I’m writing a blog entry to end a year where my feelings
have been mixed. In many ways, this has been something of an optimistic year.
As a Singaporean, I applaud my Malaysian cousins across the Causeway for having
the courage to vote out the only ruling coalition they had ever known. It took
60-years but the Malaysians finally got fed up with the corruption of the Ruling
Barisan Nasionalis and the constant embarrassment of the army of skeletons
marching out of the then Prime Minister, Najib Razak’s closet.
I guess you could say it was a somewhat optimistic year on the
global scale too. Lil Rocket Man (Kim Jong
Un) and the Dotard (Donald Trump) decided to meet in Singapore to patch up
their differences, after weeks of hurling colourful insults across the ocean.
Nobody seriously thinks that the North Koreans will keep their word and it wasn’t
comforting that the Dotard was gushing with praise for the Lil Rocket Man after
the meeting. The Dotard happily gave away his key advantages like cancelling
military exercises with South Korea, while Lil Rocket Man only said he’d work
towards disarmament. Still, in all fairness, the North Korea has been quiet.
So, while there are signs of worry, such as the trade
conflict between China and the USA, there are signs of optimism that the world
might actually be a better place
On the personal front, I’m glad to say that I remain happily
married to an amazing, if somewhat stubborn woman. This was a good year for
Huong and I to get closer and we remain dedicated to one common goal – making sure
our little girl grows into a very special woman.
So, far things have been going ok for the Evil Teen. Her
academic results were not good and I am a little disappointed that she’s decided
not to continue with school. However, I am proud of her for showing compassion
and dedication to family. When I’ve fallen sick, she’s seen to it that I have
her concoction of honey and lemon and when I’ve had to work weekends, she makes
it a point that I get up on time and have my coffee. As someone said on a Facebook
posting, “The Evil Teen acts more like a Mum.”
The other highlight of the year on the family front was the
visit of my baby brother, Christopher, who showed up in Singapore for a couple
of days. It’s funny hanging out with him because I remember him as a baby and
the best nick name, I had for him was “Fat Wat.” Well, there’s karma, because
he’s now known in my social circles as “That Good looking guy” or “Your son.”
He was like a rock star when I brought him to the Bistrot and he became the
first member of my “international family” to meet my Vietnamese family. Poor guy ended up being traumatized by members
of my professional circle but I guess it’s good that your family understand the
pool that you’re swimming in.
I had disappointments on the professional front. There was
an opening in a venture capital firm run by former clients. I had hopped that I
could join a more positive environment but, in the end, they felt that things
may not have been a good fit and so the deal fell through.
There was also a chance to work with the successor of Polaris’s
service business – Virtusa, which is run out the USA and listed on the NASDAQ. It
would have been a brilliant opportunity. Managed to cobble together a decent
enough coalition but unfortunately that deal fell through. I work on the
premises that I might get lucky with them sooner or later.
Unfortunately, I’m spending less time at the restaurant
these days. Day job has taken more time and I spend less time with the
colleagues who have touched my heart. Unfortunately, there was some changes in
that area. The owners wife, who is a model of professional incompetence or has
a good bout of “Bosses Wife Syndrome” has been given more management control.
Having said that, I do give her credit for showing surprising moments of kindness
and decency to the staff.
I miss Andy Ting, the chef who made the most amazing meals
in his spare time and I miss Raffey, the Kuya (Tagalog for Older Brother) who
kept the service side running while I got the glory.
By day, I remain in liquidations. I remain grateful to
Farooq Mann for keeping me in a job, which has helped me understand the nitty
gritty of things like tax filings and keeping accounts. These are not skills I
have but skills I understand are necessary to the essential everyday operation of
any business.
I am grateful in this job for brining me to Dubai, where I
had the opportunity to meet with Her Excellency Shaikha Al Maskari, Chairwoman
of the Al Maskari Group. We had spent more than a decade sending each other Eid
Greetings and I am honoured that we have moved our friendship beyond the
greeting card stage. I look forward to more opportunities to meet with this
woman who has done so much both in terms of business and to the benefit of
humanity. I pray that in 2019, I will have more opportunities to share ideas
with her.
While I have had the trappings of success, I don’t feel
successful. It’s time for me to turn talk into action and I pray for the
courage to do just that in this coming year.
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