February 26, 2007
The
Workplace firewalls again forbid me from blogging at work, which is why you missed Olive's birthday, my trip to London to visit Mark and the gang, a visit from the in-laws -all sorts of dramatic moments in my life.

Olive's birthday was so exhausting that I was lying on the couch shortly after it began while the guests were in the other room. Baby Olive loved the whirlwind affair and kept twirling to the music. I wonder how she does that without getting dizzy. She wore a blue dress with red flowers and kept saying "bao! bao! bao!" (meaning ball) I am glad I got a pack of 50 balloons and made Aaron blow them all up. Olive got a rocking horse from her grandparents. All her friends took rides on the pony.

London was such a lovely city - I so love visiting London. I wonder if I would like living there, people are a bit strict with their language and version of things (tres colonial). The air, though, reminds me of Murree, so fresh and misty. Business was good too - I'm not sure what Mark thought of me. It was shocking (not quite) to learn that Elena had "interpersonal issues." Poor girl, she is gone now and I feel slightly motherless. Who will I look up to now. Perhaps Millie, though I find her personal style unkempt.

I came home early today to bathe my babe. She loves the bath now, and tries to climb in herself. She is big enough to handled water being thrown over her head. She is strong enough to squeeze the ducks, "Da da da" is how she says duck.

She's just learned to hit and smack, but if I stop her and say "nice, nice," she knows that I prefer being stroked kindly to being smacked. She knows everything now, even that I must go to work in the morning, but that doesn't prevent us from having some tender hugs, some nice nice.

Feb 7, 2007

I've been having anniversary trauma for my c-section. It was such an emotional and open time, being cut open and having your baby extracted from you. Then you are sewn up, never quite in the same way that the muscles were in sync before. I am getting some feeling back now. I am not yet fully recovered. The scar still itches and times. There is a different shape to my lower abdomen. Where they stitched is a line where the panus ends. At least there is no hanging panus there now - that was an embarrassing shape to be in for a whie after birth.

My baby is terrific.

I've also been having muscle cramps, internal dryness. What is that caused by? Even right now, typing, my hands and fingers feel just about to cramp. I'd better go get some cal-mag, get some work done and go home early.

February 6, 2007

Last year at this time, I was at very large and waiting for Olive to arrive.

Today, I got a call from Rory, asking me, subject to Mark's final approval, to join EMSO. How exciting! This, after a terrible email last Thursday, while I was relaxing in Jamaica, that put all the laxing out of reel. It was an email from Millie, without a salutation or a best regards, that told me tersely that Ihor would be taking over. Ouch! Was I out? No, because she did mention that she thought I would enjoy "working with Ihor."

Today, I also have a meeting with her. To convince her directly of my credibility, my ability, my desirability, all in about 10 minutes. How will I do this? Well, I'm in a great spirit. I should take notes though and also think like a highly paid lawyer:

- business growth in the past few years has been fantastic, in all sorts of new directions
- I've been part of its new direction - putting in place key strategies, thoughtfully negotiated contracts, working through different types of investments (PE) and presences
- Brought my expertise of working in emerging markets, capital markets, business focused practice yet thorough legal analysis
- Last few months have been more deeply involved in running contracts, structures, closings - as Elena has taken more oversight role
- EMSO team has been terrific - feeling is mutual
- CAI legal team - sharing resources - - giving CSO (Ihor) the benefit of any EMSO registrations, PPM language; getting the benefit of 2790 structure from Tribeca.
- navigating through Citi approvals for Murik, for Hong Kong manager
- as a creative lawyer -- love transactional strategic work
- also an agile lawyer

How to go on about myself without sounding pompous (that may be unavoidable). Want to sound interesting.

Will let you know in a few mins how it went.
Wish me luck

----

Wow - that was strange. What I felt was Millie saying that I needed to work with other people too, which is not a problem. I appreciate the fact that in 9 mos if emso spins off, then she wants me to have a job at CAI still. Longevity, yes.

What was stranger is that she has no family, no husband or kids. Just her and her job. That is being married to the job.

We'll see how everything goes.