MONDAY WAS MEET YOUR FANS DAY

 

   12th SEPTEMBER 2023   

REUNION #1

The first reunion took place by the roadside, at Jalan Beringin, Melodies Garden. As I was walking out of my car, someone stopped his car and greeted me from afar. And to my surprise, it was an old classmate/schoolmate of SMK Sultan Ismail, Mr. Sen Yan Ping. The last time we met was like 39 years ago when we were still in Form 3. It was this one moment that I shall treasure for many years to come.

By the way, there is some sort of a plan to organize a reunion with the classmates of SMK Sultan Ismail soon, and hope it would be materialized.

REUNION #2

As I was standing outside a shop in Giant Taman Suria Mall, someone approached me and asked whether I was Cikgu Zainal. He was an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti whom, according to him, I taught marching/foot drill 17 years ago. Good news that Mr. Muhammad Afiq, and I got his name right even after the long years of not seeing each other, is now working at the mall and is soon going to stay somewhere there which near to my place so there could be possibility for me to get to see him again for coffee sessions.

REUNION #3

I was with friends in LC Catering for dinner. As we were seated, I could see the female singer of the busking group on stage was smiling towards me. I, however, was not sure whether she was smiling to me so I looked around just to make sure. When her friend mentioned my name through the microphone, then only I could confirm she is an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti. Thanks to Miss Marianah Rahman for the unexpected reunion. By the way, she has a beautiful voice accompanied by awesome  the band that played good music.

Three impromptu reunion sessions in one day which should be a record for me and that should make me extremely happy. 😀

THE POST DINNER COFFEE SESSION SOMEWHERE ELSE

30th MARCH 2022 ~ As we could not stay longer at the Dim Sum Restaurant [READ HERE], we had to find another venue for coffee and continue with our chat. I suggested this one cafe that was tucked away at one corner of the Giant Hypermarket building in Taman Suria. I actually went there once with a colleague many months ago but it was not opened yet at that time.

The hipster cafe was in operation to our delight so we got our coffee fix and resumed our conversation as planned. The name of the cafe is Republic DnC, or should it be DnC Republic? Will have to try its other western food sold here some other time.

I must say it was an evening well spent with Mr. Mohd. Arif Mohd. Nizam [an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti]. Really hope we could do this more frequently after this.

GROCERY SHOPPING DURING THE MCO PERIOD

Doing grocery shopping is not something new to me. However it is not the same anymore when one has to go to the market during the MCO period. There are just too many restrictions and changes that shoppers have to adapt.

I just chose to visit the hypermarket in Taman Suria which is located near to my house. First of all, it opened up for business very early at 8.00 a.m. as they had to close shop by 8.00 p.m. At the entrance, they were two staff waiting - one would be pumping the sanitizing liquid onto your palms from the bottle while the other would be checking your temperature. If you were healthy, then you would be given a small numbered card so as to keep track of the number of customers in the market at one time. A crowded space should be avoided as this could make the COVID-19 virus spread easily. The whole family members could not now enter the place but only one - specifically one of the parents. Everyone was seen wearing face masks which showed that the precaution measure was taken really seriously.

Do you know what is one the most sought after food items during this pandemic era? Gardenia bread! I was lucky as the new batch of bread just arrived but the shelves were all empty when I first came.

H A P P I N E S S

Everyone was also observing the social distancing directive. Instead of the usual exciting and cheerful mode while doing grocery shopping, the ambience was now sombre and formal. When people passed by in the shopping aisles, they were just eyeing each other suspiciously and was trying to get rid of the other person as soon as possible. Shopping had become an obligation rather than the more relaxed weekly/fortnightly/monthly routine activity. People just wanted to grab whatever they needed and rushed home quickly.

I had been out for more than 14 days so I had to seize the day. I had to maximize the usage of the valuable face mask. The next stop was the Cold Storage Supermarket at Plaza Pelangi because that was the place where I could get better and fresher supplies of fruits. And there were even lesser people. As usual, a staff was waiting at the entrance with the hand sanitizer bottle and thermometer.

GOOD NEWS: Gardenia Bread was in abundance here! If you are looking for your daily supply of Gardenia, it is actually a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

The last place was the market at Kampung Melayu but I did not take any photos there, except of two cats eating. There were still kind people who went out to feed the strays on the streets at time like this.

My first time going out of the house after 2 weeks of self-isolation during MCO period was something to remember. I counted disinfecting my palms, front and back, 5 times - twice at the two supermarkets, and three other times at the pharmacy, the bakery shop and the bank. Wearing a face mask was not a pleasant thing to do, and people got confused really easily. Two people spoke Chinese to me, but that happens to me all the time, even without the mask.

WHEN EID IS AROUND THE CORNER [PART TWO]

I would like to propose a longer break given to the employers BEFORE the Eid celebration, let's say one week, so that more things could be done during that particular time. Doing too many things and going to too many places in one day, what more with the very hot weather during day, could be very challenging. Let's have a look at some of the activities that I did today outside the house.

7:45 a.m. - Pasar Tani [translate: Farmer's Market]

Tan Sri Hassan Yunos Stadium

And I just hated the crowd. Finding a parking space was already an issue here.

8.30 a.m. - Kampung Melayu Market

[relocated temporarily to Taman Suria]

I bought vegetables for Eid earlier as this place will be another mad house tomorrow. But still, I will have to come here very early in the morning, right after the "Subuh" (dawn) prayer to get fresh coconut milk to avoid the long queue. 

9:45 a.m. - Plaza Angsana Johor Bahru

I was here earlier so that I could get a parking space beside the main building, and there was no need to get into the multi-storey parking lot.

When I thought I was very early, there were other people already crowding the entrance when I arrived.

4:45 p.m. - Giant Hypermarket Taman Suria

I had to exchange the light bulbs that I wrongly bought last week and to get something for the aquarium from the pet shop there.

5:45 p.m. - Ramadhan Bazaar at Taman Suria

My first time visiting the Ramadhan Bazaar here, on the 28th day of the fasting month.

One more day to go... Please God give me strength. :)