There’s a little more than 24 hours in 2008. What is it about new years? The last digit of the year changes and its like there’s a fresh slate. One last musing before I retire this blog.

A few weeks ago I bumped into the lecturer of my favourite class. The small talk that followed was about graduating and graduation. She asked if I was going to be around for the ceremony. She has a PhD, so when I said I’m not a big fan of these things, she looked a little surprised, then recovered and said it was all fluff anyway. I wonder if her shock was more of disappointment. I enjoyed her classes and I wonder if she likes seeing familiar faces at the yearly graduation ceremonies.

I suppose I’m very different from most. Getting this degree hasn’t been a milestone for me. No. It’s the two years of being in Sydney that has been the biggest thing to happen in my life. (Also, I don’t want to wear a gown and silly hat.)

I wonder what 2009 will hold for me. I’m meant to have some sort of plan for the year, but really, I think I’ll just go with the flow. Getting a job will be a priority, but maybe I should take things easy. I’d like some surprises like I did at the beginning of 2007. I’d love to keep up this adventurous, spontaneous spirit.

Hello, 2009 - I’ve been waiting for you.

So 2008 is coming to an end. I started this blog at the beginning of 2007 to journal my thoughts and keep in touch with friends and family back home. Now that I’m heading back to Singapore and getting back into working and other grown up duties, I really don’t feel like having a blog.

Instead, I’ve set up a Tumblr account (and fiddled around with the themes). Tumblr allows me to post stuff with minimal fuss and any personal blog posts would almost ruin its aesthetic. So I’ll keep posting stuff I found online that inspire or entertain me and maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of me among those postings.

http://caramello.tumblr.com/

The sister, the brother and I went on a dolphin watching cruise in Port Stephens. We were on a boat with perhaps 200 other passengers. It amused me that I could pick out the Singaporeans quite easily. It’s usually their use of Singlish and whinny, teh voices, their stupidity, their terrible casual dress sense and bad posture or their horrible manners.

I love Singapore. I loathe Singaporeans.

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In Melbourne, the brother asked me what I gained from studying overseas as opposed to spending my time in a local university. I couldn’t really answer him. Frisbee? I could have picked it up in Singapore. Uh, white friends! I told him I learnt to be more independent. Really? What stopped me from being independent in Singapore? I am an individual and things like social class or upbringing or ‘Singaporean’ culture shouldn’t ever stop me from breaking out of my Singaporean-ness.

No more complains about things I can change about myself.

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I will miss having a casual job that pays me $17.79 an hour to make sandwiches and put dishes in the washer. I like the idea of 9 to 5 jobs in Australia and the closure of many offices over Christmas and New Year, even the “late night shopping” that runs ’til 9pm. (Yeah, that’s early in Singapore terms.) Oh, the cafes and weekend markets… I’ll have to find an alternative.

When I start work in Singapore, I’ll have to learn to switch off at 6pm and enjoy my weekends wholly.

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I don’t recall many incidents where the people around me freaked out. Even when we broke the uni’s van window reversing out of the parking lot, the driver said, “Lame” and continued driving. In a situation like that, a lot of Singaporeans would start blaming each other or panic. It was very amusing.

I need to learn to keep calm and not freak out.

I think I’ll take a nap now.

Its been slightly more than a month since I finished uni. The last 4 weeks have been a bit of a blur. I did weekly movies with frisbee friends, a couple of Saturday get togethers and a few brekkie joints on the list.

For the first 2 weeks, I spent most of my time watching DVDs and wondering if I should go for runs. I think I kept up some form of exercise for 3 days. I ventured up to Newtown in search of a new bakery - Black Star. But Caketown’s crumble is still the best I’ve had.

I think I spent the other 2 weeks working and wandering about the city looking for the perfect pair of jeans. I think I found it on a shopping trip at Bondi Junction. Then I decided to spend my money on a new pair of cleats, before realising the old pair is equally light (or maybe they both are heavy). The Asics a slightly tighter but will probably be more stable. I’m not sure when I want to break them in.

In 5 days time I head down to Melbourne to spend 6 days with the brother, then back up to Sydney to meet the sister for another 5 days.

Probably more mindless bludging until Christmas before a weekend getaway to Hunter Valley and the new year beckons.

I haven’t got solid plans for ‘09 and I think I really should get cracking on a new year’s resolutions list. Soon. Maybe.

(Only 2 more to go!)

I headed down to Bondi beach just in time for the last bit of brunch. The restaurant was empty. Then again, its Bondi and its a Thursday morning.

I wasn’t particularly impressed, although it was a pretty darn big brekky worth its $18. And it did make for a few pretty photos. I don’t think I ate lunch or dinner later in the day. So it was pretty filling. Its quite a classy looking establishment and probably does well at night.

Big Brekky.

Mmm, eggs…

Sobo
70a Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach, 9300 8898.