As a whole, I really shouldn’t complain much about the year. Though it was far from perfect, so many good things happened for me that I am extremely honoured, humbled and most of all, grateful. I can’t thank everyone who has helped me and been there for me the past year personally but I hope you know who you are.

And on to the list!

JANUARY

Okay, fine. So it really isn’t about me. But hey, it was a slow start to the year.

Truth be told, though, Obama’s “Yes, We Can” slogan really set the tone for me this year. It was what drove me. I’m not sure if it’s because of the hype, or that I was determined to be more pro-active this year.

That, and the the fact that I dedicated four blog posts to him (and did my first ever Live Twitter event on my blog), makes his inauguration my moment for January.

Read my blog post here.

FEBRUARY

February was all about my kampung, Perth (blog post here). It was my first return there since 2004 so the trip was indeed a long time coming. I had spent over two years there right at the start of the noughties, and miss it dearly. That said, I don’t think life would ever be the same there again if I ever returned.

The trip was special – I was there for work to cover my first ever Big Day Out (where I got to meet and interview Sneaky Sound System and Cut Copy) but I spent an extra few days catching up with friends, visiting my former university and catch the a Fed Cup tennis tournament.

I had also written about Perth being my kampung for my The Bangsar Boy column, and received hate mail for it. The writer demanded an explanation on why I would consider a foreign country my home (and essentially called me a traitor). I dealt with it the way I always do my hate mail – I ignored it.

MARCH

I discovered a new sport in March! My wakeboarding experience was so much fun that I told myself I’ll keep going back. Er, it’s January now, I’ve not been back since. But I really did enjoy it and I really want to go back. Maybe that should be my 2010 resolution?

In March, I also found out that the one movie that I had done in my life – as a teenager – was an Oscar-nominated film. I kid you not! What happened is way too long to tell so you’ll just have to read my previous post about it. I may have only had a small part, but hey, sure looks good on the resume, no?

APRIL

Theatre isn’t new to me, but Shakespeare was. I’ve not read a single of the Bard’s work before I took part in From The Page and Unto the Floor, an acting workshop focusing on Shakespeare’s works organised by KLpac and run by Jeff Kevins. I really enjoyed our workshop performance as well – me playing Romeo to Davina Goh’s Juliet – that it was no doubt one of my highlights of the year.

In April, I also introduced a couple of social media elements to the way R.AGE, The Star’s youth platform, including our first live blogchat where I did a live review of the American Idol finale. Speaking of American Idol, a few days after the finals, I also got a chance to meet David Archuleta (well, I kind of stalked him as well as it was the first time @thestar_rage was doing a live Twittering session on the go). Since then, we have done several other social media based projects including the new R.AGE blog, our World AIDS Day special and I also help run The Star Online’s Live Chat series of interviews.

MAY

In May, Dato’ Yasmin Yusuff invited me to join her and other local personalities for Relay for Life, in aid of cancer. I was very honoured to be invited and together, we collected over RM20k (just the celebrity gang). It was a great experience, good fun and also poignant as I walked for someone who is close to my family as well. Among the personalities who walked (you can see in the picture above or read and see more pics in my post) include Jaclyn Victor, Samantha Schubert, Hans Isaac, Chelsia Ng, Jehan Miskin and more.

I grew up watching TVB serials. I think it was those shows, and not my mother’s attempts at getting me and my siblings to speak Chinese, that taught me Cantonese (I jest, of course). Well, this year, I finally managed to make a trip for the first time to Hong Kong – the setting for most of those shows – and with my best friend Adam to boot.It was also a continuation of my “Visit Asia” policy where I hope to visit a new Asian location or two each year.

May was also the time when I was invited to be a judge for local social networking site Ruumz’s Most Wanted Ruummate competition. It was the first time I was invited to judge something with this profile (it got media coverage, dammit!) so I was very honoured. Actually there was the Spa and Wellness Awards last year too but that was pretty last minute. It would also be the first of quite a few things I was invited to judge this year.

Yes, I know this is quite a lot of things to feature for one month but I can’t help it. In retrospect, May was probably the month in which things really started happening for me professionally and personally in 2009. One of the events that led to that of course was my article on Twitter on the cover of StarMag. It really increased my profile as a proponent of social media.

JUNE

In June, I gave my first talk as a “blogger”. Public speaking is not new to me – I have been invited to give talks on journalism to college students for many years now – but this is the first time on a social media element. Besides reconnecting with my old uni mate Kenny Sia, the event was also where I met some of my closest friends now including Soon Wei, SmashpOp, Amanda and Rames.

Another first in June! This time, I made my first appearance on television (well, with a credit mention at the end of each episode that is). The show was called Alamak! and aired on Astro Ria. It is a show featuring comedy sketches in Bahasa Malaysia and I feature in six different skits throughout the season.

And woah, it’s taken so long – and I’m only six months in. I guess the second half of the year will have to come in another post. For now, good night folks.

1.48am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

I got an email a few weeks ago asking me to send them some pictures of my acting together with some information on my involvement in theatre. I knew about the award because my friend Will was nominated for one of the Martell VSOP Rising Personalities (the main category) and I had visited the website several times to vote.

Who would have thought I would win? I know the person who nominated me but don’t think he/she would want to be named publicly, so thank you anyway!

The event was held at Lara in Bangsar (nearby my place) but I had to rush over after The Swimming Instructor (sorry to everyone who came to watch the show yesterday that I didn’t have much time to speak to after). So, yeah, I kinda already knew I was going to win.

You see, a few days ago, they called me to confirm my RSVP for the event. When I was adamant I couldn’t make it (they were quite persistent! hehe), they had no choice but to tell me I won. So, I had to nominate someone to accept the award on my behalf.

I wanted it to be a colleague of mine – since it is a Media award – so Sharmila Nair agreed to attend the event for me. Our colleague, Karr Wei accompanied her. I’m very grateful that they were there to do that, and even though I managed to make it on time, it was nice having them there to support me.

As you can see from the picture above, Marion Caunter was the host for the night, and she asked me a few questions when my name was announced for me to do my thank yous. I’m very grateful to Martell for the honour, and to the judges – Gillian Hung, Lewre and Chris Chong – who picked me to win.

The main winner for the night was my friend Will. Congratulations! Very happy for him.

His prize was 10 bottles of Martell VSOP, a trip to the Martell Facility in France as well as RM20,000!

But guess who is going to France with him? ME!

No, I’m not going as his plus one but my award comes with a trip to France as well (on top of the 10 bottles). How great is that!

So yes, VERY GRATEFUL for the win!

Of course, I took the opportunity to camwhore a little with some friends who were there (sorry for the bad quality pics but my iPhone doesn’t have a flash. I still love it though!). Among them were Chelsia Ng, one of the 10 nominees for the Martell VSOP Rising Personalities 2009 as well as August Man editor Rubin Khoo.

4.07pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

Each time they launch a new store, Kiehl’s would make a contribution to a local organisation or cause. This time, it is the YAWA’s Biodiversity Camp for youths to be held from Nov 13-15, open to participatants aged between 10 and 17 years old (if you’re interested in participating, contact YAWA at 03 7842 6782).

Today, the campaign was launched at BSC and I was invited to attend. The event was rather simple. A couple of speeches from L’oreal Malaysia and YAWA and then a short introduction by Aishah, representing the celebrities and personalities (pictured below). This was followed by the video – I’ll post it up here when they upload it on YouTube.

It was great to meet my friends from Kiehl’s and L’oreal (who so graciously offered the guests at my 30th birthday party a goodie bag each) – Irene Goh, Yvonne Liew, Nadia Yap and Jonathan Ooi. I also met my other friends Sarah Chan, Rubin Khoo and Lu Jing Shia. There were others too, dressed in the same Save Our Rare Earth T-shirt that I wore including Jaclyn Victor, Serena C, Will Quah, Chelsia Ng, Sazzy Falak, Nazril Idrus, Baki Zainal, Daphne Iking and Rina Omar.

I snapped some shots whenever I could. Clockwise from top left: Baki, Rina and other celebs in a tent; Sazzy and Nazril before the event; Chelsia and Will with their massive Polaroid cameras, the venue before the ceremony began, Jamie Ong, Rubin and myself; and a couple of the YAWA members playing congkak.

Before the event ended, we took a group photo just as – guess who? – Zainal Abidin (the eco-celebrity) showed up. The photo below isn’t very clear. It was a shot from Chelsia’s Polaroid since I couldn’t get a group picture myself (well, I could but then I wouldn’t be in the picture, would I? heh).

Try to make out some of the others including Yasmin Hani, Azizi, Kajai, Ferhad and others who I, admittedly *shy*, er, don’t recognise. The board at the back of the picture features Polaroid pictures of us as we arrived. Jon aka alilfatmonkey told me to do a “whacky” pose – so I tried to do Thriller dance except that, er, I lost my balance and looked like I was falling!

Obviously, I wasn’t looking at the area properly throughout the event. After the ceremony, Jon came up to me and asked if I liked the quote they chose for me. I thought he was referring to the video and said that I couldn’t hear the video very well, so I didn’t know what they picked up. He then led me to this board where they picked out some quotes from some of the personalities featured in the video.

In case you can’t identify which one is mine … below is close up. I swear I’m not encouraging young people to forget the serious stuff like homework – promise! Haha

I was merely talking about how spending time outdoors is great for the imagination. I recalled walking into the small forest behind my housing area and imagining that I was in the forest from The Magic Faraway Tree book where the trees are all whispering to each other and how it was a great way to get lost in your imagination and that’s why it’s good to spend some time outdoors!

Now that I’m done writing my disclaimer … here’s the close up!

10.58pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)

While I was there, I received a text message from Ian asking if I was heading “to the party”. I had promised Yin before, so I turned him down. But we finished dinner about 9pm, and I thought maybe I could still make it. So I texted Kwee Siong from Sony BMG and he said that it would be going on for another half an hour. I rushed over immediately to 1-Utama.

The “party” was actually a Michael Jackson: Remembering The Legend event organised by Sony Music in tribute to the great one.  It was held at 1-Utama Shopping Centre in Bandar Utama and the organisers estimate 1,000 people who showed up.

I had missed all the impersonators and dancing segments (which Ian enjoyed very much). I got there in time for the sing-along session which I loved, being able to sing his music and feel the energy from so many people. Right in front were Yasmin Yusuff (who was also the emcee and wearing a vintage MJ hat!) as well as Chelsia Ng. Adam Carruthers was on the opposite side of the stage but we caught up after.

The crowd really got into the singing and there were many cups with a lit tealight candle for them. I almost cried when Heal the World came on. After a few songs, another impersonator came on to perform his tribute – a rendition of Michael Jackson’s Gone Too Soon, which was apt. He looked eerily like Michael too (picture of him below).

Then as they played a few more music videos (and all of us dancing around – well, just Yasmin, Chelsia, Ian, Jackie and I), people rushed to signed the board even more. I managed to find some empty space and left my note which simply read: “Live On”. I know it’s cheesy but it’s true, methinks.

After the event, Ian and Jackie (pictured below) wanted to get a couple of photos with the impersonator (such a wierd term, calling them that!) so they went backstage to hunt him down. We managed to find him and I got a shot too. Of course, there was some more camwhoring before we went off to Devi’s Corner in TTDI for a drink.

The thing about an event like this really shows how much of an impact Michael had on people. I was not a HUGE fan, but I feel the loss not oinly because it’s sensational. I just listen to the radio and watch television tributes to him, and each of his song from the different albums held memories for me. I may not have thought a lot about him while he was alive but his music was with me at every point of my life, particularly growing up in the ’80s.

I had a friend, Kenneth, who loved him so much that he had the gloves and hat for his immitations. We spent countless of hours perfecting the moonwalk – well, Kenneth perfected it, I tried to keep up. One of my sisters had a Bad poster in her room and we still have his albums – in cassettes! I am reacting more than I thought I would but the tears that sometimes come with suddenly listening to his song on radio have to mean something.

I think the 1,000 people at the event would agree with me.

Oh, and a quick shot with “Michael” (I look totally ghastly – I was tired from the run and was in no mood to do my hair though Chelsia did comment about how this was THE one time I should have wore my fedora. I didn’t think about it – silly me).

3.01am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)