“I’m looking forward to reading your 2010 outlook,” expressed by a friend.

After reading the sentence, how is it possible to kid myself thinking it was a flattering concern from a friend whom I reckon to be very hardworking and goal oriented, and not overwhelmed by the inevitable and insurmountable pressure exerted by it?

Following the conversation, I therefore questioned myself: How was your 2009?

In retrospect, it has been a busy year (what a cliché?!) – exams and master thesis, permanent and temporary job applications, the gigantic move to London which included the exhaustive perfect lodge hunting, visa application and work.  

However, comparing the goals which I have set last year with the “results”, the force of juxtaposition was so imaginably great that I felt like I had just been pushed to commit a reluctant suicide by driving in a car with malfunction brakes, along a treacherous hill road on a rainy night.  I asked myself: How could it be so utterly disastrous? The diagnosis returned the following embarrassing results.

Goal #1: To secure a permanent employment and double my savings (Failed)

Not only I have failed to find a proper employment after months of endless trying, with the latest splurge on a shining new camera today (oh it is so pretty!), my saving is officially one-third lesser than the beginning of the year. Any reasons (or excuses)? I was both income- and job-less for two months after graduation. And yes the money splashed out for the hot air balloon treat to celebrate me turning a quarter of a century old (But it was spectacular and memorable experience which deemed to be priceless). And of course, the camera! (Excuse me, a camera when you are broke?!) Oh my god! It is time to spend money home again! Damn Chinese New Year! (!@#$%^&* and an unhappy teary face)

Goal #2: Learn French and sit for DELF A2 exam (Failed)

I really did set out an immaculate learning schedule and I started studying, for, err,  two weeks. You probably are saying: Eh, okay…

Goal #3: To get involve in a relationship (Failed)

Well yea, silly. But under peer pressure I was forced to make this ridiculous goal with my friend. Well, good for her as she did get a French boyfriend for three months. And me? I started the year promiscuously sleeping around, trial-ing potential candidates. But was struck by an ambiguous interaction with a promising someone soon before I realised. Experienced the most amazing period of my life for months, but also communication breakdown for a good few weeks. And now on course to celebrate our one year anniversary of ambiguity. Not too shabby, right? (Oh pathetic!)

Goal #4: Read a book per month (Failed)

Books read include The 7 habits of highly effective people (c0mpleted) and A thousand splendid suns (one-third), The photographer’s eye (completed), Turkey travel guide (completed). Does Ikea catalogue count? I spent a lot of time reading it! (Oh whatever!)

Goal #5: To obtain my post-study work visa (Achieved)

Yay! Finally a fulfilled goal! And it was after months of hard work collecting documents and letters, maintaining cash fund and months of worry. And yes, a £500 fee! Think I should add that to the Goal #1. See, I am not spending lavishly on unnecessary items. (Speaking with head held high, very high.)

In conclusion, 20%! A grade bad enough to be categorised as failure! But the past was the past. Time to move forwards.

So what are there for 2010? Needless to say, no more stupid relationship joke. But of course, resolutions could be fun. And fun means including travels and hobbies.

1. Secure a decent job by September and to achieve savings target as in 2009
2. Two trips: Back home trip and Egypt.
3. Read four books (guess this is more reasonable and achievable for me).
4. Develop photographic skills and post-processing knowledge through weekly photo trip
5. Wanted to run for London Marathon, but they accept no more participant.
6. Revamp Sambal Delivery Post and make it a pure travelogue.

Okay. Now that they have been publicly announced, it is only fair that the visitors (you) be the watchdogs and gauge my progress. So I am going to put them down on the right hand side panel and update the progress. Need to be a bit harsh and strict to myself otherwise nothing will happen, right?

Happy New Year!

 

It took me a very long time to digest “If I Ain’t Got You” from Alicia Keys before it becomes one of my all time favourites and a must played song every time I turned on my media player. Alicia Keys has always been able to impress me with her first, second and sometimes third single, but never the entire album.

When I noticed her chart climbing single “Doesn’t Mean Anything” lately on the UK Top 40 Chart, I knew this is going to be another great voyage with Miss Keys. Contradicting to the ballad-R&B style “If I Ain’t Got You”, “Doesn’t Mean Anything” seems more appropriate to be categorised in the Pop-R&B genre.

Yes, it seems like Alicia is ready to broaden her fans base by channelling herself to a more mainstream music orientation. Coincidently, another great artist, Norah Jones, has also stunned many of her loyal fans recently with her pop-oriented jazz album. The good news is, both albums seem to be a tasteful and refreshing delight than a disastrous music make-over.

The lead single from Alicia is indeed very hearing-friendly. The piano coupled with catchy bases as introduction does sound very intriguing. Very simple construction on the lyrics. At the first glance, the story sounds very similar to “If I Ain’t Got You”. But after careful scrutiny, “Doesn’t Mean Anything” reveals the vulnerability and fragility of a woman’s heart, whereas “If I Ain’t Got You” shows more strength and power.

If you are looking for the female domination factor as I did with Alicia’s latest album, you will not be disappointed. “Put It in A Love Song” featuring Beyoncé is the answer for you.

In conclusion, as in my experience with other Alicia’s albums, I am still struggling to love the entire album although a couple of singles manage to dazzle with surprises. I doubt “Doesn’t Mean Anything” will evolve into my all time favourite as with “If I Ain’t Got You” or maybe even “No One”, but at least it is hot in my playlist currently.

The immaculate image where tables of classic English ladies and gentlemen gather in a tea house on a typical morning, sipping their well-travelled English tea, sampling over the crispy almond biscotti, while exchanging words in the perfect manner intended to minimise disturbance to their neighbouring diners has, sadly, been substituted with the following scene:

Queuing beyond the point-of-sale in one of the international coffee chain giants with either a (bunch of) friend(s), or a cell phone, or a newspaper, or a handheld gadget with internet access, a young and trendy 21st century hip Brit is either talking and laughing hysterically to his/her friends with the tone intended to broadcast the entire conversation or to inundate his/her neighbouring conversation, ignoring the waiting from the cashier and the queue behind, or communicating on the mobile with the same condemnable manner, or concentrating on the newspaper or handheld gadget while placing his/her order without even bothered to place a precipitous glance at the cashier.

It is agreeable that life is hard and sometimes harsh in London. However, has the haste and hassle of London resulted in the deterioration of the pristine and complimentary classic English manner which we all have learnt from English literature? Deserving better attention is the question that even if busy life does impose pressure on keeping the plausible manner, is it acceptable at all?

One interesting observation is even when London is a genuine metropolis and a humongous social melting pot of numerous cultures, it still baffles me to learn that this loud conversation is actually a particular attribute of the Y-generation, or the young generation of British. And in the generation where females start to dominate males academically, the females have not failed to overwhelm the crowd in the realm of annoying conversation. Bravo gentlemen! Well, the slightly more gentleman young British boys.

Excuse me for making all the brouhaha about the loud noise surrounding my every presence in London. In my shallow opinion, it may be lovely to watch Alesha Dixon laughing uncontrollably while judging celebrity dancers on Strictly Come Dancing for, let me emphasise, ONCE a week, it is pretty intolerable to be constantly bombarded by the identical English young girls chit-chat sessions gossiping the, guess what, X-factor, girl friends-boy friends and bitchy talks.

It is your freedom to talk whatever you desire. But perhaps it could be carried out in a more respectful manner? And what is with the attitude that you think the people working in a coffee shop is less superior than you so you can ignore an eye contact while placing order?

In conclusion, this entry is not intended to make young British realise how the good manner maintained by their parents has slowly paving to extinction. It is posted as a relaxing humour for non-British. And this is what we are saying:

Let’s face it. The classic English manner has now been transformed to the X(tra loud) Factor!