Some First Times

[A couple in embrace by the river at a time approaching sunset. Me being a sniper from the windows of Tate Liverpool.]

9th July: First time I went to Serpentine Bar + Kitchen in Hyde Park. I had salmon fishcakes and they were so-so but the view was very nice. I managed to do quite a bit of readings there.

10th July: First time I saw a doctor in London today. Really had to because I’m traveling on Sunday and I was feeling terrible when I woke up.

11th July: Today’s the first time I saw an eight-year old looking boy being bought a DSLR at the camera shop. The world is changing. His mum and his sister bought it for him. Today is also the first time a tea pot handle broke just as I was pouring tea in a Chinese restaurant. Thankfully it didn’t spill on me.

12th July: Today is my first time traveling to Arles, and my first time going on a trip entirely on my own. For 9 days, I’ll be getting this new experience and my friends who’ve traveled alone before tell me it’s going to be liberating.

Third First Time

[What tragic copy in Liverpool which already felt like a ghost town to me.]

3rd of July’s first time included going to Richmond and having coffee made by an excellent barista friend (whom I haven’t met for a year since I last was at uni in Singapore) and then spontaneously going for a dinner at the friend’s friend’s house. Basically it was dinner with one friend plus 5 strangers (but not strangers any more). I had super yummy Italian food.

Burst

[Reflection of the red fluorescent lights on the painted cement floor. But really, it could be anything you want it to be.]

Cannes was good. Just three days of getting to know someone better and sharing life stories and ideas (plus relaxing in front of the azure blue sea and sky  and walking in the rain like we were kids again). I haven’t walked in the rain in a long time so it was strangely calming to do it again; and my spontaneous trip ended with grand plans for the future. Only God can put me at the right time at the right place and that’s the cool thing about knowing God in a relationship instead of as a religion. The first year of my MA course has just ended and one more year left. One year to do placements, test my hypothesis, write my thesis, organise a conference and present at it. And of course all the other exciting plans in between and all the other little projects I want to work on. I know the year will speed by again just like this past year has and because you never know where the future brings you, I’m gonna treasure it as though it’s my last year in London.

Not Knots

[A boat at Albert dock in Liverpool beside the table where we had lunch.]

Do you look at the complexity in front of you or the clear blue sky beyond that? I got a surprise message and so I just booked tickets today for Cannes on Sunday. Looking forward to more inspiration there.