On the daffodils

Spent the day in a nice park today, and had a really peaceful afternoon. It wasn't as worry free as when we were 3 or 4 years old, but we had some laughs and hopefully forgot about the fresh wounds we had.

I always found very soothing to be in a beautiful place when in mourning or after a loss. It feels so much devoid of all the darkness and meaness of the world around. It also gives time to rest a bit. Though I realize guys don't really get that moment and would end up playing ballgames or get bored, or sleep. I enjoy those moments where nothing is said and my mind blankly stares out to the awesome scenery.It is a selfish moment that can stretch until the sun finishes its journey across the horizon.
Treat of the day: KFC and vanilla rhum and coke (finished my bottle, sniff)
Best moments: when everyone wa slaughing out loud
Worst moment: going our separate ways
I hope one day I will be able to sit idly and do like them:

Help! I've gone mad

This morning I woke up at 04:30 to get in line for a bag. It is a designer bag sold in Sainsbury's (a food store like Food Lion or Kroger), and there are only 20 000 of them, or so I was told by my fashionista flatmate, Miss Lyon. She has seen it in the living secction of an airport magazine months ago, and could not buy one fo the 1000 sold in the designer shop, so she convinced me to get in line with her outside a supermarket to get one of the 30 bags given away this morning at selected stores.
We got there at 05:30 and the shop opened at 08:00 (I feel very vain). But the experience was fun as we met other crazy people and their husbands there, knowing that the bag was selling on ebay for more than £400 and sold that morning for £5. There is nothing like greed. I have never heard of the designer before, but she might succeed in becoming a household name: Anya Hindmarch.





The irony though is that it was marketed as a reusable shopping bag because designed with the We are what we Do group, thus environmental friendly item, but it was sold for £5 and given inside a bright orange Sainsbury plastic bag.
I am going bag to bed...

Today's worth

Today was quite a good day. The weather forecast was for light showers but it turned out fairly sunny and no rain at all. Wondered around the Queen's walk with a M.A.C (or is it A.M.C.?) who visited from Dubai. Apparently I have the british accent and use fancy words. But I managed to give him a decent tour of the must sees: Tower of London, Tower bridge, Tate Modern, St Paul, Millenium Bridge, Shakespeare Globe, Festival halls, London eye, Parliament, Westminster Abbaye, Trafalgar square...all by foot!

Then we met his friend in Chancery Lane who remembers me as the'popular one' which was very very nice and made me so happy. I am so vain..but I was happy I touched so many lives without knowing it, and having fun. I never thought I would be the popular one.

Later on int he evening, we hurried back to Selfridges to get an ox tongue sandwich from the food court (Brass rail), and chat about old times: Preston, Waterstreet galleries, Walmart, Christianburg, Five guys, Kabuki, University mall, and Starbucks...and where we agreed the real challenge for Tech is to rise even more in the University academic rankings, to prove how strong we are. Go Hokies!

It was also very nice to argue about where things are in Blacksburg as we all have different memories of where some venues are. A good trip back in times then, which ended up with a hunt for an open Starbucks...habits die hard, and that familiar taste was very comforting. Now I am nursing a blister on my left foot palm...On the way back, the che fof the morrocan restaurant kidnapped me for a chat, where I learned he voted bayrou, and lives in Plaistow (dunno where that is) We will call him Aladdin as he will be my conversational arabic teacher, even if he doesn't know it yet.:)
It was all worth it....

Mechanical theatre

I was idly strolling in the market when some really cute wooden robots attracte dmy attention in the Kinetica Museum in Spitalfields market. They are having an expo on all things mechanical, powered by loads of wheels and rods and it's so beautiful and fun. The engineer in me just marvelled at the different transfers of movements and direction changes to operates those little puppets.This is a nice one, representing a boat sailing on water, with a backdrop of a big rainbow.

There were so much to see, and I only had my crappy phone with me to take pictures and videos so it's probably better to check their website

For most pieces, you push a red button and the installation moves...for small kids and wannabe grownups.

Fish or brain?

Hail the chef

Maybe not.
This evening I decided to get rid of some 2 packets of fish bought from the local market. Those are small entire fish that you usually like to eat deep fried, but I have no deep frying machine and was not about to spend a bottle of oil for some fish that will probably burn, knowing my culinary skills.
I do have some skils but i cannot follow a recipe, no matter how simple it is. I always change it somehow. So Elektra suggested earlier in the week that I do fishcakes. Those are good. But first I had to thaw the fishes...a very weird sight...so many fishes in the pot, staring at me with their dead eye..traumatizing.
So for revenge, I cut all their little heads...and only keep the body, that I mixed with potatoes, an egg, and some tempura mix (I am sure this is not the way to use tempura mix). After all that though, and some seasoning to try to get rid of the fishy taste, it wasn't dry enough to make fishballs or fishcakes, so I put them in a litle ramquin. But because I don't kow how to make the oven work (it's a gaz thing and I don't want to explode in my own kitchen), I decided to microwave them for 4min, then put them in a pot for a bain marie..now it has been boiling in there, steam cooking for about an hour,and it doesn't seem to be cooked yet..

I tasted it a bit and to be honest I won't be able to offer some to my flatmates. It is way too shameful..ahem. Next time i will buy fishfingers like everyone. Mind you, my other flatmate was not used to see real fish...kids these days!She's the one who never cooks as well.....

In Memoriam

Today is Memorial day, Hokie Hope day. For me it's a lonely day as I will be adorning the colors of the school by myself. But I will be proud to carry it, and very sad indeed.
May they rest in peace, and may the people they leave behind get the strentgh to carry on.


* Ross Abdallah Alameddine
* Christopher James Bishop
* Brian Roy Bluhm
* Ryan Christopher Clark
* Austin Michelle Cloyd
* Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
* Kevin P. Granata
* Matthew Gregory Gwaltney
* Caitlin Millar Hammaren
* Jeremy Michael Herbstritt
* Rachael Elizabeth Hill
* Emily Jane Hilscher
* Jarrett Lee Lane
* Matthew Joseph La Porte
* Henry J. Lee
* Liviu Librescu
* G.V. Loganathan
* Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan
* Lauren Ashley McCain
* Daniel Patrick O'Neil
* Juan Ramon Ortiz-Ortiz
* Minal Hiralal Panchal
* Daniel Alejandro Perez
* Erin Nicole Peterson
* Michael Steven Pohle, Jr.
* Julia Kathleen Pryde
* Mary Karen Read
* Reema Joseph Samaha
* Waleed Mohamed Shaalan
* Leslie Geraldine Sherman
* Maxine Shelly Turner
* Nicole White

Ut Prosim

The strength of my bonds to VT was painfully tested, and I admit I am very much attached to the place and people I came to know, even just meet there. I grieve for the loss of a pure space like I grieve for an innocent chil, friend and parent I know for so long. I grieve for not being among the Hokies. There will be time to move on. For the time being, I offer my condoleances and thoughts to the families of the deceased. Ignore the insensitive comments of some non Hokies.

A big Hokie hug to all the people that I ever came to know on campus and that are mainly dispersed all over the globe. My head shuts down and spell them out to form a blanket of Hokie hodies, a blur of orange and maroon, like a comforting littany that would calm me down :
John Pankaj Kezang Mohammed Sharon Felice Jen Tim Hussein Kayoko Robert Caroline Joanne Faria Ami Ati Ramy Alan Adanna Himu Sabrina Gunnar Seemant Shelly Fernando Cynthia Pedro Mohammed Ragy Katherine Kim Belinda Steve Tharapong Mookie Jonathan Jodie Jeff Aysen Kirthana Fred Enrique Shevon Svetlana Hanita Johan Stephan Guillaume Kurt Dave Paula Cornelia Kristina Zohal Wei Mischa Carolina Jens Belen Nancy June Jacob Anne-Lise Amanda Breo Jessica Mathilde Zoe .......

To the VT Memorial site.

My heart cries for the Hokies

I know I got used to the 'No news, Good news' motto. So today is a terrible day as death was spreading through my beloved campus in Virginia Tech, Blacksburg.

After the frantic panic in finding out what happened to friends, sadness and anger invade my soul. The place had a special meaning to me, a havoc of peace, happiness and invicibility. A place where everything good could be achieved. A secret garden hidden among stressful and ugly piece of this world. Now it is exposed tainted with blood, madness, grief and trauma.

I treasure the sights, the people, the smells, the light, the grass on the Drillfield, the Hokie stones. I treasure the 5 years of happy studious life. I cannot help but feel the anger and ask 'WHY?', knowing no explanation would be satisfying or acceptable. I cry...

London, 25C

Unbelievable, yet quite true! And this is a time when a forecast is useful to plan a trip outisde the city. So adios Spitalfields market and bongiorno Windsor! Mr K. and Miss M. invited me to the countryside, not far from London, where there is a royal residence, some greens and a river runs through it. And on the river, o so beautiful graceful swans.


I quite wonder how they keep their plumage so white whent he water is so muddy. And so tidy as well. I cannot even keep my hair on my head..it keeps filling up the vacuum cleaner.

Anyway, it's one of those days when you just wander about, dragging your feet to an unknown destination.

And then out of quite nowhere, unexpectedly, a lovely sight.

That is not the Windsor castle though..this is:

Well obviously it's not just big tower. It is actually very big but not very high, so all the other buildings in town seem to crowd it a bit. But from a bend in the river Thames, it appears magnificent.

Imagine looking for a room in that castle...ahem...
"Edward, please fetch the hairdresser. I am ready for my hairdo." As if
3hours later, Edward returns with the hairdresser and his uncles, and 3 maids and dogs...pfffiou.."do you even know who lives in this place?" asked the cook. "well, I am not sure how many princes and princesses there are" says the laundry woman...

Awesome gossips!
It must be the heat, my head is talking nonsense again today....

Lazy ssaaaturday in East London

The day started early, like 09:00 but I only managed to get out of the house at 13:00. Then it was a trip down memory lane to show all the pictures from Yemen, and a real discovery of the Chinese cities from the pictures from *Wu-shu's vacations. We didnt even have time to go to the pet farm because we were so starving at 16:00 we ran to the bagel shops to grab cheap chow.

Merely 2 hours later we finally made it to Greenwich. The Cutty Sark was under renovation and the tide was pretty low and showed up some really ugly dodgy beaches. But we found Greenwich park and had a late lie down. Managed to take som real bad quality pictures with the phone. Here is the Royal Observatory, on top of a nice mount.

*I haven't found an alias for her yet so I'm just improvising...maybe Mulan, Sayuri, Hello Kitty...not sure yet...

Tooth care

I know I will have nightmares today. I know I will hear that horrible grinding machine and grind my teeth so that it wont get into my mouth. I haven't been to the dentist since 2002...today the universe caught up with me and made me cry, with metal tools in my mouth. I did say I was allergic to ALL metals on the registration form!

I am more afraid of the dentist than hell.

Hampton court

-I heard this was the residence of Henri VII (correction, Henri VIII...typo)
-Well at least he could escape by boat
-And what's up with the trees?
-Hormone inbalance
-Do you see that hottie over there?
-Nah you have the zoom...

Happy Easter

Ah so it finally feels like spring. My nose is constantly tickly and the sun actually warms the skin. I haven't had a proper chocolate egg and I have to work. So for infinite hours I sit watching curling on eurosport in the hope of maybe understanding the objective of the game...the attraction was to see a bunch of mine sweeping the ice.

Speaking of ice I wish some people would stay outside my ice sphere...

Trapped

'If you desire privacy today, don't deny yourself. Solitude can be beneficial.
It's time to deal with an old habit that's on the verge of becoming an unhealthy pattern. Maybe it started during your youth, or maybe it's a recent development. Whatever the case, you need to deal with it now.'

Really, it sounds familiar. Anyway I am now physically trapped on the British islands because my passport needed to be sent to the Driver's registration office so that they can investigate my identity...don't ask me why I trust them with my passport. In return they'll have to trust me on the roads..MUAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

Mud-elling etc..

BUILD ME A MUD PALACE
Like the one in Seyoun, entirely made of mud and rising to 5 stories overlooking the town. It was built in the 1800ish and used as a garrison. It is now a museum with some interesting facts about the wadi area, such as how the local money, the real, was coined during the austrian influence. Or to see the old alphabet used before the arabic alphabet...



And it also has a magnificent view of the whole town of Seyoun, with its minarets that are all different. Locals who emigrated to Saudi Arabia, Indonesia or other for oil or business return successfully and erect those minarets to thank God and give to the community. One could argue schools and hospitals could be useful too, but faith is a good thing here.

Another mud palace is in Tarim, where a prominent business family who worked in Indonesia came back and built a whole structure inspired by Indonesian craft and architecture. Unfortunately we could not visit inside as there was a funeral and the whole town went.




BUILD ME A MUD CITY

This is Shibam, a site which is on the World heritage list of UNESCO
The place was nicknamed Manhattan of the desert, as 9 stories high buildings were built entirely in mud. There is only one gate to this city overlooking the river bed. It is used to monitor any entrance and exit. Like in the traditional houses in the area, women and men each have their floor level. Cattle and storage rooms is on the ground floor. The top roof terrace is used for tea or coffee break. And it is always quite breezy inside due to the various internal open court and windows. The river bed itself serves as playground to the kids and goat and camel herds.

A CITY ON THE ROCK
Tired of mud constructions? Try the rock high rises of Al Hajarain, a city built on a bald rock overlooking the wadi.

This is unique in the region because the houses are actually made of rock as well, not mud. It's pretty scary to climb up the roads that swivel around the bald mountain. But it has a nice view up there and there are long staircase down the mountain for those who are not afraid of staring into the void while climbing down.

Speaking of rock, the driver was playing the backstreet boyz at some point and I missed Bambi dearly. Please, no stone throwing! Speaking of another rock, here is Haed Aljazail, another mud city perched on some unreasonable stone...the humans were unreasonable, the stone just happened to be there, half hanging out of the mountain...

This is a view from the desert plateau across from it, where some ricj guy, probably from the Al Kaaf family is building a huge resort. He even finished building the fence, using local materials: rocks. He also built a hospital and a place where he can have shows done on that plateau...seems that whole piece of flat big rock is entirely his...

Anyway, down the plateau we had lunch at this cute restaurant.

No need to add this was also made of mud....it was

The face of the desert

Forget the cliche of the sand dunes. I did not see those. After all, the trip was to be in a valley, where an intermittent river would form after rainfall. Instead, picture a long sinuous valley bordered by very high plateaux that are similar to Cape Town's Table Mountain. And you get the region of Hadramout.





It rained a couple of days ago and the river bed is blessed with some water, and some crops are an eerie green along the road.

Along the straight new roads, water station sparsely sprout out of the beige ground, celebrating and nurturing the idea of water to the thirsty and drained travelers. Truly a life saving station.

We also came across many goats herds, escorted by their lovely shepherdess, kinda dressed for Halloween.

Minarets towers in all shape and colors signal human civilization. Minaret also travels by truck on the long desert road.

On the plateaux, the immense flat dry surface stretches to the horizon, hiding the abrupt cliffs onto the valley.

The sunset can be viewed in higher grounds to get a view of the palms trees in the wadi and the sand storm raised by the breeze.

And finally hidden charming oasis of rest and peace cater to tired travelers.

The three musketeers

Hook (black eye), Gruyere, and Voatavo (ie swiss cheese and pumpkin)
Their mom is called...Orangina

On Weekend

I should have had a graduation ceremony, because I can now read...supposedly, in Arabic, when they bother to put the vowels on the words. Instead walked home through the souk one more time, taking some pictures like some vulgar tourist:

Observe the man walking up the hill, like any yemeni, he is wearing the traditional jambia, a mighty knife he keeps in a decorated belt near his ....belly, to protect his....belly:)

And here is one of the many shops selling the accessories for men: jambia belts.

And to finish, a nice picture of the old city, seen behind its big wall:

Since my classes finished (yes, short but intensive) I am not sure when I will be back in the old city. On the other hand I need a REAL vacation...days of doing nothing...and not waking up with an alarm clock.....

High...

Game: Not that i have tried qat or any popular local hallucinogens. Just that having a glimpse out of the window of the laundry room, here what I saw:


Spirits: And from the bedroom, I can see the muezzin that wakes us up at 03:00am for prayers...they are pretty hard core on prayers.

Voltage: Finally,I barely completed my homework when the electricity went off. So we had a candlelit dinner and a game of spiderweb, and sudoku.

Dryness

Every single hint of humidity out here is sucked dry out here. The ground is marked by small wrinkles and the trees are all very dry or burnt. However the recent urban planning included planting trees to separate boulevards, like the one next to the mall across from the house (below).

Also the skin, and other wooden crafts we have had since we moved, are completely dried up. For our skin, we have to butter ourselves with all sorts of yummy cream, from heal to face. The wooden chests and chairs have to be oiled apparently.

And worse, it is dry of cute guys. Have I mentioned that they hold hands?

Starting school

This morning was nerve wrecking as I was supposed to go to class by myself, like a big girl (not fat, just big). Took a cab which had plastic covered seats in case i vomit inside because of car sickness. Given how they drive over here, it is expected. Then I was dropped off at the entrance of the Old City (Baab el Yemen) and had to go through the souk by myself, following a map my Mommy drew. I managed to get to the school 15min in advance, so they put me in the kitchen to wait for 10:00.

I must stress that the city is in altitude so climbing regular stairs leaves me breathless. The school kitchen was on the second floor, after climbing old style stairs made for giants. I waited 30min, then at 10:10 I called the director of the school asking where my teacher was after seeing all the other students being picked up by their teacher. He told me to go upstairs, on the 3rd floor where my teacher was waiting for me. He basically forgot he sent me to the kitchen.

Anyway that was enough exercise for my poor legs, lungs and brain...tomorrow, class is at 08:00..........

Yeah Man !*

*coined by Hobbes

Finally landed safely on the second try! We almost landed the first time but at the last minute, ie after the tires were out, the pilot decided to turn on the engines again and take off...mainly because a violent wind was shaking the plane, and lifted all the dust around so ze could not see anything, the sky and everything we stared at was red yellowish fog.

But the trip was comfortable enough, except that in the new fleet of Emirates, the seats are higher than usual, meaning the height challenged like me could not touch the floor with my feet, and the footrest could not be used during take offs and landings. Quite painful then. I also cursed for 6 hours after a party of 3 guys in front of me who kept drinking and got really drunk and really loud. May they be sterile.

So far I am getting lost finding the rooms I want in the house. Imagine when I have to walk through the souk in the old city to go to my Arabic classes tomorrow...

Our life in Science

Convinced that my granny still lives in the 50's, I wondered how it would feel 50 years from now on. Hell, it's hard enough being born in the 70s and growing up on stuff that don't make sense anymore, such as:
- Pluto is not a planet
- It is now scientifically impossible to go back in time. This must be very hard on magazines and the cosmetics industry. How are they going to sell them products that are supposed to make you look and feel like 10 years back in time?



And then you start to imagine waking up one day 50 years from now and finding out:
- that all your kids (if you have them) look alike, except for their hair color, and they're not the same age either.
- you can go to the hospital and ask for a hip replacement, not because yours broke, but because you get a new hip, grown from the cells you gave earlier (or did they just take that sample when you were being treated for an appendicite?)
- When your child is sick, you can either replace the malfunctioning organ with another one that was grown in vitro (same as your hip) or...get one from a clone of your child...
- Your food doesnt taste like anything anymore. Instead you have pills that treat each vital organ..and your tastebuds are not vital apparently...weird because it can be useful to taste poisons...ah well
- You can't have babies by having sex anymore. For babies, you go to the bankand fill in a form and get your order like at McDonalds. In fact everyone (men and women) has to do it for the survival of the species.
- Everyone is using public transport that don't stop for no reason for engineering work. The only private vehicles are the ones to the other planets and moons.
- You can learn a new language in 3 nights' sleep

I stop imagining because it's been a while since I read a science magazine so I can't remeber what other stuff is shaking up our lives...but just imagine though...pretty scary sometimes.

Flashback

Sometime yesterday in Paris I was walking briskly along the corridor of the metro station Cluny La Sorbonne. And I felt like almost 10 years ago, when every morning I had to run in that same corridor to catch my connection train to Jussieu...very weird feeling.

Otherwise, I was quite happy to fly with a woman captain on my flight back to Heathrow. Her voice was very reassuring, even if her landing was a bit bumpy. However the stewart had a terrible French accent, so bad it hurts to listen to him. 'oui invaite u to reed zee and out in front ov u...' arghhhhh Maybe if he was cute i would have felt better.

Top 3 things I can't buy

3-Dietary food, such as slim fast and such . I feel miserable because if I buy it then I have to eat it, and they're not very good, except the ones I bought in France years ago but which is now discontinued... I don't like slim fast.

2-panties. Because no matter how I look at them they look huuuuge...:(

1-Condoms...I've never even tried. In a supermarket I walk down that aisle and glance around and discover to my horror that there are millions of boxes of different colors. Geez, as if it wasn't difficult enough. And then for some reason I can't read anymore so I just stare at the aile, continue walking and wonder what's the difference between those condoms: thickness of rubber? talc and powder? reservoir? size? breathable (huh?) flavour? texture? glow in the dark? with or without lubrification? So I leave it to the guy to get them.

I just imagine guys shopping...
'oh man, i only have 2 condoms left and it's the weekend. Gotta get some more. So let's see...what's the cheapest?...hmmm...3 for the price of 2. yeah but this is small. And I need lube. Don't they have family size boxes so that I don't have to do this so often? Hehehe, the ones with flavours...******(censured thought). Oh shit, another guy is coming over (this one is hetero right?). Ah well, whatever is under my hand then. Oh shit this is not what I wanted. Ah well, maybe she will....grrr...run run...ah damn, all the cashiers are girls, ah well, gotta hide this one with the lettuce, or shoo, how about some flowers? yeah..smooth!'

Arghhh that was painful, to try to think like a guy like that. Am glad I'm a girl.

Who are you?

It must be very strange to not remember things. I do it already but I usually forget events...Yesterday however, my grandmother asked me who I was. LOL. I don't blame her from bloking me from her consciousness though, I've been a bit of a troublesome lady to live with. But it was quite funny to find out she doesn't know who I am and that I finished school...Instead she said she remember my sister she hasn't seen in 5 years. Some shortcircuits going in there...

Airports or terminals?

It is a place where people pass by and don’t stay, except for the shops. So travellers usually move in hordes, in and out of the terminals. I do like airports mainly for that reason, but only when I am leaving. Picking up someone or waiting for someone at the airport or dropping someone is not very enjoyable, mainly because you wait (waste of my life), or because you feel left behind.

I don't like the word terminal because it sounds so definitive and very ill. Airport is a better word because it is much more descriptive of a bustling port where things are done: goodbyes, greetings, business, meetings, extraditions, body searches, etc...It's where I rush to, take my ticket, check my luggage get in line for the security check...and most of the time don't look back. Either I know I'll be back and will rejoice in seeing family and friends again, knowing that rare comfort of being loved no matter what, or there is just nothing to look back on because I am glad to leave it behind.

'Kuroi namida'

Here are the translated lyrics of the song from 'nana'. And I do feel like this....

can’t count the nights when I’ve hoped tomorrow won’t come
I’ve lost my dreams and my love; lashed by the rain, I’m crying, crying, crying…

What do I need to do
To be able to live as I am, without dressing myself up?
I can't even believe in myself, so what should I believe in?
The answer is so close that I can’t see it

I cry black tears
I have nothing, I’m so sad
Unable even to put it into words
My whole body begins to ache
I can’t take being alone

At night I grew tired of crying and drew my face, yet it wasn’t my face
I need to stop hiding my weakness and putting on a smile

Is it the hardest thing in the world
To live without dressing oneself up?
If I could have something from you, I want something intangible
I no longer need things that can break

Even if I cry black tears and scream
Tomorrow will come with an unfamiliar face
And I’ll come up against the same pain
If those days are going to continue
Then I want to go far away
Even though I know it's selfish of me...

I cry black tears
I have nothing, I’m so sad
Unable even to put it into words
My whole body begins to ache
I can’t take being alone

Even if I cry black tears and scream
Tomorrow will come with an unfamiliar face
And I’ll come up against the same pain
If those days are going to continue
Then I want to go far away
Even though I know it's selfish of me...

In a rush and a void

I've been quite busy creating, reviewing, editing a French CV lately. It is my only deadline in about 3 years now and it felt good to be compelled to do something for my own good. Even if the results are not guaranteed and the job itself doesn't seem too technically challenging.

It also left me quite empty. I realized when I feel something I do tend to almost immediately express it, either to a plastic composite and metal scrap (i.e. a computer), or to the relevant person. So if I am happy I say so, if I am sad and missing someone, I say so, and if I like someone, I say so as well, which has the relly annoying effect of making the guy run for shelter and for a boat off the island or continent. Very disturbing. I am not sure if it is the way I express it or just the fact that I have those feelings.

I have tried being subtke about hings, but then again I don't like the idea that I am not sure what the other person understood. So soon or later, usually sooner, I blurt out what excatly is my feeling or opinion. I have been shy before, and I am still considerate to others' feelings. But I put my own feelings first by expressing them.

Electra said we are not women who receive gifts. That is because we do not know how to act needy and demanding...and maybe also I am too independent and proud to ask for anything sometimes. If I need help I will eventualy ask for it. Maybe I get it, maybe I don't but at least I asked and tried.

Yeah, i feel empty...I need that rush to make me feel alive again.

The whereabouts of the Moon Rabbit

Can you see it? I thought I was loosing my wits when remebering the moon rabbit. Apprently it is only visible in the southern hemisphere where I grew up. In those days we spent a large amount of time staring at the moon before going to sleep, making up stories and conjectures about what the rabbit was doing up there. It is a shame it cannot be seen from up here north...
It is a very well know figure that can be traced up from the shades on the moon. For those unlucky one who grew up without the Moon Rabbit, here is what you are missing then:

Sun, Earth and Moon

A total lunar eclipse is visible tonight, straight out of my window. The sun, earth and the moon are on a straight line apparently, in that order.I wonder if that accounts for my mood. In a few hours, the moon disapears in front of my eyes and may reappear again while I am sleeping.



The moon slowly drifts out of my sight, like any other goal or dream I had in mind. Planes fly between my crapy camera lens and the moon, and I wonder if the passengers look at the moon and if they see it bigger. Also, if they reach up with their hands, they could touch the moon...sigh.


I didn't get to see the moon re-appear, but while dozing off to sleep, I unfortunately have to get real and realize bitterly that it is only I who decide how I feel. And so I am angry for a while, because I forgot to depend on myself. I will stop watching the parade, and walk away to go on my journey. That parade is only a collection of fake clowns, fake giants, cheap glitter, and loud ear tearing noise, disguising boredom, uselessness and aimlessness.

I missed the Haley comet a few (maybe decade) back. I'm glad I saw this one. And I even caught a blue moon. without using any filter or any sophisticated equipment...but the photos don't capture the rabbit on that side of the moon.

Porque te vas

The first song I learned in Spanish, even before 'Hijo de la luna' de Mecano.



Hoy en mi ventana brilla el sol
y el corazón
se pone triste contemplando la ciudad
por que te vas?

Como cada noche desperté
piensando en tí
y en mi reloj todas las horas ví pasar
por que te vas?

Todas las promesas de mi amor se irán contigo
me olvidarás
Junto a la estación lloraré igual que un niño
por que te vas


Bajo la penumbra de un farol
se dormirán
todas las cosas que quedaron por decir
se dormirán.

Junto a las manijas de un reloj
esperaran
todas las cosas que quedaron por vivir
por que te vas?

Todas las promesas de mi amor se irán contigo
me olvidarás
Junto a la estación lloraré igual que un niño
por que te vas


Todas las promesas de mi amor se irán contigo
me olvidarás
Junto a la estación lloraré igual que un niño
por que te vas

(Jeanette Dimech)

Made up

Something I'm not used to wear:

And something I usually wear (yessss there is a thick layer of shiny cream there!)

Tongue twisters

Ala, this is not kissing tricks description you all expected.

I only know a few in French and they can keep me busy for hours:
'-combien sont ces saucissons-ci?
-ces saucissons-ci font six sous.
'

The only one in English I know is from the movie Singin'in the rain, from the soundtrack titles 'Moses'
Moses suposes his toeses are roses
But Moses supposes erroneously
And Moses, he knowses his toeses aren't roses
As Moses supposes his toeses to be

Moses suposes his toeses are roses
But Moses supposes erroneously
A Rose is a rose
A Nose is a nose
A Toese is a toese

Hupidubidu!

Moses suposes his toeses are roses
But Moses supposes erroneously
And Moses, he knowses his toeses aren't roses
As Moses supposes his toeses to be

Please tell me more of those tongue twisters

Why is it that...

...when I am most in need of empty space I end up in a crowded area?
...the weather is bright and sunny when I need to sleep?
...my bank account always empties faster than my shopping list?
...my love life is as fruitful as a desert?
...people never say what they think and mean what they say?

Preparing for housewarming

LA CHANSON DES VIEUX AMANTS de Jacques Brel

Bien sûr nous eûmes des orages
Vingt ans d'amour c'est l'amour fol.
Mille fois tu pris ton bagage,
Mille fois je pris mon envol.

Et chaque meuble se souvient,
Dans cette chambre sans berceau,
Des éclats, des vieilles tempêtes.
Plus rien ne ressemblait à rien,
Tu vais perdu le goût de l'eau,
Et moi celui de la conquête.

Mon amour,
Mon doux, mon tendre, mon merveilleux amour,
De l'aube claire jusqu'à la fin du jour,
Je t'aime encore, tu sais, je t'aime.


Moi, je sais tous tes sortilèges,
Tu sais tous mes envoûtements.
Je t'ai gardé de piège en piège,
Tu m'as perdue de temps en temps.

Bien sûr tu pris quelques amants,
Il fallait bien passer le temps,
Il faut bien que le corps exulte.
Finalement, il nous fallut bien du talent
Pour être vieux sans être adultes.


Oh, mon amour
Mon doux, mon tendre, mon merveilleux amour,
De l'aube claire jusqu'à la fin du jour,
Je t'aime encore, tu sais, je t'aime.


Et plus le temps nous fait cortège,
Et plus le temps nous fait tourment.
Mais n'est-il pas le pire des pièges
Que vivre en paix pour des amants.

Bien sûr je pleure un peu moins tôt,
Je me déchire un peu plus tard,
Nous protégeons moins nos mystères.
On fait moins faire le hasard,
On se méfie du fil de l'eau,
Mais c'est toujours la tendre guerre.


Oh, mon amour,
Mon doux, mon tendre, mon merveilleux amour,
De l'aube claire jusqu'à la fin du jour,
Je t'aime encore, tu sais, je t'aime...

Invisible fountain

My room is very zen. I have white paper lamps, sakura flowers, white furnishings, big windows opening to tha farm and inviting the sunlight, and then a gurgling invisible fountain. I hear it sing, burp, drip through to the ground on the balcony. Sometimes it invites your imagination to picture disgusting activities (diarhea, vomiting), and sometimes it sounds as peaceful as a gentle river running on polished rocks and pebles. In any case it inhabits the room.
I must mention that my room has plenty of pink flowers and the scent of pink lillies and pink cherry blossom. Truly girly and peaceful. It was designed according to the principles of feng shui, or at least my interpretation of it: sometimes tidies up, with water, soil around the bed, bed not facing the door.

When time flies

When I am sleepy and wait for the time when I get to bed, time takes its time and rolls ever so slowly. It makes my head hurt and my eyelids feel like a flatpacked wardrobe. I have been awake before dawn and the dayis dragging its feet to completion.

I was feeling better earlier though, having spent some quality time chatting away and having a stroll on my favourite Queen's walk with an old friend visiting from the land of marmots, snow storm and Cirque du Soleil (ie Montreal). He was only in town for a few hours, which felt like seconds.

Yes, it is the standard picture I take of my friends when they visit London: on the millenium bridge with St Paul in the background.

After a very long day then, I come home to see my bunch of cherry blossoms blooming prettily with its delicate touch of pink. Puts the life back in me.

Wasting £2 and 45min of my life

This started as a pretty ok day but turned into a very very bad case of the Mondays. Woke up before the alarm clock, had time to have healthy breakfast (oatmeal) and even got to wash the filthy hair. Managed to catch the tube after peak* hours for Wimbledon. Because on this day I was ready to have the DVLA (driving and vehicule licensing agency, yeah) certify that the picture I will put on the provisional** license is really resembling me...they are very suspicious in this place.

Took me 4 podcasts in Spanish and a full £2 to get there, get a ticket, and wait for 2 minutes before the guy at the counter tells me:'ah yeah we don't certify for foreign passports, only British passports. You'll have to send that passport as proof od ID'. So basically all my efforts not to send my passports to useless bureaucrats were lost on this universe. So I stayed in that building for 4minutes and took another 20min to get back to central London.

Managed to get some shopping done before going to work. I even managed to get there early, to grab lunch, but they took 15min to grill a bloody chicken and rocket wrap. I am not sure I stayed very polite during the day. No amount of cofee or sugar can calm me down and I apparently had a tan (red cheeks, maybe because I was so unnerved by it all).

*peak time as opposed to peek time, which is when I got mooned by some lady parading naked at her window without any consideration for us tube travellers going about our business staring blankly out of the coach's window!

**a provisional license is a license to allow you to learn how to drive and sit for the driving test..yes, you must have a license to sit on a chair and anwer questions about road rules. Don't ask me why. They probably need money as this provisional license costs £38....I will die of nerves I tell you!