That's all for 2011.

Prologue: *brawk* There's something stuck in my respiratory canal somewhere near the lung. Something phlegm that I just can't get rid from my chest. It's all because of the crowded hall of DK G31 and the Islamic talk about End of the World and 2nd Coming of Christ According to Islam's POV. One thing I noticed about religious people (especially Abrahamic Religion like Islam or Christian): they just LOVE to hear people joining their fold. The righteous path, they said about their religion. Almost a feel good about yourself pep rally. Hmph.

Well, this is it. It really is. The finale before the curtain closes. The very last day of the year 2011. The day that I long dreaded has finally come. 31 December 2011 is finally here.

Here just to get you the reader into the mood of New Years Eve, here's Google Doodle of The Day.

As the year comes to a close, it seems obligatory to a point of cliche that one must produce a review, a self-audit of some sort just to check through the list on things that has been or has not been achieved for the past 365 days. So here I am, struggling to come up with one.

Have I achieved anything in the year 2011. Well of course there are a couple of personal achievement such as finally getting my (slightly delayed to be honest) research proposal approved back in the month of May followed by presenting my own paper on the same thing I am doing for my research over PPA-13 at Shah Alam organised by UiTM (which in my opinion seemingly lacklustre in something.) After the euphoria of success though...everything slows down to glacial speed. No progress in both reading and writing. Missed out the deadline for two international conference that's quite relevant to me in Forli, Italy and Canada while Barcelona, another hasty submission rejected because it wasn't entirely relevant though interesting. The only sensible thing that I did from May until now with regards to my research is finishing up the (equally long delayed) questionnaire for my research in which again I dilly-dallied until the end of year before I actually has the urgency (not a healthy way to get motivation) to conduct research screening session. Then as if fate has everything against me just to wrap up the year with a boom, AV lab speaker killed my laptop speaker (still deaf and mute at the moment) and my pilot screening session is indeed what I somewhat expected because it's the very last teaching day of this semester  before people heads back home for study week holiday. The waves of disasters has swept me unprepared leaving me in a state of limbo which I am not sure whether I am able to snap back from. Can't believe my 2011 in academia is going to end like this.

As for everything else in my life: JPA hates me. Mybrain15 hates me. Twice. Went to Langkawi under Humanities Postgraduates Club (in which I had been forced to become committee member because DepDeanPostRes spotted me in my red shirt), getting myself sunburnt and heartburn in the process which was only compensated by lots of chocolate, a couple of visitors, a couple of new lunch mates (Esther and Vicky, fellow postgrads mate in which there are plenty of photos in my camera which I have not uploaded yet.) while the SISTAHood somewhat drifted off because everyone in the Penang chapter has a career and a companion...while I don't have one. MPPUSM and DPPUSM is a sorry excuse of a platform to voice up students' right. Challenging (my own or others) paradigm is hard simply because Malaysian (especially students which I learnt the hard way) are usually lacking in mental faculty to have a proper debate and arguing on Facebook is indeed pointless. Especially if it's about religion. (Because I am a fucking Kafir/Heathens, that's why.) Went to a few religious talk which gave me headache and heartache but luckily still very much an unrepentant atheist/Humanist. What else do I miss?

After so much drama especially as the year coming to an end, it can only be sums up by this statement:

I might have overestimated my own optimism.

...which is ironic considering that I am certainly not the most optimistic of a person and even then reality has denied me whatever little optimism that I have left in me. I've seen myself growing more cynical, pessimistic and tired as the time gone by. Have I really achieved that little wish that I always make the beginning of the year that is making myself happier? Or is it to abstract of a achievement to start of with anyway? What makes me happy? I just don't know. The only question that I have in my mind right now: has the year really have to end like this?

It's only noon as I posted this but I know as clock slowly ticking towards 12 midnight and crowds of revelers comes to together at shopping malls and public places to count down, I will be sitting in my room as usual, looking my (deaf and mute) laptop wearily as sounds of fireworks punctuates the sky. With that, I might just type a usual Happy New Year on 1 January post just to kick start the year. What should I wish for this year anyway.

-Additional contents: How I treat myself well on the last day of 2011-

Initially I was thinking of going to downtown Georgetown probably have lunch over Time Square, grab myself Roti Boy and hop on CAT bus around Georgetown since it's Saturday and the very last day of 2011 and all. That plan didn't work out however because I was distracted by my laptop so much that I only went around from my room around 1pm plus, the sun is scorching hot and my patience for waiting for bus is ebbing quicker and than ever. Forfeited plan around 1:45pm and walked towards McDonald instead for a watered down plan B. Then a 303 RapidPenang bus coming down from the road. Pergh. Bus psychology indeed.

So yes, plan B. Prosperity Meal with Chicken Prosperity Burger and Prosperity McFizzy and gone large.

The highlight of McDonald's festive season's offering is obviously Twisterfries!

Chicken Prosperity Burger. Still too peppered for my liking and the patty is not properly aligned in the bread, making it kinda messy.

Dinner: Back to LK Western Cafe over Ivory Plaza. Roaring business which means longer waiting time. Oh well, at least they have wireless.

Chicken Maryland. I ordered the set meal (RM17.50) that comes with mushroom soup & garlic bread...

For the drinks I ordered Jelly Earl Grey Milk Tea which only comes when I almost finished my meal. That's how good the business were...or how lacking the waiters there. Or both.

Last but least, Ice cream. Three scoops of peppermint choc chips, Chocolate and Vanilla ice cream.

Meanwhile for my laptop, I managed to get the sound back earlier this evening in which I decided to left it on back in room as I head out for lunch. When I came back however, it become unresponsive for no apparent reason again. Cheebye. Had to restart lappie.

Anyway, less than half and hour to go before 2011 comes to an end so I guess it's alright for me to put my fat arse show my rather weary face. Or I think it's my laptop camera that makes everything look kinda bleary. I will doing yet another impromptu (OF ALL TIME, AH KOK!) side job as the sound of fireworks punctuates the sky. How are you going to spent your night tonight? How about the next morning, the very first day of 2012 and a Sunday! 

Epilogue: I should've just gone down to KL to join my younger brother who's over here in Peninsula for his post-STPM holiday with his friends. I wonder why didn't I have any friend that invites me for post-STPM holiday back then. So it is me then that's antisocial. *sigh*.