Finally Blonde

The least thing I would expect out of my career is this: I would be a cheerleader.

You see, the annual lawyer’s tournament is coming up and I will be competing in the volleyball, basketball, and futsal games. The depth of our dedication is worthy of medals (or similar bling, or a pay raise…), because every single week now there is always some sort of practice or friendly warm-up match with other firms, which involves sneaking out at 7 pm and, when unlucky, trudging back in to work at 10 pm.

I am all too happy to comply. The thought of a sedentary life frightens me pitifully, and chasing balls? I love chasing balls. Yesterday I chased down a volley ball like life depended on it. My team mate was busy guarding the net, she hadn’t seen the ball flying short of her back, and it was too late to warn her. It was too far and too late to run. I lunged over with my outstretched arm and minimum hope. I slipped my wrist beneath the ball, inches from the sand, swung my arm upwards and spun my body sideways to minimize impact. Sand was flying in all directions as I hit the ground and I felt the ball move too far sideways. I forced myself back on my feet, blinking the sand out of my eyes, and saw my teammate save the ball. It swung beautifully over the net, missing it by mere milimeters. The team scored and cheers surged in a sudden single chorus. I felt incredible!

*Pause*

I’m digressing. What has this got to do with cheerleading, you ask? Well, apparently there’s also a cheerleading tournament for the opening, and guess what? Yours truly gets to cheerlead.

Wearing tights.

And pom-poms.

And be lifted by the guys in the closing act. Because, the choreographer said, I’m the right size. I almost cried. I’m finally blonde! (at least for approx. 10 minutes).

Weekend

On Friday night after work I hung out with my friends at De Hooi, a pub down in Pondok Indah which I only just discovered. We sat on high little stools at a high little table while the waitress, cleavaged and mascara-ed, took our orders. In a small corner the DJ was churning out some really good progressive tunes, and the other customers were casual and unpretentious. Without needing to look my best or be visually assaulted by big-haired and blinged ladies-who-lunch (and dine), the focus was on our merry little group. We talked of scandals and future plans and gossip and nothing which connected with anything. I had entirely too much beer.

On Saturday night I went out with bf and together we went to Daiso, a Japanese thrift store in the middle of one the ugliest malls in Jakarta: Mall Artha Gading. We ignored everything else and made a straight beeline for the store, in conquest of a certain item: the prosperity cat. The Chinese have waving ones with cheap glittery-gold skin. The Japanese have pretty porcelain ones in different colours, but their paws can’t wave. We argued for a good half hour about whether it is absolutely crucial for their paws to wave at all. Fortunately, our arguments were drowned out by the storekeepers incessantly yelling at the top of their lungs: “IRASHAIMASE!! ONE PRICE KUDASAI!! 20.000 RUPIAH DES!!” Bf ended up buying a tie-rack. I ended up trying hard to come up with a reason to buy a vintage-ish Japanese gasoline can. Sadly, I couldn’t come up with any. We are still in conquest of a porcelain cat that can wave.

On Sunday morning I had breakfast with my brother at Bread ‘n Breakfast, an American Diner at Kemang. We went all the way down South from the North, because when a sandwich crave hits, it hits us really hard. The place was light and airy and the sandwiches (okay, we also had a burger… and a lot of potato wedges) were very decent. We spent the morning reading the available magazines (Harper’s Bazaar), and I discovered that: (1) My cousin’s girlfriend is a socialite, (2) My former junior in high school is now a beauty reporter for Bazaar, and (3) My ex-boss’ ex-wife is a Jean-Paul-Gaultier-launch-party-attending fashionista. I said to my bro:

“Omigod. I know (people who know) like a dozen people in here. That means I’m only two steps away from making it to the glossy pages.”

My brother solemnly nodded and said he was happy for me.

On Sunday afternoon I woke up after a long afternoon nap. I thought how, at this point, how perfectly balanced my life is. The thing is, that thought only comes on the weekends :(