LAST Thursday, my colleagues and I were creating happy memories in the office.
Aden Nagrace (Sarawak Tribune Editor-in-Chief) and Caroline Jackson (Sarawak Tribune Sub-Editor), who were honoured with the Premier of Sarawak’s Special Appreciation Award for their dedication to ethical and impactful journalism earlier this month, threw a party for us at the workplace.
Each of the appreciation award came with RM3,000 cash. It was generous of Aden and Caroline to throw an office party to celebrate their success with the rest of us.
Needless to say, there were a lot of smiles that afternoon. The office party, which took place around 6:00 pm, came as a surprise to many of us and sufficed as early dinner.
All the delicious dishes were specially prepared by Chief Graphic Artist, Rozyiah Salleh. A good graphic artist, she paid the same meticulous attention to the dishes she cooked.
On the table were a big pot of mouthwatering curry chicken, a big plate of mixed vegetables, two big plates of fried vermicelli, a big tray of potato fries and a big pot of plain rice. Our special drink for the day was honey dew mixed with 7 Up.
Curry is a great party dish and goes well with rice. It also keeps well and the taste improves hours after it is done.
Mixed vegetables, on the other hand, are a great addition to parties because they are visually appealing and enjoyable for a wide range of palates. They are also a healthy option because they contain vitamins and other nutrients.
Fried vermicelli is another great party dish because of its light and delicate texture.
Last but not least, potato fries are popular party food because of their versatility, taste and ease of serving. Their crispy texture and savoury flavour also make them a satisfying snack.
Before eating, hosts and guests posed for a few photographs.
There was so much to eat that many of us went home with bags of food.
Next day, Rozyiah diligently made fried rice with the leftover rice and shared it with the rest of us in the office.
Office parties in the Editorial Department, where I work, are rare although Sarawak Tribune’s management throws parties every festive occasion including the Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Christmas.
Parties are held in the Editorial Department when someone wants to share their career success with colleagues or when senior editors want to bid an official farewell to a retiring staff. In the latter case, the editors will collect donations from among themselves to fund the dinner.
There is sadness at a farewell party. It is not easy to say goodbye to a colleague who has been around for a significant part of one’s life. You wonder if you will meet him or her again.
Not so long ago, a female colleague, whose contract was not renewed after she reached the age of 60, rudely rejected a farewell party suggested by the editors.
She was apparently angry her service had been terminated. She forgot that in Malaysia, a contract of employment for employees in the private sector is terminated at age 60 due to the Minimum Retirement Age Act 2012 (MRAA).
However, a male colleague, whose contract was also not renewed, was more forgiving. He attended the office party with a smile on his face and was grateful to the editors for organising it. He knew it was their way of thanking him personally for his friendship and hard work all these years.
Although we did not present him with a gift, we created happy memories at the workplace for him that day by throwing the party and taking group pictures with him.
Younger male colleagues helped us to buy RM300 worth of pizzas and soft drinks for the gathering. What a swell party it was! That was the first time in my life that I ate so many pizzas in one day.
Personally, I think group photographs at office parties are valuable because they create lasting memories and offer a visual record of connections with a place or people. Unless of course, you are angry with those around you and don’t want to be reminded of them after you leave a workplace.
Years from now, I’m sure photographs of these office parties will evoke positive emotions and be a source of joy to me.
Before the advent of smartphones, I did not have many group photographs with colleagues at the workplace. Films were expensive then and it was not cheap to develop photographs that were taken with manual cameras.
Now, smartphones are ubiquitous, making them readily available for capturing spontaneous moments.
Last Thursday, while other colleagues were busy capturing group photographs of participants at the office party, I was busy snapping pictures of the food that Rozyiah had prepared.
I later shared them with my family members just to tease them. I like taking pictures of food because I appreciate culinary artistry. Besides, a picture is worth a thousand words.
When my younger sister, Ah Lan, saw the pictures, she commented, “Good. Enjoy lah”.
My niece, Ah Hong, did not comment because she was busy attending a first aid training course.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at adelinel888@gmail.com.
