I spy with my little eye...

Okay, so call me paranoid if you will, but since we moved I really get the feeling we’re being spied on. It's a really weird, unconfortable feeling; especially that it's not the kind of strange-man-lurking-in-the-dark kind of situation. No, it’s a less obvious one, which is a lot more difficult to handle than simply applying a good dosage of pepperspray and a kick in the nuts. Let me explain.

As a matter of fact, I do live on an alley - but it's a bright alley! Well in this alley, there are plenty of small shops: a liquor store, a toy shop, a smoothie bar, a clothes store, a restaurant and a beauty parlour. All crammed on a linear surface that must be equivalent to my flat’s total surface.

When we moved in a while ago, we had a very angry welcome from the toy shop owners, as we had dared block their window shop for an hour on a Tuesday afternoon - as if hordes of parents were supposed to run on the alley at that precise date and time, unable to benefit of their special offers on ugly wooden eco-toys. They were yelling at the movers, all the while eyeing us every time we would go downstairs. They’re a couple in their 50s - judging only on their face – but I’m guessing they’re a lot younger than that. They both have the same shade of grey hair, the same kaki t-shirt, the same height, same jeans, same walk, and of course they are both heavy smokers. I hope they are twins or at least brother and sister, otherwise it’s just weird!

On the other side of the alley, the smoothie bar is unfortunately right in front of our entrance door. I say unfortunately because of the smoothie guy, of course. Now, the smoothie guy is someone I simply don’t trust. There’s just something not right about the way he gathers with all the other shop keepers on the street and chat while looking up to our window from time to time.

He’s trying too hard to play the cool guy who is friends with everyone and helpful to new neighbours like us. I find mistrust in simple things like: “I noticed you got a motorbike, that’s a nice engine you got there!” and two days later we’d get a warning notice from the police saying we’re not supposed to park in the common yard. Probably on the accusation of the Siamese toy-makers. Who were also possibly told by the smoothie guy that it’s ours. See where I’m getting at?

So, as a consequence of these small signs of either us being spied on, or me going crazy, I’ve decided to spy back on them! Ha ha, wait until the world knows how many smoothies the smoothie guy makes a day… or, or what brand of cigarettes Santa’s evil helpers so eagerly suck on thirty times a day… oh, wait, that’s not interesting… L

This is only a small part of all the shit we’ve had to put up with since we started the whole move thing. Stay tuned for the rest!

The spring of courage

A few things have been swirling around my mind lately, that is in the past few years. I have been trying to find new landmarks in this technology-assisted, culturally brain washed society, and I decided I should start doing something. Something that matters, something that helps others return to the state of being human, caring about another, as opposed to the state we usually tend to be in - egocentric simians on a perpetual search for satisfaction...

And I did, I did something, and I still am doing a bunch of things. But, how come I feel so silly with my puny goals and ideals, when I see people facing death - in present and past times - all for freedom, for peace, for us, the others, who remain sheltered...

Well, instead of talking about abstract phenomena, I will tell you what happened...

The first thing that impressed me this week, was a conversation I had over the phone with a 80-year-old man. I was calling him for work, more specifically to invite him to present a very particular cellar to a bunch of kids. The cellar I mentionned was the place he was tortured in, by the Gestapo - you guessed it - during World War II, and this could have been a quite difficult task, given the emotional side of the presentation. To my surprise, the man was actually extremely serene about it, and confirmed his presence, lest he should die until may (that's when the event is supposed to take place)... He then got to talking to me, about the things he experienced, about the fact that he has been living with his wounds and traumatisms for over 65 years, about the fact he is now facing several types of cancer, and above all, that he is very SERENE about it... My one question is: How?

The second thing that touches me, probably because of very early memories of mine (aka december 89), is of course, the revolution in the arab world. What is happening in Lybia - seems to me - by far the most violent outburst and response from all the series of arab revolutions. The face of Kadhafi is haunting me, scares me and I feel I'm not looking at a human being. It's like all dictators and murderers have this kind of dark aura around them that makes them fascinating and scarry as hell at the same time.

But back to the Lybian people - my question, is again: How? I might not know all the details of the story, nor the consequences and effects that the revolution is bound to trigger, but I would like to understand what pushes humans into going out there, where others die, and be a part of it - when hiding in shelter could be so easy.

My fabulous job

I started work today with a fly swatter in my hand. You see we have so many flies in the office, it became actually a work hasard to choke on one misfortunate flying dot while talking on the phone.

These are actually the kind of flies that get stuck into your hair, fly up your nose, bump and buzz in your ear, and they seem to lack common sense since they don´t even flinch out of the way of the swatter. So this is why, at the end of the day there usually rest - legs up - about a houndred of these disgusting little creatures, now that's when I decide it has been a productive day!

Another impressive aspect of my workplace is that it stinks like nothing I have ever smelt before. I work with waste, so you´d might guess it stinks like rotting matter, decomposing carcasses and ssuch. Well, you´re close. Have you ever seen a ´can-o-worms'? Interestingly enough, the first thing that entered my mind when I heard the name was 'cup-a-soup', and I immidiately got hungry. But my apetite disappeared within 2 meters of this round box of rotting green matter, as I had realised that it was no more no less than a feeding apparatus for hundreds of worms. And my colleagues would fill it up every day, worms would grow fatter and bigger, the waste browner and smellier, and so on and so forth. I for one, prefer to take my garbage home and dump it in a regular bin where nothing alive is yet there to feast on it!

But by far the most disgusting thing in my office is attitude, more precisely, 'someone's attitude'. Remember 'the bitch' from my previous blog? Well, this would have to be a super bitch...on her period...on the night she got dumped...no, make that haven't got laid in 6 months. That should get close to what I'm trying to describe here.

If this woman had the right to do so, she would take the faxes that I messed up in my hurry of trying to cover the work that she's NOT doing and glue them (or more likely staple them) to my eyes. Every little detail is carefully checked and underlined and brought up when and only when the boss is around. And of course, I probably wouldn't care that much if she didn't do little sleezy things like calling me 'ma belle' or offering me some candy. I'll tell you where I'd like to stick that piece of candy! What is it with this girl? Does she somehow think that with 2 words and a piece of candy she can trick me into being her office elf? I have been called Dobby before, but only as a joke. To my recollection, I never applied for that position.

All in all, when it comes to this girl, I would gladly eat up the entire can-o-worms than spend another day locked up in an office with her...

People are so funny

I have been doing some volunteer work this week for this festival taking place in Besancon - my French hometown, sort of speaking - and I came to realise that when you're a volunteer you can observe people closer and even stare at them and study their behaviour in detail, something I normally wouldn't do. Is it because I know I cannot be fired if I am fascinated with one of the 'boss's' ugliness and can't help showing it? Maybe, but it has occured to me that in any institution/company larger than 6-7 people you'd always get at least one of these caracters:

1) the mongrel
It's that intern that just got here yesterday but thinks he/she knows everything better than anyone.
He keeps telling you on a bossy tone things you explained to him yesterday.
He takes himself very seriously and will always stay 5 minutes longer than you do so that he can take credit for your work.
He comes asking questions about the status of certain actions in progress, just as the boss's mini-me would.

2) the total bitch
She's that assistant that is slightly older than you are and also thinks she knows everything better than anyone.
She looks exhausted from trying too much.
Can't communicate unless she's a total bitch.
Asks you a question then sticks her nose in your clipboard to look for the answer. In her eyes you are nothing but a brainless worm.
In her eyes bosses are gods pouring out golden beams of wisdom through their mouths.
She's a total bitch.

3) the lazy boss
He's supposed to be your boss.
He called you early today and you will have to stay late because he needs your help.
He makes you do stuff while he does nothing. (btw that's good management)
He will be nice to you, because he doesn't want you to suspect anything.
When a bigger boss drops a shitty task, he will instantly look extremely busy and tell you: 'I'm sorry, I'm swamped right now, could you do this for me?'

4) the artist (boss)
He's chubby and looks funny.
Is it me or he's always looking at the ceiling?
He gives away important classified documents to anyone who comes asking for them.
He's moving around the office without a clear purpose.
He's been working in the office for 3 years and still doesn't know anyone's name.
He smells funny.
He has a weird voice, like someone who hasn't spoken in a while.
His function is not clear, no one asks him to do anything and he doesn't seem to do anything at any time.

5) the big face/big gestures (boss)
She's that boss that will tell you to do something of utter importance right away and will change her mind within the next 5 minutes.
She talks loudly and has big hair.
Her name ends in 'y'.
She has a very short memory span. She is very impulsive.
Her clothes yell 'Look at me'. She loves being called a 'boss'/'manager'/'responsible' etc.
Every single sentence that comes out of her mouth starts with 'I'. Asking her to build a sentence that would start with something different could result in your booting out.
She's always accompanied by a total bitch.

6) the hot n' cold (boss)
She's the kind of boss that seems emotionally unstable. One minute she adores you the next you're her worst ennemy.
She can change moods up to 5 times a day.
She checks you out a lot. She's not young anymore and she knows it.
She hates you for being you. She hates you because she can't be you.

This is what I've got so far. But be reassured, I will probably add some caracters to this list in the next few days. :) So which one(s) of these caracters do you have to stand every day? :))))
Lots of love and promise I'll write more often!

Tell me Ma when I go home...

Ever since I set foot in Dublin, I fell in love with this city. That might sound corny, I know, but it's so true. There's something lovely about this hectic, happy yet rainy city. It must be that I love the Irish so much, gosh life is so much easier when people are smiling no matter what.
I think the Irish should win an award for the most polite people in the world. If there were such a thing as a sorrymeter, I think it would catch like 1000 sorrys/mile/minute in here :))
In France it took me two years to find friends and start feeling accepted and integrated. Here it took me less than 2 days :)) At the same time, I guesss there are so many nationalities in here that it's actually very easy to fade the Romanian bad-fame.
Ok, so enough with the good stuff about Dublin, Ireland and all this. Dublin is also the place where I got robbed for the first time. Robbed in the sense that I was left with my clothes and only that :)) It does seem funny now, but believe me, it was most definately not funny. But then the Police came and they were so nice that I forgave the other Irish (junkees probably) for stealing my stuff. You can't stay mad at an Irish. I tried, it's physically impossible :))
Dublin is also the place where I got addicted to 3D movies, and I must say THAT is the future of cinema. I've never been to the cinema so often in my life, and unfortunately it's fairly expensive as well... But when you see a master piece like Coraline in 3D, there is no way you're gonna pay to see a regular movie! The tradition also requires that you go to a Koreean restaurant with friends after the movie :))
Dublin is definately not the place where I started drinking Guiness. As a matter of fact I haven't even had one yet :)) Actually I'm not a very big fan of Guiness (and here I probably angered like half of the world's population), although I live like 1km away from the Guiness factory. Jelous??
Dublin is definately the place where I got professionnal. I just started the internship here and I can think of no better place I could have chosen to do this. I was actually afraid of starting work in an office, considering the fact that I have serious issues with authority aka. someone bossing me around. But again, both my bosses are Irish, and as I said before, you can't stay mad at an Irish (not that that was ever the case) :))
And can you believe that I've only been here for 2 and a half weeks???

P.S: ... the boys won't leave the girls alone, la la la la...

I need something real...

Few weeks back I got my late Christmas present from my parents. I knew what it was and I was so happy I finally got it. It was no fancy technological marvel, no Ipod, no big diamond ring or anything that shallow. I don't even know what people yearn for anymore, cause you see, I don't have a TV and I'm guessing I never will! Anyway, it was the complete collection of my favourite books when I was a child, for those who know them, they're called 'Ciresarii'.
They're this incredibly, surprisingly well written books, that don't contain much trace of the communist era, but which remind me so much of my childhood, of what nostalgics call the 'simpler times'.
From the moment I started reading the first volume, I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop, because it felt more real than life itself. It's about a time long gone but which isn't that far away, about real values, about real things.
I don't know, must be because I had a very happy childhood, full of sunshine and outdoor games, and most of all, full of sensations. The feel of the wet grass on my bare feet on a summer morning, the taste of milk squished right out of the cow's tit, feeling so cold after a bath in the river behind the house, the taste of green chestnuts and wax cherries, walking for miles without feeling tired, the smell of clean sheets after such a long day.
I just get so sad when I see how irrational our lives become, and I will not be surprised at all when the society collapses. It will happen, because we're founding our lives on thin air, on illusions and on needs developped by the marketing department of the multinational corporations (corporation, such an apocalyptic noun!).
Until then I will be enjoying my fantasy real world every night, and will hope it won't end soon (I've already started the 3rd volume :((... ).

Spinning and moving and running and .... stopping?

I'm sorry if the title seems a little bit depressing. Actually I'm not sorry at all, it was meant to be depressing, I want you to feel the way I do!
I just have to ask: WHAT IS UP WITH THE WORLD? Why do we have to move around like some drunken ants? When did moving around become a 'must-have' for a successful carreer? I am very curious to see who the hell is actually happy about changing countries and places and friends every six months? Sure, it's nice to boast in front of other more 'settled' friends, but in the end who's winning?
All I hear from my friends today is that they're moving. Some travel around the world, some settle in some exotic country they've never even heard of before and some change the European capital every two months. Well, I'm gonna have to tell you that I don't envy you. Not a bit! I like having my little nest where I can come back to, I like seeing the same people for several years in a row, I like developing relationships that go further than 'I know your last name and we got soooo drunk last night!". And I also like giving places a history, you know when you drive by a place and you tell to yourself: omg, this is the place I first set foot in this place, seems so long time ago!
I know most of you won't agree, but I think in time you'll come to my conclusion: moving around is bad: for you, for the planet and for the society. Hack yeah, I'm all for conservatorism! If things were exactly how I wanted them, we'd probably be living in small villages in the mountains and we'd still be wondering what's beyond the next valley.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all about adventure, discovering other cultures, globe-trotters, explorers, discoverers and all that crap, but people, if we go on like this there won't be anything left to discover, we're all going to end up the same: commercial-consumming, MacDonald's-digesting, shopping-addicted morons (who actually think they're pretty smart and that they got it all figured out), and I'm pretty sure we're already there...
Think about what I'm saying, settle down to some place and stop the bullshit with 'working abroad', you most certainly won't impress me!

P.S: In spite of all this rage against living abroad, I am all for short experiences abroad, on condition you return to a stable point, something people used to call 'home'. (Oh, and I do live abroad, but it's not really abroad since this country has become my new home, those of you who have been following this blog from the beginning must know the complex relationships of hatred and love I've been developping for France ;) anyway I'm here on different reasons :D)