TGIF

Hurray for Friday! So happy I could bink. *bink*

Had Pete and Tina over for dinner on Wednesday. They brought a tasty red from Hawaii - Ulupalakua Red, a blend of Cab and Syrah. I whipped out the claypot, the wok, even the Szechuan peppercorn... fancy fancy. We talked about work, felines, marriage, their new house, and a great deal of other random things. E touted my azuki ice cream for dessert - not as curious as basil ice cream but they enjoyed it.

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Out of the blue, I received an e-mail from an old friend in Singapore. Some letters later, she revealed that she's currently working for her dad in Vietnam, jetting around giving presentations, learning the language and doing all kinds of fun expat things. I've always wondered what I would do if I had chosen to work back home - there'll only be so much time before claustrophobia sets in and drives even the meekest islander to wing it somewhere else, and count on not much more than their Pictionary skills to survive. But I have little faith in my tenacity (I'm soft as tofu); even more, I wonder if I'd find a job at all. Can't rely on working for my parents, who refuse to let me have it easy; don't have a thick enough hide to compete in a region teeming with college grads who are probably much smarter and more enterprising than me. Okay, that may be a little harsh on myself, but you never know with these things. If there's anything I've learned, there is no such thing as being entitled to anything - like a cushy job, or a nice car, just because you've a shiny piece of paper and edumacation.

Old Friend also told me of several friends who are ready to tie the knot - that sent me to hyper nostalgia overdrive. Can't believe we're so old! It's been over 10 years since we were first classmates. Once upon a time, we followed crushes and peed in our pants over Bart Simpson's Guide to Life. Now, we're thousands of miles apart, grown-up women with grown-up jobs and so many grown-up stories to tell. I couldn't picture the brides-to-be and their beaus, because my memories of them hadn't aged with time. I can't help but wonder what it's like for me to get engaged at home. The obsessive person that I am, I started checking out the Singapore wedding scene... whatever I could find on the web, anyway. So far, I'm glad things happened the way they did. I may elaborate more in future posts.

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Some time ago, Business Week asked E for his comment on Sony's (incredibly dumb) decision to discontinue the production of AIBOs. Mum called to console him, but I think the international upset caused by Sony's counterintuitive business sense is beyond consolation. Anyway, I wonder which issue the article will appear in - I'd love to see what other people have to say about it. I wish this were just tongue-clucking, but it's going to affect us in a real, tangible way. Sigh. :(

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No grand plans for the weekend, just a lot of lazing around. I love it. :)