In the bigger scheme of things I know that my sentimental life is probably of little interest to you all. I wanted to give you an update though on how things are progressing with Dave.
He came to visit me this weekend from Denver. I was stoked! Ok, let me tell you what "stoked" means! I initially thought it was a reference to being impaled...well not exactly...it means instead being stoked like a fire, being fired up, being excited. I am not sure I like this new expression I have learnt (it still has a sinister ring to me...), but I thought I'd share.
Dave is a real romantic and after a long time I feel that I am connecting with someone.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
an intimate insight into a better ME and a better DONG
Since I have been back, life has taken a real whirlwind character to it. I have been on the phone quite a few times until 5 in the morning since I am working on a consulting project with the school (I might have mentioned it already!). Why until 5? Because calling Italy and Greece at decent business times, means having to do just that!
I have also felt exhilarated for days now. Meeting Dave has been great and I am lining up a few things to do this weekend which I hope will shed a new light on who we both are and how compatible we are. Some of the stuff we will get to do will surely be a surprise to him and some will be just a great way to enjoy each other's company.
On top of this all, as I was leaving the office tonight, my boss (and one of the Professors at school) asked me whether I wanted to apply for a job. There is a vacancy for a Principal Consultant in his team and he would like me to apply. ?....?....WHAT? I am still quite surprised as it all so sudden. It's of course flattering to be offered - but errhm I had not thought about it and do not know how to respond.
I have also been invited to the Board of Trustees dinner to which only a handful of students every year get invited.
I feel extremely privileged to be granted so much attention in my personal and professional life, and those of you who know me well, know how I have always felt undeserving of any attention in the first place. I am ambitious alright, but when it comes to actually take credit for things, I just find the spotlight sometimes scary...
Ok here is the fun part...I am going to make it this year's resolution to be a BETTER ME! Yes!!! Aaaalriiiight!!! And Dong if you are reading this, we can get you too to the USA - this is my New Year's resolution for you!
TP (which you can read as Thunderpants or TEEPEE!)
I have also felt exhilarated for days now. Meeting Dave has been great and I am lining up a few things to do this weekend which I hope will shed a new light on who we both are and how compatible we are. Some of the stuff we will get to do will surely be a surprise to him and some will be just a great way to enjoy each other's company.
On top of this all, as I was leaving the office tonight, my boss (and one of the Professors at school) asked me whether I wanted to apply for a job. There is a vacancy for a Principal Consultant in his team and he would like me to apply. ?....?....WHAT? I am still quite surprised as it all so sudden. It's of course flattering to be offered - but errhm I had not thought about it and do not know how to respond.
I have also been invited to the Board of Trustees dinner to which only a handful of students every year get invited.
I feel extremely privileged to be granted so much attention in my personal and professional life, and those of you who know me well, know how I have always felt undeserving of any attention in the first place. I am ambitious alright, but when it comes to actually take credit for things, I just find the spotlight sometimes scary...
Ok here is the fun part...I am going to make it this year's resolution to be a BETTER ME! Yes!!! Aaaalriiiight!!! And Dong if you are reading this, we can get you too to the USA - this is my New Year's resolution for you!
TP (which you can read as Thunderpants or TEEPEE!)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Separation of Church and State - where to shop for pigs' trotters...
Remember when I had my leaving bash in London? I am sure you do since I subjected you all to THAT crazy crazy drawing competition! Anyway some of you at the time told me how worried you were that Americans were just too religious and too righteous to be objective about the world and themselves.
I have to confess that at the time I was quite worried of that too, but just as Americans think of us Europeans as quaint and somewhat dirty ( Trish from my encounter on the plane told me so!), so we Europeans have some preconceptions about Americans too.
One of those is the separation between state and church. We Europeans think that Christian integralists are taking over America. Well the truth in my opinion is that it is not so.
Remember when I was at McDonald’s and the two spot squeezing girls came in? I was reading USA Today and besides the spot squeezing hubbub, one thing that caught my attention on the day was an article I was reading.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/10/so-what-does-th.html
Belatedly I would like to draw your attention to it since I sheds a very interesting light on Church and State in the US. It argues the case that the two were meant by the foundings fathers to be clearly separate and more importantly - in the eyes of the writer - that they should stay separate. What I find particularly interesting is that to say so is Oliver Thomas, a renowned Baptist minister (Baptism by the way is not exactly the most liberal religious movement in the world).
On a slightly different note, near my house there are two supermarkets – one is called Albertsons and the other one is called Sprouts. They are like day and night. Below is what Albertsons sells....yum! Sprouts, on the other hand, is a very organic store and when I went in I saw signs for a debate lined up for this weekend on gluten…one of the topics of discussion was: “ Can gluten transfer during sex?”…
A presto
Thunderpants
I have to confess that at the time I was quite worried of that too, but just as Americans think of us Europeans as quaint and somewhat dirty ( Trish from my encounter on the plane told me so!), so we Europeans have some preconceptions about Americans too.
One of those is the separation between state and church. We Europeans think that Christian integralists are taking over America. Well the truth in my opinion is that it is not so.
Remember when I was at McDonald’s and the two spot squeezing girls came in? I was reading USA Today and besides the spot squeezing hubbub, one thing that caught my attention on the day was an article I was reading.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/10/so-what-does-th.html
Belatedly I would like to draw your attention to it since I sheds a very interesting light on Church and State in the US. It argues the case that the two were meant by the foundings fathers to be clearly separate and more importantly - in the eyes of the writer - that they should stay separate. What I find particularly interesting is that to say so is Oliver Thomas, a renowned Baptist minister (Baptism by the way is not exactly the most liberal religious movement in the world).
On a slightly different note, near my house there are two supermarkets – one is called Albertsons and the other one is called Sprouts. They are like day and night. Below is what Albertsons sells....yum! Sprouts, on the other hand, is a very organic store and when I went in I saw signs for a debate lined up for this weekend on gluten…one of the topics of discussion was: “ Can gluten transfer during sex?”…
A presto
Thunderpants
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
A Bronco is not just for Christmas...
I went to Denver a couple of days ago and I think it's about time that I tell you more about Dave. Dave is a great guy who I am getting to know and with whom I spent a great weekend. I think we have hit the right note and I look forward to spending more time with him - apart from the fact that he supports the Denver Broncos(??!!!???!!), there seems to be little wrong with him...He is coming to visit me in Phoenix the weekend after next. I will tell you more about him then - well that is if he stops reading my blog...otherwise zilch! Dave has a tremendous sense of humor and makes me laugh a lot, but I sure hope that the take on the Bronco and Christmas is completely lost on him. I am keeping it quite cryptic for any eventuality.
I am in Dallas right now taking care of my apartment here and renewing the lease/meeting the mortage broker/being hosted by my estate agent. Yes that's right. Mark is such a kind man that has offered me to use his office to do my stuff whilst here. He has been such a great support over the past few months that I have nothing but praise for him. So if you ever decide you want to buy a place in Dallas ('cause of course you are all desperate to do so!), then I will gladly introduce you to Mark.
I have been travelling quite a bit as you all know and since this will be my 10th flight in six days, I am really looking forward to going back to Phoenix and not travelling for a few weeks...
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A blog with the door locked...
I don't normally write my blogs this early in the morning/late at night, but since I am jetlagged and I have just finished a call with a financial analyst in Basel, I thought I'd see if this puts me to sleep somehow and maybe entertain you in the process.
I have never really acknowledged the fact that I now have an audience well beyond my circle of friends and that includes visitors from East Asia (even someone from Laos would you believe?!). I would especially like to acknowledge Dong Woo (I hope I got it right Dong!). Dong has written to me to say thanks for the blog and how it has made him think about writing one himself and maybe move to America. Well Dong! As I mentioned in my email to you, JUST GO FOR IT, MATEY! And I think you should for two reasons:
1. A blog is a good way to remind yourself of stuff you have done, people you have met and places you have been to...
2. A move to America would only help mess this country up even more than I can do on my very own...so come and help out.
I am now back in AZ (AZEEE! not AZED as I am constantly reminded!). The weather's nice, the people friendly as ever - even the lady from the shuttle service who claims to have taken me home plenty of times though this was my first time on a shuttle - since I had no ride back home (thanks Kelly!) and potentially no keys to my apartment.
A worthy note is my encounter this eve on my plane from Houston to Phx with Trish. Trish is a 43 yo lady with no job and a house to sell in Phx (ouch Trish! Nothin's shifting around here!). Well Trish took on her to make me feel reassured about my stay in Phoenix - this was after I told her about the drive by shooting just around the corner from my house which my sister lives to tell ..well I will tell you more about that in the next blog. She is fine anyway.
Back to Trish...Trish has lived in Arizona since the age of 4 (she was born in Minnesota). Well, Trish has ONLY been witness to a killing rampage one of her disgruntled neighbour went on last year (killing 4 people), has ONLY been robbed of her possessions twice and once at gun point by a guy who broke into her house, has ALWAYS owned a gun and would kill ANY bastard who'd try any dirty trick on her.
Suffice to say that Trish offered me a lift back home and/or a sleep on her couch...uh??? After what she told me I was prepared to sit all night in front of my apartment rather than be anywhere near Trish's fully alarmed, camera covered, machine gun protected abode.
Ok, I think I should make an effort and go to bed...though not before I have triple checked that my front door is locked.
I have never really acknowledged the fact that I now have an audience well beyond my circle of friends and that includes visitors from East Asia (even someone from Laos would you believe?!). I would especially like to acknowledge Dong Woo (I hope I got it right Dong!). Dong has written to me to say thanks for the blog and how it has made him think about writing one himself and maybe move to America. Well Dong! As I mentioned in my email to you, JUST GO FOR IT, MATEY! And I think you should for two reasons:
1. A blog is a good way to remind yourself of stuff you have done, people you have met and places you have been to...
2. A move to America would only help mess this country up even more than I can do on my very own...so come and help out.
I am now back in AZ (AZEEE! not AZED as I am constantly reminded!). The weather's nice, the people friendly as ever - even the lady from the shuttle service who claims to have taken me home plenty of times though this was my first time on a shuttle - since I had no ride back home (thanks Kelly!) and potentially no keys to my apartment.
A worthy note is my encounter this eve on my plane from Houston to Phx with Trish. Trish is a 43 yo lady with no job and a house to sell in Phx (ouch Trish! Nothin's shifting around here!). Well Trish took on her to make me feel reassured about my stay in Phoenix - this was after I told her about the drive by shooting just around the corner from my house which my sister lives to tell ..well I will tell you more about that in the next blog. She is fine anyway.
Back to Trish...Trish has lived in Arizona since the age of 4 (she was born in Minnesota). Well, Trish has ONLY been witness to a killing rampage one of her disgruntled neighbour went on last year (killing 4 people), has ONLY been robbed of her possessions twice and once at gun point by a guy who broke into her house, has ALWAYS owned a gun and would kill ANY bastard who'd try any dirty trick on her.
Suffice to say that Trish offered me a lift back home and/or a sleep on her couch...uh??? After what she told me I was prepared to sit all night in front of my apartment rather than be anywhere near Trish's fully alarmed, camera covered, machine gun protected abode.
Ok, I think I should make an effort and go to bed...though not before I have triple checked that my front door is locked.
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