Happy New Years 2013!

Happy New Year Everyone!

2012 has come to an end, and 2013 is here! Hopefully everyone had a great 2012, and if not, may (20)13 be your lucky number!

While I sometimes look back at 2013 and think hmmm...not much actually happened except work...I realise that a few events in 2012 overshadowed everything else. 

The activity we did at our youth group last Friday night, where we had to list everything we were thankful to Jesus for made me realise a lot did happen last year, and I am truly grateful for everything that did happen!

Back to the few events that overshadowed everything though: 

Hong Kong - It had been well over 15 years since I last went to Hong Kong, yet I still had very fond memories of the place and would often dream of going back. I wasn't let down, and had a great, albeit short time over there earlier in the year. A few hours in Singapore with Jireh was a bonus! There was a slight worry that we would lose our Hong Kong ID cards (with getting the $1000 the least of our concerns at that time!), but several months later we were granted our ID cards with the 'right to land' status which is better than nothing!
Becoming registered as a pharmacist - I've spent four years studying pharmacy at university, a year as an intern, and then some! I had to spend an extra year as an intern, failed the exam half way through the year, and was on the brink of quitting and wasting five and a half years' worth of work. Thankfully my family and a few friends, along with the new pharmacy I worked at for the last half of the year helped get me through, and what I was starting to think was an unobtainable dream, became a reality!

I haven't been too great with blogging this year, but I will try to do better next year! Just reading through my blog posts from previous years reminds me of why I do this - because I have a bad memory and I enjoy reliving old memories that may have been forgotten if I hadn't documented them!

So once again, here is a review of my New Years' Resolutions from last year, and how I did! 

- = 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!)

FAIL - OK so I was off to a slow start, still recovering from the previous year, but if it's any consolation, I think I may have finally moved on!

2. Make two new friends or two new close friends

YES - I have made at least two new friends this year - Jen and Cham!

3. Become a registered pharmacist

YES! About time! I just don't have a job now...

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

FAIL - Didn't end up joining a gym at all! I did start a fitness club with some members of my youth group, and went for weekly runs for a month or so before things got in the way!

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

FAIL - Didn't get around to touching the accordion, let alone another instrument! I did buy a baritone ukulele and have been playing that since I can't seem to master the guitar! I did give the piano a go, and have been trying to play a few simple songs on that. In summary: MUST TRY HARDER

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

FAIL - We didn't even manage to get our band together again this year! We'll have to get something ready for the first youth group of next year

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

FAIL - With my sole focus being to pass my pharmacy registration exam, this slid under the radar a bit. With a bit more time and freedom in the New Year, I will finally make this a higher priority!

8. Follow a 365 day Bible reading plan

FAIL - I'm very ashamed of this! I just recently started this 'Experiencing God' programme at church where I have to complete a day's worth of work each day for 12 weeks, so hopefully this gets me into a good habit!

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

YES - 1. Travel to Singapore

         2. Perform barbershop (and on radio!)

         3. Write and hand in a resignation letter.

(am I grasping for straws here? I'm sure I've had better experiences than that! I'll add as I remember them)

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

SORT OF - I wouldn't call it a social organisation, but applying to be a volunteer of World Vision is a start. I really want to get involved in some cultural group that will allow me to explore my Asian side more

11. Completely change my life (open to interpretation)

SORT OF - I guess it wasn't completely life-changing, but having to work at a new pharmacy in North Shore with different hours during the second half of the year meant not being able to attend church on Sundays for a couple months, and not being able to teach music for the other few months. It's not exactly life-changing, but it did take me away from my regular routine

12. Attend a proper ongoing Chinese class

FAIL - I just didn't have the time to focus on this. I will make it a higher priority next year!

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

SORT OF - Let's see...Hong Kong, Singapore...that's probably about it.

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

SORT OF - I'm still trying to make sense of different concepts of living a much more rewarding and fulfilling life, so it's a work in progress! 

15. Pick up the piano accordion again, learn another song and triwith the brothers

FAIL - The accordion still sits in the corner of the lounge, covered by junk! During the week at work I'd always think, this weekend I'll pick it up and play again, but In ever got around to doing it! I will have to clean up the lounge to make it more accessible!

16. Buy less junk food/takeaways

SORT OF - Burger King being the only place to buy food near your workplace doesn't help, but at least I restricted myself to once a week, compared to what it was when I was working in the city! Now with no money coming in, I'll have no other option but to cut back!

So here are the results:

Fulfilled New Years Resolutions: 3

Failed New Years Resolutions: 8

Partially Completed New Years Resolutions: 5

That gives me a 18.75% success rate, which is a slightly lower than my 19% success rate last year. 

I think I'm going to have to remind myself of what my resolutions are throughout the year this time and actually work towards them! Here's to a perfect 100%!

Here are my resolutions for this year!

- = Calum's 2013 New Years' Resolutions = -

(In no particular order, and roughly the same as last year)

1. Find a girlfriend (nothing to see here, same as before)

2. Make two new or closer friends

3. Find a job 

4. Choose what to study at uni and complete it

5. Participate in some organisation such as a volunteer organisation etc.

6. Join some cultural activity/group/social group

7. Pick up the accordion again and start practising a bit more regularly

8. Clean the house!

9. Sign up for and take Chinese classes

10. Learn and practise another musical instrument more regularly

11. Sit a music theory exam

12. Get my full driver's license

13. Travel to at least one overseas destination, and one local destination outside of Auckland

14. Give my baptism testimony in Chinese

15. Get baptised

16. Be more mature

17. Go for regular runs and try to lose the fat (maybe enter Round the Bays!)

18. Attend a fellowship at another church or visit another church

19. Build up Anbro!