If you're sick of Billboard's Top 100 and want to bop along to a different tune, check out National Geographic's world music site. You can read up on your favourite world music artistes, learn of a few more and download a song or podcast. Most of these artistes hardly ever get written about in mainstream media so this is the best place to listen and learn before you buy.

First it was by gender, then it was by age. The upcoming 13th season of Survivor will feature the castaways divided by race: Asians versus Hispanics versus African-Americans versus Caucasians (only the article uses color to describe the last 2 instead of the more PC racial terminology). Are the producers that desperate for ratings?

Controversy always makes for good TV but this kind of division should not even be on any producers' list. What next for the 14th season, huh? Religion?

The Agency's creative director walked into my office yesterday at 3:00pm.
CD: You know, when things are this quiet and especially a Friday, you should send people home.
Me: Really?
CD: Well, we work late when we're busy, so let the creatives off when we're not.
Me: Cool! I'll let them know.
CD: And that includes you, missy! (waving a shoelace in my direction)
Me: Fantastic! (grinning like the Cheshire Cat!)

After telling the creative team the news, I called Flee who's been wanting to get a dress for a friend's wedding in Europe next month. We met at Ngee Ann City for an afternoon of shopping. We went in and out of several shops while picky Flee tried on ONLY 3 dresses. *Rolling eyes* Did she buy anything? No! But I ended up buying a Picard leather satchel (and 2 pairs of shoes from a lunch time shopping jaunt). Much later, she bought 2 watercolor Moleskines but still no dress. The evening ended with a Japanese dinner of nato (fermented sticky soya beans), sea urchin, beef sukiyaki and tempura, followed by coffee and tea.

It felt deliriously decadent, shopping at 4 o'clock in the afternoon while others were stuck in the office. There'll be fewer Fridays like this as work is picking up at the Agency so I'm going to make full use of my CD's mandate. Flee, if you're reading this. we WILL get you that dress before the end of the month.

Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen :: Julie Powell
Julie isn't a Julia Child, Nigella Lawson, or even a Martha Stewart (thank goodness!). She's just a secretary (or was) who thought cooking every single recipe in THE cooking bible volume 1 would turn her life around. It did, in more ways than she could ever imagine.

Her attempts at mastering the art of French cooking is a roller-coaster culinary adventure with sidebars on her life, family and friends. An appetite-enhancing read except for the chapters on aspic and calf brains. Those, I pass.

With over 700 books translated into more than 40 languages, Enid Mary Blyton remains one of the best-loved children's authors of her generation. And in my humble opinion, of all time. Thanks to a very early introduction to books such as Mr Pink Whistle Interferes and Merry Mr Muddle, my sister and I grew up in love with books. And it has continued to this day.

Enid Blyton wrote about children for children. Unlike the dark sometimes scary world of Harry Potter, her children lived in a simpler time where nothing really bad ever happened. They went on adventures to far-off places, solved mysteries, met magical creatures and toys that talked in enchanted woods, enjoyed midnight feasts, played practical jokes and had holidays on a farm. In fact, everything a child would need for wonderful daydreams. I know, I was lost many times in them.

If you haven't discovered her books yet, you still can. Many are in circulation today and there is quite a collection on Ebay. Every one is a gem.

Thank you Enid Blyton for being so much a part of my childhood.

Over 50,000 polystyrene balls went into this installation piece by Australian artist Nike Savvas. Entitled "Atomix - Full of Love, Full of Wonder", it's her representation of shimmering light and colors in the Australian landscape. You can see it at the New South Wales Art Gallery in Sydney. Click on the picture for a larger image.

The Stolen Child :: Keith Donohue
The faery folk weaved a spell and I was book bound the entire afternoon, caught up in a tale of changelings, Aniday and Henry Day. I absolutely loved it. The end was bittersweet yet right. A fabulous first book and I can't wait for more from this author.

Monday, 7 August, 9:24am - Next book? The Time Traveller's Wife. I've heard a lot about it and it seems like everyone has read it. Started it on my morning commute and am now on page 14. Interesting...

In anticipation of the weekend, and the long weekend next week, I stocked up on a couple of books (not that I needed to, considering I have at least 10 unread books floating about my room!) at lunch yesterday from Kinokuniya. So many new books and I was sorely tempted but as I was running late following a pedicure (oh yes, another indulgence that day) I bought just two: The Stolen Child and The Time Traveller's Wife.

So far I'm on page 107 of 319 of The Stolen Child, and I love it. It is, as one Amazon reader described, "a fairy tale for adults". Has anyone read this yet? What was your impression of Keith Donohue's first book?

You've heard it. May have said it. You've probably been there and seen it. Well, I am on that other side and let me tell you, grass is still grass.

Fate must have had enough of my moans and grumbles when I was with Company B, and slipped me an opportunity via email. It looked promising. After 2 months, I left B and signed up with Agency.

It seems I've traded up however I've realised people here will always be just 'colleagues' and never 'friends'. You know what I mean... Those you'll see from 9 to 6, Mondays to Fridays. Conversations are about work and clients. They'll never really get your jokes nor will any organise a steamboat/BBQ night.

I've worked at a total of 9 companies since starting out as a designer in 1991. Ten if you include that period when I was on my own. Yet only 3 of them, including Company B, yielded colleagues who have become some of my 'bestest' friends.

However the tradeoff is I'm learning so much more at this job. So for now, work is just that: work. I'll do what I have to do to get things done. Oh! this job isn't for a Pollyanna. I've to morph into Miranda Priestly by day (minus the designer wear). But after 6pm, I'll call Ian, Bex, Emma or Brenda for drinks and then, chameleon-like, return to my self.