3

I've never been particularly fond of the number 3. It's awkward. I mean, it's an ODD number la, doesn't that say it all? Take for example, that time in KL when Tong was sick and seemingly unable to get out of bed, and Marcus, Gerald and myself embarked on our adventure at Sunway Lagoon. The best rides were 2-seaters, which meant someone was always left out, and I volunteered to be that someone (I figure it's better to volunteer for something you know is going to happen anyway, it takes away the sting of rejection somewhat). When my friendship with Jeff imploded, and in the process alienated him from the rest of us, I didn't like the fact that the fabulous (ok I'm not using this literally OR figuratively here really, I just need a description that starts with 'f') foursome had became a decidedly more down-to-earth threesome. 3 was for Linda, Naomi and Christy, not Simon.

But over the past year, the strangest thing happened. I became part of a thrilling threesome, that for a couple of months was reformed as a foursome, which for a little while was deconstructed and became a threesome again, SANS MYSELF, and finally became the holy trinity after the evildoer was exorcised and I made my comeback. And so I find myself in a company of 3, savouring every minute of it and living life the way I want to (well to a certain extent anyway). It has defined my 2006, the experiences being those I will most vividly and nostalgically recall when I think about my life at 20. Just like Siow in 2000, and Tong in 2002, 2006 will always be the year of Meng and Wei Ren. And of course when WR ABANDONS us for Melbourne (which is really for his own good la), things will change. The escapades will fade into that blessing and curse we know as memory, the voices and laughter will fade away. Yes, that much is true. And it makes me very sad to think about it. But that doesn't mean that we have to say goodbye and go our own ways forever. How things change will depend on the course of action we take, and hopefully 5 years down the road the trinity will be back in action, older, wiser (some of us need it more tho') and RICHER.

All that being said, mere words cannot express my appreciation and gratitude to CHOO B and AUNTY MENG. You two have injected so much entertainment and jollification into a life that was in danger of becoming most stale and jaded. Perhaps more importantly, by accepting me for who I am, with all my flaws and shortcomings, and including me in your lives, you guys have demonstrated the concept of true friendship to someone who has been given short shrift in that department for most of his life. So happy 20th my bitches, and here's to the crazy days ahead of us =D

While I wax lyrical over my exalted Trinity, I certainly have not forgotten my friends of yore. We share bonds that were forged through the flames of our teenage years, which simply (and perhaps sadly) cannot be replicated elsewhere. To that end, Gerald, Lena and myself met today for lunch and Miami Vice. Hmmm...Miami Vice. I'm not sure what to think of it really. The movie started off with this plot that was suddenly dropped mid-way in favour of showcasing a rescue operation which had nothing to contribute to the original plot, and was never picked up again. Which is a symptom of either amnesia or bad movie-making. But as a platform to display nice cars (Ferraris and BMs and BENTLEYS), fast boats, and the Miami Vice lifesyle, I suppose it did the job. Colin Farrell has lost the attractive features that made me drool over him 3 years ago, and Jamie Foxx...well, I've never cared too much for Jamie Foxx to be honest. Gong Li MANGLED the English language once again, but you can tell that she's a terrific actress really. If she keeps her mouth shut.

One thing that caught my attention in the movie were the beautiful houses. The 4 million Miami condo with expansive views of the endless blue ocean, the mansion perched on a ridge surrounded by raging waterfalls...the extravagance of houses in movies never fails to impress me. Which then begs the question, what would my dream house look like? I can't exactly answer that question directly, because I have many dream houses, from the apartment along the Rue St Honore to the penthouse overlooking Central Park, to the beachfront resort-style property in Maui. But if we were talking about the mansion on the coast of Malibu, then my dream house would probably be something like this.
Yes, it's good to have our dreams and hold on to them, which is the same thing that PARIS HILTON wants you to know, from her new video for Nothing In This World. I'll freely admit that I love that song. It's singalong, breezy, feel-good pop, and sometimes that really is the temporary antidote for all the emptiness and lonliness that we feel in our lives from time to time.

This blog is almost one year old by now, and stands as testament to the rollercoaster that was my late 2005 - 2006. The highs were really high, and the lows REALLY low, and I hope that through it all I have been able to grow wiser, and grasp some semblance of who I am as a person. And it doesn't hurt that I made 2 very important and special friends during this period =)