“I’m sorry; did I forget to mention you HAVE to move out in three days?”

Yes. I’m on holiday, and despite the fact that we told our ‘landlord’ – or rather the guy who owns the house and rents it, aka “lord of postponing essential things such as fixing the heating, the shower and other things that constitute modern comfort “ – that we would move out on the 6th, he decided to rent the house on the 1st. I’m still on holiday until the 2nd. Yes. Thankfully my girlfriend cannot afford to go on holiday because of the lousy company she works for, so she will be able to pack all our things and move them to her godmother’s house until she can find another room to rent.

No ‘reo

originally uploaded by Damien.ldp.

I’ve been in a few countries around the world and I am starting to wonder why we don’t have Oreos in France.
The same thing could be said about Burger King which for some reason we don’t have anymore – even though we don’t really need anymore fast food.

Rude boys and cigarettes

originally uploaded by Damien.ldp.

I was on the ferry from Athens to Santorini. – an 8h boat trip starting sitting in a cheap cafeteria – and the journey was more or less fine, even though we only had had a few hours of sleep the night before. Everyone in the boat was trying to sleep, at least at the beginning (departure at 6.30am), when two Greek men in their late fifties came on our side, sat down at a table, switched their boom box on –not loud but enough to be heard on top of the engine – and started smoking and playing cards.

Italian macho male

originally uploaded by Damien.ldp.

I Venice, where I was for the weekend, I had a funny encounter with an Italian macho male.

I was having lunch at a restaurant with my parents, and sitting at a table next to us was three people – father, son and his wife I guess. They seemed a bit austere at first glance but I didn’t really pay attention to them.
At one point the ‘father’ drop his menu on the floor, next to me. I glance at it but he doesn’t move, so I pick it up but as I reach for it the father tries to stop me by putting his hand on my forearm. I don’t care and I put it back on his table. Instead of thanking me, he mumbles something in Italian – I understand he’s telling me we shouldn’t do that, it’s the waiter’s job.
A few moments later the waiters brings them pasta. They call him back and the father hand back his plate to the waiter with the meanest look and expression of resentment. I don’t fully understand what he said but I understood ‘al dente’. The waiter tried to reply but was interrupted by another remark from the mean man. They got another plate a few moments later.

I am always amazed at how much people can become intolerant and inhuman. I also wonder if this man was born like this or if something made him become like this and if yes what.

Betting on dog racing

Walthamstow dog racing from damien.ldp on Vimeo.

Before my final days in the company – and in London – my colleagues and I wanted to have a night out at ‘the dogs’.

Virginie is blossoming

plant 002, originally uploaded by Damien.ldp.
A few months ago when we cleaned the office, I found an old dusty plant sitting on a shelf in a corner… I took care of it, cut all its brown leaves off, fed it, cleaned it and put it next to my desk by the window. It had 4 leaves left at the time. I named it Virginie.
Day after day, I saw it growing stronger and greener, leaves emerging. Coming back from my week end was I not surprised to see its first flower wide! My Virginie has blossomed.

I am the happy father of a pure white iris flower.

One month before I leave my job

Yesterday was day for day one month before I leave my company (the 5th of October). Interesting coincidence: A co-worker left the company on that day. It was very strange attending the goodbye party and seeing people running around all day long reminiscing good times, preparing the gifts and cakes… I must say I was quite happy to think that one day soon the envied leaving graduate would be me.