Singapore, Day 2

I guess this is technically Day 2, since I arrived last night.

Coming from a sparsely populated region that prides itself on open spaces, beautiful views, and unspoiled landscapes, it is always strange for me to wake up in cities that are shrouded in smog. While I love the bustle of a busy international city, it makes me appreciate why I live where I do.

And on the agenda for today: staring at my laptop screen in my hotel room. Yep, I am serious. I am on a deadline for some work reports that are due by the end of the week, so I'm taking advantage of a down day at the beginning of the trip to get a jump on things so that I can take part in some exploring later on.

I headed down to the hotel's excellent breakfast buffet this morning (included in the room price), and was very pleased find a completely international spread that included everything from Frosted Flakes to French pastry to fish curry. I opted for a comfortable medium, with some delicious fresh fruit, yogurt and cheese. Healthy, no? A good start, I think. No need to kick the old colon into overdrive on the first morning. I'm sure I'll be scouting for bathrooms and searching for native dishes as the days go on.

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The smog is burning off and it's still - wait for it - a very humid 26 degrees. Shocking, I know. This 26-30 degrees EVERY DAY is a foreign concept to me.

Off The Rock!

The price you pay for getting away for an exotic break:

- Wake at 3:15am (Tuesday, August 10).
- Leave home at 4:10am.
- Fly out of closest airport at 6:00am, flight leg #1 of the trip.
- Arrive Toronto 3 hours later and stopver for 2.5 hours.
- Fly out of airport #2 at 10:00am.
- Sit in airplane for 15.5 hours, flying over the Pacific.
- Arrive Hong Kong 1:15pm the next day (where did those 12 hours go??) and stopover for 2.5 more hours.
- Fly out of airport #3 at 3:40pm.

- Arrive Singapore 3.5 hours later and try to figure out what day it is (now Wednesday, August 11).

- Arrange transfer from airport, check into hotel, get YOG accreditation, find food, sleeeeeeep.

The Haagen-Daz served somewhere over Vietnam almost makes the travel worth it.

Well Now I Need a Blow Torch

For dessert, obviously.

ST and I took a little roadtrip over the weekend to visit his mom, and so that I could get my passport renewed. You know, since I've only known about my upcoming Singapore trip for about 8 months and haven't really had time to put the existing document in the mail and get it renewed like a normal, organized person. Instead, I prefer to live on the edge and instead travel across the province so that I can make an in-person appearance at the office and pay double for the Express service. Ahem.

So while away, we took advantage of some shopping, of course. And, of course, I focused mainly on housewares. Are there others out there who have this affliction? I know that I should be taking advantage of the beautiful clothes stores, but instead I buy ramekins. Red ones. That match the rest of my kitchen appliances.

But why ramekins, you might ask? Why, to make creme brulee, since I just bought vanilla beans in bulk at Costco. Silly. You knew that.

I've been talking about making creme brulee for ages, but I have always been intimidated by it, and I didn't own ramekins. But now - no more excuses! So I made it today and - success! It was totally delicious. So delicious that I forgot to take a photo before devouring it. But there's one left, so I'll try to remember to snap a quick pic before I eat that one. Maybe for breakfast.

But now I totally have an excuse to buy the kitchen blowtorch. I've been trying to convince ST for years that I need one, and after scarfing down HIS dessert, I think I may finally have cracked him.

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Update: no spray tan. But I did buy some self-tanning gelee (how this differs from a gel, I'm not sure) and so far, the results are okay. More on that later.

When I Grow Up...

I want to be a blogger.

I just can't seem to get it together enough to post regularly. Or to figure out exactly what I want this blog to be. My life isn't really that exciting - does anyone really want to read a chronicle of my life? Hiiiiiighly doubtful. I love to bake - but don't do it regularly enough to make a whole blog. I love to travel - but see previous sentence.

*****

I'm debating getting a spray tan this week. I KNOW! Seriously, though. Several of my friends have had them and swear by them, but I don't know about it all. The thought of being painted weirds me out a bit.

And the though of being painted with no clothes on, lifting up things to move them out of the way - let's just say that it doesn't inspire me to pick up the phone and make that appointment.

Oh, Did I Mention?

That I went to the Olympics last month? THE OLYMPICS. I realize that not everyone shares my crazy enthusiasm about this trip but c'mon people - the pinnacle of sporting events in the WORLD. A celebration of culture and all that.

My friend Denise and I wound up in Vancouver with a pretty loose plan of attack for the week and two easy-going attitudes. An epic week ensued.

More to come!

Oh Mr. Sun...

What's that? Seasonal Affective Disorder? Why yes, I think I know what that is.

I neeeed sun. I am craving it like nobody's business. It has started to peek out more frequently, and since the clocks sprung ahead yesterday it even stayed out until well into the evening last night. This hasn't even been too terrible a winter on our little Rock, and I am dying for a beach vacation right about now. Except I wouldn't *actually* reveal this body in public, but that is a separate issue altogether.

I was coaching my wee skiers this weekend, and as we're headed up the chair the 7-year old burst into a round of "Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun... please shine down on me...".

My mood, summed up in an innocent elementary school chorus.

March, Really?

Sigh.

So I guess I'm not getting any better at this keeping-up-my-posts thing. But I had my weekly dose of House last night, and the mystery-case patient was a crazy blogger - got me thinking it was time to update.

The third month of 2010 already... how did that happen? The year has been jam-packed already, so I fear look forward to what the rest of the year will bring. A quick Jan/Feb recap:

• Started strong with Combat Fitness early in January
• Started coaching SnowStars (Entry Level alpine racers) early in January
• Made a couple of really cool cakes
• Completed and passed a Coaching course (alpine skiing)
• WENT TO THE OLYMPICS!! (more on that to come)
• Won my age category at Old Sam Day for a repeat performance
• Took up my position as Finish Ref at another Marble Cup

And somewhere in there, I managed to gain about 10 pounds. It's been an action-packed year so far, indeed.

What is This "Will Power" You Speak Of?

I'm pretty sure I was born without the gene-trait thing that lets humans resist temptation. Specifically, the temptation to eat potato chips and drink Dr. Pepper.

There is chocolate in my house that is almost a solid two years old, and I am never tempted by it. Well, especially now that it's developed those white-ish spots that old chocolate gets, but you know what I mean.

However, I have never met a potato chip that I wouldn't eat. Even if I don't like the flavour, I will still eat it because it's there. And generally, I have to keep eating until I get to the bottom of the bag/bowl/basket. Which is problematic, really, since I've also never met a potato chip that didn't wind up lodged firmly around my ass/thighs.

Sigh.

And Dr. Pepper? Don't even get me started. For some reason, Diet Dr. Pepper doesn't seem to be available in Newfoundland. And straight-calorie DP isn't even widely available in my city. Which means that I have to buy one whenever I see it, for fear that it could be my very last one, ever. (It-could-be-you-don't-know-shut-up-and-let-me-enjoy-it)

I'm off to lunch with my sister and a few girlfriends today. Here's hoping that the restaurant doesn't stock DP.

To My Unborn, Not Conceived, Not-Planned-For, Hypothetical Future Child:

I promise that I will never, EVER, make you wear one of those scrunchy headbands with a bow on it. Especially one made of red and green plaid.

Let's See What You've Got, 2010

I started to write this post, and it was (unintentionally) turning into a serious reflection of self, which wasn't my plan. Rather than posting, I saved a draft and came back later.

After reading the posts of several other wonderful bloggers who seem to have my sentiments exactly on 2009 (boiled down to nice, succinct posts), I abandoned my emo piece post and decided instead to kill two birds with one stone.

Every January, my Beta group gets together for a night of chatting, eating, and catching up after the holidays. We'll each take turns dishing how our festivies/family craziness turned out, and then we give our Top 3 Things for the year just passed. Some are funny, some are exciting, others are heart-wrenching, but all are wonderful to learn about. In prep for our upcoming meeting, I have been thinking about 2009 so I'll hit a few highlights (and lowlights) of what I thought was a lacklustre year:

• Bought a snowboard and got worked learned how to ride (-ish)
• Welcomed Caleb to the McDonald family and Charlie to the Paulse family
• Joined a ladies bowling league
• Had three scary PAP tests and had minor surgery (thankfully, things are okay)
• Took a group of students to a national competition as their advisor
• Won my category at Old Sam Day
• Took in some of the East Coast Music Awards
• Went to a 10-year reunion for staff of 1999 Canada Winter Games
• Joined Combat Fitness, and have gotten up at 5:30am (almost) every weekday since July
• Didn't win the league soccer finals... or even semi-finals
• Officiated a Pan-American Cup triathlon and Canada Games triathlon
• Did NOT see The Tragically Hip in concert, and lost $200 on the tickets
• Vacationed in Montreal during JazzFest - saw Cirque de Soliel's OVO, and Ben Harper
• Ran a 5k
• Finally visited our friends at their wonderful Bed and Breakfast
• Saw the Corner Brook Triathlon Committee Inc. come to a bittersweet end and said goodbye to 28 Brook Street
• Had a totally self-centred weekend of out of town shopping by myself
• Shared my beautiful friend Janice's special wedding day with her
• Booked a ticket to the 2010 Olympics!!!
• Learned to love scallops
• Started a sadly-neglected blog

If this is what okay looks like, I'm looking forward to a great year in 2010.