18th Jan 2023 Wednesday - No. 40

The demolition works at No. 40 has started. The children refer to the house as 'Amah's house' and they have memories of growing up there; . I do not have much sentimental attachment to this house, we moved in when I was in Primary 1. I moved from my grandmother's house where I have more fond memories of. Of No. 40 - I retain more unpleasant memories than fond ones. I seem to be always doing chores; folding laundry, wiping up after my brother when he wet the floor, being scolded when chores were not done to mom's satisfaction, I enjoyed some of the chores; painting the fence, the internal walls ( I was given RM35) - maybe because I did these on my own, during school holidays when Pa was at work. I remember making shelves with my father as well, I was his helper (as I suppose I was for my mom as well).

Recently, my mom and my siblings decided that I was the right person to own the house - rather than to have it in a stranger's hands. And with Pam's help, we are the owners of No. 40. During Pa's wake, I slept on a sofa in the car porch and thought about what I would do to the house if I owned it. Now I am able to test those design ideas.  

First day of 30-day 30-minute swim streak.

17th Jan 2023 Tuesday - Fellowship

Chee Kiong, Angel, Azai and Si Yong at Kengo's Hyatt Centric, KK

Dictionaries define fellowship as the friendly association of  people who share common interests. One commonly hear this word used in relation to the association of people who share a common religion. But it goes beyond this, as Sean explained - 'it is not limited to Lord of the Rings'. 

Over lunch, someone remarked that most of us have forgotten that this used to be the main reason why we joined learned societies such as PAM. We joined because we saw it as a way to meet more like- minded people; to further ourselves professionally and socially, to learn from each other, to share common interests, to travel, to play sports but mostly because we like the people in that group. These people seek out opportunity to spend time together, they give themselves excuses to travel with their 'fellows'.

As PAMSC committee members did recently when they traveled to Kota Kinabalu to attend the Borneo Design Conference. The trip was intended to reinforce our own fellowship while showing support to our fellow Borneon PAM Chapter - 3 days, 2 nights; it was effortless but richly rewarding.

 

16th January 2023 Monday

 

15th January 2023 Sunday - hanging steel stairs

 

14th Jan 2023 Saturday - working as usual

 

10 am. Met Eric, his partner Slyvester, his welder Raymond and his QS Roger to discuss construction details for the hotel. The minutes are taken as a series of sketches. 

1215pm Lunch with Vivian, to discuss how to leave, whether to leave and what her parents thought of the situation. I have known her since her college days, 18 years old. 

Later Sean helped Sara and I with an idea for the Mac2 apartments; skewed walls to avoid direct West and East sun. 

13th Jan 2023 Friday - meeting clients

 

44 terraces

Looking forward to today, to meeting R to move ahead on his projects. The condo in Sibu has all its elements in place; the unit mix, the overall height of the building, the roof to catch rainwater, and car parks. The 44 terraces was confirmed for building plan submission; the sizes of rooms, the translucent roofing skylight, the gravel driveway. And the office park, with input from its engineers while the showroom is without engineers at the moment. 

12th Jan 2023 Thursday - available