My Days are Numbered

I know that I spend my time thinking about things which are far too frivolous in today's world. I think about things like shoe styles, whether my wardrobe needs another update or whether my husband will notice a deviation in our budget when I say I am grocery shopping (but really was salivating over the new heels in Gucci).

This past week, I have had time to ponder bigger things.

Firstly, a dear friend of mine died suddenly from a heart attack. He was my mentor, colleague and friend who I cherished dearly. I am still sitting here in disbelief that come Friday, I will be in North Jakarta mourning his loss, holding his wife's hand and not fully understanding why he was taken away so early in his life. Above all, this is what occupies my thoughts the most.

Secondly, upon returning from Dubai on Sunday, I had the good fortune to watch " An Inconvenient Truth" - the film which lays out the gloabl warming phenomenon with chilling honesty. If we hope to see an earth for our children to live on, the time to act is NOW. If you haven't seen this movie yet, make it a priority.

Thirdly, today in the International Herald Tribune, I found this by Rick Moranis, the creator of a country music album "The Agoraphobic Cowboy". It is titled "My days are numbered":

I have two kids. Both are away at college.
I have five television sets. I have three DVD players, two VHS machines and four stereos.
I have 19 remote controls, mostly in one drawer.
I have three computers, four printers and two non-working faxes.
I have three phone lines, three cell phones and two answering machines.
I have no messages.
I have 46 cookbooks.
I have 68 takeout menus from four restaurants.
I have 116 soy sauce packets.
I have 382 dishes, bowls, cups, saucers, mugs and glasses.
I eat over the sink.
I have five sinks, two with a view.
I try to keep a positive view.
I have two refrigerators.
It's very hard to count ice cubes.
I have 39 pairs of golf, tennis, squash, running, walking, hiking, casual and formal shoes, ice skates and rollerblades.
I'm wearing slippers.
I read three dailies, four weeklies, five monthlies and no annual reports.
I have 506 CD, cassette, vinyl and eight-track recordings.
I listen to the same radio station all day.
I have 26 sets of linen for four regular, three foldout and two inflatable beds.
I don't like having houseguests.
I have 184,000 frequent flier miles on six airlines, three of which no longer exist.
I have '101 Dalmations' on video.
I have 14 digital clocks flashing relatively similar times.
I have nine armchairs from which I can be critical.
I have a laundry list of things that need cleaning.
I have lost more than 1,000 golf balls.
I am missing 37 umbrellas.
I have over 400 yards of dental floss.
I have a lot of time on my hands.