Finally, I am in my comfortable spot enjoying a cool breeze, got my repellent on although I don’t think the mosquitoes have noticed as I have a rather itchy toe right now. My aim was to get home at 5, I got out 3 hours later than planned. I’m so in the wrong department as my planning sucks.

I have been invited to a wedding, a Nigerian one at that, it was very last minute and I haven’t even got an outfit to wear, the colour code is purple, I suppose I could run around spending my bonus which is yet to be paid into my account but we shall see as in my head I have already spent half of it on “essentials”. We got our letter today, I don’t know if we were supposed to jump for joy or what, all that running around to ensure we hit targets but when the reward comes out, a large pot goes to the top and trickles its way down to the bottom, so by the time it hits the like of me, its like having the burnt bit of rice at the base of the pot, its a meal yes, but not an appetising one, but what can one do but smile gracefully and hope one’s CV has been seen by a head hunter who is looking for you to fill a position that has become available. I am really hoping that something comes up before “the move” to marketing so I can see the look on my boss’ face when I wave him goodbye. But until then I sit through gritted teeth and wait.

So you may have gathered by now that I’m a little bit pissed off. We have two workshops next week. One for the planning department and one for my category. It took me the whole friggin day just to finish the one. I wouldn’t mind so much but the boss didn’t allow us the chance in the morning to put the presentation together because we just had to have our usual weekly meeting, in fact he was asking more questions than he usually does (and he asks a lot already) so what was supposed to be a quick go through ended up being an hour and a half. Secondly, this meeting is for the regional managers, they go to Thailand, South Africa, Dubai, we sit and do the consolidations, pass it on and he goes and does his thing. This year it is being held in Ghana so we are being forced to attend and both days too, I would have been quite happy sitting in the office, but now he remembers that we are actually managers and then he goes home early on top of that says he’s tired, like we have all the energy in the world. On top of that he’s been told to reduce the head count. My word, he says not just us but across the board. Like that helps, they will just reduce the local staff quota to bring in more expats. There are a few expat “project managers” in our office, I don’t know what their added value is and why a local person couldn’t do the job but they are there collecting “inconvenience allowance”. I will not go on, it will not change anything, but it makes me mad.

Having spent all my day doing this presentation, it looks like this Sunday, I have a date with my laptop, oh happy days.

I’m pissed, but not as much as the lady sitting next to me. She has been bought to the spot by her man and she does not look happy. She has sat on her drink since they arrived and not said a word. He probably told her he was taking her out after she badgered him for not taking her out anyway because he’s always out with the boys. So he said to himself, ok, if that’s what you want, I’ll show you my hangout. She ended up at this local spot, the lights are dim, no music and veranda boys sitting in the corner and all she wants to do now is go home. I do enjoy people watching, although its not so much fun without my girls, we’d sit and speculate about the scenario and laugh at the crazy analysis we’d come out with. Can’t believe I’m talking about the good old days, that’s something my parents would say.

I got another marriage proposal today. Well actually it was from the same person, he said that if he had a higher education he would come forward, as if the second time he said it, I would say I accept. No offence to him but I wouldn’t. I am not saying that he has to look like Tyrese or D’angelo (pre-reclusive obesity) but there has to be an attraction, I am more attracted to the mind more than anything, not the book law type of intelligence but just someone who knows his stuff and knows what he’s about. If you lay down and let me walk over you, I will do it like a bulldozer, you do have to have confidence. Secondly, and its not meant to sound arrogant or patronizing although I know it will. My English, isn’t Collins or Oxford Dictionary smart, so if I have to dumb down the English so that you understand what I’m saying it is too much effort, I can’t do it. Thirdly, you have to be a bit travelled. A friend of mine who was born in Europe married a local guy, highly educated mind you but very traditional. There marriage nearly brole up and this was like in the first 2 years, all because of misunderstandings. She is more outspoken than even me, but she doesn’t intend to be, she just speaks her mind before she puts her brain into gear. She has also come from a place where a woman who is Independent is not seen as a threat. She is not fiercely independent, she is a bit like me in the sense that she will make sure there is food in the fridge when you get home, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that she will be there to heat it up. She likes to keep a good home, but if there is no one else to help out in the house she would expect that you the man will pull your weight. She has a good job but she is not so ambitious that she has to be the MD, she is happy earning a decent wage so that she can enjoy the odd trip to Europe to see the family. He is a very nice guy I must say, but feels that the woman should be totally subservient and basically speak when your spoken to don’t air your opinions willy nilly. She moved out of the house with their young child, and moved into her parents vacant house. Experienced the whole family interference, she being from the more temperamental European countries was having none of it. Thankfully though, she has gone back home and things look like they are back on track. He’s trying to compromise a bit more, but it took a near on divorce to deal with the problem. I am happy for her, and happy she is living back in my area because where she went to stay is a long way from home…but honestly, glad that they could work things out and hope it stays that way.

Well I better get my sleep on, got a long day again tomorrow and all that venting has made me tired. I just want to say a thank you to all my well wishers, I was a bit down at the start of the week but I’m doing much better and glad to know that I have touched you (not literally) in some way that you took the time to see how I was doing. Also to my girls around the world, your warmth from afar is what keeps me going, even though I haven’t found true love yet, I know that I am and always will be loved.

Have a nice weekend, if I make it to the wedding, I’ll let you know how it goes, I am already imagining the big headscarfs wrapped up in designs twice the size of the ladies’ heads already, so I know the real thing is going to be even more garish.

Lots of love, until the next time xoxo (yeah I know, I watch too much gossip girl)