Sydney

MBL. Mandatory Block Leave. 10 days where an employee is forced to be out of the office and removed from operations. The idea being that the employee is forced to take a break, and from a risk management and compliance perspective, removes any single point of failure from operations. It's been a while since I've been "forced" to take 10 days of annual leave from work. Sydney would be the destination. Christmas and end of year would be the occasion. 

Jam, jam, jam. Quite a busy time of the year. Catching up with people, health check ups, errands. Blessed with an amazing summer, although there were some stinkers (read 40 degrees).

KL

I've been thinking more and more about the concept of cousins. The idea that the person closest to you (at least from a genetic sense) is your siblings, your brothers or sisters. So when these siblings have kids, the concept of genetic overlap exists. Maybe obvious, but has been something I've been thinking about more and more. In my head, siblings want to have their kids, continue being part of their siblings kids (ie. cousins) but in reality this may not always happen due to circumstance. More so than when friends, want their kids to be friends with the parents kids. 

On that note, I have cousins that I am close with, and cousins that I am not so close with. I don't think it's a result of any conscious decision, but it is due to circumstance and interactions. So one of my cousins, that I'm not close with is getting married. It makes me wonder if it's ever possible to move from 'not so close' to 'close', but again unless those circumstances change, I'm not sure?

In any case, they are still my cousin. Decided to head to Petaling Jaya for the wedding. Lots of fun, seeing relatives, and so many faces from times when I was kid. I forgot how good Malaysian food is.

Bangkok

A weekend of many: Loy Krathong, crypto conferences, jeh o chula

 

Best of Hong Kong

 Nice little stretch of not traveling - it's good to be in one place, especially as the weather starts to become cooler.

Sydney

It's her 40th. I'm dating a middle aged woman.

Last Singapore trip of the year

The anticipation for long weekends never, ever gets old. October also happens to be a great month for days off with National day and Chung Yeung Festival. Cheung Yeung festival happens to fall on Friday which means, an extra day in Singapore. Well, really just an extra meal in Singapore, I decide to take the morning flight into Singapore that gets me in around 4 pm. Having an extra meal in Singapore is small minor but makes a huge difference. The weekend was pretty relaxed, which is nice when traveling. The theme of the weekend was Apam Balik, or Min Kiang Kueh, or Ban chan Keuh.

Dinner and cards with Albs in New Bahru. Saturday we caught up with my cousin, had some hawker food and tried some Bryani and a Studio Ghibli evening with pizza and left over Pavlova. There was a covid scare (yes, this is still a thing).  Sunday, New Bahru market for breakfast, ice bath and sauna, some Vietnamese for lunch and off to the Airport.

The weekends go by so fast. I'm losing track of these Singapore trips. Which I guess is a good thing?

Weird to think that this is the last Singapore trip for 2024. Currently reading: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

The meaning of life

42 - Gosh time is rocketing by. Let me pause for a quick reflection. It's almost the answer to the trite question of "How's it going?". Things are going well. 

Work and career feel good, there are obvious pain points with work, but no job is perfect and lately I've managed to really take control of my time and managing work a little better. I can't help but feel what the next step is? 

As for Hong Kong, I'm enjoying this phase of Hong Kong, it has almost everything that I need. Going out less, still socialising, catching up with people, drinking less, doing much more exercise, really trying to eat better, sleep better. I've settled into North Point, and have a great routine going. Can't help but wonder if I'm coming to the end of my Hong Kong chapter. More on that later.

Relationship. Things with the shorter long-distance are doing well. I've lost count of the number of times I've been to Singapore this year, but the trips there are easy, not tiring and have really enjoyed that being my, second, maybe third home. At some point in time need to see how to get over to Singapore.

Sydney, would like to get back more, lots of stuff happening back home I wish I were there for. Loved ones growing older. Feel like I'm missing out, need to try to get back a little more. Although I am excited to be back in a few weeks.

Some of the highlights of the recent birthday. Egg tart from the intern (not for my birthday, but happened to be on my Birthday). Some Magic cards from a friend. Some Minties from relatives and a Pavlova from the lady. Low key dinner topped off with Birthday messages from friends. My kind of Birthday.