I’ve been thinking about some resolutions to make and have decided that there is no point in the grand life-changing bold statements. This year, I am going for something more achievable and relevant to real life. They may be a tad silly too … but who cares?
To eat sushi using chopsticks … properly
I love the sushi bar where you order on an ipad and it arrives on a racing car, but frankly, my chopstick skills leave a little to be desired. I can just about manage to eat a makimono in one piece as the seaweed holds everything in place but anything ‘inside out’ collapses on me. I find myself squirming in my seat, looking around furtively to check if anybody is watching, before picking it up with my fingers and hoping that nobody notices. Meanwhile, fellow diners manage to nonchalantly twiddle the chopsticks without really looking, manipulating the sushi into bite-size chunks and looking much more elegant in doing so. I may have to enlist the help of my Japanese students for this one!
A literary journey around Asia
I’ve been living in Singapore since August, so it’s about time I found out a little more about the region. Having just read ‘In the Shadow of the Banyan’, set during the Khmer Rouge era in Cambodia, I am feeling inspired to take a few for imaginative journeys around Asia. My next trip will be to Malaysia with ‘The Gift of Rain’. I will keep you posted. I am however, giving myself permission to give India a wide berth as my previous book club somewhat overdid that country. Although ‘The God of Small Things’ remains one of my favourite books, I am still traumatised (at least 3 years on) by the all too realistic and gruesome details from the epic ‘Shantaram’!
To order coffee like an American
Realistically, I am not going to kick my newly developed coffee habit anytime soon. So if I’m going to drink coffee, I may as well do it properly. By the end of the year, I will no longer be requesting a ‘medium sized latte with skimmed milk’; instead phrases like ‘a double-shot espresso, non-foam, no-whip skinny venti half-caf mocha with a shot of caramel to go’ will roll off my tongue like a pro! And of course I will remember that a barista is the person who makes coffee, not a misspelled lawyer!
To build my social network outside of the workplace
I am feeling much more settled all of the time, but Singapore is a big place and it takes a real effort to break away from the comfort of socialising with work friends. Although I tried a couple of sporty ‘meet-ups’ when I first arrived, they fizzled out quickly due to the rainy season and a few logistics. So try, try and try again. This weekend I am taking a beginner’s kayaking course, with the idea of learning something new and meeting a few new people. Watch this space to find out how it goes!
A half marathon
I wasn’t going to mention this too early, but I’ve signed up for a half marathon at the end of March. Now all I have to do is get the miles under my belt. I have a great running buddy, so that should help and I’m going for my first run of 2013 bright and early tomorrow morning. There’s a 12km Zoo Run in February to look forward to first – hopefully the prospect of being chased by wild animals will shake me into action!
So that’s my five. I must also try to keep up my blogging habit to let you know how I get on!
Continental Drift 