Another new year.

No big resolutions. No big wants. No big expectations.

For me, 2026 will be a good enough year if I can carry on doing the things I did in 2025. Do a bit more of what I didn’t do as much as I would have liked to. Plus, one or two that I didn’t get around to at all. Voila!

This is true. Instantly after I typed my 2026 to-dos, I stopped. I picked up a clipboard, yes, I have three – blue, orange, and green –  so there, and asked myself what they were. What was interesting was I put pen to paper. I wrote, not typed on my keyboard, three headlines. I added details and notes to each of the to-do-more headline.

For instance, my husband and I go for walks in the parks that are both near and far from where we live. We have four that we frequent. I added another three to try to get to in the first quarter of the year. While they are more easily accessible by car, there are also LRT and/or MRT services to these parks. Public transport might involve a bit of a hike but that would be part of the fun.

I did the same with eateries that we frequent. The easy option is to go to where we always do. Simply because we like the service and we like the food. This is true. We are not friends but we are familiar with a good number of the service staff in most of the restaurants that we visit.

They are generally a friendly bunch and are quite happy to share their stories with us. One of the restaurants has staff from, other than Malaysia, Iran, Bali, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Malawi. A mini United Nations. Who knew? Not me. The staff composition kind of reminded us of Emirates Airlines. Its crew comes from a few hundred countries and speak over 70 languages. Yay to diversity.

What was equally interesting was writing it down, which I don’t do often enough, made it seem more real. I know it’s old school but the black and white information on paper helped me visualise and remember better what I had written.

The tangible list also reflected a want to get out of my comfort zone. Albeit bite-sized, it was a way to not do the same old, same old. I know I’m likely to get a few right and some wrong but at least my husband and I will have new or different experiences.

I also Googled events that are happening this year and listed them on my physical calendar. Not on a e-calendar. I can plan and/or choose to be a part of this nice-to-know list of events.

As for my ‘failed-to-do’ list, I’ve sort of promised myself to give not sewing but alteration another attempt. Anyways, I was supposed to have learnt how to sew last year. I got myself an electric sewing machine some years ago for this very purpose. However, it has sat in the box it came in. Hmm. I’m not sure if that’s a clue that sewing and me are not meant to be.

That said, my first job was selling Electrolux sewing machines in Alor Setar. My dismal failure at it should be a sign to me to drop this useless pursuit. No. I aim to persevere because I need to learn how to alter and make minor adjustments to clothes I buy. My physique, although there are so many people smaller than me, makes it difficult to find form fitting clothes. If I manage to tack and tuck clothes so they don’t hang on me, I might be an inch/cm closer to my alteration goal in the new year. Will see. Scissors crossed😊.

I also want to re-launch my once-a-week solo outing. I go out on my own to shop, meet friends and see family. What I also like is to browse in bookshops. And, have tea/cake and sit/read in their cafes. Yes, bookshops, these days, come with cafés.

I like the ‘idea’ because my husband and I are not sitters. We don’t sit for long, anywhere, except at the cinema or while we are watching a performance. We sit and chat during our meals. Then we walk wherever, and walk home.

Truth be told, I made the mistake of telling my husband about the bookshop that I had planned to have my tea/cake and sit/read. Naturally, each time, we walk past Tsutaya Bookshop in Intermark, yes that’s the one, he asks in jest if I had enjoyed the experience. Hmm.

While none of the to-do and to-do-more headlines and activities are etched in stone, writing them down, I hope, will help trigger my memory and motivate me to make them happen in the new year.

Happy 2026.