German Affair for Adeline

070818: It was my gym buddy, Adeline's birthday. We had a really meaty session at Deutsches Haus, KL. The setup was pretty neat, with hints of German culture (there were German army posters all around), but mixed with English flair. It was a decent lunch, though a little pricey. But having not to travel to Munich to taste such authentic food, it was still worth the price.

Mixed sausage platter - the meat was solid and grilled to perfection. Eat them with a dip of English mustard and mayonnaise, you should be in ecstasy.

Roast pork knuckle. Very crispy skin, to go with the lightly sour but appetising sauerkraut.

Next on the table was grill pork shoulder. Very packed meat, good to chew and perfect with the light and dry Argentinian Malbec.

"Huh, another artistic shot??", said Ad.

A meal full of suspense...

... and joy

Sweet-lookin' carnivore

A perfect shot - yours truly

I don't have a sweet tooth, but this is the best cake by far - the Baileys-infused cake

Another perfect shot by yours truly, done with the timer set

Happy birthday Ad!!!

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I Hope I Had Done Enough to Deserve All This Happiness

My old handphone is still keeping about 30 plus SMSs from all the closest colleagues of mine. Nope, not entirely due to the mobile network companies' Save-on-SMS promotions, though they are pretty cheap nowadays - from your friends to colleagues, from this network to others, from your uncles to her aunties. It gets one to think that the world has indeed come closer, in one way or another.

'Close' is the keyword I must assign to this bunch of colleagues. These are the people I've been seeing day and night for the last four years in this purple chocolate company. They are the people you do not see in those typical Chinese series which depict the cruel world of business and politics. Nope, you don't find any of them here. They are the best bunch to pick a fight or work it right. Anyhow, at the end of the day, everyone would have a chilling good time together.

But as they say, 'everything good must come to an end'. It looked like it was the end; at least in terms of interaction, proximity and common passion. This event would affect how we move forward, or rather, how I move forward.

Those are farewell SMSs in my old phone. SMSs that one would smile and 'grow younger' whenever they are read. Yes, I feel I would 'de-grow' whenever I reflect on the experiences I have gathered with them. The smiles somehow hide the wrinkles I have grown over this short four years, what a sweet camouflage. I would want to publish all the SMSs here, but I may really look like a 'cry baby'. Hmm... there were tears too, along the way, which makes the journey so much of a 'mixed happiness' - sometimes you are sad but happy in the midst of sadness... ?!? Yeah, I guess this is what I termed 'mixed happiness'.

Going into the juice of this long story... one should know by now that this post is all about FAREWELL.

This happened the week after my last trip with the company (Bali, posted earlier) - effectively my last week with the company. I was still busy in the midst of a major project with a key customer. Not only everyone was busy catching-up on work after a few days of holiday, it was also the week when so many of my colleagues took leave or gone on business trip.

I had the first farewell session with the bunch above, an easy-going seafood dinner at LalaChong.

070629: Then came the day - it's a Friday. TGIF, it's nice to dress down and get comfy with my last day. Nothing interesting in the morning, I was still working, goodness sake! Got some stuffs sorted out with my key customer in the morning and when I came back to office had lunch with this tiny group for lunch, at our much-frequented Kiwi Express.

I was still cleaning up my computer files at 5pm when a few 'bouncers' got me off my work and into the Conference Room. *sigh*... As usual, the cake, the speech, and a little snack - there goes all your life with the company.

What the heck, the 'committee' (made up of my closest colleague buddies) got me a surprise with this, er... seemingly 'red-carpet' treatment! "That's all we can do ok?? Big Boss is outside, we wouldn't want to mess up the whole office, hor?", was what Tomato said. It was still sweet, right up to the 't'. I couldn't stop giggling.

Oh, not to mention the butterflies in the stomach too. I've always been steady, but today still caught some wind.

Here comes the 'speech'. Ouch. I did think about it for a few days. It goes something like this:

"I've shared many many hugs or pats on the shoulder with everyone here - from guys to gals. I'm pretty glad no one has yet to lodge a sexual harrasment case! *there goes the laughter*... But on a serious note, I guess it shows that I'm someone who loves to share my care and friendship; 3+years should be sufficient to prove that *can see some serious nods*.

I'm glad there are so many 'humans' among you guys; don't think there are many out there - 'cause they say it's a jungle out there. I'll brave myself out there after today.

Anyway, to cut my long speech short, i'll leave by sayin', continue to share your happiness, it's the greatest tagline a company can have. Some of us won't be here forever, but happiness we've shared will stay forever...."

I think I've left a good impression, with this speech.

These people came for a real show.

After a couple of appreciative words from Pat and Dee, I opened up to a huge farewell card.

Messages from the happiness bunch! Sweet.

I just managed to find time to go through all these messages a minute ago. There are all sorts of messages - from jokes to wishes to history to future to nonsense to serious stuffs to praise to appreciation. These made up the colours of my life, really. Thanks.

Everyone contributed to another of my farewell gift - a Sony Ericsson K550i!!! Say, where on earth do you expect such luxury to leave a company?? I couldn't thank everyone enough!

A cake with my face on it, in icing?? I was getting more goosebumps all over, really. I think it was custom-made...??!! Haha, bakery wouldn't be able to sell a cake with my face on it. Yes, it's custom-made!

Then my dearest Jie compiled a video of interviews with most of the bunch who were there in the office. She also linked some of my crazy old videos (like when I drank a glass of Tabasco during my last year's birthday, and my chilli-burnt lips after that). It reminded me how crazy I was with them. Really would like to thank her for what she did, albeit so many things so many times in such subtle ways. She had to re-do and rush the video when it was first saved wrongly. I was speechless when I found out about this. It was so much effort, because the video is not short at all. I wonder if I would jam up YouTube if I upload it, haha.

Then came also my billboard 'Hall of Fame'!!! This was done by Maguro. She was one of the close ones who couldn't make it to the session, due to external work. But really appreciate her creativity and time to do eight slides, portraying me in very 'compromised' and lewd positions. Glad that no kids were in the room.

Huh... what else could I ask for more?? I really thank God for this beautiful bunch. I don't mind having farewells everyday.

The smiles say it all. You can actually see smiles 'in their eyes'! Or, are they happy that now I'm leaving??!! Urghh

The last photo before we moved on to second session - dinner!!!

Another another another round of seafood dinner. We must have eaten in this restaurant for the past few months! We like it because the surrounding is quiet and peaceful.

You would have thought this is a wrong posting or something. Nope, it's after dinner! Everyone rushed home to take a quick shower and here we were, 11pm, in KL's Velvet for a grueling session.

I got my recent JiMui to join this purple bunch.

Potato who left a month before me (and last time joined a month before me too) reunited in this session.

The rest of the photos need little explanation.

Oh, the one who made me the Billboard 'Hall of Fame'.

The one who bought me the phone!

This is how fire was first created on earth.

Video director, Ah Jie 'piggling' on me.

I could hardly recall how the night ended. There were of course piles of censored photos of drinking actions, and some explicit ones too which are inappropriate for general viewing. But the most explicit thing you can see here is... 'happiness'.

070630: Oh, I managed to wake up the next day and come back to office for my really final time, to clear off my desk. I had brief company of another of my dearest buddies - Ho and Oshin. Though brief, it was a sweet end. I had some good reflections working til 11pm. Took my final steps towards 'Dato', prayed and thanked for a wonderful and memorable four years. Be it ups and downs, I didn't frown; because these people were with me at every turns and corners.

Another of my buddies, Bee, who couldn't make it for neither sessions was sweet enough to get me a dragon-looking pendant. I love it very much, a taste of full character. I have been shopping around for such accessory when I was in Bali trip, but couldn't find any single one that I really like. This is like a gift from heaven. She is heavenly anyway. Thanks!

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070720: Three weeks after I left them. They had a major conference in P.D. I had by then joined my new company. On the last day of their Conference, they asked me to join their finale. I hesitated, was busy with a dinner function on that Friday in some outskirt place, it was raining heavily, flooded in certain places, and jam all over the city. But somehow, miraculous as it sounds, I departed the city at 9:30pm and managed to zoom all the way to P.D. to reach at 11:30pm!!! When I reached, they were at this beachside pub. I ran towards them, and jumped right onto everyone's arms, it was hysteria all over! It's so much like in a movie. There were like tight hugs which lasted a few long seconds with each of them. Oww... it was so sweet and warm. There goes the drinks and the party got heavier and heavier until everyone dropped dead. I had a comfortable sleep with the guys and a good breakfast and catch-ups. This was the only time I wasn't prepared with my camera, but one can always imagine the type of photos we take.

It doesn't feel like we have done farewell. Because it'll never be the last you see your lasting buddies.... I hope I had done enough. Thank you all....

Farewell to my Sweet Lil Korean Buddy

070724: Times fly. Birds fly. Even people fly! I have to get used to yet another Buddy who is flying on to the next phase of life, in another place, reachable, only by birds, er.. or by plane. Thank goodness, it’s still reachable. In fact, it’s just across the South China Sea, separated by a 5-hour flight. But the fact that each has different phase to work on makes it distant by miles, limited by thoughts.

I somehow got a hand on assisting her to get through the interview. That day itself was somehow memorable not only in terms of what I thought was a well-performed interview, but also a day of achievements – we managed to go the distance to finally get a good Father’s Day gift, and managed to climb 39 floors to taste glory in the forms of a cup of coffee. Irony as it seems, I am like sending my best buddy away to work in another planet. But I always think the most caring thought would stay with someone, be it here or there. This thought would at least pull the distance a little.

“Buddies like you is hard to find, hard to lose, and
impossible to forget”

Nope, surprisingly, the quote is not from me. Haha, I always tease her about her jumbled language and expression. But this quote in the card tonight really caught my mind, it’s never this simple expressing something so compound. Suddenly everything comes into one piece, and it feels like we’ve been in a short Korean series. You know how the story-line always go from some tough drama to a beautiful life and yet, in the end, farewell looms. Haha, I can’t stop smiling each time reflecting on this.

It’s not so much of a sad farewell actually… probably because I know she’ll be safe in good hands. And more so too because I know I’ll still be hovering around like a Guardian Angel, even from far, like what she has experienced in this couple of years. And I’m glad she acknowledged this in the card too.

I’d love her to know that the ‘slaps’ are still available when both need a quick wake-up, especially from some slumps that we both acknowledge. It’s definitely better to be slapped by a Buddy than a stranger! What more a Korean-looking one! Hahaha….
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Happiness always, my dear Budz! Here’s something I don’t always do… for U, special lah!... for all the kimchi good times... kamsahamnida... saranghaeyOoO
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Painting Beautiful Bali with My Purple Friends

070622: It’s more than one month ago that I went on this trip to Bali. In between, time was like vacuumed! I hardly had enough time to even sleep. It was a transition to my new job that suffocated my life a little bit. But it was hell one of a ‘happening’ and exciting period. Every function, event, be it farewell, or welcoming party, birthday, catch-up outing seem to zip past - fast and furious.
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Wanted to blog so many memorable moments for the past month, but couldn’t find any time to do so, until now. Like I commented earlier, had time to live it, but no time to reflect and appreciate.

Back to this beautiful trip. It was my last trip with my fellow purple friends, with the purple company. Though it’s nowhere like a trip to Hawaii or Maldives, I still enjoy every bit of the time spent with this beautiful bunch, anywhere on earth, anytime!

Here goes the photos in chronological order….

First up you may be surprised by this Japanese fair. In Bali?? Nope. Somehow our kind company allowed us to claim lunch up to RM100/pax for the lunch before our flight. We thought there was a catch or something, but what the heck, we had the most colourful lunch of our lives! This happened at my favourite Jap restaurant, Zen.

Four of my most favourite foods here: Uni (Sea Urchin), Sword Fish, Silver Cod, and Salmon Mix of sake, belly, and roe. I melt everytime these melt in my mouth. Sake (rice wine) will be the best complement to these heavenly foods.

Happiness group; half of them. The other half in another flight.

Two buddies, proud even if they are fake tatoos, haha.

It's not Hawaii, but the treatment is a little similar. This looks classic.

Once landed, we are taken to this restaurant famous for its fish dishes. Not bad too.

Hotel check-in at 10pm after such long day travelling. You can see we look worn-out.

But after bath everyone was rejuvenated! Dee and my room was converted into a playing room. We are always into all these guessing games (Chai Mui). You can see Batman, Superman, Ultraman, and... Wonderwoman in this photo!!! It should be the noisiest room in the hotel (we do this in all our trips).

The laughters were so loud and long!!! One needs to be there to experience such crazy atmosphere. Like here, Maguro was penalised with Apple Vodka (in the glass) for doing a hybrid of Ultraman and Taichi Master.

There is no thin fine line between Superman and Muhammad Ali, as illustrated by Ivy. She was one of the highest consumer for all our drinks. Maguro being the perpetrator!

Though it was the first long day and night, we didn't waste too much time in our own rooms. After the game we walked down the beach and napped there instead! Such a mild warm comfortable breeze.

Good bright second day. Now we can see our hotel properly. I must say I never expected Bali to have such beautiful, clean beach and ideal weather. The sky is amazing, its 'blue' is somehow similar to those I experience in Perth. But never in Malaysia please.

Postcard perfect, even when taken by this amateur 3.2MP Exilim compact camera.

Really amazed with Bali's culture and art. They are of the highest skill!

Waiting for my dream Princess... Nope. Waiting for our buses to take us to a couple of tourist attractions. Chilling outside our hotel entrance. Though it looks sunny, there were cooling breeze all the time. Love it!

One of the best views as seen from my creative eyes.

A place named Tanah Lot, where an ancient temple resides by the beautiful sea.

Another view as seen through my eyes.

This is interesting. At the flea market, there was this huge bat displayed at the shop front. What a 'bat' encounter! Haha...

After shopping around the market it was time to catch sunset by the cliff.

We moved on to another place by the beach called Jimbaran for grilled seafood dinner. There were these cute little dancers who entertained our group.

After dinner, back to the hotel to refresh, and soon-after we brought out all our duty-free liquors and had a spooky good time drinking by the beach. We just can't drink enough, huh. After our drinking session by the beach ended at 2am, we went back to the room and slept. Interestingly enough, we had some 'strange' encounters. We ended up sleeping together in a room.

A few of us did not want to waste the little time left for this trip. So we forced ourselves to wake up at 5am to catch sunrise! An experience with no regret, even though our eyes were barely hanging there.

Yes, the mixed hue of orange, violet, pink, yellow sky was real.

Yet another of my artistic shot

Yet, yet another of my artistic shot.

Third and the last day. Morning bright and colourful sight.

Ship sailing in the sky

A beautiful shot by some of them. We split into two tiny groups. They went for spa and massage.

Me followed the rest of the girls to more shopping. More of like window-shopping.

After walking for about an hour or so, we came across so many Mat Sallehs walking the street shirtless. I for once took the liberty to join them. It was such a liberating experience. Imagine when can we go around in the public half-naked without anyone staring at you like a weirdo? I felt so much freedom when the cooling breeze slams my chest, haha. We walked to this Hard Rock Cafe by the beach before heading back to hotel to catch out flight home.

Final glimpse of our hotel before departing home.

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I must say this short trip really opened up my view to this colourful place. And to have done so with a bunch of colourful friends made it, just beautiful altogether. I am glad I had the luxury to sign off my time at this purple company with such a beautiful experience. It's a good finale.

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There were tonnes and tonnes of more photos which I could not possibly post, not only this trip but so many others. Even a tiny event would produce so huge collection of photos. All of us are actually running out of storage space. But this shows only one thing - that every moment here is as colourful and memorable to all of us.

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