It's a Small World Afterall...

I had picked up a copy of the Gulf News on 23 June while I was on my way back from Dubai and didn't look at it till a couple of nights before. Even then it was because hubby pointed out a photo to me. It was a photo of a man who we met some years ago when we were diving in Pulau Aur.

The newspaper reported that he had gone missing in Dubai and his wife had gone over there to look for him. Unfortunately, he was found dead a few days ago. Murdered by a couple whose motive was evidently to rob him. I can only imagine his wife's devastation.

I have been somewhat affected by the news as I believe that it has at least taken a little fate for people to meet in this world. Henceforth we are somewhat connected by a little thread. Sometimes we are able to let this little thread grow, otherwise it remains faint and obscure.

Some people come into our lives and quickly go... Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.

It is a dangerous world out there...

This incident happened yesterday night. I was just minding my own business when this guy came to message me and asked for a chat. In my usual mode, I checked out his details and replied. His profile revealed his name and that he's a romantic and passionate person.

I really have no axe to grind but I really didn't like the way he got carried away. I copied the original transcript from the beginning to the end.

BATMAN (07:39 PM) : hello
me (07:40 PM) : hello :-)
me (07:40 PM) : how are you simon?
BATMAN (07:40 PM) : how are u
me (07:40 PM) : i am fine.. thank you..
BATMAN (07:40 PM) : yr hobbies pls
me (07:40 PM) : hmm.. for the time being it is reading, painting, running..
me (07:41 PM) : what about yourself?
BATMAN (07:41 PM) : i am a biz consulatnt
me (07:41 PM) : that's your hobby?
BATMAN (07:41 PM) : travels,music, spas, massage, travels, etc
me (07:41 PM) : anything else that's not in your details really :-)
BATMAN (07:44 PM) : ??
me (07:46 PM) : sorry.. i meant i have read your description.. so if you have any hobbies that aren't there
BATMAN (07:46 PM) : too many
me (07:46 PM) : :-)
me (07:47 PM) : glad that u have time for many :-)
me (07:47 PM) : out of curiosity..
me (07:48 PM) : what are you passionate about?
BATMAN (07:49 PM) : pls aswr my q and i shall be glad to aswr yrs
me (07:49 PM) : oops.. :-)
me (07:49 PM) : i think u may have to copy your previous messages to me ..
me (07:49 PM) : i didn't get your question
BATMAN (07:49 PM) : yr job pls
BATMAN (07:49 PM) : yr job pls yr job pls
me (07:50 PM) : i am not working at the moment
BATMAN (07:50 PM) : yr marital status pls
me (07:50 PM) : are you conducting an interview?
BATMAN (07:50 PM) : juz askin some basic q pls
me (07:50 PM) : ahh.. so matter of fact way..
me (07:50 PM) : married..
BATMAN (07:51 PM) : can we still be freinds?
me (07:51 PM) : aren't we still talking?
BATMAN (07:51 PM) : yr name pls
me (07:51 PM) : hahahaa
BATMAN (07:52 PM) : yr name pls
me (07:52 PM) : *my name*
me (07:52 PM) : do u talk like that all the time?
BATMAN (07:53 PM) : juz askin some basic q first
me (07:53 PM) : hahaha
BATMAN (07:53 PM) : any skype or msn
me (07:53 PM) : u didn't say "any skype or msn pls"
me (07:53 PM) : hahahaha
BATMAN (07:56 PM) : guess u are too bizzi
me (07:56 PM) : no i am not..
BATMAN (07:57 PM) : why cant u aswr q
BATMAN (07:57 PM) : u are very difficult to chat with
me (07:57 PM) : i am difficult??
me (07:58 PM) : do u know how to have a conversation?
me (07:58 PM) : u are questioning me...
me (07:58 PM) : like you have some criteria.. and u are only concern if i qualify
BATMAN (08:00 PM) : normally, i ask q to keep the conversation goin cos if not , it will stop. pls dont be presumptous as i hv not disqualify u so far
me (08:00 PM) : hahahaha
me (08:00 PM) : you should hear yourself..
me (08:00 PM) : yr work pls
me (08:00 PM) : yr marital status pls
me (08:00 PM) : yr hobbies pls
BATMAN (08:01 PM) : OK I STOP ALL MY Q AND I DONT ALLOW U TO ASK ME Q. PLSSS CONTINUE
me (08:01 PM) : hahaha.. now you are defensive :-)
BATMAN (08:02 PM) : i am merely askin some basic q bef startin a conversation and u got so worked up
BATMAN (08:03 PM) : u try to mocked me juz cos i asked yr hobbies, etc and u went berserk and into a frenzy
BATMAN (08:04 PM) : i will not ask u any more q and neither will i aswr.
BATMAN (08:05 PM) : Believe me, this conversation will not last.
BATMAN (08:06 PM) : u are here to chat and so am i
BATMAN (08:06 PM) : juz cos i asked some basic q, u went bonkers and now u cannot continue
BATMAN (08:08 PM) : normally, i ask a few q bef goin on to tel conversation
BATMAN (08:09 PM) : U ARE SO MOTHER FUCKIN STUPID
BATMAN (08:09 PM) : U ARE HERE PRESUMABLY TO CHAT AND EVEN ASKIN Q IS A FORM OF CHATTIN
BATMAN (08:10 PM) : I CURSE U

OUCH!! He was seriously upset. I didn't respond after the "you are defensive" part. He just went on and on and on... My goodness. Admittedly, I must have pushed his hot button by saying that he doesn't know how to hold a conversation but it was more like an interrogation than talk. I almost could visualise his checklist as he went from one item to another.

Hmm... there must be a "How to Chat" textbook somewhere in the market that I haven't seen.

Of Poise and Grace

There is one thing I like about sandstorms. The next day after the storm, we get a beautiful day. Not just any beautiful day, but one with clear blue sky and a sparkling blue sea. If the temperature is lower, it would be an awesome day to hang out at the beach. Alas, it is the burning desert afterall, so all I did was to stand at the balcony and admired the view for a while.

Spoke to someone on icq today and we ended up talking about women. Not just any women mind you but older women. He commented about how older women seemed to have more poise and grace as compared to younger ones. He particularly liked the way they carry themselves and the elegance they exude. I wonder if this is acquired over the years, like wine maturing with age. Do we learn to shed our insecurities and learn to embrace our qualities and flaws alike as we mature? Are we more certain of ourselves as we gain experiences in life and thus feel more empowered?

Then again why do most people associate beauty acquired over the years with wine and not cheese? Some old cheese are preferred over the young ones, as they have stronger flavours and smell. But this is a matter of personal preferences and acquired taste isn't it? Afterall not all men find the taste of old cheese appealing and some do find the smell pungent.

Look What I Found... ...

Found this note stashed at my front door. How on earth did that person come up to each of our apartment? Security aside, is she offering door to door on-demand massage? Actually I kind of wondered what exactly defines a chinese massage. Is it chinese as the masseuse is chinese or there's some technique that makes it uniquely chinese?

Paid sex is not allowed in this country. Am not surprised if sexual services are nevertheless offered under a mask of housekeeping or massage. It is afterall a situation of creating supply to meet the demand... no?

Blog Graph

This is how this site look like in html graph. Kind of pretty. Check out yours here

It's Burning Out Here

Just when you think that it can't possibly get any hotter... It did.

Temperature today soared to 46 degrees celcius, coupled with strong wind, we got the howling sand storm. The heat is unbelieveable. It kind of burns you on your skin and the wind picks up whatever moisture your skin surface can possibly have and evaporates it.

Took a brief walk outside yesterday evening. It's hot. Felt that I was getting cooked right in the heat. Let's see if I can put it within everyone's imagination, it is so hot that even the coldest water in the shower is still scorching to the skin. Guess it is time to get those big buckets and start collecting water and cooling it down for a nice warm shower.

Rain

Something we hardly see out here in the desert. Surprisingly, it took me 4 months to be out here, to appreciate that beautiful sight back home.

It rained alot while I was back. I thought it was kind of nice. I couldn't believe that walking in the rain had brought me so much glee and delight. Perhaps I hadn't realised that I had missed the rain too.

Back Again... ...

I lived my tai tai life while I was back in Singapore for a month. It is a luxurious lifestyle but pretty cumbersome to maintain... hahaha... Anyhow, I got my wish and here I am back in the middle east.

In some many ways I am glad to be back. Home was exciting and never a dull moment but at times I felt as though I was a stranger looking at what's happening around through a looking glass. It felt so surreal like I no longer belonged to the life back home. The world around was spinning so rapidly, people rushing from point to point and here I was totally out of rhythm and beat. Yet when I hear the familiar chatting of the hectic life, the no ends of stuff, I count my blessings and remind myself how desperate I had been wanting to walk away from it all.

I saw a production on "Stranger at Home" while I was back and it struck me as how similar the emotions were when I left home. It had come to a point when life in Singapore became predictable like the weather. It was a matter of rain or no rain. There was such desire to get out of this well and see the world. It isn't that home isn't good enough. In fact if you ask me, Kuwait isn't like Singapore but I find the life here endearing. For one, I felt renewed. I found myself and I wondered how long I have been lost really. So there's not much entertainment here, men are somewhat perversed, working culture is alot different.. but that's experience isn't it?

However, the most amazing thing I realised was when I got back to Kuwait, back into my man's arms, I know I am home.

If you have been wondering...

This blog has not been abandoned.
I have been home.
Homecoming has been much anticipated and looked forward to
but it has been one heck of a time...
So much to do, so many people to see,
So little time, so little stomach space...
Hardly a dull moment...
It has been good to be back,
for a while