Christmas in paradise

I have booked my dream Christmas.

Last Christmas, after a few consecutive years of not really enjoying this time of year, I made a decision that I didn't want to spend Christmas 2012 in the UK feeling like a spare tyre in other people's Christmas celebrations. Instead I wanted to be on a beach somewhere in the sunshine. I finally booked my flights tonight. I shall be spending Christmas 2012 in Boracay, an island in the Philippines with my dear friend Kay. I cannot WAIT!!

I finish work on the 21st and fly out of Hong Kong on the 22nd for a whole week away before returning on the 28th to see the New Year in on the harbour in Hong Kong. I am excited to leave Hong Kong on an adventure to somewhere new. By then I would have been here for five months and I think leaving Hong Kong, and then returning will be a big moment as it'll feel like I'm coming home, my new home, Hong Kong.

I am very keen to see the New Year in here as I also remember, like it was yesterday, waking up on New Year's Day this year and deciding that 2012 was going to be my 'Champagne Year'.

To do all of this with one of my closest friends will truly be amazing and a dream come true. Only 57 days to go.

Wednesday got me thinking about the balance again. I feel it deserves a capital B as it is a running theme in my life. Learning to fight or fly, stay or go, battles or admitting defeat. Time management is also a running theme. I left work at 6.30 even though I hadn't finished what I was doing as my eyes were going blurry and I was feeling overwhelmed with everything. I made the decision to leave and look at it again tomorrow with fresh eyes and a new day. It's all a learning curve,. I have already found myself in a slightly tricky situation with the team and will have to see how it is concluded in the next few days. I was unsure of how to deal with the situation, so spoke with my manager, who then called someone else, who then arranged a conference call to discuss. I wasn't sure whether I had blown something out of proportion, or whether the disagreement was justified? Either way, I will have to face the music and carry on fighting my point.

Office dynamics are very interesting to me. How people work together to get things done. The greater impact on the whole business. How all the cogs work together.