Mummy Cookies

Hey G and C, why don't you make this for your Halloween party later? The mummies look cute. The spiders...hmmm...not really. Show this to Levie so she can buy the ingredients and help you. Have fun and see you soon! Love, your mummy (lol)

Bali Inspiration

This was the view from my balcony a little while ago.  It looks like I could be at the Sofitel in Manila or in a hotel on Waikiki Beach. But that isn't the Pacific ocean you see there--that's the Indian Ocean, and I'm actually in the W Hotel in Bali. I have meetings here the next two days, and unfortunately, I had to make this quick trip alone because kids wanted to stay home for Halloween, and B had meetings in Manila.

Matryoshka Dolls

I never thought I'd buy one of these things because I think they are just too typical a souvenir. But after seeing many of them for two straight days, I was convinced I had to buy a couple of small ones for the kids, and maybe even some for their little friends.

Catherine Palace in Pushkin

One of the major attractions of St. Petersburg is Catherine Palace in a suburb called Pushkin, around 20 kilometers from the city. It's truly a grand scale palace in the manner of Versailles in France. What really struck me at first was the combination of colors- blue, gold and white. It looked oddly familiar to me, where have I seen this beautiful color combination before?

When the Journey is the Destination

We recently had the opportunity to go on a cruise with a whole group of friends. Actually, it was my brother-in-law's trip that he and his forum mates (whom we also know) planned many months in advance. But just a month before the sailing date, he took on a new job, and all of a sudden he couldn't go on the trip! Unfortunately, canceling this late would incur a 75% penalty!! Ouch! The next best thing  was to look for someone to take over his reserved slots and not let the penalty go to waste. And here is we enter, stage left.

Sad and Grateful

I join the world in mourning the loss of an extraordinary man.

It was a privilege to have experienced the Apple revolution in my lifetime. Switching to a Mac twelve years ago was the best thing I ever did in my electronic life. Sure there was a learning curve and it took me a couple of months to finally be comfortable without the "right click" of the PC. But once I got it, there was no looking back.  With a PC,  I learned Excel and Word and yes it was extremely helpful and functional--but with that functionality came frustration, irritation, exasperation! For the last twelve years though, the only feeling I've experienced with my Mac is pure joy. I love my Macbook Pro with my whole heart and brain.

Dear Steve, please watch Apple from above. Help them make the right decisions, and guide them so they continue to develop products that bring joy to people. The world is much better because of you. We will miss you very much.