It's savage

The film Savage Grace made the opening of the Verzaubert festival. Once you saw the movie you understand the title. It is true that everything in it is grace. It is beautiful and the light of the summer season at La Costa Brava helps a lot. The luxury of the locations, the visited countries (Spain, France, England) add to the fact that we deal with a wealthy family. But a movie is also a story. This family moves all the time. We don't really understand what they do nor why even if the main character played by Julianne Moore tries to explain it when her son is still a young boy. It's not the main subject anyway except that it increases the feeling that this family can't be attached to anything (except the boy to a dog collar, you'll understand why while watching the film) . The story concentrates itself around the demanding son and the possessive mother. It has not really a lot to do with homosexuality except that the son can't really choose. These are the beautiful times of experiencing because following the ages and the movings we notice that the relationship between mother and son is becoming exclusive. When the mother has what we believe lovers and the son is discovering sex because most of the time he's alone there is a point when mother and son "finally" are together ... but really are together. The link is a "ménage à trois" they have with a friend of hers. The father is long gone and has no contacts with his son anymore. Since the relationship between mother and son is exclusive the light changes and after the USA and Spain it is a new city : Paris. There is something said during this period which I find interesting : "being tired of Paris means being tired of life". That surely explains why the mother wants to end her life by tempting to comit suicide. Lucky me, I was never bored of my city. But it gets darker when we find them in London. There, all is dark and in the same tone contrary with the violence of the colours of the beginning. And now comes the savage. Because of their closed realtionship, loneliness and isolation it turns to incest. The young man now (the movie covers less than 30 years) is difficult and even raises his voice against his mother. Something is wrong and we can't help thinking of a fatal issue of the story. The son does not control himself anymore and has completely lost connection with reality that he hardly knows.

I liked the fillm but It's like I never really enter in the movie because of its detachment for everything, its superficiality. I would have expected more crualty with such a subject but it's like there was no will of going deeper in the feelings. I guess because of this specific family and their étiquette feelings can't be shown but for my taste it's too much on the surface. Julianne Moore is as usual excellent and very strong in this part but somehow vampirizes other characters. Nevertheless all are good, especially the young man. Best scene : Julianne Moore losing control of herself outside the spanish airport (her husband just left her) and trying to get the perfect attitude. In the end worth seeing.

It was definitely a beautiful day

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Out Now !

Finally (at least for this week-end) the temperature is rising up to 20°C. This means as well sun and the city wakes up. All people are now outside, because Berlin at the time is very trendy all tourists discover it walking or cycling, terraces are washed and newly open, last fashion sunglasses are on the nose and shoping for summer season can really start. Countless of beautiful people are in the streets because nice weather makes you good looking. Friends invite you for dinner at their house all windows open and you will smoke your cig drinking your glass of wine and chating with the other ones on their balcony enjoying finally the outside. Suddenly you notice you have neighbours and they have a life so why not switch off the light and look on the other side of the street ? Can be funny. After dinner the weather is still nice even if Berlin is always chilly after 9.00 p.m. and you will say why not enjoying a last drink at the November café ? If it's too cold there will be enough time to go inside. This café is well situated in the area of Prenzlauer Berg (I'm still investigating new friendly places) near Kollwitz Platz. This area is well known for young families. It is said it has the best rate and concentration of children of the city and that is why I will not move there. Of course there are always interesting fathers to look at especially now when testosterone is all out. That is at day. Don't forget that kids go to sleep early and then the city is all yours. Another group of people is out, mostly from the neighbourhood and you have the possibility to drink your glass without hearing screaming. Then you say to yourself, why not here ?

Nothing

Nothing exists, is british and you can buy it. It's nothing : niente, nada, nichts, rien.

If you try to find anyone speaking of Nothing (the object, not those boring guys who never stop talking and say ... nothing) some see in it the latest ad hoc present for those who have all (true !) or those who say to you they want nothing for Christmas. At least now you have the possibility to bring something. You took their word for granted. Yes ! One more geek you would say, or non-sense, even hyperconsuming symbol ? actually you will notice that Nothing is definitely something because it's an object. A plastic one. Sold in a piece of carton, printed with the logo.
And the user manual (there is one, do you know spontaneously how to use nothing ? lucky you)

So this is nothing, congratulations, you name it. Minimalism. Nothing is precious. Nothing is simple. Nothing is sacred. Open the packaging and you will be thrilled : "nothing will happen (can't help laughing, sorry). Let nothing come in your mind and it will bring you peace. Soon you'll discover that nothing is really better that something".
So this will be your little success. Not to mention of course that the product is guaranteed "effects free" meaning that if anything happens you can request a refund. Nothing is not for free even if it's not expensive but ironically the shipping is more expensive than the object by itself !

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A french story

Aurelies Akzent ist ohne Frage sehr charmant.

Auch wenn sie schweigt wird, sie als wunderbar erkannt.

Sie braucht mit Reizen nicht zu geizen, denn ihr Haar ist Meer und Weizen.

Noch mit Glatze fräß ihr jeder aus der Hand.

Doch Aurélie kapiert das nie.

Jeden Abend fragt sie sich: "Wann nur verliebt sich wer in mich?"

Aurélie, so klappt das nie.

Du erwartest viel zu viel,

Die Deutschen flirten sehr subtil.

Aurélie, die Männer mögen dich hier sehr.

Schau, auf der Straße schaut dir jeder hinterher.

Doch du merkst nichts, weil sie nicht pfeifen, pfeifst du selbst, die Flucht ergreifen.

Du musst wissen, hier ist weniger oft mehr.

Ach Aurélie, in Deutschland braucht die Liebe Zeit.

Hier ist man nach Tagen erst zum ersten Schritt bereit.

Die nächsten Wochen wird gesprochen, sich auf's Gründlichste berochen, und erst dann trifft man sich irgendwo zu zweit.

Aurélie, so klappt das nie.

Du erwartest viel zu viel, Die Deutschen flirten sehr subtil.

Aurélie, so einfach ist das eben nicht.

Hier haben andere Worte ein ganz anderes

Gewicht All die Jungs zu deinen Füßen wollen sie küssen, auch die Süssen, aber du, du merkst das nicht, wenn er dabei von Fußball spricht.

Ach Aurélie, du sagst ich solle dir erklären, wie in aller Welt sich die Deutschen dann vermehren, wenn die Blumen und die Bienen in BERLIN nichts tun als grienen und sich nen Teufel um Bestäubungsfragen scheren.

Aurélie, so klappt das nie. Du erwartest viel zu viel, Die Deutschen flirten sehr subtil.

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T.G.I.F.

Unlike our french pop idol Claude François who sang "le lundi au soleil ..." I like Mondays. Of course it is difficult to go out from the warm bed but once it's breakfast, the day starts and I know that once arrived at the office after morning coffee I'll have the best part of the day (surprises appart) : the tales of the week-end. The boys stand with an understood look which says "yeah Man, I was good" blinking the eye and the girls blow air with a blasé look. I guess at this very moment that men watched the football game on TV drinking beer at the can eating crisps sat on the sofa when girls were at design bar dressed short siping their glass of white wine smoking cigarettes and waiting for the male. We really had this conversation with girls at the bar last week-end. You can see groups : women with their boyfriend they do not allow to move, men together and women together. I never see men flirting with women or even the contrary. From the hearsay of the girls they find it very sad (when a few years before they rejected a man in approach) and from the men they are too scared from the girls. So in the end nothing is happening except getting drunk at the bar talking loud. And it is not something only Frenchs noticed because a german music group called Wir sind Helden is singing Aurélie, the story of a french girl, new in the german capital believing that flirting is everywhere the same and is surprised how German react (I am too, truly, even in the gay german world). If you speak german, you will understand what I'm talking about, otherwise get a translator (you might find a cute one if you go out tonight ...). But nevertheless anything is possible and if you wish to go out this website can help you. Berlin unlike : there you will find what's trendy in the city, sometimes boring as well. I've tried many of those places and I hardly had surprises. There are places on this list I'll never go back, some others I go when friends come to visit. Mostly straight places if you don't know which day to go. But you can ask me. I'll go investigate if I've never been to. Speaking of that, I am always pleased if you leave a comment ... and not only a link ! A little personal note would have been very much appreciated, especially on a subject I like. And to finish you can download the short film Lucky Blue but without english subtitles. I have no doubt everyone is fluent in swedish (actually language is optional). Tonight is week-end again (time flies ... but truly I am amazed how fast it goes and seems to go faster and faster !) and everything is possible. It seems that weather needs to get warmer here but no chance for now. So we'll secure and find a smoking bar and stay inside with girls siping a glass of white wine because I am no football fan and I don't drink beer !

Lucky Blue (2007)-1 of 3

Lucky Blue (2007)-2 of 3

Lucky Blue (2007)-3of 3

Love, Love, Love

This is the title of the 3 short films showed this afternoon at the Verzaubert film festival. While all three films deal with first love and first loss, they also show that life goes on and makes us stronger.

Lucky Blue, 2007, Hakon Liu, Sweden : two teenagers meet during summer at the camping. One is working there preparing the karaoke stage. The second is there on holiday and will probably leave sooner. They get drunk one night and they kiss. Both can't really deal with this new adventure in their life and expressing feelings is unknown. Though the blond city boy does not seem to care, the one working at the stage wants to go deeper in their relationship. The only way for him to be able to express himself will be to sing at the karaoke night the song "Words (don't come easy ...)". After that, his newly boyfriend decides to stay.

My opinion : My favorite of the three even if stories with young boys do not really move me. I like very much scandinavian films. They have a special design, special light, can't explain. It's beautifully made, image is nice, the green eyes of the boy are like water and the movie shows us that with simple things you can do a lot. Staying simple, approachable and not being afraid of our feelings is wonderfully expressed. They play natural and look innocent like we were at their age. I know some people who should take example on them or go back to their roots of love and stop playing a role or believe they're superstars.

I found on Youtube this short film in 3 parts, so enjoy.

By the sea, 2007, Matthew Gauci, UK : A young man is at the beach and looks the sea. This is not summer and the sky is grey. He wears a suit, stands up and walks into the sea. Then he's traveling and arrives in London to start his music career. He has to work for money and finds a job at a gay book store and meet people. He will have sex with his new born friend but this one will inform him too late that he's engaged. Nevertheless they will carry on to meet and sleep together but the young guitarist can't stand anymore the non-commitment of the other one and will go back to watch the waves ... he wears a suit and walks into the sea.

My opinion : It's a city film. A lot of people did the same, moving from landscape to the city, try to adapt themselves, being open and simply nice and a lot of them are abused by night birds. It is sad but nobody prepares you for such adventures of life and that hurts. Either you adapt and become "one of them" or leave back because you can't stand the pressure. It is filmed camera on shoulder and practically without artificial light so you really have the feeling you have conversations with the characters at the bar or walk with them on the streets. But from the three shorts it is the one i have the less feelings for. Probably because it is a well-known story and the city makes you impersonal. No cry-No pain. And I would definitely go back to the sea put my feet in the refreshing water.

Three summers (original title : Tre Somre), 2006, Carlos Oliveira, Danemark :

Last summer : like every summer this man comes with his wife in the summer house. You instantaneously notice the couple does not communicate. Like every summer they receive for lunch what we suppose to be friends who invective themselves continuously in front of their young teenager boy. When the parents leave the house the boy and the man go to walk the dog and start to talk. "Why are you so sad ? I'll tell you a secret and you tell me one" : The boy says he's gay and the man he hates his wife.

This summer : the man is yet alone in the house for the summer. The parents and the boy come always for lunch, same scenario, leave and in the end, the boy stays for the evening in the house and asks questions about sex. The man drunks too much and wakes up next morning with the boy next to him in bed.

Next summer : the man met a beautiful girl he's in love with. The parents do not come for lunch but is organized a dinner with friends. The uninvited boy comes and joins the dinner. The man fears that the boy will tell what happened but the boy will only make a toast for happiness. When the party is over they go for a walk and their secret is sealed with a kiss.

My opinion : I loved the light. I liked the roughness of the man because it shows all the straight attitude. Thinking everything is allowed and you can play with feelings is a male attitude and being threatened by a teenager is quite confusing. I found the actor playing the man very good (and very attractive as well) and the boy knows how to play fragile at the beginning and to make the rules in the end. Brilliant.

A festival-must. Short films show the essential and are not afraid of provoking or telling stories you will never find in a full length movie. Those shorts are very interesting and I am not sure those stories would be as good in full-length. I think as well it is good practise for the directors and they probably feel much more free to explore new directions because they have less pressure regarding profitability. That's why I think I like this format. Unfortunatly not showed enough.

Man in the station

I love traveling by train. I really do. If you book the ticket in advance enough it's really cheap and you reach places you can't with the plane. Furthermore the traffic now since years has improved and except for long distance or transatlantic journeys it goes as fast as the plane. You will say of course for the same distance and reaching points plane is faster but when you add the time to go to the airport, wait for the luggage at the customs because your bag never fits the size you are allowed to take inside, well after all this stress better to go to the city center and take the train. You're comfy until the end of the road and you reach another city center directly without any extra costs of taxi, or train (!) if you're lucky enough to find a station in the airport. Paris did it directly from Charles de Gaulle airport : you arrive from anywhere in the world, take the elevator and 3 floors deeper you take your train to go to another city in France or abroad. It's almost a dream and you're happy to be the Man in the station waiting for the train to come : you will enjoy the softness of the seat, the calm of the journey, the sleepy mood coming to you feeling secured in this metal car traveling at 300 km/h to your next destination. Except that for 650 people last night it became last train to London. They left at 8.00 p.m. UK time. They should have arrived at 11.30 p.m. Paris time : after a night of nightmare and 3 other trains those people finally arrived in Paris this morning at 9.30 a.m. . For whichever reasons (it happened to all of us at least once, except if your shiny star is always on your side) the train had technical problems. I can understand that in the tunnel of the Channel (the French wanted it, the English no because they wanted to remain an island, furthermore it took them years to build the high speed railways) it is difficult to change train or repair. It managed to go at the next station in France and people moved from a train to another ... which also stopped in the middle of nowhere a few moments after departure. A third train had to arrive and people moved again. It is paradoxal but we have the feeling technics help us in our everyday's life (and it is true) and in the end we can make train drive at 300 km/h but it takes a full night (and it was full moon) to bring 650 people from a city to another when there is a dust in the machinery. It is a very bad point for the train company and they can apologize as much as they want you're just very angry about the story. The worse part is and everyone who experienced such an event (I'm one of them) say the same : you are never informed, whatever happens it must be a case of emergency for you to be informed by the chief of the train. You don't get food, beverage or heat while the train is stopped. The journey can transformed itself in such a nightmare that you say "never again". And this is a shame. With a little more communication and comfort it will help everyone to live such bad moments better. But again I guess railways companies never expect to have issues.

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La la la ...

I just heard the song that will represent France at the next Eurovision song contest.

...

We won't win.

Verzaubert

From tonight in Berlin will start what is for me the best film festival : Verzaubert. During this week of the year you can discover gay life around the world, simple-difficult-funny-whatever stories and it is very refreshing because you feel an energy in movie makers that I appreciate a lot. You also have the opportunity to meet a lot of people who have something to say and are not afraid to share or debate. Of course what I am a fan of is the "GAY PROPAGANDA NIGHT" because it is a big time of the event : it is the short film presentation and it's a format I like very much. In 15-20 minutes we don't need to investigate very far in the character or to take half an hour to show us the landscape, we go straight to the point. It avoids endless negociations and we have spontaneously an opinion. But this short film can also be very long or also very short. It's a good practice for maybe later do a 2 hours movie for which i hardly go. And with short movies you also have the time to see more and I am excited to see movies from different countries. I am pleased to see that this year France is in good position in the programm and it makes the festival even more intesresting. Of course we need in those times a bit of red carpet and that is why will be presented tonight for the opening night "Savage Grace" with the talented actress Julianne Moore. Can't wait ...

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Daphnis and Chloe

"Two children found by shepherds, grow up together, nourishing a mutual love which neither suspects. The development of their passion forms the chief interest, and there are few incidents. Chloe is carried off by a pirate, and ultimately regains her family. Rivals trouble Daphnis' peace of mind; but the two lovers are recognized by their parents, and return to a happy married life in the country". That was the Ravel's symphony of tonight's concert at the Philarmonie with the Rundfunkchor Berlin. Ravel called "Daphnis and Chloe" a choreographic symphony in three parts but the conductor (certainly to avoid those coughing between each part) made it without breaks. At least we didn't have the time to take our breath back. I heard the comments from my seat at the end and they say this is very french : smooth and calm at the beginning anf then very strong in the end. What can I say to that ? I just can't answer and say "yes we are like that" but i would definitely say this piece of music is different from what we are used to hear at the concert hall. Although I'm not a big fan the first part was "Helios'" Overture from Carl Nielsen, and that was beautiful as well but i disagreed a bit with the second part which was Alexander Skrjabin's "Prométhée, le poème de feu". This one was a bit difficult for my ears. As usual the accoustic was perfect.

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Cruising

Funny how the weather can influence the behaviour of the people, especially in cold countries when you expect at anytime after spring day that suddenly sun and warmth will pop up just like that. So Friday was an OK day and everyone was talking about the plan for the week-end. With some friends we decided to discover a bar we never went to (ok, there are so many we didn't try, don't be misunderstood, you pervert mind ...) around 10:00 p.m. all fine. Arriving slowly with the bike I could see a lot of people were outside at the terrace enjoying the chilly evening. I have to drive slowly because (I'll never understood why) but there is an amount of broken glass on the pavement you can't believe. I guess people break the glass on purpose so I get flat tyre very often (but I'm not the only one, he he he ...). A friend of mine advised me to look at the pavement when I'm on my bike. But no, I can't. I'd rather look at the building or people, it's more fun... oh and the cars as well I must look ... sometimes. Anyway, going out of the bar at about 3.00 a.m. it was raining and even more (cats & dogs ? in this case you can add elephants). From memory we don't remember it has been raining so hard. It means that to go to the next place that we chose and was close by we had the time to swim in our shoes and I don't talk about the clothes. So arriving at the disco with the body steaming (because of the difference of temperature between inside and outside and the water on the clothes, I'll let you imagine the attraction). Saturday was a Sunny day and in the evening walking by, you could feel testosterone on the way out as well. Men turning their head to watch your ass (surprised some turn their head back too), feeling free to drive the way they want, too fast, too loud, French celebrating a birthday on the terrace, and tourists everywhere. So it seems nice weather does want to come here too. Maybe a little more time to be patient and we will enjoy finally smoking our cigs outside on the pavement, the next cruising area.

Rias Kammerchor und Türkisches Konservatorium Berlin

Rias Kammerchor und Türkisches Konservatorium Berlin

Friendship is no matter of origine

The other day i went to the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. This is from architecture an interesting place and it just has been restored. It's beautifully made and when the weather allows it the terrace is big enough for you to enjoy the sun and the view on the river Spree. But the place is also known as an exhibition/congress/fair center (there was partyed the gay movie award this year, the "Teddy's") and a concert hall focusing on (like its name says it) the cultures of the world and the acceptance of them. The event was organized by both german and turkish parts for a show in common with RIAS KAMMERCHOR and TÜRKISCHES KONSERVATORIUM BERLIN. As you may already know the turkish community is in the city important and after years in their own area and isolated events (the alternative CSD in Kreuzberg is one of them) the city and the state start to get involved and try to make both worlds accept themselves. The picture above show how far they try to go creating an integration's plan. That is to say how strong mentalities are and how people stay on their position. German being afraid of invaders (too late daaaaaaarrrrrrrrrling) and Turkish who say that they had to adapt themselves alone, why not carrying alone now, they don't need each other. Neverthelss the good will of many make that they are all humans and must live together so it's worth trying. The event made play together a german classical music choir and a turkish orchester. They played their part each other and sometimes they played together either a classical text or a folk turkish song. We felt that the german choir was not at its ease with the folk music and the turkish orchester the same with the classical. But all this created an ambiance very interesting. We even had some speech of the integration office and people from the turkish press based in Berlin and also from Deutsche Welle which I like very much. As expected the Turkish made the ambiance (htye all arrived full family with babies) but of course the folk is more entertaining than classical music. You feel in those people an energy when they are together. Teenagers were there to support their friends in the turkish orchester and the families were not afraid to dance or clap hands to show that they were there. We had some traditional dances as well and all this made a special moment to share, especially after the concert when we had the dinner-cocktail and we could all share our point of view with a nice glass of wine and turkish food. L'amitié

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Health is money

The health system in Germany is something nobody understands. Even German themselves can't explain how it works and if it's worth or not. It's like the tax declaration. Even as a simple underpaid employee with no other income than your salary you need a tax adviser to help you fill your declaration. We start to misunderstand health and money. I agree a state needs a good health insurance system and I know that in France we are very lucky to have such a good system when other people have nothing. Nevertheless some complain because our government (actually any french government) tries to find a solution to the financial blackhole made by the health system. The last example is that the french ministry of health created a scale of franchise : everytime you go to the doctor, buy medicine or use sanitary transport a part of the expense is not reimbursed. You have to know that in France almost anything is money transparent, meaning that thanks to the health card in our possession it is rare you have to open your purse. The taxes on your payroll are very high but you can't blame the fact that it works pretty well. It is in the nature of the French to complain and to disagree about everything before accepting a debate and I agree that it costs are heavy, the population gets older and we like to have sex but not to have children so in the end there will not be any money at all for any health insurance. I accept the fact that to demonstrate for a good cause (and the security of being cured is an important one) but being hold of maximum 50€ (again per visit/buy medicine/transport, per year and cumulate each other) is not that bad. Because the french indirectly pay this amount some people who have strong life disease never have to pay anything. And anyone in the country has access to this system. The French should have a quick look at my direction and I could tell them that on the other side of the Rhin it is definitely another story and I am pretty sure, even if they would carry on to argue (but just for the purpose of it) they will accept the fact they're lucky. Here you don't have one but two systems and it is also with two levels of health security and cares. And you pay everything yourself (a part is taken by the company you work for and it is mandatory and nobody helps you to choose your insurance) and every quarter you have to pay a franchise to be able to carry on receiving cares. I disagree with the fact that a doctor in front of me, the patient but soon the customer, complains because the product I use (and prescribed by his colleague) is too expensive. I answered peacefully that I deeply regret that the german health system is focusing on the money and not on the cares to the people and if i use this medicine it's maybe because it cures me. German does not like to argue because they think that everything they say is law, impose themselves everywhere they go and do not even imagine there could be another point of view. So when this little Froggy is there it makes the appointment much shorter (which i was happy with, this man is so unfriendly). I can't wait to try the dentist : I made an appointment for next week and the secreatry asked me which amount I was ready to pay !!!!!??????? The more you pay, more time you can spend on the chair and receive more cares. The story never says if my teeth will receive the cares they deserve. So if i understand correctly when in France the system is sinking, in Germany if you can't pay you receive no health cares but the insurance is mandatory, what is wrong with the picture ? Sometimes i can't help thinking of The bionic woman and ask myself who would pay for the surgery if for any reason it was requested. No question the law will interfere. Anyway I am a big fan of this 70's serie (sorry not the new one) which has a little plus. Maybe because it was the fact to receive extraordinary capacities in an ordinary human body with an ordinary life. Everyone at school wanted to have a sky diving accident thinking that maybe Oscar will come and give you those bionics elements. I thought it was lost forever and i would not be able to view this serie again. I had a little nostalgia for years until the other day when I had the big surprise to find season 1 & 2 in a very good quality (technics improved). Making quick research on internet I noticed the web site of the The bionic woman and so i could trace the complete story. As usual you think that you are alone in the world having liked something and then you notice millions on earth share the same. I enjoy the noise when the bionics is used. I like the (today it seems bad, our eye is trained) special effects, i like the stories which surf on the events of the world (cold war, supernatural events, out of space species ...), it is like a review of what happened in the news at this time and whatever happens someone will be there to help us. So it is with great pleasure that I am back now in those days thinking that I am a young boy watching TV at my parents' house on wednesday afternoon. There is a "no disturb" sign on the front door.

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The General

I made this picture exactly 19 years ago and the other day passing by I could not help myself taking it a new time. It's like after all this time I noticed that both of us are still there. Lucky him he didn't change because the 19 years can be seen on my face. It's like a Dorian Gray portrait. Well the general never moved because to come back there took me some years and some events. But I was kind of happy to see this again and it made me think how interesting life can be and how many surprises you can get from it and at the less expected moment. I had to pay the general a tribute

(i don't know who this statue represents, i just call it like that) so that is why the picture is there tonight.

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Fool's gold

Sometimes at the Cinestar theatre you can get tickets without knowing what you will see. It can be a good or bad surprise. Cameras and mobiles are taken at the front door to avoid piracy. Tonight was Fool's Gold : not necessary but an OK movie to have a quiet evening and a chocolate ice cream. The public was mostly american and they started to laugh from the first image which I did not really understand but I learned you can feel many things a different way. This time sincerely spoken I did not feel anything. Nevertheless the picture is nice, actors are good and the landscape reminds you of your best holidays. Forget about the story and the scenery.

Au nord ...

This is a movie you will probably never hear of. You just need to know that it is since this month the best entry in France, ever. It even had more entries than "La Grande Vadrouille" with De Funès and Bourvil and that was 40 years ago with 17 millions people who went to the theatre. France is a dual country divided by the River Loire. Whenever you hear the weather news there is a big chance it will be said that it's raining north of the Loire and sunny south of the Loire. And it's not a cliché. But the film is full of clichés. But they are true. Anything you can imagine about people from south and north of France are there and it is probably the reason why this movie has so much success because I think French are not afraid to make fun on them. And for one time there is no word about Paris. The plot is simple. A manager of a postoffice in south of France wants to be promoted "on the sea" and try to do anything to succeed. And he does but the "wrong" way and is moved to the north of France. The real one. Because for the postman, the north of France, when you live on the riviera, does not go further than Lyon ! And it starts. Up there it's raining all the time, it's north pole, people never grew up from stone age, they're drunk all the time, it's depression and you just don't want to go there. True. Nobody does. But from all clichés you have of this region you have to remember beautiful (true) things : I spent one year with people of the north some years ago and they are the friendliest french people. Ever. It is true you don't understand a word they say when they speak to each other because their language is different. More flemish than french, due to the proximity with Belgium. And the most beautiful thing said in the film : when you arrive in this part of France to (try) make a living you cry twice : one time when you arrive, the other time when you leave.

Instantanés

Comme si, comme ça

My issue with the German can start from early morning. Either they don't say "good morning" (actually it's the best of all even if you believe it's impolite ... it is I agree), or they wait you to tell them "good morning" because you arrive at work after them (true !, i've been told so) or if you are in good terms with the one you welcome the next question will be : "how are you ?" and that is not to ask. Because since I've been in Germany for the first time (and it's been a while ago) I don't remember having heard anything else than complaints. It's never going well. The French will don't ask yourself "how are you?", he/she will ask you if you're ok and you will answer yes. The German has always something wrong. They are chronic sick from the body and/or the mind. The one I met this afternoon, "so you're ok?" "comme si, comme ça" (meaning more or less could be better). It's not that I want to know, daaaaaaaarling, I am just being polite but next time I will not ask because I don't want your sadness on me. I don't have the reason why It's like that. Coming back from work on the bicycle as usual I was driving on the sidewalk because Alexanderplatz is a nightmare of work in progress these days. Believe me this sidewalk on Karl Marx Allee is the biggest ever. It did not keep on this old man of threatening me with his stick because I was there instead of being on the road. Talking about other things I like politics but I don't think it's good to share your ideas with anyone, especially with your friends. It's too much purporse of arguing. Anytime we started at dinner table you could be sure it was catastrophy. Nevertheless it's part of our life. What I dislike most is tabloïds coming in politics and the best example at the time is our french president and his (new) wife. No matter if we agree or not with his actions, although we don't hear much thanks to the press but if there is one thing we can agree with is that this man and his communication office know how to use medias. Whenever there is a big event in the french political life you can be sure that something will happen in his private one. So medias will focus on it and not to the interest of the people. I only regret humans are more interested on things happening to our celebrities than with their future life. Maybe theirs is too sad and they want to concentrate on something in else. Take for example : Kadhafi comes in France and put his tent in the garden of the palace ? our president get divorced. Visit to the UK ? he puts his (new) wife in front of the cameras to play Jacky O. dressed by Dior. And guess what ? when they arrived in London, Christie's put in auction a nude photo of her 20 years ago. And of course not a word of what happened during this visit. Lately we just don't hear a thing because the olympic flame takes all attention. They started to demonstrate in the UK but in France it took all its importance because the flame just put out. China uses the event as a bad thing for France and suddenly they are the good ones. China gives as well advices to the french politicians ! Our president found all this "a bit sad". No word about Tibet ? Can't wait to see what will happen in the US where the flame is now but there must be for sure some strong activists nearby. The olympic comitee will soon decide to stop the journey or not. To finish with something unexpected a male "doctor" wanted to cure its female patients from arthritis (he said it comes from something evil) practising cunilinghus. Surprised or not only one patient laid a charge against him. I guess it must be a "good" treatment after all.

Instantanés

The fox and the city

It is true I can see foxes from my office. I know those animals when they are hungry can be very brave. Because the city is "under construction" all the time (even Alexanderplatz is changing with a new building in the center !) the nature of Berlin is also changing. I guess that very soon we will not be able to take pictures anymore of the wild from my window. I can see on each free parcel there will be soon concrete, here a departement store, here a stadium, here a hotel (a new one). The plan of the city is so made that they don't build to keep a patrimony they destroy to create new. Strange they want to physically erase their past. I am afraid that sooner or later Berlin will lose what made its particularity.

Pirates of the sea

It could be the title of an action movie but this a true story. A french cruising ship has been taken over by pirates. You think the best stories you find at the theatre but sometimes life makes it more unbelievable. The ship is since last Friday under control of the pirates. French ministry of defense tried to take contact with the pirates but without success. That means we don't know why they did it neither their request. The ministry says they follow the ship thanks to satelites so they have a clear image of what is happening on board. Military follows from far the ship which is sailing south of Somalia. The Prime Minister informs that the priority is to keep safe the 32 people on board, mostly Frenchs. All this seems a bit strange but we can't help wondering why is sailing a luxury cruising boat in front of a country, certainly one of the poorest of the world. Who's provoquing who ? Let's hope for a happy end.

Instantanés

The day before you came

There is this special moment when you're alone among people with loud music that you feel kind of lost. People don't dance anymore but leave. Cristal ball keeps on turning. And you stay there. Finishing your x drink. All your friends left or found someone for the night. It's the end of the party. Men kiss each other. Other are drunk since a long time and you start wondering : what am i am doing here ? Isn't it time to go back home ? Yes it is. In those moments i wish you could be here ... With me. But you're not. And rattling on the roof I must have heard the sound of rain The day before you came

Tonight ...

Klub International

Reconnected

I never thought both of them would ever a day play together again. It must been what ? ... 25 years we heard Yazoo sing for the first time "Don't go", we danced, danced and danced again on this track and we still have it in our ears not everyday but almost because a lot of remixes today take a part of the track (this laugh of Moyet at the start of "Situation"). They last (Moyet said once) 8 months. It was the time when groups appeared and disapeared in a snap of fingers, made one successful song and did something else. We heard Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Bananarama, Imagination, Bronski Beat ..., all UK groups that today are standards of this time : the 80's ! Yazoo made one album so far and endless Best of, Remixes, ... appeared since. They played "live" at "Top of the Pops" many times and it was also the start of the video clips. Now they come on Tour. I am not sure the concert will last a long time because they have not so many songs and I'd be curious to see what kind of public would come. We all grew older and to see a public of 40's something can be quite funny. At least we'll share all the same revival. I remembered last year Depeche Mode played at the Waldbühne (a wonderful place in the forest for summer concerts) and even if the group carry on to evoluate we were almost all from the same generation (concert was a bit disapointing and was too short ... and expensive for what we've got but fans are fans). Anyways, Yazoo will play here in Berlin and worldwide. I didn't know it was so famous and seeing them play in San Francisco makes me realize how famous this name is. Both Clark and Moyet have since then successful carrier and even if I am not a big fan of Erasure I still believe Moyet has a peculiar talent with her voice (best album "Hometime"). Even on "Upstairs at Eric's" the compositions I prefer are made by Moyet. Most of the time I prefer B-sides that is why you will hear a beautiful (but sad and brings not so nice memories) Winter kills .

Instantanés

The smiling therapy

Look at you in the mirror before leaving home in the morning and find yourself attractive. If not change clothes/haircut/deo/diet/whatever. Put the music you like in your ears but not too agressive, it must be one that allows you to dream/make your videos in your head/the lyrics remind you a good memory, you know the one you're a star and everybody loves you/you have a voice everyone wants to hear/you play so well the part all think it's real life. Take your bike, put the seat under your ass and feel the smooth air. Oooohhhh this feeling of being the master of the road. Everyone is looking at you, you're smiling, people smile back at you, thank you, you made my day, you will have a great day, it's wonderful.

And then you have a flat tyre (again).