Someone tells me, that Santa thinks I have been a willy good girl this year. I didn't know there are twii Santas in this world.
Wiishes do come true, sometimes.
Wiiiiiii!!!!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Christmas
The loneliness set in for a while. Rather terribly at times too.
But at the end of it all, I feel thankful. And blessed.
That I am alive. And that, amidst the good food and good cheer, I have been surrounded by the ones I love, the ones that really matter.
I would never have counted on that when I came here five months ago. Yet this is as real as it can be.
The eve.
The brother.
The Fabio.
The French Christmas chicken.
The landlady.
The Spastic and the Unmeltable Snowman.
The Boxing Day Santas. Well, just two-thirds of them.
I love you.
You know I do.
But at the end of it all, I feel thankful. And blessed.
That I am alive. And that, amidst the good food and good cheer, I have been surrounded by the ones I love, the ones that really matter.
I would never have counted on that when I came here five months ago. Yet this is as real as it can be.
The eve.
The brother.
The Fabio.
The French Christmas chicken.
The landlady.
The Spastic and the Unmeltable Snowman.
The Boxing Day Santas. Well, just two-thirds of them.
I love you.
You know I do.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Love
Hmm. I must really, really be a peach.
How else can I explain the.. erm... love?
First, there was the offer to drive me and my luggage.
Then there was the invitation to Shenzhen for the weekend.
Then, the DVDs to "tide me over".
Then, the newspaper cutting that came over the mail.
And then, the one that got me. The dogs.
And now... "Are you doing anything for Christmas? Would you like to come over for lunch?"
Tell me, how could I refuse?
My landlady loves me.
Either that, or she's gonna drop a bomb on me pretty soon.
How else can I explain the.. erm... love?
First, there was the offer to drive me and my luggage.
Then there was the invitation to Shenzhen for the weekend.
Then, the DVDs to "tide me over".
Then, the newspaper cutting that came over the mail.
And then, the one that got me. The dogs.
And now... "Are you doing anything for Christmas? Would you like to come over for lunch?"
Tell me, how could I refuse?
My landlady loves me.
Either that, or she's gonna drop a bomb on me pretty soon.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Matrimony
I really didn't know what the hell I was thinking when I decided to pop in the first of the 'Heroes' DVDs at five in the morning.
For God's sake, I had a wedding party to attend to at eleven in the morning.
But thank God. I made it. After barely two hours of snooze.
And thank God too, it was also the most casual wedding party I had ever to attend.
No need to wake up two hours earlier to dress up and travel from point A to B. Heck, I was there in two minutes. In my PJs.
Out of respect for the newly-weds, I did put on my shorts though.
Thank God for the newly formed matrimony, after all the dramafest in the last two years.
Thank God, too, for technology that allows live transmission of worldly events with just a machine and a click of some buttons.
Most of all, thank God for this wonderful little plaything known as the Mac.
This is the second time Mom has witnessed the same child.
I hope she's not wondering if she'll ever get to witness the other.
Sorry, Ma.
For God's sake, I had a wedding party to attend to at eleven in the morning.
But thank God. I made it. After barely two hours of snooze.
And thank God too, it was also the most casual wedding party I had ever to attend.
No need to wake up two hours earlier to dress up and travel from point A to B. Heck, I was there in two minutes. In my PJs.
Out of respect for the newly-weds, I did put on my shorts though.
Thank God for the newly formed matrimony, after all the dramafest in the last two years.
Thank God, too, for technology that allows live transmission of worldly events with just a machine and a click of some buttons.
Most of all, thank God for this wonderful little plaything known as the Mac.
This is the second time Mom has witnessed the same child.
I hope she's not wondering if she'll ever get to witness the other.
Sorry, Ma.
A Different Saturday
As far as my obsession with (free) internet cafes goes, this one blows my mind.
A 24-hour cafe that serves sandwiches and omelette and pumpkin salads and soy lattes, and provides the very friendly service of free wifi. And, it looks chilled enough to hang out in when you need to space your brain out. Especially when you start feeling mentally claustrophobic in your tiny apartment.
All happening at 3 in the morning, perched atop the "coolest" bar in town, while everyone else below me is making a fool of themselves on the streets.
For a quiet Saturday night when I couldn't find the spirits for anything else, much as I wanted to, it did perhaps turn out a surprising twist of events for me when I peeled myself off the couch and tripped all the way to Arbuthnot Road.
And then I sat down.
And I just wrote.
And then... there was more.
A 24-hour cafe that serves sandwiches and omelette and pumpkin salads and soy lattes, and provides the very friendly service of free wifi. And, it looks chilled enough to hang out in when you need to space your brain out. Especially when you start feeling mentally claustrophobic in your tiny apartment.
All happening at 3 in the morning, perched atop the "coolest" bar in town, while everyone else below me is making a fool of themselves on the streets.
For a quiet Saturday night when I couldn't find the spirits for anything else, much as I wanted to, it did perhaps turn out a surprising twist of events for me when I peeled myself off the couch and tripped all the way to Arbuthnot Road.
And then I sat down.
And I just wrote.
And then... there was more.
The Second One
I really, really hate it when things break down and can't be fixed.
Then again, I love new toys anytime.
I should've seen it coming.
I actually did. I just tried to buy some time, instead of a new toy.
It couldn't have been fixed anyway. But I could've salvaged all my treasured memories, carefully archived in the form of jpegs. And yes, those songs. Those sad, sad songs I should've been better off without anyway.
But most of all, my baby girls. My baby Piper.
So I am perpetually staring at a boring blue-all-over screen everyday now.
And this huge-ass toy is quite some hassle to tote around - don't tell me I need a new bag, please.
But. Nothing beats typing on the soft metallic keypad of the Mac. Every stroke of the finger upon every key sends an electric tingle through the skin all over my being.
I am getting so high, I just feel like writing and writing and writing...
Then again, I love new toys anytime.
I should've seen it coming.
I actually did. I just tried to buy some time, instead of a new toy.
It couldn't have been fixed anyway. But I could've salvaged all my treasured memories, carefully archived in the form of jpegs. And yes, those songs. Those sad, sad songs I should've been better off without anyway.
But most of all, my baby girls. My baby Piper.
So I am perpetually staring at a boring blue-all-over screen everyday now.
And this huge-ass toy is quite some hassle to tote around - don't tell me I need a new bag, please.
But. Nothing beats typing on the soft metallic keypad of the Mac. Every stroke of the finger upon every key sends an electric tingle through the skin all over my being.
I am getting so high, I just feel like writing and writing and writing...
Saturday, December 22, 2007
안녕하십니까
Finally.
At long last.
And it turned out a little more, sometimes a little less, than what I've been imagining it to be all this while.
The Namdaemun Gate.
Steaming hot and juicy dumplings in chilling winter that could make one's dislike for porky pork dissipate.
The ajumma at the roadside puchangmacha who fed us dinner.
I don't know, but it must have been some radish cake. No eggs, I'm sure though.
炒年糕!
My craving for fried tung hoon was thus satisfied.
Moo moo moo moo mmMMmmMMmmmoo.
The deceptively healthy beer made from "naturally fresh water" that washed down all the junk.
Soju, the drink for the broken-hearted, but not the faint-hearted.
The freakin' nine-course roadside meal that cost me a hundred grand in Korean won. Yes, five 'zeroes' at the back. Yes, that's a hundred US dollars.
And YES, AUNTIE HERE GOT CONNED BIG-TIME!!!
The freakin' conwoman who fed us, warmed us, then cheated us. And who probably closed shop for the next couple of days.
My one-time daily fix that I have been missing for the past five months.
Bu-Gol-Gi... Bu-Gol-Gi... Bu-Gol-Gi... Bu-Gol-Gi...
I think beautiful blue skies tend to follow wherever I may go. : )
Right. I'm pretty sure I had seen this exact picturesque scenery in Seattle.
There is always tea-time anytime when I travel.
The barley rice cake that we waited freakin' fifteen minutes for.
And then, in a matter of an hour, I thought I was teleported to Little Italy in Frisco.
Four in the p.m.
This, of all names, is called the "Hangover Soup". I didn't have to be hungover to like it.
Myeongdong in the night. Colder than Tokyo. Less crowded than Honks. Almost as much food as Taipei.
The ice-skating rink at the City Hall, outside the Seoul Plaza Hotel. I think I must have seen this place in some drama. And I wanna say, I make a darned good navigator of complicated subway systems.
It actually snowed a little on the last morning. So little, so quick to melt... I didn't actually see snow.
Look Ma! No leggings/stockings/pants/socks/whatever! And it's just zero degree in the Celsius!
Three-thirty in the p.m. On the way back home.
So there. Four Asian cities in two weeks.
A food odyssey that came and then had to go.
I have eaten more than I possibly could in any given two-week period. I have more memories than I possibly could expect.
It's time to get back into the clothes.
Fifteen clicks in two days. And it's hoops time now.
I walked around Seoul for two days, with my balls hanging loose.
At long last.
And it turned out a little more, sometimes a little less, than what I've been imagining it to be all this while.
The Namdaemun Gate.
Steaming hot and juicy dumplings in chilling winter that could make one's dislike for porky pork dissipate.
The ajumma at the roadside puchangmacha who fed us dinner.
I don't know, but it must have been some radish cake. No eggs, I'm sure though.
炒年糕!
My craving for fried tung hoon was thus satisfied.
Moo moo moo moo mmMMmmMMmmmoo.
The deceptively healthy beer made from "naturally fresh water" that washed down all the junk.
Soju, the drink for the broken-hearted, but not the faint-hearted.
The freakin' nine-course roadside meal that cost me a hundred grand in Korean won. Yes, five 'zeroes' at the back. Yes, that's a hundred US dollars.
And YES, AUNTIE HERE GOT CONNED BIG-TIME!!!
The freakin' conwoman who fed us, warmed us, then cheated us. And who probably closed shop for the next couple of days.
My one-time daily fix that I have been missing for the past five months.
Bu-Gol-Gi... Bu-Gol-Gi... Bu-Gol-Gi... Bu-Gol-Gi...
I think beautiful blue skies tend to follow wherever I may go. : )
Right. I'm pretty sure I had seen this exact picturesque scenery in Seattle.
There is always tea-time anytime when I travel.
The barley rice cake that we waited freakin' fifteen minutes for.
And then, in a matter of an hour, I thought I was teleported to Little Italy in Frisco.
Four in the p.m.
This, of all names, is called the "Hangover Soup". I didn't have to be hungover to like it.
Myeongdong in the night. Colder than Tokyo. Less crowded than Honks. Almost as much food as Taipei.
The ice-skating rink at the City Hall, outside the Seoul Plaza Hotel. I think I must have seen this place in some drama. And I wanna say, I make a darned good navigator of complicated subway systems.
It actually snowed a little on the last morning. So little, so quick to melt... I didn't actually see snow.
Look Ma! No leggings/stockings/pants/socks/whatever! And it's just zero degree in the Celsius!
Three-thirty in the p.m. On the way back home.
So there. Four Asian cities in two weeks.
A food odyssey that came and then had to go.
I have eaten more than I possibly could in any given two-week period. I have more memories than I possibly could expect.
It's time to get back into the clothes.
Fifteen clicks in two days. And it's hoops time now.
I walked around Seoul for two days, with my balls hanging loose.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Picture Story
I am already missing Tokyo, and wondering when again I'll be back.
It was but three short days...
Break of day.
Fallen leaves.
Beef yakitori.
Peng kang wings.
Yummiest garlic ever.
Done.
What else?
Oden in winter.
Beautiful people.
Crazy colleague.
And some more.
Ugg-ly feet.
The fling aptly named Takumi.
The love note.
The last breakfast.
Onigiri obsession - for the road.
Glee.
It was but three short days...
Break of day.
Fallen leaves.
Beef yakitori.
Peng kang wings.
Yummiest garlic ever.
Done.
What else?
Oden in winter.
Beautiful people.
Crazy colleague.
And some more.
Ugg-ly feet.
The fling aptly named Takumi.
The love note.
The last breakfast.
Onigiri obsession - for the road.
Glee.
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