How It All Started: 11 Memories
Someday I will go senile and forgot how it all started. So while I still can remember:
- Takuya Kimura - 1999 4.30pm or so, while watching that magnificent Levi’s Engineered Jeans TVC. I commented to Milo, that model is so cute. And he said, isn’t that the guy in “Beautiful Life”? (wathing the video again right now on youtube, omg he is so cute!!!! I just want to lock him up in a glass case and keep him in my room as a pet).
- Mr Children - 2000, 9.30pm while writing an email to PZ who was in Kuching at that time. Mistakenly thought it was Glay (ignoramus!) until I checked the cover of the 6-CD compilation. Didn’t know who they were, didn’t know what the song was all about but in the next blink of the eye I was madly in love. One of my best obsessions yet.
- Richard P Feynman - 1989, in the midnight train to Penang. Took a random book from my brother’s table to read for the journey. Cried uncontrollably when I found out that the man passed away 3 years prior. I wish I had known him.
- Sue Townsend - 1993, Rebuilding Coventry, Alan’s house in Alam Megah. Again, took a random book from his library and laughed out loud. A fan ever since. The Adrian Mole series is hilarious.
- Mike Royko - can’t remember the year, Reader’s Digest. Read a reprinted article; about a house by the lake that he bought for his wife. Wry wit. Very sharp tongue. He will be missed.
- Haruki Murakami - 2005, cold cold Frankfurt at sunset. I was looking for a reading material to have dinner with, by extreme good luck “Kafka on the Shore” was the only English book in the store. Lucky, lucky, lucky me.
- Nick Hornby - late 2000, High Fidelity the movie. Watched it with Shah. He said, my friend told me that he didn’t get the movie, until he read the book. I, on the other hand, have always thought the movie is fantastic. So, went out and bought the book. It IS good. All love stories should be told this way - short, concise and peppered with pop references.
- Guitar - 1992, self taught, Alan’s house in Shah Alam. Tired of not being able to, I decided to force myself to learn. Having a good guitar helped.
- Glay - they were just about everywhere but I only listened to them, for the first time, in 2002 despite having several of their CDs in my possession. Just one of my weird thing about not wanting to listen to anything that’s considered “in”. Was I wrong. Glay is very, very cool.
- Maman Teacher’s Pet - a long drive back home in late 1997. Bought the soundtrack to “Layar Lara” coz I was tired of listening to Jewel. These days he calls himself “not an angel”. I wonder what my life would be without him.
- Songwriting -1992. But the first song that I wrote in its entirety was in mid-1997 called “Fool”. “Stupid Reasons” was second and Wishlist was third. Fool and Stupid Reasons are based on real persons, Wishlist purely fictional. I don’t fall madly in love. I’m not that kind of person.
