Barina's Missing - Missing Barina

The office was extremely cold and dim this morning. Rina’s door was closed and the physical day light that shines out from her room was missing. Although the radio was on, but the silence was somehow getting louder and louder. We cracked a few jokes, but Rina’s asthmatic laughter wasn’t there to complement it. It is not one of those typical Monday blues, but the reality of Rina's absence finally sank in today. She is not on time off, leave or mc, but she is physically not working here anymore.

Last Friday, was Rina’s last day. When we had lunch at the Botanical Gardens, but the atmosphere was a bit unnatural, as if we were trying hard to avoid something. The most unbearable time was the final minutes to 6 o’clock. I promised to make her cry, but joined her instead when we hugged each other, just before she left. She is more than a colleague to me, but a friend. It is with reluctance that I have to let her go, but I still give her my blessings, as this would be the best for her.

Although the two and a half years that we spent together may be short, but thanks to the many events that ARI had, that we spent many hours of communicating, getting to know one another and of course bitching around, while mending the secretariat desk, hanging out together at events dinner and working during the weekends.

With so much time spend together, we shared the same radio frequency and often come into the office dressing in the same colour combinations, nearly the same hairstyle (until recently); and had similiar likings for URS shoes, Coffee Beans Ice Blended Coffee and recently makan (which explains my weight gain). Eventually, their love of food has rubbed on me. (By the way, Rina's taste buds are expensive!) She is simply fantastic with food, always trying out new restaurants and thus able to recommend many alternative event dinner venues. We knew each other's favourite colours, taste buds, special anniversaries and even families members. We even have the same hairdresser! We started doing things together, such as blogging, attending courses, going to pee at the same time (often competing over the 2 cubicles at the office) and the most rediculous thing would be having our periods (dai yi ma) around the same time - I liken that to Tsumami warnings.

I really wonder the reason why we are called – THE EVENTS TEAM. I don’t think the main reason is the complimentary sort, about having being associated with the great teamwork kind. But more likely that it is easier to call for the 3 of us at one go, rather than for Rina, Aly & Val individually … hehe. Sometimes, when they call for one person, they got 3 responses - in echos. Yeah, and we made a lot of noise together too.

Sometimes, the researchers are confused, who is the main person that they should go to for events. Actually, it is to Rina first, as she is the senior in terms of position. However, we do not have a very clear and deep line that was drawn between the 3 of us. We respected of each other for who we are and tapping on each other strengths and helping out on each other's weakness. Hehe...they knew how I hated writing "very polite emails" and I'll take more than an hour just to do that, and both will kindly help me with the vetting or even drafting, as it’s a breeze for them. Another example - Aly and I are very particular (but most of the time paranoid) about layout and formatting and my poor supervisor always kanna lashing from the both of us, before we took over her event program and changed it completely, until she cannot recognize it.

We recognized that praises is not enough to maintain a relationship, but being able to take criticisms with the thought of improving oneself and spurring each other to excel in our work. That's why I think we made a name for ourselves during the last 2 years and is known as the THE EVENTS TEAM. However, things will never be the same again - without Rina. It's that synergy – that unspoken thought – that spirit of giving – that “automatic” pro-activeness. I remembered during my trying period last year of picking up driving again to be my kid's chauffeur - morning, noon & night, after more than 12 years of absence of driving. Before I could even open my mouth, they were already offering their help, which I greatly appreciate.

All I wanna say is “Thank you, RINA for being you. And all the best in your endeavoures.”