Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

This morning at work, I had to blow off steam (some peers can privately be nice, charming and witty - but professionally, they behave like complete morin, wanker, c**** - name it!). That is - I had to close my office door and to select The Smith on my iPod. And *huh* again, Morrissey hit the nail on the head.

Travel Preparations

This is a follow up of Business Trip To Holidays.
Eddie has usually enough trouble to get the money, ticket and passport triplet together whenever she's traveling abroad. We all now that we should prefer ourselves more thoroughly. Right now, one cannot travel to Southeast Asia without giving Tsunamis - those series of very long waves generated by any rapid, large-scale disturbance of the sea - some thoughts. At least for a geeky engineer it's comforting that the Mathematics of Tsunamis are being researched.

Business Trip To Holidays

I'm supposed to go on a business trip to Malaysia for three weeks, starting on Monday. I've just realized that there will be 5 public holidays on weekdays in this period. I reckon, getting some work done will not be easy:

• January 25: Thaipusam - Celebrated by Hindus on the tenth month of the Hindus calendar. It is believed on this day the stars, Pusan and Brihaspati are united into one. It is a celebration of the birthday of Lord Subramaniam, also known as Lord Muruga, the youngest son of Lord Shiva. Before this day, Hindus usually prepare themselves by fasting, dieting on certain food and maintaining self-discipline. A huge procession of penitents in an atmosphere electric with drumming and chanting. Skewers fastened metal hooks, spikes on their body including tongues, cheeks and nipples defying all sense of pain. A fire walking ceremony is also demonstrated in some temples.
• February 1: Federal Territory Day
• February 9-10: Chinese New Year - 4702 will be the year of the rooster.
• February 10: Awal Muharram Maal Hijrah - The start of Muslim year or calendar, Muharram, which coincides with Prophet Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina on the first of Muharram in 622AD. Because this day is already a public holiday, it will be forwarded to February 11!
  

Sweeping Changes

I've started 2005 without any new year's resolutions. However, the last three weeks brought some radical changes into my life - besides of a tender, handsome and charming boyfriend and a devoted flatmate:

• My fridge doesn't resemble a desert anymore. There is usually enough food on stock to prepare a decent dinner.
• My kitchen is used for cooking on a regular basis.
• The serviettes are made of cloth.
• A fine selection of wine is at hand (with a high turnover rate, though)
• Bunches of flowers are all over the place.

Mental Wine Note

This is a mental note in order to remember this evening's choice of wine. And I can tell you, it's worth to remember. This red wine is called Bendicò. It's a product of Sicily made of Nero d'Avola, Merlot and Syrah. This wine is the harmonic result of very antic and modern wine making techniques. The fine taste and the bouquet are based on skilfully ageing in barrels. Gatito says that the simplicity of this smooth and well balanced wine makes it the perfect everyday wine with the special touch for spontaneous cooking. This wine turns an ordinary meal into something really special.

Pining For April

Yesterday, I learnt that our department will be split and shifted to different places within the company by April 1st. However, there are at least three events which make me longing for April:

• April 1: Kylie will entertain me in Basel
• April 4: U.K. release of the 3rd Season of Six Feet Under on DVD
• April 5: U.S. release of the 4th Season of Queer as Folk on DVD.

Another One Did It

Nowadays, it seems popular among Swiss students to study some semesters at a university abroad. Somehow, I've been quite stupid, because I haven't done this.

The latest, I've heard about, is Caracol. If you want to keep track of her stay at Hong Kong, you should read her blog.

Percepción - My Life As A Muse

This morning, Gatito wrote me a poem. It's the first time that something like this has happened to me.

Percepción
.. y confuso mi corazón estaba,
perturbado, desesperado.
De repente te miraba,
y sin más, me sentí atrapado,
embelezado por tu mirada,
eh ahí entonces que percibí su llegada,
y sin más le dí a su llegada en mí morada...
Sí, así es ese ruiseñor,
que se llama amor,
sí, así es su llegada.

Hard To Swallow

This morning, Gatito (as I call the most important person in my life) said: "I'm to skinny. I have to try to eat chocolate again." He gave up sweets and chocolate a couple of years ago, because they caused heartburn. I hope he will not suffer to much when he's going to put his intention into action.

No Blogger's Block

There was not much blogging on this blog, recently. I don't have blogger's block. There were just two major things going on in my life, which have kept me from writing:

• I had been living by myself since April 18, 1983. This state ended on December 31, 2004 when a lovely and charming flatmate moved in. This did not lead to as much emotional disturbance as you probably assume, but to a major rearrangement of my apartment and how things are done at my - sorry, our place.
• I've fallen in love (which does not correlation with the first reason).