Tuesday, November 09, 2004

You can take the girl out of Yorkshire but you can't take the Yorkshire out of the girl!

I know that some of you will be worrying about little old me out there with all those hot blooded latino lovers. I am slightly worried myself because everyone keeps telling me that my height, blue eyes and blonde hair will attract mucho attenion! I'm actually thinking of "going brunette" whilst over there - so that might help (always nice to be matching!). However, I will be ready to cut down any persistent Don Juans with the kind of lines set out below..... and don't worry - I will practice them in Spanish!

You just know you will hear the same old lines the world over (men are so predictable) so I am sure I will get a chance to dazzle some Dons with my quit wittted Yorkshire charm!

HIM: Can I buy you a drink? ME: Actually I'd rather have the money.

HIM: I'm a photographer. I've been looking for a face like yours.
ME: I'm a plastic surgeon. I've been looking for a face like yours.

HIM: How did you get to be so beautiful? ME: I must've been given your share.

HIM: Will you go out with me this Saturday? ME: Sorry. I'm having a headache this weekend.

HIM: Your face must turn a few heads. ME: And your face must turn a few stomachs.

HIM: Go on, don't be shy. Ask me out. ME: Okay, get out.

HIM: I think I could make you very happy. ME: why, are you leaving?

HIM: What would you say if I asked you to marry me? ME: Nothing. I can't talk and laugh at the same time.

HIM: Can I have your name? ME: Why? Don't you already have one?

HIM: Where have you been all my life? ME: Hiding from you!

HIM: Haven't I seen you some place before? ME: Yes. That's why I don't go there anymore.

HIM: Hey baby, what's your sign? ME: Do not enter.

HIM: Your body is like a temple. ME: Sorry, there are no services today.

HIM: If I could see you naked, I'd die happy. ME: If I saw you naked, I'd probably die laughing.


Don't let the above put you off from chatting me up - at least we'll have a laugh if nothing else!

Muchos Besos
xxxxxxxxxx


Thursday, November 04, 2004

The Master Plan

When you hear people discussing what age they would like to retire at - you always hear numbers upwards of 45. Most people are realistic and say 55 or 60, some are optimistic and say 45 or 50 ............but I have always considered 30 to be a decent age to retire.

I always thought that one way or another I would have managed to quit the City by 30. There is a range of ways in which I thought that I could achieve this. Maybe I would have made my first million by then, or at completely the other end of the scale - maybe I would be at home with the kids by 30. Well, I'm 30 now. At the date of writing I am 30 years and 12 days old. So, have I retired?

YES !!! (well kind of)

I have resigned from my job as an IT lawyer in London and I have booked myself a ticket to South America. Its not quite the same as retiring because I recognise that I don't exactly have enough funds to maintain my current lifestyle for the rest of my years. Or have I ? Maybe I could live somewhere where my assets would be sufficient to provide a lavish lifestyle for evermore or maybe if I carry on partying at the rate that I have over the last 12 years then I won't have many more years to come anyway and so I needn't worry. Just in case I can't find that special place and just in case I end up living on and on and on ................I have managed to negotiate a return to my place of work which is conditional upon my return being no later than end of June 2005. "Boring!" I hear you say. Yeah yeah yeah - well I don't have to come back - I just can if I want to. Options open and all that.

So, the master plan is as set out below. I am making a note of it now so that you can track my progress and see how it all goes/changes/evolves etc.

11 December 2004 - leaving party in London (parties are always at the top of my list!)
14 December 2004 - last day in the office
23 December 2004 - Depart Manchester for San Francisco (via chicago)
3 January 2005 - Depart San Francisco for Rio de Janiero (via bloody chicago and Miami - how long a flight! only way of doing it for less than 83 million pounds!)
3 -8 February 2005 - Carnival in Salvador
10 February 2005 - depart Salvador for Buenos Aires, Argentina
14 February 2005 - start language school in Buenos Aires to perfect my dodgy Spanish
mid march 2005 - Bolivia
mid April - Cuenca, Ecuador to join another language school for a week (to know show of my perfect Spanish) and then spend four weeks volunteering in some capacity (preferably helping underprivilleged / orphaned / street residing children)
June 2005 - Peru
27 June 2005 - Lima to London via JFK.

Lets see what happens ...........que sera, sera!

S x