My Darling... where art thou?

As opposed to being the year of the rat, 2008 might as well be the year of the dog/bitch and every other animal that is a metaphorical representation of getting screwed over.

The Bears couldn't handle the Stearn tests of credit markets and were the first to topple over, only to be rescued by nickel-and-Dim(e)on, Jamie (no, I didn't sit down and think about that...It just came to me...). Lehman's Brothers-in-arms weren't of much help either, but Hank's a-Paul(son)-ing mistake was along the lines of a Shakespearean tragedy for the financial markets. Letting them fail could perhaps be one of the worst "let market dynamics take over" decisions that any person could ever take. Merrill's bullherd followed soon, with BofA being benevolent enough to snap up a financial monstrosity on the cheap and beef up their presence. So, from the big 5, we were left with 2 pillars standing amongst the ruins... but not for long... Goldman and Morgan have bailed out of the solely Investment Banking model, leaving a once proud industry in tatters in the space of 14 months... With due respect to the people of New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina couldn't have created as much damage.

Governments have denied recession, then, rather than acknowledging it openly, quickly did a u-turn and have decided to combat it. Funny old game, politics is. A much maligned ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer-turned PM rose to be the savior of the Eurozone for all of one week, before optimism waned and pessimism took over... and hasn't let gone still. Black gold hit the highs of the Himalayas and now is camped somewhere at the foothills of Jebal Al Dukkan (I've lived in Bahrain long enough to know its exact dimensions). Biggie sang about Mo Money, Mo Problems, but it's now a case of no money, mo problems...

So all is bad, nothing is good. We are still living, and learning, but living nonetheless. And from the ashes of this somber mood comes the following conversation (well, actually, it didn't. It happened one morning when we bother were bored, but I think I had a more dramatic version going):

Interesting tidbit when chatting with a Twenty-something-person With Interesting Trysts (TWIT) (see, I can come up with acronyms too)

TWIT: Sara Suhail has requested to add the tag:
my darling....Simmu
Would you like to approve this tag request? (Facebook talk)

me: umm...simmu?

TWIT: someone who only [Edit:a common friend] knows... why do i get all these random people sending me even more random things?

her darling

me: ...

TWIT: and it's a pic of [Edit: Another common friend] going on stage with a bunch of ladies/girls

me: ah?

TWIT: so i can't tell WHO has been tagged

me: hehe

okay

TWIT: in any case, i'm ignoring it because it'll look like simmu is *my* darling

if i accept the tag

me: LOL

:D

TWIT: what?

i'm serious

me: yes yes

i know

TWIT: i wasn't saying it to be funny

me: it just was :)

TWIT: You have ignored a photo tag of my darling....Simmu.

ugh, it looks stupid in rejection too

me: hehehehehe

i'm sorry

this is an amusing turn of conversation

Looks like it's not a cheery season in the Simmu household. Why reject the feelings of someone? I'm sure Simmu is sitting in some corner, heartbroken and wondering what to do with life now that her tag has been rejected.

In other news, following his blogpost, I decided to go check out what I would be.

Get Your Cyborg Name

Apparently, I am *clearing throat and in an Arnie impression* A TERMINATOR! Affirmative! There's a kid who needs to be saved, so I should suck my belly in, don my shades and leather jacket, commandeer a Harley, and be on my way. No Problemo!

And keeping with the movie theme, a new year is upon us, so I'll leave you with what Humphrey Bogart said to Ingrid Bergman... "Here's lookin' at you, kid"... maybe things won't be so bad after all...

Hastalavista... baby....