The organised chaos

Into silence

There is something strangely romantic about walking in the rain, in the evening, in the city.

I strolled down the CBD area last evening as the rain poured relentlessly down on me. Around me, workers rushed around in their office attire while the roads were crammed with cars, bumper to bumper. Their headlights shone brightly and occasionally, an impatient driver would sound the horn. Lights from the nearby buildings cast a yellow glow on the rainy, grey skies, beckoning the sodding wet pedestrians to step into their presumed warmth.

As I walked, I felt oddly detached from the entire scene. It was almost as if I was invisible and walking within a bubble as a quiet observer. It could be because I was plugged into the isolating earphones of my iPod while the soothing strains of Mazzy Star played in my ears. The hustle and bustle of city life was blocked out.

My steps were slow and leisurely, my perky pink umbrella shielding me from the drops of water pelting down, an anomaly in the drab colours of other brollies that zoomed past me. It felt as if the grey from the skies had seeped out of the canvas, colouring everything else in the surroundings the same dull shade. Except me with my pink umbrella, green jacket and pink yoga pants. Now, not only were the sounds removed, the colours were also swept away.

Normally, rainy weather such as that evening would bring out the pensive monster in me but at that moment, all I could think was, this is so surreally beautiful.

It’s terribly odd because one does not mention CBD and beautiful in the same breath but that was how it felt like. And it felt almost as if I was in a movie, where the soundscape has been silenced by the soundtrack that’s playing.

The spell was broken when I stepped into One George Street, as gleaming dry floors and radiant lights welcomed me back to the restlessness of the city again.

But for that one moment in time, the humming of the city paused just for me.

Foodnotes

The food trail

Warning: Image intensive posting

Despite what my size might suggest, I am a foodie. I love food and one of my favourite pastimes is actually to go around and try out new eats, the cheaper the better. For the past few weeks, we have been poking our noses at different places on the sunny island, accumulating in this long-delayed posting of nothing but food, food food!

More after the jump.

Continue reading “The food trail”

Arts & Entertainment

Things that make you go awwww

“!(imgleft)https://yannisms.com/pix/pig_olympics.jpg!(Three little pigs)”:http://news.yahoo.com/photo/060415/ids_photos_ts/ra190148991.jpg;_ylt=AnL.CNLcwhAEjujVPTCeEGaek3QF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3bGk2OHYzBHNlYwN0bXA-

After seeing this, and its family of pictures while at work yesterday, it made me want to buy a pig for a pet. Aren’t the little piggies so darn cute? Apparently, in Moscow, there exists a contest called the Pig Olympics, where piglets get to show their prowess in swimming, running and the svineball event. Svineball is like football, except it’s played with the snouts of the pigs, not the feet. Get me a piglet now!

“!(imgleft)https://yannisms.com/pix/pooh_hollywood_star.jpg!(Pooh gets a star birthday)”:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060411/wl_canada_nm/canada_media_disney_pooh_col_1

Everyone’s favourite bear gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Yes, Winnie the Pooh celebrated his 80th birthday last week with a lavish party in Tinsel Town, with his friends Tigger, Rabbit and Eeyore. What happened to best friend Piglet? Maybe he was preparing for the pig Olympics. Did I mention that I love Pooh? I can sing the theme song, sleep with a cute bear everyday, and I always bring him with me when I go travelling (he’s visited Angkor Wat). I even have a bedtime story book on that orange fur rug with a penchant for “hunny”.

In other news, two of my favourite books in the world will be adapted for the big screen. Neil Gaiman’s “Stardust” is a whimsical fairy tale for adults. Currently in filming now, the movie stars one of my favourite actresses Claire Danes as my favourite character of the book, the fallen star (literally) Yvaine. In fact, I love that character so much that I decided to name my future daughter that, especially given my leaning towards stars (the astronomical objects, not the living breathing humans).

The other adapted-for-movie book is Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy. It’s a world where daemons are the companions of each and every human being, with a strong emotional and spiritual connection between the two, and where parallel worlds exist with parallel timelines running simultaneously. It’s a marvellous fantasy book, with the protagonist being a grubby girl named Lyra.

Can’t wait!

[Let’s play tag! , , , ]

Arts & Entertainment

The Amazing Race

There is a reason why the show is named as such, simply because it really is an amazing journey around the world.

Every season, I find myself choked up with tears in my eyes as I watch every Detour and every Roadblock tasks that teams perform. Because the wanderer in me envies the places that the contestants get to visit. Because the gungho spirit in me marvels at the different amazing stunts that they get to do, from rappelling down a building to bungee jumping to going on the flying fox across a wide river and waterfall. As they fly through the air, screaming in wonder and ecstasy, I catch myself wishing that I could have the chance to do that too.

And it’s really fun to put myself in their shoes and wonder if I would make the same decision as they did. Would I be able to carry a gigantic swordfish and run through the streets of Sicily without complaining like Monica did? Would I be able to complete a traditional Russian dance with my two left feet?

And then, there’s the amusement to be had when I think about the roles that the boyfriend and I would play should we ever be contestants on the show. He will obviously be the driver and perform tasks that require brute strength or hand-eye coordination. Stuff like bungee jumping would be left to me because he is afraid of heights and I am more nimble and agile than him anyway. And knowing him, he would be carrying my pack for me half the time because, well, that’s what he would do. And, I think, he wouldn’t be as nasty as Lake is to Michelle, screaming at her to shut up and dumping all the blame on her.

This is why I love the show and why it’s so addictive. I think I live vicariously through the lives of others.

Silly things

Me, all about meeee

I hereby designate today as the meme day, because I got tagged and I also saw another one that is currently making its way round.

Where was I one year ago?
It was a time of many firsts. Had my first (real) job, was ecstatic at taking my first Business Class flight to first-time destination Las Vegas. Was also retrenched for the first (and hopefully, only) time in my life.

Where was I five years ago?
I was in the first year of university (gah, has it been that long?), happily skipping classes and living life like a happy-go-lucky hippie with little care and worry. Readings? What’s that?

Where was I ten years ago?
Ahh…..10 years ago, I was an angsty and pimply teen trying desperately to pass A’Maths and Physics for once. The thought of turning lesbian crossed my mind when someone of my own sex, whom I got to know better, fell in love with me. But I realised that if I could actually sit down and think about it, I was probably not one and decided to just stick with boys. Of course, who would have known that I was a closet commitment-phobic, running away when boys liked me and I lost interest halfway.

*************************

My ex is also my current boyfriend. He went from boyfriend to arse and back to boyfriend again in the last six years. Happily enough, the arse years are getting noticeably lesser than the boyfriend years.

Maybe I should check myself into Shopaholics Anonymous. Boy, do I need therapy. I could spend all day scouring the Internet for frocks.

I love writing, sunsets, cable cars, Sex and the City, sleeping in, my Mac….for more, please see here.

I don’t understand men. They are so bloody weird sometimes, I have trouble believing they are from the same planet as us.

I lose control of my emotions too often. A sad song, a touching scene in the movie, a poignant scene in the chapter, an arse of an editor could turn on the taps easily.

People say different things about me, ranging from bimbotic to crazy to fun to geeky to being a good listener to aloof. Well, it really depends on my mood and who I am dealing with.

Love is like air, I can’t imagine living without it.

Somewhere, someone is wishing that he/she is living a better life somewhere else.

I will always evolve to be me and still be somewhat different.

Forever is an ideal but not a reality.

I never want to be cold and cynical, such that people, words and visuals do not move my heart anymore.

I think the current US President has a terrible command of English.

When I wake up in the morning, I go right back to sleep.

My past was scarred and yet enriching, painful and yet strong, emotional yet gratifying all at the same time.

I get annoyed when people treat me with condescension and try to lord over me, as if their existence is superior to mine.

Parties are for letting your hair loose with crazy friends!

My dog is non-existent. The matriarch never allowed us to have pets because she had no time to clean up after them and she knew, rightly, that we wouldn’t either.

My cat is as non-existent as my dog.

Kisses are fun especially when they are unexpected!

Tomorrow is something I both anticipate and fear. I believe that my future is bright and yet, I am getting old and losing opportunities and youth at the same time.

I really want to travel the world and immerse myself in the different cultures. I miss Siem Reap badly.

I have low tolerance for people who push past me to get into the train when passengers are still alighting.

*************************

Who do I tag? Well, whoever is interested in doing this. I stole this so leave me a note if you are planning to steal this from me!

Two of Us

Muddle-headed fool

I lost my ring and I am now feeling really, really low.

The ring has been my constant companion for more than six years. I received this ring, a slip of white gold with the tiniest diamond in the middle, after I had accidentally flushed the previous one down the toilet bowl. Since then, I try to take good care of it, being sure to remove it whenever I shower or know I will get my hands dirty.

I have this habit of playing with it when I am nervous or upset, it’s a comforting act. I like twirling it around the middle finger of my left hand. I wear it almost all the time, such that there is a slight depression on my flesh where it always lies.

But I lost it today, because I was tired and wasn’t focusing.

I took it off at the dressing table in the gym today. Normally, I would remember to put it back but somehow today, after just five hours of sleep from a marathon of afternoon-morning shifts, it totally slipped my mind. By the time I remembered and rushed back into the elevator, it was gone.

Ironically, I had been playing with it at work today, thinking about how shift work would change the dynamics of my relationship with the boyfriend today and feeling glad that I had my ring, and in turn his presence, with me.

But I lost it today. And I can’t believe I did that.