WHEN YOU CANNOT GO TO PENANG FOR NASI KANDAR

When the craving for Nasi Kandar arose and you could not get the best from Penang, then the only place I had been to [to get Nasi Kandar] was Nasi Lemak Royale Kedah. I managed to ask Mr. Masrizal Sayute, an ex-colleague of SMK Taman Universiti, to accompany me for dinner.

The restaurant was the best place to eat and chat as there were not many people visiting at those hours. We stayed there from 8.30 p.m. until 10.00 p.m. without any worries to be shooed away.

Another day of the school break spent seeing a friend - the best I could do than staying home.

THE ANNUAL CHINESE NEW YEAR GET TOGETHER SESSION CONTINUES

Mr. Ng Ching Kai, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti [SPM batch 2012], is back in town for the Chinese New Year celebration. We decided to meet up for the annual get together which has been some sort of a tradition for us to keep ourselves updated of all the things that have happened throughout the year.

The venue chosen was Sunway Bigbox - the best place to meet if one is looking for a spot which not crowded. I was here last week at the same cafe - Hunz Cafe. I in fact ordered the same coffee and pie which I had had before - the not-so-adventurous side of me when it comes to eating.

Mr. Ng is currently working in Kuala Lumpur and will be going back after the one week break. Guess I will have to wait another year to see him again.

Thanks Ching Kai for the treat - but most importantly for the time spent. I appreciate his  kind gesture to make it a point to still meet up once a year - even after 10 years leaving the school. While many (ex-students) have already disappeared, at least there is still one who still reports his presence once a year.

ATTENDING A COLLEAGUE'S WEDDING RECEPTION IN PONTIAN

This was the second wedding attended in Pontian after the one I went to last December. Today was the wedding reception of a colleague of SMK Dato' Jaafar, Ms. Nur Farhana Mislan and the event was held at her family's house in Kayu Ara Pasong.

I was lucky as a colleague, Mr. Amirulhakim Mahfudz, was kind enough to give me a lift to the venue. There were a few other colleagues who had arrived earlier and were enjoying the food served.

live band performance

We really loved the paratha that was still hot from the pan and it was soft and buttery.

Wishing Puan Farhana and her husband a happy and blessed life ahead that is filled with love and joy.

And I have two more wedding receptions to attend during the Chinese New Year break. 😀

BOYS' NIGHT OUT TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF THE CNY SCHOOL BREAK

The one week Chinese New Year school break started off with a dine out session with colleagues and an ex-colleague of SMK Dato' Jaafar. The venue chosen was Nasi Goreng Apis stall in Kampung Melayu [I googled map the name of the place].

As usual, the meeting was adjourned at 11:00 p.m. to another time after the school break.

IT'S RECYCLING TIME AGAIN

25th January 2022 ~ The time had come to send the recyclable items to the recycling factory in Kempas so I drove there after school. I was actually going somewhere else but would have to drive past the factory on the way there.

I got RM9.00 richer that day and was happy I had done my part to save mother earth.

FIRST YOU GAVE, THEN YOU RECEIVED

A delivery man came knocking on my office door in school this morning. At first I thought he was a salesperson, trying to promote revision books. 😀

He was delivering my Chinese New Year gifts from my ex-colleagues of SMK Mutiara Rini - which came as a surprise. Before this, the representatives would come to send or I would be meeting someone somewhere to get the items delivered.

Thanks a lot to my Chinese friends of SMKMR for the kind thought, and for being reciprocal.

Three more days before the school break for CNY starts... and the festive spirit has already filled the air.

 

REUNITED OVER CHICKEN PIES AND COFFEE

A reunion took place today with an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, Ms. Salihah Md. Nawi. She is from SPM batch 2004 but she went away to a boarding school after form three.

The venue chosen was Sunway Bigbox and we decided to get something light. We opted for chicken pies and coffee at Hunz Cafe. The place was spacious, the coffee and pies were good. And there were not many people when we were there.

It was just a short chat session as we wanted to go and visit this art exhibition at one spot of the mall. Hopefully there will  be more catching up session after this. Thanks Miss Salihah for asking me out and for the treat as well.

DINING AND DISCUSSING THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE SAME TIME

A dinner session was set with a few colleagues [of SMK Dato' Jaafar] at Rumah Udang in Kampung Melayu - not just to eat but to discuss about an upcoming activity for the group. It was just a short meeting but the most important thing was that we had managed to finalize the plan for the next big gathering.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 p.m. 😆

FOR THE LOVE OF ANYTHING THAT IS FREE

I received an SMS from Seven Oaks telling that they were giving away for free one piece of Salmon Nori Tako. Hence, I was here after school on my own, and another reason the expiry date for the offer would be tomorrow.

This is one place I will always come back for its coffee. As for the Taco, it was just too exotic and expensive for my humble taste buds. However, I had to pay for my coffee.

Thank you Seven Oaks. Hopefully there will be more free give away food for loyal diners in the future.

THE FIRST PUBLIC HOLIDAY OF THE YEAR

Thaipusam was celebrated by the Hindus today and it was a public holiday. It was such a big relief even just to get a  one-day off - which is not a good sign for a government servant who is still in service.

I had a good rest in the morning before going out to do some gardening up until 1:00 p.m. In the afternoon, went to do some shopping at a few places, 4 to be exact and the day was concluded with my very first dine in session at McD - alone. I suddenly feel I had no one to ask out anymore and no one was asking me out either. 😀

Eating all by myself is not something unusual for me. I even went to watch movies without any friends accompanying many times before. Guess it is time to start my solo travel soon - something I should enjoy doing the most.

I am now counting the days for the upcoming Chinese New Year break.

INVITED AND GETTING THE INVITATION CARD DELIVERED THE TRADITIONAL WAY

Someone insisted to deliver his wedding invitation card by hand despite the fact that I had told him the e-card should suffice because of the new norm. So here he was in front of my house [with the mother and wife in the car] after 10:30 p.m. to hand over the card the traditional way.

Long time ago, it was customary for the hosts to get the wedding invitation card delivered personally to the house AND the relatives/close friends/neighbours had to be verbally invited to show how important for the guests to be present for the event. This tradition is however not practised that much as people seem to be get occupied with all sorts of things these days. 

Thanks Mr. Syazwan Shavarein for the kind thought and all the trouble. InsyaAllah, with God's will, I will be there for the reception when the day comes.

A SHORT CHAT SESSION OVER FRIED BANANA AND EVERYTHING ELSE

Mr. Mohd. Fahmi Foad, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti, was kind enough to help me get the CPU of one of the PCs in school to be serviced as I had encountered  a few problems while using it. I decided to get it from him at Taman Universiti and there would be the opportunity to sit down and chat for a short while.

We chose to meet at Goreng Pisang Restaurant and he was accompanied by one friend, also an ex-student of the same school, Mr. Mohd. Syafiq Jaini. The more the merrier.

An ex-colleague, Puan Wan Nor Azrin, was also there buying food to take away home.

I was lucky as Mr. Syafia handed over a gift bag for me. Too bad I had nothing to give back.

The whole meeting lasted for an hour. I had to make my move as I had to go to other shops and get the computer back at school, or else we would be staying longer. That would require for another get together after this.