Feeling good again….

Mood swings are an amazing thing….. One minute your feeling all crappy, and the next you’re on top of the world… Looks like my week is ending on a high (ia).

After a busy week of work again, I finished my week off today with an all day conference on Islamic Finance. First good part – the location of the conference was in Knightsbridge. Knightsbridge is London’s version of 5th Avenue.

When I reached there and signed in, I realised that I had registered for the event under my old company name (we got re-branded last Friday), so I scribbled out 2 of the 3 words of my old company name (old company name with 3 words – 2 words and one S = new company name/re-branding). This attracted some attention while I mingled around before the event started, and I handed out a few business cards (marketing isn’t my best skill, but I’m doing my bit!).

The conference itself was very good….. the content was excellent, the format was very interactive, and I asked 3 questions, of which my last question/comment was commended by the panel, and also other guests (woo hoo). As a result more business cards were dished out, and after I ran out, I had to resort to details on paper…. I think I charmed talked my way through to one definite lead, and I hope I get a call next week from them to discuss what our software can do for them

When I got home, I got all super excited because I saw a package waiting for me on the table. I was expecting it to be my new phone*; it wasn’t, but it’s something else I’m excited about. I’m going back to school! Well, not really school, but self study over the next few months. I have done a fair bit of research in Islamic Finance, and its going to spread into Europe and the States big time over the next 2-3 years (because of how it is structured, and strictly regulated). I have always believed in the philosophy – Opportunity doesn’t come finding you – you have to go find opportunities. If there is a sector or field which is essentially a volcano waiting to erupt (in the good way of course), it just makes sense to be part of it!

My day was going good today, and then I stumbled across this clip on the BBC news website. It just made my day! What we really need is a guy who can rock Def Jam, charity white tie dinners….. or the White House; if the answer is Barack Obama – it must have been a damn good question! Have a look!

In the meantime, you guys have an excellent weekend; I shall see you on the other side

Video – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7675927.stm

Text (if the video doesn’t play for you) – http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20081017/tod-jokes-all-around-as-mccain-obama-joi-f62056d.html

* New phone should be with me soooooooooon….

Somebody save me….

So here is the deal…. I am feeling ultra blah at the moment – I feel unbelievably lethargic, and I have no answer as to why I feel like this Part of it has to be work – as in working too hard and too long at the moment, but the other part has to be the fact that nothing seems to be going for me at the moment – no matter how hard I try.

Either ways, I want to burst this bubble, get out and get back to myself…. I was thinking about it today, and realised that I also have not blogged a meaningful post for a week… I checked my reader first time in 3 days yesterday – there were about 400 posts to read…. *cue the music*Somebaaaadyyyyy saaaaaaave meeeeeeeeee (Soundtrack from Smallville) – actually, this IS how I feel!

Ok, I will definitely bounce back this week…. but I have a long and challenging week ahead of me, including an all day conference on friday – seriously, who starts a conference at 8am? plus I have to travel about 70-80 minutes to get there (by train ofcourse) – damn you early starts!

In the meantime…. I shall leave you with the following….. it made me giggle… hope it tickles you too!

Going Under….

In these troubled financial times…. I would like to make you readers smile a little…. I got this from my colleague GC at work…

Following the huge financial problems rocking the very foundations of the U.S. economy and the run on Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley in the UK, and the spectacular failures of Fortis and Hypo in Europe, uncertainty has now hit Japan hard.
In the last 7 days Origami Bank has folded, Sumo Bank has gone belly up and Bonsai Bank announced plans to cut some of its branches.

Yesterday, it was announced that Karaoke Bank is up for sale and will likely go for a song, while today shares in Kamikaze Bank were suspended after they nose-dived.

While Samurai Bank is soldiering on following sharp cutbacks, Ninja Bank is reported to have taken a hit, but they remain in the black.

Furthermore, 500 staff at Karate Bank got the chop and analysts report that there is something fishy going on at Sushi Bank where it is feared that staff may get a raw deal…

Fighting Talk….

So…. as we gear up to the second presidential political debate tonight, one thing is definitely clear – the gloves ARE off! I have never experienced such a bunch of immature politicians in my entire life! The climate is such that Joe Six-Pack (there – I said it!) needs re-assurances on day-to-day matters, but the politicians are busy slinging mud at each other. There is a fair amount of talk about how weak all 4 candidates are, and the behaviour which they are depicting at the moment is strengthening this theory.

The political process in the US of A, especially just before an election, is such that everyone (literally) gets involved. I really wish that the British political system was not so “conservative” and our politicians got out, held public rallies, and whipped up support for their parties.

Unlike the Americans, us British do not have to go out of the way and register our interest to vote in an election. We get pre-paid envelopes coming through our letter box, and just have to sign a document to confirm eligibility to vote and confirm whether the personal details are correct. But even after all that, between 50 and 60% of people do not come out and vote nationally. Princess Pontiful mentions in the her current post about how the younger generation do not come out and vote and make their views heard. However, the turnout in the US still seems to be far greater than in the UK. I think the reason for this has to be the fact that US politicians get out on the road, and cover the miles, hold public rallies, and interact more actively via the media to interest those who are “not bothered”.

All said, I thing the Republicans just made the last 35 days of campaigning a little more interesting! So, before the real punches are thrown tonight (well, ok most of you will read this way after the debate has taken place, but still – work with me a little ), lets warm the atmosphere up with a little game!

There is a sports radio show which airs in the UK on Saturday mornings called Fighting Talk. The final round of the show is to defend the indefensible – pretty self-explanatory I guess – you have to defend what is put in front of you – no questions asked. Got it? OK, so here goes….. (answers posted as comments – no more than 50 words please! )

Sarah Palin is a better candidate than John Mcain for the President of the US of A

(the game is a joke for all you republican, die hard, cowboy hat wearing, hockey moms and soccer dads)

Go on! Post your own defend the indefensibles! Don’t forget to tag me in though!

Lazy Saturday….

I really want to post something interesting…. but I am having one of those days where I can spend the entire day in bed! Saying that I woke up fairly early and started striking off my chores – I am trying to keep “active” because I am looking forward to a bout of studying over the next few months, and I want my brain to get “active” again.

I feel like I am gathering dust up north…. and I don’t know why….. I have been thinking on educating myself in a couple of areas, but am still trying to work out how and what to do….. I have been trying to pick up on trying to learn Spanish for a fair while now…. my intention is always there, just that somehow I never actually get anywhere with it. At work I have been busy in a financial structure area which is kinda big outside of Europe; I am working on possibly studying something in that area too – it may be useful…. *shrugs*

All in all I am feeling very blaaaahhh over the past couple of days…..

How is your weekend going?

flickr meme

I picked this up from Snippets from our life, which is a blog that I follow in my Reader. The rules for this meme are as follows:

1) Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr search.
2) Pick an image only from the 1st page (no cheating by flicking through dozens of pages)
3) Copy and paste the respective URLs for all the images into Mosaic Maker.
4) Last but not least, don’t forget to have FUN!

Here goes……

1. What is your first name?
Cookie

2. What is your favorite food? Right now?
Chicken sandwiches (for some reason….)

3. What high school did you go to?
Indian High School, Dubai

4. What is your favorite color?
Mercury Silver

5. Who is your celebrity crush?
Ummm… ok i’m not into celebs, but because I have to answer the question, I would say – blah …

6. Favorite drink?
Cranberry juice

7. Dream vacation?
Somewhere in New Zealand….

8. Favorite dessert?
An ice cream which I have found only in Baskin and Robbins – its a combination of milk, medium and dark chocolate – its called – Death by Chocolate

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Goodfella – as in a decent person, not a gangster!

10. What do you love most in life?
Love – with/for anything and anyone

11. One Word to describe you.
hmm…. how about…. Reliable….

12. Your Flickr name.
Don’t have one!

And my results are….. (drumroll please….)

(My answers are l-r)

Go on, why don’t you try it too?

You tell ‘em baldee….

Taken from Mordant Orange