Category: Me Myself And I (Page 13 of 15)

Granny

10/9/'05 / moonbug

grandma

My grandma turns 91 today. A toddler in world war one, a 20-something in world war two. The stories she has to tell are amazing. Like the time, close to the end of the war, when the frontline was literally on her doorstep. Like the time she stayed awake all night worrying about my granddad who was on some mission with the Belgian resistance. Yes: there was such a thing as Belgian resistance!

resistance medal

My granddad survived the war and received an honorary “Medal of Resistance” on April 2nd, 1949. He died in 1988…
One can’t but wonder what the world would have looked like had it not been for brave “little” people like the two of them.

Respect — and happy birthday granny! I love you loads.

Yoga

10/3/'05 / moonbug

Go ahead, laugh, you sarcastic person you. Today, Gaby gave me my very first yoga lesson. My lower back feels a little dodgy right now, but I suppose that’s the way it should be. We went through several movements including what I think is called the Shlackmyriamani Doodly Flip (or something similar, you know the “Greeting of the Morning Sun”). Surprisingly, these exercises made me feel better. It turns out that the big point of stresss is my lower back. Amazing how doing a couple of yoga positions makes you accutely aware of degenerating muscles. In fact I was so enthousiastic, we ended up ordering a 3 set DVD by the elusive Wai Lana — a sorta 21st century Jane Fonda sort of a woman. Wai seems to dwell around HawaÃ¯ and, inbetween participating in Chinese Circus venues, shows you how you’re supposed to, you know, yoga your way through the day. The DVD’s cost $44,95 so the result damn well better be good (feels his lower back muscles cringe).

Reel

9/28/'05 / moonbug

You know those water hose reels? One got thrown over the wall into our garden yesterday. Thump, like that. Gabriela picks up the thing, and goes ring on the neighbour‘s doorbell. The daughter opens.

– Is this yours per chance?
– Uhh, … dad?

Dad comes to the doorway.

– Is this yours per chance?
– Uhh… ah yes. It’s uhh the wifey’s… she-uhh she… had no more need for it.

He grabs the reel from Gabriela’s hands, mumbles “Thank you,” and closes the door.

I swear these people are smoking some serious shit.

Miles

9/10/'05 / moonbug

It’s hot, it’s humid and the rain has just started to pour down, accompanied by glorious thunder and lightning. With Miles Davis’ “Kind Of Blue” playing in the background, it makes for a bizarre yet agreable ambiance. The windows are open, a fresh breeze is floating in, and looking out, I can see people running for shelter. I love it when nature shows its anger.

Weirdness In The Workplace

9/7/'05 / moonbug

It occurred to me recently that, in my 12 years of working for various companies, there’s always been something weird about their physical location.

1993 – 1996: a building which used to be a snack-bar, situated right on the border between Belgium and France. You took a step to the right: in France. Step to the left: in Belgium.

1996 – 2004: a building situated alongside a provincial road which was literally riddled with second-hand car businesses. A steady stream of Polish, Czech and Albanian buyers would parade past our drive-up with their huge pickup trucks, park in front of it, come into the office to ask if by chance we sold Lamborghini’s, and there was the odd neanderthal who would defecate on the driveway. In full daylight. In full view of our surveillance camera’s. The building itself, incidently, used to be a car dealership.

2004 – present: a building located close to a cookie factory and – I kid you not – a horse manure recycling company. One day I’ll be arriving at work with the sweet smell of buttercookies gently curving its way into my nose, the next day it’ll be horse manure — whichever way the wind blows.

Can’t help but wonder what’s next…