In another 3 days, we will step into a new year, which is supposed to bring about new resolutions, new goals in life, new clothes and shoes, new friends and what-have-yous. And what better time to reflect on all that has happened in the past 12 months than now? Isn’t it true that history is the best teacher?

A lot of things have happened to me in the past year — what do you expect, 12 months is a loooong time you know? Just like in a plate of yee sang, I’ve had the happy days, the crappy days, the crying days, the revengeful days, the excited days, the boring days, the I-want-to-lie-in-bed-all-day days, and the I-love-my-life days :)

This post is going to be about me, me, and me. Proceed if you can handle that :)

I got myself a new car
I exchanged my 10-year-old Perodua Kancil with a spanking brand new Proton Saga. It was my first HUGE investment, and I am so darn proud of myself. Yes, it may not be my long-term dream car, but it is my current favourite car. And I need the boot space (you will know what I mean if you knew the size of a Kancil boot).

I got a new iTouch
I got an iPod Touch from J for my birthday. It was THE most expensive gift he had given me (and I’m not complaining). And now I hate myself for refusing the iPhone when he first offered to get me one. Yeah, and I hate the my-phone-bills-will-get-more-expensive-every-month rationale now, LOL.

I released a lot of terrapins
Apart from the 99 river terrapins that we have released during the 5th Terrapin Independence Day, we have also released about 400 terrapins into the Setiu River. We had a lot of fun during these releases, and we are actually pleasantly surprised that we are forging such good relationships with the local fishermen. More updates about the terrapin research and conservation work that we will be doing in 2010 can be found on the Turtle Conservation Centre website.

I visited Medan for the first time
The trip to Aceh Tamiang, Medan was interesting, to say the least. While there, I met a bunch of eager turtle researchers and conservationists and shared with them the work that we do here in Malaysia. Work aside, I also had the opportunity to visit Lake Toba (yeah, the lake and super-volcano) and Gunung Leuser National Park. Needless to say, I enjoyed myself thoroughly!

I participated in Turtle Blogathon
Turtle Blogathon was fun :) What sounded like a crazy idea turned out to be a fun-filled one and who would have guessed that we would be able to raise RM 4,500 for turtle conservation in 24 hours in front of our computers? I will always cherish the time we spent together, as well as the friends we have made during the blogathon :) Thank you once again for your continuous support!

I was featured in Singapore Women’s Weekly and Malaysian Women’s Weekly
Despite the fact that it was an online interview done more than a year ago, the story about “Pelf the classic blogger” came out in print in 2 separate issues in 2 countries. How much more awesome can that be? And, the photoshoot was an eye-opening experience. That was the first time I had my hair and makeup done professionally, and I must say that I love the image of myself that the stylist-cum-makeup-artist created for me :)

I attended a girlfriend’s wedding
I went back to Melaka for a week at the end of November, to attend a girlfriend’s wedding. We threw the bride a bridal shower, and I managed to catch up with other girlfriends since we don’t really see each other that much anymore, now that we’re working in a few different states.

I was dismissed from all turtle-related projects in the university
This is funny but true — I was dismissed from all turtle-related projects in the university because somebody thought believed that I was a threat (when in fact, I did all that I could to be helpful, I swear to God). Plus, that somebody probably also knew that I don’t fight back, and that I would swallow all the shit thrown at me, and yeap, that’s right. But you know what I feel now? That I’ve come to this stage where when somebody throws me lemons, I am prepared to make lemonade and serve that somebody some :) Because seriously, life is all about making lemonades, after all!

I was plagiarized (can you believe it?!)
When I was still in service in the university, my job description included answering turtle-and-program-related emails from the public, as well as sending email updates to those who were interested. So over the months, I came up with my own greeting, which goes like this — “Dear turtle lovers” or “Hello turtle lovers” or “Hi turtle lovers”. I mean, people who have received emails from me can testify this :) But somebody found it a nice phrase so much so that it is being plagiarized in a website! I was hurt initially, but I later recalled that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery :) So yeah, thanks for imitating me :)

I will be working on my Ph.D. research soon
‘Nuff said :)

So that pretty much wrapped up my past 12 months. It was truly a mix of sweet, sour, spicy and bitter experiences but you know what? I have survived it, in one piece :) Now that I look back at all that I have experienced, I am thankful to certain parties for believing in me and for having faith in me, for giving me THE chance to prove my worth, for giving me the opportunity to see their true (ugly) colours, and most importantly, for giving me THE chance to get out of what is seemingly a dangerous mine field :)

So, my contract with the university will end in 3 days, but that does not, by any means, mean that my love affair with a university will end too :) That just means that I will be free to pursue my dreams, without having to deal with people who constantly make my life harder than it already is, LOL.

I will still be actively working with turtles, so if any of you have turtle-related questions, shoot them :) And if you’re planning to spend a weekend or a few days by the river banks, or if you’d like to go terrapins tracking in the river, you know who to call/email, don’t you? :)

Enough about me, what about you?