After Four on One

Sorry, I couldn’t resist writing such an apparently misleading title, but I like how the numbers ‘four’ and ‘one’ come together.

The first day of the year had a rather unusual opening.

I woke up at 11.45pm, just in time for lunch.

It was also the day Leonard, my twin, was due to fly back to Penang after a week long holiday back here in Kuching. Was I sad that he had to leave so soon? Not at all, he’ll be back for Chinese New Year.

To kick off with the celebration, we had lunch at this new joint called ‘After Four’, a place known for its cozy atmosphere, good food (huge variety, they claim to have ‘more than a hundred’), free wireless internet, and of course, its distinctive orange-coloured theme, making After Four really stand out of the crowd.

Speaking about variety, you’ll be spoilt for choice the moment you flip through the menu. Unlike other food joints here in Kuching, which are either ‘too cheap or too expensive’, you’ll always get something here that is ‘just right’.

I had a bowl of Cantonese Noodles, which, for only RM 5.50, is indeed deserving of praise, due to it’s generous serving.

Cantonese Noodles

The picture above doesn’t do justice to the actual size of the bowl. Aaron, on the other hand, had the Cantonese Rice in Basket (shown below).

The Four ‘No’s

In church, we are often reminded of the Ten Commandments, but at After Four, you will see the ‘Four No’s’ prominently displayed on the outside. That comes as no surprise, as After Four has obviously set their sights on the Muslim market.

Huh? What’s this?

Haha, maybe they should have added a ‘No Cats and Dogs’ to their list of ‘no’s.

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Welcoming the year of the Tiger

The time now is exactly 12:02 am, 1st January 2010. As I am sitting here writing this article, I am overwhelmed by the very thought that time has passed so quickly. Only less than five minutes ago, my computer’s clock read ‘11.57pm, 31st December 2009’. That was the last time I would ever see the ‘2009’ in the date column of the date-time display.

Last year was the most eventful year in my life, as it marked an important milestone in my life as I emerge from academia, and enter into the world as a working adult. 2009 was perhaps a year of many oddities; a year than began with a rough ride, from the moment I was ‘struggling’ with my thesis, till the joyful and unforgettable family moments during the Christmas season of 2009.

As I gaze with bleary eyes at my computer screen, working tirelessly to complete this brief article, amidst the thunderous claps of fireworks seen illuminating the sky, I am consumed by one stark reality; the year of the tiger has come. My year, so it spells a certain significance to a tiger like me, but not so much as an excuse to excel only once every twelve years!

The year of the tiger holds many mysteries, uncertainties and to those who are willing to work hard for a better future, the year does hold many promises. My resolutions, my life, my future. Perhaps, in another 12 years, when the next tiger comes by, I will have a word to say about the tiger of today.

 

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