Monday, March 05, 2007

Time Capsule

I still have a whole cupboard of my things at Mum’s house (mainly books & clothes) which I’m slowly sorting through. While I was going through a box of old year books I stumbled upon a booklet with a goal setting questionnaire that I filled out during my yr 11 retreat (this was filled out all the way back in 1998).

Things you want to achieve in the next ………

2 years
• Finish high school and score above 94 UAI to get into commerce at USYD or UNSW
(Tick that off the list)
• Learn to drive
(Didn't do this till 21, but that was because I had Jacky driving me around everywhere)
• Find a stable part time job
(was with Ansett for 3 years then Baku for the next 6!...actually I’m still there)
• celebrate 1 year with Jacky?
(Who would have thought....we've now been together for just under 9 years)
• Save enough to go Schoolies
(Schoolies was a lot of fun!)
• Save enough to go visit my Grandma in HK
(did that a few times before she passed away)
• Prove everyone who ever doubted me wrong.
(Refers to my HSC and some of my relos who gave mum a hard time – ha! showed them)

5 years
• Graduate by 21 (depending on course)
(done!)
• Buy a car or travel
(Did both! At 21 I bought a new car and went on a world trip to: Vegas, LA, Toronto, Ottowa, Niagara Falls, New York, Paris, London, China, Bangkok, Pattaya, and Hong Kong. I later went on another trip to Tokyo, China, HK but had to cut the rest of the trip short because of the tsunami).
• Have a career in HR or marketing
(I did 3 unit business studies in high school and loved HR...I didn't really think that it would end up being my career!)
• Make enough to help my parents out financially
(Paid off their mortgage in October 2005, it was a lot of money. I never expected to see the money again and I was fine with that, but my parent insists on paying me back at the end of 2007).
• Help Sophia gets into Uni
(Sophia does NOT need my help, I’m really proud of her. She’s in her final year of her commerce degree at USYD sitting on a D average, she turned 20 three days ago and is getting paid more than me per hour!.......go figure.)

10 years
• Save enough money for a deposit for an apartment by 25

(bought my first home at 24)
• Meet the man of my dreams
(Had him all along....)
• Get married by 26-27 (I hope)
(Wedding is scheduled March 2008)
• Have kids
(I am excited about having kids...not yet though, maybe in 3-4 years or when we can afford to).

It’s so scary….I haven't touched or looked at this list since year 11 but it's as if I planned my own life all those years ago. It makes me wonder if I am just dead boring and predictable?

So now that most things have been achieved here are some of my 'to do' for the next 10 years.

Things I want to do in the next ………

2 years
Get married
• Travel with Jacky to parts of Europe that I haven’t already seen (Italy, Barcelona, Turkey, Greece and the more remote parts of France).

• Use up my 112,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer point (that's like a free return trip to LA)
• Perfect my cooking skills enough so that I can hold a Chinese New Year dinner at our place.
• Eat at Tetsuya's (I still cant justify paying $180pp yet)
• Buy that Diamond Longines watch that I have wanted for the last 5 years (Can't justify spending 3k on a watch when we have a mortgage)

• Become a HR Advisor (I think, still deciding if I want this career path)
• Eat healthy and make exercise a regular activity

5 years
• Go on a trip with my family around China to get in touch with my culture.
• See a Lee Hom Concert Live
• Visit the Barrier Reef
• Live overseas? (this is a bit up in the air but very possible)
• Have kids

10 years
• Upgrade to a new house (build our own one maybe?)
• Upgrade the car
• Family holiday with the kids

12 comments:

SoRMuiJAi said...

turkey and greece is absolutely beautiful (Which is why I keep going back!)

I'll be doing Italy in a few months, ontop of Turkey and Greece again, I'll let you know how absolutely wonderful it is :P

Meanwhile, congrads on fulfilling all the goals you set out to do!!

Goose Remix said...

I reckon you've done way more than most people our age. Good stuff!

Still haven't seen your house yet dude :p

Student154 said...

It's great to see you had the vision all along. I'm still trying to find my calling - you make me feel inept:) thanks!

PiCkLeS said...

Lils: We're planning a big trip for our honeymoon and can't wait! I'm really dying to see Italy & Barcelona in particular. I'm actually worried that I can't get enough time off work!

Hoi: See i don't think that, while I was doing all the summer clerk interviews last year I met all these students (all 21-22) and they've all travelled and done some pretty amazing things. I started to feel like I needed to do more...aim higher. Having said that a lot of these kids came from backgrounds where their parents could pay for them to travel etc.

When i get some down time (maybe Easter?) I'll do another BBQ.

Bosco: I didn't realise I had the vision. I knew I've always worked towards goals but I didn't know that I was following a particular path. Reading through old highschool stuff is very strange.

reverendtimothy said...

As you mentioned, I don't know whether to be uplifted or frightened.

While reading this, I was filled with joy that you've met all your goals - but then realised I haven't set any goals for myself. Hmm. Maybe it's time to start?

Anyway, I look forward to hearing you meeting the future goals ;-)

And "• Get married" is cheating! That one's already planned! :-P Hahaha.

Sophia Chong said...

What's with that "Help Sophia get into uni"? :p

That's really quite freaky - you're like mum.. always... planning stuff!

Congrats on the
• Prove everyone who ever doubted me wrong.

You're doing alot better than a lot of those doubters ;)

thanh7580 said...

Congrats indeed on fulfilling your goals.

I never set goals, so don't know if I have fulfilled them or not. I'm happy at the moment, so I guess that I must have done some things right.

PiCkLeS said...

Tim: everyone does thing differently, I guess I've just always been the type where I NEED to set goals to focus myelf.

Getting married is one! at this stage theres 12 months to go and we have no venue, no photographer, no place for a ceremony, no dress, nothing...zilch.

Sophia: I don't know! i wrote those goals like 9 years ago you were 11, who knew how you would turn out.

Yes the doubters..you know exactly who I'm talking about.

Thanh: that's right, if it ain't broke why fix it?

Beckster said...

I don't know whether to be impressed or scared, actually both! Pickos your life has been mapped to the T (albeit in a fantastically positive way). Happy to see it all happening so well for you. Perhaps the next step is to put a left field goal in there? Curve balls can fun :)

Get thee pronto to Great Barrier Reef and Tetsuyas! Both are expensive, but absolutely worthwhile.

Anonymous said...

Please whatever you do Em, don't build your own home!
Emma

PiCkLeS said...

Becky: Yeah it kinda bothers me how planned out it's been...i think the curve ball is a great idea...better plan one in =P

Emma: Baldock....I still can't get you to that I'll still call you Mannix when i see you. What's happened with your house?? it was all going well last time we caught up. You need to come dinner with us soon!

petals said...

Congrats on knowing what you want and achieving it all Em!

It seems all perfecto, but im sure things are balanced in your life.

I'll tell you about Barcelona and the remote parts of France when i get back in October. Albeit, Barcelona is only 2 days for me...but its a week of France!
;)