With the curtains coming down on 2014, the Art & Living team reflects on a year that can be considered somewhat of an annus horribilis
OK. No one’s shedding tears to see the back of 2014. It was a year that held so much promise (it being the Year Of The Horse, we were expecting some galloping action), yet it saw the country shrouded in sadness and shock well before the year even got going.
The country’s dual aviation tragedies rank topmost in the pecking order of most depressing events to have occurred this year.
Will 2015, the Chinese Year Of The Sheep, unfold to be an annus mirabilis (year of wonder or miracles)? After all the doom and gloom of the year that was, we certainly hope so.
INTAN MAIZURA AHMAD KAMAL
(EDITOR, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FAN, ETERNAL OPTIMIST — YOU HAVE TO BE WHEN YOU’RE A SPURS FAN)
Once again, 2014 has been a complete blur (as all the years that went before it). Somehow, despite my annual resolve to slow things down a peg and smell the roses, it never happens. As a result, I’m always left wondering where my year has gone.
But that’s not to say there were no “moments” that stood out. In fact, it’s probably a lot easier to recall the year that was by dividing it into “moments”. So here goes.
Sheer disbelief moment Definitely Germany’s mauling of World Cup host, Brazil (7-1) during the World Cup semis. It has got to be THE football moment of the century.
Sheer stupidity moment: My unflagging faith in crappy England during the said World Cup and simply even thinking that 2014 would be their year as World Cup champs.
Smack forehead moment The recent news that former Tottenham Hotspur and Welsh wing wizard Gareth Bale is headed for Manchester United from Real Madrid any time now. What der.?!
Sad moment Discovering that mum was terribly ill and I couldn’t be there for her by virtue of her being on the other side of the world (England) and me, here. Thankfully, she’s well on the road to discovery now.
2014 also turned out to be a year of contemplation... of self, others, and the future. It was a year of many lessons too, some devastatingly painful. But who says self-discovery was painless anyway?
2015? Well, I’m hoping my foolish faith in Spurs would finally be rewarded and that they’ll win the Premier League. I’d also like to resume my annual pilgrimage with my family and best friend to scenic New Zealand in a motorhome to rediscover nature in all its glory, untouched by Man’s greed. Most importantly, I’m hoping to find more time to spend with my beloved parents despite the oceans separating us.
Oh, and on a completely useless note, I’m so looking forward to catching Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, in 2015.
And on that note, may the force be with you!
STUART DANKER
(CONTRIBUTING WRITER, OCCASIONAL HAIRDRESSER AND FUTURE ROCK STAR)
Being somewhat of an introvert, I find myself shrinking into my own world whenever the opportunity presents itself. Imagine my joy when The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty came out. Some things resonate more with me than others, and that movie captured the essence of what I aspire to be. When Sean Penn was beckoning Ben Stiller to join him, I felt as if he was calling out to me, and to this day, that scene’s emotional imprint is still etched into my brain.
2014 has been a weird ride for me. I was forced to acknowledge my mortality for the first time in 30 years, which prompted me to take some time off to explore my passions. Sadly, I came to the realisation that there’s just so much we can do with the time that we have.
I’ve also begun to accept that it’s alright to look inside ourselves and not like (or understand) what we find. I’m grateful to have stumbled across a vocation that I love. I don’t ask for much from the coming year other than my family’s and friends’ wellbeing, and maybe to indulge in a creature comfort or two.
Perhaps I can affect other people’s lives through my work, the way Walter Mitty has done with mine. And if that comes true as well, it’d make for great icing.
KERRY-ANN AUGUSTIN
(WRITER, CERTIFIED PRODUCT OF COLONIALISM, BATHROOM SINGER)
I’m not sure if I stepped on cat faeces on the first day of 2014 but the year sure reeked of it. The twin aviation disasters, kidnappings in the most scenic spot in the east of the country, landslides in the highlands in the west. Then there were religious extremists and groups of Neanderthals who proclaimed to be protecting the sanctity of faith but whose actions demonstrated otherwise.
Thankfully, the cheers and jeers of the World Cup drowned out this madness (for some fans, seeing Christiano Ronaldo run shirtless would’ve healed all wounds twice over). Then, the world turned dark again when Angelina Jolie secretly tied the knot with what’s-his-face. To be fair, that only affected me, not the rest of the population who’re actually of sound mind.
I’ve never been so eager to bid a year farewell, and I’m positive there are many who share this sentiment. My hope for 2015 is that a genie in a bottle (preferably in the form of Christina Aguilera) will appear and should she grant me three wishes, here’s what I’ll wish for.
First: That leaders will stop playing to the gallery and listen to the people.
Second: I wish to see more good people doing good things like soup kitchens to feed the homeless, Epic Homes to build homes for the less fortunate and so many small organisations who are setting fine examples for us all.
Third: That radio stations stop putting songs from Frozen on loop. Let It Go already.
SAMANTHA LAUREN JOSEPH
(WRITER, CAT LOVER, OCCASIONAL GEEK)
2014 was the year most like a Monet. Taken as a whole, from far away, it looked great. But come too close at the wrong angle, and it’s just smears on a canvas. Some of the smears are obviously superior to others. Most are just smears.
What’s great: The democratisation of writing with the rise of self-publishing and indie publishing, resulting in a greater number of local writers published. William Gibson coming out with a new book and The Hobbit finally coming to its bloated, unholy end. I also gathered the courage to cut my hair and bought lots of new clothes.
Some of the smeary highlights: Marion Zimmer Bradley revealed to have abused her own child. A grammatically-challenged One Direction fan fiction becomes a celebrated work of writing. The adorable Sumatran rhinos are more or less extinct. Child marriages are more or less a thing here now. PD James died. James Franco still exists. I hate my hair.
Fortunately next year is setting up to look a little better by dint of being an entirely different year. Mindless action movies (my favourite type) Star Wars 7, Avengers 2 and Jurassic World are coming out to help distract me from reality.
Hopefully, my editor brings in more writers so I can get some sleep. 2015 also represents a whole year’s worth of books that’ll not disappoint me. My hair will grow back to its normal length. I’m not sure what more I could ask for (except maybe for zombie PD James?).