Stomach is crampy and I've got diarrhoea...since Monday morning! *Ack* Everything solid I'm eating is coming out liquid (or is that too much information?). Taken some medication, avoiding oily foods and drinking loads of water to clean out my system. This is an excellent way to lose weight but I can do without the cramps. And no! I don't think it's gastric. I've never had it *touch wood*!

Rehearsals yesterday near the Padang went very well. EVERYONE was there and all went quite smoothly. Now there's the headache of the sound check (if it's going to be on Friday or Saturday) and if we'll have a chance to do a warm-up before curtains at 7.40pm. Not to mention trying to coordinate passes and free tickets for performers and crew.

Just heard that my writing class has less then the required number of people. I may switch to another one or stick with it, if the other students don't mind having fewer people in class. The numbers help during the critique sessions. I'm waiting to hear from them on the final decision by today (tonight in Singapore).

It's getting closer to Saturday and the performance. I've memorised the music cues. I just hope I don't get too nervous and forget. I'm worried about the rest but I KNOW that everything will come together that night. Oh oh...the sniffles have started.

Ooh...called someone this morning about doing some freelance design for their F&B outlet. Someone (a guy I presume), sms-ed me wanting to know how old I was, if I was male and female and if I had experience (notice the order of those questions). I sms-ed him that I was amply qualified. This dude, persisted with yet another sms enquiring about my gender. What has that got to do with my ability as a designer!?!?! I asked him and answered his question. As expected, he said he would call me later. Yah...right! I'm getting so sick of people wanting to know my gender and age when it comes to requesting my services for either design and copywriting. This is prejudice regardless of whatever one would say to defend it.

I just wish Singapore would implement a similar employment law like what exists in the US - EOE or Equal Opportunity Employment - where it is ILLEGAL to judge anyone by his age, gender or race when it comes to a job interview. I've met too many people recently who despite excellent qualifications and experience are unable to find jobs because they were born the wrong sex, are currently in the wrong decade or worse! Many local companies use the excuse of "Ability to speak and write Mandarin" to rule out a large number of potentially suitable candidates. You mean to say that in a globalised society such as Singapore, ALL of your customers ONLY understand Mandarin!?? What a load of crap!! I don't know why the Singapore government is so against implementing an equal opportunity employment law. Instead they are leaving it up to market forces. But when such prejudice is pervasive in our society, I think we need a law or something that will curb this kind of abuse.

Well, that's my rant for the week.

I did it. Signed up for a creative nonfiction online writing workshop in the US. It's for 12 weeks with tons of assignments in between. I'm looking forward to it and if things go well, I'll probably do a couple more online classes in magazine writing and childrens' fiction. So...Bye bye Bangkok. However, if it was Bali, that would have been a tougher decision to make. As it is, no regrets at passing up what could be a fun holiday with the Vacain gang although in one of my least favourite cities.

Remember that client I've been complaining about? Well, he's reverted with more changes and some caustic comments. And they are all asinine things really. It's not worth arguing about them anymore so I'm just doing the changes as he wants them. Sigh! In all his emails, he seems like such an ass but when I met him some months back, he's totally different guy. He's quite decent in person but you wouldn't know it reading his emails. I often wonder at how diverse my clients are. They range from a handful of super nice people you'd love to go for coffee with to the other end of the spectrum; those few you'd gladly spill coffee on! *wicked grin*

Well now, in 1 week 2 days and almost to the hour, Fireflys, Drummers and Crew will be backstage on Sentosa for the Reggae Festival on Siloso Beach. It's so close but seems like an age away.

It's been drizzling and the air has chilled significantly. Lovely! It'll be nice and cool tonight for sleep.

I was thinking of joining friends who are going in a few weeks, but have decided against it. There are so many things I want to do but I have to get my priorities straight. The most important thing on my list of 'have to do' is to refine my copywriting skills by taking classes in creative nonfiction. I've found such a class (actually several!) but they are not cheap with prices quoted in US dollars. But between a 4-day jaunt to Thailand and a 12-week course that will pay dividends later, I think I should sign up for the class.

Next week the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meets in Italy to decide the fate of the 1986 moratorium on whaling. Japan is trying to end the moratorium and is actively seeking to resume commercial whaling. As it is, thanks to a loophole, Japan has been pursuing whales under the disguise of scientific research. But the carcasses of the whales end up on supermarket shelves and dinner tables. As they see it, what's the point in throwing away all that meat? Such a waste indeed.

Japan and Norway are the biggest exploiters of the ocean's resources for the sake of their culture. Both countries have a long tradition of whaling and both are determined to maintain it. Of course not to mention the multi-million dollar industry of whale meat. Japan is also the world's prime consumer of whale meat.

Norway has already broken away from the IWC and Japan is threatening to do the same. In 2000, Norway was responsible for the killing of 487 minke whales. Japan topped it with 527 minke, sperm and bryde whales. Earlier this year, a Japanese fleet returned from the Antarctic, where it killed about 400 minke whales.

Please write in to the Japan Whaling Commission at webmaster@whaling.jp or to the IWC at iwcjournal@iwcoffice.org to protest the dissolution of the 1986 whaling ban. You can get more information on the upcoming conference and whaling here.

Here's a list of books that are either banned or challenged (strong objections but still available though restricted) in the US and around the world. One such book is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll because it places humans and animals on the same level. Huh??

Other books to make the banned or challenged list for various reasons include:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.Lewis
Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
(I've read all these books. I guess their banned/challenged status is due to the narrow-minded people who've never read them!)
...the list goes on. Even the wildly popular Harry Potter books are on the 'challenged' list. Parents believe they have to protect their children from the witchcraft and whatzits in those books. Ever heard about the imagination? I believe children do know the difference between what's real and what's not in books especially when it comes to witches, centaurs and flying broomsticks. I can't say the same for what they watch on TV. There have been news stories of kids who copied their heroes from shows like WWF, and ended up either getting hurt or killed, or killing or hurting someone else. I've yet to hear of anyone suffering from a spell that a cross 12 year old sent their way. Come on!

Well, well, well. I was able to catch up on all that work after all. I more or less confined myself indoors over the last few days and churned. I've got a couple of deadlines next week, but nothing as bad as what I just went through.

On June 10, I gripped about a client playing creative director with me. Well, he's still doing it. I submitted another round of changes to this 5 month old project and now he's trying to tell me how to treat photographs (all pixs, according to him, should have a 2mm border all around. Go figure!). This was the same guy who insisted brochures should have a 1/2 inch border all around too. I'm just too tired and fed-up to argue anymore. Why on earth did he ask a designer to do the brochure in the first place when everything I'm doing is apparently 'bad design'? It's reached to a stage where the brochure is NOT something I'd want to include in my portfolio at all. So...I'm not arguing anymore. I'll just do as he requests, invoice him then NEVER work with him again.

Just heard some bad news about the fireflys and the NDP performance. Seems like someone in charge of the parade screwed up...and now fireflys has been dropped from the lineup. I guess it may be a good thing cause after this past month of constant rehearsals for the Reggae Fest, August will be a nice break. Especially with WOMAD to look forward to.

It's back again folks, WOMAD 2004 from 27 - 29 August at Fort Canning Park. Three days of music, dance and FUN!

Sigh! It's going to be one of those days again. When I let the work pile up and suddenly overwhelm me. Deadlines are everywhere (have you noticed that they smell of ozone, similar to the smell of the air around you just before lightning strikes?) and I can't get them to move off, so for the next 72 hours, I'll be 'enjoying' the view of the four walls of my room while I try to pull design and copy out of my head!

I submitted a quote yesterday for a writing assignment and surprise surprise! The client accepted it without any haggling on the price. It felt so good that I was able to charge an amount I knew I was worth and NOT have someone tell me to cut it. *Big Smile!* I'm now on tenterhooks (while I battle the deadline demon) as I wait for another quote to be accepted. This time, it's for a website design (for the same writing client). This time it's for major bucks. Client loved my initial designs saying I 'captured the essence of the company'. Woohoo!! I hope the price I quoted won't scare them off but if I were to drop it any further, I'd be losing money on this project that will take at least 2.5 months to complete.

So cross fingers and toes...and wait.

Saturday saw the fireflys and drummers at the Mitre for our first combined rehearsals. The 30-min performance is broken up into 5 parts with 2 transitions. Part 1-4 has been choreographed and it looks/sounds good. It just leaves the performers to practise to get it perfect. The drummers are already sounding SO good. With the addition of Wan and his group of drum-crazy friends, there are now new beats that were missing before. I think there will be some competition (friendly, I hope!) with the other drumming group that's performing immediately after Fireflys, but as we are two entirely different acts, I'm not going to lose any sleep over that. However I am worried about Part 5 which has yet to be choreographed. We've got about 2 weeks left and only 2 more combined rehearsals till the 2 full dress rehearsals before the big night of 31 July.

And...I've yet to see/hear ANY publicity for the Reggae Fest in the media. The dusk-to-dawn festival has the potential to be HUGE but the lack of any media coverage so far is a bit unnerving.

Just read Xin's account of the costumes preparation. Hmmm...I really need to look at t-shirts for the group too. I've broached the idea of getting the logo emblazoned on the front, hopefully covered in sequins. Most have nixed the sequin idea but I'm not giving up just yet. Virgo dragons are very persistent if not incredibly stubborn creatures. LOL!!

PS: If not sequins, then the ink with have the glitter. But definitely something shiny.

I said yes to a midnight show at Orchard for Spider-Man 2. Only now, I'm almost splitting my face with yawns! Hrumph!!

The heat finally broke today. Woke up this morning to a light rain that got a tad heavier and lasted till the evening. It's so much cooler now...yeah!

I just got an invitation to a networking meeting. Sounded interesting especially the part where I could make potential business contacts. Until I read the time of the gathering. 7.30...AM!!! Ack!! You've got to be kidding! Do they honestly think that people would be in any frame of mind at that hour to make small talk, mine business opportunities and actively participate in a round-table discussion? I know this past year has totally spoiled me. Without fixed working hours and an office that's a hop and a skip away from my bed, I relish the freedom from time that this new life has afforded me. Although I still have deadlines and am more likely to work late at night to meet them, as least I'm done (for now anyway,) with a 9 to 6, 5-day work life. Bliss!

It's been a busy busy week. I feel like I've been running around in circles, even when I'm sitting down. It started with a luncheon then a 4-hour appointment at my hair salon then a BBQ at the East Coast. Saturday was a really hot muggy day and I was sweating bullets as we barbecued stuff. It was such a still night with not wind or even a little breeze!! I've never felt so grungy and grubby in my life! The shower I had later felt heaven-sent...bliss!

Sunday onwards saw me preparing for a web presentation I had today for a furniture company. The feedback was positive so now I just have to wait and see. And while all that was going on, I've been on the hunt for a place for about 11 drummers to rehearse. Can you imagine the din they'd make? There aren't that many places in land-scarce Singapore that's far from the maddening crowd, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a couple of leads I have do work out.

And somewhere in all this craziness, I have to find time for my jewellery work, writing, website illustrations, cold calls and clients.

Rant:It's not enough that nearly 2 weeks of tv programming have so far been taken over by the Euro Cup 2004. I just read that the Copa 2004 (the South American league) is next in line. After which I know WWF will be back. Arrgghh! At times like this, I really do feel like I'm from Venus! Have you ever felt that way? Not the 'men put the toilet seat up' stuff moments but moments that make you wonder that there maybe some truth to the 'men are from Mars' myth.

PS...The thing that I was waiting for...didn't happen. At least not yet. It seems that I'll just have to be patient just a little while longer, if it ever happens at all. I know this sounds so cryptic but I don't want to jinx anything, so just bear with me.

I have walked in an land ancient with shadows
Green with magic, wreathed with mist
I have laid my hands to the stones of forever
Where the power of endurance exists

I have walked in the steps of the masters
Stood where they stood, seen what they saw
I have walked in a world that is thick with ghosts
I have felt them with reverence and awe

I have walked in a land that has long been tamed
Each hedgerow and field and tree
I've come home to a land that is wide and wild
Vast forests of green flowing free

So young, so wild, untouched, untamed
These titanic trees so bold
I love the stones, I love the wood
The new world, and the old


Edwina Peterson Cross © April 2004.