I Know What Mr. Pitt Must Feel Like

And Mr. Stone Must Feel Like Too...


I’ve been blessed with two wonderful boys—5 and 13—heroes, you might say... and the Mat Salo household is about to receive a new member, God Willing folks!

The scans shows it’s a girl—Wahoo!

My wife is due for delivery (in gynecologist’s parlance—EDD—estimated delivery date) on May the 23rd. Angelina Jolie’s EDD is rumored to be on May 18th. And my buddy Stone’s missus is also due around the same time. Baby of the year honors will be hotly contested between TomKat’s and Brangelina’s… But you know already who MY Baby of The Year will be!

But as the norm with these things, when it’s due, it’s due. So that’s why I’m feeling a bit ‘antsy’ at the moment. Nervous. Restless. And a wee bit impatient. Especially when I’m away in a foreign land working. As I write this, May 23 is three weeks away and I can only leave for home in about a weeks’ time. That gives me about two weeks ‘grace’ period. Will there be enough time?

Because my first child came into the world three weeks early, and this was the time we lived in Miri, Sarawak. I was on the drilling rig and I couldn’t get a replacement soon enough. Dear missus had to take a cab to the hospital! I don’t think my dear wife has ever forgiven me—especially because it was our first child too!

As much as we guys feel these things, our wives have it much, much worse. She’s the one carrying the child, and there is no pain to rival the pain of childbirth. But then there’s nothing to rival to its satisfaction either.

So I’m praying real, real hard that I’ll be home in time.

And you know what the other headache is folks? It’s looking for a name. What’s in a name? EVERYTHING. Especially for my first baby daughter, yes? You can bet I’m trawling the net in all ‘Muslim Baby Names’ search engines and website for that elusive and special name.

And you can bet your sweet ass that my life will be changed forever, if it hasn’t already. Ironically, my buddy Stone who’s already blessed with four girls will now receive his first boy soon. You can bet that he’s fantasizing the endless ‘futsal’ nights-of-the-future already huh?

For my part, now that I’m nearing 45 means that I’ll be past 60 when she finishes high school! So this is an impetus for me to change my life and try to stay healthy. But foremost it’s all God’s hands, folks.

Dear God, help me be around to see my little girl grow up, and perhaps let me live long enough to marry her off...if that’s not too much to ask?


Reprinted below are excerpts from one my favorite songs, and it summed up what the ‘ultimate rocker’ Phil Lynott experienced after the birth of his daughter Sarah. Gary “Still Got The Blues” Moore co-wrote the tune and supplied the excellent jazz-tinged acoustic solo.


One, two. One, two, three, four

When you came in my life
you changed my world
My Sarah
Everything seemed so right
my baby girl
My Sarah

You are all I want to know
You hold my heart
so don't let go
You are all I need to live
My love to you I'll give
My Sarah

When you begin to smile
you change my style
My Sarah
When I look in your eyes
I see my prize
My Sarah

You are all I want to know
You hold my heart
so don't let go
You are all I need to live
My love to you I'll give

You are all I want to know
Oh my Sarah
Don't let go oh…

(Lynott/Moore)