My first Lindt Advent Calendar

My boss surprised us Monday morning with a cool gift: a bright red Lindt advent calendar for each of us in the department.
It has little windows (or doors) that you open each day until the end of Advent. Inside is a quote (in German) and a chocolatey treat.

I began opening some windows and limited myself to three today (even if I could open 7 - being the 7th day of December) but 7 chocolates would be too much for my waistline.

I looked up the quote by Giacomo Casanova. It translates, "Love is three-quarters curiosity".

Indeed. The other one says, "Lindor heart milk chocolate". I devoured it as an afternoon pick-me-up. Mmmm.

Happy to know that I'll be getting more of these tomorrow!

Good Karma is Great Holiday Investment

budget planner – Mint.com

Wish I Had A Windfall

It amazes me how winners of super lotteries end up in financial ruin after a few years. The odds of winning the jackpot is surely a million to one - why waste the chance of lifetime and lose it all eventually? That being said, I'm getting myself ready for a windfall. I've listed all the things I would do if I win a million dirhams (or dollars/euro/pounds/whatever) so I won't be caught by surprise and buy the whole stock of Tiffany & Co. at the Mall of the Emirates.

my precioussss...

(how delicious it looks and all for $800! mere loose change)

Paloma's Sugar Stacks Ring

from Tiffany&Co

I Think I Will Go To Cyprus

A few weeks after Hanoi, I became restless. Wanderlust has descended upon me again. But please get me out of Asia. I want to go to Europe or Africa. Not USA because I'm still holding a bitter grudge because they didn't give me a visa. Get over yourself Uncle Sam!!! (As you can see, the issue is still sensitive).

I played with random geographical coordinates in random.org and clicked the random button on wikitravel.com and eventually decided on Cyprus. I hope everything goes well, visa-wise. It's going to be difficult if I begin hating another country.

photo credit: hull.ac.uk

If I Got Pregnant on the Day I Last Blogged....

Yes it has been nine months since my last entry.

Not that nothing exciting happened in my life. On the contrary! In the past nine months:

• I managed to hold on to my job
• Got myself my own apartment (a tiny studio, but still!)
• Joined a nearby Christian church, improved my church attendance and recommitted myself to God
• Traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam

However, I am extremely lazy when it comes to blogging, even my physical journal has suffered from word hunger.

So here I am again, attempting to blog more often.

(by the way, no child was formed during this self imposed "sabbatical". I might adopt another cat though)

14th April 2009

Since we are living in the computer age, it's always a welcome treat to receive something in the mail. Steph sent me a thumb thing, a mini book and a pair of blue earrings. It truly made my day.

13th April 2009

Flashback: There were a lot of foggy days last December 2008. My office was so high up that I could see above the fog. It was beautiful and ethereal.