With great power comes...

... plenty of sleepless nights.

One year after landing my dream job, the one I was really looking for, the one I wanted and fought to the mattresses for, I got a promotion.

Whuuuut?

Yeap.

When you're growing up, reading "Head of...", "Director of..." on your presentation cards means a bigger office, a secretary, a CM and a PR (actually, learning what those meant...) YAY!

Check, check, check, check...

What they never tell you is how you'll be working 24/7, having your entire life on your smartphone, arriving at the office when is dark, before the sun comes out and before everyone else; and leaving when is dark, after everone else is gone.

Learning to deal with people who want to have a fight with you just because... that's the part I hate the most.

My mom and dad keep telling my I can do it. My sisters say I've earned it.

I heard this voice on the other side of the phone saying:
Think about it Ñoñi, you have the power now; you'll be able to clean house and do all the amazing things you've always wanted to. You may work twice as hard, but the reward will be four---five times bigger! You're meant to do great things... don't run!

But I don't want to work in between confrontations!
I didn't attend 7 years of graduate school for this... but then again, that's what my last 2 years were about.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait--- I fought my way into two diplomas, in a foreing language, in a foreing country, ready to lose it all.

Pfffffffffffffffff!

I wrote an entire thesis and took a professional degree test on the same week.

I worked two jobs while teaching a Master's class and never missed my yoga+spinning+swinning session and went dancing twice a week in 2 years.

I had the head of Graduate School apologize to me for that my ass*** advisor did to me.

This will be NOTHING compared to bitch-slapping H.Wei's lab.

Ok now.
I'm ready.

I honestly had this epiphany while writting... it's true blogs are the psichoanalist you can't afford can't go to because it's past 8PM and you're still at the office finishing two presentations you're supposed to do on two different parts of the planet.

I'm getting f***ng old, man

Turns out working is making me sick.
The work I looooove... is making me sick.

I never imagined I'd be one of those people who went to the doctor and got a "Vertigo due to work stress"... and a doctor's tsk-tsk face.
He said I need a day off, I said NO.

I had a full week off when I went to Mexico two weeks ago, I said.
I really? and why did you go there?
I went to a conference... I had a couple of presentations, a meeting, a workshop and...
So, work.
Not really, I rode a bike a couple of times...
I know that's part of your work.
I went out with friends...
How many days were you there and how many hours did you do NOTHING?
8 days... a few.
How many weekends have you "worked from home" (he did the airbunnies thingie) the last 11 months?
Ummmm... the last... ummmm... 4 times 11 is... 40?
That's it little girl. You're grounded. No more working weekends for you!!
..................

The inimaginable has happened...

After all those years of sleepless nights, tears, wishful thinking, realising who I am... it happened.

The A-word is now part of my vocabulary.

I am now someone's ADVISOR.

SAY WHAAAAAAAAAT???
Yeah-huh gurl.

Today, I got this from a friend, my little dude said it was true.

All in all, all's good...

The new soundtrack of mah life , baby!

Why bother writing when dear old Freddy can say it for me?

You grow up...

... and it's your birthday.

And one of your dearest friends is missing.
And you find out she's sick.
And then you ask what's going on.
And someone tells you she's not well.
And you talk to your friend, the Doctor.
And he's brutally honest, but it's that's what you asked for.
And then you call her.
And you hear the words: transplant, bone marrow...
And all you can say is something stupid like: Be honest, you're getting a lipo AND boobs!
And she laughs.

And then... then what?

She starts treatment tomorrow.

Life... huh?

Apocalypse now

While getting ready for the end of the world... my friend Andy mentioned how we were supposed to prepare for thunder and kaboom and all that jazz.
But nononono... just don't. Zeus is the one with the thunder and the rays and the music.
Jesus is more into big productions, he goes BIG. He makes it rain...... FROGS!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, frogs have been raining on my little world, an old blast from the past has been lurking around my little social media platforms.

Fun thing, I don't know how it happened but one of her associates managed to find my work e-mail and boom! she sent a message to the only electronic mailbox I manage.
Soon she'll Facebook friend request me, maybe follow me on twitter. Maybe even commenting on one of the websites I collab.

Get ready folks, the horsemen are coming!

I've been told I'm moving to a new office in a couple of months so I don't think they'll be able to find me.
I'll leave a post-it at the door, just in case.

Did you really think my baby little soul would write back?

Psychology's my jam... or not

Apparently, I look like a Psychologist... or a terrorist negotiator.

There's this boy, who's a friend (oooo0o0o0o0hhhh!!!! ---no, it's not what you think), who has a sister to went to Paris for a Master's 4 years ago. She called a couple of weeks ago, she's not coming back.
I don't understand why, but he's going crazy.

In a very strange state of mind, he called me for moral support.
He invited me to his house to talk some sense into her.
He was going to call her (or Skype her, or whatever) and I was supposed to convince her to come back home.
Problem was, at the time I agreed to do it, I didn't know the entire story.
I went to his place mostly for the booze.

Of course, before talking to the girl, I asked some background questions and well... this happened:

Me: Why are you so angry?
O: She PROMISED she was going to be back after 2 years. What is she doing there?
Don't ask me, have you asked her?
No... but really, what is she doing there?
Dude... she's living in Paris... France... Europe... 
She needs to start acting like an adult, she must take command of her life!
.... ohh... take command of HER life... and do what YOU want... right?
(shut up!)

Why doesn't she come back home? she'll have a roof over her head here!
OMG... is she homeless??
No, she has a little tiny apartment. 
But she has a place she can afford by herself, right?
Yeah, but if she were here, she'd be living with my mom, with a maid and a cook. She'll have EVERYTHING!
I see... hey... do you like this apartment?
I love it!!
How hard was it to find it... furnish it?
Oh... really hard.
How big is this place?
It's tiny... nothing big.
What would you say if your mom told you to get rid of it, live with her, with a maid and a cook. So you can have EVERYTHING!
I'd be ma---- shut. up.
Ok

She's not a little girl anymore, she's been there for 4 years. Don't you think it's about time she settles down?
How old are you?
40
This is a nice place... 
Thanks!
Are you 100% happy with your life? work? paycheck? love?
Well... no.
So, you're not done yet.
Nah.
When I met you 15 years ago you were really struggling... so in 2 years she's supposed to do what you haven't been able to do in over 16 years. Why?
(shut up!)

She says she's happy there, how can she be happy without her family?
How can se be happy with a group of people that belittles her?
She's a spoiled brat. She gets mad every time I write on her Facebook wall: "Sissy, You'll always be my baby"
And still, you DEMAND for her to act like an adult... smart move man.

She's my baby sister, she's not supposed to suffer. She's a princess. She's my little dove.
OH... C'MON!!! I'm gonna puke from all that corny!!
But it's true!
Don't you want your sister to be a strong, independent, reliable, incredibly smart woman?
My little angel.
You're an ass.
WHAT?!?!?!
Don't make the call, I'm not talking to her.
But... it's my birthday, do it as a present for me
(Oh fuck) ---- No man, not going to happen. I'll bake you a birthday cake, I'll take you out... right now, but I won't make the call.
I'll make the call.
Good! You make the call, ask her about her life. Ask her what is she doing... tell her you're PROUD of her and all she's accomplished.
I can't lie.
It's not a lie, I know deep down you're proud of her.
I won't lie
You're an ass... and I'm not going to bake you a cake or take you out.

------

Apparently, it was a win/win/win situation.
A couple of weeks later the sister got a phone call from the brother letting her know how proud he was of her... and how much he respected her decisions; the brother got a little peace of mind, and most importantly; the terrorist negotiator got a dinner invitation... yay!