Notes on a blackboard

Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then always be a unicorn.

(Thanks to B who found it...)

Breakfast at its best

It started last night. I went to bed extra early (yes, before nine thirty) to be prepared for an early yoga class known to be quite demanding. Up I was, before six this morning, ready for handstands and just about anything that our teacher would guide us to. But as I got to the studio I realised the class was cancelled due to a workshop. What do you do? Back to bed wasn't an option. Yoga on my own... not the same thing.

Change of tights from the soft yoga version to the more slimming running version. A run in the rain it was. Thirtyfive minutes later I was soaking wet from a mix of rain and sweat. Never is a warm shower so lovely or a breakfast so rewarding as it is after exercising.

A healthy start to the weekend!

Why do you practice yoga?

That was the first question our British instructor asked us this morning at six thirty. A grandiose question to get just after making it out of bed to the yoga shala, still stiff and sleepy, without any morning coffee in the body.

She didn't expect long answers, although a few brave yoginis gave it a go. She posed the question to remind us of the many paths to yoga. This morning she suggested we gave room for peace, whatever that felt like. Peace of mind can't be bought for any money in the world. It can only come from within. And then she guided us through a challenging class which I left sweaty and filled with peace...

WFH

I have a friend who used to be my colleague. Back then we worked for the big global consultancy firm with an internal lingo that justified a special dictionary for the uninitiated. We all got intoxicated with acronyms without realising they were not self-explanatory to anyone outside our world. And sometimes not even for the people in our world. WFH was one of the acronyms that my friend used as something he thought was logical and obvious to everyone.

Spending the day working from home, I remembered the short notes we used to send to each other to let the rest of the group know what to expect. WFH...Which can also mean Work For Hire or Wholeness For Humanity.

Hello autumn

There is a change of season. The autumn is knocking on the door and this morning I think someone opened it. So right now summer and autumn are sharing the room.

It's time to find those candles, to stock up on tea, to change rosé for red and to dig out the warm "girlfriend-cardigans" (more on that some other time) from the back of the wardrobe. And really, I don't mind.

She is married!

She was born to be a bride. The dress and the hairdo emphasised her natural beauty and elegance. But really, it all came from within. After an engagement that lasted for years, two charming little boys, and a stunning house built from scratch, Charming J finally got married. She is now Mrs B.

The Sunday afternoon back in London when we first met feels far away. But if you study her enticing appearance for a little longer, you can still catch those mischievous eyes... Yesterday wasn't the time and the place to share our London adventures. The number of times when Charming J's spontaneous passion and spirit fascinated and inspired us all are many. All part of dear memories from an era that I'm so grateful I experienced.
 
Beautiful J and Lovely L

 

Spot on quote

From an unknown source, found in one of the many texts I'm going through in preparation for a role as facilitator of a seminar on employer branding in the real estate industry:

CFO asks CEO: 'What happens if we invest in developing our people and then they leave us?'
CEO: 'What happens if we don't, and they stay?'

Working from the Grand Central

There is something special with the atmosphere in hotel lobbies and cafés. The mix of people; tourists en passant planning the day's sightseeing, mixed with business people in various meetings. People on the move mixed with people relaxing.

And then the odd self employed who decided to locate today's office just here.

Game time

What do we really do, and what should we do? Heated discussions on corporate core values facilitated by a boardgame.

What are you really after?

Somehow the IKEA catalogue doesn't fall under the "no advertising mail please" restriction. The IKEA catalogue makes it into every Swedish home one way or another. Because we want it. Flicking through it, the walk in closet caught my attention. The idea of walking into a space where you are surrounded by all your clothes, shoes, shawls and bags in a neat order, sorted perhaps after season and colour seems to be every girl's wet dream.

But is it really the closet we are after? Isn't it the image of what we are going to fill it with? Items that we may, but most probably may not, have in our possession? So the whole dream of a walk in closet is really the dream of one big shopping trip without monetary restrictions to buy shoes and clothes for a lifestyle that is just slightly removed from our usual habits in the middle of November in Stockholm.

While waiting for this to happen, we revert back to IKEA's image of the walk in closet and next time we go to IKEA we buy a box of tealight candles and some napkins. And we consider it to be a good day out.

We meet again

August has been filled with one reunion after another. Today I had a dear homecoming at the yoga studio around the corner. Teachers and fellow yoginis, warm greetings and smiles everywhere. A shala filled with harmony and presence. If I were to mention one of my favourite places in Stockholm, this shala would make it to the list.

Long weekend

One important reason for becoming self employed was the freedom to plan my own time. Taking a day off without asking for permission, working from the location of my choice, mixing chargeable work with non-chargeble and being energised by the reward which can't be measured in monetary terms.

So on Thursday evening I decided to leave the city for the countryside. To take a day off and spend it in the forest searching for gold...

Lovely L is back

Yesterday's call from Lovely L lasted less than a minute after two months of radio silence. To blame: a mobile phone from last decade where one function after another slowly stopped working. Texting? No, not possible. Answering a call? Well, sometimes but can't trust the function completely. New phone on its way, but via the old one we still managed to establish:

• Last night's girly dinner party. Yes, she could make it and she was thrilled as she just made to the city the night before after a looong summer holiday.
• 70% sales in the Posh Shop. Could I meet her there?

Decided.

We spent our reunion competing over bargains with shopping hungry Stockholmer's and the odd Russian tourist. The 70% or more discount is a must to even enter this shop. Our eagle eyes, trained from years of "spot and grab" at sales and outlets (I still have plenty to learn from Lovely L), guided us to pretty dresses, shoes and skirts.

Forty five minutes later we left the crowd with filled shopping bags and big smiles and went for a coffee to start part two of our catch up.

Part three took place later in the same evening, chez moi, when Cool P and Adorable joined us.

Days like this, filled of friends and spontaneity, are few and difficult to plan. They just happen when you least expect.

Snapshots from a weekday in August

A day as self employed...Picking the right office for the day is one of the major advantages. Yesterday's work spot was a creativity boost!

Stockholm is a unique capital. People sunbathing in the middle of the city. Although London is the city of my dreams, I don't think it can compete with Stockholm on this.

The pontoon is not just a restaurant and a bar. It's also a plant school. Bring any flower pot you want to the to the checkout counter to then take it home. 

The healthy alternative to a glass of wine. A glass of strawberries. Beautiful for the eye and sweet for the mouth.

I actually managed to get some work done in beween enjoying the view of Mälaren and my coffee and eavesdropping on tourists who picked one of the best weeks of the year to explore Stockholm.

Working?

I believe in taking the time to warm up, making that holiday spirit last a little bit longer. So yesterday in the office, meetings, calls and writing documents. Today? Well, on the pontoon enjoying one of the most lovely summer days this season. And planning for coming yoga classes.

At my favourite hairdresser's

"The best thing a woman can have is talent. The second best is s good hairdresser."

Getting ready for a wedding. He keeps on asking when it's time for my own. I keep on answering "eventually, I promise". When the time is right, he will be a given guest of honour.

Back in class

It's almost like starting school again.

An Italian kiss

This afternoon's office, a city latte and a Bacio to energise more learnings from the leadership gurus.

The hidden message in the chocolate Bacio: "Love me for the sake of loving, always and forever."

Today's purchase

A blender for healthy smoothies and a sodastream to glorify tap water. The plan is that these two new friends will help me to reduce the intake of bread and wine in this household. At different times of the day obviously.

Back in town...sort of

Yesterday I landed at home sweet home. Bags were left unpacked and a quick cleaning exercise took place to prep for a spontaneous crayfish party. A sort of "back-in-town-celebration" and the first opportunity to get to know Beautiful J's other half. Crayfish and new boyfriend passed the liking-test.

And then a day of getting used to being back. Although the sun was shining outside, I spent the day indoors pottering*. I don't know what it is with me and pottering, but I think it's vital to reflection and necessary to get used to change. Or prepare for change. Tomorrow it's time to look at those piles of work that were left about a month ago. My guess is that nothing has happened to them, but who knows? May be something has matured or grown that will now surface as a nice surprise.

*Pottering (according to the Free Dictionary): do random, unplanned work or activities.