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Happy New Year!
Depending on how old you are, this means different things to different people.
In our 20s, ushering in the new year often involved loud, thumping music and sweaty, gyrating bodies.
And depending on which friend of mine you are, this can also mean different things.
To Stanley my sex bunny friend, the music and sweaty gyrating bodies more often than not take place in crowded, sleazy dark rooms where he does a lot of ushering in.
To Carl the gym rabbit, that combination is applied to crowded but less sleazy rooms where a lot of forceful grunting, pumping and thrusting take place.
Regardless, New Year Eves to the boys and me back then were all about raving parties, shouting over one another just to be heard and waking up to start the first day of the new year with a hangover.
In our 30s, when we had more spending power but less energy, we transited to having classy gatherings either in fully-packed restaurants, or in large hotel rooms where champagne bottles -- and on two occasions according to Stanley, cherries -- are popped.
Now that we're in our 40s, God forbid, we are welcoming the new year in our own respective ways.
Stanley continues to plan NYE parties, desperate to relive our younger days.
Carl just wants to tone it down -- tone being the operative word that motivates him to sculpt his python-size biceps. Muscle-building knows no holidays.
For me, it's all about quiet reflection -- and spending New Year's Eve alone.
It's a habit I developed as I grew older.
Nearing the end of each year, I'd pick up pen, paper and a glass of wine and jot down some of the things I'd been most grateful for in the past year -- and extend that thought of gratitude all the way to as far back as I can remember.
That activity would take me around two hours because there are many things I'm thankful for, and I allow myself to linger and reminisce the past chapters of my life.
Among the things on my list this year:
- Keeping my job despite such trying times
- Safely returning to Singapore from my overseas posting
- Moving back to my own place
- Being healthy and fit at 42 (going on 43 based on the calendar year)
- Having my family around
The list really does go on, and I'm thankful for that too.
I'd also jot down a list of things I want to achieve in the coming year.
But gone are the wishful thinking days of making resolutions because I've come to terms with such lofty ideas that never come to fruition.
Resolutions never come true. Not for me at least.
So no such things as wanting to learn Muay Thai by April, or getting in shape in 6 months.
Instead, I make a list of achievable tasks, no matter how mundane they sound like.
- Drink enough water
- Eat my vitamins
- Be sure to do my three-step skincare routine
- Don't overeat
- Sleep enough
Again, the easy-to-achieve list goes on.
Stanley, who earlier learned of my list, yawned over a three-way WhatsApp call with me and Carl.
I later learn that his yawning had nothing to do with my list. It was more to do with Stanley's version of a three-way, but let's not start the new year on such a sordid note.
Have a meaningful 2022, dear readers.
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