Mo's a better surfer than me. It's not that I'm not trying though. She picked up in two hours what it took me over two days to learn...between drinking the Indian Ocean and dodging my surfboard as it flies through the air after me, I remind myself of a spastic kid with water wings in the swimming pool who everybody avoids becuase they know that if they come too close they're likely to get dragged underwater. Seriously. I struggle out there with my massive board (bigger than Mo's...it's 7'7" long...more stable that way) only to see the crowds part like the Red Sea to give me room. See Exhibit A below to see how Mo is standing on her board compared to how I'm standing on mine...
LOTS OF NEW PICTURES IN THE PHOTO GALLERY!!!
...surfing is actually a lot of fun though :-)
....other than that.........."Want Transport?" is a question that is starting to drive me crazy...
"Vindicated" - Dashboard Confessional
Hope dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption
Winding in and winding out
The shine of it has caught my eye
And roped me in
So mesmerizing, so hypnotizing
I am captivated
[Chorus]
I am vindicated
I am selfish
I am wrong
I am right
I swear I'm right
I swear I knew it all along
And I am flawed
But I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself
So clear
Like the diamond in your ring
Cut to mirror your intentions
Oversized and overwhelmed
The shine of which has caught my eye
And rendered me so isolated, so motivated
I am certain now that
[Chorus]
So turn
Up the corners of your lips
Part them and feel my finger tips
Trace the moment, fall forever
Defense is paper thin
Just one touch and I'd be in
Too deep now to ever swim against the current
So let me slip away [3x]
So let me slip against the current
So let me slip away [4x]
[Chorus]
Slight hope
It dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption...
Nothing ventured, nothing gained?
So, after not hearing from the "internet boy" for several days, I broke down and sent a nice email querying future coffee meetings. After slightly more than 24 hours, I receive an interesting response. Concise, to the point, even blunt perhaps. Alas, he feels things are not meant to be in a relationship sort of way and left no mention of "just friends". (Which, after all, is rather nice not to hear, but still...)
That's it. Hopefully there are more single, professional, 25-35 ish guys in town.
Why am I so darn desperate lately? Kathy suggests (as I am writing this and talking with on her on the phone) that when most aspects of one's life are fulfilled or going well, you look to the ones that aren't. But then I said, do I really need a man to complete me? The giant, eternal question of single women anywhere. Need, probably not. Want, definitely.
What's a girl to do? All I can say, is that after watching bits of Bridget Jones' and a glass or two of wine and the relative closeness of a certain greeting-card holiday ... there are no good solutions, except for, perhaps chocolate.
I just got back from seeing 'Over the River and Through the Woods' at Globe Theatre ... it was absolutely fantastic. There is one last performance this evening which is sold out.
The drama is about a late 20-something guy and his grandparents on both sides. He gets a job offer that would mean moving away from them, and they do almost everything possible to get him to stay.
While I laughed an awful lot, it also caused me to reflect on my own life ... like any good piece of art should. At one point the grandparents invite a single girl they know over for a dinner at which their grandson will be at. The two actually like each other, but she turns him down because of how he acts and reacts towards his grandparents [with frustration and obligation]. I wonder if I sometimes act that way as well. Simply tolerating my family, or do I really enjoy spending time with them and getting to know them as individuals?
In the end, the guy does move away and take the promotion -- and in short succession all but one of the grandparents die. While both he and they came to understand each other before he left, I can't say how long I have left with my family. I do not know when I will never be able to listen to their stories or share in their lives again.
At yet another point he questions is the perfect job, the perfect spouse, the perfect life--if these things are really what we are searching for or what we should be searching for. When are we content with the life we lead now?
I want what he has -- roots, a sense of belonging, loyalty. While I feel so desperately alone in the city, I wonder if I have disregarded the community I have already formed around me.
siesta
Originally uploaded by Jamita.
trying to poo
Originally uploaded by Jamita.
besitos
Originally uploaded by Jamita.
Have I mentioned that I have a fantastic set of neighbours? Ken shovels my sidewalk and Carol said they should have me over sometime. Just think ... an actual neighbour-hood.
Well, since we last wrote we have been through Kuala Lumpur and are now safe and sound in Bali, Indonesia.
Kuala Lumpur was a definite highlight for us...just a really cool city. I'm pretty sure it's world renowned for it's great shopping...cheap electronics, clothes, watches, Louis Vitton handbags (real or fake), shoes and anything else you might want (if only we didn't have to carry it all on our backs for the next 6 months....:o)) On the bus ride from Georgetown to KL we met a tour guide who offered to take us around the city on his day off (the following day), so we took him up on it. He took us to see everything we wanted to see and then some...and it was great to get some background explanations on stuff too. The Petronas towers were really cool, especially at night when they're all lit up...but they're just two of many beautiful and unique buildings in the city. At one point, I was afraid we might lose our tour guide as we spent most of the morning walking and he had never done that before. But at the end I think he was quite proud to say that he had done the "KL Walking Tour":o) All in all, I think we did a good job of seeing and experiencing the city's sights, sounds and tastes in the mere 48 hours that we were there...we might do a bit more on our way back through.
The flight to Bali...
I've found a place that will get you taken off both mailing and call lists from marketers ... www.the-cma.org
Otherwise, I also resort to the "please remove me from your call list" when the telemarketers catch me in the middle of doing nothing or finding a 1-800 number on the piles of junk mail I've begun receiving again. I heard of someone sending junk back to folks in those prepaid return envelopes.
Alas, it will never end.
Bano
Originally uploaded by Jamita.
novias
Originally uploaded by Jamita.
Matteo&abuela
Originally uploaded by Jamita.
getting up alone
Originally uploaded by Jamita.
This is Matteo getting up all by himself for the first time
Not that I've actually seen Must Love Dogs, but the premise of the movie is meeting someone on the internet for purposes of friendship/dating. While dog-lover wasn't on my list, God-lover certainly was. I briefly described my match earlier, and after a week of getting to know one another in text, we actually met for coffee this afternoon. A very nice guy with whom I share many similarities. Not having an activity, like bowling or mini-golf, our conversation occassionally came to a pause but was able to resume without too much difficulty. Future meetings were not arranged, but the possibility thereof was left open.
So there you have it. This girl has gone on her very first date in her entire life (and a quasi-blind first date at that). All in all things went smoothly, the coffee and conversation were enjoyable, and this whole first-date thing isn't so hard after all. Not a bad way to start off the week.
