2006

As I type the year 2006, it reminds me of a Chinese movie I watched recently called 2046. I just watched way too many movies recently thanks to Netflix and the empty weekends (probably will blog on that later). 2046 is a room in a motel where the writer based his futuristic story in the year 2046 about the people he met. 2006 for me is not a room but probably another year waiting to be surprised. I was quite amused by the preaching last Sunday when the pastor mentioned that our current Gregorian calendar came to existence 400+ years ago. For us, it is the year 2006, for the Chinese it is the year 4073, Hebrews 5000 something, Muslims probably 600+, Indians I'm not sure and probably for God just a few seconds?

Ok, for the fun of it... I did not celebrate the dawning of 2006. Probably I'm old and wanted some peace and quiet at home with my wife. The city of Tempe hosted a huge block party nearby because the Fiesta Bowl (a big college football championship) is in town. Blues Traveller the group is performing and there's projected to be 150,000 people. So I'll just forget it and stay at home because I don't intend to fight for a parking spot somewhere. Plus there's church service the next day and Lila is teaching in the children's ministry. For the US, the definitive countdown place is in New York City where a big ball slowly descended and when it reaches the bottom, lights will flash out brightly. Yeah, those lights are sponsored by Phillips (go figure how commercialized everything is). I'm also not sure what is the significance of this ball on New Year's? Perhaps when someone ask how are you feeling this New Year? Your reply will be "I'm having a BALL!" Anyway, they will record that segment and when Arizona reaches 12am 2 hours later, this segment will be shown again. That's the gripe I have for staying in the west coast instead of the east coast. Many supposedly live events like the Oscars, Grammys and even American Idol finales are tape delayed in the West coast so by the time we watch it, you can actually know the results earlier if you surf on the Internet.

Hmmm... sounds like I'm getting more cynical as I grow older. Anyway, as I was laying in bed with my wife, we tried to think of what have we accomplished last year. We have:
1. Travelled a lot. Portland, North Dakota, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas plus many 2 hour trips to neary San Francisco, Napa Valley. Finally sat on a Greyhound bus for the first time on my butt numbing 1.5 days journey to North Dakota.
2. Relocated to Arizona and bought a house here. Also had to take care of my own apartment in the meantime and buy my own furniture.
3. Found 2 nice Chinese churches. 1 in Sacramento before we left and 1 in Chandler.
4. Made new friends and luckily no new enemies. Prob a few frenemies (a phrase from Sex and the City describing your friends who are also enemies).
5. I think quite a lot of other stuffs after looking back. Can't complain too much and need to count my blessings one by one.

Since I have never fully fulfilled any of my previous resolutions... will just list them down. What the heck!
1. Be a good husband and family man. Not really up to expectations so far and had been quarrelsome, impatient, bad, hurtful. Yeeks... need I say more and you might wonder that is Ernest? :) Hope that I can also help my parents back home in some way.
2. Daily devotion and read through the Bible at least once. In my quest and lust for the world, God has taken a back seat. Are you still there in my car, God? Perhaps should either let God drive or sit beside me in the front seat.
3. Further my education by taking an MBA. Not that Married But Available course but the real degree in the hopes that it could help in the future somehow.

That's it I guess. No need to write more and then be disappointed next year that I didn't achieve any of them. There's 11.5 months to go now and before I end, Happy Gregorian New Year!