In Youth

Introduce yourself!
Hi, my name’s Ilham, and I’m a full-time civil servant.

We take it this is your day off then?
Yes, it’s my off day. The best off days are ones spent with my wife and family, going out, dressing nicely, and just enjoying the day, because if you look good, you’ll feel good lah. That’s how I see it.

That’s a pretty chill way to spend your days off. Is work usually very intense for you?
I mean, yeah it is, but I tend to not be so stressed out, even at work. I like to take it light. I’m very positive, and always have a positive outlook in life and at work.

What are some things you do to maintain this positive outlook of yours?
I love music, so that’s one of the ways or outlets in which I let the stress out. And, of course, spending time with my beautiful wife.

That’s lovely! When it comes to music, what are you into?
I’m into a lot of sub-genres like hardcore, metal core, and a little bit of ska punk. I particularly enjoy local bands like Overthrown and Losing End. But apart from these bands, I’ve been a bit out of touch with the local hardcore scene. What I’ve been listening to a lot lately are Have Heart, and post-hardcore bands like Fiddlehead, both of which are American bands.

Cool! Now, tell us more about your wife! What are some things that she does or that the both of your do that makes your day better?
Ahh, honestly, she’s a very hard worker, so she’s literally just a couch potato at home (laughs). But I get it, you know? She’s a preschool teachers so she takes care of a lot of kids, and it can be a bit overwhelming for her at work, so at home, we just lay in bed and watch Netflix.

Do you have kids of your own?
Yeah, coming soon in April! It’s a boy, but we wanted a girl, to be honest (laughs).

Aww, well congrats anyway! are you prepared for fatherhood?
Honestly, I just go with the flow. We’re pretty young parents, so we just want to keep our youth as well. We don’t want to be like “Ugh, we’re parents”.

Oh, of course. What are some things you and your wife do to maintain a similar youthfulness in your relationship?
We try, as much as we can, to make time to go out on dates. I guess that’s one way we can always strengthen our relationship as husband and wife.

That’s so sweet! Final question: if your relationship was a romcom, what would it be?
Oh, shit, I hate romcoms to be honest (laughs). It’s a bit cheesy lah, but maybe my wife knows? I’m the wrong person to ask!