CNY 2022

 Finally, after more than two years, I was able to travel back to Penang to celebrate CNY with your uncles, aunties and cousins. What makes the homecoming extra special is that we (mom, Raj and I) are staying with your brother. He has bought a new place in Bayan Lepas; a 3 bedroom apartment with a nice view. This morning, we went to uncle Teik Ee’s place prayers to grandma; something I haven’t done for ages. It was a re-union of sorts as we also met up with uncle Boo Eng, aunty Girlie, Teng Lye and Teng Hin. Hopefully, we can do this again next CNY. 

Home Sweet Home

I’m home in KL after nearly two years waiting for the Covid 19 travel restrictions to ease off. Had a good time with mom and CS for 3 days before they drove back to Pg. CS has bought a new apartment and mom is helping him to move in. How I wish you could be with us. I miss you.

Sept 2021

 Yesterday, someone in my office tested positive for COVID-19 so we had to pack up and leave immediately. I went to the clinic today and luckily the result of the test was negative. I’ll be working from home till the end of the month. The pandemic has turned our lives topsy turvy and it will take at least another year for our lives to go back to normal. I haven’t been back since March 2020 and really miss everyone back in Malaysia. I hope I can visit by year end if not Chinese New Year in February 2022!

Goodbye 2020

 What a year! COVID-19 has changed the way we live; traveling is largely restricted, social gatherings restrained, families stayed apart and work from home became the norm. We can only hope that life will resume to the way we are used to in 2021. 

But hope can fail us. On this day, 15 years ago, you left us. We can never have you back. Some say time heals; true but to a certain extent. As much as we’ve moved on, we can never forget you! 

I’ll always miss you.

Sept 2020

I’m a day late but will never forget your birthday on 15 September; miss you.

Covid-19

Just after my trip back to KL on 13 March, I like everyone else was confined mostly to working from home due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Since March, I was unable to go back to Malaysia and miss home very much. I was also worried about mom being alone; until June your brother couldn’t travel to see her.
 The virus outbreak has spread to all parts of the world and we have to take more precautions than usual; one instance is wearing mask when you leave home. We also try to avoid crowded places and eat out less. In other words, it will take a long time for things to return to normal.
Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately; I really miss you.

Dec 2019

I was back in KL during the Christmas week to spend some time with your mom. Your brother and Raj, thankfully, were around as well. On Christmas eve, we had dinner with Pheng, Cheng and their dad. In our hearts, we’re all thinking about you. New Year’s eve is round the corner and it always reminds of how you would come over and have dinner with me before you headed out for the fireworks. I truly miss you.

September 2019

I was back in KL during your birthday weekend to spend time with mom and Chean Shen.
The good news is that mom got a new job and she’ll be spending some time in Singapore to help integrate the company’s HR process regionally. On 26 September, we had dinner with Raj and some friends to celebrate my 13 year anniversary at job. Barely had we finished dinner when we received some bad news about our friend Martin; he had taken his own life.
Naturally, we were shocked and very sad to lose a dear friend.
I miss you.

Perth

We were in Perth from Aug 8 to 15; never saw your mom so happy in a long time.
She was game for everything from whale watching to sky diving. It was more fun
with your brother around. The weather was also perfect until the second last day
when it rained and the temperature dropped to single digit when the wind blows.
We did a lot of wine and cheese tasting along Swan Valley and Margaret River;
Needless to say, mom and Chean Shen took tons of photos; wish you could see them.

new year's eve 2018

New Year's eve always brings back fond memories of you. We would have dinner usually at your favorite restaurant Esquire Kitchen with your friends Saw Hong or Li Huey.  After dinner, you would try to persuade me to go for the fireworks display but habits die hard as i need to be in bed before midnight; so you would drop me home first. It was always fun to be with you, and this time of the year is especially poignant knowing we always spent time together. I miss you.

August 2018

I was back in KL for 10 days to help your mom deal with the aftermath of house renovation. i spent most days unpacking boxes and boxes of books and other stuff; cleaning and re-organizing. On my second last day, i sorted out a stack of photo albums and went through some old pictures. i saw the ones where you were playing with your brother when he was 2 or 3 years old. The photos reminded me of how much i miss you. We all do.

GE May 9 2018

It's been over a week since Malaysia held its 14th general elections on Wed. May 9, 2018. The results turned out to be a positive surprise with the Opposition coalition forming the new government. This time around, the voter turnout was over 80% with overseas Malaysians making an effort to head back to vote. I flew back to KL while your mom made a last minute decision to go back to Penang to vote. Needless to say, you would have done the same thing. Even now, most of us are still caught up in the euphoria of the election results as this is the first time in 60 years that Barisan Nasional had lost an election.The new government has made a few promises including reducing corruption and restore the rule of law. The question now is whether the changes being made will have a good lasting impact on Malaysian society and the economy. 

new year's eve

i had just came back from KL, spending abit of time with your mom, brother, Yileen (Chean Shen's girlfriend) and Kaya (their super cute puppy). i was also glad that i met up with my erhu teacher Yee Sim whom i've not seen for two years; he's like a younger brother that i never had; good bloke. i believe you've met him when he came to the house to give me erhu lessons. Well, another year has gone but i will always miss you; new year's eve in particular. you would always come over for dinner with Saw Hong or Li Huey and then drive out to see fireworks. i would be asleep when you come back; those were the days i cherish so much!

15 Sep 2017

It was your birthday two weeks ago; i thought about you. I couldn't believe you would have been 42 years old. Time may heal the wound but not the pain of losing you. I have recurring dreams of you coming home but i was robbed of those moments of joy in a flash of a second, waking up to confront the reality of you gone. I miss you.

looking up

Things are starting to look good for your mom. First, she got a contract to conduct training in organisation and development for a company in Penang. This was quickly followed by a job offer from a well known legal firm in KL. All of us are so happy for her,as we know the job will keep her busy and in good spirits. As for me, the first six months of the year have kept me super busy at work but there were times when work stress got the better of me, so much so that i was tempted to quit.
But i realize that i would be worse off without working, so i just have to suck it in and learn to cope better with the stress at work. More than anything else, i'm very happy for your mom, and i know you would be too.

CNY 2017

Chinese New Year 2017 is very special. We had our reunion dinner in Penang with uncle Boo Eng and family, and Pheng and family. On the first day of CNY, I did my usual rounds; visited my biological mother (when you were around, you always dropped me off at her place) who is in a very bad shape, bed ridden and has to be fed through the tube. i was abit shaken when i saw her in that condition. Next stop was uncle Boo Eng's place, then uncle Teik Ee. Got to meet everyone at uncle Teik Ee's place. Your cousin, uncle Teik Ee's youngest son Wen Koay, is a budding entrepreneur doing web designing and other IT-related work. Uncle Teik Ee is very proud of him, so are we. Wish you were here.

December 2016

Last night, i dreamed that you came home and told everyone that you didn't die. i was so happy and relieved that i wanted to hug you to see if you were really alive. As i rushed forward, i woke up and the reality sank in.
i will always remember how you would call me to tell me that you were coming over to spend New Year's eve with me. We would have dinner with your friends and you would head out to see the fireworks.
I really, really miss you.

Kaya

This posting was overdue. i remembered your birthday; you would have been 41 years old on Sept 15, last Thursday. Your mom was tearing up when she went through your photographs; guess what happened? Kaya, your brother's puppy, jumped up from his slumber and sat on your mom's lap as if to comfort her. She is so adorable and lovable; wish you could see her. 

April

I was back in KL on Friday, April 22. That evening, your cousins Pheng and Cheng, and I went to Pantai Hospital to see your mom who is recovering from a knee surgery. She was in good spirits and was discharged the following day. I thought your mom was lucky to have your brother's new girl friend Yileen playing nurse to her for 2 weeks. Yileen is a lovely girl and reminded me of you. She's friendly, cheerful, down to earth and smart. You would have liked her too. 

2015

As the year 2015 comes to a close, I ask myself what have I achieved?
At work, I believe I have done well, taking on more responsibilities and my funds have stayed in the top quartile. Besides, I couldn't have asked for a more talented and hard working team; the team spirit is also amzazing.
My personal life is also good; i've made some effort to be more sociable; i've trained hard in the gym and i have put in effort to see our family more often. I've renovated the kitchen and install an oven; your mom has been happily baking. She also travels to Penang frequently to help Chean Shen set up his flat.
All in all, a good year. I still miss you.