2009: A List

Some things I’m looking forward to in 2009:

1) Watchmen

I’m not a comic fanatic, although I might have been if I’d had access to more comics when I was a kid. I did love X-Men and read other affiliates like Cable, X-Factor and Elektra whenever I could get my hands on a copy (they always seemed like rare finds to me. It never occurred to me that there were specialized stores for comics. Duh). Earlier this year I discovered Watchmen, and after reading it I now understand why it’s been hailed as the best graphic novel in existence, plotwise. The politics, the ambiguity of good and evil, playing God, the gloomy backdrop – all of it lent the most realistic air to the superhero universe that I’ve ever read. Reading Watchmen, you’ll start to think that it’s not impossible for superheroes to exist among us. Now, if only Warner could come out on tops in their battle against Fox, 03.06.09 is going to be THE day to look forward to.

2) President Barack Obama
For now he’s still the President-elect, and the afterglow of the election results are still present. But Obama will definitely bring interesting changes to the U.S. of A in 2009, for better or for worse. So far, he’s off to a good start with lauded choices of the important posts for his team, but he’s got a steep journey uphill with the recession and leftovers of the previous administration. After the horrendously poor leadership of Bush what’s-his-face for the last few years, though, the next year should be a refreshing change.

3) Employment
While we’ve been saying it since the dawn of time, the phrase “life gets harder” only really resonates when you find yourself in a survival-of-the-fittest situation. I hope to end this phase of job-hunting soon and settle down in (hopefully) a job I enjoy that pays my bills (and that Harajuku jacket I saw at Sunway today *drools*).

4) Convocation
Since I still visit campus to see Significant Other regularly, it still hasn’t really sunk in that I won’t get to see my old classmates and friends as much as I used to. I even miss the people I never really knew but saw and smiled at in classes and frequently bumped into around campus. The convo will probably be the last chance for us all to gather in one big group...the way it used to be.

5) Caribbean Blue Myvi
Refer to this post. Am still shopping around for a name for my future sweet blue treasure *Grinch-like indulgent grin*

6) Preservation of Enlightenment
I don’t pretend to be any more religious than I am. But I never forget my Maker in everything I see and do every day, and in the people surrounding me. I’ve strayed further than You like, but I’m grateful for the fact that for all its other shortcomings, UIA did serve as a sort of safe bubble of knowledge and reminders. I’ve been getting a taste of the real world in the past month since graduating, and I don’t want to forget everything I learned from You just because I’m on my own now. I’ll try to keep reading the signs.

7) Music
2008 was the mother of all years when it came to assignments and extra-curricular activities, to the extent that I rarely kept up with new music this year unless it was something Significant Other recommended. Some new bands I did discover and other older ones with new releases coming in 2009 that I do look forward to:

Handsome Furs – Face Control (10th March 2009)

The Artificial Sea – Their Myspace page says a new album is coming “soon-ish”; since their last album was out in 2006, I hope “soon-ish” means 2009.

Trespassers William – The Natural Order of Things

Poe – Egh. I add this to my list every year hoping that she’ll resurface from wherever she disappeared to. Even Chinese Democracy has come out after aeons of waiting, so why can’t you, Poe?