Looking back 2008

A limited view from my desk.

I quit my job to give me back more of my time and to pursue interests of mine so that I can make myself happy.

A financial orgy occured, leading to all players lying in cesspools. Subprime from the US screwed the financial sector, the financial sector screwed the national economy, the world economy screwed the world.

Politically, countries looked forward to change. Malaysia denied its ruling coalition, Barisan National, its super-majority. The empty promises from Anwar had given the opposition much to mull over. Until now, the Brain has not been able to take over the reins to rule Malaysia. And the Pinkys are not dumbos. Let's watch. The Thais changed prime minister 3 times in a year. Protesters even copped a world first - taking over the Thai Suvarnabhumi Airport, crippling air traffic for a week. US voted in a Black president.

Terror-wise, the Mumbai Massacre saw Singapore lose a female lawyer in the melee. Singapore lost Mas Selamat, a head honcho with the Jemaah Islamiah, a terrorist group in South East Asia. Elsewhere, Sri Lanka and the LTTE fought to no end.

Food prices have become really expensive these days. I no longer find eating pleasurable when I have to spend so much to find pleasure. Cooking, though, is more fun and relaxing. So long as one disregards the money spent for the ingredients and the efforts required to do the pre- and post-cooking washing up.

Oil prices yoyoed and within this year, the difference between the highs and lows is more than USD 100. And we now seem to have conclusive evidence that my fats can be used as lipodiesel. Be kind to a living fuel source!

The Olympics showed the world why it could not be saved quickly when it entered recession - China squandered all the money doing the unnecessary during the Olympics. There! There are bad expenses and there are bad expenses.

Travelling has taken a back seat this year. I need to travel more and see new places.

Most importantly, I need to get rid of this pesky flu that has bugged me since the beginning of the month. I want to start 2009 on a right note.

Actually, what's there to really to look back for 2008? I really do not know. It is but a year in my life and I am not even sure if it had been the most productive of years. Still, it represents 527 040 minutes of my life. For that, I must say life has treated me well.