Season's Greetings from Joanna (2005)

Dear Friends

Has 2005 been good to you? I bet it has. It’s just whizzed by for me - filled with work, work and more work. Very challenging year on the career front, as I consolidated by skills and knowledge as a HR & Change professional.

Still, I’ve found time to make some changes and collect new experiences. First change on the vanity front is my hair - it’s now long, straight and flecked with chestnut streaks..super cool!

Other highlights include:-

• Taking ownership of my property in January. First came the keys; then came the light fixtures, wardrobes, cabinets, air-conditioners, bathroom fittings as my poor wallet groaned in agony. Still, I’m happy to report that it’s now gainfully collecting rental so eat your hear out, Donald Trump!
• Visiting Hong Kong for the first time in July. The food is amazing -roast goose, dim sum, shatin pigeon, XO sauce chicken, “char chanteng” goodies – I ate myself silly. Hong Kong is also the most brand-conscious city I’ve ever seen. Everyone was Gucci-ed, Prada-ed and Burberry-ed from tip to toe. Not wanting to be left out, I quickly bought myself a gorgeous Louis Vuitton handbag (that almost required me to take out a second mortgage J)
• Learning a lot about occupational psychology – trained as a psychometric test user and Responsible Gaming counsellor. BTW, that was the real reason for my trip to Hong Kong
• Playing golf for the first time…err.. actually, my game looked much more like hockey. Complete with bald patches spread liberally throughout the course
• Appearing in the local newspaper as a poster girl for British Postgraduate Education – what a laugh that was!
• Preparing for my sister, Julie, to spread her wings and leave for USA. She’ll be pursuing her nursing career and earning US$ for the Yeoh family. HURRAY for JULIE!

Introducing Kiersten & Katelynn...

Julie & I also became godparents to twin girls, born September 18. These little angels are such a delight to be with!

I love spending weekends with them – cooing, bouncing, feeding, cuddling, singing and talking gibberish. I bet they often wonder if Aunty Jo-Jo is actually a blithering idiot disguised as a career woman :-)