and don't forget ...

Please : 1st of december is World Aids Day.

I know everyone is very sollicited, me the first from the first hour in the metro, but thinking of Aids we all have a friend, maybe a family member, someone we know from near or far, well anyway we heard about it and we all have our opinion.

But one of these days ... we might be very happy that someone gave money for you the 1st of december.

So don't just give money for giving money. Do something special. Invite people for dinner, go out, go to a party where there are some Sisters of the great "whatever" who will ask you a little something in exchange for lube and condoms. That can be fun.

Thank you.

Lemon 8 Sounds of downunder Episode 27

Instantanés

D&G

I never was a big fan of their style. A bit too much for me. But for next summer, I might be tempted. One for the day work, one for the party.

les Rita Mitsouko Y'a d'la haine

Rita Mitsouko - Marcia Baila

les Rita Mitsouko

We just learned with sadness that Fred Chichin, half of the french group "Les Rita Mitsouko" passed away today after a 2 months fight against cancer. They should have played tonight at the Olympia in Paris. Catherine Ringer and Fred Chichin met in the late 70's and decided in 1979 to create the group. Rita was chosen because of its south american sound and Mitsouko because it means mystery in japanese. The group had to add the article "les" before "Rita Mitsouko" because everybody thought it was the name of the singer. Fred Chichin composed music and played guitars, bass, drums and keyboards. The first album, out in 1984, has the hit single "Marcia Baila", latino-rock song which pays tribute to the argentinian dancer Marcia Moretto, also dead by cancer. The song was sold at more than 1 million copies and was the first hit single of a long list. The music of the group was a mix of many influences such as rock, funk, ska, south-america and a big sense of humour. From them we never heard any rumour. The group recorded 11 studio albums.

It's a gay joke ...

Four men went golfing together one day; three headed to the first tee and one went into the club house to take care of the bill. The three men started talking, bragging about their sons.

The first man told the others:- My son is a home builder and he''s so successful that he gave a friend a new home - for free.

The second man said:- My son was a car salesman and now he owns a multi-line dealership. He's so successful that he gave a friend two Cadillacs.

The third man, not wanting to be outdone bragged:- My son is a stock broker and he's doing so well that he gave his friend an entire stock portfolio.

The fourth man joined them on the tee after a few minutes of taking care of business.

The first man mentioned, ...- We were just talking about our sons. How is yours doing ???

The fourth man replied:- Well, my son is gay. I''m not totally thrilled about it, but he must be good. His last three boyfriends gave him a HOUSE, TWO CARS, and a STOCK PORTFOLIO !!!

I'm alive

Sometimes It's like I missed my life in the sense that I got the feeling all was possible and nothing was realized the way I wanted to. Or having let me have a life which does not really suits me. Or I think I could have done this or that but I'm too lazy to try any of those. Or the big question "but what am doing here ?". Or another one "but what am I doing now ?". Or "I'm yet too old nobody will trust me, nobody will hire me, I will not manage it on time".

Hmmm ... nice clothes in this shop. Oups, but it's not for me, can't buy those anymore.

I need a haircut. Where's the cheapest ? Do we need appointment ?

I had it all. All is gone. It's too hard starting everytime something new. This time, I'll never make it on time. It's too late.

I'll never come home walking again. It's way too far, too cold, too depressing and I don't even have enough money to buy me a glass of wine !

Wait 'til you see him

Colette

Elle ne répondit rien. Elle se pencha pour ramasser une fourche d'écaille tombée et l'enfonça dans ses cheveux en chantonnant. Elle prolongea sa chanson avec complaisance devant un miroir, fière de se dompter si aisément, d'escamoter la seule minute émue de leur séparation, fière d'avoir retenu les mots qu'il ne faut pas dire :

"Parle ... mendie, exige, suspends-toi ... tu viens de me rendre heureuse..."

in Chéri

Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem

Le jour des morts

I don't know how you say that in another language. It's just that it's not at the same date anywhere. I keep believing it is very strange to "celebrate" the dead. In France it's 1st November and in Germany it's the last sunday before Advent (you know when you have your special calendar with all those little doors you open everyday to get the chocolate (or whatever else, depends on your imagination if you do it yourself to offer to someone or if you buy the cheap version at the supermarket). Not to mention though that I don't need to be reminded by the calendar that at this very day I have to think to my dead family, relatives, friends. First I think about them very often and because they are burried in many parts of the world it's hard to schedule for one day to honour them in front of the grave. Either you pay some services company to do the job for the cleaning and the flowers or someone you know leaving nearby can help. It's not unrespectful it's just that I don't get the purpose of honouring a stone. People I deeply miss are always with me anywhere anytime and I don't see them "Six feet under" at the cemetery.

That's why the program yesterday at the Philarmonie was anything but happy : Frank Martin (Hugo von Hofmannsthal's six monologues) and the 7th Symphonie of Bruckner. But the big surprise of this concert was the danish baritone Bo Skovhus. The least we can say is that this giant has an impressive presence on the scene, physically and with his voice. I compared him as a singing black monolith. All in black dressed with some designed very straight japanese suit he is taller than anyone on the scene. His face is so concentrated during the act that you have the feeling it hurts. And the voice : I think it's the first time I hear a baritone even louder than the orchester... and it was no menuet. Of course it was very sad but quality wise very good. The fans were there and he had to come back 3 times to calm down the standing ovation with the flowers (it's OK with the subject, no?) and applause. And it only last 17 minutes (his part, not the standing ovation). I guess because of the hard work of the voice it must be difficult to sing more than that. It's also the first time that I see a singer seating among us to follow the rest of the concert with his friends and be so friendly with everyone. Respect !

After that we definitly needed a drink, of course. Don't forget it was saturday evening. But my friend needed as well to pick up the Christmas presents her mother bought at the department store. So a bit of window shopping and then the marathon started. Loaded with all the big heavy bags we dropped all this to his place and finally went to Himmelreich. It's near his place and cosy. Because it started to snow again we did not want to go very far and they have a not too bad spanish red wine. It is a lesbian bar but it's opened to everyone except when indicated (special nights, follow the program). All mixed, lesbian - gay - straight - families - dogs, nice service, prices OK, good music it's a good place to start. While talking I said that I had to try to drink beer. It's my big issue : I don't like that and never drink any. It's a problem in a country like Germany and I'm making (again) my distinction with it. At least any bar-keeper remembers me because I'm the only one who's asking red wine in a disco (avoid) ! But why not trying a new time ? My friend told me that last time he took a very light one with lemon. After a 1 € pizza slice to "sponge" the alcohol we moved to a men's place : Grosse Freiheit. It's very smoky, almost completely dark, very casual but I like the place because you make your own musical program thanks to the giant juke box and you can play flipper. It reminds me of school days at the café round the corner with friends. It's when we started to smoke and drink and look at the but of ... whatever. But I can say a bottle of beer in the hand, the cigarette on the lips playing flipper, you get the picture ! But unfortunatly I can't drink it. So I gave the bottle and was back to wine. Not to mention as well that to go to the toilets you have to cross the darkroom. I can't see a thing in those places but while trying to reach them (not even sure there are any for women !) I suddenly faced a cute guy. Smiling at him I carried on walking and... bumped abruptly in a mirror ! I said it was time to go to bed.

Jealousy

So it's done with Christmas now. Closed the Christmas markets, destroyed the nice papers with rubans and boxes full of toys and presents, to the trash the Christmas tree, back to the wardrobe with the decoration, cleaned the floor, packed the bags of family and friends ... until next week. We haven't finished the first orgy that we have to think about the second one. Lucky us there is some sport to do thanks to the sales that started now. So no time to waste, make the credit card burned and go !

It's like jealousy. It comes always back. Try to hide it but it is stronger than us. It shows on your face. Last time in a bar I was talking to a guy because he was trying to take a picture a strange way so it poped up. His girlfriend apparently had fears of her husband because she promptly came around him (litteraly) and envelopped him with her arms kissing him in front of me. Poor dear, you have nothing to teach me and you don't impress me. Let me just say to you that on the contrary you make me want your husband which is wrong but the hunt now is becoming interesting, thank you. And yes be carefum with your husband because he is really yummy. Jealousy is a matter of no trust. If you're confident with your half there is no trouble. It must work both ways of course. It happened that only one trusted because he never thought about anything else and the other half was a nightmare imagining things that would have had never happened only if ... he never had the stupidy of sharing his feelings and put the ideas in the other one's head : too bad. Now he's on his own. Oh, baby, you cry now ? too late. Told you before to be happy and to put no pressure on your man's back. We had this conversation before. I'm quite flattered if my man is approached by someone else. At this very moment there is this very special look between me and him saying "hey Baby look at me now ... ain't you get excited ?" Oh yeah I am Love, and you will understand very soon how much : either we leave right now for the next available room/toilets/bathroom/whatever or if the threat is a bit too "approaching then I see my man walking back because he knows that my claws are very sensitive. Of course I am jealous but if you manage it the right way it can put in your sex life a bit of pimiento. But no abuse. Jealousy can destroy the relation faster than you think because the first thing you try to do because you're scared of everyone you isolate your half from the friends. Very wrong. Let it go. You hate shopping anyway. And that gives you a holiday as well when he's not there. Maybe you'll get a little present ? so enjoy ! and stop pretending you can't trust him. First you gave him the idea, secondly you looooove being miserable and that is desperately boring (get drunk now and smoke something) and third if you act like that it means that you're not confident with yourself so the work should come from you. In the meantime do your nails again. Who is he and what is he to you ?

who needs enemies ?

Money

The main thing is the city is that few people have money. You will tell me it's everywhere the same but the city developed a system to help you believe you're a happy few. Let your ears opened and listen what your friends, colleagues say, even in the bus, train, metro, take off your MP3 player. Yesterday evening we've been to Afterwork party just because a colleague talked too loud. From 18.00 and because it's near work you eat for free ! Avoid the welcome drink but allow you a cocktail while meeting new people. Frankly said, not my kinda people but some other colleagues came with their co-renters so conversations were easy. Then because you're ready to start the "real" evening and you don't have to care about food anymore, why not having a drink outside ? 3 metro stations away there is a bar I like because the mood, the people and the music are good : Moebel Olfe and drinks are cheap. The design is a bunch of a lot of things all put together and don't expect to sit because there is no space. Better standing anyway to give chances to contacts. In this place there are parties as well : for example next Saturday is "Sex and Architecture" ... can't wait to see what it looks like. And for December 1st (please do something for the research) there is another party to celebrate the 5 years. In the end I guess we spent more than if we went directly back home ! But it's more fun.

Rameau Les Indes galantes

Air pour les amours

Heroes

the trailer of the first serie