It's great to be home ...

I get to :

--Spend time with my family and friends. My brother is back from Australia so we get to catch up, take walks together and stuff. He gets to annoy me just like the good old days.

--It's nice and warm! the birds are chirping, the sun is shining and i'm surrounded by lush greenery. And, I don't have to dress in multiple layers of clothes and look/ feel like the michelin-man. Those short winter up north do get a bit dreary.

--Eat all the local food i've missed out on - "i have a list, and i'm checking it twice" and conscientiously ticking them off everyday.

--Swim (do the hamster equivalent of just laps and laps around the pool - its something i really enjoy and it clears my head out because i'm just concentrating on making every kick and stroke right. I've swam only once in the whole time i've been in China.

Oh, and i don't get zapped by static electricity here, EVER!! its made me so wary of opening door handles, or touching anything with my bare hands. i resorted to closing taxi doors by poking the window with one finger when i was in beijing...

So, the poor inflight entertainment on my way back gave me a chance to do some reflection and take stock of the year that's just past, and the one coming up.

2008 recap:

Jan - i started the year with a hike with 2 close friends in Hangzhou. Shivered through the rest of the month. 2 of my schoolfriends (whom i've known since we were 15) gave birth to healthy little babies and i was really happy for them.

Feb - Massive snowfall in HZ and I almost couldn't get home for chinese new year. When i returned to HZ, a few of us hashers went on an epic hike, where we circumnavigated HZ's hills in 11 hrs - by the time we finished at wushan square, it was 8pm and we were ready to collapse, but with an immense sense of satisfaction.

Mar - Dad visited Hangzhou. I went for a bad haircut and ended up with a really dorky fringe.

Apr - Arrival of spring. Picnics, boat rides, tea-drinking, tulip festival - all in all a happy month.

May - Flew home to attend one of my best friend's wedding in Singapore - one of the nicer, intimate weddings i've attended, but the after-party was a different story. Then the 8.0 earthquake struck.

June - Suzhou and shanghai with Dad. Preparations as well as the actual Hash 50th run -complete blast. Climbed up Taishan single and came down engaged - the boyfriend's proposal on bended knee at the summit took me by complete surprise.

July, Aug, Sept - hot and sweaty summer, the Olympics, oh and i turned 29.

Oct - meet the parents session in beijing and qingdao (great success!), mountain race relay in hangzhou, and left my job!

Nov - ran a 21k race

Dec - Offically relocated to beijing. Then, promptly went on a 10day trip to Sichuan. Ended the year with my wallet picked in freezing Harbin. [This whole wallet business happens annually (this is the 4th year running) and i almost made it to 365 days without losing it.. until 31 Dec 2008 6pm that is] I'm convinced it is a curse so this time, i've chosen to maintain some stoicism. But, the boyfriend said to count my blessings - my passport was intact so i made it home. And my driving licence wasn't stolen this time (because it was lost in last year's wallet incident, i made a new one and had yet to collect it!)

my new year resolutions (drumroll..... )

** Not sure if i should fight this curse but i really don't want to lose my wallet AGAIN.

** Keep up my fitness and health - running, biking, outdoor sports and all.

** Learn to conquer my fear of falling on a ski-slope (so i don't continue to ski like a wimp)

**Be more green/ eco-friendly (like, more recycling, eat less meat, use less resources etc.)

**Be more budget conscious. guess i'm used to earning and spending on whatever i want, but i really should save money for rainy days, or for that matter, snow, hailstones and all.

and then there's the usual ones on every year's list - do more travelling, do more good, count my blessings and be thankful for everything i have!

happy new year everyone !