Eleven

It's 1st January 2012!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Another year has gone by...we bid farewell to twenty-eleven.

Time flies fast, indeed. It was just 365 days ago that I spent the New Year's eve BBQ'ing at a colleague's house and had a short view of fireworks at the strike of midnight. This year, I had to come home a day before New Year's eve, celebrating it far away from a particular someone.

As usual, it is the time to reflect upon the things I did throughout year 2011. So much has happened; highs and lows, the good and the bad, joy and sadness but ultimately, it was a great year to look back on...

One:

I am a RESCUE DIVER!

January 2011, I spent a week in Kota Kinabalu for the EFR and Rescue Diver certification. Despite having stranded at Kuching International Airport due to an accident on the runway, it was a great week well spent with new friends from all around the world. The courses were interesting yet challenging and I logged plenty of dives too! Another step closer to become a Dive Master... *woots*

Two:

VOLUNTEERINGS with NGOs

The first volunteering project was a two months project to work on two videos for the Sarawak State Election. I was a great experience meeting with the state leaders for interviews, browsing through video footages from all around the state and learning to protect my vote during the election. The videos are on Youtube and it was a great success too!

It was Freedom Film Festival 2011. I volunteered as a videographer for the screening in KL and as a photographer for the screening in Kuching. I watched all the videos screened in the festival. Looking forward to FFF 2012!

Four days three nights in the interiors of Sarawak? YES!!!

I volunteered as a videographer for the Penan Cultural Festival in Long Nen, Baram. It was my second visit and a seven hour journey into the jungles of Sarawak. I lived with the settled Penans and had a wonderful experience living with them and learning their cultures and way of life. I definitely look forward to another visit again soon!

Photographing for Arts for Grabs: Human Rights Day with Amnesty Malaysia. My last volunteering in 2011. My new Canon 60D was put to the test. It was definitely a different feel with the new camera. I love my new camera!!!

Three:

DIRECTING

I was given the opportunity to direct a 13 episodes Arts and Craft program called 'Kraf Kraf Kreatif' which was aired on TV9. It was a 13 days shoot and a 2 months edit. There were three kids and a guest celebrity in each episode. It was a fun and exciting shoot as I was able to learn arts and crafts myself while directing the show. If given the chance, I would want to direct the show all over again!

Four:

DIVE for Earth Day 2011

It was an underwater cleanup at Payar Island, Langkawi. I called my dive buddy, Chee Wai. We buddied again. It was a small scale event with less than 10 divers but we managed to pick up lots of rubbish in just one dive. We had a leisure dive after lunch and I totally enjoy the dives even with an ulcer in my mouth and a painful ear. Looking forward for another volunteering dive soon!

Five:

Tioman Island Holidays

Lynn and I decided to go on an island vacation nearby. We paid for a 3 days 2 nights stay at Tioman Paya Resort. I did four logged dives with Fareed from Sealantis and unfortunately, I did not manage to dive at Tiger Reef due to the strong current. It was the most scariest moment I had; drowning in sea waters and being pushed far away from the boat. I swore to return and conquer Tiger Reef one day!

I came back to Tioman Island again in September for another two dives with Funny, my dive master. The first site was just amazing. It was good to be back in the water again and will definitely come back to Tioman for more dives!

Six:

CLEVER! Season 2

Clever's back again with the second season; this time it was a joint-venture with Astro. Again, I PM'ed for the project, working with three other interns to contact schools from all around the Klang Valley and casted many many kids as well. The experiments were getting more and more interesting. We tested each and everyone of them. There were late nights, last minute experiments, endless problems with the other co-workers but I'm happy to say...I will never get bored of them!!!

Seven:

HIBERNATION...

It started with Angie, Sok Peng and Fei in Kuching for a week long holiday. We had lots of food, lots of walking, caving, jump shots and best of all the Rainforest World Music Festival!

Later, I took a flight to Miri for a two day dives with Sharon and Chris and a few meetups with friends from university. It was down memory lane again. I also took a solo drive to Brunei for a one day dive with Oceanic Quest in the ship wrecks. It was awesome!

It was definitely a great hibernation after months of stressful work.

Eight:

AFC

I received a call from Shelley and she offered me a project with Asian Food Channel. I was given the opportunity to Assist Direct a reality show. It was one of the best projects I had! We spent 5 weeks in KL and Penang, working closely with the team from Singapore. We stayed in good hotels, enjoyed delicious desserts, boarded a sunset cruise, karaoke with the crews and lots more. I had the best team ever!

Nine:

I'm an AUNT!

Brendan Kuek is his name! He was born on 18th September 2011...sooooo cute and naughty little boy. I have been taking lots of pictures of him! I am a generation older now, but heck...he's my Little Dimpled Duck!

Ten:

TELEMOVIE in Kuching

Though I am not proud of this project, but it was my first job in Kuching. I was given the insight of the TV industry in Kuching and to be honest, I do not like the scene at all. It was such a pain in the ass but ultimately I learn a hell lot - the hard way. I spent two months back home, working a few days at week from home but when the shoot draws near, all hell breaks loose!

Eleven:

The $$$ well spent!

In 2011 alone, I spent so much on gadgets and dive courses and trips.

1. EFR and Rescue Diver Course - RM1100

2. Diving in Kota Kinabalu - RM500

3. Diving in Tioman Island - RM500

4. 13" MacBookPro - RM4000

5. Mares Puck Dive Watch - RM750

6. Diving in Miri - RM600

7. Diving in Brunei - RM500

8. Diving in Tioman...once more! - RM200

9. Canon 60D - RM4000

10. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro - RM550

But it was all worth every penny I spent!

GOODBYE TWENTY ELEVEN!

HELLO TWENTY TWELVE!!!

~have an awesome year ahead~