2022 - Contrast

I had reflected much mid-2022 and I will simply adapt from/ add on to the mid-year post. 2022 was a year where we slowly came to terms with life post-pandemic - a life that was somewhat similar to pre-COVID days but with many changes in the way we perceive things, and conduct our lives. Let's take a look at my 2022:

Health & Well-being

I wanted to focus on my health and well-being in 2022. Other than the COVID-19 infection in Jan 22 and the effects I continued to experience, my health remained relatively good - no relapse of kidney stones, heart remained stable, cleared my 3-/ 6-monthly health checks, got myself vaccinated & boosted, etc. I had also continued my daily walks and hikes to the central reserve areas. My mental well-being took centre stage this year. I took a 6-month sabbatical from Apr - Sep to get away from the workplace. Apart from giving myself the time and space to consolidate my life and finances, catch up with many friends, and travel, I was also able to rekindle quite a few hobbies such as macrame, crochet, and gardening. I also managed to travel out of country - something that I couldn't do during the pandemic. I went back to work in Oct 22, optimistic of the new role I would assume. The sabbatical did wonders to address the burn out I suffered. However, given the many changes at the workplace, the positive effects wore out very quickly. I ended the year with transition anxiety disorder. Despite the less than rosy end to the year, I thought I had handled my health and well-being relatively well in 2022 - the sabbatical, the continued walks, the stable health overall, etc. For 2023, I will continue to work hard on my health and well-being. 

Travels

The world gradually opened up in 2022. It was exciting to be able to travel again after being trapped on this tiny island for so many months. My first trip was to Malaysia in Feb 22. It was somewhat a blessing in disguise that I had COVID the month before for it allowed me to be exempted from some of the tests etc that were imposed both in Malaysia and Singapore. Since then, I had done 5 - 6 trips up north - including twice where I drove all the way up to Penang! Objectively, I'd prefer to head off to cold countries for holidays but that would mean having to pay for the airfares etc. So the next best alternative was to take trips to Malaysia as it has this 1970/ 80-easy going vibes that contrasts starkly with Singapore's ultra-modern and somewhat clinical and boring feel. The highlight of my travels was the trip in Jul/ Aug 22 where my partner and I spent a good 16 days in Scotland/ England. It was the longest trip for me in over 2-decades and we managed to cover many places that I had wanted to visit since my childhood days. The cold weather was a welcome change compared to the warm and humid Singapore! These trip contributed significantly to my health and mental well-being. For 2023, I will continue travelling!

Work-Life

Work happened in the first and last quarters of 2022. In between, I went on a 6-month work break to address my burn out (following a very difficult 2021) and to get the performance bonus I so deserved. During the sabbatical, I was able to spend good time by myself and achieved much things. I felt much energised after the sabbatical. Regrettably, whatever positive effects I got from the sabbatical dissipated within a month or two after I returned to work. Without going too much details, let’s just say I have a boss whose promises of resources and support were nothing but lip service. I now have a lot of work but no one to help me. It didn't help that the office I returned to was relatively foreign-feeling with a lot of new colleagues and processes. It's not a good place to end the year with. This was one major factor that contributed to my transition anxiety disorder. Unless things improve, I will have to rethink the way ahead professionally and possibly make some hard decisions in 2023. Let's cross the bridge when the time comes. For 2023, I will seek better workplace conditions for myself.

Me & My Family

I had much time to catch up with myself over the course of the year. This was due to the extended periods of times when my partner returned to his home country and during my sabbatical where I spend most of the day to myself. But I was not lonely. I was able to catch up with my hobbies, reflect on and consolidate my life, and catch up with many colleagues and friends, etc. It was certainly most energising. Life with my partner had its ups and downs but on the whole, it was stable. He changed his job towards the end of the year and together with my returning to work, there was quite a major shift in our routines. I supposed this also contributed to the transition stress for me. On the family-front, my relationship with my eldest sis improved. There were more contacts and I made a visit to her place mid-year. Her second daughter (my niece) had also invited me to her upcoming wedding end-Jan 2023. Other than that, things with my second sis and the extended family (my paternal aunts/ uncle) were as normal as it could possibly be. There were the usually meals, visitations, sharing of home cooked food, etc. But one thing was clear, with each passing year, everyone of us are getting on with age. My aunts/ uncle are in their 70s/ 80s. My eldest sis is also down with some health issues. I wish them health and that they will live for many more years. For 2023, I will continue playing my role - as a partner, brother, cousin, nephew, uncle, or for that matter, granduncle - well.

My Friends

I was more selective with who I wanted to spent time with. Life is too short to give my energies to people whom I feel did not trust me. This sentence described my attitudes towards my friends in 2022. It was not usual for me - a person who would usually go all out for my friends - to be like this. But that was how I was. Two groups of friends made an impact on me in 2022 - my long time friends, and my tigerair (and one scoot) friends. Amongst my long time friends, one of them retired towards the end of 2022. Frankly, I felt somewhat jealous that he could do so so comfortably (given the very positive financial position of his). I do not think I will ever be like him. But I was really happy for him. Another long time friend is Jeremy - my unofficial “tee” aka little brother. 2022 was a stressful year for him - challenges at work, changed job, and amidst these changes, he moved house. Not easy for both him and his wife Margaret. I didn’t think I helped much, but was glad he kept me in the know. I was glad to see his career picking up again and things ending smoothly for them by year end. My tigerair (and one scoot) friends were the ones I hanged out with most through the year. A few from the group have drifted (as to be expected, by choice or otherwise) but on the whole, I was thankful for their friendship and presence. Most of them are in their 30s and at this age, getting partnered, pregnant, miscarriage, give birth, death of family members, etc were the order of the day through the year. For a gay person like me, friends like these are the closest I can ever get to in lieu of a proper family of my own and their respective life journeys, and ups and downs shaped much of my 2022 experiences. For 2023, I will continue valuing people who trust me and build on the friendship.

My Physical Environment

I have specially dedicated a paragraph to my physical environment. Physical environment plays a significant part in shaping our daily experiences and contributes directly to our well-being. Firstly, home. I decided to finally give my home a facelift. It was something that I had procrastinated for the longest time. So just before I started my sabbatical, I got a contractor to repaint the house, the doors and polished the parquet flooring. I went on to install shelves in my utility area, digital lock for the main door, changed the living room furniture, bought a Chinese table lamp, and organised a small garden at my balcony! It's really nice these days to get visits by birds, butterflies, and an occasional bees. It's nice to be able to live in an environment that is physically pleasing to the senses. Regrettably, I cannot say the same for my workplace. In my new role, I am not longer based in the Raffles Place. Instead, I now work from the headquarters in an open office that comprise close to a hundred other colleagues. Will need time to get use to such work environment. There is not much I can change for my work environment but for 2023, I will make sure my home environment continues to be as homely as it can possibly be!

2022 was a year of contrast. I will probably feel the impact of 2022 well into 2023. It could possibly mark the start of my transition to an eventual retirement. With Lunar New Year round the corner, I have noted many Chinese zodiac predictions about an upswing in luck for persons born in my year (year of the horse). Well, I am not a superstitious person and don't really believe in predictions. But I supposed there is nothing wrong in hoping for the best. 

Happy 2023!

:-)

Bivalent Booster

I had my 5th shot last week. It was a Moderna bivalent booster. Some people I spoke to wondered in amazement that I had bothered to keep up with the series of booster shots. To me, the logic is simple - it is for my own protection and at my age, I am probably more susceptible to serious illness if I catch the virus. So, if I do not look after myself, who will. Right?

Talking about this, I do have a cousin who spams me daily with non-stop whatsapp messages with links to rumble.com. She is totally against vaccination and from her whatsapps, I can only conclude that she believes there is a conspiracy/ bigger evil force out there that is trying to kill people, or cheat people or… whatever. I simply block her from my whatsapp.

To each his/ her own I guess.

Peacefully

I think of

My mum as she took her last 2 breathes
And how her body relaxes as she goes off 
Peacefully

And I smile

Restarting Again

I have started work again since 3 Oct. It's been 2 over superbly exhausting week. And it's not because I have a lot of work, but rather, I am still adjusting to the new rhythm of daily life - the new daily routines, the settling in to a whole new environment, new boss, new colleagues, etc... I think I will need a couple of weeks more to settle in.

And of cos, I have to constantly remind myself not to be too harsh on myself. Take things slow, observe the surroundings, refresh myself with the work processes and requirements, get to know people, build new relationships as I re-establish old ones. I am technically a "new" employee and I must give myself the time and space to enjoy this "honeymoon" period! 

:-)

Beard & Moustache

I shall write about my facial hair in this post. 

• I tend to suffer razor burns when I visit cold and dry countries and decided to give myself a shaving break during my recent UK trip (in end-Jul). As a result, my moustache and goatee grew. The unkempt look during the initial days didn't bother me. I was on holiday and was in the midst of strangers. After my holidays, I continued keeping it as it has grown quite nicely. 

• The last time I had a moustache was during my undergrad days. It lasted no more than a few weeks. I couldn't accept the untidy look. Most Chinese tend to be smooth naturally and need more time for our facial hair to grow. Most also have goatees and not a full beard like what you see in people of European, and Northern Indian origins.

• Why keep a moustache during my undergrad days? I wanted to do what I wouldn't/ couldn't do after I graduate. As a contract soldier on a training award, I had to return to the forces during my vacation and immediately after my final year examinations end. So I kept a little pony tail, grew a moustache, etc as a student.

• Why did I not keep a goatee back then? I supposed it was due to my military "up-bringing". In my basic military training days, we were not allowed to keep a beard unless it is for religious reasons (e.g. Sikhs). As a general rule-of-thumb to keeping neat and tidy - hair above the lips is "personal property", whereas those below is "government property".

• My hair has greyed much. I now have a head of black and grey hair (“salt & pepper”). Interestingly, there are more grey hair in my moustache and goatee. As a comparison, there are about 30-40% grey hair on my head whereas for my moustache and goatee, it 60-70%. And looking at my late-parents, I doubt I will end up with a full head of grey hair.

Ok, so much about my facial hair. People around me have seen my new look and and a couple of my gay friends have even suggested that my "market value" has increased. Well, "market value" was not on my mind when I started it. Nevertheless, I must say I do notice a couple more people (both women and men) giving me second looks. I hope it was not because I look out of place. Chinese men with goatee are a rare sight here. Then again, I was probably just a wee bit more self-conscious with this new look. 

:-P

My final trip

I will be making another trip to Malaysia before I resume my work in Oct. And similar to the trip I made in Apr (when I started my sabbatical), I will be visiting places such as KL, Penang, Ipoh, Johor Baru (JB) and possibly Melaka. This long 1200+ km drive is not something I would do normally and I half suspect is part of my feeble attempt to "stretch" my sabbatical. 

Will end my trip in JB where I will attend a wedding dinner of a friend on 1 Oct.

Back to Work

Since speaking with my HR sometime back, I have decided to head back to my company. The job that has been broadly scoped for me is rather exciting. It's a new port folio and I have the ability to shape the size of the role. I will also be required to set up my team from scratch and for a start, a new headcount has been given to me. So, yeah, will start work again in 2 weeks. Objectively, one part of me still wants to continue with this semi-retired lifestyle that I have gotten used to. But of cos, I am fully aware that I will need to re-engage socially and head back to work. And not to mention, the constant source of income and medical benefits that an employment will provide.

Queen Elizabeth II - RIP

I was saddened by the sudden passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Despite knowing it will come, it still didn't seem real when it happened. 

70 years of dedicated service - longest of any monarch in British history and a period that saw unprecedented changes in the world and to the monarchy. She was truly a remarkable person. Her passing marked the end of the Elizabethan era, an era never to be seen nor experienced again by the world. 

I have been following the royal funeral formalities in BBC daily and it felt surreal. It was not too long ago that we visited Holyroodhouse Palace (and where I marvelled at this picture depicting Her Majesty in her Scottish regalia against the Scottish countryside background), the Royal Mile, Edinburg Castle, and so on. These memories are still so vivid and fresh. 

She will be sorely missed by many. 

Please rest in peace.

Going back to work

I had a long talk with my HR over lunch 2 weeks back. She iterated how my big boss values me and that she (my big boss) looks forward to my returning. She updated me on all the changes that have happened during my absence, and the many growth areas that the department is currently focusing on. According to her, my big boss is open to letting me scope what I want to do, even if it means doing a contract role based on a 3- or 4-day work week. Thought it was interesting. 

To her request that I propose a JD for her, I have, on the other hand, told her what I don’t want to do and asked her to propose the areas they would like for me to do instead. I have also asked that she work on the basis of me returning full-time. If things do not work out, I will still be able to re-negotiate the job scope. Objectively, I need to get back to work life. I need the money and the mental engagements too, although a small part of me still wants to continue my carefree sabbatical days. 

:-)

England & Scotland

16 days... one of the longest trip I have made in recent memory! It was a refreshing trip and I must say, one of those where towards the end, you feel you have had enough and wants to return to the comforts of home, and I do add - to start work. LOL! Spent a good 16 days travelling around Scotland (Edinburgh, Inverness, Isle of Skye [lotsa places], Glasgow) and England (Manchester, Birmingham, Wareham, Bath, Brighton & London) and finally got to visit 2 places that I had read so much of but never got to visit - Inverness (home to the Loch Ness monster) and Stonehenge. 

Here're some quick call outs about the trip:

• Lovely to be able to move about without the face mask (even in public transport). We were a little apprehensive initially but decided to join the crowd eventually. We were, after all, vaccinated, boosted, and had gotten COVID before.

• Scotland was really beautiful, especially with the mountains and the lakes. It's no wonder they call it the Highlands. Lovely sceneries but the weather was a tat erratic. I really like Inverness. Its just about the right size to walk around, and people were really nice.

• Although it wasn’t planned, we got to experience the locations in Edinburg that inspired JK Rowling when she wrote the Harry Porter series. Also, by sheer coincidence, it was Peter Rabbit’s birthday when we visited his birthplace in Windermere!

• The small roads across Scotland and England were mostly single lane and narrow. It was rather stressful to drive on these roads, especially when there were many reckless drivers who chose to speed, even when the roads were wet and slippery (and I do suspect many were tourists from Europe, judging by the vehicle number plates).

• The smaller towns were really charming, with the rows of old buildings and manicured gardens - very Scottish & English indeed. We also had lots of fish & chips, haggis, pies, scones, etc... but, admittedly, at some point, we yearned Asian food!

• I had a deeper understanding of the history of Scotland and England and experienced the richness of the culture through the castles, foods, and people. And it was interesting to hear the different accents as we travelled from Scotland towards S England.

• I enjoyed the grandeur of the palaces and abbeys. The displays of chandeliers, paintings, jewelry, etc were just mind blowing. And it was just nice that our visit coincided with the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II.

• Stonehenge was not as big nor grand as I had expected. It was, nonetheless, a defining visit for me given how much I’ve read and heard about it since I was a kid. Walking around it and savouring the history and stories made the whole visit rather magical.

• The larger cities were really crowded, especially London. And I did notice that city people tend to be a lot ruder. People raised their voices, pushed around, gave rude stares, etc. I suspect these were tourists and they did it because they know they could get away with it. Or perhaps because we are Asian? Ok, let’s not go there…

• London is way too crowded today compared to 20 years ago. And it felt different now too. Less English, and more cosmopolitan. I suspect its the change in the profile of tourists - e.g. I visited Harrods and noted that a huge percentage of the shoppers were from the Middle East. For that matter, even the drivers of logistics trucks and taxis queuing outside Harrods looked Middle Eastern to me! Another possible reason could the the lack of PRC (Chinese) tourists given China’s current COVID travel restrictions.

• The trip would have been perfect if the weather had held up better on some days. Nonetheless, it was really nice to experience the coolness of Scotland (as low as 6C and no more than 23C). We ended the trip with a heatwave in London. It hit 34C - hot by London standards at this time of the year but tolerable to us.

I have slightly less than a month before my sabbatical ends... will do another trip up Malaysia at the end of the month! 

Upcoming Trip

It's been a long long while since I took a long trip out of the country and I am looking forward to my upcoming overseas trip this Friday! Gonna be away for slightly more than 2 weeks. Hopefully, I will not experience all the horror stories I have been reading about airport issues, delayed and/ or lost baggages, transport strikes, heat waves, etc etc etc...

Fingers crossed!

Kidney Stones

I have a history of kidney stones and will visit the urologist regularly to check on the state of my kidneys. In this post, I want to capture the outcomes of my recent visit to the urologist. You see, I had brought forward the review of my kidney stones from Sep to Jun 2022 as I had experienced a consistent pain at my back just at where my right kidney is located. Following the visit, I was scheduled to undergo a CT scan of my kidneys (and areas around it). Here's the results.

Right kidney: There was a slight increase in size of the stone since the last review (that was done 2 years ago). Otherwise, the stone had remained in the same position near the opening into the ureter and had not moved. There is an appearance of another stone. This stone is small and is located deep in the kidney. 

Left kidney: It showed the appearance of a very small stone - 1mm or less. Similar to the stone in the right kidney, it is located deep in the kidney.

The urologist concluded that the pain I had experienced was unlikely due to the kidney stones. He said that based on the size and location of the stones (particularly the 2 located deep in the kidneys), they will possibly stay there and not cause any trouble. He added that there is also a likelihood of them being flushed out given the smallness of their size. As for the larger stone in the right kidney, I can opt to get it removed if I am keen but his view is that it will likely stay put (as it had not moved) and not cause any troubles. But I do have to continue drinking lotsa water. So... yeah, everything looks good for now and I had decided to keep things as they are. 

PS: Interestingly, the pain I had experienced had disappeared too. Apart from the kidneys, the scan also showed normal stomach size, prostate gland, bladder, etc... :-)

Vax & Boosted

I started my COVID-19 vaccination programme in Apr 2021 and completed my full regimen in May 2021. My first booster shot was taken in Nov 2021 and my 2 booster shot in June this year when the second booster shot programme was opened to persons above 50 years old. I think getting such shots will, in time to come, be part of a regular routine given the need to live with the virus endemically. 

And talking about living with the virus, it's refreshingly nice to see how well and calm we have been despite the on-going COVID-19 wave of infections. It is also interesting to note that we have been able to keep this state of affairs without further tightening any preventive measures. Getting the virus these days is no longer seen nor perceived as a death sentence and many people around me have gotten the virus over the last year. 

:-)

Sabbatical - Purposelessly Purposeful

I am halfway through my sabbatical... well, tbh, I'd prefer to call it NPL - No Pay Leave. That's what it is - going on leave without pay. It was not a difficult decision to make as I wanted to take time away from work, recuperate and chart my next career moves. I am, of cos, not ruling out the possibility of going back to the same company if conditions are right. Here's my journey since my NPL on 1 Apr. 

To be honest, the first few weeks were really stressful. It was an emotional roller coaster ride and I could not wind down. On one hand, I really wanted to just do nothing, but on the other hand, I was very restless. So I kept myself occupied. I met up with friends, went shopping, did short trips up north, walked more, swam, did gardening, etc. But there was just so much of these that I can do (right?). Despite it all, I had consciously kept away from work-related meet ups and contacting colleagues although I eventually met up with my team and a couple of closer colleagues for a meal or two, catch-up over whatsapps on what's happening at work, etc. The stress eventually eased off as I learned to just enjoy my day, don't get stressed up by not being occupied with programs or not being too detailed in how I organise my day. I told myself owe myself the moments to just relax, chill and simply live life as it comes. 

Finance-wise, I was conscious I need to manage my spendings. After all, I am not getting any salary during this period. And it was not easy, especially with inflation and all - food, utilities, petrol, etc everything is easily 5 - 10% more expensive overnight. When I first started, I stopped eating at restaurants, cook more, take public transport as much as I can, etc. My lifestyle changed overnight. Thinking back, I think I swung a bit too far. Objectively, I do have some savings, and passive income but on a nett-nett basis, I still need to ensure my spendings is within the amount I have set aside to ensure longer term needs. I have since gotten a balance with regards when to hold back and when to reward myself with some luxuries. In effect, these couple of months had been a reality-check on my readiness for retirement. I am not. I need to work for a while more. But positively, I am more confident that I can take on a lower-paying job, if I want to, now.

As for my health & well-being, I am heading in the right direction. I sleep a lot a lot better these days. I hardly experience any insomnia and I am able to easily get my 7-8 hours of good night sleep. Granted that I still have all sorts of weird dreams now and then but overall, my sleep quality has improved. And with better sleep quality, all things else fall into place. I am already seeing positive signs from my body, eg how my resting heart rate has decreased from high-90s to high-70s now. On the flip side, I am having a hard time controlling my weight gains and the body aches have increased! I believe this is because of the increased exercises and walks that I am doing these days. But well... let's not get too bothered by it as long as the increase in weight is kept in check. I am starting to have uncomfortable dreams again over the last couple of days and I do believe it is due to the realisation that I am halfway through my sabbatical... hmmm...

These days, my routines revolve around very broad aims - consolidate my life within the first 3 months, review & consolidate my finances by May, review my resume by June (which I have yet to complete). I have about 3 more months to go. With my quick life audit (health, finances, self, work, etc) done, it is time to chart ahead - review my career options in Jul/ Aug, look for job in Aug/ Sep, etc. I will be taking a long overseas break end-Jul/ Aug before I end my no pay leave. So yeah, these last 3 months of deliberate pause have certainly been interesting. On the surface, it seemed like I have done nothing, but reflecting, I think I have done much... without realising it. 

:-) 

it's June 2022

What probably shaped the first half year was the gradual opening up of the country, and my sabbatical. As things open up, travels resumed, religious practises returned (I did my 3-step-1-bow again after 2 years!), routines were adjusted, etc. and with the start of my sabbatical, I have the time to do and revisit things I have never done before... let me cover a couple of aspects of my life here and I shall start off with my health and well-being, given that it is something I have wanted to focus on this year.

Health 

As a follow-up from the health scare in Dec 21, I saw the cardiologist in Jan 22 and was put through a series of tests. The cardiologist said all results were "within normal range" and that there were nothing that I should be too concerned about. Nonetheless, I noted there was a small anomaly seen in the ECG - something that I did not see in my previous ECGs. I decided that I should take things slow and not over-exert myself (especially after my burn-out experience in 2021).  Not long after, I caught COVID-19 in the last week of Jan 22. It was quite an uncomfortable period as my partner had returned to his home country. Thankfully, my sister and friends banded and supported me through the period when I was quarantined, delivering food to me. I emerged from the quarantine relatively well. I experienced a prolonged period of coughs, sore throat and sinus but these were generally not too debilitating thankfully. Apart from this, the usual body pains and aches continued to feature and these, I supposed, were part of my ageing process. I have continued with my usual daily walks to keep well and have also started swimming occasionally.

Work

I was so close to resigning late last year but had taken the advice of a colleague-turned-friend who suggested that I should take a sabbatical instead. This would allow me time to rest before I explore my professional journey ahead. To be fair to the company and my team, I continued to push through the annual planning and budgeting process and complete the annual employee appraisal before I start my sabbatical on 1 Apr. I have applied for a 6-month sabbatical and will be away from work until end-Sep 22. I needed to do this to recuperate (from my burn-out), to get away from my toxic work environment, to review my career options and to let my heart have a breather. My big boss has promised that I would be reporting to a different person when I return, and that I would assume a different port-folio. Frankly speaking, I have not decided if I should go back. In the meantime, I am just taking things slow and living a semi-retired life. Told myself I owe myself time to just chill and relax and not think about anything else. I have, since the start of my sabbatical, met up with a couple of ex-colleague-turned-friend who shared their thoughts about my career directions moving ahead (e.g. should I go back to my corporate life, or should I start all over). I greatly appreciate their views and will review my options closer to Jul/ Aug period.

Partner/ Family

My partner went back to his home country several times over the last half year. The first trip was an extended one that lasted over 2 months from end-last year to mid-Feb 22. It had been quite a while since I lived alone and for so long and, I supposed, allowed me the space to reflect on what it means to live alone (e.g. my daily routines). On hindsight, I thought that was quite a refreshing period for me. Family-wise, things are as normal as it can possibly be. The usual checking-ins, sharing of food, etc. Have also made the effort to pass the bak chang to my eldest sis - my first visit to her home since 2014 (or even longer). Other than that, I had also attempted to visit my uncle in Taiping in Feb 22, only to find the place deserted, gates lock and with overgrown weeds. I suspect my uncle might have passed on. 

Friends

Generally, been keeping in contact with friends. There have been some tensions with a couple of them (one to be exact) but generally, I have maintained contact with my circle of closer friends. The opening up of the society recently also meant there are less house visits. Gatherings these days are largely done over dinners in eateries/ restaurants. I have also made efforts to reach out to some old friends and am glad to know they are all well and good.

Home

Have done much changes to the house this year with a minor renovation done (much belated and delayed). Got the house repainted, doors repainted and the parquet fully polished, Decided against polishing the marble as many of the tiles had "popped". In addition, installed shelves to better organise the washing machine/ laundry space, digital lock for the main door, changed the living room furniture etc... so, yeah, lotsa changes to the home. Thought the outcome was really good and it felt new. This will probably last me the next few years until it is time for me to transition to public housing when I retire.

Hobbies

I have, especially since the start of my sabbatical, started revisiting some old hobbies. I have organised a small garden and have started growing plants such as Mexican mint, money plants, and some other ornamentals. The plants certainly provide a good use of my time and it's really lovely to see the plants thrive and grow. Occasionally, I will also do some handicraft (e.g. macrame) for my friends. 

Trips

I am starting to travel again with the first few trips taken to Malaysia. The first trip was in Feb 22. It was my first trip out of the country since the lock down and was an interesting one given the many additional tests, procedures, etc. The second trip occurred just when I started my sabbatical. As the land borders had opened and we could travel without pre-departure test, I decided to drive all the way to Penang and back. That was probably one of the longest drive I had taken in recent times - 1300km in total! Apart from that, I have also travelled to Johor for the weekend. Am looking forward to my extended holiday in Jul/ Aug 22 where we will be heading off to UK.

So yeah, the above kinda captured my first 6 months of 2022. It had passed by so quickly. The last 2 months were rather interesting. I didn't expect myself to feel stressed but that was how I felt - I was uneasy as I was suddenly faced with too much time at hand. I have since gotten used to it. Objectively, the sabbatical have allowed me to do almost nothing related to work and focused on myself, my home, my friends, and to reconsolidate my life (finances, insurance, etc). I have about 4 months more for my sabbatical. 

Let's see where it takes me...

bak chang 2022

I want to use this post to update my bak chang recipe. Have made changes to the recipe as an experiment this year and I thought it turned out much better than I had expected.

meat
2kg of meat (wu hua rou)
1 large packet (300g) dried shiitake mushroom (soaked overnight & sliced)
10 large onions (diced/ blend)
8-10 garlics (chopped/ blend)
250g - 300g of sweetened preserved winter melon (diced 5mm)

seasonings for meat
1 packet of coriander powder
white pepper powder (to taste)
200g of white rock sugar (about 3-4 pieces)
light soya sauce (to taste)
dark soya (to taste and to colour)
50 mil of sesame oil
50 mil of oil (vegetable)
50 mil of lard (optional)
1-2 tablespoon chicken stock concentrate (to taste)

rice
3kg of glutinous rice (soaked for 3 hours)

seasonings for rice
white pepper powder (to taste)
10 mil of sesame oil
20 mil of oil (vegetable)
10 garlics (chopped/ blended)
1.5 tablespoon salt or soya sauce (or to taste)
(can also add in some of the sauce from the frying of the meat)

others/ wrapping
120 bamboo leaves (washed in hot water and soaked at least 2-3 hours)
pandan leaves (about 7, cut 5cm long and sliced vertically) & strings