Did a check and wow I have been writing this since 2012, which was the year I started working. Didn’t feel like it has been that long tbh. Brb imma add a tag to all of these posts coz they are growing in numbers. 

Honestly this year passed by in a flash. Partly because work has been busy, also partly that I have things to look forward to and countdown quite regularly. For instance I would be like “oh, 50 days left to my next holiday” and after I come back from said holiday, I would be like “oh, 50 days left to my NEXT break” which certainly kept me sane. And I am so grateful for that. 

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Starting with work as usual. And oh how fast the year passed by. 

I remember counting down every month during my two year stint in Planning and in stark contrast, one and half year back here passed by effortlessly (the time passing, not the work which was the opposite of effortless). 

Right off the bat I had fires to fight this year, and said fire lasted for about an entire quarter, then another one started just as the first one faded away. It all turned out well in the end, but the process was certainly energy sapping like never before. Then there were also these couple of times when I was part of the receiving end of unpleasant dressdowns from two different bosses, which was certainly new to me and was downright demoralizing. 

I certainly felt like I am missing a step or two sometimes. I felt like I have maintained my usual standards of guiding, advising, coaching, decision making, even with a bigger team(s) now as compared to the past and I think I have earned their respect. I thought I have settled down well. But could I have been more watchful, focus on more correct things? I looked back at the couple of episodes that blew up (and a few others that could have blown up) and I did think that I could have done more. 

Last year I thought that this redesignation was long overdue and I was more than ready to step into this role. At multiple occasions this year I think I was ready to step up again because I was comparing to my peers, and those who have overtaken me. Are these missteps then an indication that I am not ready for bigger things? But it’s not my fault that goal posts got shifted and I am wary that I may be stuck again as a result, which was not pleasant. 

I did deliver an important project this year so I hope that counts for something (even if it doesn’t seem like I am being blamed for the delay…yet). If nothing happens next year…well, I think I need to remember my 初衷 though it’s getting harder and harder with each passing year. 

Fingers crossed for a better year! 

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We have officially stepped into post-COVID era, or rather an era where COVID has been normalized because it is still very well and alive (by the way, I maintain the belief that the initial lockdowns were not an overreaction, though the pace at which the Asian world normalises is). Which meant travels resumed in full force and I, for one, couldn’t be more glad. 

I haven’t revived my ill-fated Switzerland trip from 2020, but I opted for multiple short(er) trips this year, and somehow they are all clustered around Eastern Asia - Japan, Seoul and Taipei. And there’s the usual Bangkok and home of course. 

I thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Like I said in the earlier part of the posts they were so important in playing a role to keep me sane. I remembered my boss randomly checking in on my mental health (it was really random because it was as if he was trying to find a topic which was sort of not about work to talk about during a long cab ride to a meeting with SA) and I told him I am doing ok, just need regular breaks. Japan and Seoul were solo trips, Taipei was a mixture of both family and solo trip. In particular Japan was my first solo trip since what, 2019 Melbourne? And it reminded me so much about why I missed such trips. Strictly speaking all of these three cities I have visited before and some of the spots I revisited this time round too, but still managed to find new experiences. Bangkok and home trips were a much welcomed resumption of our familial traditions. Though I don’t get to spend as much time at home this year as compared to the last two COVID years which was such an irony, but parents and sister do get to visit me now so I guess that cancels it out. 

And for the first time I had lined up and booked my tickets for all my trips next year even before this year ended, even the trips back home, and I can’t wait for them - especially the epic October/November one. All the miles collection finally being put into (very) good use. 

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Work stress (what an excuse) meant that I put back a fair bit of weight though I think (or hoped) that a fair bit of it is muscle weight because I think visually I can see some difference, though at the rate I was eating (and binge eating sometimes) mean that it wasn’t obvious at all. I do feel like I want to get some help and I feel motivated to though procrastination is still winning over for now. But I am hitting the next milestone next year - 35 - so that sounded like another good time to start something different, similar to how I started my exercise regime when I hit 30. Let’s do this. 

Skin issues are still there, still under control although I find myself needing my oral meds at the beginning of the year to bring it down. Still trying to get rid of the discoloration which wasn’t working well so might just ask my doc in my upcoming appointment - I had initially convinced him that I only need to see him once a year but I chickened out in the end coz I spotted these couple of patches appearing - not like my usual psoriasis patches but these are just rashes that appear whenever my body heats up after exercising, and fade off once I cooled down so I wanted to know what exactly are those or would they mutate into something more sinister. So fingers crossed too. 

COVID found its way to me for a second time too (and perhaps a third time, even though I didn’t test that time but it felt suspiciously like it) and it was so mild that I was really surprised when the second line appeared, but it came at an inconvenient time (or not) that I had to bail out of a presentation. But I had a few episodes of minor ailments throughout the year which usually don’t get too serious but took a while to recover fully from, and that was certainly out of the norm for me. Wonder why. 

But like I said, body isn’t getting younger so really needed to take good care of it. 

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The last section of this review is always the one that sees no progress. Unfortunately that remained the case this year, even if I started the year feeling, dare I say, somewhat hopeful of a change this year. But lack of action on my part meant that you are now reading a very boring paragraph bye. 

Yeah. We’ll see. 

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There are some goals next year, work wise and others. We’ll see if they materialize. To a better 2024!