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35

You know, a birthday is a birthday is a birthday. Or is it?

I celebrate my 35th birthday today. That's half my mother's age, which means my dad, at about 33, had already had five children. Amazing.

Being a father is one of the best experiences a guy can ever go through. I remember the feeling at the birth of each of my two daughters.

The warmth of their bodies when you first hold them; that innocent look on their faces; the unbelievably small fingers. Looking at that creation of God, in which you had a role in, you're just overcome with a feeling of pure joy.

So what is a birthday really?

To me its a celebration. No... get past the cakes and gifts and well-wishes.

Aptly its a celebration of life. Today I celebrate 35 years of being on the face of the earth, going through the ups and downs, feeling joy and pain and learning from our own and other people's experiences.

What have I done in 35 years?

Quite a lot apparently. This list will be updated as and when I remember. The first list is a result of 20 minutes of thinking:


* Went to various schools to get an education
* Fell in love. Many times
* Secured a job or two throughout the period
* Got married. Twice
* Got divorced. Twice
* Brought children into the world. Twice
* Got punched. Twice
* Won numerous public speaking contests
* Managed a 3rd placing in a school talentime
* Performed at various school functions
* Held certain positions in school
* Fell sick countless times
* Lied several times
* Farted 7 times
* Acted in 20 or so tv dramas
* Appeared in 3 Malay movies
* Listed myself in the Who's Who list of a FINAS book bound for Hollywood
* Offered a role in a Malaysia - HK film JV
* Went to various auditions for advertisements
* Accused of being a "player"
* Appeared as a talent in annual reports and truck brochure
* Wrote countless poems and loveletters
* Got into a car accident 3 times
* Filed a police report against a certain politician
* Filed a police report against a certain ex-boyfriend of a girl I dated
* Filed a police report against a certain ex-wife for husband battery
* Filed two divorce cases although it was the wives who asked for it
* Wrote 2 letters of complaints to organisations that did not deliver the promise
* Wrote many letters to the Letters to the Editor column in NST
* Cleaned up the hawker issue in SS2
* Went to Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico, USA, England, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Japan, Hong Kong, China
* Detained by immigration authorities in China
* Approached by 3 prostitutes on 3 different occasions
* Offered to attend recording contract audition
* Met, interviewed and befriended Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin
* Met and interviewed Magdalena Maleeva
* Shook hands with 2 Prime Ministers
* Chased by FRU at a football stadium
* Threw a plate of nasi lemak to a friend in school
* Formed the first computer club in school
* Received school colours for Mathematics
* Got caught with prohibited material in school
* Bought a house

There's a lot more I'm sure.

Comments

Sheahnee Iman Lee said…
happy birthday to my dearest and bestest of friends.

you are the kindest, most generous, most selfless, most understanding and most thoughtful person i know.

may your 35 years bring you the joy and love you have so selflessly bestowed on others throughout the years.

god bless you.
Wednesday, October 06, 2004 1:44:00 am
Najah said…
My, what a colourful life! Happy Belated Birthday and may you have many more happy colours in the years ahead.
Sunday, November 07, 2004 3:03:00 am
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