Entire population of Miami, Mienapolis and Las Vegas in Jail

What’s in my mind?

I like the idea that all the texts I read and all the images and films I watch and that I memories randomly throughout my life will be useful someday. I like this idea because it makes me feel like I have some culture, some knowledge of the world and the cultures that surround me; that I exist because I learn.

It’s not often that I have the opportunity to use that trivia. A few years ago, six or seven to be precise I went to my first pub quiz. Blinded by my young and too powerful ego, more shiny than useful, I thought I was going to finally get all that knowledge out of me and impress everyone. Surprisingly, I failed in great lengths.

Throughout the years I have been sometimes in average positions, sometimes in worst ones but overall this has been a big disappointment to me. And I felt like all the knowledge I had in me was not the right one, not the useful one.

Back in Paris, I have started to attend some pub quiz again, with some better results… and yesterday we finished second out of 23 teams. It’s not about being second, it’s not about the champagne bottle we could have won, it’s about hope, it’s about believing that we can. Yes Yvan! I believe I can do it.

I can say it now without being too pretentious: One day I will win that pub quiz. May be not next week, or next year, but one day I will sip that glass of champagne with sparkling bubbles tasting like my sparkling mind that has been set to sleep for too long.

(Pub quiz at the Green Linnet, Paris – With Páraic Maguire as quiz Master who does a extremely good job: “Stern but fair”)

The circle of life within life

It’s funny how things seems to evolve a lot and then you realize all of a sudden you are back at the same point.

Take me, for example. Four years ago, I started my first job in The City (London) in a new office, new industry and new skills… Since then I worked two years there, decided to change job, industry and continent and arrived in Africa. Learned new skills, in a new industry, in a new world. After that, I decided to go back to my first loves, back to Paris, start my business in yet a new industry.

One might the position I am in today say it’s completely different than the one our years ago.

Well it’s not. And the reason is named: Carmelia. I am back at the same spot because I just bought a plant for my new desk and I named it Carmelia…

Carmelia next to my desk in Paris

Well this reminds me of something I wrote more than 2 yeard ago.

Dive into my life

So this is it, after only a few months I am done. Or actualy I am only starting. I have spend the past six months working in my bedroom on my computer or on the phone, calling, design choosing, dismissing, buying, typing…

And now I am finaly ready to open my own little shop. My Own Little Shop, four words very simple, incredibly dull but so important to me. I have created a brand, an image, a shop, an atmosphere, a proposition for people out there on the net looking for cool clothes and cool itms to inhance there interior.

The shop is www.PirartSociety.com it sell clothes for men, pop and cool, snazzy and trendy. Some toys too or sculputures, or art design. Everything is done by Tany, handmade (for the big part). Only limited series because it’s made for the happy few…

The end of summer

It has been a long and difficult summer, a summer that seems to be getting to an end. I have spend most of my days working on the Pirart Society project. Everything is going on very well, I have finished all my prototypes and even started to produce some models.

So whats left? Do the website… Finalise the deal with a belgian factory for them to start producing part of my clothes, and deal with day to day administative tasks which are really the anyoying part of the job.

I should receive soon my new business card, and I must admit I am very exited about them as I have put a lot of effort to design them and make them look dashing. wim wam boom. The labels I received look very nice too.

Apart from that I am under a constant stress, as I imagine anyone in my situation would be. The financial implications and repercussions on my life are also non negligible, living and working at the same place added to the long days and weeks and eating pasta ten times a week does not make it to easy but for now I’m still feeling great and highly motivated (mainly because I am happy with the results I got until now and about the positive reaction of people who has seen my work until now.

A businessman I am

On the road to creating my business I have still a few hurdles to pass. From my point of view (artist’s eye) the business aspect of my task is only a necessary downfall of my project. Business profit being only a means to an end – the end being creation, and the mean is to feed the artist (at least) and if possible prevent him from being affected by everyday hassle of survival (oh dear!).

So coming from where I come, I do acknowledge I have a few – many (oh dear!) – lacuna and one of theme is not having a hyper-developed sens of business. So, being somewhat dedicated to my goal, one of my milestones is to improve my business skills, and so trying to develop my awareness of business opportunities. I must start to see my surroundings as a sum of economic unbalances that I should take advantage of (what am I talking about?). Nevertheless I am proud to say today that I have made an important step towards success.

Task of the day: Bargain bread price at my Boulangerie. (oh boy!)

Mission accomplished! I used the good old “That’s all the money I have, take it or leave it”. Savings of the day: 2.20% on my baguette!

La vie comme elle vient

- Mais que fais-tu?

- Je vis. Heureux.

On me demande – “on” tout de suite les grands mots – on me demande donc parfois, au détour de conversations informels, ce que je fais de ma vie. Eh bien je sauve la mienne et puis celle de douze canetons. La vie est un peu compliquée, et sans aucun doute pleine d’inattendus.

Parti d’Afrique je me construit ici un présent ambicieux. Parti de rien; partie de plaisir. Quelle angoisse. C’est très trortueux comme chemin de pensée, un peu confu. Il y ma une nouvelle carrière dans une nouvelle entreprise. Une nouvelle entreprise que je crée et dont j’attend l’officialisation. Il y a cette histoire de chasseurs de primes aussi, c’est très lié mais pour l’instant c’est complêtement différent. Ah il y a aussi cette tête de vache, grande et rouge qui flotte au dessus des blés. Je l’ai accouché enfin ce 26 juillet d’été – à guetter sur dejavu. Il y au aussi le mariage de mon meilleur ami et Paris l’été. Les noces de chateaubreton.com et puis j’en oublie expres.

Mais mines de rien, tout comence lentement a s’assembler, quitte à ce que les choses se téléscopent au final. Le plan est en route et Inchalla on va y arriver – “on” tout de suite les grands mots.

Best Days of Our Lives

So how is it like in New York city,
Where student’s fresh minds run desp’rately free?
So how is it like in your Manhattan
Where mighty pages are being written?

In your own time, in your own time
You are coming to age, I witness that.

Did we ever see on those days,
How fast beauty was fading away?

Why didn’t we know, playing with their knives,

We were spending the best days of our lives?

It does not matter anymore nore does it make a difference:
We are aware now time is passing by and softens our senses.

In your own time, in your own time
You are starting changes, I witness that.

Take it slow-ly and turn things around steadi-ly, our way.
Do you know and do you feel all these people watching you?
Like we used to follow shining stars; these miracles we glazed at.

“Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children.”

G. B. Shaw

De retour à Paris

Alors qu’est-ce que ça fait de rentrer à Paris?

Hm, je ne sais pas trop en tous cas il y a des choses qui m’ont manqué et que je retrouve avec joie aujourd’hui ici. Des choses personnelles et puis d’autres comme la culture. Je me souviens de ses gens d’Afrique du Sud incrédules qui ne comprennait pas que cela puisse etre si important.

Ca l’est. Et j’étais comblé hier que se tienne la nuit des musées, à laquelle j’ai participé pour la première fois.

Cet après midi, expo Dave LaChapelle et ses photos à carractère sex trach et acidulés; un peu decevant: rien de nouveau et peux d’oeuvres.

Qu’à cela ne tienne, ce sera bientôt peut être notre tour.

The Breath of Panam

Chop chop sharp boy. It’s been 64 years today since the end of the second world war. Let’s celebrate, karaoke, ok. Korean style.

8:30pm let’s meet and let Min-Sik sing for a while. You, larynx Creep! There was Billy Jean etc baby, you sing it like you can, until the clock says stop. Top notch venue. Let have something to eat, ok: Karaoke. Korean style. We’ll share a soup shall we not, asks Min-Sik. Why do you ask?

Clock says stop and we all end up in Boulogne, Boulouloubi would say Marwan,  on the balcony of a first floor flat looking into a  dark neat night. So what did you say about your holiday in Baly? So what did you say about South Africa? I sing it like I can.  And it all disapears in the wind like a puff of  smoke. We ride back to our houses sliding on the thick grey ribbon, we fall back suddenly into our lives. Doesn’t it feel great?