St. John's church, near our buildings

In fact, I was told that the three big buildings were constructed on the church propriety site. And still many apartments belong to them.

Some are sold, some let.

The church itself is very welcoming.

I feel, in need I can go and there will be a hand holding mine. Once, I went and found it. Another time the vicar invited me to his home for Christmas and yet a third time, I met a Toastmaster on the steps that was like a snowball changing my life.

Wednesday, it will be four years since I have become a toastmaster in London and I will speak, closing my 'education cycle' and, probably with it getting soon the highest toastmaster award : distinguished toastmaster.

It does not say much to 'outsiders' not even to those just joining.

It means at least 50 prepared speeches given. It means many many roles in meetings. It means to have sponsored a new club. It means a role for a year in club's committee, it means a year role in 'district' at higher level. It means to have mentored others, hold a workshop. And finally, what my speech will be about, concluding a larger 'high level leadership' project.

My project was a 'personal story telling' workshop with members from many clubs in my area, with bringing them on stage outside at the end of months. We were 8 telling very divers personal stories before paying cheering, delighted audience. 5 for the very first time.

I did learn a lot along the way, and finally that is why we do it, not for the award. It still feels great that soon I will have it, then on to other endeavours.

Good morning, good morning

Yesterday I went to the great musical Singing in the Rain, in Soho. This is the song I liked best, but there were so many. Wonderful dances and choreography too.

and from original film, Moses supposes

No more cold, Rosie warmed my heart

It was so cold outside, Ayr!

Instead of the spring, a winter wind blew.

Person with whom to wander. I decided to spend Sunday instead in Glasgow, a large town in Scotland, before taking the train Monday noon to return to London, home.

I have even asked if I could change my train ticket: no, too expensive.

The owner of the hotel after breakfast, accompanied me in her car to the train station in Ayr after cold twenty minutes in the lobby, finally I am on the train to Glasgow. Cold compartment, too.

A station, then another passes.

Suddenly, my mobile phone rings. Rosie, calls me.

"I am the raconteur of stories. I have two free hours to spend together..."

"I'm already on the train!"

The third station goes away.

"Where? I come to pick you up!"

At the fourth station, I get off the train. I wait in a closed place where the heating starts slowly, at the request.

To my surprise, Rosie arrives quickly.

Already, her smile warms me.

"What to show you?"

I think of the nearby sea, the villages around & nature.

"Let us go first to my place, drink a hot tea, and then we will see from there"

Finally, Rosie offers me a coffee that I prefer, and no, it's not the dishwasher taste! 

We begin to chat, to share.

Suddenly, it's noon!

"Already?"

Rosie prepares, offers me scrambled eggs from their garden. We do not stop to share.

I leave with regrets, I would have listened and talked with her until next day!

Rosie makes me the tour of the places where lived the famous Scottish poet Burns. Fairytale landscape with the bare winter trees. The spring will arrive here later.

In fact, in plus what she tells me, personal guide knowing all the details of the poet life's and places, we still continue to exchange from our life's and about story telling: what happens when we offer it to an audience, what happens after. What we will do where we will be in the months to come.

Rosie puts me back again into the train to Glasgow, seven hours after I went down.

What an exciting day!

Outside, always cold, but warm is now burning in our souls.

Suddenly, from afar...

Yesterday evening as I ate, yet another teeth fall out: I felt destroyed.

This morning, after an autoportrait without it, I begun to take photos of things in my home.

Arriving to see this on my wall as the sun fall on my wall. The shadow, exaggerated as the sun projected it, spoke to me. You exaggerate your worries, Julie, I told myself!

So, I made 'art' from it.

Hope, it speaks also to you, whatever worry you have just now.

I will be also able to make an inspiring speech of it. Creation, using problems and taking time to really look around.

Preparing to a speech 2009

The speech Project title was Body Language.

Photo taken summer by my daughter in law without me realising it. Seen it again, recently.

It reminds me how seriously I took each new project better learn to speak in public. Here rehearsed before my grand daughter in the garden.

Yes, by now, a few years later, I have hundreds of speeches, stories, gigs behind me: I even do not count them. This was just before the 5th from our Competent Communicator manual. It reminds me how serious I took the assignment and also the advice to rehears before an audience.

How many I have given by now?

More the 60 standup comedy only.
More then 80 'speech' in the clubs.
More then 30 storytelling: most important probably and creating them also, as most the other speeches from my life.

I do not count them any more as I do not think of my body language: most of the time it goes in itself, as when we drive or swim. I do think to create the best 'next speech' and this weekend, my son will come to help for the one I have to give in two weeks in Scotland.

Yes, simplicity is the result of lot of effort.

A window in London: seven at Canal Café Theatre

arriving to the Grand union canal, or Regent canal, near the Canal Café Theatre in London

it was a great night!

seven of us (I taught and nudged to come and tell their stories) "organised" or as Joanna put it "produced" well, co-produced with her, come to tell around a theme Road Block.

Each best possible, better then before.

Opened by Chris with great stage presence, he spoke about the fight with stuttering and realising finally that others do not mind it.

Then, Rhian told us about her difficulty between Greeks speaking Greek, till she realised can ask them to speak English.

Simone came with her leg hurt and a stick and wonderfully told her story sitting down but with a big smile and great self confidence, of her difficulty with her father.

Then it was my turn of my road block as i was enable to remain live in Washington - but how much good came from our three years stay there at the end. I succeeded to be brief and not make anyone sleep.

Came Ernie with his real roadblock so funny and well conceived tale. I knew, he can do it even if he has not been to Toastmasters yet longtime.

Flavia with her body language yet again improved, she is so wonderful on stage now! Of her difficult rapport with as she married, was stroke and thanks! got courage to make him go. "And I begun to study, then"

Closed by Richard, who got also to yet another level and told us how he got "up" because of a table he hit the "bottom". He gets better and better and told me at the end "thanks for pushing me to come, now I feel I want to do it again and again."

Joanna was also pleased with our level and diverse tales and the audience had very good time and reacted and applauded and told us how much they feel with what we told.

Winter (falls end) and spring together

Metaphor in image, I think.

This is what I found just before my building.

The fallen dead leave, but still there, from fall and through the winter, and the tiny flower coming out from the earth signalling: spring is here, spring is coming.

I wonder, if I am the leave?

Or part of me that went away with the treatment of my front and the flower signalling a new active storytelling, gigging and kino speaker season for me?

I hope.