happy holidays indeed

This past week has been one of the most satisfying and rewarding weeks of my professional career. And it couldn't come at a better time for me. After a few months of going through the monotonous routine that afflicts all but the luckiest 9-5'ers, I found myself again reflecting on how my career and life path had not gone according to plan. That plan, essentially, was to get hideously rich and retire to a private island in the Caribbean surrounded by all the trappings of success...yachts, planes, and of course a private harem.

Anyhow, not that I am anywhere near close to achieving that but this week did serve as a validation of the last few years and the skills I have learned. There is other big news happening this week, and I will talk about that in due course.

Happy Holidays and stay tuned for the New Year's edition of the Blog.

The Bat

To see the latest trailer, and it's fairly good, click here.

Status Check!

I just returned from the bar at the Four Seasons, where I inhaled $20 martinis and curried cashews and was reminded of my status on society's ever judgmental totem pole. The city's hoi-poloi sauntered around in their well pressed tuxedos and sparkling evening gowns, laughing the carefree laughs of those for whom money brings problems of a different sort than it does to the average person - not of obtaining it, but spending it. Through the soft haze of grey goose and champagne came the realization that no matter how much money I make, nor how much power I obtain, there will always be a multitude of people richer and more powerful. Suddenly my new "expensive" suit felt sloppy and worn, and the label of my department-store bought cashmere jacket, before one of my prized pieces of clothing, burned a hole of embarrassment in my back. Trophy wives and those in waiting pranced around giddily, bound in expensive furs, and handcuffed by diamond-studded bracelets, like some surreal pantomime.

But as my eyes glazed over the inexplicably overpriced mini foie-gras beef burgers, I felt a fire spark inside, an anger, a determination and drive to do what it takes to stand on the other side of the fence. To never live in the shadow of someone else's success, nor envy it. Just a resolve to take advantage of all the opportunities given to me and succeed beyond any of my wildest dreams. Oh, and to drink all the champagne-tinged martinis I can along the way.

drawing a blank

I really don't know if anyone is still reading this beside me, but to be candid I don't care. Writing this blog is therapeutic, as I guess is writing of any kind.

I laughed so hard today at work I cried. And when I expanded upon the joke it worked even better. Uncontrolled laughter, free-flowing tears. They say that this is the best medicine, and whoever they are, they might have a point. Because afterwards I felt unbelievable...a deep swell of joy growing in my heart, and a certain lightheadedness, as if a massive weight had been lifted off my chest. When you think about it, laughter is a really strange human behaviour. I mean really, when we find something to be hilarious we go into something akin to a seizure, we double over, go red in the face, and emit strange noises. Any alien looking upon this would surely be quite confused.

Have a great weekend...and remember this toast "that we may spend half an hour in heaven before the devil knows we're dead!"

The Batman

This movie is going to be fucking amazing. You heard it here first. In case you're not following; first pic is movie poster, 2nd pic is the Joker (Heath Ledger), 3rd pick is Harvey Dent (aka two-face.) Crazy viral marketing campaign on the Net....for all the geeks out there.

quickie

I have a tendency to become infatuated with certain songs. Whether it's the lyrics or melody or some combination of the two, something clicks and almost immediately I know that this is a song I need to hear again. It doesn't happen often, in fact there are only a handful and I remember all of them. But when it does it blinds me - the song is all I can think about, and it plays continuously in my mind like a soundtrack to the dull minutiae of everyday life. Yesterday I added another one to the very short list: Placebo - Running up that Hill (Deal with God). A cover of the song by Kate Bush, I first heard it on the O.C. (yes that's right, so what?)

It's almost hypnotically slow, quite repetitive and I am not sure what the lyrics mean - but I can't get enough of it. It's similar to Mad World by Gary Jules in terms of mood, which is to say dark and angst-filled. Here's the clip on youtube. But the video's not great, I would suggest not ruining it - download the song first and listen to it and then tell me if you feel the same way. A few other songs that have had the same effect: Rolling Stones - Has Anybody Seen My Baby?; U2 - In Gods Country; A-Ha - The Living Daylights (classic Bond); U2 - A Man and A Woman (surprised?); Audioslave - Shadow of the Sun.