2021 is coming to an end soon. Man, feel like just not long ago I've only reflected on year 2020. 2020 was a pandemic year, and to summarize year 2021 in one word it would be
VACCINATION
At the start of the year, COVID-19 vaccine had been released. Singapore also started the vaccination process to the front liners and elderly first. The vaccination progress in Singapore was quite efficient. Before mid 2021 the age range after 40s already can go for the vaccination. By that time Malaysia was still stuck at elderly age. Due to this positive progress, I thought at the second half of 2021 we would have the chance to go back Malaysia. By right it should have be, but this COVID-19 is just like Frieza keep unveiling its next form (variant) when you thought you got the upper hand.
When everything looks to be getting better during mid 2021, a report came out saying there is a new stronger spread variant called Delta. Unfortunately Singapore also got the Delta variant case and the infected case rise up again. Due to that, Singapore gov announced go back to Phase 2 heightened alert and tightened some rules like unvaccinated people cannot dine in, even vaccinated only allowed 2 people dine in. Because of these rules, this year around 80% of the time I have been working from home. At the end of 2021 Singapore and Malaysia finally announced a wonderful news. Starting from 29th November, people can travel to Malaysia and Singapore thru the designated Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flight without having to serve any quarantine. That's the news we have been waiting for the whole year!!!
I was so excited to know about the news and quickly look for the designated VTL flight and started planning for next year CNY. Even though the air ticket is not cheap plus there are a few more procedure to follow but hey! We finally can go back for CNY new year!! While we are looking forward for next year CNY, a new variant had been found out in South Africa. This new variant - Omicron is reported to have a strong spread, even stronger than Delta variant. When I saw this news, the mood dropped again and worry for the worst case which is the government announced VTL to be revoked. We can only pray that this Omicron variant don't spread to Singapore. However the inevitable still happened. Recently there is rise in Omicron cases furthermore some of it are local case. Due to that the government has halt all VTL ticket sale from 23rd Dec 2021 till 20th Jan 2022. Even though those who have bought the ticket earlier still can proceed with the flight, but I still worry that if the case still keep on rising they may revoke the VTL. Now I can only hope that it won't come till that stage.
Other than COVID-19, there is a few changes for me in this year. First one would be I've switched company again! This time I've joined a big Japan MNC. I never thought I could join the company but I'm really glad they hired me. Hopefully this would be the next stage in my career. Another big change is that I finally gonna move to a new place. I have been renting this room for 6 years, the landlady has always been nice to me. However ever since the pandemic started and I mostly working from home there are more and more conflict happened. Due to that I've decided to find a studio condo or 1 room apartment to rent and I gonna move to the new place on the first day of 2022 ^^
To continue the habit of reading since last year, early 2021 I've bought Barack Obama's new book - A Promised Land and target to finish it by mid year. However after reading a few chapters I realized this book is not suitable for me. As I don't follow the US politics, a lot of the politician names or policies mentioned in the book I don't really know them, so it's quite hard for me to follow. Due to that I rarely read it, till now I only reached mid book. In the mean time, I still read other books like Sir Alex Ferguson autobiography (re-read the book) and 2 Japanese novels - カカシ烈伝、ナルト烈伝.
For health wise, ever since I stopped going F45 in January I never go to any F45 studio again until last mid November for 1 month. Part of the reason is due to Singapore's heightened alert, the fitness studio keep on and off, and many rules were implemented. So it's hard to sign up for one especially if non yet vaccinated. Also maybe because I didn't control my eating, I've gained weight this year 😭At the start of 2021 I was around 72kg, that time I still target to lose at least till 70kg. However now my weight is around 75kg! The pants which I bought in January, now it's very tight to wear... Damn! I can't let's this keep happening. I've set myself a target when I moved to the new place, I must prepare my own healthy meal and target to drop at least 2 kg before CNY!
Throughout the whole year I was mostly staying at home even during weekends due to the restriction. So I've set myself some task to do - writing blog posts about my past travel experience in Japan. So far I've wrote until my Japan trip in 2018. It was quite fun writing the travel blog posts as I will look back all the photos I took during the trip and re-live that trip again especially in the year which we can't go out travel. I'm not sure is there anyone reading the blog post, but I will still continue to write it until my last Japan trip in 2020. Japan travel blog posts.
Lastly, relationship wise, I'm still single. Mainly because I never put in any effort to find one. Always giving myself excuses like can't date a girl yet because of the dine in restrictions, busy with works or interview, busy finding new place to rent and packing my stuff to move. I wonder after I move into the 1 room apartment where I have the whole place on my own, will I put in more effort to find one? Well, early this year my friend's wife wanna pair me up with her ex-colleague. We did chat and went out a few times, I even thought maybe can give a chance to try. Too bad, probably I'm not what the girl is looking for, so our chat only lasted for a month plus. Next year gonna be 32 already, I really need to act up if not nothing gonna change as well.
Right now my only hope for next year is to be able go back home for CNY without any quarantine. Let's hope 2022 will be a better year where the covid situation will get better, and everyone can start traveling without worrying anymore.
See ya, 2021! 2022, please be nice with us ^^
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