Thursday, December 31, 2009

So in actual fact, today is a really special day. If you want to think of it that way. But don't, because it's just weird. Even if you are the sentimental kind, there's going to be a whole lot of last days of the year for you to enjoy.

Yes so, year in review. First of all, the most important: Studies. 2009 marks the year I got into poly. It also marks the year that I finally found something I'm good at. After mediocre results throughout my whole Secondary school life, it is incredibly satisfying to know that my name is on the director's honor list. A good start to my new life, if you ask me. Now the challenge is to stay at that standard.

Aside from the releases of some of the best games this generation, I've been buying more games as well. I've gotten smart this year when it comes to buying games, so I now frequent Gamescore at Funan for my games because 1) The games are way way cheaper and 2) The staff actually know their stuff.

I've also gotten smarter because I have finally come to accept second hand games. They're a helluva look cheaper, and they are in acceptable conditions. Still, I only bought two second hand games, ones that were released back in 2006 and 2007.

Over the past twelve months, my game collection has grown considerably bigger. 2009 welcomed 30 new games to my collection, which now stands at 70 games. All the new members of my big happy family have pushed my achievement score up to 23 065 G, 3000+ over the target I set at the start of the year.

Next up, music. Well, my musical taste has changed quite a bit this year. Yes, I am still a metal head who is proud to be Slipknot's maggot, but I've discovered the joy of listening to other genres of music. I now listen to a wider genre of music, and basically anything that sounds nice ends up on my phone play list.

I have been digging up music from bands that I have been listening to in the past, like Green Day, Sum 41 and Yellowcard, and I find that I am now able to appreciate their music way more. I've also discovered new bands through my friends, the most significant one being Hollywood Undead.

Also, I have finally bought a guitar amplifier after years of procrastinating. This investment has allowed me to greatly improve my skills with a guitar. In the past, I was just playing along to bands like Good Charlotte and Boys Like Girls, but now I've moved up to bands like Green Day, Sum 41, My Chemical Romance, Blink 182. I have even had some successful attempts at parts of Avenged Sevenfold songs.

I also learned several classic songs from bands like Nirvana, Bon Jovi, Deep Purple, and the Scorpions. Of course, I didn't forget about all those popular tunes that every guitarist has to know, like Smoke on the Water and Canon Rock. I also know several TV and movie theme songs, like the Power Rangers and Iron Man movie theme.

So yes, that's pretty much my year in review for 2009. Some of you may have noticed that I deliberately left out my love life, because it has been really crappy for me in 2009 and I don't really feel like talking about it, but I'm excited to see what 2010 has in store for me in that area.

2009 was a difficult year overall for everyone around the world. Global recession, diseases, terrorism, global warming, constant reminders of 2012; yes, we can all agree that 2009 was just cruel.

But the thing about us, the thing about the human race, is that we are mostly optimists. We find a ray of hope, we cling onto it, and we maximise it's impact. If there's one thing we have to be proud of ourselves of, it's this ability of ours. We're optimists, fighters and survivors.

We withstood all the shit thrown in the past 365 days, and we all came out well and alive, and maybe even a bit stronger and wiser than we were before. Now a whole new year is dawning upon us, a year full of uncertainties. We know there will be joy, and there will be sorrow, but we don't know when these emotions are going to be brought out.

But you know what? That what I like about something new. You never know what's going to happen. What happens, happens for a reason. Which again supports my believe in fate, which is all we really need to live life.

So yes, I'd say we're all ready for whatever 2010 decides to throw at us.

Here's wishing every one of my dear readers a HAPPY 2010! Work hard, play hard, and find the joy in everything you do! Good luck guys! :D