The mating ritual

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Do we singles, truly believe in solo happiness or do we convince ourselves to believe?

A week in a small town

Fellow city dwellers,

I am spending this week in a small town. Having some time off in the summer, I usually go back home and visit my grandparents. They live in a little town that is home to the best ice cream in the Northern Hemisphere (according to me). This time, I have noticed and noted some of the clear differences to me, apart from the obvious one is big the other is small.

First difference became apparent to me one early morning. Please note that when I say early morning I mean 9am. I am used to going to bed rather late as, especially now when the house is full of people, late at night is the only time it is quiet and I can work, read, do my own things. That day I was awaken at 9am by a loud, consistent banging. I went downstairs and asked my family, "who is that idiot banging so early in the morning?", to which my grandmother replied, "but it is not early, its 9 am!". The day in a small town begins much earlier, at 6am when the grocery shops open their doors and the church bells ring. It also ends rather early.

My kitty Willow needed to get a rabies vaccination and so I went to the vet. It has been particularly hot for the past two weeks. I got there at 14:30 and asked for the vet. The nice lady in the shop told me that the vet went home because of the heat and told me to come back tomorrow by 4pm because that's when the vet goes home on a regular basis. And so I did. I got everything done by 15:30, went home to leave Willow and wanted to do some more shopping. Turns out that most shops close by 5pm.

Yes, life in a small town differs greatly from the life in a city and perhaps it can be a little annoying to those of us used to going shopping till late. There are however things in a small town you can't always get in a city. One of such things is fresh air. Oh, the air! I have spent a lot of time at a horse stable that week, which was situated in the next village and the air and views were truly magnificent. Horses galloping in the setting sun, wild hares coming out onto the fields, and the rich colours of the nearby forest. See it for yourself here!

Personally, I love the city. The opportunities that await there, the spirit of the city and the fact that you can order take out at any time of the day or night. I can however see the benefits of living in a smaller town, the air is fresh . . . I'm afraid that's about it. Knowing that I can leave the city if I want for a few weeks just to relax, breath and calm my mind is perfect for me. But I don't think I could live with everyone knowing and looking at my every move. People here seem to know everything about each other. From who came to church and even more who didn't, who sleeps with whom, all the way to who had a barbecue the day before. I prefer when people around me do not know everything about me, letting only a few to get to know the real me.

Toodles. 

City and the Family

Fellow city dwellers,

Summer is a great time of the year, with bright green trees, flowers, and bees working away on providing honey. It is also a time to visit family. Family is a lovely and fortune thing to have, coming together for holidays, laughing and enjoying those few days a year together. Yes, yes, all is great overall, but there are those few moments that you just want to...

For some reason, even on holidays some members of my family decide to rise with the sun. It would not be a problem if they went downstairs and enjoyed the day there. But no, these few members decide to shout and run around upstairs, right by the door.

There is also no moment of quiet. Living alone on a day to day basis, one really gets used to the peace and quiet. However lonely it may sometimes be, a person just needs a little bit of alone time. Unfortunately, that is not really possible.

Family business aside, I had a strange moment coming back from my exam a few days ago. Walking home, I passed a pub. Every single person in that pub looked exactly the same; white shirt and black bottoms. I wondered for a second how they even recognised each other. It is a strange feeling, when you have been working all your life towards something you in the end realise, you really do not want. No matter how hard you try to see the good side of it, you just can't. 

Someone once told me that in life you are not always going to be doing what you like. That you are often going to have to do what you do not want, don't like. To this day, I still don't understand. You live once (in the regular sense of living), a rather short once, and so I do not see the reason to do things you do not want to. 

Do we really not get to do what we love? Is that all there is? Are we so pressured by the society and people around us that we forget our dreams? 

Toodles.

"Hot in the City"

Hello fellow city dwellers,

The best time to live in the city is when the sun is shining, temperature is rising and the trees are colourful. It is the time when everyone wishes to spend as much time outside as they possibly can. It is spring. 

Spring brings with itself new hopes, goals and feelings. Walking through the city, one sees friends, couples and strangers smiling to one another, talking, enjoying the sun and each others company. It is even harder to spot those nervous and busy ones, because even they, in the light of the sun look friendlier, happy. 

The city is covered in posters of Rose and Jack, Titanic has coming back in 3D. It's a little sad that such an epic movie is introduced with the words "from the director of Avatar". Now don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Avatar but Titanic goes beyond that. Not only was it first but in order to get people to go see it nowadays, the people responsible felt the need to tempt customers with amazing effects and new ideas. People want more, new technology, new effects. 

Is that what we are looking for? Effects to spice up the mundane reality? Or is it that we are scared to believe that the reality is all there is? Do we need to feed our imagination to survive in this crazy world?

Toodles. 

Decaf Skinny Latte?

Fellow city dwellers,

While I was waiting for my coffee today, an order was called out. The barista called out, "decaf skinny latte!". These three words really got me thinking.

Is this how we, people living big city lives, want out lives to be? Decaf and skinny? Do we hide behind this vail of perfect lives, perfect jobs, and pretend our lives are full and exciting every day, but in reality they are just decaf and skinny?

Everyday I see people running with food in their hands, trying to eat their lunch on the go while drinking coffee AND talking on the phone. I see people stressed, sad, unhappy. Of course there are many happy faces as well, but the question is WHY are there so many sad and stressed ones?

In middle school, students are encouraged to work hard to get into a good high school. When high school comes, it is all about getting the best grades to get into a respectful university. In universities, students are pushed to get the highest marks and do internships in order to get good employment in which they go to after they graduate. When do we get to live? Are we scared to do something out of the ordinary? Are we scared of trying?

The society has set some kind of norms for us, get a "good job" in an office, excel at it, when you have a good steady income start a family and move to a house. For many, the good jobs that people refer to are not all  appealing, and yet we go into them for their status, the money, the security. Sitting in an office, day after day, staring at the computer, running off to meetings, running errands. Not desirable.

No matter what line of work you are in, as long as you are not doing what you want to be doing 100%, there'll always be something you regret missing out on, not trying.

I envy those sad faces that break off from the norm and follow their dreams. Even if it is hard to change the line of work, start up your own business, find clients; their faces change. They join those people who smile and laugh in the mornings. They join the happy faces.


Now for a finish, a cliche yet inspiring quote:

"Twenty years form now you will be more 

dissapointed by the things that you didn't do than 

the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. 

Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade 

winds in you sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

                                                                                ~ Mark Twain

Be courageous! Sit down for a coffee, think and know what it is that you want in life. Don't be afraid to follow it. With the city offering so many opportunities, don't miss out. 

I wish you all a wonderful and inspiring day, 

Toodles.