It's been so hot lately that makeup slides off even before it gets a chance to stick! I've been having my lunch in the office, bringing sandwiches or fruit from home, or sometimes buying from the cafe downstairs. It's simply too hot to walk anywhere! After work yesterday, upon leaving the building, I felt a blast of hot air. I thought I had walked past a vent or something only to realise, that it was the weather!! Ugh! Anyone know of a never-fail raindance?

Holiday Plans
Now, about the holiday plans I've been making. While I do want to go to Europe, especially Italy and Greece...I don't want to be trudging through half-deserted streets in the middle of winter for 2 weeks. I want to see those countries bathed in that Mediterranean summer light, wander through ripe vineyards and savour the life in little towns I pass through. So Europe might change for now. My sis, D had the bright idea of climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa(!!) or exploring the pyramids of Egypt. All so interesting but this depends on something else I'm expecting to happen. Drats!

Another mega book sale at the Expo this weekend folks, with a special preview for Times the Bookshop members on Friday evening. And they include me! There will be bargains like 3 books for $10! I think I'll have to limit myself to $30 cash in my wallet and leave my cards or I'll be in trouble. LOL!

You may have heard me mention Choya plum wine several times here. Besides cannollis at Menotti's, this is my other favourite stress reliever. However, unlike wines where one glass makes me tipsy, I can drink several glasses of Choya and remain deliriously sane. It's a dessert wine with a thick almost cloying fruity sweetness. A friend introduced me to Choya on the rocks which I agree is the best way to drink this luscious wine.

I found this site with several ways to drink Choya. Including one with beer...interesting mix.

Work is just that today...work. But it's been a nice, 'no surprises' day and I'm not complaining.

Am in the midst of several copywriting jobs that have sprung up from the woodwork. All of a sudden there is brochure to write, a leaflet to plan and a website to edit. Woohoo I say! But I'd so love to spend this week just vegging out in front of the TV. But alas...a holiday is on my list of 'must haves' this year and all this copywriting is really helping in my 'Send me to Italy' fund. I have a couple of other back-up countries if Italy proves too expensive like New Zealand and the US. As a last resort which could be heavenly, Bali. Stay tuned.

In case you've been wondering, I've not fallen off this planet. I've spent the last 4 days with the rest of the other division heads, heads of departments and upper management at an annual company regional meet in Malaysia. Four days of meetings, leadership training, discussions, games and fun with the folk from Singapore and Malaysia.

And what an intense 4 days it has been!! It was nice to see the people from the Malaysian office especially those that rarely come down to Singapore. And what made it even better was meeting the rest of the Malaysian crew on Friday night when the entire KL office came to join us for a BBQ lamb feast. It was unanimously agreed that the KL bunch are mad, wild people who really know how to party.

That night saw a couple of impromptu waterpolo matches. It started off with those who stayed behind drinking getting thrown into the very warm pool FULLY CLOTHED!! There was shouts, screams and lots of giggles (esp from yours truly who was happily buzzing on Absolut!!). One of the Spore managers gamely stripped down to this black briefs. The second game saw only 2 Singapore members left, me and the CD for another division. We were the only girls too, in a pool swimming with testosterone. I have to say that B was in top-form against the boys who sometimes played rough. The madness and mayhem didn't end till around 130am when we trooped back soaking wet to our rooms.

As tired as I am today, I have to admit that the last 4 days did a great job of educating us on the company's goals and introducing us to a very different culture...one that I'm whole-heartedly embracing. I can now say that I have a bigger picture of where we are and where we are heading, where we want to be. All the petty in-office soaps are just that - petty. I'm determined now to get my team moving in this new direction. I liked what I saw of the KL office...their close bond. I want that for my team too. While not everyone will buy into the goals, and there will be some exits, I hope to see a difference before the end of this year.

It's been a blissful Saturday so far. I'm holed up in my bedroom, TV on, surfing the Net with an ice-filled glass of Choya (plum wine) beside me. Keri's blog on creature comforts got me thinking of what makes me Crazy, Happy and Giddy. So here goes:
1. A freshly made bed
2. Something cooking in the kitchen
3. A bookstore that's having a storewide sale and money to spend
4. A pristine beach with no footprints
5. A letter/card/email from loved ones
6. A discount boutique stocked with desirable clothes in my size
7. A Mac, broadband, design sofware and RAM
8. Blank journals
9. A dinner date with friends
10. Christmas morning

His Holiness Pope John Paul II will be buried at St Peter's Basilica today at 4pm (Singapore time). While he had journeyed far and wide spreading a message of peace, love and ecumenism, the pope also spoke on his great love for animals.

All animals are fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect and that they are as near to God as men are.

His solitary voice cried the strongest amongst the thousands that protest against the fur trade and the barbaric practices of purchasing and wearing fur that is tainted by the inhumane actions of man.

Ok...enough already. It's been pouring for the past 3 hours and 6pm is fast approaching. I'd like to get home reasonably dry, please. But the way it's coming down, I highly doubt it.

It's been a wet blustery day where the sky is a steady 20% black (yes, take out those color charts and check) and it's been raining in sheets! And it's also been a relatively quiet one. I hope it stays this way at least till the end of the day. After last week, this is good. Very good. :-)

A bunch of us were back at work on Saturday, backing up files dating back to September 2004. When it was all done, it was near 7pm and my Saturday was shot. Never mind, I thought. A major treat was in order.

After packing up, cheerios to all, I sailed forth to Menotti's for a cannolli and blood orange pellegrinos. It was packed with a dinner crowd so I parked myself outside and enjoyed the cool evening while scribbling in my Moleskine. Bliss, I tell you. I felt rejuvenated and calmer. Cannollis are definite stress treats, folks...highly recommended. If you've never encountered those delicios rolls filled with ricotta cheese and I think mascarpone...you have no idea what heaven is.

TV news...Do you remember a movie A Christmas Story? It's one of those classic Christmas movies that appear on TV year after year, at least in the US. Well, the house it was filmed in was put for sale on eBay and just recently purchased! So the story of Ralphie, his family and the Red Rider BB Gun will be immortalised forever.

It's been a truly horrendous week. One after another, mistakes were made and highlighted. And yours truly sits in the in-between space of client and studio where the barometric pressure is the greatest.

My heart's heavy as I dodgedly move towards the end of today. I just want to vanish into my bedroom with a glass of Choya plum wine (my latest indulgent) and pretend this week never happened.

On top of that, something I was expecting to happen, did not. I plod on...