LEARN FROM THE EXAMPLE OF THE COMPUTER: TODAY IT IS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED AND POWERFUL. TOMORROW IT IS OBSOLETE IF IT NOT CONSTANTLY UPDATED IN ORDER TO BE RELEVANT AND AHEAD.
WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME. EDUCATION IS A PROCESS. AS THE WORLD ADVANCES INTO A BRAND NEW FUTURE EACH MOMENT AHEAD, NEW HORIZONS ARE DISCOVERED. SURPRISINGLY, MUCH OF THESE NEW DISCOVERIES AREN’T FOUND ON COMPUTERS, BUT IN EXPERIENCES.
LIFE IS ABOUT LIVING WITH PURPOSE. IT BECOMES AN ADDICTION ONCE YOU SEE RESULTS. YOU HAVE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY IN YOUR WORLD OF LIFE. LIVE IT. SHARE IT.
Being 67 years old is amazing. I’m speaking with 7 days (1 week) of experience.
The prelude to being 67 years old started 2 days before my birthday when my childhood and schoolmate friend, Charles “Bijou” Rozario sent me birthday wishes with beautiful blessings. Charles himself, has a story to tell. Me telling his story will not do enough justice to it. He has to tell it himself.
This followed an awesome fellowship of a pre-birthday lunch. A phone call led to showing up 45 minutes later to pick me up. Patrick & Hazel Archibald – some of the dearest people to my wife – Jeannie, and I. Lunch was simple, yet delicious, relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable. Hazel’s father joined us for lunch. The impromptu-ness made it all the more a nice time to remember.
With Charles being the first to send me birthday greetings, I have received countless birthday greetings either in person or through the many communication avenues, mainly social media. I have read all the wonderful messages from all you wonderful people – what a way for me to give thanks for the 67 years of living experience and to usher in my 68th year.
I don’t know where to begin with thanking all you wonderful people – social media can be a boon as well as a bane. A boon where everyone connects with me and sends greetings. A bane when it becomes quite tricky in trying to trace back all those who sent birthday greetings for me to thank each and everyone of them personally. Haha. The many groups’ and threads’ feeds seem to get entangled with each other and with other posts’ feeds that I may miss out on thanking some people.
Thank you, each and everyone, family and friends; for the wonderful birthday wishesĀ and messages. These wishes and messages have given an extra oomph to the beginning of my 68th year of life.
On my birthday itself, Leslie Quak, my classmate from school and close friend, treated me for lunch at a restaurant called CapoDelCarne in USJ Heights – a quiet place, where we could talk at a leisurely volumed voice. The meal was good – we both had pasta, Leslie’s a different variant from mine. It was nice to be in the present.
Lunch with school classmate and close friend, Leslie Quak.
Lunch on July 10th – birthday.
Jeannie and I made it a point to go for mass in the evening at St. Thomas More Church. There, we were met by Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Perera, regulars of evening mass at this parish. They acquired a copy of my book, SPARKS OF JOY – SEIZE THE MOMENT. We also met my cousins, Dato’ Ronald Gomes and his wife, Datin Debbie Gomes, and; Christopher Nalliah and his wife, Evalina Nalliah.
The cousins and wives and us adjourned to Big Daddy’s for dinner. Big Daddy’s is a little restaurant & pub in Taipan, USJ. Serving mainly western cuisine; many of their patrons were there for the pub. It had a nice atmosphere.
Clockwise: Jeannie, Datin Debbie Gomes, Dato’ Ronald Gomes, Christopher & Evalina Nalliah, and self.
The food was decently good. After dinner, we had what is known locally as “the cake cutting ceremony”. Candles were lit, all 67 of them, or at least it looked like there were 67 (when lit – had to qualify myself).
Cut the cake. The cake was cutted.š
I cutted what looked like a fruit – inspired cake. Lots of fruit decorated the top of the cake. The cake was good. The cake should have been bigger to accommodate more candles.šš¤£
What a day July 10th was, and the days leading up to it. The highlight of the day was when I received a telephone call from my mum and dad with a help of their caregiver, to wish me for my birthday. Mum who is 88 years young and dad who is 93 years spritely, chatted with me for a while. This telephone call was a gift from my parents – a gift that a value cannot be placed. Grateful!
Stronger Than The Storm – designed by me – a new edition marking the next 66 years.
I had to make a statement for the next 66 years – I got tattooed with a tattoo (Stronger Than The Storm) which was partly designed by me. It means that I am the first one with this design. Soon was the tattooist. As usual, he did a great job.
“Stronger Than The Storm” – Looks really great.
OK. My report card for the first week of me being 67 years, going on 68 is done. In an article to come, I will discuss of what it feels like to be 67 years old. I am already quite qualified, and now, having just completed the first week of my 68th year. I have to admit, it is not like what I had envisioned, so you have hope, too.
I am not too sure whether it is age or whether it is because I am a writer, I tend to look at things differently. One thing is for sure.. call it stubboness…I refuse to give up my rights to think. A vast number of people today are giving away their rights without even as much of a flinch. It’s probably because…er…they don’t think.
IMAGINE WITH ALL YOUR MIND THAT YOU CAN. BELIEVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT, ACHIEVE.
HAVE BOTH FEET IN, NOT ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR: YOUR GOING TO MAKE IT, BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE IT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS BUT TO MAKE IT.
Yes, I am trying to soak in as much of 66 as I can in its last moments.
Not too long ago, I was this scrawny 10 year old, who spent most of his time dreaming of how he could change the world with his inventions…that were yet to be invented. Many of these inventions would have put thew current sci-fi movies to shame.
As time went by….and it did at such a rapid pace; this young boy is now living the last few hours, minutes, seconds and moments in the end of his 66th year.
Early morning hours were captivated having breakfast at Happy Merry Chef with my wife, Jeannie. We both had a plate of wanton (pronounced as one ton) noodles each, which came with the usual as wanton noodles usually does. We also ordered coffee (Chinese local coffee); I had the peng (iced) version.
I can’t really remember if I have had the wanton noodles served here, over my previous visits. It came neatly served – sort of a nice presentation. It had quite a bit of gravy on it, however; it was not soupy or too dry either.
Jeannie heaped praise on its noodles, being “fine noodles”, which was nice. I don’t know about the noodles being fine or otherwise. It was good, all the same.
I was back home by 8.15am, and was soon on my 10km daily walk. It took a few minutes longer than usual to complete the distance. I guess I was doing a lot of pondering – 66 years worth of it in 2 hours šš. That’s quite a lot of years. I am grateful.
As I pondered…
The “artist” in me.
Left
Right
Centre…
Beret (1) to match my eye-glasses (spectacles, for some)
As I pondered…a beret…or two… Should I or should I not don one?
There were many messages on my phone, waiting to be attended to. I saw a “miss call” and a message that followed, “Are for free for lunch?” Patrick thought that it was my birthday today. I told him that it is tomorrow. But I was still available for lunch today. ššI returned his call and fixed lunch at Damen. He’d come and pick me up from my house.
I showered and was ready with a bit of time to spare and go through the rest of my messages.
Patrick & Hazel Archibald, and Hazel’s father, Mr. Ong; were at my house at a quarter to one. Damen Mall is nearby. We had lunch at the food court. I had a kway teow fried (I think) loaded with black pepper sauce gravy, and telur masak (fried egg). Hazel ordered the same but without the fried egg. Patrick and Mr Ong, both had noodles, not sure what variety, they looked the same.
I got little sauces of red chili sauce ready for our meal. However, it was not necessary as the meal tasted really good on its own.The green drinks in the mini jugs was umbra juice. Superb. Hazel and Pat had lime juice.
My noodles was really good stuff. The presentation of the meal (you notice I am beginning to talk a lot more of how the meals are presented.) was good. The meal did not just look good, it tasted good, too.
Now…for a picture from this side…to show our other good side.
The food court was such a pleasant setting, lots of space between tables and was brightly lit. It was comfortable. We had a pleasant time fellowship-ping, and catching up on news in general.
My Kway teow in the black pepper sauce gravy with fried egg.
As our meal came to an end; Pat suggested a CEO coffee. ZUS Coffee was a floor up. Yes, coffee was a nice idea. We sat at one of the tables near the cafe and enjoyed our coffee. ZUS’ CEO coffee is pretty good.
I thought it was a nice touch to end the 66th year, spending some quality time with very dear and close friends like Pat & Hazel. I was soon back home, still sipping on my CEO coffee to go.
When I look back at 66 years, it seems like a very long time. Countless stories to be told. I am grateful for the 66 years – every moment of them. While I have learnt many lessons in that time, I am still learning. I believe that life is a constant teacher. We can never stop learning. One of the biggest lessons of all is that life is simply amazing.
A special mention to Su Yin. She is a super wonderful person. It is her birthday today. Happy Birthday Su Yin.
NOTES: 1. A beret isĀ a soft, round, and flat-crowned hat, typically made from hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or felt.Ā It is known for its lack of a brim and its distinctive appearance.Ā Berets are often associated with French and Basque culture and have been adopted by various military units worldwide.Ā Berets are also a popular fashion item, worn by both men and women to add a touch of style to their outfits.Ā Berets are versatile and can be styled in various ways to suit different looks.Ā They are often seen as a stylish and practical accessory.Ā Search Labs
