My Family and Kokoro no Tomo-tachi (Saiunkoku watchers ;p)

I thought to myself a few days ago, I wouldn’t write another cheesy birthday entry this year. But came my birthday, and I realised why every year I ended up doing it anyway. No, it did not have anything to do with reflecting on getting older and wiser (or not so) and responsibilities and all that boogie-woogie. Honestly, I didn’t the slightest bit care about the fact and when people normally asked, “How does it feel being so-and-so?” I would just say, “fine!” or give non-answers like, “hehe” or “hmm…” or trivias like “my mother got married at this age.” or this time around, “I’m forever seventeen!”.

As far as getting older is concerned, I just don’t think about that on my birthday. I ponder on that perhaps about every other day of the year except my birthday. If you noticed my birthday entries every year, they were all about thanking my family and friends, for this was the time of year for me when the word ‘overwhelmed’ became an understatement. As was the case this year, notwithstanding the feel seemed somewhat different. Perhaps it had to do with the flu I’d been having since the night before. Nevertheless, my birthday is a day to remind me of how I am blessed with such good people around me- one of the greatest blessings of my life.

I had thought before that if I were to treat my friends nicely, I would be treated the same way too. But I know a couple of very nice people who, by some twists of fate, always seem to encounter not-so-nice people who give them headaches in one way or another. Hence I consider myself truly blessed in this respect, for Allah has sent me some very good people to accompany me in this life, wherever I've been. The dinner feast, the homemade birthday cakes, the morning phone call from Sydney, the blog entries, the emails, the SMS-es, the wishes on Facebook/Geni/Friendster, the wishes at the lecture & back in hostel, the surprise gifts on my desk and bed when I got back, the second dinner feast… Yes, as I have tried to convince myself for a while, birthdays are not that big of a deal per se, but it is an occasion nonetheless- for people to wish you well, and for you to notice how fortunate you are, in this big wide world you live in.

Alhamdulillah.

Not planning to write, but I have to

Happy 48th birthday, Abah. I wish you well and under Allah's blessings and guidance always. And even though certain parties might erupt into chaos, I'd like to say that I think you're the best-looking out of your siblings. hehehe. (At least Mak will agree.)

A Little Midnight Drone

This year, as it turned out, we jumped straight from winter to summer. I hate to sound like a Puteri Lilin because I used to berjemur all the time doing co-curricular activities back in school and was very dark throughout the years, but I really can’t stand being under the sun these days. Today was so hot my spring jacket became a hand accessory instead, and, as if punishing me for not indulging in the glaring beams more like those Russians, the marshrutka I took was flagged down by the police and as it seemed to take a while, I, amongst most of other passengers, decided to get down and resume on foot for the next kilometre or so in order to make it in time for my final Paediatrics class. In the afternoon, as we walked from Ploshad Chekistov to the tram station for lecture, we were told that a massive road block had taken place and all trams and marshrutkas going in the direction we were taking were subsequently halted and thus we had to walk all the way to the hospital, scorching sun and all. I felt alright then, but now my knees are all jelly (now where did I put my TENS device…). I am seriously contemplating on bringing my umbrella tomorrow.

Why the rant, I don’t know… I wasn’t planning to, at the beginning of this post, but the selfish part of me took over. Anyway, to round it up, I owe surviving a depressing day (and not even due to the weather, actually) to the amazing people around me who never stop to be, in my eyes, amazing. Right from my sister whose simple presence was enough of a comfort, to this lovely friend who, after I half-jokingly said on the way back that only cheesecake or nasi lemak could possibly make me happy today, turned up a couple of hours later with nasi lemak for me (Darn, I’ve got to do better than sending roti tissue on Facebook). Minna-san, daisuki yo!

Off to bed, eyes all red…