I've spent the last couple of days at the London Book Fair at Earls Court. There were some interesting seminars on, with the focus country being India. I don't know if the British Council had chosen India before Slumdog Millionaire came out in the cinemas but it seems like this is the country to watch at the moment.
I had the opportunity to listen to a Q & A session with Vikram Seth, the author of "A Suitable Boy". He was speaking about his last book "Two Lives" which I read last year. It is a fantastic book, a biography of his great-uncle and great-aunt and their experiences in Germany during the Second World War. I don't usually like biographies or autobiographies, often they are crammed full of tiny bits of information that bear little importance but the writer feels the need to put in everything, instead of choosing the best bits. "Two Lives" was a world away from this and really was a joy to read. The Q & A session was equally enjoyable.
I then went on to a seminar on how to reach the ethnic millions in the UK. At times this veered into "the British publishing world is full of white middle-class people and there should be some positive discrimination to get some brown faces in". I struggle with things like this. As far as I'm concerned (particularly in London), the opportunities are out there, regardless of colour, creed, race or gender. If you are professional and hard-working and have the right attitude, then there are few barriers in the way, unless of course you choose to construct some yourself. OK, there might be some industries that still remain quite "white" but I think that has as much to do with them not being so popular with ethnic minorities - if you look at other professions like medicine or dentistry, the numbers are more balanced. I'm uncomfortable with the liberal attitude to positive discrimination - someone getting a job because of the colour of their skin as opposed to merit and ability. Most jobs I've worked in I've been the only "brown" face in an otherwise sea of white, it's never been a problem. What matters most is my ability to do the job and that has nothing to do with the colour of my skin.
Sometimes ethnic minorities get too caught up in their victim mentality, if anything bad happens, it's because of the colour of their skin, no other reason. I remember listening to a family friend last Christmas. He was moaning about the fact that it was so difficult for muslims to progress and do well in this country. When I pointed out that I'd had some fantastic opportunities and had done well, he answered back "well not everyone's as pushy as you!". At this point I think I snorted. Being driven and determined has helped me to succeed but anything I've achieved is down to me being pushy! As I've long suspected, this particular uncle has a big chip on his shoulder and no matter what you say, he'll always see things from the victim's stance.
I went to a panel discussion this morning about India called "Through Fresh Eyes - Literature of Ideas". The panel comprised of emminent Indian writers, mostly non-fiction. It was a fascinating debate, one that brought language to the forefront. Most Indian writers who are read in the Western world write in English. This automatically means that this will be the elite - how much real understanding will they have of other worlds, other lives if they move in elite, priveliged circles? People writing in any of the native Indian languages rarely see their work translated to reach a wider audience so the snapshot we see of the country just touches the tip of the iceberg.
Recently I've started reading books by Pakistani writers that were written in Urdu and translated. The thing that struck me was how clumsy the language seemed. I've read many South Asian writers (who write in English) and their beautiful command of the language is a joy to behold. But these translations felt chunky and clunky. Maybe that is the problem with countries where English is spoken and written as much as the native languages (but only by the most highly-educated). Books will be published that have been written in English so the art of translation is lost or certainly it suffers. I thought of other foreign writers I've read who've written in their mother language and the book has then been translated - very few of these writers seem to suffer the same problem. It's also difficult to get the educated elite to embrace the native language instead of English as speaking English is seen as being so much more sophisticated. I always find it amusing when native Indians or Pakistanis talk amongst themselves in English, when another language is their mother tongue.
I was thinking about language earlier this week. My strongest language is English but the first language I spoke would have been Urdu. I still speak Urdu to my parents and family members of their generation. Where did I learn to speak English and from whom? I wouldn't have learnt it from my parents so did I learn it from the television? Or did I start school not speaking English? I've always thought it an advantage to have grown up bilingual. I'm sure it's helped me when I've been in a foreign country, immersed in learning a new language. But sometimes I wonder if these early bilingual days are a hinderance to my capabilities in English? If I'd grown up speaking only one language, would my command and ability have been much higher? I have friends who are writers and I'm always struck by how beautifully they use words and language. I asked one what his secret was and the answer? Practice! So I guess there is hope for me with the language I'd love to deploy magically, all I have to do is use it! And perhaps read a dictionary from time to time!
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Saturday, 18 April 2009
London Book Fair Masterclass - How To Get Published
The London Book Fair 2009 kicks off from Monday at Earls Court. There are some great seminars and workshops so I've decided to go along as a budding author.
This morning I went the a Masterclass titled "How To Get Published". I arrived early, maybe an hour before the doors opened. I hadn't registered in advance and wanted to make sure that I was able to get a seat. A handful of people were already milling outside the entrance doors by the time I arrived. The milling crowd were instructed to form an orderly line and by the time the doors opened, a long snake of people weaved its way around the building.
Once in and registered, we could go upstairs for coffee and pastries. I stood in the room and watched people coming in, trying to see if I could spot someone who might be the next big thing in publishing. I don't know what I was looking for but I thought if I looked hard enough, I might spot some magical quality. I didn't but it was fantastic to see the room filling up with people from all walks of life, all ages - all with one common purpose - the desire to be published.
After coffee and people-watching, I went into the conference room and made my way to the front. All the prime seats were already taken so I plumped for the second row, in the middle, where I would have an excellent view of the panel guests. The room had capacity for over 500 people and by the time the event started, all the seats were filled, people sat with notepads and pens at the ready to glean any nuggets of gold from those that knew.
The panel was made up of a senior commissioning editor from Bloomsbury, the Co-Head of Books Department from United Agents and three authors. The industry voices kicked off, sharing sage advice on how to get published. The thing that struck me immediately was that both representatives absolutely loved books and loved what they did, they had a passion that was clear to see. I don't know why I was surprised by this. I get really excited by the work I do and can get very passionate about it but in general it seems that if people are genuinely excited about what they do, they tend to keep quiet about it. Or maybe most people end up in jobs that they're not that excited about and so can't inject any joy or enthusiasm into their voices when they talk about it. A lot of people I know are crazy about music but very few make it their world so it was great to hear from people who had turned passion into work.
After the industry experts, it was the turn of the authors. Once again, more tips on how to do it. I scribbled away furiously but realised that most things they said were applicable to anything you do, not just publishing. Having dived into interiors six years ago and learnt stacks along the way, the tips I heard were not new but it was brilliant to hear them all again for a completely different industry. I guess at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you do as the fundamental lessons are the same. Here are the main qualities that were essential:
- be passionate about what you're doing
- remain excited and optimistic
- work hard, put in the energy
- remain professional
- no room for arrogance
- be patient
- you need stamina, it won't be an overnight thing
- do your research
- write every day
- believe in yourself
- practice and hone your skills
- have the courage to let things go if they don't fit in the book
- listen to your voice and write from the heart
- be strong enough to take the rough with the smooth
- need to have confidence in yourself
- do things to keep yourself strong, do not undermine yourself
- passion, passion, passion!
- and stacks of hard work!
I know I've repeated myself with the last two points but they really did drive this message home. When the seminar finished, I found myself buzzing. I don't know if this was caffeine or excitement (I think it was the latter) but the old guy sat next to me said "I saw you scribbling away. Did you find it useful?". And yes, I found it incredibly useful even if I heard key messages that I knew already from running my own business. The points above could be applied to anything you do, these qualities are essential to succeed in life! At least I know in advance a little of what to expect and when it comes to being optimistic and passionate, I know I'm okay there too! Now all I have to do is come up with an amazing story and hope that I'm a gifted writer!
I'm going to spend the early part of next week at the main book fair. It makes sense to immerse myself in the world I want to be a part of, particularly while I have some free time. I start my creative writing course on Monday evening so things are moving in the right direction and I'm very excited about writing a novel.
I've also been out enjoying the city the last few days. On Thursday I went along to a night that was part of "Land of Kings" - a 2-day festival all along Kingsland Road and Kingsland High Street. Although there were lots of different events, I just went to one where my friends Harry and Tayo were DJing. It was in this mad little venue below a brightly-lit yet empty restaurant. When you walked into the restaurant, you had no idea what lay below and after a bit of confusion where the girl sat in the restaurant directed me to the ladies toilets instead of the party, I found where I was meant to be. It was a "classics" night which meant that I knew most of the records which pleased me enormously. Of course I love hearing something amazing I've never heard before but sometimes it's good to hear a load of cheesy records that you know all the words to!
Yesterday I went to the South Bank to meet my friend Barbara for a coffee. We're old friends from my Foreign Office days but have always bonded over a love for silly accents, hilarious antics from our days working together (which still make us laugh all these years on) and a shared passion for what we're doing. I got up to the South Bank early and although it was grey and pouring with rain, the sound of a jazz band playing by Hungerford Bridge filled me with an enormous love for the city and put a big smile on my face. I went up to investigate the impromptu mini orchestra and found about five or six guys from South America, all playing away and entertaining the crowds, with one drumming a beat on what looked like a large plastic water container. People were milling around enjoying the music and one couple started doing a brilliant be-bop dance at the bottom of the stairs. I don't know if they were professional dancers but they had some slick moves going which all added to the entertainment.
Barbara and I met and went up to the cafe in the Royal Festival Hall for coffee, cake and a catch-up. While we talked, the orchestra that was going to be putting on a free concert at 7pm tuned up and got ready. It was none other that the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra from Venezuela (Barbara had already seen them on Wednesday), the orchestra made up of former street kids that had wowed the proms back in 2007. I remember hearing about this amazing orchestra at the time and as luck would have it, I got to see them by chance. They were excellent and after playing some classical pieces, moved onto more Latin-inspired music where they really came to life. Whole sections of the orchestra would get up and dance around, there was an enthusiasm and energy that was infectious and even the rather reserved English audience started tapping their toes and clapping. Some even whooped in joy (or maybe that was just me) and once again, I wished I could do one of those ear-piercing whistles but I've never mastered the art which perhaps is a good thing. I got the bus back home stil buzzing from what I'd seen and heard and the continuing rain did nothing to dampen my high spirits!
I'm off out again tonight, back to Kingsland Road for my friend Andy's party Discobox. He's teaming up with the boys from Lovebox, maybe they're having a box-off as I think they're all playing in the same room. Taking over the other room is original soul boy and house don Terry Farley. I haven't seen Terry since way before I moved to Ibiza so it will be good to go and say hi to old man Farley and see what gems he has in his record box. I can't have a late night though as I'm off to a Sunday sermon tomorrow morning. It's on Curiousity and the speaker is Robert Winston. I've heard it's been incredibly popular with over 400 people attending so a great success for the School of Life who organised it. I'll come back and fill in how the curious sermon is!
This morning I went the a Masterclass titled "How To Get Published". I arrived early, maybe an hour before the doors opened. I hadn't registered in advance and wanted to make sure that I was able to get a seat. A handful of people were already milling outside the entrance doors by the time I arrived. The milling crowd were instructed to form an orderly line and by the time the doors opened, a long snake of people weaved its way around the building.
Once in and registered, we could go upstairs for coffee and pastries. I stood in the room and watched people coming in, trying to see if I could spot someone who might be the next big thing in publishing. I don't know what I was looking for but I thought if I looked hard enough, I might spot some magical quality. I didn't but it was fantastic to see the room filling up with people from all walks of life, all ages - all with one common purpose - the desire to be published.
After coffee and people-watching, I went into the conference room and made my way to the front. All the prime seats were already taken so I plumped for the second row, in the middle, where I would have an excellent view of the panel guests. The room had capacity for over 500 people and by the time the event started, all the seats were filled, people sat with notepads and pens at the ready to glean any nuggets of gold from those that knew.
The panel was made up of a senior commissioning editor from Bloomsbury, the Co-Head of Books Department from United Agents and three authors. The industry voices kicked off, sharing sage advice on how to get published. The thing that struck me immediately was that both representatives absolutely loved books and loved what they did, they had a passion that was clear to see. I don't know why I was surprised by this. I get really excited by the work I do and can get very passionate about it but in general it seems that if people are genuinely excited about what they do, they tend to keep quiet about it. Or maybe most people end up in jobs that they're not that excited about and so can't inject any joy or enthusiasm into their voices when they talk about it. A lot of people I know are crazy about music but very few make it their world so it was great to hear from people who had turned passion into work.
After the industry experts, it was the turn of the authors. Once again, more tips on how to do it. I scribbled away furiously but realised that most things they said were applicable to anything you do, not just publishing. Having dived into interiors six years ago and learnt stacks along the way, the tips I heard were not new but it was brilliant to hear them all again for a completely different industry. I guess at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you do as the fundamental lessons are the same. Here are the main qualities that were essential:
- be passionate about what you're doing
- remain excited and optimistic
- work hard, put in the energy
- remain professional
- no room for arrogance
- be patient
- you need stamina, it won't be an overnight thing
- do your research
- write every day
- believe in yourself
- practice and hone your skills
- have the courage to let things go if they don't fit in the book
- listen to your voice and write from the heart
- be strong enough to take the rough with the smooth
- need to have confidence in yourself
- do things to keep yourself strong, do not undermine yourself
- passion, passion, passion!
- and stacks of hard work!
I know I've repeated myself with the last two points but they really did drive this message home. When the seminar finished, I found myself buzzing. I don't know if this was caffeine or excitement (I think it was the latter) but the old guy sat next to me said "I saw you scribbling away. Did you find it useful?". And yes, I found it incredibly useful even if I heard key messages that I knew already from running my own business. The points above could be applied to anything you do, these qualities are essential to succeed in life! At least I know in advance a little of what to expect and when it comes to being optimistic and passionate, I know I'm okay there too! Now all I have to do is come up with an amazing story and hope that I'm a gifted writer!
I'm going to spend the early part of next week at the main book fair. It makes sense to immerse myself in the world I want to be a part of, particularly while I have some free time. I start my creative writing course on Monday evening so things are moving in the right direction and I'm very excited about writing a novel.
I've also been out enjoying the city the last few days. On Thursday I went along to a night that was part of "Land of Kings" - a 2-day festival all along Kingsland Road and Kingsland High Street. Although there were lots of different events, I just went to one where my friends Harry and Tayo were DJing. It was in this mad little venue below a brightly-lit yet empty restaurant. When you walked into the restaurant, you had no idea what lay below and after a bit of confusion where the girl sat in the restaurant directed me to the ladies toilets instead of the party, I found where I was meant to be. It was a "classics" night which meant that I knew most of the records which pleased me enormously. Of course I love hearing something amazing I've never heard before but sometimes it's good to hear a load of cheesy records that you know all the words to!
Yesterday I went to the South Bank to meet my friend Barbara for a coffee. We're old friends from my Foreign Office days but have always bonded over a love for silly accents, hilarious antics from our days working together (which still make us laugh all these years on) and a shared passion for what we're doing. I got up to the South Bank early and although it was grey and pouring with rain, the sound of a jazz band playing by Hungerford Bridge filled me with an enormous love for the city and put a big smile on my face. I went up to investigate the impromptu mini orchestra and found about five or six guys from South America, all playing away and entertaining the crowds, with one drumming a beat on what looked like a large plastic water container. People were milling around enjoying the music and one couple started doing a brilliant be-bop dance at the bottom of the stairs. I don't know if they were professional dancers but they had some slick moves going which all added to the entertainment.
Barbara and I met and went up to the cafe in the Royal Festival Hall for coffee, cake and a catch-up. While we talked, the orchestra that was going to be putting on a free concert at 7pm tuned up and got ready. It was none other that the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra from Venezuela (Barbara had already seen them on Wednesday), the orchestra made up of former street kids that had wowed the proms back in 2007. I remember hearing about this amazing orchestra at the time and as luck would have it, I got to see them by chance. They were excellent and after playing some classical pieces, moved onto more Latin-inspired music where they really came to life. Whole sections of the orchestra would get up and dance around, there was an enthusiasm and energy that was infectious and even the rather reserved English audience started tapping their toes and clapping. Some even whooped in joy (or maybe that was just me) and once again, I wished I could do one of those ear-piercing whistles but I've never mastered the art which perhaps is a good thing. I got the bus back home stil buzzing from what I'd seen and heard and the continuing rain did nothing to dampen my high spirits!
I'm off out again tonight, back to Kingsland Road for my friend Andy's party Discobox. He's teaming up with the boys from Lovebox, maybe they're having a box-off as I think they're all playing in the same room. Taking over the other room is original soul boy and house don Terry Farley. I haven't seen Terry since way before I moved to Ibiza so it will be good to go and say hi to old man Farley and see what gems he has in his record box. I can't have a late night though as I'm off to a Sunday sermon tomorrow morning. It's on Curiousity and the speaker is Robert Winston. I've heard it's been incredibly popular with over 400 people attending so a great success for the School of Life who organised it. I'll come back and fill in how the curious sermon is!
Saturday, 11 April 2009
In London...
It's been two weeks now since I arrived back in London properly. Although I got back a month ago, a week later I jetted off to Dallas for just over a week so the first two weeks still felt like I was in transit.
My blogging has taken a back seat of late but when I looked back over some of my posts from last year, I realised how valuable it is to keep writing, no matter what's going on. Writing in times of uncertainty are great when you can go back and look over how you were feeling, particularly when the situation has changed.
I feel like I'm in hibernation at the moment, preparing for the next chapter. I have no idea what that next chapter will be. I don't know where I'm going to be living or what I'm going to be doing. I'm currently staying at my parents' place in Dulwich. Location-wise it's great but I'm viewing it as a temporary arrangement. I may move back into my flat in Crystal Palace. I wasn't planning on doing this but my tenant seems to be gripped by some financial woes and ultimately my mortgage is my responsibility and I need to take care of it. Also with the mortgage market getting trashed last year (apparently 2 years ago there were over 200 mortgage providers, now there are only 15), there are no good deals for buy-to-let mortgages and it may make more sense to move back and get a good deal on a normal mortgage. I've started putting my interiors cards in local shops and will continue to do this in other places, as well as let all my friends and contacts know that I'm back in London. It would be good to do some consulting too. Previous work has come when I've been approached by consultants I've worked with in the past. I've heard that LinkedIn is a good platform for getting your experience out to a much wider audience so that's another thing on my to-do list.
I've kept a fairly low profile since getting back. Only a handful of my friends know that I'm actually back and even fewer have seen me since my return. It reminds me of when I was made redundant and I had a few months of not really knowing what I was doing. I kept a low profile then too, only coming back onto the scene when I had a big announcement to make, that I was moving into interiors. If you're going to make an announcement, might as well do something like a complete career change! My dad keeps asking me if I've got any interviews lined up and I've tried to explain that my previous consulting work has come to me, not the other way but I'm not entirely sure he gets what I mean. He's suggested going back to my Ukrainian job but I've told him a few times that my position has been filled by someone who's doing a fantastic job. I think deep down inside he wishes I'd never left the Foreign Office. He did suggest that the other day but it would mean reducing my earning potential by about two thirds and I'd be living in poverty!
In the past my current state of limbo would be causing no end of worry. But I gave up worrying at the start of this year, as my new year's resolution. Having awareness about potential situations and moving to prevent any negative outcomes is good. But worrying endlessly about what may or may not happen is a waste of time, makes you ill and has no benefit at all. So I've decided to give it up! I'm treating life at present as what it is, a little holding area where I can get ready for the next stage even if I don't know what that is. It's good to have a little quiet time every now and then. I've had the chance for reflection and taken action on the last epiphany I had in Ibiza (I had 3 in total while I was there which is quite a lot for a year) and read some books that help me make sense of the world.
Last week I read The Secret. Over the years, I've read a few personal development books but The Secret seemed to be filled with pearls of wisdom that I'd never read before. It's about the Law of Attraction and how you can manifest anything in your life, you just have to ask. You receive when you're in a state of happiness and joy and it is your responsibility to make sure you are. Reading that struck a chord. I often experience profound moments of joy and in that state, thinking about my life and what I may want in the future is infused with feelings of intense love. The key is to feel like this all the time and there are lots of ways this can be done. I found it interesting that things I'd written in my blog in the past are mentioned in The Secret - the importance of daily meditations and the daily practice of giving thanks for everything in your life so far. It talks a lot about love and encourages you to feel love for anything and everything. My ability to feel like I've fallen in love with strange things (working at the British Ukrainian Society, cats, a dog and a lamb in Ibiza, my property development project in 2006 and various people in a purely platonic sense) appears to be a good thing and I should carry on doing more of the same. It also drove the message home that in moments when I'm feeling a bit grumpy or down, I need to shift my mood as I can't generate positive vibes from a negative head space. All good stuff and I encourage you to read the book if you haven't done so already!
I've taken to running in beautiful Dulwich park. It's not the same as running on a deserted Cala Jondal beach but a good alternative option now that I'm back in the city. I'll add in some swimming and yoga soon too. I was hoping to do a 5K run in a couple of weeks but missed the deadline for application. I've carried on training as if I am doing the run and I was happy to do my first 5K run since getting back - that took place yesterday.
I start my creative writing course in a few weeks and with that my focus and attention will turn back to writing a novel. I know I want to write about partition and journeys that people make but further than that, I've yet to evolve a story. I'm sure the course will be excellent in helping me put together a compelling story. A friend asked me the other day if I missed Ibiza and I said no. But the truth is that I do miss it, miss the intense rugged beauty of the place and the wonderful friends I made there. But I know that the island and all my island friends are still there, a couple of hours plane ride away and it will only be a matter of time before I head back for a visit and to breathe in deeply everything I love about the place. Meanwhile the bright lights of London beckon, even in my hibernation!
My blogging has taken a back seat of late but when I looked back over some of my posts from last year, I realised how valuable it is to keep writing, no matter what's going on. Writing in times of uncertainty are great when you can go back and look over how you were feeling, particularly when the situation has changed.
I feel like I'm in hibernation at the moment, preparing for the next chapter. I have no idea what that next chapter will be. I don't know where I'm going to be living or what I'm going to be doing. I'm currently staying at my parents' place in Dulwich. Location-wise it's great but I'm viewing it as a temporary arrangement. I may move back into my flat in Crystal Palace. I wasn't planning on doing this but my tenant seems to be gripped by some financial woes and ultimately my mortgage is my responsibility and I need to take care of it. Also with the mortgage market getting trashed last year (apparently 2 years ago there were over 200 mortgage providers, now there are only 15), there are no good deals for buy-to-let mortgages and it may make more sense to move back and get a good deal on a normal mortgage. I've started putting my interiors cards in local shops and will continue to do this in other places, as well as let all my friends and contacts know that I'm back in London. It would be good to do some consulting too. Previous work has come when I've been approached by consultants I've worked with in the past. I've heard that LinkedIn is a good platform for getting your experience out to a much wider audience so that's another thing on my to-do list.
I've kept a fairly low profile since getting back. Only a handful of my friends know that I'm actually back and even fewer have seen me since my return. It reminds me of when I was made redundant and I had a few months of not really knowing what I was doing. I kept a low profile then too, only coming back onto the scene when I had a big announcement to make, that I was moving into interiors. If you're going to make an announcement, might as well do something like a complete career change! My dad keeps asking me if I've got any interviews lined up and I've tried to explain that my previous consulting work has come to me, not the other way but I'm not entirely sure he gets what I mean. He's suggested going back to my Ukrainian job but I've told him a few times that my position has been filled by someone who's doing a fantastic job. I think deep down inside he wishes I'd never left the Foreign Office. He did suggest that the other day but it would mean reducing my earning potential by about two thirds and I'd be living in poverty!
In the past my current state of limbo would be causing no end of worry. But I gave up worrying at the start of this year, as my new year's resolution. Having awareness about potential situations and moving to prevent any negative outcomes is good. But worrying endlessly about what may or may not happen is a waste of time, makes you ill and has no benefit at all. So I've decided to give it up! I'm treating life at present as what it is, a little holding area where I can get ready for the next stage even if I don't know what that is. It's good to have a little quiet time every now and then. I've had the chance for reflection and taken action on the last epiphany I had in Ibiza (I had 3 in total while I was there which is quite a lot for a year) and read some books that help me make sense of the world.
Last week I read The Secret. Over the years, I've read a few personal development books but The Secret seemed to be filled with pearls of wisdom that I'd never read before. It's about the Law of Attraction and how you can manifest anything in your life, you just have to ask. You receive when you're in a state of happiness and joy and it is your responsibility to make sure you are. Reading that struck a chord. I often experience profound moments of joy and in that state, thinking about my life and what I may want in the future is infused with feelings of intense love. The key is to feel like this all the time and there are lots of ways this can be done. I found it interesting that things I'd written in my blog in the past are mentioned in The Secret - the importance of daily meditations and the daily practice of giving thanks for everything in your life so far. It talks a lot about love and encourages you to feel love for anything and everything. My ability to feel like I've fallen in love with strange things (working at the British Ukrainian Society, cats, a dog and a lamb in Ibiza, my property development project in 2006 and various people in a purely platonic sense) appears to be a good thing and I should carry on doing more of the same. It also drove the message home that in moments when I'm feeling a bit grumpy or down, I need to shift my mood as I can't generate positive vibes from a negative head space. All good stuff and I encourage you to read the book if you haven't done so already!
I've taken to running in beautiful Dulwich park. It's not the same as running on a deserted Cala Jondal beach but a good alternative option now that I'm back in the city. I'll add in some swimming and yoga soon too. I was hoping to do a 5K run in a couple of weeks but missed the deadline for application. I've carried on training as if I am doing the run and I was happy to do my first 5K run since getting back - that took place yesterday.
I start my creative writing course in a few weeks and with that my focus and attention will turn back to writing a novel. I know I want to write about partition and journeys that people make but further than that, I've yet to evolve a story. I'm sure the course will be excellent in helping me put together a compelling story. A friend asked me the other day if I missed Ibiza and I said no. But the truth is that I do miss it, miss the intense rugged beauty of the place and the wonderful friends I made there. But I know that the island and all my island friends are still there, a couple of hours plane ride away and it will only be a matter of time before I head back for a visit and to breathe in deeply everything I love about the place. Meanwhile the bright lights of London beckon, even in my hibernation!
Sunday, 15 March 2009
The funny things that remind you of certain people....
It might be a perfume, it might be a song but in the case of my lovely friend Carly, it's those slinky vest tops from Zara that remind me of her. I think she introduced me to them which is why I have such a strong connection between the two.
Carly's over in LA so I don't see her much but think of her often. Our birthdays are exactly six months apart so she is my half birthday soul sister. On my birthday a couple of weeks ago, her Facebook status said that she was thinking of her half birthday soul sister in London, wishing her a happy happy birthday and when I read that, it brought tears to my eyes - the smallest things mean the most.
As I slowly unpack the cases from my recent move back from Ibiza, I come across the slinky vest tops and immediately think of Carly. She's in Austin at the moment at SXSW no doubt having a fabulous time. It's been nearly four years since we last saw each other, I hope I see her again soon!
Carly's over in LA so I don't see her much but think of her often. Our birthdays are exactly six months apart so she is my half birthday soul sister. On my birthday a couple of weeks ago, her Facebook status said that she was thinking of her half birthday soul sister in London, wishing her a happy happy birthday and when I read that, it brought tears to my eyes - the smallest things mean the most.
As I slowly unpack the cases from my recent move back from Ibiza, I come across the slinky vest tops and immediately think of Carly. She's in Austin at the moment at SXSW no doubt having a fabulous time. It's been nearly four years since we last saw each other, I hope I see her again soon!
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Where did that last month go?
I just logged onto my blog and realised that the last post was written nearly a month ago. I wondered what I'd been doing over that time as I obviously hadn't been blogging but then I remembered that the last month has been a flurry of Spanish classes and homework, yoga and hanging out with friends and generally having a wonderful time before I left the island.
This now means I've got loads to write about. I had the big birthday nearly two weeks ago and it was wonderful, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend, hectic as it was. I also did another radio show the day before my birthday and loved it! This is something I would seriously like to do a lot more of, playing records I love and having a chat over the airwaves. I listened to the show again today for the first time and I just sounded so happy - when it comes to sharing music, I think I've found my calling!
I arrived back in London late last night after a 4-day journey over land and sea. It was eventful as journeys go. The first day I got the ferry from Ibiza to Denia and spent the first couple of hours out on the deck, lapping up the sunshine. Once on the mainland, I drove up to Valencia and started looking for a hotel while on the outskirts. I quickly spotted a neon blue sign indicating a hotel so I pulled over and tracked it down in the middle of a barren wasteland otherwise doubling as an industrial estate. Luckily they had rooms available and I made my way up to my room. There I found something a little unusual, something I'd never seen in a hotel before - an A4 sheet providing information on erotic holidays. I went back down to reception and a guest got into the lift wearing a silky short dressing gown. I did find myself thinking it a little strange to see guests in their dressing gowns but thought no more of it. I had to go out to the van to get some things and as I turned back towards the hotel and looked up to the large windows on the first floor I noticed a number of girls in similar slinky short dressing gowns that I'd already seen in the lift. Now my curiousity was aroused, what was going on at this hotel?
After dinner I nonchalantly wandered up to the first floor, acting as if I had some reason to be there. Girls were going in and out of the dining room, all heavily made up, all in those slinky gowns and all wearing those perpex killer heels favoured by strippers. There was a security guard sat outside the dining room and as soon as he saw me approach out of the lift, he started hovering above his seat, ready to escort away this person (me) who very obviously didn't belong on the first floor and had no reason to be there. I didn't want to suffer the embarrassment of being forced back into the lift so I just turned on my heels and left of my own accord. It would have been funny to have made a scene though. I didn't work out what was going on at that hotel, it was either a brothel or there was a strippers' convention taking place or maybe it had something to do with the erotic holidays. But the next morning as I left the hotel and started crawling along the road, trying to find my escape route out of industrial estate drudgery, I saw a girl tottering along the street and I think she may have been working! Well, there had to be some reason for her wearing a skirt so short it might as well have been a belt as it did absolutely nothing to cover her bum which was completely exposed for all to see.....
The next evening I arrived in Bilbao and spent about two hours looking for a hotel. The mission failed miserably, if there were hotels they were very badly signposted and parking seemed scarce. I drove up a number of tracks thinking there was a hotel at the end but I was misreading the signs. Once I drove up a track and then had to reverse out again, reversing up hill and navigating some tight turns. As I got to the end, I smelt an instantly recognisable smell - the distinct acrid odour of my clutch going. However I knew that if this happens, you just have to switch off the engine and sit there for an hour or so and the clutch usually returns to normal. I did this and then drove off again, my sensors on paranoid alert for that smell again even though I definitely did not want to encouner it again as that would have meant a lot of trouble. I spent a little while longer looking for the elusive hotels and then gave up, found a good spot to park, dragged my quilt out of the back of the van and set up camp for the night. This involved sleeping in the front of the van. I half expected to hear a little tap on the window at some point as the Guardia Civil or an upstanding member of the community came to tell me I couldn't sleep there but thankfully everyone left me in peace to have an okay night of sleep that reminded me of sleeping on a plane....
The ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth was long and boring. I got seasick just as I was contemplating dinner and ended up having to make my way back to the cabin and collapse on the bed. I rose twelve hours later but felt much better and managed to have breakfast even though it wasn't really of a high gastronic calibre but it was a bit like being on a chav cruise ship so what was I to expect?
I'm now back in London, wondering what life back in London is going to be like? Only time will tell.....
This now means I've got loads to write about. I had the big birthday nearly two weeks ago and it was wonderful, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend, hectic as it was. I also did another radio show the day before my birthday and loved it! This is something I would seriously like to do a lot more of, playing records I love and having a chat over the airwaves. I listened to the show again today for the first time and I just sounded so happy - when it comes to sharing music, I think I've found my calling!
I arrived back in London late last night after a 4-day journey over land and sea. It was eventful as journeys go. The first day I got the ferry from Ibiza to Denia and spent the first couple of hours out on the deck, lapping up the sunshine. Once on the mainland, I drove up to Valencia and started looking for a hotel while on the outskirts. I quickly spotted a neon blue sign indicating a hotel so I pulled over and tracked it down in the middle of a barren wasteland otherwise doubling as an industrial estate. Luckily they had rooms available and I made my way up to my room. There I found something a little unusual, something I'd never seen in a hotel before - an A4 sheet providing information on erotic holidays. I went back down to reception and a guest got into the lift wearing a silky short dressing gown. I did find myself thinking it a little strange to see guests in their dressing gowns but thought no more of it. I had to go out to the van to get some things and as I turned back towards the hotel and looked up to the large windows on the first floor I noticed a number of girls in similar slinky short dressing gowns that I'd already seen in the lift. Now my curiousity was aroused, what was going on at this hotel?
After dinner I nonchalantly wandered up to the first floor, acting as if I had some reason to be there. Girls were going in and out of the dining room, all heavily made up, all in those slinky gowns and all wearing those perpex killer heels favoured by strippers. There was a security guard sat outside the dining room and as soon as he saw me approach out of the lift, he started hovering above his seat, ready to escort away this person (me) who very obviously didn't belong on the first floor and had no reason to be there. I didn't want to suffer the embarrassment of being forced back into the lift so I just turned on my heels and left of my own accord. It would have been funny to have made a scene though. I didn't work out what was going on at that hotel, it was either a brothel or there was a strippers' convention taking place or maybe it had something to do with the erotic holidays. But the next morning as I left the hotel and started crawling along the road, trying to find my escape route out of industrial estate drudgery, I saw a girl tottering along the street and I think she may have been working! Well, there had to be some reason for her wearing a skirt so short it might as well have been a belt as it did absolutely nothing to cover her bum which was completely exposed for all to see.....
The next evening I arrived in Bilbao and spent about two hours looking for a hotel. The mission failed miserably, if there were hotels they were very badly signposted and parking seemed scarce. I drove up a number of tracks thinking there was a hotel at the end but I was misreading the signs. Once I drove up a track and then had to reverse out again, reversing up hill and navigating some tight turns. As I got to the end, I smelt an instantly recognisable smell - the distinct acrid odour of my clutch going. However I knew that if this happens, you just have to switch off the engine and sit there for an hour or so and the clutch usually returns to normal. I did this and then drove off again, my sensors on paranoid alert for that smell again even though I definitely did not want to encouner it again as that would have meant a lot of trouble. I spent a little while longer looking for the elusive hotels and then gave up, found a good spot to park, dragged my quilt out of the back of the van and set up camp for the night. This involved sleeping in the front of the van. I half expected to hear a little tap on the window at some point as the Guardia Civil or an upstanding member of the community came to tell me I couldn't sleep there but thankfully everyone left me in peace to have an okay night of sleep that reminded me of sleeping on a plane....
The ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth was long and boring. I got seasick just as I was contemplating dinner and ended up having to make my way back to the cabin and collapse on the bed. I rose twelve hours later but felt much better and managed to have breakfast even though it wasn't really of a high gastronic calibre but it was a bit like being on a chav cruise ship so what was I to expect?
I'm now back in London, wondering what life back in London is going to be like? Only time will tell.....
Friday, 13 February 2009
Sweating it out at Bikram
After dabbling with yoga as a university student, I took it up properly (ie every week) in 2002. I started doing ashtanga yoga and loved it from the start. Round about the same time, Bikram yoga was becoming popular in London and as I read more about this hot, sweaty yoga, I decided to give it a go. I think I went 3 or 4 times altogether. I would have liked to have done more but the only Bikram studios at the time were in north or west London and going after work, doing an hour and a half class and then getting showered and changed and back down to deepest, darkest south London soon put me off.
A little while ago, someone mentioned that there was a Bikram studio in Ibiza town. A quick search on Google (what would we do without Google now? I think I've lost the ability of tracking down information without it!) located the studio and I went earlier this week. My Spanish teacher Moly also goes to the studio and so we both rocked up to the class on Tuesday afternoon. I was somewhat unprepared as I'd forgotten how much you sweat and didn't bring a small towel with me, nor my yoga mat but at least I remembered to bring a bottle of water. As we waited for the class to begin, Moly said to me in Spanish "get ready to suffer" - I started to feel a bit nervous....
The teacher is a lovely French guy. When I signed in, he said the class is conducted in Spanish and I said "yes, that's fine" because by now I can converse quite well in the language. However, doing a yoga class where all the instructions are in Spanish is something else, particularly as I haven't learnt the parts of the body so half the time didn't know what he saying. So I did what I always do in this situation - identify the person who looks most advanced and I can see clearly without turning my head round too much and copy everything they do. If it'd been an ashtanga class conducted in Spanish, I probably would have been fine as I know the sequence fairly well and could just roll with it. Anyway, I didn't have to copy the others for too long as Sebastian (the teacher) very kindly started conducting the class in English as well as Spanish for the benefit of me.
The room was about 42 or 43 degrees. I don't think I've ever been in a room this hot and I started sweating even before the class had started. After a little while, I found myself getting dizzy - not helpful when you're doing a balancing pose and you keep wobbling and toppling over. The dizziness got so bad that I spent a large chunk of the middle of the class lying down but better that than passing out on my mat. When I did manage to get involved with the class again, I was so sweaty and slippery that it did get in the way a bit. Anyway, finally we got to the relaxation bit at the end and I could lay down and have a long rest, listening to some Oriental music. The music confused me a bit and as my mind wandered and I thought of leaving the class and saying thank you to the teacher, the Japanese for "thank you" kept popping into my head instead of Spanish. This is what happens when you have four foreign languages under your belt but have never specialised as a linguist!
The day after the class I ached all over and it felt like I had a big knot in my left shoulder blade. I normally have a constant knot on the right side so it felt a little strange to have it on the other side as well. I was going to go again for another class (I've got a special deal where I've paid 20 euros and can go as many times as I want for a week) but decided to leave it as my ability to move in a fluid manner had been hampered slightly.
I went again today (Friday) and am planning to go again on Sunday and Monday. Today's class was better. It wasn't so hot in the room and I didn't get dizzy or have to keep lying down. Excellent - this must mean I'm making progress! I'd still get light-headed and at one point it was quite bad and I kept stumbling around but soon regained my composure. Bikram doesn't have the dynamic aspect of ashtanga (I think everyone would have a seizure if it did due to the heat) so it doesn't feel like the class is moving along that quickly. But before I knew it, we were at the end doing the relaxation and listening to the tinkling Oriental music.
I had a quick shower and got ready to leave. Although I wasn't surging with energy, I didn't feel tired. Nor did I feel hungry and this surprised me a little. I was anticipating a gnawing hunger after the class but it didn't happen. I still haven't fallen in love with this yoga yet but doing two more classes over the next three days may seal the deal. I have noticed one thing though - all that sweating has left my skin feeling really soft! It feels great!
A little while ago, someone mentioned that there was a Bikram studio in Ibiza town. A quick search on Google (what would we do without Google now? I think I've lost the ability of tracking down information without it!) located the studio and I went earlier this week. My Spanish teacher Moly also goes to the studio and so we both rocked up to the class on Tuesday afternoon. I was somewhat unprepared as I'd forgotten how much you sweat and didn't bring a small towel with me, nor my yoga mat but at least I remembered to bring a bottle of water. As we waited for the class to begin, Moly said to me in Spanish "get ready to suffer" - I started to feel a bit nervous....
The teacher is a lovely French guy. When I signed in, he said the class is conducted in Spanish and I said "yes, that's fine" because by now I can converse quite well in the language. However, doing a yoga class where all the instructions are in Spanish is something else, particularly as I haven't learnt the parts of the body so half the time didn't know what he saying. So I did what I always do in this situation - identify the person who looks most advanced and I can see clearly without turning my head round too much and copy everything they do. If it'd been an ashtanga class conducted in Spanish, I probably would have been fine as I know the sequence fairly well and could just roll with it. Anyway, I didn't have to copy the others for too long as Sebastian (the teacher) very kindly started conducting the class in English as well as Spanish for the benefit of me.
The room was about 42 or 43 degrees. I don't think I've ever been in a room this hot and I started sweating even before the class had started. After a little while, I found myself getting dizzy - not helpful when you're doing a balancing pose and you keep wobbling and toppling over. The dizziness got so bad that I spent a large chunk of the middle of the class lying down but better that than passing out on my mat. When I did manage to get involved with the class again, I was so sweaty and slippery that it did get in the way a bit. Anyway, finally we got to the relaxation bit at the end and I could lay down and have a long rest, listening to some Oriental music. The music confused me a bit and as my mind wandered and I thought of leaving the class and saying thank you to the teacher, the Japanese for "thank you" kept popping into my head instead of Spanish. This is what happens when you have four foreign languages under your belt but have never specialised as a linguist!
The day after the class I ached all over and it felt like I had a big knot in my left shoulder blade. I normally have a constant knot on the right side so it felt a little strange to have it on the other side as well. I was going to go again for another class (I've got a special deal where I've paid 20 euros and can go as many times as I want for a week) but decided to leave it as my ability to move in a fluid manner had been hampered slightly.
I went again today (Friday) and am planning to go again on Sunday and Monday. Today's class was better. It wasn't so hot in the room and I didn't get dizzy or have to keep lying down. Excellent - this must mean I'm making progress! I'd still get light-headed and at one point it was quite bad and I kept stumbling around but soon regained my composure. Bikram doesn't have the dynamic aspect of ashtanga (I think everyone would have a seizure if it did due to the heat) so it doesn't feel like the class is moving along that quickly. But before I knew it, we were at the end doing the relaxation and listening to the tinkling Oriental music.
I had a quick shower and got ready to leave. Although I wasn't surging with energy, I didn't feel tired. Nor did I feel hungry and this surprised me a little. I was anticipating a gnawing hunger after the class but it didn't happen. I still haven't fallen in love with this yoga yet but doing two more classes over the next three days may seal the deal. I have noticed one thing though - all that sweating has left my skin feeling really soft! It feels great!
Thursday, 12 February 2009
I thought that....
....not working would have meant that I would be blogging every day. But as you can see, it's not happened. Time has been taken up with lots of Spanish (4 times a week), running, swimming, yoga, entertaining visiting friends, hanging out with island friends, looking after 3 cats and living in a gorgeous 5-bedroom villa while cat-sitting!
I'm 2 weeks away from moving back to London and feeling pretty excited about it! People here keep asking how I feel about moving back and yes, I'm excited! I'm looking forward to getting back and the start of the next adventure. It's my birthday weekend as soon as I get back so I've 3 days of running around seeing friends, celebrating my birthday and also doing a radio show on the Saturday morning where I'll be doing "A decade on the dancefloor" - just hope I can locate my records! I think they're in my parents' attic.
There is a sort of plan for when I move back. I want to write a novel so I've decided to spend the next year on that, working part-time so I've got time to research and write. At the moment, I'm trying to organise trips to Karachi, Dallas and Toronto so I can start the research process. More details on the novel in another post (I always promise to come back and write about things but I never do. However, this is one thing that I will be writing about!). I'm doing a creative writing course from the 20th April so all the travelling needs to be fitted in before then.
More on all of this later, now I've got to go and have an island lunch with a friend. The good-byes have started.....
I'm 2 weeks away from moving back to London and feeling pretty excited about it! People here keep asking how I feel about moving back and yes, I'm excited! I'm looking forward to getting back and the start of the next adventure. It's my birthday weekend as soon as I get back so I've 3 days of running around seeing friends, celebrating my birthday and also doing a radio show on the Saturday morning where I'll be doing "A decade on the dancefloor" - just hope I can locate my records! I think they're in my parents' attic.
There is a sort of plan for when I move back. I want to write a novel so I've decided to spend the next year on that, working part-time so I've got time to research and write. At the moment, I'm trying to organise trips to Karachi, Dallas and Toronto so I can start the research process. More details on the novel in another post (I always promise to come back and write about things but I never do. However, this is one thing that I will be writing about!). I'm doing a creative writing course from the 20th April so all the travelling needs to be fitted in before then.
More on all of this later, now I've got to go and have an island lunch with a friend. The good-byes have started.....
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