Bidding Farewell to 2008

I came across this interesting piece of news in The New Straits Times yesterday (December 30, 2008, p 33) of how some enterprising organizers in New York hit upon a novel idea of bidding ‘good riddance’ to bad 2008 memories. New Yorkers were invited to bring their bad memories to Times Square on Sunday and feed them to an industrial-strength shredder. And so this article went on to talk about a Yankees fan Kate Anello of New York City who shredded a poster of the Boston Red Sox, the New York baseball team’s archrival. Another New Yorker, Kathryn Bonn shredded a printout of her boyfriend’s “Dear John” email. Others wanted to destroy bad grades, bad health, and bad financial news. Some wrote “the stock market” or “cancer” on a piece of paper and shredded it, while others shredded bags of actual bank statements and check stubs. It is said that “this is the perfect way to move on from a bad year, from a bad experience”. A fascinating concept that the organizers themselves are hoping it will become a New Year’s tradition. Maybe we should start something like this at HICT too? Well, any takers anybody?

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Liverpool is still making the news because they continue to bask in glory after the Merseysiders ended 2008 as Premier League leaders! I loved this quote from Liverpool assistant manager, Sammy Lee: “This is a very strong, determined and focused bunch of players and they have a real belief. It’s not arrogance but we’re prepared to succeed and not prepared to fail”. Go for it, Liverpool!

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And so, this is my last entry for 2008 - I am blogging. I am making speeches. I am enjoying work. I am alive! There's a sense of deja vu because it has been a good year for me, and here's to knowing 2009 will be another bountiful year. So, A Happy New Year everybody and may you work towards making all your resolutions become a reality... Hopefully, it shall not be those New Year resolutions that go in one year and out the other!