A PIECE OF JAPAN

I'm starting to believe Life is full of surprises.

I took a Northwest flight from Chicago to Manila via Japan. While I was waiting for my turn to board the plane in Narita, the NW agent announced the flight was overbooked and they needed volunteers who were willing to give up their seats.

Smelling freebies, I immediately had myself bumped off to a JAL flight a day after.

The deal i got?

Overnight stay at Radisson (i was tempted to go to downtown Tokyo but time wasn't on my side). A free roundtrip ticket to the U.S., redeemable within a year. Two thousand Worldperks miles. USD 50 airport voucher.

How's that to cap a week-long respite?

And oh, i also got a Sakura lounge pass. For a moment, I thought i earned a business class upgrade too.

ANTI-ALZHEIMER's

Indolence. Languidness. Lethargy.

Hmmm, i'll say stupor or coma.

Before it's too late, i will now embark on my own anti-alzheimer's regimen.

1. Blog. min 3x/wk

2. Read a good book. 1 book/wk

3. Watch a thought-provoking movie. sat/sun

4. Drop Van Buuren/Van Dyk/Chicane . . . at least for the time being

5. Forget SMB, Hoegaarden, Sapporo, L.I. iced tea . . . okay, okay! just reserve for December drowning

6. Hit the sack early. latest 1 a.m.

7. Run 11.5 kph, 20 mins tops

8. Forget work, take a break!

IN LIEU of CNBC and BLOOMBERG

Beware of an empty mind with abundant time.

Domain of worthless views and hapless sighs.

While anxiously waiting for the credit squeeze to claim its next victim, I decided to start my own blog. I got fed up with so much carnage on the trading floor, made worse by inevitable wails emanating from client meeting rooms. So before apathy and numbness set in, i pick up a new hobby.

Given the circumstances, it's the sanest thing to do next to lemon drops (yup! another learning).

Blogging isn't really new to me as i made few attempts two years ago. Sloth caught up with me that i only had two posts.

Now what a more appropriate way to restart my journey to the exhilarating, sometimes nasty, world of blogging than by paying tribute to my two jurassic works.

Click on and know my BEGINNINGS . . .