I've been meaning to update my blog but my procrastinator self got the better of me :(
I should make another resolution this year to be less procrastinating ... Oh, which reminds me, i haven't exactly shared my resolutions this year. They are:
- No more wedding dinners (except for Julia (Feb) and Tim's (July), which i agreed to last year)
- Spend Christmas in my own home
- Be less procrastinating
- Maintain my weight
- Learn how to swim
They say that the more resolutions you make, the more likely you're gonna break them so i shall leave it as 5 :)
Two significant things have happened since i last wrote:
- Interest rates have gone up by 25 basis points. BLR of most banks is at 6.25%
- Petrol prices have increased by 30 sen to RM1.92/litre
What is the impact to me personally? Well, it simply means it now costs me more if i want to buy a property and my travel expenses have just jumped 19% and eating out is getting costlier ... A plate of wanton noodle, which i had this morning for breakfast, cost RM3.30 from RM3 previously.
I was having banana leaf rice with my colleague yesterday (the lunch was RM12.50/person) and she was telling me about a student she knows that used to eat one hot meal a day, which was banana leaf rice.
(A typical banana leaf rice without the additional dishes cost an average RM5 (about Eur1.20) and it's free-flow until one is satisfied)
I was deeply affected by that story cos' it reminded of a short period i had while I first went to Vilnius. I had under budgeted my provision and was left with 5Lt on the the last three days before my pay day. those were the longest three days of my life. i lived on biscuits and tea, and had one hot meal a day: instant noodles. One night I burst out in tears cos i remembered how well provided for when i was back home in Malaysia.
Looking back now, i'm grateful for what i have now. i still have a job, a car that brings me around, a roof over my top, clothes to wear, occassional shopping and travel when i want to.
Of course, if i want to complain of what i do not have, there'll be a long list but yesterday's reminder told me that i should look on the brighter side of things. like the Chinese saying goes, "yan bei yan, bei sei yan" (it's a never-ending when you compare persons to persons).
Well the highlight of Feb was Julia's wedding, which all of us ex-USMer girls managed to make it. it was a fun affair altho it was tiring doing a lot of stuff in between. One less girlfriend in the singlehood club :) i wonder who will be next to get hitched! :)
