Gallivanter

I’m Not Old…Just Older (Volume II)

Posted on 19. Feb, 2006 by Daniel Franklin Gomez in Personal

Continued from Volume 1

1997 – My First Love
It was the year that I penned my first song – to a girl in college. I can’t recollect the rationality of me bringing my guitar to college, but it was a defining moment. I inadvertently became popular during college and most girls thought that I was snobby, only to find out later that I couldn’t see without my glasses (LOL!). I was head over heels in love with this girl, and it was the worst kept secret in the college. To finagle with all the rollercoaster of emotions that I weathered in 1997, I wrote a couple more songs that year – and many til today are my personal favourites. It was also the year that my relationship with Rudy blossomed into cosmic proportions – we became really close friends and later on, the best of friends, til to date, til the end of time. It’s also the year of my FIRST oversea vacations – Singapore, and India – that evoked my tendency to travel. I made a lot of friends that year, many of them whom I lost contact to date, which I’m glad I did, because they apparently didn’t come of age. I sang on 2 occasions that year – one for the UEL (Uni of East London) ball, Def Leppard’s When Love & Hate Collide, Bon Jovi’s Always and my own composition – Miss You Like Crazy. After having heard me sing, my lecturers then encouraged me to audition for Stamford College’s graduation night, which I halfheartedly did – I sang Bon Jovi’s I’ll Be There For You, which was enjoyed by the judges but one of them insisted that I sing Elton John’s Candle in the Wind instead (in view of Diana’s untimely demise). What a song to sing on a graduation night! I gazed at a sea of 1000 people and belted away (I decided to alter the song a little – by adding 2 members – one to play the “sitar” and the other the “tabla”). I gave the song a traditional flavor, and it turned out great. I got 2 roses and kudoses from strangers that night.

Also, on a lighter note, my bunch of friends, decided to audition too, to buffoonish effect. We all assembled together (this is the same audition that I sang I’ll Be There For You, but on a different audition day), and sang a disconcerting version of the infamous Indian song, “Suranghani” (monkey dances included too! I played the guitar). We were just clowning around, and I still can’t believe how we got the balls to do it. The look on the judges faces was worth millions. Hahahaha! Bunch of loonies! I also had my fastest drive in the form of my stepdad’s Mercedes Benz 280SE – I clocked 200km/h on the federal highway @ 4:30am in the morning.

The year I frequented DV8 almost every weekend for a good 6 months!

2001 – Party Like it’s 1999!
Beach Club made its debut late in 2000 (if I’m not mistaken), and it went on to become my colleagues favorite weekend haunt for 2001. It was by far the hippest club then and we always conquered the stage area. It was the year where dance music was tops – from hits like Modjo’s Lady to Madison Avenue’s Who The Hell Are You?, it was all unforgettable. It’s also the year that I bought my Fiat Brava (my favorite car I owned til date), which I had an wondrous affair with until June 2004 when we parted ways. It was also the year that my passion for bowling sharply picked up. It’s just something with balls and gutters that drives me off the wall. LOL! Also, I visited my best friend, Rudy, while she was living in Buffalo, USA. I was there for about 3 weeks – a week in Toronto and 2 weeks in USA – visited Niagara Falls, Statue of Liberty, NY Times Square – it was phenomenal. This is the same trip where I experience the variety of drugs (see previous blog). All in all, good fun. 2004 – Bittersweet Blues
It was an extremely bittersweet year for me. I broke up with my girlfriend of 3 years, and struggled to live life as a single. I actually forgot what is was like being single. I split up for the wrong grounds – religion. I had a one-sided thinking back then, and the thought of converting to Islam was beyond me. Now, it’s a different proposition – I’m keeping an open mind. Also, I sold off my car for a milo-built Iswara, which I utilized until April 2005. On a better note, I purchased a 3-room freehold condominium, and am looking forward to moving in, hopefully by the end of this year or the start of 2007.

Well, well, well, this is probably my most intimate writeup (heavily edited) since I started blogging in December.

I’m glad to say that this I’ve attained some form of closure and am looking forward to the future. Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to hit the jackpot. Life can only be discovered in the present moment. The past is gone, the future has not arrive, and if we don’t live in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life. I’ve been wanting to write this post for sometime, and one of my avid readers also suggested that I go a little personal. So, you know who you are, this one’s for you! Â P/S: 2006′s off to a flyer!