Thank You 2011.

Here we are again, at the last day of the year. 2011 seem to be quite invisible to me. 

The New Year countdown last year is still vivid in my memory and everything within these two ends rushed by so quickly that they all seem so blur. Maybe it's just me, because 2011's been a really different year for me, personally.

'Thank You 2011'? Guess I've grown to be more thankful :D

Last year, I said it was a year of struggles to find out who I really am and what I really want to do in the future. I guess I ended the year without an answer and continued to seek for it this year. This year, it was a year full of reflections where I began to redefine LIFE; how I see it and how I want to live it now on.

To make things easy, I'll stick with the same old idea of listing the memorable events I've had this year. (Note: Events in blue are linked to their respective entries. Do click on the event names if you'd like to read back on them)

Starting 2011- Countdown at Sungei Wang. This was recorded in the ending post last year, but seeing it's a beginning of the new year, it should be listed here as well. That was the first countdown event I've ever participated in. The artists from our company were splendid! Thank you Tank and Power Station. They are the first guys I spoke to in 2011.

It's been great throughout our stay at KL and it was a great memory sitting by the glass window at midnight watching the lights of the KL Towers going off. This event was a great start for 2011, and perhaps also the main reason I couldn't feel the advancing into the new year- because I had to work! Though work was really fun with the people. :)

Media Night at RedBox Karaoke. My first Karaoke night in 2011. It was great to get to sing and eat and drink all the good stuff without having to pay even a bit. There was an award giving ceremony too, and our artists won some trophies which were then received and brought back(to the office) by us. 

Media Night experience. Check. 

End of Internship at H.I.M Music. Getting into a music label for internship was probably like a dream come true. Apart from all that I've gained and lost at college, the internship was perhaps the main dish of all. Thank you so much, to my bosses, supervisor, colleagues and friends(including the artists). You guys totally opened a new world to me.  

Korean Language Course. Finally my dream of learning a fourth national language came true in February this year. Many have asked why I picked Korean over Japanese, which has always been the hot pick of a new language. Well, Japanese was actually what I had in mind when I started dreaming of a fourth national language in secondary school. But after visiting South Korea in 2007, I noticed that I was then already able to read in their language(but of course I couldn't understand what I can read), and so I thought it might be easier for me to start things off with it. 

Also, probably it's because of the success of Korean athletes in badminton that I decided to learn it first. Generally Japanese is probably the hot choice, but in badminton, though Japanese is hot as well, Korean is the trend. aha Okay maybe I'm being a little bias here.

Learning Korean has also drawn my attention to the entertainment industry in S.Korea. Unlike most people who learn the language, I'm not a fan of Kpop, and have only started to know them after learning their language. Instead of Kdramas, also, I'm more to variety shows. Why saying this? Because I still don't like to be stereotyped as a the type who "learn Korean language because they are die-hard Kpop fans". ;) 

Getting Published. It's one of my dream to be a published writer. On a book, I mean. This year my articles were published. Yeah not my book, and it's nothing big, but I guess it's a first step? During internship my news reports were put on newspapers/magazines, and after that an article I did on suicides was published on the papers under my name. And I was paid. 

Why don't I feel proud? Probably it really wasn't anyhing big, like I said. But it was an experience nonetheless. :)

Helping Japan Tsunami victims. That was the first time I can recall that I ever had a feeling so intense to do a part in helping the victims. Was it because of my feelings for Japan after the visit in September 2010, or that I've grown to be more sensitive and kind-hearted? ;D Either way, it was BANG! So touching to know the warmth I sent were spreading in Japan to the people who need them. I was so proud of myself. 

Badminton Malaysia Open 2011. I was absent due to internship, but this had to be on the list. Malaysia Open 2011 was the first year(since 2008) without me running around the stadium. 

Yong Dae's Olympic gold medal partner Lee Hyo Jung got married on October 29. ♥

Chinese Badminton League 2011. My first national event after writing for international ones. Thing is, it's Chinese national, not Malaysian national. It lasted a whole two months, and there were all Chinese players, lots of young ones I've never even heard of. It was the first year China League recruited foreign players to play for their clubs, so it being my first time writing for CBL, was also special in a way. New format, new players, new experience. Nothing but perfect. 

Sudirman Cup 2011. I started to notice the fate I had with China this year. Chinese League was obviously in China and Sudirman Cup 2011 was held in China's Qingdao. Writing for major events has always been exciting, and havocking. The week was killing, but I loved it. By then I was already calling myself a 'team event specialist' because the events I've covered in a row were- Thomas & Uber Cups 2010, Chinese Badminton League and Sudirman Cup 2011. They were all team events. Thanks to the experience gained at TUC last year, CBL and Sudirman turned out fine. :) 

...and my articles were the most popular ones of the week :)

P.S: Sudirman Cup 2013 is scheduled to be held in Malaysia. I'm looking forward alright! :D

Solibad Day 2011. A world record and history. We all did it around the world, and I made it happen in Malaysia. That was possibly the greatest event I made real with my own hands thus far. Thank you Rexy, thank you Koo Kien Keat, thank you my boss Raph. Thank you everyone.

Goodbye teens. I turned 20, but am still young ;D 

Badminton China Masters 2011. In Changzhou. China sure loves me this year. It's my first event after turning 20, as well as my first individual event after more than a year of team event writing. That was the best, because after our 23rd and 20th birthdays, Yong Dae won gold that week and I reported his victory. September 11 babies ruled China Masters 2011. 

Not forgetting, it was Koo and Tan's birthday on the finals day, but Yong Dae and Jae Sung defeated them early enough for them to not get their birthday presents. :P 

Badminton World Championship 2011 Draw Ceremony. My first live badminton draw. It was at the hotel I became familiar with after spending days there with Tank and Power Station for the New Year countdown. 

College Graduation. I'm officially a Diploma holder. Since August 2011. I scored A for my internship report, and another A for my Thesis on Press Freedom. Perfect end to my dramatic college days.

Helping Thailand Flood Victims. Second warmth sent out this year. The flood was so bad I got so worried because Thailand's one of the places I've yet to visit and also because I was concerned about my friends the people I like in Thailand. Su su Thailand(Go, Thailand)! 

Fifth Year Anniversary at Badzine. After being spotted and recruited into the team at 15 in 2006, I had my fifth year anniversary as part of Badzine on November 26th. Oh how much I've learnt, grown, experienced and known. All my love and gratitude for the whole team especially my bosses, editors and colleagues I've been working with closely. xoxo♥ 

Visiting Korea for the second time. I'm still in the process of updating my travelling diary. Everything will be recorded in their special entries so I guess I should cut this part short. One thing is, I still love it the same and I'm still missing everything there right now! :s

Lover-less at the very romantic Nami Island, South Korea.

So, 2011's been good on me. It ended with lots of events to be remembered and went by without being too much of a tough year. 2011, thank you for being with me for the one and only time in my life. Thank you.

I have no new year resolutions because for me, they'll all vanish into thin air once I've revealed them. So we'll wait until I've achieved something before we do the talking. ;)

Happy New Year. May 2012 be a blessed year. Stay happy and healthy! ♥ ♥ ♥


P.S
How's 2011 been to you? Your turn to share your 2011 stories^^.
And thank you for making it all the way here with this looooooong entry.
I talk too much. But it's the final entry, after all. :D