the general idea, as i mentioned to poach before i set out, was that i would scurry over to the supermarket and then leg it home brimming with supplies, and then work. hard. -er than i've ever before. i had forgotten about the fire. a fire which, a few days ago, at the crack of dawn, took out the entire potato chip section of the local supermarket and more. *inward sigh* it's true that i came out for groceries to put off work, but i'd like to think the procrastination was for a good reason. how expect me to work steadily without constant fortification in the form of food? nothing for it but to walk to the other supermarket, which was about 600metres down the road and not on the bus route. this means i had to pass barnes and nobles. ahem. in the children's section i eyed a goofy blue hippo that i thought of getting for von's birthday and then plonked myself firmly on the carpet. there's a new fudge book out, i remembered. i'm amazed she's worked harry potter into it, all this you-know-who-ing and kids dressing up as hermione for halloween. fudge dresses up as a miser. (i am also told there's a new beverly cleary out but i don't see it. what is it? su-lin?) when i finished it i fished in bag for my watch and paled to find it was past 5.30. i never go to the other supermarket - so pushing a cart twice as big as me and wondering where everything is i begin a hunt for tinned food that could be eaten with rice - you know the kind of thing you find at home - roast pork ribs, and chao san si (spicy slices of mushroom, bamboo shoots and pork) and taukwa and rou ding. not a chance. eventually this hope dwindled down to "please let me find some mackerel in a tin and i will be grateful." and to "i'll even settle for sardines!" i really should be trying the other other supermarket, the international one that to my great consternation once hung the singaporean flag upside-down. the thing is, all you really need is a japanese supermarket and you could go without real cooking and feed yourself very happily and healthily for the longest time. tinned japanese curry? udon? japanese fishcake? soba? miso paste? easy. additional trouble being, i reflected, even if i do give up looking for ready-made things and do real cooking, i don't know how to cook american, only some singaporean, and mostly japanese. i wonder if my mother can be cajoled into sending me something from home. i doubt it. she said she wouldn't send anymore relief packages and i can zi sheng zi mie this semester because she gave me a rice cooker and lots of wood-ear fungus and that's was a sufficient expression of motherly blessings. she won't even relent for pineapple tarts. i forgot to see if she packed me any lotus seeds. i could make some chengteng for new year. oh! yen is coming down from columbia this weekend! i can cook red date-white fungus-almond soup for us! of course, if i don't survive today, that isn't likely. eventually i came home with tinned soup and apples, bread and cheese, and muffins and yoghurt. and promptly went to sleep. i think i'm late for school now. oh well. i don't think i'll go to the lecture this morning. 4th day of school and skipping already!