking for more.

Despite clearing exams, work became very different. Having an enlarged scope made things a lot more complex… a lot more multitasking and it became increasingly difficult to keep track of tasks that were required of me. I often found myself lost in a daze when I was sitting at my desk with several emails asking for several different things, a few phone calls for a few things, a few documents for different files, and a few people in the office asking for different things… all coming together at the same time. Not to mention audits and teleconferences that I had to attend amidst the chaos. It just never really ends… and I wonder how I can be doing this for the past 5 years. Then again in retrospect, my boss has the tougher job and yet he still sticks around. I guess I’m just doing all of this because I don’t really know what else I could do to earn a living. Or am I? At least I can say that I somewhat self-sufficient now.

I also applied for a flat with my girlfriend… and I never thought I would be this unromantic about planning a future with my girlfriend without a decent proposal. Yet, she still stuck around and loves me in a way that I never thought would be possible. I really do love her a lot, but I just could not finance a decent proposal to her… and it sucks. Still I’m doing my best to make sure that I’m able to as soon as possible. I hate being a typical Singaporean man… looking out for a house before a proposal is the most unromantic thing a guy could ever do. But the way this country goes about its business in public housing, doesn’t really leave us with many options, especially when the right girl comes along when you are not all that ready financially and still clearing your study loans and paying bills.

Aside from those material things that come with planning a future, hun is a woman like no other. She never fails to give all of herself… in other words, she is the most selfless lover that I’ve ever known. Despite a rocky start, my relationship with her progressed in a manner that many would envy… as we became more and more comfortable with each other, and began to dedicate our lives to each other. She is such a happy camper and her energy just draws me to her. Unlike my exes, she is so much more light hearted compared to the women I’ve dated in the past. More importantly, she knew what it meant to be happy… and shared her happiness with me all the time. Living my life now with a person like her joking around all the time, is perhaps the best thing that has ever happened to me for years. I guess funny girls are the best girls in my book.

She has always been there for me when I needed someone, even when I nag about how long I’ve waited for my cue, how tough it is at work, how tired I am etc… she always leaves her ears wide open to listen to everything that’s on my mind. No other person in the world would give me that privilege. But she did.

I’m just thanking the stars now… because 2010 was perhaps the best year I ever had, credit to hun. I’m a lucky man.