Down here with Robbie Williams.

You know, it’s been a transformative time for me… have you read Eat, Pray, Love? Anne bought it for me in Singapore and it has become a bedtime prayer, as KK prays with purpose and properly. 

It’s about a woman who divorces, falls in love, falls out of love (that bit isn’t relevant to me), and travels… moves to another part of the world to find herself (and a lot of pizza). Anne hit it on the head by buying me the book – it really struck a nerve (much like my dentist) but has done me the world of good.

Many friends of mine, new and old, have assumed that because I’ve been going through so much change, that I’m negative, defeated and lost. It’s like I’m toxic and need to be avoided. The simple line ‘you’ll be fine’ is the most irritating disloyal, disinterested line you can use if you call yourself a friend.

This is not a barbed post, nor is it negative, it’s a reflection on the simple fact that as my good friend Richard reminded me, there are friends, and there are people you know. This time has been good for me because the former have proved themselves and the latter, remain, well the latter.

I’m excited, I’m passionate, I’m evolving and I’m actually more energized, more determined and more positive than I may have been in a year or so. The trials that I’ve been through and the challengesI’m working on (I don’t mean to sound like a focus group moderator, it’s just they are not all bad)  are making me THINK and DO and that’s been incredibly positive.

I finally now know who I am, what I want and I’ve learnt to deal with every day as it arrives – why worry about tomorrow when you can leave it to, err,  tomorrow?

The world needs more of this.

 

I don’t get out much. Which is remarkable given my so called scintillating career. It’s just not me. Since Rachael taught me to enter “liquor, liquor” as first and last name for the nearest wine store, the advent of Seamless Web and filtered water on tap, I just think in is the new out (kind of like belly buttons where in will never go out of fashion).

So to be invited to a dinner party of 10 people at Cindy Gallop’s simply stunning living space was both exciting and terrifying.

Naturally having spent the day on the couch with stomach cramps (LONG story) I pulled it together at 6 and started the prep. The one thing the late and great Peter Estall taught me (he’s the man responsible for the very best light entertainment at the BBC in the 80’s and beyond – and a mentor to me) was to never cancel on a woman, and least of all on a meal. So  having reassured Cindy that come hell or heart-attack I’d be there, I dipped into yet another bath and prepped.

Look, let’s face it, I’m shit on my own. I can’t choose a THING to wear, I need back-up. I nearly called Ratchat, Ben, Mom even Tim Gunn, but I couldn’t be seen to fail; so I literally spent 40 minutes trying on a variety of pants, shirts, ties and even Henley style shorts (what WAS I thinking) and finally ended up looking just the wrong side of interesting.

Maybe like a graduate entertainment lawyer. Although someone did as me if I was a writer at dinner (NOT the look, but impressive none the less).

The journey was quite something. Straight to the local liquor store to buy the biggest bottle of Grey Goose (made with real geese) and into a taxi, via a pot hole in the road the depth of Wookey Hole. My pants (that’s trousers) were soaked, well just on the one leg. What can you do? You do British, and ignore it.

To Cindy’s to the loo to freshen up and work out how to dry my leg and then to the seating area.

I’m not going to go on about her place – Google it or go to www.cindygallop.com – anyway it was designed by Bacchus and the god of Soft-Porn. It’s a total entertainment, living and loving space. She is also, truly, the ultimate Martini maker – delivered in some almost witch-craft looking flask to crisp Gucci glasses. The conversation is warm enough to dry my leg and soon we take to dinner.

William, as ever (well it’s the second time I’ve seen it but I’m assured he does this far too often) has mostly catered, and as we sup from a wine called ‘Bitch’ the stories unfold over a memorable Cottage/Shepherds pie (I always confuse the two).

What made tonight captivating to me was there was none of that ‘where do you work, what do you do  and long chats about the vagueries of marketing. Instead we talked about people, fun, love and past-times and the whole thing was totally cathartic.

Long may it reign – and I hope I’ve done enough to make some new friends as every single one around the table was nothing other than impressive, passionate and captivating.

People I may know… take a look.

Apologies if you’re named in here – you did put yourself on LinkedIn didn’t cha?

 

Andrew – may YOU know him too?

America takes Visa

So it’s in. The new Visa was approved and we’re all set!

This is great news. In case you don’t know this is my 3rd Visa to work here in the US of A and probably the most exciting one given my new consulting career.

I’m fortunate to be working with a creative communications genius (and maven street-art expert) and time spent with him is time well spent. I feel that things could work out very well here. We just have to wait for Ben’s now – and if that comes through (I want to hear you all touching wood now…) then we’ll be in a very good place indeed

So this means another 3 years possibly of being in New York. That’s some thought isn’t it? You’d think this news would be greeting with cheers of joy and celebration – but with my friends back in the U of K it’s quite the opposite. Which I suppose is a little sad, but in a sense underlines their importance to me and I hope mine to them.

What’s exciting is that in order to receive said Visa I’ll have to stop in the UK for up to 5 days. Clearly it’s another 5 days away from my pocket rocket, but it’s a good chance to spend some time reminding my London friends why they must be delighted that I now live a safe 3000 miles away.