Taking to the Air

After months of futile attempts, I am giving up my relationship with Livejournal in China. China, maybe it's just the jungle I am living in (8 hours from Taipei, 6 hours from Singapore, 5 hours from Hong Kong, 1 hour from Guangzhou... Sobs.), has put up so many fences of challenge that accessing LJ can be incredibly difficult. Even anonymousing doesnt get me very far - I would be prompted for a password every time I try to post an entry, and I cant upload pix. If a picture could paint a thousand words, why would I try to write an epic to illustrate my current state of - hai...

I am moving back to my old sanctuary at http://drinkmojito.blogspot.com/ which is currently a friendlier place to blog in given my circumstances. I looked through my entries of 2005 and 2006 on blogspot and a sudden rush nostalgia laced with undergraduatedaysofinnocence flooded my consciousness. It is for my future dose of nostalgia that I will continue to blog even though I no longer get to do so on LJ.

I will miss you all, the community, at LJ, especially my close friends as well as those I have met at one point in time or another during my school days. All you people who have been supportive and yet also spinmeisters of sometimes entertaining, sometimes heartwarming, and sometimes downright chichi tales.

Hugs,
D.

Why shouldn’t I treat myself right, I ask myself so often.

That’s why I shall be taking off to Taipei tomorrow. Finally it’s happening, but it’s going to be awfully short and sexy. Just one night – and you know the sort of hassle one has to go through hustling from Foshan to Taipei Taoyuan via Guangzhou/LoWu/ChekLapKok… It’s still going to be worth it cos the ±¶µ∫fever I have been experiencing this week is so overthetop, thanks to hours given to watching ≈ºœÒæÁ°∂◊™Ω«”ˆº˚∞Æ°∑°£°£°£starring Da-S and XiaoZhu. Phew. This is also a build up from spending wasted weekends with Taiwanese in Shenzhen and HongKong°£ Taiwan is both Chinois et Japonais flava rolled into one – and it can be an irresistible bite. It’s so tempting to make it a second home.

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Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, as experienced at The Brunch Club, Peel Street, Midlevels, back in January.


Last week i was very, very tired but well recharged. It was another sexy too-short weekend to Hong Kong again. This time with Toshi-san, my other adventurous friend about town (GZ, that is). On Sat night, I dropped my bags at Ramada Sheung Wan after a long trip via GZ-Shenzhen railways/KCR/MTR/Tram, cruising in to Des Voeux Road West. We headed straight to party at New World Centre, ran into Hata and Billy, drowning in a frenzy of light-headed and light-footed beings. And so of course the party had to go on till morning. At 4ish, we had a quick drink before heading over to an afterhours joint on Ice House St-meets-Queens Rd Central where we morningpartied till nine. Sleep-deprived, I went with Toshi for brunch at rave-worthy Press Room (pardon the pun) where I got my smoked salmon eggs benedict. Now a regular brunch spot on Hollywood Road for Midlevels/Island types, we enjoy the high ceilings, sexy one dish meals and the chance to feel/do local even if we don't speak perfect Cantonese. I miss those civilized even if un peu pretentious brunches. Skipping down Midlevels merrily, we went to H&M Queens Road Central to navigate the debris that's just settled from the Madonna-driven media hype. There was little to buy, except for ankle socks in summer colours, pistachio green boxers and a pair of white sandals to kick off late spring easing into summer. Finally, it was to Times Sq to get BiothermHomme's Age Fitness Yeux to make up for last night's no-sleep; and Page One to get Time Out Tokyo, just the sort of reading material to put me comfortably into bed in noman'sland Foshan.

A while ago, after all that great, great Chinese New Year holiday in Singapore, Hongkong and Shenzhen, mounting work and pressure to pass my driving theory test (in Chinese) made me think about life here in China. Somehow it felt like a part of me has died and sublimated into the foggy clouds of untreated air in Foshan. 怎么好好的一个人这样被蹂躏？ Life has been so uninspired that I havent had the energy, drive and desire to blog -whether about sadness or happiness.

Now, at 5am, browsing through Filippino sites (Cebu Air, Sea Air, Asian Spirit) and perking me up for a greater interest in the larger Filippino market (and therefore an interest in my Phil clients) i imagine myself diving in Davao and partying with circuit types in Boracay - all soundtracked by a fairy-esque, innocent and most importantly, hopeful-sounding chime from the Van Cleef et Arpels website. I'm hoping my visit to the Philippines will help establish a stronger relationship with my Phil clients and rake in the sales for this year. All these running through my mind as I prepare my customer profile reports for submission...

And of course, I ought to celebrate the things in my life that keep me alive. Late night Skype convos. Preparing for TPE this weekend (think Eslite Dunnan for literary purchases, Cal Fitness for gym fix, Eastside 东区 for shopping, Redemption.Jump, Sunday Brunch, newly-reopened National Palace Museum). And I am looking forward to Tokyo this May holidays. Tickets booked - just waiting for my friend at ANA Guangzhou to issue them, hehe. I have my mind set on visiting Tokyo Midtown, Omotesando Hills, vintage/thrift stores, temples to fashion/architecture, new National Art Centre, newly-relocated Suntory art venue...and of course, spend time in the hotel room.

hello

I  am officially homesick.

This trip back to Singapore was all about catching up with family, old friends, visiting old places as well as new ones. I try to meet all the people I miss and take pictures (of everyone, food, buildings...) to remind me of home that is Singapore. As the old memories flood my troubled consciousness, I found myself drowning in nostalgia and pathos.  And as the days pass, the sentiments build up dramatically into cumulonimbus-like clouds of sadness - casting a shadow over my every breathing moment.

I realise that i have come to love Singapore to bits - I love the fresh air, the cosmo feel, the mix of old and new and I miss the familiar lilt of Singlish. In the wake of an increasingly-globalized world, my Singaporean identity actually (rather counter-intuitively) became stronger instead of weaker (see, Lily Kong and Brenda Yeoh on Identity Politics and Transnational Labour). You can take the boy out of Singapore but you can't take Singapore out of him.

As I spend my last night in Singapore, I shall parlay my tears into living a more fulfilling life in China and leave all sadness and negativity at Changi/check-in tomorrow.

And I will always have Singapore.

As the days draw nearer, I feel more and more excited. Images of home, family, friends and all ma favourite places in Singapore flash past my mind at my desk in Foshan even as I trawl through a mountain of quotations, emails, Wrigley Extra chewing gum bottles and Palmolive shampoo film... I am coming home. I feel so excited to see all of you back home and I hope you are too. I am ready for Spring Festival.

I arrive in Singapore on Sunday 11th February evening and return on 23rd February morning. Call me. Muaks.

View from my friend's apartment in Prince Edward overlooking Langham Place

The Hongkong weekend getaway was so all so comfy it was imposs to want to leave. And a great way to start 2007 with a bang. (31st Dec, Sunday, was gazetted as a work day- leaving 1st-3rd as public holidays in China) Albeit a woeful one.

All through out this trip, I keep whining and thinking about this job that I find hard to keep. China might be very rich, but I suspect that I am incapable of earning the money. I am sick of internal entertaining (and to a smaller extent, external-entertaining clients, too). Granted, if I get to entertain my clients in Hong Kong (taking them shopping in Central, dinner in SoHo and drinks at Aqua Luna), I might be thrilled, haha.

I miss the comfort of urban living. Being in the heart of the city, with its cosmopolitan mix of people, stores, bars, art and food. Coming to HK for the weekend just serves to remind me of home that is Singapore.

I arrived in HK very late at nine-ish on 1st January cos I woke up really late after a late-night dinner party the night before, and consequently set off later.

I went to Ap Lei Chau's warehouse zone and bought a pair of Italian brown leather shoes at Lane Crawford's outlet (I would have loved to shop for more work wear, but work has not been happy and I have little mood for it); to TST's RISE to buy a hiphopghetto black knit hoodie, some Satsuma body butter by Bodyshop to quell the dry climate in Foshan, and some evening moisturizer from La Neige to thank James for lending his apartment in Guangzhou to me for the New Year weekend when he was off to Taipei. A quick zip to the stores and across the Victoria Harbour on the Star Ferry and soup at my friend's place in Prince Edward. Then I topped it off with a visit to California Fitness in TST and then soon after it was time to get on the train home.

Sobs - the thought of going home to surburbia.

bonjour a tous!

j'ai bu beaucoup alors pardonnez-moi svp

ive had tooooo much to drink so forgive me alrighty? tonight's another night of entertaining, albeit as guests (not hosts) with da folks from ABN Amro(AP leader, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Guangzhou reps)! A night of dinner and karaoke got me suitably sloshed but im stilll good enuff to manage on ma MacBook.

This is an entry dedicated to ma favourite girl Huiling who's been complaining that i havent been updating my blog. Im so thrilled that she has started a new blog with a new beginning in Singapore apres-Shanghai. Visit Huiliing!

Tmrw im gg to work at ten. Watch me.

Finally ive got ADSL Connection in my new apt. I couldnt get broadband cos over in Foshan, it's not compatible with Mac.

Here's what i felt two weeks ago: -

HOME

Boy, I really miss home. I miss my family and friends. The familiarity of Singapore.

Whatever happened to the wanderlust in me? Perhaps Huiling is right. I am away to live and work in a foreign place – not on a holiday (1 month sojourns to Shanghai Taipei don’t count). Even though Huiling went to Shanghai to work (for a year), what I would consider one of the most exciting cities in the world, it took a lot of getting used to for her. What more in a place like mine? I went to Guangzhou to get my urban fix last weekend but it didn’t seem to satisfy. This Sunday I will head for Hong Kong to settle my Chinese visa, I doubt I would be happier.

Instead of my friends, I spend time with my Singaporean colleague who is also my housemate. This Singaporean and I hang out together 24/7. We speak two different languages; this divide is magnified at the work place. I still haven’t got the chance to meet my friends in Guangzhou. All I do is go to work and hang out with my colleague or colleagues after work, even on weekends.

We shifted into our new apartment just 3 days after arriving. Now there’s been a lot to settle – getting homewares, necessities, cable and broadband access. Thankfully our apartment is quite comfy, if only a little in need of a sartorial makeover.

I’ve just been told that as a salesman, I not only have to be adept at playing Sayuri and be sharp like Hatsumomo, I also have to drive. I’m going to dive into another unknown soon and sign up for driving lessons. Driving is imperative in my part of the world – driving to meet clients, visit their factories, the works. From a lifestyle perspective, we are also far from civilization, which means access to food, entertainment and simply urban living is difficult if you don’t drive.

I’ve been without internet access for more than a week – I feel divorced from civilization. I can’t access my gmail and msn and stay in touch with my friends. I need advice, contact and find myself. I need to ask find myself and ask myself what my priorities were when I first set out to come to China. I knew it got jialat when I started weaving my way through my picture folders and viewing pictures of me and my loved ones in Singapore; all my favourite Jay Chou and Jolin Tsai tracks playing on ITunes. I’m officially homesick.


FOIE-FWAH-FOIE! TAKE MY LIVER'S PULSE


Two nights of all-out drinking during the second interview in China last month got me thinking about how life is about to take a major turn. An alcoholic turn? I prefaced my first weekend in China’s Foshan with yet another two nights of drinking – and I haven’t even got to the mahjong yet.

Last night, I was given 2 weekends’ worth of alcohol. Together with male colleagues from the sales department, I downed can after can of Budweisser while playing She Zong (otherwise known as Tai Wa Sek in Cantonese). This game of bluff can be tricky for the un-initiated. The last time I played was back in 2004 when I went to visit my relatives in the Pearl River Delta. I am still sorely in need of more training/培训。

Let me explain the game. Each player is given 5 dice to throw in a red plastic mug of sorts. Say, with 3 players in each round, the first player could call out something like 4个6 (4 x number-6). It’s a numbers game. The following player could choose to follow by calling out five of six or any other number in an increasing order. Any player who senses that the preceding player is cheating, he can choose to unveil the preceding player’s lot. The singled-out player will lose if the sum of the numbers he calls out does not match that of all the players. For example, the player calls out 5 of number six – if the sum of all number-6 dice does not exceed that, he loses.

I could manage the drinking bit even though I kept losing. But I gotta work on my game skills yo. For the first time in my own entertaining career, I puked. Woohoo. We even went for supper. I managed to make it home to the apartment with my colleague/housemate but I totally forgot what happened after we stepped out of the restaurant. I woke up the next day at 2pm with last night’s clothes on.

Tonight, we went out to dinner with the boss. Always a luxury, with Cantonese soups, hairy crabs and stuff. This was followed by karaoke. We stepped into a room we booked and got rows and rows of girls to come in for our pick. We chose 4 of the best to come sit with us for the whole evening. Red wine, Budweisser and all. We played more Se Zhong with the girls and we sang. Thankfully, I didn’t get to drink that much. And even had a bit of conversation with ma girl – a young Guangxi girl whose biography I have a clue about after all that talking. She’s called Lulu and tells me that she doesn’t want to depend on men and how she intends to quit her job by the end of the year and start her own apparel store when she goes home. Cool one.

Let me reach for ma liver – is it still functioning?