vrijdag 17 oktober 2008

Try walking in my shoes…

Friday, the weekend finally arrived. I left my work on time, the sun was shining but the cold air reminds that the warm days belong to the past…

There were not a lot of people in the metro but you could see that everyone was tired after the whole week of work, sleepy eyes, grey skin and meaningless look everyone hoping to get home and rest. I was sitting and looking at my shoes. I bought them 3 weeks ago and they have already small scratches. How could it happen? I start looking around...

 Big, firm, black shoes of the worker, splashed with the paint and dirt
 Black high-heeled shoes made of suede which belongs to the 50 year old lady with the heavy makeup
 A lot of “All stairs” (Converse)worn by Chinese students, young mother, cool guy and the rock chick type girl
 The brown shoes which have been custom made, the girl had one leg shorter (I guess) because the extra 3 cm sole has been added to the original one…
 Blue patent leather shoes ….

A lot of people a lot of shoes …a lot of stories behind …

woensdag 15 oktober 2008

Spring rolls that’s not the only thing from China…

I have my favorite book series, a Polish one - “Series with the broomstick”. The writers are only women of various nationalities. Reading those books is like a travel to different countries (doesn’t cost extra fee days at work) and discovering unusual worlds.

My most recent read book “Candy”, written by Mian Mian, tells the story of the young girl Hong (red) and the underground China of the late 80’s through mid 90’s. It is description of 10 years of her life as a difficult child, a night club singer, a party girl, a duck, alcohol and emotional pain addict.

I have asked my Chinese friend at work if she ever herd about this book or the writer but she did not (the book was very controversial and eventually forbidden by the government). She asked me what the book was about, I told her shortly and asked rather it what was happening back then in China, she did not know. She said: “unlikely”. I think she was living in a totally other reality…


maandag 13 oktober 2008

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close


Jonathan Safran Foer, a young writer, even one year younger then I am, and already two books in his biography.

I had just finish his “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”, in Dutch “Extreem luid & ongelooflijk dichtbij”. I think it is very good book, the extraordinary story and refreshing way of presenting the world around us. The main character is nine years old boy who lost his father in the terrorist attack at WTC at 11th September. He discovers a key in his father’s cupboard and since that day he decides to find the lock that belongs to it. Just like this I was pulled in to his adventure and the history of his extraordinary family. Did he find the lock that fits the key? Just read… it is worth!

zondag 5 oktober 2008

The traffic jam ruined my plans…

Everything turned against me. First A. injured his ankle and cannot walk (at least first two weeks). Secondly K. informed me that she is not taking part in the run because of the weather. Actually the weather sucked the whole day but despite the headache I firmly decided to go…near Arnhem, to run my 10K. 2h 30 min to get there…I thought … more that enough time. I was wrong, because of the traffic, I arrived when the run already started… pissed off I went home ...why why why the days like this exists!

woensdag 1 oktober 2008

Run Forest Runnnnnnn…

The 4 months passed and on Sunday I will run 10K. Of course I haven’t train enough. I started with the good intentions and good spirit… and my spirit died or I left it somewhere and could not find for a very long time.

What I have is the start number 1060 and the route that I have to cover. What I do not have is good form and the running shoes. What I need is A LOT OF LUCK!

So wish me good luck 5th October 2008 at 13:30…and keep the fingers crossed at least one hour! (make 1h30min … just in case).