Happy New Year 2013
Unlike a year ago, I didn't feel like celebrating the new year. I just simply couldn't muster the enthusiasm.
I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm anxious to see whether the savings plan I recently implemented will work well or not or maybe the worry over the property market in Singapore. Perhaps a more likely reason is that I will be away from Ban approximately next 7 weeks, starting tonight. The longest I had been continuously absent was about 4 weeks.
Here's a quick review of 2012:
1. New PC games I played:
2. New boardgames I played:
3. Shared with Ban to buy Mage Knight boardgame, which is the first expensive boardgame (RM270!) I bought. However, I am really disappointed about the number of defective items (>90%) in it and it appears that the publisher is making it really difficult for exchange. We are still waiting for news from Meeples (the shop where we purchased the game). We also read online that even for those who managed to get the items changed, the colour of the cards were different than the original and thus spoiling the randomness of the game. This would be the first and last time I would buy game from this publisher. Humph.
4. I introduced Everquest to Ban but we abandoned it after a mere few days. The game quest mechanic is outdated compared to recent games. Nevertheless, I felt nostalgic being in its world again.
5. Books I finished reading:
6. I tried my hand at hosting a D&D pen&paper game. It went quite well but took quite a lot of work to prepare for. The hosting chair was given to another friend who stopped hosting after a few sessions because he was going overseas but never restart once he was back. In fact, another D&D game was also discontnued. I guess the fever has gone. I will consider hosting this game again this year as I believe it is good mental exercise to do so.
7. Ban was infected with dengue just before Chinese New Year. It was a sad time for me because I had to go home and thus wasn't with him. He was so downcast :( Fortunately, his family visited him everyday until he was discharged. I did send him an audio message to teach him the correct way to do the mau mau meditation, which made him laughed hehe. Months later, he had insect screening doors and windows installed in the house. Incredibly effective in keeping mosquitoes out.
8. Played my first pen&paper game, Ironclaw, which was hosted by Ban. I loved it and Ban was a good host. In fact, a friend is still trying to persuade Ban to host another one hehe.
9. I had to use steroidal nasal spray again, after not needing to do so for years. Good news is that I didn't need to use it for long. Phew. Also, there was the rather harrowing stomach cramp experience. I'm grateful for Ban being there for me. Aside from these, my health has been generally good during the past year possibly due to increased in frequency of exercise. My cholesterol results at the end of the year were significantly better than that at the start of the year.
10. My investment in shares was pretty stable. Took opportunity during a significant share market downturn to buy Singtel and CapitaMall Trust and added more shares to my existing portfolio. I sold off Suntec REIT due to a few reasons. Towards the end of the year, I sold some CapitaCommercial Trust at a significant percentage of profit to shore up my cash position as well as for rebalancing purpose.
11. Managed to rent out the house in Seremban. I still want to sell it and invest the proceed in dividend-yielding shares.
12. My sister and her family moved to Penang. Fewer opportunites to spend time with them. Oh well, that's life, huh?
2013 could be a watershed year, hopefully for the better. Here's wishing everyone an encouraging year ahead.
I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm anxious to see whether the savings plan I recently implemented will work well or not or maybe the worry over the property market in Singapore. Perhaps a more likely reason is that I will be away from Ban approximately next 7 weeks, starting tonight. The longest I had been continuously absent was about 4 weeks.
Here's a quick review of 2012:
1. New PC games I played:
- Atlantica Online
- Mount & Blade
- Dungeon Defenders
- Divinity 2: The Dragon Knight Series
- Torchlight 2
- Democracy 2
- Crusader Kings 2
- Delve Deeper
2. New boardgames I played:
- Mage Knight
- Seasons
- Ristorante Italia
- Memoir 44
- Blokus
- Nefarious
- Khet 1.0
- Dominion
- Agricola
3. Shared with Ban to buy Mage Knight boardgame, which is the first expensive boardgame (RM270!) I bought. However, I am really disappointed about the number of defective items (>90%) in it and it appears that the publisher is making it really difficult for exchange. We are still waiting for news from Meeples (the shop where we purchased the game). We also read online that even for those who managed to get the items changed, the colour of the cards were different than the original and thus spoiling the randomness of the game. This would be the first and last time I would buy game from this publisher. Humph.
4. I introduced Everquest to Ban but we abandoned it after a mere few days. The game quest mechanic is outdated compared to recent games. Nevertheless, I felt nostalgic being in its world again.
5. Books I finished reading:
- The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham, revised edition updated with commentary by Jason Zweig
- The Riftwar Saga trilogy - Raymond E. Feist
- Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators: The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow - Robert Arthur, Jr.
- Eragon & The Eldest (first two books of the Inheritance trilogy) - Christopher Paolini
6. I tried my hand at hosting a D&D pen&paper game. It went quite well but took quite a lot of work to prepare for. The hosting chair was given to another friend who stopped hosting after a few sessions because he was going overseas but never restart once he was back. In fact, another D&D game was also discontnued. I guess the fever has gone. I will consider hosting this game again this year as I believe it is good mental exercise to do so.
7. Ban was infected with dengue just before Chinese New Year. It was a sad time for me because I had to go home and thus wasn't with him. He was so downcast :( Fortunately, his family visited him everyday until he was discharged. I did send him an audio message to teach him the correct way to do the mau mau meditation, which made him laughed hehe. Months later, he had insect screening doors and windows installed in the house. Incredibly effective in keeping mosquitoes out.
8. Played my first pen&paper game, Ironclaw, which was hosted by Ban. I loved it and Ban was a good host. In fact, a friend is still trying to persuade Ban to host another one hehe.
9. I had to use steroidal nasal spray again, after not needing to do so for years. Good news is that I didn't need to use it for long. Phew. Also, there was the rather harrowing stomach cramp experience. I'm grateful for Ban being there for me. Aside from these, my health has been generally good during the past year possibly due to increased in frequency of exercise. My cholesterol results at the end of the year were significantly better than that at the start of the year.
10. My investment in shares was pretty stable. Took opportunity during a significant share market downturn to buy Singtel and CapitaMall Trust and added more shares to my existing portfolio. I sold off Suntec REIT due to a few reasons. Towards the end of the year, I sold some CapitaCommercial Trust at a significant percentage of profit to shore up my cash position as well as for rebalancing purpose.
11. Managed to rent out the house in Seremban. I still want to sell it and invest the proceed in dividend-yielding shares.
12. My sister and her family moved to Penang. Fewer opportunites to spend time with them. Oh well, that's life, huh?
2013 could be a watershed year, hopefully for the better. Here's wishing everyone an encouraging year ahead.
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