an updated bucket list + an award

this has been the craziest month ever. apart from the piano lessons, the french lessons and get-togethers, i have been able to cross off some of my items from my bucket list which i wrote in january.

* write more letters to john - needs more work!
* sleep earlier, as in, be asleep by 11 pm - i don't think this will ever happen
* drink more water
* make a quilt
* take less taxi cabs
* spend less, save more - BAH. but i have started saving! yay me. it's just the spending.
* practice piano an hour each day
* go to france in may 2009. this is an absolute must. (anyone want to join me?) YEAH BABY!
* cook something off of Nigella's/Jaime's/Ina's cookbooks
* make something from the zakka book - i will be taking the japanese dress class at the workroom...it kinda counts...harhar.
* sew a top or dress that is not obviously homemade
* order something different from the menu
* go clubbing. just once. - or more than once. hehe.
* read wuthering heights.
* finish reading the books i have started reading ages ago: 1984, life is illuminated, the alchemist, le petit prince
* write in my journal in a real parisien cafe a la sabrina (julia ormond) HECK YES. hardeeharhar.
* drink coffee in a real parisien cafe - DOUBLE STRIKETHROUGH. haha.
* smile and laugh more - especially at myself :)
* go to church more than once a week - this needs more work
* learn japanese/german
* go to germany and japan
* learn how to play yiruma's "river flows in you"
* make a speech in front of people without feeling so nervous - well i was nervous, but i spoke in front of 150 people for 15 minutes!
* take a public speaking course - i will do this in the fall!
* explore Canada more
* thanksgiving (US) in new york and watch macy's thanksgiving parade - hopefully this november!
* new year's eve in times square

a few things i would like to add:
* perform at a piano recital
* do more public speaking
* go to austria (the land of marie antoinette!)
* learn how to swim
* pay off my credit card

and that is all for now...i like how i am able to check off things from my list. they're very simple. but it makes you feel good.

ALSO, i would also like to say that i have been given this cute little award by melissa, who has the sweetest blog ever.

thank you, melissa! you're so sweet!

now here are the rules:
1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered: (some are a mixture of my favorite reads) anabela (siiigghh), antoinette (amazing sewing skills), celine (i am in love with everything in her flickr page!), casey, dozi, leslie, jen gotch, karyn (will always be in my list of awardees. harhar), casey, danni, sharilyn, rashida, ayumi, jen, keiko
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

have a great day everyone!

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365 photo project + a bucket list for 2010 + 1/365

1/365 - from john - a shinzi katoh lunch container, in my attempts to save money and pack lunches to work.

i'm back to work! the trains are full again and it's nice to be of use and working. hehe. eating late, sleeping late and waking up late was nice, but the i-slept-too-much headaches were quite frequent over the holiday break. it was a lovely break though, which included:

• at least 10 movies (dvds and cinema - i am all movied out) - sherlock holmes and up in the air were awesome. i was crying even after seven pounds was done
• bowling
• hakka food for the first time
• the AGO
• christmas parties
• IKEA breakfast and dinner (50 cent hotdogs!)
• lots of hot chocolate
• lots of japaleno havarti and grapes

being a lover of lists and bullet points, i have decided to do another bucket list to welcome 2010. it won't be as long as my previous list as there are lots that need to be carried over from the last year! and here they are:

• travel to one of these countries this year: austria, france (yes, again!), japan, philippines
• try something different from the menu. like, udon noodles instead of my usual bento box.
• go to a wine bar
• complete the 365 photo project (you can also find the link on the left side of my blog), as inspired by jona, karyn and anabela. i also signed up for a photoblog.
• buy a camera bag to help complete the 365 photo project
• learn to skate
• go to church more often
• pay off most of my credit card
• make something and sell it
• take a drawing course
• really celebrate my birthday (i'll be a quarter of a century old!)
• take care of this blog. i'm not really good at replying to comments and updating. i shall improve on that. (but i finally changed the blog around and i am very pleased with it. i also updated my blogroll and added a few things on the sidebar.)
• smile more, complain less
• drink more water, lessen aspartame intake
• write more letters
• get abs. not gross abs. but womanly abs. hehe.
• save up for world youth day 2011, in madrid!

for those back to work, i hope there's still lots of holiday cheer leftover.
have a good week everyone!

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resolutions or bucket list: a list of things i should do before the end of 2009 or before i kick the bucket. whichever comes first.

that is by far, the longest title i've ever had

* write more letters to john
* sleep earlier, as in, be asleep by 11 pm
* drink more water
* make a quilt
* take less taxi cabs
* spend less, save more
* practice piano an hour each day
* go to france in may 2009. this is an absolute must. (anyone want to join me?)
* cook something off of Nigella's/Jaime's/Ina's cookbooks
* make something from the zakka book
* sew a top or dress that is not obviously homemade
* order something different from the menu
* go clubbing. just once.
* be a better, more generous friend, daughter, sister and girlfriend
* read wuthering heights.
* finish reading the books i have started reading ages ago: 1984, life is illuminated, the alchemist, le petit prince
* write in my journal in a real parisien cafe a la sabrina (julia ormond)
* drink coffee in a real parisien cafe
* smile and laugh more
* go to church more than once a week
* learn japanese/german
* go to germany and japan
* learn how to play yiruma's "river flows in you"
* make a speech in front of people without feeling so nervous
* take a public speaking course
* explore Canada more
* thanksgiving (US) in new york and watch macy's thanksgiving parade
* new year's eve in times square

sigh. i have paris in my mind right now. there are nights when i can't sleep because i just think about it and dream up a dozen itineraries. i want to go so badly. i really hope that everything works out.

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