Dear diary,

My laptop's not back from IBM yet and there's no news from them to even suggest that it would be safely returned to my warm embrace. It's official, IBM has nicked my laptop and sold its parts to the factories in India and China and I'll be forced to purchase a new laptop -probably containing the same contraband parts- in the form of expensive parallel imports from the same countries.

Or at least that is my stand until they put some beef into repairing their shoddy products.

It's confirmed that I'll be volunteering for the IMF conference held in September. And this isn't just because I had signed up for it and it is unwise to back out from a major event that has full government support.

When I went for training today, useless as it may be, it simply affirmed my interest and commitment because it made me realise how much I could gain from my participation in this event, one of course being the pretty little things I can then quote in my resume, but I believe it was really a once-in-a-lifetime (if that phrase wasn't beaten to death already) experience and the little circle of influence you have as a venue assistant, how it could ripple to global proportions.

One Out of Infinity Possible Chain of Events Breakdown:

1. Smile from me.
2. Endorphins released in delegate.
3. Happy delegate goes to conference.
4. Conference entails a dishevelled and weary minister from one of the African countries presenting a plea for more aid to a panel.
5. Panel includes the happy delegate.
6. African kid gets turkey and bottled Evian for dinner.

Tadaaaa.