The past week was loaded with training not in Kallang, but at International Plaza:

• Adobe Premiere Pro 250 – A Course for Experienced Editors
• New Top Secret (LOL) Interface our department will be using to upload promos

The third summer Friday was toned down. I was a bit exhausted. I hit the gym in the afternoon and then went to Bishan to collect some of my remaining clothes at my old flat. I also packed up my shoe rack.

And, I cried.

I couldn’t keep it in. I was hugging my favourite stuffed toy which I decided to leave with N. To sort of… “accompany” him so he isn’t lonely without me there.

I started crying when I remembered how beautiful this master bedroom was at one point. I had Star Wars Clone Wars blasting on Netflix, playing on my TV. My two lamps were keeping the room looking warm and welcoming. Our laundry was filled to the brim… his clothes and mine.

I remember the excitement I felt when I would hear the gate close outside. This would signal that he was arriving from work. I would try to switch off the lights and disappear under my quilt… so that when he entered the room he would think that I was already asleep. WHICH NEVER HAPPENS. He would enter the room, all dark… and then pause for a moment… and then say something like “Ang arte mo” (you’re acting1) or “Hindi ka pa tulog” (You’re not sleeping!)… then he would switch on the ugly fluorescent light and reveal me under the quilt… I would be smiling or HIDING MY SMILE.

Or when he would cook pork adobo or sinigang or that pork giniling… and we would eat it together on the bed… on top of this IKEA thingy intended for laptops.

Or the countless stupid things we would giggle about… together.

So yes, I cried. And I couldn’t stop crying. Because I had made the decision to move out three weeks ago. And I was crying because quite frankly… he didn’t even bother to stop me from leaving.

***

N arrived later that evening and we spoke for quite a bit. It was the first time we saw each other in two weeks. He noticed I had been crying.

My Uber arrived. I took my shoe rack and a bag full of clothes, and shut the gate in the softest way possible.

That’s my third summer Friday.

I went to IKEA Alexandra with two of my editors.

We were shopping around for new office decor. We moved into our new space last month. It’s kind of a bare space, so we were given a little something to do something about it.

***

For the office, I got myself a Kvart desk lamp. I like mood lighting.

For my new place, I got:

• A laundry drying rack (expandable, perfect for the condo balcony)
• A hanging dryer for socks and underwear (the one that looks like an Octopus)
• A laundry flexible basket
• New bedsheets… A MUST (I can’t go on using old things can I?)
• An IKEA memory pillow – firm type
• An IKEA softer pillow to compliment the firm one
• One more HOLMO lamp bringing my amazing collection to FOUR.
• New quilt cover, a green one with stripes… green reminds me of RENEWAL.

Took a cab from IKEA Alexandra to my place in Geylang… and daaaaaymm it set me back by almost SGD 20.00. Argh.

***

For dinner I tried the corner coffee shop and ordered Salted Fish Fried Rice. I was eating it by myself and still trying to get used it. Sigh.

***

Where am I on the “Ten things I hope to accomplish during this year’s Summer Friday”

1. Take a stroll around Fort Canning Park. — soon
2. Enjoy a sunset at a beach in Sentosa. — soon
3. Visit the Fitness First branches in one-north and go swimming there. — soon
4. Travel to Hanoi, Vietnam on a shoestring. — doesn’t look likely given budget concerns
5. Travel to Ko Samui, Thailand on a shoestring. — same
6. Travel to Yogyakarta, Indonesia on a shoestring. — same
7. Explore further the National Gallery Singapore. — soon
8. Play arcade games one afternoon. AND ALL AFTERNOON. — soon
9. Volunteer for something. — looking into this, for an LGBT org
10. Find a good dentist in Singapore. — soon

Our creative director popped into our room earlier to tell people to leave the office at 1:30 PM. Everyone in the room left the office around that time. But I stayed back a bit to enjoy the peace and quiet… and wrap up my promo for “Last Hope with Troy Dunn”.

For this year’s inaugural “Summer Friday” (where we enjoy half days on Fridays, in lieu of extended office hours from Monday to Thursday)… it was mostly low-key. I think last year we had an ice cream party or something.

I wanted to go to the gym. But I worry I’ll injure myself before the DBS Marina Regatta which covers the next two weekends. Instead I took the bus from Tanjong Pagar to Orchard where I met up with some of my dragon boat batch mates for some JOLLIBEE.

Afterwards, we all headed home. I had some time to catch up with two of my girlfriends… SUZIE and MARI. Gosh. I miss you both. Things are different now.

***

Ten things I hope to accomplish during this year’s Summer Friday

1. Take a stroll around Fort Canning Park.
2. Enjoy a sunset at a beach in Sentosa.
3. Visit the Fitness First branches in one-north and go swimming there.
4. Travel to Hanoi, Vietnam on a shoestring.
5. Travel to Ko Samui, Thailand on a shoestring.
6. Travel to Yogyakarta, Indonesia on a shoestring.
7. Explore further the National Gallery Singapore.
8. Play arcade games one afternoon. AND ALL AFTERNOON.
9. Volunteer for something.
10. Find a good dentist in Singapore.