Wrapping My Mind Around an Island

Really, that's what I'm trying to do. And there's a lot of island in there, so thank god I was fortunate enough to be born with a severe defect resulting in my skull being made of extremely flexible stomach...not only does this wrapping become easier with time, but it includes a rancid odor for FREE! Slap-happy? No. Hung over? No. Should I be? Definitely, hence the glee.

This post is a long time coming, as the past few weeks have been somewhat noteworthy.

Note: I finally took some pictures of the apartment, but I was feeling so ambitious as to remove all the 19th century hand-carved teak Chinese furniture pieces, elaborate tapestries and plush cashmere carpet so you could, um, see what it would look like stripped down, and not stun you with its grandeur. For your own benefit, of course. Mine is the yellow door.

First, the basics. Singapore is hot and humid, usually sunny, particularly friendly, and refreshingly clear in the evenings so the bright lights are sharp like a conservative Las Vegas made completely of stars and really powerful food (plasma?) coloring. My competitive advantage in Singapore continues to be my geographical awareness as I've taken to walking everywhere. Who knew that Clarke Quay was three blocks from Boat Quay which is across the S'pore River from the Esplanade which is just down North Bridge Road which means I can walk there in about 50 minutes! Excelsior! I should not be so astounded as anything in the city of Singapore is three blocks away from anything else. That is not accurate, but that's not here nor there. Another grand discover is that I have finally found Fort Canning Park. Lo and behold, it is a mere three blocks from SMU. And what a pleasant green space it is, perfect for passing hours with my most recent library acquisition, For Whom the Bell Tolls. Regrettably only my second Hemingway, I am in debt to him for rescuing me from the shallow appeal of Equity Markets in Action. Classes are still going well; I outscored my first Portfolio Management quiz with my second, and after using Kenny's technique and convincing myself of a truly dismal outcome, this was a pleasant surprise.

Fun stuff: I'm scuba certified!