Friday, June 30, 2006

Isn't It Ironic

I spy in my eye
A wrinkle
A twinkle
A handsome guy

Tick tock
Start stop
Ready not
Writes a lot

I love you
I love you too
No I don't
I said I won't

Click clack
Door crack
Wrote it down
Left from town

Live it out
Live it over
Pen it in
You can't win

I spy in my eye
Likes to hurt
Sometimes curt
Standing in a pig stye

Monday, June 19, 2006

Portrait of A Lady

In quiet reflection she sat that evening and wondered to herself about the events of the past. Funny how past and present still sit as partners in your soul, each one bringing out the sensibility and emotion of the other.

What interesting thoughts swirl inside her mind on these occassions. Each one like a color, memories and life that make a watercolor painting that is abstract and is seen as different things on different days.

Sometimes in the stillness of the evening, she sits alone, but not lonely. You see, she is looking at her painting, the one the memories made and the present frames so beautifully.Life imitates art she has heard - but to her, life is the art in and of itself.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Oh REALLY Now.....

It is 7 a.m. and I am having my morning coffee and surf....I pinged Pascale (for those of you who don't know her.....scroll down some posts) on Yahoo Messenger to have our morning catch up.

This is the excerpt of our conversation:

Bug: Hello
Bug: I loaded Skype again on my computer
Bug: I am thinking of ditching Yahoo
Pascale: I saw it.
Pascale: Don't disturb me reading your blog
Bug: oh REALLY now -
Bug: well there is a first.

So now it is official. My friends don't want to chat with me because they are busy "reading" about me. I wish I were closer so we could just have a coffee - with the computer turned OFF.

xoxo and love you P!!

M

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Magnets

I was thinking this afternoon about magnets - or magnetic force. Do you remember when you were a kid and you had two magnets and you would hold them against each other to feel the force of them pushing away - only then to make a minor adjustment, flipping one of the magnets, and viola - they snap together in a tight fit?

I wonder about this in relationships - not just dating relationships, but friendships and family dynamics as well. I used to always feel like the magnet that had to flip over - to remove the force dynamic and make things snap. I realized though, that I am tired of flipping over while the other force stays static.

In dating it is the same way. I was speaking my mind to a friend over dinner the other night, stating a basic principle and I was told that pressure does not work, and that instead, investing in my dating "sales pipeline" was the way to go. The conversation was funny and lighthearted, but got me thinking.

Why should one person have to stifle needs, instincts and desire for closeness to flip into another's field. Is that fair - to be unfulfilled, but silently waiting, playing your cards right and hoping for the other party to flip....

Women go through this all the time and I give you examples:

1. Don't be too eager - check
2. Don't call the man - check
3. Pretend you are busy sometimes - check
4. Don't pull the DTR (define the relationship) card too early - check
5. Don't put pressure or state needs, the man will run - check (oh poor baby)
6. Wait until the man says he only wants to see you exclusively - check.

Well that is a lot of check boxes ladies - and although most are easy if you have any self respect, some are being executed at the expense of your expression, your personality, your wings.

So here is my edict. Six months is long enough. I am not flipping any more. Time to make a choice.

Not hatin' just sayin'

xoxo,
Bug

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Reflections of....

Good morning everyone,

I am back home again, feeling great after having slept a full 9 hours in my own bed, with Mag's curled up at my feet and my sheets and my bathroom available for a night trip without running into anything - my mind still remembers the way to the sink in the dark and it is comforting to wake to the sounds of my morning birds!

All I wanted was a Starbucks and and Egg McMuffin for Maggie (yes, I know.....) so we headed out in the car, still half-asleep for our Sunday morning ritual. All was going well until I just nipped that curve oh so slightly - I guess my rhythm was off from not driving for 11 days.....There was a strange sound and I let out a sigh - resigning myself to a lack of coffee and a lesson in trying to figure out the jack on my car......which I was un-successful in attempting.

I was really wanting a man at home at this point - not that I remembered to bring my cell phone along for the "short" trip out I was taking for body fuel.... So I am home again, having driving 1 mile per hour on a flat tire. I still haven't figured out how to change it and as you can tell, I am too tired to deal with it......so I will make a phone call to Roadside Assistance and order myself a man who can get the lug nuts off my wheel and teach me how it is done.

Maggie and I are sitting outside together and I am thinking how much she needs a bath and a haircut as she is beginning to look a bit like George Washington in a powdered wig and smelling a little like a dog, which we both don't care for too much.

My flight yesterday was a long one, just over 9 hours sitting next to a man who drank red wine the entire flight and ended up smelling like a casque. I did my best to ignore him although we were four inches apart. "Don't even think about chatting with me" was my vibe, and for those of you who read me and those of you who know me - know that is a near impossibility for me...as I talk to everyone. But he was not an option.

When I arrived home there was a friendly face to greet me and flowers and a bag of fresh cherries - one of my favorites. I was so happily on my way home after dealing with the location of my bag and the change in temperature outside. I wanted the jeans off and shorts on. I wanted a shower and a big glass of water and my bed. All of which were accomplished in short order.

So more later on the trip and my recollections....right now I have a call to make and a dog to wash.....and I have to go to work today.

xoxo,
Bug

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Home


I am getting ready to come home. I am excited to be back in my house, with my things and my routine. I am looking forward to again writing from this spot, with Maggie at my side.

Travel is great - but coming home is always a treat for the soul....."see" you soon.
xoxo,
Bug

Friday, June 09, 2006

Thinking


I keep thinking about you....I find myself fading out a little bit and spending time in reflection of what you were and how you came to be.

I keep praying for you....Even though you no longer need it from me, I am not sure what else to do to remember you.

I am missing you......Even though we never met, you were a part of me and now that is gone.

I am thinking of you....and feeling the loss.

Monday, June 05, 2006

Barcelona - My Birthday


Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words. We had a wonderful night out for my birthday - celebrating together. They turned out all the lights in the restaurant and brought my cake and everyone sang together. I felt like a princes. It was wonderful!!

Mellissa

For Teri - Rest In Peace


I keep thinking about you....I find myself fading out a little bit and spending time in reflection of what you were and how you came to be.

I keep praying for you....Even though you no longer need it from me, I am not sure what else to do to remember you.

I am missing you......Even though we never met, you were a part of me and now that is gone.

I am thinking of you....
- and feeling the loss.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

For Teri in Texas - In Memorium

Tonight I received an email that has broken my heart and shaken me to the core. I am unsettled, angry and very, very sad. Seven months ago, I met a woman named Teri who had been reading my blog. While it is a long story to tell and it is too painful to write at this moment, I will say that she was lovely. She had escaped an abusive relationship, reunited with her brother, survived a great ordeal and was in the process of re-building her life. I was proud of her, and proud to be her friend. Although we never met, her emails always brought a smile to my face.

About a month ago she wrote me and I returned the email with a great deal of advice tendered with love. I never got a reply and was thinking about this just before my trip away. I was missing her and thought of sending a note her way but decided to hold off as she may have needed some time to digest what we had spoken of.

That email will never be returned - Teri was murdered two weeks ago. This is not supposed to happen - she was trying, she was rebuilding and she was wounded by life - she just wanted to start over and be happy, to have her job and a new love in her life.

Please say a prayer for her family and those she loved. I will never forget her...never. I am re-posting my Blog from February 15th of this year in her honor. Teri, I am sorry this happened to you dearest, sweet woman.


FOR TERI



This is my prayer tonight and what is on my heart. May all those who read these words keep this prayer in motion each day.


Dear God,

Watch over her and bring her peace and healing. Send Angels to walk on either side of her, and Arc Angels to guard her from ahead and behind.

Lift her spirit more each day and bless her efforts of recovery and renewal. Grant wisdom for the future; grace for the past and loving arms to hold her at the end of each day. Fill her soul with the comfort of your voice and place her firmly in the circle of love that you created for each of us.

***********************

We are one my sweet sister, please know that although we have never met, I am walking this journey with you in my heart and on my knees.

May God bless and keep you. May God shine his light upon you and give you peace.

With respect and affection,

Mellissa

Friday, June 02, 2006

Rainy Morning in Zurich

The flight part is over and I was greeted at the Zürich airport by the most beautiful, tall blond Swiss woman holding a balloon that said "Welcome" and had little ladybugs all over it. It was a great start to the trip and brought such a smile to my face to see Pascale again.

We headed out into the rain towards her home and I crashed for a couple of hours before we met up for lunch in a little restaurant across from the lake of Zürich where we munched on a flat bread pizzaish thing (tarte flambée) and salads. It was the beginning of our catch up time, since we have not been together in person since we spent New Year together in Paris in 2003/2004

I have now come to the village of Küsnacht, which is a short distance away from Zürich and houses the offices of my boss. I am kicked back at his computer drinking a coffee and writing to you all before he comes in here and catches me and gives me the boot.....

Pascale is reading over my shoulder and correcting the proper grammar for Swiss words :-0 that is why you see all the funny little characters in the text....those Swissies, always so precise!!!!

I am off now to go look up a tee shirt for Pascale and have another cup of coffee so I can survive dinner and cocktails.

Photo's coming soon....

xoxo,
Bug

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Taking Off

Well, here we are - another travel day has arrived and I am sooo not ready to go. I still have lots of prep to do before my car arrives at 2:00 to take Maggie to the Inn At Barking Hound Village and then me to the airport for my flight to Zürich.

Clothes are still sitting on the bed and I am Blogging - great huh!! Nothing like being prepared. I guess it is because I have been doing so much running around lately that I literally have been unpacking one suitcase in order to pack another.

I have a deadline to get off my hiney by 8:00 a.m. and get it together - so it is a quick "chat" with you all and finishing my coffee and then off to the races.

My mobile phone needed a quick replacement and I upgraded from the Blackberry to the Nokia 9300 with full web browser and international unlimited data so I can keep up with you all from the road and check my emails which I am addicted to I hate to say. I think at times I am a little too connected!!

I am sitting outside with Maggie watching the sun peek out above the tree-line and wash everything in gold - mornings sure are lovely.

Update - 8:36 a.m. Packing done! Now I have to run out and do my last minute errands and get lip plumper for my girlfriend Pascale (((snicker))...the things we do for beauty!!

I will leave you with a saying that is most on my mind right now. It is from Brian Andreas, one of my favorite writers. I have mentioned him in my blog before and have a link to his website on the left.
This is for you...

"I held him close for only a short time, but after he was gone, I'd see his smile on the face of a perfect stranger & I knew he would be there with me all the rest of my days. " - Brian Andreas

So folks - I will write you from Zürich tomorrow with the news. Please say hi as I would love to read little notes from you on the road.

xoxo,
Ladybug

Rosemary & Time....Bliss


Here are a few pics from my weekend at Rosemary. I am now off to unpack one suitcase and prep another - I have two days to get ready to go again....Zürich is rainy and 58 degrees and Barcelona is 80 degrees and sunny plus work stuff - so this is going to be an interesting packing assignment ;-)
I leave Thursday evening for Zurich and will arrive Friday morning - in time for a quick nap and then a train ride to Kuesnacht where I will meet up with some folks for lunch. Saturday is girls day with Pascale and a night out on the town! Sunday is a relaxing day with a trip out to see Pascales' mom and dad and then Monday it is off to Barcelona.

Since work does not start until a cocktail reception on Wednesday night it will just be some prep meetings and fun with the gang. They are all taking me out Monday night for my birthday dinner and since Matt Digweed from Manchester, UK will be there - it is sure to be a rowdy night!! I got my assignment for the conference and I will be moderating the panelists and speakers for Track 5 of our conference - Banking and Information Technology - have to brush up on my timing to keep the schedule clean and the long-winded Bankers on target.

I spoke with my boss yesterday and asked if he could refer me to a position in London with some contacts he has there. I am ready for a change.

Hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day - and that you remember to take a moment to thank those who put their lives on the line for our freedom both past and present.

xoxo,
Mellissa