26.9.06

I never knew it...

However I have a new mum and dad... they live in australia and they have a new pet! They sent me a bunch of pictures to my gmail account... what a cute animal... I have no idea what it is! I did drop them a line to let them know they had the wrong addy :) I wonder if we are related? I looked at the pics of the 'dad' and couldn't spot any major resemblance to mine...



I am such a clever girl i managed to send Fredu's b'day present to joey's old house in london... thus why it did not arrive to her before she left to fly to barcelona on friday... i have such a terrible history of him and shoes for his birthday... one time i bought them from ebay and they fell victim to a fire in a post truck... thus they never arrived... then the next time they arrived and then got left in the back of a taxi... now this year i buy them and send them to the wrong bloody address!! I have no luck at all! Note to self do not buy this man shoes via ebay!

My new venture's site will be up today I am having problems with the contact form but I will simply publish the site with the email contact address and the contact phone numbers for now... The business cards will be ready to collect this afternoon so all engines are go! I will post the URL here once it's all up and pretty!

Happy B'day Fredu and Joey!!!

19.9.06

last night

I had this really vivid dream. I was learning how to kite surf. I was so happy I wasn't half bad at it which really surprised me. I have no idea why but for some reason in my dream I was dating the ex of jessica simpson... Nick lachey or something like that and he was with me kite surfing. When I woke up I felt so buzzed like I had actually been kite surfing... just where the bloke came from I have no idea... When I was down at the beach this afternoon on my way to the gym I looked out for the kite surfers but today there were none... I guess there was only enough wind in my dream!

Back to business now... I've got business cards to get printed and a website that won't finish designing it's self....

17.9.06

Muy divertido

Last night while talking to andrea via skype she sent me this it is just so funny!

Then she sent me this morning a picture of her fab new shoes with the following caption>

Hide your pet zebr


Andrea is very very funny... if you did not view the first link then it will make no sense to you...

I think my day is complete now and it's only 13h!

13.9.06

Clearly

No one was up for my challenge... I sure was but have run into a few problems... Today has been a total wash out... both figuratively and literally. The rain and thunderstorms here have been opressive. When it rains it pours !!! I have managed to develop a nice illness which has kept me in bed all day with a burning fever and tonsils the size of golf balls. Not at all what I wanted to be doing when my to do list has reached epic proportions... I read somewhere that when your to do list has more than 20 items on it, it is no longer a to do list but a bigger thing entirely.

However on a positive note that contract came through and I will be working on a pretty interesting project for the next 3 months for approx 2 days per week. The cash will be a nice thing to keep me a bit more comfortable while I start the business... Dreamweaver permitting my site will be live within the next few days...

You know that there is never a dull moment in my life and yesterday I found out that my moving plans have been slightly altered... we are now not going to be able to move into the new flat until november... A huge pain but luckily a friend of Fredu's is off travelling for 3 months and we can kip at hers... As I said to Andrea yesterday... I'm sure not in notting hill anymore!! Patience my mother says... So I will take a deep breath and try not to swallow (to avoid the tonsil pain)

I've been doing a lot of reflection this week as have most people in the western world I can but suppose. The 11th was horrible, undescribable and haunting. I hate that it happened and I sympathize dearly with all the people who died and for all the families who lost their loved ones... but there are a few very big unanswered questions..... why does no one mention the other planes... there is the flight 93 movie but what about the one that crashed into the pentagon? There is a very eerie silence when it comes to details on that. Does no one find it alarming??? Does no one question how the hundreds of thousands of women men and children have died in iraq and afganistan at the hands of american forces? How can people turn a blind eye to it? Is it easier because all the casualties there are not dying all on the same day? Is it easier to swallow and deny? I just don't see sence. All parties involved are guilty. All need to take responsibilites for their actions and be clear and transparent with their countries... I fear this will never be a reality for the americans... as for the Iraqi's and the Afgans... I am not sure. I think it's hard to face but all parties must accept responsibilty and stop this insanity.

Back I shall crawl to my sick bed... rest assured that the above paragraph will most likely be my one and only political rant of this year.

6.9.06

Anyone up for a challenge???

Well the work on my business has not been very focused lately... it's funny how for the past 8 years or so I have worked in the digital media business... here I sit with very little money in my pocket and the challenge to develop my corporate identity on my own... I am rubbish! It's quite funny really as I am always the head of the team... trying to learn how to run with body parts you can readily identify but very badly operate is tricky!!! To everyone I have worked with in the past... you know I always say that 'you are the expert' well I really really really mean it now!

I think we have found a flat... in the same neighborhood. Sharing with a nice guy from Madrid who is very rarely around. It's going to need some TLC as it is quite neglected... but for the price it's a bargain and who's afraid of a little hard work and some interior decorating???? umm if my webdesign stills are anything to go by... we may need some help!!! LOL While searching for a place I met an extrodanarily lovely couple whom have a gorgeous flat uptown. Although due to the location we decided against asking them if they would have us... they are a truely kindred spirits. You never know, things in life happen for a reason... That I am certain of!

I have challenged one of my lovely blog readers to an art project. I have ventured to try and produce two peices in the next week on the premise that he creates one. Will he accept? Anyone else up for the challenge? I shall post the results of course... go on get out your creative hat... produce something... anything... nothing is a better pick me up that completing a task! I swear to god I was meant to be a teacher... just listen to me!!!

1.9.06

Since I have last...

Written much has happened…all of which is quite scary but exciting too!

1) I sliced my left hand open quite fiercely while trying to make more room in my rubbish bin… silly me managed to get the tin of tuna I had just opened to go straight through me. I almost fainted when I saw how big and deep it was…but I survived and now 4 days later I still hunt and peck on my keyboard to type this out for fear of tearing open the delicate wound between my thumb and my forefinger. Not fun!!! People at the gym have been nice to me and help me adjust the equipment when it requires two hands.

2) Gymmed lots! Mar a two day absence due to hand slicing activities…I have been 8 out of the last 10 days J It feels so good to get those endorphins back! My bellies are happy too as they are reducing!!!

3) Worked on my new business idea…albeit difficult to type I am making progress…even if it is slow…I liken the feeling at times to something like how you feel when you are at school and you have a project you know you should be working on… but you keep procrastinating!?!? I will get there! I have to!!!

4) Given notice on my flat…I love it here however it is time to be economical and that means reducing the rent I pay per month. I have not found a place yet which makes me VERY nervous…but I have 29 days more to do so, so no panic yet!!!

5) Been offered a chance to do some sweet part time PM work for a client of the last agency I worked for... I am well excited about that one!!!

Busy times…but I still managed to enjoy lunch on the beach this afternoon after the gym with a lovely handsome man…

I hope the sunshine finds you wherever you are this weekend!

26.8.06

Good me!

I have finally set up a site for all my paintings... I needed to for a possible exhibition at the budah bar... a great motivator. It feels really good to have finally done it! Check it out here sarahjarrettpaintings.blogspot.com now go and fish out your piggie bank and buy one then I can say, good you!

I am hoping that my recent productivity will also reach to my actual painting. It has been a while but I think I am ready to finish this piece I have been working on for the last few months... *kicks self up the butt*

Have a good weekend enjoy the long weekend all yee brits I will send you some sunshine!

24.8.06

If there is one thing...

That I have learned in these last few months… that is stress is the root of all evil. Having these last few weeks off has been really really good for me. Don’t get me wrong I was quite stressed at time during my holidays… trying to make sure everyone was happy and such… but I mean more in general. I think the biggest evidence is my lack of total intolerance to the sound of the street vendors outside my bedroom window who rattle those silly magnets together for hours and hours on end… I am not sure if you know what I am talking about… but they are two strongly magnetic rocks that make a hell of a racket when you throw them in the air and the tumble back down hitting against one and other. Now, before I left my job, the noise these things make would fly me in to a terrible rage, at times I even really really wanted to go downstairs and physically harm the vendor… However now here I sit after a successful day working on my new business, setting up a potential exhibition and having just returned from a good workout at the gym… my window is open and I can hear the maddening ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip sound and my blood pressure is only now slightly raised… I can feel a definitive change in the weather here in the last few days, autumn will move in quickly this year me thinks… I have so many pictures that were taken on the holiday I do not know which to post… I’ll start with these.
















seestor on her first night here! God we look alike now!



Seestor and her new beau Brian


Brian & Joey / Cadaques

Sharky! (and KJ said i did not need to buy him from Ikea)



See! Sharky proved to be very useful... he went to pick up jo jo!


But it did not help us being board as we waited forever for jo jo to come out while the baggage handlers finshed their lunch break!


London crew on board!


The brave swimmers on board! Tiny Mummy included!

27.7.06

It’s speeding up and slowing down

Time is playing tricks these days… sometimes fast sometimes so slow… Like the people waiting on Park Bench and other times like I am gasping for air as I am running so fast to catch up.

I have been brewing ideas for my new business idea… the other one I was working on earlier in the year is still in progress but I hope now that I have some time off on the horizon I will have time to develop them both at the same time!

Work tells me that they have found someone to replace me… which translates to they found a girl who is English who will come for an interview. I wish her the best of luck. Anyone really… if you are in Barcelona and you are a native English speaker and you are being courted by an agency for international coordination for a large automotive account… be warned!!!! Ah well maybe some fresh blood will be good. This race horse is ready to be put out to pasture that’s for sure!

26.7.06

Last night

I was strolling around the neighbourhood and I stopped by Vero’s shop where she was just finishing with her last client. We sipped some cava and then decided to head off down to the beach for a dip in the darkness. It has been so very hot here even well into the evenings that a night time swim was a welcome treat. We plunged in and splashed around. Moments like this I sometimes feel like pinching myself as it’s such a new experience for me, living by the sea that is… It was nice to spend a bit of time with her before she jets back to Marseille for the month of August.

This morning… as per usual the client arrived… the eeeeeevil one… Keep in mind that since my last posting my boss has quit the new account manager (who has only been here a few weeks) have all resigned. She arrived and spoke to the big boss who informed her that everyone was leaving because no one wanted to work with her. I do feel sorry for her what a shock this must have been to her… She then stormed out and cancelled the meeting. I tell you, it was a priceless moment in history here at this sweat shop agency… We can only assume that she has marched back to her boss and demanded that our agency be fired immediately. I can not wait to her what the repercussions are. Tuesday next week is my last day, I can only image that something major will happen between then and now.

Seestor has confirmed that she is arriving on the 31st at 17h which is very cool. I get to spend a couple of days with them around the city here before the rest of the Canadian crew arrives. Positive things on the horizon at last! There is light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not an oncoming train

20.7.06

I am so restless today

I am nearly vibrating… this week has been tough but I have finally officially resigned. They have asked me to stay here as a “favour” until the end of Sept. I don’t know how favours are supposed to work… but the anguish that would be involved in staying that long is too much to even calculate… generally when people quit their jobs it’s because they no longer want to work there… I do not see how this is not a clear concept to them. I really wish I felt relieved… but I have two weeks left to work here and time runs sticky slow like molasses in January here. My focus right now is getting though today and then to the safe harbour of the weekend.

Last weekend I ventured inland with my friend eric and his girlfriend deb for a lovely repose in the countryside. His father owns a house in a small village called Huesca. We picked up the lovely deb from the train station in lleida (she was coming from Madrid) and then ventured off… after pilling our shopping cart full of more booze than would be required for a small wedding… we head off for the house. We arrived Friday night and had a quiet supper and a few drinks. Saturday we spent the day lazing about the beautiful river that runs through the town. True relaxation…. Something that was not going to last long… We had supper and since we were all feeling quite spent, retired to bed very early at 23h30. At around 1am in the morning that’s when it all started… the town erupted with the sound of a massive stereo system… Music pumped and pounded out into the once tranquil landscape… there was nowhere to hide… This of course went on for hours… 6 hours to be precise. No sleep was had by anyone. ¡Que mal suerte! On Monday when I returned I had a good chuckle when I heard that my new colleague was at the very party in Huesca on Saturday… however he was smarter… he participated in it!

Possibly back out of the city the weekend to see fredu who is working for his friend Martin up in the Mountain in a small town called Sort… He rang this morning with bad news that his mobile was stolen from the hotel… bad indeed as it was my mobile. Ah well what can you do once it’s gone??? If I don’t venture there I may finally go out to razzamatazz with Chiara on Saturday night as they are going “early” as she has a flight home on Sunday morning at 8am! We will see how that goes. I never end up going as I find it too hard to comprehend going clubbing so late at night. Dear lord I am truly old. I remember how when I lived in France I used to set my alarm for 3am to get up to go to Sergeant Pop to go dancing!

Seestor did not get her mini block off from work as she had hoped however she intends to come to Spain come hell or high water… I can’t wait to see her and meet her new boyfriend… There are so many people coming I can’t wait it will be so much fun!!! If anyone else decides to join they will need to bring a tent to pitch in the garden!

7.7.06

Lets face it…

It does not take much to get me excited on a sunny Friday afternoon.

But the new Justin Timberlake single available for some sort of illegal download here (thank you popbitch):

It’s fantastic… I think I am just about to be able to admit that I bought his first album… it was a dark secret for a while but I think I can safely admit it now… baby steps…

It’s the bread and butter festival summer edition is here again… lots of parties going on and promotions and velvet ropes… I wonder if I will manage to muster up the energy to partake in some of the festivities.

5.7.06

New arrivals

My cousin and his wife have given birth to a lovely baby boy named Owen. He arrived last week and marks the first great grandchild for my grandparents and the first new addition to my family in nearly 12 years! Clever lad... he managed to win the first grandchild to marry and the first to produce a great grandchild in one foul swoop! The pressure if off the rest of us now!

In his honour I have tracked down one of my favorite clip from a mike myers film that my cousin often quotes from... enjoy it here.

Summer hours have started here which means in theory we work from 8h to 15h... we will try and see if that trick works today... with a fussy client who refuses to acknowledge the timetable I am sure it will be a bit of a push...

I got started on my newest painting this weekend and monday/tuesday as I was at home trying to calm down my lateset onset of athsma... watch this space... no more animals this time around... looks like I have skirted back to naked ladies once again... this is a large 90x90 canvas...thus this lady is nearly life sized... I did cut myself quite a challenge as this piece includes hands... lets just say that even if I can paint teeth... hands are a VERY different story. Odds are 10-1 that they end up looking like lobster claws... (trust me you should see them now)... note to self... hide hands in pieces!

27.6.06

Lots of Pictures!!!


The gang at the beach


Deb decided to show off eric's tan...


Chomp Chomp! Me at the beach!


Baking! Gingerbread cookies and one shaped like a pulpo! (octapus)


girlie (with token boy) weekend!


Girlie Weekend!

26.6.06

My little cousin is...

Quite the achiever… so sporty! I can’t believe that she is off to university already… I must definitely be getting old!

It was really interesting to see the other kids listed in this section of their local newspaper… they all play so many sports! All of them so young and full of so much ambition… Could it be that 10 years on they will be jaded and burnt out like me? Perhaps I just chose the wrong career… who knows… maybe the best it yet to come… its so strange as it feels just like yesterday that I was going off to Uni… then finding a job… now I am here in Barcelona… I just would have never been able to guess it. Life does spin some interesting webs sometimes.

I had a really nice relaxing weekend… spent lots of time on the beach. I do not know what it is but something about lying down there soaking up the sun, really give you the impression that you are having a break.

The days are spinning by so quickly now… and next week we switch to summer hours. 8h-15h should be nice… that’s if I can stand working here much longer...

13.6.06

Full is not heavy as empty… not nearly my love

Miss manzana or apple as you may have it… is a very talented lyricist… oh to have been wise as that at 18… I think that’s about how old she was when she wrote those lyrics…
Oh for even just a pintch of wisdom… I think it be worth it’s weight in gold…

The villa is sorted which is such a releif… now it’s just a case of counting the days until all the fun starts. Oh yea the car too… not bad 260 euros for 15 days!!!!

The winds of change from the northerly direction… drifted past very quickly and the fates have decided that at this moment… all they have brought me is chilly breezes and unseasonably cold weather. Oh well maybe the next time around. Sigh.

The london girlie crew (minus andrea and jojo) arrive this weekend for Sonar… not that they are much for electronic music however there will be plenty of festivities going on this weekend to keep us in trouble.

Life just gets that tiny bit better when you arrive at the gym on Monday night and realise that there are new spinning classes… and that there is one starting in the next 10 minutes…. And that it’s your favourite instructor… then you also reaslise that there is also spinning on Tuesday at 20h too… My bikini may just have a fighting chance this year after all!

7.6.06

Villa hunting

I think is almost as exhausting as treasure hunting… There have been so many options flying around and just nothing has seemed just right yet… time is ticking and I am feeling really stressed as I have got to get this organised! I have found a place near girona that is a tad expensive but not as much as some of the other places I have found… I am hoping that the committee will like it and we can seal the deal.

Work is all about avoiding doing it… and the stupid sunburn I have from Sunday just will not relent… Too little time between application and swimming and re-application turned into a bit of a disaster…

The winds of change are blowing into Barcelona from a northerly direction and there are new beginnings on the horizons for some… could it be me? We’ll wait and see… lets hope so!

The girlies from London are arriving next Friday… just in time for Sonar and a weekend full of fun. Just have to convince miss andrea to come and join and then we will be set!

Three day week for me… spinning tonight… if I can make it…. Trying to find the positive in things where I can….

26.5.06

finally at long last...

ze hippo is finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


25.5.06

I woke up this morning

Exhausted… as has been the norm as of late. I think it is due to all the stress around me. At Work, at Home… At work one of my very lovely colleagues had a breakdown and is now on medical leave for the next 90 days… The poor thing he was so sweet… I can not believe the range of effect this nasty client has had on us… incredible… The other stress is a bit harder because I want so badly to help and make things right… but this time more than ever I need to stand back, its so important but its so hard. I feel like I am holding my breath walking on a tightrope… but it is not me… I am simply watching. I have faith… that is a good safety net I hope.

In my haze this morning I found a picture of my hippo painting that I took mid-way through… I was gutted to realise that what I have done now is a step backwards… I was so heartbroken. All of my heart and soul ached to stay home today and work on it to fix it. I felt so helpless… so low. It sounds so pathetic… but its how I felt… Riding to work I looked around, and I said to myself… regardless of work… stress in my personal life… damn it… there are things to be greatful for… I live in an absolutely gorgeous city where the sun shines every day… I have money enough to feed myself and I am working towards starting my own business in the next few weeks. I have a lot to be positive about… and every second I waste on feeling blue or being a big wussy about some silly painting or some stupid job will not get me anywhere…

Thus I have tasked myself to write a list of resolves and do my damnest to stick to them… here it goes in random order

  • Wake up and smile… even thought I feel like death in the morning
  • Paint at least twice a week... new things and finishing old incomplete pieces
  • Go to the gym on the weekend as this during the week thing simply does not work
  • Find somewhere to take tennis lessons
  • Really put some hard core effort into getting my business off the ground and stop being so scared of the idea
  • Ring my mum more
  • Set more goals and complete more tasks
  • Go back to Spanish lessons
  • Take more photos for my blog

On that note here is a pic of me painting… in my wee studio…




23.5.06

WET WET WET...

No I am not going to post about some bad boy band... add a bit of COLD COLD COLD to the equation and that about sums up the weather in London this weekend . But that was no deterrant as I had a fab weekend with all my lovely friends. We feasted and chatted and mostly caught up on the goings on durning the last few months that we have not seen each other... The pictures of the dinner party tell the tale...













18.5.06

Just how beautiful...

Is miss Tatoo in this white dress? Check out picture number 8 for the best view… perhaps having the figure to go with it sure helps too I suppose… but it is lovely as is she!!!

I watched my honorary one football match per year last night… I could mostly be heard cheering for Barcenal… only fair way really as I suppose I have divided alliances. I remember that not long after I moved to London I was informed that I had an obligation to support Arsenal as I lived in Arsenal stomping ground… I didn’t see much wrong with the argument so I took up the cause (albeit a very small one to be honest). The match was interesting to watch. Great action from both sides…

I am mostly EXCTATIC that after nearly 8 months of being held in storage I will once again be re-united with the last few things of mine that I had left in London when I moved to Barcelona. I am of course very excited to see all my friends but also VERY pleased to finally have closure… I hate having things scattered! I can't wait to see what shoes I have been missing!

Only one more sleep now… best trapse off to catch some sun today… I think that my palor may cast doubts on whether I actually do live in a hot country or not!

17.5.06

Pedro Almodovar and Helen Hunt are here!!! …

Now that’s sure a pull to get me to go to a party all the way across town at 4am… or is it? What a strange combo of celebs. I thought it was so funny as a few weeks back Bertrendy was trying to convince us to go to Elephant for this Moet Chandon sponsored party… “ Helen Hunt and Pedro Almodovar are both here he exclaimed”. The strange thing is that, normally you can’t keep me away from the champers but this time… it was simply too late. I am not yet 100% adjusted yet to the late late night life here.

Two more sleeps then I am off to London town… tres exciting indeed!!! I have checked the forecast and rain is on the cards… quelle surprise!

I am really struggling with one question as of late… why is it that you are forced to treat people who are horrible and nasty to you, nicely and with even more grace than the ones that are lovely to you? I struggle with this every day as I have a client who is so unprofessional and whom insists that screaming at you is the only way to communicate… I mean why is this allowed in this day and age? Why does this person’s boss not step in and say hey you… this is simply not acceptable? It just perpetuates and perpetuates… I really wonder how someone with such a foul temperament can function as a normal citizen??? I guess it’s nothing but sad that someone can have so little regard for neither their own professionalism nor the effect their temperament has on everyone around them. This is the part where Karma comes into play doesn’t it? Is there any way to speed up Karma?

11.5.06

I am on a roll

I have managed to make it to the 8pm spinning class two weeks in a row now. It always reminds me of when my sister was here and we went to an afternoon class and the instructor kept yelping… arriba, abajo… kj quickly decided that she did not like the arriba. As I mentioned before… last week we had this muscle mary who really put us through the paces… this week he was replaced by this very queenie guy wearing the staff uniform (I don’t think I have ever seen anyone wear it before) He played a mix of really poppy dancy techno and then some powerballad-esq songs which he actively sang along to… he desperately tried to motivate the class to respond enthusiastically… but the muscle mary hard boy spinners that pack the class were not having it! Poor instructor! He did however redeem himself with the second last song as it was a good euphoric tempo techno classic… the whistling and whooping that was evident in the last class resurrected it's self on that one. Bless, I am sure he will get the hint in the weeks to come… no ceilne dion for spinning please!

After a week of many threats of rain and lashings of cold northerly winds… the path to summer seems to have returned… I am hoping so as I want to catch some rays this weekend… I’m thinking that when I see them next week, that none of my friends in London will actually believe that I have moved to Spain as I am pretty pale!

Plans for the business idea that I am working on have taken another turn… this time for the positive. I have had three meetings this week and they have all been so encouraging. There is just so much work to be done to start a business of this sort its rather insane but there are a lot of very good resources here… one in specific is Barcelona Activ... which is a massive complex that gives you a wealth of information as to how to start a business, write a business plan, write a financial plan… get funding… they even provide you with office space while you get everything together. The part that I am very interested in is that they give extra help for women who want to start new businesses… tres cool indeed!

Seestor has gone incommunicado… oh seester where art thou?

4.5.06

The cutest puppy

came to visit my house this weekend. It was a baby Jack Russell. He belonged to my flatmate’s brother. He was 3 months old and so cute!

The head first hurdle into spring has somewhat desisted and its cold and windy here since the last few days… not quite time to put away the winter woollies just yet… How chuffed am I that after hunting this fab winter jacket for the past 3 months that last week I finally got it in the sales for 50% off!?!?!? It will be put to good use I suppose as I am going back to London at the end of the month for a visit! How excited am I? AND! There is also the chance that seestor may fly over at the same time and meet me there!!! Muy bien!

Work continues to be all mannors of evil… my business plans are running amuck due to permission problems… adding to the fact that things here work so slowly… I am left feeling that it is not looking too optimistic to get off the ground this year… what I am however becoming very good at very quickly is running up bills for consultations with evil lawyers…

On a positive note I finally made it to my first post-work spinning class last night at 20h (yes I actually left the office before 21h!!!) It was lead by this mad muscle mary… talk about the workout of your life!!!!!

If you are looking for me you can mostly find me pushing this day as fast as I can to get it over and done with… is it Friday yet?

24.4.06

Yo tengo Algouteas

I think that is how you spell it… Which is quite funny as I don’t think there is a work in english for the same thing… It basically means that you have muscle pain. The good thing about it is that I have finally made it back to the gym… I have been almost as bad at getting there as I have been writing this blog.

Semana santa came and went like a flash… strange how having a week off of work can be so fleeting. I did however have a fab time with miss andrea and miss sally when they came to visit at the beginning of the month. While out shopping with them it really hit home how much I have lost my shopping mojo… its crazy… I don’t seem able to find a single thing to buy… I have shopping blockage! My bank account is of course very thankful!

During the week off I did however manage to accomplish a few vital things into starting my business idea here… it’s all very much a waiting game right now… as I need the permissions secured before getting everything up and running… oh yea there is that slight capital problem but we’ll see what happens.

My lovely friends have bought me a ticket to London as a pressie for my 30th so I can go back for a visit. I will go somtime in may… which is a good thing as marmite is starting to run dangerously low!!! Of course I also am very excited to see all my friends…

Painting is slowly starting back up… Im just desperate for some more b&w pics to use for inspiration… the hippo is on hold for know… hit a wall I guess you could say. I have a massive new canvas which I have started on… its varying shades of yellow… do send through some suggestions if you have any J I would love the extra inspiration.

3.4.06

Summer is...

mostly arriving at a very hurried pace here... spring has sprung and we are hurdling at an incredible pace toward the warmth of summer... yesterday the beach was absolutely heaving... there was not a spare inch of sand available... madness I tell you! I don't quite know what is going on but it feels like the city is bursting at the seams... on Thursday night my local (I can't be bothered to cook - Mexican restaurant) had a waiting time of 40 mins!!!

Positive news on my Grandfather... he finally had the operation he needed and it seems to have done the trick... he is now fully on the mend. It was a tense few months while they hummed and haaaed over what the problem was… but all is well now and we are very pleased!

Miss Andrea and possibly little miss trouble are arriving on Friday for a girlie weekend. It should be so much fun! Only one small hitch… its that 5 days of work that separate me from Friday… dang… it gets you ever time!

23.3.06

I have just had the joy

Of working the entire morning in my goldfish bowl all glass office by myself in total peace! What a joy! I know that I where I work is pretty terrible… but man I never noticed how loud it was. As it stands we have three people sharing an office… As of Monday my assistant starts and we will be 4 people. It is anything but a large space… I don’t understand how a creative company can opt to work in such a restricting and not at all creative inspiring environment… but that is simply one of many many questions about this place…

We are about to be told that we are not allowed to have semana santa off… this is a week of holidays that generally everyone takes… Easer here is almost more important than xmas you see… but rumblings from our client to the likes of the fact that the have opted to work through the holiday… lead to the sinking knowledge that they will soon inform us that we are too, to be working… we will see what fall out that announcement will have on the team who have been working 12-16 h per day for the last two months… the joys never stop.

On a positive note… the sun is shinning and summer is most definitely on its way. I shall wave to it when it arrives… from my goldfish bowl… what to you think the odds are of a cosmically large cat coming along and scooping me out of here? Slim I suppose but amusing to think about.

21.3.06

Much fun has

transpired since my last posting. I had a week reprive from my office duties... My sister came to visit for a week and the lovely Joey arrived to spend the weekend and help celebrate my 30th b'day. What a treat to have them here with me. They both managed to catch a bit of sun but there wasn't much around last week... but this week it's out in full force and I think my days of cycling to to office will be much more shortlived than first thought... I can imagine that in only a month or two more it will be skortchio... the trend of offering showers in the office has not yet caught on here...

pictures of the jollies we had will be up shortly.

Not that I over indulged or anything (seriously I didn't) but I am going to try and go tee total for one month. A detox of sort I guess... to start off my journey into the mysterious thirties... plus save some dosh... and maybe loose a few kilos... and save the world... now look the delium has started already!

8.3.06



HAPPY BIRTHDAY Seestor! (pic taken with mum in tarragona this summer)


Finally a pic of my last painting... the hippo I am working on is nearly finished too :)

7.3.06

I…

Was speaking with a colleague of mine today about cinema and what was good that was out right now… we then changed to discussing theatre and a Robert Lepage play that he had seen in Madrid a few years back… it had subtitles (I am assuming he was watching a video of the production) but he said he was fascinated by how different the French Canadian accent was compared to the French that is spoken in France. Oddly at lunch time I was in the kitchen and spoke to another colleague who was asking me about nearly the very same thing… why is French Canadian so different? I explained to him the tiny specks of history that I was able to recall (I am very nearly 30 so my memory is starting to go)… it is something along the lines of the King of France sending ‘les filles du roi’ which were basically orphans from the suburbs of Paris to go and marry the colonials over in Upper Canada (or was it lower?)… thus the French spoken is very much of the origin of their dialects as they were the ones who raised the children…

Strange that last night before any of these conversations took place I rode my bike past a gaggle of French Canadian Tourists on my way to the gym… I was so surprised to hear the Quebequois French I almost fell off my bike! It is not often you hear the twang... especially over here in Spain!

Strange how these things ebb in like they do…

Tomorrow is the seestor’s 32nd b’day… and then so very soon afterwards she will be here with me gallivanting around the city having fun! I can’t but hardly wait!

27.2.06

Strange days... es realmente muy extraño

It is a very strange experience working in an office with people who speak both Catalan and Castellan. As you know I speak neither anywhere near fluently… the latter is my primary goal but it’s difficult to keep up with taking Spanish Classes when I am here 12h per day… Immersion is however an unavoidable side effect here which is a very big bonus. Not many people are brave- stupid enough to stumble into a situation like this… the other day I was in a meeting with 12 people and it was all in Spanish… I had to pinch myself as I couldn’t quite believe I was there… felt like a dream (one of those anxiety ones where you are somewhere and everyone is speaking a foreign language except for you) however in my case it was reality… makes me smile really as I keep waiting for them to figure it out… they of course know I can’t speak yet but to be honest I don’t think it’s much of an option to go on for months like this. I must learn quickly! Luckily my daily duties are nearly 100% in English… so that at least helps me accomplish most things….

However the other day in a meeting they were discussing preparing some assets (and of course the meeting was in Spanish) and someone mentioned a “hota peg” (spelled phonetically) I couldn’t hold the giggles in… it was just too much to hear the word jpeg referred to as a “hotapeg”. They have a good sense of humour and weren’t too annoyed by my giggles… the all muttered the word “guiri” (which means someone who is very obviously foreign) and continued. Guiri is a word I have come to embrace as it describes nearly everything about me… since I have been here I have been informed that I have:

A guiri hat (it’s a really cute aviator hat by killah)
A guiri bike (because it’s old and has no gears)
A guiri flat (because I live in El borne with all the other guiris)
Guiri shoes… (Trainers in specific)
Guiri suit (because my suit and heels caused great interest in my client meeting with France the other day)

Don’t get me wrong… it’s the little things like this that make living in a foreign country exciting and interesting… I can’t wait to start speaking more so that I can enjoy making all the embarrassing mistakes… they will make for entertaining blog entries. In the meantime I am off to collect some hotapegs from my designers…

23.2.06

This just in...

msn from my friend karm


karmparker@something.com dice:
Dear internet.
I hate you
-Karm
P.S. f$*k you

priceless

* exact email address changed and expletives edited to protect the guilty... and oh yea... dice in spanish means 'says'

21.2.06

Total mosquito bite count…

Is up to 3… there is one on my shoulder now that could be mistaken for some sort of snake bite its so large… maybe I have bedbugs!

Work here is quickly becoming a sweat shop with account managers and designers working until 3am… I escaped last night at 8 but its getting pretty evil… how is it that I manage to find places like this to work??? I guess its just the industry. I’m thinking that it’s mighty time that I win the lotto as this work thing is a drag.

I was so exhausted after last week’s marathon of working working working late that I mostly slept the entire weekend… didn’t do a thing. Just slept and watched Carnivale. I am almost at the end of the series now… I’m not quite sure what I will do when I get to the end of the second season as I hear that it was cancelled (or finished)…

I am a genius… I so carefully shipped off the painting I sold… had a special shipping box made to keep it safe and all… it arrived safely… but I sent the wrong painting. I am soooooooooooo smart. The gentleman I sold it to is being very nice about it… sheesh. How did I mistake his direction for piece 210 for 201?

Summer surely should be arriving soon… its not cold here but its not too warm in the morning or the nights (the only time I am ever outside) I can’t wait till I can leave the office and get down to the beach for a swim before the sun goes down… its that thought that keeps me going…

13.2.06


This is a piece that I did last summer...

this is the first painting i did with the art direction of miss woo...
All I can say is

That you know you have culture shock when you buy a drink from the shop across the road from your office… you buy a juice with the intent to attempt to ingest something that is healthy… its called bio frutas Pacífico… you take a big sip… and realise that there is MILK in it! Yup that´s right… juice mixed with milk! EWWWWWW

Then you look down at your left arm and realise that no… it's not a rash from the horrific juice that has made it itchy… it's a mosquito bite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In mid-feb? How?????

Oh yea… and one more thing… wearing skinny jeans on a Monday… not such a good idea either… especially when they've just been washed. I´ll be mostly practising pilates today in an attempt to keep ze gut inside the jeans and not spilling over top.


Note to self…

Good luck with that

7.2.06

Dust off your old bikes people

because here in barcelona there is money to be made... It's insane really... back in sept i bought an old bike for 30 euros... it took a lot of searching and a lot of patience but I finally got one... i did have to replace the tyre but after that she runs like a dream.... I just recently bought another old bike in much better contidion and much more suited to cycling to work every day... therefore I put the bike up for sale on a local site for 60 euros... it was sold within 30 mins.

Madness I tell you.

I swear if you have time and a bit of spare cash to invest... collect all the old bikes in your hometown and drive them to central barcelona... you'll make a bundle!

6.2.06

I have been very very naughty

Since I’ve last posted…

I've mostly become gainfully employed… dropped out of my intensive Spanish class (due to the gainful employment) and on top of all of that… I did something so shocking and non frugal I can barely bring myself to admit it… KJ cover your eyes right now! I bought a subscription of Gratzia to be delivered to my flat here in bcn. Lets just say it cost significantly less than it would to have it sent outside of Europe but still… it's quite a luxury… I thought I afforded it since I resolved to end my very short-lived life of leisure and took this job.

The job is uptown… approx 20min cycle uptown if I'm feeling sprite… but with a bike with no gears… it's a challenge! I'm doing some international account management for a big ad agency here… I'm back working on an automotive account… I really don't know quite how I ended up here but I got offered the lead to the job through an ex colleague of mine so I decided to have a quick look to see what the job was about… The next day I had an interview with the company and a job offer to boot. Talk about coming from left field! It's good in one way as my Spanish is coming along now… and I will also have an income (albeit meagre compared to what I’m accustomed to)… the downside is that I'm not painting full-time like I had intended… but I did however manage to finish one more piece last week and am 2/3 of the way through my next one… My goal is to crank out at least 3 more in the next month and try and do an exhibition around the time my sister arrives in March… Just exactly where I would exhibit remains to be confirmed… but hey… you’ve got to start with a dream right?

Culture shock is much more apparent now that I am in an office working side by side with locals… I find it quite a challenge to be at work from 9-7 or 8 as I don’t take the 2h lunch break like the others… I simply live too far away from home to go and have a break… so I sit at my desk and nibble on a sandwich when I have a moment… However things seem to pack up for the weekend here around half three on a Friday so that’s pretty okay for me!

30.1.06


evidence of my makeup crimes... Posted by Picasa

22.1.06

thank you

for all thoughts and prayers and well wishes. My grandfather is on the mend and safely back home from the wilds and snowy bilss that is winnipeg. We are so relived. he is very old but we weren't quite ready to part with him yet and none of us quite wished to have in go so suddently on the airplane... that's for sure. But it was quite the drama... we're just glad it's over and that he's on the mend!

I started back at school here last thursday. it's a different course than to the one I took before I had my side track back to the UK... not as intensive but at least it's something... even though it is only 4 days a week.

Today I arranged my new room and cleaned and tidied to the best of my ability and got things in a semblance of order. I came to the horrific conclusion that I have well over 500 pounds worth of cosmetics... scary. please remind me of this when i next try and purchase a new lipstick... it would be number 20 or something obscene like that! My painting studio is all organised and I've started working again on my goldfish lady as i have been calling her... she is orange with gold and yellow highlights. She's making slow progress... this week I hope to finish her and start with my new painting on my massive new canvas!!!!

I went to an opening of an exhibit here that was an 'anti fashion week' show that was meant to contrast with the bread and butter festival that was taking place here at the same time. It was a nice evening. The highlight/most humourous part of the night is when one of the art buyers said to me after meeting me... 'ah yes... I know your work' ! how hilarious is that!?! I guess i'm very new to all of this... and yes they had seen my work as fredu had emailed them some pictures before xmas... but it was still giggle worthy in my books.

Seestor has booked her trip to come and visit me here in march. It will be a blast! Miss Andrea is booking in for early april apres her ski holiday and miss b and miss joey are hopefully going to come around the same time as well for a full on girly weekend!

I saw a reportage on the news the other day where they were reporting an increase in sales in chupa chup lollies since the new smoking laws came into effect here jan 1st. They interviewed a bunch of people who were attempting to quit and were using the lollies to help... I love the innocent optimism that some of the spanish exhibit. I wish them all the best. It's soo sweet... now if we could only get the bars to go completely non smoking... we'd be getting somewhere... and my clothes wouldn't smell so bad after going out!

16.1.06

diversion!

on our way back today... there were 7 of us... trekking back from abbotsford to toronto. Simons wedding was a success and we were all quite tired. Our first leg of the flight from abbotsford to calgary was delayed so we missed our connecting flight. So there we sat and waited to catch the 18h15 flight instead. We boarded and all was well. Not long after take off my grandfather who was sitting in front of me had a bit of a seasure. It was terrifying. There were luckily 3 doctors and one nurse on board who helped out immediately. He then stabalised and they decided that there was no need to divert the plane and land. We were so relived but shaken... then another 15 minutes later he had another episode and then his heart stopped beating for a good 30 seconds. Miraculously they did not need to difibulate him! He came round again but this time they decided that they needed to divert and land in Winnipeg. They had to shut down service at the airport for our emergency landing. They got him off the plane pronto and all 6 of the girlies went off with him to the hospital.

for the time being he appears to be stable and theyre in the process of illiminating all the possiblities that caused the episode. It seems that its looking like it was unlikely that it was his heart. Theyre leaning towards a bladder infection or something like that... so with that news we felt confident enough to head back to the airport and begin the trekk back to Toronto. All my aunties and my mum and my grandma are there with him and its just kj and i heading back. So here we sit in Winnipeg airport in the middle of a heavy snowfall... no sleep... lots of drama and one heck of an end to a family trip for my cousins wedding (which was lovely btw).

On a positive note. I think if i manage to stay awake most of today. I run the possibility that I will return to bcn on tuesday afternoon with little or no jet lag... that is of course all depending on if he is indeed okay...

send some prayers please... or even some positive thoughts :)

9.1.06


another one of my paintings... Posted by Picasa

my painting that i just sold!!!! Posted by Picasa

8.1.06

Here i sit

in the great white north on my mums comfy sofa... there is snow outside and im most definately not in kansas anymore... nor Barcelona for that matter. Im sequestered away in the comforts of Brampton and my family. Bliss!

All this of course doesnt come with some discomfort... ive been inscripted into my sisters torturous gymming routine and my body aches everywhere!

I had such a giggle the other day when i was out shopping with my seestor... we went into starbucks to grab some coffees... Thinking that Starbucks employees were trained the same world wide I requested 2 tall wet soya lattes (ie. no foam). The girl very sweetly looked me in the eye and with great confidence and authority informed me that all their lattes were wet. Oh how I had to fight back the giggles... I guess the terminology for wet is not as world wide as I assumed. Iappologied to her for the misunderstanding and told her I simply wanted no foam... next time ill remember to not go down that path again.

off to continuing my visiting duties. im very excited to visit lisa and dave and their kiddies this avro. yea!!!!!!!!!!!

2.1.06

I´m...

slowly getting adjusted to my new flat... the noise level outside is very different... a little less traffic and a lot more pedestrian noise... i just have to train myself to sleep through the 3am crowd going home every night and i´ll be just fine!

I´ve been working my little socks of writing test scripts till all hours of the morning. I´m so tired but all this stress going on i can´t sleep. I´m going to have to buy somethign to knock me out during my flight back to canadia on thursday. i can´t wait to see my family and Noeleen´s little brand new baby girl named Saoirse!

Seestor tells me that the ever missing Mr McCann may be coming down to TO this weekend to see me! That would be so amazing as i´ve not seen him in 3 years now!

Seestor also tells me that James was contacting her the other day. How odd I was telling someone about him the other day. I love it when things connect like that!

30.12.05

but then

as you always do... you come out the other side... I´m moving into my new flat today. I´ve found a nice place with an argentienean art director named diego. I´ve got a really big room in the part of town where I wanted to live. Things are looking up. I think initially when things don´t work out the way you want them to you feel like the world is out to get you... and in some cases it could be somewhat true... but i´m a fighter and I¨ll get through this if not stronger than before.

My spanish is coming along slowly and once i return from my anxiously antcipated trip to canada i´ll be back in school and back to painting! Speaking of painting I´m so excited to report that I sold my first painting to a colleague of mine that I met in kent. I´m so thrilled!

21.12.05

and then..

your xmas cold kicks in... and you leave your xmas party early as you can't tilt your head back far enough to keep the tears in...

but at least being at work is a bit of solice as it keeps me busy and if I can just manage to work work work I won't fall apart at the seams... perhaps my lost appetite will assist in shifting all the unruly pounds I've put on since starting this contract.

xmas will be spent by myself and new years too but i've done my best to line up working remotely for then and there will be lots of time for painting and gymming... a little reprive. I just hope I can find a new flat as soon and get settled.

i am the only constant in my life and you know what.... i'll get through this. that is one thing i'm certain of. Something to laugh about this time next year i suppose :)

20.12.05

and then...

you wake up the next day and realise that your nightmare is reality and it's confirmed that even if good things are not excluded from you... this is not one of those times... and this is one of those times that the bad things are waaaaaaaaaaaay worse than you could ever expect and you wonder why no matter how hard you try in life you always find the ones with broken wings... sometimes however they managed to shit on you even before they fly off...

anyone got any stain remover?

19.12.05

you know...

sometimes i go though phases where i say to myself... 'sarah, you deserve good things to happen to you' and the rest of the time i say... ' ha dont' think for a second you deserve anything to come to you easily' I'm very much thinking that my life has just flashed a big notice board confirming the latter. I'm almost certain now that I did something pretty awful in a past life as if this is karma then, man... I fear I may just be served with a hefty invoice. I really don't want to believe... I'm not here... this isn't happening.

cheque please

14.12.05

Rage!!!!!!!!

There are a few things that make me VERY angry... and a few things that make me laugh really hard.

The first of these two aforementioned emotions was excised this morning when I realised that Easy Jet had lowered the fare on the flight that I booked for the 23rd. The reason why this angered me so was because I bought it during their 'Massive Sale' what a farce. So I followed their instructions to get the difference refunded (obviously this happens often)... I rang their number 10p a min and it took me approx 12 mins to get to an operator who was very unhelpful and did not offer any explanation or apology for the price discrepancy... They then proceeded to issue me with a 'credit file'. Armed with this number I asked the operator a parting question... 'can I use this code when I book online?' to which he responded 'no, I'm sorry this is only for telephone bookings... simply call this number that charges you £1 a minute and make your booking'. Now I'm no genius but It's sure as heck going to take longer than 10 minutes to book a flight and the prices for telephone bookings are 10% higher than online bookings... which means that I still would not get my money back!!!!!!!!! Why Why Why they couldn't just issue me with a total refund and then have me re-book online is beyond me... Don't worry, In true Canadian fashion I've written them a very stern letter....

The laughing part comes in when Monday when I came into work there was an email from my bf's not so friendly ex in my inbox. Yes folks... Apparently I'm destined to connect with this woman every time I look for a flat in BCN!!! LOL! This time I managed to contact her directly... but she clearly had forgotten my name... Ah life can be so amusing.

Face it with a smile

Only 9 more sleeps!!!!!!!!

9.12.05

like a bad rash

my ebay addiction has resurrected and between the gaps in time during the day I can't help but browsing around... it doesn't help that eveyone in this office is just as bad if not worse than I am... Even if you're trying to put it out of your mind you can't help but catch a glimpse of it on someone's monitor. I tell you it's like working in a lab and we're all just a bunch of mice spinning our wheels so that that magic of ebay will dispense the cheese...

On a more positive note... it's almost the weekend and I'm very excited to be able to listen to some music I brought back with me from home... as i absconded sally's cd player...

I was having a conversation with a taxi driver the other day on my way home and I was recalling the story my grandmother told me about my little cousin asking her if she could play one of her big cd's... (records) how cute. I also remember another little cousin of mine who was puzzled by the old rotary phone we had in the basement...it wasn't immediately clear to her how it would work. Dang I'm getting old... but not as old as this lady... imagine living 113 years? She saw so much. What a fantastic privilege.

8.12.05

72 day work sentence

well mine is almost up... as of the 23rd of December I shall be free. Then off I return to my tiny bed and the manzana of my eye... I'm counting the hours. Then but two weeks after I shall mostly be skipping off to the wilds of the great white north to visit the family and celebrate my cousin's nuptuals. I was joking with mum the other day that I would just pop into vegas quickly on my way to Vancover to tie the knot and beat him to it... making me the first of the grandchildren to get married and not him! Alas... Fredu is shooting in Jan and can't come... dang... my sabotage is foiled!

The never ending flat hunt continues... watch this space as I move from my prison in the wilds of the east english countryside to the tent on the beach on barcelona... lol

Miss Hannah gets married next Saturday and miss jo jo and I will be attending with bells on. I'm so happy and excited for them. Now it's just the small detail of sorting out the wedding present.... nothing interesting is left on the registry... I'll have to come up with something clever. Too bad easyjet doesn't sell gift certificates...

22.11.05

although i'm very sad

that after all the toing and froing... and thinking that maybe just offering the girls more money for the flat we wanted... it turns out that it was not meant to be. They asked Fredu to meet them last night to chat... however they did not bring with them the news that we were looking for... They simply explained that they had promised the flat to the family and although the extra money would have been nice they had to stick by their word. Disapointing but very honorable on their behalf. There are some good people out there... can't say I don't feel a wee bit evil after having trying to gazump a family. Bad me.

So yes, flat hunting is officially back to sqare one...

The lovely miss andrea is celebrating her day of birth this saturday. I hope very much that it will be my last saturday in the UK. Bring on the 1st of December... or if you're the lovely miss Joey (owner of a red galaxy dress) the 2nd of December when she is again united with her army boy who completes his special secret hardcore training. Bless, she's so sweet.

Visit this weekend was fabulous we caught up with theo and alonzo who was in town for the weekend... miss andrea and senor Danny too! We stayed at a very cool b&b in islington... it's called The luxury inn it's in my old neighborhood in angel and it's quite a cool idea... and the best part about it, is that it's so inexpensive!!!! Go book in now.

18.11.05

much ado about nothing...

after much a flat hunting and not having anywhere to live other than the local b&b here in maidstone

I finally suffered a bit of a lodging nervous breakdown. Brough about by a long sequence of events but it all erupted in a flood of tears when we found out that we didn't get the flat we both fell in love with down the street from our current place... In a stroke of trickiness we proposed to offer them more money for the flat than they were asking if they would choose us over the first couple who saw the place that wanted it... we were the second. It's been a few days now and they're milling over the offer. In my heart of hearts I dont' think they'll go for it but you just never know... if we achieve no sucess then we will just stay put in our tiny place until the right option comes along... Very stressful all around... made me realise how i would just love to buy somewhere and put some roots down for once! I guess it's just me being so transient of late that is making me crave some lodging stability.

The days are ticking away and I'm gleefuly approaching the end of my contract here with the counsil. I could stay till mid -dec but I've not yet decided if it's worth it (mentally) I think financially it's always a good idea.

Seestor arrives tomorrow. Xmas shopping in london town will be our mission... nothing unusual about that one... us predictable? Never.

I came up with a brilliant idea whil chatting to a cabbie when I was in london for a brief spell last night for Ceciles 'i'm free from working at GT' party. I'm going to open a pram shop in Maidstone. I can smell the money and the chav's...

9.11.05

i have this thought... in that

playing the lotto has a direct connection to my discontent... guess it's not surprising really... winning would allow you a quick ticket out of this game... of course with it, would come an equal amount of problems ... but I'll keep my lucky dip for tonights draw thank you very much. It's funny as I've not played the lotto for quite some time... and when I start again I seem more convinced that I will win... I can even invision myself explaining how i just bought the ticket on the spur of the moment... so cheezy. I am guilty.

Two more sleeps and I get to go home. I'm counting down the minutes. I miss painting... I miss having a house... and of course Fredu.

Yesterday we worked for 13h and most of them i spent listening to a local Kent radio station... perhaps that is the source of my discontent... it's not a healthy choice for any human... on a brighter note... Theo sent this to me today... I thought it was cute. I want to be the man with the fish. Read on....



A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village.
An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you!
You should start by fishing longer every day.
You can then sell the extra fish you catch.
With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

And after that?" asked the Mexican.

With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American.

"And after that?"

"Afterwards? Well my Friend, That's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?" said the Mexican.

"After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends."

And the moral is: Know where you're going in life... you may already be there.

4.11.05

Silly


Getting paid silly money doesn't of course come without working silly hours... not anything as bad as design agency hours but taxing nonetheless!

Did I mentioned that my old dodgy landlord got 9 years in the end... they finally caught him at the beginning of the year... the officer in charge of the case dropped me a line a few days ago to let me know. Sweet of her to remember :)

Busy weekend lined up... not as hectic as last weekend... but how good was it to go home and sleep in my own bed next to ze boi... I miss him! The tardy arrival back in London on the Monday night was nothing to envy... I finally made it to Maidstone at 1h30 in the morning... I left out flat in BCN at 18h... now that's an evil commute. Next weekend when I go home I'll be sure to stay the night with Jo Jo and come into work in the morning instead...

The mission is back on... flat hunting again... we're moving flats at the beginning of Dec. Somewhere bigger and somewhere less noisy. Bijou is okay but we've got no room left for anything now! Time to move. I love looking but I hate the actual moving... Still have 3 bags left here in London... will probably take the next few trips to manage to get it all over...

Did I mention my project manager (note my joy in that I'm not the project manager for once) bought us boxes of chocolates as a thank you for working so late for the past few weeks. She's such a sweetie.

The weekend starts in T minus 8h

Oh yea almost forgot... congrats to senor Danny for his new fab job with Yahoo :)

25.10.05

Blind blogging continues

Not being able to see my blog from work is a bit frustrating as I can't kill time like I used to... I have no idea why any company would see the need to block all URL's with underscores in them... maybe they equate them to porn peddling sites... HA.

The days have been co-operating and sure enough I'm getting closer to Friday and going home! I'm so excited. I know I've only been here 3 weeks but it feels like I've stepped back in time... kind of like moving to BCN was just a time blip. Pinch me someone...

I'm sitting in death row as I've deemed it... this florescent lighting and recycled air office is breeding sickness as fast a battery hen... there is a chorus of coughing and sneezing all the way up and down my seating area. Not one to ever miss out on something, I too am brewing a nice sort of sickness... It cant' quite decide if it wants to go to my sinuses or my lungs... or perhaps a bit of both. Joy.

Ivy and Mel arrive in BCN this weekend for a bit of a Jolly. We're out to some fancy foody restaurant on Saturday night. Should be interesting to see how much one will end up paying for a posh salad. Good thing really as all the comfort eating that I've been doing since my return has had a very rapid effect on my waist line... is this why I've suddenly acquired an avid interest in all clothes that offer an elasticised waistband? Seriously I've got three pairs now that would easily be confused with maternity wear... It's my own trend maternity-chic for non maternity people... it's so the new Deralique!

19.10.05

My heart is so sad

My poor Fredu was mugged last night on his way home from the production office. He got surrounded by three guys while he was unlocking his bike and they swarmed in on him and kicked and punched him and grabbed his bag. The worst part of it beyond the cuts and bruising is the fact that they got his laptop, cables... CD's containing all the work he'd done in the last week and 5 sheets of negs which are obviously irreplaceable. They didn't take his wallet or his agenda as he had those on his person... They clearly must have planned the attack as it wasn't at all obvious what was in the bag they must have been casing the cafe where he often works with his colleagues... they must have known he had some expensive equipment... It's just terrible. I'm gutted that I'm not there right now. I can't concentrate on work. I wish terrible things on the people who did this to him... but then again I guess they are already experiencing terrible things that would make them attack someone and then steal from them.

Boo to them. Boo to all the horrible people like them out there.

13.10.05

strange things are a brewin'...

for some reason... i don't be able to see my blog today... i'm suspicious that it has something to do with how i'm accessing it... I'm in a seceret location... it's grey and rainy and it's not barcelona and it's not even central london... there are lots of chavs and transient people who drift around town with wheely suitcases... i am one of them.

i am now living part time in a b & b in sunny maidstone working with miss sally trying to save the world or maybe just kent counsel from the evils of disorganised systems... the money is silly... thus my rapid departure from my new sunny home and my beautiful corazon... money is such an willing motivator. I'm just trying to get my heart into doing it... Strangely they have no siestas here. I don't know if i will be able to adjust.

My poor mobile that died is being collected and replaced tomorrow. I've most definately lost all my contact details and all my pickies... so so sad but what can you do? I've got the next 8 weeks here in the UK to try and re-collect them all.

On a positive note... seestor is dropping in next weekend just for the day... she's still working for the airline on the weekends so it will be a real treat to see her! It's very exciting as Air Transat has decided to add a new route to BCN starting next summer. How fantastic is that?

6.10.05

Love is...

a cherry chupa chup... a mini toblerone and a kiss from a handsome boyfriend at my local internet caf.

4.10.05

one month in

so it´s been nearly a month... and yes believe it or not i´ve started school...
it´s only 2h per day but i think it will be just fine... going to school on the second day with a hangover... not so smart, but hey you forget these things. The last time I studied anything It was back in 1998! The teacher is nice and there are a good mix of people in the class including one english bloke, two japanese girls and another canadian... there are also some americans, an italian and an austrian. Lets see if Sarah still has any brain cells left to learn a new language.

Spending time with Andrea and Danny this weekend was fab, they´ve now jetted off down the coast for a few days of wine tasting and such. It´s been really great to see some friendly faces. I´m so lucky!

They had a really freaky festival here this weekend that we went to check out... it´s called boulevard of broken dreams and it´s a circus-esq show that tours around, mostly dutch people. Was pretty interesting. I did however have terrible nightmares that night... I guess the freak shows were a bit much for my delicate psyche.

When it rains it poors... I´ve just been offered the possiblity to return to london for a 4-6 week contract at my old job... they´re very busy... I´m not sure if it will work out but we´ll see... also miss sally just dropped me a line asking me to go and work for her for 2 months. All so tempting as the money would keep me here for a lot longer and my life of leisure would continue... we´ll see how it goes.

I think the autumn has finally started to arrive here... there is a definate snap in the air now... however last saturday it was 26 and i got a bit of colour on my face while swimming in the afternoon.

My bike is back in the shop again... somehow the bike i bought for 30euros is soon going to be worth 70... the guy who fixed the back tyre... didn´t put in a very good innertube so it was deflating... it´s a comedy. i may as well buy a donkey... i think it would be more reliable!

27.9.05

hey

i just noticed that my last entry was number 555 tee hee... not long till 666... Once i bought a dr pepper, and a packet of fags way back when in ottawa and the total came to $6.66 i was amused... the shop keeper, not so much.

Strange and random things often happen to me... I always find myself telling my sister that "these things never happen i swear" like when we were walking down the street in london with all the embassys and sally was faking limbo under the secuity gate when the guy in the booth lifted the arm for her... it was hilarious... well last night after a great birthday dinner at la dolça herminia we were on our way home but wanted to stop for the ultima de la ultima... when we stumbled upon a leather sofa that was discarded in the street. it was in pretty mint condition... Alfredo fell in love with it and sat down... a few seconds later another guy and girl rocked up and sat down and started chatting... one was swedish the other italian who spoke swedish... we nabbed some tins of estrella and sat and had a good old chin wag... the street cleaners arrived and wanted to take away the sofa but we insited it was ours... and our mini street party continued... then, no joke come along two young very blond guys with suntans and surf boards... how surreal... they had missed their flight and had to wait till today to go home... the airline had no room to store their boards so they had them with them... turns our they were also italian... but from the very north as you can imagine... they ended up leaving their boards at our house for the night so they didn´t have to trekk them around... so funny. So yea KJ... I agree... these things do happen to me.

Happyness is... finding out you got payed 400 pounds more than you expected on your last paycheque from work!

I´m very excited... sally has invited me back to london to help her celebrate her b´day not this weekend but next... I´ll have to leave next Friday after school and return sunday night. Very exciting.

off to find the art shop and hopefully an art school... here´s to hoping that clotilde manages to take me there without going flat... i´ve got suspcisons that she was not fixed properly... we´ll see... if i´m in luck she may even manage to take me to the gym this afternoon.

19.9.05

how excited am i?

Mucho mucho!! Miss Andrea and Senor Danny are booked in for a visit. They arrive on the 1st. I can´t wait. It will be so fab to get to see them again. I feel like i´ve been away forever... it doesn´t help that my phone is still in the shop and that i have no ones phon numbers... talk about feeling cut off!

I´m off to see the art school shortly... would be great if I could start this week as the language school I´m going to doesn´t start until next week. We´ll see... Fredu has been busy working working working... so i´ve been gymming and reading... it´s funny as it´s so strange for me to spend so much time on my own. It´s good, it forces me to relax and unwind...

The sun is shining today and i´m due to collect Clotilde this afternoon... she´s my new silver bike... how exciting!?!?! okay play along

15.9.05

love for sale

i can´t get the song out of my head... don´t worry it´s not me selling it but there are many others all around Barcelona offering it round the clock... you can spot them on many many street corners... Alfredo keeps saying´"look she´s selling love"... must be a good trade as there are so many girls in the business...

Today was a productive day thus far and it´s only 17h20. I´ve managed to open a bank account, find the MAC counter (to purchase an emergency lipstick) have lunch with Maria... accidently swallow a fish bone... (okay yea i was trying to be a carnivore for once... that´s the good it did me)... hmmm I guess that´s all I´ve managed to do thus far today but it feels like a lot... oh yea... I also checked out a language school... they dont´have another session of classes starting till the 26th but now that my bank is sorted I can start the gym full time and I will be more than happy (so will my bellies) to get back at the gym on a regular basis.

My new bike is ready... and Fredu is picking it up from the shop on his way home tonight... of course I tried to collect it but they were not open at 16h like they were supposed to... long lunch I suppose. No passe nada LOL

I´m hoping the weather holds nice until the weekend... a week full of "slow rushing about" is tiring... I think we almost merit a break in the sea for a splash about.

13.9.05

hola

well well... it´s been a while but much to report so read this just before bed as it may send you to sleep... on the other hand it may intice you to send me hate mail so don´t say i didn´t warn you...

did i mention that when blogging from Spain, blogger is in Spanish? Good thing I can pretty much figure it out!

I arrived in Barcelona last Tuesday evening after a week of crazy work and frantic packing... I made a 40pound donation to easyjet in exchange for them letting me carry 30 kilos of luggage and a massive canvas bag. All arrived safely and ze boi met me at the airport to take me to our new home (still feels strange saying that) it´s been a long time since I last co-habitated but it´s good. We´ve got a tiny (or Bijou) flat as Andrea calls it right near St. Antoni Market... it´s 50m square but split across two levels... it´s nice and bright with two small balconies. I´m not sure how long we´ll last there but we´re thinking approx 2 months then we´ll find a bigger place. But all is good for now.

The gym here is right on the beach and I kind of have to pinch myself when I´m there as when you´re swimming and the Med is right there in fron of you it´s a bit surreal! At 29 euros a month, it makes my LA fitness membership back in London look extortionate!

I´ve been painting... trying for days to unlock my mobile (of course I have a tricky model) and then yes of course... our ever elusive search to find a bicycle. The city is teaming with bikes but strangely there doesn´t seem like anywhere to buy one second hand... We´ve clearly no place in the flat to keep them so they´ll have to live outside... so i would rather go cheap and avoid heartbreak when it enevitably gets stolen!


I´ve started looking for a language school. There are so many to choose from. I think I´ve narrowed it down to about 3... so I hope I can get started next week.

Meeting the lovely Maria (an ex colleague of mine) who works in the GT Barcelona office. Will be nice to see a familiar face!

More updates to come within the next few days. I´m off to hunt second hand bikes once again...

hmm is it normal to not get up until 11am? *runs*

2.9.05

i have an...

unnatural obsession with busses in london... anyone who knows me will openly taunt me about this fact... I don't take the bus that often to work but on the off chance 'm going out after work then I'll take it. Any other weekend or evening travel I do in London is on the bus...I've got a pre-pay oyster card here which i just top up when it runs out... To my surprise when hunting about to confirm just why i was paying £1 in the morning and only £0.80 at night... and to my surprise I found that the max they will charge you per day on your Oyster card for ANY amount of journey's is £3. That is so news to me... why oh why oh why did i not know this!?!?!?

1.9.05

an ex...

colleague of mine is getting a kitten tonight... she was pondering what name to call it and I suggested the oh so cute 'minou'... works for a boy or a girl... yea so it means kittie in French... should I have told her that?

I'm not so sure but I think it may be possible that I've just gotten over the hump of work I've been struggling with this week at work. It's been chaotic and mental... but I see a light at the end of a tunnel and I'm pretty sure it's not a train.

I sent one of my big suitcases home with miss andrea and mr danny last night... I guess it's the first time that the move has felt real... putting my bag in the back of the car was very surreal. They're going to bring it over to me at the end of the month when they come to visit. I'm not quite certain how I'm going to manage to get my remaining 20 pairs of shoes and the rest of my clothes into a bag... but I'll cross that bridge on Sunday.

KJ is back for the day on Saturday... we've set up some sneaky match making... we'll see how that goes... She's been championing the idea that I should set up a table outside our flat on Sunday afternoon and sell all the things I'm not taking with me for a pound... Don't know but I'm thinking it's kind of illegal in this country... I've never seen anyone do anything like it before... hey hey, maybe I can get arrested!

26.8.05

You know...

sometimes the world is too small of a place... and sometimes the fates are pretty freaking evil. How is it that out of hundreds and hundreds of flats for rent I managed to email the person who's letting my bf's ex girlfriend's flat? What horrible coincidence... I saw her name on the cc of the message and my heart nearly stopped. I've just opened up a whole world of evil and I didn't even intend it. She is not going to be a happy camper when she sees my name... If I could I would go back in time and not send the email... *shudders*

I don't think I can get far enough away from my computer right now.

bring on the long weekend

22.8.05

can i just say...

I have NO idea how I'm ever going to be able to convince myself to roll r's when I learn Spanish? I'm truly at a loss... I spent and entire year when I lived in France ridding myself of the French Canadian tendancy to roll r's when speaking... now I've got to replace my gutteral french r with the rolly spanish one.

Things like this keep me up at night.

very sad jarrett, very sad.
I was just sitting at my desk

and in a second within a second I thought about how strange it is that I'm moving to Barcelona... Strange because the first time I went there I couldn't wait to leave. I went about 8 years ago with Denise and Noeleen just before I left France. We took the train down for a mini holiday. We got driven mad by all the backpackers and their mean spirited competitiveness to race to find the hostel... no one would help anyone and it was a really stressful arrival to the main train station. I remember walking for hours... when we finally made it to the centre we were so hot and disillusioned we wanted to leave and we had just arrived A quick consultation with the tourist office and then we then jumped the first train we could out of the city and to the coast... I had no regrets I wasn't keen on seeing much more of Barcelona. It wasn't until I went back last year with KJ that I gave the city another chance... and as chance would have it... also met someone who would encourage me to do so.

I remember once reading an entry in Francis' blog about the special kind of anxious/excited feeling that he gets when he thinks about Barcelona... I believe he met his partner there. I'm a silly romantic but I like the idea of having this sort of connection with a city... I have that buzz feeling when I think of Berlin... but I'm not so sure if that has more to do with the fab time I spent there when I was last there... I wonder if the more you travel the more places like that you'll find or if your connections to cities is truly limited to one or two really special places?

I've started a new painting and it's fab. I am chomping at the bit to get home and finish it off. I found this amazing picture on the weekend in this bookshop outside of the British Museum. I didn't want to buy the book so I took a picture of the image using my camera phone and I've been painting off of that. I'm slowly learning the value of not speed painting like I usually do... it gives much better use of colour when I'm not constantly mixing paints by excitedly painting over layers that aren't dry yet... good thing I don't paint with oils!

Saturday morning Sally and I went to Smiths for brunch. How yummy!!! Too bad it's all the way across the other side of the city. I'm officially going to be dining there every Saturday until I leave (okay so there are only two left).

Seestor arrives for a proper visit this Thursday and then the long weekend is this weekend... it's carnival too and a colleague of mine's b'day party. Lots to do! Someone want to pack for me? Don't quite know when I'll get to it! I'm so very very very lucky to have a seetor who is so amazing.