Happy 2012! Bumper Blog Entry for 2011!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

O M G. What did you people get up to for new year's?

I thought of blogging but New Year's felt like another normal day. Yes, it was sad but I had a report to write. I thought, what better way of starting the New Year's by writing a report and maybe the next two years of my career would see bluer skies. So, I didn't have time to blog.

I read other blogs for inspiration. Some talked about what happened in 2011. Others talked about what they did on NY or planned to do. The last group talked about what they hope to achieve in 2012. I'm going reflect (a little too late as most people did it in 2011) on 2011.

I thought I would talk about my 2011 in pictures (all pictures taken by me except Milan Fashion Week).

January

The Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Ericson Lief outside Hallgrims Church in Reykyavik, Iceland

Spent New Year's in Reykjavik, Iceland.

New Year's in urban Reykjavik is awesome. You got not 15 minutes of fireworks but at least 5 hours of non-stop sh-bang. Their 'mountain rescue' team sells massive crates of fireworks to fund their rescue missions and New Year's is when they get their revenue.

On the 31st of December 2010, I was out chasing the Northern Lights. We didn't see no Lights but we were so far out we could see the city in the distance popping 'em work and it was a sight!

At 10pm the works stops so that everyone can watch this annual hour long programme re-capping the year and we speculated Eyjafjallajokull would be part of it.

So, for the longest (and I must say beautiful if watched from afar) fireworks display, Iceland is the place.

February

Greece-Milan-Chur-Zurich

Changing of the Guard outside Parliament in Athens.

Meteora and its monasteries in the sky (Yep, that's were Linkin Park got inspiration to name their album)
Most tranquil place ever

The not-so-secret seaside town of Nafplio

Santorini!!

Our luxury cave hotel with alcadera (cliff hanging) views in Santorini. For 40 euros pp (like more than 3x the price in summer!), this was serious bargain and we stayed in the hotel ALL DAY that one day!

Parthenon in Athens

Milan Fashion Week!
I almost got into this high profile fashion show on Piazza Duomo Milano with a few hobby-ist photographers.
His three friends managed to get in when this guy and I were the last of the group and got blocked!! >_<
They were nice enough to send me this and there was some smaller small-time designers doing public displays anyway.

Grossmunster in Zurich

I arranged for a fourteen day trip to Greece, Italy and Switzerland. Ten days was spent exploring Greece with my flatmate, ES. It was the most awesome place and we went at a super great time i.e. uber off-peak season and we walked on the streets like bosses. BOSS! 

Strangely, Greece has never been a typical holiday destination for my friends and I but I thought I must go and see for myself what it's like. Generally, people just go to Athens but ES also suggested Meteora and I thank her for that. I loved the other places in Greece, too. It's really not as third-world as people described to me previously although it is cheaper than other European Union countries. One could survive on 1.50 euro per meal for a souvlaki (like a meat kebab with garlic sauce, chips and salad wrap). Not too sure what's going on now with the debts, economic crisis, etc although when we were there, we had the luxury of being caught up on a strike day and paying euros for a cab ride to the airport.

Then, it was taking the amazing Bernina Express from Torino to Chur from Milan, through the Alps. Making friends with a Swiss couple and I'll bet the Swiss people in the train were just generally intrigued to see an Oriental person training in late winter, alone. They were uber friendly and eager to point out things for me to take photos of, or tell me interesting stories about sights. 

Chur was a small town but chilled and beautiful in its own right. I had cheese fondue there and swore never to eat cheese fondue alone if not ever again.

Zurich was a day trip and I stayed over night at the airport cos accommodation prices was extortionate! I was SO craving Asian food (read: Ajinomoto) by then I had curry x2 at this Thai place for lunch and dinner.

March

Bought my 22kg fly wheel cross trainer because I was coming home from work, watching TV, eating and getting fat.
I figured I'd recoup my investment 10 months of using it rather than paying for gym membership.
This 2012, I shall actually use it at least 3 times a week and achieve some anaerobic activity on it.
Don't get me wrong, I think I exercise OK but not as hardcore as I was like 3 years ago.

April

I won my bid on ebay for an Olympus OM-1N!
It came with a 50mm f1.4, 23mm f2.8, 70-210mm f4 1:5 macro, an extension tube, flash, auto-winder and a multitude of lenses.
I added to my collection the 16mm f3.5 to my collection a little later, too.

Buddha watching you, watching me.
The camera and the fish eye which in combination, takes amazing wide angle photos.

May

Spent recouping all the previous month's luxuries and planning for my gay ex-boyfriend's visit in June. What a waste of money and time!!!

June

He came. We rented a car (waste). Went to Lausanne which was my Valentine's Day present to him (waste). Cried for him (waste). Tried to stand up for him but he had no balls (waste). What a waste of time even talking or thinking about this! Wasted my summer.

But I got some nice photos in Lausanne from my restored Olympus, though (no credit to him)

July
Finishing work at my old work place. Started packing to move out to my new place and new work place.

Every year I move once. Almost an expert at getting up and leaving.

August
Settling down in new work place which was a semi-shock. People had different work ethic and personalities in this place. Met some old face, got to know some old faces and new ones, adapt, settle down. I was particularly good at house keeping at this stage, too! Finally went to V&A Museum which I loved and bought a super amazing silk/cotton scarf there. I then realized I have never really ever bought a scarf for myself except one simple grey cotton one with my own money. I had chosen a Desigual scarf another time which my mum paid for. Other than that my mum always bought scarves for me.. and I think we don't have the same taste :-O As a student I was quite kiam siap (stingy/frugal) and scarves were seen more as an accessory but these days they really keep me warm!

New larger en-suite bathroom for me to frolic in :-)

Dishwasher! My hands are saved in winter.

To put it in a posh way: this is our open plan living diner and kitchen

My stuff. So much stuff.
When can I have a house to call home?

September
Broke up 1st of September. Not worth talking about.

October
Went to Stockholm, Sweden and had Swedish meatballs!
I was a bit shaky going to Sweden after all that happened but I went and I felt happier. During this time, an old friend asked me to read this, too. I knew what she wanted me to understand but I wasn't ready.

November
Went to Venice and had an awesome time despite the rain and water, water, water!

December
Went to the State of Ben and Jerry's and New York City (film rolls still undeveloped, no $)!
Since we are on the topic of NYC, since I haven't had time to blog about NYC and since I found some photos on my iPhone:

My awesome friend let me stay in his sofa in a real NYC apartment. Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh!
Just like on TV.
I was so busy and stressed before getting to NYC that it was so nice to do nothing and lay on the sofa all day.
Even though I woke up at 7am every morning (no curtain), it was still the best feeling seeing the sunrise reflect on the brick walls

Muffin besar gila babi (gigantic like crazy).
It's actually not that sweet, buttery, moist and all that a muffin should be... except for its genourmous size
By the end of it, despite it's perfection in taste, I still wanted to puke because of the size

View from outside New York's Public Library

Macaroni and cheese!
With some tomato sauce and it's sourness to cut through all the fat
Very delish!

Winnie the Pooh and friends in New York's Public Library

Fossil Addiction

Fossil makes bracelets and charms!
The bracelet was meant to be like $30 or whatever but I got a pleasant surprise, it was $19.99!
Can't remember how much the camera was, $22 I think.
Next time I wanna buy the Empire State charm (hopefully got discount then)

Buy three bags at Macy's and get a cat free
My friend's uber cute, uber docile Rag Doll

Denim&Supply by Ralph Lauren! Sucker for Ralph Lauren
100% cotton cardigan with roll top collar
Been looking for one like that!
Although it's P/S size, it's still quite baggy

Been looking for biker boots like that!
The first Macy's sales girl was so lanci. Ask her to get me my size 30 mins later still no call from her.
When I ask her again, she said no size. Babi punya perempuan.
So, I walk to the other counter and ask this super helpful salesgirl Tiquana and she got it in like 5 minutes! If can tip sales staff, Tiquana really deserves it.
£56.18 (after 25% off with Macy's offer card)

Denim&Supply by Ralph Lauren
I bought this cos I'm chicken when it comes to cold. This was 100% wool and I imagined myself as snug as a bug.
But.... I came back to London and tried it on, got my scissors out to snip the tag and I saw..
SIZE: L! No wonder I was swimming innit.
I THOUGHT I TOOK M SIZE. DIE! Need to return/exchange in January. Thank god I'm going in January....

Fossil Addiction!!
With 25% off from Macy's this was almost £50 cheaper than it would be otherwise

Garrett's?
Chicago's cheese and caramel's popcorn
One of Oprah's favourite things
After a while it was very puke-able

More muffins
I took this picture for my friend cos I couldn't bring it back for him
He is super peanut butter fan.

And so, year 2011 ended and 2012 began. In December, I had been flicking (more like clicking) through this blog that I started because my ex broke up with me. I had given myself a maximum of six months to heal and stop being an irritating hurtful, disgusting little blob. Then, I realized I have pretty much arrived where I hoped to be (or feel) in less than six months and certainly, less than the three months that I didn't tell anyone was my true goal. So, I think back to what my friend had asked me to read and realize that happiness comes from within.

Someone once said, "Every journey has an end, but at the end it was the journey that matters". So, I'm glad it ended. The journey was rough and I know some other people were hurt (still, strangely, people I wasn't close to) but I think I've got up, learnt and hopefully have become stronger and wiser.

OK! Enough emo-ness.

The end of this 2011's BUMPER blog entry.

Coney Island at sunset
It took about an hour from Manhattan to get there and the sun was setting early
The theme parks were closed but it was beautiful
Like the romantic American lover's dream as-seen-on-TV setting