Of Friends and Amir Yussof, Music God.

I'm in a ... dreamy ... mood right now, thanks to Mr. Amir Yussof, who is possibly the best Malaysian artiste today. Arguable, of course, but it'd take waaaay too much to make me concede even an inch otherwise, so it would probably be best to just agree with me.

Wonderful stuff. Well, if you're into folk rock, then it's wonderful stuff, I guess; but it's also wonderfully melodic. The composition is somewhat complex, although it comes across as pleasantly simple. Very tuneful as well, besides having this amazing, soothing quality. And he's just soooo gosh darned sexy! Those dreads .. *swoon* .... I highly recommend his music. Best of all, he allows free downloads of some of his songs for samplers! Check out "Little Bird". Absolute genius, the man is. Also, I could put up with a lifetime of pure nagging from that voice. *swoon*

Sometimes people surprise you. You always have this idea of what a person is like .. and while with some people you can tell rightaway what they're like, some manage to surprise you. It's true that you can never (or is it should never?) judge a book by it's cover.

Shrek: An ogre is like ... an onion!
Donkey: ... They stink?
Shrek: Yes!! No!! They've got many layers!!

I've always prescribed to: Expect nothing from anyone, for when you have no expectations, everything else that happens can only be a pleasant surprise. Yes, I made that up. If you don't expect anything, then you'll never be disappointed. This is most especially true of loved ones. I try to not expect anything from them, because your loved ones are the ones capable of causing you the most grief.

I was pleasantly surprised today. I can't complain. :o)

Speaking of loved ones, one called today asking for help. It sounded serious. I can help, I'm more than capable of helping .. but if I do, I'm almost certain it's got something to do (indirectly) with something I disapprove of. However, that's none of my business.

What I've decided to do is help. Somewhat reluctantly, to be sure, but I'll help, no conditions posed, no questions asked. I know it wasn't a request easily made either, so ...

sigh* I'm such a softie sometimes that I make myself sick. I've always thought that I'm not easily manipulated, but if I'm honest with myself, manipulation doesn't work with me only if it's freakingly obvious. I cave in whenever the 'guilt' and 'sympathy' cards are played. I cave in worse than a termite-infested rumah papan. *sigh* God help me if anyone manages to get past that hard-candy shell .. I'm all gooey caramel inside. No resistance, I tell you. Whoever said compassion is a virtue?? *Not that I think myself overly compassionate. Passionate, maybe, but not compassionate. *G**

Well, I got lots of thanks and promises for payback, but the thing is, I didn't do it because I wanted eternal gratitude or payback with interest, I did it because a friend asked for help. What else can you do when your friends tell you they've reached a dead end? *sigh* That's what friends are for, anyway. I just hope that should I ever be in such need myself that I'll have friends I can count on too.

Unlike ONE person ... *grumbles* ... who actually keeps a tally of everything nice HE's done for me, but conveniently forgot everything nice I did for him. According to him, I never did ONE single nice thing for him in all our years of friendship. Not ONE single thing!!

Yeah, I'm still sore over his saying that ... and yet I've more or less given up the grudge. OoOoOooh, I've yet to forgive him for it .. nothing short of a full acknowledgement of his error AND an elaborate apology could make me forgive him!! Yes, I never forget, but I no longer hold a grudge. Well, not much of a grudge left anyway ... and it also helps that I can now be as sharp-tongued as I like to him whenever I feel spiteful, knowing full well he deserves it for being such an ass! Yes, I can be quite spiteful and mean too, but only under provocation. *Grrrrr* Okay, rant over.

Anyhow, friends are friends, unconditionally. Well, most of them are, anyway. *roll eyes* All I really expect from them are for them to be there for me as I am always there for them, on call 24/7, 365-and-a-quarter.

... Or should I really NOT expect anything from them at all? :o)



**AMIR YUSSOF** *swooooooon*





Photos Copyright © Amir Yussof 2002