At the end of third day...

Tis my third evening here. Quiet. Warm.
It's nine in the evening. The sky's getting dark outside.
Under the skylight in my living room, here I sat writing these lines.

For the past few days, my days have come and gone pretty quickly. In the morning I'd wake up at 7:15, take shower and make myself breakfast - either a cup of Milo or Nescafe, with 2 pieces of white bread spread with Nuttella or a piece of chocolate chip plum cake (no, there's no plum there). These supplies will probably run out by end of the week. By then I will need to restock either with same old stuff or something new. That I will have to decide later on. After breakfast, if I still have time before 8:15...I'd watch some tv or put on some lotion before I head out. Speaking of which, I can feel the skin in my palms are beginning to tighten again as I type. I've just washed my hands. Its probably the water again. Walking to work takes about 30mins or so. The weather is pretty cooling these few days so it's still quite alrite to walk. In two weeks or so, I think I'll be taking the bus instead.

Maybe because I've been here for a while before, I dont feel as strange anymore to those eyes that stares. Usually, I'd stare back or smile and see what they have to say. Usually, they'd smile back or shy their eyes away.

Work is still alright. Things as usual...still goin pretty slow. I suppose I can wait, for I just got here. No rush there...at least, not just yet.

In the evening, I will usually say ciao ciao by 6. Follow the crowd. Once I see some people move, I'd move too. So that its not so obvious-I thought. But I guess being the ONLY asian in my office, I cant blend into the crowd and hope nobody notice me anyway. I arrived home at 7 or 8. Depends if I did go shopping at PAM or walking to the piazza for a gelato like today. Usually, I'd read some or watch some tv after shower. And that's about it for my day. It's pretty recursive. But I try to make some small differences everyday.

Hmmm...it seems like the tv is showing this movie with the boy that is suppose to learn boxing but instead went for ballet. I've not seen this movie before though I think I bought the dvd sometime ago...I think its called...BILLY.

Its time for some bedtime reading and off to bed. I sleep at 10 every evening now. Will try to post some pics in the office tomorrow. Hope I can get up early tomorrow for a jog. Ciao ciao.

Rise and fall of the Poplars.

After leaving this place for so long, somehow I don't seem to have the urge to come back here and see if thing's changed. I've had a tiring day yesterday, though I blamed the big part of it on the long haul flight and the weather in which I arrived in. I got here just right after nine in the morning. Still early, the air was fresh and cooling. The rain has just stopped. It was only 15degrees. Lucky I've got my jacket in hand else I'd probably have to haul my luggage to some corner, unlock it and start digging.

The air this morning was about the same as yesterday's. The road to work is still the same old road. Nothing much has change except for a few new shops replacing some old ones and some stone marks being erected to point to certain locations. The piazza has got a row of trees planted beside it. It sort of blocked off half of the road now. Poplar flowers are falling now...the wind carries them everywhere. You walk out to the streets, there you can see these tiny little cotton-like stuff flying with the wind...some might land on your shirt...your pants...cant be avoided. I held my breath or tried blowing them away everytime i came to a bunch of these flying toward me. At first, I thought it's probably cotton...but my colleague told me those are 'pioppo' or in english, Poplar. He even go and googled up the english translation and gave me a link to wikipedia . I guess it's not that bad being back here alone after all. At least, something to be glad about for the day.
It aint snow...cant seem to capture those floating on air...too tiny

Prescription for boredom

ONE good book for the long flight and lonely nights.



ONE been-wanting-to-get-for-sometime game, for those long weekends when I have to endure through it alone.

---

With these newly-acquired 'medicine', I hope I can last one whole month being back to the place I was at, almost a year ago. Only this time...I'm gonna go...PREPARED.

Simplicity

Was chatting with an old classmate earlier. Not so long ago, she told me she was heart-broken. After few years going out with this guy, they are no longer together. She was depressed. She came back to look for us, so called - friends. She hid herself from us back then for those few years she was with the guy. Never get online, never call or return our calls when we asked her out for gathering. Things changed. She admitted to me that she has been wrong. We...as friends, will always welcome her back to our circle with open arms.

That was two months ago. Today, she told me she found a new love. And when I asked her how she could fall in love so easily. She replied me with this: "Actually i will let it be, i dont really think someone is the right one, when a guy say he likes me, n i think he is ok, mentally n physically, and a little financially, then we can start, if i am single". Somehow, when I saw what she typed...I was really happy for her. Sometimes we tend to complicate things on ourselves...simplicity may not be something bad after all...at least, its what makes her...HAPPY now. For the rest of us friends, I guess we'll all be happy for her too.

...of Curry Rice and Bookmark

Weather's been pretty unpredictable again. It's hot again today.

I had that sudden craving for curry rice again. Ever since I found that place, I've been wanting to go there every once in a while to satiate my thrist for japanese curry. It is the next best thing after Komachi in Anggrek (which I've dearly missed as well). HITO, at Far East Square has very limited choices on its menu. They only sell Kaminabe and Curry Rice. But one has to go before the lunch crowd to get a place or risk having the curry sold out if you go too late.



After a very satisfying meal, we walked over to this tiny stall by the corner of the plaza. My colleague wanted to look at some stuff. And I ended up buying something instead. It's a good buy. I've always have this small 'interest' for Jimmy's work. And this is genuine. It comes with a hologram sticker as prove of it authenticity.

The day that outgrew me

Have not been able to sleep well or sleep much lately. It's either I kept rolling on my bed for hours before I finally fall asleep or...I wake up at 3 or 5am feeling rather energetic, and had to press myself to sleep again...it's tiring. Been going on for the whole of this week now. I hope it'll cease soon.

I'm getting my flu symptoms again...and it's been raining since early this morning. Seems like everything and much more can go wrong for the rest of today. Just hoping it wont be as bad as what I am feeling right now. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Gone a mile for a stone

A week has gone by unnoticed. A week ago...i was just preparing for my trip and was looking forward to it. That is now gone. But at least, i have a new 'tool' in my 'toolbox'. One experience richer.

My training was tough at first. At least for the first few days it got me really exhausted. The first few nights I went off to bed willingly at 9 or 10pm. I was out in the morning from 8. Came back and rest for lunch, then i'm out again. Had tea break at 4, and i'm out at 5:30pm. Every night i'd get this minor pulsating ache in my head that rendered me completely incapable of doing any other activity, except sleeping. I thought to myself...'Maybe i'm not really cut out for this?'. At that time, the headache was all that bothers me. I wished I could get over the whole 5 days in a glimpse.

The first 3 days went by. In the morning, the lessons...in the evening, the headache. I completed my final test paper on the 3rd day actually. I scored 91 out of 100. It's all objective and it's open book. Anyone could do better I suppose.

I signup for another additional trip on the 4th day. This was done rather reluctantly at first. Partially due to the fact that my friend wanted to do it and needed a buddy. Partially because I am still not giving up yet. Its the headache that made me feel reluctant. Nevertheless, since I was there...might as well just give it another go.

...and that was a good GO. I'm glad i did went. Somehow, perhaps im beginning to get the grip of things or perhaps its the weather...or maybe its just that the stars are finally aligned. I dont feel any ill after-effects. No more headache. And its this one last trip that changes everything that I've thought about for the past few days. I will DIVE again.

I'm now a certified NAUI Scuba Diver.

Oh...and I've got the tan too. Only this time, it has gone just a lil overboard.