October 12, 2007

[geisha slave] Wow, I have a Halloween party to go to every Saturday of this month (FOUR!). Amazing. From not being a big fan of Halloween to full-on dress-up mode all month this year is quite a leap, I tell ya.

Tomorrow's party's theme (at the Ritz!) is an Angels and Devils theme -- guess which one I'm going as? ... ... ... Angel, of course! Der :-p

Shut. I don't even want to hear it. I even have my halo.

Last week's was the notorious Miss Adams Morgan Pageant (MAMP) 2007 at the Washington Hilton ballroom. Oh before we get to that, we had a BBQ on Sunday at our house in honor of, well, Christopher Columbus but mostly it was the exceedingly lovely weather outside. It was the neverending BBQ. The drinking went on for TWELVE hours. 16 people went through 22 (wine) bottles of sangria, half my Cognac collection and all my (cheap) champagne. Fetch. A big thanks to Tony who cooked some amazing wibs and wings (and sausages, yum!), and to everyone who attended -- Rick+twink, M2+twink, Chris/Dave+twink, Rob/Carlos, Dan, Tony/Mike, Carlos+twink. Yes, the twinks have name. No, I don't name people younger than me on here.

Anyho, back to MAMP. You have to know someone in the pageant or know someone who knows someone in order to buy tickets to this event. Otherwise, it's sold out and you can't get in. What's with all the fuss and secrecy about this big shindig? Honestly, only one word describes this once a year gay social event: pan-de-mo-nium. Imagine more than 2,000 invitation-only-to-this-private-party gays in one ballroom. Put them in drag or in costume and pile them with tons of alcohol. The result? A party to end all parties.

In celebration of her 20th anniversary, this year's theme was TV Land i.e. any TV character. There were lots of fun outfits (as you can see from the pics below), but the memorable ones were Wonder Woman, Flintstones, Ab Fab, etc. There were a whole bunch of others that I either didn't get or were not TV-related. Oh wait, let's not forget Batman and Robin. Their outfit was spot-on complete with amazing muscles and all. I almost thought their muscles were maybe fake until I saw them up close. Not only were their muscles real, they weren't wearing anything at all. The costume was painted onto their bodies! Holy kwap. Un-effing-believable.

When the dilemma arose this year (again!) that the HRC dinner was gonna clash with the MAMP, I was like "WTF??". At least last year I wasn't in town to choose. This year was a difficult choice.

Pfffttt. I wanted to go to the uproarious MAMP way more than I wanted to go see Ms Pelosi at the Washington Convention Center. I mean, hello... drag queens vs fundraiser. No competition.

Yes, of course you all want to know what I went as. I couldn't come up with a clever enough TV character so I went as my usual fallback position instead -- a geisha! This year's twist -- cleverly concocted by Tony -- was that I was leashed to Tony, who was dressed up as a GI, with a collar around my neck. The leash said "One of us begs for it" *giggle*

Yes, I was the geisha slave to the imperialistic white man. Go figure.

I must say that it was quite a funny couple costume since lots of people laughed and commented on our outfits. I, of course, charged them for photographs :-D Der, I'm Asian. I make money wherever I can.

The leash was quite fun and annoying at the same time. Peeing was definitely a chore coz you had to find adjacent urinals (giggle). Tony and Rick both kept me on a short leash all night and I felt like I was being dragged around the room like a little shih tzu.

Oh... pics. I'm trying out a new format here so bear with me. This new software doesn't allow me to add my own (not-so-)witty comments, bummer.

As you can see, it was quite a warm night so it was perfect. I didn't wear a shirt underneath the kimono so I was stuck with the "dress" all night. Plus, I wore these platforms -- that I found on the roadside, LOL -- that *killed* my feet. I learnt my lesson from last year and wore platforms instead of high-heel boots (whatEver was I thinking??), but even though my heels and arches weren't giving me issues, my toes felt like they were being bound. It was awful. Women's shoes are dreadfully uncomfortable and I have no idea how you bitches do it! Ridick!

The platforms made this perfect clog sound when I walked and it was made even more perfect by the split-toe socks that we took home from one of the ryokans in Japan. The dress up effort was minimal on my part which was quite a relief! Tony's outfit was just a one-piece jumpsuit kinda thing we ordered from the internet. Everything fit together great!

Jason, Chad, Tyler and Michael appeared as the Bundys (Married With children) and we were at their table (68!). Totally fierce. We were there for Mimi First who had already won before and hence was no longer competing. Aaron and Brett plus a few of their friends showed up as the Addams Family which was totally fierce! The group of "girls" that I remembered the most was the Mean Girls who showed up in their naughty Santa outfits doing the Jingle Bell Rock routine from the movie. They were super fetch!! Love those bitches.

What about the contestants, you say? We barely even watched the show after the first hour. Sure, they were fabulously and fiercely dressed. Sure their performances were raucous and hilarious. But really, you go to MAMP to check out the crowd. And the boys in attendance were ten times all that and more.

We met tons of peeps there and lots of our friends who we didn't even know were going to the pageant. Let's just say that the MAMP brings out all the boys to her yard. And lemme tell ya, some of these boys oughta go out some more coz they are *smokin'* hot! Some of them look even more delicious dressed up as hot chicks! I was like, I don't see these hot boys out at the bars/clubs. Where are these boys the rest of the year?? Do they all just come out for this one event every year? Are they in hiding the rest of the time? Or do they bus/Metro these boys in from Cute-topia or some place like that? Is there a cute boy factory in the suburbs that we don't know about??

So many questions... Including: Who won?

Let's just say I was too drunk by the end of the evening to find out. Or care. But I do remember having fun! And squeezing my kimono-clad drunk self into Duplex for the after party which was so packed I had multiple alcohol spills down my cotton kimono.

Yay! Hot mess! What a party! A spanking good time! I'm definitely going again next year.

Me love drag queens and parties long, Long time!

P/S: Seriously though, does anyone know who won?? @ 18:12

[superphone] OMB. I have just spent the most I have ever spent for a mobile phone in my entire life.

Sony Ericsson released the long-awaited and much anticipated K850i (with a 5MP camera!) in Europe and Asia a week ago and one of them beauties is now on its way to my doorstep via an importer in San Diego *squeal*

I am so excited I can't breathe.

I also can't breathe coz it's breathtakingly expensive. Let's just say it costs more than the iPhone. The 8MB one. And we're talking the old price here.

Is the higher cost justifiable? Let's see... K850i - 5MP and 3G. iPhone - 2MP and no 3G.

Suck it, iPhone! :-D

P/S: I am comatose this afternoon at work after my co-workers dragged me out to Lucky Three in VA for all-you-can-eat dim sum. Yes, dim sum. On a weekday. And all you can eat! What a novelty. This lil' Asian piggy pigged out. Natch. Oink :@) @ 14:19

October 11, 2007

[18 hours] Exactly a month from today, we will be arriving in Sydney for our two week cruise to New Zealand on the Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas. It will be our first time in New Zealand, yay!

We will visit Milford Sound first before docking at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga and Auckland before returning to Sydney. The Tasman Sea crossing from Sydney to NZ alone will take 2 days each way. Fun!

Even more fun is the fact that we will be travelling with *BOTH* sets of parents (don't ask). Yup, you can pick your jaw up from the ground now. Even better is the fact that our cabins are right next to each other. If we didn't love each other before, well... we'll certainly find that out on this cruise, LOL!

Anyho, I just realized that when we arrive in New Zealand, the time difference between DC and New Zealand will be 18 hours! DC falls back from GMT-4 to GMT-5 on Nov 4th (one week later than usual this year). New Zealand started their DST (it's approaching summer in the Southern Hemisphere) last month and sprung forward from GMT+12 to GMT+13 on Sep 30th.

That means that when we're having lunch (1pm), they're having breakfast (7am)... the next day!

I can safely say I have never set foot on a timezone that's so far ahead of everywhere else in my life. I think the most ahead of GMT I've been is Japan/Korea (GMT+9) and Sydney (GMT+10).

Eighteen-hour time difference! Holy kwap. @ 15:30

October 10, 2007

[geeks "r" us] The 2006 survey by the Census Bureau collected data on the largest metropolitan area's "Technology Quotient" based on the number of self-reported computer professionals aka "techies".

The results? Silicon Valley is #1 - no surprise there.

#2? It's the DC metro area! Shocking huh?

According to the survey, 6% of the DC metro area workforce is made up of "computer specialists" compared with 8.3% in Silicon Valley. The third-highest concentration of IT workers is Raleigh/Cary NC (5.3%) followed by Boulder CO (5.2%), Huntsville AL (5.2%), Bloomington/Normal IL, Trenton-Ewing NJ, Austin-Round Rock TX, Manchester-Nashua NH and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.

In sheer numbers though, the NY metropolitan area -- with 221,020 IT workers -- dwarfs both Silicon Valley and DC but they make up only 2.5% of the area's total workforce. The DC area -- which for Census purposes is the 8th largest metropolitan area -- comes in second with 170,429 and Chicago is third with 116,374 IT workers (2.6%). LA, DFW, San Fran, Boston, Atlanta, Philly and Seattle round up the Top 10. Silicon Valley is at #11 in terms of numbers with 71,426 IT workers.

It just reaffirms the notion that DC is packed with white-collar workers. I mean, like, when you go to the bars, everyone has a degree and an office job. There's no middle class. Also, disproportionate number of computer jobs equal lots of big salaries i.e. DC is a pretty high income area compared to most other metropolitan areas which supports the ridiculously high housing prices in the city and the suburbs.

Another interesting statistic: DC is also home to the highest proportion of female IT workers at almost a third of the total IT workforce (32.3%). Interestingly enough, Silicon Valley ranks near the bottom at 22.3%; just above Seattle (20.8%).

Hmm, I just realized I'm one of 170,429... which doesn't sound very special does it? Hrmph. Yes, I want to be special... though, not short bus special :-D @ 17:19

[angkasawan] Check this out: the first Malaysian in space!

At exactly 9:23am EDT, the Soyuz FG rocket -- carrying Malaysian cosmonaut (angkasawan) Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor -- blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to rendezvous with astronaut Peggy Whitson on the International Space Station (ISS), 207mi above the Earth. He will spend 2 days in orbit and 9 days on the ISS before returning on the 21st.

Dude's gonna be celebrating the last 3 days of Ramadan (Eid is on the 13th), but he has been excused from fasting while in orbit and also given directions on which way to face during prayers. Um, I'm assuming that all he has to do is face Earth since that's where Mecca is? Der.

The launch of the first Malaysian cosmonaut into space coincides with Malaysia's 50th birthday year and also Russia's 50th anniversary of space exploration. The first ever satellite, Sputnik, was launched from the very same Baikonur Cosmodrome on October 4th, 1957.

I was kinda sorta proud of the fact that we sent a person into space! But, well, not really. Read that lil' tidbit on how Malaysia paid $25mn to Russia to fly him into space AFTER the $900mn "bribe", ahem I mean, deal to buy 18 Russian fighter jets.

Go figure. It takes bribes and financial incentives for a Muslim Malaysian to get ahead. What's new.

OMB, I'm gonna be barred from returning to Malaysia :-o

LOL!

P/S: Angkasawan is the Malay word for astronaut/cosmonaut. @ 14:29

[short sleeves] Man, was it a beautiful Columbus Day weekend or what??

After a sensational start to October with temps in the low 80s right up until Saturday's 20th anniversary of the Miss Adams Morgan pageant (more on that later), the mercury zoomed past 90 -- and even up to 94 (34°C) yesterday! -- for the past three record-breaking days -- 92° on Sunday for the BBQ at our place, 91° on Monday (new record) and 94° yesterday (also a new record). Absolutely amazing. Trust me when I say we savored every moment of it; including a 12-hour long outdoor BBQ on our front porch (more on that later).

I know, I know... 90+, especially in October, is scorching. But y'know what? I will take 90s over 40s any day of the week. A cold front is sweeping in tonight bringing in highs of 60s and lows of 40s (!!) into the weekend.

Decidedly not fetch.

Anyways, it was a brilliant 70s when I walked to work this morning (yes, I walked :-p) and I wore short-sleeves just coz I know it will be one of the last times I will be able to do so this year.

Autumn is coming and before you know it, Winter! Waaa... @ 11:58

October 4, 2007

[high crimes] The New York Times today disclosed the existence of legal opinions issued by the Justice Department in 2005 - literally as soon as Gonzales walked in - that (a) provided legal justification and an expansive endorsement for the use of a battery of aggressive and harsh interrogation tactics; and (b) pronounced that those techniques did not amount to "cruel, inhuman, or degrading" practices under international agreements.

In effect, the United States Department of Justice sanctioned torture.

What are these so-called *not* cruel, inhuman or degrading practices? Head-slapping, simulated drowning and frigid temperatures.

Shocked? Do we care? Honestly. What is there left to say about this?

"Despite the fact that Congress repeatedly passed legislation stating that it was illegal for U.S. personnel to engage in torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, the Justice Department repeatedly redefined the terms of these prohibitions so that the CIA could keep doing exactly what the Justice Department had authorized to do before. Gonzales treated all of these laws as if they made no difference at all, as if they were just pieces of paper. An essential component of the rule of law is transparency. The laws must be knowable, not only so that people can structure their behavior with fair warning, but also to prevent government officials from engaging in abuses of power. The Bush Administration has used the shibboleths of terrorism and national security to violate this basic principle."

"The Administration said, 'Trust us.' And then this is what they did in secret." - Yale law professor Jack Balkin

"I am increasingly confident that when the history of the Bush Administration is written, this systematic violation of statutory and treaty-based law concerning fundamental war crimes and other horrific offenses will be seen as the blackest mark in our nation's recent history -- not only because of what was done, but because the programs were routinely sanctioned, on an ongoing basis, by numerous esteemed professionals -- lawyers, doctors, psychologists and government officers -- without whose approval such a systematized torture regime could not be sustained." - GU law professor Marty Lederman

"I am still stunned that we are talking about the United States of America issuing dry legal opinions about how much torture you are allowed to inflict on prisoners. Stories like this one are the very definition of the banality of evil --- a bunch of ideologues and bureaucrats blithely committing morally reprehensible acts apparently without conscience or regret." - Blogger Digby

"The techniques in question are repugnant. But in many ways, the administration's disregard for the law is worse. When your policies violate treaties you have signed and laws that are on the books, you are not supposed to come up with some clever way of explaining that appearances to the contrary, what you're doing is not illegal at all. You're supposed to stop doing it. When Congress decides to pass a law banning 'cruel, inhuman and degrading' treatment, you are supposed to stop engaging in such treatment, not to redefine 'cruel, inhuman and degrading' so that it doesn't apply to anything you want to do." - Blogger Hilzoy

"Congress could aggressively investigate. Criminal prosecutions could be commenced. Our opinion-making elite could sound the alarm. New laws could be passed, reversing the prior endorsements and imposing new restrictions, along with the will to enforce those laws. We still have the ability to vindicate the rule of law and enforce our basic constitutional framework. But does anyone actually believe any of that will be the result of these new revelations? We always possess the choice -- still -- to take a stand for the rule of law and our basic national values, but with every new day that we choose not to, those Bush policies become increasingly normalized, increasingly the symbol not only of 'Bushism' but of America." - Glenn Greenwald for Salon

Pressuring our own Justice Department to sanction torture. And then actually ordering it to be done. Without conscience. Without regret.

What else, pray tell, qualifies for "high crimes and misdemeanor"?

Presidents have resigned and/or been impeached for far less.

Fuck the Republicunts. They're all evil And evil shall rot in hell for their contempt for other human beings. @ 15:45

October 3, 2007

[guns over butter] Bush v Congress in a historic clash over priorities. Iraq? Or Kids? Guns? Or Butter?

The anger overflows...

"Never has it been clearer how detached President Bush is from the priorities of the American people. With today’s veto, President Bush has turned his back on America’s children and he stands alone. Congress will fight hard to override President Bush’s heartless veto." - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

"Today we learned that the same president who is willing to throw away a half trillion dollars in Iraq is unwilling to spend a small fraction of that amount to bring health care to American children. I think that this is probably the most in inexplicable veto in the history of the country. It is incomprehensible. It is intolerable. It's unacceptable." - Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA)

"Today with a single stroke of his veto pen, President Bush single-handedly jeopardized health care for millions of poor children." - Senator John Kerry (D-MA)

"Today the president showed the nation his true priorities: $700 billion for a war in Iraq, but no health care for low-income kids. The President and 15 Republicans stand in the way of 10 million children receiving the health care that we receive here as members of Congress. There have been three vetoes in President Bush's term--one to end the war, one to permit stem cell research, and now one to allow 10 million children to get their health care. That says it all about President Bush." - Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-IL)

"Once again, President Bush has missed an opportunity to display compassionate leadership. Instead, he has resorted to political and ideological gamesmanship rather than seek a bipartisan solution that would protect this nation’s most vulnerable children." - Governor Jon Corzine (D-NJ)

"We have no choice but to try to override his veto. The Senate already has the votes to do it, so it is now up to the holdouts in the House to decide whether to vote their conscience or join the president in putting ideology above kids." - Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)

I cannot wait for the veto override vote, which will not only seal this despicable President's lame-duck status, it will consign him to the annals of irrelevance and failure if the override succeeds.

And then I want every single election in this country in November '08 to be about how all these Republicunts are for financing the unpopular war in Iraq but against health insurance for children. "$190bn for Iraq? Yes. $7bn for Children? No." I want to see those ads played on repeat. Over. And over. And over.

Bush - Iraq over Kids, Guns over Butter.

Override his veto now. @ 18:43

[roses are red...] One of my male co-workers just bought some flowers for some peeps in the office coz, I quote, "y'all are having a bad day so I thought I'd buy some flowers for the girls in the office to cheer 'em up".

Aww, isn't that the sweetest thing?

And then I walked into my office and found three roses from him, LOL! I love it!

P/S: Should I tell him that I don't like getting flowers?
PP/S: Hmm, when did I become one of "the girls in the office"?? @ 13:49

[out of touch?] Or just plain stupid.

This just pisses me off and puts me in a mood that matches the gloomy weather outside (btw, the sun is shining now!).

Of course the President vetoed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) today. The legislation he vetoed would've doubled - from 4mn to 8mn - the number of children covered by insurance and the cost would've increased from $5bn/yr to $12bn/yr for the next five years at a total cost of $35bn.

So let me get this straight. This asswipe of our President has the audacity to ask the nation to sink $520mn/day into the war-of-Bush's-choice called Iraq, but he thinks $19.2mn more per day to insure the children of our nation is fiscally reckless?

WTF?

By a 3 to 1 margin, the overwhelming majority of Americans support the expansion of SCHIP. What's not to support? These are our children's healths we are talking about. But nope, Bush doesn't get it.

Mr President, six MILLION children under 18 have no health insurance. Have you got no sense of decency, humanity and compassion?

The Democrats oughta try and override his veto, failing which they should bring it up over and over until they can shame enough Republicunts into overriding his fucked up veto. There is nothing more embarrassing and hard to justify than being for $520mn worth of bombs but against $20mn worth of child healthcare. Shame them all in Congress and wipe them out in 2008.

This is the fourth veto of Mr Bush's miserably failed Presidency. His other three? Two on stem-cell research legislation and one on a timetable for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. Yup, all of which received overwhelming support from the American public.

Again, I ask... Is he just out of touch? I'm thinking he's just plain stupid. Another shameful day to be a Republicunt, and an all-around sad day for the children of America.

How many more sad days can we tolerate? Um, let's see... only 475 more!!

The end of his miserably failed Presidency is nigh. @ 11:15

October 2, 2007

[supreme farce] Eugene Robinson is one of WaPo's better Op-Ed Columnists, IMHO.

He also happens to be black.

Reading his "Witness for the Persecution" column today made me gasp... and admire him a whole lot more:

"I believe in affirmative action, but I have to acknowledge there are arguments against it. One of the more cogent is the presence of Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court."

I think my jaw about slammed on the ground when I read that. For one black man to say *that* about another black man is shocking to say the least.

I have never held Justice Clarence Thomas in high regard from the beginning, even as I saluted the fact that he is the second African American to serve on the nation's highest court after civil rights legend Justice Thurgood Marshall. Justice Thomas' radically conservative leanings and rulings in the Supreme Court usually make me want to throw up all over him and Scalia.

After reading more about his autobiography and learning about his 60 Minutes performance this past Sunday night, I now think he is an incompetent, self-loathing black man who can't think for himself and yet thinks the whole world is against him (which is worse than thinking the whole world owes him a living).

I, for one, am against affirmative action as well. It's racist, plain and simple. Justice Thomas opposes it as well. But he clearly benefited from them, from his degree at Yale to his ascension to the Supreme Court.

Mr Robinson got it right: Clarence Thomas' presence on the Supreme Court is an argument against affirmative action.

And he should be impeached. @ 14:45

[money, money, money] Wow. Check out the money race between Hillary and Barack: (in millions)

2007	Q1	Q2	Q3
Hillary Clinton (NY)	$36.1	$27.0	$27.0
Barack Obama (IL)	$25.8	$33.1	$20.0

$90mn vs $80mn. Incredible. These numbers include money for both the primary and general elections. If you only took into account the primary money, Barack is still ahead by about $2+mn, I think.

Four years ago, Bush and Kerry raised about $700mn during the primaries. Together with the government funding for the general election, the eventual cost of the Presidential race was $880.5mn.

This year, the candidates have raised more ($277mn) in the first six months for the primaries; more than all candidates raised through the whole year of the previous off-year cycle in 2003 ($272mn; half by Dubya). Similar Q1 and Q2 totals in 2003 and 1999 were $97mn, and $59.8mn in 1995.

The good news? For the first six months of 2007, Democratic candidates have received $162mn vs $115mn for the Republican candidates. The numbers were about even four years ago. If you take into account preliminary numbers for Q3, the gap has widened and the Republicans are now more than $90mn behind. Fetch!

We are 13 months away from the 2008 Presidential election and fundraising records are not just being shattered, they are being blown away left, right and center. Who said money couldn't buy your way into the White House? @ 10:54

October 1, 2007

[i'm bahhh-ack!] Though the firewall upgrade was finished two weekends ago, last week was a complete disaster in terms of "the aftermath". I worked close to 65 hours all last week troubleshooting problem after problem after problem, including a 10pm Friday and a few hours on Sunday. Crimes against humanity, I tell ya. Almost on par with Myanmar.

Well not quite since I *do* get paid for all those hours *grin*

But everything was sorted out just in time for today which marks the beginning of our biannual "change freeze" leading up to the all important meetings that will be held in 3 weeks' time. Which is also why I've got a whole lot more time today to write than I've had in months since the firewall upgrade projects began.

Yes, I'm blaming my AWOL status from writing/partying on the firewall upgrades. So if I *did* see you during that time, count your blessings that I made time for you. If I didn't, well, call me! I have all month to party :-D @ 17:33

[i still love...] ...Desperate Housewives. Of course, there is the added juiciness of two new (hot) gay characters this season (they didn't show up last night) but these ladies are, in my not-so-humble opinion, amazing actresses.

Scandalously slutty Edie not dead? Good. Bringing back whiny Edie? Bad. Lynette chemo-barfing in the PTA Nazi's purse while attending her son's play is howlingly priceless. Susan's stirrups moment with the new neighbor's husband had me cringing and in fits at the same time. Carlos hiding under Gaby's wedding dress was classic. But all that aside, the moment when Lynette came out with her cancer to the ladies of Wisteria Lane was one of the best scenes of the show in a long time. The lines were perfect, the emotions were raw and the pact to not keep secrets from each other fit in so perfectly well with the overriding theme of last night's episode... as well as our day-to-day lives.

Trashy reality shows litter the TV wasteland these days. But there are a few jewels out there which will catch your eye, make you laugh, cry, and react to the storyline in ways that touch you at that very moment. And that's why I still love television :-)

Oh, that and I can't wait for Bree's first acid-dripping, hair-pulling, eyes-gouging, effigy-burning fight with Katherine!!

I love me some DH. @ 17:06

[wake me up...] ...When September Ends.

Imagine my shock and horror when I awoke to October this morning.

Yes, October.

October... ??!!! WTF happened to the year? 2007 started, like, yesterday and now we're in Q4 already?

Q4 is starting out with a bang. Barely 10 weeks after the last record high and a miserable late summer/early fall compounded by doomsday predictions of the US housing market, the Dow roared past the 14,000 mark again today closing at a record high of 14,087. In those intervening and anxiety-inducingly volatile 10 weeks, the Dow swung between 14,000 and 12,500 causing investors (including myself) to be dizzy with heartburn.

Well, all those losses have been erased almost single-handedly by the Fed's decision to slash interest rates by half a point two weeks ago.

On the flipside of that rate cut, the US$ crashed, dropping below parity with the loonie. The € is at $1.43, the £ is at 2.05 (!), and both the A$ and NZ$ are at levels that are going to make me ill when I am there for two weeks next month. Only the ¥ seems to have stayed relatively weak, and I hope it stays that way until our end-of-year vacation in Tokyo is over. The weak dollar is awful for frequent international travellers such as myself. Dreadful, really.

And so the final three months of the year are here. The weather doesn't show it - we had a glorious fall weekend and it looks like we have another 7 to 10 days of warm (80s!) and spectacular summer-like weather before the temperatures start to fall with the leaves. Trust me, I ain't complainin' and I'll take whatever a non-PMS-ing Mother Nature can dole out.

As I mentioned earlier, I have two weeks planned in Oz/NZ next month around Thanksgiving (with both sets of parents, oy vey!), followed by an end-of-year vacation in Tokyo. In between, we have tons of events and parties to go to; not to mention the trio of Halloween-related events - Ms Adams Morgan on Saturday, Ski's annual blowout and the High Heel/Halloween thingie at the end of the month. I'm barely here in November and before you know it, December will bring with it an avalanche of holiday parties together with miserable short days and even more miserable frigid weather. And let's not forget work, which is getting ever more kwazy with the passing of time (part of the reason why I was AWOL most of Sept).

These next three months are going to fly by faster than I can say 2008. Sigh. Time flies by so quickly when you are having fun. Too quickly, in fact, to look back and regret. Just gotta plow forward and party on! @ 16:44

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