Well, not really. In fact, I have yet to start packing.

Speaking of bags and packing, here's the suitcase I had with me when I migrated to this city -- exactly eight years ago today.

I have until Wed to clear all my stuff. A tall order. It doesn't help that I'm down with flu now. I don't get sick often, God be thanked, but once I do, it's usually bad, so it's not something to take lightly.

Anyway, come Wed, I may not have a working puter anymore, so I may as well write my proper goodbye -- if goodbye is what it is -- and thank-you list now.

First of all, I'd like to thank God -- I did two paragraphs back, of course, but you can't thank God too many times -- for giving me the opportunity to earn my living in this city. God, you da man.

(And if I were one of those R&B artists, I would so blow a kiss and point skyward now.)

I'd also like to thank the Pandas. My stint in this city began with them when they -- then, not officially a family yet -- collected her and yours truly from the airport eight years ago and showed us around. It's only fitting that it will end with them as well this week, with me dumping all my worldly possession into their palace. So, Pandas, from the bottom of my broken heart and as my prerogative, I would like to say how lucky I am to have the privilege of your company all these years. When you guys decide to have little Pandas, please don't let me be the last to know, K? Oops! I did it again, didn't I?

(Bonus points to name all the Britney songs referenced above.)

Next, I'd like to thank Bapak Audi. For all the stimulating conversations over the years. For all the valuable knowledge imparted. For the music, the pool, the fantasy league, the badminton.

Ibu Dettol and the rest of my Geng Duren are next on the list. Thank you for all the laughters, the silliness, the Uno, the Pictionary, the Monopoly, the Urband Legends, and, of course, the durians. I wish I had more to write about you, such wonderful group you guys are, but somehow words fail me. Nonetheless, I can say this: whenever I left our gathering, I always thought, damn, can we just stay -- and chat, and play, and be silly -- a bit longer?

To Kemejas and AUDIble, my two fav bands: thank you for the jamming. For the wrong chords, the forgotten lyrics, the too-fast tempo. For the teh si and teh ping after. For the fun. Keep rockin'.

To people of this city: thank you for letting me live among you and experience your unique culture. Many have gripes about you -- myself not excluded -- but in the end, hey, it's not such a bad place to live in, right? After all, we have all chosen to remain here. It's definitely a place where you don't need to worry about your teenage daughter returning home after midnight by herself.

Why she must return home after midnight is a different issue.

To everyone else, who has in one way or another touched my life or crossed my path: thank you. I subscribe to the theory that you can learn from anything, no matter how small or how big, how good or how bad it is. And I believe that any experience is useful, no such thing as wasted time, 'cause sometimes only by 'wasting' time do you know how to appreciate it more and improve thence.

Last, but arguably the most important, I'd like to thank my two best buddies from the uni days: the new father Bapak RB -- my housemate for four years and bandmate for six -- and Ibu Yolli. Thirteen years together! That's a record in my book. Thank you.

All right, you guys. Time to open that suitcase and start wrapping stuff. My room, my friends, this city... You'll all be missed.

Goodbye for now.

PS: yes, I am fully aware that I may look back at this entry and feel silly, just like I may that other entry. Especially, if I were to find myself back in this city within less than a month. Such a lot of drama for nothing, how anticlimactic. But, you know what, better being a drama queen for a day than having no chance to express my feelings.

Current music: John Denver - Leaving on a Jet Plane
Current mood: happy