all begins with L

1. This is a delayed announcement to welcome my new macbook as my new life-support system. Because I will be interacting with the machine more often than I do with human beings, the macbook will have a name, say hello to Shane.

2. You’ve reached adulthood when you realized that table talk is 90% of the time about work and 90% of that 90% is about the same thing about work. Being repetitive is an understatement and thus I shall resist all temptation to write about it.

3. Boring adult life is when you catch your company discreetly yawning, widening of the nostrils around the table, praying that no one caught that, but we all did. And we all yawned too.

4. Shopping for dresses is my new work out routine; I am entering a new phase of life where wedding-invites start to flood the inbox.

5. Work taught me that people are pricks to work with and that is why some of us innately choose to be a creator than a salesman.

6. OMG. I just talked about work.

7. I am looking for something to subscribe to or a course to sign up for or a new sport to pick up because this is already the fifth week of summer hols and it has to be more eventful than this.

8. I wish that the men in my life are half as intriguing as the women.

9. Here is the random question posed by yours truly: Which one do you fear more? a) Fucking up, or b) being fucked with.

10. My answer: a)

you?

Because people have been asking me similar questions lately, I shall attempt to demistify issues pertaining to my (well) being and activities this summer.

I am currently working for a boutique real estate brokerage that deals with designer properties, for both residential and commercial purposes. Some people might still be asking what do I really do. The truth is, the company gets the same question periodically as well, and that is my task as an intern; to eventually demistify the company’s reputation. And then I found myself, learning as I contribute (or seemingly trying to) the art of letting ‘fun’ manisfest itself into a money-making machine.

Eye-ing million dollar properties might be a glamorous job but I found myself landing in a much more unchartered territory when it comes to that three hours per day session that I have with the lady boss. Real estate becomes almost like a cover up, a veil only to thrive in the corporate world. It turns out that I am doing something more intriguing than I thought I would be, not because of the industry I am in, but because of the person I am working with.

And who knows it might just payoff my student loan along the way.

To You who got that call, God has his way of connecting the stars, good luck!

Apart from picking up tricks of the trait in record speed, I am dragged into the world of ideologies, critical theories and political movements of the 20th Century. Work (my internship) has reached a point of surrealism, mentally and physically.

The Situationist International; what has this got to do with real estate?

Just when I was about to bring strucure back to the office, I began to see the light; “The Situation, the Spectacle then come the need for the Recuperation because the mass has to consume to understand.”

This (next) project of ours could either turn out fuckin’ brilliant, or I could jolly well be merely wanking off at work, intellectually or not.

“I take my desires for reality because I believe in the reality of my desires”
- Anonymous graffiti, Paris 1968

At a comprehension rate of 35% on this new affair, I shall not attempt to explain, not even to myself, not yet.

Following my exchange to Istanbul (which I hope to God will materialize) next year, I am going to land myself in the Middle East, thanx to the lady-boss’ recommendations and when she said I could survive for less than a dollar a day in Syria.

Why didn’t I think of that?!

From Istanbul to Lebanon, cross over to Syria then have a tourist pit stop in Jordan. Maybe I should tose in Morrocco into the plan. I have to (I have to) cross the African border eventually, perhaps Tunisia for a start. Then to Nigeria, then to Johannesburg, then, then…

The flashpacker in me is screaming!

Europe?? Bah.

Between needs and wants…

A camera, a funding for exchange, a deal to close, new sets of outfit for wedding dinner(s), a gastronomic meal, a laptop to arrive, a new language to pick up, a design course, a new recipe to experiment with and a haircut.

She doesn’t work in the morning and she doesn’t work on Mondays. To give you a rough idea of what I do at work click here.

Yes, I took that shot.

This season’s mantra would be “minimum effort, maximum leverage.” I think I should pick up horse riding.

I have understood that whole concept of dream and believe and that elusive line that lies in between. But a friend from a far told me a story of faith. A virtue that transcends religious boundaries and therefore preached alike. And thus, I have hardly taken it anywhere beyond the Godly affairs.

But as of late, I am beginning to feel its presence. It’s not just a mere state of spiritual well being, but something more tangible. To have faith is in fact a very very conscious state of mind.

Perhaps next time when someone comes up to and say have faith (in every small or big things we do), take a moment and digest that physcially. It’s rather surreal, but it’s quite a discovery. Never mind that I am starting to sound like one of those audio-motivational recorder.

For me, it is indeed a beginning.

It has been proven that thinking of happy things could possibly cure cancer and other myriad of diseases. Thus I have been diligently applying such techniques to get rid of the flu bug. Being an anti-panadol and having a throat that has gotten immune to lozenges, I don’t quite have much of an option.

So here’s a track of positivity,

I had a well deserved break when summer kicked in.
I got away with mere scratches from my virgin bike accident in Krabi.
My burnt skin had shed off, taking on that after sun glow.
My working hours permits a notoriously nocturnal lifestyle.
I love that fact that I am working with someone who is a million times more avant garde than I am.
I learnt of the existence of Comme des Garçons .

I am trippin’ high (not on drugs) but on lofty ideas, provocative thoughts, and analysis that (in her own words) permutates itself into an exercise of circumlocution.

I am trying.

Twenty two days to half a year, and about (or exactly) a month time before hitting the twenty two mark.

Turning twenty two is somewhat an ambivalent moment in life. The big twentyONE has passed. Big drama scenes have been staged, some more brilliantly executed that others, with technical glitches here and there but we pulled it off nonetheless.

Then come twenty two.

It will be a rather private one this time around. Ideally, facing the sea. Nothing lavish or pressworthy. I’ll take a breather with this one.

Three days with endless sneezing and periodic hiccups. It must be the laptop withdrawal syndome. The mind can hardly function these days ever since Anna (the acer) died on me. I’ve ordered a mac to start a fresh (yes finally) but it seems to take ages to arrive. I am getting impatient. Because I can’t seem to do anything until I have my new machine.

My nose is……………………….. running. Bah.

And I was asked “Who are your heroines in life?”

Then I wish I could write You, but I can’t seem to. And when a daughter speaks of her success, it is a reflection of failure she sees in your eyes. Why can’t you just be genuinely proud of us.

I am so so tired of this middle income rut. I am.