Little Things 225 : 2016 Compilation

It's the final week of 2016 !

Here is the compilation of 2016 goals achieved and failed, as I do this yearly to remind myself that some things in life matters, even how small it is and years from now, I'll remember this moment when I compile all this every final week of the year. Plus, never trust your hard drive to keep data, if you want anything permanent, go to the internet :F

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1. Read 29 books in a year.

This year I only managed to read 20 books - that includes a lot of audio books when I was working and graphic novels. So I cheated a bit :D I've been a little preoccupied with a lot of things lately.

Result : I failed ! Only 20 books instead of my 29 books goal. 

2017 Goal : 30 books :F

Note : Thank God there are a lot of new books by my favorite writers that I'm waiting to buy next year. I'll try to read more next year, InsyaAllah. 

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2. Run 365 km in a year

Yes, I managed to reach my second running goal this year! My first goal was to reach 250km, and I reached that in September. I upgraded the goal into 365km total distance afterwards and I also reached that number too.

Result : 365km, reached !

2017 Goal : Perhaps 450 km? Everyone suggested me to reduce my running activities if I'm TTC, but if I do the math and attitude right, 450km is just around 7km per week and that is still super noob and not hard-core at all - so perhaps, maybe? :F

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3. Exploration : Osaka + Kyoto

I had to postpone the Japan exploration to bring my whole family early next year as promised. The tickets were already bought in last August, the Airbnb house has been booked, InsyaAllah in February 2017 we are going on a family holiday. They are coming with Af & me for a week, and both of us will extend another week exploring together afterwards. 

Result : This year we went to Indonesia for a run and Singapore for an event.

2017 Goal : Osaka + Kyoto, a run in Indonesia again (?) and another event in Singapore (?)

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4. Be a Freelancer + Chief Designer

I have this hard-to-achieve goal that is working as a full-time freelancer, but I only managed to try it out for 6 months. The first phase was the first 3 months, and I continued until the 6th month, before a startup in Cyberjaya asked me to join them : as a Chief Designer. I followed the course of the written path because I believe in the 'flow', so I joined them *plus the pay is good, they bought me with money and big ideas :F It has been around 4 months since I worked there, we are launching soon. 

I still dream of going full-time free illustrator, but for now, I just signed a 1 year contract with them. So mayybe later, we'll see in a year?

Result : I did tried to be a freelancer for 6 months, and I am now a Chief Designer. Alhamdulillah. 

2017 Goal : Survive the daily work and 1 more year as a permanent in-house designer. I can't believe that I am still working full-time :F

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5. Ptptn
I have another RM 20,000 education loan ! Look how far I've crawled :D When I first started it was RM 38,000 and 5 years later I can see a big reduction, I paid almost half of it. Takpe, I'll pay faster after this, I'll try.

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Others personal stuffs :

Favorite song :
I'm still in love with this song by Maggie Rogers : Alaska even after I first heard it several months. It's my go-to exploration anthem, the song I always heard when I think about my undying day-dream of freedom and places far from home.

Favorite book :

Yes, I only read 20 books this year, among those 20 books, my favorite one this year is Albert Camus's The Stranger.

Favorite series :

I watched a lot of series this year thanks to iFlix ! :D 

UnReal, Younger, Grey's Anatomy, 2 Broke Girls, And there was none, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Gilmore Girls Revival, Scandal, and several more series that I only managed to watch a bit but didn't continue due to the boring first few hours. I never watched this much series, but I'm in front of the computer a lot. Every time I had to prepare stickers or do digital illustration, I turn on my iFlix. My favorite one this year : Scandal by Shonda Rhimes

Favorite song of my life :

Even though I watched Moana when I was half-asleep after we taught those 30 little kids, I remember this song clearly : How Far I'll Go by Auli'i Cravalho. This song tells exactly how I felt since I was 15, when I was still the strong-willed passionate girl that talks about travelling like it was all that matters in the world.  Of course, 30 years later I'm still here. I know I've been to many places, and I'm thankful for that, but you have no idea how even after all these year, the fire is still there calling me to just let go all things permanent and walk away. I have her heart, we wore the same explorer's patch :D But not voyagers - I hate water.  

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Big note : I'm reaching 30 in a week ! 

I'm expecting a lot of awesome books *even though I chose the books myself , Japanese cheese cake and new excuse to buy myself a birthday day.