I surfed over to the blog of Alfina the Vague and found a set of questions which I, non-specifically, was asked to complete about my experiences of 2007. I tried my best - for a while, then got, as I did, invested in long ramblings that seemed to repeat themselves over and over, in summary about 2007.
So, instead, using the comments as a guide, I think I'll try to summarise the highs and lows of 2007 using the questions as a guide. For a complete set of the questions used, check out Alfina's blog post.
2007
For me, a very successful year - comparatively. "Comparatively" - as Mr Coffee would say, with what? Comparative to a few preceding years, definitely, and I am sorry to say, comparative to the escapades of some I've been near and dear to, who haven't all seemed to have the most easy time I've had this year. I can say I've felt extremely fortunate when I've heard of some of the woes of friends and wish them all a happy 2008.
I didn't make any resolutions in 2007, not formally but I had some hopes and goals and I can say some major goalposts have been passed. Yay! I have finished my Law studies - well, the major study, that is; for those who want to point out for a lawyer study is never over and I might go on to do postgrad study later on. But the formal get-a-job study is done. I went through THREE law ceremonies this year. Uni - College of Law - Admission. That's a bit taxing. I must say now that my struggles with non-stick cookware and my first encounters with a real coffee machine sound insignificant in contrast. Not that they weren't milestones too. Mr Coffee seems to think of one of my major achievements as the ability to froth milk nicely.
On the downside, I tried valiantly to keep out of trouble this year but I have failed to learn a few Cantonese phrases (they keep slipping out of my head - such a slippery language!) and I've done such silly things, such as grating my hand instead of the cheese for pasta. The fact that Mr Coffee and I have never figured out why the risotto turns out so watery is a shame, too.
What has changed in my life, majorly, in 2007, besides the fact I've now become a lawyer? Well, actually having a boyfriend, the valiant and adorable Mr Coffee has to be the most obvious. Coming with the package has to be the fact that I watched far more DVDs, and with that, more sci-fi and comic-book based movies, than I probably had in my entire life, just this year! Ahh - such is life with a boyfriend!
Three more things will remind me especially of 2007
It will be the year I got a scorching sunburn right near the beginning of the year (well, right at the end of 2006, to be exact) and I was peeling for ages afterwards. I still have a few freckles now, but you could see the dark lines for months later and it ached for ages. This was on a formal date with Mr Coffee, a picnic at the Royal Botanical Gardens. Ah, what we do for love!
It will be the year I and my siblings threw a surprise 60th birthday party for my mother, with many of her friends, and a "This is Your Life" theme - and she actually was surprised! With her friends and family, it was amazing they kept the secret for so long.
Winning over 100 books from Borders in their major prize - a combined effort with Mr Coffee - was a major coup. Hurrah - we are still drunk on the high it gave us!
2007 could have been improved if I'd spent more time exercising - who doesn't think that, but never gets round to doing it - probably so many of us - and more time reading books I hadn't read rather than reading old favourites and pamphlets shoved at me in the streets. I should also have been more proactive about experimenting with cooking. I wish I'd seen more of certain friends and enhanced on some of the scribblings I'd started.
I could have spent less time playing mindless computer games and making silly nothing comments on internet newspaper websites. I suppose my parents would say it would have been more enhancing if I spent less time on Google Talk and doing the daily sudoku, but I happen to enjoy them, so too bad. I wish I'd been less of a klutz!
Oh, and reading my daily horoscope is definitely a waste of time.
Musically I have not improved one bit, I'm still a disaster, but I've had the pleasure this year of inflicting my terrible musical disaster upon several other people. Mr Coffee, for one, poor fellow, has heard me sing, and he'll never be the same again. The two songs I'll remember from this year couldn't be more different and were both introduced to me by the said Mr Coffee - Stephen Lynch's "Special Ned" and Loreena McKennitt's "The Lady of Shallott". I hadn't heard of them before this year, and now I've got them both downloaded.
As for books I got far more than I bargained for with the Borders win, and I'm still struggling through, trying to read them. I didn't read many books near the beginning of the year, not new ones, but towards read more, and was particularly happy to have found Peter Goldsworthy's "Honk if You are Jesus" and Joanne Harris's "Chocolat" - not to mention the fun of reading the play "Pygmalion". The worst book I revisited from my childhood would have to be Virginia Andrews' "Flowers in the Attic".
Filmwise I was surprised that I found the quality of the many foreign films I saw this year generally higher than those I saw in English. I saw "Pan's Labyrinth", "The Lives of Others", "As It Is In Heaven", "The Curse of the Golden Flower" - and I don't generally see a lot of foreign films. Of the English language films I saw, I enjoyed "The Bourne Ultimatum" and "Michael Clayton" the most.
Definitely it was Mr Coffee who kept me sane this year! As for the best/nicest person I met this year - well - if, it does have to come in the strict terms of "meeting" this year, it's hard to pick one, because I met a whole bunch of very amiable people at my Law College who could fall under that umbrella. However, I would pick the other paralegal with whom I worked for several months - I knew her longer on a more one-to-one basis and she was really, a very admirable, smart, sunny person, with a good combination of being sweet but not a walkover. A good thing in a prospective lawyer!
Compared with 2006, I'm happy to say I think 2007 was a happier time for me, even if I felt fatter and I'm not richer. Gosh, women's mags would hate me, but I should be on a government ad or something - being skinny and rich don't make you a happier person, ladeez!
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5 comments:
Yay!
Couldn't have put it better myself, 'Lexi. Though despite my happiness at being a bit fatter, I'm going to make a concerted effort at swapping more flavoured drinks for water this year. Even some of my orange juice (sigh). Not to mention it's getting frightfully expensive.
Not that water is dirt cheap, either. Went to a little place recently where iced tea was $1 but water (not sparkling or mineral or iced, mind you, but just plain WATER water) was 50c a pop! I didn't order a drink at all, but if I were I'd have to at least get the iced tea, although it's double the money it's at least got a bit of something in it.
I thought water was supposed to be part of a normal service; soon they'll be charging you for calling over the waiter/waitress or cleaning the table or for an extra menu to glance at. Disgrace!
I recently had lunch with Miss Eagle and they gave us a large ice-cold bottle of water, tap and no charge. We had coffee and a lovely vegetable frittata. I would describe it in detail but I don't want to upset the detoxer.
If I didn't have a diary, journal and a blog I wouldn't remember 2007 at all.
Ha. Thanks, Jahteh. I've noted down your (chocolate) brownie points and will cough up in the fullness of time.
You're right, jahteh. In my case, a blog is a fantastic substitute for a brain.
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