Anniversary

My son joking

I got to tell my grand children, and repeat to my son, his birth, 46 years ago.

My grand daughter and daughter in law prepared a wonderful cake, with nuts and banana inside, for the occasion, and we did taste it at my place.

It is stunning how much my 13 year grand daughter grew up, and how fast she is now changing from small child to adolescent!

In my time, I have developed a lot slower, I think even at 16 was not up to how she is now, perhaps because the war and its deprivations but it could be it is also how the nature is, some develop faster, others slower.

Julie 15 year old

Such a pleasure to look to my two grand children and see them growing and developing!

Speaking two languages with ease, and having them not far, even if now they are no more "next door"..

Today, I still have a slice of the cake she left me, yesterday I ate the second one, or is it the other way around?

I can not publish pictures from my grand children, so here is one from my son and me, when I was adolescent.

Speak outside Toastmasters

Of course, no one goes to Toastmasters - or not many - to speak at the end he or she learned to speak in public, inside the club.

The club is great to learn, to experiment, to screw up, to have feedback, and make pals.

Recently we had a Webinar about "speak outside toastmasters".

I begun in fact to speak outside my club, three years ago, as my Icebreaker was as Mystery speaker in an unknown club at an Evaluation Contest.

After speaking in different clubs and audiences, I have discovered Spark London True Tales event held once a month at the Canal Cafee Theatre, near Little Venice, a great venue and paid audience of about 60, each time full.

Johanna, its organizer took me after that to different other venues, one more intriguing then the other, which culminated with a "pro" storytelling event at the Manchester Townhall before 400+ audience.

Brixton's Ritch True Tales gave me other venue, an open mic event, for telling my tales in a more noisy environment. New skills to learn each time.

After my Comedy Workshops, I am now after my 12 or so Stand Up comedy event and booked for more. The stand up gives new challenges and great responding audiences.

Creating Workshop, yet another challenge.

Yes, I did get out and now I will have to teach also others to do so.

Dancing in the rain

Dancing in the rain.

She is not Kelly, dancing of joy of love. She danced French Can Can, near Paris, in her heart and body the love of dancing.

Then the rain begun, more and more strong. All around people went to hide or put on umbrellas to continue looking.

The girls did not stop their dance.

Some dances with more care, not to slip on the humid surface. Others continued as if nothing has happened.

This girl spine went even higher, her head prouder, her steps more determined.

It was an fantastic memory, and I asked a lady to permit me to take a picture from under her umbrella (I did not bring one) and she let me.

This is a detail of the original picture, suggested by one of the 2500 who had looked at it on Flickr. What a joy is that we can show our pictures and have a permanent expo. This picture taken in 2005 May, come out yesterday, as yet another favorited, chosen, the original picture. Each time, it is a great joy and pleasure for me to remember. Bad weather, tough times, always offer a "good story", in storytelling, stand up comedy or photography!

Comedy in Tooting Blue hour

Great evening at Prince of Wales pub (this is accross) yesterday!

We arrived early, had a great simple dinner. Me, fish and chips and great green peas, and yeah, even a pudding with custard and a small cup of Irish bear, Helen a chilli con carne.

Great Compère! He did make a great atmosphere! and choose well who comes after whom.

I opened!

When you are great, and the audience great, it is not difficult, finally.

About 50 in all listened, the audience was warm and responsive, and I got laud and long laughs!

Diary received the 25 Dec 1944

This is how it started, me documenting my life, and telling what happened around me.

In the middle of the war, among the snippers falling on our house, writing in the basement where we were hidden.

My mother offering me a diary that probably she baught a long way back, to incite me to write and speak less to those around us, from whom we had secrets we could not tell.

A few lines from time to time, speaking of what went on around me.

I never stopped writing. Now, 67 years of diaries, more or less distance between each time I wrote, in some beautiful notebooks or small very modest ones. I kept on writing, I keep on writing.

Nowadays, more and more in my blogs, in my stories, my gigs, but still, some still goes in the last diary.

I discovered Phil Kaye and "Teeth" this morning

Phil Kaye, "Teeth"
Japonaise mother, Jewish American father, poet, storyteller, listen to him telling it in such a touching way, my eyes were wet after I listened the second time around

He told a story in Middebury Ted conference "why we tell stories" - one of his answer is "to feel alive" but of course, there is so much more in it!

Cavendish Arms 2012

Good begining, after one month absence, because operation.

Not only I succeeded again to make the audience laugh and have good contact with them, but I did that, after having cut my shoking beginning.

No more swear words and still laugh from the begining.

It is so strange how different audience laugh more (or less) at different parts!

We had good numeros, gigs and great audience yesterday at Cavendish Arms, and I was invited to come back soon!