CSI: Completely socially incapacitated

Ah yes I spent my evenings watching CSI for the past 2 days. I did miss watching it on TNT and Fox with all those Pizza Hut and Wendy's commercials..heheheh. But now I'm up to date and I can't wait for the next season. My social skills aren't improving and I suprise myself in preferring to stay indoors and watch a serie than go clubbing...yikes! am getting old!

Which reminds me: I need to train for the freaking 10k coming up in October.

I also suprise myself in not being worried about all the news at the moment. Maybe because I don't care anymore, or just because it really doesn't concern me for now. I'd pay attention to it if I was travelling...being self centered really does help not being worried to much and enjoy life as much as I can.:)

My cousin asked why I was working all the time. He's right, I need a holiday! I'm just trying to afford it so that I won't worry so much about how much would be left in the bank (if anything). Which reminds me of that dissertation I had to write in high school (philosophy class):' what is work and why do we work?' ...What i never understand is why they ask that kind of question to 15 year old kids whose only jobs were probably to wash the car, wait tables (with variable amount of clothes) and do other people's homeworks...ahem. How can you write a 4 page paper if all you can find is ' i do it for the money'? At least now I can add ' and also to kill some time otherwise I'll be so bored'...

'Ring ring' by ABBA..LOL

I was sitting by the phone
I was waiting all alone
Baby, by myself I sit and wait and wonder about you
It's a dark and dreary night
Seems like nothing's going right
Won't you tell me honey how can I go on here without you

Yes, I'm down and feeling blue
And I don't know what to do, oh-oh

Ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
Ring, ring, the happiest sound of them all
Ring, ring, I stare at the phone on the wall
And I sit all alone impatiently
Won't you please understand the need in me
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call

You were here and now you're gone
Hey, did I do something wrong
I just can't believe that I could be so badly mistaken
Was it me or was it you
Tell me, are we really through
Won't you hear me cry and you will know that my heart is breaking

Please forgive and then forget
Or maybe darling better yet, oh-oh

Ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
Ring, ring, the happiest sound of them all
Ring, ring, I stare at the phone on the wall
And I sit all alone impatiently
Won't you please understand the need in me
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
Oh-oh, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call

Musical moment

Our sunday morning concert in Wien

Schonbrunn garden & zoo

So this is the castle where Sissi used to hang out in the summer..lucky girl

We visited the zoo with Caroline's Melman

Wien Rathaus

Last June in front of the Wien rathaus, they had a stage up for worker's day or something. Professions showcasing were hairdressers, fashion clothes makers, dancers, etc...



We just sat on the ground and hummed with them..ok, sometimes scaring the people around us as usual

Codes, ciphers and languages

Ciphers

Am reading this litle book (10cmx10cm) on codes and ciphers at the moment, just hoping it is a good short version of the other serious 'intro to cryptography' book I borrowed for life from my prof. And in paralle, am also reading another book, also borrowed, on the English language. Made me realize some langugae actually express some thought sbetter than others...learned for example that in English there is 'home' and 'house' but only one word in French, 'maison'. I am sure there are words in French as well that have no direct equivalent in English (I can't think of any at the moment because am tired and I don't want to switch my brain to French). Mostly though, there are some things that are shorter to say in a language or other, so my lazy brain just picks that up.

The worst thing though is trying to quote or repeat someone, usually a line in a movie or book, then realizing I cannot remeber in which language it was...Follows a series of bactracking in time and space to figure out when where and with whom the episode was, and by the time I get the correct quote in the correct language, nobody is interested anymore!

This is why I am much more comfortable writing that talking. I have more time to think about each word, and to use it with its full meaning. I'd be interested if you have an example of the 'house-home' subtelty in French or Spanish though...

And to finish on a suspense, tonight I'll upload some videos about my trip in Vienna...

Ohayoo gozaimasu!

Darn, it's monday...and I'm not sleepy despite an all nighter.
Thoughts for today:
-happy and chilled: weather is rainy and I have to catch up on sleep!
-wishing to dream of flying. Well given my weight at the moment it'll be a welcomed miracle!
-I need to do more mental math exercises, because I can't multiply anymore.
-Am actually thinking in Japanese sometimes, thanks to all these animes I watch...sugoi!
-The radio keeps mentioning '6 weeks of summer'...how depressing...I wish there were 6 months of summer!
-A special comforting thought to Zab who must not feel very good these days. Life really sucks at times.

Alright, the God of my dreams calls me into sleep (ahem, Wentworth Miller)..MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

More seriously, someone told me once I am using comedy or laughter to mask everything and don't allow anyone to get close to me...maybe. I only feel I enjoy a good time in good company though, even if sometimes I also enjoy the silence of an early morning by myself.

A day in the life of -H-

This looks more and more like a diary entry:
Today, walked across London for an hour to buy shoes (yes, I needed a pair after I couldn't find one that satisfied my fancy from my cupboard). To afford these new ones I will have to sell my old clothes and shoes that bore me next week. Then went for drink in Notting Hill with a coworker (sorry I metion work). On my way back, saw a disgraceful woman in the bus: wearing a lycra top too small for her, and a pair of tight jeans also too small for her. It was so small she was showing her full black laced panties to the whole bus..beuark. Viva liberty of expression...

Thought about something I discussed earlier in the evening: I do envy people with childhood friends. I have great friends but I don't see them very often. Someone asked if our time spent together were fantastic, joyful, awesome, yet superficial moments as they are only blips in time. For me they are not, as I give myself heart and soul to that moment, forgeting how ugly and miserable life can be, rejoicing only in the time spent together. They may be mere blips in time, but they are happy blips that make it worth waiting for the next blips.

I'm not even sure how you spell that word: bleeps, blips, bleaps...

And there is no childhood friend for me to share the stories of the past.

Oh and i've been let down quite unexpectedly by a local good friend who decided to go to the beach with some other girls without telling me (let alone inviting me). I always expect so much of people and let myself be disapointed.

I'm afraid to be blue in a white rage, green hatred and red anger so I'll just get in my shell and stay brown and spicy

Until all is rosy again...(think of a happy thought)

Shopping a Belle Epine

J'ai traine toute la petite famille a Thiais, au centre commercial Belle Epine pour acheter de la cire a epiler et des dentifrices a Carrefour. Resultat des courses? On a acheter 2 sachets de courses, incluant deodorants, gel douche, fromage, yaourt, detachant, detartrant, et meme du talc...Les hommes se sont meme achetes des pantalons chez Celio.

Puis ce fut le gros repas chez le marocain d'a cote, ou on s'est empiffre de couscous..mmm trop bon. Finalement il faudra se coucher parce que demain, je vais devoir prendre un prise de sang.

C'est une bonne journee de balade en famille.

Happy birthday ZAB

Ahhh joyeux anniversaire ma vieille. C'est fini la puberte maintenant! Bon, les sauces de fajitas sont en route.
xxxx

'I'm practically perfect in every way'

This is what happens when you're delirious and feel cold even if you're sweating. Some silly song trots in your head and all you want to eat is chocolate. Ah wait a minute, this is happening to me everyday! And this monday it's even worse because my head feels like it's going to explode.

Last night, crazy Nadia brought the 4 Inu Yasha movies. So after the ratatouille fajitas, and some chai tea for my throat, we watched the first movie until midnight (entouree de mes culottes blanches toutes propres et fraichement lavees). I still don't know how to say 'shit' in Japanese though. The subtitles are not consistent.

Because I can't do anything because my body is so weak even taking a shower and eating is tough (well, if you do it at the same time), all I can do is lie down and try to sleep, before the neighbourhood kids get back from school and scream outside. And then my mind wanders: must be nice being dead and feel no pain; must be cool to forget everything and feel light; how does it feel to be skinny? would I change my future if I had the gift of foresight?

Ahh sweet delirium.

I am getting a cold!

I think I am depressed. I am getting a cold and I slept without eating last night. LOL
And I was pissed off and almoist killed the flatmate for taking the last roll of toilet paper from our bathroom to the guy's bathroom...I wish him to be very miserable for the rest of his very long long life and to not be pitied or loved at all...right I was not in rosy mood.

Today, I am not too happy either because it is so busy I can't relax and I am missing the sunday market on a nice pleasant summer day: not too hot (actually chilly inside at 23C). And I ahve a dry cough and can't sleep straight ahead. I only sleep when exhausted.

Arghh, can't wait to be leave and change air again...

The heat is on!

Ahhh lovely summer. Waking up drenched in sweat, a cool breeze from the window, blue sky, yellow sun..and no single smell of the ocean or sea...yup, stranded on a isalnd and miles away from the coast...And the water from the bathtub is not even cold anymore!

Welcome to Eileen, who will soon celebrate her first month in this world...congrats to the happy parents and enjoy bthe freshness of Chamonix. Another wedding in perspective for me to attend I guess...(sigh)

Another ridiculous news: I signed up to run a 10km race in october. Now I know what you are thinking, I just did it to have a T-shirt. But the fact is I already have a green t-shirt, so really I am doing this to motivate my fat ass to drag itself to the gym and sweat the fat out. Am sick of the jelly and woobly thing that surrounds my beautiful body. So may disgust drive my will till I get fit as a GI Jane.

If I was very vain, I would hope that Orlando Bloom will race too, and we'll be in the same group...let me hold that thought for now, it makes my heart race and it's good before going to jog...

IMAX and 3D effects

I was walking to go see Superman, and got mugged. Superman never flew in to save me from separating me from my bag and purse.

Superman is definetely created by men who probably don't know much about women right? because:
-the writers think women wouldn't notice that Clark Kent IS Superman. I mean come on! We notice when we cut an inch of hair, how stylish a shoe is, a change of complexion, etc..and you really think we won't notice that it's the same person wearing those geeky glasses and those blue leotard with red cape???? At least Spiderman had a mask on...
-Superman always rips off his civilian clothes somewhere in the elevator or somewhere he's never seen going back to...and how many of those clothes are ripped and tossed in mid air? And then they say we women spend too much on clothes? grrrr

hmm, I'll think about it more today and will add to the list later...

'Proming'

If someone asks you to the Proms in London, you might not wear that big prom dress just yet.

If you ever pass by the Royal Albert Hall from today, then you may find hordes of people over 40 nonchalantly sitting on the stairs under the blazing sun, wearing straw hats or with umbrellas, sipping white wine and holding the bottle. It is an odd place to have a picnic or an evening drink. Of course, there will be some tourists as well, hanging in there just in case it becomes wild and a 'happening'. But mostly those are freinds getting together to get entrance to the BBC Proms, which runs from July 14 till September.

In a way, it is a tailgating of some sorts. However, out here the goods are coming from a picnic basket or a Tesco bag (maybe even Mark & Spencer) instead of the back of a pickup truck or a Beamer. They drink wine instead of Miller lite or Bud Lite, and they certainly don't barbecue or have KFC.

I have yet to witness their peculiar behaviour inside the concert Hall, but I have no doubt they are not as rowdy as American football spectators in the arena. Those who didn't get ticket probably listen to the concert from outside anyway, as they are broadcasted live on BBC2 or BBC3.

All this to say I miss the Hokie games and the friends I used to hang out with...sniff

'If you can't say something nice....

Don't say nothing at all' (Thumper, in Bambi)

It is the FIFA World Cup final in the world I am living,and I wish all fans good luck..the players, they know what they have to do I suppose...play ball.

Comfortable afternoon, and I'm struck with grief. Remembering the last time I saw someone that I would never see again. Denying it would just increase the pain next time I'll remember. I was planning a great trip, enjoying and worrying what lied ahead. He was visiting to give out some news about an ailing family member.

Those are not tears of pain but of regrets. I cry for having overlooked that last moment with him. I cry for not being able to comfort his loved ones. I cry because I will not see him again in church, up there among the deacons, his dad and family. And I cry because I needed to cry!

Then I stop and life goes on...very sad!

Cult of aloneness:

'The need for autonomy at all costs, usually at the expense of long-term relationships. Often brought about by overly high expectations of others.' (Generation X, D. Coupland 1991)

Amen!



Stumbled on that book again on a somehow rainy day that interrupted Wimbledon live feed. Take that for an eye opener. There are funnier definitions as well such as...

'Black holes: An X generation subgroup best known for their possession of almost entirely black wardrobes.'
'Green division: To know the difference between envy and jealousy.'
'Native Aping: Pretending to be a native when visiting a foreign destination.' this one is can lead to hilarious situations.
'Option Paralysis: The tendency, when given unlimited choices, to make none.' yup, happens to everyone. Though for groceries, I tend to get whatever I haven't tried before.

And of course this one which is still very much practiced by 98% of movie stars:
'Dorian Graying: The unwillingness to gracefully allow ones's body to show signs of aging.'

And to finish this Generation X special, let's see if you can guess this one.
'Air Family:...?'

Heat 'wave', no fireworks, no BBQ!

Happy Fourth of July..I got pop corn and sushi..what did you get?

Tennis, beach and Champagne

So I did wake up at 8:00 again on Sunday but only managed to go to the farmer's market. I was too lazy to go out again and run to the Columbia flower market to get some flowerpots. Also managed to get to Wapping at 11:30 just in time to warm up for 15minutes and play with that exercise ball again until noon. It was 30degrees outside but I was goign to play with somebody else's raquet so I figured I should get ready for the worse...and it was horrible. The raquet was really heavy on the head and the grip was tiny (that husband of Helen must have tiny hands..LOL).

We played for about 1h45min total, including chat time...Had to drag myself home for a shower then it was time to wander to the market with Huene and Laureline, friends of my ex-flatmates, visiting London... And here is a view of the Truman Brewery Beach.

Later that evening, after having some korean tea (well, we had juice, no tea in that scortching weather), Nadia made risotto and we brought saucisse seche and champagne to the parc just behing Shoreditch station...

Yup, had to pop the champagne and take some pictures.


And after that bubbly I tried to get some sleep...

90 minutes of silence

This should have been up since saturday... ah well

I woke up too early as usual (8:00) but managed to moderate my excitement at the prospect of going to my first tennis coaching in years...which was at noon! After turning around like a caged lion, I finally set off to the Isle of Dogs, to the John Orwell Centre. Believe it or not, I got there at 10:30, and had to wait patiently for my coaching by doing some exercise machines...I probably spent 15 minutes on that cross training machine, then played around with the exercise ball for 30 minutes, pretending to do abs exercises..who am I kidding? Then I discovered the 2 machines that work out the thighs...hmmm I'll be addicted to those. Then soon enough, it was noon and I finally hit some balls, not too impressively but still I was feeling the shots pretty good, given I haven't played since last summer. Ieven hit one long volley in the 15th minute of coaching, which destroyed my strings! Arghhh...had to play with the trainer's racquet for the rest of the hour, under the blazing sun...mind you, the coach brought some sunblock with her...yup, it's a her...showing her black lace bra and everything..seriously..I miss Sibanda!!And the court (yup, the centre has ONE tennis court), is made of bitume, which will destroy my shoes in 2 months. But at least there are only 2 big cracks on ecah side of the net...It was a group lesson (3 students) and the 2 others were...beginners..sniff sniff...so they had to be explained the technique and all...arrrrghh. The only thing the coach told me was to move my feet and run for the balls...as usual...I need to make tennis playing friends............

Then I ended up in Charing Cross road looking for a bus to Oxford Circus, and got a sample of the remnants of the Gay Pride Parade: men with cute buns in electric blue speedos...and they were tanned and fit and very gay..ah well...I didn't have my camera, and lost my camera phone so I can't share that sight here. Also got dragged into a parade of England fans, for the upcoming match against Portugal...

Which brings me to the late afternoon walk up Brick lane, on my way back home:no soul outside walking, except for police officers strolling in pairs every 50m. It was dead silent and all you could hear was the TV commentator. Peeking at the score between the shoulders of the spectators outside looking into the various pubs, the score was 0-0. But the match seemed intense enough and everyone I saw just had their eyes stuck to the screen. I bought a mint magnum on the way (to compensate for my loss of calories earlier at tennis!!!), and the shopkeeper didn't even give me a single glance. The corner indian shop didn't sell any pakora today because football spectators took all the space...I was left without dinner and had to make do with chicken strips from the local joint. And when I finally got home, England had lost by penalty shots...how disgusting...The whole country must be crying now...except the Scots...(no names, promise). And cute Gerrard was lying on the grass, contemplating his tears...I wish I could console him in my arms but i think the German women entertainers would do that...or maybe he'll get a spanking...yay!

All in all, a very nice day spent doing nothing brainy...Tomorrow is another day, hopefully filled with flower pot shopping.