The Aspirator

I have been slave to the sniffles for several days now. In the car on my way to work this afternoon, I blew my nose for the thousandth time, and blood started pouring out copiously. Ice the hypochondriac dragged me to the doctor.

At first, I was very reluctant because, well, who goes to the doctor for a sniffle-induced nose bleed? The doctor, busy with real patients with their real concerns, might just send me away, I feared. Nonetheless, the check-up turned out to be quite useful. I learned something new about myself. Apparently, I, Clarise Ng, 25 years old, do not know how to blow my nose. The kind doctor took a peek inside my nostrils and found my poor blood vessels either utterly destroyed or in a fragile state caused by too many years of improper nose-blowing. The doctor's prescription? An aspirator-- that small plastic pump used to relieve babies of a stuffy nose. Somewhat apologetically, she referred me to the department store's infant section.

I guess, like dancing and math (and getting some sleep before the sun rises this morning), blowing my nose is just one of those things I can never do no matter how hard I try. :p

To Serendipity!

Two nights ago, Ice surprised me with a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera-- that all-important book from my beloved film Serendipity, which we watched together over the weekend. He even found it at a used-books stall like Sarah (Kate Beckinsale). How serendipitous! :P

When I tore the wrapper open and discovered what was inside, I could not help but feel like John Cusack's character, Jonathan, when he opened the wedding gift given him by his soon-to-be-ex fiancee-- like I finally found that thing I have been long looking for, like I finally have in my hands that thing that will lead me to the love of my life. Like Jonathan, I even right away inspected the first page for Sarah Thomas' elusive name and number, which of course weren't there. It was all very silly, I tell you.

The whole experience seemed to me straight out of a movie. It was surreal. And, given my lifelong obsession with cinema, you can only imagine how I felt then. I felt like how I have always imagined movie characters would feel when they finally get their happy endings.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was my life's first movie moment. :)

Pagdadalaga

"Not all who wander are lost."-- J.R.R. Tolkein

Every time I find myself in an unfamiliar place, I am always overwhelmed with fear, and so, if I can help it, I stay at home-- my comfortable, familiar home. But for once I would like to experience the feeling of discovery. Home has become constricting- too comfortable, too familiar- that I feel imprisoned. It's time I set myself free.

Here is something I would like to do sometime: Take a cab to somewhere and let myself get absolutely lost. When I get lost, I would like to not the least worry about how in the world I will get back as that will only limit the scope of my expedition. Going home is not a problem, anyway, cabs are all over. For the meantime, I would like to have a little adventure. I would like to relish the newness of the place, soak up everything it has to offer. I don't want to assign myself a specific destination, I would like to let my instincts be my guide. I would like to wander. Take me anywhere, feet!