Marathon shopping, and the best compliment I've heard in a while!
written: 11:34 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, 2009

I got home about an hour ago after leaving the house 12 hours ago, first, to attend Nation Building tutorial; second, to shop for a birthday present for my dad; and lastly, to have dinner with the family because it's my dad's birthday.

Nation Building tutorial: I have one thing to share and that one thing more or less sums up what tutorial is like 80% of the time. The tutor asked this dude about the impact that the Japanese Occupation had on Singaporean nationalism, and the guy went, and I quote, "The Japanese free Singapore from the British power." Those were his exact words. Enough said.

After that I took BTC to BTC where I ran into Chloe and had a nice talk with her, after which I ran off in a cab to town. I reached Orchard at 3. I didn't sit down until I reached the restaurant for dinner - at 8.

I can't remember my last marathon shopping trip so today was pretty good. I didn't buy much for myself, just a new skirt, a polo Adidas tank (to match my Adidas skort even though I already have a red-and-white top because I'm vain like that), two bottles of Body Shop shower gel, a pair of single-wide red Nike wrist bands, and a new tennis racquet, plus the overgrip that Roger uses to boot.

I wasn't even fully decided on buying a new racquet. I didn't know if I should because I didn't know what to get, and I was thinking it'd be nice if my next racquet would last me for a while. The main reason I've been wanting a new one for, like, ever is - my old one? It's utter crap. UTTER. CRAP. It's probably the cheapest racquet Wilson has ever manufactured. It's light, it doesn't absorb shock, it's a combination of two frames, and as a result, it's already slightly bent from all the awesome! frame-hitting I've been accidentally doing. Not to mention - the frame is pretty badly scratched and some of the strings have been hit out of placement.

But I still didn't know if I really wanted a new one or if I could just stick with the old one and play until I reach a level that justifies a new racquet, and so I was standing in front of the racquets on display, staring at them, not knowing what the hell I was staring at (I wanted to read up on how to choose a racquet but I didn't understand shit and it took too long and I was lazy so I gave up), until a very nice Filippino salesman came to my rescue.

I was actually thinking of getting this Titanium (I think) one with a red and white frame that looks almost like Roger's until the guy said that the racquet head was a bit too small for someone of my non-existent skills level. I mentioned to him that I kept hitting my racquet frame and when I pointed out my yellow one to him (which is going for 10 bucks less than I bought it for), he told me that my yellow racquet is shit, though of course not in so many words.

I'M SO SAD. I can't believe I was conned into buying a crap racquet! But anyway, the guy recommended me this super swanky-looking silver NCode racquet but it cost like, $149, which is like, way too expensive; and so I settled for the next-best, one that doesn't even have Roger's picture on it to boot (they decided Philipp Kohlschreiber would make better advertising - WTF), but it cost the same as the one that I initially wanted, AND it has a larger racquet head. I think it's the same size as the old one actually but that's great 'cause I still can't hit at the same spot consistently, both backhand and forehand.

The guy also got me to buy a pack of three overgrips, which I also had been intending to buy but I didn't know what I was doing so I procrastinated until now. And boy, am I glad! Because the overgrip he recommended? IT'S THE ONE THAT ROGER USES. OMGOMGOMG. So now the handle of my racquet is EXACTLY THE SAME as Roger's and that makes me soooo excited. Maybe I can channel 0.00000000% of his awesomeness when I play. I'm testing the new racquet tomorrow and I can't wait! Hahahaha.

My new racquet is blue and white which IS pretty but the Roger's Racquet-lookalike one is prettier. Oh well.

On another, but related, note, the guy offered to put on the overgrip for me, which was super nice of him. As he was doing it he told me that he thought I looked like the actress from Dark Angel. (Go Google to find out if you don't know who acted in Dark Angel.)

AWW! That made me pretty happy haha. And it was quite funny because my first boyfriend's friend said the same thing, 7 years ago. But yeah, the Filippino dude was awesome! Even before the Dark Angel comment, he was already very super nice. Plus he told me somethign I didn't know: Pete Sampras used an 88-square inch racquet. LIKE, OH MY GOD, SERIOUSLY? I thought Roger's 90-square inch one was small enough (smallest on the tour right now I believe) but Sampras' one was even smaller. They're selling the Wilson K88 (Sampras' racquet) but ran out of the one that Roger uses (K Factor KSix-One Tour 90. I just copied this from TennisWarehouse.com; I'm not obsessed with him to the extent of remembering the model of racquet that he uses, though I think from now one I'd remember it haha). I wonder who's ever going to buy the K88; I can imagine it must be damn hard to use for an average person.

Anyway, that was the highlight of my day, both buying a new racquet and being told that I look like the actress from Dark Angel. HAHA.

I bought a La Coste polo t-shirt for my dad. I couldn't decide on what to get and was thinking of Marks & Spencer, Calvin Klein Jeans, Esprit, Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren, and some other random stuff. In the end I thought, Fuck those cheap brands; how often do I buy my dad a birthday present? And so I decided to buy him something branded, and I knew that the only label he recognises is La Coste, which he always referred to as the "crocodile brand" (in Chinese). I've also been pretty partial towards La Coste lately after watching its funky commercial ten trillion times while watching the Australian Open, plus it sponsors Andy Roddick which can only be a good thing.

But above all else, I keep associating La Coste with my dad because it's really one of the very few brands he recognises so I thought it was appropriate. I was actually a bit worried when I gave it to him 'cause I knew he'd balk at the price and perhaps yell at me - which he did. Okay, he didn't yell, but chided me jokingly. Unfortunately, their size L is like an XL and the shirt is too big so he's gonna have to exchange it for something else. Oh well!

Okay I'm bored of writing this entry. One last thing: I am actually pretty shocked to find out that Polo Ralph Lauren IS indeed the official outfitter of Wimbledon. I just confirmed that Polo Ralph Lauren is American and - wow, an American designer being the official outfitter of Wimbledon? I find that pretty shocking.

Oh, one more thing: NADAL PULLED OUT OF DUBAI.

I'm sure Nadal's withdrawal from Dubai was entirely related to his knee, but I can't help but think of the whole karmic payback thing, now that the top 2 players in the world have withdrawn from a tournament that doesn't allow Israelis to play. So even though Roger and Nadal didn't withdraw because of that, I'm glad the tournament's missing two of its biggest attraction. SERVES YOU RIGHT.

But I'll still watch it anyway HAHAHAHA. I need tennis in my life or I will die. I can't wait till Roger plays Indian Wells! He better be ready to play that one or I WILL REALLY REALLY REALLY DIE. I miss him!

ETA: I just read that the UAE granted a visa to a male Israeli doubles player for the Dubai tournament. GOOD. I hereby take back all the nasty things I said two paragraphs ago.

before sunrise // before sunset


Previously:
- - Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017
I'm moving. - Sunday, Jul. 11, 2010
In all honesty - Tuesday, Jul. 06, 2010
What I want for my birthday... - Sunday, Jul. 04, 2010
On Roger's behalf. - Friday, Jul. 02, 2010