Where Our Treasures Lie

"It is as if we have been forced to go on a long journey in search of what we've no interest in. The road back will be painful. We won't feel like we fit in and our friends need time to return home as well. But that time will happen. And we will come to see where our treasures lie"

The Witch of Portobello, PAULO COELHO

When I left Perth for Singapore 7 years ago, I packed my 2 suitcases and a sense of self-satisfaction that I was going toward exciting things. Perth is many things, but ever-evolving and fast-paced it is not.

With each successive trip back over the years, I managed to conclude that I made the right choice. That having swapped the quiet life for long hours at work, big projects, big shopping, a cleaning lady, and monthly pedicures...was the right thing thing to do.

Whenever taxi uncles found out where I was from, they always used to explain "Har? What you doing here?" It only took me another 6 years to ask myself the same question!

But of course this time back was different. I've completely switched over to freelance and get by on so much less. My credit card is dusty from under-use and I just cut my own nails like a pleb :p

And whilst I'm a fair way from packing my bags (for Perth anyway), its blue skies and fluffy white clouds, its courteous drivers and verdant wildlife, don't seem like the marks of a suburban backwater anymore, but something of how life should really be.

Missy Higgins! W000t!

Aussie singer Missy Higgins was in town last week, so we went to see her over at Cafe Du Nord in the Castro. We looove Missy. Her music is kind of like a happier Sarah McLachlan. To see her show in Australia, we'd be in an audience of thousands. Here, it was more like 150. Better view for us!

There were two warm-up acts before she came on. The first was Katy Steele of Little Birdy, which is quite a well-known band in Australia from my lovely hometown of Perth. She was just there by herself, but her stage presence is quite riveting. With her straight white blonde hair, it was very Debbie Harry.

The second act was an excruciatingly boring American girl. Too much time on hair, not enough writing decent songs. It was more prolonged warbling than singing. I even, at one point, crouched down, so my feet would hurt less from my heels. I was sooo unconcerned about seeing the performance. Just holding my place until the real act came on. I didn't mean to be so ghetto, but dude, I was ready to chew them off at the ankles!

Finally, Ms Higgins came on! It was truly a miraculous set. Gorgeous lyrics and tripping melodies, hampered only by Miss Number One Fan behind me. She knew every word to every song (of course) and insisted on singing it loud as can be (of course). I was soo close to turning around, slapping her one, and reminding her I paid to hear Missy, not her. I didn't (of course) because I'm classy like that.

Also, she was bigger than me.

What a difference a month makes

Bugger me. I've been here for a month already.

I know, I know. What the hell have I been up to that I couldn't be arsed to put up a few pictures and some smart aleck comments about the Americans. What could be easier!

It's been, shall we say, fantastic. Other people, when they leave one country for another, they may just take a direct plane there. Those people have no imagination and probably do sudoku for fun.

Here's how I did it:

First, after finishing work at Chinese New Year, was the farewells. They were fun, bittersweet, but mostly, immensely calorific. Coming on the back of CNY celebrations there was a fair bit of gorging on everything in sight.

Then, there was Sydney, where I got to hang with my fave little guy David and my aunt and uncle. Then I did some bbq-eating with my old roommate and met up a uni friend.

Then, home to Perth and more Aussie goodness–catching up with all my favourite Perthians. Can't get more Aussie than this pic. Also I had an interview at the US Consulate for a visa. I just about gave myself an ulcer over the interview, which, as is my luck, turned out to be nothing at all.

Then, back to Singapore to look one last time at this godforsaken chair that style forgot, and poof! Just like that, a chapter in my life over.

I spent a few days in Tokyo to break up the trip, staying in hip Shinjuku with my ex-colleague and his gf. We went to bars that baffle me still–one involved ping pong balls. My host mum, who recovered from serious illness just one month before, came to town to take me round. She out-walked me at the Imperial gardens (above) which, really, goes to show how useless I've become fitness-wise.

..and I made an entirely useless trip to Odaiba, an island off Tokyo. Useless cos I didn't know in order to get home I had to leave exactly 30 min from getting off. I did get to see Puppy *the World, though, which is a shop where you can rent dogs to walk around the island. I would have gone with Pups for Pounds as a name, but that's just me.

And finally, hoorah, hoorah. Home in SF, where I've taken up my position as house elf for Big Sis. The cherry blossoms were kind enough to come out to welcome me.

We've been on one road trip since I got here. No points for guessing where :p It's not something you really do in Singapore, and I've got quite the appetite for it now.

Other than that, it's been a buffet of day-to-day fun things. I've met all of Big Sis' SF 'family'. They're a great bunch and a big part of feeling settled here. I was Miss Apprehension about the move, but I think it works out for the best. It's perhaps been a tad tooo fun cos the jobsearch only just got started, heh.

The time wasn't mis-spent. Now that I've had some time for things to roll around in my head, something has clicked over and I'm sure what I want/don't want to do. Which, for me, is nothing short of a bloody miracle.

Some housekeeping:
I'm not feeling the design at the moment, but don't want the plain white, so I'm gonna leave it first, k?