I lay on my bed now at 3:21am on the 21st of May 2009, as I read my Friendster account and Facebook, see saw so many wishes from friends and family members. It has truly been a Blessed day that started out…. Maybe not as well as I planned. The thought that something bad might happen crosses my mind every time I try to think of my birthday.
Some history to my past, birthdays have never (well almost never) been an enjoyable time for me. I find myself almost feeling the most empty during the time of my birthday or days leading to my birthday. Why? Erm… I guess it is kinda hard for me to explain, my younger days have always been to spend my birthdays with my family. A reunion dinner with family would be my normal birthday celebration. Birthdays only became a little more interesting when I began my time in college where it was celebrated in a club (Yes old man like me club too once upon a time). When I was in high school, always dreamed that I would be able to spend my birthday in a romantic date with a girl (woo hooo). Well lets just say that dream never came true in my high school days. When I reached college that did not happen too, when I was in university? Well that kinda happened in a flash that sometimes I too forget.
The only time I got to celebrate with someone special was in my final year in university when “someone” came over to my work place and spent some time with me. That was the closest thing that I got during my university days. When I finally found a special girl, well, if you looked or read my older posts, things were not meant to be. Anyhow, back to this year’s birthday.
On the eve of my birthday, non of my regular friends that I hung out with were able to spend the “count down” session with me, they all either had to work or had things to do. I took my computer to a nearby mamak stall and watched some old Chinese drama and did some research for an upcoming program I was working on for the university that I worked with. I wanted to have my friends with me, but I could not blame them too as work and other commitments do come into play. But at around 11pm on the 19th of May, two of my friends took the time to come and spend this count down with me. I was kinda cheered up by their presence. But this year’s birthday did come with a little twist. One of my friends called me about 2 minutes before she reached the mamak, she was screaming and told me hat some lunatic was masturbating next to her car when she was stopped at a traffic light near the mamak. Praise God that nothing happened and she drove away without any incident. The mamak session went on as normal as we were all talking about the “news”.
At 11:55pm another friend from Boys’ Brigade called me and told me (with a crying and distressed voice) that her car broke down and there was smoke coming out of her engine. She told me that she was on her way to pick up her little sister form the boy friend’s house (that was near mine). She said she had no one to call and is stuck on the side of the road. I panicked and drove full throttle to her. In my mind I was worried that the lunatic who masturbated to beside my friend’s car was still lurking around. I think it took me 3-4 minutes for a normally 5 minute drive to her. I made a U-turn and parked my car in front of hers. She was standing outside her car with her car bonnet open. I was thinking in the back of my head praying to God as I drove that please do let bad things happen again his year. When I saw her standing outside her car, I was thinking “you stupid woman! Why the heck are you standing alone on a dark road!” with some common sense, you should be in your car with the doors locked!
As soon as I opened my car door to get out, another 4 of them came out from her car, they had a cake and was singing happy birthday! To be honest I had some mix feelings… first I was happy that the car has not broken down, two: please don’t do this to me, I might die from an heart attack and three: Oh My God!!! It’s a birthday surprise (it was my first). I had some tears in my eyes but I kept it (big man cannot cry so easily lah…!) well, the made me a cake and had a birthday card with a video camera running. (no you will not be getting to see the video!)
Then we all went back to the mamak and had a short session before we all left at around 1230am. I went home still feeling touched and blessed that God has placed friends like these all around me to support me in this time of loneliness and fear. I think I slept at around 4am, doing what? I had absolutely no idea!
I woke up at around 11:00am by a phone call from an old high school friend that I had not spoken too for almost 4 years! Wow! What a surprise! Then I headed off to meet up with my regular friends at Chili’s in KLCC, we had a short lunch because everyone wanted to get back to their work (people still had to work, although I was on leave). I walked around in KLCC with an unemployed model for a while then headed back to my childhood friend’s house for a session of mahjong (yes, yes, I love mahjong too). Normally people say birthday kids win in everything they played, guess what I LOST!! Snif snif… but it was nice.
I then went out for dinner with all of my kakis as they all finished work, we went to my friend’s restaurant in Desa Petaling for dinner and then mamak again. Back at home at about 12:30am and followed by some TV time, for folks that don’t know, I only get my TV time after 9:30 everyday as my grandmother is hogging the Astro from morning till 9:30pm when she goes to bed. A friend of mine asked me to check my facebook and Friendster. To my supprise! It was filled with birthday wishes from friends, family and students! Wow!! As I read all the posts, I felt so Blessed by God’s grace in my life, I see now that God has truly been putting some special time on my life. I thank God now as I write this posts in my blog. I have also been showered with many calls and sms-es from old colleagues, university mates, friends, friends and students.
I would just like to thank everyone that has put in time and effort to make this day special for little old me. I know that being me I might miss some of you in this blog but please do not be angry with me, I’m getting old and sometimes forgetfulness does kick in a little bit.
Special Thanks to:
God, my heavenly Father for being the coolest Dad.
My parents, whom have been supporting and feeding me for all my life.
My family for their encouragement and love.
My BB friends, Alicia, Benji, Veron and Ruth that nearly gave me a heart attack!
My LMF (Large Mamak Family) friends, Alina, Evon, April, Andy, Joon Fei, Sook Ling, Wee Ming, Angie for their friendship that has brought me through thick and thin of my life.
My UTAR Colleagues, Lee Sa, Phaveena, Audrey, Maan Chee and others for trying to put a prank on me to get me back to the office on my birthday!
My University friends, Queenie and Audrey for remembering my special getting old day.
My High School friends, for the memories and friendship
My Church members from The Acts Church, for their prayers and support throughout my life.
My fellow BB members that have held me Sure and Stedfast!
My UTAR Students for their encouragement and support both in class and in life.
My last but never least, Catherine for her love, encouragement, strength, laughter and tears...
And… to the unspoken people who have been directly or indirectly been a part of my life, your footprints in my life has made me who I am today. I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Before I end this blog post, I would like to share with you the most “interesting” sms I got from my mother, “Happy Birthday! Hope you start getting serious and give me a grandchild to play with by 2013 – when I retire.” Please note the underlined year, the above is the original sms sent from my mom early in the morning!
The pressure is on! Hahaha…!
Well folks, this was how I spent the 24 hours of my 26th birthday. Let’s see what God brings me this coming year ahead. My only wish is to grow stronger and rooted in Him who knows my beginning, present and future. Lord, I put myself in Your Hand!
Becoming Older (but not wiser)
Timothy Chan Liem Joe
Son, Friend, Student, Lieutenant, and Lecturer
4:14am 21st May 2009
Some history to my past, birthdays have never (well almost never) been an enjoyable time for me. I find myself almost feeling the most empty during the time of my birthday or days leading to my birthday. Why? Erm… I guess it is kinda hard for me to explain, my younger days have always been to spend my birthdays with my family. A reunion dinner with family would be my normal birthday celebration. Birthdays only became a little more interesting when I began my time in college where it was celebrated in a club (Yes old man like me club too once upon a time). When I was in high school, always dreamed that I would be able to spend my birthday in a romantic date with a girl (woo hooo). Well lets just say that dream never came true in my high school days. When I reached college that did not happen too, when I was in university? Well that kinda happened in a flash that sometimes I too forget.
The only time I got to celebrate with someone special was in my final year in university when “someone” came over to my work place and spent some time with me. That was the closest thing that I got during my university days. When I finally found a special girl, well, if you looked or read my older posts, things were not meant to be. Anyhow, back to this year’s birthday.
On the eve of my birthday, non of my regular friends that I hung out with were able to spend the “count down” session with me, they all either had to work or had things to do. I took my computer to a nearby mamak stall and watched some old Chinese drama and did some research for an upcoming program I was working on for the university that I worked with. I wanted to have my friends with me, but I could not blame them too as work and other commitments do come into play. But at around 11pm on the 19th of May, two of my friends took the time to come and spend this count down with me. I was kinda cheered up by their presence. But this year’s birthday did come with a little twist. One of my friends called me about 2 minutes before she reached the mamak, she was screaming and told me hat some lunatic was masturbating next to her car when she was stopped at a traffic light near the mamak. Praise God that nothing happened and she drove away without any incident. The mamak session went on as normal as we were all talking about the “news”.
At 11:55pm another friend from Boys’ Brigade called me and told me (with a crying and distressed voice) that her car broke down and there was smoke coming out of her engine. She told me that she was on her way to pick up her little sister form the boy friend’s house (that was near mine). She said she had no one to call and is stuck on the side of the road. I panicked and drove full throttle to her. In my mind I was worried that the lunatic who masturbated to beside my friend’s car was still lurking around. I think it took me 3-4 minutes for a normally 5 minute drive to her. I made a U-turn and parked my car in front of hers. She was standing outside her car with her car bonnet open. I was thinking in the back of my head praying to God as I drove that please do let bad things happen again his year. When I saw her standing outside her car, I was thinking “you stupid woman! Why the heck are you standing alone on a dark road!” with some common sense, you should be in your car with the doors locked!
As soon as I opened my car door to get out, another 4 of them came out from her car, they had a cake and was singing happy birthday! To be honest I had some mix feelings… first I was happy that the car has not broken down, two: please don’t do this to me, I might die from an heart attack and three: Oh My God!!! It’s a birthday surprise (it was my first). I had some tears in my eyes but I kept it (big man cannot cry so easily lah…!) well, the made me a cake and had a birthday card with a video camera running. (no you will not be getting to see the video!)
Then we all went back to the mamak and had a short session before we all left at around 1230am. I went home still feeling touched and blessed that God has placed friends like these all around me to support me in this time of loneliness and fear. I think I slept at around 4am, doing what? I had absolutely no idea!
I woke up at around 11:00am by a phone call from an old high school friend that I had not spoken too for almost 4 years! Wow! What a surprise! Then I headed off to meet up with my regular friends at Chili’s in KLCC, we had a short lunch because everyone wanted to get back to their work (people still had to work, although I was on leave). I walked around in KLCC with an unemployed model for a while then headed back to my childhood friend’s house for a session of mahjong (yes, yes, I love mahjong too). Normally people say birthday kids win in everything they played, guess what I LOST!! Snif snif… but it was nice.
I then went out for dinner with all of my kakis as they all finished work, we went to my friend’s restaurant in Desa Petaling for dinner and then mamak again. Back at home at about 12:30am and followed by some TV time, for folks that don’t know, I only get my TV time after 9:30 everyday as my grandmother is hogging the Astro from morning till 9:30pm when she goes to bed. A friend of mine asked me to check my facebook and Friendster. To my supprise! It was filled with birthday wishes from friends, family and students! Wow!! As I read all the posts, I felt so Blessed by God’s grace in my life, I see now that God has truly been putting some special time on my life. I thank God now as I write this posts in my blog. I have also been showered with many calls and sms-es from old colleagues, university mates, friends, friends and students.
I would just like to thank everyone that has put in time and effort to make this day special for little old me. I know that being me I might miss some of you in this blog but please do not be angry with me, I’m getting old and sometimes forgetfulness does kick in a little bit.
Special Thanks to:
God, my heavenly Father for being the coolest Dad.
My parents, whom have been supporting and feeding me for all my life.
My family for their encouragement and love.
My BB friends, Alicia, Benji, Veron and Ruth that nearly gave me a heart attack!
My LMF (Large Mamak Family) friends, Alina, Evon, April, Andy, Joon Fei, Sook Ling, Wee Ming, Angie for their friendship that has brought me through thick and thin of my life.
My UTAR Colleagues, Lee Sa, Phaveena, Audrey, Maan Chee and others for trying to put a prank on me to get me back to the office on my birthday!
My University friends, Queenie and Audrey for remembering my special getting old day.
My High School friends, for the memories and friendship
My Church members from The Acts Church, for their prayers and support throughout my life.
My fellow BB members that have held me Sure and Stedfast!
My UTAR Students for their encouragement and support both in class and in life.
My last but never least, Catherine for her love, encouragement, strength, laughter and tears...
And… to the unspoken people who have been directly or indirectly been a part of my life, your footprints in my life has made me who I am today. I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Before I end this blog post, I would like to share with you the most “interesting” sms I got from my mother, “Happy Birthday! Hope you start getting serious and give me a grandchild to play with by 2013 – when I retire.” Please note the underlined year, the above is the original sms sent from my mom early in the morning!
The pressure is on! Hahaha…!
Well folks, this was how I spent the 24 hours of my 26th birthday. Let’s see what God brings me this coming year ahead. My only wish is to grow stronger and rooted in Him who knows my beginning, present and future. Lord, I put myself in Your Hand!
Becoming Older (but not wiser)
Timothy Chan Liem Joe
Son, Friend, Student, Lieutenant, and Lecturer
4:14am 21st May 2009
