Chance Meeting

Chance meeting is a funny thing. It is totally out of your control. It is something the universe bestows on you at its own whim. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's forgettable, sometimes it is something you are thankful for and cherish for the rest of your life.


I had a chance meeting with an old friend at the National Day celebration in the embassy about 1.5 months ago. We were in Singapore all this time but never met up, and somehow our paths crossed in that one hour.


I met a fellow Singaporean at work. He's been with the bank for the past 16 years and just less than one month since I met him, he announced that he's leaving the bank and moving to Cleveland. Over many bowls of noodles and cups of coffee, I got to know this person better. He "recruited" me to help organize the first moon cake festival celebration for SG club here. It was also a mini farewell for him. If I had joined the bank one month later, I might never have the chance to know this person. If I had joined the bank ten years before, I might have the chance to work with him more and maybe know him better. All the what ifs will never end.
Above all these musings, I'm grateful to the universe for bringing us together. His words encouraged me a lot. I hope I will try harder at life when I'm back in Singapore: to take initiatives, take chances, and most of all to be more optimistic about life.

Where am I?

I'm back in the U.S. after 4 years. This time in a bigger city and as a working adult. It's summer time and days are long. Sometimes it feels like having too much time, too little things to do. I know I have to work, I could explore the city, travel, etc. However, exploring the city and traveling on my own don't sound as appealing as it used to be anymore. Maybe some places are beautiful, interesting, have good weather... but these places are foreign, it's not mine and will never be mine. With no one to share it with, it will fast become a forgotten memory or place in my life.

Pokemon Go has been going viral for about 2 weeks now. I caught a lot of Pokemons in the zoo yesterday. Until one point I realized that my battery is low and I haven't paid attention to any of the real animals in the zoo. It's time to get back to real life. Games have really evolved -- this game is so different from the one I was used to. Maybe I haven't been playing any games for too long now. 

Last Friday, 10 June 2016, I had my last working day in CBC. It's my shortest stint in any company, even shorter than when I worked as a waitress at Ottonam Cafe many, many years back. The colleagues bought me a nice lunch at L'entrecote. This place is famous for their steak and infamous for their service. True to its reputation, we got just what we expected, great food and bad service. Then the bill came. The first thing we noticed was that we have been charged an extra side of truffle fries. So after some time of unpleasant exchanges, they removed the extra charge. And then we paid. And then.. here comes the catch. As we left the place, I took a final glance at the bill and realized that they have charged us with 5 main dishes. And we are a party of 9. So basically, they forgot to charge 4 main dishes and the bill came up to be around $130 for 9 people. And we didn't realize this while studying the bill for the first time as we were distracted by the truffle fries we didn't order. Heh.

The farewell was devoid of any emotion. Not surprising at all considering my short time there (about 4-5 months).

I am looking forward to my next job -- I  want to get it right this time.

Hometown

For the first 6 years of my life, I lived in a small town in Aceh province in Indonesia. My parents ran a provision shop and we lived in a shophouse across the street from the shop. My mom would leave me in an elderly neighbor's house during the day and pick me up in the evening. On some evenings, my dad would take me on a ride on his Vespa to the seaside. My sister went to school in Medan so I seldom saw her. During her school holiday, she would come back and we would spend some time together. These 6 years are so hazy in my mind that I am glad my parents still keep some photographs from these times long gone.

Last month, we went back to the hometown for the first time after 27 years. I was moved at how excited my dad was to be back. Meeting relatives, old friends and acquaintances, exchanging stories, recalling the old times. He felt like a whole different person to me in that time. He prayed at his grandmother's grave in the hometown. The tomb stood by the river, with its back against a mountain; this is supposed to be an auspicious resting place. It's not easy to locate the tomb, my cousin walked in front with a long knife to cut off some vegetation blocking the way, we had to cross a stream before reaching the tomb. It was a meaningful time.

Aceh was hit by huge earthquake and tsunami in 2004. Every city has a reminder of the disaster, every person has a story to tell about that time. Mass graves, big ship stranded in the middle of the city, museum, mosques. Everyone smoked here, I wonder if it's tabacco or cannabis (which Aceh is notorious for). It was really sad. I want to do something for this place.

Christmas

A Christmas card that arrived early - on Thanksgiving day. I love it to pieces: the mistletoe on an egg tart, the message inside, the person who sent it. 

*Through the years 

we will all be together 

If the Fate allows

Hang a shining star upon the highest bough

And Have yourself a merry little Christmas now.*