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As I sit down, drinking my Corona Extra after a long night at work and pondering upon the year 2009, I would say the year had gone past in a flash, just like every other years. So the year had its ups and downs, with a mixture of both to balance things up.

Happy stuff. I will be graduating in my double major Public Relations/Journalism degree this March after finding out yesterday that for my semester two results, I received two distinctions and a credit. I’m fairly comfortable with that as this semester was probably the most effort I’ve given in my three-year university life. I also just realised that of all the three years, six semesters of studies, I have taken 20 units with only one High Distinction. But I’m not the type who aims for the moon, so I’m fairly happy to settle among the clouds.

At work, I was transferred to the kitchen from the salad bar after my request late last year and have finally learned how to cook a proper steak to perfection – rare, mid-rare, medium, mid-well, well-done. Rumps, T-bones, petite fillets, grilled chicken, BBQ ribs, burgers. I’ve also developed a love and hate passion for the fryers, where I cooked chips, shrimps, calamari rings, nuggets, etc. The list just goes on and on but it had been a fun and challenging place to work in.

I was also recently “promoted” to be a salad bar certified trainer, meaning I get to wear a different coloured badge, but that’s not exactly a promotion as it involves a great deal of responsibility. Fellow colleagues don’t seem to understand that, unfortunately, but that’s another story. Then again, I’ll be looking for what people say, a “proper” job as soon as my CV/Resume are completed, so this job is not a keeper as far as I know.

Another happy note, I have become an uncle to a niece last Monday.

I have also purchased my very first brand new car this year and received it in August, which is a Hyundai i30 SX 2.0L Manual Hatchback.

Other happy things that happened this year – my photo was published for the first time (although just an ad), I bought a great lens earlier this year, taken reception photos for two lovely couples, Jack and Annie in April and Fadh and Winnie in August, photographed a school music concert in November for the very first time, photographed a rally for the very first time, and recently I was also asked by Annie to photograph her maternity photos.

As I said, there are the downs to every ups. Just like the Yin and Yang. Darkness and light. White and black. Evil and good. Fat and thin. Old and young. You get the drift.

Not-so-happy stuff. So my almost two-year relationship with L ended sometime in late July/early August. I think. I don’t think she knows exactly when either, but it was around that period of time when it happened. It was pretty much a mutual decision, and there wasn’t really a specific reason as to why it ended, but as long as we’re both happy with our decision, things will only get better from then.

Earlier in June, I contracted Swine flu. It wasn’t the best thing to happen to anyone, but I would say it was an experience to remember – being quarantined, getting calls from the health department every day to check on you. It almost felt like the movie, Blindess, but not that tragic of course, heh. But I survived and even blogged about it, so it’s not that bad I guess!

Now that I think about it, there isn’t really much that I can write about the downs worth mentioning for this past year other than the two I’ve already mentioned. Other not-so-happy times are mostly some of the assignments in uni that gives me the headaches and sometimes from work, but that’s life, no?

Now that I’ve listed the goodies and baddies this year, the ups have outweighed the downs, so I suppose I have had a good 2009. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the year 2010, where hopefully things will be better in terms of my wallet, work, health, and who knows, love.

I have also recently found out that I meet the minimum requirements for permanent residency application in Australia, so hopefully I can get the application sorted out ASAP.

Before I keep rambling on, I should probably stop here. Hereby, I wish each and every one of you a Merry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Have a great and safe end of year!