What was the best thing you did this year?

as asked by the columnist in today's Straits Times

Fang also asked me recently whether i found 2003 to be a good year and my knee-jerk answer would be "honey, i did 2 YEP projects and spent 7 weeks abroad in 2002. it would have to be an exceptionally superb year for any other year to match up". i did a couple of memorable stuff this year but 2003 still way paled in comparison to 2002. i know it's unbecoming of me but i can't help living and reminiscing in my glorious past

so basically i was stumped by the question in bold but was reluctant to admit straight out that "while there were a couple of great stuff, unfortunately none stood out for me". i won't have my 23rd year of existance go to waste just like that

anyway, my stubbornness held out and i managed to think of two points and was delibrating which one i should choose:

1) visited thailand, malacca, taiwan (soon-to-be-accomplished). i'm travelling places without having to sign up for overseas community service projects! and i have friends whom i don't mind travelling with and who don't mind travelling with me!

2) volunteered for SADeaf and Metta Cattery. so aside from showing my face and doing very little work on several occasions, i didn't do anything of value actually but hey, i'm just starting out man. so i deserve to give myself plenty of leeway here

but i wasn't quite satisfied

until i went to bathe and inspiration hit me and now i'm convinced i have the best answer

the best thing i did this year was to feel good about myself

i'm more confident and less apologetic about the person i am. i have the guts to do what i wanna do and am not so affected by what others think
--i have decided digital photography isn't for me. i dig authenticity and i don't feel right about using Photoshop to touch up my pictures
--i don't wanna learn how to drive. i don't wanna fuss about the dream car i will be targetting. i don't mind remaining way ignorant about cars and their horse powers, something that the average Singaporean is adept with
--i get a bit unrationally irritated when we go shopping and you tell me that's not a nice cap/T-shirt/accessory and that i must be out of my mind to think i can put off that look. i mean, if i don't mind making fashion mistakes, then why should you?
--i respond with a "ya, i also think so" when people give a compliment on my nice cap/T-shirt/accessory/shoes. they usually laugh because they expect me, a typical Asian to decline politely and play myself down and are amused/uncomfortable/surprised with my atypical reaction. I just rather be shamefully honest rather than falsely modest.
--i feel more comfortable in silence. i don't feel the need for incessant small talk
--i would rather stay at home rather than to go out with aquaintances in an attempt to dissolve my loneliness. Solitude is becoming a great friend

i have learnt to trust my instincts more.
--i no longer doubt myself when i vaguely suspect other people are pissed with me.
--i can sometimes leave my assignments to the last minute and be assured that i will prevail
--i teach A level chemistry and trust that i will grow into this more demanding role of an A level tutor (being desperate for extra cash helps)

i'm starting to develop new interests instead of trying to fulfill adolescent dreams (i.e. sign lang, Jap).
--i would like to learn how to critique films/movies more professionally.
--i am reading travelogues, stuff that i would shun away in the past.
--i am now more disciplined in certain aspects--with keeping this online journal and diaries whenever i travel.
--i don't mind doing introspective thinking--i once aspired to be an "eat, drink and be merry" kinda guy

i think i'm a better friend. i try to be assertive in reaching out more to people

and so i shall end here, satisfied that i have pretty much summed up 2003 and yep, feeling good about myself *grinz*