My Interview

I have been so swamped that I have decided to restart this blog with something simple, just to get myself into the blog of things again. I have been slapped with the Interview Game baton from Rara, so here goes:

1. When and where have you been happiest?

This is very difficult as I am quite a happy person generally. Or should I say I am generally not unhappy. As such, I have so many happy moments, every day, any day, in the past and I am sure in the future. Take for example today. I am still jet lagged, I missed my flight to Zurich yesterday hence have missed a course I was so looking forward too, and they have not located my luggage. Most of my worldly possessions (not to mention new dress and adaptor for laptop) could at this very moment be in KL, Singapore, Amsterdam airport or Zurich. But I woke up this morning feeling quite happy that I actually had an extra tootbrush and miniature tubes of toothpaste to use. And I felt happy that I had left behind a few pieces of underwear behind and therefore do not have to cycle into work commando. I am feeling happy at this moment because I have recieved some new data which will enable me to enhance a chapter I am trying to get done. I may just never get back my suitcase and its contents, but I am sure that I will feel happy shopping for new underwear...

But I digress...when and where have I been happiest? Well, it would have to be 7.30 pm on 17th May in a tiny apartment in Coogee sitting next to D when he agreed to be my partner in crime....my Robin or Tonto...forever. Or could it have been at 1.00 am on 18th May after D and I and 10 other friends finished off 4 bottles of bubbly and 12 bottles of vino...

2. Do zebras go to heaven? All of them?

Let me first say that this answer is only an opinion. My view on this issue is not a result of any in depth research carried out in the area of veterinary philosophy, religious studies, law and animals studies and especially the area of animals and religion.

I have this issue with all animals going to heaven. I really don't think it is fair that just because one mammal who has a larger brain, hence assumed to have the ability to get into more mischief, has more of a probability of NOT getting into heaven. How do we know that some Zebras, given half a chance would not become raging cross dressing peadophiles? How do we know that any Zebra given opposable thumbs would opt to do what Mother Theresa did so well?? Huh?? Huh?? How do we know that they are not at this moment planning to take over the world and kill all of us so called meaner humans? We know they can take on horses...documented by hollywood recently too.

But on another level, maybe they are all in "heaven". If heaven is neither here nor there, then it can be anywhere. Like a state of mind. I have not seen any Zebra mensa test results, nor have I heard of any going into therapy, so maybe they all live in their own la-la land...sounds like heaven to me. Or if it is a physical place, could heaven be like the plains of Africa? If that is Zebra heaven (assuming all zebras believe in the one true God), the bad (or Mormon)Zebras are presumably banished to zoos, hence not all Zebras go to heaven.

But really, I have nothing against them. They have not done anything to me. Unlike those damn chickens. One chased and continuously pecked me as a child hence my love of little chicken hearts preferably cooked in curry. Nope, Zebras have not affected my life in any way, so I hope they all go to heaven. If not, how will be have Zebra patterned cushions to laze about on up there..

3. Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get away from me.

4. If you had a choice betweeen two extremes: would it be the freezing cold environment or scorcher of a weather? why?

I hate sweaty armpits and I look adorable in pink angora. Go figure..

5. Are fortune tellers to be believed?

No, not all are to be believed. In hindsight, the ones that got my fortune wrong are not to be believed and the ones that were within the ballpark should be believed.

But one that is definitely not a catcher in the rye is a palm reading offspring of Omar Shariff running a carpet shop in Capadocia, Turkey. He told me in mid May 2004 that I would be married in 3 months. I was on a Thelma & Louise trip with not a Brad in sight so I pooh-poohed it for all it was worth (but not too much as the man was generously pouring the local vino). Then off I hop to Cambridge where I met D, blah blah blah, and 3 months later flew off to Sydney to hang out for a spell. Unbeknownst to me he was at that time already looking for ring....so yes, some fortune tellers are to be believed.

The Rules of the Game (Cut and pasted from Rara's site)

1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying "interview me."

2. I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different.

3. You will update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

I am getting free wireless service from God knows where. Have never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Here I am, sitting at the dining table, trying to finish yet another article and suddenly my computer signals to me. Go online it says. Wireless Netwok Connection connected. I click on the icon and lo and behold..the promise land! I love technology. Especially free access. Unfortunately, I must get back to article and changing existing cites to conform with the Harvard Bluebook style. But I had to get this out. What use is free technology if I can't get any benefit from it.

1. I am nearly done with consulting report.

2. I found a whole stack of Schweppes Diet Tonic Water at the local Woolworths.

3. I am now sipping GUILT FREE G&T!!

4. I am so going to have a good weekend....

I've just had to tell a friend who is here on holiday with his boyfriend that I can't have a girly lunch with him on the Harbour. Since arriving in Sydney I have been running around like mad. I have a consulting deadline to meet, with the report due yesterday,as usual, so I have not even had the time to go on usual afternoon strolls. All play and no work makes S a cash poor girl. But all is not lost. Have got myself semi-organised enough to get D converted...or as the converter says "returned" to the faith. Much much easier than I though it would be, considering that D only recieved the crash course on the 10 commandments the night before...I mean 11, to be divided into 2 categories. Of course we found sites with more than 12 basic tenets, and that threw us off a bit. During the interview, the nice interviewer kept throwing arabic and malay religious words at me in the hope that I could translate for D. I however kept giving him blank looks, and worse, just guessed. After a while he left me out of it. Lets just say that D is now a Johan in spite of me. Yup, I chose Johan. Much easier for me to remember if need be, and D likes it (after I told him that it does not matter if he comes in second, he will always be a champion). It appeals to the sportsman in him. He was jaywalking home like a suicidal maniac after I told him that he was as sinless as a baby. Well, up to the point he recklessly ignored my complaints about his jaywalking. He knows that in the faith, not listening to the future wife is a big sin...mucho grande bad point against soul type sin.

Off in a minute to the local flight center. Booking ticket back to KL for a short visit.

I recieved some bad news yesterday and the first thing I did was call D. I was pretty sure that the time difference is +7...or 5...or 8. Actually I am not sure at all, but he is my fiance and he jolly well better answer my calls whenever. I called him in the afternoon my time. And I kept calling him in 2 hour intervals. I should have just googled "time difference AU" but I was busy dialling his number. By the evening (again my time), I was getting worried as we had not spoken for a whole day. I had visions of him lying dead on the street somewhere near the Indian takeaway, victim of a hit and run, mugging, or just mistaken identity. Of couse I was also mentally telling him off as he does tend to dangerously jay walk. I am of the wait till the green man blips persuasion, while he is of the but there are no cars persuasion. I sometimes wonder what our future will hold for us.

I also had visions of a serial killer entering the flat and killing him. Of course I then remembered that as an academic, nobody will know that he is missing. Name one student who would bother to ask why a lecturer does not turn up for class. So I knew deep down, as I was eating my pasta with tuna sauce, that I would probably be the one to find the body when I arrive on Monday. Oh dear, that means that no one will meet me at the airport. I hate that. Must remember to note D's address in diary just in case.

But what if by some lucky chance someone did realise he has gone awol, called the police, and they broke into his flat to find his body. Wouldn't the investigators check his messages? Oh no, they would not have his security code, so they would have to get it from the telephone company. May take a few hours. But if they did get it then they would be able to listen to my messages. Then maybe they would call me and tell my WHY HE IS NOT ANSWERING MY CALLS! Ok, admittedly, there have only been 3 calls, but I really do hate keying in all the numbers from the phone card.

If I find the body, then I would have to be the one to get police. Would I be a suspect? What if I got blood on my shoes or they find my hair in the apartment? Just in case my passport and phone calls are insufficient to prove that I could not have killed him, I went down to see have a chat with my landlady. I have seen enough cop shows to know I need an alibi.

Then D calls. His flight just got in. I told him that I was busy setting up an alibi in case I get questioned during his murder enquiry. He told me to stop watching CSI Miami: New York: Las Vegas and FBI Crime Files, and get some sleep.

I am on the move again. Well, not today. In the office as usual today, but instead of doing work as I should be, I have been online trying to figure plane and train schedules. I was bad girl over the weekend. While chatting on the phone with D, we realised that there was nothing holding me here for the next few weeks. I have collected as much data as I can for the next chapter of my thesis, which I have to finish by end April. So we discussed a few possible dates and within 20 minutes, I had a ticket being issued somewhere in Canada, to be couriered here in a few days. Thank God for airmiles as it is very difficult to be spontaneous if I have to wait for travel agencies to open. I leave Sunday. I haven't even unpacked from my last trip.

But of course this morning, even before I get my first caffiene hit, I find out that I have, have, have to be in a little village in Switzerland for a course on 23 May...which just happens to be the day I touch down in NL. So frantic calls to Switzerland, SQ, KLM, Swiss Air and online checks for possible trains to said small village...and life is on even keel again. I will be slightly late for course, and I will be travelling non-stop for 2 days, possibly sprinting to catch first available connections and respective trains. But as of this afternoon, life is on even keel. Now, to tell my boss that I will be away for 7 weeks.......

MHRIP

It is Karol Wojtyla's (Pope John Paul II) funeral today. I watched a bit of his funeral proceedings before heading out to work this morning. Noticed King Abdullah of Jordan and his gorgeous Queen, King Juan Carlos and his Queen, Hamid Karzai, Tony, and so many other dignitaries. Got a bit sniffy, as I usually do at funerals, yet awed at the effect he must have had on the millions of people in attendance. May he rest in peace.

I do not mean any disrespect in any way, as I have only the utmost respect for the small town boy from Poland who grew up to be the head of the Roman Catholic Church (not counting the big guy up there). While his inflexibility on issues with international ramifications eg birth control in Africa, drew strong criticism, he took criticism in stride. "It's a mistake to apply American democratic procedures to the faith and truth," the Pope has said. "You cannot take a vote on the truth." Even though I don't totally agree with his beliefs, he was a man of sterling integrity and faith. Traits I cannot help but admire.

I only have one issue. If he was the second in command, why was he so reluctant to go meet the boss? He hung on there for quite a bit, through crippling illness fulfilling what he believed was his calling. I may be wrong but if anyone had a VIP express lane through to the gates, I am, thinking it would be him. I would want to get there early, like when I get an upgrade and am able to have a drink at the airport lounge before the flight. Does he know something I don't?

The weather has turned dreary this morning...hmmm..

Just off the Ponte Vecchio, there is a little cafe that serves the most decadant Hot Chocolate. D and I found this cafe by accident as we decided to take a rest after walking what seemed like miles in the Pitti Palace. We sat down, ordered 2 hot chocolates and a chocolate and kahlua ice cream sundae. Did I mention that my soul mate not only thinks my Noodles in soup delicious (Maggi Mee) but he also likes chocolate more than I do. Is it fate or what??!!

Well, when the chocolate arrived it was basically melted chocolate in a cup. Maybe they added in a teaspoon of hot water but we couldn't tell. We didn't drink it, we had to spoon the stuff into our mouths. Suffice it to say we were so wired the rest of the day we were able to walk for hours.

When I start a new post, I always have trouble thinking of a title. Funny that, considering I am generally thought to have an overactive imagination. Maybe I am just not imaginative (Hmm, is that a word? Having a non-English mother tongue, living in NL, and dating a Canadian is really doing wonders for my vocabulary).

I am yet again in my office trying to do anything but work. Used the old settling down and following up on missed email excuse yesterday, and can't come up with anything today. Perhaps this lethargy I am feeling is the onset of a flu? I wish...

I will feel this way for the next few days. I know. Because I always feel this way after yet another goodbye at yet another airport. That's the thing with LDRs. You spend days planning the next meeting. Days arranging it. Weeks waiting in anticipation. These weeks feel like months as you are neither here nor there. Then you spend glorious days together, while trying not to think about the impending departure date. The next thing you know you get home, feeling even more displaced as you are even more convinced that the home you used to call a home is no longer that. Then just as you get acclimatised so to speak, it is time again to arrange that next meeting. Here we go again.

The 2 weeks we had together were fabulous as usual. Ticked 2 things I had to do before I die off my list (TTDBID list). Well actually I cheat. I don't actually have a list. I am not one of those people that have a list ex ante. I have them ex post. Let me explain. You know how some people draw up an actual physical list, while others have them in mind. I am of the latter breed. And you know how some people have lists and stick to them, like when they go to a supermarket. Well, when I go to a supermarket I have a mental list of healthy food I have to buy but end up with an aubergine, carrots, pasta, Doritos, Dip, Frozen chocolate cake, Diet coke (technically healthy as no sugar), jelly babies and bratwurst. I then convince myself that these would have been on the list if I had thought of them. I am legally trained therefore am trained to convince others and especially myself anything.

While in Berne, recovering from daily post conference drinks, we decided to hop to Venice for a couple of days. Of course while at the train station booking tickets, we figured on the way back we would check out Florence. A bit out of the way, but yet so close..and who knows when we will ever be back in the area (well, actually, will be back in Italy in June for another conference, but D can be forgetful and I plead selective amnesia). Back home with our tickets (3 days Venice, 4 days Florence, back to Berne then off to Geneve airport for respective flights) we then proceeded to persuade lil bro and wifey to join us in Venice. As they were driving with lil kiddies, D and I had to amend plans to just get any old hotel when we got to Venice and had to go online and make real bookings. Lucky for us we did as it turned out that it was Easter weekend (ah so thats why those eggs were being sold everywhere) and we had to book a room each in 2 different hotels on Lido. Initially, I was not too thrilled about not being on the mainland, but I felt it was important that lil bro and I have some family time. And am I glad that we chose Lido. It is the last stop on line 1 of the Vaporetti, but only 10 minutes from San Marco. On the first day we were there, we were rather relieved to get away from the hustle and bustle of tourist congested Venice and back to the quaintness of Lido. I dread to imagine Venice in the Summer.

It is difficult to describe Venice as it just has to be experienced. I loved the fact that we could walk everywhere. We could hop on the vaporetti and just choose a stop to explore. To experience the richness of culture (I would have added art and history if not for the fact that it would pale in comparison to Florence, our next stop). We packed in as much activity as we could on the first day, by visiting Piazza San Marco, the Basilica, and Palazzo Ducale. We walked everywhere, crossing not only the Rialto and Academia bridges, but oh so many smaller unknown yet crucial bridges. We visited the Guggenheim and Ca'Doro. We walked, we talked, and we ate. I vetoed D's suggestion to hop on a gondola as 1) the Canal seemed to be continously in a state of gridlock, 2) I did not see hear a single singing gondalier and 3) if I am going to pay €90 for a ride, I want to have the Canal to myself and I want Marco or Luigi to sing his heart out.

Taking a break from the mainland, the next day we took yet another vaporetti to Murano where we had luch and just admired the fabulous (also expensive) glassworks. Then it was back to the mainland to have dinner. Our final day was spent walking around the Jewish Ghetto and having lunch at a Tratorria, sitting by a small canal just absorbing Venice before we headed out to Florence.

We arrived in Florence and it took a bit of getting used to, what with there being no canals. We had booked a hotel through the internet the night before and was pleasantly surprised that it was a stone's throw away from the Duomo. As usual we dumped our luggage and headed straight out to explore Firenze.

Upon chucking our luggage, D and I headed to the Duomo to climb the tower. We would have tried for the dome if not for the extremely long line. The view of Florence and the surrounding Tuscan hills from the tower made the train journey and the climb oh so very worthwhile. After the much easier descent, we headed to the Piazza de la Signora to have dinner. I know, this is rather touristy, but where else can you have dinner in the presence of Ammannati's Mannerist Fountain of Neptune and Cellini's Perseus, holding Medusa's severed head. And not to forget the replica of David. The mind boggles to think that more than 800 years ago, there would have been others in the same spot admiring those same works of art. After dinner, we walked towards the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) to sit on the steps to admire Ghiberti's gates to paradise which took 50 years to complete (admittedly a copy in place now after the great flood). We walked to the hotel feeling lucky to be in the presence of such history and art, together.

The next day, we signed up for a walking tour. If time is of the essence these sort of tours are fabulous. We were herded back to the Duomo to admire Brunelleschi's dome and to learn the history behind the pink, white and green marble facade of the Duomo. And of course the Rennaisance-esque renovations. We also learned that Brunelleschi lost out to Ghiberti in the competition to create the gates to paradise, and he retreated to Rome where he came up with the idea to build the dome. Funny how fate works..

After the Duomo, we walked around the city, stopping where various other marvelous works of art (or where the originals would have been) were placed. Sometimes casually on a building facade. Sometimes the buildings themselves. The final stop before lunch was the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest surviving bridge which leads us across the Arno River. The bridge is lined with Jewelry stores (ages ago there were butchers but the Medici's changed all that). D was sweating, and I don't think it was because of the walk.

Yet another Penne Arrabiata (my absolute fave) lunch, and it was time to head to Galleria dell'Accademia to pay homage to Michelangelo's David, the original. Now this was never really on my list of TTDBID, but is so on there now. We spent ages just basking in his beauty. Of course we also took some time to look at his 4 slaves, the unfinished works.

Beer and Pizza at the Piazza de la Signora for dinner.

The next day we explored the Pitti Palace the Boboli Gardens. It had been a rather hectic week so we just walked aimlessly the rest of the day, trying to spot the flood markings on the buildings around Florence. D and I had differing views on what to do the rest of the visit. He insisted we go to Sienna and I wanted to go to Pisa. We compromised and did both. We took a day tour to Sienna and San Giminagno, the former being the venue of the famous horse race within the piazza. On our final full day, we took an early train to Pisa, headed straight for the Duomo and the tower and signed up for the walk to the top of the tower. To stand at the base of the tower had been on my TTDBID list, but I have added the climbing up to the top bit (I know I cheat by simulateously adding and tickeing off but in my world, I rule!) We rushed back in time to catch a highlights tour of the Uffizi gallery where a tour guide not only explained in detail the works of da Vinci, Botticelli, Michaelangelo, Raffaello, and Canaletto but also pointed out the other more important works (crucial if you only have a few hours). New add and check: To stand in front off and behold the Primavera and the Birth of Venus.

There is an illness attributed to the beauty of Florence. Stendhal's Disease is an illness diagnosed in about 12 visitors to Florence each year, and resulting from the culture shock and bedazzlement when one visits Florence. Although I can't say I succumbed to this specific disease, I am, and will forever be enamoured with Florence. A new item to add: Must visit Florence again.

Italie

Cannot write much as I am in an internet cafe in Florence. From Berne we took a train to Venice, via Milan. It was a fabulous ride as the weather was perfect and we sipped white wine as we rolled along the Swiss then Italian Alps. Tried to look out for George's house on Como. We spent a few days in Venicia (Gorgeous) then too another train to Firenze. We are now in Florence. Heading out to Pisa for the day in a few minutes, so have to go. Will provide more details later.

Bern-in to go somewhere

I am at this moment in an internet cafe located in the basement of Loeb, a huge department store in Bern. As my brother has been travelling for quite a bit he stopped his internet connection at home and so D and I have resorted to taking a tram into the city centre every morning to check our email. Of course this has to be the week that we are expecting some rather urgent mails.

It has been a hectic week. Flew from NL to Geneve, hoping to meet up with D at the luggage carousel. Instead, we met at passport control. Not only did we get to kiss and cuddle 15 minutes more this break (we both cross respective seas on the 3rd), but I was able to cut the line...heh. The conference went well. It was a global multi disciplinary conference so we were able to gain insight on innovations within entrpreneurial studies from a diverse group of academics from each continent. More importantly, it was small enough to get to know everyone, yet large enough to allow us to gather together a gang to paint Laussane red. I think we drank it dry. (One had to have a bit more than usual when one is a mere student within a group of sociologists, organisational behaviourists, finance and economic geeks discussing the difference between theory and model...this is still not resolved)
After Laussane, we had to meet someone in Zurich so we spent a day there before heading back down to Bern. Did Zurich last July so we spent most of our time in the church admiring Chagalls stained glass. I must admit that is my Have to See in Zurich.

So here I am now, looking into heading out to Venice for Easter. We have no idea how to get there, where to stay, or even if Venice has signs of life during the easter break...but I want to go.

Coffee at Wisteria Lane

I have a confession. I am getting hooked on Desperate Housewives. In a few weeks I suspect my addiction will be as bad as my SATC addiction. I am starting to think about which character I want to be...Susan or Bree, just as I agonised over the Carrie or Charlotte issue. Last year I wanted to live in Manhatten, drink Cosmos all night, be artistically savvy and a fag hag. As I am already a fag hag (on various continents too) and drink all the time, I felt my dreams were within reach. Then Miranda moved to suburbia and Carrie finally got Mr Big. In the meantime I felt dazed and confused as had to resort to re-runs of Will & Grace and Gilmore Girls (Now Will is my dream fag to hag!).

But now there are the Wisteria Lanettes to love, hate, and aspire to be when I grow up.

I've been tapped

I am supposed to be doing some rather urgent work. I am however sipping on nasty mud water coffee supplied by the gallon in the faculty room, thinking about Lausanne, where I will be on Thursday. I have therefore decided to meet Lisa's challenge and fill in the following questionairre:

1. favorite main entree:
Big ole juicy steak, med-rare

2. favorite salad:
Thai beef salad

3. favorite soup:
Leek and potato

4. favorite appetizer:
Foie gras

5. favorite dessert:
Chocolate cake

6. favorite fruit:
Mango

7. favorite vegetable:
Spinach

8. favorite sashimi:
Salmon

9. favorite sushi roll:
Raw Tuna roll

10. favorite soda beverage:
Coke

11. favorite non-alcoholic beverage:
Coke

12. favorite alcoholic shot:
B-52 (technically a cocktail but comes in shot glasses)

13. favorite alcoholic drink:
G&T, JD 7-up, Wine, Champagne, Sex on the beach, Long Island Tea, Cosmos, Manhattens..heck, anything at an open bar.

14. favorite cake:
Chocolate fudge

15. favorite pie:
Apple

16. favorite ice cream:
Choc choc chip

17. favorite milkshake:
Snickers milkshake

18. favorite cut of beef:
Sirloin

19. favorite cuisine:
Asian

20. favorite part of chicken: (leg, wing, thigh, breast)
The little hearts/kidneys..

21. favorite fried food:
Fish fried in tumeric (Ikan goreng)

22. favorite cookie:
Ginger snaps

23. favorite indian curry:
Fish head curry

24. favorite gum:
None. Too much effort

25. favorite candy:
Dark chocolate

26. favorite crepe:
Ones with peach and strawberry filling

27. favorite sandwich:
Aussie style Steak sandwich with grilled onions

28. favorite pizza:
Thin crust salami/pastrami/olives...and NO pineapple

29. favorite mexican dish:
Chili con carne..or is that Texan?

30. favorite vietnamese dish:
Beef noodles

31. favorite korean dish:
Any kim chi

32. favorite chinese dish:
Does dim sum in aggregate count?

33. favorite filipino dish:
Micheal...

34. favorite southern food:
Deep fried catfish and grits

35. favorite instant noodles brand:
Maggi

36. favorite juice:
Carrot/apple/celery mix

37. favorite snack food:
Doritos

38. favorite fish:
Garoupa

39. favorite cereal:
Crunchy Nut

40. favorite pho:
Huh?

41. favorite breakfast food:
Coffee

42. favorite french food:
Foie gras

43. favorite mcdonalds food:
It has to be the fries

44. favorite pasta dish:
anything tomato-ey and with penne, or those cute ribbon shaped ones

45. favorite bread:
French loaf

46. favorite tea:
Earl Gray

47. favorite 7-11 slurpies:
Have sworn of them since friends who worked at 7-11 claimed they never cleaned the dispensers...you know who you are girlies.

48. favorite hershey's kiss:
Do not eat American chocolates

49. favorite flavor of m&m's:
Green

50. favorite candy bar:
Ritter dark chocolate with whole hazelnuts

NY-Toronto-Winnipeg

From NY, we flew to Toronto, where D spent a couple of days at meetings, and I went on yet another hop-on-hop-off tour. If I had more time, and was not so busy with work, I would provide more detailed highlights of my visit but alas, that is not the case. In short, highlights include:

1)Walking on the see through floor of the CN Tower




2)Casa Loma



3)Watching stand up comedy at the Second City


From Toronto, we flew to Winnipeg where I would meet the future in laws for the very first time.




I was a bit apprehensive to say the least. The last time I met potential in laws, they didn't speak English, and my German was non-existent, so I just spent 2 weeks smiling and nodding. This time I knew I had at least utter a few fairly intelligent sentences. Did I also mention that it was -30 degrees in Winnipeg?? D, who I must add is a perfect ambassador for Canadian charm and intelligence, is a less than effective ambassador for tourism and he filled me with horror stories of 5 feet high snow banks. (I admit, I couldn't help it. I checked if they all had their fingers and toes. Frostbite not that much of an issue.)

My worries were put to rest within minutes of arriving at the family home. The family, D's dad, his brother and sister in law, his sisters and his aunt were extremely warm, kind and generous with their hospitality during our stay in Winnipeg. They made me feel so very welcome that I felt rather sad when the visit ended.

It was such an event filled visit, so I apologize in advance for my rather random jottings. Mainly it was because we were only going to be in Winnipeg for 4 days, but it just seemed like there was always a family event. D's dad organised a dinner at the Country Club (yup, D is a product of the suburbian dream). That afternoon, as D was getting ready to go for a run with his elder brother, his eldest brother who works in the US walks into the family room. He decided to surprise us and just took a flight out the last minute. So while the 3 brothers went out for a run, I sat and had a nice chat with D's dad who mentioned that it would have been D's mum's birthday that day if she were still alive. He liked the fact that the 3 brothers were together that day. At dinner the main topic of conversation was the cross country skiing we would all be doing the next afternoon. I am sure they must have noticed my reluctance upon mention of the cross country skiing. I must admit that I had taken that rather literally and fully expected to be skiing if not across state lines, then pretty much across city limits...and trust me...Winnipeg is big. The next day, after sending D's eldest brother to the airport in the morning (he flew down just for the dinner...sweet), D took me on a tour of Winnipeg; where he went to elementary school, junior high and high school. The park where they used to hide to have a drink, the rink where they used to train and play hockey, the houses he used to throw snowballs at, etc. Funnily enough, the visit in a way enabled me to understand D's childhood, and why he has his views on what a successful life is, how his own family should live.

After the tour, we went home to get ready for the afternoon. I was rather surprised nobody had suggested packing sandwiches and a flask, and had thought of doing it myself but unfortunately got a bit distracted by the sight of Doug running around the house in Spandex/lycra tights looking for his skis. Again, my worries were put to rest upon arriving at the golf course and I was told by the siblings that we would only be going around the course. Now, my other worry about the skiing was that I am not a good skier. I have had lessons but that was downhill skiing, and from what I have seen on TV, skiing on flat ground seemed to be a bit more streneous. I was able to stay on the skis and move forward though, and they were awfuly nice with their compliments and moral support. Good thing there were others there too as Doug would have been poking be with the sharp end of that ski pole thinggy urging me to go faster the whole circuit.

After the skiing, we had a family BBQ. Now, let me remind you about the -30 degree weather. So how can you have a BBQ you ask?? Well, what you do is you get all bundled up, open the TRIPLE glazed patio door, run out to start the fire then run back in. When you see that the fire is on its way, you run out again to put on the steaks...etc etc. When we first started going out, D told me about this crazy Canadian tradition of BBQing during winter. He proved to me that night that it could be done.


We flew back the next morning. But we will be going back soon. I need to know how they BBQ in the summer...

The Big Apple

I have been back for a few weeks now but have been so swamped with work that I honestly barely have time to breathe, much less post anything.

But this I had to post...


The Gates, Central Park, New York, 1979-2005.

D and I were at the Met when we noticed these Orange flags outside. We initially thought it had something to do with the Netherlands...heh. Such plebs we are..

1 day to go...

I will see D tomorrow. 23.15 US time. I don't even want to think about converting that into actual hours, as my math skills are non-existent. Now I know why they have those maths problems...if you are on plane heading to NY at a gazillion kilometres an hour and NY is heading in your direction at whatever miles per hour, how much time would you have to wash and blow your hair before your boyfriend reaches JFK? All I know and care about at this moment is that I will see D tomorrow.

I spoke to him this morning, to give him my flight details. I will be arriving much earlier, but I think he needs to know which flight I am on. Just in case. Like if a jet engine sucks in an eagle. I am morbid, I know. Told him about my brother's friend. A bit difficult though as I had to explain what a baju kurung and tudung is. I then had to explain why I do not wear these items of clothing. As these things go, we then got on to the topic of polygamy. I have told him that only Malaysian born Muslims can marry more than 1 wife. Converts and especially foreign converts have no such right. It is in fact an offence under the penal code (which is unfortunately only in Malay). Regardless of what any Malaysian man he will meet says. They just want to see more foreigners in jail. Do not listen to them. And yes, maggi mee is staple food in Malaysia.

I don't think I will have a problem, as he recently asked me what the difference is between Islam and Muslim. The man thought they were 2 different religions. I think I shall tell him that all new converts have to have their new name chosen by the wife. I am thinking ... Joaquim.

We will be visiting D's dad next week. It is -26 celcius in his hometown. Wonder if they walk around in snowsuits there...

How to irritate a sister from across the seas...

Call her at 3am KL time to ask her if you could have white rice at her wedding reception. Remind her how opposed you are to having nuts and raisins amongst the rice..oooh, and request that the colour pink not be chosen as the family theme colour. Then tell her you wish you could be there to help out with the arrangements. Then hang up.

Insaf

2 weeks ago, as I was lying spread eagle on the marble living room floor at home trying to cool off, irritating my brother by jokingly asking him, over and over again, "Why is your country so hot??!!" (I add jokingly before some nationalist lambasts me with comments), he told me a story about a friend of his. He is a transvestite. Not my brother. His friend, F. They have been friends for a long time, and my brother, the kindest most giving person you will ever know, provides his strong shoulders for F to cry on after each failed love affair. They lost touch after the last doomed and tragic affair but recently, he received a call from F. F wanted to touch base, and to inform my brother that "I dah insaf" (I have repented) and he has found the path he is meant to take, he has renewed his faith. My brother was happy for him and suggested they meet up for coffee. Nothing stronger in view of his born again status. F turned up at Alexis wearing a baju kurung and a tudung.

Berlin in 6 hours

I was in Berlin yesterday. Missed Karnivale here becuase I needed to get a visa for Canada, pronto. Note to travellers: If you are not carrying a Dutch passport, but need to travel to Canada from NL, you will need to get a visa from Berlin. I tried to courier my application on Saturday, only to be told by nice postmaster that because of the Karnivale, nothing would be leaving the post office until Monday morning. Checked flights: Cost of last minute ticket same as cost of my flight to NY. I had no choice but to take the last train out to Berlin on Sunday, check myself into a hotel and be at the embassy at 9am on Monday. Only to be told that my passport would be ready at 3pm. So there I was, freezing my buns off, trying to figure out how to kill 6 hours. How much coffee would I have to consume?

What do I do? Get on a hop-on-hop-off bus of course. Did Berlin in a few hours. Spent a bit more time at Checkpoint Charlie. Still trying to figure out what that Dome is famous for because I had to interrupt my taped tour to reassure D over the phone that it is OK to eat a steak he had defrosted on Saturday, but stuck back in the freezer.




Berlin is a beautiful city, still retaining its remaining historical buildings. As usual, any remnants of communism is now fully commercialised, but hey, isn't that why we fight for democracy. It does make you think though as the bus brings you along one of the few remaining parts of the wall still standing. A city divided.

At 3pm, I picked up my now even more valuable passport (that sticker cost me Euro 200 in total!) and headed home.

Just as I am getting use to the weather here, I have to figure out how to pack for a weekend in NY and a week in the wilds of Canada. I sometimes wish time would just stand still for me to catch my breath.

NL sure is cold

The ironic thing about maintaining a blog is that when there is so much to write about, there is never any time to write. Since my last lament about KF's absence, she came home the day before I left, I left KL, am back in NL, and have spent the last few days reading massive amounts of snail mail, starting a research project, applying for both a US and Canadian visa in a week, and getting use to the cold and dreary weather again.

The last few days in KL were hectic. Spending days trying to get knick knacks for housemates, colleagues and secretaries (Tip: Be nicer to the secretaries than your bosses). Eating as much as my tummy could possibly handle ("Yes Mama, I know that Laksa Penang, Mee Goreng and Sashimi do not sit well together in one meal, but I only have 2 days!!") and saying my goodbyes to close friends (Thanks ever so much for accommodating me, meeting up with me at a stranger's house and coming over to mine as I packed). Finally, it was time for me to head out, my last supper at KLIA (Can you believe that a teh tarik is RM5.20!!) enjoyed with my Daddy, Ayah, Mama and siblings. As usual, arriving in Schipol in darkness, with 40 kilos of luggage (minus 10 kilo handbag..why can I never travel light??) just highlighted what I left behind.

I was dreading the trip back home. Even on the plane, as I watched movie after movie, visions of dragging my luggage on and off the trains, down and up staircases and escalators as I catch connecting trains, kept me awake. But life holds plenty of surprises. I arrived in time to catch a train with only one connection needed, and that from the same platform. As I arrived at my own station, someone asked me if he could help carry my luggage. Bless him. My housemate offered to make tea as I got ready for my meeting (Did I mention that I had a meeting the morning of my arrival?), and after the meeting, as I dragged myself home and up to my room, my landlady informed me that she had bought me groceries and flowers for my room as she figured I would be too tired to go grocery shopping. I felt so touched, and so blessed by such thoughtfulness.


But just as I am trying to acclimatise myself to my surroundings, I may be off again. I have to be in NY by the 11th of Feb to meet D as our paper will be presented at a University upstate. We will then head out to Canada to see my future Daddy-in-law and head back out a few days later. Have you ever tried to apply for both a US and a Canadian visa within a week?? I am in the process of doing this, and I shall tell you what happens. Fingers crossed. Oooh, may I add that Canada does not have visa services in NL and that I need to apply in Germany? Toes crossed.

I am stressed. But if all goes well, I will be in the big apple, get nookie and see D next Friday. Hmm, maybe I should have placed "see D" second...or first..