This was an eventful month, punctuated with work and leisure activities, nicely spread out over each passing week.
It started off with a four day business exhibition in Kuala Lumpur where my company showcased our products after a few years hiatus. The response was overwhelming and the team gained meaningful experience especially for a colleague who joined us a year ago. In the midst, I even met a long lost friend of 30 years! We looked back at the times where we played soccer on rainy days and muddy fields. I could remember one particular game where I got past him and rolled the ball towards an empty net, only to be thwarted by a pool of water on the goal line. Interestingly, we were not from the same school and knew each other because he was the neighbor of my classmate. He still looks the same and now works as an engineer. From there, I got to know that he's in contact with another two friends. It is the second time this year that I reconnected with friends of yesteryears (The first being here).
After the trip, together with four other couple friends, we attended the musical, Fried Rice Paradise. It's a first experience for a number of them to see a live performance taking place while having dinner served. Over two hours, we were thoroughly entertained and the food was surprisingly of high standards. There were interactive segments where the performer came to the floor to speak to the audience as the ballroom became the stage. It was a great Sunday wind down and the Culture Pass finally got utilized.
The next activity is rather peculiar. Not many people will ever in their lifetime get to participate in. It was a friend's celebration for his parents' wedding anniversary. A milestone of sixty years! Held at a hotel with eighty tables, it was a grand affair as the drinks flowed and the host family reveled among the crowd of well-wishers. The grandchildren put together a video of rolling back the years which left a number of teary eyes. Given the current generation's median age for marriage, I guess there will be nobody (I know) who would be able to celebrate such an occasion anymore. If I could still walk at ninety, then maybe there's a chance.
I attended a forum on China's economy and its relations with Asean. Amid a day of interesting discussions, one point stood out for me. It's regarding the commentary on whether certain countries are encapsulated in a K shape economy. One speaker noted that meant a still growing economy, in an uneven way. What's worse would be an inverted T shape situation where only a certain group of people benefit while the majority stagnate. By most accounts, Asean is in a good shape.
Tip: Donna Di Valiano Chardonnay 2024, little grass, mild pineapple, dewy touch
