Up for president!

I love being a club member. There was even a time that I collected membership cards! The following had the honour of having me as a member: a tennis club (for the boys in nice tennis shorts, hum yes my first boyfriend I met on the tennis court), speech team (for the delicious cream sticks as a treat!), a volleyball team (for the drinks after the training session), two student sororities (for the parties), a cooking club (for the food and laughs!) the YMCA (part of the exchange student experience in the USA), the 'Liegebeestclub' (too hard to explain this membership), the 'Gezinsbond' (for their discounts!!), Greenpeace (for the tax reduction!), and a book club (for the books and meaningful conversations). Guess that I love to be part of something and that I believe in shared causes.

Some of these clubs have also a chairman or a president. In some cases I never knew the name of this person! When I was young (and call me naive!)It seemed that most of these clubs not needed a person in charge. As long I was a happy member I don't really saw the sense of having somebody calling the shots. But like we all know do most clubs need some kind of authority.

One international club that is desperately searching for a president is the EU! It always nice to have a fellow country man on the list of runner ups. So yes, happy to hear that Herman would qualify for this job! He might not have the sex appeal of Sarkozy and not have a wife that can sing! So then Paparazzi won't have an easy time to dish up yummy stories about this perhaps less colourful politician!

HVR might not have the best colour choices of ties and he might be a bit boring in his choice of hobbies. But hey, writing 'Haiku' means that he also has a deeper side to discover! A grey mouse some people call him but for the moment I am a bit fed up with would be politicians who think that politics is a one man show! And when I look at the alternatives I hold my breath. Especially two names make me a bit edgy.

One: the Harry Potter of the Low Countries! In general I don't really consider this man of state a bad choice but they have this attitude thing going on! I can already picture the whole European parliament colour bright orange because JP got into office! Over and over we all will be reminded that they managed to become the first and the best leader of the EU! So on top of cheese with holes, Heineken beer, bikes, wooden clogs, poffertjes, Van Gogh & Rembrandt the Dutch man will promote the EU fiercely. And you can be assured that it won't be long before the first Dutch-Belgian jokes will pop up covering this election victory! You can be sure that we will be once more the laughing stock of the cheesy nation!

Number two: Tony Blair!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Hey, I love British accents! Hugh Grant, Hugh Larie, John Cleese, Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, Colin Firth, Matthew MacFadyen are for me for sure on my list as superb British actors and talented human beings. But please try to explain to me why a nation as grant as the UK still refuses to use the European currency but wants then deliver the first president! If it comes to voting this tea nation really kicked some ass! And yes, they always are the party crashers if it comes to backing up Belgian candidates.

The UK has a love&hate relationship with the EU! They only want a sip of the hot cup of tea when it is sweet enough. They spit out the bitter aftertaste and refuse to add some less obvious ingredients. Can't blame them that they want to keep their own traditions like strangely shaped coins, Trooping the colour, tea mugs with the royal family or Guy Fawkes Night! I am all in favour of these sparkling objects of affection. But it beats me that they still can't come to terms with the consequences of joining an international club with certain rules and regulations!

If you then want to stand out and go against the stream once in a while then this also means that you can't get the maximum out of your membership card! The British politicians always give me the impression that they want to stand united but only under their conditions! And on top of things they will make sure that they will go out into the limelight to announce how we are going to fight back against terrorism, climate change & the economic crises. More then once this nation already felt themselves as the spoke person of the EU!

So, no I am very sorry but this cup of tea will neither agree with me. So to me it doesn't really matter if Herman makes the vote. It would be nice for once to have a Belgian in such a highly symbolic (because let's face it that is what is mainly stands for!) position. When it comes to comparing interest I do think that H has got the best shots. What are fast cars (Tony) and travelling (JP) compared to writing Japanese poetry?

And to give you an idea of what HVR is capable of. Here the Haiku he created for Poetry day in 2008 and covering his wishes for the time to come in Belgian politics:

'Van kerst tot klokken van winter tot lentetijd reist niets tot iets'

'From xmas to chimes from winter to springtime travels something from nothing to something'

P.S.: Please don't take this piece of writing personal! I love the UK and I still love going shopping at the AH in Maastricht!

The winner takes it all! The loser standing small!

Sports and doping are two words that live together very closely! Last week Agassi admitted openly that he also was called to the dark side. 'Of course I am ashamed of myself and hope that this is the end of this lie!' André had managed to cover up a positive drug test and had begged the ATP not to call a press conference! Our bold tennis star got involved with crystal meth because of the break up with Brooke Shields!

He managed to get out of his personal mess and found the long arms of Steffi Graf to rest on! Now 12 years later he lifts up the lid and hopes that we can forgive him! Well, André, what can I say!? You won tons of tournaments, you were for sure the clown of the tennis circus, had the nicest smile of all and when you cried it was heartbreaking! Emotions all over the field! Now that you left the field and have for sure nothing to fear of you think that the time is ripe to call it to and end.

I bet that there are two tennis colleagues that really envy you for the moment. Yanina & Xavier! They are suspended for one year because they did not mention their whereabouts a few times! And Xavier missed on top of that one drug test! So this morning two athletes their lives changed for the worst! For the next 12 months they are not allowed to enter any official tournament!

This is the ultimate nightmare for a tennis player. It means that you lose everything. All the points you gained last season you will lose, not a single official tournament you can enter, sponsors that will end their cooperation, a condition that won't be challenged, no rhythm and of course tons of people that will have second thoughts about you!

Especially that last one is very hard to deal with as an athlete! You will mentally be challenged day in day out! Chances are very low that you will come out stronger! And when you then finally are allowed back on the centre court you are up against an extra opponent!

I do agree with the people who say that the law is the law! Rules must be obeyed! I do hope that whenever I get in trouble that the judge that I am facing applies lawfully the rules! In the case of Yanina&Xavier the judges did not bend any rules! The did what was expected of them and rightly so!

If Y&X had just filled out their paperwork correctly they would have been fine! It seems a bit strange that they left open some blanks and just forgot about it! They must have seen that one coming! They have of course tons of excuses ready but none them justify this and so rules are rules.

But I do feel so sorry for them! One year suspension is very harsh! For Xavier it could for sure mean the end of his career and this is for sure not the end he had in mind. For Yakima is might be the next big test! Finding out if she can cope with the not competing and hanging out with her peers! But still having to keep her mind and body ‘sane’!

The only thing that really ticks me of here is that if they both had been living in the Walloon part of our country this would have not getten into the open! Doping wise we already have split up our nation! COOL!!!

One last tip for Y&X: please, fill all the blanks or write a very emotional letter to the WADA, ITF or ATP! That one worked for André and he will even make money out of that story! Seems that paperwork really makes the difference! Or to say it with some very wise words:’ who writes, lasts!'

So, where is my Moleskine daily planner? I need to feel in urgently my whereabouts! In case you are interested: I am doing some shopping with A& my mum for a very important date!!!

P.S.: I wisely advice you not to start any dinner discussion in the presence of P&me about this subject!!! We might end up throwing your best china across the room!! At least I can be happy about Kim Clijsters here whereabouts! She manages to fill them out every day and it only takes 5 minutes!! Good girl!!!

Get it out in the open!

ER its final season is on!! P&I love that series. P for different reasons then I do. Like many women I loved George and Noah! So when they left I did felt a bit down but soon their spots were filled up by others in green scrubs! And many passed the revue!

For the moment most familiar faces find the way back to the ER in Chicago and yes even our Nespresso guy will turn up! But the one episode that I will cherish for a very long time I saw last week! Basically it was about Abby saying goodbye and leaving with Luca! She had not told many people that she was going to leave at the end of the day! So just a normal shift and then off for the unknown.

But while she was facing those last 18 hours she managed to make sure that every single co-worker, friend, nurse or even higher member of staff got a personal last goodbye!!! While I watched her shaking hands, hugging people to death, speaking up her mind, spreading around wise words of advice, talking up her mind, standing up for herself and others I felt a bit warm and cold at the inside!

Especially when she walked into a meeting with officials and defending one of the nurses I just got goose bumps! What Abby did during that one episode was what many of us just don't seem to get done in our life time: speaking up our mind, no matter what! In an honest way, sincere, without grudges and without regrets!

How many times did I catch myself thinking that I should have said something but instead I ended up saying nothing at all? If I look at myself I do admit that I should try harder to speak up and trying to be honest with many more people. Not only in a negative way! Nope! Also so telling once in while that I am happy to know them!

I promise myself so many times that I have tell some people that I do care about them, that they have made or still make the difference, that I do believe in them, that they do their very best, that I miss them and that brighten up my life. I also know that in many more situations I should take a stand when it comes to believes and opinions. It even couldn't hurt to talk back or tell somebody once in while that he or she has hurt

And no, I don't want to wait till I am saying goodbye! The people that made in my life the biggest impact were/are for sure human beings with a tremendous big heart and a drive. I already had to say goodbye to a few of them but I carry them with me in my heart.

And yes, I do think that instead of just letting some people easy getting of the hook you should get it out in the open. Communication is a very strong tool but we don't use it in the most efficiently way. In my class room I point out so many times that words can harm but also be the best band aid ever! Many of my attentive pupils have amazed my already with their outspoken mind and wit. They managed to make me smile, shrug my shoulders, scream, LOL, getting cross, feeling disappointed or proud! They seem to master so much more the ability of being open and not holding back!

Okay, there are moments that what they say does hurt me or can make me feel a bit less comfortable with myself! But I do know for almost 100% that they are sincere. The two faced ones even have weak moments once in a while! Even when one of them walks out on me and leaves me standing there feeling a bit like an idiot I do know that in less then 24 hours we have to face each other and give it an other go!

So don't be surprised the next time when you see me that I might give you an extra hugh, wink at you, give you a compliment or be honest with you. In case I forget then don't be surprised to find a message on your answering machine! And in case we end up screaming at each other or when I just speak up my mind........... don't hold back because we only get one chance to get it right!!!

P.S.: For the moment I am practicing what I am preaching and you can be sure it is not an easy job!

Brainbreakers

Autumn has for sure arrived! Our back yard is filled up with yellow, brown and orange leaves! Rain is one of the daily ingredients and we had to turn on the central heating! I even had to get out my winter nightties and my cherry pillowcase in case our bedroom feels like the Nord Pole!

The only nice side effect of this season is that we already have our first break meaning that we have some quality time to spend with friends and family. It also means that the first two months of the school year are already passed by!

I also noticed that I had less and less time to write some blog entries. The last few weeks I had tons of brain teasers to solve and I am not just talking about my new DS game 'Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box'. Nope, those are rather easy compared to ones I had or have to solve.

- I managed to have my first meeting as educational supervisor! I broke my brain over the fact how it was going to be like such meetings. Needless to say that I was a bit zombie like when I drove to Hoegaarden (the home of the whitest beer of Belgium) and when I asked to way to the school I was actually parked in front of it! In the end it was just fine and it still the learning experience I am after.

- Starting up a new Comenius project! This is always a tricky thing and I do know that we need to convince first tons of our colleagues that this can be a very nice experience. I regret the fact that I won't be able to attend the start meeting in Italy! But I am ready to tackle the obstacles ahead of us! The brain breaking action is how to sell this project in the most appealing way! Still trying to solve this one!

- Zumba lessons are still entered into my dairy and I love to shake all I have got! I ended up once forgetting my gym bag at the dance studio and was forced to drive back! Meaning that I had to face the big chief of the studio! She is one of the judges on 'Stars on the dance floor' and I can assure you that without make up she is so much more graceful! And even after some lessons I just can't get my head around how to shake all that what my mother gave me!

- Visiting our newly born niece A! A, P & I boarded the plane heading for Spain to visit the family and admire our newest asset. A was over the moon with her. He treated her like a princess. Produced tons of drawings to hang in her room, managed to stay quiet when asked, gave her the attention that women want and like and on top of that he picked out a very cute pair of Camper Shoes at Cortez Ingles department store! So for once I did need to break my head over what to buy!

- buying new clothes. A few weeks ago I cleared out my closet and this meant that I had tons of space to fill up with new clothes. So P dragged me into some stores and I was forced to try out the newest fall colours! P was so enthusiastic that I even had to point out that I had not won the lottery. I spend some time in my cubicle breaking my mind over what to choose because I just loved all P made me try! I do now own some nice new things that will for sure brighten up the more gloomy days of autumn and winter!

- Classes!!! This year is not a blast because I just can't manage to attend them all! Some sessions take place when I am working. Guess that I will be stuck in their even longer then expected but the student card I obtain then will mean some nice discounts as well! No real useful solution to this problem but hey, I still try to obtain knowledge!

- Getting ready for N&P their wedding! This is also hard work! This week I hope to find the last items and this with the help of my mother! I booked the hairdresser and we are also putting together N her girls' night! It will for sure be a night to remember but I ended up with the brain breaker!

- But the worst brain teaser of all is getting flu shots! For the very first time I got the one for the seasonal one! But because I am a teacher I qualify for getting a shot for the Mexican kind! I have been looking forward to this because I am a bit scared of this bugger! But now I am into some reading about this subject and I do have second thaughts about it! Even P is having doubts!!! 'To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that's the question!' And I do feel a bit like Hamlet!! Perhaps the only way to solve this one is with head or tails!!!!

Ignore!!!

A few months ago a friend of mine told me that she read my blog but that she thought that I never said B! Well, she might be right. I am not that good at really digging into the dirt! Hate to call the things by name when they are less kind. Before heading of with this blogstory I had made some promises. I was never going to hurt people directly by writing about them and trying to safeguard their privacy by in most cases never to use their full names. Family and friends are sacred to me and I don't consider a blog the right place to get things into the open.

Sometimes this is hard because I have some of those moments that I am so fed up with certain individuals I have to hang out with. Like they are in the way. Believe me I do try to be diplomatic in most cases. After 35 years you do know for sure that this globe also gives shelter to people who have different standards and plans then you. In most cases I try to put it in the right prospective but I do have some issues with some people that don't seem to get settled.

It is just that I do have these moments that I would like to strangle some individuals who seem to play the game by their own set of rules. This girl then seriously is tempted to trespass to the 'dark side'. I then do scream, call people less funny names, I kick and am capable of doing things that are considered a crime. But above all my mind is spinning like crazy!


Being the person I am I would rather get it into the open. Talk things over and find a compromise but this not always seems to be the case. In some issues talking is not the magic potion! And then I am so disappointed in people but also in myself! I have considered to even changing jobs because of this! I can't handle it any longer and am afraid that I end up saying things out loud that I will regret later on. But hey I am only human!

The best advice I get in most of these situations: ignore! Well, there is goes wrong. I just can't and I know it is a flaw in my character. But in this case it will be the only way to handle it with care! So sorry for those who will bump into me and meet a less upbeat Stallie! I am ignoring some bits and pieces! Chances are high that you are not the subject of my grudges but the individuals that are will have a ball! Deep down inside I do know that I should care less and that the time that I have been spending on typing this blog entry could have been used for better things: like polishing my toenails, doing the laundry&the dishes, writing report cards, baking a nice cake, reading a glossy magazine or bestseller!!! And believe me ignoring dirty dishes and clothes are also a mission impossible!

P.S.: Tonight 'Mission Impossible III' is on!! A movie hard to ignore as well!!!

Bay Watch!

The last few weeks did really pass by. There were some ups and some downs but most of all it amazed me how fast time flew. If they would ever find a way of cloning time I would sign up right away. And because I had not that much time left to reflect about it here I just want to share some highlights of the last few weeks.

- After signing up for my new classes at the university I managed to end up in the wrong class. That had never happened before and I can assure you I felt like one of those freshmen when they are running around on campus during their first week ever! I managed to get out during the break but my cheeks reflected a bit the colour of a tomato! One Wednesday I was also forced to take A along to the student administration office. He was really cool about it. It was quite hilarious to hear him scream through the whole student mess that he was 'ready' (A screams this when he wants to whipped of when going to the toilet!) and you can bet that I was again once more imitating a tomato!
- I managed to book my first meeting as an educational advisor. Wasn't that easy because try to imagine to get a number of teachers together with each their own agenda. In my new job I imagined that it would be a bit more straightforward with planning. But hey! Last week I mailed my first letters with my name under it! Was a very strange sensation!
- A did say goodbye to R at the swimming pool of Overijse. After six weeks of trying to make some progress in the water it seemed that my five year old started to hate the water. He even cried and had blue lips from the cold water. It broke my heart to see him that way. So we packed in our swimming trunks and headed for a new swim adventure but elsewhere!
- My pupils can still amaze me and make me smile. There were some moments that I left my class room feeling rather satisfied. I still seem to like the teaching aspect of my job description. Looking back I can state that I had more laughs then screaming sessions. Best moment of all was when one of pupils pointed out that I had written a mistake in his diary. 'Misses you have signed this note with 'Misses Stamp'!' He wasn't kidding!!!! When the school nurse walked in that moment we had some extra laughs about this. For sure a highlight of my career.
- P and I ended up once more on the shiatsu massage floor of N. For me it is routine now but for P it was the first time. One of the side effects of N her golden hands is you also get an emotional drain. So when P came back from his session I knew what to expect. Once more we had one of those very harsh discussions.
- A leaves a trail of art work through out the house. Rockets, UFOs, cleaning machines, bread machines & trains. When he is asked what these artworks represent he comes up with some unbelievable sounding explanations. I can assure you that if you would ever get your hands on one of these manuals that come along with those creations you need to go back to university!
- I made it back to the gym! ZUMBA is the newest trend and I do think that it is an amazing way of pushing yourself to the edge. But if you would have told me that I would be shaking my hips with in the back ground the song 'The roof, the roof is on fire!' I would have starred at you with rather big eyes!
- N&P their wedding is coming closer and closer. So I met up with the bride to be and my fellow maid of honour. The two of us had to join our 'bridezilla' to hunt for the fitting outfit. Strangely enough we only had to walk into one shop to find the clothes that N considers good enough. But I had to promise not to wear high heels because N will then look rather as a dwarf in her wedding dress and we are then the two giants running after her veil.
- My new job includes also some painful side effects like a painful neck. Spending tons of time in front of a computer screen seems not to agree with my neck. My best buddy for the moment is now a micro waved cherry pillow to ease the tension.

The five star highlight of the last few weeks is the following:

- A made his comeback at the swimming pool! He had made me the promise that he would do anything for his swim instructor if the water would be a bit warmer! So we looked for a pool with hot water and did find one. Now this little guy can't wait to jump into his swimming trunks to join 'his' Coralie! I have to admit that she is quite something. In the beginning I was a bit afraid because she only talks French. But what she manages to do with A I had never dare to believe after the whole swimming nightmare we went through. I witnessed A using his legs the right way, daring to going under with his head and as top act diving into the water and then picking up some colourful objects!!! This all without wearing any extra help. And this he all does with a big smile! It is such a cute sight to see him having fun in the water and wearing his red goggles for under water use and high fifing Coralie! And for me there is also a very nice treat: the male swim instructors! Yummy, yummy!! Hey, can you blame me?! Being a mother of a five year old can be a though job! So when you look for me on a Saturday around 12 o'clock chances are high that I am sitting next to pool enjoying the sight!!!!!

Heading back to class!

The month of September is already a fact and that means that I have managed to deal with tons of stress without ending up in a Looney bin! Not that there were no moments that I would have liked to have taken some Valium.

One of the last items on my to-do-list was trying to get back to classes. Seemed not that easy because of the fact that I now try to combine two job challenges. And A seemed also to have some extra days. And hey, the prospect of having to drag him along to the student administration office was not my idea of an easy trip through the woods.

Deep down I was even giving up all together to get my student ID renewed. I know that being student means that you have to be able to handle some stress. The last months were stressful and the summer I needed just to get into balance with myself.
And in case you have not noticed yet. I did not manage to pass all the subjects that I took! Two out of four might not be the result that I dreamed of but hey I am proud of the fact that I at least tried to study!

I can now admit as well that it is thanks to many people around me that I did get into my car and drove to Louvain. Friends, colleagues and family were wondering if I still had the guts to get back into the brain battle! Sometimes I had some doubts but yesterday I was standing once more at the student’s registration office and facing a huge line of very important&young looking people. 'What am I doing here?'' Just look at them! They are still full of dreams and hopes. I must look rather ancient!' One of the girls standing in line was also nice to keep her iPod sending out some harsh notes of music. 'I don't know what kind of music she is listening to!'

Before I knew I was standing in front of a desk with a nice sounding lady behind it! 'Your file looks fine and you should be able to fill out everything from behind your computer!' 'Hum, you are sure? I had the impression that people with my ISP had to come by!' 'No, all you need to do is select your classes and mail this to us by the internet. Next you send back your Student ID card and we will renew it after all is taken care of!'

The rest of the day I managed to get into the wrong lecture (hum, I forget to check very carefully where I had to be!), I had lunch at Alma 2 (nice student discount!), went to the FNAC & Standard bookshop to use my collected points (I bought a very nice baking cookbook for the cold days to come!), went to a very interesting class with the label 'Psychiatry&pathology' and ended up not feeling depressed (and this after that this word was mentioned more then 50 times!), hit the Friday traffic in Louvain city where students cause even longer waiting lines, I paid my educational discount cheques and I signed to change my ISP!

Last year I was so proud of myself that I managed to do this without having to call in the help troops. Not a single mail left this house with questions concerning my Individual Student Programme! But this time I just really screwed up that part of my student life. This girl managed to send in an empty ISP!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Meaning that now I 'am' an empty file!

And this because I just hit the wrong key of my keyboard! How stupid can you be!? Not that the very academic people did not try to warn me! All over there were warning that you had to be very cautious when working on you ISP! That once your choice was sent in you were not able to make any adjustments!

So the last thing I did yesterday evening before signing out of my student file on Toledo was mailing my ISP assist! Now all I can hope for is that they get back to me ASAP. P thinks they will because a student who does not select any classes can't be a student! I gave him a very suspicious look when he said this. 'There must me a double meaning in there!’ I was thinking but to chase away all the dark thoughts I digged once more into my chocolate treasure! Betting that this year chocolate will be a study mate!