Nov 15 2007
Have You Seen Me Lately
(Me, trekking en route in hills between Chiang Mai and Pai, Thailand)
Okay, after some nice whitewater rafting and trekking in Northern Thailand, and a few solid days of getting really liquored up rock climbing down in Krabi (Southern Peninsular) Thailand, I'm back down in Singapore.
Honestly, it feels really, really good to be back 'home.'
However, it's the first time I've been here in about 2 months and, while I'm glad to be back, it's not quite to 'homecoming' I was hoping for.
My flatmate is moving in with his girlfriend in only a few days.
And I am essentially homeless … again.
I was really looking forward to doing my usual "Singapore R&R" trip - taking a couple of weeks to regroup, get my bearings back, and plan for my next long term excursion. And while another friend has kindly offered to let me crash with him for a bit, I had become used to the prior 'living arrangements' (especially since my mate has been so generous about allowing me to stay with him).
Although I was never on the lease, my flatmate refused to let me pay him a dime towards rent (I was forced to surreptitiously leave money around the flat and then tell him it was his … sorry D), and I only stayed here for 1-2 week stretches, I felt like this place was my home.
I have been traveling the large part of this year for weeks and months at a time, but I always felt like I had a home.
That feeling of 'homeness', I guess, was probably the result of the hospitality and friendship of my flatmate more than anything else — and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Don't get me wrong — my other mate (whom I also like a lot and am grateful too) has generously offered to allow me to crash with him here in Singapore before I leave for my next trip abroad. So it appears I have someplace to stay for now.
However, despite that, and the fact I've gotten to know Singapore fairly well, I still feel a bit lost.
I know what y'all are thinking: 'yeah, that's a real shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that."
I feel ya, brotha' … I feel ya.
I like the new site layout. Anywho, just think of all this as great stuff for the memoir that they’ll turn into a movie. Except that in the movie you’re chased across Asia by vengeful ninjas and your only hope of survival is to join forces with your one time mentor, El Guapo, the masked blogger. Just sayin’.
The end of an era… the beginning of a new one. Another manifestation of the Cycle of Life my friend. That’s the way it will always be.
This time around the cycle has left you a new brother.
Brother.
As an avid recycler, I don’t believe in throwing away perfectly good white boys or, as in your case, “slightly irregular” white boys.
Have ‘em ship you back here. I’ve got plenty of creative uses in mind.
Hello!
I am contacting you because I am working with the authors of a book about blogs, and I’d like to request permission to use a photograph of yours in this book. Please contact me at matt@wefeelfine.org, and I’d be happy to give you more information about the project. Please paste a link to your blog in the subject field. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Matt
matt@wefeelfine.org
Hey Matt, I also send you an email but to follow-up — sure.