2020 - What A Year It Was.....

It's 5.45pm, New Year's Eve. 

It's my annual "tradition" to sum up my year. But what can I say about the year that was 2020? While I hoped that many exciting things would happen this year, alas...nothing really happened.

2019 was one of the hardest years for my family and me. So we looked towards 2020 for renewed hope and better times. Unfortunately, as January moved into February, and then March....things began to look bleak. A virus had hit the world; and in just a few short weeks, this virus became a global pandemic!! 

For the first time in my life, I learned what MCO, CMCO and RMCO meant. I lived through all three; and even now, in my state, it is still RMCO. God knows when I will hear the long awaited words of "we are no longer in the RMCO period. We are safe!"

Even Deepavali was different! We had a virtual gathering, complete with smoky background thanks to the prayers being conducted, noisy aunts and uncles trying to talk at the same time.....still, it can't beat the atmosphere of everyone gathered in the same house.

Nevertheless, as the saying goes, 'there is a silver lining behind every cloud'. While the pandemic caused havoc for everyone, it taught me or rather reminded me of all the things that I should be grateful for. I have job security; I have a roof over my head; I have my three meals a day; I have my love ones around me. 

In short, while the pandemic forced us all to re-look at our way of life, it also taught us to take a step back and appreciate all that we have. 

For me....while I did not get my planned holiday (to Cambodia - postponed again!), I still "achieved" some things:

> as previously mentioned, I got promoted at work

> Started to cook and the dishes turned out pretty good - so yay for me!

> I started taking a class which has been something I have always thought of doing (and this leads to another achievement, see below)

> I have completed my 'Things To-Do Before 40" List!!! - way ahead of time

> Ben finally met my close friends and they're now #teamBen - LOL

> I won a competition and a lucky draw - both of which gave me hotel vouchers (woohoo)

Anyway.....that's it from me this year. As the hours tick towards a new year, I believe that we will be treading carefully into the new year, praying for the best for everyone. We can win this war against the pandemic only if we work together, for each other. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! AND MAY GOD BLESS US ALL! 

2009 - 2019

This is a really delayed post but it's something that I would like to put down for memory's sake.

2009 - Two years after I graduated, I finally got to wear my graduation gown and mortar board and take my pictures. It was also the year my family had the first wedding (i.e. first grandchild got married)

2010 - I finally went back to Singapore. It was just for the weekend but it was good to visit it again.

2011 - I returned to Bangalore, India again after my last trip in 2008 to Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu. This time I was there for a Tribunal. Once that was over, I traveled to Mysore then Kerala for a day trip. I took the opportunity to do so even if it was tiring and the journey was long, but since I was already there, what the heck right?

2012 - I finally visited East Malaysia i.e. Bintulu, Sarawak and got to stay in a long house, eat wild board and mouse deer, and learn about the struggles of the Indigenous Community.

2013 - This was a crazy year. I stepped foot in Europe!! I actually lived in Berlin, Germany for nearly 3 months (in winter) as I was the first Global Exchanger with ECCHR where I worked on Human Rights Cases. Then I went to Manila, Phillipines (yay!). And after that, I went to Uttarakhand, India where I lived at Bija Vidyapeeth (Earth University) a learning center located at the Navdanya Biodiversity Conservation Farm in Doon Valley, Uttarakhand, nestled between the Ganga and the Yamuna, the Shivalik and Himalayan mountain ranges. It was a great experience.

2014 - I turned 30 this year and I had a week-long celebration thanks to my sister who organised everything! I went back to India again at the end of the year after a whirlwind 24hr journey. It was to commemorate the 30 year anniversary of the Bhopal tragedy. It was an eye-opening experience and to meet and mingle with the survivors, listen first hand to their stories and struggles, it was an experience that I will never forget. Being the First Global Exchanger also made me part of an Alumni, and I got to return to Berlin for their Alumni gathering.

2015 - I went back to Berlin again for the Alumni Gathering and it was good to be back in Europe. Although I don't like the cold, I actually enjoyed winter and miss the snow! I actually went to Munich first, thanks to my colleague then who invited me to stay with her. I then took a train from Munich to Berlin to attend the gathering. 

2016 -  This was a decision making year. After 8 years in my NGO job where I learned so much and also traveled, I decided that it was time to move on. I quit my job in January without the security of a new job. I took a two month break and in April that year, I joined a GLC - the Penang Water Corporation. It was a scary decision to make but one that I do not regret making. I do miss the work and travel opportunities but it was time to move on. This was also a wedding year as a couple of my cousins got married.

2017 - This year marked a decade of me being in the workforce. This was also the year my sister and I traveled to Vietnam for the first time without our parents. We had a blast and we owe it to our friends who hosted us there. Another cousin for married this year, which lead to something quite unexpected happening - I met someone!

2018 - Big year indeed! I got into a relationship much to everyone's happiness (lol); and...my sis and I fulfilled our lifelong dream of bringing my parents back to Hong Kong! It was something that we had always wanted to do, and it happened! The long awaited family trip! We even went to Disneyland!! It was indeed a dream come true for my sister and I!

2019 - If the previous year was fantastic, this year was a bummer! Happy news were: I went back to Hong Kong although it was for work; I celebrated my one year anniversary with Ben; I turned 35; I was promoted at work; and I bought myself a new car. But....over the course of the year, we lost many loved ones - the most painful being my uncle (mum's bro) and Ben's mum. And that too, just a week apart.

That's a decade of my life. Here's to another decade of happiness, fun-times, travel, laughter and milestones. 

Budding Cook

So it's now June, which is my birthday month. I am usually very excited whenever June comes around as I have claimed it to be MY month. However, this year, the excitement was lacking. My birthday came and went; there was no celebration as the whole country was still under the CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order). [I did get presents from my family and friends; plus Ben cooked for me]. The last I wrote, we were in the MCO period. As I write this, we have entered the RMCO (Recovery Movement Control Order) period which started on 9th June and will last till the end of August.

In my last entry, I had written that I started cooking. And this is something that I have actually continued doing, although not as frequent as I would like too. Among the dishes that I have cooked so far are:

> Kerala Prawn Curry
> Chicken and Tomato Spiced Curry
> Sweet and Sour Prawns
> Sambal Tumis Udang Petai
> Spicy Malabar Prawn Curry
> Ginataan Na Hipon (Shrimp in Coconut Milk) - this is a Pinoy dish
> Pancit (Fried Bihun) - another Pinoy dish
> Lumpia Shanghai (Fried Spring Rolls) - yet another Pinoy Dish
> Nasi Tomato
> Afritada - another Pinoy Dish
> Chicken Rendang

Now that I have listed out everything that I have cooked these past couple of months, it does show that I have learned much!! And, as you can see, I am trying to balance my skills and knowledge of both my Indian/Malaysian and Filipino culture.

I did indeed have help from mum in that she helped me with cleaning (chicken) and of course the taste test! Not forgetting my sidekick sister who also have had her share of cooking.

I must proudly say that there was no botched nor tasteless dish. But of course, credit goes to my mum for I asked her to taste the dishes multiple times just so that I would get the taste right. Even dad has given his seal of approval for all dishes!

To help enhance my Pinoy cooking, I joined a Filipino Cooking Group on Facebook so that I can get ideas or even easy recipes to try. So far, everything seems out of my reach! Lol! Plus, Pinoys eat innards and blood etc which is so out of my taste range.

Well, at least now, when people ask if I can cook, I can give a positive answer. No more shame in not being able to cook. Although, there is still the huge problem of me not knowing how to clean a chicken (which I tried and it was a horrible experience) or fish.

My next recipe is going to be Sinigang. I had excitedly bought the packet mix for this from the Pinoy Centre without realising that instead of the tamarind mix for Sinigang, I bought the Papaya version (Sinigang sa bayabas!) which has to be paired with preferably milkfish (bangus). I have tried bangus when I was in Manila and it was good. I managed to find the fish in Tesco and I was so excited until my mum accidentally cooked it thinking it was another fish. Now I am going to have to cook the Sinigang with another type of fish, so hopefully it turns out well.

I'm quite proud of myself for finally learning how to cook; and I must say, it's not as hard as I thought it would be.

Here's to more cooking adventures...

MCO Cooking

I have only been WFH for a week and already it has benefited me. I still put in the roughly 8 hrs, making sure that I am at my laptop by 8am and only closing off at 5pm. Of course, in between those times, I do take  a break, as expected when WFH. Nevertheless, I still managed to finish my reports and presentations; participate in concalls etc.

But what has benefited me is that I am now actually cooking. Yup! I have cooked TWO main dishes in the past week. My first dish was Kerala Prawn Curry, which my dad said was VERY NICE! And he especially loved the gravy.

The next dish I made was Chicken and Tomato Spiced Curry; and once again, dad was a happy man. He finished the leftovers the next day, proclaiming that it was very nice and that I should cook it again next time.

This is quite an achievement for a person who rarely cooks; and even when I do cook, I limit it to prawns because that the only thing I know how to clean! Yes yes, mum cleaned the chicken for me this time. I do know how to clean squid though.

Anyhow, all this cooking has got me excited, that I already have the next menu planned: Sweet and Sour Prawns, with French Beans and Eggs. That would be TWO Mains i.e. a complete meal.

I get all my recipes online and just tweak it a bit to the amount that I am cooking and also for taste.

So far, my family has not complained, so I guess I pass! 

Hehe...

The MRO has been extended!

Less than a week o me WFH due to the MRO (now called MCO), the PM announced that the MCO has been extended for another two weeks!! So, instead of being "freed" o 1st April 2020, we now have to wait till 14th April 2020. And that too is not guaranteed, as stories are going round that the MCO may yet again be extended to 28th April 2020.

This MCO thing has both its pros and cons. While it is one way to break the chain of the virus spreading, the downside is that business and wage workers are on the losing end. I work in the Utility industry where chances of the industry shutting down is pretty minimal; however, it is not the same for my sister who works in the hotel industry which is linked to the tourism industry. And we all know how the tourism industry is faring now. :-(

The MCO is a serious thing. It is meant to break the chain of the virus spread by limiting the movement and movement of people. The less people moving around, the less the virus spread. It's a simple formula. It's basically common sense; and yet, it is at this very point of time, we find that indeed...there are people with no common sense let alone fear! I am not only talking about those young punks but also grown adults with families; old people etc.

Despite numerous warnings, pleads and also road blocks, there are reports every day that the MCO is still being flouted. While I understand that groceries needs to be bought, but come one.....does a person/family need stuff every single day? The excuses you read about simply causes eye rolls.

Doctors, Nurses, basically the front-liners have all reminded and are now pleading for people to stay home. The dangers and consequence of contracting the virus is everywhere and yet, people seem to turn a blind eye. Why I wonder?

I have heard many people complain that they often wished they had time to spend with their families; to work on their hobbies; watch their children grow. And now, when time has been given to them, we find that there are still complaints. From all that I have read/seen, it looks like people just wants things easy. No need to work, still get paid, spend time with the family, go on holidays, hang out with friends.....all these without realising that the one thing that will enable them all this (and it is what the MCO is for) is GOOD HEALTH! Not money, not time. HEALTH.

For what it's worth, I really really pray that people come to their senses fast before it's too late. Not only for themselves and their families, but for the entire country and world.

Of MROs and Selfish People

It's 23 March 2020 and for the first time in my working life, I am working from home. For the next 11 days. Not because I am sick. Not because something is wrong at my company.

Me and almost the whole country are under a Movement Restriction Order (MRO) due to COVID-19 which is spreading like wildfire. It started in China back in December if I am not mistaken; and today, the whole world has been infected. Every day, thousands of people are being tested positive, and hundreds are just dying. To date, Malaysia has more than a thousand positive cases with almost 10 deaths recorded. And I expect the numbers to increase for I believe we have yet to reach its peak.

This virus is so fast spreading and dangerous that a simple handshake or hug with a COVID-19 positive case could mean you contracting the virus. And yet, despite this seriousness, we have "smart" people still going out while there is the MRO in place. Markets are still full, coffee shops are still being patronised, supermarkets are also still packed with people. While I understand that supplies do run out, but please....don't tell me that a person only buys supplies that lasts a day. Especially with the MRO. To me, these people are purely stubborn and selfish.

Just yesterday, I read an article where a lady went out to get shampoo (!!) and was promptly told off by the police. Another guy actually wanted to go have a meal and meet friends. Like seriously?! Some Malaysians don't seem to understand why there is an MRO and what the MRO stands for. Selfishness to the highest degree.

My family, close friends and I are scared to the bones; worrying constantly about washing our hands; wearing a mask (that too if we actually have one)...etc. And yet, these people still go out, some with kids (!!). I wonder where their brains are. Or do they think this is an issue of "It wont get me".

So many countries are under lockdown; perhaps Malaysia should be too. But then again, the very people who are still going out during the MRO will be the ones who complain about their "freedom" being restricted. What assholes! While the doctors, nurses, cleaners and Security personnel are risking their lives, these selfish idiots continue to expose themselves without an ounce of guilty conscience. Some people are even on the brink of losing their jobs; or having to take huge salary cuts.

While I can rant and rant about how selfish and stubborn some Malaysians are, I'd rather spend my time praying that a cure would be found; and that things will start to improve.

Let us all pray together for the world to heal and for some people to grow brains.

The tough year that was 2019

2019 was a year that hit my family HARD. After the high of 2018, where my sis and I finally fulfilled our dreams of taking my parents back to HK, 2019 started out pretty good. However, things started souring pretty fast after that. As mentioned in one of my entries, by April alone, we had lost at least four loved ones. By July, we had lost eight.

As I think back of what happened last year, the loss of three people runs through my mind. Ben's mum, whom I only knew for less than a year. It feels like I met her many times but when I really look back, I can't say that I have had a decent conversation with her. She was always welcoming; and she always had that glint of mischief in her eyes and smile. Now, whenever I go to Ben's parents house, her absence is stark - from the quiet of the piano, to the laundry basket full of unfolded clothes, to watching her get ready to go to church. Sigh.

My dear uncle Toning was the biggest loss to my family. We are all still reeling from his demise. Every birthday, Christmas and holiday will never be the same. Even his witty replies on FB will be missed. Slow, jazzy songs remind us of him; funny, odd gadgets makes us think of him; Nescafe Ice will always be associated with him. 8 months have passed since he left, and yet, it is still difficult to accept that he is no longer her physically. 

The third person who comes to mind is Prem. A customer at my parents' cafe who soon became a family friend. A friendship that lasted 10 years, severed not by his passing, but by reasons only known to him; and ones that he took to his grave. Mum's last contact with him was before our trip to HK. He never replied. We got news that he moved to KL to be with his brother and that he was working there. The next thing we knew, we heard he collapsed at work, was in a coma in the hospital; and then....he passed. He was only 44. Waking up to news on FB that he had died was shocking. What more that his passing happened so soon after my uncle's. 

With all the losses that happened last year and all due to medical issues, I of course became paranoid. Every day I have to tell myself that I am fine, people do get sick but that doesn't mean they will die. Ben too has commented on my paranoia; but I put it down to being concerned.

Onto good stuff that happened....as you all know, I got a new car!! And to top it off, I got a really good appraisal which lead to me being promoted and upgraded! Starting April 2020, I will be starting a new position, which of course comes with new responsibilities and pressure. I will be taking over someone who has 40 years of experience and knowledge, so the shoes to fill are huge! I have been telling people not to expect a clone of my predecessor because I cannot simply learn 40 years of experience in 2.5 months! I need patience, guidance and help! Lots of it! I do have a solid support system in my family, friends and even my boss.

So, as I welcome in the new year (which is coincidentally my Rat year) and decade, I look forward to happier, better, fulfilling and fun times ahead!!!!