Felt like this year similarly flew by. Suddenly we are into our third year of living with COVID, and thank goodness many aspects of life have finally returned to somewhat pre-COVID normal. There was some sort of warning that this entire thing will last 3 years and at that time I sort of laughed it off but look where we are now. 

So this year is all about adapting again. Be it adapting to something of a mixture between old and new normal, and also adapting to changes to work again. 

 

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Why, I shall start with work again. Because realistically this has been a year of two halves. 

The first half of the year I was basically counting down to end of June. No heart to stay on at all. It really wasn’t a bad job scope or role, but familiarity won over and I really just thought I didn’t want to spend another 5-10 years building up that sense from scratch, at least not at this age. There is also this sense of being an outsider all this time, not being appreciated, so I made up my mind pretty early on. There is a tinge of regret for not making full use of the stint, not forging closer relationships, but it is what it is. 

That said, there was still plenty to do in the first half of the year - secretariat role, TMP in end April and after that was basically tying up loose ends, and went off to my long break. 

Coming back to TSDD, I definitely felt that I settled down way faster than I think I would. Sometimes it almost felt like I never left because everything felt familiar. Found my groove pretty quickly. But these are the technical aspects of the work - the people management part of it posed brand new challenges. Unfamiliar faces in the team - this is basically a team hastily put together in response to the spree of resignations throughout the past couple of years and I think I am still working out things, enduring a couple of drama episodes along the way which I never had to deal with in the past. I suppose I am as unfamiliar to them as they are to me, so it’s probably gonna take a while to gel. Oh well. Part of the game. 

Then there was the redesignation which could have happened rightaway, but I guess I’m not complaining. I do feel like it’s where I belong though, which was a confidence that I didn’t have two years ago. The role definitely meant more responsibilities, I don’t know if it meant higher expectations but as usual I am just gonna do my thing and if I turns out well, good for me. The important thing is just to never lose sight of your purpose, and to do the right thing, and that shall continue to be the mantra going forward. 

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Traveling has resumed! Many steps along the way starting from VTL, then the multiple testings, but eventually everything got scrapped. By the time July came around I was able to go for my month long break without needing to worry too much about restrictions, though there remain the odd ones like insurance and declarations, which got done away eventually too.

But the break. I must dedicate one section to this alone because it was such an important one. It was the longest I have ever been away from home (1.5 years), because I decided to skip CNY this year owing to work commitments and travel restrictions, so I was really looking forward to it. It was also my longest break ever, and it allowed me to reset, it definitely helped me when I got back to work a month later because I went in with a refreshed mind, and it literally is a once in a lifetime thing unless I switch jobs. But I had a blast at home, snucked in a trip within trip to KK with the homies, without having to worry about work at all. At this rate I am going to have high expectations of my future holidays hahah. 

Though that also meant I couldn’t take long travel trips for the rest of the year because I burnt all my leave for this break (well I could, but I prefer to save those for next year) and watched everybody else travel as the world opens up. Did manage a short Phuket trip with the Brunei duo which was as relaxing as it can get, though it came with its own set of drama no thanks to an untimely COVID infection. 

Next year! Barring any resurfacing of restrictions (touchwood), I already have a few plans up my sleeves, and hoping to execute them. 

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Fitness, I think I made some inroads? Gym at my new place is better equipped than the previous one so that meant more effective workouts. Weight wise I have gained back a bit, though I hoped it’s mostly muscle weight coz I still can fit into my size S shirts (though not as comfy). I guess my biggest achievement is being able to do a pull up, finally. I focused on doing all the groundwork beforehand and when I finally attempted and executed one, I was a bit stunned that it happened and wasn’t sure if it counted haha. But confirmed it soon enough and I have since progressed to 4-5 pull ups hahaha. 

I do think the entire year’s worth of work has some results, in a sense that I am now stronger, but body shape isn’t really what I hoped it would be by the end of the year. PT next year? Hahaha. Gotta think through if this is really what I need. 

Skin wise I think it worsened a bit, with some new patches though if I were to be honest, I wasn’t super religious about my cream regiment. Stopped oral meds some time last year to go for vaccination and never resumed it, so it may have played the role a bit. Spoke to doc a couple of days ago and I’d probably resume it to help control a bit, but otherwise, not a major concern.

And COVID. Finally caught it, and it wasn’t fun for a couple of days, but pulled through. 

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Settled down in my new place for a year now. Still pretty happy with how it turned out, though there are some things I have procrastinated for a while which I would probably need to work on now - like revamping my master toilet which is showing signs of needing repairs - the tiles looked like they are about to crack, suspect that it wasn’t tiled properly and water seeped in somewhere and accumulated, expanded etc. And I never got around to doing up my balcony properly. Always thought it’s an element that I can maybe work on later, maybe with someone else hahahah but oh well. 

Definitely not getting any younger. I remember the time when I was all anxious about turning 30 but I am now approaching 35 even and….ha ha. I mean I have no doubts that I can survive on my own, I do enjoy the freedom of it all and I am independent that way, so it’s never something that I want to force to happen. But it still doesn’t hurt to have someone to share it all with you I guess, especially when you are down with COVID lol. Which was something that didn’t occur to me often because in the first place I was generally blessed with good health and don’t fall sick often to have these thoughts surfacing. 

随缘.

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All in all, not a bad year again. But always room for improvement. To a better 2023!