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Tuesday, March 18, 2008

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There have been some nights now that I've slept on the soft, carpetted floor of my apartment in my sleeping bag. In its own way, the weather's been merciful for sleeping camping-style. With 40 degree days, the nights are even more sultry than those in Singas, so no complaints there. But for the days? I have never experienced any hotter - even the wind was hot - and it made me think of walking inside a city-sized furnace where services ran as usual but every breath its inhabitants took were of dense wool.

13 hours before my flight. Despite a severe lack of sleep, I am feeling surprisingly wakeful at 3.24am. May not have trouble with jet-lag when I return after all!

I sit here in my studio, just as I have countless times in the years before. The yesterdays before this were filled with many last meals with friends I made both recently, and from a long time back. There was yumcha and a pub dinner with D and E, a dinner of noodles served by Caucasians with S, two good cafe meals with N, exotica fusion food with M, and too much java and alcohol. I don't know how, but I feel as if I know I'll be seeing them again soon.

To some extent, knowing I can return anytime takes the sadness and wistfulness out of leaving. It's just about knowing what you want from life sometimes, ain't it?

Saturday, March 08, 2008

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Yay. International Women's Day - if you are the kind with 2 X chromosomes, I wish you contentment and fulfilment and joy. Yesterday, I sold my white goods (and 1 gray one) to a Saudi Arabian guy and his wife; the guy had a booming laugh and bushy beard. He reminded me of Sascha Baron Cohen. (You know you've made it BIG when there's a Wikipedia article devoted to you.) Today, Women's Day, was also productive for selling because now I am living minimally in my apartment; no Internet access, no washing machine, no tv, no fridge, no beanbags, no tables and chairs. Camping and roughing it out, with a domestic twist. It feels oddly liberating.

I bought a can of Campbell soup, a tiny 60ml pack of UHT milk and 2 apples from Coles today. And read The Amber Spyglass by the light of a candle - nah, I still have electricity, thankfully. But it felt good to not be sucked into the time warp that is part of having an Internet connection.

Last Sunday, on Elizabeth Street, I donated 5 Coles Go-Green bags' worth of stuff, depositing them gingerly into the Charity Bin. Hopefully new homes and owners will be found for these items. Packing up has been an exercise that has generated a great many thoughts about accumulating material goods. In future, I will buy only flowers, and spread a picnic blanket on the floor during meals. Clothes and shoes can be done away with. Without clothes, I will also dispense with the washing machine.

But there will be a fridge, to put all my beer, milk, juice and chocolate in.

And an Internet connection.

And shelves and shelves and shelves and shelves of books. And magazines.