all begins with L

on why i’m at peace: this is a cut&paste so don’t be offended. )

“Alright, here we go.

Eight months on and I am declaring that my quarter life crisis is coming to a proper wrap. After series of interviews, taking aims and pursuing ‘proper’ jobs, I walked away from the last interview feeling utterly relieved knowing that I wouldnt be taking up the position despite putting on a good show.

After an hour of grilling the CEO looked at me and say that I am not one who value sales as much as marketing. I looked at him and went “absolutely.” We all know that a good product is a matter of being communicated, sales is a by-bonus end results. Chey-bah. )

After which I recommended him a good restaurant to have lunch in and he asked me to join him. But then I thought my time with him that day was already over stretched.

I am however meeting him again for possible collaboration. I’m beginning to embrace this mantra of working with people, not for people, even if you’re in a company. And that’s exactly what I’m gearing on with this coffee stint.

True enough, couple of weeks down the road, I saw the present in light. I start to work with what’s around me, my customers, my colleagues, the bosses and just working with the present value.

After seven months I’ve gradually make known to the managers of what I really want to do professionally and right now I’m co-interior designing the new coming cafe these guys are setting up. End of August I’ll be heading to Italy for the Biennale.

Coming back I’ll be starting an introductory course on Interior Design, not a masters nor a bachelor but a starting point. I’m beginning to love London for what it’s worth. Even today taking a new bus route home, I chance upon a road I’ve yet to stroll by.

It hasn’t been easy, I’ve made fools out of myself and still catching myself doing so at times, I’ve gotten quiet lately, perhaps having something to do makes you talk less, and if you talk less then you’ll really find something to do. The equation seems to work at present moment.”

THE FOLLOWING IS NOT CUT&PASTE, SO PAY ATTENTION. )

well, yes the ceo extended a dinner invitation next week. why not. and there’s a new distraction in town. when i get a name, i’ll let you know.

i found an interior design course from st martin which i’ll be signing up for when i get back from Italy. starts in October. Lola leaves London for good tomorrow, i’m quite sad about it actually.

i kinda fought with Sanran, I don’t know how to put it across to him that I can’t be friends with him anymore unless we completely put aside this intimacy.

on a more trivial note, i’m meeting ms. elizaveta tomorrow.

man?women?man?women? is never the question. )

you, i miss, as always.

now what next
for the coming decade

ps. i miss the family

dear Q,

hehehehehehehahahahahahehee

hahaha.. hehe.

it has been while darling.

it’s snowing!!!!

i did spit and whine in the morning saying if it’s going to be this cold, god damn it let it snow.
and it did!!!!

i’m happy, just like that.

we all need that one frivalous reason to escape and smile silly
never mind the grumpy faces and hour long train rides

on a side note
tamping, steaming, watch the dripping

on what i do now for a living.

yea, i’d like to keep this one

as a friend

so i’m a bit hesitant this time around

with the ego

and the libido.

Am rather amused at this beta morphing murketing (yes with a ‘u’) industry. There are designations called Junior Trends Researcher, Creative Planner, Planning Strategeist, and then there is Strategic Planner,

down to Account Executive which does not differ much from Portfolio Manager. In certain agencies you have Studio Managers that doubles up as Personal Assistant (??). Well that is when the (old and married but rather suave) Creative Director starts hitting on you.

What is the difference between New Business Development Executive and a Junior Business Strategist again?

And when they just can’t decide what you are capable of,
you are the PROJECT MANAGER.

Oh wait, on the creative side, here’s the best: User Experience Designer.

London tube announcement: “please get on the train and tell the person next to you to get on the train, because there’s only one train running today, i’ve been saying this the whole day and i’m tired. so please get on the traaain.”

And the crowd laughed.

there’s a certain ritual to ushering in the new year, or rather if you’re a less futuristic person (with a history major) you would say instead, ‘to wrap up the year’. And they are almost accurately as follows:

a) reading old letters/blog post
b) scrolling through phone numbers
c) and delete those you’d probably not need to remember about (or pursue) in the new phase of your life
d) decide whether you really should delete their numbers
e) chart how old your virtual pets are, namely your blog, your flickr acccount, your twitter account, ourchart account, hotmail account??!
f) re reading certain post and stomach a guffaw, re re re reading another post
g) that brings a trip down memory lane that turns into another lane, then goes waaay into the back lane
h) and go “omg C, look what i found!!”
i) and go bloody hell! my blog is turning three!

the flings, the affairs, the trials, the pursuits, the fantasies that partially morphed into bitter sweet realities, here we we go again.

the things i do for you Q.

You Are a Pinky

You are fiercely independent, and possibly downright weird.
A great communicator, you can get along with almost anyone.
You are kind and sympathetic. You support all your friends - and love them for who they are.

You get along well with: The Ring Finger

Stay away from: The Thumb (i love this part, lol)

when i made plans for london ten years ago, i didn’t know you would take me seriously, down to the nitty gritty details of

a) the starting from scratch (or rather from negative) bit
b) the being homeless bit
c) hopefully i don’t have to go through the ‘washing dishes in chinatown’ bit

from british american tobacco to a few digital media companies, and two starbucks outlet. the starbucks bit is quite hard to swallow. *avoid shoe flying from purist coffee friends/fans. their baristas are seemingly tripping twenty four seven.

“HELLO, HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR COFFEE? (BIG SMILE), TALL? GRANDE? (BIG SMILE) DRY? (BIG SMILE) WET? (BIG SMILE) I’M SORRY? (BIG SMILE)

creepy.

As a few of you have been told/heard/read,

An attempt to renew my visa at the Greek border has resulted in an exact opposite outcome. It turned out that I have overstayed a single entry visa. Completely unaware of it being a ’single entry’ thus that has made me illegal since my student residence permit expired in October.

I will need to leave the country asap and will not be able to come back for at least three months. On top of that I will have to pay a fine for each day overstayed. I’m quite lucky to not be deported immediately to a Greek island, it would have been a sexy (mis)adventure but begging the custom officer and telling him that my whole life’s possession is in Istanbul was a wiser move.

The bright side is that I have a working visa for London and would not have to go back to the far east. The decision made is to fly back to London next week and utilize the work visa for a slightly longer term.

Definitely did not see this coming but am doing my very best to be very objective about the situation.

I’ve made Istanbul my home and it will be so whether i’m physically in it or not. Perhaps to start here from scratch is rather ambitious and in the last couple of months it has been extremely challenging if not foolishly so. With a new language to grasp, I am reduced to a five month old baby, it has improved but only to buy more groceries and impress parents to marry off their sons to me.

The stint I have with the agency has never been a stable affair, especially so since i lost all my clients to the global crisis. Perhaps London would be a more practical option despite the economic crisis. If anything would have to work in contradiction, I’ll be one to embrace it. Perhaps why i am not half as emotional as i was when i left the city the first time around. i have found a home that i cannot live in for now, like everything else in Istanbul and of Istanbul, life as it is, is an oxymoron.

Another one stumbled upon my blog by Googling “i am no longer enamored with you”. What a random (virtual) world.

fluttr could be a domain name for (oh no not) another online social network, because that’s exactly what (/i haveinthestomach) i’m feeling right now before a first meet - offline.

;)

“English is the sexiest language on earth.” - this can only come from a drunk French.

Best way to prepare for a Turkish exam: flirt in the local language.

Bir dahaki sefere Istanbul’a geldiğinde beni ara = Next time to Istanbul, when you are coming, call me.

A (said) : I like men in uniforms.
B (said) : I like men in all forms.
C (said) : I like men in hot forms.

“i still don’t get what an old married MAN has that a young woman doesn’t”

“he has a young woman, age 28, and she’s stunning, and i don’t.”

what a line. what a line.

someone stumbled my upon my blog by googling
“…what currency begins with L?”

erm, Lira?

another one googled “I need to laugh”.

hahahahahaha.
that made my day.