Looking Back on Hanging Out

I gave my wife (Awi) a read of the recently published blog. She gave some good ideas on what I should put inside the blog. Anyway, referring to my previous entry on the breaking of fast, I started to remember those single days when we used to hang around like that but in a totally different environment of course.

I came to Kerteh a bit late, in Sept 1999. My seniors who started working in 1997-98 really hung out in packs of wolves. Eating together was always in 5 or 6 cars. Every weekend, they would drive down to Kuantan, where all the 'entertainment' could be found here on the East Coast. I'm referring to basic entertainment like cinema and fast food restaurants such as McDonalds and Pizza Hut. Things that you take for granted in West Coast cities like KL, Ipoh and Penang are quite rare here on the East Coast. Sometimes, these seniors will spend the night in beautiful Cherating, where the night life is quite happening or so I heard.

By the time I came here, those so-called seniors of mine, you've guessed had mostly got married. So, I befriended those few singles friends like Mizan, Junai, Reza, Moree, Zaki and my future wife, Awi. The trips to Kuantan were still done but in smaller groups, perhaps one or two cars. But then, a few years later, Mizan and Zaki got married while Reza & Moree had moved to KL. Me and Awi were also married within a few months of Zaki's wedding. Gone are those days of hanging out with friends in such a carefree manner.

Now, we still hang out. We always invite friends like Am, Shai & Junai to our house for meals. They can also come and play with Haziq. The concept of hanging out with friends had changed drastically from a singles point of view to a married couple with kids. You are less free to do things that in the past you would be able to do something in a blink of an eye. For instance, if I am a bachelor today, I would just jump in my car on Thursday, drive down to KL and be able to catch Matrix Revolutions on the night show. Now, it would be impossible to do so. Preparing to travel down to KL would take hours when previously, could be done in minutes.

These are the small compromise that you have to make when you are a father. Of course, when I look at Haziq, those things that you value so much previously like going to movies, window shopping and so on, become menial and insignificant. Looking at how he is growing from such a small baby, to almost a toddler now. Seeing him smile at you when he wakes up in the morning or when he is able to turn himself on his back on his own for the first. These experiences are so much better than being the first to catch a hot blockbuster!!!

Of course, there are some things that you do miss. Especially, when I'm back in KL, I'd like to meet up with friends from my London days. I have this 5 close friends that I feel I couldn't hang out with them as much as I wanted to when we were almost inseparable during those university days. I supposed, growing up and moving on makes you lose certain things but it doesn't mean you don't value them anymore.

More on this later....

Breaking fast with friends & friends' children

Just came back from breaking the fast (berbuka puasa) party in Dungun, Terengganu. The town is situated about 40 km (30 mins drive) from Kerteh, where we are staying. There were about 8 of us, Mizan from the workplace hosted the 'majlis buka puasa'. He's married to Marina, and are blessed with one son, Ibadurrahman. There were 2 other young couples as well, Shaiful & Azian, and Hasanin with Nor Rahmah.

Shaiful and Azian got married at the end of last year and are expecting their first child, which I overheard is going to be a girl. Never can be sure, you know, the doctor said that my son was supposed to be a daughter, when he's about 6 months inside his mother's womb. As for Hasanin & Nor Rahmah, they are among the 'advanced' ones, already with 2 sons, Anwar and Rushdan.

As you can imagine, the kids (all boys) created quite a ruckus during the party even though they're not all the same age. Anwar and Ibad were practically bringing out all the toys and playing among themselves. There's the standard toy car and toy machine gun to be pointed in all direction. Haziq basically just lay down or had to be carried at times because he hasn't been in a good mood today. Maybe it was the hot weather or his nose is blocked. We had to drive around Kerteh in the afternoon in order for him to be calm and go to sleep.

It's quite good to have that sort of gathering once in a while. You can see the men talking about 'manly' stuff like cars and politics, while the mothers will exchange stories or tips on motherhood. The kids, being kids, will just play and play, I suppose.

It's raining cats and dogs out there, we're just smacked right in the monsoon season here. Later then....

A start

People say, the first step is always the difficult one to make. Starting a new job, moving to a new house or even starting a blog. There's always a lot of 'little, little' stuff to do and it's such a hassle. But a man gotta do what a man gotta do. For me, it is to start my own weblog. I'm not really sure what my own personal motives are in doing so, perhaps because I used to have my own electronic diary I kept in my laptop, way back in the university days. Or, I just like to ramble on my own and this is the best way to do so, and maybe share it with someone.

I've frequented other weblogs, there are some interesting ones kept by some colleagues of mine, such as Maria's and Aizuddin's. The thought did pass through my mind to start one of my own but what the hell am I going to write about? So, while I was staring intently at my four and half month's old son, Haziq, it all became clear to me. I would like to share this experience, among other things with friends or whomever should stumble on this weblog. The experience of becoming a Young Father.

Haziq came into our lives, me and my wife, Awi on the evening of 15th June 2003. Time of birth was 1913 or 7.13 pm. He was induced because according to the doctor, the amniotic fluid surrouding the baby was decreasing so it is best to induce him when he's about 2 weeks before his due date. Supposedly that is the earliest date for a baby to be born, if not via normal delivery. When Haziq came out, the labour nurse took him for cleaning and I followed to ensure she doesn't accidentally exchanged Haziq with some other baby. He was cleaned up and then performed the Muslim rite of reciting the 'azan' and 'qamat' in his right and left ear.

Funny really when I recalled that memorable night. I was so excited at becoming a father, I carried haziq all around the labour ward, even having time to show him off to my brothers and younger sister. He was barely half an hour in this world!! Awi was actually going through some bad moments inside the delivery room. She lost a lot of blood and her blood pressure was decreasing by the minute. Thankfully for the experienced doctor and nurses, she was stabilised and everything ended well.

Fatherhood came quite early to me, I was about 26 years and 6 months old when Haziq was born. We got married when I was 25. We are working in Kerteh, Terengganu and young married couples are not rare here. Maybe the fresh or lack of entertainment prompted people to get married early. To me, I suppose it is fate. What God has decided, whether you like it or not, will just happen.

I would like to share this experience and also other things happening in my life, so this blog shall be the medium to do so.

More later, once I've learnt how to use this blogger. Now, it's time to take that first step.