19th Annual Chinese New Year Luncheon

The Chinese community will be celebrating the Lunar New Year festival on the 10th of February 2013. This year is the Year of the Water Snake. The community is already having pre-New Year luncheons and dinners for friends, business partners and associates. For the family members, the most important event is the Family Reunion dinner on the eve of the New Year. All family members, from far and near will return to the family home to partake in the reunion dinner and to celebrate the coming of the new year.

For the last 18 years my college professor, Professor Emeritus Dr. Chin Hong Fong, has been organising a Chinese New Year luncheon for his ex-students and all others who either had worked or are still working within the University Putra Malaysia campus (formerly known as the Agriculture University Malaysia or Universiti Pertanian Malaysia). This year the luncheon was held on 25th January and is the 19th annual luncheon organised by him.

I was fortunate to be his student in 1966 at the then College of Agriculture, Serdang. Ever since then, I had kept in touch with him especially during the last 10 years when I was working near his office. We used to go for our lunches together. Professor Chin will be celebrating his 78th Birthday this 24 February and he is still working and very actively involved in research work and writing. He is a very good photographer and writes beautiful poems especially on his pet subject, Seeds. He used to tell us that he pays to work. He is fellow of Bioversity International.  

Professor Emeritus Dr. Chin Hong Fong addressing the guests

 

One of his students (batch 1969) entertaining the guests

Anniversary: Retirement from Full-time Employment

Today 18 January 2013 marks my first anniversary of retirement from full time employment. It has been a year since I decided to stop working on a full time job. For the last ten years since my compulsory retirement from government service, I had been working on a 8.30 am to 5.00 pm job. And driving 64 km to office and back home five days a week, often through massive traffic jams!. Oh, I am glad that I do not have to endure that anymore. 

Though it was a tough decision to make, I thought it was time to let go and have more leisure time for myself, doing things that I enjoy. There was the fear with what am I going to do to keep my day fully occupied. Actually during the past year, I had kept myself busy working as an independent consultant. I have also been engaged by an United Nations' organization to provide my services in Laos. Was in that lovely country for 3 times, with each mission lasting for about one month. That took up 3 months. There were also two local consultancies that kept me occupied. These two working activities kept me mentally challenged!

I must say that I have enjoyed my past year. I now spent more time working from my small home office. While working in my own office, I could also listen to my music. This was something I missed when working full-time.  I could go for my regular morning exercises. Spent time reading and working for a few hours a day on my consultancy work. And whenever I feel lazy, I could just relax or take a nap without feeling guilty! And of course I am now more regular in posting on my Face Book and blog. And more importantly, I am spending more time with my family. My wife and I took a holiday touring Dubai, Moscow and St. Petersburg. We hope to go on more overseas holidays.

Life is a bliss in retirement, while working on a part-time basis!
I pray that all the coming years will be as equally blessed as this past year.

With the office secretary on my last working day

My Small Office, Home Office (SOHO)

Good bye 2012, Welcome 2013

Wishing all my readers and followers "A Very Happy New Year".
May the New Year bring you Happiness, Peace and Good Health.
The fire-works are already starting to fill the skies in bidding farewell to 2012 and welcoming the New Year 2013.

With each coming New Year, people tend to make some resolutions to guide and motivate them through the year. I am not one who makes resolutions. I had always live each day as it comes and make the best use of it. I believe that to feel alive, just choose to do something that makes my day!

Reflecting on the old year 2012, I made one major decision. I decided in January 2012 not to extend my work contract. Its been 10 years working full time since my retirement from government service. I learn to "let go" and "to smell the roses". It wasn't too hard a decision. And its been almost a year now. I am enjoying my present situation, working as a free lance consultant. Taking on overseas assignments and a few local consultancies kept me active during the year and yet having free time on my hands to do whatever I fancy. Enjoyed my three trips to Vientiane, Laos on a project there. Spent three productive and exciting months there. And looking forward to be there again in 2013.

2012 is also a memorable year as I became a grand-father. Having a grandson is a fulfillment. 

In 2012, my wife and I also visited Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia. On the way we also visited Dubai and spent a day at the Desert Safari.

The past year also saw me being more active in blogging. Intend to do more in 2013.

2012 had been a wonderful year and I look forward to another great year in 2013!