Give that woman a hoopak!

"Wanderlust is uniquely a kender trait, which is the fever which possesses young kender and causes them to travel the world over. Kender wander for years, settling down after they feel they have wandered down all the roads their heart desires."

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02 Apr to 04 Apr - Pulau Dayang, Malaysia (Scuba Diver Course)*

30 Apr to 02 May - Pulau Tioman, Malaysia (Advanced Scuba Diver Course)*

18 Jun to 20 Jun - Pulau Aur, Malaysia (leisure diving)

16 Jul to 19 Jul - Bangkok, Thailand (doing girly stuff and contributing to Thailand's economy)

28 Jul to 31 Jul - Bali, Indonesia (working and being bloody bored out of my mind)*

09 Aug to 09 Aug - Johor, Malaysia (doing girly stuff and contributing to Malaysia's economy)

10 Sep to 12 Sep - Pulau Aur, Malaysia (check-out dive for new equipment and near-drowning experience)

25 Sep to 02 Oct - Manado, Indonesia (leisure diving and watching fate bring two people together)**

11 Nov to 12 Nov - Kulai, Malaysia (learning how to ride a horse)

12 Nov to 15 Nov - Pulau Dayang, Malaysia (Master Scuba Diver Course)

25 Dec to 03 Jan - Sipadan, Indonesia East Malaysia*** (leisure diving and celebrating Christmas and New Year's Day away from home for the first time)

* Trips on my own
** The Event (See "A Guide to Separation Anxiety")
*** My fault. It's a wonder I didn't fail my Geography in school.

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It began with a restlessness (and itchy feet). Somewhere along the way, as her encounters began to take on more uncanny significance, and the phrase "hunting high and low" took on more literal meaning, it became a single-minded quest for her.

As for me, it often felt like faithful Samwise Gamgee following his Frodo. Heh.

A Guide to Separation Anxiety

Ah.

It appears that this has caused some misunderstanding about a "falling out". (You might want to place a $100 on it being more of a "falling in", however. Heh.) It is not what some of you think it is. And it is certainly nothing bad.

You see, the Best Friend has just got hitched (heh) attached.

As I was saying, it has turned out to be a good thing - for everyone. (Have fun figuring out this one yourself. Heh.)

This clears things up, I hope :-)

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Sometimes, this feels like a blog about two persons. Laugh.

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Anyway, things have not slowed down and have begun to pick up even more speed. Though I sometimes literally have to catch my breath, I think I like it this way :-)

Am I becoming an adrenaline junkie?

Exam stress

"Well, tonight I am having dinner with Prince Andrew of UK."

You know you are suffering from exam stress (feels more like studying to flunk, sigh) when you offer to be your friend's Unlawful Second Wife (since the Lawful First Wife declined to accompany him) just so you can also get an invitation and be in the presence of *GASP* royalty. And possibly the closest you would ever get to your Prince in Pink, I mean, Prince Straddling White Horse. Eh....

Ohhh, all rrright, maybe not Prince Andrew... but, Prince William :-)~~~

Not that I can make it anyway - I've 100 MCQs to weep over tonight. But, there will be local and very healthy (14% fats only) eye candy, who is very much into "the pleasure of riding another animal" (and probably his own kind too, snk) and used to ride bareback in the English countryside (swoon) tonight, so that's not too bad then. Heh.

Okayyy... back to my books. Five more hours. Shudder.

MOTD

My theory is this: Either the Ex-communicated decided to extend his stay in Kangeroo Land (which explains why he is not back in town yet). Or he died (which also explains why he is not back in town yet). And that is why the server hosting my other blog is still down.

S.I.G.H.


Black magic

Is it something about looking like burnt toast, that strangers just want to talk to you (taxi drivers and the affable houseman in front of you in the taxi queue)? Raise eyebrow.


"Kua simi kua?"

The heads down the table turned her way, faces intent, while she gave a brief report. But he was the only one who turned AND smiled into her eyes.

Of course, she did what came naturally - she looked away.

Separation anxiety

It almost feels like the end of another long-term relationship. As A so cruelly :-P but truely put it: "So you are alone now. Hahaha."

We spent so much time together in the last two years that my mother and a colleague have been raising their eyebrows. And quite suddenly, I find myself with a lot of idle time, as new arrangements (or lack thereof) are made for week nights and weekends.

The last time this happened was way back in school. According to my diary, I was not too happy about the adjustments. Heh. This time, however, there is a deeper sense of loss - not because we have merely been companions of convenience and circumstance, and no longer need each other's company. The friendship has had about a decade more to develop, especially during the last two years. We have shared a lot of experiences and thoughts, and I know we will continue to share more in the years to come, though obviously, there will now be fewer opportunities. And, during the moments when I am smiling or just thinking to myself, listening to my colleagues and pitching my responses to the general wavelength, attempting a witty remark and waiting anxiously for the reception from new acquaintances, I wonder if I would meet other people who I could share moments with, understand and like as easily - people with whom I can be myself.

We always knew it was a matter of time before one of us moved on - first. It was inevitable. Anyhow, some experiences are simply not possible in a platonic relationship. I like the girl a lot, but not THAT much, you know. Heh. Heh. Heh.

For now, we have come to the end of one road, but a new one begins. Not just for us. For me. For her. For them. For everyone.

And, seeing that strut in her walk again, laughter bubbling and overflowing from her entire being, I would not have wished it any other way.

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Lately.

I am not so much tired from the physical exhaustion than trying to keep up with suddenly having so many things to do. Sometimes, I stop to wonder and almost lose the pace - until I tell myself to continue running (and breathing). Hopefully, life will slow down in a few weeks - though I am not sure if that is really what I want. I suppose I am just trying to get used to the changes.

And it sure is strange that it takes severe sleep deprivation to bring down my... defences???

Anyway, in my own words to another: "Don't fight fate." Who knows where all this is bringing her; and me.

The Running Man

He: "You don't mind I ask you something personal..."

I: (Oh god... here we go... hang on in there... just five more minutes to homeground... must... resist... jumping... out... of... moving... cab...)

Exhausted as I was - having slept only three hours the night before, woke up at six, attended a full day of lectures while trying to keep my head from crashing to the table - I found myself laughing and kidding around easily during class tonight, joining the self-proclaimed I'm-an-Unusual-Guy (okayyy...) in his wisecracks. After the last class when the instructor's eyeballs spent too much time rolling my way, I spent most of tonight avoiding them, while gazing at (even if he were, very likely, swinging from a different tree) and exchanging laughs with Unusual Guy instead. I find him most... amusing. Guess I did not expect something that comes with big brown long-lashed eyes, nice wrapping and myriad trimmings - on land and, especially, in water (snicker) - to have a sense of humour, and a very quirky one at that. Though, the unwrapped version is not too bad either - rated six pecs, I mean stars. Heh. Heh. Heh.

For some reason, the instructor was irritated and waspish whenever Unusual Guy contributed to the lecture (a topic that the latter was well-acquainted with because of his profession) even though we were all expected to participate anyway by reading up in advance, or made a funny remark which often made me laugh out loud.

After class, while I was trying to flag a cab home, the one-star rated instructor came bouncing (yes, bounCing) from about 100m away and calling out to me, determined to share a cab home, having found out earlier that we lived in neighbouring estates, among other personal information like my weight and plans for the weekend - "Why cannot attend class this Sunday? Must be got hot date, right?" He stopped prying after I gave him a very long, very hard, and very dirty look, of the variety that would make him sweat for all the wrong reasons.

When we got into the cab, he said he would drop off at MY block (okayyy...) because he was going to have supper at a particular coffeeshop in the vicinity. I wondered if he knew that the coffeeshop was just another five minutes away - if he had continued the cab ride; the alternative would be a 20-minute walk at least. I figured he did know, so I left things unsaid.

During the ride home, my mood remained buoyant, which was amazing considering the circumstances. I remembered talking and laughing through my sleep haze, even as I was aware of this other part of me in the background, quietly assessing my fellow passenger's questions and intentions. Do you know what car Unusual Guy drives? (How loaded is he?) Do you know I am one of the school's pioneers? (Swagger. Flex. Pose.) May I suggest you take a refresher to brush up your basic skills? (And guess who will be conducting the refresher?) As we were almost at my place, he went in for the kill and made a disparaging comment about Unusual Guy. Ah, sou desu.

I guess men and women are not that much different, eh?

Thankfully, "something personal" turned out to be something else that was not-that-personal.

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I wonder how much "a sharp knife inna back" would cost. When the looming reality begins to sink in tomorrow morning, and panic sinks its claws into me, I might just have to barter my long holiday over Christmas and New Year's Day in Sipadan. Takers?