Thank you 2012!

The magic peacock of random awesomeness

I still find it hard to believe that yet another year has passed. Two weeks into the new year and I still put down '2012' when I'm writing the date half the time (like in my drawing above). Oh well, I'll get used to it.

2012 was a really challenging year for some. From speaking to friends, Facebook and some blogs I follow, quite a few couldn't wait for this testing year to end. I do hope the new year will bring them new found hope and happiness. Nothing's permanent in this world of ours, good or bad - this too shall pass. 

Overall, I think 2012 has been a pretty good year - some significant milestones and emotional highs for many. A lot of couples I know either got married or engaged. A lot of my close friends claimed they had their biggest travel adventures or have never travelled to so many places in one year before. I couldn't say the same for myself, but these are my highlights for 2012:

1. Going back to Malaysia

Twice actually, but the trip last December was really awesome. The main reason for the trip is to attend my cousin, Rose's wedding. This experience deserves a couple of blog posts on its own but in a nutshell, it's the most frustrating yet the most beautiful wedding I've ever witnessed. 

It's always a challenge to catch up with people with such a tight time-frame but I am immensely proud of my good mates. After Rose's wedding, I hopped on a 7 am bus to KL and texted them on the way there. With only a few hours of notice, my friends/cousins with full time jobs made time for me and I've got my power packed trip sorted. I love them to bits! 

Penang > KL > Damansara > Kuang > Seremban > Kuang > Damansara > Penang (in 4 days!)

Last but definitely not least, I spent some quality time with my family. I have a love-hate relationship with some of them but at the end of the day, family is... family! And I really do love them.  

2. Getting my driver's license

Got my driver's license in Malaysia a month before I came overseas, and have been too poor to afford a car and too used to having Steve to chauffeur me around... until recently. May not be a big thing to some but having the confidence to drive a car is a massive accomplishment to me. Having said that, driving in Malaysia is still far-fetched for me :P

3. Rekindled old hobbies

I'm starting to draw, paint, read books and ride my bike again. These are small things, but something inside me felt alive. I doubt it made sense to you but I really can't explain this better.. sorry! 

4. Being more stable

What kind of highlight is 'stability'?! Lol, I feel like a simpleton sometimes. For lack of better words, I wanted to say that I felt more secure about my life. My relationship with Steve is going strong and financially, I think we're both dealing with our savings very well. I'm really pleased and contented with where we are at.

Well, wasn't it a perfect year? Nah, it goes without saying that the year did encounter a few low notes. I'm beginning to dislike certain aspects of my work and workplace. A big portion of my calendar year is dedicated to work so this is a biggie! Gah, at least I think I'm well paid, so I'll suck it up and power on. Another lowlight was how I disconnected myself from some friends. It's probably beneficial to disassociate myself from friends as such, but I feel sad. (Hero complex?) I wish I could fix this. Can 2013 give me the opportunity to do so?