These are the ten blogs I commented on each day, because I missed my Sunday promise once this year. The second part will come on Sunday, so maybe you'll find yourself there.
Do you like welcoming back old friends when they return to your life?
This weekend I had another round of coincidences. First I met old school friends that I hadn't seen in years. It was interesting how everyone seemed to be happy with their studies, their life in different parts of the world and most importantly their love life. It's weird how they all have longterm relationships and even if they broke up with the one I used to know, then they have been together with another one for over a year at least. Talking about rumors of old classmates was hilarious, too. You begin to wonder how people end up with what they are doing right now, whereas others were obvious to foresee.
Later that special Easter weekend (Happy Easter to everyone by the way), I met friends I grew up with. Again, we hadn't seen each other in 3 years. It was a blast to recount all the stories, all the teenage or childhood mischief we could still remember. Pure fun. It's great to know that they are all doing fine. Relationships for 5, 11 or 3 years. A good perspective on regular income and generally a happy life.
Now I look at my own circumstances. Big question mark. Do you have interesting stories meeting someone from the past?
I just read a short story that I was working on over a year ago. It is a very personal story, one that I don't even know whether I can ever give it to the person that is involved. On the other hand, it's a really good story.
I was wondering how you cope with using material about your personal experience. People you know become characters (even though they will be different). In my first book, I used practically my whole environment. Parents and friends said they could clearly see themselves in it. Back then I didn't really think about what they thought of my depiction. That has changed.
If you witness something really funny happening, would you use it in your writing, even though the person that it happened to might read it someday? After all, you do use different names.
Almost there - really hard at the end
Trip:
Good - bad, and all in between See pictures here!
Start:
8am, cloudy and foggy, freezing for one hour
9am, sun came out, warming up in seconds, finally
10am, first of a series of small traffic jams, nice downhill rolling
Midday:
First rest after 260km
Another 250 km in one go to Bruge
Caught by speed cameras
Rain in Bruge :/
No petrol stations in Bruge
Problem getting petrol - managed to get some a few miles ahead (messed up the paying machine and might Have stolen 12 euro now)
Afternoon:
Ferry at 4pm
Rain in Dover
Rain stopped the minute I was done putting my rain suit on
Driving left went fine (on the motorway at least)
Evening:
Lost in London
Driving around for 2 hours
Looking for a hostel all night
Sleeping in St. Pancras Station
Next Morning:
Lost in London again
Trying to find a friends house - wrong direction from my phone - bad phone
Sleeping all day
Impression of London:
Rainy, vast, crowded, awful traffic
Last Trip:
to Leicester, sunny weather forecast
Normally, you receive these kinds of things from your boyfriend or your girlfriend, but sometimes, only ever so often, does a friend, a very close friend, feel obliged to do you a similar favour. When I look at this photograph, I can’t help but visualize the smile that is hidden behind the paper heart my friend is holding up.
I still remember the thoughts that I had when I received these pictures. First, I wanted to know what weird occasion had triggered this idea. For months I haven’t heard from her, for I was abroad for a while. Then, suddenly, she sends me this lovely series of pictures. The second thought was about how typical this way of communicating is for her. Everybody knows that she is arty and likes to step out of the normal boundaries as often as she can. Instead of saying she misses me, she holds up papers which express how she misses me. The odd thing about that is, it is much more effective, just because it’s so individual and embodies everything she is.
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