Blogging While Intoxicated

It's 930pm back at the hotel, and I've had a few drinks with colleagues - seems like a good time to run through the day.

9am -  I'm on the steering committee on a group that works with AIDS and children.  We have our two-day business meetings here in London.  I'm new to the bunch, and they are well-established as a group of 14 colleagues.  Still, my debut on the steering committee was not so bad.  We're meeting at the offices of a private foundation in County Hall, Westminster, and the board room windows overlook Westminster Bridge, Parliament, and Big Ben.  Speaking of...he chimed twelve times to announce lunch and rang through the open windows that let in that sound, as well as the wind and damp air, and which gave us the varying natural light of the overcast, partially cloudy - no partly sunny - day...which had us alternatively closing and opening the windows and shades to accommodate the ever-shifting London weather.  I was right there in the moment.  And while new, I didn't say anything too off, despite the technical talk and associated jargon about children and AIDS.  I said just enough bright things to earn my keep and not have this be a boondoggle trip, or be a blowhard, like the talk-to-much colleague to my left who drove me batty.

415pm - I  left on the early side for a meeting at a hugely, wealthy private foundation.  I made my way over to Clifford Street, off Regent and Conduit.  What a trip - this little uber-wealthy area -  and further proof that I don' know London at all.  There on the corner, Louis Vuitton and Burberry, as well as Stella McCartney among other haute designers.  It's all kind of ridiculous, but Louis Vuitton windows did have an absolutely stunning display for Dewali - India's Festival of lights.  Simply Gorgeous.

5pm - My meeting went well with the evaluation specialist there.  I spent a lot of time talking about metrics and measurement, and throwing around technical terms, though also quite a skeptic.  It's all a lot of blah-blah-blah...but I also really care about it, so I can bullshit with the best of them.

615pm- I took the Bakerloo line back to Waterloo,and since I chose the wrong "Way Out," I walked all around the bloody station on the streets to get to my destination.  When train tracks are in the way there is not a lot of choice.  Ugh.  I was tired and annoyed that I had -  once again - choosen the wrong direction.  I pride my sense of direction, but I always seem to start off on the wrong track - once oriented, I'm all cool.

7pm- I met 7 colleagues for dinner, where I enjoyed scallops wrapped in pancetta on pumpkin puree and kale.  Scrumptious...with a rocket and parmesan salad with 2 glasses of red.  Simply delish- I am rarely happier than eating good food, accompanied by some wine and good people chit-chatting about nothing in particular.  John (Canada) and I discussed politics, while Dortje (Netherlands) chimed in on some gay harassment in Utrecht, and Linda (South Africa) helped polish off the after-dinner bottle and told about finding finding temporary housing in Geneva.   Stefan (Germany) paid the bill - he's been promoted and has a huge expense account to go with his new stratospheric title.  A nice way to bond with this group - and yes, be more effective and accepted tomorrow.

9pm - Catherine (US) and I enjoyed two more glasses of wine at the hotel bar, and talked about the things that smart, professional women do.. fertility, marriage, dating, birth control, and long-distance relationships.

Sigh...I love my life.  Lucky me.

Blogging while intoxicated

The clucks have all left.  Dinner was delish.  I enjoyed cooking and hosting it, a moment when I'm happiest.   The carrot soup with orange essence and tarragon was quite scrumptious; the rest I would happily twiddle with.

Someone said I set the bar high when I brought out the Veuve Cliquot at dessert.  Not really, it felt good...and this bottle brought to me by Nan and Megan on my 39th b-day was especially good.  "I'll drink this, " I said, "for something to celebrate  in the next year."  [If you remember, dear reader (see year in review 2009), I was still crying a river of tears at that time, including at my b-day party surrounded by good friends, good people, good things, good food, when I briefly broke down for all that I faced and lived on that day.]  And while I have celebrated several good times and events since then, I chose to open the VC now, to celebrate with my good and lasting 12 cluck friends, for no and every reason, in particular:

- To good friends, laughter, cooking,
- To dedicating time to happiness,
- To the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 - where I wonder and marvel at what awaits, at what I do not yet know
-To finding a spiritual home, I didn't even know I was lacking,  at All Souls Church
- To the benefits and after effects of swimming - its peace, sanity and health
- To embracing my lusciousness, at long wonderful last
- To turning 40 in 2010, and while my life is not as glossy as at 30, it has, right now, a remarkable embrace that comes from being happy here and now, and to realizing that even my bittersweet happiness is somehow more fulfilling and meaningful having overcome so many trials, as when it was wide open and limitless
-To sex in all its marvelousness
- To having,  holding, giving, and getting love for however long it lasts