Champion In Our Hearts

Three times a silver medallist at the Olympics - Beijing, London and now Rio - one must feel for Lee Chong Wei, especially us Malaysians. To come so close to reaching the pinnacle of sport, it must be somewhat disheartening at times for the standard-bearer of Malaysian badminton. However, how many athletes can lay claim to winning three silver medals at three successive Olympic Games?

Sure, there will always be those who have done better, but there are many, many more who will never achieve the level of success that Chong Wei has achieved. He ought to be proud, and so do we. We certainly will him on during important matches, and go along for the emotional ride each time, as individuals and as a nation. 

A champion in our hearts, always.

Chong Wei at Rio 2016.

Remembering Dad

My cousin Kiat Ken in London sent me this photo this morning. Every 23rd January, he has a drink to remember my father. They used to enjoy drinks together whenever he was in town visiting family. If I am not mistaken, this annual commemoration is with a drink from a bottle of either whiskey or brandy that my Mum gave him from my dad's collection 5 years ago. Another cousin of mine Lynette, does the same every year, with a shot of brandy. Apparently, it is the only time of year that she drinks.

I guess we all have our own ways of remembering our loved ones who have passed on. Most importantly, the fond memories that always remain in our hearts are what matter.

Remembering dad on the 5th anniversary of his passing.


Photo courtesy of my cousin Kiat Ken.

A Spring In One's Step

I was having a rather thought-provoking conversation with a friend on how different people react to disappointment and how our different characters play a role in the paths that we take in the ensuing aftermath. Well, perhaps aftermath is too strong a word to use, but you get my drift.

 

Needless to say, we all have our varying degrees of strength, fortitude and tolerance, and how we cope and rebound very much depends on our personal resilience. Life comes with its share of setbacks and disappointments, some significant, others less so. The challenge really is to overcome the negativity that may arise from such unpleasant situations, and forge towards potentially better experiences that lie ahead.

 

I am by nature an optimist. As such, I mostly accept such setbacks as lessons to be learnt and mistakes not to be repeated. And once I come to this frame of mind, I am able to pick myself up and soldier on. Being cautious is a good thing, but throwing caution to the wind in my opinion is even more important as one embarks on a new path. Yes, we take baby steps initially, but my temperament is such that it doesn't take long for me to walk with a spring in my step again. So, who's up for a walk?

 

 

Photo shot at St Martin-In-The-Fields in London, United Kingdom.

Kiat Ken And His Food

My cousin Kiat Ken was back in town from London for our cousin Honn Ken's wedding recently. Having grown up in Malaysia, he makes it a priority to enjoy as much local food as possible whenever he visits. A creature of habit, Kiat Ken often wants to head to places he frequented as a kid. We always plan ahead, and try to pack in as much eating as possible into his itinerary.

 

His trip this time was for a mere three days. Apart from the wedding festivities, pre-wedding dinner, lunch reception after the wedding ceremony and celebratory banquet, we managed to also sample fishball meehoon soup, steamed chicken, durian, roti canai, sweet meat, Famous Amos cookies, sago gula Melaka and teh tarik, not bad for a less than 72-hour visit. The only stop we missed was bak-kut-teh, so that's something to look forward to the next time he returns.

 

There is no shortage of Asian food in London, but I guess there is nothing like the food we have here in Malaysia. I for one, never take that for granted.

 

 

Kiat Ken and I at Prosperity Bowl in SS2, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Mun Yee & Honn Ken

My cousin Honn Ken tied-the-knot with my then cousin-to-be Mun Yee on Saturday, 28 June 2014. As with such milestones and occasions of such magnitude, the entire extended family was on hand to celebrate. My cousins even came from as far as London and from across the causeway, Singapore.

 

The days and months leading up to the big day saw family members chip in to assist in whatever way possible, when requested by the couple. There is a fine line between helping and meddling, and all who were involved were reminded of this often, sometimes by yours truly. Managing a large family is never an easy task, and much effort has to be made by each and everyone of us. A close knit family should be able to handle this with aplomb, and this we did.

 

And so, we now officially welcome Mun Yee into the Thoo family. Congrats to the newlyweds.

 

 

The Thoo family, shot at Glad Tidings in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Busy All The Time?

Someone told me recently that I seem to be busy all the time and that it must take a lot of energy to keep up with my schedule. It was an interesting observation. I suppose I am fortunate to have good energy levels but I don't necessarily agree that my life is terribly busy.

 

Let's just say I see it this way. Life is meant to be lived, and I certainly enjoy living a full life. Whether it is work, friends, family or travel, I make the most out of my time. Sure I do enjoy lazing by the pool or tanning on a beach, sitting at a café with a good magazine, but by and large, I am not one to while away my time doing nothing. There is much to experience in life and too little time.

 

Of all that I fit into my schedule, the most important is time spent with family and friends, more often than not over a nice meal. Personal relationships need to be nurtured and maintained. Those who know me well would know that I do not store phone numbers of those who do not keep in touch regularly. Time is precious, and attention ought to be given only to those who reciprocate. Indeed, there is too little time to waste. So as I continue on with my journey, fast-paced at times, languid at others, I shall look forward to more interesting encounters along the way.

 

 

Shopping on Oxford Street in London, UK.

Family Holiday

My sister Suk Harn recently gave my Mum and I a treat, a two week holiday in London, Stockholm and Istanbul. Having been based in London for almost a year, the plan was for us to spend some time travelling as a family towards the end of her one year working stay in the English city.

 

For me, it was a return trip to London after two decades, to Istanbul since 2000, and a first sojourn to Scandinavia. For Mum, it was a trip down memory lane as she read law in London, with her most recent visit being a business trip with my late father many years ago. The other two cities were new places of interest for Mum, and all of us certainly looked forward to the trip.

 

An all expenses paid trip, other than shopping money, is something no one can refuse. All three cities provided wonderful experiences, sights to behold and food to savour. Most importantly though, traveling together as an immediate family allowed us to strengthen our bonds, even more. We look forward to my sister's return next month. Rest assured, more holidays will be in our plans.

 

 

Photo taken at Drottningholm Palace in Stockholm, Sweden.

One Of 1000 Places To See

I would say that the Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Nam certainly lives up to its reputation as among the New York Times' bestseller '1000 places one ought to see in their lifetime'. The views are stunning. Whether viewed from a vantage point perched higher up or on the beach itself, one is constantly drawn to the seascape that unfolds before one's eyes at every turn.

 

I was very recently at the resort in Koh Samui, spending a couple of days of quality time with my cousins from Auckland, London and Singapore. Sited on a more private enclave, away from the touristic stretch, it served as the perfect spot for us to catch up on old times. Sure there were some glitches in service every now and then, but the beautiful vistas and ambience more than made up for it.

 

The setting puts one in a relaxed state of mind. It inspires us to appreciate the beauty of natural surrounds, it encourages us to be grateful for the opportunity to be there. Most importantly, it served as a catalyst for all of us to enjoy our time together, re-living our childhood memories, reveling in the present, and looking forward to what the future may hold.

 

 

Photo shot at Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Nam in Koh Samui, Thailand.

Siew Yoong's Birthday

We celebrated my cousin Siew Yoong's birthday whilst in Singapore. She's been based in Singapore for the past few years which has enabled us to get together more often.

We are pretty close. We grew up together in PJ, her siblings Wui Ken and Kiat Ken included. We spent many, many weekends together as children, went on holiday, you get the drift.

Wui Ken and his family now live in Auckland whereas Kiat Ken is this happening advertising executive in London. Still we meet up as often as we can, mostly on holiday. We also rack up pretty hefty phone bills every now and then.

San, Tian, Jin and Siew Yoong, shot in Singapore.

Meaningful Experience

My friends Bunny and Nabil recently cycled from London to Paris as part of a convoy to raise funds for charity. Being cycling enthusiasts, it seemed the perfect vehicle for them to make a difference whilst enjoying a sport and pastime that they loved.

Such meaningful experiences are what some of us look for in life. Something that ignites a spark, inspires us, that lends meaning to the sometimes mundane lives that we lead.

I had lunch with Bunny upon her return from Europe. She's already planning for next year. An even more adventurous but extremely arduous challenge. Surely something to look forward to.

Photo courtesy of Leon Lin.

Concern

A friend called me up today checking to see if I was alright. Apparently I have been sounding relatively depressed in some of my blogposts. Must have been this post, or perhaps this, or maybe this.

Like most people, I have my ups and downs. Those who know me well can attest to the fact that I can be prone to mood swings. Just ask my biz partner Anna or some of my colleagues who work with me every day. I am not that an easy person to get along with at times.

To set the record straight, I am doing fine, could be better, but fine nevertheless. In any case, my 3 cousins, 2 spouses and 3 little nephews fly in from Singapore, Auckland and London for a few days next week, so that should cheer me up! Woohoo!

Photo of my cousins Kiat Ken and Wui Ken, my sis Suk Harn, cousin Siew Yoong and I, shot last year in Langkawi, Malaysia.