Destiny

I just got a great link to a website of quotes... this one caught my eye for many reasons.

I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today

The Little Prince

It is with the heart that one see's rightly

What is essential is invisible to the eye.

I found this quote in a book called Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman, from the story The Little Prince. Both are worth a read.

Trend setter

Now I like to think that I have a fairly unique taste in clothing and fashion sense. I am not saying I am the most stylish person out there but that I have a fairly unique way of dressing as well as keeping my eyes on what's out there.
Often I have noticed that the trends in Europe are at least one year behind those of North America. I am not sure why that is as generally Europe is known for his Haut Couture and trend setting ways. I just don't see it.
For example, the Poncho. Now I am a fan but 2 years ago not a poncho was to be seen here in Europe but when I was on tour last year in the US on my happy free day in New York city I found not one but two ponchos at Macys that I love and adore they were on sale to, telling me that the trend had already come and gone and the next was about to start. Then months after being back in the NL all of a sudden the poncho trend hit, everyone was all of a sudden wearing ponchos, children, women grannies.

I would like to make the same observation about Holey Soles, these are crazy holey rubber clogs have taken over the West Coast of Canada. In fact my friend Gudrun had been in Victoria before me last year and had asked me to bring her some because they looked like they might be very comfortable and looked really cute to. Indeed when I arrived in Canada I quickly noticed that many people were outfitted with some crazy colour of Holey Soles on their feet with testimonials such as I have 4 pairs, I live in mine, I never wear anything else and mostly with looks of contentment on their already laid back west coast faces.
I ended up bringing Guddi a pair of beautiful red ones and myself none... which I regretted since I trying hers on and quickly realized that I too could be converted to believe in these crazy clogs.

A few weeks ago I saw a very small article about the latest trends to hit holland and what do you know? There they were in all the technicolour glory under the new European marketing name Crocs! If you are looking for a little loving for your feet and don't mind standing out in a crowd then get yourself down to your nearest sporting good store and pick up a pair... You won't regret it!

More Dangerous than Bin Laden

I pulled this little tid bit from the local Metro daily newspaper a few days ago on my way to work. Sorry I can't seem to find a URL to the actual poll.

"According to a opinion by the Canadian National Post, over 73% of all Canadians have a negative opinion of George W. Bush. While t least 38% believe he is more dangerous than Osama Bin Laden"

Brilliant!!! I wish they had asked me...

Can you tell I am motivated this Friday afternoon?

Busy weekend ahead. My friend Nishant turned 30 yesterday and today is his party I think to celebrate that the sky did not fall on him... or something equally drastic.

Sat is helping my friend Nadzyra renovate her new flat and Sat dinner with more friends.

Just the way I like it.

The Butterfly

My friend Sylvia died this morning around 4:30 am at my parents home in, B.C. Canada where she has been part of our family and lives for the the past 9 years. She had been fighting cancer for the past 18 months.
Apparently my father had said when she first came to live in our house that in many cultures it was considered good luck to bring a healer into your home, and so she came to live with us and became a integral part of our lives. I can't describe exactly what she has brought to us in the way of companionship, friendship, joy, laughter, tears, healing, enthusiasm, cooking, life and light. She was a special person who touched everyone she ever met and always in a good way.

My mother told me that she had been suffering quite a bit the last few days and riding a roller coaster of good and bad for months. I am very happy to hear that she seemed to find peace in the last few hours before she passed away with her daughters at her side in the house she called home. I am blessed to have known her and had her part of my life, I'll miss you Sylvia!
Her memorial service will be held this Sunday November 2oth, which happens to also be her Birthday. I wish I could be there for my family during this time, but I am sure that the turn out will be more than significant as she was beloved by all.

Music in My Head

Although that is actually how I seem to live my life... this was actually a small Music Festival in Den Haag being held at the Paard. The line up was pretty good and the company even better.
Friday started out with wanting to see Clap your Hands and say Yeah!, however the lineup to the second stage was so long we decided to go to the main stage and wait for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club who were great! I have no idea where they were from although I guess the US, but I really enjoyed the music. Next up at the big hall was Elbow. They had a fiddle player and a great band. I liked the bass player who sang and I liked their vibe. After we went up and met some friends at the Fiddler & Firkin pub and shut it down.
Saturday was a little slower day most of us who were trying to regenerate some brain cells. I cooked dinner for my friends and we headed back to the Paard for day two of the Music in my Head. We arrived a little late and went up to the main stage to see what was happening. The Frames from Dublin, I noticed a large number of Irish people in the crowd getting very into it. Near the end of their set we went over and checked out Absentee on the second stage. They were pretty good, and well add the keyboard toy you blow on and the bass player in the grizzly bear hat and it was a good show and the crowd was really into it. We went back to main stage to see Roisin Murphy, who was the singer for Moloko. I was really looking forward to her show, but somehow was quite disappointed as it seemed that aside from her fantastic outfits and headwear, she was on autopilot. In saying that though her band was one of the tightest bands I have ever seen, they must have been all studio musicians who decided to come out for a little European tour. I saw Moloko at Pink Pop several years ago and thought the energy that came across there was 10 times better than this one.
After again we were off to the Fiddler to meet some friends. This time deciding not to close the place down we left to get some sleep and be ready for our collective Sundays.

My sister

A great many years ago I was told by my then boyfriend Jens that I had to meet a girl he knew because she reminded him so much of me. Being a curious person I went along to be introduced and not seeing the obvious both of us decided that we had enough in common to perhaps strike a friendship, later that day someone came into the pub who knew Stella and said "hey Stella I did not know you had a sister" from then on it has been just like that anytime we are togeather.
She has visited me in Vancouver when she was traveling the world and I was on one of my trips home, and of course we hung out while I was living in Germany and she was back finishing her university degree. Even her parents have visited and became good friends with mine.
Over the years more and more people seem to believe that we were sisters so we concocted a story about how I was the younger (by one year) half sister from Canada, we would tell people that we had the same Dad and different Mom's and years later we found out about each other. It just stuck and many people believed it too.
The photo was taken over 10 years ago.... but not that much has changed in either of us.About 4-5 years ago she had moved to Hamburg to be with her partner and I somehow did not make the time to see her very often and we lost touch a little.
This past Dec she gave birth to Little Noah and as I had not yet seen her little boy or her for ages I decided enough was enough and I booked a ticket to Hamburg for last weekend.
I arrived Friday morning very early at Schiphol for my flight, and had a few hours to kill waiting for the plane. Like any good consumer I went shopping to try and kill the time, I even found a bottle of Dalwhinnie 1989 year old single malt. It was from the year I graduated High School so it makes it even more special to remind me of the last16 years.
After arriving and finally sorting out a bus to get me downtown I made my way to her house where we had a chance to chat before Noah woke from his nap, after we got him fed and ready and prepaired to go out. We first had lunch at a nice little cafe then walked around the corner and had a coffee where the coffee shop owner asked her if her sister was in town visiting.
We sat in the sun and really got caught up on what has been happening in our lives, I find it always amazing that with some friends you don't always have to see them or be near them to stay close we both mentioned that it did not seem as long as it was and were amazed at how much had happened in our lives over the past years.
Then we started walking through the park in Hamburg all the while chatting and looking at the beautiful colours and enjoying the warmest fall day I can remember. This park (which I cannot remember the name of) is really amazing and beautiful and big, it has a wide variety of plants, water, and paths to keep you occupied for hours on end, not to mention museams, gardens and things to see and do.
Little Noah was a Buddha like child sleeping most of the time or lying on his tummy in supported cobra pose (yoga speak) and getting all exited whenever a dog was near as well as being so sweet and checking over his shoulder to make sure I was still there and smiling a lot. What a doll. Her and I walked around and chatted for the better part of 6 hours, about everything you might imagine. But it started getting dark and we needed to head back to get Noah home.
After I left her place I walked quickly down into the shops to see if I might find my dream boots... The shop Stella pointed out had them a size to small and in Banana colour which is not really my thing so I headed to the train station and made my way to Bremen.
After a slight mix-up and another train to Bremen North I met with Guddi and Silke at their manager's house where he was celebrating his birthday. It is strange where people have their priority's. He is the exact same age as her and I and already 3 kids, house cars etc etc.. so strange to imagine that it could have been either one of us.
On Sat we took Anna (the dog) and headed into town to window shop and walk about in the beautiful weather. After "some" deliberation Guddi got a new piercing.. heehee wasn't that right Guddi-Girl? and just really hung out and relaxed.
On Sunday I wanted to go and wish a happy birthday to my German Mom, Sybille but her and Hans had gone on a trip somewhere so we took Anna out and went for a walk to the Harbour and then got me to the train just in time to catch it. I made it back to Hamburg, caught the bus the the airport and had a few hours to kill there before heading back to Holland. A whirlwind visit with my dearest friends, and a very relaxing one as well, no parties, no stress just girlfriend time made for a nice weekend.
This time not so much with a heavy heart I landed in Schiphol and headed back to the Hague.