The New Year's Expectations

There's only a few more hours left of 2017. I don't remember the last time I was at home during New Years Eve. I sit on the sofa, the TV is on with a live broadcast of the Sydney Harbour countdown. Dad is on his laptop and mom is on her iPad. My attention drifts between what's on the TV, what's on my Kindle and this situation. I try to remember the last time I was at home on the 31st of December; it has to be at least 20 years.

Dad is grumbling about Cockatoo Island, I can see mom has tuned out to his rant. I too. I think about the year that passed and my expectations vs what was actually realised. Resolutions vs Expectations; is there a difference? Both, can be measured, both can be managed.

Tim Ferriss uses an exercise to break down the year into the activities and events that accounted for either: 1) peak positive emotional states, or 2) peak negative emotional states. I come up with the following buckets

Positive:

• Work
• Further Education - Masters
• Travel
• Family
• Relationships
• Yoga

Negative:

• Further Education - Masters
• Relationships

Ideally, 2018 should have more yoga/meditation, be more present and a lot more selfish. The next twelve month should have less social media, less over-thinking and less aloofness. Or maybe, just none of the above ...

"Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone; You know there's seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong; and there ain't nothing like the kisses; From a jaded Chinese Princess; I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long" - Cold Chisel

Xmas 2017

Third Christmas that I've now been back for. It's insane that I went through a phase where in the past, I had "better things to do" during this time of the year. Although to be fair, the return trip to Sydney was fairly cost prohibitive in my younger years.

This year's Christmas would be a little different. For years, and I mean years. Christmas has always been held in the Southern Sydney Suburb of Blakehurst. This year, however the aunt that usually hosts the Christmas event had serious operation. Fortunately, another aunt picked up the baton and Christmas Eve festivities would take place in Menai. Christmas Eve always has two fundamental rules: Mountains (seriously) of food and the countdown to midnight, followed by unwrapping of presents.

Currently reading: "Radical Acceptance" - Tara Brach

Careening through the darkness

Hypothetically speaking, if I had this blog in University or high school, what would I have written about? Exams, hanging out in front of arcades, girls, getting my license, underage alcohol consumption, sports tryouts? I fantasize about the content, in my head it doesn't make for good reading. Things felt a lot simpler back then, it was really only one external pressure. Graduate and find a job. At least that's what it felt like back then.

It's the first weekend since the end of the semester. School, has taken over my life and inevitably, taken over this blog. So when school finishes and you have the ability to reclaim your life and go out for a 'big night'.

Big night indeed. I've woken up on my sofa with: a 2K bill, a black eye and my concierge telling me that he found me sleeping outside the apartment building security door.

It's the first time I've not remembered a chunk of the night. It's also the first time I've googled "How to tell if you've been roofied". This is a stark reminder as to why I started a masters.

End of Fall Semester: Student Life

I sit here on my sofa with a relatively clear mind; I feel so liberated and free. It's the first time in over a month. Final exams are done and the fall semester comes to a conclusion. Hopefully, it also means that one of the most intense three month passages in my life follows suit. My brain, feels like it's had a lobotomy, or as if somebody has pulled it out of my skull and tried to wrung out all the knowledge.

It will be interesting to see what happens. One paper was so hard, I wouldn't be surprised if I failed that subject. The other, I'm quietly confident. Although, it will be interesting to see how Hong Kong style grading works. I suspect a 50/100 doesn't necessarily equate to a "Pass" mark.

So, what were the highlights? Well, I actually found the course work interesting, however the volume, variety, velocity and veracity were slight overwhelming (that's a data mining joke). It's fascinating being in a predominantly mainland Chinese class. They work incredibly hard and have a ferocious capacity to study. It's also an adjustment to understand where these kids come from.

One of the 22 year old students, describes his ambition, he would love to get a job that pays even 10K HKD a month and stay in Hong Kong. He talks about excitement about a 300 RMB keyboard prize and how he shares a flat with 4 other students. He describes his living conditions, he sleeps in the living room and uses his suitcase as a desk for the purposes of studying.

Another Korean kid lives in an 3 bedroom apartment, for less than 8000 HKD a month, the catch? He has to house sit 5 cats "They shit and piss everywhere, it's a nightmare during exam time".

Then there's me ...

"Almost anything will work again if you unplug it" - Anne Lamott