HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

Christmas had come and gone...and as usual, we, the Carvalho family, closed shop here in Malacca and hibernated at my sister Mitch's place in Sungai Buloh for a couple of days. And now year has gone by and the wheel of life continues on into 2009. Looking back, 2008 was not a bad year afterall. As with life, there were the ups and downs and the laughter and the tears...but on the whole, it was a good year for me and my family.

I may not know what may be in store for me in 2009 but one thing is for sure....getting older...sigh. And so the adage 'time is relative' means much more to me....and it helps me take comfort that I remain young at heart. (each passing year does not only add another digit to my age but also to my waistline...boo hoo hoo).

Well, on the subject of age. Sometimes I forget what and old foggy I am in terms of years...all 41 of it. It takes a particular event to knock some realization that I am such an old fart. To me, the 1980s seemed like yesterday. But upon consideration....the 1980s equates to a quarter of a century ago...darn...that seems like a long time ago ya.

It was like when we were kids in the 1980s where songs from the 1960s and shows like Happy Days were from an era belonging to our parents. All of a sudden, it is us who belong to that 'era'. Our generation belonged to Mc Donalds, Sony Walkman, Breakdancing and Michael Jackson (when he was still partly a man). Heck...the concept of mobile phones was something we watched on 'Six Million Dollar Man', 'Space 1999' and 'Buck Rogers in The 25th Century'. Computers were just begining to appear on the scene and there was no such thing as Windows where one could just click away with such ease.

Anyway, back to what hit me the other night on how old I seem to 'others' (the younger generation of Ipods, Skype and You Tube). Had some time to spare and decided to go to the playground where I live for my nightly dose of guitar and solo jamming. Its located on the first floor of where I live and offers the perfect acoustic.

I usually jam for about an hour and enjoy the solitude. However, owing to my guitar and singing skills ( ha, ha...it should be 'blowing my own trumpet' skills), an occasional passerby or neighbor would stop over and request a song or two. (much to my discomfort as I am more of a bathroom performer). So here I was banging away on my guitar and singing when this South African bloke named Martin Akalla Abraham stops by.

He said he heard music coming from the playground the other day when he was pasing and decided to investigate this time round to see who was behind the wonderful and alluring voice. (pa rum pa rum pam..lol). After some small talk, I asked him his music perference....his answer was.....'classic rock and ballads'....old school songs from the 1980s such as Phil Colins, Lionel Richie and etc.

'Dong'....then it hit me...those songs and singers are from my era...which he described as being 'old school'. (the operative key words here being '1980s and old'). Well, sucked up the deflated concept of my age and did two numbers for him 'Stuck on You' and 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word'. (from my era)

Didn't think much of it until New Year's Eve when I sent my collegue named Pelf (Its an ancient Korean-Hakka name that means "One whom the camera loves and One who loves the camera") to cover a countdown bash at Seafarers in Klebang. Told her to take her better half along and enjoy the night. At about 9.30pm, I get an sms from her saying....'the place is filled with old people listening to 1980s songs'. (once again operative key words here were '1980s and old'). 'Dong'...hit me again...and this time even harder.........I am being identified as one who is from the 1980s era...old school.

I guess, it means I have to be more mindful nowadays of my age. It also suppose to mean that I should be more wise.('wisdom comes with age' thingy). Lol....it really doesn't matter to me because I will continue to be who I am....a young mischevious 1980s kid trapped in a man's body. (whose waistline is getting not so manly lah)

Anyway, to all...may God in His infinte love, mercy and wisdom bless us with peace, happiness, good health and prosperity in 2009.

To None I Wish Ill But To All I Wish Peace and Love.