Vicky Christina Barcelona

This is an interesting film, and it has me thinking about last night.
The movie is only 20 minutes in, and already i can tell I like the characters. 2 women go away to Barcelona for a summer. They meet a guy (a painter) who takes them on a random trip.

I love it.

Last night I met a couple who was visiting our bar. We were chatting and it came out that he was from Lebanon. Upon which I shouted how much I LOVE Beirut. Apparently, this is the best thing that I could have said, because after some conversation, we agreed to continue our dialogue and pretty much we agreed to converse about me working for their company. Based out of Lebanon, and traveling the region to do different projects, M&E....

Are you kidding me. This is like THE best news that I have heard in a very long time.
I mean, even with my pending career changing interview in exactly 20 days, I am still looking at other options... always looking at other options.

Well, such is the way of the world. The film is 54 minutes in. Penelope Cruz is in it. So that means that this has film has jumped to my top four...because Penelope...is kind of my prototype.

At least the characters that she has played.

Living in Beirut was a dream of mine that developed since the second I got off of the plane there. And the week just kept on getting better, and better, and better. And the culture, and the people that I met, and the life, and the parties, and the beaches...and the spirit of life.

While there I met some amazing artists. Photographers, painters, movie directors, art house curators, writers, actors...wow. So naturally, I was inclined to just pack up and go to art school there.
And then there was this picture that I saw. One of the creative types that I met there had taken a picture that she took of herself at 8:15 am while still lazing around in bed. It was beautiful. And there I went romanticizing about this ideal of waking up to an adventure everyday...starting with that early glimpse of life in her eyes.

Its not so much the job, or the exciting feeling of the place, its the newness. It is the not knowing. it is the feeling that tomorrow is different from today.
The world....

A day off

Ive decided that today is going to be my day off.

Because we were required to take 4 hours of HR training recently, I know it is beneficial for me to use my comp time, come home and relax, as opposed to saying something utterly true, but career changing.

So. Here I am. In my underwear and a T-shirt, lying on my bed an occasionally looking at the definition of my legs. . .
In an hour i will get up and paint. But then ill go back to sleep.

Talk about a bummy day. UGH. I think its REALLY time that I came home.

Family Life...and taxes

Its tax season, almost.

Technically you can turn your tax sheet in, and get your money by V-day (valentines not vagina) in your account. IF YOU ARE WISE.

Over the years, I have done this, did it early and did it often, well...just once.

This year though :( SMH, I cant. I mean, I HOPE I don't owe anything, but man o man o man o man, these mofos are anally raping me.

I don't want to do the numbers, but like...why did they take $33k from me in fed taxes.? Totally unfair. Then another $10k or so in State taxes....(stay with me, that's like $43k) Medicare $3k, Social Security $6k, retirement $11k (even though its mine later)...total deductions...roughly $63 and then with the insurance and life insurance that pushes it to $66k.

$66k...that's $66,000. That is so wrong on so many levels. I could support a FAMILY on the amount of deductions they took from me this year alone :(

But I guess...at the end of the day, at least I have a job snarf snarf.

Now, supposedly having a family reduces how much you have to pay in taxes. So...next logical step would be for me to get married, have kids, and save money...right? Uh, not so fast. That is a fallacy in my thought process, but then again, so is paying $66K in taxes. Ugh...maybe I should have bought a house last year too.

I FAIL.

Money FAIL :(

In office breath

Dear Person who comes to my desk to discuss important business,

Please approach me with Listerine in pocket. Because honestly.... I'm offended.

Have a pleasant afternoon.

Me.

Best Last Line in a Letter

Continuing with my theme so far this year. The last line in a letter I recently received. It is so pointed, ambiguous, definite, AWESOME (in my twisted head)...

"...I remember what was, sometimes wonder what could have been, and am grateful for what is. I'm going to stop wondering about what the future may hold for the two of us."

The last (two) sentences...well, I don't know what to say to that.

It is simple. It is honest. It is unassuming. It is witty.

Whoever wrote me that letter...
Thanks. I'm going to stop wondering too. . .

Worst Hangover Ever...kinda but not really

I am not someone you want to be with POST a night out drinking...at least not these days.

What do I do? I get all mushy gushy. Not like those girls in your college who were crying at the bar. Nope. I come home and cant stop playing Con Te Partiro on repeat, while sending out countless drunken text messages...via gchat (AMAZING in its own respect).



Now that I look back on last night. I am a wuss. lol.
I am now listening to Air and Simple Gifts....

Its a great way to motivate yourself to get out of bed at noon to do something Barack-like. Like getting lunch...or shaving. Or writing a book or even READING a book.

Damn you Italian Embassy. You bring out the worst in me....kinda.

Proximity does not guarantee friendship

Why why why do people in the workplace feel that because we sit desks apart that we are automatically considered facebook friends?

Tonight I was at one of the Embassy parties that occur often enough here and I saw a co-worker who sent me a facebook friend invite a few days ago. I had been thinking about how to approach the situation.
Do I
A: Limited profile them?
B: Keep on denying that I really use facebook anyway and that Ill accept when I log in?
C: Reject them and deny deny deny
D: Accept them, keep things PC for a week while they look through my pictures and notes, and then defriend them for a burger?

Ok, so each one has its merits and downsides. A is great because they can not see shit...but other people in the office have full access and someone will feel slighted.
B. they walk by my desk all the time and it is up.
C. sounding so awesome now.
D. Also very awesome but FB has taken the program down.

Hmm....what would you do?