In 2010, Yi Lin Promises To...

I've never felt so far behind everyone else before. Friends in Singapore started sending out New Year greetings 15 hours ago and are already halfway through 1 Jan 2010.

Here, we're watching the countdown at Times Square 'live on CNN and waiting for New York City to roll into 2010 in 15 minutes time. Then we wait another 2hrs for 1 Jan to arrive in the Southwest.

I can't remember what my New Year resolutions for 2009 were. I think I didn't make any for the past 2 years. If I did, it must have been to bite the bullet and embark on this trip of a lifetime, and complete it safe, sound, happy and fulfilled. This year, I have our blog to remind me - word for word - my hopes and wishes for 2010 that I pen down tonight.

Far away from the distractions of work duties on New Year's Eve, which basically involved alot of running around while silently praying that Singapore's countdown event at Marina Bay goes smoothly without a hitch, I spent some time on overnight bus rides in South America and more recently, on flights and long car rides in the US, mulling over my 2010 resolutions.

Before getting down to penning those resolutions, I would prefer, really, to reflect upon what a great year 2009 has been for us. But since we've spent almost the whole of 2009 planning and fulfilling this trip of our dreams - and we're not quite done yet - I'll save my reflections for later, when it comes to an end. Believe me, 19 American states and 19 other countries later, we will have alot to say.

Very simply, for 2010, I hope to:

(1) Bring my fitness and health to a higher level

This involves:

(i) Working out at the gym twice a week and doing yoga, swimming and blading at least once a week for each activity.

(ii) Completing a 10km run in a outdoor running event

(iii) Bringing my weight down to 50kg and maintaining it (at least there will be no more IHOP pancake stacks and $2.50 B&J pints to get in the way of this resolution!)

(2) Cook For Others

But first, I'll need twice-monthly cooking lessons from my parents to learn some of the family recipes (hear ye, hear ye Mum & Dad!) Then, it's on to contributing dishes towards family gatherings, and organising get-togethers with friends at our place (or anyone else who would like to volunteer theirs!) with food cooked by yours truly.

(3) Improve Upon An Old Skill

This would be dancing, which I really miss. Picking up ballet again would be lovely but I'm looking forward to exploring other fields of dance. Gonna check with my friend Eleanor who's teaching at a dance school back home on options.

(4) Learn A New Skill

This would be oil painting! I'm planning to sign up for art classes and complete at least 1 piece that's good enough to be framed up and displayed on our walls at home.

(5) Plan The Next Big Thing

Taking a year off work to travel the Americas has been one big Life Project. With that done and dusted soon, I'll be on the lookout for another grand scheme to work towards achieving. Sure, there are more places to travel - East Africa, Scandinavia, The Galapagos and all those beautiful diving spots in the Asia Pacific - but long-term travel is going to be off the cards for awhile. I'm toying with a few big ideas - working and living abroad may be one of them. Running my very own hostel/guesthouse - definitely. Once I've decided on what it will be, the next step is to chart out a plan towards achieving it.

Of course, somewhere in there are plans to start a family, short vacations overseas, and setting out milestones to achieve for work when I return to the office in March.

2010 rolled into New York City a few minutes ago. I'm still patiently waiting for our turn to ring in the new year in snowy Arizona. In the meanwhile...

Happy New Year to all our readers. May all of you be blessed with a fruitful and fulfilling year, chockful of love, joy and dreams that come true.

*HUGS*

Go 2010!

P.S. And to those who bought copies of our GO Calendars, thank you very much once again for your support - and remember to use those calendars!