Merry Christmas!

So.... this means, we managed to survive "the end of the world aka 21st December 2012 aka Mayan Apocalypse"!!!

It's been a long time since I last blogged, and I didn't even write my birthday post yet until now, but I'm gonna talk abt it in another post as this is a Christmas post.

As you can probably guess, I am now sitting at home on Christmas Day blogging about my Christmas. No I don't have any house to visit nor churches to attend (I don't.). I'm far away from home and my family and most of my friends aren't Christian so they don't really celebrate Christmas but like me, took part in the Christmas atmosphere and bought gifts and such. And made plans. So I'm just alone at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do.

I actually have something to do: make a drawing of Crayon Shin-chan for my colleague in the finance department. I sort of already promised her that so I'm going to try to finish it.

This year's Christmas, I gave more than I got, and I'm happy for it. The feeling when you gift someone and you see the joy in them receiving it, makes me happy the most. I definitely overspent (even bought a wrong gift and it's now lying on top of my work PC CPU alone) on gifts this year but it's okay. There's a gift for work colleague (Secret Santa!), gift for friends at an early Xmas BBQ celebration, and gifts for my best buddies who'd been by my side through the whole year.

And I'm thankful. Very thankful. Even though I am alone on Christmas Day stuck at home, I am not unhappy; in fact I'm very thankful and I feel blessed. Because I have everyone I love still alive and healthy around me. Even though me and my family is far apart, but recently we tried to get closer to each other through online and mobile chat platforms. The connection to them eases being apart from them.

And the two buddies, whom I think I've "lost", are back with me again...I really didn't see this happening, and rightfully around Christmas month for it to turn around. September was awful and by the time I reached November, my other friend told me she doesn't want to talk to me anymore and we broke off. Slowly i patched things up with this friend....but the 1st one took a far longer time. But slowly... we got back to each other again. Started with eye contact, then to speaking TO each other, then warming up by joking with each other. It feels like the beginning all over again.

And what is it if not considered another beginning? We started anew. We didn't talk about the past anymore. We just let it go, let it be slowly forgotten in times past. Gradually, by December, I've got both of them back. I guess all this loss and found teaches us a lesson to not take the other for granted, and makes you realise how lost you are were you to lose them.

So I'm grateful and thankful for everything that has happened. Maybe not so much the bad parts, but they did somehow play a part in shaping out the good parts, and especially some life lessons, so I still have to give it to them.

Thank you. I thank everything and everyone. God bless us all and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! :D

Merry Christmas! :)

If one year ago you were to tell me i would be organising a Christmas party and hold the position of 'President' of ANYTHING, i would've laughed in your face.

See, a year ago, i was working in a cafe, ever melancholic in the Christmas holidays as it reminds me of happenings of the year prior, hoping somehow we can go off work early to celebrate Christmas. I had wanted to meet up with my friends badly to watch fireworks and countdown Christmas together.

In the end we did close earlier by about half an hr, i did meet up with my friends and we did catch the fireworks. It was brief, but it was enough. It wasn't extraordinary, but at least i was in the moment. And i knew back then it would be my last Christmas there as well, so i was fully intended to enjoy it as much as possible, pushing back past memories to the back of my mind as far as possible.

A year later i was busy juggling work and extra-curricular activities; i was made the President of the Social Club of my job and the first event under me would be the Christmas party celebrations, which was really sudden and last-minute as well because i was elected just two weeks before the celebrations. I had also fallen sick and that made things worse when i had to postpone meetings and decisions.

But due to this election too, i got to learn new things. I have newer responsibilities now and i'm being tested more on my leadership and diplomatic skills. All these are necessary to be learnt to 'upgrade' urself and push to the higher echelons of corporate power, and it was really daunting. I have to learn to adapt quick while maintaining a peaceful truce with the previous committee, especially the 'leader' whom i was appointed to replace.

And here comes the party. Having never before organised ANYTHING, it was a major task for me. And that wasn't the only new thing. I also experienced a new way to enjoy Christmas: the getting together of everyone to work on SOMETHING, and to take part and getting my hands dirty to make sure everything went as smoothly as possible.

I sent out invitations. I had to speak to the higher management and get their approval on things(unfortunately for me i got a very unpredictable, in the sense of personal mood, lady boss as part of the management, which made things much harder), I had to actually give out orders and task people to their duties. I had to give speeches, and i had to speak louder and make myself heard.

For the first time, i decorated for Christmas. I also went shopping for Christmas decorations. I also took part in readying the door gifts for our party attendees. I bought, and in return, received Christmas presents.

This year's Christmas, felt the most 'Christmas' for me. I actually did something for Christmas. And i'm happier this Christmas as well, compared to the last two years. I genuinely enjoyed myself this year. It was a nice Christmas Eve too. Went to my colleague's BBQ party, and went for drinks after that.

Woke up and spent most of my Christmas Day with my dearest friends as well. It was so nice to see them again after so long! :D

And to my friends who i've seemingly less communicate with recently, sorry and please forgive me! I do still think of you now and then. Know that everyone is always in my heart, everyone i call my friends. :)

Take care and once again, Merry Christmas! :D

Merry Christmas!

I'm kinda late now, but still, Merry Christmas!! xD

Christmas this year didnt turn out so bad like hw i imagined. LOL. I thought i wud be drinking in my sorrows alone at home during Christmas. Haha. But nahh, didn't happen. xD

Like last year, went to Spring for the countdown...i think they're making it annual? But i wonder how it's gonna be for next year tho...Kuching'll have two big malls sprawling up by the end of next year i think...

This time tho, went with different friends compared to last year. The grp of friends i went with last year....well. We kinda broke...lost touch with each other. What a difference a year makes...but oh wells.

***

So i had to work still on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day etc...hahahha...i really thought i won't be able to make it cos i dunno the plans for the night! All i know is...we might close early if we hit the sales target for the day. And boy i was so worked up wishing it will happen quickly LOL.

In the end i did close early, arnd 10pm, and bless my colleague(who was so busy herself she cudnt make it to the dinner we promised to have together), brought me to Spring...but she couldn't find parking and left me to find my friends...kinda sad she can't watch the countdown tho. Sigh.

But i met up with my friends and gosh! The crowd was crazy!! So many ppl! I actually got scolded by someone cos i pushed my way past them...sorry dude!! I admit i was wrong...zzz...anyway i followed my friend's lead out to one side of the area so i could get a nice view of the fireworks.

3mins to countdown....the announcer announced it and everyone cheered. I love it when everyone is cheering...i love it. The atmosphere. Then soon....

10......9.....8......7......6......5......4....3.....2....1...~~~

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then the fireworks start their show. =D

And i stood there and shot as many as i can, hoping i got the settings right. It's my first time shooting fireworks using DSLR....zzzz. People kept walking past me and hit me, i was kinda annoyed cos it distracted from my picture taking...zzz...

I had my friend help me record a video of the whole spectacle too..so yeah, got it on video and photos!



After it stopped though i just went back home...feels weird coming home so early LOL. Thought i could go for supper or perhaps get some beer. But it's ok, at least i did attend the countdown, better than nothing! xD

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For the Christmas Day itself, yeap, was working too, also closed early but nothing much after that, just went back home....started on watching the Korean show "Iris" though, to catch up with a friend, and so far so good! Liking what i see!


So to conclude, i wud say that this year my Christmas is watered dwn, but still enjoyable.



Lastly, wish everyone a blessed year ahead and once again, Merry Christmas!!