2011: A year in review

"The days are long but the years are short"

I can't remember whose quote that was but it's one that has stuck with me for a while... I feel that it resonates with me. Each passing day may seem ordinary and mundane, yet when we look back, we can't quite seem to grasp where all the days went. 

It's that time of the year again to reflect and look back. As another chapter of my life comes to a close, and to make up for my lack of updates this entire year, I've decided to make a short summary of the significant/insignificant, meaningful/mundane happenings of 2011. Just a little dot point list for myself to capture the year of 2011. Here goes!

In the year of 2011, I:

1) Got a new camera

After the demise of Scarlett last year, I finally got a replacement - Onyx, a Canon s95 which I love to bits. This was the first ever picture I took using Onyx. We were still at the camera shop and I was testing out the settings. :)

2) Had a reunion with 'The Gang'

3) Had a foodie roadtrip to Melaka

4) Fell down a flight of stairs and sprained my ankle. Again.

What can I say? My clumsiness knows no bounds.

5) Helped to plan my sister's engagement

And still ended up with the wrong ring size. Dang!

6) Had an extremely memorable night with primary school bunch

And I say extremely memorable because WY had too much to drink and puked into a salad bowl coz she couldn't make it to the ladies fast enough. She consequently dropped her promise ring into said bowl of puke and we spent half an hour going through puke to find it. Disgustingly funny, but an exceedingly memorable night indeed. Gotta love nights like these... they become the best memories.

7) Continued our high school tradition of 'lou sang' during CNY

I missed last year's one so it was great that I got to be in this year's...

8) Met up with Gohyun from Korea who came for an internship and brought her around

9) Celebrated a ton of 21st birthdays

And missed heaps of 21st birthday parties too because I wasn't home. :(

 10) Attended the School of Hard Knocks and made my very own pewter bowl

11) Clubbed with the primary school bunch for the first time. 

A momentous occasion.

12) Sent bestie off to Melbourne at LCCT

And was very excited for her to begin her adventure

13) Did the whole 'bai nian' thing with the high school bunch for the first time

14) Went back to KC to collect my SPM cert after 3 years

KC has changed so much! Will definitely not be able to recognize it when I go back this time round... and that makes me feel kinda sad. =/

15) Got Pepper - my iPad 

And that's Dobby hijacking Pepper and playing some vroom vroom racing game.

16) Lost Simba and then miraculously found him again 3 days later!

Also, Bobby passed away. Cried my eyes out. It was not a good year with my dogs, both of them broke my heart.

17) Witnessed the best art exhibition ever at GoMA

18) Visited bestie in Melbourne

Had an awesome 3 days with her. And I think it was the first time we took a trip together in our 15 years of friendship!

19) Sat on St. Kilda beach and watched the sun rise

20) Dropped by Sydney 

Accompanied Minny to get her US visa done and visited Sydney for the second time!

21) Brought Joyce around Brisbane and realized that it is actually a gorgeous city

22) Went for my first outdoor cinema experience

23) Made purple curry!!

All the purple came from purple carrots, which we've never tried before so we thought we'd give it a go. It was really good!

24) Went up to Genting by bus to visit Leng Leng

First time I ever took the bus up to Genting I think. And the bus tyre punctured. We were stranded by the roadside for awhile till another bus picked us up and we stood all the way up those winding roads to Genting. Gotta love roadtrips!

25) Did the lunch//shopping/gossip ritual with the girls

I love us and our sartorial adventures! Can't wait to see them again. :D

26) Helped Douie try on all of momma's wedding dresses

It's amazing how her wedding dresses are still in tip top quality after 30 over years. And they were beautiful, all flowy, soft and chiffon-y. Wish I could fit in them... :(

27) Developed tendinitis

My legs took turns to act up this year. This was the first time ever where the pain was so bad I wanted to cry. I'd rather starve and not eat than walk to the cafeteria to get food. That was how bad the pain was. And we all know how much I love food. Also came to the revelation that not being able to walk properly is a huge pain in the ass. I used to think if I had to give up something, I'd choose a loss of a limb rather than a loss of senses (smell, touch, feel, hear, see)... but now I'm not so sure.

28) Attended an Owl City concert

And witnessed Adam's very awkward swaying... =/

29) Cheered Minny on in several dance competitions

And watched her win even though she was convinced she wouldn't. Heh.

30) Got my first casual job in Aussie and took mommy out for dinner with my first paycheck

Unfortunately, that job didn't pay very well.

31) Watched Riverfire fireworks on Mount Cootha

32) Sat on the Wheel of Brisbane

33) Watched a cool laser light show along the river during the Brisbane Festival

34) Witnessed many amazing sunsets from our apartment

Still feel incredibly lucky and thankful to be staying here another year.

35) Helped out at the Salsa solo

Was basically the door bitch for 3 nights.

36) Got a proper casual job that pays well and took Minny out for sushi

Finally got a 'proper' job! Yayyy!

37)Went to Dreamworld

Haven't been there since I was 12 I think. Oh, and felt really sick after 3 super dizzy rides in a row. Haven't felt sick after roller coaster rides for the longest time, so that was pretty memorable. And a friend puked into the bushes after those 3 rides. 

38) Met new friends

39) Discovered the gorgeous Coolangatta beach

40) Received a surprise 21st birthday gift from the primary school bunch

Complete with a hilarious story of KJ dropping his keys into the toilet bowl while writing my birthday card. Lol.

41) Hand fed a wild 21-year old dolphin named Tinkerbell in Tangalooma for my 21st birthday

And also tried sand tobaganing for the first time and loved it. Other than the fact that the sand went everywhere and was really hard to clean...

42) Witnessed an amazing sunset with a hole in the sky

Hope shines through!

43) Received a Tiffany's key for my 21st

Been jokingly telling my mom she's gonna get me a Tiffany's key for my 21st and she really did! <3 My second Tiffany's pendant, the first was for my 17th birthday I think. :D

44) Finally visited Australia Zoo (or better known as the Steve Irwin Zoo)

45) Walked a wombat on my 21st birthday and fell in love with them

That's Laura - she's so cute and fluffy!! So adorable, gah!

46) Celebrated my 21st

47) Watched a 3 hour long Swan Lake ballet 0_o

The longest ballet performance I've ever watched in my entire life. It was actually quite hard to sit through. The Little Mermaid Ballet was wayyy better than this one. Oh, and received my 2nd Marc Jacobs item for my 21st courtesy of Douie and Dobby, which can be seen above! ;) Now I've got a matching wallet and bag. Whee!

48) Vacationed with the family who came over to visit

Us in Montville. Miss having them around...

49) Had my first ever proper 6 course degustation meal at Absynthe

50) Found our favourite cocktail bar

51) Said goodbye to Vera

Aaaaand....

52) Successfully graduated!

This year has been filled with lots of ups and downs, happiness, frustration, joy, sadness, heartbreak, excitement, friendship and love. Here's hoping that 2012 will be as fulfilling and amazing as this one. Here's to change, possibilities, hope and being fearless. 

2012, let's get this party started!