ＣＮＹ 2017

I know all this is so belated, but I wanna post about my CNY celebration 2017. I'm certain that this year is just another different year!

Day Eve 

I'm working that day, but I got up at 5:30 am to make sure I reach office around 7 a.m. On paper, my working hours is 9 a.m - 5:30 p.m. But for that day, I worked from 7 am - 11 am (half day for Chinese during the eve of new year). I used to feel so tired getting up so early, contemplating why I need to get up so early and thoughts running in my mind calculating how much left I can sleep till. But not for today. So I reach office at 7 am and it was pitch-black. Olivier and Ms. Sandra(i think) should be opening the doors but they have not arrived yet. After getting myself on my desk, I took pictures and Snapchat videos around office as memory. Tracy Foo (other intern) arrived too ! We chat at pantry about all the CNY cant-wait moments, then we went back to our desk to start our work. Everyone else arrived at 8:30 am. The day was happier after receiving my first angpao of the year by Mr, Yap RM 10, and fruits in plastic (apple, mandarin oranges, fruit X ) from him. Just when you wanna get things done before 11 am, and suddenly BAM ! your supervisor gave you an extremely urgent task to them to be completed before heading home. So I did my best to try to get things done quickly, and made him felt satisfied on my work. When clock strikes 11 am, I rushed home thrilled with joy ! I'm going over to my grandma's place for CNY reunion lunch. Arriving at 1 am with C, we helped my grandma to set the table up and dishes (fish, char-siew, vegetables, white chicken, lotus soup, wrapping vege) on the round table, scoop the garlic rice and chilli ! Dishes she made is by far the most enjoyable one ever since when I was little.

After lunch, C and I went out to shop at Klang Parade for his clothes. We bought 6 graphic T's, 1 shorts, 1 belt. On the day all the ATM withdrawal seems to not well-functioning. We didn't have enough money to buy those items, luckily we went Centro Mall CIMB (initially the queue dismissed after the machine broke down) to withdraw RM 500 to purchase those items. We bought Chatime at buy one free on maxis one deal and worked on his shop's promotions for Valentines Day.

After shopping, he dropped me home, going for his family reunion dinner. I get myself ready for my Tan Family Reunion dinner at Tropicana Golf and Country Club. Last year our reunion dinner was a buffet style, this year, it was served as a 8-course Chinese traditional way. I think the food was just decent. Just the yeesang was in healthier kind makes it a little special. Soup, rice, 2 vege, pork, prawn, desserts were served.

C came to my house after his dinner with his family. We went to bed very late despite need to wake up at 5am tomorrow for CNY gongyo meet in SGMS.

Day 1 

Waking up later than 5am, C and I went for mamak store near kaikan for breakfast. All the shops were closed and mamak is the only cheaper alternative. After breakfast, I went to the make up desk to get prepared, changed my performance attire and we had rehearsal at 8am. All went smoothly. This is my first dancing performance with my team for Elsa (one of the emcee) in kaikan. I am in music band, never had the chance to dance on stage professionally, but this small dream was fulfilled on this new year. It's the first time also to perform on the new years' day! All these while practicing it was full of joy, I love being part of them and able to catch up dance moves faster. I enjoy dancing a lot. 2 rounds of performance (10am & 12pm) done ! My family and I (+ C ) rush back home to get prepared for our long journey to Terengganu! Everything was great, the journey was smooth, I slept whole way through. We took 5 hours to reach Terengganu. Upon arriving, everyone seemed to be curious who I brought along with. I introduced C to everyone at where they gambling 5 cards (catching bull) and joined the troop. At that time, banker was bideh-Yong. Truly enjoyed the session until late night, we went next door (where we usually sleep) bideh-Yik there. 3 floors bungalow, big space, perfect dream of bathroom, and marble floors. Perfect house. Randall, C and myself share a room with three mattress. We went to bed quite late, tho it's a tiring day!

Day 2 + Day 3+ Day 4.5 in Terengganu

Woke up for brunch, my mum cooked all of us cucuk udang for breakfast, so cruncy so nice! I remembered on day 2 what we did was gambling, we played so many rounds of "catching bull" 5 cards, then helped out at the kitchen, helped around the house, play with Ryan and Aiden, eat lunch dinner and supper. Oh ya, one of the night we all (40 of us) went out for SATAY. One of my aunt strikes TOTO treat us all. Very memorable. We able to enjoy nasi dagang, rojak Terengganu, laksa Terengganu, lots of keropok lekor, and white keropok; visited my second granduncle in Marang. We all lousang as a family took wonderful family pictures. I have collected many packets of small amount ang pao toooo! I love going back to where my mum belong, knowing that although the family has many complicated issues among themselves, I am very lucky to have known all of them, recognise all of them, I felt the sense of belonging to the family. I will be back next year ! 

On our journey back, we went Kuantan to visit my maipo-Tu grandaunt (grandfather's). Her granddaughter will be getting married in March, but I was not invited (Its' okay!) too bad we were not as close last time, because I seldom see her during CNY. Happy for her.

We stopped at Jalan Ipoh for dimsum (as usual). Food was great, I'm satisfied. However, i find the quality of food has slowly gone down. Despite that fact, there are some of them still taste as good as before (paper-wrapped chicken, fish ball, chee cheong fun - prawn, pao, and the lo mai kai). Then onwards, C stayed over we had nice rest before next day. 

Day 5 in Klang

It was federal territory day! I dont have to work. Chill all day ! In the morning i was in the shop with C, then went to Sing K date with my sisters(viv, sin, wei). It was actually enjoying at the beginning, till not-sure-what brings my mood down. It's not i don't enjoy time with them, i find sing K with them wasn't really what 4 of us all enjoy. Our nature of songs are different. After the sessions, I quickly went back to C and hang out with him till the end of the night.

Day 6 + Day 7 back to work

Nobody is around the office! Except those who are non-Chinese. There are only 3 to 5 people in the office. I was given task to do, so I worked on researching ILOE for several countries. My supervisor was on the job too. I respected his experiences a lot, and willing to learn more from him. He's a French, his English accent still has some essence from French. I learn to be more patient talking to him, explaining what he need to inquire, and able to understand the whole picture and understand what is his job nature. He mostly need to do research work to develop certain product to the market, for corporate sales and global market. He worked in Paris for a few years under Hannover Re, then migrate to Malaysia along with his family, loving the life here. It's actually quite interesting to know certain amazing individuals and to understand what they do in life on a daily basis. I no longer have difficulties communicate with him after my first task. I will just do my best to fulfil whatever he need to be done. 

After work on Day 6 Cheing and I went to Danny/PY house for gamble. I earned so much as i think it was just beginner luck. In that two days, I learned how to play 3-kaki mahjong. Enjoyed the night a lot. 

Day 7 was our first year anniversary. Blog posted *

Day 8 - a hectic day

With C, waking up at 10am on my bed. My schedule that day was so packed that I wanted to blog down so that it will be remembered forever. Let me write in agenda basis.

10am - 11am 

Wake up rolling around on the bed lazy to get up

11am - 1pm 

Urgent rush to his shop, he forgotten that his staff were all not able to work that morning. Smashbox arena all the time in the shop, truly addicted! 

1:30pm - 3:30pm 

Hang out with form 6 classmate at setia city mall. Went there I've met a bunch of formal prefect of my batch at Simple Life, themselves having a gathering too. Met Sheng Ren Yee Chian while walking towards where my gathering held - (initially in Tuk Tuk, changed to Tepanyaki; Tepanyaki food sucks) there were 11/21 of us attend (more than half) we had a great time chit chatting and talking about what they are doing now, when graduate, and some kepo stuff. Went to the food court to meet another 2 classmates for a group photo. I left after having some time with them. My ex-bf went too, but I glad that now he is my friend, we able to talk (in a group) as normal. Past is the past, I never wanna bring it back again, nor I want to remember. 

4pm - 5:30pm 

Hang out at my Kota Kemuning bideh house. Father's eldest brother. I went for just the pandan-wrapped chicken and some drinks. Went next door to gamble "福州牌" It's actually chinese chess in thin rectangular cards. Had a great time there, this proves how much i loved gambling. Win only twice after 10+rounds cause they are really good in this. I remember how my late grandmother and aunt enjoyed the sessions with all of us, never regret learning from them. Haih, time passed it will never come back. Memories stayed. 

6pm - 7:30pm

Went for a gathering in Elsa's house(real name : Eilin popa). Her father owns a datuk-ship, she has a really huge mansion. Corner lot. Big gohonzon. She's really fortunate to have a life like this. But she's nice to offer a place for all of us to gather. We are CNY Elsa dancers. We did a mannequin challenge few times to remember our time when we work for CNY2017 performance. Few of them went for dinner after, without me joining them. We played gamble cards, I lost a few rounds. It's okay because it was just for fun. 

7:30pm - 10pm

I went to Berkeley Restoran Soon Wah for dinner with my grandmother. Uncle Jason and MJ did not attend the dinner. We got two tables, myself, viv & kie, their mum, aunt rachel & two kids, aunt lan. We had so much food that night! I enjoyed time with my family having nice food on the table. I like the restaurant a lot, especially how they cooked their fish. We have yeesang, soup, crab, chicken, fish, vege. So fullllll ! 

10:30pm - 11:45pm

I went to Kota Kemuning at Leon's house. Gambling as usual 21 points when Clement was the banker. I never thought to have friends still besides who I joined the most. They made me feel so lucky to known them. I am truly happy for knowing all of them. I was not in the photo with them but through this block I will remember them. My uni coursemates. 

12am - 2am

C and I had dates to see fireworks prior to day 9 heavenly king's birthday. Knowing hokkien-lang celebrating by praying to the heavenly king, we took the opportunity to see rich men burn their money on fireworks. Free show. I was frustrated that he was late, he met me at close to 1am as he went to his Chapter's CNY gathering. I am very excited of the late night dates tho. But he was damn late lol. Afterward we went for a drink, then go home to rest. 

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH MY DAY. 

DAY 9 

We planned for a KK gathering over my house at night, cum celebrated Chier Yen's birthday. The party started around 5 ish, when Shu yi was the first to come. We wanted to start at 7pm as initially we wanted to have steamboat, however there's only few of us (less than 20) so we just did a Domino's pizza and weiqing's spagetti party. We gambled with me as banker(i seriously lost a lot) realised I can't be banker, confirm lose lols. Then we had movie marathon on HBO HD movies namely Pan and Brave. We had great night bonding with them as a team.

Day 10-14

All went back to normal. Although I still have CNY vibes, I resume working mood and trying to get things focused. I getting ready to forget about the whole CNY thing, wanted to do some bloging to help me remembering some important details. Working working working. 

Day 15 

After getting up, we went over to C's house for Yeesang. We were damn late hahahha her mum cooked us some delicious canto- lunch. I couldn't yet get used to the food tho as all 22 years of my life I have been loving hainan food. Nevertheless, I still appreciate everything cooked on the table. After lunch, I went out for a meeting at Sze Vern's new shop Kota Kemuning to discuss plans for our first practice on the 12/2 for March Soka Family Day performance. At night, my grandma asked for a dinner over her house. C and I both went together with my family. As usual, her dishes never failed to satisfy people. I like how she cooked every single one of it. We had white chicken, pork, vege, bahkutteh soup, white carrot soup, many many more chicken! 

So that's the end of my Chinese New Year 2017 - Rooster year!