Author: absolutwillie

  • reviewing '09

    in the spirit of remembering and reviewing the past year, i’m revisiting my post “reviewing 08” to see what’s up:

    1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
    I proposed marriage.

    2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
    yup – celebrated 2 years of sobriety and reached my goal weight.
    for 2010 i’ve resolved to wait for Peter.

    3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
    Nadia and Etienne were blessed with a bundle of joy!

    4. Did anyone close to you die?
    yes.

    5. What countries did you visit? 
    Hong Kong (Taiwan and SA)

    6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? 
    certainty, where certainty is possible.

    7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
    Christmas Eve… Peter and i separated.

    8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 
    making it to the 2 years of sobriety mark none the less.

    9. What was your biggest failure?
    loosing my cool when faced with infidelity.

    10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    some epileptic fits, but nothing significant.

    11. What was the best thing you bought? 
    our air tickets to SA.

    12. Whose behavior merited celebration? 
    still my Mom!

    13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
    unfortunately this answer is already way too clear.

    14. Where did most of your money go? 
    debt

    15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
    Peter

    16. What song will always remind you of 2009? 
    Lady GaGa’s “Bad Romance”

    17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer? 
    a) sadder
    b) thinner
    c) richer

    18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    holding his hand.

    19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    worrying

    20. How did you spend Christmas? 
    took the high speed rail to Taipei to visit Simon and Mathilda.

    21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
    with Peter – over and over again – even after the disaster.

    22. What was your favorite TV program? 
    Project Runway, while we had TV.

    23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 
    no.

    24. What was the best book you read? 
    Lamb: the Gospel according to Biff, Christ’s childhood pal.

    25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    that singing like Barbara Streisand is a great way to work through my emotions.

    26. What did you want and get? 
    a job that kept me in Taiwan.

    27. What did you want and not get?
    commitment

    28. What was your favorite film of this year?
    i really loved “Were the world mine”

    29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 
    Peter took me to a western-style pasta restaurant for dinner on my 31st birthday.

    30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 
    hearing a certain someone say “I do”

    31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
    plaid

    32. What kept you sane? 
    my relationship with God

    33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 
    missed that bus completely

    34. What political issue stirred you the most? 
    state-sponsored homophobia in Africa

    35. Who did you miss? 
    my sister… still…

    36. Who was the best new person you met?
    Laura Moroni, my replacement at TFC.

    37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
    when you’re about to loose your cool – pray!

    38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
    “I want your everything…”

  • the way to remember 2009

    DJ Earworm – United State of Pop 2009 (Blame It on the Pop) – Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits

  • *wave*

    right okay hello, hi.
    so it’s 2010
    and I forgot that my last post (29 Dec) was also on the eve of the second anniversary of my life without alcohol.

    honestly, it’s all a bit “woopdedoo” to me, right now.

    ugh… this is miserable.

    will post something nice next time.

  • photos: Christmas in Taipei

    Simon an Mathilda – my gracious hosts!
    Simon cooked Christmas Dinner
    Taiwanese drumming family playing West African beats!
    @26th Anniversary of the Taipei Fine Arts Museum
    puffy cheeks make tuba players squee-worthy
    hip-hoppers bopping to Christmas beats
    the oldest street in Taipei
    with the silhouette artist who had me dancing
    dancing a jig, for an old man humming an SA tune, in the oldest street in Taipei.
  • and sometimes you have to let go…

    it is a hard lesson to learn; but it seems that sometimes love just isn’t enough. after everything, Peter ended our relationship last night.

    although it is the most powerful force accessible to mankind – mankind is not always capable of allowing Love to transform it.
    we create conditions and sub-clauses – to such an extent that we only see what we created. sometimes we end up forgetting that we created our cages – and start believing that’s all there is.

    trying to live outside my own cage, and in the Light of Love, is challenging… but trying to free someone else is next to impossible.

    Jesus did that, though, and He offers that freedom to anybody who wants it.

    that’s what Christmas is about.
    that’s what Love is about.

    may you find some comfort here.

    Merry Christmas.

    Posted by ShoZu

  • good news!

    apparently there is a new kind of treatment the doctors want to try on Leon.
    the chances of success are extremely low – but not zero.
    and that’s better than waiting to die.

  • quick update

    one week till Christmas (Yay!!!)
    cold, cold, cold!
    earthquake last night measured 6.4 at it’s epicenter… apparently it only felt like a “2” here in Kaohsiung City. rattled me up good.
    four day workweek coming up
    headed to Taipei for Christmas day
    missing my family
    did i mention how cold it is?
    just heard that Leon is extremely weak and thin…

  • prayer request

    i know this isn’t really what anyone wants to read so close to the festive season, but if you have the inclination, please spare a thought or two:
    for my old friend Leon, who has lost the battle against cancer and can now only wait…
    for Love to grow and heal where me and Peter so desperately need it, and
    for our friends and families that have their own journeying and healing to go through.

    and remember – live life fully and live life now.
    tomorrow… well, tomorrow is not a promise we can keep.