Spring at Royal Standard

I did believe; after yesterday's Table topics in the library and tonight's Storytelling listening in Camden; that is it; Tuesday I will have a quiet evening home.

But no.

Thuesday 1st of March a special one hour delight central London!

Tuesday 2nd March at the Cheshire Cheese, London "As drawn on Facetube" comedy night I have to see too.

I hope, Thirsday I will be able to say "ouf" or, at least Friday.

Soon I will be 77 and I can rest enough when I will be no more be able to go; until then I tell myself : Julie, go for it!

Katy, really listening

Listening with all our being is a skill we have to learn.

Being there, being in the moment, being with the speaker.

During the "Love of the Spoken word" event by Lewishan speakers at the Lewisham library of the centre of city, near the Shopping Centre, Katy was the one who really listened and with her whole attention all the time.

Some of us, spoke with new comers. Others thought about what they will say. And there was also noise from the other parts of the huge room, also not so much. But she was listening to all who spoke with all her being all the time.

There was necessity to speak with those who came by and we all had our own roles. The library patrons also listened and were interested as was the organizer from the library, but no one so intensly as Katy.

It is a great feeling to feel part of a team, who yesterday worked so well together, each assuming a role without being told. Each finding its place in the whole whose intention was to spread the word about Toastmasters and what we do.

Welcoming, sending to the place we spoke, listening, speaking, encouraging, giving out liflets Katrin prepared so well, and so on. It was the better group effort I ever participates in!

Love of the Spoken Word in Lewisham Library

The Lewisham Speakers Toastmaster Club, hold a "Love of the Spoken Word " event, with "Table Topics" in the hall of the center Lewisham Library this morning.

We had Toastmaster guests, in this pictures one who came from near Brighton and one from Greenwich, some of our members and, also guests whom I found in the Library.

Here is our youngest one, or was she a Hackler?

She was a sweet one!

Her mother have even spoken later for two minutes with her in her arms!

One by one we answered to divers questions and we were happy to see that the Guests, most decided to join us by Dave speaking on micro and Philip persuading them one by one, spoke also - and very well.

Here is one of our tallented and very interested guests, answering to a question to describe and speak about this object, he was given.

In all, four or five passing by the Library joined us listening and most of them also participating.

Speaking on our feets, all of us, more then once, in the public space of the Lewisham Library, with a warm welcome from them and interest of the Guests who participated and whom most, we hope will now visit us for our next Wednesday free Workshop, was a success.

Our president Dave and our VP Public Relations organized it, but all the present Toastmasters participated to explain what we do the our Guests. It was a memorable group effort!

David Jones, great 'Compere'

Yesterday, great Stand Up Comedy night - all of them Toastmasters!

Yes, it took me two hours to go, two hours to come back, but it was a great experience. David was the "compere" introducer of all of them, hilarious, humour and faces and audience interaction, too.

I already knew the quality of Ola and Freddy, they were even better then I ever seen them, and we had Ratan, an "accountant" who was 'not illegant immigrant - any more" I enjoyed a lot his performance, and the humorous tale of another just after his divorce... And so many more!

Coming home with a young Toastmaster who helped me to the station and sit with me until Victoria statiion, he told me he got stock at speech number three : because the last time I spoke they did not react at all, all the time I spoke! Yes, after, they told me it was good, but while I spoke their face was blanc without reactin!

A great lesson to me. explain to all how much their reaction matters!

Listening is an art and we have to learn it for ourselves but also to help progress the others.

I told him to get back to the horse and we discussed how to find his next subject too, asside from the enjoyment of the comic evening and also meeting so many known faces, already speaking with this young and understanding how fragile is sometime someone with 2 or 4 speeches, was worth it.

Light and color at the end of the road

Going into the City Banc builiding I loved this corridor : somewhat the colors at the end, makes you feel it less long and friendlier.

There are some great architects having thought a lot of how to make a place like this friendlier!

There were also friends at the end, other Toastmasters from other clubs and also the hosts working at the City Bank, holding the meeting where I told a very personal story. The same I told at the Open Mic event.

They did like it, also differently, as there. It was a great exemple for me of the differnces between audiences. At the open mic, it was perhaps the less spicy story. Here is seemed a very intimate one, but I mennages to keep the audience live throught it, hoping for a happy end. Wanting more.

'What happened then?' some even asked me at the end of our meeting.

Without a microphone, I loved a lot more the way I told it, alas, again, in the trac of begining, I forgot to open my dictaphone and register it. But I was really happy with its impact and reaction to it, this time.

Kissing

Kissing, by Eugene Power
(photos by Julie Kertesz)

Kissing is absolutely blissing;
You really don’t know what you’re missing
If you haven't tried kissing.

A single kiss will take you miles
A kiss is worth a thousand smiles
It puts a sparkle deep inside
Kissing is the foil of pride.

A kiss given in gentleness

Is the sweetest caress.

The possibilities are limitless:

In the burning fire of passion
kissing will always be in fashion.

The kiss once used to betray
Can save a world that's gone astray.

Kissing is a healing thing
Kissing is how lovers sing
Kissing is a child's first lesson
Kissing is a gift from heaven.

A kiss is like a warm sweet breeze
It can bring the mighty to their knees.

A kiss can melt the hardest heart
It’s always good place to start.

A kiss can lift you from despair
A Kiss can make you float on air
A Kiss can last for hours and hours
Kissing will increase your powers.

(one of the poems heard at the Open Mic on  Romance in Brixton, thank Eugene who send it to me and lets me publish it)

Today, I will be "Mystery Speaker" and will tell the Romance in Paris story, but I will add to it, in the middle one or two stances of this poem. Yes, it was a time, far away and long ago, when kissing healed my wounds, the wounds of my soul.

Again, magnfic colours of Thames accross Tower peer

A romantic poet

Open Mic night in Ritzy upstairs at Brixton, near the Victoria line Brixton underground station, south of London.

Organized by the energetic Joanna.

I did tell a story, also well received, I did not like my voice from the Mic! So different as I told in the intimacy of home.

I specially liked a clarinettist tale about how difficult it was to conquer his girlfriend, and playing clarinet pieces, but at least, at the end he did gain confidence in himself: because he persisted challenging himself. So well told too!

Eugene Power, who read romantic beautiful poems to us that he has written. He promised to send me two of them, so I could put it here.

Here is the first of Eugene Power's poem, Wonderful, isn't it!

Some Other Side Of Me

Some other side of me remembers you,

Like a memory that can’t be placed

Some other side of me remembers you.

Some other side of me has been with you before,

And loved you.

Like a wave that comes back on the shore

Some other side of me remembers you.

Together we have breathed

In a deep, dreaming sleep,

Like babes on the sand

Of a sunny, whispering shore.

Some other side of me 

Has laughed with you before. 

Our spirits have intertwined 

With the silvery, blue sea

On another shore of time.

As I got out from the open mic event, I took some photos of the night in Brixton.

Brixton seemed far but with the underground Victoria line is very fast to get there, and there will be OPEN MIC true storytelling there from now on, each month the 3rd Monday.


All who could come, wecome!

Comedy Scool

Director and also teaches some if not all the classes. He orinizes them now for many years already.

But before a study of 'how we do and shoud do and how to learn from it' from our Director, of Comedy School, we had the visit, for a whole hour of a professional comedian: Adam Bloom.

Each time, each week, we will have a new treat.

Next week, the old hands who finished the curse I take now.

With 15 years professional experience we could discuss yesterday with Adam for more then an hour. What an energy!

He suggested us to persevere, through downs and some ups, to learn, to be ourselves and mostly. to connect to the audience. And many more!

For example, to go nearer at the begining and as they react more and more, go farther "to open the circle". So many great details to learn!

But the most important was not go give up in face of adversity or less luck, from time to time, to go on!

After some of us - this time not me - showed a bit what we prepared, and that was very longly discussed, we assisted to a nice performarce by the two days Comedy writing class.

Are they not very sympatiques!

And here is one from youTube of Adam Bloom's show to show you his energy level too.

Bermondsey library

At woolfson & tay, nice welcome, an interesting expo, a very warm bookshop with rich program.

Writing Workshop, True story telling events, etc.

I will participate to the later one, at end of March. As I have found the images, now I have to learn the tale I have already imagined.

A few minutes of it are already in my tale I will tell, without images Monday at an Open Mic event at Brixton, with Spark London.

At the occasion of my visit to the bookshop, I took some images of the Bermondsay street. A very long street, for my legs!

The Time - a new challenge

20 images (for the moment 21) in 10 minutes and a story about me and the time.

The 25 March, at 12 Bermondsey Square: that is a new challenge for me.

I could not envision "speaking to the images" and not at the speed of 2 images by minute. So I found another way: I will speak about how the time passes sometimes too slow, and linger around it, or speed it up, and other times we would like to slow it down. So the images will sometimes fly one after the other, and then stop and let me tell memories that come back, again and again.

Short time can last, long time can fly away.

The time in our lifes  is not measured by the clock!

Lewisham Speakers Presidents

The recent and the past president, of Lewisham Speakers.

Photography taken yesterday.

First, someone has tried to take a photo, where we were four, but alas he did not push halfway to wait until the photo cleared or, his hand shaken. So I am not in the image.

Fortunately, I had the idea to take the camera and make one image, three in fact, myself. Those came out well.

I think, I have "eye" and even more "experience" for portraits. Of course, after a few thousand, one learns something. "Practice" makes perfect. Ok, not perfect, but better then before.

To improve a bit, over what was, is already wonderful!

Deal day

It was a rather rainy day, but one can have good day, in any weather!

The sky is even more interesting!

No one was at Deal seashore, in Kent looking toward France. But we found an old boat, that have had better days, for sure.

After a very interesting lecture, were I learned a lot, and that was enjoyable too, with lots of anecdotes to remember, and having met two French ladies too, enchanted to speak a bit French with me, I arrived home not too late.

What was my surprise, to discover, something I did not see at all at the place, that the boat was named... after me!

It was eventful day, and I am happy to have got out a bit from home. Some day, I will return to the sea also with sun, but, alas, as much as I love the sun, the sun does not love me.

So that weather, was parfait!

Seventh year!

I enter the seventh year that I published my first image on Flickr website, then, at Beta stage, and they were still in Vancouver.

I needed it then, to be able to add images on my blog, which begun in January 2005, just a few weeks before going to flickr.

I did not know how much influence will have on me, how profoundly I will dig into it and its groups, how much I will learn - not only about photography, but of the world around me and the world far away.

The flickr, through its groups, opens up for me a whole new perception of different cultures and a never ending wonder!

I am still "new" photographer, compared to many great ones, but I never stopped to learn, a bit in a time. About photography too, about the world far away from where I am too.

Lit a small candle and it can lead you far away.

What did I do?

Again, I am going out of my comfort zone.

More then I did believe I would.

As I did, after taking some risky photos of myself "auto portraits".

Also, of course, more risk you take, more you learn, fall, and then be better able to jump up. Some times.

When will the sometimes arrive?

Between 12 or 15, I am not only the only "old" but also the only woman and, of course, alas, the only one with a heavy accent!

i knew it!

So all that is not new.

I have now to learn how to "use" it.

Plus, the fact I am left handed. I have some great ideas, but I have to learn how I can realize them/

Interactions

I love interactions!

In life, I go toward people, ask them if I can take their portraits. Also, I like to take candid picture of other's interactions.

So I have no reason to be afraid, even if it takes place near a Zoo, and I feel partly as I am putting myself between the lions, to be apprehensive.

I will stand out.

Who cares?

I always stood out, more or less.

Who cares?

As my daughter taught me one day, "no one really LOOKS at you! they care how THEY look!" So what?

I will for sure, learn in six weeks of course something, at least, observing and really looking at the others, instead of worrying about myself!

And as often, I will be the exception, confirming the rule. Beginning, learning, studying at my age of almost 77, Stand up Comedy.

Outside my comfort zone

I am going outside my comfort zone.

True.

But until today, I thought I was going with courage.

What is courage? To go when you are afraid. But, until now, I believed I was not afraid at all.

Now, I am having last minute jitters. Last minute thoughts. Am I crazy? Where do I go? Why do I do it? Tomorrow, the first course begins. Should I go? Why did I decided to go?

So, now I am couragous, but I do not feel at all as it.

I feel like hiding under my bed.

Domestic violence

I will not take out my own marriage's skeletons from the drawer."

I decided, I will not, yet, not now, talk about my husband slapping me, as I was expecting a child, or anything around it.

At least, not now, in the Theatre "Family" theme.

I will listen to my children, but mostly daughter-in-law and sun-in-law. there is time for everything.

But I want you to know, I have been there, done that, and survived.

At the end of the tunnel, I found out that there IS a way out, as soon as we are determined enough: helps arrives, and often even from unexpected places and people!

I did think, I will not be able to live with my two children, on my small salary, I did think, if I separate, I risk that they are taken away, I did think, he will come after me, after us.

Yes, I did fear him.

It was far away in the past, and I was not a "beaten" woman, "just" slapped, whenever he got really angry for, sometimes, no reasons.

It was a long long time ago, and finally i did forgive myself.

He is dead.

I remarried, 20 years later. Between the two, separation, and remarriage, I was able to rise my children, even if he did not help financially. First, those of my work helped, then my father too.

"But you should have known that I'll do!"

I did not know. He never told me.

Then, finally, I did found a company and stood by my own feet. Not so bad after all. I was able to do it on my own, and to send my children to university, with no outside help.

I write it here, in my blog, that not so many reads, and one day, I will tell the whole story.

What has bothered me most, over the years was how a nice boy could transform himself, to got the upper hand, after he betrayed me, into a fast jump and slap man.

Beginning to study again, helped me first out. Then deciding, small things do not matter, give in for those. I still stood up for what mattered, but with time, perhaps even that moved.

What is important and what is not?

Anyway, there is a way out, and I am here to tell it.

Excalibur Speakers

I joined Excalibur Toastmasters in December.

What a wonderful decision that was!

Every month, from then one, I learned something!

What to do, and, also what not to do.

But in plus, yesterday, I learned the pleasure to have discussions in a Pub! As we do meet, once a month above a Pub near Temple Underground station.

Had great contact with many of my new colleges, most of them I already knew and also others I just discovered. I feel, new "horizons" open up to me, as the month go by, in London and through the Toastmasters too.

Humorous contest "Dare to fail"

That was one and half year ago, and I won then the first price in my club. A year Later, organized the competition and did not take part.

This time, something happened to me a few days ago, and I decided to speak up. Not in the Humorous contest, but in the Speech Contest. In fact, there are, mostly, inspirational speeches.
,
I will speak up, take the subject I hesitated so much about, and broaden it, so more people feel concerned.

Title will be "There is a way out"

So important to find a title, finally used or not, it illuminates from then all all the preparation!

Yesterday, I have given a "presidential speech" reading Kennedy in Berlin speech, what a speech! You can find the original, in the competent communicator blog.

I had the pleasure of many colleges telling me "I hope one day I will be as good as you!"

I had them cheering, at my request, whenever they felt so, and that also made a better link with the audience. Good lesson. And, beginning this weekend, I will learn more about how to make people laugh and cheer.

TM Officers Training

Toastmasters is holding twice a year, a training session for its "officers", and yesterday, I assisted to one, held at the Credit Suisse building.

I learned a lot!

Not only how to organize a good meeting, but also to make space to meet each other.

I am sure, I will be invited to visit two clubs, and I am looking forward to meet, again, new people! And, perhaps, speak more, too.

I have been to both clubs once, but with special occasions. Those I spoke to, remembered me! Smiled to me with such warmth, too. It did good to my soul.


Human contact, good contact, warmth, is so important!

I realized that I know already quite a lot and have been to many places, but I also realized, how much more I have still to learn.

I love pictures taken "on the spot" not posing, and this is one I do love a lot. Full of life.

For other photos, go see my flickr site...
But here is a last one taken of a small part of the huge building we were in.

First flowers around me

The spring arrives early in London;

It did arrive early last year, and, if I look at this flowers in a garden near the street not far away from my place, it will arrive early, again.

I love the colours of fall, and like the warmth of summer, even winter to look out from inside, but I aspire the spring too arrive soon with the warmer breath and a special fragrance of new life.

So the precursors, those first flowers are so welcome!

Those are tiny irises, while all around everything is brown burned and died branches and leaves. So they stand out even more. And yes, you have to stop "to smell the roses" or, at least, discover the flowers on the way from home to the shop, or from my grand children's school to home.

From the time I begun to take photos, I stop more, I look around more. Enjoy a lot more.

Marry-go-around in Lewisham

The life continues.

My neighbour is very ill, last time I called her, as she did not come to meet to go together to shop, she was in the hospital.

There are treatments, that make you more ill then before, even if they are supposed to kill the bad agents. I am thinking a lot about her, and all those in similar conditions.

Meanwhile, of course the children are having fun, the adults shopping, the life goes on.

Soon, the spring arrives.

The Death and the Old woman

A Hungarian folk tale translated, adapted and told by Julie Kertesz

Interestingly, this is my most "popular" story, a lot more often listened to then my personal tales...

Reflections near Tower Bridge at night, another way

Another version of the, almost same pictures, perhaps better.

reflections near Tower Bridge the night

by julie70. 

Great meeting and great people, a joy and encouragement for the future !

And lots of speeches before me too for this month.

Greenwich peer to Tower Bridge peer and back

Great reflections and light at twilight and at night on Thames

Old Royal Naval Academie, Greenwich

I did not know, at the time, what was its name.

What I remembered vividly from my first visit was the marvellous Painted Hall, which in itself is very worth the visit of Greenwich.

In French we call them "false bas relief", and there are some in Paris too, but I do not think on this scale, in a huge hall all around!

Two dimensional paintings looking like three dimensional statues. Here is an example of it.