on friendship

seeing as how friendship is such a favorite blogging subject this weekend, i've given it some thoughts as well. since the invention and popularization of a social network website called "facebook," i've found myself to be in constant touch, if not excessive to the point of affecting other non-virtual aspects of my life, with friends from all over the world.

i may be perceived as overall an outgoing person who is able to strike up a conversation with total strangers, and such is the case on most days so far in life. however as i age, i find myself increasingly selective of the company i keep. lately i've been called "a recluse," "unfriendly," "the one with the attitude," and many other interesting new terms in chinese, and that's ok. i did not realize this about myself until a few days ago when Les left me an msn message that said, "you're highly selective of who you're friends with, and you picked ME. WOW." (note to all: it's pretty cool to have a younger friend who sometimes feels like a fan, as in, one that worships).

it's hard, when in this day and age people migrate so often. people seem to come into your life for an important moment, and before you know it either you or they are packing up and skipping town. i remember at Lor's nicely organized christmas brunch for singles last year, introductions went as such, "i am *insert name* and i work for *insert multi-national financial/high tech/airline institutions* and i'm based in *hk/bj/shg/nyc*" ok, and we're getting hooked up at a single's event in tpe why?

so, can't blame me for sticking by old ones, tried and true and genuine, ones that have known you since you sported weird hairdos resembling vegetables, ones that have stayed out with you on the streets until 5am on a suicidal day, ones that haven't really changed much after heartbreaks, relocation, marriages, and babies, ones in distant european/NA or nearby asian cities that tell you "baby, i support you in whatever decision you make; don't let others judge you, they're not you," when my life is about to turn in drastic direction.

any reader of this blog knows that i've gone through a pretty bizarre year since last september, and also that i would not be where i am today without love and support of the many people i have and have not mentioned in my writing. like my bb friend cheekymonkey quoted in her blog, you'll be damn lucky at end of your life if you can count all your good friends on one hand. i think i may be luckier and count them on two. i may be selective, but i also know how to pick the best ones. you know who you are, you rock.