BRUISE

My skin is pale and sensitive to the degree of producing extreme results...<"results", what results you might ask"...it needs some explanation, right? Not acne or any food rush, or anything like that>... BUT - About a week ago I was helping to set up an art exhibit and bumped into glass table (aren't those dangerous?? you can't really see them with your corner vision, or as a matter of fact with any vision - maybe because they are transparent??!!!). I was wearing jean halter jumper (very comfy and fashionable for this season) and heeled summer boots, so the side of the table got me in the middle of my front upper knee BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM……………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At first I was cut in half by sharp pain-the cold coke jar from the fridge produced some mediocre relieve...After I held the jar to the place of collision I drank cola and went to lunch....
Later that day I noticed that my leg started showing something besides swelling ...BRUISE - and it looked like the map of USA!!!
From the up down...totally: United States of America; I was on East Cost in the Big Apple (NY) - But you could easily recognize California, Lake Michigan and Texas...Florida had its presence too..
A little strange, hah?? Or maybe it meant something?
I wear miniskirts all the time, so BRUISE I got (the map of USA) created quite a wave of attention while walking around Manhattan...Comments like:"Girl, leave him NOW" or "You deserve better" were following me...
I left on scheduled trip to Europe (Brussels) before yesterday and when I arrived after overnight flight my BRUISE became the map of Belgium!!!!
It doesn't look like this BRUISE will go away any time soon...that means more transformations...
Any guesses??
What’s next?? Africa? Puzzled and exited….
Please send your predictions, I will photograph changes and somebody who guesses it true all the way to the end will be presented with BRUISE photo gallery - bonne chance!!!

my village moved to Brussels

It's been 3 month since i left my beloved New York.
<At first it felt like i am tree that got cut down. I am on the ground and somebody's counting my rings.>
I moved to Belgium.< I am staying with my friends, who're so dear to me that i am scared to death overextend their hospitality. That's probably one of the reasons why i can't sleep right now (it's 3am)>
I am in Brussels-OR should i call it Bruxelles like locals do?////
I moved, BUT my village stayed.
My village New York, where i felt at home, safe and comfortable.<which of course comes with huge price tag>
Where i know a lot of people, where i feel like being strange is NORMAL.
It stayed behind....
what does ONE do in the situation like that?
<if i am a tree that's cut...what good could come from it??>
logs for fire and box of matches to make one???
OR i can try to branch out and start again...
I can create my new village.
<Funny thought: New York was named after York...My new village will be called after New York-so it should be my New village New York???>
doesn't sound right, not to mention the feeling of abandonment and distance...

Voyage on foot around Mediterranean sea.

When I heard the news that Zouka (20 year old son of my good friends) was going to travel around Europe the first question I asked was where did he fly to. They told me that he was NOT flying, and then I assumed that he was taking a train, they said: “No train”- “Bus?”…”Motorcycle?”…Apparently he’s NOT going to use transportation…He’s going to travel by foot!

I photographed all stuff he’s taking and will carry on (see photo).

My research how many transports in our era of mass transport are around

came up to a long list, here’s some part of it:

Aviation or air transport: aircraft (aeroplane), balloon, hang glider, helicopter, jetpack, etc;

Road transport: bus, coach, car, motorcycle, truck, trolley bus, etc;

Ship transport: boat (sailboat), ship, etc;

Rail transport: metro (subway), tram, train, etc;

And I don’t even mention transportation like rickshaw or submarine, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_of_transport).

The idea of somebody traveling by walking seems not only unusual but exotic!

I knew I wanted to write about it the moment I heard about his plans. To be part of this voyage if not for real then virtually is the dream come true.

Zouka plans to use some sorts of transports mostly as hitchhiker and wants to complete this route:

Brussels (point of departure)- Strasbourg-Dijon-Lyon-Avignon-Barcelona-Valencia-Malaga-across Gibraltar-morocco coast (Melilla)-Tunis-across canal de Sicile-Palermo-Messina-Naples-Rome-Pisa-Milan-Turin-Bern-Strasbourg-Brussels.

Of course changes are going to occur simply because Zouka might wonder around all these cities and countries if he wishes to do so. How many of us think:” if only I could be as free and brave??”-or maybe some of us are terrified and have all reasons against this kind of plan simply since it’s not safe, not smartly planed, not carefully thought thru, etc.

But I want to salute Zouka!! Bon Voyage and thank you for being brave and careless, romantic and adventurous, free spirited and curious-thank you from all of us who heavily chained to everyday life routine…

what's up?

the day is going through phases: morning coffee, afternoon coffee, evening wine.
Somewhere between these simple and familiar phases i started feeling complexity intruding in one ordinary day. I guess I am (and Lady Ga Ga in my ears) so "opposed to the typical" that i feel conflicted with ordinarily typical day-it started getting on my nerves...
I looked around cafe i am sitting with my notebook and pile of papers (i am writing children' book), trying to detect something or someone that suddenly changed my mood...
There are few people around...quite typically looking...nothing catchy in pretty or ugly way...very ordinary... NORMAL...
What's up?
Have you ever experienced the feeling that you somehow recognize people around you..strangers start looking suspiciously recognizable?
That woman, which sits by the window was she going to NY School University with me long time ago?...
And that man at the bar looks a lot like ex-husband of my ex-girlfriend..
The waiter, who served me coffee half an hour earlier now looks like my second cousin...
What's going on?
Blizzard...
WOW,wait a minute!! who's is that person who just walked in?
Is that??..no, it's NOT POSSIBLE!!!,Or is this Mr. Famous Russian Director (i am not going to reveal his name)..
I am mesmerized with this overwhelming realization, while he grabs the chair and sits at my table looking straight into my eyes with smile hidden in his mustache...
What's up?




`

3 years today-january 3rd.

Today is January 3^rd and it marks 3 years since I got my visit to NY City Hall.

3 years is a lot, right? Or maybe it’s not.

It sure feels like long time to me right now, when I am sitting at the cafe by myself so far away from New York and that special someone I had shared this day 3 years ago…

I remember that day with such vigorous brightness that it pinches my brain….

It was very strange weather for January-warm spring like-blue sky and sunshine.

I took subway downtown and walked into City Hall where I was greeted by 2 friends (one of them was a witness and the other one seemed to be there to silently remind me how unwise was I just about to behave by tying the knot again) and the man I was getting married to. Was I nervous? You bet I was!

I was very nervous-my knees were weak-I was on the edge of crying, but instead I was smiling and kept telling myself, that my hands being tremble and my heart ache were just signs…not the signs of weakness , but the signs of HOPE.

HOPE that this time it will last forever.

Forever is such hard and unforgiving word, Maybe the hardest one around.

Today is much different day-snow is covering everything –very cold –slippery streets.

But sun is shining brightly -I guess the sunshine is what makes me tearful.