Have you by any chance made an inventory of your shoes? Ok, that’s a bit deep and weird. Do you know how many shoes you own? 

I had a hunch one night and I counted all my shoes from my rubber shoes, to my boots, from my vanity ones to my comfy ones.  All in all (well except for the ones I’ve shipped to my folks in Manila) I have 35 pairs!  For a regular guy (ok, not so normal) this is quite a lot.  When we were much younger me and my mates wouldn’t mind exchanging or swopping shoes, it was quite an in thing knowing that we weren’t working yet at that time. We all get excited when one of us gets a new pair or one of the latest pairs and we really wouldn’t mind swopping! I kinda miss those times. Life was much simpler, a little naive, but more innocent.

Back to my shoe inventory.  Yah, 35 pairs, quite a lot you might say.  Now, I can only wear at least 2 of them on a good day.  On a good day, meaning, on a day when there’s less pain on my feet. So, I’m waiting for THE day when my feet’s gonna be totally cured and I can wear some of my favourite shoes AGAIN!  For now, having many shoes is simply WORTHLESS!

It was really a fab performance from these guys…errr… gals…errr…i’m confused!

If you’re goin’ to Bangkok, check ‘em out in Asia Hotel’s Calypso Cabaret, ticket’s Bht.1,000 includes a drink.

I was half-hearted goin to Bangkok last weekend (16th-18th Feb). My heart isn’t at the right pace, my feet’s killing me, can’t begin to describe you how painful it is to walk with wounded feet like mine and living on anti-biotics and painkillers just to survive the day.

Anyway, I spent my weekend in Bangkok and I simply didn’t wanna be with anyone as well as I welcome my birthday.  I’m really not big on birthdays, my close friends are all overseas and I see no reason to celebrate it big time. I stopped celebrating my bday since 1996, my second year of working overseas.  It’s all overseas work eversince and it can get really lonely at times when seriously you know no one’s covering your back or coming to rescue when you’re in trouble, sorrow, or when got ditched.  Life does suck many times and too often I turn to wrong people and wrong channels. Hey, I’m only human. 

Back to Thailand.  I stayed in Asia Hotel, perfect location, 1 train stop from there to Siam Paragon/Siam Square/Cineplex.  I sat more than walked around and really enjoyed my simple adventures.  The cineplex there was awesome, it’s so cool, fash, and not congested at all.  They even have a Nokia lounge where you can chill-out, have some refreshments, get free massage (if you’re watching an exclusive show that is), and the sound in the movie house is excellent! The seats are very comfy, they even have special seats at the back where blankets are even provided!  How cool is that?!

Since I was on painkillers, I easily get sleepy, I get tired easily. So I really enjoyed my beauty rest in my hotel room.  I woke up late Saturday afternoon, bought a ticket to watch the Calypso Cabaret performers and enjoyed their excellent ala-Moulin Rouge, Broadway numbers.  The MC of the show was a letdown though, I can’t grasp what he’s saying and I don’t understand the importance of his INs and OUTs and in between announcements.  But so far, i had fun, took pictures with some of the performers.  If not for my aching feet, I would’ve taken more photos with the pretty Thai-LadyBoy performers. 

I love Thailand.  I love their street food. What I really admire about Thais is that, they prepare what they sell the way they’d serve it at home, the way they’d share it with their loved ones.  So far, most of the street food stalls there haven’t disappointed me yet. For just a Dollar ++ I’ve really enjoyed my Kway Teow soup or Tanghun soup with sliced beef fillet.  Whatever they put in my soup, It made me feel like I wanna get a second serving!

My last day there, took a $200 baht massage just beside the hotel and I’m more delighted to give a generous tip to my Masseus who without hesitation did her best to ensure that I’m gonna be in cloud 9 after my session.  Then, ‘combed my hair, collected my bags from the concierge and shared a cab with Christy the Kiwi gal I just met while waiting for a cab. I realised I was still in my Singapore mode when the driver dropped us to the airport. I was prepared to get my bags, get my own trolley, but our Thai driver parked his car, and quickly got off his cab and took trolleys for us at the same time helping us with our bags and luggage.  How often do I get that kind of service in my expensive/efficient Singapore?!  I have to share this with you as well.  On my very first day there (Friday) I took a bus so I can intentionally be in the middle of the jam and be able to observe more on what’s happening around.  I met Oy, the female bus Conductor and she helped me find the street I wish to go to.  During the trip she sat beside me and smiled constantly and told me “You look like Thai” and I said “I’ll take that as a compliment.”  Suddenly, a mad man, a nutball boarded the bus. He sat behind me and there weren’t that many passengers at that time.  Oy called my name and told me to sit behind the bus driver, a polite suggestion that the madman can pose some trouble so I followed and sat behind the driver.  Then Oy told me, “You can get down here, GOODLUCK to you Mario.”  Which bus conductor or driver would express something like that here?! 

I love Thailand – love it, love it, love it! 

During my teenage days, people really thought I was a player. A teenager who’s goal is simply score with the girls in town or in school. I had better days and I had bad days.  Fact is one of my ex-gf’s was technically snatched away from me by another school bully.  So I dumped my ex-g.f. just right after seeing them flirting with each other in school, tear her photo one rainy day and stamped on it like a madman!  I mean, c’mon, I thought she & I are cool together, held hands under the mango tree, shared sweet nothings on the baseball field, etc, etc – but she broke my heart!  But that was the past.  Mario grew gentler, stronger, just better. 

 I spent two years in Colombo, Sri Lanka to train their local DJs there and to work alongside their t.v. and news productions.  But DATING was one happy experience I’ll forever remember in the former Ceylon.  My best dating experiences all started from there.  By the beach, on the railway, even spending time with an ex-flame whose parents weren’t aware that we were dating - her Mum & Dad didn’t approve the idea of going out with a foreigner so – we dated secretly, it was both fun and frightening.  I mean, calling & booking a cab for her just so she could be fetched by the time her parents are past asleep was enough to give me the jitters! Then, there’s anoter lady whose heart was broken by another expat and we were similarly lost, gone out, became close friends but – truth is she’s not in love with me.  The hard part was I nearly fell for her or probably I already have fallen for her but ‘was really confused.  Sh’d visit me from Maldives every now and then whenever she’s on a break, she’d stay with me, we’d laugh, and at times we’d cry.  The saddest part was my official last girlfriend, I had to make a firm decision and we didn’t get back together as a couple but as friends. It was one of the toughest decisions I’ve made in my life.  I wouldn’t be here had I made a different choice.

All in all, my ex-gf’s have always been good friends of mine.  Okay, I’d lie to you If I say all of them were good and kind. Some were really mean. So, I simply subtracted the bad ones!  Some of my close ex-gfs already have their own families.  I’m not sure If they say the same thing about me, but so far I get overseas calls during the holidays or at least some thoughtful cards and emails every now and then.  Maybe I’ve hurt some of them in many ways in the past, maybe they’ve done the same to me. A the end of the day, my serious relationships have always been based on friendship more than anything else.  Everything can disappear – the looks, the vanity, anything, but not the friendship.  Is it really a bad thing to still be good friends with your ex?  I think not.

I cheered for Singapore then met a downer the night our Lions beat the Thais on their homeground, I was really happy knowing that Singapore’s now a 3x ASEAN Football Champs! 

After the match, went to visit a buddy to also meet her pal who’s visiting here.  But on my way there, took a cab.  Out of my happiness, I even congratulated the driver, I said, “Uncle, Singapore won the match! Woohoo!”  The Uncle replied “well, nothing to be happy about, we have non-Singaporeans playing for the team, what’s up with that?!” 

I then realize, I don’t have to continue this conversation with him.  Being someone who’s really not from here even makes it worse. 

Some years back, I bumped into two locals who also made fun and mocked the man who’s made it to the Mount Everest.  These dudes were simply bitter and had nothing better to say about that achievement for Singapore.  I didn’t find that funny at all, I kept my cool coz I wanted to say something.  Then again, my Guardian Angel told me “they’re just narrow minded Dude, move on!”

Where I come from and during my younger days (even to date) Basketball is bigger than football.  Some of our A-Star players aren’t locals - Bates, Bird, Chandler, Jabar, among others.  They have a huge following, they’re like Rock Stars, and surprisingly, everyone’s happy!

I love Singapore. My family’s here, I work here, I respect the Leaders of this country more than my own home leaders.  What puts me down here is indifference.  Is it really hard to say “Good Morning”, “Good Afternoon”, “Hello”, ”Thank You”, “How Do You Do”? Coz these are the basic stuff we’re taught since we were in k1.    

Life is about choices. You either choose to have a bigger world to live in or a smaller one. The world is my home – where’s yours?