#303: Sunshine.

This is my Marshmallow.

Everyday. I miss her that lil bit more.

#302: Flip Flops II

Cousin Joe pointed out something curious last night.

Us four cousins who used to live together and spent a significant portion of our childhoods together... couldn't have diverged into more different paths.

There's the requisite geek (who shockingly, isn't me) who dreams of world-travelling.
There's the world-travelling international directionless fool (that would be me).
There's the world-travelling international superstar DJ (who was the quietest kid alive growing up).
There's the world-travelling international humanitarian (who knew?).


When we were kids we all had our favourite turtles.
Joe was Raphael (cool but crude).
I was Donatello (does machines [not like that, get your sicko minds outta the gutter.]).
Bich was Leonardo (leads).
Sis was Michaelangelo (party dude).

Who woulda thunk it, eh?

#301: You Damn Straight I'd Be!

"Any male, up until they are around 25, secretly believes that if the situation was called for - they could still become the greatest badass alive."

Apparently this a line from some book called Snow Crash.
I googled it, the main character is called "Hiro Protagonist"... (=.=)

#300: Scatterbrains.

I think that if I ever became an alcoholic... I'd be one of those functional ones.

The past coupla days, without even leaving the house - I've had a million and one things to do. And they all had to be done at this instance.

Everytime I started on one task, I'd be thinking I should be getting started on another task. There's no focus, there's always another job in the back of my mind, just waiting to be done.

Come to think of it - nevermind the past coupla days, seems like that's how it's been for the past coupla years.

It's quite possibly why I enjoy long distance roadtrips/climbing mountains/hiking so much - they all require the brain to focus on one single task for an extended period of time. It's highly refreshing.

What's with the alcoholic factor? I can't speak for how any other person gets affected, but I find my brightest moments of clarity comes in times of tipsiness. I'm able to fade non-essentials to the background much easier and focus on the task at hand much more readily, whatever that task may be.

Whether it's coz I'm just forced to concentrate that much harder coz I'm aware I'm tipsy or whatever, the end result is still the same: I don't get distracted when I'm drunk.

Maybe that's why Grandad Lee always had a brandy in hand... the source of his cookery genius!

Maybe I should stop being just a social drinker... hmmmmmmmmmm...............

#299: That Darn Sock Ninja.

How is it that in five years of doing my own laundry on the other side of the planet, I manage to not lose a single sock or pantaloony...

Yet a week after arriving back in the UK. I've lost 3 socks after two loads of washing... (¬_¬)

Nicely played. Shoulda known better than to let my guard down in my own home...

Such a rookie mistake. Doh!

#298: Uh Oh...

What are you supposed to do when the freaking lightbulb is leaking water from the ceiling?!

Do I call the plumber or the electrician?

#297: Dozy.

Just noticed that for the past week, everytime I've been in a public transportation vehicle - I fall asleep within 5minutes.

Must be that gentle rocking.

#296: Freshness All Over.

So I'm in Amsterdam to visit the sister.

Here is the name of her shower gel in the bathroom:

That is all.

#295: Banana. Pineapple. Papaya.

Ahhh my sweet, how I've missed you so. How have you been? They've been treating you well I hope. Don't worry honey, I'm here now. I'm gonna fill you with all that I know you like.

Know me. Know my blender.

#294: Hummmmmmmmmnmmmmmmmmmnnmmnnnn

The bedroom in my old house originally came with three power sockets.

Just found all the extensions I used when I was living in that room. Every single socket had a use:

The most common use was to power the next extension in the chain... (=.=)

#293: Homecoming.

When I first got home from the airport, my mum wasn't home, so she left this instead:

Tidying up the house and sorting out old boxes to shift up to the attic, I came across my old uni/college papers. Here is one typical page, eleven years ago, apparently I thought this was easy.
I've no idea what any of this is now:

Also found a poster made in a time when colour printers and clipart were still considered AWESOME!

Note the shark in the bottom right, that means be extra careful, coz my room is Hazardous, man.

That motorcycle bungee had a pretty violent bounce:

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

#292: Flip Flops.

For some reason, unpacking my life outta four-and-a-half boxes is proving a whole lot more traumatising than packing it up into four-and-a-half boxes.

#291: An Announcement.

Looking at the state of my finances. Reality comes and bites even harder.

I'm gonna have to postpone my Grand America Roadtrip.

Until next year.

Crap.

Guess I'll just have to drive up from Argentina next year instead.

#290: Home.

My flight back to England ended with a landing pattern that took us directly over the centre of London on the clearest night I've ever landed in.

I could see everything so clearly, circling over the Thames past Big Ben, rounding the Tower Bridge and Millenium Dome nipping the tip of Canary Wharf while keeping the London Eye at the pivot of our turn.

It was a pretty cool moment to mark my first proper-long-ish-term return since I'd first left England 5yrs ago.

It was also at this point that I realised; that although this is the place where I grew up...

I deeply, deeply miss already - my life in Asia.

I'm now pretty certain my life doesn't reside in the UK anymore.

#289: Not With A Whisper, But With A Flaming Bang.

One day.
One BMX.
One scooter.
Two protective suits.
Four zippo bottles.
One lighter.
One pool.
Seven jumps.


[Seven images, TBU]

#288: Post Blues.

On the one hand, I'm quite glad to be finally getting back to as close to 'real life' as can be expected.

On the other hand, it's kinda terrifying that I'm gonna be getting back to as close to 'real life' as can be expected.

#287: Nothing Planned.

Today we woke up, played some cards, listened to some music, ate some eggs, walked on a beach, took some pictures, cooked some dinner, drank some wine, we chatted, we laughed.

This was the chill day I was looking for.

=)

#286: Hawkmen! Everywhere!

A tip for all you street-selling hawkers of fine crap to foreign tourists everywhere - try a lil schmoozing before shoving your crap in the potential customer's faces.

Thrusting your wares back and forth while shouting, "I'll give you a low low price! Really cheap!" is surprisingly a lot less likely to work than, "Your eyes are like fire, dancing with my desire, would you like to buy my beads on a wire?"

Even if you've only got a 5second window - build that relationship, then sell that crap. Live the dream.

#285: Overheard In The Club.

Girl: "Wow you're a good dancer! Very hot!"

Boy : "Thanks, how about you? Are you going on?"

Girl: "No, I don't dance hot here, I dance hot in the bedroom!"

Boy : "Whoa, that's way hotter than me."


(O_o)

#284: "Travelling Without Moving"

I've flown on a bunch of planes in my life now. I've heard of people who travel alot and are pretty jaded by the whole flying process.

Gotta tell you though, I still absolutely love getting in a plane.

Hey! I did my sixth bungee jump today!

#283: Numerology.

Today is the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the 00's.

Evidently that's quite a big deal to people who wanna make it a big deal.

We make things what they are. Umm.. that's about it.

Hey! I'm in Bali!

#282: The Anti-Scout.

So once more, I'm about to fly into a country I've done precisely zero research on.

Other than that a few years ago, my sister was in a club there two weeks before it got blown up - I don't actually know anything about Bali.

What exactly is there to do there?!?

#281: Green

I don't get jealous. In my brain it's a pointless emotion.

But I do experience envy. Anytime I see another person driving a Lupo GTi, for instance, I feel a lil tinge.

My biggest source of contention though, is anytime I see a person truly in love with their job - like they've really found that which they were born to do...

I think, "I want that! Why not meeeeee?!"

I'm not alone in this wish, I recognise. But for some reason, my life seems to be just surrounded by people living the dream!

Gargghh! They mock me with their job satisfaction!

=P

#280: All Dressed Up.

Check that out, it looks so plump, so juicy, it's positively glowing.

Yet even before the plate was put down on our table, the group next to us had already started to wrinkle their noses.

It tasted as good as it looked, it went down as smooth as it feels.

And it was all enhanced by that very distinctive smell. Gorgeous stuff.

This would be the durian-custard wrapped pancake dessert. Seriously yumsome.

#279: What Defines Success.

Everyone has their own idea of what "success" actually is... it might be monetary, fame, comfort, happiness.

For me, I guess if I can pass the day with no regrets, knowing that I can live with all the decisions I have made so far, then that is a good day.

#278: A Guest Appearance.

Tonight's thought of the day comes from my beautiful and most gracious host in Hong Kong, one Ms Lottiness MaxiMius:

"The lifestyle in the UK is that you have your work life, and then you have your home life. In HK your work life and home life are one and the same - that's why nobody goes home out here!"

Thank you very much your Lottiness, that was most insightful.

#277: Backup Plans.

I've had as many different incentives of job opportunities available to me as the number of days that I've been in HK so far...

Nice to know that I have options.

If only I'd actually wanted to live in HK. (=.=)

#276: Bigger Pipes, Must Remember: Bigger Pipes.

One of the things I'm finding most difficult about leaving Taiwan, is to fight that urge to throw the toilet paper into the bin next to the toilet.

It gets pretty icky when your reflex action is just a lil quicker than the realisation that there isn't actually a bin next to the toilet...

#275: Outta My Way! Gimme That Burger!

In less than sixty seconds, my 49days of veggy-nism will finally come to an end.

Midnight! Gotta go!

Tastiness, come to Papa!

#274: The Best Laid Plans.

How is it that every time I set aside a period of nothingness.

A time where I can be completely free to do my own thing...

My schedule never fills up faster than at these moments.

I'm sure there's an awkwardly forced allegory to be found somewhere in there...

But actually, it's just a bewildering certainty.