Wanna Be Snobbery

[FLASHBACK]

Sunday, January 31st

No one has asked me yet where the name “wannabesnobbery” has come from, but I guess I’ll explain anyway…

I had a good friend, Abbie, who I met back in college at the University of MN.  (She’s also the reason that David and I met, but that’s a story for another day.)  She moved away to become a ski instructor in Vail after college graduation, having no idea what else to do.  She was telling me stories about waitressing in Vail in the off-season, and when it was really slow, they wait staff were able to sit at the bar and taste all the wines.  (In order to better be able to recommend them to the customers, I think the excuse was.)  I asked her if she was going to become a wine snob now, and she replied, “I wanna be!” with such unashamed enthusiasm I was inspired.  She was a ski bum, sharing an apartment with four other instructors and making next to nothing, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from trying to learn to appreciate wine.

What’s a Wanna-Be-Snob?  Someone who’s last meal would a Totino’s Party Pizza, Diet Coke and Snickers Ice Cream bar, but who is still trying to learn to cook rack of lamb.  Someone who is beside herself with excitement when Legally Blonde comes on TV, but still tries to see all the Oscar-nominated short films just know what they are.  Someone who deep down prefers People magazine, but has still read all the Pulitzer prize-winning novels from the last ten years.  Just because even though she’s not, she really does want to be that sort of person.

I have another friend, Lola, who has inspired me to try and buy art.  She once said [in the most charming southern drawl], “Even if we have no money, I continue to buy art… I consider it a worthy investment.”  [Also insert her husband’s snort of exasperation here... “Trust me, she does…”.]  I’ve always wanted to be the sort of person who owns artsy stuff.  Unfortunately I was not born with an eye for such things, and still consider stuffed animals from childhood valid decoration. 

In Singapore, there are a lot of ex-pats moving in and out every month.  I’m not sure about other companies’ packages, but with ours you get to bring in one shipping container of stuff, but not a whole lot more back to the US than you came with.  (For example, they’ll pay for one container on the way over, but not two on the way back.)  And since there’s a lot of traveling and shopping to be done in Southeast Asia, I’m sure when it comes time to pack up on the way home you start to realize just how much stuff you’ve collected over the last 2-3 years.  Enter… The Ex-Pat Yard Sale.  Us newbie ex-pats are able to get incredible deals on things that other people either can’t use back in the home country like electronics, or simply don’t have room for in that container.  And boy did I score on a sale today!  The person having the yard sale used to run an art gallery for Dutch artists.  I went, thinking that maybe I could afford maybe one piece.  I bought nine.

You know how much all this cost total?  $150.  But don’t tell.  I want people to think I’m an art snob.

Smog and Hairspray

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I'm in Korea for the week with David and all my pictures are back on my home computer. I'm still writing the back-dated entries, though, so tune back in after March 7th to read a slew of new-old entries. Until then, I'll leave you with a picture of beautiful and crowded Seoul, South Korea...




My biggest surprise it that's it's been as hilly as San Francisco. There are streets almost too steep to even walk up, though I probably could use the workout after eating all this great food. But then there's the smog. I have a great view from my hotel room and there's a thick yellow haze that keeps me from having a view of the mountains. It makes me not want to gulp too much air lest my lungs turn that color.

The next surprise is how dressed up everyone is all the time. Even the taxi drivers wear ties. Good thing I brought more than sweats on this trip, otherwise I wouldn't be able to go out in public for more than to find street food. Koreans look like a million bucks, especially the ladies - skirts, dress coats, heels, and perfect make-up everywhere you look. What time do they get up in the morning to look like that!? It's inspiring and exhausting at the same time.

Well, I must go, I'm going out to dinner in three hours and I need time to get ready...

Security Overkill

[FLASHBACK]

Saturday, January 31st

We had successfully opened a bank account last week, but unfortunately didn't have any money to put in it yet.  I asked about online banking, so I would be able to obsessively check to see when our cashier's check would come through.  Yes, online banking was available, I was told, I just had to follow a few simple steps:

1.)  Wait for an ATM/NETS card in the mail.

2.)  After recieving said NETS card, go to any ATM and request an online banking account.

3.)  At this time, also register a password for online banking.  (This is different than the ATM password.)

4.)  A few days later, I would recieve a notice in the mail, which would contain a different password to open an online banking account via my computer.

5.)  Separately, I would also recieve a "secure device" that I also needed for online banking.

6.)  When both of those are recieved, log on using initial password, and then enter second password recieved in the mail.

7.)  Turn on the 'secure device" (a keychain gadget-thing which turned out to be a random number generator) and enter a third number to verify account.

8.)  All set!  All I have to do from now on, is logon with my new (fourth) password and get my new random number from the keychain thing.  Easy peasy.

This in a country where people still don't lock their doors.

The One My Mother Warned Me About

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Thursday, January 29th

Today was another day of work, but with David still off this week he talked me into a few errands over lunch.  There is a mall nearby called Bukit Timah Plaza, and it is here that there was one last ditch effort and finding manilla folders and standard 8.5x11 paper.  No luck - they don't exist in Singapore.  However, I did have the joy of the following conversation with David while in the office suppliers store.  Kids, pay attention, below is the number one reason not to marry a PhD who works for 3M:

Me, walking down the arts-and-crafts aisle:  "Oh, right, I need glue."

David:  "What do you need?"

"Glue."

"You mean epoxy?"

Me, with an exaggerated eye roll:  "Whichever."

"For what?"  What is the material?"

"Metal.  It's for a picture frame."

"Is it going to get hot?"

"Why in the world would it get hot?  I'll just get Superglue."

"Are you sure? Superglue isn't a thermoset."

Me, with another eye roll and the addition of an exasperated sigh:  "What?"

"It's not crosslinked.  So you can't put it in the dishwasher."

"Just stop."

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.  I need to find a girlfriend here.  Someone who will talk about normal things, like.. shoe shopping or brow waxing.  Things that do not cause as much pain as the above.

Finding Good Help

[FLASHBACK]

January 27th - 28th

The cleaning lady came for the first time today, and was a little surprised at my lack cleaning supplies.  (We've been in the house for a week, and I've been surviving on the bottle of dishwashing liquid that the last renters left behind.)  She went out and bought some herself, and then returned only to find I also did not own a mop or broom.  Let me take that back, I owned a mop and broom, but not a mop or broom that she wanted to use.  We had our Euro broom and super fancy mop we had gotten at the state fair, but she simply made a face and shook her head.  Instead, she preferred using this:

This is a fancy one because it has a handle attached.  Years of innovation and the bunch of sticks still works better.

One of the first questions people ask when they find out we've just moved here is "Will you be getting a helper?"  Most people here have live-in maids, or "helpers".  Most of the girls come from Indonesia or the Phillipines, and are pretty much like live-in nannies who also cook, clean, wash the cars, walk the dogs, run errands, and do yardwork.  It's pretty cheap, about S$500 a month (about $350 USD), and that's WAY more money that the girls can make in their home countries, so it works out for everybody.  Since we don't have any kids to take care of and I like cooking and walking the dog, we will not be getting a helper.  Occasionally it would be nice to have someone do the ironing for me and clean the floors, so I'm happy to pay Shirley S$50/week ($35USD) to at least do that for me.

David and I went to run errands today, and had three goals to accomplish.  To buy hanging and manilla folders, get our phone rebates, and apply for a credit card.  5 hours later, we were 0 for 3.  It took forever to find a place that sold office supplies, but a.) they only sell A4 size paper and therefore only A4 size hanging folders which will not fit in my file cabinet and b.)  none of the salespeople had ever heard of manilla folders.  We made it all the way back to where we bought our phones, only to learn that we could put in the paperwork, but it would b 4 - 6 weeks before we got our $600 back.  Last, we went to apply for a credit card, but the qualifications here a tad more stringent than back in the US - David needs a letter from his employer proving his income among other things.  Gah, this day was a bust.

But at least we could come home to clean floors!

They Check In But They Don't Check Out

[FLASHBACK]

Monday, January 26th

The streets are completely empty today, as it's the first day of Chinese New Year. Everyone has today and tomorrow off and are home eating lots of dumplings with their families. David has the week off too, but since I'm on US time, I have to work today. I was keeping busy checking emails, approving documents, researching the background of the... WHAT IS THAT INFERNAL RACKET????


Well, it was this:

Ah, a dragon troupe. I missed most of the dance part, but I caught the end.





And here's the guys climbing back in the truck to go back banging down the next street. You could hear these guys blocks away.

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You know how the only restraunts that are open Christmas Day in the US are Chinese? Well, here, the only restraunts open on Chinese New Years Day are - you guessed it - American. Or Austrailian. Western/European food, anyway. We had French food for dinner.

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To top off the fun for the day, later that evening, I spied this on my bathroom counter:



Okay, maybe it wasn't that big, but the one I saw wasn't tiny. This guy was thie size that I didn't even want to squish because of the mess it might make. I had to kill it, though, otherwise I'd worry that after I'd fall asleep it would fall from the ceiling and scuttle down my windpipe. The next day David found another one (dead this time) in Millie's food. "It wasn't that big though." he said, holding his fingers a good two inches apart.


But come visit! Really!

Happy Chinese New Year - United Nations Style

[FLASHBACK]

Sunday, January 25th

Tonight was our first party!  We had a busy day beforehand, though, re-arranging our furniture to fit into our new living room.  Where to put the chaise?  (In the corner).  Where to put the rocking chair?  (In one of the spare rooms).  Do we put the books in the bookshelves yet or wait?  (We waited).  I'll spare you the details of all the "discussions" we had in order to decide these things, but the room ended up looking pretty good.  Very comfortable, and Millie has a space for her bed in the corner.

I was nervous on the way over to the party, having to meet so many new paople and all.   Luckily, the whole affair was rather laid back, kid friendly (Guitar Hero and all), and they had plenty of wine, so what else could one want?  I even learned how to play Mahjong... I'll take it back to the US, and it will be the next Bunco, I swear.

The people in our neighborhood are from all over the world.  We are the only Americans as far as I know, the rest are from Hong Kong, Sweden, Russia, Germany, England, Austrailia, Turkey, India and France.  I would have loved to take pictures, but having just met everyone I didn't want to appear... weird.  When we finally get a dining room table and have people over to our place, I'll take some snapshots, that will look more normal.  After all, the people are the most interesting part!

Pictures of our newly arranged living room will not win fans.

My New Favorite Thing

[FLASHBACK]

January 24th, 2009

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,

Pedi's and mani's and no need for mittens

New teak front porch swing at 38 King's

These are a few of my favorite things...

When the skeeters bite

When the sunscreen stings

When I'm feelin' homesick

I simply remember my new front porch swing

And then I don't feel... so.... ick

Git Er Done

[FLASHBACK]

Friday, January 23rd

I learned something today.  I learned that in Singapore, it is completely unacceptable to strap a mattress to the top of your car and drive it home.  In the US, if you need something moved, well, unless it's an entire room full of furniture, you do it yourself.  You either find a friend with a truck or in my case, call dad to borrow the trailer.  And if something shouldn't fit, say, a box spring, you just strap that baby to the top of your car and you're set.  It would be silly to rent a U-Haul for something as minor as that.  In the US, I'd be completely embarrassed at my waste of good money.

I had bought a full size mattress, frame, and box spring from another American who is moving back to the US soon.  The mattress and frame squished into the back of the Honda easy, but the box spring would just not fit.  So I called David to tell him that when I pick him up after lunch, we were going to buy some bungee cords and tie it to the top of the car and drive it back.  He, to put it mildly, was horrified.  "Seriously?"  he asked.  "Yes, why not?"  He couldn't think of a reason, but after much discussion, simply refused to help.  It was just not done here, it was... white trash.  I might as well wear my hair in curlers on the way while wearing my makeshift bandana tube top.

What was a girl to do?  I called our real estate agent, Joy, who is so helpful in all things Singapore.  What you're supposed to do, we learned, was to call for a mover who for a small fee would pretty much move anything at anytime, anywhere.  Because it was the day before Chinese New Year, however, we probably wouldn't have much luck.  "Everyone Chinese will have gone home..." Joy told us, "But maybe you can find an Indian.  But wait, they have Chinese drivers, so that won't work either."  She looked in her paper for non-Chinese, non-Indian names and came up with a few.  We found a guy, Robert, and he picked up the mattress and had it on our doorstep within an hour.  Viola!  The guest room now has a bed.  How easy was that?  I won't have to lift a finger from now on.

 By the way, Robert was Indian.  I know you were curious.

Shakespeare Ray

[FLASHBACK]

Thursday, January 22nd

Today was... exhausting.  Our belongings arrived mostly intact, with the exception of our little kitchen cart (the castors on the bottom had broken off), and a crack on bookshelf.  No biggie.  Here's a picture of the container backing into our driveway:

And here's what our living room looked like 20 minutes later:

Ugh.  

Millie was delivered in the middle of all this chaos, so we put her in one of the spare bedrooms that we weren't using.  The movers eyes were huge when I brought here in the house, and they said the same thing that everyone else here says when they see her.  "That... is a big dog."  We recieved all her paperwork, liscences, permits, etc. with her and noticed something.  Written in the Breed space was not "Chesapeake Bay", but "Shakespeare Ray".  Fabulous!  If we ever get another Chessie, that should be it's name.