i never understand why people make business trips up to be as glamorous as they should be. unless you sadistically enjoy working across two time zones, eating from plastic trays [if you fly peasant class] and have to be entertaining and dazzling on your feet all day.

so strangely enough, i finally had status envy when i had to complete domestic sectors in the US. instead of having to join the masses for the millennium wave scanner and pat downs, i experienced my first united 1k treatment as i was travelling with a high net worth colleague. red carpet, regular scan and no invasive pat downs. if any man with 1k status had propositioned me on my return leg, i would have said yes without any hesitation.

despite the craziness of it all, i acquired new possessions, had wonderful meals and caught up with those who were close and dear. just need to catch up on sleep now.

ate: boulevard, out the door and kuletos

bought: diesel, gnc, A+F, tom ford and garments engineered [an absolutely gorgeous made in NY jacket]

slept: crescent san francisco and jw marriott san antonio

i still love san francisco. it reminds me of melbourne.

there are many ways i have celebrated my birthday and i did it quite differently when i turned 39. on a plane heading to san francisco only to arrive on the same day that i left singapore - i've had two birthdays effectively.


i think birthdays become less eventful when you get older. i've been writing presentations and speeches for a work conference and been toying with a concept that when you turn 16, how it opens up a world of possibilities and how exciting it can be.

its probably the same when you turn 18 or 21, depending on the legal ages for drinking or driving where you come from. but there is this long pause between these milestones until you hit the big 40. and that becomes life changing for many people.

its either a celebration of all the things you've achieved through life. or a pause to consider what other avenues you could explore or fix in your life to be more fulfilled. 40 can be cruel, kind, crazy, unpredictable but never boring. i'd like to believe if you've come so far in life, you are probably doing something right.

dear janice

we never met. i am the tenant after you have vacated this apartment. i'm taking a stab in the dark by saying we probably have a couple of things in common. for one, we were both economic refugees who have decamped in singapore because of our career opportunities.

you probably worked for an international firm and were vested shares for your loyalty to the business. you loved the environment and supported environmental NGOs while you worked or lived overseas. you were probably a fashionista and had long hair.

i'm a bit of all the above. except i haven't had long hair for many years.

if i have been in anyway accurate in depicting who you are, that's probably because you haven't redirected your mail and i'm still receiving stuff addressed to you. i've binned it because i can't be arsed bothered to redirect stuff if you aren't interested in doing it yourself. and the landlord had to get a plumber in to clear the blocked drainage in the shower. i certainly don't have long hair so it was probably yours.

day 5 - sydney: i frantically butter my sourdough toast over breakfast dreading the lecture i got from the same waitress when i left it untouched. both slices. i decided to throw low carbs out of the door on my visit to sydney. honestly, with all that wine i was drinking, what difference would it make?

but all that mattered was the feeling that i was home. everything felt familiar. strange you might say, after moving away for four months. people i loved, familiar faces, familiar places and my fur children.

so while my bags get unpacked in the next couple of days, i've brought home happy thoughts of things i've done on my six days:

1. fur children in my bed and on the couch, sleeping on my chest and between my legs

2. rekindling with my besties and ex-colleagues

3. watching the kids are alright and thinking what an excellent play it will make

4. rockpool bar and grill, mille vini, gotham, kantine, two eggs, thomas dux

5. annie lebovitz at MCA

6. the blistering heat in a cloudless summer sky

i'll do it all again soon.

does having an asian model as the face of louis vuitton make its brand more culturally diverse or does it make the brand more appealing to asians?

LV picked an excellent subject because it sparks an age old debate of what masculinity is -- and if asian male models can represent masculinity. and the debate reigns into whether he's hot simply because he is 'western' looking. my favourite comment was from someone who said his parents were wise enough not to let him sleep on his head when he was a baby. WTF.

so for fuck's sake world. let's just put race and skin colour aside for a minute and tell me you don't think godfrey gao is hot.

would i buy some LV because he's their face? probably not. would i buy some LV because i'd get to sleep with him. hell yeah. but as with all things gorgeous, beauty is at its peak when the least words are spoken.

so for the record: godfrey is definitely not taiwanese-canadian. he speaks atrocious mandarin and english with a malaysian accent.

and i might start having asian carbs from tomorrow.

day 111: i've blinked and its a new year already. well.

soup may not be delicious but its revitalising.

papayas with freckled skins generally sweeter than those with flawless skin.

i swear my mother was writing in a subtext when she left me this note today after stopping by while i was at the office. she's probably given up on the fact that i won't find a husband before i die because i'm damaged and i have unrealistic expectations of life. so this note was probably her way of telling me i will be a lost cause unless i read between the lines.

mothers are so wise. but of course, she could have left that note after she saw a copy of people magazine's 25th anniversary edition of the sexiest men alive. so before i go to hell for having unrealistic expectations about the men i would like to marry, i'm going to agree or disagree with people on their choice:

1. ryan reynolds: yes. moment: blade trinity on his knees.

2. leonardo di caprio: no.

3. bradley cooper: yes. moment: any when he smiles and his eyes light up the screen.

4. justin timberlake: no. especially after the social network.

5. robert downey jr: no.

6. josh duhamel: yes. moment: a keeper because i think he might age well like george clooney.

7. james franco: no

8. sam worthington: yes. moment: when i realised he was one of us [as in australian, not gay].

9. jake gyllenhaal: yes. moment: brothers.

10. lebron james: no

11. clive owen: yes. moment: the boys are back. i have a soft spot for men who cry on screen.

12. maksim chmerkoskiy: no.

13. john hamm. no.

14. patrick dempsey. no.

15. tom ford. yes. moment: when i first smelt tuscan leather and watched the single man twice.

16. wil smith. no.

17. robert pattison. no. are you out of your mind?

18. drake. no.

19. matthew morrison: yes. moment: in GQ december 2010. where did those abs come from?

20. dwayne johnson. no.

21. chris pine. no.

22. adrian grieiner. no.

i seemed to have lost count and missed three so i've taken the liberty to make these recommendations to people. honestly, how could you have missed them.

23. ryan kwanten. yes. moment: true blood season 1. and he is one of ours.

24. kerry degman. yes. moment: tetu but everyday on twitter because he's real.

25. ryan phillippe. yes. moment: cruel intentions. it was his pseudo brett easton ellis cruelty.

regular broadcasts will resume shortly.