Happy New Years 2012!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

There are only two words I really need to say to describe how I felt about 2011:

GOOD RIDDENS!

Despite us winning the Rugby World Cup, me graduating and also participating in the Rugby World Cup, Aonghas turning 21 and....OK that's probably it...there wasn't much else to be too happy about.

Think about it...the Christchurch earthquake, the Japan earthquake, Rena...

I suppose it was a year that cruel people passed away such as Gaddafi, Kim Jong Un, and Osama Bin Laden.

Hopefully 2012, the year of the dragon will bring us much greater luck, peace and prosperity! Let's make next year a year of new beginnings and one that is even better than this one! 

Now time to review my New Years' Resolutions:

- = Calum's 2011 New Years' Resolutions = -

(In no particular order...brace yourselves!)

1. Find a girlfriend (6th year I think 6 is a lucky number!)
FAIL - I did finally do something about someone after a long, long time, but it wasn't to be

2. Make two new friends or make two new close friends (i.e. get closer to them than before!)

YES - Rebecca and Eva have become two of my closest friends. I don't know what I'd do without Eva always being at the other end of a text, and Rebecca's craziness and the fact that she always seems to lose to me in challenges!

3. Keep my intern pharmacist job till the end of the year and become a registered pharmacist
SORT OF - I kept my intern pharmacist job, but I haven't become registered yet

4. Join the gym and at least get biceps! Abs are a bonus!
SORT OF - I did join the gym, but I'm pretty sure I'm flabbier than before!

5. Get my Full License
FAIL - Still on my restricted!

6. Buy a new car
YES - After the Nissan Pulsar (the first car I bought) died on us, we sought a new car, and I ended up contributing to buying a Mitsubishi Lancer!

7. Find and buy my dream phone
YES - Bought a Samsung Galaxy SII. That'll do for now!

8. Buy a new laptop
YES - Towards the end of this year after my terrible HP laptop finally died on me the night before my assignment was due, I converted to Sony Vaio

9. Make another short film with Aonghas
SORT OF - It wasn't entirely a short film, but we filmed a little bit for Aonghas' 21st video 

10. Find a cause and support it (Open to interpretation!)
SORT OF - I did end up agreeing to make monthly contributions to UNICEF, and then to Aaron Ku, a missionary from our church. I'm probably going to cancel my contribution to UNICEF though.

11. Read the whole Bible! 
FAIL - I have been slowly working through Genesis in Sunday School, but outside of that I haven't been as good as I'd have liked


12. Get baptised...if I feel I am ready
FAIL - Still not baptised, but maybe slowly getting closer to that moment


12. Sit a music theory/Chinese exam
FAIL - Self-explanatory

13. Get one of my music theory students to sit a music theory exam
SORT OF - Got my grade two music theory students to sit a mock theory exam. I guess that's as much as I could have hoped for


14. Decide what I want to do with my life after I (hopefully) complete my pharmacy internship
FAIL - Still haven't decided, but now I've got an extra half a year to decide


15. Grow some balls (that sounded wrong didn't it? Let me clarify - be more strict with my students and stop letting young girls walk all over me!)
SORT OF - I have been finding myself being a bit more stern when dealing with younger kids, especially my students. My patience has definitely been tested this year!


16. Find OLDER girls to hang out with (that also sounded wrong didn't it?)
SORT OF - I did have weekly catch-ups with two of my intern friends for a while, and did catch up with various friends from time to time. However, at church I'm still surrounded by younger girls. It might be time to look for other groups to hang out with!


17. Be more positive/optimistic, look more at people's strengths over their weaknesses, be appreciative of what I have and less jealous of others...you know all that good, happy stuff
SORT OF - I think I'm getting better! Maybe I'm setting my standards too high but I guess it's better to aim high and fall short


18. Do photo 365 (one photo a day) 
FAIL - Completely forgot about this resolution!


19. Learn at least 3 new pieces on the accordion (as in classical pieces that require practice!)
FAIL - I don't think I've touched my accordion all year!

20. This should've come earlier but study Chinese and return to at least NCEA Level 3 Chinese level..and be more Chinese (throw that in as well)
FAIL - While I have attempted to learn Chinese in bits and bobs, I'm yet to return to NCEA Level 3 level!


So overall, the final count is:

Fulfilled New Years Resolutions: 4

Failed New Years Resolutions: 9

Partially Completed New Years Resolutions: 8

That gives me a 19% success rate, which is a -6% improvement over last year. I think it is time to make some changes and increase that success rate!

Here are my resolutions for this year!

- = Calum's 2012 New Years' Resolutions = -

(in no particular order)

1. Find a girlfriend (pretty much cut and paste now, but hey it's the year of the Dragon, and 7 is a lucky number!)

2. Make two new friends or two new close friends

3. Become a registered pharmacist

4. Visit the gym a bit more often than in 2011

5. Find another musical instrument to learn up to a grade 4-5 level

6. Buy a bass guitar, learn it properly and get the Oddfellows band going 

7. Sit a grade 6 music theory exam (grade 6 at the very minimum!)

8. Follow a 365 day Bible reading plan

9. Have 3 completely new experiences in 2012 (i.e. do three things I've never done before in my life!)

10. Find a new social organisation/group to be a part of

11. Completely change my life (open to interpretation)

12. Attend a proper ongoing Chinese class

13. Travel to another city/town at least five times 

14. Be happier with life (or just content if really struggling)

15. Pick up the piano accordion again, lean another song and trio with the brothers

16. Buy less junk food/takeaways


I will add to this list over the next few days as I come up with more!