We Are Family

The weekend flew too quickly... but I had fun, loads of it, even if I am still feeling somewhat knackered and been nursing a headache since Yesterday.

My mates and I Finally left office at 6.30 pm on Friday evening and reached Genting an hour later. After freshening up and prayers, we went for dinner. Turned out we had to wait for other friends to join us for dinner so was left feeling hungry, correction, make that very hungry, a bit longer. Had a good time chatting, laughing, catching up etc so it all turned out quite well. This may well be our last Staff Day together as some of the Departments [mine included] will be undergoing a major restructuring very soon. It's Sometimes kind of scary to think of the unknown future - the new department structure, new boss, new portfolio, new colleagues etc etc but at least it's a good opportunity to learn something new. Anyway, I digress.

We retired quite early but my roommate and I spent some time chatting, well into 1 am! Then as I was about to drift to sleep, I heard the noise of people checking in next door! The noise kept me up for quite a bit more.

It was a bright and sunny start to Saturday. After breakfast, we had a team-building activity after lunch [this is like a 'by default' activity, almost every place will offer this now!] but it turned out to be quite fun. We were all divided into four groups and for ease of recognition, each group had agreed for its members to wear a certain colour. My group chose White [the others chose Black, Red and Orange] but I had already packed my turquoise footie jersey and wasn't about to buy a new tee... so I decided to stick to it. The others were teasing me and called me confused. Yes, that's me, confusing and confused! Our group was feeling somewhat dejected after the team-building activity as we thought we didn't do as well as the others.

I was famished by the time we finished and was glad that lunch was next.

It rained shortly after lunch, oh uh. And the activity after lunch was treasure hunt a la The Amazing Race, on the way up to Genting and at both the indoor and outdoor parks. As our group had two cars [one a four-door, the other a two-door] among us, five of us went in the four-door car and the four others went into the two-door. We were so getting soaked, running here, there and everywhere in the spitting Rain. My friend said all that running around was a good way to lose weight. My panted reply was, 'But I don't wanna lose weight!'. Anyway, guess what, our group got 2nd place, both for the team-building activity and treasure hunt and hence, 2nd overall winner! We were pleasantly surprised with this since we thought we were last and were so happy that we were shouting and jumping as if we had won the first place. Yes, it really felt good. And yes, We Are Family! [Because when you think about it, your officemates are like your second family - like it or not - and you do spend the bulk of your waking hours in The Office].

It was getting late when we finished and the rain was still continuing steadily plus I needed a lift home so we left shortly after the prize-giving. Reached current residence just after 8 pm.

My parents came later that night, after 9 pm with my two nieces and nephew. Apparently, the kiddies missed me and persuaded my parents to drive them over. Heh, so cute and sweet. I miss them too. But I was so knackered then. Good thing they were too! Even if I'm still single and childless, I'm thankful that I have my nieces and nephew who clearly love me, and me them. After all, We Are Family!

Yesterday, after my parents left with the grandkids, I cleaned the house quickly before going out to meet my friend, Ja. We then drove to KLCC and met our Japanese friend, Yuriko-san, and mother. We played tourist guides and took them around KLCC before bringing them over to the Craft Complex at Conlay and then to the Central Market. It was drizzling Yesterday too and I was nursing a headache almost the whole day. At one point, I was yawning non-stop - there's only so much cultural and traditional stuff I could take and I was really starting to feel out of place at the Craft Complex [gosh, I am so not culturally or traditionally inclined! Fie on me!] and was groaning inwardly at the prospect of going to the Central Market. Anyway, this super-efficient shopper managed to grab a pair of wedges on offer at KLCC amidst her liaison officer duty. Heh. And I was rewarded with the sight of a cute eye-candy at the Craft Complex so that kind of made the visit a bit more worthwhile.

Ja told our guests that she could drive but didn't know the way around KL and that I couldn't drive but knew the way. Talk about complementing each other eh! I could show them the places and the way alright but I discovered that I'm quite lousy at providing explanation on just about anything, e.g. what ingredients there are in the Malay kuih; what songket, batik, kompang are etc. And I couldn't play congkak [traditional game played by two people, can't describe how it's played 'cause like I said, I'm no pro!] to save my life but we gave some demo. Oh dear. I didn't have this problem playing tourist guide before when my Brit friends came, 'cause they were guys and they just wanted to shop for clothes, PC stuff etc.

Anyway, would you believe it, we were mistaken as a family of Japanese, not once but twice! Before I started donning the headscarf, I was Always Always mistaken as a Chinese, by both Chinese and Malays, and there was even a time when we returned from our family trip to Los Angeles when a fellow passenger asked me:

She: Excuse me, are you Chinese?

Me: No. [I was feeling a wee bit under the weather then, hence the monosyllabic reply].

She: Oh, are you Japanese then?

Me: (Japanese?!!) No. I'm a Malaysian [I didn't feel the need to elaborate on my ethnicity].

She: [Not Sure how to react] Oh... [sounded strangely disappointed].

Me: (Oh goody, that's shut her up. Now can I have my rest, please?).

And on the same flight, the stewardess wanted to serve me some wine too! Hello... even if I didn't look like how I'm supposed to look, surely I looked underage to be served alcohol!

After donning the headscarf, it's mainly foreigners who mistake me as a Chinese and there was once in Nottingham when someone yelled a racist remark at me.

Now, Yuriko is bigger than her mother, just like I am bigger than Mummy. The second time we got asked if We Are Family, the shopkeeper even went on to ask - twice - if I was Ja's daughter...! [It so happened that Ja is smaller than me too]. If you were Ja, surely it wouldn't be flattering to be asked such a question but she took it in her stride [if it were me, I'd be punching the shopkeeper already]. I would be lying though if I said my ego wasn't boosted with that question, surely yours would too if people say you look younger than your age. But while I don't mind being mistaken as a younger person, I don't really want to look [and be treated] like a child! Anyway, I digress. Btw, Ja also wears the headscarf. But she does look Japanese. So maybe yes, We Are Family!