Christmas is here again. And it always marks the coming to an end of the old year.

I shall try to be retrospective and look back into the last year.

As like previous years, 2008 has been another exciting and tumultuous, energizing and enervating, magical and mystifying, clarifying and baffling, as well as gratifying and regretful year for me. Luckily, it has always been more good than bad. =)

This has been the year when I graduated after 4 years in NUS. This was the year when I had my most draining semester trying to complete a thesis in the midst of drama and emotional inertia. I am just glad that I had a lot of support from some rather key friends in my life, notably WT, PQ, XY, Ray, Small Bird, IT Darren and E. And thankfully I got a rather decent grade too! Graduating with a Second Class Upper, I fell short of my goal 4 years back, but like I always tell myself (and usually always on hindsight, shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you would land up among the stars).

Having "retired" from DB, I am always grateful for the experiences. There have been so many good moments and down episodes in both the sport and in OKR. I knew I have grown so much stronger, mentally and physically there. And I have made some really good friends and taught me alot of lessons. Mainly about how much I can push myself if I want to, and how much focus and concentration is needed to accomplish amazing feats.

Simultaneously, DB has also taught me the evil, bitchy, overly competitive, hypocritical, selfish and narrow-mindedness of people. A good stepping stone into the rather cruel world that I will soon be stepping into. Luckily, DB also taught me that there will always be people I can turn to, if I would only just knock on their doors. =)

I also joined Toastmasters in NUS. Best decision ever I should say, in the development of a wider perspective of the working world. Gotten to learn more about public speaking, networking, giving feedback in a positive way and reacting to public embarrassments in a more gracious way. Got to know some really interesting people there too. Most importantly, they have given me the motivation and confidence to speak up before I speak out, and to think through before I speak up.

After graduation, I took up an internship at the Singapore Civil Service College. There I learnt more about the public service and CSCI's functions as a department in this statutory board. I had good mentors who were very kind in guiding me and very flexible in letting me do what needed to be done. At the job, I learned about work productivity through James Allen's book and that spurred me into doing more research about GTD and productivity theory. I cant say that Im now the most organized and productive person in the world, but at least I know where my faults lie.

Been helping out at PPC and am really glad to get to know a more intellectual and social side of the community besides all its usual "vices" (and of course, such judgments is always relative). Wish I can contribute more when I return.

Lastly, the long awaited journey to my trip to Japan. Japanese classes at Bunka were so fun and tiring of course, especially after school or work. But Im glad to have made friends there too, esp. Jade. Hope that we can converse in Japanese when I return!

And of course, the Fall semester here at Waseda is coming to an end real soon. A few more weeks after the Winter Holiday will be the Spring Holiday. Glad to have made a lot of friends with very different perspectives about their own lives, cultures and stories. My Intercultural Communications class, Collapse of Complex Societies class, Global Environmental Systems class, Global Environment Politics and Policies class and of course, my Japanese classes all have been great, enriching and edifying! I believe I have learnt so much, and made really good friends too! People like Satoshi, Michi, Shoji, Arisa, Aya, Junya and so many more. And even outside of classes, I made friends like Masao and Hide through other friends.

Having made friends through the JSA like Eng Seng, Hor See, Stephanie, Ee Phong, Goi and more made me realise that there is more to Japan than just school and sushi. Coming to Japan taught me that its not just about Japan. Its about home too. And of course the Singapore classmates who came along with me. Even though Im older, one should keep an open mind about who's junior and who's senior in hierarchical Japan. They have taught me alot of things too.

And of course, Im so glad to have met Yoshi again after so long. And am thankful for Ms Oochi's guardianship. And also to Eddie who has been so much like my elder brother here in Japan.

Last but not least, I am very grateful for my family. Especially to my parents who have supported me in so many ways. =)

In short, it was a very, very, very good year.

I don't need any more presents. I already got them. =)