New Year, new stuffs?

I am killing two birds with one stone in this post. I have not posted the pictures of Sento Palace in autumn as promised, so I would do so now. And interspersed between the pictures would be my ramblings about my time at home and how I ushered in the new year.



So how did you guys celebrated the New Year? Mine was a lazy celebration back home. My sister's place has a great view of the city and I saw the fireworks displays from all over. I was with my family that day and that was enough celebration for me.



If I were to describe my holiday back home in just one phrase, it would be "lazy pigging". Honestly, I was just glad to be back home and pigging out on all the good food I had missed while I am here. Spoiling my nephews. Catching up with my friends. Walking around familiar places. Good times.



I remembered one day, in my hometown, when I was obsessed with photographing the dragonflies flying around in my garden. My nephew was with me and he was equally fascinated with them as I was. My sister, his mother, was also trying out her new camera, so there we were, three people, armed with cameras, stalking the field in front of our house in search for the National Geographic picture. We were quite a sight. Of course I came back with insect bites all over because I was stupid enough to wear shorts. But it was worth it.



What will this New Year bring? I know for sure that it will bring me the final chapter of the Harry Potter series. (Who wanna bet that it will be Harry that dies in this book?) I would also have the chance to go to the summer sonic festival again. And there will be another round of spring and autumn, another round of festivals in which we can have fun. Another chance to go on a holiday and most importantly, another chance to go home.



However, this year would also be bittersweet. Some of my friends will be going away, eiher back home or moving on. And I will miss them. I will be here for another three more years and I know that my last year here will be the most difficult, not only because I have to finish my thesis but also because I would be alone.



"That is life" is what most people would say. And it is true because life is not always about roses and candies but also thorns and salt. We have to make the best of it because I refuse to think about the alternative. Do not dwell on what could have been but what you could be.



"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep" - Thoreau. God, I wish I could write like that, but I couldn't, so the best I could do is quote.



Happy New Year!

For more Sento Palace pictures, please click here.