On Christmas morning, I met up with my friend Mel, in blue, (I know so many Mels, we call this one "Niño" though explaining how she got the nickname will take at least two days) for brunch at the Swiss Bakeri. Her family was on holiday and so we decided to spend the morning giggling over rosti and sausages.
We'd initially planned to just chill out, but then Amanda, who lives in the area, called us and came over with her boyfriend, Ben, for a short while to say hi.
We'd initially planned to just chill out, but then Amanda, who lives in the area, called us and came over with her boyfriend, Ben, for a short while to say hi.
She brought us cupcakes from the old school local bakery, Chin Mee Chin. Thanks Amanda! Pictured here with my slouchy hobo bag (an awesome gift from a student) and Niño's matching blue wristlet.
We sat in the cafe and chatted like adults for a little while, but as is so often the case with friends, it degenerated into shenanigans when we discovered a pleasantly painted alleyway just outside.
"Asia's Next Top Model!" Amanda cried, for we'd all recently been discussing that train wreck, and Niño agreed.
"Let's do that picture that they all take at the start," she began, and I immediately finished:
"Oh oh, where they disappear one by one as they get kicked out?"
We started laughing and Ben very gamely took our pictures, from this one:
After which we decided we should make better use of "levels", to this one:
"Look into the future," I instructed on one, as Amanda and Niño struggled to get their laughter under control and squint out-of-frame.
And, "I'm trying to smile with my eyes," Amanda said through gritted teeth in one shot, prompting us all into a giggling fit, and even though the "model" pictures looked like this:
The aftermath was actually more like this:
All in, it was hilarious laughing in the alleyway and sending texts among our bigger Whatsapp group of friends afterwards, peppered with "quotes" like, "I'm not here to make friends!", "All this pressure is really getting to me, the other girls ganged up on me last night." or, "The judges need to deliberate".
On the home front, Retno decided to take matters into her own hands and secretly made a Christmas fern with little paper and straw baubles. It was most excellent, and for once my father couldn't freak out over having a tree this year.
We duly put all her presents under it.
I guess what I'm trying to say through all these convoluted and grammatically incorrect sentences is that I'm so grateful to have friends this sporting, who also understand the delightfully frivolous value of trashy reality TV. I'm grateful for my family because they bring the cheer all year round (if a bit erratically) and I hope that everyone out there is with loved ones this holiday season.
Here's lookin' into your future, kids.
"Look into the future," I instructed on one, as Amanda and Niño struggled to get their laughter under control and squint out-of-frame.
And, "I'm trying to smile with my eyes," Amanda said through gritted teeth in one shot, prompting us all into a giggling fit, and even though the "model" pictures looked like this:
The aftermath was actually more like this:
On the home front, Retno decided to take matters into her own hands and secretly made a Christmas fern with little paper and straw baubles. It was most excellent, and for once my father couldn't freak out over having a tree this year.
We duly put all her presents under it.
I guess what I'm trying to say through all these convoluted and grammatically incorrect sentences is that I'm so grateful to have friends this sporting, who also understand the delightfully frivolous value of trashy reality TV. I'm grateful for my family because they bring the cheer all year round (if a bit erratically) and I hope that everyone out there is with loved ones this holiday season.
Here's lookin' into your future, kids.
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Say your peace, yo.