It's almost time

Well it has been yet another totally madness filled two weeks. The work is hectic and everything is hitting me fast and furious, I must say that it is satisfying to know that I have managed quite well so far, but while I'm in the thick of things... it can be sheer madness.

Perhaps teaching and being in my cozy little art space that I lavished so much time on wasn't such a bad deal. Don't get me wrong I am not regretting my decision to move on. I miss some aspects of being infront of a classroom and working on art with the kids.

I find myself now really just focusing on administrative tasks and logistical nightmares. Still everything is new and indeed very challenging but I still find very little time to myself and my own pursuits. Perhaps this is the settling in period and I've just got to get the hang of it. The weeks are passing by so fast and I'm looking forward to a vacation.

Yes! A vacation and where should I go with the wife. Just last week we discussed several options... it's just so sinful to think about it but I can't help myself. We were thinking of maybe going on a few short holidays altogether... a long weekend in Thailand to soak up the sun and beach. After that a trip to Australia to do some shopping and catch up with friends and take a road trip up to the mountains... haven't quite decided on either the blue mountains or the snowy mountains. Or perhaps we may even just stay in Sydney and make it a food holiday! Sampling the wine, seafood, italian, greek cuisine. Then we could also head up to Canada and check out the snow and go for a quick ski holiday at Whistler.

Aye yes... to live it up and recoup for the coming year ahead. Still I'd probably just be as content to sit at home all day and not have to think about all the paper work and never-ending planning that work brings. I haven't had time to finish several books I started, I need to start drawing and throwing pots again and I definitely want to start thinking about my work for my dreams of pursuing my Masters. So I have lots to do still and the time to achieve all is drawing closer with every passing day, in about two years time... the wife and I will call it quits and head back to student life. Our savings will be spent on our further education and buying a house, hopefully one close to university and who knows! I think I'd enjoy serving coffee or working in a bookshop while I study and create art the rest of the time.

I can't wait and with every crazy day at work completed, I know I'm a little closer to our dream.

Why

Why do some people do the things that they do, I wonder?

Why am I asking such a question?

I ask because someone for no good reason decided to just coin my new car.

I ask myself... did I piss this person off? I don't think so?

So why would someone do that?

I will never know.

But that mark will remind me everytime I see it that there are people out there who are just senseless.

I have seen many inconsiderate drivers over ten years of driving experience, and some have truly pissed me off. But I have never coined another person's car. It's just so wrong.

A friend said it could be jealousy. They see a nice new car and just have to reach out and spoil another person's day by defacing it.

If that is the case, I still don't understand it.

When I see a beautiful car, one that I desire and dream of owning, I admire it... such a lovely machine, such a wonderful piece of engineering.

Sadly, this will not be the last time. I know this much.

But am I mean to wish that whoever who did this will get his/her own some day.

Should I just forget it and get my new car sprayed?

Can I bubble wrap my new car?

No... this machine with its lovely exterior skin, supple interiors like a second home and finely tuned engine was the tireless effort of a team of designers and engineers... designed to be seen, desired and driven.

So what do I do? Keep driving and loving the experience. I'll still desire automobiles and I'm sure somewhere out there... there will always be a sicko with a key or a coin ready to spoil my experience.

That's life I guess...

wet wet wet

Back from the airport and my luck hasn't changed since last month. When I got to the airport, the day was fine... yes it was a little overcast but nothing to suggest that it would open up the way it did. So there I was waiting with a big sign printed with the two VIPs' names. Passengers filed past me and I stood there waiting and trying not to look too sad, as I thought about how my dear weekend was passing me by while I stood there.

Strange foreign faces stared at me and wandered past, one after another and I was starting to wonder whether they even got on the flight. Then something clicked... I saw them. Mind you I have never really met these two guys before. I think I met one of them once two years ago when he came to my college and assessed the projects. But I couldn't be sure and I'd hardly spoken more than two words to him even if it was him. But there I was, studying them as they searched the conveyor belt for their baggage. I thought one of them saw my sign and I flashed it higher but both men were pretty elderly chaps and so their eye sight probably wasn't that great.

They walked right past me and I swear I recognised one of them. Plus the fact that I spend so much time observing people that these two looked like academics. So I turned and searched the remaining passengers by the conveyor belt and none seem to be like academics... tourists, businessmen and women, Singaporeans returning from a holiday etc. So I raced after the two strangers who'd just walked right past me moments earlier. True enough, I was right. I called out their names and they both turned around.

Hey! I thought... perhaps my luck was turning my way afterall. I'd almost missed them but my instincts were right once again. So after quick introductions, greetings and small talk, I directed them to follow me to the car. I was happy... I seriously thought things were looking up and my bad luck had finally run its course and I was going to have it good again. Then, once we reach the sliding doors that led out to the carpark. My heart sank... it was pouring and I'd parked my car a ways off at the end of the car park. With no umbrella with me and two very tired looking examiners, I had no choice but to ask them to wait there while I made a run for it to my car. I was wearing my nice biege leather loafers and I knew they'd be wet through before I even got half way there. No choice... my luck obviously still stank and I started running.

Every puddle was painful as my loafers got soaked through and my jeans became a second skin. Jumped into my car (thankfully I was driving my old toyota and I'd yet to wash it) whew! still it was not nice feeling all wet and squishy. But the bad day was ending, the traffic was good despite the poor weather. No traffic jam and no morons so common on Singapore roads. The drive to the hotel was uneventful as we tried to make small talk but I'm not the kind to go on and on, and they were obviously tired from the cancelled flight the previous day and the equally tiring flight from Europe. So I dropped them off and passed them their schedule and reminded them of my time of pick up tomorrow... they were so happy to be at the hotel and I really didn't want to stay any longer either... my weekend was ticking away. So I conveyed my welcome once again and wished them a restful night.

I jumped in my car and off I went. Wet and thinking of how long this string of bad luck will end. But there is a silver lining, I could have lost them and remained standing there like a fool. Instead I got my job done and I can only hope that even with all the foul-ups at the new job. I will come out better prepared for the next year and also more hardy. Sunday out...

Laying Cement

Today I was suppose to play the role of driver for a day. Yes its Saturday and I'm supposed to be enjoying my short but all so important weekend, instead I was off to the airport to pick up these big shots who will be here to assess Art submissions for the week. Well since last month was the worst month of my working life EVER... I had been looking forward to October and a new start. Sadly this was not to be, as I arrived at the airport and checked on the arrival screen. The VIP's flight was not on the screen, its Saturday and no one was at work to call and to check what the hell happened to the flight. So off I went wandering Terminal 1 trying to find the airline office (its a maze at the airport where airline offices are located), after wandering for a good half hour around those lino floored endless corridors, I finally managed to find it only for it to be closed. It was clear to me now that this month was not going to be any different from last month. Sigh

So jump forward a little and I manage to find someone who finally told me that the flight was cancelled because of mechanical problems and that it'd be delayed till tomorrow. Go figure... I'd have to go back on Sunday to pick up these dudes. Sigh... my weekend burned and worst of all, it wasn't even productive.

So I make the drive back home. I really needed to be cheered up and since my new 4x4 was a little dirty, I decided to spoil myself and took it to the car wash. No this isn't any old gas station car wash. These guys are professionals and they do a real fantastic job. Hell for the amount of money we drivers pay to be members... they'd better right! So I get there and my new black monster 4x4 is getting a real good pampering (its a guy thing).

Lo and behold a bunch of guys drive up and start clearing the curb outside the autobody care specialists' shop. I was intrigued as they started unloading a bunch of machinery. Before I know it, they are fully into laying cement over the side walk. These guys worked so fast and efficiently... it was getting late too about 5pm and they just went at it. Two guys were mixing the gravel and the cement on the flat-bed of the truck, while another two guys were cutting the steel grates to lay over the surface before the cement went over it. They didn't speak a word and just went at it, before you knew it, the side walk was done and just one guy kept trying to get it perfectly smooth and in line with the rest of the other parts of the sidewalk. Once it was done, they smiled and looked at the work well done and laughed and drank coffee in plastic bags and ate little pieces of cake. They chatted, sat back and looked at the finished job. It was great to see these four guys work so well together and stay so focus. Yes as you can tell, I miss a job that allows me to work with a team. I have been going it alone for so long and I was seriously hoping that with this new job I would have been in a team. Sadly a lot of the stuff I do in my new job is also an individual effort. Sure I have a bunch of people that I report to and other people report to me etc. But it isn't like these four guys laying cement. I need a job that allows for this. I need to find something where I can share those moments where after a job is done, we can have a laugh, a drink and enjoy the company.

It's Sunday and I go back to work on Monday. I'll sit alone infront of the computer and I'll be banging on those keys, answering an endless chain of emails and I'll be busy typing out forms and preparing for briefing notes and fine-tuning procedures. But I'll be the specialist for Art. I'll be the ONLY specialist for Art... I think I really need to look at my other options... perhaps lecturing in university or at an art college. I think I'll enjoy working with other art minded folks. I think I NEED to work with other art minded folks... perhaps I should call it quits and take a risk and become an artist. Start creating and living it, rather than just talking, assessing and teaching it.