Saturday, January 10, 2009

Still catching my breath..

...I hadn't realised how much 2008 had taken out of me until now. I am still in recovery from 2008 and haven't been able to embrace 2009 with as much gusto as I should. 10 days into the new year and I still haven't figured our my resolutions or what I hope to achieve in 2009. I just want 2009 to be as calm, stable and unexciting as possible.

2008 should be considered an overall good year for me. But it was also possibly a year in which too much happened...

- I started the year in Mumbai for G&R's traditional Indian wedding; 2 new saris which still need to be worn; discover the wonder of Bollywood films on Jet Airways; Mumbai is the first place I have travelled to where I felt unsafe
- I tried to keep my bday lowkey especially because my nearest and dearest weren't around in NY; I fled back to London for the weekend to spend it with loved ones
- I finally did my 8 week culinary techniques class at the Culinary Institute which breathed fresh inspiration into my cooking
- I finally got to know K who has been a tremendous inspiration to me ever since
- I got myself out of the horrible horrible place that was my office in NY and moved back to London
- I realised it wasn't that straightforward moving back to London and I would actually have to create a new life for myself again
- I achieved Virgin Flying Club Gold and Starwood Platinum status In Mar after doing too many trans-Atlantic flights and spending a month in Room 1506 at the Sheraton Park Tower
- I started climbing regularly and got to know E who has been a good friend since
- I started Body Combat classes and boy do I love the endorphins and adrenaline cursing through my veins after every session
- I started doing dinner parties at my place in London and we had some pretty good sessions last year; here's to more of those this year
- I had an amazing time in Vietnam; met some great people including the Belgians; stayed in the Nam Hai and got myself addicted to nice resorts
- I went out with someone for 3 months, setting a new record for my recent dating history. Too bad it didn't work out and things remain somewhat complicated
- I realised that I can be quite a sensual person and that I crave touch and affection
- I met the Belgians in Vietnam, went to visit them in Brussels, they came to visit in Singapore; in 2009, they're visiting London in Feb hopefully, I'll spend a week with them in Belgium in Mar/April and we will hopefully do New Year's in Indonesia
- I went to Noma and spent an unforgettable 10 hours there
- I got into whiskey, cognacs, armagnacs and grappas; I dislike the taste of Baileys now
- I almost moved to China
- I went to Mumbai, Charleston, Lisbon, Berlin, Vietnam, HK, Copenhagen, Brussels, Piedmont and Siem Reap, not to mention work daytrips to Cinncinnati and SF
- I still dislike my work and perhaps actually hate it even more but haven't quite figured out what I want to do
- My friends started settling into happy longterm relationships; I am happy for them, but feel more alone than before
- I finally went to Angkor Wat after years of wanting to go; it was slightly underwhelming but I am glad I finally did it
- I ended the year on a great note; it was warm in Singapore; the Belgians came to visit and charmed my friends and family; I developed a small crush on a boy (not a man for a change); I started contemplating a move back to Asia

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