Lapin Agile, Paris

Old pub, transformed in cabaret of old French songs, great singers, fun.

Many people sitting on wooden bancs crammed together, listening for hours: never stopping enjoying themselves.

I used to help the owner and main singer, what a voice! with his Apple Computer, until his son came back from the army and took over to help him.

I met there someone, while visiting with my aunt and uncle who has been there when he was young, yes, already, then it was also a great place! After they went away I went back and... we ended up in a small hotel. Finally, I ended up with him living with me for three years.

He was not at all what I needed, but I did need him and for a while was even very happy and pround to have him.

A few days, month of happiness of togetherness feeling, it is not so bad in a life. Perhaps, he even loved me for a while, I did love him for sure, long time. Too long perhaps. Until I wake up from my dreams.

I looked to him and discovered he hated me. I discovered how much all become one sided. I discovered how much he did not help me, as I did when I could, till I could.

I run away, far away, to get rid of him, from Paris to San Francisco. I remember a morning waking up, still intoxicated by him, wanting to run back. I was shaking like a recovering alcoolic or drog addict. I got addicted to sleeping near, I had to learn to live without addiction. I did, but it was not easy even as my head knew I had to.

I could not stay in San Francisco, my company needed me, my son asked me to come back, I did. I met him: he become a stranger. I did not care any more, what a relief!

Yes, so many memories linked to the cabaret Lapin Agile! or memories of stories that begun for me there!

Today's post brought me an old book

A book from past. Brought me from far.

I like to read the original sources, opinions, point of views.

The booklet was written in an age when the founder of the Toastmasters International, still was not convinced that we should call a critic 'evaluator'... but it does have detailed explanation why  critic is needed, how to go about it, how long, what look for, and so on.

I am not sure, but I think it must be written about the age I was born, that is 77 years ago!

One is already enough

We are many in a club and I do worry all goes well. But yesterday I had a very nice conversation with someone interested to join and she gave me new energy.

Being able to help one, to meet someone new who could have new confidence and more interesting life because of the Toastmasters, is already worth all the road, time, and, even sometimes, worry.

Dacree Arms Pub

For the first meeting of our new committee, we met in a great place - the Dacree Arms.

We will have to return there often.

Quiet, friendly, near our meeting place: a foot street goes directly there.

And nice place to speak between us too.

Memories, nostalgies

Hungarian folk songs touched me this morning
First one: my father liked to sing - oh, yes! I did not forgot how much he did,
every time he was in company they used to sing along


he never got out without a hat and smartly dressed
this song tells about how the time went out and he is not young any more

Agárdy Gábor: Nem vagyok én már az, aki voltam

I am not any more what I was...
from time to time that hurts so much

Well, after 77 I am not either, even if in my heart and soul I did not change so much

Meredith & Andrew from Autralia

On Butte Montmartre, Paris, photo of a couple in honeymoon. I must have also some for sure who came from Norway!

Today, I think of the young people, with no one to defend them against a single crazy gunman dressed as policeman.

I am not wondering so much of the craziness of the killer, but how come the rescuers come so slow, how come those organizers did not get help faster and had no one on the camp to arrest him or kill him before he killed so many young people!

How much damage one crazy can do!

1st Macintosh Developper's Conference

"Apple, again, embracing what’s cool and progressive, and ruthlessly jettisoning what it considers antiquated. That’s great if you love stuff that’s cool and progressive, and not so great if you hate people moving your cheese."

David Pogue
In Personal Tech, on Mac OS X Lion

I assisted to the First international conference of Mac developers at Apple.

I was there at San Jose
It was long time ago, anyway, in California, I think it was 1983.

I did not change so much with age, still like progress and go for it, but have to learn to be cautios with others cheese.