New Year 2009

It has been almost 9 years since I needed to wake up this early. This is one of the perks of being an entrepreneur and working from home. However, this morning, I woke up to a darkened sky and cold morning air. The birds were still asleep and the surrounding was quiet. If not for a few HDB lighted units across my block, I would think that I woke up to a deserted urban jungle.

This morning, I'll be joining the legion of parents who wake up early every morning for the next 6 years (my younger son in 3 years time) and to bring them to school. Like my father, who drove me to school during my early years of primary school, I'll be driving my son to school too. Ah... The circle of life.

Even though the school is still the same but the compound and location has changed. It is not exactly the same as the school I had spent 6 years of my life.

Time really flies. It was only 6 years ago that I just cradled my firstborn in my arms and welcome him to this beautiful world. It feels as though he has grown overnight, and he is now a primary one student already.

Clothed in my once familiar school uniform, he was excited and looking forward to meeting new friends in a new environment. I can't help but brimmed with fatherly pride.

This year will bring many exciting changes and new challenges. But most importantly, we must stay positive, brave the storm and bashed through the obstacles head-on!

My resolutions for 2009:

1. Find time to read more from the three ivory towers of knowledge (formed by never ending quest of buying books and rarely reading them)

2. Spend more time with my family and children (they grow up so fast! soon they will be pimply teenagers and no longer want to be seen with their old man)

3. Squeeze more time out of 24 hours (using techniques from GTD and various time management books I've devoured)

4. Complete the never ending cool and new projects that I've started but never bringing them to the finishing line (hey, I'm an ideas guy *DK say one, not I say*... too many inspirations!)

5. Do proper project planning and adhere to the timeline (now must set a time to plan my project planning *LOL*)

6. Steer my company through this economic thunderstorm (challenges are there all the time and recession is part of a business cycle. Like gravity, what goes up must come down. Managing a company through the recession is part and parcel of being an entrepreneur... it also builds character and me sexy! *roll eyes*)

7. Remain upbeat and perky through all the gloom and doom that is being reported in the main stream media every day (dig deep inside myself to find strength and hope)

8. Watch more anime (only the good ones, of course)!

9. Go through year 2009 with a galloping gait (run, Paladdin, run!)

10. Like Alley McBeal, plays songs in my head and dance when nobody is looking (my head is playing Get It On by Paps 'n' Skar now)

Don't let 2009 get you down. Wrestle challenges and conquer them! Have a great 2009! :)