29.11.2024 Friday - strange end to the week.

Freddie is upset because some folks (a surveyor) is dragging his feet about a task he should have done earlier.  

I am upset because the client seemed upset about the whole thing (which includes us). 

SY is upset because there is no fellowship in the committee anymore, folks are simply ticking the boxes and waiting with the their mouths open for dinner meetings and working lunches. 

AS is upset because he realises now that the contractor is not listening to the team, something which we have known for some time now. 

But despite all that, the five of us are quite calm about things; Fiona will call for a meeting on Monday to iron out loose ends. PH will plan for our trip and meeting in Penang, while GW will stay involved while getting me involved in his projects (no matter how small). Meanwhile, Freddie will take a deep breath and arrange for another meeting with the Lands and Survey Dept. for the surveyor. 

We have better lives to live. Right on cue, our young people have made plans for our company trip to Japan next year. Things are falling into place.

I have also made some firm plans. Not to have the long lunches anymore, or lazy afternoons. It is not productive, I can be reading a book or at No. 40 flipping through an old copy of Architecture Australia. 

going to Kl next week, and looking forward to it although I am not sure why.

28.11.2024 Thursday - meeting Glennys

 

27.11.2024 Wednesday - meeting school friends

Highlight of the day is the dinner with old school mates, we eat pizza and burgers, and drink beers with soju. I enjoyed Jon and Sasha's company - they are quite genuine and funny. 

I treated Sasha and Jeanette to dinner and walked slowly home, work problems temporarily set aside. Interesting note: Da calls medicated rubs 'gosok' which sort of makes sense. 

The low point of the day was hearing that our serviced apartment project has not been given planning approval. We would have to re-invent the scheme and re-submit.

26.11.2024 Tuesday - Lundu

Listening to The Idiot by Dostoevsky

 

25.11.2024 Monday - things to do

 

24.11.2024 Sunday - and more gardening

23.11.2024 Saturday - gardening

22.11.2024 Friday - laughing out loud

 

Rachel thinks this is a 'sweet' moment which she captured. I tell her that she has been watching too many Korean shop operas. I do not tell her that Sam thinks that I am not easy to live with.

21.11.2024 Thursday - planning a safari.

Kensington is officially our project

 The morning starts early - Sean takes me to work. I don't go up but wait instead with a coffee downstairs. I am drawing up the Lundu resort and not making much headway. This is an un-productive as drawings go. 

Our meeting with the man is better; we review the hotel drawings and he seems happy with the outcome. We reduced the circulation area, converting them into changerooms for the gym, and a larger kitchen for the restaurant. He is always quite candid with us, Freddie thinks it is because we listen. 

Zoos are where the animals are confined, and humans look at them, safaris are where the humans are confined and the animals looks at them.

20.11.2024 Wednesday - meeting people and eating too much

A singularly un-productive day; meeting HJ and sis for breakfast, SY and SL for lunch with Cheng Ming and then afternoon tea with BW who is on his way back home. (he did not spend much for this trip). The only productive thing today is the squash which I enjoyed because I felt like I had control. I had control because I have improved or the other people has slowed down. 

On second thoughts - maybe meeting people to have a chat about things is not un-productive. I am grateful for Li Li's gift of popia (from Aunty's popia) and also to be able to return the generosity to Chen Ming (and SY/SL) when I treated them to lunch. I am also reminded to continue this - the lack of social contact can be quite detrimental; it slows you down and shuts down your world.

19.11.2024 Tuesday - resourcefulness

Thomas did the pillowcases and bedsheets before he left the house, and left some books as gifts for me on the dining table. He stayed for three nights and enjoyed himself wandering around Kuching meeting people having lunch with some of them, playing tennis and getting household things made out of tin (galvanised steel). This is intuitive behavior; the ability to entertain and occupy oneself, to be curious, to question and communicate, and to learn. 

At tennis, Ho said that B has gone a bit slow. Perhaps he has, he tells me it is a result of the long COVID. He also tells me that he cannot be generous like us; he would want to know the details. Perhaps that is the critical thing - the willingness to share; money, time, information and skills. It is not too late to change.

18.11.2024 Monday and my birthday

It is mostly work as usual though there is a breakthrough in the gardening front. I am getting the front planter re-instated and hopefully we can plant some herbs there. (reminder: it will need shade cloth). We have lunch with Irene, who thinks that the BES is a really good idea. It seems that she is doing a similar with her Spartan events, we share some ideas. Perhaps I will contact her when the BES things become more solid. 

I parade my birthday cake around the office before cutting it. Unfortunately there are no good photos, but let's see maybe one will crop up later. 

In the evening, we treat everyone to dinner including Thomas. Brian got stranded in Santubong, and rang Sean but dinner was already underway. These two new visitors to Kuching have had such a different experience, one met new folks, had lunch with them, walked the old streets, had a haircut and a massage and stories to tell. There is a lesson there.

Life is what you make of it.

17.11.2024 Sunday - some people to strike off the list

I cycle to tennis - I enjoy both the bike ride and the tennis. Then to breakfast - nice laksa, similar discussions about child-care. I suggest a more rudimentary approach which is not fair as I do not know the full situation. I am quite tired by the time I bike home, but yet have enough energy to mentally plan our garden; making use of the composing prunings. I walked out to the garden and to my surprise, it is looking quite neat and work-able. 

Thomas wants a hit of tennis and proved to be a very able player. Grumbly text at 3pm to say we can play squash at 3:30 pm and when I say I have tennis at 4pm - he signs off with a dismissive reply. Interestingly he is at the courts when we arrive, and judging from his greeting - he is not in a happy place. Right away - I decide that I will not spend time to text/communicate with him. Thinking back about how welcoming we have been, this is not worth our time. I will respond of course if he texts/calls me, but I won't waste my time texting him to have him respond a day later (after he has weighted his options)

16.11.2024 Saturday - even more things happening

If I were to write about Saturday's party, it would be a very long post. So maybe only the keys points: Sam and kids arranged for food and drinks and invited friends. Friends invited more friends, I have not seen the house this full. The Taiwanese artists were the guests stars, making themselves at home seating in a circle chatting and laughing. Other than Brian, there's another face from the the past. I greet her warmly and we will see what happens from now on.

Zayn, Richard, Lai are surprise guests as are Ivy, Amelia and their aunties - they had a good time with mom. I was hoping for one other to join us, but something has happened. I can only guess at the source of this, perhaps it is to do with the children, or what we are doing with the house, or is not fulfilling some part of our filial duty. Sad - as Pam puts it. Comparing too much, and being bitter when falling short - saying not nice things about people, things that should not be part of the conversation.

It's ok, the folks who came enjoyed themselves. And although we told them no presents, I have a new tee shirt, a tea set, a bag of mangoes and apples (from Khalid) and a table of wine and liqueur.

I did get some work done.

15.11.2024 Friday - many things settled.

Many things happening today, so the office is half empty. Sean and others have gone to get the Singgahsana drawings signed and submitted. I mark through Melvin's school drawings (they are quite a way off) and also the Kensington drawings for George. 

Since it's close to my birthday, I take it easy invite SY for lunch, and chat about next year's design forum. Sam joins us, I overeat and fall asleep in the car on the way to the club. I play squash with Dr. Kok, then a hit of tennis with Dr. Kho followed by one hour of squash with Patrick. Energy quota depleted. 

The evening, Brian rings up and says he's coming to Kuching. 

 

14.11.2024 Thursday - ceiling is the limit

Why am I not retiring? Lai answers for me, he puts it in a very noble way - saying that I want to continue teaching through our projects. He has over estimated my ability, but he's not completely incorrect. I do want to leave a legacy. In some ways, it feels like I'm just getting started - we are sought out by clients for new work, our opinions are taken more seriously and our people are also maturing. I also want the people around me/us, people who come in contact with us to be better after having met us; through a kind work, a lesson, a meal or a place to stay. 

 

 

13.11.2024 Wednesday - a bit of sun, felt better immediately

I start early as usual preparing the new idea for Satok, followed by the second project in Satok (Penghui and George are hard at it, and doing well - I am very pleased).

At 1030, Freddie and I get in a car to visit Andrew and his steel trusses, and to see which shade of red we like for them. Andrew talks a lot about his work; the paint, the mill finish, the sand blasting, and the lifting techniques, construction sequence, police escorts during the lifting...He talks a lot - but I don't mind, I am learning new stuff. 

Seeing the actual steel sizes puts me at ease, and I like how he and Rianto is assembling the whole 19-m first lift together.
 

It is Fiona's birthday - I bring her a flower from the garden (a ginger flower 'bunga kantan') and we all go for lunch at the Tandoori place. Over ate and did not exercise. Later in the evening, we have dinner with Eric, PH and Freddie - they get on and chat through the dinner. During which we heard some unpleasant news about Eric's co-curator which makes Sam quite angry. 

Never mind, we are here to reset the balance. I get the brainwave to send PH to Taiwan to see TTY's installation project with CYCU.

12.11.2024 Tuesday - school is out

I pass the new school project to Melvin, for him to ponder. And immediately felt better. This design has 3 key features: the avenue of learning allowing components to be plugged in, and overlook each other; the gaps between classrooms offering relief spaces and cross ventilation, and the roof level sports facilities. 

Later, I chat with George about Andrew's house. It has several unique features: the marrying of the existing and the new, using the sloping garden as a green veil for the living spaces. The long living space poses a problem, in its length but stopping the loft short of the main entrance offers a double height lobby, which helps in articulating the interior space.

I might have been too hard on Patrick on Sunday, he's too lazy to play today he says. 8-1 is a tough margin. 

11.11.2024 Monday - Drawing therapy interrupted

I was happily drawing up plans for a toilet in the garden for Dona, but other plans get in the way. A discussion with a contactor and tile supplier as expected did not leave anyone satisfied with the outcome. Later more issues from site disrupts the peace of mind needed to draw. 

PH, Fiona and I have a coffee and discuss the good and not so good things about the up-coming projects. After which, we decide that it would be wise to give everyone a break from this client. They have not been attentive to our advice, choosing to react when work on underway. And as PH wisely puts it, they do not have much work after this. Fiona thinks that they should try working with other architects and see how they fare. 

In any case, the drawing is complete but only after dinner

The main highlight to the day was the run and stretching session at the gym -  I think I will make the stretching part of my workout day.

10.11.2024 Sunday - other peoples' children

Today's post is about other peoples' children and the different experiences and expectation gained by both parties. In the first experience, I learnt that our own children were infinitely more well-behaved other I have recently met. One of them is verging on being 'feral' - he screeches when not getting his way, he poked me in the face while asking for a fruit juice, he punches his older brother and he sulks when he does not want to follow instructions. Sam thinks that he is still young, but I think he is evil.

Sean is taking care of Arlene's children for the weekend, and though it seems like a chore in the beginning - I can sense that he is starting to warm up to the task. Especially because Mao remembers him; and the variety of responses he gets from the variety of pets are rewarding. So, the chore have become a charm, he is fortunate. He has just rewarded himself with a large soft serve ice-cream. I should tell him that Arlene asks him instead of Sam because Arlene can sense that there is a growing maturity and with it, a sense of responsibility. And indirectly, it might be Arlene's way of nurturing a young person. 

In Chongqing, stories are being told abut our trip prompting Lin's mom to label me as their 'enlightenment' teacher (启蒙老师 qi-men lao shi) - an imparter of rudimentary gems of knowledge?. Just life lessons because I have lived for so much longer than them. They want to travel with us again - they say that they were very happy during the trip; easy to be with, and talk to. Just like cool parents, I thought to myself...

 

9.11.2024 Saturday - running free

It is Saturday, so I run downtown for breakfast with Si Yong (it is his birthday) and our new Taiwanese friends. Only the family of 4 show up, the other one is a bit of a loner he does not join us. 

It is a good run, several hills and along the way, I meet Patrick and Yanti waiting for their girls to complete a school road race. During breakfast, I get a call reminding me that squash is ON, so I play squash for an hour. After which, my energy quota for the whole is depleted. It is a good feeling.

 

8.11.2024 Friday - milestone coming up

Turning 60 is a big milestone, but it's just a date. For the Chinese, I'm 61 - we start counting from conception, including the 9 months spent in mom's belly. Recently at the Yunnan Museum, I tried to convince the concierge that I'll be turning 60 in 2 weeks. No need. He looked at the year in my passport, and added one more.

Turning 60 means many things, I can play in senior veterans squash competitions. I can apply for and get my Kenyalang Card. I don't have wait in line when boarding a plane.

It also means that I'm eligible for retirement. I have worked since I was 18; painting houses, selling stationery, in restaurants and factories. I was 20 when I worked as architectural draftsman at the Target design office in Geelong; 40 years in this industry. It is nothing extraordinary, many others have worked longer and done better. Perhaps the difference is that I'm more driven than ever. 

Tao asked me what the additional 6.0 features are, I told him - a modicum of tact, a touch of finese and a sense of resignation that I'd never play music. Hardware upgrades include higher VO2 Max and lower resting pulse. 

7.11.2024 Thursday - more Taiwanese guests

 

6.11.2024 Wednesday - Mint at breakfast, soysauce at lunch and chilli at dinner

 

5.11.2024 Tuesday - good news on first day back

 

We arrive at 10 a.m. all our smoked pork and ham went through without trouble. I go straight to the office, eager to get back into action. There are some juicy problems to solve, and people to catch up with. 

That afternoon, Freddie and I go to see the man, who tells us that the Kensington project is ours. During my holidays, the project was on my mind and I sketches some ideas for development. Teck tells us that our scheme is 'modern contemporary compared to the other which felt Middle Eastern to him (and us). And more buildable - I tell him

I feel that he is very candid with us, and shared some of this concerns - 'do I owe you money?'. Freddie says yes, but it is ok you paid some of our claims this months, it is ok to wait till next month. I was glad that he bothered to ask, and told him so. 

4.11.2024 Monday - not back at work

3.11.2024 Sunday - Xi Zhou & Er Hai