Bottled Sky

Because writing a real post requires the use of actual brain cells, I bring you two random photos instead. Hey, it’s better than whining about how I don’t have time to blog anymore now that I have to write for a living.

Soulful puppy eyes. That’s Oreo being completely adorable, as snapped by my mom. Does it not turn your insides into mush? I regularly request photos of the dogs, because I am completely deprived of pet love in Singapore. Woe.

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Last Monday I turned 24. It was my first birthday in Singapore, my first birthday at work, my first birthday away from home, and most importantly, my first birthday with two cakes (although I only got to eat one of them).

The first cake came from my coworkers, who threw me a surprise lunch at the office. I went to work expecting nothing, so I was caught completely off guard when they all started singing “Happy Birthday” at noon. Aside from cake we had pizza and a yummy salad that Haydee, one of my coworkers, made herself. They also gave me a large card that they had all signed.

While I can definitely report that my first cake tasted delicious, I can only say that my second cake looked delicious, because I was merely able to enjoy it—and the rest of the birthday dinner my family had prepared for me—over Skype. I chatted with them after I got home from work and “blew” out my birthday candles via web cam. Even our dog Biscuit joined the chat. Check out this picture and tell me she doesn’t look smart:

I swear that dog is a genius! She had her front paws on the keyboard, and somehow she managed to shut down the computer in the middle of the chat by pressing ctrl-alt-del TWICE. Next thing you know she’ll have her own blog, “Biscuit, PhD: The Secret Life of a Canine Genius,” where she’ll write about the digestive repercussions of snacking on dirt and share the best yoga techniques to make gnawing at that hard-to-reach itchy spot at the base of the tail a breeze.

This is an excerpt from an online chat I had with my friend Chrissa recently. It should give you an idea of the depth and quality of our friendship

Me: I had the weirdest dream last night.
Chrissa: Oooh! Was it naughty?
Me: Unfortunately not.
Me: I dreamt there was a competition, kind of like the Amazing Race, except the end goal was to reach an old, abandoned mansion and capture a mouse living in one of the rooms.
Me: I joined, but instead of teaming up with other people, I decided to team up with — get this — a chihuahua and a rat!
Chrissa: Uh huh… a chihuahua, a rat and a human looking for a mouse?
Me: We were running all over the place. We got a bit lost and got separated from the other teams, but we ended up finding a shortcut and made it to the house first.
Me: The rat was the one who captured the mouse, because of course he knew where to find it. We won!
Me: So… what exactly is my subconscious trying to tell me? I am at a loss.
Chrissa: Well, a chihuahua is sort of a rodent but only it’s canine…
Me: I know!
Chrissa: So you’re with a rat, a canine-rodent hybrid, and you’re looking for a mouse…
Me: I’m thinking Ratatouille had something to do with it.
Chrissa: Ah, I dreamt of mice, too, after watching Ratatouille!
Me: OMG, Pixar is going to take over the world, and they’re starting with people’s dreams! CONSPIRACY!
Chrissa: Ratatouille must have had some subliminal messages embedded in the film.
Me: Ooh, that would explain everything!
Me: I’m also suddenly hungry…
Me: The film was more powerful than we ever expected.
Chrissa: I am now scared of Pixar.
Me: Pixar is evil.
Chrissa: Next you’ll think that your toys are really alive.
Chrissa: And that bugs are intelligent beings!
Chrissa: And that there are monsters inside your closet!
Me: And that cars have sex lives!
Chrissa: And that super-heroes everywhere are getting busy and making little baby super-heroes!
Me: Condoms are no match for super-sperm!
Chrissa: Eeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
Me: Hehehe.

I learned from Meggan yesterday that Bottled Sky was included in Smashing Magazine‘s 45 Excellent Blog Designs article. That was a nice surprise for me, as I haven’t been checking my stats lately. Or reading any of my regular blogs. Or responding to comments. That’s what happens when real life gets in the way

I went on several job interviews this month. I was especially nervous on one occasion, because it was my second interview with that particular company. I knew they would either hire me that day or not. I also knew nerves would definitely not help, so every time I felt the tiniest bit of anxiety on the way to their office I lightened myself up by thinking of the fact that underneath my conservative business attire I was wearing a thong decorated with a cartoon cow. Nothing like funny underwear to shoo away stomach butterflies, I always say. Try it sometime. It worked for me — I got the job.

A few days after landing my first day job I assembled my first piece of IKEA furniture. The process involved a lot of screwing, screaming and cursing and left me exhausted yet satisfied afterwards — kind of like sex, except less… sexy.

Then the day after my IKEA devirginization I was evangelized into the Cult of Mac! Years of dealing with evil viruses and hard drive crashes made me more than ready to finally ditch PCs and make the switch. I’ve had my MacBook Pro for about two weeks now, and I can honestly say that it is the hands-down best thing I have ever owned. Yup, even better than my anxiety-busting cow thong.

I suck at blogging. I wrote only one entry last month, and I failed to mention that I moved to another country last week. To quote my friend Chrissa in her latest e-mail:

I’m surprised you haven’t broadcast to the world that you’re already in Singapore! I mean, it’s a freakin’ change of permanent residency!

Bad, Nikki! In my defense, I had every intention of posting a pre-flight entry last weekend, but as they say, the best intentions are fraught with frenzied last-minute packing

So how have I been? I won’t say I’m homesick, but I do miss many of the people and things I left behind. I miss my occasionally grumpy dad, my crazy friends and my hyperactive dogs. I miss watching TV with my aunt Cecile. I miss hanging out with my aunt Irene and her 500 cats. I miss having inane, three-hour-long phone conversations with Chrissa. I miss eating my mom’s pasta.

But that’s to be expected. I have a great life back home; of course I miss it! All things considered, however, I think I’ve been adjusting very well. In fact I’ve already found several things to love about this country. Public transportation is a dream here compared to the dingy buses and annoying jeepneys of the Philippines. I can walk to the supermarket at midnight without fear of being mugged. And have I mentioned how insanely clean Singapore is? It’s so clean that there’s only one brand of alcohol-based hand sanitizer available, and it’s thrice as expensive as any of the many brands sold in the Philippines.

I have a feeling that the longer I stay the more I’ll appreciate this country. Now if only I can get my family and friends to all move here, too…