of late, i have been making a conscious effort to smile more. i'm feeling quite pleased about it, because everyone has been telling me how spooky/creepy/angry/emo i look. and thinking back, indeed i think have been displaying a horrible expression, even when greeting people, or saying bye and stuff. so i told myself that i MUST smile more, so =)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)

recently, i came across this article somewhere dishing out some well-meaning advice on preparing for the new year. one piece of advice that left a deep impression on me was something to do with surrounding yourself with people who really love and care about you and making an effort to avoid people who annoy you. i know this appears very straightforward and commonsensical, but i just felt that it's something very relevant to me, and it was a good reminder to me to be constantly aware of who my true friends are, and to appreciate them even more. looking back, i feel that in the past, perhaps sometimes i would be too eager to make friends and stuff, and i feel that many times, i have perhaps been too accomodating to the whims and fancies of others, and allowed them to exert their demands on me, and subconsciously allowed them to push me around. i also subconsciously allowed their words and actions to affect me, especially emotionally. however, it is with a clearer perspective now that i realize i can't please everyone, or make everyone love me, and there is no point in me getting affected by what some people have to say about me and to me. at the end of the day, i know who are important to me, and it is not worth my time and effort worrying about people who don't really care about me and are difficult to deal with.

have a blessed 2009 all. =D