that is, a heart of one who's eaten too many Big Macs. XD

but anyway, i've come to realise a lot of things as well; all those more subtle changes. let's start w the materialist: up till maybe june/july i'd be all for fashion updates, mags, etc. but this phase comes and goes... yeah i'm all for all the dress-up and having pick-through-wardrobe fun, window-shopping and all. but i'm just not the 15-year-old who fusses over "snakeskin" anymore :) guess that's a good thing, and well there's so much more to life than fabric and makeup (again, im not denouncing it... its just a change in priorities) :P

and then there's all the, how'd you say, little life stuff. we live in the city, yeah... and that's pretty much how it's always been. but give me the chance and i'd zip off to the country (the closest chance being university, but i'd really love to stay here too. too much to leave behind) in other things, i'm not hot for all the prim and proper stuff: fine dining, extreme etiquette, and all. frankly, i'd much rather grab a few good tasty heartland bites, have a good street-lit walk after; do something random like explore kent ridge park or something :)

not to forget that recent bout of cab abstinence week HAHAH D: that entire stretch of walking just that bit more, of saving just that bit of $$$ was only part of it... i think more so there's something more enticing about having the world pass you by a little more slowly on the bus; something more enthralling about standing in the mrt, iPod hooked on and stoning at the little baby girl clambering up and down her seat restlessly... all that, rather than getting maybe killed by all those frightening speeding cabbies :/ or weird drivers

like how i was waiting for mom at barker the other day and suddenly this car broke down in the middle of the road; guy behind noticed too late. i looked up from reading zhuoey's present (SCREWTAPE) and "BANG!" O.O sent a warning msg to mom for fun... she turns left into barker road and suddenly "BANG!" third car pile-up. nasty!!

eck digress. but yeah everything just feels so different this year from last; certainly helped by the many different kinds of lessons learnt. you could even say i've learnt to be less spoilt brat this year (ok gotta admit it at times). mostly cos of the more recent months, an intangible educator reminding me to be less self-seeking, be more considerate of others, how they felt and all :) 

likewise in QT, Pastor Noel Goh's words stick in my head, from that 830 service long long ago... yeah its my gmail signature now, because its taught me alot and how to go about life on a day-by-day basis. this year's many events have taught me to rely more on God; even then only tonight in fact i re-established that strong trust in Him, faith that He'll put all right as it is more-or-less now...

for a long time to come: Galatians 2:20 "The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." made Him a bunch of promises, the topmost one about prioritising and really hope i'll carry that promise through even into next year. but there'll also be besties to remind me, remind each other, i suppose :)

so yup as the new year opens, as the new seventeen hops around (along with 12 issues of the mag by the same name :P)... am anticipating much more fun, bright sunny smiles and importantly, the keeping of friends (from this year and before) to grow up and grow old with :D guess some things DON'T change then: sunny good ol' saggitarian optimism and general outlook on life. not a bad thing

already looking forward to the new year 2009, and not just what's on in about 22 more hours... so hmm, HI FELICIA TAN SHU XIAN, i'm not scared of all this anymore :D merry Christmas and a happy upcoming new year, all!

p.s. this past week has just about possibly been one of the most memorable, greatest weeks ever (: and i'm very much thankful for it

hurhur D: