Singapore, Singapore – Part VIII

Finally, Together Again
The hotel lobby was quiet with the exception of a couple of chatty women who had arrived too early to check into their rooms as well. Their exhaustion was evident as one immediately poured herself onto the entire length of the lobby couch. Within seconds, a quiet, petite man from the front desk was at her side and whispered something in her ear. She drug herself up to a sitting position as she barked, “Are you kidding me? We can’t lie down here?” Good thing for my state of pins and needles or I would have had the same conversation with the kind man about 3 hours earlier. As I turned the pages of my book, I tried hard to focus on the words but my mind was continuously on my daughter. ‘I can’t wait to see Tara!; I can’t wait to see Tara’s show!; How are we going to get all of Tara’s things into four suitcases?!; We’ll have to move her out of the condo today; Who will keep her suitcases while we go to Thailand?! I hope I don’t have to go off on anyone well I’m here!; Her employers better be sure she doesn’t have any problems with customs!; Did I pack my boxing gloves for that little stinker that has caused my daughter and everyone else so much trouble since she’s been here?!; Remember to budget – Times are hard!; Oh Lord, I can’t wait to see Tara!; I can’t wait to see her show!!...’

Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by a loud shrill, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I turned to see my beautiful daughter running towards me, overloaded with bags. She was still in her glittering show outfit, extended hair and extended eyelashes. She was radiant! I jumped up to give her a hug and at that moment time stood still. All my previous thoughts and worries were forgotten. We were together again. The decibel level in the lobby increased instantly and became a backdrop for all the animation set before me. Her facial expressions and hand gestures told a story all on their own. Her voice would rise and fall like a rollercoaster and it definitely took you along for the ride. My baby, My Lovey, I’m so proud of you!

At that time, I had no idea how quickly the next twelve days would pass!

Singapore, Singapore – Part VII

Singapore, Singapore, I’ve Finally Arrived!

My heart was racing as I exited the plane at about 2 a.m. Tara’s last show for the night/morning finished at about 5:30 a.m. so I was just about 4 hours away from seeing her. And just knowing that I was standing on the same land that she was standing on without oceans and countries between us was enough for me. I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs, “I’M HERE LOVEY!” but I resisted, knowing she could feel my presence with out all the dramatics. I was beyond giddy walking through the airport corridors and as I looked around, my thoughts became distracted by the floor. Yes, the floor… it was so clean and shiny that you could see your own reflection. At that moment, I was thankful to be wearing pants. Luckily, the majority of the tiles were light in color minimizing the need for worry but still, I was thankful. My attention soon rose from the floor to the bright orange cushioned chairs arranged neatly in the lounge with sleek silver tables strategically placed amongst them. At such an early hour, the lounges were quiet but I can imagine that they were probably close to picture perfect anytime of the day. Another surprise was the live greenery, everywhere. Plants and trees, and orchids, OH MY! I’m talking about an orchid garden that could very well be displayed at the gates of heaven. I hadn’t even made it through customs yet and I was already overwhelmed by Singapore’s beauty.

Getting through the formalities was a breeze, now to catch a cab. I had already asked the customs official what I should expect to pay for cab fees and she had told me that S$20 plus the airport fee was about right. Tara had told me that I should pay no more than S$30 so when the gentlemen approached me and said S$15, I was pleased. He spoke to many of the attendants as we neared the exit and people seemed to know him well, but when we walked through the doors away from the taxis, I got a little nervous. We went down another hall and exited to another parking lot. I felt a little more at ease when we approached the well marked van in a specifically marked space but I still watched his movements closely and made sure I had control of the locks once I was in, call me crazy! The cab driver was a nice enough fella. We talked about his city, my city, and then he mentioned that the rate back to the airport for my departure would be much less expensive due to (Insert Sound Effect: Extended Record Scratch) what??? I’m not sure what he said but I immediately thought there must be a misunderstanding because S$15 was half the rate Tara told me and still significantly less than the other quote. So back up, what was he saying? “Excuse me sir but you quoted me S$15, correct?” Calmly, he said “No, S$50, 5…0.” Flashbacks of New York City, 1984 rushed in as I recalled a shouting match with a taxicab driver that was trying to pull a fast one on me. In that scenario I reached in my bag of tricks and came up with a nasty NY attitude (thanks to my Puerto Rican BFF at the time) that attracted the help of the NYPD. But that would not be useful in this case. I read that Singaporeans avoid confrontation and find public displays of emotion to be humiliating, so I lowered my voice and spoke extra slow, “Sir, I would not have agreed to pay S$50 knowing that the rate should be closer S$20, no more than S$30 for any reason.” My voice was calm but I think he saw in my expression that there was a pressure cooker sitting right behind my smile. He hesitated, and then sadly negotiated a fair rate. I arrived safely at my hotel, he was professional and kind as he carried my bags to the porter, and we thanked one another before saying goodbye. No drama. No police. Just a quick re-negotiation and everyone was… fine. Ten minutes later, full of excitement, I’m calling Tara… “HI LOVEY!! I’m here! OK, but they won’t have my room ready to check in for HOURS. No worries, I know you still have another set but I’ll wait for you here in the lobby. I LOVE YOU MORE!!” I grabbed a cup of tea from the courtesy bar, found a comfy seat in the lobby and for the first time pulled out the book I had planned to read on the plane. As I cracked open the book, I paused, then a huge smile spread across my face and I said to myself, “I’m in frickin Singapore!!!”

Singapore, Singapore - Part V

To Spoon or Not to Spoon

About 8 weeks before my departure date I began thinking about the long 23 hour flight ahead of me; sitting in that small seat, the possibility of dehydration, and to be honest… a scene out of Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married”. As the scene goes, Jill Scott’s character, Sheila, was taking her seat on the plane and realized she was a tad bit larger than her seat. A complaint was made by the passenger she was crowding in the next seat and once all was said and done, she was asked to exit the plane. How devastating would that be? I quickly looked up Singapore Airline’s seat width online and ran to my room to find my measuring tape. Oooooh… not good. This was going to be a tight fit and that just won’t do! I knew I was a big woman (a Plus size as we so nicely put it; we make it sound like it’s a plus to be a “Plus”!) but I still had curves that included a waist. That waist was just a whole lot wider than it once was! And the hips… well they had expanded quite a bit as well. My body hasn’t really appreciated my love for food and lack of exercise over the years but up until about three years ago, I had. But things were changing quickly and I worried about my upcoming flight. It was sure to be a very long and uncomfortable flight, and unless the passenger next to me was expecting to spoon with me the whole way to Singapore, I could even be asked to exit the plane. Just like poor Sheila! So with the help of my aunt, I started a workout schedule for Mon, Wed, and Fri. We started walking first, not too far, just to the corner and back which required some encouraging words. Then we quickly pushed it to 1-2 miles which included a stop at Golden Spoon for a mini frozen yogurt. (Awww, come on, it’s 100 calories!) Then it increased to 4-6 miles with no additional reward. We would swim for 45 minutes on the in between days with Sundays off. I increased my water intake and ate smaller meals, eating every few hours. I did not eliminate but I did cut back on fat and sugar. As a sacrifice and prayer reminder to keep my daughter safe, I had sworn off all carbonated drinks from the day my daughter left so I was already a bit healthier from that. As I pressed on, the exercise came easier and the food choices better. Before I knew it, I had lost 20 pounds and was in pretty good shape by the time of my departure date. But it wasn’t until I pulled out my measuring tape that I was truly satisfied. Hips < Seat width! Hallelujah!

Singapore, Singapore – Part IV

Not so Random After All


As the 4th month of Tara’s contract closed in, she had really begun to feel comfortable and was exploring her surrounding areas more. Maybe even a little too much if you consider her sexy video shoot on the streets of the Muslim populated country, Malaysia which enforces a conservative dress code. I was also feeling more relaxed and enjoying the thrill of her experience from afar. So our conversations were less frequent but still regular. I started watching the ticket prices, watching my budget, watching my waistline and planning. We had originally thought we’d go to Bali for 8 days after she completed her contract but due to monsoon season, we decided on Thailand. Phuket, to be specific. Yes, you know… site of the 2004 Tsunami. Why go to beautiful Bali with the chance of thunderous storms when you can go to Thailand and possibly experience a natural disaster? We figured chances were slim for another tsunami and we heard they had recovered well. But more importantly, there was the shopping of course. Great deals in Bangkok! It was a must, Tara’s mind was set! As for me, I was just thinking of the luggage, luggage, luggage!!

My anticipation for the trip grew with each passing week and I started to research Thailand and the many beautiful beaches we could visit. I went to the library and checked out a few books, but the real surprise came to me when I decided to check my own travel book to see if it had anything regarding Singapore and Thailand. So I pulled out my hefty “Journeys of a Lifetime – 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips” book and flipped through the pages… and to my amazement, I was led to the one page I had earmarked way back in January. The Eastern & Oriental Express! REALLY! It runs from Singapore, up through Malaysia, and on to Bangkok, Thailand! The one place I picked from all 393 pages of that book is exactly where I was headed! I was stunned. Is it possible that I could take this train ride? Is it possible that whatever you claim to be yours, is really yours? Is it that easy? Well, let me cut this suspense short. NO! It wasn’t. The departures are limited but that isn’t even the reason. A trip on a luxury train is quite expensive as you can imagine and takes 5 days just the one way. With time and money being tight, it really wasn’t reasonable. Plus, all Tara wanted to do when she finished her contract was to find a sunny beach to lay on so I would have felt very selfish begging her to sit on a train for 5 days after 6 months of an intense schedule. BUT… the fact that I was going to Singapore and traveling on to Thailand was close enough for me. Two places I never thought I would travel to. Yet straight from my wish list, it was about to be a reality.

Life's Treasure Box - A Simple Sally story

A long time ago, when I was broken and recovering from a storm that had taken much of my life, my daughter and I were presented with a treasure box. It wasn’t something we had asked for, nor at first sight was it something we wanted. The box was dirty and heavily covered in scum with rotting borders. We did our best to reject this box but it was forced upon us anyway. So there it sat, as a reminder that our life wasn’t perfect. Then one day, like a miracle, a bright light shined from within the box. It was glaringly lucent like the glow of an angel. At first it didn’t seem real. It was striking and inescapable but yet it seemed a bit like a dream…it was untouchable. This was our first realization that this wasn’t just a box but possibly a treasure box, indeed.


What did this mean? Where would this lead us? We had no way of opening the box. It was not ours and at that time we had no control of its presence. What were we to do? There was some fear but daily our anticipation grew and the light grew stronger. Then, after months, like an act of God, the box opened and revealed its contents. It was amazing!!! This treasure was like none other. While gold, silver and diamonds create greed; this treasure was healing. This treasure produced love, hope and forgiveness. This was not a treasure to be given away, we did not own it; it was meant only to be shared. We relished its presence in our life. It was a blessing we were thankful for.

Unfortunately, we were unaware of another storm developing. It came fast but when it hit the ground, it lingered resulting in irreparable damage. It stole our light; our treasure was gone. The box remained yet more tattered than before. Only now we seemed to have a choice. We seemed to have some control of its presence. Though my daughter and I survived the storm, growing even stronger from our pain, we realized again that the box was a reminder that our life wasn’t perfect. To some people its dirt and old rotting borders may have seemed too offensive. Some may have tried to cover it or destroy it but we chose to embrace our treasure box.

To this day, we carry our box where ever we go. It’s not out of obligation, nor is it a cross to bear. It’s out of LOVE. HOPE. FORGIVENESS. Though we can not see the contents that was once shared with us, the memories of our treasure remain and the LOVE, HOPE and FORGIVENESS it produced can never be taken away. They are here forever and will be here on that miraculous day that the treasure is revealed to us again.

Do you have a treasure box?

Let's start with an extended version of About ME

First, let me start by saying that my name isn’t Simple nor is it Sally. "Simple Sally" is just a nickname that has grown on me. As a child, all of my uncles were very loving. However, on my mother's side of the family, they love to show their affection by poking fun. I was a huggable, carefree child, often in a world of my own. “Oblivious” is the word my mother often used to describe me. On occasion, I would be shaken from my state of oblivion by one of my uncles (uncle Jimmy is the one I remember saying it most), as he would playfully ask me, “are you going simple on us?” It always made me giggle and as I aged it was a thought that delighted me. So it stuck, and here I am today, your Simple Sally.

I’m just a simple Orange County girl, born and raised in Costa Mesa, California. I've moved around a bit but always find my way back here. I can't say I'm too interesting but not a bore either. I like simple things in a complex way. Colors excite me; Water soothes me. Listening to music is a definite source of travel taking me to far off places or into the depths of my soul.

My family is large with extensions reaching across the country and beyond to Mexico and Guatemala, oh… and Texas for all those that believe Texas is its own country. I’m proud of my roots, thankful for every generation and off spring that has carved a vein for our family blood to travel in new directions. Every member is a part of me and regardless of the time or distance that may come between us, I love them all dearly. My one and only child, Tara, is my pride and joy. Anyone that has met me has not escaped without hearing at least a few words to describe this vibrantly bold and animated piece of my heart. Ever since she was the age of two, she has been someone I’ve learned from, been inspired by, and has brought the stability to our ever changing lives.

Carmela is my dog. She is a pudgy 10 lb. Chihuahua / Jack Russell mix. This would lead most to believe she is extremely hyper. However, with the exception of new introductions, she is rather mellow. She loves it when she’s allowed to lick faces without limit and like many females, she loves to hear her own voice. Other than that, she’s quite a lazy dog that will fetch a toy but rarely return it for another toss. She rules the house and creates a burrow in the strangest places so she has a collection of mini-quilts to make her simple life easier. She loves to watch television with the family but my computer time always sends her off to a cuddly corner. I’m guessing she’d much rather see the computer destroyed and would do it herself if she wasn’t afraid of her own shadow. Not even the tips of Carmela’s paw will find its way into dark corners or tight places. For this I am thankful.

I’m nearing 50 in a few years and though I’ve passionately worked at many jobs, I’ve never found my true passion. I’m rather good at helping others to find theirs but finding my own has been a challenge. In recent years I’ve learned that I’m quite creative, like to write, and with all the time I spend on this computer, I realized that blogging might be a great hobby for me. So this brings us to the here and now… but what to blog about???

I have no idea! So this will be an adventure for me and any of you that wish to join me. It will be an exploration of who I am and who I will become as I learn more about my wants, my needs, what I like, what I don’t like, things I hide behind or rationalize; all the little threads that make up “me”. So please join me if you wish, I’d be happy to share the experience.