I can hardly believe that 2011 is ending! Hold your horses though, because I intend to make good use of the last day of 2011.
Year 2011 is a year full of ups and downs, personally, locally and internationally.
For me, I graduated with a Diploma with Merit and an award for the Kingsmen Creatives Prize. That was the glory of my life, my pride and joy. I was at the top of the world. Then, came the task of choosing a University. I fretted over whether I am good enough to enter a local University and thought that I lost my chance. In the end, I chose NUS and am planning to major in Geography.
I wouldn't say that 2011 is good to me because it isn't. The year seems to hover between good and bad, besides, I am not entirely pleased with myself and the way things are heading. Indeed, I would say that the earlier half of the year was so much better than the later half.
If there is one regret I have for 2011, it is that I failed to fulfil my goal and dream of going to USA. All these years, I worked so hard and am going to reward myself with a bang but yet, it failed to materialise. That goal is still standing. I can only hope that I can fulfil it sooner not later.
In Singapore, this is nerve-wracking year. Toes are trod-on and fingers are pointed at. We witnessed the watershed General Election and Presidential Election. I finally realised that Singapore is not what I thought it to be. I thought that people will be more grateful and thankful for we have, alas, that was not the case. People, especially, the younger generation, have grown contemptuous and cynical. They have grown "fat" from all the coddling and protection.
2011 is a year full of disasters that one can almost say it's a disastrous year. Not only are there earthquakes, floods and tsunamis with thousands of lives lost, there is also the financial crisis that sent countries into debt and the stock markets a-tumbling. The powerhouses of the world are not so powerful after all.
The technological world lost a visionary, Steve Jobs, who redefines technology. The world, too, lost dictators such as Gaddafi and Kim Jong Il.
All in all, it's been a roller-coaster ride of a year. However, I will still miss it simply because the year is gone. The new year ahead seems daunting and tough, for the world economy and for myself. Not to mention, the supposedly end-of-the-world will arrive. I will be entering into my second semester of studies and I have to grit my teeth to bear with it.
For all the pessimism I show, I still have hopes that 2012 will be wonderful as it can be. Besides, the year 2012 is made better already with the thoughts of Sherlock season 2 in January and The Hobbit in December starring both Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in both shows. Oh, it's Christmas!
This holiday, I am in love. It's not very often I find myself in love with something. Perhaps, rather than calling it love, I should called it 'passion' or a worse word, 'obsession'.
I love Harry Potter (the book series and the movies), Lord of the Rings (the book series and the movies), Twilight (the book series, not so much the movies), and a couple of less epic book series and movies.
Fanfiction has play an important role all these years, I started out with good old Harry Potter fics of course. After which, I branched out. I must count my good fortune that I am exposed to so many wonderful and inspiring fanfiction. It kind of binds the world together, don't you think? All these great writers, not professionals, but still manage to spellbind so many readers, drawing in reviews, be it good or bad.
My latest "obsession" is Sherlock from BBC One. The British really does amazing films. In this area, I would like to bring out the phrase, "quality not quantity". The mini series consists of only three 90-minutes episodes, but it has already won the BAFTA Awards that very year it came out. The series is critically-acclaimed and at the same time, well-received by the general public. There is always a line between what critics like and what the public like but it looks like Sherlock struck gold.
I know that it was released in England in August 2010 but I got wind of it only in the early months of this year.
Indeed, just after the first episode, I can't help but to get drawn into the 21st century reboot of the beloved series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock is so witty and sarcastic, filled with British humour. It is ingenious, cleverly executed and a fast-paced, intelligent and fun series. Sherlock is like a breath of fresh air and it actually allows the viewer to think things through. I often find myself rewinding to truly understand the deductions. I enjoyed it tremendously.
What adds fuel to the fire is the fact that the Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are played by two good-looking, British actors namely, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Supporting cast are up on par as well. I guess this is where the main appeal lies.
Audience do appreciate good-lookers in films, I can firmly attested to that. Of course, that doesn't mean I only watch shows with good-looking guys but it does affect one's decision, doesn't it?
I quickly moved on to the world of BBC!Sherlock fanfiction and found out just how big this fandom truly is. It has only been slightly more than a year old!
With series 2 coming up in the January 2012, the BBC!Sherlock fandom looks set to expand and grow to new heights. While I am excited over the prospect of the new series, I am thrilled by the thought of new fanfics that will be inspired by the new season. I simply cannot wait for the new and existing authors to contribute and share their work with the rest of the fandom.
Let it not be said that viewers these days only appreciate the TV adaptations and fanon writings. I read a wide spectrum of works, ranging from literary writings to novels to amatuers' fanfiction.
I do take the steps to read up on the history of the original author and the book series.I have done it for Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Not only did I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I also dabbled in Tolkien's other works such as The Silmarillion and previously unpublished commentary in The History of Middle Earth. I was 14 going on 15 at that time.
For Harry Potter, other than the the 7 books, I too read literary, analytical works such as Looking for God in Harry Potter and The End of Harry Potter.
As for my new interest in Sherlock Holmes, well, for the first time, I picked up Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work. It's certainly baffling why I didn't have the interest in it when I was younger. The thought of reading this worldwide renowned series never did cross my mind. Perhaps, it's because I was never into the mystery and crime genre.
As I grow older, the time I can devote myself to novels and books lessen. These days, I mostly read fanfiction on the Internet.
There's so much to update before the year comes to an end. Hopefully, my muse will allow me to write in this last few days.
I'd received my grades for Semester 1 and I must say, thank god for small miracles! For Social Work, I got an A-, the best grade I've received so far. The others are just B-, B and B+. It's alright though, because there's nothing wrong with being average, particularly in these trying times.
I have come to realise that I should lower my expectations in this part of my academic life and it doesn't help that University isn't really my cup of tea. Oh well, like I said, I am fine as long as I do not fall below the B- mark. That is one big no-no for me.
My brains is becoming mush after the sudden switch in activities. For a couple of weeks, I was preparing exams like crazy, using lots of mind power and then, when the exams ended, it was like the button inside my head was in a switch-off mode.
Of course, I took fully advantage in "wasting" my time because when else will I get the chance?
I realised I have been neglecting my blog this year and I am not exactly satisfied with myself and the way everything is going. Sigh, maybe I am just not in the mood for anything. Maybe, I am jaded about Life in general. Seriously, even Christmas seems "off" this year. I can't really feel any excitement or the spirit I have been looking forward to. Maybe, I am getting old.
Another year is about to come to a close and like every past year, I will lament the ending and am not looking forward to another new year. Why must all the good holidays happen within a couple of months? It makes the rest of the year so drab and dull.
My finals are finally over on Monday, 28th November and I'm planning to enjoy my one month holiday fully.
The past two weeks have been, for a lack of better word, tough. I've never feel so incompetent and not confident before. But the exams, like anything, came and went. And I can only hope that I did alright. I mean, the exams did feel alright.
I am kind of apologetic for all the grouses I made during the study week and more. I guessed I must have drove my family bonkers. Oh well, like I told them, they will have to endure for another 2 and a half years.
University is no joke and I am not amused. With the end of semester 1, I can say that I just have the worst time in my entire academic life. It has been awful and miserable.
I have chosen geography as my major. Let's hope that there will be no regrets. To have some interest in it is a good right, non?
