Intro-version

I woke up thanking the heavens for soda water and for drinking them with each of Mustang's spiced rum and dry concoction.

It has been a while since I have "drunk myself silly", tried to match-make a complete stranger with yet another stranger and finished the night off by measuredly eating the rest of my kebab in the back seat of my uber ride home at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Gene said he found my lippy at the front door. I am very careful with my belongings no matter how drunketh I may be. But this may have been the exception.

As I sit here, I have two half drunk cups staring at me. One containing fanta and another coke. I was too dizzy to head out for brunch so Gene got us HJs instead. Upon my request of which I was very grateful for. I needed a greasy lunch fix.

What I love about such nights is the feeling of being included. Of not feeling out of place even when you are in a room full of people that you have just met or have met once or twice. People who are around your age and who will make an effort to engage in a conversation with you. Not once did anyone ask about what I did. Nor did I do the same.

Of course it helped that Jonesy's circle of friends are genuinely very interesting people who say things as they are. There is no beating around the bush or pretentious niceties. Kinda like Gene's friends.

We went to watch CS perform at the Mustang and the best is when you know the lyrics to the songs that the band is playing. Belting them out at the top of your lungs with other people doing the same with ridiculous hand gestures [in a mini circle] is simply second to none.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. And had such a wonderful lazy afternoon watching Silicon Valley and snuggling with Gene on the couch.

Why am I being so detailed? Because I do not want to forget the little moments that matter. The ones that keep our mental health in check. And liven up our endorphins.

I have been very inspired by the movie, Crazy Rich Asians. What I love first and foremost is the all-Asian cast which normalises seeing people of my skin colour in lead roles and also, support roles. I love the diversity of accents and the show of struggle by people who leave their homelands, embrace an alternative culture and are neither considered traditional asian nor otherwise because of their blended approach to life.

I am certainly not a typical Catholic Chinese. Of which my parents and older siblings are and hold a set of religious, traditional and cultural values very close to their hearts. I see reasoning playing a big part as to why I should or should not do things and if they do not align, then whilst I respect that things have to be done a certain way, I will not do things for the sake of doing them.

There are times, however, when it is actually quite nice to do something that does not necessarily align or have reasoning. Like the tea ceremony. It probably meant a lot more to my parents, older siblings and relatives than it did with me and Gene but it was a really lovely experience and I felt very honored to be a part of it all. A tradition of which my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents participated in. And it was truly heart warming.

It is also reassuring to see people deal with conflict without having to yell or scream to get a point across. In fact, it is quite the reverse with the passive aggressive Asian style of dealing with conflict. It may not the best approach but it is refreshing to see it for some reason. Like an affirmation of what I am used to where you still treat people with respect.