Clichéd Paradoxes

"...sometimes, the best way to hold on to someone is to let go..."

- Marian Keyes, The Charming Man

Am glad that this recess week has been what it's supposed to be: recess week. (Rare occurence in Sg..) Major part of the week was spent hanging out with AJ gang - ex-classmates n mostly those bloody malaysians (you know who you are, you know am fond of you ;p ) - and in the midst of nostalgia, lame jokes, lunches, dinners, nonsense and not-so nonsense talks, I realize something I should've realized way, way before, but had never noticed..

Fact: I can only be a good (great, in fact) loner when I have the security blanket of a bunch of great friends.. It made so much sense I wonder why I only fully realize it now.. Being alone, thinking about so many things, is fun, but a major part of the fun also is discussing the things you think about afterwards and see what people think of them.. Shutting myself in my room is calming, but it's calming because my room feels like a sanctuary and not a place I'm stuck in from not having people to hang out with.. Being all smug and secure in my loner-ness (not loneliness anymore, thank goodness) is only possible because I know I can choose to get out of loner-mode anytime and find people to have a laugh with.. 

So, I find it a real stroke of blessing that just when I really need company I found out that some JC mates are living just three bus stops away.. Discovered that last Friday when having class reunion lunch, and the rest, as they say, is history... 

Feel 4 years younger amidst all those piano playing, teacher jokes, gossips and memories.. Feel a bit more mature (or different, at least) seeing how people change, hearing them say I changed, giving each other 'updates' about what's been going on these few years.. 

Just came back from tom yam cook-off and learnt, among other things: best way to dry the water off from cucumbers to make achar is to put them in a gunny sack and run over the sack with a car.... Oh, and also, the wretched state of Malaysian politics.. Tried to compare the wretchedness of Malaysian and Indonesian politics but I can't really reach a conclusion...

Well, it's somewhat a paradox, but nothing beats good company to make you a happy loner!