At last! I have a precious two-day break ahead of me, and I couldn’t be happier! I really needed it. Today at work was pretty uneventful; not much to keep me occupied. I was in a giddy mood, feeling somewhat hyper and maybe even a tad annoying, but it was all in good spirits! Haha! Oh well, these days happen to the best of us.

On a more serious note, something that I haven’t mentioned before is that I learned yesterday that a coworker has been diagnosed with AIDS. I was completely speechless when I heard the news, not knowing how to react. It left me silent and deep in thought for the rest of the evening. When I left work last night, I couldn’t help but keep thinking about it, despite my efforts to distract myself. My heart goes out to poor Danny.

Speaking of new experiences, I finally watched Madonna’s video for “American Life,” and all I can say is, “Oh my goodness!” It left me utterly speechless as well. If this video doesn’t make a statement, then I’m not sure what will. It’s like a wake-up call to America. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out online on various Madonna fan sites and forums. Although I must warn you, the ending may not sit well with everyone, especially those in the United States. In the video, Madonna throws a grenade, and a look-alike of President Bush catches it. It’s quite a straightforward and bold statement. You’ll also see Iraqi children on a fashion show catwalk. I wonder how MTV, known for its more conservative approach, will react to this video. I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets banned. But I, for one, love it.

Today, Jurgen couldn’t contain his excitement and called me multiple times. Why? Because he, Svenlana, Willem, and I are going to the TMF Awards in Rotterdam on the 19th of this month. We managed to score tickets, and the latest news is that Ricky Martin will be there – Jurgen’s absolute favorite! He’s over the moon! I’m really looking forward to the TMF Awards; it promises to be an unforgettable night. Now, here’s a thought: could Madonna possibly make an appearance there? She might be in Europe to promote her new album, and a performance at the TMF Awards would be incredible. I mean, can you imagine? If she does show up, I might just have a heart attack!

Well, I’ll leave it at that for today. I’m going to savor these two days off to the fullest. It’s going to be pure bliss. I’ll be back soon, so until then, take care and goodbye!