All smiles

A picture from a week ago

This was prior to the haircut

Just a bunch of old friends catching up

Isn't it lovely?

Bar hopping

Sounds like most of you had interesting weekends

But I decided to out-do you all

EVIL LAUGH

Yesterday a colleague and I went bar and pub hopping all over the city

From Bohemia to 11 echoes to Purple Haze to Olive to name it...

But it was in the middle of the afternoon

And we didn't have a single drink

Nor was the airconditioning on

Have any of you been to a bar in the afternoon when its closed

Most of them are disgustingly dirty

Amazing what the power of lights can do...

Aaah the joys of scouting for the next party location

Especially when the party is on friday night

And its tuesday morning

And still no location

30 things I just did

There are some weekends when I stay home or don't end up doing anything exciting to talk about and then there are weekends when the universe doles out so much that I even have a hard time remembering everything I've done or said

Lucky for you (and me) this weekend is the latter

I have seriously painted the town red this weekend

Here's just some of it

1. Some of the boys at work and I decided to throw a party in the office - Yes IN the office on friday night.
2. We set up a DJ and disco lights and even a smoke machine inside the office
3. Imaging pumping music and lights with flowing alcohol
4. A huge projection screen with pyschadelic images
5. We started at 7 30 pm sharp
6. We wound up around 2 30 am
7. I vaguely remember bottles of tequila being passed around
8. Oh and to make the night more memorable, the boys and I put together an AV (Audio Visual) that was totally hilarious with video footage of the people from office - they had no idea what we were doing when we were capturing the footage
9. A younger boy from the office came upto me and confessed that he has had a crush on me for the longest time and just a smile on my face makes his day (that was a toughie)
10. A friend spent the night and we stayed up till 4 am drinking wine - my mom joined us for a while as well at 3 am
11. I had a haircut on saturday - It wasn't planned but my hairdresser insisted on chopping it off
12. Went and watched the sun go down with an old friend
13. I got compliments on my hair on saturday night (it was so worth the haircut ;))
14. I bumped into my first ex who I have not seen in 2 or 3 years on saturday night
15. I felt absolutely nothing after seeing him - Is that a bad thing?
16. I thought I was looking really nice even if I say so myself (now that sounds awful)
17. Two friends one of who I have known for 20 years atleast got engaged that night - You just have to see the rock on her finger
18. We popped a bottle of Dom Perignon
19. We popped a bottle of Moet et Chandon
20. I saw some more champagne being popped
21. We bar hopped
22. 3 am and we're still NOT on our way home
23. Two nights in a row - *yawn* but I'm still smiling
24. Got home at 4:30 am - Still smiling
25. Broke my Tiffany keyring - I'm really upset about this - It was a birthday gift from last year and I love it
26. Spent the afternoon on sunday having lunch with my family
27. Spent the second half of sunday afternoon at my other family's house
28. Went and ate Sushi and Tiramisu
29. Watched a movie sunday night
30. And I'm about to jump into bed and watch some DVD's before going to work tom morning...

So, tell me 5 things you did over the weekend

The news I promised you

Last week you knew I was in the process of making a decision in my life

Well I made the decision a few days ago and it got announced yesterday

After two long but wonderful years I am leaving the company that I have helped build

I am being promoted and transfered to another company in the same group as 'Vice President'

Aren't you proud of me?

Blessed

I spent this weekend meeting some old friends

Some that I have not met in months and one that came into town after two years

And when you meet these friends are are able to pick up the pieces exactly where you left off without needing to be in touch regularly you know you are truly blessed

This friend of mine now lives in Latin America and is settled with husband and child

I was talking to her and I realised that most of my friends are now married with kids

And I laughingly told her

"You have a child to show as your achievements of the last couple of years...all I can show is my visiting card"

And we laughed and you know what

Thats perfectly okay

I know I am blessed

In my DNA?

It's not often that I have nothing to say

It usually happens when I have so many thoughts running through my head that I am trying to sort out this whirlwind and try and articulate one single thought to post about

And right now I still don't have that single thought

The last couple of days have been sheer madness

Too many people with too many issues - Me included

And I've been trying to help people out with their problems as much as I can

Sometimes I just listen and at other times I dole out my two pence of advice

But something really hit me day before yesterday

Someone turned around and asked me
"Who do you think you are, Mother Teresa?"

She was trying to tell me that I need to heal myself from time to time and I can't just keep giving to others but need to think about myself and be a bit selfish too

And I'm not sure I can do that

Its just not in my DNA

I guess when things get too much for me I just shutdown for a bit and then bounce back to stretching out my shoulders to the world

And thats probably My DNA

Pour some *sugar* on me

Yesterday I was sitting and eating lunch with my colleagues, like I always do

I always sit at the same place and eat with everyone...one boss on my left (at the head of the table) and my other boss directly across me

Its a wonderful time of the day when everyone comes together and shares stories of their day and their lives

We eat from each others lunch boxes and complain about the office canteen food

We pull each others leg making someone the butt of the day's joke

So, yesterday was just like any other day

I was nicely dressed in a cream top and a black skirt with a slit that ran up my thigh

And I sat sipping my after lunch cup of coffee like I always do

My boss across me decided to pass a sarcastic remark (like he always does) and I replied in sarcasm (not like I always do...)

He continued to play with the yellow stress ball and finally swung it across the table directly at me

The ball spun and hit the coffee cup in front of me

The coffee cup tumbled toward me

The coffee slowly but surely spilled right all over my cream top and skirt and trickled down my legs

I sat in SHOCK

I'm usually the Drama Queen and react to these situations BADLY

But there I sat in silence watching myself drenched in coffee in a brand new outfit

I left the room and walked toward the washroom where I stared at the disaster that was me

Not knowing where to start, I stripped myself bare and washed my clothes in the sink and dried them under the hand dryer

Only to emerge half hour later damp but as good to go...

I'm proud of myself for the way I reacted

Pour some sugar on me guys, not coffee

Sometimes you just know...

I opened the door of opportunity yesterday

Well actually I swung it wide open

I decided to embrace the world with open arms and I just waltzed through the door and let the wind blow me away

Yeah so I'm scared shitless (pardon my french)

I have no idea whats going to happen

But then honestly who does

So, I was just waltzing through my day at certain times feeling terrified and at certain times feeling like the queen of the world when finally something just *snapped*

(and yes Snavy - I know I am being vague but I promise I will tell soon)

and from that second on, I started to laugh

And I really laughed

My cheeks start to hurt

I found myself at the all new 'Hard Rock Cafe' in Mumbai which opened just 2 days ago

And I found myself wanting a new teddy bear

And my friends bought it for me

And signed on it too

And I laughed till my cheeks hurt

When was the last time you laughed like that?

Taking Life Into My Own Hands

I remember a scene from the movie 'Sound of Music' where they say

'When God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window'

That has stuck by me all my life

I've never forgotten it

Opportunities knock on our door from time to time

Sometimes we keep the door tightly shut in fear of what might become if we open the door. Change is scary and thats an understatement which is why most people don't open the door when opportunity knocks...

Others take a peep in and see the world that they may have in the palm of their hands

And others open the door and embrace their new world as scary as it may be...

TODAY, I am opening the door and embracing the new world...

I have been toying with this decision for a while and will tell you all soon, I promise

Wish me luck and love, I need it...

I'm evil like that...

I have just found the perfect way to get my boss to leave me alone while I am working on my desk...

Its evil but it works...

I threaten to smother him in...




















And he runs like the wind

LOL

Try it

Don't talk to me until I get my first cup of...

I know I don't talk about this much
Well not as much as Lilykins
But I am addicted to my coffee

Two cups a day on average and its usually three on work days
and Four on high stress days

And thats when I put a stop to my coffee intake

It makes me hyper and a pronounced 'Drama Queen'

I actually enjoy being a Drama Queen

I'd rather be described as something as compared to nothing at all

I mean can u imagine if you were to ask 'Arete' for instance, 'Whats Noojes like?'

And I would just DIE a million deaths if if she said 'Uh uh let me see, I am not sure how to describe her actually - She is Ok'

Argh

I'd rather she called me a drama queen

Alot of people at work refer to me as DQ as well

Infact a friend from work bought me a coffee mug recently which says DQ and I love it

*sipping coffee*

But the reason I am saying this is coz I bought a baby blue and Gold Kathy Van Zealand bag while I was in the States and it is BOLD and Gold lol

And everyone in my office is making fun of me

And personally I just love it and the attention

May be well play the part of the drama queen rite?

Keeping afloat - barely

Would you believe me if I told you I went to work all day yesterday after landing and reaching home at 3 am...

Uh huh thats me alright

I'm pretty impressed with myself - I actually managed to stay awake all day at work

My brother from Sydney was in town only for the day and I hadn't seen him in a couple of months, so I managed to keep myself awake and have dinner with him while making life changing decisions and conversations...

Work was insane but it felt good to be back

I still haven't set up my desk with all my stuff that I put away before I went on leave but I am sure I will get round to it

What welcomed me the most was over 1000 emails in my work box - NOT FUN

I already have meetings set up and there is an unbelievable amount to do

And I'm not even over my jet lag yet

But then I'm used to keeping afloat right?

Barely lol

Home Sweet Home

Arrived safe n sound n jet-lagged

Thanks for all the wishes

Landed way past midnite and I'm off to work now

More later

*yawn*

Flying

Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly!

~ Scottish Saying

I'm taking flight tomorrow
A long long flight
All the way back home
It will take me around 30 hours from door to door
Which includes transit time at two different airports

I am not looking forward to flying without my usual hand baggage consisting of everything I possibly need for 30 hours

Instead I have to pack some stuff into a tiny bag - the specifications of which have been provided to me by the airline

And then there is the whole 'take off your shoes' and 'everything in your pockets' and walk through security check - which I will be doing multiple times as well

Oh well - atleast I will be safe

But I will be flying

Flying so high

Soaring in the sky

So over the next 2-3 days

Everytime you look up at the sky and see a plane

Remember to wave

It may just be me ;)

(And if you're too embaressed to wave - then just leave a smile for me here - it'll make me feel good when I get back home)

The End

This is pretty much it

Its the part when the lights start to come on and everyone scrambles around trying to pick up their belongings while the buttery box of pop-corn still leaves an oily residue on their fingers. The time when you just have to run past the crowd and get to the washroom to pee hoping there aren't twenty people already in front of the line. And the smell of the pop-corn is getting to you. And you can't bear it anymore. You just have to wash your hands now. Oooh and you gotta pee. Flashback to that one moment in the movie that you loved. The dialogue plays back in your head and you smirk. And people are looking at you waiting for you to move forward in the line to pee...

But this is not the end I am talking about. This is it. It really is the end.

THE END OF MY VACATION

Its time to go home and the reason I know that it is officially the time it is the end is coz people from work have already started calling me to

a. COMPLAIN

b. Tell me how much they MISS ME

c. Come back and SORT this mess out please

In an odd sort of way it actually made me feel wanted but I'm scared of going back to a mess at the moment

And I know it is a mess

But this is about the end and not about what is in store for me

This vacation has been awesome as it is every year

But there were special moments I want to remember now

a. The look on my sister's face when I arrived at the airport

b. My nephews and how they have grown - trying to pull my suitcases off the luggage carousel for me (I guess they aren't babies anymore)

c. My nephew making me coffee (Hey payback for all the milk and food I've served him over the years)

d. BBQ in the back yard with the family

e. Buying my sister an exorbitant gift - just to see the look on her face

f. My sister buying me my Tiffany bangle

g. Arriving in Manhattan (Gets me every time)

h. Seeing the island of St Martin from my window seat

i. My God-Son - such a cutie

j. Meeting sweet Arete

I could go on...

But then you may just have to pull out some kleenex

I leave on sunday by the way

And I am transitting through Heathrow airport

Not fun anymore

It used to be my favourite airport to transit through

There are things to do to entertain yourself

But now its giving me the shivers

Instead of my backpack, I am being forced to travel with a small handbag

I've never travelled with such little stuff in my life

I mean how am I not supposed to brush my teeth for 30 hours?

I just pray the airline gives us some toothpaste and a toothbrush or co-passengers beware...

Wish me a safe flight...and pray I don't lose my insanity over those 30 hours...