Bintanpalooza

Way overdue. Backlogs unleashed!
*warning: bimbo post.

I implore

Today, my best friends of 10 years said that I should pursue a career in erotic literature.

“When I look at you, I think ‘porn’,” Kay Lii giggled, peering at me knowingly through the thick frames of her spectacles.

Strolling among bookshelves in MPH earlier tonight, we came across a table display with featured books. Laid somewhat inappropriately between flanking rows of celebrated classic authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Ernest Hemmingway, were tall stacks of erotic literature with sleazy covers.

Gingerly, Kay Lii picked up a pink one with some permutations of the words “heart” and “sweat” among others, and raised her eyebrows.

“This just might be your calling,” she says.

“Yeah,” Tammy chimed. “Why try so hard looking elsewhere when the answer has been here all along?”

I look on in horror as my friends shuttle outside to the café, discussing a potential book idea.

“We can call the first one ‘I like your banana’,” Tammy squeals enthusiastically.

It seems I’m not the only one keen on a risky career move. “You can be my assistant,” I replied. What will I tell Mum? I wonder.

Tammy is worried about starting late on a recent offer as an accounts exec. “Should I just take this other offer? But… I don’t want to be doing that.”

~

I toy with my cell phone, clearing the day’s history of text messages. I pause at a message I sent to Ellen this morning in my drugged, half-conscious state at 7am, telling her that I had to cancel dog walks today at the shelter. I’d been having a hellish night battling a fierce sniffle and sore nasal lining, leading to insomnia and a pounding headache until 4am when the codeine finally kicked in.

This morning, every bone in my body felt wrong.

I wonder if my body is sabotaging me. Or is it simply a victim of my poor will to meet with commitments that don’t seem to matter as much anymore? I started dog walking last summer, partly to do something I never had the time to, but mostly to get my mind off someone who had left.

Is my body failing me slowly because I simply have no confidence in it? I write now more than ever, to improve, to occupy myself, and I seek a purpose in what I’m doing, but nothing reassures me that all this is not going to the shits.

Yet, I fool everyone.

~

Kay Lii tosses the napkins on the table while Tammy teeters on her unstable, lanky frame, squeaking about how she would fail miserably as a waitress, and nervously serves us our dinner.

“You know,” she said, once properly settled. “I think I will wait for the call. You and I, us three, we know what we want to do.”

And that’s fine I suppose. We know we need time, time to try, to find the opportunity, to be given a chance.

“Don’t be a sellout, Tam.” Kay Lii said.

I want so badly to feel useful, and frighteningly, to be better than mediocre. But I don’t want to be a sellout and be wildly successful on the outside, but tragically miserable inside.

More of Greece (and commencement "movie night")

I spoke too soon; another door has promptly slammed in my face (and only through fault of overzealous bureaucracy), and to think my hand was halfway in there reaching for the icing already. I cheer myself up with more photos of my trip to Greece last month. If only I could move to a Greek island...

Also, the University Scholars Commencement dinner saw many clever (and surprisingly low-budget) costumes paraded to celebrate the theme "dress-as-your-favourite-movie-character" night. I like to think our Charlie's Angels get-up was rather ingeniously lame.

hantunemones?

It was a fruitful morning low tide as the anemone seekers tried hard (often very frustrating to watch) to sample these elusive creatures but it was an enlightening experience nonetheless; both listening to Dr Daphne and my trailing Marcus as he bestowed some interesting trivia in between taking photos of our finds. The bunny eyes were sharp that morning!

Dog walk at SPCA this morning was perplexing; a dog I always walk suddenly decides he doesn't like to walk without a friend, only moving his fat ass when another walker brought out his kennel neighbour.

I had the most fun with kay and tam tonight and boy, was it a first time properly grooving together in our 10 years of friendship. Oh, and the surgeon removed the stitches today. Strange feeling. I'd somehow developed a certain... fondness to the sutures. Hmm.

In other news, things may be looking up in the job search; I'm keeping the bunny toes crossed!

Class of 2007

We were so proud of Spencer and his speech drew tears in more ways than one! I will dearly miss these friends. Team mates, study companions, friends, club colleagues, these people are very special indeed. Surprise visit from Abel! Thanks for the flowers :)

Hot G(r)eek Buns

P. Sekudu from the boat.

Spot the bunny! :D We headed to P. Sekudu, a small outcrop of rocks (between mainland and P. Ubin) that may seem like little excuse for an island, but super low tide reveals a gorgeous expanse of intertidal wilderness and scattered granite boulders that add to the scenic charm of this tiny island.

This is called "amphibious" landing. I love it. "We're here!" *splosh* That is Ubin behind the boat.

Lovely. The sun, steadily climbing on the horizon.

Pretending to be invisible. So adorable. Look closely, is 'she' gravid?

So cute la. Hermit crab says "Wha-?? Is it safe... is it safe to come out now?"

Check out the size of these carpet anemones! The water was crystal clear, the clouding is my clumsy bunny feet stirring up the sediment. There were many more critters that ria's already blogged about.

In other news, I will be airborne in a few hours. Meanwhile, the bunny is absolutely shagged out from rising at the ungodly hour of 6am this morning, followed by a draining 2-hour essay test and interview, more errands to run, pack, a hop by the airport to send off a whole bunch of India-bound nerds, quick dinner and more packing. The bunny also sends her love to her bitches; don't miss me :D Tammy, be strong! Everything will be ok. Time with family will help I'm sure. Kay, you'll be alright :) Tany I dunno if you can read this because hello? I don't see you usin' no broooooaadband? But I kees you anyway. Meme, you MIAed for so long! I'm amazed you went to so many places on the west side. So, like, are you sending me chocolates or what?

Guys, there is also nothing to buy in Greece yeah, save for... dates, olive oil and nuts. Honest! But I'll see what can be done. I tell you, the hotel loot would be the most exotic thing to bring back la. So you guys can fight over who ends up with the shower cap and sewing kit. No bidding allowed.

Bunny love.

Graduation toast (ohdearican'tbeaslobanymore)

Watched phantom with gabe on Thursday night (which was great but reassured me that Singaporeans have zero theatre etiquette), winebar for our graduation toast with the girls on Friday night after hectic packing up of the grimy hostel room, SPCA on Saturday morning and some shopping later on, dinner with the folks and drinks with some good old friends at acid bar at night. Mad moving out and recovery today, and... Great, now, ...on to the job search (or, prep for Greece!). (Can I just be a slob for a bit longer....)

Existential transition: graduation/unemployment

My last exam this morning was a killer, right to the very end. It spared no means to torture my classmates and I, poor honours students who thought cell biology could not get any worse than the nightmare 2 years ago. But gootbye Free Radical Biology, hello erh, post-traumatic-exam-experience-angst unemployment. But I had some good times in this institution, and a select few friends who may be idiots but well we've stuck together in more ways than one. Eye keeess you all. *slurps*

Eh meiyu goot luck!

Amaizeing humour

It's times like these I dunno whether to laugh or cry. My Meme and Spencer... they bring "corny" to a whole new level.

spencer: where you going holiday?

me: greece

spencer: ehh...never say
so you get to hear all those popular songs again lah
like we go together
sandy
greece lightning

~

me: woah i tell u.
today, i had nasi lemak, and omg, instead of kunning, i had 2 SHISHAMO!!! woah happiness.

meme: what is shishamo?

me: you know, that japanese fish you fry and the belly is full of roe?

meme: OHHH i don't like roe.

me: oh, i love roe.

meme: good, we don't have to worry about having a row over roe.

me:...
spencer says "arrgh"

meme: ask him what is his proe-blem.

spencer: (on meme's corniness) she really roe-s to the occation huh?
she not the only one that can be corny roe

me: (28hours later)
MEME I HAVE A COMEBACK!
it may be a day late, but i have it! are u ready for it:
"you will ROE THE DAY we had a row over roe!!"

meme: not bad not bad! do as the roe-mans do!

me: (defeated)