Goodbye, APVians!

This e-mail was written on 4th of Septemeber 2009, around 10 o'clock at night.

Dear boss and colleagues,

Today is my last day of working at APV, as we know. Been here for almost 3 years - September 11th would've made it three. It's a long period of time, to me, as APV is my first workplace after graduation. If a child was born, the child would have already been able to walk and talk and learn a thing or two about this world.

Along the way, I've met so many people - all types of clients, and of course, you mad and fun-loving colleagues. I like to refer APVians as The Crazy Bunch - even set up a blog about people in this post house when I first joined here! When I was a Facilities Assistant, I once said to Zureen Zulkifli / Passion Pictures that the working hours were killing me but my colleagues made it all bearable. For knowing APV people, to me, not only as knowing people who you're working with - but also knowing people who are like you own family. A big family.

I would like to thank you, each and every one of you, for all the bitter-sweet memories we shared. In this holy month of Ramadhan, I would also like to apologize for any of my wrong-doings in the past.

Do keep in touch - via my number (second number: 01x - xxx xxxx) or my personal e-mail (neddie.bellydance@yahoo.com). Feel free to poke me or leave a message on my Wall on Facebook. :)

Goodbye, APVians! I'm definitely gonna miss you all...

Warmest Regards,

Nadia Ahmad Kamal,

Marketing Producer,

Asia-Pacific Videolab Sdn. Bhd.

A Night of Hard Partying!

ARC Nite 2008

Held at The Corus Hotel with the theme 'Colour Power', ARC Nite 2008 was a very colourful night, indeed! I arrived there with some friends, namely Hong, Nash, Safuan, Harris, and Fizzy. Everyone flashed on their best striking outfits, and instantly we knew we were going to have so much fun!

The food was excellent. There were the usual lucky draw, the line dancing led by Tengku Dara, silly games, karaoke sessions, and a bellydance performance by my former teacher and her student. Definitely a night that we all let loose and had a great time!

Photo: The Crazy Bunch wants to have its own fair share of fame while our GM is singing I Will Survive.

Maison

Being the party people that we are, our next destination after the ARC Nite 2008 was certainly not home. Me and the rest of the gang I came with were led by Debra and her fiance, Dennis, to Heritage Row for a party of our own at Maison. DJ Rebekah was in the house, but the music she was playing wasn't quite to my liking. Zairi joined us soon after, but had to make a move early for he had a job the next morning.

Photo: For the rest of us, the night was still young!

Happy 2008!

I bid goodbye to 2007 and say hello to 2008 with some of the members of The Crazy Bunch by these two events:

Eye On Malaysia

Sunday the 30th was supposed to have two bookings on one job, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the production house needed to bring them forward to the next day. That said, Sunday was free and I didn't have to come to work. The day before, Hong suggested that we go to Eye On Malaysia, since there wouldn't be any opportunity left after this. Myself, Hong, T (Hong's roommate), Nash, Jin Shoon, and Fizzy managed to be in this portable wheel on the second last day. Being on Eye On Malaysia was truly an amazing experience. But being photo junkies we all are, we took snaps of pictures of ourselves more than appreciating the view outside. The wheel went around four times, but before we knew it, the spinning stopped and we were asked to come out.

Hong's Photo: Up in the air!

Dinner was fabulous! All of them wanted to go to Chilli's, and knowing that my sister Dhirah works there, they suggested that we head to the Mid Valley branch. I was lucky to have found her, and asked for her to be our server. The other staff knew that Dhirah's elder sister was there, and although there were other people who came before us, we got the table first. I know it was unfair, but what's the point of having a sister who works at a restaurant you intend to dine in? That's the perk, isn't it? There was also another plus - Dhirah treated us the best dessert ever, the Molten Chocolate Cake!

Photo: I melted the moment the hot sauce in the cake melted in my mouth, and it was so good that I wanted to cry!

twenty.one: Kitchen & Bar

Two major plans that seemed to be going around in our company for the New Year's eve was the pool party organized by Eric and Dave, and the hang-around at twenty.one: Kitchen & Bar by Nieza booked under her boyfriend Tengku Eddy's name. Eric informed that it was going to be all wet and advised me to bring extra clothes and a towel. The entry fee was RM60, inclusive of dinner. The program and the food seemed very interesting to me. On the other hand, Nieza was already inviting me to join her with no cover charge. Both were so appealing, but in the end, I had to turn Eric down and accept Nieza's invitation. One major reason was that I had a huge dinner at Chilli's the night before, so a bikini party was really out of question! Nash said he would join me as well, and I persuaded Safuan and Fizzy to tag along.

Photo: Counting down to the year 2008. Back, left to right: Tengku Eddy, Nieza, Safuan, me, and Fizzy. Front: Syarinaz.

Christmas Party 2007

The day, or night, we had been waiting for had finally arrived! In the afternoon, some of the volunteers - namely Hong and I - gathered at Marketplace: Restaurant & Lounge to help Nieza and Zul out with decorating the room with our theme - blue and white. Some of the decoration items, like the mini white Christmas trees, were adorned days earlier. Made things easier, didn't it? The rest that needed to be done was table arrangement, airing the balloons... and for some of us dancers, we turned up early because there was a need for last-minute rehearsals at the limited space, so that we could get used to it.

Photo: Playful Nisa comes teasing during my practice!

I think it was a wise decision to arrange the performances at the beginning of the event. First, it would let us change to our dinner attire afterwards. Second, if the performances were at towards the end or the closing of the party itself, the waiting must've killed me! Nevertheless, the hip hop and bellydance shows started slightly later after dinner was served because some of the dancers - and yes, that included myself - were UN-fashionably late!

Photo: We vowed silently to make it up for our delay by giving our best!

Late-comers squirmed at their chairs as they were not exempt from getting 'punishment', where all were thrown with crazy things to do suggested by the crowd. Nazif was the first, and he had to perform a striptease. Kent was the second, and he had to kiss the lady emcee, Debra. Next were Aznir and Bob, where they had to kiss each other at the mouth! Nisa, Hong, and I had to bellydance Shakira-style. Nazri were asked to dance Bollywood-style, while Naveen acted as the 'coconut tree'. The latest of the late-comers was Nieza; she had to do pole-dance, and Aznir volunteered himself as the 'pole'!

Debra's Photo: Shy Nazif strips off his shirt... and his dignity!

What's an event without lucky draws? Even if Lady Luck wasn't beside some of us that night, it gave us hope whenever Mike's and Zai's hands were picking out the next name. The anticipation! But of course, the newbies of our company least expected it when they were called to participate in the first game called APV Babies. Each one of them was given a baby bottle, and they had to suck the milk until the last drop. Whoever sucks the fastest, wins. The biggest sucker was Noren, our Facilities Assistant!

The second game was APV Statue, where contestants - with the help of some others - had to pose erotically. COntestants were Nazif, Am, and Nash. Nazif was eliminated first, leaving Am and Nash competing against each other. It didn't take long, though, to find who the winner was. Having to bend himself ninety-degree, biting the balloon ribbon, shirt unbuttoned to reveal his chest, jeans stripped to bare his boxers... hands down, Nash was our Mr. Erotic Statue!

And who doesn't love presents? Every one of us was called to the front to present our gift to the person we had chosen randomly to. The name-picking was done days in prior to the night, so it would give us time to search and buy a Christmas present worth RM25-RM30. I had to give a present to Shah, and received one from Sairul in return.

Photo: Neat, ain't it?

The group photo session that followed afterwards was such a memorable experience. We all gathered together at the balcony of the Marketplace, where it's overlooking the beautiful KLCC building.

Nazri's Photo: Memorable group picture!

Just when we thought that was the end of the night, there was more gift-giving for us all! As asked by the Administration people one week before, we had to list down three wishes in our wish list that ranged between RM80 to RM150. My wish-list goes like this:

1. Skin Food products.

2. English novels.

3. A bellydance audio CD.

The night was still young the time we wrapped things up, but the party lived on - only at other places.

Gallands, Ornaments, and Christmas Trees

Only days to go before our very own Christmas party, and everyone is getting busy. Nieza and Zul, our Producer and Marketing Executive respectively, are busy coming up with games we're going to play and shopping for the decor. The Administration people are busy looking for Christmas presents for each one of us from our own wish list. The dance performers, Debra and the gang as well as myself, are busy practising and improving our moves. The rest... well, they're busy counting down to the party!

Photo: And pump it!

For a couple of times I followed Nieza to Petaling Street for bargain-hunting for the adornment. With a score of shoplots offering different kinds of gallands and ornaments and christmas trees of varied prices, we were spoilt for choices! Having never shopped for a Christmas party before, it was something new and refreshing for me. I can hardly wait for the night!

Photo: Nieza discussing with Andrew, the staff of Marketplace, about seating arrangement and decoration.