photo credit: puttputtproductions.com
I was born in the Year of the Ox and the month of the Capricorn. Both are known to be stubborn creatures, which is something that I’ve most definitely inherited, for better or for worse. Many of the things I chose to do in my life have been out of pure stubbornness – first to be able to say that I did it and second just to be different. Of course, the more people try to get me to change my behavior, the more determined I get to stick to my principles, morals, and priorities. I think I like the satisfaction of claiming that I don’t do this or that or that I have done something for this long. Especially when it’s something most of the population would like to claim as well, I feel all the better about being able to stake my claim.
The three most prominent examples of this are what I will or will not ingest, my frequency of relocations and moves, and my persistence with my journal. For each, though it may not always make sense for me to stick to my guns so strictly, I do so to preserve the idea that it’s always been that way. I don’t like to compromise in any of these areas and it’s quite rare for me to do so, though I’ve been working on that lately, since some of what I do is truly unfounded or limiting. At the same time, certain aspects I don’t plan on ever changing and that can be seen as a good or bad thing. Ok, let me clarify what I mean by each of these examples then.
Lychee flavor!
First off are my peculiar food and drink preferences. As many know, I do not drink alcohol, coffee, or energy drinks. I also refuse to eat rubbery things like calamari, squid, and other such odd creatures. I stay away from burgers, steak, lobster, and caviar. I am especially strict with alcohol, also avoiding food cooked in it, chocolates with liqueur, and the like. Even fermented food is a big no-no in my books, though some of these things have been unavoidably tasted at least once. The more people try to pressure me to drink, the more resistant I am, even if it’s just a taste or small portion of wine. I often get the “you know that it can actually be good for you, right?” and pay no heed – the costs far outweigh the benefits in my eyes. I do, however, like to collect a few mini bottles here and there because they’re rather cute (plus, why would you ever drink it? They’re too pretty!).
However, last year I did become curious and exasperated enough to try some beer (at age 22) and it was just as nasty as I thought it’d be, plus some. So that experience only solidified my resolve to avoid alcohol. I’m sure people will now focus on how I didn’t try wine or something lighter, fruitier, or whatever. Perhaps one day I will sip some wine just to get them to leave me alone, but as of now I’ll just ignore their pleads that it can be good for my health. In fact, I cherish an article I read recently about how the link that people draw between moderate drinking and good health may not be a causal effect, but actually be discounting many other possible factors that affect people’s drinking. Even if there was solid proof, I’m not about to just follow suit. I can eat blueberries and pomegranates for antioxidants and have fish oil and avocados for cardiovascular health. No alcohol needed.
I avoid coffee and energy drinks for the caffeine, which I don’t want or need, plus coffee smells disgusting to me. I like to do things naturally and without artificial aids whenever possible, so if I’m tired I take a nap. If I’m pulling an all-nighter, I drink lots of water or tea. I don’t need these extreme stimulants to affect my body in strange ways.
As for rubbery things, I’m not a fan of having to overwork my jaw or swallow large chunks of food. The texture doesn’t appeal to me, so I stick to crab, shrimp, and scallops, which is seafood that I do like to eat. This is not for health reasons, so I did try these “dong dong” shells in Singapore, since it’s a local thing. Now, I’m not quite sure why I don’t like burgers – I think it stems from a gross one I saw in the cafeteria in my childhood. I’ve stayed away ever since, though I have broken that to have about five in the past 15 years.
This doesn’t look appetizing to me at all. photo credit: artvoice.com
Steak is just too thick for me and I hate how it usually comes at least somewhat pink. I don’t really like meat that much, unless it’s very thinly sliced. Lobster is something my mom and I have disagreed on for ages – she says I ate it as a kid and I refuse to believe that. The only time I recall having it was in a dip, where the chunks were minimal. I’m not interested in ever eating a full one. And caviar has the same problem that rubbery things have in that I don’t like the texture. I also stubbornly don’t like food that is high class and expensive (though it’s a coincidence that my taste buds prefer cheaper foods).
Secondly, I am persistent in my desire to move around because that’s how my life has always been. I like being able to say I’ve never lived in the same city for more than 3 and 1/2 years consecutively. I like having so many old homes and schools and jobs that I have to keep a list or else I’d forget. I’m not the type of person to stay put and I enjoy that. My friends are never really too surprised to hear of my escapades because I’m on the go far more than they usually are. If for that reason alone, I want to keep moving around and not settle quite yet. Of course, it also has to do with just being used to that lifestyle.
My most recent journal.
Finally, how many people can say they have kept a journal for 14 years? I want to be able to, but I’m at 13 now and a year behind in catching up on entries. Most people I tell say they tried to keep a journal, but that only lasted a week, a month, a year… I’ve yet to meet someone who’s managed for as long as I have. And if only for the sake of being able to say that I have, I want to continue with it, whether or not it may be worth my while. Ultimately I think it’ll be a great thing to draw from later on if I decide to write an autobiography (or if people want to look back on my life, though it’d certainly be a bit tedious – I’m already reaching 50 volumes and that’s A LOT of reading).
So you see, much of my motivations for these areas is because of my stubbornness to continue to do it like I always have (or at least since my childhood). Generally, people respect my choices and think it’s good that I don’t drink and don’t rely on coffee or energy drinks for a boost. They also think it’s crazy that I move so frequently, but respect my ability to do that as well. And of course, everyone wishes they were able to keep the journal they always meant to have. I like being the one who does. The one who is able to stay away from alcohol, coffee, and energy drinks. The one who doesn’t need or want to spend exorbitant amounts on steak, lobster, and caviar. The one who has lived everywhere. The one who has kept a journal for years. The one who can, who has, and who will.
When I went to visit Patong Beach, I was delighted to find the sand teeming with live little clams that could be caught burrowing whenever the tide washed away the sand hiding them. I happily spent the next two hours digging them up and taking pictures and videos of them climbing back down again. It was truly an amazing time for me, since I love creatures of most sorts and it was my first time seeing clams in a natural habitat and not at the market. The next day, I went to check out a different beach with the hopes of finding more of them, but the sand was rougher and there was hardly any life to be found.
At the hostel, I wasn’t sure about the policy on bringing back such things, so I quietly took them upstairs and went out to find a container to put them in. I ended up finding a styrofoam bowl and transferred them over. The sea snail with the pointy shell was an active one, always coming out to climb around whenever I put him on top of the sand. He left a little slimey trail with sand clinging to it and made a small indent in the surface of the sand as he moved around. The clam, however, was super boring and just lay there for hours. I guess he was trying to get used to the still water and the little bit of stirring I did was not enough to simulate the ocean’s waves.
It’s a pity I couldn’t keep them, but as a fellow hosteler pointed out, they wouldn’t get through customs. However, Panda is willing to get an aquarium one day, so I can get some then! I also want starfish and sea cucumbers and anemone and sea horses and sea urchins and shrimp! It’s going to be one intense aquarium, I tell you. However, I’m going to have to wait a few years before I can afford to maintain such a thing. So for now, I’ll just enjoy the life that I can find when I go to the beach to play around.
Wow, what an eventful day. It started off quite well, with calls from Mizu announcing a pleasant surprise: I would get company on my way to the airport and even be given a ride! That meant that I could sleep in a little and enjoy some extra rest. By and by it came time to leave, so I took my stuff downstairs and hopped in the car. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and ate some lunch, casually chatting until it was time to check in. Mizu and Zen then went on their way and I prepared my documents for the counter.
Mizu kindly drove me to the bus departure and I got myself a ticket on a nice luxury vehicle. We had some time before its departure, so I exchanged some money and then got some dessert to snack on. Soon enough, it was time to board the bus and Mizu sent me on my way. I settled in to the large comfy seat and watched the landscape whizz by as we headed off. The rest of the trip was scattered with movie-watching and naps on and off, briefly interrupted twice to get off and go through immigration and customs. It was very comfortable save for the cold air blasting overhead, which left me shivering towards the end of the trip.
