2009 In Review

The year is coming to a close. Time to reflect on the happenings of the last 364 days. The highlight definitely must be our wedding banquet in Penang. We had 300 guests celebrating the occasion with us. These are people who have touched our lives in some ways. I am grateful to them for spending their evening with us, and of course not forgetting their generous gifts. Thank you again.

2009 also saw me scaling down my advocacy activities. I have come to realise that I should begin by promoting access in the area where I live before anything else. What is the point of wasting limited resources talking about access to airports and air travel when a majority of disabled people still cannot get out from their homes conveniently and safely. We need to get our priorities right here.

Nevertheless, I conducted a one-day Disability Equality Training (DET) in Kota Bahru organised by the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Kelantan and gave a presentation on access at the Seminar dan Sesi Dialog Bersama OKU, Agensi Kerajaan dan Pihak Swasta (Seminar and Dialogue Session with Disabled People, Government Agencies and the Private Sector) organised by the Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya.

Suanie got me to give a half-hour presentation on Blogging As A Tool For Advocacy organised by the New Straits Times. I conducted a similar half-day workshop at the Penang Spastic Centre organised by Tan Kuan Aw and Tan Chin Chin.

Wuan and I have also been polishing our photography skills throughout the year. Victor Chin roped us in to a joint photopgraphic exhibition at KLPac with him. His subject was on the forty day prior to his mother’s death while Wuan and I displayed my mother’s funeral and some of her belongings dating back to the 1920s. We are indeed thankful to Victor for showing us the ropes to holding an exhibition and giving us such a wonderful opportunity to showcase our photography skills or lack of it.

I do not know if it is the weather or my lack of sleep but I feel that I tire easily, more than it used to be. I sure hope it is not a sign of further deterioration of my renal functions. The serum creatinine has been constant throughout the year and I have tried, despite all the temptations, to keep to the requirements of my low-protein diet. I think I need to rest more often instead of spending so much time online although I have cut down on that significantly.

What I like about this year is that I bought a lot of books and really spent time reading them. There are enough books to last me through 2010. Reading has opened up my mind. For the past two months, I have been blogging regularly, almost daily in November. I have slacked in December though because of the festive seasons as Wuan and I did a fair bit of travelling during this period. Nonetheless, the increased output I attribute to my rediscovering the joys of reading.

So, to wrap this entry up and for 2009, I would like to wish, in no particular order, all my aunty friends (you know who you are!), my blogging friends, my Lasallian and Xaverian teachers and schoolmates, new friends that I have made this year, relatives, cousins related by blood or otherwise and friends who had one way or another contributed to the fun at our wedding dinner and all other categories of friends, HAPPY NEW YEAR. May 2010 bring you more good things.

Author: Peter Tan

Peter Gabriel Tan. Penangite residing in the Klang Valley. Blissfully married to Wuan. A LaSallian through and through. Slave to three cats. Wheelchair user since 1984. End-stage renal disease since 2017. Principal Facilitator at Peter Tan Training specialising in Disability Equality Training. Former columnist of Breaking Barriers with The Borneo Post. This blog chronicles my life, thoughts and opinions. Connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

3 thoughts on “2009 In Review”

  1. Dear Peter,

    Wishing you and Wuan a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year 2010!

    Peter:
    Thanks, Mei. Happy New Year to you too!

  2. Happy New Year Pete! And in a couple of months from now, we’ll be putting Chinese after the Happy!
    How time flies.It seemed just like yesterday that we were so paranoid about the millennium bug, were shocked by 9/11 and stunned by the effects of the tsunami.

    Now, it’s 2010.Another new dawn of just another day. 2009 for me was good financially.It was however stressful in other endeavours and for this i am glad to see it end. I hope 2010 will be kinder on my weak heart although I am not holding my breath!!
    I reckon it will turn up its fair share of nasty surprises to the world and hopefully some really good moments.

    All the best to you and Wuan.Stay healthy and happy buddy.

    Peter:
    Here is wishing you blue skies and everything nice in 2010 buddy!

  3. Happy New Year! I wish you and Wuan the best of health for 2010. Keep up the good blogging.

    Peter:
    Thanks, Meng. Happy New Year!

Comments are closed.