Archive for April, 2005
I’m running away to join the circus
Posted on April 29, 2005, by soph, under Learning Curve.
My first attempt. Note the moment of intimacy between my colleague and the nice Aussie bloke, Tim, in the upper left corner.
The scariest moment - besides climbing up, standing on the way-too-tiny platform and having to practically stretch horizontal while entrusting my life to Tim holding on to my harness - is letting go of the bar. But it is just the most exhilarating thing. What you see is as much a hands-raised-in-upside-down-victory as it is a knee hang.
On the second day. Attempting a catch. One would think after six times I wouldn’t be scared anymore. Well, I have news. It just does not work that way.
The feeling of relief and I’m-going-to-pull-this-off that I got when I saw my catcher, Momoco, coming up at me is amazing. I’m supposed to be a writer but I have no words. Would I do it again? Hell, yeah.
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Island to the South
Posted on April 27, 2005, by soph, under Travels.
Anomaly: Restlessness
Status: Cured
Antidote: Singapore
I am back, and happy to be. The Club Med withdrawal symptoms are all but fading, though the pictures of me flying through the air that I received today did bring back wistful memories. They shall be up as soon as I get my hands on a scanner. I sure look funny on a trapeze.
Special thanks and lots of love to Di and Kaye for just hanging out and giving me the best time; to Gideon for housing us, chauffeuring me around, and cutting work to hang out at the-place-which-shall-not-be-named; to my clients who gave me that wonderful facial and that amazing hotel room all to myself. The past four days have just been one ultra long, uber cool highlight. And here I am attempting to put it into words.
I give up. Here are the moments forever immortalized in cyberspace and my memories:
1. Seeing Di, Kaye and Gideon again at Terminal 2 Changi International Airport.
2. Sitting by the beach at midnight with the salty smell of sea water and the seabreeze in our faces.
3. Snoozing for 2 whole hours.
4. Sitting in an Osim idesire chair for a free massage.
5. Eating literally heaps of seriously yummy ice cream. I even tried some in ginger tea flavour.
6. Eating bak chor mee pok (minced meat and vinegar noodles I think it is) after declaring ourselves too full to eat dinner.
7. Bumming with Di and Kaye watching The Apprentice - definitely one of my favourites, Harold and Kumar go to White Castle - such a guy movie, and Final Cut - some Robin Williams flick which turned out pretty good despite the fact that I fell asleep and woke up in time for the ending.
8. The most relaxing facial I’ve ever had at Sentosa Island.
9. Going into my room, realizing I have it all to myself, and trying to decide which of the two single beds joined together I should sleep on (I picked the right side).
10. Having champagne by the pool while getting to know some media folk and Frenchmen.
11. Accidentally winning some goodies from a game I didn’t really participate in.
12. Lying in bed watching Desperate Housewives (I finally got to watch it), Vegas (but I fell asleep 15 minutes into the episode), before finally giving in to sleep at midnight.
13. Lunch and karaoke. Just the best fun.
Biggest highlight:
Watching Di karaoke singing to Jerry Yan. Words cannot do it justice. If I ever figure out how to put up a video…
I promise to provide pictures. Just not now.
I miss you guys already.
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TGIF
Posted on April 22, 2005, by soph, under Uncategorized.
At 10:44 this morning…
sophia says:
hey babe, how was your weekend?
bubble pop electric says:
it’s friday today. yesterday was thursday.
Right.
I can’t believe I’ve been looking forward to this weekend and I forgot today is Friday.
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Shavings.
Posted on April 21, 2005, by soph, under Uncategorized.
Did I forget to mention that today is a public holiday and public holidays are among the best things in the world next to chocolate and beaches and waves and sun and girl-talks and fifty-two other different things?
Maybe Singapore will be just what the doctor ordered.
And can you believe I have ten weeks left to my wedding? No wonder our parents are freaking out. But we are not, and for that, I am truly proud.
The End.
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Wandering Wonder
Posted on April 21, 2005, by soph, under Psychobabble.
Do you ever look at pictures of people you don’t know, and wonder about their lives? Who they are, how they live, what they do, and what they will go on to do. Have you ever thought about individuals with whom you’ve shared but moments, and wonder about them? Who they are, what they will become, and whether you will ever see them again?
I do.
I wonder about the people in the photographs my dad took during his trip to Russia. What is life like for the little blonde girl? Will she go on to university or will her life take a completely different turn? I wonder about the little boy she has her arm around. Is he her brother? Will he eventually leave Russia? Will he succumb to the pressures of drugs and alcohol?
I wonder about the French lady who greeted us with “Boujoir” that sunny morning. What was she doing in Club Med? What has her life been like? I wonder about the friends we’ve made and people I’ve met over the years, people with whom I have shared just hours or many days, people with whom I’ve connected just walking down the street. What are their lives like? Who are their families? Will I ever see them again?
There is a lot of wondering to do if you put your mind to it. I guess there’s no better time to do it than my present restless wander.
A spot of blog surfing has left me missing friends I have not seen in ages. Missing Melbourne. Don’t think I do not read your blogs just because I leave no mark. I do. A part of me wants to go back to Melbourne. But another part of me fantasizes about foreign regions as yet unexplored. And while life here is good, there is a swab of emptiness. And I know just what is missing.
On a less cryptic note, you will not believe how ugly the engraving on wedding bands can be. How on earth are we supposed to get a decent one around here?
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Restless
Posted on April 21, 2005, by soph, under Uncategorized.
I am restless I miss the girls so much I want to sit in the sun with ice cold drinks and talk until we fall asleep under the stars I want to walk along the beach and feel the waves soaking my capri pant legs I want to jump into the pool on a whim and not worry about having to change because I’m living in my bikini anyway I want to go around barefoot and do hip-hop dance classes every morning I want to walk along the little paths and feel the sea breeze I want to make connections with people I barely know but who have welcomed me as their new best friend I want to walk to breakfast in the sun and greet everyone with a smile and a Good Morning I want to learn French so I can make conversation with the warm, French lady and the cutest eight year old in the whole wide world I want to dance with a roomful of fumbling, bumbling adults and not care how I look because everyone is having so much fun it does not matter I want to speak Japanese
What is it about beaches that makes me come alive?
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Swinging in the Sun
Posted on April 20, 2005, by soph, under Learning Curve, Travels.
I have been back in KL for 17 hours, and missing Club Med for 20. I have bruises on the back of both knees, a slightly blistered left palm and arms and abs that won’t stop hurting. I can’t laugh, I can’t cough, but make it known, Sophia has done the trapeze.
And I have a certificate to prove it.
If anyone is going to Club Med Cherating this year, call me. I miss the sun-I-did-not-get-to-spend-time-in-because-I’m-not-supposed-to-tan, the beach, the waves, the smiles, the friendly people, the sheer paradise and the otherworldly-ness of it all. I know it’s not real and I know I can’t stay there forever but a girl can dream, can’t she?
Besides, you have got to try the trapeze. I don’t think I’ve ever been so determined to do something in a while. I think the exact words for what I did was: knee hang catch. Figure it out. If I get a photo of me flailing in the air (I think a really nice colleague took photos without me asking), I’ll put it up. In the meantime you just have to take my word for it: it was awesome.
I believe my lovely colleagues are planning a little trip back for my hen’s night. How sweet.
I can’t believe I’m sitting in the office now.
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Quickie
Posted on April 16, 2005, by soph, under Web Stuff.
Just for a bit of fun:
Or who knows, you might find it useful. Somehow.
I have less than 24 hours before my company trip, where I intend to dress up as Mrs. Potato Head. Maybe I should just take the easy way out and be the feather duster from Beauty and the Beast.
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Driving the coupe.
Posted on April 12, 2005, by soph, under Career.
I am done with freebies. At least, I hope I am.
Yesterday, I got me the ultimate freebie - I drove a sportscar for free. Fine, so maybe most of you wouldn’t consider the Peugeot Coupe a sportscar, but to me, anything with two doors and a retractable roof counts. The fact that you’re not normally required to pay a fee for test-driving doesn’t count either. If they knew what kind of driver I was - barely competent though not wild and dangerous, they would have charged me for that joy-ride.
As it is, I was so nervous I was going the speed of a horse carriage practically. But I am proud to say I survived without a scratch. Oh, and the car was okay too. Among the things that must have been going through the salesman’s mind probably included:
a) These rich spoilt brats! She looks barely 21 (after all, I have been mistaken for 16) and she comes in looking at the coupes.
b) Good heavens! The way she’s driving, I don’t know why she doesn’t get a bicycle instead.
c) Ooh! Another potential coupe buyer. Now let’s calculate the commission I’m going to get out of this…
I must say, I thought I did a pretty good job acting like the rich (and incompetent) young punk looking to spend more of daddy’s money. Artfully dropped questions with phrases such as “maintenance”, “second-hand value”, and “I really like how it’s so small and compact” really helped. That and the fact that I arrived at the showroom in a silver Audi. Anyway, it was fun. I hope I never have to do it again.
Now I just need to lose my habit of gravitating towards every morsel of free food I can get. It’s become a reflex I tell you.
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Reminder to Me
Posted on April 12, 2005, by soph, under Uncategorized.
Please remind to bring a camera along when I go for my company trip at Club Med this weekend. Also, when I go down to Singapore next weekend.
As you can tell from my constant referrals to my impending trips, I am excited.
