America. Still.

Hello. From San Francisco, California, we took an internal flight to Boston, Massachusetts. A harrowing five hour flight that robbed me of a lot of sleep.

Spent a day at the airport's Hilton hotel. It's more fun than I expected.

Not really.

It's weird, but I'm somehow comforted by the fact that I taste blood in my mouth 24 hours a day. You know, that taste of rusted iron (yes, I have tasted a rusted iron rod before).

We took a US$135 (202.5 SGD) taxi ride today. So I officially beat all you people who think that Expo to wherever costs a lot of money.

And Gary, I did not bring my USB port, so I can't upload photos onto my laptop.

Our current hotel is beside a lake, so it beats the hell out of Singapore's Lakeside. Mom's going to work tomorrow (which is a Monday) so I'm probably gonna hop into a pair of track pants and go do Tai Chi on some secluded mound of grass. That is, if I knew how to do Tai Chi.

Oh, and another thing. In case you don't know, I'm learning Baji Quan and Ditan Quan. So don't go assuming that Wushu = Tai Chi, or else I'll go over and kick you in the face.

Alcatraz is an island off the coast of San Francisco, by the way. It used to be a prison, an army base, an Indian colony and a bird colony, so if you didn't know, I think the most convenient place to get an idea of what it is, is Wikipedia.

My mom doesn't like smokers, Indians, Mainland Chinese, Americans, and me (among other things). She confessed that she's racist. Then she said she wasn't, but she just doesn't like rude people. Then she said she's racist.

I think my mom's getting old. She's probably at that age where-

She's probably at that age.

She's a little bi-polar, I swear. From "that's nice" to "I'll slap your face" to "can you get me a tea, please" to "you're so damn lazy" to "that's nice". Yeah, she's probably at that age.

I'm at the age where I wanna get a job get hitched, get away, and get successful. In other words, I'm at the age where wishful thinking is "in".

America has taught me a lot of things so far. For example, Bostonians are better looking than San Franciscans. But other than that, yeah, I learnt lots of stuff.

From a book: "If you're a smart person, you can see what's smart about the next guy. If you're secretly afraid you're a moron, okay, then to you, everybody's a moron."

Ralph Waldo Emerson said the same thing: "In every man, there is something wherein I may learn of him."

Your heart in your mouth: "You say what you want to hear."

So thank God for this trip. I'm thinking of the song "Love Song for a Saviour" by Jars of Clay. I don't think I've ever said it before, but it's one of my favourite songs. I think it speaks pretty accurately the things I'm feeling right now.

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
as close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
someday we'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
someday He'll call us and we will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray

I want to fall in love with You

it seems too easy to call You "Savior"
not close enough to call You "God"
so as I sit and think of words I can mention
to show my devotion

I want to fall in love with You.

I was just thinking.

Oh, I heard that I'm involved in the Emerge production.

It's called "Talentime".

Yay.

I've been thinking. You know, in between the lengthy walking periods.

I can't buy stuff for anyone because I don't have a single American dollar anywhere on my person. Mom holds all the money, and it's pretty suspicious if I tell her I want something in XL. Or if I want girls' shirts. Or if I want VCDs or DVDs. Or bling bling. You know.

On jealousy: "You see in other people what you want for yourself".

On finding a mother: "Women choose who they love the most. Men choose who loves them the most."

On identity crises: "Whatever you become, someone will long for what you were."

I think I understand now.

On guilty pleasure: "Never be embarrassed about something you like."

On soul searching: "When you think you have lost something, it is usually still with you."

On finding your path: "There's no need to stand behind anyone when there's so much room to walk."

Last one I'm sharing tonight (in America, it is night).

On haves and have-nots: "If someone gets rich, I do not cheer for them. I weep for myself."

And this is called stating the obvious with simplicity. It's one thing to know it, and another thing to see it so plainly. Sometimes it's like waking up from a dream. Sometimes it's like a kick to the head. Most of the time it's called, "revelation". And some other times it's known as "damn, that sucks."

I can't wait till I'm back in Singapore, you know, with other loved ones (I keep reminding myself that my mom is here). At the same time though, I can't wait to travel abroad again (without the mother).

I think this trip has finally broken my dependence on mom. Which is good.

I think this free Wifi thing isn't good for my health.

Have been sleeping in my jeans this entire trip. Didn't bring pyjamas. Well, I would've brought them if I had any. And yes, I still adhere to personal hygiene.

All righty, I'm off to sleep in my jeans.