Discovering: Rumah Sakit - 'No One Likes A Grumpy Cripple'

The nicest thing anybody's said to me for a long time was Mr. P.'s: "You don't look like you're twenty-five; you look like you're about twenty" - which Geeta seconded.

A validation coming from an eighteen year-old girl? Wow.






I don't care what everybody else thinks - Geeta said I look like I'm about twenty!

Discovering: Coconut Monkeyrocket - 'Bloops ...'

All of a sudden, it seems like everything's happening all at once - gentle explosions of muted chaos.



Then again, maybe it's just me: not able to catch up ... as usual.

Discovering: The Research - 'Lonely Hearts Still Beat The Same'

When Jason said, on Friday night, he thought I looked different, other than having put on weight, I thought it might be because I've fallen hopelessly in love for the first time.







How not to love her?

Discovering: Angela Desveaux - 'Heartbeat'

This morning, I re-realized, remembered, that 'Song for A Jolly Gathering' in the Chinese Box soundtrack reminds me of Cute Chinese Chap.

Inexplicably, I felt a prick of regret about how things didn't turn out, and the twinge of what-if for the would-, could-, and might-have-beens.



Damn.

Discovering: Starlight Mints - 'Seventeen Devils'

Is it just me, or does music sound better in the night?

I seem to delete a whole lot fewer music samples off my harddrive in the night than in the day.



Or maybe the Starlight Mints is just really adorable.

Discovering: Klaatu - 'Hope'

Hm.

Not too suddenly, I want to learn the art of Chinese knots.

Numbing Self To: Lauren K. Newman - ' Bleak, Ruined Choir of One'

Fuck.

Fuck.

FUCK.

I'm. So. MAD.

At myself.

(What if I've ruined everything for myself?)

F U C K.

(I'll never want anything so much again.)

Discovering: Compendum - 'Brand New Start'

The girl with the satchel and a hand-carrier (in which contained an A3 sketchbook and other art materials) wore a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

She reminded me of the days where I was in (black) tank-tops, scruffed jeans and Doc Marts, and three dozens of bangles - the mornings, especially, where every bus ride to school was a struggle for space with an A3 or A2 portfolio carrier.

I think I actually miss those days ...

Discovering: Camille - 'Lumière'

No-Name Doggie's alleged owner still hasn't called me; I certainly won't be calling him.

I can't imagine life without her - how had our family lived before her appearance?



Don't ever call me up, Julien.

Enjoying: Ani DiFranco - 'Worthy'

The entire time I was watching the Russia vs. Latvia game, I was going, "Oh ... oh ... oohhhhhhh."

Almost like sex.

Almost.

Hockey's better (and you don't have to change the sheets after).



Here's hoping I'd be able to wake at 04:00 for the live Canada vs. Finland game.

Discovering: The Minor Canon - 'Good Luck'

Feels pretty fucking awesome to be all pumped up about hockey again.

And I guess I was wrong about women ice hockey games - they're pretty fun to watch as well, even though they're slower and less aggressive than the men's games.

Good luck at Torino, Canada, to both the men's and women's hockey teams ... especially to the Devils' sole representative on the men's team!

Discovering: Cat Power & Karen Elson - 'I Love You'

On TV Mobile was the highlights of the Winter Olypmics Russia vs. Finland (or some team in blue, anyway) hockey game - prolly a pre-tournament; me, I was invading some poor passenger's personal space, practically gluing myself to a pole, trying to hold off screaming "Oh for gawd sakes - what kinda goalie are you?!", slapping my forehead, and swearing.

I was considering remaining on the bus until the highlights reel ended; I almost didn't get off the bus.

Blood lust - that's what it was: I'm a hockey addict who hasn't seen a game in four years (and counting).

Chilling To: Dennis Brown - 'Things In Life'

I killed a mozzie with my bare hand - my left one - this morning: not bad for a right-hander with the motor reflexes of a snail on valium (thanks Jen!).

I bought a black string bikini that I've always wanted, a bag, two spectacle frames, and a hairband.

I spent most of the day walking and shopping; I'm so tired, I feel a headache's coming on.

But hey, I think it's been a pretty good day.

Enjoying: Mountain Goats - 'Standard Bitter Love Song'

It just occurred to me that I've never gotten more mozzie bites yesterday than the entire time I've been in Singapore.

What - was it some kinda screwy animal/entomological attraction?

Were all those itchy, ugly, red bumps covering my legs and arms some kinda half-assed love bites?

Enjoying: The Powerpuff Girls - 'Love Makes The World Go Round'

I've been hurting myself these couple of days.

I won't mind it if it had been intentional - like making the neat/delicate/intricate incisions of self-multilators - but no, every time I hurt myself, I never see it coming.

Worse: I hurt others - like poor No-Name Doggie whose toes I've trod on while walking her.

Gawd, I am a klutz ... and even though I'm clumsy, I swear I'm usually not this clumsy.

What the hell's wrong with me?

Enjoying: Dinah Washington - 'Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby'

I feel so sorry for No-Name Doggie. She's such a friendly dog, she deserves more friends.

I just wish there are some pooches she can hang out and play with. Right now, she's stuck with us humans who can't really understand her or know how to play with her.

During our evening walk, we ran into one of the two dogs she's really fond of - the Malamute at number 42. He was as happy to see her as she was him.

Poor baby; I wish she had friends who could come over (or whom she could visit) for play-dates.

Looping: 'La Noyée'

When I stared into the puddle the rain left behind, I saw a reflection of the bright morning sky in it and marveled at how absolutely breath-taking it was.

Then I looked up into the sky - only to find myself thinking it less beautiful than its reflection seemed to me.

I had wondered: how can a mirror image be lovelier than the real thing?

I realize now: the same way dreams are (often) more pleasing than the waking world.

Discovering: Ryuichi Sakamoto - 'Island of Woods'

I love creating, I really do.

So when I do not create - can't - not because I lack the materials, but because I'm in want of ideas, I feel dead ... or, at least, deader than usual.

What can you do when you can't do anything?

Looping: Parov Stelar - 'Nowhere' (feat. Billy Kern)

So I figured: the silver lining of this day having spanned the spectrum from not-so-good to flat-out bad is that receiving the in-no-way-is-it-good news at the end of it didn't at all spoil my day.

Better a bad day should end badly than a good one.

So.

I guess it's on to Plan B, then.

Discovering: Piana - 'Little Girl Poems'

Wet kisses in the morning,
hot tea on rainy days -
that's how to stay happy
in little everyday ways.

Enjoying: Phir Milenge OST - Khushiyon Ki Koshish'

I've spent the last couple of days formulating a Plan B: get a temporary job to finance a TESOL course.

And that is as long-term as a myopic can see.

Of course, there's planning and seeing, and then there's doing ...

Discovering: Frennesz - 'Shisheido'

Why bother with daily diary entries when my existence is, like, so fucking dull?

Discovering: Postal Blue - 'Weather Sensitive'

Laugh and smile; cry and smile.

Laughing as it smiles; smiling as it cries.

Aaj mausam baDa beimaan hai.

Discovering: Jackson C. Frank - 'Blues Run The Game'

A heavily rainy night - or day - makes me feel so happy, so contented, and so grateful to be dry and warm at home.

But sometimes, just sometimes, I miss dancing with the raindrops.

Discovering: Alden Penner - 'Way Gone'

When I got home after a late night, around three in the morning, No-Name Doggie came to meet me at the gate; she was rapturous.

I could get used to this - having someone so damn glad to see me home and not being asked how my day was and expected to reply.

Action is best - it speaks so much louder than words yet is infinitely more silent.



And, oh, how I love silence ... I miss it so much.

Discovering: DeVotchKa - 'How It Ends'

Must remember to take more photos of No-Name Doggie ... in the event that she is claimed by her owner.

Numbered days may cast a pall, but at least there will be closure.

Discovering: Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution - 'Dear Sergio'

No-Name Doggie is getting stubborn and vocal.

I am feeling desperate about my "unemployed" status.

Discovering: Sunset Rubdown - 'A Day In The Graveyard II'

I've come to realize No-Name Doggie is one smart cookie - maybe even psychic.

This morning, she kept gazing expectantly at me as I whisked eggs in the wet kitchen, but when I told her I was cooking breakfast, she immediately turned and trotted away.

How had she known I can't cook for nuts?

Discovering: Sunset Rubdown - 'Jason Believes Me'

Oh, it's Imbolc today! (Or Lammas for the southern hemisphere.)

I wish I could perform some sort of ritual or celebration here.

Discovering: Tony Orlando & Dawn (w. Telma Hopkins) - 'Easy Evil'

A stranger sat down beside me at the train station earlier this afternoon.

He smelled so familiar.