Bullet Train - 2017
Say whuuuuuut?
2017 is coming to an end already?!
It’s kinda funny how I return to le blog to pen down some thoughts on 31st December every year….. I mean, despite it being a brand new day each morning, there seems to be that extra mental push for a deeper reflection on the very last day of the calendar year.
To facilitate what I would term as ‘mood framing’, feel free to utilize this Spotify playlist. Haha I swear, it’s the best background music to have on repeat in a cold and rainy month like December.
So…………… drum roll please
A quick review of Cam’s 2017 #
1. Travels!!!! #
Undeniably, the reason why 2017 has been memorable and flew by so quickly is because I have been jet-setting so much.
Even though it was primarily for work purposes, I had the opportunity to extend multiple business trips and visit people like Nathalie in Leuven, and of course my dear parents in Hangzhou after the Shanghai audit. :))
- Hangzhou (March 2017)
- Munich, Leuven (May 2017)
- Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzhou (July 2017)
- Seoul, Busan, Jeju (October 2017)
And of course, our annual tradition of visiting a new place each year together. This year, FF and I jet-set to South Korea! Although it was mainly my doing (since I was randomly and suddenly so engrossed with K-dramas & K-pop). He was pleasantly surprised at how fascinating South Korea turned out to be too. :‘)
I’m thankful that both of us actually enjoyed ourselves this time around. (compared to our Vietnam trip last year lolzzz).
And, lo and behold…… both of us chose to bid our singlehood adios this year hahaha.
Presenting to you, the #TanTanCouple!
(highly inspired by: #SongSongCouple)
So yes, 2017 will definitely be etched in my memory bank because FF and I got engaged! This milestone has forced me to start a detailed plan for our lifetime vocation of married life together. I know the journey ahead will be bumpy, but I’m glad I’m stuck with this sort of retard to work it out together with :))
2. Weddings #
I have no clue if this is correlated to the above-point. I mean, Sam and Jacky also got engaged this year in March 2017 (of which, Rens and I went to “help” out with the surprise).
Pingster and Fiona (who wow, will sort of be my future supervisor come Jan 2018) also got engaged this year, and proceeded swiftly with marriage a few months later.
Sherlyn (a.k.a. 小妹) from HR also got married (which I attended my first ever Japanese Buddhist wedding ceremony).
But of course, the highlight of them all has to be #TAYkenbYANG on 23 Dec 2017.
Being asked to be a 姐妹 is always an honour.
And so far, I’ve only been a 'sister’ for my own blood sister’s wedding at #Fisaysidrew last year on 3 Sep 2016. Which, was super unconventional and different from most other typical Chinese-style weddings in Singapore.
This time around, at #TAYkenbYANG, I was given the opportunity to experience a full-day affair of a typical Chinese wedding. Truthfully speaking, I used to think many customary practices were highly redundant. But after watching at the sidelines, I have come to a realization that a wedding day does not revolve solely around the couple.
The fact that two individuals have chosen to intertwine their lives through marriage, means that one person’s families/friends/baggage/emotions, has now become of concern to the other individual (vice-versa of course).
To Stella & Wenjun: Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your beautiful marriage! I am genuinely so happy for the both of you. :‘)
I’ve witnessed so many couples, who in spite of their limitations, choose to be a better person for their other halves. And with each marriage that I am blessed to be a part of, I grow in humility and encouragement.
3. Live Music Concert #
A wise woman once said, “YOLO (You Only Live Once) means splurging on something incredibly expensive when sober, but worth every penny when high.”
—– Camelia
As I mentioned earlier, I can’t quite pinpoint at which juncture of 2017 did I start becoming interested with K-pop (again). I was crazy over Big Bang, Rain and ShinHwa loooooooong ago in the early 2000s. And that craze sort of died down back in my Junior College days somewhere back in 2010?
Then suddenly, I learnt about groups like BTS, iKON, Wanna One etc.
However, my enthusiasm grew mostly for CNBLUE!!!!!
CNBLUE performing live @ KBS Music Bank Concert, Singapore
I shelled out a whooping S$291 (including a $3 booking fee) for Category 1 tickets.
The good: (1) I did not have to mosh with kiddos at the mosh pit. (2) I am given the opportunity to watch SHINee perform live before Jonghyun’s passing. May he rest in peace. And may perpetual light shine upon him.
The bad: (1) I had irritating kiddos seated behind me who commented on every single move of the K-pop stars. (2) Despite Cat 1 tickets, we were so far away from the stage. Boo….
All in all, 2017 has actually been really good for me.
Jumping out of EC and back into the Logistics department is something I was aspiring to achieve by the end of this year.
Glad to say, I’ve accomplished 1 out of 2 of my New Year Resolutions I’d set.
On the contrary, I’ve failed to reach my desired body weight, which I was supposed to achieve by 2017 ………………………….
So before 2017 ends, let’s just say I wish to (once more) achieve the following in the coming new year:
- Lose weight to reach desired body size
- Get a promotion / pay raise!
- Grow deeper in spiritual faith
Let’s do this!!!! #
xx Cam.