Perhaps it was the fact that I have been working so intensely that I cannot remember what day it is or even the difference between night and day and weekday and weekend.

Or perhaps it was the fact that I've been Swing dancing every time I go out and though I love it as always, I'm getting stifled by the same music and same style all the time.

Or then again, perhaps it was simply the fact that I forgot how an octaving slap disco baseline could instantly and overwhelmingly arouse my inner grooooooooooooove thang.

Whichever the case, last night's 70s theme party was perhaps one of the top three parties I can remember. I'm sure I went to some real ragers in Berkeley...but...well...maybe Dave remembers what hapened...

...

The day began as most days do, with chinese pop music from my clock radio (which i finally got an electrical outlet converter for) bouncing me out of bed at 8:10, a bleary-eyed hike down to the bus stop and the innevitable "Enter your password" greeting from my PC, Sol.

If I ever get a chance to write an operating system I'm gonna have it say "Good morning!" before anything else.

Work on Saturdays goes from 9-1, so I set to work quickly so that I can try to solve some of the last big problems with the application I'm working on. Andrew will be in San Fransisco drumming up clients next week and even though they know I've only had three weeks so far, the more impressive the beta looks the better.

Work goes excellently except for the fact that I change my mind and decide to redesign the entire interface and workflow again. This is not a bad thing as I am convinced it will make the application much more easy to use, but it is the reason why I am here at work today, Sunday, in the middle of a full day of coding.

After work I am to meet a half dozen friends at Orchard Plaza in order to find costumes for the party. Amazingly, we find each other without problem in the ocean of shoppers, gawkers, and hawkers which is Orchard Road.

Once together, we make our way over to the costume shop where we scatter and wind our way down tunnels of hanging monkey suits, Elvis costumes (that would big big, fat, doped up Elvis costumes), and some of the strangest things that people have chosen to wear.

The whole activity takes about 2 hours and is extremely fun. Several people have problems breathing from laughing so hard as everyone models all sorts of posibilities.

I settle on an attrocious pair of red and black bellbottoms (they call them "flairs" here) with a good foot long diameter around the heels, a tight black turtle nexk and the afro from hell.

Deposit left and bill paid, I pack up my goodies ad head back home. There is still half a day before it is time to think about leaving so I take an hour to do my bi-weekly chores since I will be working Sunday (our usual house cleaning day). I like doing the bathroom because 1) I know I will clean it better then they will, 2) my portable CD player sounds great blasting there, and 3) they have these cool showers with the hose instead of the stationary shower head. In other words, after I've done ajaxing the place I close the door and have a water fight with the bathroom.

After that I lounge at the pool doing the final edits for Chapter 17 until my flatmate Keat calls me and says that he decided to go with me to the party but that he has to go to another birthday party first. He tels me that he is coming home and that I should get ready so that I can go with him to his party before we go to mine.

I forgot to mention last time I wrote that there are a lot of really interesting things about Singapore which really surprised me. First, I have seen about 3 cops since I've gotten here. If the amount of police is proportional to the level of fascism, Echo Park and Hollywood would be in big trouble. Second, although things are reasonably clean here, there are a heck of a lot of bats, rats, and cats that kinda wander around with very little fear of people. Unlke US cats and rats, these things just watch you without running away when you approach. I don't think that people keep cats as indoor pets, but i do see people putting out leftovers for the community animals. Finally, I have seen people spitting, chewing gum, j-walking and doing all sorts of things which alledgedly get you fined or caned. I even saw someone eat on the metro once. As expected, Singapore's reputation abroad is about as correct as that of South Central LA. Ah well, it would not be fun to watch the news anymore if they told us the real story.

Keat's party is a birthday bash for Chris Chong at the BreuHaus a local brewery/pub/hang out near where my party will be.

The Singapore scene is insanely small. For example, Chris Chong was the person whose flat I looked at just before Henry and Keat's. He was out partying and stood me up when I had come to look at his flat so I hadn't met him until yesterday. I also ran into Stephen Peterson from work at Chris' party and in general somebody is bound to be somebody's sister, or boyfriend or flatmate. I think that 2 degrees of separation is more appropriate here than 6.

Unfortunately, Keat and I go to the wrong place and wait for an hour before Henry calls up keat and reminds him that there are two BreuHaus's in the city. However, since there is nothing more distant than 10 minutes by cab, we are at the correct place in no time.

The party is straight out of a Jay MacInerny novel like Bright Lights Big City or the Story of My Life. Too many young swingers with too much money and too much attitude zipping from one table to the next with $30 mugs of beer and a wad of cards to distribute. Smiles and light hand flairs, twists of locks and laughs, and stories repeated several times. Probably a majority of the next generation of banking, finance and real estate tycoons. Few IT people though, I guess the nerds have other parties :)

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy myself, it is just a scene I am unused to.

As it gets closer to 10, wehen we are to go to my party, Keat and I get to talking with another group of people and I notice that Keat has gone batty over this one cute, lanky Chinese girl. I find an opening and mention to her that we are going to this party and that I already have someone to dance with but that Keat doesn't and that he has been worried and if maybe she wants to go. She seems happy and agrees, but mentions that her car is a two seater and so we will have to go in two cars. All works out and we are leaving after three attempts (while people say their godbyes and I keep putting my backpack on and then taking it off).

Keat is very pleased with me and says, "God, I thought you were a real nerd, I had no idea." Apparently, he and Henry have been trying to figure out why I am so boring for an American. I explain to him that I am working on the book and can spare little time for going out but that when it is done, I won't be so antisocial. I have to remember that hanging out is actually a realy important part of this culture... and is probably the thing I need to do if I am going to make some good contacts here for later.

...

The ground shakes with the thud of bass as we reach the party. I changed in the cab on the way over so I am all decked out. Ahead of us is Rod Stewert and I think Cheryl Ladd. Actually, only about 40% of the people are retro clad but that is just fine.

The main bit of partying is upstairs where about 250 people are already dancing and screaming and who knows what else. We are about half an hour late but already people are dancing in front of the house, on the stairs, in the living room, in the halls...you get the idea.

I get myself two cups of coke, come back and tell everyone they are rum and cokes, slam them both and have the green light to act drunk all night, which, yes, does include dancing on the furniture.

My costume is a big hit and the 2 degrees of separation thing works for this party as well. All of the Swing peeople are there as well as a bunch of people from the previous party.

I waste no time as KC and the Sunshine band starts just as I get upstairs. All in all, I spend about 20 minutes on a couch resting and the rest of the time dancing. I get back at 4 Am and take a dip in the pool since I don't want to take a shower and wake up Henry sicne he did not go with us.

Well, that is all for now. I have to get back to work....my hour break is done and I have run out of crackers.