One monument

This is what I said yesterday while I was transferring a customer’s call to the service department. After over a month of working as a receptionist for a car dealership, while there’s been some improvement, I still have moments of retardation.

“Good morning, ___________ Honda, this is Chris speaking”

“Hi Chris, could you please transfer me to the service department”

“One monument”

One monumental ass, that is. I transferred her quickly before I made it worse by unprofessionally laughing my head off.

Reception jobs are not the hardest to do in the world but it does require a certain type of personality and demands a certain skill set, neither of which comes naturally to me, to my dismay. Which, positively speaking, is a good thing as I am learning. I am quite certain I got this job by accidentally exposing a lot of cleavage. Hey, the shirt I wore to the interview tends to ride low, okay?

There’s just too many buttons on the stupid gigantic phone system. I keep fat-fingering, transferring to wrong extensions and switching from day to night mode (night mode switches the after-hours machine on). I’m absolutely hopeless. To make matters worse, I have to page people over a very loud PA system that can be heard in the garage, the showrooms, the offices, the annexed cafe – EVERYWHERE.

I work long hours so I’m very glad I only work there once a week. It’s a pretty successful dealership, which means more administration work,  translating into a permanent Saturday job for me. Initially I couldn’t even think about going out after work, I pretty much just went home to collapse into bed. Then I thought it might be a better idea to go out on Friday nights instead. Bad move. One time I got home exhausted and buzzed at 3am and I had to be up in 3 hours. Then I had to endure 10 hours at work and pretend to be perky and pretty. It was a nightmare. I’ve done this twice, suffered massively and there’s no guarantee that I won’t do it again.

It’s funny because I know fuck-all about cars and could not care less about them. And as much as I think it’s too late to save the planet, I’m not going to be a dick about it and stop doing my bit. Manufacturing cars use up a lot of energy and they emit all sorts of bad-for-the-environment-stuff (but then so do plenty of other things). Besides my current lifestyle doesn’t require a car. I get by alright using public transport but my colleagues are absolutely horrified when they find out I don’t own a car.

“Ok see you next week, where’d you park your car?”

“Oh I haven’t got one, I take the train and it’s only a 15 minute walk to the station from here.”

“You poor thing! I’ll give you a lift there! When are you getting a car?”

“Oh well, I dunno maybe later this year” (this is very noncommittal on my part because I really don’t want one)

And so it goes. Someone who lives 5 minutes away from me has taken it upon himself to drive me home (in his race car complete with turbo charger, I’m not joking) and I will not say no to that. Instead of my usual crazy travel (15 min walk, 20 min tram, 20 min train, another 15 min walk, not to mention the wait time between connections), it takes me less than half an hour to get home. And I am considerably less fatigued.

I’ll have to talk about the other job I do full-time during the week another time. That’s a funny one. Apart from my toxic-gas-emit-happy job, I’ve also been working for a water company that prides itself on being on top of sustainability development and environmental issues. All in all, I’ve got opposing ends of the sustainability spectrum covered. And still have time to do my volunteer/practice translation, the household chores (unfortunately you have to do your own fucking chores in the first world), socialising and random freelance design work. I’m currently working on a logo/business card/website project and am getting paid HEAPS. I’m also in the process of creating a happy design-whatever-comes-to-mind partnership with a friend. Honestly I don’t know how I’m doing all this. Better time management, perhaps?

One monument, indeed.

It’s on, Donkey Kong

Even though the tournament only officially started today with the first day of matches, the atmosphere here’s been tennis-y since the start of December. Public transport’s gone crazy with advertisement. I should post an actual photo of a tram with Nadal’s grim warrior face on it, looking like he’s about to leap off the side to chase down a shot! It sends a shiver of delight down my back every time I see one of those things chugging past. Imagine what it does to me when I’m actually on one. Delicious.

I haven’t actually gone over to see any of the games live yet, but I’ve got me a nice little pass for Wednesday. Excitement! I’m taking the afternoon off work and my sister and I will be whooping and booing at the courts! Then I may just ask a colleague of mine to fill in for me on Saturday at reception since Gui’s shouting my Hisense Arena pass! Sweet! New beer’s resolution: I’ve always known this but now I know it from experience: absolutely no Foster!

Hopefully she can sort me out this Saturday. But then again, if I’m honest, I’m probably going to have just as much fun at work since I get to do a bit of reading online. It’s just not going to be the kind of fun that makes people envious. My reading material every Saturday at work is accounting…and I may throw in a bit of marketing to mix things up a bit. That might be a bit too crazy, but you know me. I’m looking into bookkeeping. Hey, the job sites are full of offers for those people.

I realise taking all this time off work is hurting me a bit financially, what with this semester’s fees coming up in March, and maybe very foolish, especially now that I’ve actually got jobs that are significantly more permanent than, say, the last dozen or so that I’ve had. Job insecurity’s a bitch. Haha I don’t love it but it’s definitely been an interesting feeling. It’s all worth it. I’m beginning to believe that what I want out of life and what kind of people, things, activities I want to surround myself with…are exactly just that: things that I continue to want – to have, to do, to be. Good stuff. It’s about fucking time I started getting my act together. I mean, really. Yay me!

As hard as it’s been, I still have to keep reminding myself that the experiences are a large part of why I’m here. Boy, am I grateful that I’ve always had and will continue to have family support. Yay family!

It can’t just be about work and work and study and study. I’ve met enough students and salary people that have turned into social cripples – they’ll complain and stress about life without any humor (probably because they’re so fatigued) and any attempt just makes it worse. Then they’ll readily fall into painfully awkward conversation. Trust me, it’s bad. It’s awful because some of them have been here a year or 2, haven’t been on any road/ski/beach/nature trips, haven’t gone out of state, their friends are from immediate circles at school or work (if you can even call it proper friendship), haven’t enjoyed the thousands of events and festivals that are on pretty much every day. They reside here, they work here, they go to school here but aren’t actually living here. Or they do some or all of these things but they’re still thinking about school/work.

Working/studying without joy sucks the living marrow out of you. Not even those working in hospitality are spared from it. If you can’t remember how long it’s been since you were happy at what you’re doing, people will notice how dull and mechanical you’ve become at everything else and will stay away. 10 months on in Melbourne says I know what I’m talking about. You are also correct in concluding that I have no real point. A la Matrix: there is no point.

Yes, I’m talking to you (but I actually mean me).

/preach

Books: 1st quarter 2010 – some odd realisations

I didn’t even notice I’d begun reading nonfiction in the last couple of years. I’m usually an observant person but I’m also usually looking at things outside of myself so I never notice what I’m up to unless I make a conscious effort. I had also considered nonfiction synonymous to school textbooks and dull things and thought of myself as a proud and very fun-to-be-with fiction reader. Anyway I’ve actually been reading more nonfiction these days, I suppose I only just do that to pass the time between releases of Murakami books. I was reading a book of supposedly riveting and insightful short stories with a post 9/11 setting but I have actually been afraid to pick it up since the last story about a lady who punished her husband’s infidelities by aborting their unborn child. I was traumatised. It was so detached and cold and just felt so wrong. Huhu.

So on to better things. I finally bought Mr Brownworth’s book! The paperback isn’t available until this coming May and I just couldn’t wait. Fortunately, the holiday season offers a ton of discounts and add to that a Christmas gift coupon and you’ve got yourself a very happy girl.

Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire That Rescued Western Civilization by Lars Brownworth

The title says all! It’s gonna be so good! Here’s a small trivia about me: I seem to have trouble pronouncing ‘Byzantine’. I am adding that to the list of words I can’t say properly. Another one is ‘percentage’. I really don’t know why, the more I practice, the worst I get. I am sometimes stupid.

And for a slightly less fun book. It’s a collection of essays about language and stuff. I’m just about to start reading it. I didn’t realise there was so much to be said about translation and its involved ethics. I find it all very curious. I take it back, I think it’s going to be very fun! Edward Said’s essay is the first one.

Nation, Language, and the Ethics of Translation edited by Sandra Bermann and Michael Wood

Oh wait there’s more

I forgot to tell you about a funny and a bit annoying story that happened to me recently.

As you know, I’ve made a number of friends and acquaintances in my time here. I’ve found a few gems whom I am absolutely delighted with and with those gems came a whole basket of rotten apples, some sleazier than others. There is one I kind of suspect is a serial killer. Fits the profile. White male in his 30s, looks harmless, not bad-looking and good at charming unsuspecting and rather attractive women (because this is my blog, I will refer to myself as a rather attractive woman, quite the minx if I do say so myself). I must be on my toes with this one. Either I stop watching the crime channel (I do believe Serial Killer Sunday is responsible for this runaway paranoia of mine) or I stop replying to this guy’s texts and calls. I don’t wish to be murdered anytime soon so I will probably do the sensible thing here. But he is so charming. I’m joking, of course.

But this story isn’t about Simon, if that is his real name.

This story is about Manu. A very successful man in his 30s, I don’t know exactly how old he is since I haven’t been curious enough to ask. I suppose he’s an attractive fellow but unfortunately shaped like a dad. Like most men end up looking anyway but I’d really like to have a few years with someone who doesn’t already look like a parent. If that’s not too much to ask. I’m going to die forever unpartnered, aren’t I?

Anyway all superficiality aside, I think he has about 4 degrees, one of which is a law one. I guess he’s smart. Not sure what his other academic qualifications are, I’m pretty sure he’s mentioned all this before but he talks so much that he’ll probably come full circle one of these days and I’ll have another shot at his basic info.

Now Manu and I have become friends. He was rather forward from the get-go which I mostly ignored the first time I met him because I was already inebriated before I was even introduced to him. I know I told him from the beginning that I’m not keen on a relationship right now, I’m sure of this because that’s always been my default stance when it comes to people who display some sort of interest. That is, until I fall in love. Then everything goes out the window. I just got out of a long and meaningful one this year (this explains a lot of my reticence the past several months) and because it was meaningful, the end was also very painful. I’m okay now, thanks for asking and I am praying that no romantic love happens to me in the next few years. I’m not bitter at all, for which I am very grateful because it hasn’t been easy. I thought I would end up embittered and hateful. Rest assured, I am neither. I allowed myself to mourn properly and since then I have re-set some priorities and re-aligned some plans, and right now I am on track and I really don’t want distractions unless it’s the real McCoy. Thankfully, the falling in love thing has been a very infrequent occurrence in my life. But it’s certainly one of the more interesting nuisances one encounters in one’s life.

Ok back to Manu. So Manu becomes enamored of me and starts off rather aggressive. Which I’m really not into, I’ve decided. I wasn’t even flattered, just icked by the persistent hand-grabbing and arm-around-the-shouldering. It’s weird and just fake when strangers do it.

Anyway, we hang out a few times and conversation is passable, sometimes even enjoyable but nothing mindblowing. You’d think one would make an incredible conversationalist after having obtained 4 degrees. I think he felt like we had some kind of intellectual connection. Whatever. I’m getting ahead of myself. I really can’t wait to finish this story.

But let me tell you, this guy is a talker. He seems to like hearing himself talk. He’s talked me to the point of sobriety once and I remember feeling numb with exhaustion. Haha I find that really funny now. In fact, I really hate missing his phone calls because then he’d leave voicemail and I’d check my messages and spend about 10 minutes listening to him talk. Ugh so tedious. I have a problem with chatty men. And fresh fuckers at that.

So he tells me about his life and how amazing he has it. To clarify, he wasn’t emptily arrogant or anything, I’m sure he worked really hard for all he has achieved so far. I think we just didn’t click and I guess he thought we did and that made me feel more reluctant to hang out. And he, being armed with a healthy sexual appetite (yes he generously offered this info and he was absolutely shocked that I am one that remains largely sexually uninterested unless strong emotions are involved…then I am RAWR) and his 4 academic degrees and financial success, was certainly more than up to the challenge of convincing me, a nothing student-again person, to start something with him. Obviously my sexy body intrigued him.

Then I got busy and a lot of shit hit the fan in my life and school and work became a major issue and I had to say bye bye to $5,000 and then run around and sort things out. Bad stuff.

So naturally I wasn’t up to doing much socialising. Long story short, he thought I wasn’t “investing enough energy” into our “friendship” and he felt like he was putting in all the effort. He wrote me a rather lengthy email after I hemmed and hawed about meeting up before he flew home for Christmas. In retrospect, thank God he didn’t call me to talk about it and my ear off in the process.

I was more amused than irritated. But definitely icked because he caused a stink and I had to do something about it and I really really did not want to.

So I said look Manu that’s fair enough but you know what’s been going on in my life right now, of course I want to hang out with friends but I’ve had to deal with events and make decisions that will affect the next 2-3 years of my life and I know I seem laidback about it all but I really think this warrants some looking into and so that’s what I’m doing. Also I noticed you like to book your entire week solid with events and dates while I usually like to play it by ear. Plus (and this is the palpable hit) friends don’t try to nuzzle and kiss each other’s necks and I don’t want you to think I’m interested and just playing hard to get. It was nice knowing you and enjoy the holidays.

He rang me a few days after that but I didn’t hear the phone ring so he left a message that was like half an hour long.  I had actually hoped he would walk away after that last email but maybe he is now a man on a mission. He called again on Christmas day and said he was waiting for his flight. I would have probably saved myself all this trouble if I had just left his email unanswered but that wouldn’t have been very nice and I did say I’m open to friendship. He pretty much just wants to get in my pants and I’m pretty sure I don’t so I really don’t know what he wants with me now. He goes on heaps of dates and he has told me he has slept with some of them so why all this fuss over someone who is potentially frigid?

Very possibly the last post of 2009

Actually I’m pretty sure it will be. I’m looking forward to an exciting week and will most definitely be too busy awesoming to bother with a post!

It’s about midnight now and I think I’m supposed to be finished packing. Then sleeping.

Instead, I’m listening to a french radio station and the program on right now is ‘Nostalgie’. Except none of these songs are bringing back any memories…and even if I did grow up in France, it’s still the wrong era. Peu importe, it’s all still very lovely.

I’m also passing the time decidedly not sleeping. Instead I’m wondering what book to bring with me. I’m only going to be gone a week. Truthfully speaking though, I probably won’t have any time to read either and I don’t really have a lot of room left in my bag. But if I’m stuck waiting for hours, then I’ll be kicking myself for not having brought anything and I’ll have to pretend that I don’t like reading. I haven’t even packed a beach towel yet. Or my electronicky stuff like music gear, phone charger and camera. Only now I’m thinking of not bringing the camera, it’s gotten very shitty over the past year and I’d rather go without any pictures of my exciting 2009 than go out and buy a new one. Because that would mean I’d have to do research and compare features and prices and sift through all relevant digital considerations. A veritable but very avoidable nightmare. Back to my bag room problem. I brought a couple of dresses, bikinis, shorts and a few shirts that I’ll probably wear more than twice. It’s okay, I don’t start smelling until the third day of unkemptness and unbatheness. And I’m pretty sure I’ll make time to bathe.

Ooh I know this song. Piaf. Je ne regrette rien, I think the title is. If it isn’t, it really should be. What a lady.

So yeah bag room. Forget about extra shoes. Maybe I’ll just stick to wearing my flip flops. My sister thinks I need more shoes that aren’t flip flops. I think I should care more about that suggestion. I have bought non flip floppy items in the past year but since it’s gotten so hot and summery, I’ve been less inclined to wear too much clothing. I think the slightly unsightly peely bits on my chest are a direct result of not being covered enough.

Sydney’s not very far from here but I don’t know anyone there! I’m nervous! I’m staying at 3 hostels in one week! I booked this trip months ago but I still wasn’t able to find one hostel that had available beds for the dates I’m there. In fact, I’ve actually forgotten (until now) that I don’t have a place to stay on the 31st. I’m not just staying up, I’m staying out on New Year’s eve!

Back next week! Don’t expect pictures!

Tomorrow really is another day

So things have started improving for me since that last post, and it hasn’t even been 3 days! I do realise that the struggle is far from over and the self-imposed 4-month probation period still stands but I have to say that a few things have begun looking up. I was literally sighing with relief all day yesterday.

I cannot believe it’s December. Of 2009. Wow the entire year went fast. I’m nearly done with 2009 and I’m glad about that. I was thinking, as I like to do, that I’ve had a really rough time for a long time now and I almost wrote 2008 and 2009 off as the toughest years I have had so far. But upon further reflection, I’ve come to the conclusion that the last two years have contained equal amounts of some of the most incredible and miserable moments of my life. I hope I learned something.

I know I’ve been terrible at updating this thing and I’ve come close to stopping altogether so many times because I just couldn’t be bothered to write anything. I was sifting through a shitload of drama and planning and going through all levels of elation and despair and in the intensity, I probably unlocked a few more (sorry I just unlocked a new level in this game I’m playing and I couldn’t resist throwing that in). And I’m really bad at sharing private internal things. I’ve always been more comfortable sorting myself out and figuring out sustainable solutions before talking about it. I’ve been a lot less strict about that lately. Probably because I was suddenly out of my comfort zone and had to do without my regular support network of amazing friends.

This year has found me challenging a lot of my habits, thoughts, values, long-held beliefs and informed conclusions drawn from past experiences. Maybe it was insane leaving a stable, steady job and the feeling of being comfortably settled into life. Maybe it was foolish that I exchanged it all for debt, destitute studentry, a ridiculous amount of rejections, crucial but sometimes numbing settling-into-a-new-life exercises, MANY oh-so-very-many painfully awkward and probably stupidly dangerous situations…I know I know, I’m totally glamming it up. I think I wanted to shake things up because I knew I was stuck somewhere I didn’t really want to be and I was uninspired.

Yes, it’s been a fantastic schizophrenic run so far. I suppose we all have to go through something like that at some point in life. I think it makes me feel like my life is filled with some kind of purpose. Opting out of what would normally be considered a good life and buying into what would normally be dismissed as puff of smoke fantasy. You know, you push yourself to keep going and when you get there – POOF – nothing’s there. Marty challenged this the other day and I was a bit bothered with his devil’s advocate questions.

Anyway while I do think that there is more excitement (and probably more drama) in store for me in the future, I think it’s safe to assume that I have a few “peaceful” months to recover and re-strategise a successful bounce back into life.

This summer is when things will turn around, I can feel it. I know it’s a bit too early to be saying this but BRING ON 2010!

I thought the worst would be over by now

Alas, I am sadly mistaken. I’m a little teary-eyed as I am writing this but on the bright side, I’m not devastated to the point of inactivity. I’m still feeling pretty blue though.

It looks like I will have to give it another 4 months of “hardship” and planning. I can imagine my future self laughing over this whole bit of melodrama (maybe it’s hope rather). I assure you though that this is not one of the numerous self-made problems I’d always been keen on cultivating when I was younger. I’d have to say that this time life is really giving me a rough time.

Onwards to 4 months from now then.

Books: Some graphic novels I’ve been/’m reading

So yeah I’ve been loving the city (and state) library since I got here. Admittedly, I haven’t made full use of its potential but I had just moved to a new country and I was a bit busy with other things. Pretty basic and administrative tasks, like getting my shiny new Boost Juice card. Mhmm perfect for the hot sunny days. I like to plan ahead. Oh and I got some tax-related stuff. Boring but very useful for contract jobs, which I’ve been getting a lot of (ok just a couple) from Facebook, no joke. Whoever says that it is a waste of time has clearly been playing too much Farmville.

So I’ve been on and off a graphic novel binge the past several months. I saw Persepolis on DVD earlier this year and I had the bright idea of borrowing the book from the library. Looking back now, I kinda wish I had gone and seen more animated films during the film festival. But that was during a crazy time of working and studying and working and volunteering. I barely even had time to breathe then. I have way too much free time now. Hmm. Well not necessarily free time, I’ll call it fun time. Books, museums, light installation shows, special exhibitions (saw one about Pompeii and I LOVED it!). Oh yeah I’m loving it.

And so I went to the library and while there, I had another bright idea of borrowing more. Then I discovered the online reservation system. And the self-checkout machine at the library. Currently, I have 8 books on loan and 20 on reserve. I would have kept going but it seems that I’ve maxed it out. Most of the books are of the visual variety: graphic novels (they’re more than just comics, mind you) and design books and then throw in a D.H. Lawrence here and a William Faulkner there. The only book I’ll be buying this year is the recent one from Lars Brownworth, my idol Byzantine lecturer. I’m already feeling depressed in anticipation of having finished reading it. But let’s not dwell on that.

Here are some good recommended reads, if you’re into a lot of human interest stuff and reading about history’s “losers” and survivors. It’s very good stuff, I tell you.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis: The Story of a Return are both by Marjane Satrapi. She grew up in Tehran and saw and lived through part of the revolution. Her parents sent her to Vienna when she was 13 or something then she returned to Iran in her 20s, forever changed. She moved back to Europe and I think she’s based in France now. I heard about her because I was reading up on French illustrators. She’s pretty awesome. I think I instantly like people who speak languages well. They’re better at deciphering human nature.

Next up, I discovered Maus II by Art Spiegelman by accident when I was on my way out of the library and the swastika image on the front cover caught my eye. I’ve been morbidly interested in the Holocaust ever since I can remember. I once sat through Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah, glued to the screen for 9 hours. I think watching that once was enough, really. I’m in the queue for Maus I. The second one was pretty good, I wasn’t as drawn into it as I was into Marjane’s world (yes I feel very close to her) but I’m hoping the first one is better. I’m guessing my brain’s just completely saturated with years of reading up on this topic.

The Alcoholic by Jonathan Ames and Dean Haspiel is something I came across while searching for graphic novels on the library website. Everything I felt I wanted enough to go the distance of a few more double clicks was checked out and I didn’t feel like queueing for any of them. Besides the title got me all curious. While I don’t think I’m an alcoholic, I may have had a problem of excess at some point in my past. I certainly still enjoy indulging a drink or two or three a few times a month, maybe even sometimes a whole bottle of a really good pinot noir. Living in Australia encourages drinking. I just try to fit in.

Jonathan Ames’ story confirmed a lot of my thoughts on alcoholism and the people afflicted by it and provided some really good and new insight. The romantic in me wanted a more upbeat ending, but what he had put there was probably more apt. Haspiel’s illustrations are awesome.

Joe Sacco’s Palestine is what I’m reading at the moment. Very heavy stuff to go through. I’ve had to take breaks from reading it. It’s originally a nine-part comic series but I borrowed the single volume edition. Another chance discovery from browsing the returns cart, hehe. Edward Said’s introduction is superbly written.

That’s what I’m partly busy with these days. That and concluding contract work I’ve done in the past 5 weeks. And looking after the baby sometimes. LOVE.

Not a bad show at all. But now that I’m on holiday, I’ve got heaps of free time and am allowed more hours to work. I’ve got to find steady work again though. I want to go to a beach outside Victoria this summer.

What happened to October 2009?

I’m going over my calendar now and I’ve got things color-coded. I’ve got a lot less of the green (work) and pink (school, less days but more full on) in October, more of the yellow (interesting things I do/attend that are not necessarily related to work or school) and black (social) and a bit of purple (back up career planning). Needless to say, that month went by in a blur.

Nowadays, the skies are bluer and clearer and the sun is definitely hotter. I’ve taken a couple of sunny strolls and spent a few hours under the sun yesterday and my oh my, looks like I’ll be roasty toasty brown when 2010 rolls in. Can’t wait for BBQ picnics and beach trips.

I took some time off work to spend time with my parents, who have been in town since the middle of September and will be here until the end of November. Plus I’ve got a little nephew now and it’s great helping look after him. I’ve started looking for a few jobs and hopefully will be working by the time school wraps up for the summer. I have 3 months off classes!! Got work to do, places to go to, people to hang out with. Life is very good.

7 months here and it’s safe to say that I am having an awesome time here. I love the fact that there’s so much to do, and they’re things I want to do and didn’t know I wanted to do! The weather could be more predictable but I’m really loving the cafes (I’m on coffee ban at the moment cos I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately), the libraries, the galleries, the festivals, the little alleys, the laneway culture, the nightlife, the people I come across and their diversity, the friends I’ve made, the feeling that for some reason I can get more things done here… I still get homesick and I’m already excited to return to Manila in early 2011 for a quick visit but folks, it’s official: I heart Melbourne.

Soon is here

Okay let’s get something clear. When I said ‘back soon’, I meant ‘Gimme a month’. So it’s all good really. I’m even 2 days ahead of schedule.

Soookay, what’s been happening here? Work’s fine, the steady computer job is coming to an end soon. The project deadline is in a week and a half and then launch and then bye bye funding. I’m getting nostalgic. Such a good group of people. Geeky, funny and just all-around great. I had fun, learned about things I didn’t know I’d enjoy and made some friends. But I think the learning’s plateau’d out and I feel like it’s time to move on. I’m having a coffee chat with my next employer this Friday.

School’s term 3 starts this week too. I had a quick look at the subjects and MAYBE this term will be easier than the previous one. Which is good cos I want to do other meaningful stuff like write haikus and do more shopping.

My parents are in town. They arrived last week. Everyone’s waiting impatiently for the little one to come out…

I bought a bike and started riding it a few weeks after. The weather’s warmed up considerably but it still gets nippy and I still have to wear some layers. It’s raining at the moment. At least tomorrow’s likely to be a nice sunny day.

It was a bit frightening to get back on the bike after years and years of inactivity, but once I screwed up the courage to get on and stay on, it’s been exhilarating. Looking forward to making a habit of riding a couple of hours per week. Very happy about having a huge park with trails and inclines and slopes nearby. Hopefully I’ll become confident enough to start riding on the road with fast fast cars. Especially since I’ve never ridden a bike with gears before, it’s somewhat disconcerting. Anyway I’m excited about riding around and exploring the city on wheels! I even worked out a way to get to the boxing gym, which is a bit over 6km away. That’s still a bit ambitious at this point but I really miss the speedball!

Hm. That’s about it. I haven’t been in a public writing mood of late so I’ll have to check in with you later on. Oh and today marks the anniversary of the big car crash. Yep, still alive.