First Quarter of 2015

New year, new hope?

I guess so since there will be 365 chances to change your life.

2015 marked the year I moved to Butterworth, finally. I had been contemplating about moving to this area for a very long time and I really did it. However, good gracious, I have a lot of things! Fortunately, I had a friend who came to help me. I knew I could not do this alone. Blessed to have such a friend in my life.

It also marked the day I finally walked out of my comfort zone to participate in International Speech Contest. I am really blessed that my speech won me a second place in the club contest. “If I Knew Then” was my speech title.

I was then blessed to be able to attend a good friend’s wedding in Kuala Lumpur. I had known her in secondary school. Their love story really touched my heart. It was definitely the work of God to put them together. She looked gorgeous and stunning that night. The dinner was nothing flashy but all heart melting. Each of the couple’s best friend gave a touching speech. Aww.. the dinner did inspire me. Grateful for having me that night.

I ended January with a food hunting trip on Pulau Aman. Nothing fancy on the island. It was the moment with friends that count. I had a great time. Some of us went for a short karaoke session and then dinner together before we called it a day. Though it was a tiring day, it sure was fun. Blessed to have these friends in my life.

February is a month of Chinese New Year. The night before I took off from Penang, I had a reunion dinner with the MEF-ians. Most of us made the effort to gather together, especially our two beautiful Malay ladies – Nik and Mazlina who came from Nibong Tebal together with Weng, Edwin and Susan. Good food, great time, best companions.

I was finally back to Sibu and just in time to celebrate my lovely mother’s birthday. It had been so long since I last celebrated her birthday. Unfortunately, both my brothers were not back in Sibu yet. The good news is, we can all celebrate her birthday together next year! Looking forward to it already.

It was also my brother’s birthday that month. This year we joined his friends to celebrate his birthday at Penthouse. Well, I ran into a few friends there. I guess Penthouse is of the good clubs in Sibu then?

After two weeks back in Sibu, I was finally back to the reality. Birthday celebrations did not stop in Sibu. On the day I landed Penang, I rushed to celebrate a good friend’s birthday. It was a birthday surprise arranged for her. However, due to my flight schedule and all that, I was not able to make it for the surprise. I was only there when the surprise was over. Of course I was disappointed for not being part of it. It must have been hilarious.

The week that I was back in Penang had been a crazy one. I flew down to Kuala Lumpur on Friday night to join my friend’s open house. Since it had been a very long time I last met them, I decided to make the trip. However, I had to come back to Penang the next morning as I had another open house to go to – MEF Toastmasters Club. Yes, I was truly tired as I made it there right after I had landed Penang. Thinking back now, I am glad that I had made it though. The time spent together with people you love cannot be replaced with anything.

March had been a crazy month for me. Why? I had a few major events to handle. One of them was Penang Toastmasters Club’s 35th Anniversary Dinner. Fortunately, the team was very helpful. I was more stressed with the other event which was Division H’s International Speech and Table Topics Contest. I was the Organising Chairperson for the contest. And guess what? The day after the dinner was the contest! I almost went insane.

It was a challenging week because apart from the two events above, I was helping out with other Division’s contest – Division S and Division N. I must have been out of my mind. However, through all these events, I learned time management. Well, not so much of stress management because I was stressed out until Division H contest was over.

It was finally over! *phew*

Another big thing happened in the same month as well. I sold off my car and got myself a new car. However, I did not get the new car straight after I sold the old one. Yes, I was car-less in that one week! Fortunately, I had two great friends who helped me. One lent me her car to work while the other drove me to work in the morning. How did I go back from work? My colleagues did. I am really blessed to have all these great people in my life. Truly thankful.

I love how I ended my first quarter of 2015! Why?

My brother was in Penang!

He was here with my to-be sister in law and her siblings. It was definitely one of the best weekends I had in Penang. It felt as if I had my family close to me in Penang – staying in together, hanging out together, watching movie together, eating together. It did bring me back to the days back in Kuala Lumpur. I knew it will come to an end and therefore, I appreciate every moment we spent together.

Of course, it will not end here because..

I will be seeing my mom soon! And then I will be back in Sibu again in June!

Yes, people. My second quarter of 2015 will be even more awesome!

Last Quarter of 2014

The final three months of 2014 were hectic. My schedule was packed with loads of exciting and fun activities. Among these three months, October was labeled the most looking forward month. In fact, it is the most looking forward month in the year. I should name is as The Month of the Year!

Unlike last year, we had a Halloween themed meeting. Most of us dressed up for the meeting and not forgetting, we decorated the room with the decorations we made last year.

Of course not leaving out Octoberfest! I had a simple drinking session with my friends. Since there was this famous humongous mug invaded Auto City, we decided to hit Auto City.

Finally, I ended my October with my trip to Melbourne! Aforementioned, October was The Month of the Year 2014! I had already posted about my trip here, here, here, here, here, here and finally, here. Been looking forward to this trip for a year! Yeah, I bought the flight ticket one year ago.

Then it came my favourite month, November. There was a Semi Annual Convention for District 51 and I thought I would not join the team to Petaling Jaya for it. However, since I had two close friends who were the finalists in Division Contests, I wanted to be there to give them a morale support! I did not regret attending the convention though.

November was my favourite because I was born in November! Unlike the previous year, I had a simple birthday celebration. In fact, I did not plan anything for myself. I let the nature took its own course, just to see what it had for me.

I thought May would be the only month I had a family activity but, guess what? We had another spontaneous activity in December! All of us from different locations gathered together again to spend time and have fun together! This time we invaded Sunway Lagoon. It was really a fun and memorable day.

Since I had a spontaneous family activity in December, I had another spontaneous trip to Bangkok. It was my very first last minute booked trip. How last minute? I booked the flight ticket two days before I left Malaysia! Probably the last time to do such thing. I am not a rich woman.

Instead of having a crazy Christmas party like back in Year 2013, I had simple and meaningful Christmas celebrations. I had one be-early Christmas celebration with Penang Toastmasters Club and one Christmas Day celebration with MEF Toastmasters Club. Both had gift exchange session. The only difference was that, I had Christmas Day celebration with the MEF-ians at my place. The feeling of having great people around you during a beautiful celebration is indeed indescribable.

Since I had the time of my life in Year 2014, I wish for the same, or even better, in Year 2015!

Five In One!

One in Kuala Lumpur itself. One flew from Sibu. One came from Singapore. One came from Kuantan. Last but not least, one flew from Penang.

Five people came from five different places to meet in one place – Sunway Lagoon.

Now that is five in one.

I really had the time of my life that day. The last time we did something like that was when all of us went to Singapore back in May.

I do hope we can all travel together again. Else, another four in one.