Daily routine

What's a daily routine for me like? That's a great question suggested by my friend. I realized that I always put my daily encounters, confusing the readers of what I really do everyday.

My insomnia got worse when I got in Shanghai. I don't know what's with Shanghai, but I remember very well that I broke the record of sleeping late once while revising my whole website in 2003. I slept at 1PM then. Maybe because our work is quite relaxing here that the only time I sweat during performance is when I let my hair down and we play some bouncy tunes. But other than that, I'd still say that it's the most relaxing job we had.

I don't like going out on a typical working day, and that's like 6 days a week. A week ago, I changed my sleeping habits. Used to sleep so late in Shanghai because we have a broadband connection and I do lots of stuff on the net - and not only chatting ok?!? So yeah, what's a typical routine for me daily?

The first thing that I do when I wake up (these days in between 1-3PM), is brush my teeth. I don't like washing my face, I only wash it when I need to go out. Besides, friends like my "just woke up" look. Then I'd head to the kitchen and boil some water for my coffee. We don't have a thermos or any device that specifically boils water so I use the saucer pan. While waiting it to boil, I'd turn on my computer and check mails. Being a careless person that I usually am, sometimes I'd leave it boiling until there's only few water left. And I'd usually kick myself for it. I love having my 3-in-1 Maxwell coffee with a bunch of biscuits. I'd dip the biscuits in it before munching them. When I'm in Manila, I'd do it with our famous "pan de sal". Oh I miss the morning "pandesals". And the taho!!! Hmmmm...

When I'm on my computer, time would really pass by quickly. And yes, I'd usually spend looooong time on my computer. Sometimes, I already regard it as my main job, not the singing for 4 hours!

At 6PM, I usually do my Pilates and Yoga for less than an hour before preparing for work. Sometimes, I take my dinner before having a shower. And when I take a shower, I'm like a guy. I just do the necessary stuff in the shower, unlike other girls who'd spend almost an hour in the shower.

(I know a friend who'd spend 2 hours in the toilet everyday. When I stayed in their house for a month when I was 17, we'd take shower together (we're both girls, so what's wrong with that?). I was all done with all my stuff when she just started shampooing her hair! But she insisted that I'd stay and chat with her till she finish, so when I went out of the shower, I was all wrinkled from head to toe!!!)

I could do my makeup and hair in 20 minutes but I'm usually the last one to get out of the room. I'm a crammer, I don't like preparing or doing things early. I like cramming up and that brings out the adrenaline rush. That's one of the funny things I notice with myself.

At 8PM, we'd be on our way to work. Our apartment is just 3-5 minutes by cab. I hate waiting for work, I like going to work and preparing my lyrics and just sing right away. But sometimes I like having coffee before set or before the 2nd set. I like a quiet time before I sing so I appreciate my band mates not speaking to me before our 1st set.

We begin our 1st set at 8:30PM. I sing the Shangri-La song which is a Chinese song to start our 1st set. We were required to do it by the management. There was a time when the owner came, all the hotel executives were hanging around in the lobby. They asked us to play the Shangri-La song 3 times that night! Nothing wrong with that but it's becoming like the national anthem for us.

We have 4 sets of 45 minutes each. We have 15 minute breaks in between. On our last break, right after our 3rd set, we'd usually go to Yi Cafe and order our supper, to be picked up after our last set, which is 12:15AM.

We take a taxi going back home. The taxi drivers already know us and sometimes they don't feel lucky when they take our ride coz our place is just near. We're not disappointed with that, we truly understand their situation. They'd queue up for so long in the taxi queue, only to get a RMB13 ride. But the great thing about the taxi drivers here is they don't choose passengers, unlike Filipino cab drivers. So whether they like it or not, they had to take our ride. If only we could ride a bicycle to and from work.

When we arrive home, we'd leave the food in the kitchen, leave my things in the home office and go to our rooms directly to change. I'd remove my makeup too, although I'm not really that sensitive with cosmetics (depends on the brand). Then I'd turn on my computer again while eating supper. If we have a practice, I'd play the song to be practised, if not I'd just check on my website, my guestbook and my blog.

Bedtime varies now at 4-5AM, of course after I've done my computer. And it doesn't end there. I read magazines or books to put me to sleep. Sometimes I'd read it in the toilet because the light is on there. So what's with the routine?