Actionable Plans

Honestly, I am getting a bit tired of myself always failing to achieve my new year resolutions, so this year I set some lame and easily achievable resolutions instead! immediately went about formulating actionable plans after I set my resolutions.

I don't expect to achieve all my resolutions, but I am hoping with definite actionable plans I can at least achieve some or at least improve in some instead of utter failure like previous years. -_-

- be a better father -

I have always been playing the "bad cop" part of the 'good cop bad cop' tag team with my wifey when it comes to our children's discipline. A role that I have no qualm doing since wifey, being so close to them all the time, loses some of the "power". Plus, I am the stricter of the two while wifey's the friendlier, the more socialable (and nicer, prettier, sweeter, et cetera). But anyway, I sincerely know that I don't spend enough time with my kids.

My current plan is to spend some time every weekend building LEGO stuff with both of them, basically guiding them in building something. We did robots last week, and this week we are going to build tanks. ^_^

I probably have to think of something else when they got bored of LEGO, but at least this is a start.

- be a better husband -

Unfortunately, despite asking my wifey every day, she still hasn't come up with anything she wants me to improve on, except spend more time with the kids, which to me, is to do with being a better father, not being a better husband.

Well I know I am a good husband. Yes I am saying this without any shame, guilt, or pang on my conscience. But surely there are areas for improvement, surely I can be a better husband.

Unfortunately without wifey's honest feedback, I do not have any actionable plans to achieve this resolution. Unless I just want to pretend I am already the perfect husband so this resolution is moot...

But I know better.

- socialise more -

I... still don't know what to say about this one. Yes I am antisocial. Yes I am a stay-at-home recluse. Yes that's not very nice and so yes I should socialise more.

But... but... I don't want to. People are so complicated, it's scary out there.

I suppose to start with I should not reject any invitation for outings, not that I have many.

I am so going to fail this one. >_<

- read more novels than 2012 -

Reading everyday, every night before I go to sleep, and aiming for 3 novels every month. Not much of a plan, but that's the plan.

- get back to photography -

This is an iffy one. Truely a spur of the moment resolution.

I did put in quite a bit of effort so far though, started an interest group with friends whom I am comfortable discussing photography with. With the aim of having a monthly theme where we give our best shot and then give honest feedbacks to the others, so we learn from others perspective and hopefully improve.

I know if I try to go about this alone I will most likely fail, I need some peer pressure to keep the motivation and momentum.

And I have a feeling pretty soon I will be wanting for money to buy a DSLR. >_<

The ball has just begun rolling, I hope it will keep rolling for a good long while.

Anyone want to sponsor me a DSLR? Anyone?

- write a story -

I have no actionable plan for this one. I need to be in the mood to write, and I am not sure if forcing myself to write will do any good.

I am leaving this one to fate. Perhaps there will just be a few weekends or a short holiday when the mood struck. I sincerely hope so.

Oh man!

Me: "good night boys."

Young: "good night papa."

Hsiang: "good night."

Me: "sleep now, tomorrow is Monday, you have school and I have work."

Hsiang: "oh man!"

Me: "oh man!"

Young: (parroting whatever his bother says) "oh man!"

Oh man indeed.

2013 Resolutions & Wishes

Here's the 2012's version, and not surprisingly, I failed miserably.

>_<

Grumble less and smile more, not sure on these two, will need others to tell me how I did on these.

As for going home on time, i.e. after working 9.5 hours, my record showed I worked seriously overtime, i.e. more than 10.5 hours at least 38 times last year. Those did not include working at night after I got home, if I count those, then it would be easier to count the days I did not work at night after I got home... Failed. -_-

As for the wishes, I didn't get to sleep more. I worked a lot more in 2012 it's seriously a crazy year in that sense. Income got peanut size increment instead of 50%. Card/board game frequency was still so low it's pathetic. Didn't write any story of any length, and read 3 less novels compared to 2011.

Failures aplenty, gah!

So, why should I bother to set any resolutions for 2013? So that I can know how much I fail come 2014? Am I such masochist?

The few things that popped up in my mind this very moment (dammit! I guess I am a masochist! >_<):

- be a better father, i.e. spend more time with the kids

- be a better husband, I don't know how or in what sense, I just want to be

- socialise more, er... ya, I know, I... don't know what to say on this...

- read more novels than 2012, really like to be able to achieve this

- get back to photography, this just popped into my head

- write a story, any length, any language, just at least write one

I don't know whether they are resolutions or just wishes, but I really like to be able to achieve those. Honestly I do.

I need to go calibrate with my dearest wifey so I have some definite actionable plans towards becoming a better hubby.

Socialising more is... I don't know, I just feel that I should. Don't always stay home being antisocial. More friends is always a good thing right?

Read more. I like reading, and I thought the more we read, the faster we get, so why am I becoming slower instead? =\

Photography. I have always love photography, I just can't justify the cost of upgrading myself to the digital era when I don't have the time nor the heart for it. I can't see myself putting this as priority, I just can't, but it popped into my mind. Darn.

As for writing a story, I truely believe I can do this. I have no excuse except I am lazy and am such a slacker.

So anyway, here we go again...

2012 in numbers

125 blog entries, as usual.

198 days of commute recorded. Missed a few, but should have more than 95% of my commute to work recorded.

19783.4 kilometres covered in those 198 days, average of 99.9 kilometres per day.

47 petrol filling. Good old MyVi is still doing well, an average of 15.532 kilometre per litre of petrol. An average of 12.3 cents per kilometre using RON95.

66 badminton sessions attended, out of 81 that happened. Missed 15, hmm...

31 novels read. Twelve days for a book, I am getting slower. =(

502 hours and 20 minutes spent playing World of Warcraft. That's up to 30th of December, not including the game time later tonight. =P Worked out to be 92 cents per hour of entertainment for the year long subscription, plus I get Diablo III free.

35, 8, 5, 3, for my own reference.

 

Happy New Year dear reader, wish you a fabulous 2013!

 

Coffee lovers rejoice (while I cry)

For someone who needs to eat supper every night, having a 24/7 Mamak store round the corner is a good thing.

A very good thing. You know, sense of comfort and security, like a safety net.

When Subaidah closed for renovation, wifey and I have been eagerly awaiting its reopening. Took months, but the wait is finally over! The only thing is, it's not Subaidah that has reopened, but...

Starbucks, WTF!?!

Why oh why?!?!! >_<

Where am I going to get my Maggie Goreng fix now? And my quick and easy meal solution when wifey left me alone?

Bollocks!

Do you really need to have another store between Gurney Plaza and Straits Quay? Really? -_-

Starbucks, now available every 1km in Tanjung Tokong area!

Ever since that birthday dinner all those years ago, I made it a point to go have a Maggie Goreng on or if out of town, shortly after, my birthday every year. I even started to go for Maggie Goreng with sotong for such occasion instead of the normal plain version that I order on other days.

The place has sentimental value, and now they took it away. =(

yea yea, caffeine on the go, whatever!

I am sure the coffee lovers and hippies will be happy with this new addition. I am neither so I just feel like crying for the lost of my beloved mamak store.

Inevitably by writing this rant I have helped to advertise the store, something that I consciously avoid doing on my blog for I want to keep my blog commercial free. Oh well. More bollocks!

Anyone working in Starbucks who read this and has the good grace to pay me advertisement fees please feel free to do so. =P

Don't worry, I am super-elite-ultra-platinum member of both www.tankuku.com and www.banbantan.com.

Subjugated Mind

My blood is pumped full of medicine, antibiotics and what not.

I could just imagine it, an influx of these synthetic chemical warriors into my bloodstream, battling the bacteria and whatever that's causing the infection.

My only hope is that this reinforcement will finally turn the tide of battle, winning it where my natural defence and Chinese medicine had utterly failed me thus far.

Much as I prefer to let my body takes its course and recovers naturally, the throat infection has gone on well over a week with no sign of getting better despite all I did and refrained from doing. Though honestly, if that's the only discomfort I would have stayed my course.

The real killer that finally broke me down and made me go see a doctor is the incessant coughing. Racking coughs that are hurting my lungs and muscles, and caused me to be sleepless every night.

Every, single, night.

I am so tired. I am wrecked.

So I gave in and spent the one hour for commute and waiting for a two minutes consultation in order to get the medicine. Sorry to put it this way (which is the truth nevertheless), never did like to go see a doctor.

Wifey said one of the drugs I was given looks like a mild form of morphine, good for suppressing cough. Not sure if that's really the medicine but I did cough less after the medication this afternoon, but I am also feeling lightheaded and kind of weird. I hope it's just because I am so knackered.

Here's hoping the synthetic chemicals will do their magic, there is a task force ongoing, I cannot afford to be sick.

Foul Mood

Sore throat and fever last weekend. Both gone earlier in the week, but left me voiceless and coughing incessantly till now.

I can deal with the lost of voice, just a missed karaoke session primarily, but the ceaseless coughing is really wearing me thin and wearing me out.

Every night I coughed till I was sleepless, when it finally abated enough for me to grab some rest, it's already early morning and the two little monsters will be up and creating ruckus.

So I am constantly in a foul mood these few days. And everytime I cough I feel like cursing and swearing.

When will this fish and ducking stop?

Do avoid me.