Meow

I'm the type of person who always wonders what animals are thinking or saying when they meow or bark. Last night...well I guess it was early this morning...I woke up due to jet lag. I was promptly greeted by both of our cats, Fez and Fresnel. They were completely thrilled to have somebody awake at 3 am to pet them and hang out with them and I of course was thrilled to get some quality time with my kitties.

It did make me wonder what they must be thinking about all of this. They've always known a life where I come and go because of traveling. They are typically pretty good about it unless both of us pull out the "little rolling boxes" because that means they'll be on their own for a bit. In all my years of travel I think the longest trip I had ever taken was just under 3 weeks. Most of the time it was more like 7-10 days maximum. Now I disappear for a couple of months at a time. I'm curious if they think I'll be coming back or even if they notice that I'm gone. Cats are such creatures of habit so this must be a big change for them. They seem to be adjusting well and they are developing new routines with Alan which I think is great.

I just wonder what is going on in their little kitty brains...

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Home sweet home

I'm not sure if it's a good or a bad thing that the 18 hour flight doesn't feel that long. I was able to get some decent sleep on it by way of two different long naps. I also watched three movies...Bride Wars, Gran Turino, and Australia. I had seen the first which was cute. I'd highly recommend Gran Turino to anybody who likes Clint Eastwood. Australia was a nice movie but had I not been captive on the long flight it might have gotten a little bored with it. I think the total running time was 3 hours. Overall, it wasn't bad though and if stuck on a long flight I'd try it.

There were only about 50 people on the entire plane so it was pretty quiet. Needless to say, with the flight crew to passenger ratio there was some excellent service. They always seem to be right where you need them to be. Just before we landed I asked for a light snack, just some cookies or chips or something. The flight attendant came back with a plate full of chocolate chip cookies just for me. It's quite different than the American flying experience.

The layover in Newark was uneventful as well. I breezed through customs and immigration. I had been a little worried about a possible questioning having been in New Zealand in the past month but they didn't even blink an eye at me. I was then able to secure a seat on the earlier flight that got me in to RDU about 4 hours earlier than my itinerary had planned.

Landing in RDU is somewhat like a movie script for a romantic movie...at least in my head. We land at the furthest possible gate from the escalator down to baggage claim. It's a nice long walk just to increase the excitement over seeing Alan again. It'd only been 2 months away this time but was starting to feel like longer. I love coming down the escalator and trying to spot Alan...he's usually somewhere toward the back...and he always has a smirk on his face. There is no dropping of luggage and running (I'm too sensible for that) but you can bet I pick up the pace and there is a giant hug involved....the rest of the details are left to he and I....One of the sweetest parts of coming home is that he always has a bouquet of flowers waiting for me in the car.

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Gee, I wish they had...

A quicker way to get from one side of the world to the other. I'm on a pretty direct route today. An 18 hour flight from Singapore to Newark a layover in Newark and then just a 1.5 hour flight to Durham. Not too bad but it'd be nice to be able to snap my fingers and be home.

The one nice thing about an 18 hour flight is that I'm able to catch up on my sleep and also on movies. I also get some pretty great service from the Singapore airlines flight attendants which is much appreciated.

It'll be a busy time at home this trip but I'm really looking forward to it.

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Sunday shopping

Since I'm leaving tomorrow for two weeks I didn't take my weekly trip to Tekka Market for produce and chicken. Instead, I spent the morning packing up the few things that I have with me that make more sense to keep here versus lugging back to the US only to ship back to Singapore. Dropped those items at the apartment and headed up to Plaza Singapora.

My first stop was to a store similar to JoAnn Fabrics. They have quite a few craft items, sewing notions, yarn, and fabric. It's not the selection I'm used to but will do in a pinch. I'm glad to have found this because it's really the first store of it's kind I've seen in Singapore. My next stop was back to the $2 store. (Sorry Alan but I forgot my camera so I'll have to get pictures some other time.) I bought a random mix of items from a trash can to a dish towel. Just some things to have until the full shipment makes it over. The next stop was to the Best electronics store where I purchased an iron and hair dryer. Not too exciting since there were lots of TVs and DVD players but those will have to wait until the next trip. I wanted to get the hairdryer and iron so that I could look presentable when I get back. My last stop at Plaza Singapora was to the grocery store. Here I bought some essentials such as toilet paper, tissues, toilet bowl cleaner, hand soap, and dish soap.

***Okay - I have to interrupt this regularly scheduled blog for an update on the weather right now. There is a wicked thunderstorm going on right now and the thunder and lightening are literally right above me. I keep jumping out of my chair everytime it thunders.***

I dropped all of the new purchases off at the new apartment. I took a few minutes to read the tenant's manual for my building. Pretty standard reading...no loudness...no children allowed to run amuck in the common areas...no major renovations without approval...no laundry may be hung from the balconies or windows (this may seem odd but when you come to visit you'll see that the second flag of Singapore is actually laundry...most people do not have dryers and just hang their items on a pole that they attach outside their windows...). I have a video and phone intercom system but I decided to wait until another day to figure that thing out.

My next stop and the highlight of my day was to the Singapore Post Office. I have to admit that in all of the time I've been here I haven't yet set foot into the post office. I had been waiting until I had my own return address to send any mail to anybody. Those of you who know me well know that I adore going to the post office and receiving mail in my very own mailbox. I cannot explain it but it gives me such joy to open my mailbox and receive letters. I also never put outgoing mail in our mailbox but instead drive it to the post office. I'm one of those nerds that will patiently wait in line to ship packages via post. So...as with almost everything else in Singapore the post office here is wonderful. It's a brand new branch less than two blocks from my apartment. You walk in the door and there is a sign politely instructing you to push a button and you'll receive a number. You just sit down and wait until your number is called. I had a short 5 minute wait and yes...the post office here is open on Sundays! I mailed the letters (wonder who might be getting mail from me) and dropped them in the box outside.

The rest of my day will be spent packing and prepping for the long trip home tomorrow.

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A done deal

Yes, it's official folks...those are the keys to my very own apartment here in Singapore. One is the key to the front door and the other is my mailbox key. Alan and I made the decision for me to come here last July so it's been a long time coming to finally have a place that I can call my own. Of course, I have no furniture yet but I am not complaining. There is truly an end in sight to this temporary living situation.

I've basically been living out of 2-3 suitcases for the past 6+ months. I am very used to traveling so am able to get by without a lot of things when I'm on the road. (The thing I have been carrying around with me is a photo book that my nephews game me for Christmas. It's titled "Our Advice to Aunt Kate". It is the sweetest thing and I have looked at it regularly.) As I've mentioned previously, it's not about the big things and more about the little ones. The items we all have around us that we probably don't think twice about. It'll be great to have photos in frames again. And as I mentioned, the afghan my mom made me will be making the trip to Singapore. I'll also bring a bunch of books, my knitting, and my sewing machine and fabric so I can do some of the things I enjoy in my downtime. I have to confirm with the moving company next week but in about 6-8 weeks time I should have all of "my things" here and I'll truly be able to start settling in.

So...you're probably wondering about my new place. I am in a new building that is less than one block from where I've been staying since January. I have really come to like this area of the city. It is quite close to a lot of things but not as hectic as other sections of the city. I have a bus stop within a block and two MRT stations within walking distance. I am also only about a 10 minute walk to Fort Canning Park and 15 minutes from the river. There is a grocery store, post office, and pharmacy within a short walk which is a necessary since I won't have a car here.

It's a 2 bedroom apartment with a 3rd bedroom that I will use as a study. It also has a bomb shelter right in the middle of it. Every apartment that I looked at had a bomb shelter which seemed a bit odd to me. I asked the agents if there was an issue with bombing in Singapore that I was not aware of but they just laughed. It's just a standard thing here and most people will just use the room for storage. The nice thing to know is that there is an outlet, a light, and a cable connection so that you can stay in there for extended periods of time. Let's keep our fingers crossed I only need to use it for storage.

The picture above is of the kitchen. It's an open floor plan so the kitchen looks out in the living room. Behind the wall on the right-hand side of that photo is the fridge and washer/dryer. I notice when I was in there today that the kitchen has no drawers which was a little weird but I think I can get by without them. It does have an oven which is not always the case in Asian kitchens.

The picture to the right is of the master bedroom. Since it's completely empty at the moment there is not a lot to see. It has wood floors and a built-in closet/wardrobe. The bathroom is a nice size with a separate shower and bathtub (bathtubs are not common here either).


Above is the living area. As you can see it's nice and open and well lit. There is a small balcony off of it. Just big enough to stand outside on but no room for chairs. There is a huge balcony off of the master bedroom. I'll set out a small table and chairs and also get some plants. I'll get some large ones to block the view from the street but also some flowers or something pretty.

This last picture is quite obviously of the pool and hot tub. It's a rooftop pool so there is always a nice breeze and the views of the city are pretty great too.

It's my shameless attempt to entice all of you into coming for a visit.

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My sincere thanks...

to Al Gore...kidding...but I am thankful for all of the people who were involved in inventing the internet. And to those great people at Google...I feel like I should send them flowers.

It's Friday morning here and it's been a crazy, busy week at work as well as getting ready to head home to make the permanent move. I'm taking it a little easy this morning - a lazy morning you might say. I've already had a video chat with Alan. We have always talked daily when I've traveled but there is something especially nice about being able to see your loved one. This morning I also got to see our cat Fresnel and my new kitchen knives that Alan ordered for me. We pay bills together during our video chats, he brings the kitties in to see me, shows me mail that I receive, or lately shows me the Hurricanes hockey playoff tickets the morning of their games.

Speaking of which, as I'm writing this I'm listening to game 5 of the Canes versus Devils round 1 Eastern conference playoffs. The only local sports in Singapore are badminton and table tennis. They are HUGE here but I'm more of a team sports gal and want a little more action than these provide. However, I shouldn't say that since I've not really ever spent time watching them. (Another thing to add to my to-do list...watch a live table tennis match.) Listening to the live radio feed of the hockey games is not at all like being there in person or watching on TV but it's certainly a nice alternative. I also have some great friends who text me during the games so I kind of feel like I'm still part of the fun.

The other bit of the internet that I have really been enjoying since I've been in Singapore is Facebook. I never thought I'd be part of a website like Facebook but for me it's a great way to keep involved in the daily activities of my friends. For those of you not on Facebook, most of the focus is just a one line posting of what that person is thinking or doing at the moment. Some people update multiple times a day and some people only post every few days. My current post reads "Katherine Hogg Call is enjoying a relaxing morning listening to Canes hockey." My good friend Sarah is "at the mall getting Trey's new glasses." I also know that my friend Michelle (happy birthday by the way) is currently out to dinner with her family and friends at a restaurant called the the Black Cow. I'm in Singapore, Sarah is in NC, and Michelle is Kennebunkport, ME. There is certainly nothing earth shattering about the updates but for somebody who is 12 hours ahead of all of her loved ones it's nice to be able to wake up and see what everybody has been up to that day.

There are times I'm ready to throw my computer and blackberry out the window because I'm too accessible. Although, I'm glad I don't have to know what it's like being here without all of this connectivity.

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Lists

I like lists, ask Alan...I like them so much I draw little boxes to the side of each item so that when I get the item completed I can place a nice check mark in the box. I don't like to just draw a line through the completed items because then it messes up the list and you can't really read what you've accomplished. I always have a to-do list at work and I usually have a shopping list in some stage of both creation and completion.

The last few days I have been making all sorts of new lists. I am trying to manage to move a second household of items, many of which I don't yet possess, half-way across the globe. And, I'm doing this while being half-way across the globe. I am SO thankful to have such a wonderful husband. He has been doing an amazing amount of shopping, ordering, and organizing for me so it'll be easier when I get back.

I have a huge shopping list for IKEA. I spent one of those hot afternoons this past weekend wandering through the IKEA here jotting down what I need. I have another shopping list for Target and another for BJs. I have a list of things to remember to bring with. I have a list of people to contact to make sure that the move happens. I have a list of friends to get in touch with when I'm home. I have a list of things that I need to bring back with me on the plane. Did I mention my work to-do list? This now includes a list to shift all of my travel around - cancel the China trip and reschedule the China trip - add a trip to Sydney in May - see if I can fit in a weekend trip to visit a friend in Malaysia.

All of these lists are starting to make my head hurt a little bit. Part of the problem is that Alan and I have been in our current house for over 10 years. It's a well established house with all of the necessary items and many items that are just nice to have. How often do you think about the scissors in your drawer or the yardstick in your closet or your tools or your toothbrush holder or the extra towels or oven mitts?

Needless to say, I like my lists but I think I'll be very glad when all of these items are checked off and I am able to retire them.

Oh! I saw a shooting star last night. I just think it's so great to know that you just happened to be looking up at just the right moment to see it.

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DBS and $2

Check it out people....I have my very own ATM card for Singapore. Of course, this comes along with my newly opened bank account.

Today the nice lady from Cartus, Tina, picked me up and took me to open my bank account at DBS which is the Development Bank of Singapore. It was established in 1968 and was one of the key banks aiding in the economic development of Singapore. I chose it not for historical purposes but because it has the largest network of ATMs in Singapore. I found out from friends here that the banks in Singapore do not play nice with each other. Apparently you are only allowed to use ATM machines that your bank owns, the others won't accept your card. I'm guessing they haven't caught on to the "out of network" ATM fees we are all keenly aware of in the US.

The entire process was very easy. They have a check-in counter when you first walk in the bank and you have to tell them why you are there. They then assign you a number, which includes your estimated waiting time, take your mobile number and tell you to wander around the shopping center and that they will call when it's about time for your number to come up. How polite is that?

We had about 20 minutes to wait so we wandered around Plaza Singapura which is a large mall that I haven't been to before. First stop was to the electronics store called Best to check out the price of TVs. Another little known fact is that TVs are not universal around the world. Certainly the output of them is but American TVs will only work in Japan but not in any other Asian country. The prices are about the same and the staff at Best were very helpful but not too pushy so when I get an apartment I'll head back there to make a purchase.

The next stop was to a Japanese $2 store. Everything in the store is only $2...except for me...it's really only going to be $1.33. This is similar to the American style 'Dollar Store' with two major exceptions. #1 - everything on the tags was written in Japanese and #2 - the stuff was actually of decent quality. And they had everything you could think of...stationary, binders, scissors, socks, glasses, bowls, even a plastic banana carrier! I'm totally going to go back and get one of those. I mean who wants to eat a bruised banana as an afternoon snack?

Halfway through browsing the $2 store we got our call to head back down to the bank. Went in and within 20 minutes had myself a new bank account and new ATM card. All they needed from me was some cash, a couple of signatures, and copies of my passport and green card. It was such a simple process I felt silly for having Cartus bring me along.

BTW - Cartus is the relocation agency that my employer has hired to aid in my transition to Singapore. They have people in the US and here in Singapore who are there to assist me with whatever I need. The first time I met Tina she came to help me look for an apartment. She brought me a bag with an eating guide, bus routes, street directory, two books on Singapore customs and traditions, and some laminated cards with important phone numbers. She then spent two days taking notes for me while I was looking at apartments. She'd jot down the number of bedrooms, overall feel for the place, any comments I had, and would draw out the floorplan so I'd be able to remember it. I now know why people have personal assistants. I could totally get used to having one.

Be on the lookout this Christmas for banana carriers...

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Ups and downs

We all have days with lots of ups and downs. I had one today...lots of YAYs!!! followed immediately by BOOs!!!

I've been stressed lately because this job is really challenging. Challenging is a good thing and I really thrive in challenges my frustration has been because I'm having to use new skills and am responsible for a department of 100+ people in 13 different countries. It's a relatively new department and we aren't meeting the corporate expectations. I've done a lot of reviews lately into why not and think I have a good idea how to move things forward. I presented my 1Q09 summary to my boss and he really, really liked it...YAY! It means I have ton of work in the coming months and tons of travel...BOO!

I found out this morning that Bewitched is now available on youtube! All of the episodes available for anybody to watch at their convenience...how wonderful!!! I love, love, love that television show. I have absolutely no idea why. I've seen every episode a million times and could continue to watch them over and over again - just ask my brothers...they know because they suffered through many hours of my watching Bewitched when I was a kid. So I was obviously excited about having on demand episodes of Bewitched for free...YAY! I went to youtube to watch my first episode and it's not available outside of the US...BOO!

This afternoon I got my passport back from our travel department. It now includes a brand new visa for two entries into China...YAY! Shortly thereafter I found out the big boss is coming to Singapore the week of my trip and I now have to reschedule the China trip...BOO!

I got to book two flights home today....YAY! I'll be flying back next Monday for a week and a half to work with the moving company to ship my personal items over to Singapore. I'll also be back at the end of May and early June for my friend Stacie's wedding (little yay! for Stacie and Mike)...but since this trip is on my own dime I had to pay for it and I'm flying coach...BOO!

I saw my local kitty Lucy on my way to the store this evening...YAY! I was going to stop and pet her on my way back home but she was cheating on me and letting somebody else pet her...BOO!

There is a 2 hour teleconference scheduled for 10pm tonight...BOO! I just got an email that it's been canceled...YAY!

All in all I have to say it's been a good day. I'm really excited to head home next week and especially excited to see Alan! YAY...YAY...YAY...YAY...

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A new perspective

Rain has a way of being a bit of a downer...keeps you inside, makes things muddy, gets you wet if you don't have an umbrella... Having lived through a few droughts in NC I have found myself appreciating rain more than once. (When the news is reporting the double-digit days of drinking water left you start doing the rain dance.) A rainy day is also a good excuse for staying home on an otherwise busy Saturday afternoon to read a book or get sucked into bad TV movies.

In Singapore, I have found myself really appreciating when it rains. I was video-chatting with Alan this morning and heard a downpour outside. It made me smile a little. Rain in Singapore means cooler weather to follow. It completely cuts the humidity and there is almost always a lovely, cool breeze right after it rains. It may actually be one of my favorite times to go outside. It also creates some beautiful views in the sky. These tropical storms are so different than storms that occur over a landlocked area. And the clouds and mix of dark sky surrounded by the breaks where there is vibrant blue with sun rays peeking through...just beautiful.

So, I have a new relationship with rain. We have become friendly and I have learned to welcome the unexpected visits it makes. Speaking of which...the rain this morning forced my kitty friend Lucy out from her hiding spot she calls a home. In typical cat fashion she was sheltered under the cover of my building watching the raindrops hit the water in the fountain. She permitted me a few minutes of petting and a little cat to Kate conversation.

What a great way to start a day...a 10 minute downpour...a cool breeze...beautiful skies...and a visit from a black and white kitty.

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Gee, I wish they had...

Today I'm starting a weekly post about the things I cannot get in Singapore that I wish I could. I'm entertaining ideas for a catchy title for this. I had thought about 'mopey Monday' but that sounds too Eeyore like. Send me a comment if you have a good suggestion.

After people get over the initial shock that a) I've moved from NC to Singapore and b) Alan is still in the US, the next question is typically "What do you miss most from back home?" As I mentioned yesterday, I'm able to get quite a few American goods here in Singapore. So, other than the fact that I've been living out of a suitcase for the past few months, I haven't really missed too many "things". I must say that I mostly miss Alan, the kitties, family, and friends. Being separated from your loved ones makes you realize that it's really not the cars and TVs and other "stuff" that make your life what it is. Although, I do have to say the "things" I miss the most right now are some of my creature comforts from home...an afghan my mom made me, books, etc. But more on that another time.

This weekend was crazy hot and humid. I'm not good at staying indoors when there is sun and blue skies so I ventured out both days and just got hot and sweaty. Having survived summers in North Carolina for the past 12 years, I've learned that there are ways to cool yourself off quickly. For example, wear sandals - cool feet tend to make it more bearable. One of the other things is that there is not much more refreshing on a hot day than an icy cold popsicle...except maybe a cold beer. Guess what? They don't sell popsicles in Singapore...trust me...I walked around to a number of stores yesterday looking.

At first, this completely frustrated me. How can there be no popsicles? What sort of country is this? Then I started to think of all of the kids in Singapore who've never had the joy of a bomb pop (those red, white, and blue ones), or an icy (those really cheap ones that are really just sugar water in a plastic sleeve), or even just a healthy fruit juice bar? And what about the adults who can't indulge in an orange push-up and for the 5 minutes it takes to eat it smile and remember chasing after the ice cream man with that distinct musical serenade?

I guess I'll be on a popsicle fast for the next 2 years. If I could think of a way to ship them over and not have them melt I totally would...but not looking good. For those of you back home, please do me a favor, run out right now to the local Harris Teeter or Kroger or Meijer and grab yourself a box of popsicles...doesn't matter what kind...just enjoy them for me. Well...except those of you in Michigan...you may want to wait until all of the snow melts before you start thinking about popsicles...

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Sunday mornings in Singapore

Food from hawker stands (the Singaporean equivalent to food courts) is super cheap. You can get a very tasty lunch that will fill you up for $3. On the flip side, food from the grocery stores is not cheap. Singapore as a country is pretty small in land mass and most of it is filled up by the city. This results in very little space to farm anything locally so almost all food is imported.

I'm happy to say that I can get most of my American products here. Salad dressing for a mere $10/bottle, sliced Swiss cheese for a mere $9.50/package, pretzels for a mere $4.50/package... It's nice to be able to buy familiar things but I'd go broke if I spent all of my money on this. It's also extremely pricey to buy produce from the grocery store. A head of lettuce will run you about $3.oo and bell peppers around $4 each.

Enter my Sunday morning routine...
Visiting one of many of the local wet markets. They are called wet markets because they sell all sorts of produce, fish, chicken, and meat and at the end of the day, to clean up they simply pull the product away and spray the area down with a hose and some bleach. I also think there is a hidden meaning for the wet market... you get so sweaty inside because it's so crammed with people and things that you end up being wet as well.

My first activity on Sunday mornings is to head to Little India to visit the Tekka Market. The market is split into three sections. One has clothing and other merchandise, the second is a food court, and the third is where the produce and fish/meat market is located. (At some point in the future I'll take photos and post them - it was miserably hot this morning so decided not to.) My first stop is always to the veggie guy. He has a huge selection and for $15 SNG I can get broccoli, cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, sugar snap peas, portobello mushrooms, and yellow and red bell peppers. I then head to the fruit stand and buy a cantaloupe. The nice man running this stand always tries to get me to buy mango or grapes or some other type of fruit. He's convinced I'll do it some week and we laugh each time I say "no thanks - just the melon."
My next stop is to the chicken stand. It took me 2-3 weeks to get the courage to buy chicken from the wet market. They are whole chickens (heads and all) and they are just on ice. But, the beauty of buying from there is that you can purchase an entire chicken and they'll de-bone, de-skin, and cut it however you ask. It costs the same price as just buying it head, skin and all. This week I just bought a single chicken breast - at the market that means the entire breast - not just one side like we would think in the US. I stand there and talk to the nice Indian guy as his helpers promptly de-bone and de-skin it for me. Total cost $3 SNG.
My final stop is to the fishmonger. He along with the veggie guy recognize me now. I walked up this morning and he said "hello, salmon the same as last week?" I nodded and he started work on it. The fish stand is a thing of beauty to me. Imagine the meat section at your local grocery store, it's about that long - and this is just one of many fishstands. However, instead of meat it has a huge selection of fish and seafood. The fish are all whole fish (head, fins, and all) just hanging out on ice waiting to be purchased. And again, they will sell you the fish as is or cut and clean it to your liking. I like just watching the different people buy things in various formats. The nice older lady next to me today bought fish that she asked to be cleaned and chopped into quarters. I noticed when he handed her the bag it included the fishheads. When he was done with my salmon he handed it to his helper who puts it on ice, wraps it in newspaper and collects my money. The fishmongers always refer to the ladies they recognize as "sister" - so the helper hands me my bag and said "$10 please, sister". The fishmonger then said "see you next week sister", smiled, and got on to his next customer.

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Blue sky + no clouds=

Holy hotness!

It's currently 93F but feels like 103F. I hate that I'm spending the better part of today inside. It's deceptively beautiful looking through my window. Blue skies, green grass, leaves rustling in the wind...but wait! That breeze I feel has nothing to do with the wind but my air conditioning unit in the apartment. I just came back from some errands and nearly melted on the 5 minute walk from the bus stop to the apartment. So all of that stuff I said about adjusting to the heat in one of my previous posts...does not include sunny, cloud free days.

As an aside, I stopped to get a cold drink on my way home. I opted for some fruit juice. I'm trying mangosteen juice that is made in Malaysia. (Here's a link if you want to see what one looks like.) It tastes like apple or cranberry juice but the smell reminds me of fresh powder sugar doughnuts. Weird, I know.

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Lucy

This evening I went out for after work drinks with a few colleagues. It's been kind of a stressful week at work so it was great to get the email invite. We ended up going to the Dubliner Pub which is just outside my temporary apartment. Very cold Tiger beer and yummy pub food. That coupled with good conversation was a great way to end the week.

On my way up to the apartment, I made a new and unexpected friend. I've seen her hanging around on various mornings and sometimes in the evenings but we've never talked or even acknowledged each other before. This evening, this very cute little black and white kitty with a broken tail decided to befriend me. She was sitting on the steps outside the pub and the look on her face said - please come up and say hello. So, being a total cat person...I did just that. It took two scratches to the head, a verbal hello, and full scratch down her spine for her to decide I was "okay enough" to roll on her back and expose her tummy. I spent the next 10 minutes or so petting my new friend (I've taken the liberty to call her Lucy) while she snaked in and out between my legs.

So, as I've mentioned, I've seen her hanging around the pub before. In the mornings I'll see a plastic bowl with food or sometimes completely empty. I wasn't sure who she belonged to or who she was feeding but was just happy to see a cat in the area.

Tonight, after our great introduction and pet session I decided it was time to leave. Lucy wasn't quite done with me yet so she followed me down the steps of the pub and halfway up the steps to my building. Of course, I had to reward her for such loyalty so I sat down and started petting her again. Just then, a nice woman walked down behind me and said "it's time for her dinner - I'm about to feed her." Lucy looked up, realized who had the food, and the loyalties justifiably changed to this nice Asian lady. I left happily knowing I had a new friend and there was fellow cat person taking care of Lucy.

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More than just a pretty flower

Iris is my new favorite thing! Not the flower, however, I do think they are quite pretty. The iris I'm speaking of is the Intelligent Route Information System for the Singapore bus system.

Since arriving in Singapore in January, my primary form of transportation has been the bus system. I've received many scoffs and questions from co-workers asking why in the world I'd take the bus instead of getting my own car or just hopping in a taxi (they are quite cheap here). I grew-up in a small Midwestern city without buses. I even lived close enough to the schools that I never got to ride the school bus - this was very upsetting to me as a child. So, I always swore that if I lived someplace with decent public transportation I'd utilize it.

Singapore has an excellent public transportation system. The bus and subway system here are inexpensive and very easy to use. I am lucky enough to be able to walk out of my temporary apartment in the morning and be right at a bus stop. I hop on the #14 and it drops me right in front of both of my office buildings. The total trip takes about 15-20 minutes depending on traffic and is the same time as by taxi. The best part is that I can travel round trip for under $2 SNG (that's $1.33 US). The buses are all air conditioned and extremely clean. On the way to work I usually read my emails on my blackberry and on the way home I read a book. Although, I have to admit that sometimes it is just fun to people watch.

Anyway - back to my new favorite thing. Singapore is hot...just off the equator hot. While I'm definitely adjusting to the heat and humidity, I don't want to spend too much time hanging around outside waiting for the bus. This past weekend I learned about IRIS. IRIS is a system on the Singapore Bus Transit website that allows you to find out when the next bus is arriving at your bus stop. You type in your bus stop number and bus number and it tells you the estimated arrival time of the next two buses. The buses here run on a pretty regular schedule but due to traffic backups you can end up waiting 20 minutes for the next bus. Not anymore! Well...I guess I'll still be waiting but I'll just stay in the cool air conditioning and do something else.

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Because my big brother told me to...

So, I've been pretty good about IMing with my brother Alan on a pretty regular basis since arriving in Singapore. He, Alan - the husband, and a few others that are up late in the US day are the ones who get to hear most of my adventures by default of being online during my waking hours. Alan, the brother, kept hearing my stories and telling me that I should start a blog. So...I'm finally doing what he told me to do...maybe the first time since we were in our teens!

I'm guessing that what I write about will vary based on what's been going on or where I happen to be traveling. I just hope that it's a good way for all of you to keep up with me and my adventures in this very interesting part of the world.

I'll share a story from this past weekend. Friday and Saturday I spent the majority of the day looking for a permanent place to live. (Yes - it has been since October that I've been living out of suitcases!) The process here is very different than in the US. Even though I'm looking for an apartment, I have to have a real estate agent to take me and show me potential places. In addition to my agent there is an agent for the landlord. It's almost more complicated than buying a house back home. So on Saturday after two very long days of wandering around the city, I got back to my temporary place and decided I wanted to grab some things from the grocery store. The store is only a 5 minute walk from where I'm staying so I just popped over to grab a few items. Silly, silly me left without an umbrella in my bag. For those of you who plan to come and visit me please take note that you always need to have an umbrella with you.

It was sunny and beautiful when I walked into the store and about 15 minutes later it was pouring down rain. Singapore is only one degree off the equator so it is quite tropical here but I still happen to forget... So, I stood outside the store for about 5 minutes to see if it'd let up. Wasn't looking good so I ended making a dash for it across the street to the department store. I wandered around for about 10 minutes and still no change in the rain. I decided to stand outside the store and weigh my options. Now let me tell you that it was raining down from the sky, raining sideways, and just so hard that it was bouncing up and hitting your knees when it hit the ground. I had just 2 short blocks to go to get home but they were mostly uncovered and there were 3 stoplights to get through. So I'm standing under an overhang with about 10 other people...just waiting. This guy standing next to me asks me which way I'm going. I pointed and he then pointed at his umbrella and signalled he'd share with me. I shook my head and said I'd just run for it and he said "no, no, no - I cannot let you get caught in this rain." So, when the light turned green he popped open his giant umbrella and we started walking.

We get across the street and are waiting for the next crosswalk light to turn green. I thank him and say I'll make a run for it. He refuses to let me out from under the umbrella and just picks up his pace. We get to the other side of the street where there is a giant puddle of water and he grabs my arm and tells me to be very careful not to fall. So, other than this guy being just a completely kind stranger, he is about a foot shorter than me and couldn't weigh more than 110 pounds. When he was holding the umbrella he had to raise his arm up pretty high just to make sure it was above my head. And whats so great is that he's holding my arm to make sure I don't fall...I totally would have taken us both out if I did.

He proceeds to walk with me to my building and then turns back and heads the other way. He didn't ask for anything and just smiled at me when I thanked him. I am so thankful for the kindness of that little Asian man who took pity on me without my umbrella.

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