ReCap: 2014 Resolutions

1. Visit Brazil / Chiang Mai / Bali
✔ Brazil done with a side trip to Argentina. No Chiang Mai & Bali again oops. But visited Bintan and Batam vaguely, new places on the travel map.

2. Read books and write songs. (including 3 non-fiction books  and 1 about lighting)+ write songs. Total 20. (This is a good one to keep)
✗ 13 books, all fiction and no songs.

3. Exercise 80 times.

✗ 18 times including 1 rollerblade session, 1 cable ski session,  2 Ubin bike rides; excluding home exercise sessions, but that won't have added up to 80. Gym membership expired March. 

4. Throw away / Recycle 100kg of stuff (waste not included).
? Not sure. Didn't manage to do the 2kg weekly but clearing out alot of catalogs.

5.  Sort out insurance plans
✔ Finally

6. Increase net worth by 30%.
✔ Despite earning and spending spend more and saving lesser - phew.

7. Sign up for a creative course - guitar, book binding, whatever.
✔ Learning Portuguese on Duolingo should count? Also completed Intro to Philosophy on Coursera and a GMM course (not quite creative).

8. Watch one inspirational talk per week on TED etc.
✗ Didn't... but listened to at least one podcast per week

In 2014, I got the iPhone 5c which gave me access to Podcasts and I learnt to listen.

ReNew: 2015 Resolutions

Renewal starts in San Francisco!

1. Explore more of the Americas, including one nature park, one central/south american country.

✔ Beirut, Boston, Mexico City.

2. Read books (including 3 non-fiction books  and 1 about lighting) and write songs. Total 20.

3. Exercise 80 times.

4. Learn Spanish / the Guitar/ something. On Coursera or otherwise.

5.  Get the IALD professional membership.

6. Increase Singapore net worth by 10% - a modest one just to beat inflation, until situation is clearer.

7. Watch two inspirational talk on TED or listen to two podcasts per week etc.

8. Experience something new.

9. Meet a new person every week that I would eventually send a Xmas greeting to.

American Dreams in China

I had told S about the Chinese movie 'American Dreams in China' when we first met again.

Wang Yang, being the only guy of the trio of friends that has dated a Western girl, was giving a class on Western culture / thoughts /perspectives.

House-visiting:  The Chinese says, 'Welcome! Please come in!' The American does not tell his friend 'Welcome!' Americans are not so polite. He'll say it in a more straightforward manner - 'Come on in!' - And you just walk in.

Relationships: You've been going out with a girl for four years. One day she comes to you and tells you,
I'm returning to America!' What should you say?
(Students responded with, 'Why? Don't you love me anymore?')

Don't say anything, just turn and leave. Otherwise, she would treat you like how she treats her baggage.


*           *           *
 
On the 2nd last night before we parted, she told me that Wang Yang was pretty much spot on.
And that was all that I needed to turn and leave.

A little late, but better late than never.

ReCap: 2013 Resolutions

1. Visit Japan/Taiwan/Bali (About time to make it happen already!)

✔ Japan & Taiwan - Need to go back to both :) 

2. Get a full-time job. ✔

3. Complete home renovation + Clear out the boxes of stuff at home.  

✗ HDB beat me to it. I'll aim to do something about it...

4. Exercise weekly.

✗ Just 11 gym sessions & some runs at MacRitchie.. worse than 2012. x_x
I'd like to think it was because I hurt my foot. 

5. Read books, write songs: Total target = 20.

✔ I didn't count but I think this worked out fine after furiously digesting many 九把刀 novels. And one good job with the song that went on TV in early 2014 ;)

6. Increase net worth by 50%.

✔ Easy with the low base and full time job kicking in.

7. 30 hours of community service.

✔ UnderTheHood, Vietnam Build Trip and Corporate Service Day.

8. Pick up a new skill/language.

✔ Two coursera modules. This should count.

ReNew: 2014 Resolutions

1. Visit Brazil / Chiang Mai / Bali
(Tickets are booked for Brazil, so this is a giveaway)

2. Read books (including 3 non-fiction books  and 1 about lighting) + write songs. Total 20.
(This is a good one to keep)

3. Exercise 80 times.
4. Throw away / Recycle 100kg of stuff (waste not included).
5.  Sort out insurance plans
6. Increase net worth by 30%.
7. Sign up for a creative course - guitar, book binding, whatever.
8. Watch one inspirational talk per week on TED etc.

Skipping the community service hours this year cos I am with the CSR team so it would happen by default.

The Annual Review

ReCap: 2012 Resolutions

1. Get a job in a great design studio.
✔ Could be better, awaiting a full-time contract.

2. Travel to a new place (Bali, Taiwan?- on the list since 2010, LOL)
✔ Could be better: Nanjing, Suzhou.
Revisited Frankfurt, London, Stockholm, Penang, HK, Shanghai

3. Exercise weekly.

✗ Only 22 times to the gym in a year. -_-  

(Even with 4 more gym sessions plus a few jogs I am not gonna hit 52 times)

3. Write 12 songs. (Hey, I had 2 #3 resolutions!)

✗ Utter failure again. Revised an old one into a new one though. 
4. Read 12 books. 

✔ Just nice 12. (and some half-books)
5. Increase net worth by 50%. 

✗ Still not there.
6. Clear out the boxes of stuff at home. 

✗ I am a hoarder. But I cleared one box though.
7. 30 hours of community service. 

✗ Somehow I kept thinking it was 24, which I will hit if I count Bond&Bike as 12 hours.

8. Go for Frankfurt Lighting Fair. 

✔ Easy one, kinda.
9. Quit playing any Facebook games!

✔ Done!

ReNew: 2013 Resolutions

(still not giving up on those that I didn't manage to make happen)

1. Visit Japan/Taiwan/Bali (About time to make it happen already!)

2. Get a full-time job.

3. Complete home renovation + Clear out the boxes of stuff at home. 

4. Exercise weekly.

5. Read books, write songs: Total target = 20.

6. Increase net worth by 50%.
7. 30 hours of community service.

8. Pick up a new skill/language. 

(Testing out if being general is better than being specific - am I cheating?)

ReCap: 2011 Resolutions

1. Travel to a new place (Bali, Taiwan, Japan, Korea?)
✔ Job done well: Manila, Laos, Sichuan, Yunnan, Dalian.
2. Exercise weekly.
✗ Failed, but getting there. 30 times in the gym this year, including in Dalian!
3. Write 12 songs.
✗ Utter failure.
4. Read 12 books.
✔ Done at 13.5 - if I count the 3 volumes of 1Q84 as 3 books.
5. Complete home renovation.
✗ Oh procrastination... Plans on hold... Design changes pending too!
6. Increase net worth by 50%.
✗ Would have happened if I didn't quit my job though.
7. Clear out the boxes of stuff at home.
✗ Ahem.
8. Pick up a new language. (Perhaps this will be better than learning 3D rendering)
✔ 10 weeks of Japanese... need to continue at some point!

An extra one I didn't set as a resolution
but it finally happened after years of waiting:
I finally quit. :)

ReNew: 2012 Resolutions
with some regulars... are they still counted as resolutions?

1. Get a job in a great design studio.
2. Travel to a new place (Bali, Taiwan?- on the list since 2010, LOL)
3. Exercise weekly.
3. Write 12 songs.
4. Read 12 books.
5. Increase net worth by 50%.
6. Clear out the boxes of stuff at home.
7. 30 hours of community service.
8. Go for Frankfurt Lighting Fair.
9. Quit playing any Facebook games!

I don't always hug when we say goodbye,
Not because I don't want to,
But because I am feeling sweaty after walking you home.

The Rum Diary.

Paul Kemp: "Oh God, why did she have to happen? Just when I was doing so good without her..."