Early Worms

Arrived back from Melbourne yesterday afternoon and have settled back into life at the Bachelor Pad. I managed my way through the first half of The Dark Knight before crawling to bed - yes, even day flights are tiring! Waiting text messages this morning indicated that I'd been asleep since at least 9pm. 9pm!!! I woke at 5.30am this morning and then forced myself to go back to sleep as 5.30am is an entirely inappropriate time to be up when you're still on holidays. As it turned out I was up around 7.30am. Seeing what goes on in the Heartlands at 7.30 is quite amazing. Usually if I'm up at this time I'm in a vague, cloudy state as I make my way to the MRT for work. People doing their shopping, buying their morning iced coffee in a plastic bag with a straw... it's like a whole new world!

Some people say that going to bed early is the key to a healthy day ahead. I'm not too sure exactly who these people are but I have to say that they may be onto something. Having had such a massive sleep the usual cloudiness of morning was shattered. I was... a-w-a-k-e! I actually rate this concept highly. My mind seems to be working slightly faster than usual. I'm not as grumpy (hehe). The problem becomes that it's just impossible for me to go to bed at this time. I'm a nightowl and if I went to bed at 9 then I'd just be lying there frustrated until at least 11.30. Sigh... might have to utterly exaust myself more often then.

Exit Strategies

Have to say, Singapore will need to pull some magical, million dollar note dispensing rabbit out of its hat to convince me to stay. You'd be really surprised at how far along my exit strategy is. Yes, I actually have an "exit strategy". I'm officially an adult.

I have a definite contracted job to return to, should have accommodation sorted by the time I leave Melbourne and have started doing the maths on how much money I'll need to buy a car etc. I'm still going to cast a line for positions in Canada and Japan but I think coming back here suits me best. Over the next month I miss concerts by Public Enemy, TZU, Neil Young alone! Very biased as this is hardcore concert season in Australia, but after a year and a half of covers I find I really miss venues like The Forum, The Prince of Wales and St Jeromes.

The only caveat on returning is that I won't be staying at my parents place, not even for one night. That just can't happen. Hence why I need an actual strategy for my return here. I don't need to give work notice until sometime in March so Singapore and the Gods of Romance have rapid work ahead of me in order to convince me to remain there.

Will be grouchy if work calls me early tomorrow

Gave in to stomachy temptation and changed my flights so I'm heading back to Melbourne a couple of days earlier. When I booked in May I was able to get 10 days back home for a reasonable price but any more than that was an extra $800!! When I called today they told me I could extend in any way I wanted free of charge. Is the economy really $800 worse off? I couch that in terms of things that we (expats anyhow) have to pay. Either way I have just another reason to praise global downturns. I know this is all going to suck for far too many to count, but frankly this works in my favour.

As much as I say it's all about my stomach I realised today that the fact is that I'm just a bit homesick. Can't wait to see my sisters and my parents. Very concerned about my eldest sister. She asked me to stay at her place if I want to on the pretext that her airedale needs some looking after. So I'll do as she asks. Of course it's just to look after the airedale. For a dog-hater I'm good like that ;)

That, and I just have the strong need to get away from Singapore.

For the last 9 months I've been hating my job. Largely because I didn't think I was doing it as well as I'm capable, so distracted was I by my study. The last two days? I loved being there. Honestly. I forgot that I used to love that feeling. In conversation today the concept of introverts and extroverts came up. Noone ever believes that I'm actually very shy. They laugh when I tell them I used to skip any kind of presentation at university because I couldn't bear the thought of being in front of even 10 people let alone the amounts I deal with now. 10%? Who really cares? I'd rather take my chances out of 90% than take my chances with the slavering beasties that make up university tutorial groups. Anyhow, there it is. I'm not what I appear to be. Terrifying, isn't it? Not as terrifying as doing a job you hate. So I'm happy because work has made me happy after so long.

It's been a Ben Folds kind of night. The first two are just two of the most gorgeous songs ever written and the third just an excellent cover.

Seen but not heard

Fantastic article in The Age today about migrant workers in Dubai. For the record... it's absolutely no different here in Singapore. It's just that nobody wants to talk about human rights abuse.

Cheesecake afterglow

I've mentioned before that I've been told and learnt that Singapore is a small place. Sometimes you get reminded of this. Today an ex-student of mine from Melbourne ran into me randomly in Plaza Sing. He had told me he was coming to live here and we'd been in touch a couple of months ago, however with the deletion of my Facebook account he would have had no way to contact me. So it's incredibly fortunate that he bumped into me and we were able to exchange contact details. Anyhow, the migration from Melbourne to Singapore continues. That's three friends from Melbourne who have moved here in the eighteen months since I arrived. After years of never having any home people when I've been doing the ex-pat thing, I must confess that this is a very refreshing change.

Did some exam preparation today which went swimmingly. My boss was very impressed considering how little work I have done towards it so far. That is, until he asked me to write out some phonemic script and it became obvious that I was very, very illiterate in this area. I don't know whether to be chuffed or annoyed at myself regarding the shock and disappointment in his eyes when he realised this. Admittedly he said he didn't learn it backwards until this stage in the course when he was undertaking it. But I guess he just assumed I knew it. I guess it speaks well of how management regard me that this would come as a shock to them, however it does underline my own feeling that I pull the wool over everyone's eyes and that I've now been partially exposed for the fraud I am hehe. My boss didn't really care but he *very* strongly advised me to get on the horse and make it happen. Sigh... like there's not enough.

Had a lovely night of many entrees and drinks with S and A at Chjimes tonight. I almost never go there, but we were around. We actually went to (hide your disdain please!!!) Harry's and had "crazy hour" drinks and satays, nachos, caesar salad and hot wings. i never claimed it was healthy but I can divulge that it was delicious. This was followed up with Chocolate Volcano and Cheesecake at Bobby's next door. As a non-dessert kind of guy I can tell you that these were special. Right down to me commandeering the last bite for myself (a rare moment of selfishness, but if you'd tasted this cheesecake you would understand).