Well, well ... sometimes people really are surprising, albeit not in a totally pleasant fashion. Just like this person I know, you'd never guess there was so much beneath that odd personality. First impression - cold, distrusting, just plain odd. 4 weeks later, slightly better, but still unfathomable. And after several months of acquaintance - boom. "Confession" number 1 comes along, it was more of a plain nonchalent statement. And a few days ago, "Confession" number 2.

All of a sudden, I was struck by how amazingly resilient some people are, and how strong they actually are inside. And all of a sudden, all the previous behavior just fits in. I would, too, if I had a background like that. And yet, pity does not work well, and I'm having a tough time deciding how to react next time I see her. Yeah, maybe just a that's-fine-with-me attitude, as it's really none of my business and it was really good of her to confide in me like that.

Tentatively, plans for travel.

10 Mar - 6.45am depart from changi
11.50am arrive in O'hare airport
2 or 3pm check-in at Club Quarters Wacker (Michigan) hotel
Rest of day: wallow in bad jet-lag in room, ring Trevor up
11 Mar - Visit Magnificent Mile for shopping and sight-seeing, perhaps visit NBC studios and hope to see WnG crew.
12 Mar - sight-seeing outside Downtown Chicago with Trevor, maybe visit Northwestern.
night: booze with Trevor and co.
13 Mar - morning: Chicago Zoo
afternoon: flower show
14 Mar - morning: check out of hotel
afternoon: last romp with Trevor
evening: taking the CTA underground back to O'hare, then coach to Madison, Wisconsin

15 Mar - Move in to YX's dorm, meet her suite-mates.
full-day lessons for YX, shall wander around on my own to the lakes and Memorial Union
16 Mar - Bus 6 tour: going round all the shopping malls that this bus passes by, including West Towne Mall (small reptile shop there), Wal-mart and maybe a short hospital visit.
17 Mar - Morning might be spent ice-skating. Afternoon: Walk to the zoo, then bus 6 to High Crossing Boulevard to visit big big big pet shop, then State Capitol building in evening.
18 Mar - YX not free till noon, probably will visit places on my own. Evening: booze at Memorial Union.
19 Mar - reach Memorial Union at 5am to catch coach back to O'hare, then at 12.20pm I'll be on the plane.
20 Mar - 11.50pm reach Changi airport.

21 Mar - start of next posting, half-dead from jet-lag.

Might compress all of 17 March's activities into 16 March, then take coach to Milwaukee on 17 March instead, to visit the breweries, ginseng farms and Harley Davidson club shop.

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