Saturday, May 31, 2008

Late Night Conversations

"Hmm, is that the firetruck?"

"Yeap, the firetruck's going home".

It's been quite the month. The weather turned warm quite suddenly without warning; and in an act of rebellion, became cold again today despite fierce sunshine in the late afternoon. Walking home from Natasa's, I tutted at stupid girls who chose to ignore nature's warning and donned tiny skirts/shorts/tanks. Crossing Granville stank of booze. It was quite strange actually. The stench of alcohol was so saturated, so pervasive, so tell-tale of the debauchery and shit that happens along that dirty street. And all so strange because I've never actually smelled alcohol in the air before.

Oh, so I got the interpreter job. In fact, my first assignment was the very next day. I was a little traumatized by the experience, actually. It turned out that my "client" and I were separated by one degree, one rather high-profile, well connected degree if I may add, which made me question my choice of occupation. Nonetheless, it pays well so I shan't complain.

By the way, it's spelled "shan't", not "shalln't" (Pango: that's a kind of onion). It's not, if you're wondering. It's shallot.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

I'm back now

I forgot about this blog, actually, while I was away. But I'm back now; sans updates, however. Nothing much has happened since we arrived home. Jet-lag was terrible this time. I don't remember the last time I was hit with jet-lag (oh wait, I was in NY - I remember now!) but this time was exceptionally bad. Anyhow, my life has taken on some semblance of normalcy so it's all good.

I'm interviewing at the Canadian Courts on Wednesday for the position of an on-call Malay interpreter. 

Sorry for the month-long hiatus but I'm back now. 

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Homeward bound!

Exams are almost over; with 312 almost done away with, I expect 303 to go by quicker. The plan is to get with the girls before leaving. I quite like these going-away things. It makes flying alone so much less lonely and so much more anticipatory. My summer schedule is all figured out so coming back will be nice and smooth. Work is all sorted, so is the furniture. I feel like I can relax now save for the 2 remaining exams. 

It used to be that the course of life concerned itself only with the present and the short-term. Now, I worry about the coming back before even leaving. Nonetheless, having suffered first-hand the perils of ill-planning, I applaud and really am quite proud of my time orientation skills and ability to adapt as such (to borrow the language of organizational management).

I look forward to seeing my loves again, reveling in all that is familiar, near and dear. 

Monday, April 7, 2008

1181 Davie St

So I never made it to the Four Seasons BUT! what I did do though was spend both Friday and Saturday night in the presence of hawt hawt hawt homosexual men at 1181. It was one of my most pleasant bar experiences to date. People were genuinely nice despite their disinterest in my gender; men, young and old alike but all hot, consistently offered us girls seats, made way for us at the bars and humoured our straight antics. A major plus point: the bar takes Interac. The female bartender was suuper nice and concocted a delish drink for us as well. So I may not have gotten my Calvados but I got a Prettyboy and that was good enough for me this weekend.
Nonetheless, I vow to take Kapooks to the Four Seasons in celebration of our having achieved a whole new level of honest affection sans alcohol. See you all there this Saturday?

Thursday, April 3, 2008

I'll be at the Four Seasons Saturday night

I declare tomorrow to be my "power study/study power (depends on your level of grammatical proficiency. Due to my Malaysian loyalties, I am of the opinion that both terms are grammatically correct) day". The plan is to be up by 8 am, get the lease by 9, email it to Montreal snap snap, grab a couple of bubble teas, and head to the office by noontime. Need a few signatures here and there, then head off to a coffee place (I am quite feeling Artigiano right now) to studyyy. The plan is to be done with 393 by tomorrow. Tomorrow will be infinitely more productive than today has been, I am sure of it.

For some reason, I very enthusiastically made plans for this weekend which still looks quite feasible. I am not sure how this works but it just might. Anyhow, the plan is to be seen with some calvados because really, calvados solves all problems. If calvados if good enough for Ravic, and God Almighty knows Ravic had some very serious problems!, then calvados is good enough for me. 

Good night, world. We'll speak again tomorrow. Oh and Tunatic is the shit!!

Monday, March 31, 2008

Orange Moon

This cannot be healthy: a combination of Portishead and Jeff Buckley, demotivation and the stench of stale cigarettes. Seriously though, I am not jaded/depressed or anything like that. I'm just plain lazy. Ffffuck! 

On a healthier note, Mikey dear is coming over with bubbletea and a stack of work; hopefully, this will force me to confront my impeding doom that is the IS101 final and spur me into an action plan. Then we will study study study until morning light and all will be well again. 

Once again, Daddy came to my rescue re rent and instead of staying up all night worrying how to make rent, I can study with ease of mind and spend tomorrow in bed! I love Daddy!

I walked by the heritage building across my apartment today. In the light of day, it is less imposing and regale as I remembered it to be in the rain and storm 2 days ago. In the bright sunshine, all its imperfections shone and it lost its regality. In the light of day, everything that is perfect is made even more perfect and imperfections are forced into confessions. In the stormy dark, it looked strong and solid, testament to the years that it has stood there. In short, it has earned its position. In the sunshine, I saw through its cracks and was gobsmacked by the weariness of age. 

I doubt if I will ever look at that building in the same light again. I'll take a picture tomorrow. Mini trivia: this is the building that was Scully's (of X-Files) home in the series. It's still a pretty building nonetheless. I remember when I was first house-hunting in the neighbourhood and I called the posted number only to be told that I couldn't and wouldn't be able to afford to live in that building. At that time, I was so infatuated with the building that the insult didn't sting one bit (and that he was right - I couldn't afford it). Now I walk by it everyday and its charm has been lost on me.

Meh. 

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Oh Vancouver

Photo credit: Ah Fay

How do I love thee/let me count the ways
  1. You snow in spring time
  2. You rain incessantly
  3. You make people contemplate suicide 10 times in a day
  4. You hail in the mid of day
  5. Only in you do I find the sight of bums familiar
  6. You close down half the mental hospitals in the city, forcing mental patients into the corner of desperation, pain and wasting
  7. Your dream come true is the Winter fucking Olympics
  8. Your refusal to acknowledge the poverty and depravity that exists in the heart of your very bosom
  9. The murderous sprees you spawn
  10. The Church of Scientology and it's free stress tests
  11. Your banning of public smoking
  12. Your advertising and observance of Earth Hour 
Oh Vancouver/ I shall but love thee better after death