wow.. it's the end of 2008 already.. almost time to usher in a new year.. time sure flies by..

some things on my mind as the year comes to a close:

- economy is sucking...  this has affected me personally  .. and hence probable change in the new year.

- finished school for the 2nd time around (masters).. i wonder if i'll go back to university again?

- i didn't really travel much this year.. just some short trips, but i'm optimistic that will change in 2009 :)

- how to get ahead? predictability is stability, while instability is volatility, volatility is risk, no risk no reward..

- i still think about 'go big or go home' haha..

- people come and go, but i guess a person only needs a special few to be cherished by, and a few to cherish.

- be happy

happy new year everyone / whoever still reads xanga .. haha..

xanga.. i wonder if people i know still go to this site anymore haha..  it's been almost 1.5 yrs since i've typed anything into here.

funny enough, my daydream about eating cookies in the SUB from Jan 2007 did come true as i went back to UBC for a one year Masters last fall..  time flies though for I have completed the degree and 8 hours from when I finish typing this entry.. I will be starting a new job.. 

maybe i'll update in another 1.5 years..

what I kinda miss:

walking into a class 10 minutes late, falling asleep and drooling on my notes for the remaining 40 minutes, regaining consciousness up as class ends, b-sing with fellow engineering buddies as we leave class, and lastly going to blue chip at the SUB to buy myself a cookie...      

ahhh.. the good life.

i don't normally write this frequently, but am gonna do so as what I saw today is rather rare.

got into the office around 9am, said happy new year to a few people, and then talked to the nice admin assistant lady who sits beside me.  at 10 something - 11 am the admin lady is asked to go into a meeting room. by 12pm, she's cleaning her desk and packing her stuff.  2pm meeting for everyone, where due to business reasons, the group i'm in is folded and some corporate re-structuring will be occurring.  at this meeting, everyone also finds out the admin lady has been laid off (she's the only one)..  by 3pm.. she's escorted out and gone.

i pretty much saw this whole thing unfold today.  in a matter of 6 hours, a person who had given 6+ years of service to a company was suddenly fired because her services weren't needed anymore.  i was pretty amazed though, she was pretty strong, didn't evidently cry, even up to the minute she left. i think the saddest part was watching her trying to burn a cd with her personal stuff on it, while the HR lady stood beside her ready to escort her out.  normally, it's easy to burn a disc, but it musta took her 10 minutes with all the stumbling and fussle, anyone could tell she was full of emotion.

i think what made it even more unfortunate from my point of view was I knew some stuff bout her life away from work.  sometimes she'd talk about her family, special events and life's other crappier things such as bills and mortgages.  dang. and just like that, the first day after new year's, her life changes.

so this whole incident today taught / proved to me several things that before i've never experienced to such an extent:

1) business is REALLY business

2) shit happens

3) shit happens, and one should be always prepared to take the shit

4) education is valuable?  as admin assistant lady told me, like my parents and other elders always have, go to school because knowledge and understanding is power and sometimes a buffer.  i suppose perhaps that's somewhat relevant today? as no engineers were let go.

now i have to go to bed, wake up, go to work, and pretend nothing happened.  i think my office days will be a little less colourful now with the cubicle beside me empty...  goodbye and take care admin lady

so the last day of the year is here, i guess i'll write one of these year end things.

actually, i was just flipping back through my xanga, glancing over stuff from 3-4 years back. i found it almost embarassing to read; often sounded kiddy and hence immature; i suppose people unknowingly turn more worldly and wise as they grow up...funny though..  it's only been a few years ago since I was like that..

anyways, 2006 has been a pretty good year: graduated, found a job, started working, plus many other great things, of most which I can say have been pleasant and wonderful.

i think over this past year i've learned new year's resolutions don't really work, at least not for me.  there are so many variables in life, both that one can control and can't.  it's almost too hard to kinda pick a few things to change from the beginning of a year and stick/remember to them.  instead, i've been trying to adapt to situations as they arise and make mini alterations in life as I see fit. now, at the end of 2006, as i reflect back over the past 365 days, all the minor details that i've adjusted and played around with, have incrementally added up to one important phrase that i can carry into next year too  =  'live and learn', which is pretty simplistic yet practical way of looking at life

happy new year everyone, all the best in 2007.  and as cliche as this sounds; follow your goals and dreams, because sometimes they can come true ~

/ roy, i was very happy you said my name the other day, stay strong and keep it up.