At 52, could there be anything new?

At a little over half century years old I wonder if there could possibly be anything new in life. I mean you have gone through life. As usual, for the common man there are some ups followed by many many downs, then downs and more downs and finally death.

Of course certain things could qualify as earth-shatteringly new if only they happened but they just didn't.

I mean if all of a sudden I got a letter in the mail or since this is the age of the wired world, I received an email saying that my application, the application that I did not send, to be the first Malaysian to go to Mars is successful and I am to pack my bags and be in Fiji to catch their craft to Mars next week, it would surely be something new in my life but I checked my inbox and my mailbox and there was no such communication.

Maybe, all of a sudden I get a call saying that since a certain Mr. North has taken ill, and so they have decided to rope me in as replacement as the lead in a new Hollywood mega-budget porn, featuring amongst others, Monica Belucci, young Sharon Tate, Angelina Jolie and a host of other Hollywood beauties and to just spice it up, they throw in a few Bollywood hotties like Aishwarya, Pretty Zinta, kareena Kapoor and for that local flavour, a certain Ms Karin would be making a cameo appearance; now wouldn't that be something new in the uneventful life of a 52 year old school teacher? But alas, it was not to be.

But wait, hold the phone, there was something new; something more thrilling, more scintillating, more stimulating and something more orgasmic that happened to this 52 year old man.

I know you have guessed it and sorry no prizes for guessing it right because everyone saw it coming.

Many have written about the bloggers do at The Terrace, The Curve on the 29th and like any other blogger who is currently experiencing a long bout of writer's block, I am going to pounce on this golden opportunity to come out with a post.

Actually, jokes aside, that meet was indeed earth-shattering to yours truly. I had so much wanted to meet my friends that as the taxi approached the designated place I had butterflies. I had never felt that way since the day I took my driving licence in 1981.

I was about to call Doc, when suddenly the man himself called me and he gave me a wrestler's bear-hug followed by another sincere heartfelt hug from Shah after wich they escorted me inside.

I was almost dizzy as I saw the array of blogging dignitaries. What really tugged at my heart most was to see a smiling Raden, so full of life and so cheerful despite only just being discharged from hospital.

The people whom I hadreally wanted to meet were there except for Pak zawi whose absence was understandable. I tried to be at every table but was mostly seated beside Kerpov who had asked for a hug from me.

It was very eventful indeed. Initially I thought of snapping some shots with my specially-bought-for-the-occasion-Olympus 1040, but the excitement of the whole affair relegated photography to the last item on the list. Anyway, Mat Salo took plenty of pictures and sportingly burnt a cd containing about 200 shots for me.

For the photos, maybe you should go to Mat Salo's or Shah's or I was told, Pak Idrus's blog. The pics that I am inserting is of a private meeting a few of us had the next night, which was last night.

Anyway, I was a little disappointed at not being able to meet Nuraina and a few other bloggers who had to leave early.

The next night, doc called me about a proposed hastily arranged meet at Halim's Ayam Golek somewhere in KL, how the fuck am I going to know where. Since Shah has sportingly volunteered to fetch me, or was he forced to do it since it was his idea to begin with, I immediately agreed.

It was a private meeting between bloggers. There was Doc, Mat Salo, Shah, Kerp, Razlin of muteaudio and yours truly. We had some birds succulently 'goleked' and rice and over 2 BPL matches I dare say that I learnt so much more about my friends that I could ever imagined.

My friends are truly humble, down to earth, ordinary, peace-loving, justice-seeking Malaysians and I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

All in all, it was truly eventful and I am told that some bloggers would be coming over to Penang early next year. I would really loved it if the next bloggers' do could be held in Malacca at the end of next year. Why Malacca? Shhh! tell you a secret. I have never been to Malacca. Would love to meet Hang Li Po. They say she's hot.

The ever smiling Kerpov who couldn't hide his anxiety over the Chelsea Arsenal match.

Shah, the writer of the group, ever so willing to help.

Razlin. Watch out for this boy, he has a great future ahead of him.

The Docta. You would be surprise at how friendly this man is. There's no airs about him.

Razlin and Docta. I am sure Doc was trying to persuade Razlin to be a Gynae and Razlin was blushing in anticipation

Two for the road. Sorry Mat Salo, couldn't get a solo shot of you coz you never stood still