Malaysian Tape: 500 Words a Day – Day 12

Malaysian Tape: 500 Words a Day – Day 12

You never know what you’re going to get in a foreign country. Not like how people are going to act or what temperature it’s going to be, because you can research those things to a near comfortable accuracy, more like tape. You’d think all things sticky were universal, that Post It had market share all over the word because their product is good. You’d think that a country would put the best products on the shelves for its people to enjoy. You’d think all of this, until you’ve visited Malaysia. While they excel at many things, keeping things held together isn’t one of them. Their duct tape is comparable to a slightly stronger masking tape. And you won’t see Post Its, just CBE “Sticky Notes,” a shitty knock off brand.

Malaysia doesn’t believe in offering the best of things. Their motto is to offer what their cousin manufactured so they can skim 10% off the top of before it ever hits retail, at which point they can take another 10% off the top top.

Every country I’ve been to operates under different motives. Some places really want you to have a great experience and they are more generous in their offerings. Some countries are corrupt and in conflict and they do everything short of steal right out of your hands. You arrive and you adjust to the vibe that you’re in.

Twice as much tape here to hang things. That’s what I think before getting on a flight to Kuala Lumpur. Twice as much tape. Because it affects my life when I’m here and it is a fair summary of the quality of worksmanship one is to expect.

It’s 6:48am and I’m sitting on the floor in my hotel room. 2 of my walls are windows floor to ceiling and outside are chunks of skyline competing with one another to see something in the distance I’ll never know what. And the KL Tower, like Seattle’s Space Needle but presumably much larger because I’m so close to it, is hanging out next to me. The sun hasn’t come up yet, I’m smiling because I’m up and I’ve beaten him to work this morning. There is soft pink light putting goosebumps on the waking light. I’ve got my headphones in and I’m listening to a combination of Mumford, The National, Lord Huron, Sia, and Ella Henderson.

I try to get up about 90 minutes before we have to leave so I can stretch and listen to a Spanish podcast or do anything that makes me feel like I have some control over my time and don’t have to go work a 10 hour day and eat cafeteria food.

My dreams have been like Shamalan movies for the last week. Each one so specific, lucid, and a complete cliff hanger. My dreams are keeping me in the game back home as I visit friends, talk to my ex-girlfriend, and get myself in new and curious predicaments. It’s a nice break from the end of the world dreams I have every night when I’m home.

This has been nice, but I have to leave in 40 goddamn minutes and I haven’t hit any of my routine. Now I feel pressed and upset. Even when there is time to utilize it is crushed by the impending fear of not having enough time. How fucked up is that?

 

When you leave the room do you check the button lock on the outside handle before closing the door?

To piggy back off what Jessica wrote today – this writing experiment has helped me be able to publish a blog – including featured image, seo, meta tags, title, and brief descriptions without over thinking it. Saves me a ton of time and is a constant reminder that being productive and getting work out quickly is a gift in the blogging world. There is no room for perfection when publishing every day.

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