2009: A YEARLY REVIEW

Every end of the year, bloggers would reflect on the passing year and highlight their favourite moments of the year. I can't fly and I don't have super powers, hence, like other bloggers, I jump on this egoistic wagon too, for what good is a blog if you can't write whatever you want without caring what other people think, once in a while?

I cried a lot this year.

I cried when Susan Boyle first sang on stage and wowed everyone including Simon Cowell.

I cried when I watched the four-minute montage of Carl and Ellie (from Pixar's animated movie UP) getting married and growing old together.

I balled my eyes out when I was watching 99 balloons, the heart-breaking video made by a couple showing their short 99 days with their baby (I'm already tearing up now) who succumbed to Trisomy 18.

I cried when Yasmin Ahmad died of a stroke in July and in the car when I heard this lovely song Pergi on the radio; the song was showcased in one of Yasmin's last works Talentime.

There are also a lot of other occasions where tears were the only consolation to the soul but who can dwell only on sadness all year long? There had to moments were this little ol' blogger was excited, happy and so darn proud of someone or something, right?

Of course, there are. One of which was the 15Malaysia project which features Pete Teo's efforts in showcasing the works of talented Malaysian film makers and taking them onto the world stage. Stories like Meter featuring Khairy Jamaluddin and the always humorous (and bloody talented) Baki Zainal, Halal featuring Adibah Noor and Man in Chicken Suit, and Potong Saga featuring Namewee who also just recently caused a media frenzy when he posted a video online showing him giving TNB Muar a piece of his mind in the middle of a blackout back in his hometown. He should visit Tawau sometimes, I'm sure the citizens there would welcome him on a red carpet. with flowers. and a live band.

News from home: there was my uncle Soo Wei who participated and came in runner up in the Astro's Classic Golden Melodies Singing competition 2009. When he reached the semifinals, my daughter Eva C, came along. And just in time for me to be reunited with a long lost Aunt of mine who is all the way in Canada now through the powers of the Internet.

Speaking of which, there were plenty going on in Malaysian news as well, things like the change in teaching medium from English back to Malay. Being an opinionated loud-mouth, you can be sure I said something about it. They went ahead and switch it anyways, if you didn't already know. Apart from that, there is the MCA issue ending in a half-hearted unity plan and no end in sight. Plus, the MACC vs Teoh Beng Hock saga, the billion-dollar Port Klang Free Zone issue which ended(?) in the arrest of several project directors. Sigh.. I wonder how many other corruption stories are left to be unearthed.

Speaking of money, one of biggest consequences from the 2009 budget was the credit card tax of RM50 to be charged for every card and for every year used. It wasn't just me who said something about it, sharing some of the same sentiments as HHTan's. LTM, Karl Heinz, KFSee, Cheng Poh among others like ME P.Gunasegaram also shared their opinions on the credit card issue. A noisy lot yes, but at least we said something about it and as we reach the end of the year, at least some good came of it.

Internationally, the year has also been filled with much tragedy and loss. There were many high- and low-profile deaths like those of Michael Jackson (foulplay?), David Carradine (bedroom-antics went wrong), Natasha Richardson (ski accident), Stephan Gately of Boyzone (natural death), Jane Goody, Patrick Swayze and Farah Fawcett (cancers), Brittany Murphy (stroke?), and Kim Peek (heart attack).

2009 was also the year of Barack Obama, Tiger Woods, Madoff, Chris Brown vs Rihanna, the pandemic of H1N1, a record number of police reports lodged by Malaysian politicians not to mention so many by-elections that will keep you busy until 2012.

Let's hope for a 2010 to be better but no less as interesting as 2009. Or else, what would we blog about?