Don't count your chips before they've been banked

I've been meaning to write. I did have a lot of things to say. I wanted to tell you about sunday night when I was working till 1 am. I sneaked back home and crawled into bed and my head was buzzing with tips and tricks on how to solve my project plan problems and my eyes were doing that freaky side-to-side thing they do when I'm thinking real hard and in the 3 seconds it took me to fall asleep, one clear thought broke its way through the madness (much like the parting of the waters it was) and I said to myself, "damn it's good to be employed".

I've been doing something I haven't done since the early days at Spin. I've been putting my book away and switching off the light and going to bed. As opposed to falling asleep reading with the lights on. I think I've finally broken the spell. I can now fall asleep at will. And I know the reason why. It's called job satisfaction.

Sure, they're not paying me as much as I'd like them to, but boy oh boy do I like working. I complain about it and I'm struggling with this project plan (which, much like unwilling shark, keeps wriggling about, won't stay still and has a tendency to bite me in the bum when I'm not looking) but I like it. Sure A. Pinto gets on my nerves now and again with his incessant apologizing but I kinda like him too. If you look closely, you'll see he's got very long eyelashes and when he laughs he looks like a little boy. That and given that he's just a kid who wants to study in the US and hang out with his buddies and go bowling is very endearing. (Note: simply must not let A. Pinto get to this blog. Must consider changing name and all references and masking identity. If all else fails, must vehemently deny).

I do still want to start a comic though. Problem is, I have no sketchy skills. Wot I need is a designer to command.

I wanted to tell you about Monday. Surprisingly enough, I was up at the crack of dawn, chomping at the bit, raring to go to work. Poor Pops didn't know wot hit him in the form of an egg on toast and his tea being flung across the room at him and a barked order to hurry up and get dressed 'cuz I couldn't wait to get to work. Another feeling I haven't had since the winter of '01. Today, I thought, today I bring that project plan to its knees.

It didn't happen. Most of Monday was spent in a dismal gloom.

Then came Tuesday. I worked hard all day. I took my lunch (two khubz with cheese and zaatar, two cookies) (I make good zaatar sammiches) outside, sat on the steps and read my book as I ate. Then I spent the rest of the day kicking that project plan until I had it where I wanted it. After which I went swimming. 500m in 30 minutes.

And boy did I swim. I swam like my tail was on fire. I swam faster than I had swum in years. Back in my heyday when I was queen of the blue lanes and no man could match my stroke (except the really really tall ones because they have an unfair natural advantage, which, quite frankly, isn't really cricket, if you know wot I mean). People stopped to stare. My strokes were beautiful. I did the whole back arching thing (you know, when you dive in deep as you push off the edge and then mermaid your way up to the top for air) and everytime I had a smile on my face.

I crawled into bed, a happy tired woman and for once, I didn't need the distraction of a book to help me sleep.

I lazed in bed this morning and after wrestling with the printer and then later with the project plan (which still isn't final) (it's been more than 9 days now) (this IS the largest project of my career) I went out to dinner with Pops and the limousine to Indy where the food was horrible, the decor was hideous, the singer was marginal and the service was excellent. As I was leaving Emirates Towers (I walk through the Hotel because you can always find a cab at the Hotel Tower), the chick in the reception was playing a tune I knew and hummed as I smiled my way into a cab. Funny how the little things make you so glad to be alive.

And I also wanted to tell you about The Dhol Foundation's latest bit I've heard - After the Rain with the WOMAD show. I wanted to tell you about how euphoric their music is. And how badly I want to learn to play the dhol. And I've seen one woman play with with Johnny Kalsi so it's not entirely inconceivable. Although I think Pops would be very surprised if I picked up the dhol. Problem is that where is one to find a kick-ass dhol teacher? I'd give my right eye to know someone like Kalsi (that's not much, seeing as I almost gave away the left one for nothing.

And it's so bad that I'm falling asleep typing this. I've also found that the extent of my multi-tasking is that I can fall asleep while typing. In fact, I just did and accidently deleted the word "nothing".

There were a couple other things I wanted to tell you but I'm too sleepy now. Maybe tomorrow.