When Men Change

Contrary to the title, changing here does not involve a change of clothes so don't expect a sexy seductive write up of those sort of matters. The title here mostly refers to a change of hearts in men. I for one am especially sensitive and alert to my men whenever they have such changes. It usually starts gradually, subtly and is usually quite obvious. Then they abruptly become quite different from before.

It usually is quite obvious when you're no longer their prime target. The messages dull, the kisses stop, the effort becomes incrementally less. And yet some hold on, putting in the minimal bare bones of effort to string you along for the ride as their insurance while they date around and test drive other prospective targets thinking you'll always stay for them. Taking you for granted. Thinking they can deceive through lies involving great amounts of work or other assorted excuses of being tired and what have you.

And then of course their "friends" become more and more important. Which friend? Hell that's a mystery to all. Random bits of tea time and fancy meals and even fancier places begin to appear in their social media. They make sly implied assertions as to who they are with. They tweet their betrayals without realising their silent audience and those they've left behind. Male ego, their ultimate downfall. Their belief in their inability to ever fall. Ever thinking themselves the master manipulators.

Then of course there are those fools that misuse the word love. Oh so very many of them. In the height of their passions they throw the word so casually as if to bind you under their feeble spell. But a man of my experience knows all too well half of these naive children or manipulative men use it as part of their game of knives and daggers meaning so little for using so loaded a word. Appalling. Such is the death of love I'd say.

Without trust, there is no foundation for any relationship. There is only constant suspicion and worry. I think I've come to the point in my life where I crave something more anchored, less temporal like the random screws with the slags and the skanks of the circle. But it's a shame really, you have all these lost boys with their commitment issues and their second heads doing all the thinking for them still, never realising what they have or had all along. I'm tired. I'm cynical. My optimism dims bit by bit.

If he lies to me again, its over and I leave. A lie of omission is still a lie, dishonestly made no matter how one may justify it as a half truth to begin with. I'm unimpressed. You look set to be another disappointment in a list of disappointments. Just another abuser of the L word, so casually thrown. I knew I shouldn't have let you in. We'll see who stays soon, and who goes, you or I.

Reunion With The Dead

How do you react upon seeing someone who was once the love of your life reappear in your life after a full year? There was a great deal of mixed feelings and awkward moments but he eventually opened up to me. I tried to avoid the topic of relationships because the past should remain the past but you know it would eventually come to it. He still wouldn't tell me the reasons he left but at least we're talking. I guess that's more than enough for me. At least we're sorta friends again, if only marginally. And yes his boyfriend is deleting and blocking me from every chat network left in the system so fuck him.

When it came time to say good bye the old tears that I'd held back so long welled up. He hugged me, told me not to be sad anymore. How could I not, a part of me cared for him still. He was my first love after all, and here was London, the city we'd loved in and made our hopes and dreams in.

Apparently we're partying together tomorrow. I'm not sure it's a good thing. I've drank too much tonight already and my typing is becoming a tad shit but I'm trying my level best to type in a sane competent manner. I shouldn't have drunk this much, its making me miss him more than I need to and more than he deserves. Fuck I miss him. Tonight just confirms it.

I hope we don't end up fucking though. I can't take this level of emotional crazy. I'm sorta taken after all, I need to cut my links with the past but here I am in London with the ex doing the stupid shit I only dreamed off when we broke up a year ago. So help me, we shall not fuck because it'd complicate things. Please. Please.

I love you still.

Update: Nah actually I don't. Must stop writing drunken posts.

Just One of Those Nights

It's one of those nights that I look back and reflect on life and we're we've arrived at and what we've become. You're in Paris now, it brings back so many memories that city. Last year around this time I was there but you were having your finals in Edinburgh. I remember me spending my French nights calling you on Viber, gushing and giggling like a little school girl. You were so nervous about potentially failing an exam in front of the medical board.

I remember that year I walked up to the Eiffel Tower and looked down upon the city. I saw the sun set upon the beautiful French horizon and wished then that you could see it with me. What a view it was. Fast forward a year later, you're viewing that same horizon but without me now. I wonder, do I cross your mind and haunt your thoughts with dreams of yesteryear?

I saw your Jack'd profile of course. I always knew it was you despite your lack of pictures. My gut feeling just led me to it and to you. You don't spend nearly 300 days talking day in and out with someone without their little quirks or habits registering with you. The subtleties of their writing styles and little unsaid attitudes.

It's interesting, I've spent all of May and the greater whole of June not thinking of you. But like all dead people, we occasionally reminisce about them. I hate you, I love you simultaneously. I reckon its a mental illness I'll carry with me to the end of my days.

I think after all my antics I've burned any hope of reconciliation by now. We'd probably never talk again in the near future or ever. But these dreams, these pictures and final moments. Everything from the sensual, the emotional, the sexual, it will haunt us from now till the hereafter.

Like that final menage-a-trois, or that final meal, or that final kiss. I still feel it in my bones, and quiver from time to time.

I hate to say it, but I'll always love you. Even when I hate you. And even when you hate me. The Lord told me once to not fight hatred with hate after all. That's the least I can do before I lost myself and you.

Little Gay Happenings

Last week I had myself a small gay trip with one of my gay besties JK down south in Brighton. We had become acquainted through Jack'd over the last summer and considering he was headed home for Malaysia soon and I'd be stuck here till September or so, I probably wouldn't be seeing him again for over a year as by the time I would leave UK for good he'd be returning for his following year to continue his degree. As such it would do us both good to have a nice little gay bonding time.

So it came to no surprise that we chose Brighton, the supposed gay capital of Europe. For a change the sun was up in UK (bloody shocker I know) and the beaches were thriving with a ton of barely clothed (sometimes unclothed) people having some fun in the sun. Hell the entire city was full of shirtless people just casually walking around basking in the sun. Not me though, I'm still on the shyer side with toplessness, shall probably need a couple more months of intensive work out regiments and I shall be good to go. Relatively comfortable with my body where play in bed is concerned though heh. JK on the other hand was pretty gym fit so I wouldn't be surprised if he were dying to tear off that shirt of his half the time.

We booked ourselves a backpackers dorm crammed with 15 other people. It looked like a morgue but we were having ourselves a fabulous holiday as opposed to a posh one after all.

Hide the bodies

Suffice to say, it was an interesting laid back town that we could just chill and lay back in whilst checking all the hot bods around. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Westerners but JK was quite the massive potato queen so I guess he had himself eye candy by the truckloads. And yes that's why we aren't dating despite being pretty close friends. He likes his men blonde and blue eyed, older, rugged and pretty meaty. I think I'm just a tad bit leaning on the pretty boy side. No surprise I get myself a proper 9 foot hole in the friend zone cemetery then heh.

They had this interesting pier that stretched out into the sea with a fun fair at the very end. We got conned into eating the shitty pricey versions of the Fish and Chips we so desperately craved although we had ourselves multiple grand meals thereafter to compensate for that.

 So this must be where Melbourne got its inspiration from

This restaurant is modeled after a classical opera house

 Tourist adventures take you through a maze of small little lanes where you can find all sorts of curios and food outlets in unique hidden settings.

By now everyone is probably wondering where are all the pictures of the hot guys all over the beach are. It is my unfortunate duty to inform you that no such pictures are available as my traveling buddy decided to capture pictures of that variety instead.

Of course we had to try the night scene in the supposed Gay capital as well. First night proved to be a massive disappointment because apparently everything is dead on Wednesdays. The second night had JK calling his Brighton friend to show us around though and it turned out the friend was a legal lecturer at Manchester Uni once. Things got a tad awkward when I found out he was friends with my many educators back in the good old undergraduate days. Bugger me senseless, imagine dancing in clubs with your professors. That has to be next level unprofessional conduct right there!

Suffice to say, I'm always happy to receive free drinks till I sway a tad and start intimately dancing with random lesbians. There was a foam party going on at the club I was in and I never realised how irritating or disgusting foam could be to be honest. It's all sticky and soapy and unless all the hot boys start stripping and grinding their soapy bodies against each other (and me) it ain't exactly a fun experience to have detergent shot at your face continuously from an air cannon. I'm such a fussy bitch aren't I?

Covered lightly in foam before the next wave

Suffice to say I had a great deal of fun partying and traveling with JK. Reminds me of our first party at Marketplace back in August 2012. I reckon I'll miss him when he leaves and whilst we might not be lovers I've grown to appreciate proper platonic gay friendships that matter.

Upon returning to London, I had my last few meet ups with JY (Singaporean from last post). It was kind of sad that he was leaving for the summer and we would not see each other again for the longest time as once again by the time he'd be back, I'd have left this city for good. So we had a nice slow night with dinner and drinks, basking in the city lights. We met his friends (and some guy competing with me for him) and proceeded for a final party before he left for good. Can I just say this world is too damn small and his friends are people whom are friends or exes of people I'm kind of close to? Jesus, this circle.

That last night, we took a bus ride home after the party. He had a flight come the dawn and this was us saying our final farewells. He had a book launch back in Singapore soon, it contained poems relating to his sexuality, his parents were sure to question him. He mentioned perhaps some day I might be a part of his poetry too, stories of our brief summer in London. Maybe I'll send him poetry of my own too, let a professional objectively critique my work. I walked him to his doorstep, we hugged and I was just about to leave when I turned.

And landed a soft kiss to his lips. It was soft, tender and sweet unlike my usual lusty trysts or fickle flames. We parted, and then he was gone. The kiss lingered, and before long I was home with a smile. Parting ever was bittersweet. Maybe some day I'll see you again.

Kimchi for the Heart

Meeting him again this time around was different, of that I was sure. He'd grown on me definitely more than I'd ever imagine. I could never fully appreciate the depth of his public display of affections, and yet this time I guess I did enjoy it some what. Walking under the rain in London's Chinatown under that single umbrella had a certain magic to it. This time around I did not push him away when he held me close in public view.

Have I been in Britain too long now that I could be all affectionate with a man here and not have to worry? No, it must have been the effect he had. He was a lot taller than I remember though. Well, I've always enjoyed looking up into a man's eyes anyway. How could I complain?

He'd chosen Cloud Atlas as the movie we'd see. The movie in and of itself was magic. I never realised what I was signing up for but the movie bred a variety of emotions within me indeed. I hid my tears from him during the gay romance scene in Edinburgh though. Too much memories and too reminiscent of the times when I'd used to love with Dr.K in that ancient Scottish city. Then I smiled because I realised the world had not ended yet, and here was someone else whom I could see myself being happy with. But would I be happy for long? Every time I permitted myself that luxury the fantasy would come crashing down so fast. XC and Dr.K had both given me that brief taste of happiness once, how would this one compare?

I'm having a prestigious dining session with my colleagues and I'd chosen him to come with me. He'd be the one I'd show to my friends and peers. He'd be the one I wouldn't be ashamed of I reckon. But how did he feel of me for a change? I find myself confused still, to what extent do I occupy his thoughts, heart and mind? We've got a musical booked up soon, Wicked. I'd wanted to watch it since forever too. Funny, all the things I thought I'd do in London with the ex will now be fulfilled with him. Is he a replacement? No, no he's definitely gone beyond that threshold.

I certainly hope I won't break down and cry when he leaves this city for good. I can imagine potentially how empty London will feel once he's gone. So if we do love, I reckon it'd be temporal, brief and passionate, and those would probably be the ones that stick with us forever. The remnants we most treasure. Maybe some day I'd see him again in Seoul or Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, wherever destiny takes us. It led me back to him after all, twice now. Fate is funny that way.

When London met Melbourne

Returning to London after a week in Malaysia I found myself running through the events of the past week and all that had transpired. I'd finally met him, the boy I spent my waking hours and late nights on for the last couple of months. It was almost too good to be true and I didn't really believe what was happening. He did not hesitate with an immediate hug that was a long time coming. Warm, tender as I imagined it in the flesh.

We spent time throughout his birthday and Valentine's. I offered my meager gift. It fit, I was glad. But with these series of meetings came reality too. I was not the Prince Charming of our fantasies. I was not the deliverer of infinite affection expected. All I was as it turned out may have been quite different from what we pictured.

I'm not the most affectionate person initially, I am apprehensive and keep myself guarded. I guess he noticed, he was guarded too. We've both had our share of heartbreaks and screw overs and were undoubtedly cautious. I'm also an apprehensive person with displays of affection. It takes time but eventually I do showcase my affections, but I keep them minimal to mean something. That is until I fall hard. Guess he noticed too, how distant I was physically.

I know for a fact I didn't do some or all things as well or as sweet as I knew I could or should. That came from both our uncertainties and worries over the future, the fickleness of human hearts and the unbearably long periods of subsequent separation and distance. Once someone matters and a degree of certainty kicks in, I would sail the ends of the earth for them. I guess he wasn't too sure, and as a result neither was I.

We met one last time before I left though. Was mostly filled with much melancholy and underlying sorrow of reality. I'm not as brave or sorted as Jason who would have done everything in his power to narrow the distance and invest significant time, resources and effort into making his relationship work with Vincent. So the boy made the tough decisions I never could, and moved beyond the status quo and made his decision. I was never any good with goodbyes, and they were filled with tears and final hugs and kisses. I wonder, if in time I'll come to wonder if I had wished in another life that I had made you stay, that you'd be the one that got away. I may never know, but then again neither would you.

Truth of the matter is we're two lost souls still finding ourselves, and looking for the love we both deserve. We're still sifting through our individual scars of the past and making sense of the senselessness of human emotions. We're ultimately both in the pursuit of happiness perhaps not realising that happiness was always there, in contentment. He spoke sense though, about us starting from distance and returning to distance for years to come.

He deserves someone that will be there for him in the flesh, to wipe away his tears, kiss away his fears and hold him tight all night telling him everything would be okay. I'm not that person. A part of me wishes I was, but perhaps the way things have turned out it was for the best. Least we met, and I will never have any regrets wondering and wishing what if I had just flown back. We all have our expectations, but some day reality will hit. And ultimately we will have to decide what to do with it.

I miss you, and I do care. If you want me to, I'll be there. Banana, Dancerboy, Teddy. Thank you for everything. Go forth and shine..

Come What May

Before Christmas hits, I guess I too have myself a confession to make. We might not have known each other all that long, we might not have met up in person, we might not have ever kissed by the River Thames or walked down Piccadilly Circus hand in hand but one thing I do know for a fact is that you've brightened my December considerably and have given me some semblance of peace I haven't properly had in awhile.

I know he comes up a lot in our conversations, and I'm sorry. I can be a dick sometimes but for that I apologize too. I believe everything happens for a reason, we know each other at the times when we need to and learn the lessons life has in store for us. I'm painfully aware of the realities that face us, the different seasons, the two oceans, the ten thousand miles united ever so briefly only through artificial technology. But hey, if there's one thing we can take away from each other I'd like for it to be good lessons and good memories.

You've got your whole life ahead of you, the future is uncertain. The fickleness of the human heart and the demands of reality will some day take a toll but I know for a fact at least, in this brief time period that I've known you I've found my quantum of solace. Thank you for being my December baby. If there's one thing to confess as well I'd say this, I like you alot too. But you've got a great deal of potential, so never waste any tears or fears on me.

Maybe some day, one day. We may never know. I've enjoyed our hours of joys and dreams but reality has always been a cruel mistress. I hope I'll enjoy it some more, but some how I know nothing lasts forever...no matter how it feels today. Your personality caught me first and foremost from the start, never change who you are altogether. You're a good person, always keep that spark of optimism in you and you will go far. So before this night is through, I'll wish a merry Christmas to you and merry days thereafter. But I'll always be here at least, one way or the other.

A Matter of Chemistry

So a couple of weeks ago I had been dating this fellow I had been talking over Jack'd for awhile. He had quite the interesting profile considering he was raised in Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK so I figured lets give it a go. Turns out he was quite a prominent figure, a successful young banker that's doing his PHD whilst tutoring physics at Imperial College by the side. One would swoon with a man of such achievements and maybe it caught my eye too. However it soon became apparent that there was a nagging question of chemistry.

For one, I had pathetic knowledge of the financial sector and economics considering those were never my areas of interest and he had no interest or working knowledge in the law making our conversations about work related matters and professional discussions rather awkward. I'd like to think I am a person of depth but when he goes off into a full blown discussion on markets and shares I feel ever so slightly stupid.

On the other the age gap has widened with him being towards the later end of the 20s making our interests and lingos a touch more distant. He might have some Singaporean background knowledge but considering his long absence from the island he might as well be another foreigner now. At least he tries with his pseudo Singlish I guess. That's the thing I always loved about my Malaysians, a common understanding and culture that we could all relate to. With the ex being from my hometown we could always swap over into the Subang culture's inside jokes and share intimate discussions about our politics of home, and use ourselves some Manglish and Malay to diffuse any tensions and make things cute. It's something my foreign dates have always lacked.

Him being a busy working professional isn't helping matters either considering how our schedules do not quite line up. As he works late into the night conversations are uneven and with long pauses. I did get slightly smitten when he did random calls to check how I was though, guess it was a throw back to the days when I was someone that was cared for. But it's a shame really, I don't think I'm connecting to him as much as I'd like to. He seems like a decent fellow and probably likes me quite a bit but my heart's not quite here though I thought it might be. We might head over to the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park over the weekend, maybe a certain spark might develop over there.

Or maybe, just maybe, I'm just not quite over the ex yet and I really should have taken a break from relationships like I had originally planned. Maybe I'm still just comparing everyone as pale shadows to him when they might be perfectly legit candidates all along. The weather is dropping again, I think it will snow soon. This will be a cold winter, a winter without you. Some nights I do miss you Doc, I really do. I hope and pray Mr Banker isn't just a temporary solution to you, but maybe it truly is just a lack of chemistry. I'll know soon enough.

Winter always screws with ones mood. Always.

Peace and Moving On

Today marks the 2nd month since Dr.K left me. I've long struggled between denial, hate, love and hope for the last 9 weeks. I'd go mad with jealousy and rage when I see him and his new flame having a good time, traveling exotic locales and dining in posh places that we'd used to go and then ping pong back into denial mode that he'd return some day and ask for my forgiveness, that it had all been a temporary bout of insanity.

I got curious again to check out the ex's instagram, something I banned myself from doing many times before and occasionally failed. Only last week I flew into a rage when I saw the roses and wine and petals and candles laid out by the bed so I was hoping I'd keep my emotions in check. This time round I just saw a simple meal prepared by the new boy for my once beloved. Oddly enough I felt something else I never thought I'd feel, happiness. I was actually for once genuinely happy that they could now live their lives and he was getting the love he deserved. The love I never could give to him.

Thinking back, I guess I know why he left. He never did explicitly tell me the reasons but from all the hints and clues I gathered I reckon I understand now. Prior to Dr.K, I was always abit apprehensive about my boys, I would always keep a certain emotional distance because I was never too sure of the future. I'd voice out concerns about my family, and my duties as the only child, and how I'd imply we were always on borrowed time. I remember him once tearing and saying he'd let me go if and when it came a time when I'd marry a girl. I'm so stupid, now thinking back. How could I treat him like this.

Being my first love, I was inexperienced. I took for granted the fact that he loved me so much. I didn't quite go out of my way to be the best lover I knew I could be, and didn't plan the sort of surprises I knew I would have or should have. Alot of times I feel I was receiving and only slightly giving. Words and expressions are cheap, actions are what truly matter. I remember picking petty fights and always being all huffy that he wasn't expressive enough when in truth he always was expressive, just subtle. Funny because subtle was what I'd always wanted initially. I guess I just needed the soft love to complement the hard love from time to time. I know he'd say I'm such a girl at this juncture aha.

And yes, Jack'd and Grindr. I have such a love and hate relation with those apps now. I found love and friendship there a couple of times before (cue Rihanna's song "We Found Love in a Hopeless Place") but it was also partially what caused the end of my relationship. If I could wind back the clock I would have deleted the apps when we got serious. Because quite frankly no one should have to deserve always worrying being replaced, because there will always be more boys and there will always be temptation. "Sex comes easy, love comes hard" I read somewhere. It couldn't be more true.

It's with these final checks on the life of my ex that I let him go, until fate brings us together as friends again if ever. I doubt I've seen the last of him considering he's from my neighbourhood back home in Malaysia. Sigh, first love being a Subang boy, seems like the right thing to happen. I still love him, its just I can finally see myself letting go. And rather than being consumed with hatred and rage, I'll keep all the good bits of him and the lessons he's taught me and be genuinely happy that he is happy and that he finally has someone that he deserves. I love him enough to let go.