And We're Back!

Hola!

Wow, each time I come back here and trace back when the last post was written, I always catch myself thinking 'where did that time in between go?'. So much has happened between the last two posts, that I can't even begin to start listing everything down. I'm guitly of this, but I'm more updated on Facebook than I am on the blog. It's just faster to load and caption pictures than to write a full story behind the moments. What's more frustrating is that my "writer's inspiration" (if I can even call it that) timing is always off! Sometimes I get nothing and I'm free on a weekend, and other times, my brain is churning out idea after idea and I just need to sit down and write down my thoughts, but I can't because either I am in the middle of an appointment, or travelling to my appointment or waiting for my appointment. Still there are times when I am at the right place and time, and feeling very intensely about a personal event or reflection (i.e. Tom's story), and I sit and write for hours straight without wanting to stop, skipping lunch most times, afraid that if I don't pen this thought/feeling down, it will just fly away as fast as it came to me.

Having said that I have to stop giving myself excuses, and start making time. I was very pleasantly surprised when friends and family of recent have been asking about the blog. =) Heh heh.

Well, as the French saying goes, I'm going to "take my finger out of my nose" and start again.

Ting

A day in our lives...

What does a day in our lives look like? Friday morning I took the MRT to go to work as I'm meeting friends on the evening and will likely be in no state to ride home. I left Ting sleeping at home her first appointment being at 12. Around 10 I receive this picture from her asking me to guess where she is going.  

I think to myself, this is Friday, her lunch appointment probably cancelled, it's 10am. She's going to McDonald's for breakfast! And I was right... As proven by the photos.

I thought I would share my day with her and send her the photo of my immediate surroundings... Not as funky. 

Ting went on to continue sending me extract of her day. Her morning being free she had time to do some chores that would otherwise have had to wait until Saturday and she went her way to the super market to get our groceries. Super markets are super empty on a Friday morning.

As I was contemplating her shots, a look around informed me of all the exciting stuff I'm surrounded by... 

After she had come back from her shopping she was happy to show me the delicious dinners and breakfasts to be. The fish is so fresh you can almost hear it breathe... 

As pleased as I was to see her pictures of food, I looked around me at that exact moment... Let's say I don't usually share this with anyone but here goes. While she was replenishing the food, I was processing it. 

Ting after her chores needed to freshen up and went for a shower which she did share with me. 

How lucky she was to have a nice warm shower while for me, well, I was back to where I spend most of my days.

The day was carrying on. It was now around 1pm. While someone was perfecting her cleaning up, removing a thick layer of nail polish and even winning a battle against a mosquito.

I was on the phone with a very famous Australian group of hospitals trying to get answers for the agreement I have been negotiating for too long now.

Ting had removed a thin layer of skin to reveal a fresher and younger one below. She gave herself some rest and prepared for her evening meeting. The afternoon one had been cancelled also, not a good day to sell insurance apparently.

I was starving by now, so I wrote up a last email...

... and I went out for lunch. As you can see it was already 2.10pm. I like to have late lunches though for two reasons: 1 the food courts are empty so there is no need to queue for food or a seat, and 2 because the afternoon seems shorter after coming back from lunch. 

Mixed rice with chicken, potatoes, fried fish, the lot drowned in curry gravy...

In the course of the afternoon, I had a rare chance of witnessing the cats' busy schedule meeting friends from overseas. 

While I was still looking into a black box, reading virtual letters informing me of such important matters that I could not hide my excitement at each one received.

Ting's evening appointment was to be preceded with a meeting with her boss. She got ready in her Friday wear and waited for him to pick her up.

Of course you must be used by now to my surroundings which don't shift much. Even less so since I stopped smoking. Here I am looking for a dental clinic in Saigon. 

Ting's boss had finally picked her up. She was on the move... 

As for I, it was time for me to make a move too. A little early but I was still the last person in the office. Ahhh, Fridays. 

Ting sat down for a chat with her boss. 

And I was on the move! I walked through the corridor to the station, 

then down the stairs to the platform, 

I entered the MRT and waited there in the crowd for two stations before reaching Bugis. 

At Bugis station, out by the escalator... I actually had to wait for my friends a short while...

But very soon we were on the move again, direction: Haji Lane.

We walked a short while and saw a welcoming sofa in a zen bar... Our Franco-Korean meeting could begin but not without a nice cold beer...

As I was relaxing from my day, Ting was on the move to her appointment. It's already 7.30pm and she's working.

It's funny how the photos taken during work seem more dull than any others. Ting managed to share a glimpse of her appointment: 

The Franco-Korean meeting was continuing and this is where I stopped taking pictures... So no picture of my route home by MRT again, and bus.

But Ting did remember and sent me the extract of her trip home. Crowded MRT... 

And that was our day... We managed to go to bed not too late which is rare on a Friday night. But only so we could enjoy our weekend more! Our plans for Saturday? Tennis, brunch, cinema... Sunday? Brunch, Tennis, Dinner... 

By the way, this Sunday is Father's day, a little SMS or phone call to dad it always welcome!

Disclaimer: this day is not an example of all our days. It's just one Friday of the month of June 2012...

Problème de communication

Un peu comme le son d’un basson mal utilisé, un cri mi-animal mi-homme. Il monte descend mais n’a pas de sens ni de mélodie. Pierre s’arrête net pour essayer de comprendre et le son s’éteint. Quand le bruit reprend son pouls s’accélère. Autour de lui pas une seule voiture ne roule et aucun passant ne se manifeste. Seuls les oiseaux continuent de chanter gaiement le retour du printemps. Le bruit ne se faisant plus entendre, Pierre tente un mouvement lent pour revenir sur ses pas, mais à peine a-t-il bougé que le grognement reprend de plus belle. Il le situe juste devant lui, il n’ose donc s’approcher. Pourtant il va falloir agir. Lorsqu’il entend derrière lui le son d’un moteur descendant la rue, il sait qu’il a une chance. Alors tentant le tout pour le tout il se jette sur la chaussée. Un crissement de pneus déchire le calme ambiant et une main l’agrippe. La voiture est passée tellement proche de lui qu’il en sent la chaleur du moteur dans l’air déplacé. Alors que Pierre se retourne pour remercier son sauveur, le cri se fait de nouveau entendre, mais cette fois Pierre n’a pas peur. Il vient de comprendre. La personne qui le tient en est à l’origine et cette personne ne peut pas entendre. Pierre monte son pouce comme pour faire du stop, en signe de gratitude. Son sauveur lui tape doucement l’épaule puis l’entraine gentiment sur quelques mètres avant de lui retaper sur l’épaule. Voyant que la communication ne pourra pas aller plus en avant, Pierre refait un signe avec le pouce et grimace un sourire. Puis il reprend sa marche derrière le son de sa canne blanche avec un pensée gracieuse pour son sauveur qui deux fois en l’espace de quelques instants l’a empêché de tomber.

A little like the sound of a badly used bassoon, a cry half animal half man. It goes up and down but has no meaning or melody. Peter stops abruptly to try to understand and the sound dies. When the noise starts again his pulse jumps. Around him not one car is moving not one passer-by gives him a sign. Only the birds continue to happily sing the return of spring. As no further manifestation of the noise occurs, Peter tries a slow movement to turn around, but as soon as he moves the growl starts again. It’s coming from in front of him; he doesn’t dare to go closer. He will have to act though. When he hears the sound of an engine going down the street behind him, he knows it’s his only chance. So trying all his luck he jumps on the road. A scream of tires tear the quiet atmosphere and a hand holds him back. The car was so close he can feel the warmth of its engine in the shifted air. When Peter turns around to thank his savior, the cry comes again, but this time Peter is not scared. He just understood. It comes from the person holding him, and that person can’t hear. Peter lifts his thumps as if to hitchhike in a gratitude gesture. His savior gently taps his shoulder and takes him a few meters before taping his shoulder again. Seeing the communication won’t go any further, Peter again gives a thumb sign and contorts a smile. He then continues his path behind the sound of his white stick with a grateful thought for his savior who twice, in a few minutes, kept him from falling.