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Friday, 31st December 2004
| 11:41 PM Well, what a way to end the year now, would it? We thought the eventful year might end quietly, but nature had other plans. It gave us the largest earthquake the world has had for a while off the coast of Aceh, in Indonesia. Entire fishing villages have been wiped out from Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India. The effects were felt as far away as Somalia in Africa. In fact, I was reading just in the papers today that some scientist believed that the earthquake, which measured 9 or something on the Richter scale if I'm not wrong, may have changed the world map. Some islands off the coast of Aceh shifted positions - I didn't read enough of it to find out the exact details, quite a bit of which might've gone over my head anyway. My knowledge of Geography is only secondary school level. It was really heartbreaking to read of how devastating the effects were in a matter of minutes. There were people who lost their homes in that time, and their entire families. Children became instant orphans. KidB and his family are from Sri Lanka, and his grandmother was telling me that an entire family they knew is no longer around. For the survivors, their suffering hasn’t ended. To add to their grief, they still have the business of survival to overcome. They still have to rebuild their lives from scratch. And when you consider, most of these people weren’t those who had much in the first place, it is more saddening. So please donate towards the relief efforts. We still can afford it – and every dollar counts. I’m sure wherever you live there are aid efforts being organized, but otherwise online Doctors Without Borders, the International Red Cross, Oxfam, and other similar organisations are organising similar drives. Cash is much appreciated now, because it gives these organisations flexibility in obtaining aid supplies and resources, as well as organising logistics to suit what is needed in the different locations. Your assistance is very much appreciated. I know you might be far from the affected site, but if nothing else this disaster has reminded us that for all we have achieved in this world, nature doesn’t give a whit about them. Nature doesn’t care about international boundaries, whether you’re rich or poor. It reminds us that above all else, we’re human first. The Malays, my community, have a saying. We are renowned for our community spirit, in which we help each other in the community just out of a sense of duty and obligation. That didn’t come blindly. We have this saying, which roughly translates to – today it’s their day, tomorrow it might be ours. Who knows? It’s been an eventful year for sure all round the world. Elections here and there. We have a new Prime Minister here in Singapore, and the way political transitions are so planned in Singapore, that event went by with nary a blip anywhere. That’s how our single party-dominant government would prefer it of course. The only people who created a fuss were the media (and considering how not-so-independent they really are, I hardly bothered). On the personal front, it seems to be an eventful year for me also. My parents announced they’re putting our family home on the market. It remains there; we’re still waiting for offers. Career-wise, I seem to be moving forward a bit in this company, and then it was announced that it’s been acquired by another company. My job position remains the same for now, but now this job comes with new challenges, which I’m kinda’ looking forward to. At least now I have to get used to a more corporate setting than it was before, being under the management of a public-listed company now. Healthwise – no change. Signing up for a gym just turns out to be attempt 3863401 at my weight-loss plans. This year I’m joining Marn and her crazy plans of Going Nowhere. I swear, even if I never lose a single kilo ever again (GOD FORBID), I want to be fitter. I want to be able to walk fast and walk far. I want my limbs to be able to support my excess self. I don’t know if I met my resolutions for last year, because I think I didn’t bother making any last year. This year I have two simple ones for starters. Firstly, I want to be nicer to my mother. No matter how she can get on my nerves sometimes by choosing to talk to me only when I’m absorbed in something, I will look at her when she’s speaking to me and respond to her nicely. I owe her that. Secondly, this will be the year that I will be getting myself my driving licence. It’s now or never. Thanks for reading. Hope you guys had a Merry Christmas and have yourself a good new year. -
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recent entries: Monday, 27th February 2006 - My house of cards finally comes down Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006 - Books and fitness Thursday, 23rd February 2006 - Still fat and sleepless Monday, 13th February 2006 - Fat sleepless me Sunday, 5th February 2006 - It's more than just cartoons
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