The season is changing.............

A week ago it was 34 degrees out, late afternoon.  Today, it was 31.  True, a slight change but a change indicative of seasonal fluctuations.......and the fluctuation at night is wonderful - it was cool, there was a breeze, while the humidity was still high, it was, all other things being equal, a wonderful night........this was not the case just a few nights ago.

Is it the fall?   At 20 September, it is late enough (or early enough?) for fall changes........is it a fluke, with another hot stand?   It's no fluke but there might be a few October days of summer left.  Seasons change, years go on, we get older - you get older, I don't!  My body ages while my mind gets younger!!!

Tomorrow morning we sleep late - no 8:30am meetings for a change....and mid-day, we are off to Shenzhen.

On a day like today.......

Sounds like I'm about to break into song..........why not - if we all sang occasionally, perhaps the world would be a hell of a lot better off!

Joanna and Katherine left for the airport, I went to work, I'm ready for a long distance telephone call and then have a leisurely morning of activities, a 3pm meeting and basically a couple of days with Katherine, working a bit, relaxing a bit and taking advantage of Hong Kong.

We'll probably visit Japan again in November.....but for now, it is time to complete this week's worth of work and unwind.....

Happy birthday to me!!!!!

I was born 72 years ago.

I never ever imagined saying 'I was born 72 years ago'!   Where the hell have all those years gone?  Katherine and Joanna came in from Guangzhou this morning.  I completed virtually all the work I intended to do by 12:30pm and we are spending the day as family.  With the exception of a couple of emails, et al and a meeting tomorrow afternoon, I will spend the time with the two women of my life who have put meaning to my life.

Life is nice........far nicer at the age I never expected to be talking about than I ever expected.  Yeah, one does have limitations increasing as the years go on but so far, so good.......and for this I am obviously very, very appreciative!!

Force 8 typhoons do tend to alter one's schedule!

Who knew there was a typhoon on its way?  Anyone who watches television or listens to radio, that's who.....!   Me?   I don't watch, I don't listen, I thus don't know that until I got the 8am radio newscast......and then it wasn't raining.  But an hour later, it rained like hell.

Now?  No rain.  The forecast for today?  Who knows??   Who cares?????  I'm productive, today, in-house, shuffling paper, making it look like I'm busy........but I'm up-to-date and not under pressure.....and looking forward to tomorrow when my family will join me for a happy day and evening, indeed!!

And thus, the rains came.....

Another busy day, oblivious to the weather, only to discover that when I was ready to go out and take a break, there was a torrential downpour going on and upon just looking at the forecast for the week ahead, we are liable to have heavy rains throughout the entire week........if it helps cool things down, then that is not so bad!!!

True, I have not yet had the opportunity to play more music at the end of the day because my ends of days have been too late to want to do anything.......but I am writing and starting to put ideas for the novel into computer memory - that's a start......and I am taking pictures - far more than I have in the past.....although I need to do more than just take pictures!!

It is now 6:15pm and with luck, I can satisfactorily end this day within a half hour.   What shall I do after - that's the big question.....

In the mood.......

What a horrid abuse of the Glenn Miller number......in the mood?  In the mood, albeit reluctantly, to do taxes......

For two days in HK, I met clients.  I no longer can meet and do - I'm a single tasker at this stage of my life.  and today is tax day.....no writing until after but I've got to post something.......

All packed up and ready to go but.....

.....it is too damned hot and I was too damned tired and ready for a nap instead of making our way down to Peddar Street in Central to get a taxi to the train station.  So we'll do it at 6:30am tomorrow morning and I can now do work I re-scheduled in a rational manner without creating any pressure for myself.

I was invited to speak about FATCA - to Republicans Overseas..........and I can fit this one into my schedule.....could be interesting, looking at things from the other side as I do my performance........same as usual but how will these attendees view it?

Not much to do but with innefficiency the rule, not enough time to do it

Somehow, I wrote enough to finish an article, enough to review/edit/submit tomorrow, prior to starting a Tax India article.  Writing, writing, writing.....but I like it......

On the other hand, tax work pays the bills and while I don't like it, I reluctantly do it, as I have prostituted myself to a nicer life with some income than without....i.e.  Social Security doesn't quite do the trick - and I love my working relationship with Tax Analysts but writing revenues?  I'd starve to death sooner than I'd prefer.......

And so, I go on.....cheerful and bright, taking my time, not quite caring about my work efficiency because there's always tomorrow to do what otherwise should have been done, today.....

Back to some efficiency!

That weekend off from communicating with the world is far more essential than you can imagine!  One reaches a point where I want that other brick in the wall, cutting me off from the world and letting me maintain some solitude.

I started off this Hong Kong trip with over 200 unattended to emails.  I am now down to under 125......virtually all done today, after taking a few days away from phone, from email, et al........

And celebrated, prematurely, my upcoming birthday, having buns at a very upscale traditional Chinese restaurant and the most wonderful chocolate fudge cake from the Mandarin Oriental cake shop, this morning.  The chocolate fudge and accompanying fruit platter made it to my food gallery in my website, too!

So much for diet control, or lack thereof.......