Lump of contentment

I try not to bore people with nonsensical stuff if I have nothing to write about. Last week was madness; work, shoot, meetings after meetings. Weeks in November flew by in a huff. The Harpers shoot was fun, the hair and make-up artist did a great job and made us look like ourselves but twice better. We posed like Gisele and I tried to resemble a smokin' hot italian heiress with my satin collar up but that just sent the 2 gay stylist and art director in a fit of giggles. Bo, we'd see the final result soon enough.

Just last weekend I had my usual massage and the kindly masseuse said nonchalantly to me 'Miss, you got a lump here', grabbing a knot of fats on my left shoulder - somewhat like a gnocchi of grasso. It didn't hurt which was a good sign but it affected me throughout the week so I asked my doc friend E for advice. The arse said it could be a 3rd boob. But in all seriousness, it could be a lipoma. I sought a 2nd opinion with a GP who confirmed it. So now it's me and my Lipoma (which sounds so italian). I always thought I had a chip on my shoulder, now I just had a lump. Doc referred me to a surgeon and we'd decide if we should remove it.

Funny this lump surfaced when I was just thinking that a lot of us took our health for granted. Oprah W said without health, we can't conquer the world. Happiness is health. Without it, we can't enjoy our family, friends, lovers, wealth and be our own heroes. So as I go about reflecting on my new year resolutions, I'd put health upfront. Every year eversince I recognised the power and potential of goals, I have a list of realistic short-term achievables and tick each off as the year drools on. I'm kinda kiasu this way; life is short and time is running out. We think we have all the time in the world but it's not true. Time slips you by.

Youth is a leaf in the wind
It prances and twirls blindly.

I'm almost finishing 'Una Camera Con Una Vista' (A Room With A View) by E M Foster. I didnt know he was gay! Anyway it was kinda 'Sense & Sensibility' (by Jane Austen) where the damsel found herself and ended up with her real love in a straits-laced society then. But 'A Room With A View' was partly set in Florence (bonus point!) and I felt like her in the Spoleto's convento when all I wanted was 'una camera con una vista'. I didn't get it in the end. I thought it'd make me happy like it did the first time but I was too narrow minded. I was better off with a view of the garden, a window to prettier things. Here are some excerpts I like from the book:

"How can he be unhappy when he is strong and alive? What more is one to give him?"

"Passion should believe itself irresistible. It should forget civility and consideration and all the other curses of a refined nature. Above all, it should never ask for leave where there is a right of way."

"It is impossible to foretell the future with any degree of accuracy, that it is impossible to rehearse life."

"Life is easy to chronicle but bewildering to practice."

Nostalgia per me

As one gets older, one becomes more nostalgic. The sentimental fool in me sobbed when I asked the garanguni (is it spelt right?) man to take my baby-sized decade-old 14inch monitor away, to be replaced by a brand-new flat screen on my office desk. If I could, I would use it till I grow blind from squinting. But as it was, I could feel my eyesight failing.

Some good news this week! LTA replied to my letter and came up with a standard PR reply that I was anticipating. But it was a reply nonetheless saying they're doing their best to avoid the trees in the line of fire. I also saw the workers transplanting some younger trees so that's pretty cheery.

What also made me chirpier was that Harpers Bazaar wanted to feature me and my partners in the Jan 2008 issue, woooo-peeee! They'd be doing our hair and make-up for a photoshoot this Wednesday, so we were kinda stressed out over our outfits! Not exactly high-fashion slaves, we hoped our humble wardrobe would pull it off!

Green peace of mind

I was quite upset since last week when the beautiful shady trees and lush bushes around my office area were uprooted to make way for supposedly new MRT works. My partners and I were tempted to chain ourselves to the trees to protest against this horrible destruction. If I had my way, I'd become a full-time activist or politician to have my voice heard. Egged on by another similiar-thinking fellow whose letter got published in Today newspaper, I wrote in to bitch about it and whoopee, mine appeared on the following day! This was not the first time I had written to the forum - in fact the last time, NEA responded to my letter in ST when I championed the merits of using less plastic bags and going green in Spore 2 years ago.

My friends said why I bothered at all when the relevant authorities had already made up their minds. But I totally disagreed and felt that we can all make an impact with action, instead of keeping silent. Caring about something and doing something about it are two totally different things. Si, we might not be able to reverse the situation but at least we could put pressure on them regarding future works in progress and inspire others that they are not alone in this. Yesterday during italian class, my English classmate K told me she read my letter and cheered me for my effort. I walked a little more sprightly after that.

Also on Friday evening, I found myself at a wine dinner seated with a local journalist, the Australian vineyard's GM and a Canadian brewmaster (who thought I was 20 yrs old) among other guests. They were short of patting me on the shoulder when I told them about the letter as we were discussing about organic wines. The dinner lasted more than 4 hours as we quaffed down 6 courses and 8 wines. Our VIP table had 2 extra mystery wines where we did a blind tasting and had to guess their varietal and vintage. I was honestly a little shacked and rusty but at least I got the styles right.

Me: Yes, definitely an Old World. Bordeaux maybe? (Correct!)
Me: Hmm, its quite young. 2002 maybe? (Wrong - 1998)

Sunday was pasta day, all the more cos I was suffering from extreme PMS and a pimple popped up overnight on my chin. Che cazzo. Here's my recipe of the month to chase away the blues:

Organic spaghetti with prawns, arugula and cherry tomatoes

Ingredients
Organic spaghetti (enough for 1)
2tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 small whole chilli
5 whole prawns
5 basil leaves (chopped)
A handful of arugula leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:
1. Boil pasta for 6mins in salted water.
2. Fry garlic in oil till fragrant, then add cherry tomatoes and chilli and fry for 1min.
3. Add prawns, basil, salt and pepper. Fry for 3-4 mins till cooked (remove chilli).
4. Add spaghetti and mix well. Remove from heat and toss in arugula. Serve! :)

Buon Diwali

Haaappy Diwaaali! Ah, such bliss to wake up late on this public holiday. Last night, our celebrations started with some fab naan, spiced okra, cauliflower and tandoor chicken at the Indian ristorante at the Singapore Recreational Club. Interestingly I didn't know non-members could dine there anytime. And I didn't know that the club was established in 1883 by the Eurasian community as a hangout for non-whites in Spore, as opposed to the Singapore Cricket Club that was opened for the whites. Ok ok I didn't know a lot of things.

I was informed by my 2 Indian amici - Prab and Ketan - that Diwali / Divali / Deepavali is NOT their new year celebration; in fact it's celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Light," where the lights signify the uplighting of darkness and victory of good over evil. Ah so. Light my fire baby. After dinner, we chilled out at the members-only terrace bar upstairs at the SRC and admired the city's skyline with its tiny window boxes of lit offices. The perspective from this side of the Padang was quite stunning. The streets were abandoned and the breeze lifted the heat. I told N it felt like Berlin - although strangely I had never been to Berlin. The drinks were also ridiculously cheap here - my apricot brandy cost S$3! I told them the house cocktails in comparison were quite a scandal at S$5.

I think I'd bring my Romanian friend Cristian for a walk around the Spore River and Padang when he visits in early December. And we'll go to the seediest quarters of Spore instead of the poshy-woshy places. Heheh. Shock his senses and show him the underbelly of the lione citta. Today my bro is leaving for Cambodia and I passed him the contact of my tuk tuk friend Ou Hok and scribbled tips on Siem Reap (click on December 06). My bro actually asked me if they have coffee or tea in Cambodia?! Dude. Angkor Wat is surely one of the most hauntingly beautiful yet saddest places in the world.

I met some mates for a round of martinis at Morton's and wolfed down 4 (or was it 5) steak finger sandwiches. R finally confessed that he and his wife have split up and I wanted to hug him and tell him he'll be fine. He has gone by the 'denial' stage and seems strangely at peace, so much so he and the wife are house mates now. I told him it's all for the better. Why be with someone who doesn't love you wholeheartedly? We all deserve someone who loves us for who we are. He replied, "We do?" Si si, certamente.