12:43.

I am sat at my desk at the media conglomerate of Singapore.

(Yes, after a year-plus break, here I go again employing the above phrase).

I am a desk away from my old desk. This new desk faces the main entrance of the paper's office. I've pinned up some pictures that used to be up on my old desk too. On my right - black and white print-outs of a shot of U2 taken in the early 80s and Kurt Cobain at the microphone with his guitar; magazine cut-out of The Beatles, the four portraits arranged in a square; and a little comic strip of three Rolling Stone album cover parodies of the Simpsons posed like the shots on Nirvana's Nevermind, Bruce Springsteen's Born In The USA and The Beatle's White Album.

Behind my computer moniter, a colourful square of six colours from a magazine advert.

To my left, a long Beatles For Sale brochure from an exhibition held here, pinned next to a flyer from the exhibition Imagine: The Art Of John Lennon.

The only new additions on my desk's partial walls are a photo of the St Kilda sunset taken Dec 30 2004 on the beach, and a group photo at the airport, taken Feb 5 2005.

I am settling into life in Sg, no doubt.

Heck, I can even wear blazers and cardigans out without perspiring (Oh all right, in the evening times only, notably only after I leave the freezing office).

I still don't seek out particular food to eat but enjoy what local fare I do consume.

And though I spent something like 14 days out of the 18 days I've worked thus far with some flu, fever or cold, I am settling back into work too. Adopting the same timeline, enjoying the un-9-to-5-routine pop-ups like walking down a would-be red light district last Saturday night. Loving the fact that I can dress casual and get away with it. Being comfortable with the programmes we use with work and every thing else. Comfortably enjoying the access of little food places and services still avail in the clusters of shops around the HDBs that surround this company. Even comfortably liking the routine walk in and out to work from the MRT station nearby.

Yes, indeed I know for a fact I am settling in.

The nostagia is still here, though, in as real ways as ever.

That, my dears, was the good life.

What I had in Melbourne, notably the last few months of summer.

The significance of seasons have been shown me and taught to my heart. I can never again scorn the romanticism people exhibit about summers with its seasonal fruit offerings, clothing allowance and general warmness.

I miss the life - cutting downstairs to buy some fruits and groceries, popping to Maccers down the street or the Korean shop across the road just to grab something to eat... I miss the availability of stuff that were well, avail.

Having time on your hands to do whatever you would - I miss that even as I settle into this new routine peacefully now.

Staying up to any time, even if it was just to chat on Msn or watch DVDs at a friend's, or various laid-back casual activities. Sleeping in till 10-ish or 11-ish in the morning, in glorious non humid, very sleep conduive weather. Waking up on my futon hugging my pillow, loving the feel of my duvet on bare skin, seeing the sky peeking in through that big picture window. Getting up, having breakfast - tea and biscuits or toast - sat next to the living room window, watching the world below. Getting cleaned up, popping out for an errand or to meet friends, coming back, popping out again... the accessibility of every thing.

The ease of the days.

The way it was so comfortable just being with friends and in my world in Melbourne.

Nostagia is present. And would probably always be now in this strange and wondrous exercise of life where those good old days would never repeat in its entirety. And of course, we love them more so because of that preciousness of non-continuity.

Ah.

Where do we go from here?

Ray, Ken, Aggie, Germie, Hannah, Sun, Mei Sun, Angeline, Paul, Marcus, MJ, Drin, Ian... um, I just realised it's impossible to name everyone, not when everyone made up a part of Melbourne for me.

Where do we go from here? Where do we go from here?

Be still, my heart, and know Your Maker.

Indeed, how good and pleasant it was - and is - when we live together in unity.

Your are amazing.