MEComposing

Seriously, when I look back to my college years... I can very well see how insufferable I was. I was arrogant, tactless, annoying, loud, and maybe a lot of times unkind. But the weirdest thing was, I had friends.

Last Christmas, we met up because Bhing was vacationing in London. That must be the first time we 5 were complete for 15 years! Yes, we lost touch. I fell in with another peer group from our class and saw them more often in the past decade and a half than my own peer group.

But now, I guess we're a little more back in each other's lives (especially since my son fell in love with my friend's daughter and vice versa, and Facebook keeps us connected). And again, sorry for the lack of eloquence, but it was so weird how my college friends would tell hubs how very particular I was, how very hard to please. Nothing like old friends to show you how much, or little, you've grown and changed over the years. Hehe.

This time, though, I hope we all really stay in touch.

I am super happy to share the news that my sister is now professionally employed in Detroit. I try not to imagine my baby sister (who cares if she's 25 years old already) driving in the snow though because I would worry all the time. Still, it's such a blessing to have her professional life start, finally.

And yes, now I need not worry about who's going to help my Mom pay bills.

She's a nurse and hopefully, more promising jobs await her.

A friend who has migrated to the US is a doctor, on the other hand, and I know she's pursuing a medical teaching course with a company that's teaching doctors various skills. They have the option to study consultant interview course, medical management course, and teach the teacher course). Well, maybe my sister can be trained in similar ways so she can someday teach new nurses the basics of newborn care, palliative care, etc.

I'd love for my sister to work in a hospital like my friend Jet, and work with NICU babies. I just know she'd be the same as Jet, holding those babies with more care and love that, even if the babies were born to druggie moms, they'd still get some love from the nurse that first took care of them. But all in good time. My sister is right where she should be to learn best... I'm sure she can move on to greater things when she's ready.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Do the school run :)

 2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did not come up with any last year, won't be making any for the new one either.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
We were close once, so yes.

5. What countries did you visit?
Only HK/China.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Materially, our own home.
Personally, more dates and loving-loving with hubs.
Maternally, more patience and zeal to homeschool my boys.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 21 - I lost my engagement and wedding ring.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Embracing more Waldorf ideas :)

9. What was your biggest failure?
Mismanaging my time and energies, which affected my parenting a lot.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Illness, yes... allergies and a lump scare.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Books!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Yakee... for being so well-liked in school.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine... I had a harder time adjusting to the increased demands on ME and I wasn't gentle a lot of times.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our HK trip with my in laws.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Just the Way You Are (Bruno Mars)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner (kasi this time last year, I just gave birth)
iii. richer or poorer? poorer (materially)

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
More writing, digiscrapping and just being still with my boys. Also, more travel?

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Staying up late and eating sweets (but oh well)

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Nothing special planned... we're just going to in laws.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Yes... with Yakee, as I watched him unfold into an older brother... with Yamee, for developing into an entire individual... with hubs, for working harder to provide for us and bond with the boys... with St. Michael Playhouse/Waldorf... and our allergologist :D

22. Who got together and who broke up?
Old HS friends got together and broke up.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Grey's is a killer this season but I also fell in love with Modern Family, Game of Thrones and all the baking-related shows (Top Chef Just Desserts, Cake Boss, Fabulous Cakes)

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I can't think of anyone.

25. What was the best book you read this 2011?
Have a Little Faith by MItch Albom... I guess you could say, it pushed me to have more faith than I ever did.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Can't think of anything.

27. What did you want and got?
Healthy boys :)

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
An old one... 3 idiots. Next is HP:DH II of course!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 34 and I did nothing special :)

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Our own house... or my sister coming home for Christmas.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Haha.. I discovered convertible, multiway wear and bent on overhauling my wardrobe to have more of those, and just accessorize! Is that a concept?

32. What kept you sane?
Hubs... for being constant, gentle, unconditionally loving.
My internet friends... they're the only adult conversations I get.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Who played Khal Drogo? Haha.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Sadly, I am ambivalent and indifferent to most.

35. Who did you miss?
My sister. Pyro.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Hmm...maybe Sigrid Perez, for having 8 kids and still managing to further her advocacies.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
I've always known it but it's been super reinforced this year: my marriage is the most important relationship in the family.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"and as the years go by
our friendship will never die
you see it's our destiny
for you've got a friend in me"