Ganyan ako ka tuliro last Saturday night that when I asked a friend if Cebuanos prepare adobo using gata, ang lumabas ay, "How how coconut?" The reason...kulang sa tulog. Averaging 6 hours a night (on a good night pa yan ha) dahil I got pulled into a fast-paced project. But otherwise, enjoy naman. It's not usually that hectic. But this has been a crazy week of surprises for me.
Nagsimula noong Lunes. Pinaalala ng boss ko na ako daw bahala sa number namin para sa offfice bbq. Problema, sobrang busy ang mga tao at wala sa mood para mag-practice. In fact, ang unang practice namin ay sobrang kulelat. Una, di feel ng mga ka-grupo ko ang kumanta at sumayaw. Pangalawa, wala ng time mag-praktis. So, duet na lang kami ng aking sekretarya. Buti na lang game sya. Chuwariwap na lang sa likod ang iba kong group mates. Shempre, sobra akong frustrated. Feeling ko, kung sa Pinas to sobrang game ang mga tao at kayang-kaya ang song and dance number. So, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. Pinadala ko sa kanila ang lyrics at ang kanta para mag sariling praktis na lang. Dapat mag kikikita kami noon Huwebes para sa huling praktis pero meron akong dalawang deadline kaya cancelled. Plus, ang aking partner ay nagkasakit....allergy, namaga ang baga nya at mukhang di makakapunta. Muddeer fudder, anong gagawin ko?! Mukhang solo number ito! Walang practice. Recipe for disaster! Ngunit, di ko na maisip kung anong gagawin ko sa aming number dahil sa dami ng trabaho so dasal na lang ako. Plus, Friday whole day may seminar ako so talagang wala ng practice. In short, we needed a miracle!
Biyernes ng hapon, nagme-memorize ako ng lyrics sa taxi habang papunta sa party. Ang number namin ay "Fame" o, diba madali lang naman! For some strange reason, di ko sha ma-memorize. Age? Exhaustion? Brain was fried? Hay! Nagdadasal na lang ako na game ang mga ka-grupo ko at sana dala nila ang lyrics nila. But I was just exhausted at gusto ko na lang matapos ang number namin. Pag dating ko....aba, everyone seemed to know na solo number ako. Sigh. Bahala na si Batman. To my surprise, lahat ng group mates ko ay naka-costume at nag-practice na sila ng tatlong beses that day. May dance steps na rin sila! Aba, natuwa ako. They pulled me in for a last practice (shempre since ako ang lead vocalist). At super thank God, dumating ang secretary ko. She is such a great person! Maga ang mukha, on medication, pero game pa rin sha!!! And, we had giant lyrics on a dummy board so we were game!!
Kamusta ang performance? Magaling! Everyone was relaxed and game. At kami lang ang may live singing so iba ang dating. Yung ibang grupo, mga dance number at skit ang ginawa so kakaiba kami. To my surprise, enjoy ang audience! When the curtains came down, the group did a spontaneous group hug. They were thanking me and I was just saying how happy I was that everyone had fun. Sa totoo lang, all I wanted was that the number would bring us closer together. Ayokong may mapilitan dahil bad trip yon eh. In the end, we all had so much fun and were so grateful.
It does not end there. Competition pala ang mga number so may pressure talaga na di mapahiya. Sa isip-isip ko, okay na kami, we were not going to win but we had a decent and fun presentation. No need to feel ashamed. Pero, nakalimutan ko yung "bribe". Apparently, nagdagdag sila ng mechanics to the competition that yung judge could be bribed (all in the spirit of fun!) Kailangan magaling ang bribe at magaling ang mag-aaproach sa judge (ang pinakamataas na boss sa opisina). Pag tinanggap ang bribe, plus 3 points to your score. Pag di-tinanggap, minus 3! Hindi na namin naisip to dahil sobrang busy. Imagine my shock when the emcee asked each group representative to come to the stage and explain what bribe was made and whether it was accepted. Waaah, wala kaming ginawa! What to do? My mind raced, I didn't have much time to think as I was called on stage. On the spot.....sabi ko, ahhhh, sasayaw yung dalawang groupmate ko (during the number nag impromptu dance sila). Problema, nagulat yung dalawang groupmate ko at nahiya. Ayaw daw. Oh my God, on the spot ako. Hay, my mind quickly raced again, then I found myself saying, "I'll sing as a bribe." Pucha! Sabi ni judge, let me hear it before I decide to accept the bribe. Suffice it to say, nag-solo ako ng Fame. The crowd went wild. I just threw myself into the moment and sang my heart out, complete with facial expressions and emoting galore. Sucess...bribe accepted and the song number brought the house down!
My gosh, the things I had to do that night! It was a blast though, but the night was not yet over. Iaa-nounce na yung winner of the night. Fourth place.... hindi kami. We were relieved not to be last place and were quite content to get 3rd. In fact, I was inching towards the stage cause I knew we were going to get called next. Imagine my shock when another group was called for 3rd place. I traded a shocked look with my groupmates. Aba, 2nd place tayo! We were just expecting to survive the evening so that was a shocker. Imagine how floored we were when someone else was called as 2nd prize and we ended up winning!!!! Waaaaaah, we went wild!!!!! I have not been surprised or shocked in a long time!!!!! So up we went to collect our grand prize (kewl, $50 FairPrice vouchers). But there was more, the emcee got the names of all the members of the winning group and drew a name out for a special prize. One of my groupmates was called on stage. She went in front and said, "Prata Princess really deserves this so I'm giving the prize to her." Oh my God, I was so touched! Such a sweet gesture! Then the emcee said, "Don't you want to hear the prize first? It's an Ipod Nano." And my groupmate said, "She really deserves this." Oh my God, I wanted to cry! What a roller coaster week!
I just love it when the God decides to surprise me. I gladly accept the kindness of the universe.....specially when it comes in the form of an Ipod!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Sunday, September 11, 2005
One of My Best Weekends Yet!
Last Saturday night ranks as one of the best I've had in Singapore. Funny how great weekends happen when you least expect it.
So, the scene on Saturday night? I was in bed at 9 pm and totally in denial that I had to go out later that evening. Why so anti-social? Hectic week in the office and tons of take home work to do on Sunday. Plus slight headache and backache which is why I was snug in bed, air-conditioning on, chill out music in the background, and a mindless novel to drown in. But, it was my ex-flatmate's last weekend out before leaving Singapore for 6 months. I did want to see her very badly before she left. She is an extremely good friend and a keeper (my definition for people who are friends for life). Nothing was going to keep me from her last weekend in Singapore. So, after downing aspirin and caffeine (I know, not a good combination), I headed down to Clark Quay.
Clarke Quay has a lovely clubbing vibe on weekends. It's got all my fave clubs: Attica, Indochine and 1Night Stand lined up along the river. On my last good visit to 1Night Stand, I had a couple of lovely dances with a gorgeous David Beckham look-alike. Suffice it to say that on a good night, lots of eye candy in the house. However, there have been bad weekends where all you'll see are a bunch of SPGs and their Singapore sugar daddies. Nights like that are best spent in bed curled up with a book.
Anyway, on this particular night, as I crossed the bridge from Boat Quay to Clark Quay, I swear, there was promise in the air. You know that feeling you get that it's going to be a great night? I felt it in the air, floating along with a bit of drunken singing coming from one of the bars. Once I entered 1Night Stand and did a quick round to check on my co-revelers for the night, I was pleased to see that the place was packed. But, just 3 people on the dance floor and everyone just trying to get sloshed? That was not good. So after I had hooked up with my friends and gave my dear friend her going away present (which she loved!) I led the group to the dance floor. No, I am not normally this bold but I wanted to get some serious dancing done because I planned to go home early. I had promised myself that I'd be home by 2 am max. Otherwise my Sunday would be absolutely wasted. I also gave myself an alcohol limit that night: 1 drink.
Ahh, but resolutions are made to be broken. But only by a little. I left at 2:30 and had 3 drinks. Technically I had not broken the alcohol rule as I only bought 1 of the 3 drinks I downed. I must thank Michael for round 2 and Philip for round 3. You will see later on why the fact that I had broken my self-imposed rules by just a teensy-weensy bit is relevant.
Anyway, I digress, back to the dance floor. I was not disappointed. After our little troop walked into the dance floor - we claimed it! My NUS buds had been drinking before I joined up, which probably explains why they were so exuberant when they took over the dance floor. One of the boys just did his thing and entertained the entire club (including the band) with his moves. Man, this guy could move. No inhibitions. Not a care in the world. Which is the way to go. The best dancers are totally unselfconscious and just lose themselves in the music. Of course we ended up dancing together. That was such a blast! It is absolutely fantastic to have a "showdown" with a dance partner. You challenge each other with your moves. You dare each other, push each other and see how well you move together. It is an absolute rush to find a partner you can be wildly abandoned with. That is the only way to truly dance. With wild abandon. And yes we had a winner folks. The dancing was fabulous. We were so synched that we even did low dips with my hair almost sweeping the floor. I even up being carried in the middle of the dance floor twice! Wild night it was. Whew! Okay, lesson for me: there are white guys who can dance and Russians know how to have fun!
But, since I was not smashed and I had to work the next day, I knew when to pack up while the going was good. So, even while the party was in high gear and the mood was high, I said my goodbyes and headed home. I walked along the river with a silly smile on my face. That was the most fun I've had while sober! I crashed into bed happily tired.
This is the stuff you tell your grandchildren about. The moments you were wildly alive and totally abandoned in the moment. Come to think of it, Singapore has given me so many stories to pass on. Of course they'll have to be edited *wink wink* but, man what an adventure!
Hmmm, another lesson for me here: I do not need to push things to the extreme to have a great time. Sometimes, the folly of youth, alcohol and hormones makes us push too much of a good thing. A great time does not need to end at 4 a.m. where you are more likely to do something really foolish. A great time can end soberly and early (yes, 2:30 is early).
P.S. I now have a new adventure to add to my to do list: I must go dancing in Brazil. Where else can I dance with wild abandon but in Rio where salsa seems to be encoded in their genes? Must be the waters from the wild Amazon. I can already picture it: thumping salsa beat, barefoot, warm sand, hot dance partner, and me dancing my heart out and baying at the moon!
So, the scene on Saturday night? I was in bed at 9 pm and totally in denial that I had to go out later that evening. Why so anti-social? Hectic week in the office and tons of take home work to do on Sunday. Plus slight headache and backache which is why I was snug in bed, air-conditioning on, chill out music in the background, and a mindless novel to drown in. But, it was my ex-flatmate's last weekend out before leaving Singapore for 6 months. I did want to see her very badly before she left. She is an extremely good friend and a keeper (my definition for people who are friends for life). Nothing was going to keep me from her last weekend in Singapore. So, after downing aspirin and caffeine (I know, not a good combination), I headed down to Clark Quay.
Clarke Quay has a lovely clubbing vibe on weekends. It's got all my fave clubs: Attica, Indochine and 1Night Stand lined up along the river. On my last good visit to 1Night Stand, I had a couple of lovely dances with a gorgeous David Beckham look-alike. Suffice it to say that on a good night, lots of eye candy in the house. However, there have been bad weekends where all you'll see are a bunch of SPGs and their Singapore sugar daddies. Nights like that are best spent in bed curled up with a book.
Anyway, on this particular night, as I crossed the bridge from Boat Quay to Clark Quay, I swear, there was promise in the air. You know that feeling you get that it's going to be a great night? I felt it in the air, floating along with a bit of drunken singing coming from one of the bars. Once I entered 1Night Stand and did a quick round to check on my co-revelers for the night, I was pleased to see that the place was packed. But, just 3 people on the dance floor and everyone just trying to get sloshed? That was not good. So after I had hooked up with my friends and gave my dear friend her going away present (which she loved!) I led the group to the dance floor. No, I am not normally this bold but I wanted to get some serious dancing done because I planned to go home early. I had promised myself that I'd be home by 2 am max. Otherwise my Sunday would be absolutely wasted. I also gave myself an alcohol limit that night: 1 drink.
Ahh, but resolutions are made to be broken. But only by a little. I left at 2:30 and had 3 drinks. Technically I had not broken the alcohol rule as I only bought 1 of the 3 drinks I downed. I must thank Michael for round 2 and Philip for round 3. You will see later on why the fact that I had broken my self-imposed rules by just a teensy-weensy bit is relevant.
Anyway, I digress, back to the dance floor. I was not disappointed. After our little troop walked into the dance floor - we claimed it! My NUS buds had been drinking before I joined up, which probably explains why they were so exuberant when they took over the dance floor. One of the boys just did his thing and entertained the entire club (including the band) with his moves. Man, this guy could move. No inhibitions. Not a care in the world. Which is the way to go. The best dancers are totally unselfconscious and just lose themselves in the music. Of course we ended up dancing together. That was such a blast! It is absolutely fantastic to have a "showdown" with a dance partner. You challenge each other with your moves. You dare each other, push each other and see how well you move together. It is an absolute rush to find a partner you can be wildly abandoned with. That is the only way to truly dance. With wild abandon. And yes we had a winner folks. The dancing was fabulous. We were so synched that we even did low dips with my hair almost sweeping the floor. I even up being carried in the middle of the dance floor twice! Wild night it was. Whew! Okay, lesson for me: there are white guys who can dance and Russians know how to have fun!
But, since I was not smashed and I had to work the next day, I knew when to pack up while the going was good. So, even while the party was in high gear and the mood was high, I said my goodbyes and headed home. I walked along the river with a silly smile on my face. That was the most fun I've had while sober! I crashed into bed happily tired.
This is the stuff you tell your grandchildren about. The moments you were wildly alive and totally abandoned in the moment. Come to think of it, Singapore has given me so many stories to pass on. Of course they'll have to be edited *wink wink* but, man what an adventure!
Hmmm, another lesson for me here: I do not need to push things to the extreme to have a great time. Sometimes, the folly of youth, alcohol and hormones makes us push too much of a good thing. A great time does not need to end at 4 a.m. where you are more likely to do something really foolish. A great time can end soberly and early (yes, 2:30 is early).
P.S. I now have a new adventure to add to my to do list: I must go dancing in Brazil. Where else can I dance with wild abandon but in Rio where salsa seems to be encoded in their genes? Must be the waters from the wild Amazon. I can already picture it: thumping salsa beat, barefoot, warm sand, hot dance partner, and me dancing my heart out and baying at the moon!
Friday, September 02, 2005
The Exhilaration of Independence and the Sweetness of the Unknown
I celebrated my first year anniversary in Singapore a couple of weeks ago. This is relevant because the novelty should have worn off. I’m no wide-eyed chick in the big city. I have no reason to be giddy about Singapore or my life here. But I am. Quietly happy. I am swimming into a seemingly quieter phase (previous blogs testify to the wild ride of my previous phase as a grad student) characterized by routine and all the responsibilities that come with work. It is a difficult phase. With work comes stress, late nights, and all the little things that can undermine all your resolutions to be an eternal optimist. And yet, I’ve remained perky.
When did life become so fascinating for me? I don’t know how to describe it. I just feel so alive. The contrast to my previous life is very marked. I felt like I was like living in black and white. Now it’s absolutely bursting with color. Now I know what that song, “Life in Mono” means. Relocating to another country was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made. Every choice I make now is more meaningful because of the process that goes into it. Suffice it to say that I feel that I am in great hands now. How ironic that with even more freedom and more uncertainty, comes a stronger sense of security. Maybe this comes from my increased spirituality, my increased sensitivity and much greater zest and appreciation for life. In short, I have never felt so alive in my life!
I think one of the greatest challenges of living is trying to make each day unique, even amidst routine. Another challenge is staying positive not only for your self but for other people even in times of stress. One of the things that has made me happy recently was being told that I do my work so cheerfully (and yes, competently too!). We spend so much time in the work place. I think it is very important to be polite to each other to make life easier for other people. I say this in the context of a Singaporean work place and admittedly, Singapore is not really known for courtesy. This is why I feel strongly that I should try to be a source of positive energy in the office so that the work becomes more pleasant.
Right now I’ve been working and playing hard. Last weekend was classic. Worked on Saturday afternoon, and then went wild at Womad that evening. For the uninitiated, Womad stands for World, Music, Arts and Dance. Singapore hosts a Womad festival every year where they have a lot of non-mainstream musicians and dancers perform. This year we danced like crazy to Apache Indian. Then moved to club music and danced like there was no tomorrow. I had to pay for the weekend’s revelries though. After a very late night out, I slept till noon but had to start seriously attacking my take-home work. Whew, I was working from 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon to 6 a.m. on Monday morning! Straight! Thank God I have a proper study/library to work in. I would never have lasted in my bedroom. I never thought it was possible to function on 2 hours of sleep. I ended up going home at 11 p.m. on Monday night. Thank God these things are just one offs and not my daily grind. I must say, I don’t think I’ve ever had to do anything that challenging in my career yet. The thrill there is the fact that despite the fact that I was exhausted, I was still a very pleasant person to be with. For someone who values her sleep, I was not at all cranky.
So, that is the working girl lifestyle for you. Early mornings, late nights, the occasional boozed out evening, movie dates, quick bites at the food center, a little bit of shopping, weekend Bible study sessions and church. Next on the agenda is the Black Eyed Peas concert, a picnic at the beach, me cooking adobo at a little house warming in the flat (once all our furniture is in), and in the next 2 months, a quick get away out of the country. There is so much more to do and explore! Sigh….it is indeed the exhilaration of independence and the sweetness of the unknown. I guess if you are living at the appointed time and in the appointed place, every moment you inhabit is uniquely yours. My dear reader, may you inhabit every moment and every place as if you’ll never pass that way again!
When did life become so fascinating for me? I don’t know how to describe it. I just feel so alive. The contrast to my previous life is very marked. I felt like I was like living in black and white. Now it’s absolutely bursting with color. Now I know what that song, “Life in Mono” means. Relocating to another country was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made. Every choice I make now is more meaningful because of the process that goes into it. Suffice it to say that I feel that I am in great hands now. How ironic that with even more freedom and more uncertainty, comes a stronger sense of security. Maybe this comes from my increased spirituality, my increased sensitivity and much greater zest and appreciation for life. In short, I have never felt so alive in my life!
I think one of the greatest challenges of living is trying to make each day unique, even amidst routine. Another challenge is staying positive not only for your self but for other people even in times of stress. One of the things that has made me happy recently was being told that I do my work so cheerfully (and yes, competently too!). We spend so much time in the work place. I think it is very important to be polite to each other to make life easier for other people. I say this in the context of a Singaporean work place and admittedly, Singapore is not really known for courtesy. This is why I feel strongly that I should try to be a source of positive energy in the office so that the work becomes more pleasant.
Right now I’ve been working and playing hard. Last weekend was classic. Worked on Saturday afternoon, and then went wild at Womad that evening. For the uninitiated, Womad stands for World, Music, Arts and Dance. Singapore hosts a Womad festival every year where they have a lot of non-mainstream musicians and dancers perform. This year we danced like crazy to Apache Indian. Then moved to club music and danced like there was no tomorrow. I had to pay for the weekend’s revelries though. After a very late night out, I slept till noon but had to start seriously attacking my take-home work. Whew, I was working from 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon to 6 a.m. on Monday morning! Straight! Thank God I have a proper study/library to work in. I would never have lasted in my bedroom. I never thought it was possible to function on 2 hours of sleep. I ended up going home at 11 p.m. on Monday night. Thank God these things are just one offs and not my daily grind. I must say, I don’t think I’ve ever had to do anything that challenging in my career yet. The thrill there is the fact that despite the fact that I was exhausted, I was still a very pleasant person to be with. For someone who values her sleep, I was not at all cranky.
So, that is the working girl lifestyle for you. Early mornings, late nights, the occasional boozed out evening, movie dates, quick bites at the food center, a little bit of shopping, weekend Bible study sessions and church. Next on the agenda is the Black Eyed Peas concert, a picnic at the beach, me cooking adobo at a little house warming in the flat (once all our furniture is in), and in the next 2 months, a quick get away out of the country. There is so much more to do and explore! Sigh….it is indeed the exhilaration of independence and the sweetness of the unknown. I guess if you are living at the appointed time and in the appointed place, every moment you inhabit is uniquely yours. My dear reader, may you inhabit every moment and every place as if you’ll never pass that way again!
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