SOSWE's Lunch & Book Sharing



 Last Saturday afternoon, I attended a SOSWE gathering at Lalita Restaurant. I have been a member of this writers' club for three years and every moment with my fellow members is always inspirational. I have hitherto contributed 5 to 10 articles and short stories to the club's recently revived newsletter.

 There are not many members in our club, and only six people turned up for the gathering. Food was delicious and we learnt a great deal from John, a lecturer from New Zealand who has been paid by Curtin Miri to do filming on the diverse ethnic cultures in Sarawak. He also does research on crocodiles and some rare species. He is personable, full of sense of humour and humble with his achievements. A prolific film maker, he has produced a lot of videos that feature many famous writers the likes of Janet Frame and Iris Murdoch.

                             
                                     Bubur Pedas


                              
                                  Beef Bulgogi

After lunch, we had a short session of book sharing over aromatic coffee. A bit unprepared for it, I fumbled for words while reviewing E.B. White's'Charlotte's Web', a novel I had read as a child. Dr. Loh, who sat next to me, saved my day by suggesting some useful vocabulary. I am always like that, easily losing my equilibrium in front of people, be they a big or a small crowd. Next time, I should write down what I am going to say and read from it.

Before the gathering came to a close, I was given an assignment. I need to identify a famous chicken rice restaurant and write about its history. The assignment is challenging and I will try to rope in help from some of my friends who are savvy about foods.

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