The Spirit of Friendship

Friends. Everybody has them right? No matter how alone you feel, there will always be this person or people whom you call friends.

Why am I writing about this? Purely simple, to celebrate my friends. And the funny ways we all meet up and get to know each other.

Along the way, I've met up with a lot of people...and there are so many characters, which made my life as colorful.

For example, this buddy of mine Reza. I met him many years ago. I sold him a Transformer toy (specifically Alternator Optimus Prime). That first meeting was casual business and the second time was due to repaint job he wanted me to do. We kept contact when he went to study abroad and I guess from there we became really good friends until today. A riot all the time (and the one guy that could pull of a joke with a straight face) but a friend that I can trust. Now, he's a new dad and I know his kid will grow up with lots of laughs...and toys. From a total stranger to one of my most trusted buddies.

That brings me to another strange yet funny story about how I met my friends Hanan and Alan. It all started many months which actually was years that we have crossed paths. Wha? You might be asking...hold on, I'll get there soon.

I usually frequent a shop in E@Cure (formerly known Cineleisure). The shop sells model kits and some toys. And this one time I met this guy who was holding a Macross Frontier model kit, upon seeing this...I was compelled to talk to this total stranger. Honestly until today I'm still asking, why I talked to this him. I just told him that the kit he was buying was an awesome kit (since I had one myself) and he should get it. So we talked a bit and I left without knowing the identity of this person (in Hanan's version, as soon as he turned to look at me again, I disappeared...like a toy angel...which I think was kinda cool).

Fast forward a few months later, my wife said that there was a friend of her brother's who wants to add her as a friend on Facebook. The reason was he read a note my wife wrote titled ' Why I Think My Husband's Hobby of Building Model Kits is Sexy' (which can be read here) and he saw this pic of a man in a t-shirt and 'kain pelikat' with a HALO helmet. He saw the name of this man 'ryukaze' and he wanted to get to know this guy since he has heard of him before. So adding him to my list of friends we got to talking and got to know each other.

Then I had a kit to sell, and this new friend of mine...Hanan messaged that he was interested to buy it from me. After meeting him and hanging out then it CLICKED! This was the the same guy I met many months ago which I gave some divine advice (wahahahaha). How'd that happened, and my wife was also the sister of his classmate!! Now the world is small right? The best thing is his wife clicked with my wife as well and became really good friends (they both love design, Raiha is an actual interior designer and my wife an actual graphic designer...and they both love furniture). From there on, we hung out a lot and it's become something of a ritual to at least meet up once a week for a movie and drinks. Heck...we love their kids (Emir, Sofea and little Umar) as well!

Now, there was one time we agreed to meet up at Amcorp mall. As soon as I got there, a Chinese fella and his wife was sitting with Hanan and Raiha (which until today I think has the coolest name...heh). Hanan introduced this fella as Alan and his wife Catherine. And here I found out that this was THE Alan that repainted a most excellent Transformers Movie Megatron which always caught my eye at MySciFi Outpost in Cineleisure (see how that place pops up again). He's worked with Hanan a lot of times, and Alan had heard of me before...so we both knew each other by reputation. And not to forget he and Catherine has the most adorable hyper military trained kid Kenji!

After that we'd meet up once in awhile and somehow little stories start popping out and in a way, each one of us has crossed paths with one another. For example, I found out later that Hanan used to hang out at this mamak in Cheras called Nellies during the same time that I hung out there with Traffic Magazine. And another crazy thing, he even visited my office once!! And in Alan's case, my wife has seen him on tv before and I think there were a few times I bumped into him when he was working at Outpost.

And now, I can say that how we met up to become friends was like a strange big loop. I guess things happen for a reason. What if I didn't talk to the stranger at that shop? What if I never got myself in the repaint business...

But what I can say, that I am glad and thankful to meet these fantastic individuals. Which I have regarded as more than just friends. They've become more than that, and this is what makes them great and awesome in my books. The shared interest and the things we talk about...but most importantly is how we have always respected one another and the things we do!

Cheers to all of you and hope that we will always remain great friends until whenever!

ps: this goes to all of you guys in ZeroGunz, Sembangtoys and TransMy!

The Past, The Teacher...

Actually I don't really know how to start this. I had a whole bunch of stuff I wanted to share, but I have to be careful around it. Why? It has something to do with the past. Yes.

Some of us tend to remember our past and regret them, and some rejoice what they went through. I for one have both. Hey, I'm only human right?

You see, if you've read my previous postings...my life has always been a roller coaster ride. There were really up times and seriously down low moments. But what I do remember, I just go through it. But what I really wanted to share is about relationships. I don't know the reason, but I think it has something to do with a question I asked my wife yesterday.

'What if we went to sleep and woke up the next day 15 years ago...but with all the memories of our present self?'

My wife didn't want to. She liked being where she is and who she is with.

So do I. Never would want to go through another 15 years to meet my lovable wife.

But I can't help to ponder on it. I mean there were things that I regret doing, but there were things that I did was the best times of my life. When you think about it, some would agree that they wished they were never with this or that person or never have done this and that...

I too thought that way, but then I realized that it was something that we had to go through. It was our destiny to go through with those relationships. It may have been bad, or it may have been worst, but think about it. At that time you were not who you are today.

I had my fair share of relationships, but my most serious would be the last two before I got married. I won't go into details since it might offend some people, but all I can say is that our break ups eventually lead us all to better places. I don't really know what my exes are doing now, but I know that they are doing way better and living much better. My prayers to them and hope that they will always lead a wonderful life until the end.

All I hope is that they do the same for me. Not holding any grudges and not holding anything against me for the things I've done. Forgive and forget and best wishes.

You see, at the time when we end a relationship we feel that it's the end of our own life. This is due to the routines that we do, the feeling of lost. Thinking that we're now alone and that nobody would love us the way it was.

But it isn't true. Letting go and going forward will show you that there is more than what you had before. There are more opportunities and most of all teaching us to be better.

Years before, I doubt my wife would have liked me. Heh. I was quite emotionally distraught and easily jealous. My anger management was also in disarray and not to mention do not know what to prioritize. Along the way we learn things. And after one relationship you would come out actually better than before. More alert and aware and most important, knowing what you want.

I'm more laid back now and I guess that's good.

I'm just saying that we shouldn't regret the past, but let it be our teachers. Teaching us little lessons in life to make you who you are today. And most of all, making us better human beings. I'm not saying that my lessons in life has ended, I'm still learning. Learning to be a husband, a son, a friend, an educator and later a father. And the best teacher is my past and I rejoice it, and maybe you should too...

Who else knows you more...

...than yourself?