Emerald from my childhood

... As seen through the window of my childhood friend Milan's apartment, in a somewhat Melbourne-like weather... I have never noticed before how attractively velvety-green the river actually is:)...

Our European trip begins here:)...

xoxo

Virtual(ly) friends?

Don't you think that, like with many other things in life, even who we end up with as friends is circumstantial? It depends on a number of things that are, more or less, beyond our control: which country we are born in, what language we speak, who our parents and what their expectations of us are, how our culture and education have shaped us, what the colour of our skin and our genetic coding in general is, etc. etc. On the other hand, imagine we could, just for a moment, disregard all of this and look deeper into our heart we might end up with pretty much a different person... a person our friends would not be necessarily familiar with but a person that others from distant and foreign places may "recognise"...

Ok, this is what I want to say: when I read some people's writing on their websites/blogs and see all the amazing photographs they choose to post there, and when I learn about their life choices, their likes and dislikes, and what they are aspiring to and dreaming of... well, something inside me gets incredibly moved, cheery and excited, almost child like, and (or because of it) I feel that instant bond that goes beyond words! Embarrassingly, I also feel the desire to plead with them as an impetuous child would: will you be my friend, please, please, NOW:)?

We all know that life is too short and often tedious. Isn't it therefore really soul breaking we always have to WAIT to be at the right place at the right time and WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE? Why can't it all happen RIGHT NOW? Why can't I surround myself with people I have that immediate bond with - NOW?
It should be simple, I hear you say, just send an e-mail, or make a call, or whatever... Yeah? Well, it's not - because I hate to intrude on other people's life... and because, even though I've lived in Australia for over 20 years, I still have that European protocol thingymajiggy engraved deeply in my psyche, which more often than I like to admit frustrates the daylights out of me!

Here lies my conundrum: the bigger bond I feel with people on the internet, the more frustrated I get! Let's take the charming, stylish, softly-spirited and gracious Vicki Archer for example... Or equally wonderful Shannon Fricke... Or feisty, opinionated and delightfully cheeky Corine... Or the brave, strong, smart and woodyallenishly-funny La Ballete Rouge... Or... Believe me, I could go on and on and on... As there are so many of them that I would love to meet and get to know better... For their joie de vivre is so very familiar and palpable to me that I think it's pretty pathetic we may never meet. How ridiculously frustrating is it that I would like to talk to people I've never met about my LSL and the life changes I hope it will bring about and for whatever reason I don't have the same desire to discuss this with some of my closest friends?!? I know:)!

When Vicki Archer wrote "Why didn't I say something?" in her blog I had a very strange sense of deja vu... I had done exactly the same as Vicki - used Peter Mayle's book as some sort of "my version of the foodies' red Michelin Guide" when travelling in Provence several years ago. Yes, one can say that this is not surprising given the book's popularity... I agree. But I have also used Vicky's book "My French life" as a guide to our travel to France this year... Moreover - and this is the curious bit for me! - there she is in Provence, totally oblivious to my existence, and why shouldn't she be, writing about my exact dilemmas and sentiments in "Why didn't I say something?" while at the same time in Melbourne, and by some weird turn of circumstances, I'm pondering over her gorgeous book, devouring it with sticky notes as my ingenious way of planning for our 2009 holiday in Provence, and driving myself nuts about whether to let her know how much the book means to me and how much I would like to meet her and say "hi" and... All the while having this debilitating image of myself as a writestoomuchsaystoolittle, virtual intruder! Tragically comical!

"I wished I had said hello to Mr Mayle and thanked him for his introduction to Provence. I should not have been so shy or so nervous - how silly I was and I am still wondering why I didn't say something. After all, his well crafted, witty and humorous words have a lot to be responsible for.", wrote Vicki Archer...

Perhaps, instead of wishing, I should just say: hello Vicki and THANK YOU!
:)

Mon mec a moi

Ah oui, le français!

So, I did it, I enrolled myself in French classes, how excitementimonto!

Once upon a time I could proudly say that I spoke some French but that was donkey's years ago and my life since then has taken me away from almost everything that is French and that I am so inexplicably (or is it?) attracted to...

Mais pas plus, la France ici je viens!

Have you 'eard of the famous French singer Patricia Kaas? No? Here is a bit of her music - this song is one of my favourites, I heard it 17 years ago when I was in Paris and its tune has never completely left me... Last night one of our teachers Nathalie played it and it was wonderful, I only wished I could have swung around the room as I did in Paris - there's something so liberating in doing that!




Vous l'aimez aussi?

For those of you that are (secret) Eurovision followers it would be interesting to know that Patricia Kaas will be representing France this year: http://www.patriciakaas.net/eurovision2009/

Go France!

A very dear friend of mine, Miiirkoooniii, has just asked me what I learnt in my French class last night and what I ATE there... You see, the classes I attend come with FOOD - how French is that? Well, my dear Miiirkoonii, I had un chocolat chaud et UNE petite profiterole - of course, I'm following in the footsteps of the French women whom, I read, don't get fat because they eat moderately... Or more likely not at all, as I didn't notice our teachers having any profiteroles last night.
Apart from the dieting tips I also learnt a lot about how to pull faces and make those flu-like nasal sounds that are a dead give away of our linguistic abilities when we attempt to sound like les frANçais, with the nasal "an". Our practise was definitely worthy of a wider exposure, at least on YouTube, but things thankfully don't always play out in our favour so this experience will remain your missed opportunity Miirkoonii:)!
I'm happy to admit to you, my dear friend, that we also interacted, talked about our profession and had some grammar points clarified:).

'ave an ace day all:)!

New beginning... or, praying to Manitu!

Et voila: AND NOW WHAT? has been created! Thanks to all those other, mostly female bloggers out there, who unwittingly have inspired and motivated me with their wonderful creativity and joie de vivre to give this a try myself! (So sorry Zo, no Facebook for me!:)

And now what? is a historical question, or, ok, just a question (this girl has to dream big!), that unfortunately has no answer...

YET...

That is why I'm here: to share my 3Rs, rethink, redefine and rediscover "what now", with you... What now, from now... From now onwards... From now until... until the Now either reverts back to my past (read: my LSL ends & I go back to the Box) or, better, much much more betterer, it becomes my desired future (be kind Manitu!)...

You no understand?

Good, you're finally getting the picture and know exactly how I feel! Welcome aboard:)...

You see, and for those of you still oblivious to The Change: I've just started my Long Service Leave, or more precisely, my loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong service leave... Yes, I'll be away from the Box, nicknamed Office, for the next 10 months... What an adventure, huuraaay, that may/will/is going to be!! (My positivism is obviously reshaping as I type!)

So... Ready to fasten your seat belts and join me?

Let's goooooooo then, up, up and further!

PS: I'll state the obvious that so far I have NO IDEA how this blog thing works... or, no idea(s), full stop, I hear some of you whispering:)... Possibly:)... But I'm sure I'll learn and improve as I go along... Right now I just want to START something different... out of my comfort zone... and without procrastination, inhibition or fear... For if I allow the Perfectionist me to take control of the Spontaneous me, oh Manitu, I'll be back in the infamous Box in no time... and I don't want that, oh no!

Ch, ch, talk soon:)!