Before I was known as "Andrei's Mom"....

I used to have an identity. Single, Asian female with too many degrees hanging over her head and one simple dream of becoming a filthy rich business executive or working for a filthy rich business executive; Single, Asian female pushing 30 with a biological clock ticking and happily dating a cute, bookish Russian guy..... Anyway it was with that identity that many of my friends today came to know me. And it was from one of these friends that an apparent breakthrough in this job search arrived in my inbox today. She wrote: (Please keep reading after the letter because there is a point to this, I promise)

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Nancy Z,

Oops, I think your stint as blogger is going to be shortlived. I know someone closely associated with Kiva and once he meets you, you'll definitely get the job. He's a good friend of xxx's and he attended a party at my pink palace apartment years ago. Ex-Siebel. Want me to introduce you?

BTW, I was unable to post a comment. The page kept reloading in an endless loop.

How come you are having so many conversations about swim lessons and piano teachers??!! You need to branch out of your social circle!!

Congrats on the blog!

MH"

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Dear MH, in you own very special way you not only brought me the good news (I guess we will see about that), but also taught me a lesson about friendship. "I know someone closely associated with Kiva and once he meets you, you'll definitely get the job" - Lesson No. 1: Friends are people who believe in you even when you don't know what to believe; "How come you are having so many conversations about swim lessons and piano teachers??!! You need to branch out of your social circle!!" - Lesson No. 2: Friends give honest advices

For these reasons and many more (including another email from ND exclaiming "This is soooo cool!"), I am grateful today, grateful for friendship, grateful for another identity that I used to have.

Yours truly,
Nancy