With less than 60 tempting days to come, I aim:
(a) Not to buy any pair of shoes for myself. My last shoe indulgence for this year should stop with this one. I already know why, but sometimes I can’t help to ask (again) why there’s an imeldific* factor in each woman (remember the book title Why men don’t have a clue and women need more shoes?);
(b) Not to buy another bag for myself until middle of 2009 (my latest purchase was on 31st of October). I’ve accumulated so many bags since I came here (excluding the bags that I left home). I am sending home some together with my other stuff in the last week of this month through air cargo. I don’t want any excess baggage in my December trip;
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After new year’s eve, I was contemplating about this part in one of my favorite books. And whichever time of the year, I love remembering and realizing it:
None of us enjoys going around in circles, always passing through the same territory and coming back to the same problems, same frustrations, same mistakes, and same limitations. Although it may often feel like it, there is never a time when nothing is happening in your life. That’s because whether you realize it or not, you are never standing still. You are either going forward or you’re sliding back.
Take care, everyone.
Emma, our last month’s novel for The Jane Austen Book Club seemed to be less impressive compared to our first read, Persuasion. I must admit that it incidentally was harder for me to dig Emma because I was so bitten by the Cullen virus that time (or until now?!).
I so admire Sinta for being so on time with our reading schedule. If there’s an early bird award, that would surely go to her. 
(I’ve started drafting the mechanics for the December contest. I’ll announce it next month). Like her, there was a time when I was so confused that I didn’t know who Emma would end up with. As to her favorite quote in the book, she wrote:
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As much as I try to be cool and do things graciously, I also have my ‘moments’ when I feel (even if I ignore) that there’s too much in my hands. I’ve re-read one particular chapter in The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari last night. To keep me sane for the moment.
John: Hit me with the quick fixes. I’m excited about what you are telling me. But I’m an impatient guy.
Julian: Ironically, the less you focus on the end result, the quicker it will come.
John: How so?
Julian: (tells a story)
There was a young boy who traveled far from his home to study under a great teacher. When he met the wise old man, his first question was “how long will it take me before I am as wise as you?”
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I miss days like these.
So yes, finally I had a long weekend. Thanks to Eid. Some of my office pals went out of town/country, while I didn’t. I drafted some flexible plans confined within Abu Dhabi and Dubai. What did I do? Let’s check if your guess was right and if my plans turned out as intended. This was the picture of my world lately. Without telling the unnecessary (and necessary) details.
Sunday, September 28
I joined the company-held Iftar (evening meal to break the fast) at Sheraton. As I wrote here, I did an appetizer trip.
Monday, September 29
Early in the morning at the elevator, I bumped to the person who arranged the Iftar. Asked me, “Hi! How’s the food last night?” What to do but be polite, “Great!”, I said. Showbiz.
I sensed majority was in a vacation mode. Expecting for the announcement of Eid. A friend from the Philippines and I were email-chatting. I mentioned about Twilight. After few minutes, she was out of the office (which I didn’t know, I thought something came up that she replied late). She said she needed to leave work for a while to find Twilight copy. Haha. Stephenie Meyer, you should give me a commission for the sales talk. Well, seriously, you should really grab a copy. The next day, she went out again and purchased the remaining three books. I’m such a good influence, no? Now she’s almost finished with Book 3. (Update: She’s now with the last book. And she tells me she wants to meet a vampire. Sounds familiar, eh? Remember my “Wolf with me friends” entry?)
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