New Year Musings

New Year 2008.

Its the New Year, its 2008. And it hasnt sunk in yet. Well maybe because my day has passed monotonously, and I'm quite refusing to face reality. I havent done much the whole day except for trying to clean up my room, which i gave up halfway and decided that Im going to continue another day. And of course I made my meals, Im much to lazy to dress appropriately to go Hughes Parry for dinner and I found out too late that some of the Singaporeans are having dinner together at Nandos (not that I was really in the mood to party, look happy and excited and celebrate). And I tried to start on my PDS essay, though Im not too successful- Im spending much too much time online and on facebook, replying emails and looking at the photos of people. I see that Italy is a popular holiday destination amongst Singaporeans staying in London, and that people who are back in Singapore seem to be spending xmas with their (old) class. Im going to complete my PDS essay tonight no matter what. Its high time I snap out of my trance and stop being Orsino and face some reality. I'm ashamed and disgusted that I have spent the 1st hour of my 2008 being a bum. And why is it that a New Year day should be happy? I mean, arguments that its a fresh beginning dont make sense because everyday can be a fresh beginning. Unless of course, its happy because its an additional holiday would make a better justification, and it doesnt apply to me because UCL ate it up by putting in our already very short winter break.

New Year Resolutions:
1. Lose weight.
2. Work hard, so that I can go Japan and Korea.
3. Go home unlondonified- I better remember my roots.

and my New Year wish ...
shall remain in my heart, cos my momma tells me that saying it out loud would make it pop.

OH Scotland~

Scotland was absolutely amazing and one of my favourite holiday destinations ever (: I visited the Isle of Skyle in the Highlands, where the locals believe in tales of fairies plus there are majestic castles there and breathtaking scenery so much so that I feel like Im almost in a fairy tale (Im just short of a prince).
My guide was wonderful- He was this 60plus, 70year old man who could churn out trivial and the history of skyle and scotland like he had lived through all of it. I love listening to him talk about it (albeit the fact that the scottish accent was really hard to catch. Its cute though ;)), and Im contemplating on buying a book on Scottish History. In fact, Im so into Scottish history that i just spent 8.5pounds at selfridges getting a tin of shortbread cos it has pictures of Bonnie Prince Charles and Flora MacDonald on it.
I wonder if my interest would wane? Somehow coming here to London is changing me- Im reading a lot more, in fact I cant seem to stop and I seem to be interested in things that I would never expect myself to be, from history to cooking to musicals. And shockingly, Im becoming more of a recluse and introvert by the day. And things that used to bother me loads have become the least of my worries now. Its odd isnt it? I wonder if its because now I have more time to reflect and to find out about myself?

Anyway, back to Skyle, Its so beautiful Im pretty sure that its therepeutic and that the locals there live a good 10 years longer than us. And its also why Im planning to have a retirement home in there, but that would mean that I need to have another million bucks to spare for such an extravagant plan. I have posted up pictures on Facebook, go take a peek if you are interested. But i think my photo taking skills do not do the beauty any justice :) I really would like to go back there again, but probably to travel south and I believe its just as beautiful! Maybe I could go on a Da Vinci trail or smthing and visit the Rosslyn Chapel~

I spent a couple of days in edinburgh as well because there was no train back to London on Christmas and Boxing Day.
And it was also really nice cos i got to spend xmas with my family! (: And this makes me feel less sore that Im spending New Year alone like someone who just got dumped. hehe. Xmas there was nothing fantastic though- no snow and no white christmas. All shops were closed and I had bread and butter like some POW cos even Macs was closed! (Phenomenons that would never happen in Singapore for sure.)
Boxing Day sale in Edinburgh was nothing spectacular, I got a coat and some souvenirs and scarves (I have a weakness for the tartans!) and thats about all. Im still waiting for the further reductions in January, and hopefully then, I would be able to get better bargains.

Spent my remaining days in London with my family doing random stuff like shopping in Covent Garden (we refuse to battle crowds in Oxford street), drinking good stuff coffee and gelato, stuffing our faces with Four Seasons Duck (Unlike my mum, I dont see the hype about it though), strolling down Portobello market, watching Les Mis with my cousins (I was completely blown away by it!) and running errands like buying Krispy Kremes to bring back.

And I see that Im just rambling, I think its high time Im back to working on my essay, and work out what London has to offer for HIV patients, and how messed up it is and how smart Peish can come up with solutions for the banged up NHS. Seriously essays like this are rubbish- I mean if I could think up of feasible solutions, it would have long been implement no?



HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE (: