No. 2

Dedicated to Charx2.

I fondly recalled a pleasant moment of brevity,
When my daughter looked at me with such gravity,
”Why am I not mentioned,”
she proceeded with caution,
“in the blog you occasionally write to keep your sanity?”

I started in vain searching for reasons as to why,
When I realized that it was because I didn’t even try.
Too busy to write
“Not inspired tonight”
Are excuses I told myself as time ticked on by.

And so in these rhymes I will try to capture,
The almost surreal feelings of joy and rapture,
That overcame me,
Seeing our second baby,
Peacefully nestled snuggly in the bosom of her mother.

As a baby, she had a baldish head and a runny nose,
And would stare wide-eyed while striking a pose.
She started to walk,
Before she could talk.
Plus her smile was as sweet as an early summer rose.

Growing up, she was really quite tough,
Accident prone, she was used to the rough,
She broke her arm,
(Far from the only harm)
But in the end, she always still managed to laugh.

Through the years, she become more inquisitive,
To her rules were suggestions and not prohibitive,
She entertained us with puns,
Likes to play with guns,
Also really loves trivia so she’s quite informative.

Lately, she’s also grown to be quite lanky,
Regarding housework, nah, she’s never handy,
Up to her usual tricks:
iPad, Genshin or Netflix,
Are some of her routine while munching on candy.

She has been known to come around
To ask questions that are extremely profound.
Sometimes I get stumped,
More than once I’ve been trumped,
However deep inside, I’ve never been more proud.

As a parent we can only provide and teach,
And set directions for her to reach,
“The future’s vast,
Don’t grow up too fast,
Always be yourself, be true and be rich.”

Specialized Roubaix with carbon rims and saddle

I love cycling in the early morning. There’s something almost magical about the crisp breeze against your face as you barrel through the gentle morning mist along a quiet, dimly lit road. The first rays of sunlight, still uncertain of their own existence, peek over the horizon, warming both the earth and the soul with a sense of renewal and hope.

I’ve been cycling since childhood—mostly because, back in my day, it was the only way kids got around. In that sense, I’ve technically been cycling for decades, though I only dabbled in what some might call “serious” cycling about a decade ago. Since then, I’ve managed to wear out two bikes and am now on my third (and most beloved) steed: a Specialized Roubaix.

Continue reading “Specialized Roubaix with carbon rims and saddle”

Reflections on 2020

It’s that time of the year again—when things quiet down, and we take a moment to reflect. And what a year 2020 has been—one for the history books. Generations from now, books and documentaries will dissect this extraordinary year, as academicians and storytellers attempt to distill its lessons for the future of humanity.

Continue reading “Reflections on 2020”

Working from Home

It’s been four months of working from home now, and we’re on this three-team rotation system.

love working from home. No more commuting– meaning I’ve reclaimed roughly two hours of my life each day that I used to spend contemplating my existence while stuck behind someone who changes lanes as if he’s moments away from an emergency of the digestive variety.

Continue reading “Working from Home”

My day in London

I’m back in my Paddington hotel now, fresh from a work meeting that has left me with the rarest of corporate travel luxuries: unscheduled time.

There’s something wonderfully liberating about being alone in a foreign country. It’s the only time I can wander into those spots that would otherwise be vetoed by family members who, for reasons beyond my comprehension, don’t find museums featuring historical androgynous depictions of Guanyin fascinating.

Continue reading “My day in London”

OCBC Cycle KL 2019

I’ve just completed the entire 42km of the OCBC Cycle KL event today. And to my surprise, it wasn’t as gruelling as I had feared.

Our group had planned to meet at Menara Maxis at 5.00am, aiming to roll out by 5.15am towards the flag-off point at Dataran Merdeka. A list of names had been floating around in our WhatsApp chat group, but as expected, attrition happened. In the end, it was just five of us– Vishal, Agnel, Charene, BX, and me– who finally pedalled off from the office at 5.45am.

Continue reading “OCBC Cycle KL 2019”