In the last minutes of 2008 here in San Fran, when everyone’s gone out to see the fireworks and celebrate the new year, here I am in my room, thinking back on all that has happened in 2008. The biggest thing in my life this year different from previous years has to be audi and of course, Mesme.

I remember setting out to write a nice long speech for all of you when I left for San Fran, that feeling of not wanting to go, of missing all of you, and those emotions were as real as missing my friends in rl. Most of Mesme have known each other / been on audi since the beginning whereas I only started in Dec 2007 so I thank everyone for letting me into this family. I count myself blessed to have come to know each of you, in a big or small way, and to be part of this family. In the land of audi where one can go for months on end without finding someone you can call a friend, where friendships are as fluid as water, transcient as air, I’ve come to find a group of kindred spirits who touch my heart in so many different ways. Friends with whom I share laughter, tears, heartache, secrets, emoness, sot-ness, chiong-ness.. Friends with whom I can share my life whether I be physically in sg or not. I may not be as close to everyone as I would like or share as much with all but know that in my heart you are my audi family. That is one thing that won’t change.

As I think of each of you by name, debb, skye, ray, hika, dk, plo, dob, izu, hy, my mind screens like a movie the different memories that I’ve shared with each. Wish I could bottle these up and give them to each of you individually. My heart holds dear every one of you.

Thank you for being a part of my life in 2008.

Love, rae