The world is officially 2006 years old.

Unofficially, the world is a lot more older than a mere 20 centuries. I, on the other hand, am still barely scraping past a quarter of a century. It's a good thing. However, I do not act my age. Last night was the last night of a rather rumbling year.. for me, and for the world as well. Never before have I seen a more disaster-ridden year, what with the tsunami, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, bombings and royal upheavals. Of course, it was also the same year I bid goodbye to academics, moved again, went through interviews in the city and other places on the outskirts, said goodbye to old friends, say hello to older friends and literally had to grow up. Oh, and I graduated too.

A couple of generations before, I should have been married, with two kids, by now. Probably pregnant with the third one too. At least, that was my mother's situation at my current age. In reality, I'm just switching occupations from academician to job-holder, that is I stopped studying and started earning an income. I have not sent money home yet. There was not much of a need since my parents told me to start saving up for my wedding, which may occur within the next 2 to 3 years. Nevertheless, things never go as planned. It may be sooner (?)

2006 is not much of a change for me. Frankly, no one can tell if it would be a year of change or not. Things may still chug along at a slow steam train pace, with the usual spendings and salaries, heart breaks and events of elation, overtime and holidays.. or maybe another disaster may decide to pop up again and shake our world into a sense of gloom.

The thing that really changed for me is the need for resolution, in a sense that I do not need to make resolutions anymore. For one thing, no one bothers to live up to their resolutions. It's just lip service. Think of it this way, if you do everything well enough, there is no need to resolve to improve. If you smoke or drink or gamble, making new year resolutions won't help you quit. Then, why bother making resolutions? Just do it!

I am starting the new year off by taking my boyfriend's two sisters and their husbands out for a dinner treat. They had been great to me since I got here, and they are like family, a family away from home. The least I could do is have them take a nice seafood dinner, something of a luxury where we live.

To everyone else: Have a great 2006. If it isn't, make it great.