guilt sets in but regret probably woooont? a contradictory (18 Oct)

This morning saw me wake up a little later than usual cos of the late night. Almost 11ish on a Saturday. Ok it is kinda late since there's quite a few things to do on Sats: running, cleaning and laundry (which in the end I decided to try out the hostel's washing machine since they provide it anyway).

Today, I'm sure to the great relief of my father: I bought toilet paper. Haha. Last few weeks was downstairs (boys' floor) and it was usually replenished by Chen Bo - which then I realise that maaaybe it wasn't an entitlement.

Room mate has returned to Hainan for the weekend and a few days to settle some issue with her passport (with the help of her father who seem to know some officials) so I have the room back to myself - feels more like usual. Swept, mopped and tidied my side and her's - though I realise it's depressing to have white floors, especially when girls (or maybe, depressingly just me) drop seemingly ALOT of hair strands :( not like the room is even dusty, but the hairstrands make the place look terrible.

I have resorted to combing my hair over the dustbin or sometimes pick up visibly intolerable hairstrands to minimise this accumulated depressing effect.

Anyway, boys did their usual soccer bit and after that we took off to have brunch at about 2ish. The boys were starving and wanted a big meal (usual means ex) somewhere. And we decided to take a leap into The Flying Pan. Silly name, but it's pretty famous.

Situated some streets (Old Bailey's St) below ours, nearer the Mid-levels Escalators and on a steep downslope with narrow steps, it's a small cosy blueish-themed cafe that serves 24-hour breakfast meals. Servings were big though the first impression after opening the menu was, "oh boy" - cos proper breakfasts were costing about HK$50 to HK$100ish? They've got quite a wiiiide spread mixing around eggs (various ways), toast (and types), meat (sausages, ham, bacon, etc.), salads, drinks, etc.

The place was pretty full - well it's a Sat (like every other place in HK). The boys really felt like they were -censored- hungry, sooo they ordered rather big meals.

Peter's, large Full Enlish Breakfast ($HK85) with a 'shot' of juice

Ruiming's, Benedict Eggs ($HK60) with a shot of orange juice

Mine, Three Little Pigs (Sausage, Ham and Bacon) Omelette (HK$60) with a shot of cranberry juice

That made up our big proper meal for the day (or maybe the week) haha

Later on it was a MTR trip to Mong Kok, Kowloon since they wanted to take a peek at what it was like. Ride costs us about HK$9.50 since it was a different MTR line across.

Let me say this from the beginning: Today I had spent alot. It is terrible. I mean, today just had the most purchases (and the most expensive) but I can foresee that it wont be in awhile (ok other than the halloween tickets coming up!). I mean, I'm ranting now (still) cos it is guilt talking but regret isnt settling in. It's just conscience la, so bear with me.

Anyway, so yes. At Garden St, I felt that I might be dragging the boys with me if I went around finding stuff and they would be seriously bored and grumpy to death (remember the every Sat post-soccer-sun-HK air isn't as good as SGP-effects? Ya it still applies!) so I told them we'd go separate ways. Probably not 100% safe but still alright. What are the chances I'd infuriate some triad? Ok don't answer that.

Ok I took damn long to make my purchases and spent a great deal walking great lengths of both streets (both sides and middle isles, mind you) to search out for the right ones and prices. So the decisions are really quite rightly well-made. I know I am making alot of noise, it's my conscience talking - so humour me.

Sigh. I have now more than one pair of boots (counting the one back at SGP) to add. Ok I know I know, but it's quite rightly for practical reasons. Imagine. I, 1. walk alot in HK, plus 2. the colder periods are coming. I need footwear that is 3. durable (i hope), 4. walkable and 5. pretty flexible to match office/casual wear right? Right. AND the boots are 6. low-heeled so that's good.

Though I kinda broke my rule about boots needing a heel. I cannot think there is of any use wearing boots without some form of heel. Crazy, might as well wear wellingtons. But -sigh- due to practical (BAH) reasons, lowest possible still tolerable standard is half inch (almost doesnt constitute as a form of heel la) and wide based too.

SIGH. Ooook that was in brown. Here's one in black. -cringe- Ok ok wait. Let me explain. I have a brown pair now right? The one in SGP is also brown. But you see, I need a black one to 1. match the other clothes isnt it. And there should 2. always be another to alternate wears - like how Gor has two black working shoes to switch around. See, it's a practical decision. This is sliightly higher, with maybe an inch of a heel.

It's also to 3. make the outfit of the Halloween costume. See, it's being useful. And I'm sure you'd agree.

Well, I took the whole afternoon finding the more suitable ones, putting on and taking out to try three pairs countless times that the salesgirl was already pitying me. See, I was really trying to make sure I wont regret it.

*Sorry Ivan (I didn't promise you on my on accord), but the boys weren't around so your order to them about making sure that I didnt buy boots didn't really follow through. Well, they weren't around, so it really isn't their fault :)

OH and in other news, Melody! Look what I found:

Haha yes it was sitting quietly (Ok, with that really old-school tinkering of the ice-cream van tune) at the entrance of Garden St. I saw it and walked riiiight up to it to take a picture so that I could tell you I found it! Though I couldn't try the HK$7-ice-cream cos there was not enough time, the boys were waiting for me at the MTR station already! Next time ok? Promise! :)

SO, i came down the MTR escalator, finding the two boys waiting for me at the end, while whispering to each other about the huge paperbag I was carrying and with a face that told it all. When I met them I didnt even explain what I had in the bag, they peeped and knew it. *sheepish smile.

Well, I admitted to Aunty Lay Hwa about the spending and she, the positive one, simply cheered in the SMS: "On behalf of HK... thanks for helping HK economy!" as she went to Shen Zhen with her visiting friend. Made me feel sooooo much better, eh.

We took the train back to Central since the boys wanted to have wanton mee for dinner, after that not-so-usual-cost-of-a-meal in the early afternoon.

Over dinner and the train, they told me they pretty much hated Garden St (Ok there's about 95% girls' stuff and 5% guys', which isn't explicitly advertised either. It IS like a pasar malam what.) and had strolled on the outskirts - seeing pet markets - puppies, kittens, hamsters and even lizards. They were eager to get home, because you know what: they both bought fighting fishes - to overcome their boredom.
The battle was set for that night: Manuel the Warrior (Pay CLOSE attention to the name and title) and Attila. The winner, gets the bigger plastic tank.

Manuel the Warrior, Peter's, has really pretty lovely fins in a lovely shade of crimson and ruby.

Attila, Ruiming's, has wide fins in a great shade of iridescent blue, turquoise and maroon.

They intended to let them fight after they took baths and both even ate the same meals (beef noodles and drank coke) to have 'fair play'.

I went upstairs and openly declared that I will not want to see two fishes battling and trying to kill each other - in a situation not created by themselves. I know I heard Ruiming's roar from upstairs (through my windows and the door) but I didnt know they had already started. In a while's time, I got this note from Ruiming: "And we have a winner. Lol"

(For mom and dad, 'LOL' is a common acronym that my friends use, which stands for 'Laugh Out Loud').

By the time I came down, both fish were in separated with a piece of paper so that they wont see each other. One was in the tank, the other in its small plastic container.

For those who do not know, fighting fishes cannot be in the same tank, they are extremely territorial and if they both are male (which both boys' ones are), they would kill each other til one dies. Thus, the separator so that they wont get too angsty at each other.

Apparently, Ruiming's HK$20-fish had really rough it out with Peter's pretty HK$10-fish. While fighting, Manuel (who is now just known as that, cos the owner has abandoned that poor thing and stripped him of his title) had bit a little of Attila's tail to cause a rip.

But Attila had pulled out a few long-strand fins and disturbingly (though easily since Manuel has so many long strands to grab), held on to one part of Manuel's fin down at the base of the tank in attempt to drown him.

For those unaware, Ruiming (The Walking Wikipedia) announced in his usual entertaining documentary-styled commentry, that fighting fishes have some form of lungs so they need to come up to the surface of the water to breathe once in awhile. It's a feature, useful in low-oxygen conditions. So, Attila was trying to prevent Manuel from doing that, at risk of affecting himself.

It still makes me shudder.

The boys took videos, but it really is rather painful and quite vulgar (Ok, you know the boys. Some parts of their daily speech pattern have words that I don't say and shouldn't either. So content is screened. Parents read this blog remember! Haha) - so I decided against it. I wouldnt want to see it again anyway if I had to.

Anyway, I have made Ruiming promise me to look after Manuel properly since the previous owner (quick to have changed his status) has made derogative remarks and hurtful ones (MEAN RIGHT!) to that poor sad fish (who still gets frantic and frightened from his experience - as he twitches sharply if they see each other in their separate homes without a separator ). Ok they say I'm overreacting - but still!

Other reasons why today ended with a high spending index:

• Groceries (fruits, ammenities)
• Topping up of Octopus transport card
• One item for the Halloween costume (which is half the price I saw at Standley St)
• Two pairs of high socks for boots
• A black/grey/silver scarf to alternate with the striking red one that Da Sao gave me and I am using at work!

See, it's just all the (pretty necessary and practical what) spending in one day. Ok fine, I gave in the day before when Ruiming and I had dinner (Peter met his new soccer friend for drinks) at Causeway Bay. I find it absolutely hard to find nice low-heeled shoes and wanted to give it a try so at HK$39.90, why not:

Well, it hasnt givent me much problems this morning (20 Oct) other than a little rubbing on the old blister. So maybe it's an issue about size - this is mom's size, one size bigger than mine.

Ok this post has gone much longer than expected. Time to sleep. Work tomorrow. Goodnight (morning) all!