Archive for 2008
December 31 2008: Reflection On This Year’s Resolutions
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Half WIN, half FAIL. Refer to this.
Get more sleep
FAIL. While some nights I was able to “catch up” on sleep by getting about ten hours, most nights I was surviving on about six hours sleep so that I could get everything done, while still maintaining some semblance of a social life. All in all, my sleep over the course of the year (actual sleep at night, and naps during the day, etc.) ended up averaging out to about seven hours sleep a night…or 366 fewer hours than my aim.
See friends once a week
FAIL. While I managed to do this during university term time without a problem, for the other twenty-six weeks of the year, I seriously struggled due to a combination of work, babysitting, parent-business-managing, and obligations and responsibilities like that. I’d estimate that there were about thirteen weeks where I went without seeing a friend for a coffee, shopping date, or likewise. You could argue that these weeks were cancelled out by the fact that some other weeks, I’d had several friend dates (e.g. up to three or four), but as that’s not the way the resolution was worded, this is still counted as a FAIL.
Do more cleaning.
FAIL/WIN. I actually did less cleaning than usual this year, averaging only about two hours a week on the family laundry. I did however, have increased responsibilities at home managing my parents cleaning and ironing schedule, as well as spent upwards of five hours every week just picking up and dropping off ironing to their clients. So, while I had less chores to do, I had more responsibilities that actually took up more time, money, and effort, than regular chores.
Save more, spend less
WIN. I shopped a lot less this year (I estimate about $2000AUD on personal non-essential shopping and expnditures – clothes, accessories, toiletries, dining out, extreme sports, etc.), and had a higher income as well which aided my saving.
The one thing that really hurt my budget was when petrol prices peaked at 160 cents a litre in Melbourne, as almost a third of my weekly budget went on petrol to tank up my car. The trips I took as well (to New Zealand and what I’ve spent on England so far, as well as more local trips to Sydney and the Great Ocean Road) really hit my bank account hard, as I’ll have spent about $6000AUD on holidays this year. But, how can you really put a price on the experiences you have and the sights you see? The experience was worth the expenditure.
On the whole, my bank account is about $6000AUD up on this time last year, so it’s still a WIN, despite the amount I spent.
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December 31 2008: Reviews In Ten Words: December 2008
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Non-Fiction
- Ong Siew Chey – China Condensed (5000 Years of History & Culture): Light on the past century, good reference for earlier dynasties.
- Lorraine Clissold – Why The Chinese Don’t Count Calories: Highly simplified and misses intricacies, but promotes a healthy diet.
- Dennis Friedman – Ladies of the Bedchamber (The Role Of The Royal Mistress): Generalisations and attempts at psychoanalysis get in way of history.
- Fynn – Mister God, This is Anna: Pro-Christianity theological pontifications wrapped up in an easily-digestible memoir.
- Frank B. Gilbreth Jnr & Ernestine Gilbreth Casey – Cheaper By The Dozen: Luckily, no resemblance to Steve Martin film. Touching and humourous.
- Jan Korner, Jim Lyngvild and Vibeke Sybrandt – Mary, Princess of Style: Photos great for a fashionista, but light on textual detail.
- Brian J. Robb – Heath Ledger, Hollywood’s Dark Star: High on speculation, light on details, shameless monetisation of tragedy.
- Jean Sasson – Love In A Torn Land: Not so much with the love, more of the torn.
- Xinran – China Witness (Voices From a Silent Generation): Without precedence. Twentieth Century China by those who lived it.
Fiction
- Ilana Fox – The Making of Mia (From rags to bitches): The pervasive body consciousness disturbing despite late attempts of redemption.
Movies
- The Nanny Diaries (2007): Whimsically filmed, with strong performances. Faithful to the original novel.
December 30 2008: Jingwen’s Best Of 2008
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This year’s collection of “Best Of” entries takes a slightly different format to last year’s. Rather than simply selecting entries that I personally enjoyed writing, or which received the most responses, this year’s selection is rather of entries which I feel have contributed something new. Whether it’s by imparting information and “How To” guides, or philosophical posts that get people thinking, or details of trips taken, this year’s “Best Of” collection is a collection of ways Jingwen has hopefully contributed to the sum of human knowledge.
Here’s to a similarly fruitful 2009!
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