Auld Lang Syne

... to 2009. Welcome 2010 with wide open arms!

2009 has been a pretty great year... Can't complain much and I definitely feel really blessed. Though not everything has been squeaky perfect clean and I must say that there are some things I have done that I'm definitely not proud of.

But! Must not start the year on a bitter note.

So I'll start with a list of things that I am really pleased for:

1. I started off 2010 with a couple of weeks in Singapore I think.... right after quitting my job in Penang. Kicked off work in KL around mid -January. I think it's very important to note that I am very lucky to still be able to secure a job in the middle of an economy crisis. Better thing is, the pay is better than my previous company. Not so good point to note: Cost of living in KL is high.

2. Had the rarest opportunity to visit the Land of Opportunity, an all sponsored training programme by the company. I spent 3-and-half months in the States. First week in Houston, then 3 weeks frozen to the core in North Dakota, and the rest of the stay was in Houston. All this without getting bonded!

3. Visited Su Jen's little hole in LA! It has been a couple of years since I last saw her, even then it was only during a short trip to Taiwan... Nothing beats going to your sister's place and she was the greatest host. She went all out to prepare food for me and a couple of colleagues, and also to make sure we were very comfortable. It was also the very first time I got to explore and enjoyed myself tremendously in Disneyland Anaheim.

4. Those on the top 3 of the list were the most memorable ones. But the following ones weren't any least more pleasing than the above. I am very glad to have a handful of friends in KL who weren't only nice, but who rise to the occasion and offer their kind help.

5. I have learnt to appreciate my family, most of all my parents. I try to find time to call them every week or so just to hear their voices and learn what's new, or what's troubling them.

It gives me a great sense of satisfaction that to be able to fulfill their hopes for a call from their youngest daughter, and to do so unfailingly. Oh! Also got my parents a spanking new 42" LCD tv hehehe... Su En, if you're reading this, you owe me about RM800 ok hehehe.

Family... Irreplaceable.

6. Joined a gym at the concourse of KLCC. Met some great people and also able to keep up with a healthy lifestyle. Nothing beats the exhilaration after an intensive workout. And to wake up the day after with your whole body muscle group feeling sore.

7. During the whole period of my stay in KL, my cousin has graciously taken me in, while I settle down here. In fact, I have gotten so comfortable that I cannot be bothered to find a new place... though I am inclined to get my own place... somehow... hopefully even purchase my very first property, but I think that is a bit too soon to comply based on the mediocre salary I bring home each month.

Hmm... does 7 sounds like a good number? It's magical enough though, according to JK Rowling hehehhe.

Now, I've never really gotten into all that resolution hype. Never had any, and never fulfilled any. However, on New Year's Eve, as I was having dinner with Mei Ying, she started filling me in on all these resolutions that she's making and I thought to myself, why not? In fact, making a couple of resolutions might even motivate me to keep them.

So!

(erm... I know these resolutions are not very life-changing nor glam, but I'm taking baby steps, ok? These are the ones that come to my mind just as I am typing...)

1. Posture. I realize that I am always subconsciously sinking into a slumping sitting position and then when my mind realizes the mistake of the bad spine, I straighten myself guiltily.

2. Control Expenses. This is not really new to me as I always remind myself to save up and I always ask myself whenever I am about to purchase something: do I really need this? Do I frequently use this? But of course... most of the time I just give in without as much as a second thought because the top looks so good and it's on sale.... But I think food is the main culprit in leeching my hard-earned money T_T

I suppose that''s the whole list of my New Year resolution ^^

An old photo I browsed through earlier:

Aiyoh cannot believe that is actually me hahahha... Those were the uni days... When I was so skinny/flat-ish boobs and had gold highlights thinking I was the epitome of cool hahahhahahahh.


Anyways, New Year's Eve!

As I said earlier, I spent my NYE with Mei Ying. We were supposed to meet up with Grace later on too but then Grace was invited for drinks by the manager so she couldn't cabut...

After much debate (both of us were very chinchai and couldn't make up our minds, we normally let the more hard-to-please people to decide) we ended up having Italian @ Cipolla in Bangsar! By the time we walked into the restaurant, it was already close to 10.

Mei Ying said that the restaurant is one of the best in KL! Hmm... good food definitely do not come in cheap.... in KL la at least.

Su En said that Mei Ying looks like Mona Lisa here hehehhe.

The menu is anything but limited. We were spoilt for choice. In the end, we settled for a New Year's special 4-course dinner.

My ultimate favourite of the lot! Smoked duck breast salad with grapes. It is just so awesome! The appetiser really got me going but it was more like accelerating to 200 miles an hour then coming to a half afterwards, okla to be fair, not completely braking... more like cruising at a comfortable 50. You'll see why.

Course #2: Champagne risotto with dory fish. Sticky rice made us feel a bit heik halfway through. Didn't quite like the fish.... has a chau cho bi :p

I seriously enjoyed eating at places like Cipolla... each plate is served on a 30-45 minute interval. Both of us are real slow eaters hahahha I like to take my time with my food :)

Course #3: Tiger prawns served in unknown sauce with mushrooms and Italian pork sausages with potato wedges. The prawns are damn freaking huge and some more the veins are not removed!!! So gross I had to remove them and initially I thought it's like some juicy part of the prawn (I cut through close to the head first) then only to realize that whole thick greyish stuff is the vein T_T By the way the I am not a big prawn person but we had to choose this one because the other option is beef cooked in red wine (T_T) but that is out of the picture cos Mei Ying cannot have beef. humph.

Finally our dessert. This one arrived 10 minutes to 1st Jan 2010. Bread & Butter pudding. It is way too sweet and several times I bit into coarse sugar. Urgh... But overall service is quite good lol. It was a great dinner... we gossiped and crapped like nobody's business and we definitely overstayed our welcome hahahha... We were also the last ones left there slowly spooning the pudding, oblivious to the poor staff waiting to go home.

One last update.: Guess how I spent the first day of 2010? Lol.... Becoming Cinderella... Cleaned my room, tossed out stuff that I no longer need, organized receipts, pay slips, and refolded and arranged clothes in my little cupboard :p I seriously need to make more trips to Ikea and get those nifty storage boxes!

Happy New Year y'all!