The Year In Review: Personal Best Moments of 2013 & Welcoming The New Year!

CURTAIN CALL!! 

It has been one amazing year for me, personally. While I don't want it to end, the book still has to be closed because the chapter is finished and today marks the last page. But let's not fret. Life must go on boldly forward because we have everything to live for in 2014!

Meanwhile... 

A Recap of Best Personal Moments for 2013. 

1. Spend the early parts of the year away from home organizing events a week apart from each other... A buildup to the General Election. One Division after another, and always coming home feeling drenched and in need of a good rest. But with awesome colleagues, anything is possible. 

In the spirit of 1Malaysia la kan... against a potent choc brownies...

2. Breezed through the General Election 2013... because the hard and difficult parts have already been done earlier. 

3. Met Zamani in person! ... From Slam. He has always been my favorite local talent since school days. *Sigh* I couldn't believe he got so skinny!

Zamani Slam: Kembali Terjalin...

4. And got a free hug from Ironman!... The adventures my job brings me everyday. No Thor, but this will do.

Superhero overload...

5. Recruited a new blood donor. If this is member get member program, I'd have a cool downline. :) Because it is my only unselfish passion so far. And now I don't have to do it alone or look for a friend to accompany me. My husband is now my special moral-support partner!

And our blood group is the same as well...

6. First Valentine's celebration with Mr Right. At home eating simple home cook food. And gifted with my first silver cross necklace! <3 I foresee many Valentine celebrations will be spent alone together at home after this. 

To be worn close to my heart...

7. Ventured into Charms-making Business... Slowly and steadily, online and offline. This is another passion that I see should take off quite well, if only I have more time and focus. Tell you more about it later. Meanwhile for now, you may check www.eheartcharms.com

 Tranquility charms bracelet... from EHeartcharms.com

8. Cook more at home these days... because the guy I'm going out with loves home cook meals and especially Dayak food. 

Sambal nenas (spicy pineapple in prawn paste)

9. Visited Limbang! At last... And now the only Division I have yet to step foot on is Kapit. Although I've been to Song a few times. Wait ah 2014... 

For work, that is...

10. Ventured out of the country... to Phuket and Bali! To two countries at one time! -- Got my passport this year and well, ventured overseas for the first time. I know, I know... late bloomer and all. But two international island resorts in one go made up for it!

Phuket!

11. Got a surprise proposal! Every girl's dream, stuffs of fairy tale... to have a guy she loves go on one knee in public, open a beautiful tiny box and pop the question. What kind of girl could or even want to say No to that?  Oh you could also read about it HERE.

The precious props...

12. Went to Bangkok! ... an unplanned trip but an amazing journey nonetheless. 

Met and had coffee with George Clooney at Madame Tussaud, Bangkok

13. Got properly and formerly affianced... with the families' blessings and approval. And then it is made official because the earlier one was more of a personal engagement. 

Official engagement day...

14. Given an acoustic guitar by le fiance... An early birthday present, he said, 3 months away from the real birth date. The only guitar I ever had was given by my dad on my 18th birthday. It broke after I brought it back from college during my senior years. Some stuffs are to be cherished forever, more for the thoughts that count. 

Rocking good times...

15. GOT MARRIED! To this amazing guy on Dec 14 2013! The same one who proposed to me. It was the most beautiful, most memorable, most exceptionally amazing time of my life. Walking down the aisle in daddy's arms in daddy's tiny country church, feeling like the most blessed and most beautiful bride in the world. The day we exchanged rings, vows, and got united in front of God and men. A truly special day in any girl's life.

Getting all dolled up, morning of the wedding...

16. Went for honeymoon right after... to the islands of the gods, Bali again! No words can describe my state of happiness at this point.

Lounging good times in Bali...

17. Celebrated Birthday Bali style! ... because we were already there. Got serenaded by one of the coolest local acoustic bands I've ever had the honour to watch.

 The birthday kiss!

18. First Christmas as a newly wedded couple. With both sides of the family.

19. Moving to our new marital house. Right after the honeymoon. :) So by New Year, I'd be a driving a distant more to work than usual. 

20. About to spend New Year's Eve with awesome companies, awesome food, and awesome FIREWORKS display across the City!

So then, there it is. I may have missed a few milestones but that's ok. Next year I'll have a proper diary. In a rush now for the New Year's Eve get-together. Till then lovelies, here's wishing you...

A JOYOUS & BLESSED NEW YEAR 2014!

What doesn't kill us last year will only make us stronger this year!

Amen.

Wohoooooo! Release the fireworks!

.

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New Year 2013 coffee and love best wishes...

Going to see booms and bangs and pretty fireworks light up the sky in few hours. Hopefully while sipping a cup of hot coffee holding a warm hand in a not-crowded coffee place. It's tradition -- the fireworks part.

I shall get straight to business of writing this post, before I lose all ideas and time, which is to recount every significant (and significant enough) events of my life milestone in 2012.

One word: AMAZING.

Here's a RECAP of my journey -- all the awesome, the troublesome, the strange and the expected of all things happening.

1. Sang at my sister's wedding early in the year. The most calm I've ever been on stage with my guitar singing to anyone.
2. Been featured a few times under Sarawak Blog joint-project with New Sarawak Tribune. Flattered as hell to be read by some people out there cause I know there are many better writers out there.
3. Always wondered how it would feel like to meet in real life all the fellow bloggers that you've followed or who've followed you. Amazing feeling, that. Crossing that thin line between virtual and the real world, and know they still follow you after knowing who you are.
4. Fell in love with a fellow blogger. Unexpected, that. Miracles do happen, yes?
5. Been traveling a lot. A new place, a new experience everyday. And that constant feeling of always wanting to go home sooner vs those times when I actually looked forward to going away.
6. A year has passed since I've moved to my new home. My first property!
7. Paid my credit card debts, paid my car in full, and settled my personal loans. Now I live with only one fully-paid active credit card, and I can finally tell all those creditors to get off my back for a while.
8. Bought a smartphone with touchscreen just for the camera, against my better judgement. Absolutely best decision i've made so far.
9. Climbed Mount Kinabalu for the first time! Caught the most awesome sunrise from the peak.
10. Started a tweetup account, and although it isn's much of an achievement, it opened a few doors for me, and got me a few new and good friends too. Even attended and helped out (with minimal and backstage participation) in TwtUpKch2012, for the first time.
11. My wardrobe has never seen too many dresses! It's a year when Coffee Girl turns into more of a lady and less of a tomboy. 
12. It has been an awesome year financially too, I must say, careerwise. 

I had a few more good ones, but I cant seem to recall them right now. But that's alright now, didn't we almost have it all?

So before the year ends in another 2 hours, Coffee Girl would like to apologize for being less and less around in the blogging world. And for sometimes writing inarticulately and crapping a lot when she ran out of ideas. Thank you for reading me, following me, and didn't think less of me everytime anyway even after meeting me.

Meantime, here's me wishing you all a grand, blessed, prosperous, happening and awesome NEW YEAR 2013 ahead! Have yourself a cuppa for good luck.

I see you next year.

Love,

Coffee Girl

Bits and pieces and Selamat Hari Raya ...

Hey. Heavy and pointless stuff aside, here are snatches of things going on in between my torrid and sometimes placid life:

• Haze is back, smoggier than ever. Before you complain that the whole forest burning is choking the life out of you, look down at your plate and be thankful for the kampung rice that you love so much.

• Independence Day and Raya falls on the same week, so prolonged holidays. Two weeks ago I was involved in the Kembara Merdeka Ramadhan 2011, organised by our sister department, the Information Dept Ministry. It stretched for 14 days with a convoy of 6 cars starting from Kuching and ended in Weston Tow, Sipitang. Fun, the trip was although I was in it for 5 days only, rounding up my turns from Sibu to Miri. The trip was fun, relaxing in a way, and made me realised how fortunate I am to be born and raised in Sarawak, the biggest multi-ethnic State in Malaysia. 

Vanity shot @ Daro ferry point. With my ex-boss from Info Dept.

• Double celebration means longer public holidays of course. Looking forward to clear traffics, less road bully, and more road racing! What 80kmph? We go by 120!

• Watched The Bridesmaids two nights ago. A hilarious and pathetic adventure of a 30-plus attractive lady, single, broke, jobless and who was uncannily picked to head the Bridesmaids squad -- a colourful mix of friends -- by her soon-to-wed bestfriend. I would've chucked it because it sounded kind of too familiar, but then we're not feeling sorry for ourselves, are we? All the single ladies, watch this and see if you don't laugh and cry at the same time.  Didn't know a broken tail-light can be a hard-to-ignore pickup line, hey. 

 Google Pix

• Tried my hand at Italian food, and with a smashing success I might add! Beef bacon with egg and chilli cheese pasta... Seriously fun to do, quick and not over the top. Perhaps the only thing missing is the Italian -- picturing the Godfather himself coming over for dinner. Sigh. Thank you Wilson Chin for the idea. 

 Tada! Bella italia!

• And ... Thank God for FB, now I can save my phone credit and just send the Raya greeting via walls and messages, since most everyone I know is connected one way or another. Amazing how much money and time you save. Did I miss out anyone? Sorry I'm a cheapskate, but so what. That's what technology is for right? Utilise and conquer! Good stalking tool too, that. 

So here's wishing everyone celebrating the Raya: 

SELAMAT HARI RAYA,

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

and 

SELAMAT HARI MERDEKA!

Recap... and some easy cash...

Dropnotes for the whole week:

1. Still awaiting precious management decision on work-related transitions of here to there, there to here etc.

2. Still no uplifting news on my mini walk-up den. Some people better move their asses fast. I want to settle down already.

3. Still on a detox week after the previous food indulgence over the weekend. Results are fantastic, if you count the amount of time I spend speeding back and forth from my cubicle to the ladies. For that little action, try a glass of prune juice in the morning, and a glass of sugarless lemon juice before bedtime. Very potent.

4. No Valentine's for me this year. Going to be too busy pretending my life is on a roll to even think about it. Every year it's the same story. *No ma'am, I jumped off the cloud nine years ago... what do you want from me?*

5. And finally, I won an easy RM50 from MsTikot! for answering some really simple questions on her blog. Hehe. Awesome huh? Thanks Ngek! Lain kali buat lagi!

Tada!!

Happy Weekend People!