Sunday, February 18, 2007

Life ... it's a funny old thing


In keeping with my topsy-turvy northern hemisphere-based life as an immigrant, I've spent most of this weekend working ... something I largely avoided in my other, more normal life, back home in New Zealand, a long time ago.

My English teaching notes are back in order, enriched by hours spent revisiting websites discovered back in my Istanbul days.

My photography website, advertising and business cards are all poised and ready to perform but it's winter and who thinks of photography then ...

The time of quiet has made me realise that most of my photography work will happen at weekends and genuinely wishing to become someone who earns money again, I posted my first 'Teacher of English' advertisement yesterday ... I have entire weeks free, why not teach ... I love it.

I feel like this is 'the' year ... the one where all that I've waited on and worked towards comes to fruition.

Friends have put up their hand and suggested various business ventures ... friends I respect and trust, so let's see what happens with them, and then there's the truly exiting World War One project ... 90th commemorations of the battles of Mesen and Passendaele are happening this year and I shall be at the heart of the New Zealand effort if Martin hasn't given up all hope of me coming through with the various slices of information I'm gathering.

PINA and ATLAS continue to include me in their exciting projects and this week my camera and I will be touring the various religious sites here in this vibrant city of 165 different nationalities. A mosque, a synagogue, a Hindu temple and etc ... I'll let you know.

Sometimes I worry I've become used to the excitement ... friends flying in from Turkey, filmed poetry readings, unique photographic opportunities, interesting people ... because sometimes I still get so sad and so homesick, so lost in the mess of my life but perhaps that's simply my nature.

Anyway, tonight I'm sitting here writing, drinking a glass of Spanish wine while Gert cooks up a pizza from scratch ... cheese, tuna, capers, onion and anchovies with a light tomato and pecorina sauce base.

Today was a good day in the flat land.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, hope, optimism, and excitement bloom with the crocuses in the Low Country.

Anonymous said...

G,day my friend,
I'm self employed here too now, my boss is flippin brilliant, I earnt nothing today and spent about A$600 and he didnt even blink, no shouting or pulling out of hair.
So when you arent raking in tons of cash Di think of what it would be like working for a Dork and I'm sure, like me you will grin and thank God for pizza.

Anonymous said...

So that's the reason why you haven't update this weekend, but it's good to see you doing your business things so you can pay for the Internet connection.

So back with the teaching ay. That will be kool, you'll do an awesome job. I think you might get some picture taking opportunities when the 'communie' time is there -ask Gert for the meaning of communie, or guess :D.

Pizza is good. I'm going to wok today, let's see how well my self-invented easy recipe goes -first time try :D.

Di Mackey said...

The fog is obscuring the crocuses today ... another day in the Low Country ;)

Hey anonymous ... hooray for pizza, last night's one was good.

Oh manic, I hope I am ... let's see what happens in the weeks ahead. Communie time will be checked into ...

Work ... what kind of work? You've been a bit quiet lately too, actually.

Anonymous said...

To wok -don't you know a wok, that Chinese cooking pan thing where you just chip everything in. It was good, just chopped up some tomates and some chicken and rice, nothing fancy, but good.

Yes, I've been indulged by a silent sprea. Just nothing much happening, did you read Cindy Lane's blog recently. Its so funny.

Di Mackey said...

Lol, okay manic I read 'wok' as 'work' ...

I love wok food, congrats on the self-invented recipe.

Haven't read Cindy lately, thanks for the recommend ... will pop over. (http://www.newtobrussels.blogspot.com/ for the curious)

Kay Cooke said...

May all your ventures bring you prosperity and that you can get a 'taste of home' somewhere along the way too to cheer your homesick heart.

Di Mackey said...

Chiefbiscuit ... your comments here always make me smile ... thank you!