Hugged by the Best

Someone had the best dream about me last night. And how she saw me, in her own words -

"You were being hugged by everyone around...then a white person in a robe, I couldn't see his face, with long hair - came and hugged you - and you had a beautiful smile..."

My first response was "That must be Jesus!"

She said she woke up with goosebumps. She hesitated about telling me about the dream because she was afraid it would make her seem like a crazy stalker type person :) But I'm so glad she did because this one dream has just lifted by blues away in one single stroke.

It's so weird. Especially because the dreamer (who is one of the nicest people ever) and I hardly have any contact with each other. She and I used to work in the same team but that was a long time ago, she's left the company since. She was not someone I hung out with or know very well unfortunately. But we occasionally say our hellos on Facebook, even met each other once some months back. And that's about the extent of our relationship. Also, she is not Christian.

So it's just amazing that she had this dream. And I am so glad she did because I now feel like I was really hugged by Jesus last night.

Beautiful ending to a shitty day!

Choose Your destiny, Flawless Victory

I really want to write about some people and their usernames on Facebook but there are a few more things about my last trip that I want to write about. I don't want anyone to think that eating is my only priority.

Okay, so the things I want to write about are - 1) Bollywood dancing, 2) Shoe shopping, and 3) My birthday.

1. DANCING

I just want to announce to the world today that I am now a certified Bollywood dancer :P That's right. Certified, stamped, and approved. I don't think I mentioned my little ass-shaking, crotch-thrusting, chest-heaving, tummy-jiggling romp on my previous post. On stage. In front of people. Hundreds of people from many many different countries. In glittery costumes. With loud music. Bollywood music.

**SMUG FACE**

I even have pictures to prove it :)

- in all my lubuk glory :)

It took weeks of practice but it was worth it. For me personally, it was like achieving something BIG because it's something that I've never even dreamt of doing. Dancing on stage?? And Bollywood at that!? You're kiddin' me!! So this can go into my little book of personal feel-good achievements. Pakak!

Oh and I even have extra drama to add to it. So we were supposed to be called 'Namaste India,' but when it was time for our dance, the commentator's voice rang out loud and clear - 'Next we have Jerusha and crew...' Hyuk!

(And please no hate for my Bollywood dancing! I've already taken some flak about Mizo-Bollywood. Just so you know, I have learnt all Mizo dances by heart and by soul way way way before I started Bollywood so..chances are I dance more Mizo dances..and better than your average Mizo girl :P)

2. SHOES

Alright, who loves shoes as much as I do? In fact, who doesn't love shoes? What woman in her right mind doesn't go weak in the knees at the sight of beautiful shoes in a shoe store? What crazy insane woman would say she doesn't like shoes and not be lying? What abnormal female human being would not shiver in an almost sensual delight amidst the smell of sexy new shoes?

Alas, our own dear Hyderabad has very limited options. I mean you have lots of stores that sells you shoes, but stores that sell buyable shoes? Not a lot. There are plenty of times I go out with the intention of spending money on shoes but still go home empty handed.

So being in Singapore was like being in shoe heaven (as compared to Hyderabad). The first store I went to the minute my feet touched Singapore soil was Miu Miu. Then Prada, then Versace, then Jimmy Choo...Just to smell them! I had to visit my affordable shoe stores too, mais oui.

And I look at my 8 new pair of shoes and I am happy! Happy happy joy joy!

3. MY BIRTHDAY

My birthday this year fell on the last day of our conference. Which means our awesome final conference day party was on the night of my awesome birthday. I felt it was a free fancy birthday party that Google threw for me. And me alone. PS: Look, you have to look at life that way (as untrue as they could/may be) or you're going to turn into a bitter bitch with a permanent frown sketched upon your unsmiling lips.
But no frowns for me because Google threw me a free, ultra-fancy birthday party. And I have mad Bollywood dancing skills and people to testify for it (or my lack thereof).

Also, my post title is the result of a week long obsession with the Mortal Kombat soundtrack. Ouch! Makes for excellent propelling music on the treadmill though...

MORTAL KOMBAT!

Frogs legs and geoducks

I'm back and I can't wait to brag about this - I finally ate a geoduck!! I'm super excited that I got to eat something I've only ever read about and saw on TV. Don't know what a geoduck is? This is a geoduck.

These phallic looking creatures are actually clams. I've never seen an..ahem..elephant's penis but I'm pretty sure elephant penises look like this.

Anyway, I've read about geoducks, endlessly pored over their pictures, and I have always been grossed out by their worminess and leechiness and caterpillariness and general disgustingness, but yet...also strangely fascinated by this very grossness. So I decided that I wanted to eat it :-) So it was a very nice surprise when we walked in to this seafood restaurant, and the first thing I saw was this on their tank -

This is what they look like after they're cooked. It's a good thing they're cut up, that's the only way I'd eat them. If they were served whole, gak! All I'd be able to think of is Armin Meiwes.

But this was yum. Stir fry with chives and pine nut, they taste almost like chicken but with a penis texture :D (because I'm sure if you cook penis, this is what the texture would be like.)

And these were the best prawns I've ever had in my entire life, and I have eaten a LOT of prawns. Plain boiled prawns. When will we ever learn in India that food can be better without spice overdose sometimes? A lot of times in fact...

And next we have frog legs with ginger. Again I thought it tasted a bit like chicken, just softer and more amphibian-y :P I wasn't a big fan. I liked the frog legs (and all other edible parts) back from my childhood days cooked in an empty 'khaini' can over an open makeshift fire on the 'banks of the Chite lui' better :-)

And this is again another dish I won't forget any time soon. It's called Soon Hock, don't know what it's called in English. Steamed fish if done right I will pick over Sunday morning pork any day. Okay this site says Soon Hock is "kind of fish that is highly priced for its exceptional steamed texture"

Okay that's all about food. Now I just want to show you some pictures of the resort we stayed in in Bintan, Indonesia. Pretty waters, pretty resort!

As you can see, even the rooms are pretty nice.
View from my room -

For anyone who plan on taking a vacation soon - this place costs only Rs 1700 a night. Yeah I know, unbelievable. If I was a married person with kids, I'd take my family here. If I was single, no. Unless I'm going with a big group. I'm not a big fan of manicured lawns and stuff like that on a holiday, I like them wild and uncultivated - to an extent.

Fun trip. And of course, the highlight of it all is definitely the geoduck meal. You know, a geoduck may be disgusting to look at but it's actually very tasty and it is not the most disgusting thing I've eaten. That esteemed position goes to the raw pig uterus I ate in Tokyo. Most disgusting by far in every aspect - taste, texture, smell, and looks.

What's the grossiest thing you've ever eaten?

Have birthday, will travel

I've just realised that my little blog has been around for almost 6 years! Hurrah for the longest standing relationship I've ever had with anything. We've come a long way together!

Having said that, I know I have been ignoring it on a major scale, and that is because I have become a robot. Robots don't have much to say except what they've been programmed to do or say. And blogging isn't one of the things I've been programmed to do lately. (And how is it that my computer flags contractions for misspellings when even my lowlier phone totally understands them!? T'is unfathomable indeed!)

Anyway, the latest in this robot's long line of missions is to fly to Singapore and I am leaving tonight. Yay! Work of course, but travel is travel. I got to spend my birthday last year in Tokyo, and another exotic birthday this year in Singapore officially makes me the girl you've always envied! :-) Another Sales Conference, and again I'm lucky enough to get a few extra days so I'm going to actually be able to check out Bintan in Indonesia before I head to Singapore.

In fact that was the only real reason behind this blog post, to talk about my trip. The first para is really just balderdash. I always feel I have to write something before I get on an airplane no matter what. And I really didn't want to make it seem like I'm bragging about my fancy birthdays even though I obviously am.

And if all upcoming birthdays mean a new exciting location each time, then bring on the birthdays! I'm all for growing old. (Come to think of it, even minus exotic locations, who wouldn't be for growing old. Better than dying isn't it?)

I used to make looong birthday wish lists but alas! I am now too tired and weary with the weight of ages on my back to do something like that. But if I could pick one thing I would really love to do on my birthday, it's this....