Wednesday, November 03, 2010

The Overwork Overture


Mum made goreng pisang yesterday. Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got love in my tummy...

They asked me how I knew
Her brassiere was blue
Aaaaaaaaaaah

Hawkeye Pierce, singing in the shower to the tune of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Huh, just as I was busy relaxing, watching endless episodes of M*A*S*H* back to back, scarfing Mum's goreng pisang, bathing the doggies, taking them for their walkies, giving them doggie treats (because I like to spoil them when I'm here), out of the blue, a phone call. And then another.

And suddenly, I'm swamped again. I just got through being so swamped I didn't have time to brush my teeth last month. Whaddayaknow, I did it again. And I've got plans from the 14th onwards, which means I have to hustle.

Hustle, hustle, hustle.

I hate hustling.

I was born for slower climes where you amble or shuffle along, lost in reverie rather than doing the Japanese quick walk (when I was in Japan in 1993, I remember always having to run to catch up. Thanong, the finance editor of a Thai daily pointed out that this was why South East Asians were always left behind the Japanese - we didn't walk fast enough).

Mum is upstairs getting all freshened up so we can go out. She was gardening all morning, sweeping up leaves, clipping this and that. The dogs were sleeping peacefully. (They like having Mum in the garden wandering around doing her gardening, makes them feel like all is right with the world).

Last count - I owe two articles, three speeches and one cover story. All by the 15th. Or possibly, the 14th. And I have an assignment next Friday. (What gives? I usually goof off in November, writing out Christmas cards, planning my Christmas baskets, baking cookies and cakes - yay for my new oven!)

Now, apparently, it's nose to the grindstone and never mind the sky (which is an ugly grey anyway, combination of haze and dark clouds - rain, rain, rain - floods, bad floods, evacuating 19,000 people kind of floods)

Here's a picture of Lizzie, the lizard that lives under the TV cabinet. She comes out late every night to eat insects. She's company at midnight. Our friendly neighbourhood gecko. She once won a fight with a big scary spider.

5 comments:

Nessa said...

I would not do well in Japan. Rushing is annoying.

Jenn said...

Haha...I would not do well in Japan either. Well, not as long as I had to work. If I could goof off, eat sushi and sit in parks all day, I'd be set.

Nessa said...

I bet they have lots of beautiful things to see and watch.

Jenn said...

Yeah very beautiful. Rice paper sort of things. Delicate, intricate, artistic...actually Nessa, I think you would absolutely love it there.

Jenn said...

I miss you, my Mummy.