Optimism

This month has been one of celebrations. I am thankful that my family and friends have taken the time to mark my birthday by enjoying meals with me. I appreciate the good company and relationships that we have nurtured over the years, and certainly look forward to many more celebrations together.

Good friends are hard to come by. I have a handful, my inner circle so to speak, and they always have my back in any circumstance. These are the friends who know me inside out, they enjoy the good but also have to put up with my flaws. I do my best to reciprocate.

As I embark on a new year of life, I carry with me an optimism, fueled by all the best wishes that have come my way these past few weeks. Thanks y'all!

With Nabil, Bunny, Cassandra, LC and Adeline at One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Monthly Lunch

We lead such busy lives that sometimes we tend to neglect our friends. Bunny and I, and to a lesser extent LC, go back a long way. We've been friends for many, many years. Bunny and I started out as colleagues. LC did some design work for us when we were both in media. We've become good friends over time.

We've recently decided to meet once a month at the very least, all 3 of us. A monthly lunch so to speak. To ensure that it takes place without fail, we pen down a day for the next rendezvous immediately after a lunch date. So far so good. Our immediate aim is to lunch at every restaurant at The Gardens in Mid Valley. It will take us quite a while I reckon.

We reminisce about the past, talk about the present, and plan for the future. The future of course is what we look forward to. The many aspirations that we wish to achieve, the myriad of experiences that we hope will touch our lives. If we do not share our dreams, no matter how lofty, with our good friends, who do we share them with?

LC, Bunny and I at Purple Cane at The Gardens in Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur.

Making Life Sweet

I had lunch with my friend LC yesterday. It was his birthday. It's easy to remember since our birthdays are only 10 days apart. We were born in the same year, share the same zodiac, and have both reached a milestone in our lives.

We talked about my recent holidays in Turkey and Hong Kong and about his impending trip to China. How we should really take the time to enjoy what life has to offer. And he reminded me of how he suggested that I change my motto for the year from 'Life is short, go for it' to 'Life is short, make it sweet', something which I blogged about in January.

I had had a horrid morning prior to lunch, in fact, I threw a fit in the office, on my first day back at work after holidays no less. What LC said put things in perspective somewhat. Perhaps that's why I went back to work in a better frame of mind and much was accomplished the rest of the day.

Making life sweet by having tea in such a pretty location in Istanbul, Turkey on my birthday.