The year 2012 is ending soon and 2013 awaits us. Investing-wise this has been a good year in that I managed to achieve about 4.4% realised returns on my investible portfolio, it also represented the highest amount of total realised capital gains, dividends received and interest since I started tracking my investment performance in 2003.

In terms of personal growth, my daughter is getting older and is now 4+ going on to 5 years in 2013. Time flies and she is quite a handful physically and mentally as she has learnt the art of talking back and trying to get her own way.

I have started learning some basic Korean and am building up my basic Thai learnt 2 years back. I am getting interested in foreign language learning as a hobby that I think is helpful as a leisure activity and as a way to build more useful skills going forward.

My blog posts have been less frequent as I’ve matured in my thinking about financial freedom. There are only some many ways one can reiterate the core principles of (1) living within your means, (2) saving and investing, (3) growing and protecting one’s means.

I’ve learnt to enjoy life a bit more. As the December bonus and dividends are credited into my accounts, I set aside slightly more than 10% of those as a fund to spend as I wish. Gelato ice-creams, nice coffees and a good Kindle ebook are ways that I utilise this investment and windfall gains.

I would like to wish all readers who still follow my blog a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with health, happiness and financial freedom!

Be well and prosper.

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