After having finished the entire bag of sour candy (you know those long strips with sugar coating on them, in green and red (and sometimes cola flavours?)) that Nat left for me before her long journey back to the UK, I was struck with an immensely nostalgic feeling – I used to buy bags of those candy during my secondary school days, and in line with the ’sugar addiction’, I used to finish an entire bag in just two sittings!
I hadn’t eaten those candies for years. And after this bag (and a sugar rush that will soon dip), I don’t think I’ll be eating any more either for a while to come.

Along with nostalgia, there is realisation that a season has just passed, although the memories of prior anticipation still lay in vivid pictures in my mind. The days of December 4, the following two weeks, and then 25th, they were all wonderful. And in the days past, we now only have the ability to move forward, into new anticipation, into the next step of the journey. Till we meet again!

Another year has flown by. I realise that every year, I look forward to Christmas with the utmost anticipation, and then sit back to marvel, along with many other people, at how fast another year has just flown by.

But it’s just been this year that I’ve started to reflect more deeply, at what it all really means. That at the end of the year’s 365 days, with another 365 days just up ahead on the road that will go hurtling by. And at the next Christmas, it’ll be that same feeling of nostalgia once again, reminiscing  “how the year has just passed so fast, [again]“. The only difference will be, we’ll all be 365 days older, and time that’s passed will never return.

There is much talk of New Year resolutions that are always made and never achieved. There is much guilt that I have, many a time, been a contributor to making that commonly used saying true.

I have a New Year resolution for the year 2009. And 365 days from today, just after Christmas in the year 2009, I will be more accomplished, I will have achieved much more in my life, than I have for this year. I will have grown as a person, I will have better relationships, and I will have a wonderful group of people to share that all with.

CHEERS to a blessed, wonderful new year, and may all your dreams come true!

…That we shall say goodbye, till it be morrow.

Nat leaves tonight for a faraway place in the UK, and I’m not sure when that morrow will be, at least not till December next year. Ethan will be running around by then =) So cute!

Well anyway, we all had a great time in the three weeks that Nat and Alvin were back, and we’ve got lots of nice photos to show for it. And we managed to go out together as a family, for the first time in years, with all of us present.

So while Nat and Alvin and Ethan will welcome in the new year of 2009 in the place that they now call their home, the rest of us will revel in the simple joys and festivities in our home, reminicising of fond memories of the weeks just passed, and waiting in anticipation for the coming opportunities we will have to spend together as a family.

Grab the joy, it’s yours for the taking!

I know I’ve said this multiple times before, but I just love Christmas. I’m not sure where that comes about, I guess it’s partly the Coffee Bean Peppermint Ice blendeds (which I’ve probably drank more than 20 cups of), partly the pretty lights all around, partly the festive feel, and also the get togethers among people close to heart, nice food, and pretty clothes.

Although all those combined give a nice overall feel, I think what really makes Christmas special is the overall feeling of joy and love it brings. I guess it goes back to the beginning of A.D. times when Christmas came about. Maybe it’s the joy of knowing that after 2008 years, that age-old feeling still remains fresh in the minds of many. And although Christmas may not be celebrated in the exact same way, nor remembered by many in the way it’s supposed to be, it doesn’t really matter. Because, in line with the notion of many people trying to be what everyone expects them to be in a judgmental world, the true meaning of Christmas lies in the simple joys of enjoyment, being oneself with the people one loves, and the constant knowledge of where Christmas came about.

Merry Christmas in advance!

Twilight is a good show!

Love transcends all boundaries, love demands sacrifice, and love always prevails.

Today’s December the 17th and it’s just a week and a day to Christmas!!  YAY!

I love Christmas. And I managed to see the Christmas lights at Orchard for the first time last evening. Very pretty, I love the festivities and the overall feel of Christmas. Somehow, even in all the bustle, it’s a time of year when it feels peaceful and there’s an overall aura of serendipity and wonderful memories of the last Christmas that seemed like just yesterday.

This Christmas is extra special just because our whole family is back together for the first time in a very long time. Maybe, just maybe, I will try to post a photo of all of us right here.

Nat has been back for nearly two weeks and they have just flown by Just another weekend and she’ll be flying away again. What is wonderful, however, about family (and very close friends), is that even though there hasn’t been face-to-face presence for just about the longest length of time, there’s no distance, and no unfamiliarity. What I will miss is seeing Ethan grow up, because he still has the cutest eyes I have ever seen, and a really cute smile.

And since I’m on the topic, it’s wonderful to have two nieces (one 3 years old, one 6 months), because there’s nothing like having cute little ones to go shopping with when they’re old enough! I was having an sms dialogue with my other sister, Al, the other day.

Al: Caitlyn said she likes playing with you!

Bev: Yay! She will also like shopping with me, I will take her shopping next time.

Al: Make sure it’s window shopping.

Bev: Everytime I go shopping, the intention is always to go window shopping.

HAHAHAHA.

I have nice Christmas presents for everyone!

And I have nice new Christmas clothes.

He has none, only the same old boring  clothes, so I think I need to buy him some to match mine And he never reads my blog unless I tell him to, so he will probably miss this post. =p

I finished my first half marathon this morning I haven’t rested yet so I am going downstairs in 5 minutes to lie on my sofa…zzz.

It was a pretty nice run, except my ankles are now aching. Methinks it’s time to get my feet analysed and perhaps buy a pair of shoe insoles.

Took about 2h15min to complete 21k, maybe it could have been less but of course I needed to take a toilet break just 1/4 into the race, which probably took up an additional 3 minutes.

Alright. Time to go lie down for a while.

…Everytime a pair of heels gives me blisters, I walk into the next available shoe shop to buy a pair that won’t. Except it will/might.
My favourite footwear of all time are my new Fit-Flops. Most comfortable slippers in the world. And hey, if they are cited (seemingly proven) to tone your legs and give a good workout as you walk, that works for me!
Maybe I should buy another colour.

=D

Went to East Coast Park yesterday afternoon to have lunch, and with the intention of having a nice afternoon either cycling, running or rollerblading. We ate at Carl’s Jr (in line with our quest for a healthy lifestyle), and figured that the rain would stop by mid afternoon.
Sure enough, at 2.45pm, the rain started to taper away, so we figured it was time to start the walk down to the Mcdonald’s area (to the bicycle/rollerblade rental shops).

And then…

…it started to drizzle.

And then…

…it became torrential rain.

We found shelter at one of those tiny huts along east coast beach (which wasn’t too much help since the wind was strong).

We finally walked back to Coffee Bean, sat there and drank Christmas drinks till 7pm.

Healthy lifestyle for yesterday – Greasy fast food, chocolate drinks, and many rounds of card games.