February
Delighting the lovers of soy milk in my workplace, a new cafe specializing in this cuisine actually opened within walking distance from the office. Since not everyone was in favor of melting under the sun, only a handful endured the heat once or twice to make their way there for lunch while a select few took the time out closer towards the end of business hours to swing by there.
April
Unbeknownst to most of us, there was a birthday meal that was accompanied with cakes for one of our colleagues. Yet, it was enough to make us all stumped when we were yanked out of the office to celebrate the said special day. Although it left us high on sugar, we were irritated in the sense that we were pressed for time (in our line of work, it’s a common practice for folks to work overtime, regardless of being in the office or working from home). *cries*
 |
| Waffles with Two Scoops of Ice Cream (Strawberry and Vanilla) accompanied by a glass of Cold Latte |
As if that was bad enough, the captain forgot to include my dish when she instructed the kitchen staff with the orders. I was more than happy to nibble on those tidbits hidden in my drawer if it hadn’t been for another co-worker’s gentle insistence that I grab something quick and light.
Maybe she saw the fury burning slightly in my eyes, I don’t know.
June
Lo and behold, the ruling government announced that instead of the continuation of MCO, FMCO would be replaced in its wake. What happened instead was us on rotation - but there was no difference for a handful of us since it felt more like we were working half day shifts on a daily basis. The only difference was there were only a handful of us at one go instead of a full, lively workplace. And with that came an intense stress that was beyond description since we were only allowed a few hours in the office (again, especially me) because of the amount of paperwork, stagnant files, and the creeping deadline that would never pause because of the pandemic.
July
The entire workforce was called back sometime during this month and one of the bosses even went to the extent of encouraging us to dine in to support local businesses. Truth be told, there was a reason why she said that, but we shall leave it unexposed. I presumed I was the only one who still brought her own lunch to the office.
September
As a colleague had tendered her resignation, there was a roundtable farewell meal, in which the rain decided to make an appearance too. The roundtable lunch was never planned; the original intention was for the three of us to hide in the conference room and happily dine away, but I suppose everyone else had the same thought. There was even a sponsored Vietnamese cuisine and ice cream to treat the said colleague.
On a separate note, I forced myself to take time off to attend the pre-launch of my college’s alumni community in that same weekend; it was held online thanks to the SOP from the pandemic.
December
Now, I chose to celebrate my birthday alone because I made a point not to allow my colleagues to know when it exactly was. Even the ones who knew respected my decision and didn’t inform the others, which made me super relieved that no one else was aware that the particular day was my special day. Instead of having human companions celebrating with me, I had teddy bears.
 |
| (Iced) Dirty Matcha Latte |
Not too long after that was the company’s annual dinner, but with less attendees. I’d like to believe that it’s because of the severity of the virus or because of the workload of the day. Like previous years, we retained the elements of Secret Santa where there was a gift exchange, but it was not fully observed. Instead of us drawing lots in advance to know who our recipient is, we drew lots on the spot before we grabbed the corresponding gifts. There was no way of knowing who our recipient was. I had to leave earlier because I needed to rush on the impending freelance work, so I had no clue who received mine. Not that I’m super inquisitive to know, to be honest. I’m only curious as to whether it was a female or a male because my gift was slightly gender-specific.
 |
| Part of the Christmas Decoration |
It sounded like a busy year for year for you! Don't feel like you have to blog constantly. Health and well-being is more important and should come first.
ReplyDeleteI think that's nice you like to celebrate your birthday by yourself, even with a few teddies. Birthdays are significant to each person differently. For me, my birthdays are a chance to reflect on what I learnt and did over the last year, and look at my solar return chart to see the possibilities that lie ahead the next year.
Hope you are well :)
It definitely was a busy year, Mabel... and I expect this year to be the same as well. =)
DeleteFor birthdays, I'm alright if I celebrate or don't celebrate it because it's merely a reminder that we're all a year older, lol. Solar return chart? You mean, something like those chart that the fortune tellers use?
Maybe after this busy year, you will have many adventures and stories to share. And you will look back on this year :) Yes, something like that, an astrology chart. Always good to reflect on your birthday :)
DeleteFingers crossed, though. I mean, I do have some plans in the works, but I'm not too confident that I can execute all of 'em. Ahhh... astrology chart. If you can, you should also obtain a copy of your natal chart. It can sometimes be an eyeopener too.
Delete