My girls... My Girls...

My 8 wonders !

Apart from my family, nothing compares to my 8 wonders : 8 girls (I shall post about the boys later this year. I love you  too, mates !). My closest friends and a true inspiration to me  ! They are so different but so gorgeous inside and out. I know them for years and they don’t meet each other or hardly ever. 

In alphabetical order : Carol, Cathy, Jen, Karen, Kim, Lea, Linda & Sari.

Those girls are magnificent, funny, smart, amazing and above all my friends. I am proud of them, all.  But Karen who’s not connected to the Internet, we all share an email, a tweet, a Facebook message or a text message almost daily (or at least weekly). Whenever I wrote something in my Facebook wall, it is dedicated to them.

I am bliss to know them and I appreciate any moment spent with them.

Honestly, I never met, physically speaking, 3 of them : Jen, Kim & Linda. Jen and I missed a few meetings over the years ; Kim (despite the fact that she lives in UK) and I didn’t had the opportunity to settle a meeting  ;  Linda lives in Australia and the last time she came in Europe, we didn’t know each other.

But there is a bond between us.

Linda is just like a sister to me and even my mother says “my adopted daughter”. She is just a super smart and genius person, caring, funny and quite eccentric ! I’ve just adored our emails and conversation over the years. She has her own vision on facts and the world and I do care about her opinions. My Aussie Sister….

Kim and I used to write to each other a lot until Kim became a caring and loving mom of 2 wonders (obviously a wonder does a wonder). She’s still a wonderful person I like to write to but it is rather seldom nowadays. Anyhow, she’s got a special place in my circle of friends.

Jen & I share a lot in common : photography, fashion, models, etc. We are connected on the same level about art, friendship and life and, honestly, that is an indubitably strong link. Jen is just a wonderful girl !

Now, let’s talk about my five others wonders, those I’ve been knowing for ages and meeting as often as I can… even though we don’t meet that much, Internet and Skype help us out !

Carol : it’s easy to talk about Carol. She lives almost around the corner. We met at school and I know that I was not her first choice to be friend with. I was, as she points out whenever someone asks her about, “distant, cold and rather too wild” for her. But our friendship blossomed and we are best friends. Carol is a Gemini and that can explain a lot of things about her. She is my opposite in many ways (physically and spiritually) but we hardly fight over something. We tease each other sometimes, but it is never harsh. We supported each other through the years in joys and pains. She is here for me as much as I am here for her.

Cathy : if I had to choose another sister (adopted one), she had to be her. We have too strong tempers (both Leo, if you know what I mean !), and had different points of views, but over the years we learnt about each others, wrote long letters with details on our roots and find out so many things about ourselves that the relation is just obviously genuine. She is my counselor, my other half… Some should say my soul mate. We’ve been through hard times and we cherish, now, the happiness to be back in touch. Most of all, I am proud to be “Aunt Lizzie” to her tremendous daughters and just “her Lizzie”.

Karen : what is special about Karen is herself. I met her because she was Lea’s friend. We met and we got along quite well. But she is a very unique person, rather touchy and with strict opinions. We wrote long letters to each other for a while and then, she stopped answering back. She is still someone I appreciate even though she is not around anymore. So far.

Lea  : another sibling. Lea is precious. She’s been my friend for years and we have a lot of tastes in common. When we met physically speaking, it was evident. We had the feeling that we’ve known each other for decades. She is a very caring person, always thinking of you before of herself. She is funny and makes me laugh out loud. She is a very smart girl and I do know that she is gifted for many things but doesn’t matter about getting the center of attention. She’s a cat lover too, like I am. We even talked about moving in together in our old days to be able to care for each other. I guess that France would suit her perfectly.

Sari : She’s my soul mate. We’ve been friends for about 15 years, travelled together and enjoyed any minute. She is a true wonder. She is clever and beautiful. She knows what she wants and she is persisted to her goal until success. She changed of job situation without being afraid of while I am stuck in mine. She is courageous and down-to-earth, even though she can be as wild as I am. Lately, she’s been so busy in her professional and personal lives that we aren’t in touch as often as we used to, but I know that she does think of me and vice versa. I know that she will be there for me. I shall too. That is all that matter : her friendship.

So, yes indeed, I love those girls. I really love them all. They are a real gift that Life (or God) gave me through the years. It’s been decades for some, less for others but mainly, they are part of my life. They know me more than any member of my family and I am proud of them. Any of them have a special place in my heart.

One of my dreams is to organize a meeting with all of them in Saint Martial and spend a whole girlie week. We all should have a blast. Well, basically, we ought to.

I love you Girls !! Je vous aime les filles !! 

Jag älskar dig flickor !! Rakastan sinua tytöt !!

I have to add Micaela, Sylvana, Estelle, Sophie, Natacha (but she is my manager, so she's already special), Sally, etc..... They are all in my hearts.

Feuilleton "Au boulot, Lisa !" - Episode 2 "Moi et le DRH"

Me voici dans le bus pour me rendre à l’entreprise XYZ. Pour faire court, j’ai dû prendre trois bus différents pour arriver au siège de la société dans un quartier inconnu et avec des situations cocasses dans les bus (le chauffeur s’arrêtant pour acheter un pain au chocolat, un enfant vomissant à mes pieds, mauvais arrêt indiqué par l’autre chauffeur et donc l’obligation de traverser une cité un brin craignos pour reprendre le bus dans le sens contraire, etc.).

J’arrive, enfin, dans le hall d’accueil de la société et je me présente à l’agent de sécurité.

- bonjour Monsieur, je viens de la part de l’agence « tuveuxbosserbentantpis » pour une mission d’intérim.

- Pour quoi faire ?

- standardiste.

- On n’a pas de standardiste absente !

- Mais Monsieur, je vous assure que j’ai un rendez-vous avec la DRH.

- ouais, 2^ème étage, mais je vais vous accompagner !

Je me suis sentie un peu dans la peau d’un criminel mais c’était assez drôle finalement. La fille de l’accueil jouait visiblement aux cartes sur l’ordinateur et n’a pas levé un cil. Le vigile m’a donc accompagné au 2^ème étage et là, après une montée par les escaliers, il ouvre la porte du service en claironnant « Mais qui a demandé une intérimaire dans cette boîte sans avertir l’accueil ? ».

Une petite bonne femme lui répond un « je sais pas, moi ! Elle a qu’à voir avec Josiane » (prénom modifié !). Le vigile m’escorte donc vers « Josiane » et la Josiane en question était, je l’ai vite compris, l’assistante particulière (trop ?) du DRH qui, lui non plus, n’était pas au courant.

J’ai bien senti le moment de panique et d’affolement général au nombre d’appels passés par « Josiane » en secouant la tête négativement vers son DRH. Ce dernier consent à me rencontrer « on sait jamais pour une future mission » et je m’installe dans son bureau. Il me propose un café, un biscuit, et on commence à papoter comme deux vieux amis de faculté, limite « qu’est-ce que tu as fait pour les vacances ? ». A ce moment là, je me dis que chez « Tuveuxbosserbentantpis » c’est l’apogée de l’incompétence et qu’ils ont sûrement dû confondre cette mission avec une autre. Bref, au bout de quinze minutes de discussions, le DRH me raccompagne gentiment à l’ascenseur, sous l’œil amusé de tout le service, et me souhaite un « bon retour chez moi ». Je souris et prends l’ascenseur. Arrivée à l’accueil, je prends congé poliment et sors, lorsque j’entends un :

-       Et Mademoiselle, revenez ! C’est pas la DRH qui a demandé une intérimaire, c’est la Direction Générale !

-    Ah oui ?

- Oui, oui, le DRH est vert. C’est le PDG qui veut quelqu’un pour remplacer son assistante. Uniquement pour ne pas manquer un appel cet après-midi.

Me voilà donc, repartie par l’escalier de service (dans cette boîte, ils n’utilisent l’ascenseur qu’en descente, ou quoi ?) et j’atterris au 6^e étage (oui, oui, en sueur… parfait pour une présentation au PDG !). Le vigile s’engouffre dans un bureau, je l’entends expliquer que le DRH « ne sait rien et que la demoiselle allait repartir ». La seule chose que j’ai entendue distinctement c’est un tonitruant : « Mais qu’est-ce qu’il est con ce mec ! ». J’ai supposé que l’homme parlait du DRH.

Le vigile me fait rentrer dans un bureau spacieux, avec des peintures contemporaines au mur et un homme d’une cinquantaine d’années, portant un costume bien taillé (et visiblement un Armani) avec de grands yeux tous ronds. Il se lève, me tend la main et s’excuse de l’accueil « pathétique du 2^ème étage ». il m’explique la mission rapidement (prendre et noter tous les appels et les lui remettre toutes les trente minutes, sauf « urgence absolue, comme ma femme »). Il m’installe au poste de son assistante avec un crayon à papier tout mâché et un bloc sténo largement entamé.

Comme il ne sait pas comment marche le téléphone (10 lignes), il fait appeler par le vigile « Josiane » chargée de me « briefer rapidement sur le maniement de cet ustensile ». « Josiane » soupire mais s’exécute à la vitesse d’un éclair. 2 minutes chrono et elle s’en va. Je guette alors mon premier appel.

Pendant les trois prochaines minutes, je vais regarder le téléphone comme une vache regarde passer un train, puis je vais désespérer sur une hypothétique sonnerie pour m’apercevoir que « Josiane » a fait un renvoi sur l’accueil. Intérimaire, mais pas idiote, je fais mon premier rapport au PDG avec un aimable mais ferme « RAS, mais il semble que l’accueil dispatche les communications directement ». le PDG se saisit de son téléphone et hurle un génial « Josiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaane, dans mon bureauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu ». Elle rapplique aussi vite que la lumière et annule le transfert des lignes. Elle s’excuse et me regarde d’un œil noir. Je peux repasser pour manger à la cantine de l’entreprise avec les autres !

Le PDG est ravi de ma première prise de note (1^er appel de Madame son épouse pour savoir la marque de pâtes qu’il souhaite pour le dîner du lendemain) et me félicite de ma rapidité (ça, ça va, je gère !).

A midi trente, le PDG m’informe que je peux aller déjeuner (trente minutes) au restaurant du 3^ème avec sa carte. Je lui indique que je ne sais pas où cela se trouve et que j’ai apporté un tupperware pour déjeuner sur place (comme me l’avait indiqué mon chargé des suivis). Il m’invite donc à déjeuner ! Je suis sidérée. Le PDG déjeune avec un intérimaire. Je vais me faire encore des copines, je le sens.

Episode 3 : « Le PDG me raconte les ragots du jour entre le fromage et la crème brûlée » !

My daily make up...

This is not a beauty blog, but a reader asked me about my daily products after reading beauty post I made a few weeks ago.

I am not sure that those products will still be my favorites at the end of 2012, but, so far, they have been my daily references…

I don’t wear foundation. I know, I know. Being 41 going to 42 and not using a foundation is quite a skin suicide.

I swap 2 day creams (and 2 night creams) monthly : Caudalie (Vinoperfect – Day perfecting Fluid SPF 15 ; Vinoperfect Nuit – Cell renewal night cream) and L’Oréal (Revitalift 10 ; Revitalift night). Idem for eyes (Eye & lip cream Pulpe Vitaminée by Caudalie ; Revitalift Eye by L’Oréal).

In case of an emergency, I put Vinosource Riche Ultra nourishing cream by Caudalie.

Then I use mineral tinted moisturizer cream (light to medium) by Caudalie that I put after my day cream.

I put some concealer on the spots I need to blemish a bit such as chin and under eyes (Concealer Hide the Blemish – soft Honey- by Rimmel) and add the Sun Bronze natural Bronzer with minerals #022 by Rimmel from the throat to the cheeks, very slight touches indeed.

Then, I use the eye pencil black (Exaggerate eye definer #261) & the mascara (Extra Super Lash Brown/black) by Rimmel. I never wear black mascara, but light brown or brown/black because it suits my hazel eyes.

I can add a liner (Glam’ eyes Liquid liner – brown) by Rimmel or put some eye shadow by L’Oréal (Infaillible/indefectible #012 Endless Chocolat). This color is incredible for hazel eyes. It shimmers.

Then, to be a bit more “fresh”, I spray Eau de Beauté by Caudalie. It’s fresh, smells terribly nice and it makes skin young like perfect and pure.

The last thing I do is my lips. So, when I do put some eye shadow, I hardly put some lipstick on my lips. I hydrate them with Carmex or with Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant by Elizabeth Arden. If I have to put lipstick, I only wear red ones.

My favorite are most certainly from Chanel and Agnès b. (Lune Rousse Chanel / Agnès b. “coup de foudre”). I like glosses too, mainly from Rimmel too. They are lovely on lips and tastes so nice (caramel or red fruits).

What I do like the most is nail polishes. I am madly in love with that. I don’t like long nails indeed. Mine are always cut shot. As for nail polish brands, I found out the 2 perfects : Chanel & Mavala. From Chanel, I am an absolute fan of Particulière, Black Satin and Vendetta;  From Mavala, I may say most of them but I fancy London, Bronze Green and New York.

I most likely enjoy red and grey as nail polish, but the Particulière (Chanel) is the must-have for me. it is taupe and it is a real basic. I couldn’t live without this nail polish.

Yet, I just realize that I am wearing quite the same and usual make up daily. It is funny how you can be stuck on products, but I guess that once you find something which suits you perfectly (or at least, the best it can be), you just have to adapt yourself to it.

As my clothing are mainly based on black, I try out to put some red lipstick, red nail polish and a few touches of colors (scarves, gloves, jewels) to brighten up.

So, to sum up it all : Caudalie, L’Oréal, Chanel, Rimmel & Mavala. What else ?

Oh, I almost forgot  ! Skin Cleaner on morning and evening is from Caudalie (Eau démaquillante / Demaquillant Soin Doux Visage/Yeux). It is the first and ultimate gestures I do daily : cleaning my skin from makeup, pollution and dead skin.

To finish, I should add the perfumes I adore : Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Kingdom by McQueen & Burberry for Men by Burberry....

What about yours ?

Should I vote ? Some asked

I was not going to talk about that but one of my (few) readers asked me, due to my post on photographers of war, my opinion upon the French policy in the Middle East and whether I will vote or not.

Let’s be clear ! I don’t care about Policy, Politics and elections in general. Not that I am not interested in (although…), but I don’t think that it would change a damn thing. Whoever I would vote for, I truly believe that he/she won’t do all he/she promises. I do understand that politics leaders cannot run the country on an ideal and might be forced to program laws and rules to maintain the balance of the economy (international economy) but I am too idealist to believe in them anymore.

I’ve seen a few elections and Presidential too which made me really regret my vote. Nevertheless, I read all programs of any group or party. I have to because it is the privilege of democracy, being able to choose.

2012 is a major election year in France. First of all, presidential election is due late april / early may. Our actual president is running for a second mandate and a few candidates declared themselves for the job. It might be very motivating to get this job due to the amount of people announcements.

The second election is due in June to select by ballot the Deputies. Again, it is going to be hectic. The battle already begun!

So, basically, I am supposed to vote to both elections. Presidential first round is today and I know whom I am going to vote for : no one ! Not that I have no clue about my political tendency but I don’t have a real enthusiasm for a candidate, especially from my own convictions.

I am not fond of politic and power in general. I don’t see a point about supremacy of any kind. I believe in individuals, freedom, fraternity, not equality.  We are not equal to each others. That is a fact that everyone can understand. The French constitution and motto says “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité”. There are three of the most significant words in the world (along with love, etc.) but it is not true for everyone.

My ideal line is quite far away from that Egalité thing. But I do think that we should be equals to education, work, way of living and freedom. I guess that the word I like the most is Liberté (Freedom). I request Liberty of action, thinking and acting. I do think that the most valuable skill we have is this ability to be independent and to keep on being self-governing.

Indeed, a country needs rules, authority and major influence on people but lately France has become rather radical in the freedom of opinion and expression. A few years ago, we had this liberty of speaking with our own words, rude or not, inconvenient or not, offending or not, but we could express ourselves and freely gave ours opinions. Nowadays, it is not infrequent to be judge about that kind of attitude.

I was discussing with a few colleagues and, after being asked the presidential election and the fact for voting, I said “No, I am going to vote for a party despite I don’t like the candidate. I won’t vote unless the blank vote is admitted and counted”. I guess that one of the men faint of horror and told me that I was “not a good citizen and a democratic person”. I answered back that voting is a right not a duty and I still have my freedom of thinking and acting.

The Presidential election is a bit harsh here and the two main parties are just trying to influence people to vote. TV shows are all about politics and it is quite boring to watch at the TV programs. Last Sunday, it was an eight hours live shows full of “Live Meeting”, “Live comments”, “Live interviews”.

Hello ? Are we all supposed to act like our fellow citizen ? Are we required to attend to all meetings conventions and to be passionate ?

Consequently, I guess that I am entering into four months and half of mutes and seclusion from the Medias, four months avoiding articles in magazines, newspapers and on Internet, pretending that only Art, Music, Cinema, Literature and Sports matter. Thinking about photography, writing a novel, listening to new bands, going to movies and enjoying reading a book are things I am going to do until late June.

Who cares about my vote ? Really care I mean. My grandmothers would have been very angry at me if they were still alive, but I often talked about that matter with them both and they agreed that whoever is in charge, nothing really changes.

Be a good citizen, go and vote. Be assured that you do the right choice for your own conscience and be satisfied to act properly. I already did my choice years ago.

I, I do not vote. 

Les tribulations de Lisa en français ! Feuilleton "Au boulot, Lisa !" - Episode 1

Certains lecteurs français m’ont interpelée pour m’indiquer que, même si la langue de Shakespeare leur était agréable, ils préféraient encore celle de Molière.

J’avais imaginé que produire un billet tous les trois-quatre jours en anglais ne pouvait être que bénéfique pour mon imagination, mon écriture, et l’entretien de mon anglais. Force est de constater qu’écrire en français est largement aussi intéressant.

J’ai donc décidé de publier quelques billets en français sur des sujets plus délicats ou plus franco-français. Une de mes amies m’a indiqué que je devrais continuer le « feuilleton » avec des mini-articles humoristiques sur les conditions de travail ou des anecdotes. Elle évoquait les articles que j’avais écrits, dans un style caustique, lorsque je travaillais en intérim et je me suis dit que « l’un dans l’autre » cela pourrait être assez drôle.

Je posterai au gré de mes envies, toujours en français, avec un rythme plus soutenu, si mes tribulations intéressent du monde… Croyez-moi, il y a de la matière !

Donc, voici le premier épisode de la version de « Au boulot, Lisa ! » :

Episode 1 : l’inscription chez « Tuveuxbosserbentantpis », agence d’Intérim :

Lorsque j’ai décidé de bosser en intérim, c’était surtout pour me faire de l’argent de poche et ne pas (trop) entrer dans la vie active (et adulte) rapidement. Il faut dire que j’avais 28 ans, toutes mes dents et un train de vie agréable (voire insouciant, mais ceci est un autre problème). Un copain m’avait conseillé « Tuveuxbosserbentantpis » parce que 1) la chargée des suivis des intérimaires était « jolie » 2) car il y avait « souvent » des missions « intéressantes pécuniairement » et 3) parce que c’était à mi-chemin entre notre salon de thé préféré et la maison (tout d’un coup, vous situez bien le niveau de volonté de travailler, non ?).

Bref, j’avais obtenu un rendez-vous le lundi matin, 9h30, dans leurs locaux avec une certaine Anémone (ou un autre nom de fleur, mais compte tenu que je n’utiliserai pas les vrais noms… ). On m’avait conseillé d’arriver « habillée pro, tirée à quatre épingles et surtout, surtout, surtout, pas trop de maquillage ».

Cela tombait bien… Ce jour là, j’avais une réaction d'urticaire sur les joues (due à une expérience de masque de beauté qui avait mal tournée) et j’ai dû forcer sur l’anticerne histoire de camoufler le côté « couperose ».  Arrivée en avance, j’ai réalisé que j’étais habillée comme pour aller à un concert rock (converses/jean slim/veste cintrée), un maquillage un brin rock lui-aussi et un sourire ultrabrite ad hoc, renforcé en cela par le rouge vif sur mes lèvres. Bref, un aspect, je dois l’avouer, peu engageant pour prétendre être « Assistante de Direction trilingue ».

Honnêtement, et avec le recul maintenant, je pense que j’ai fait exactement ce qu’il fallait que je fisse : « être moi-même ».

Quand je suis entrée dans l’agence, j’aurais dû faire demi-tour droite (en l’occurrence gauche !) tant les regards en disaient long sur la capacité d’écoute des « chargés des suivis ». La première (à l’accueil) n’a pas daigné me regarder et a continué sa conversation téléphonique stratégique (« Le pain complet ou normal ? ») en me désignant une chaise en face d’elle. La seconde (la chargée des suivis qui ne me suivra pas) m’a détaillée des pieds à la tête en secouant la sienne comme si elle avait un TOC pendant de longues minutes. La troisième (qui allait être mon interlocuteur « privilégié » pendant un an) n’a décidé de me recevoir que trente minutes plus tard, soit avec vingt minutes de retard. Côté ponctualité, tu repasseras, chérie !

L’entretien s’est assez bien déroulé même si j’ai eu l’impression de devoir justifier mes diplômes, mes antécédents ou même ma motivation pour l’intérim « au lieu d’aller voir les annonces »  (autant dire « va pointer au chômage, débile ! »). Bref, j’ai eu l’air de quémander une mission « même un jour ou deux », histoire d’avoir « des expériences » pour étoffer mon cv.

Je suis sortie de l’agence vingt minutes après en pensant que je ne serai jamais appelée. Quand je suis rentrée, j’avais déjà un message sur mon répondeur (oui, oui, le téléphone portable n’était pas monnaie courante à l’époque post-crétacée !). Celui-ci disait : « Suite à notre entrevue, pourriez-vous vous rendre disponible demain matin à 11 heures pour une courte mission de cinq heures à l’entreprise XYZ, sise XXXXX. Merci de me rappeler pour confirmation au 00 00 00 00 00 ».

Evidemment, j’ai rappelé et confirmé mon intérêt pour le poste (« standardiste de base ») et je m’y suis rendue le lendemain matin.

Suite à l’épisode 2 : « Le DRH n’était pas au courant de ma venue, mais a trouvé l’idée sympa » 

Bus ride on early mornings ? Could be quite amusing

Oh, well, I am an early person. I love getting up early and go out. Even if I have to go to work, I don’t mind. To reach the Office, I have a few possibilities : the tube, buses or walking.

I stopped taking the tube for three main reasons : claustrophobia, smells & people. First of all, honestly, I am a bit claustrophobic when I take any subway. I nearly have a heart attack and I do panic quite often especially when the tram stops in the middle of tunnels ! It happened to me a few times and I really hated that feeling ; Secondly, I cannot understand how a person can stink at 7 am. Sometimes it is rather disgusting to smell those odors of transpiration, (bad) perfumes and any other aroma. The closer we are to summer season, the more I avoid the tube. Thirdly, I hate crowded places. I don’t feel secured whenever I am in a packed out area. I spent a few years attending to soccer games with about 40,000 persons but I didn’t feel that way. Nowadays, I like being surrounded by a restricted number of people.

About walking, even though I like walking around and have a long walk during holidays, I am not going to sweat before the arrival to the Office and stinking all day long !

That is why I much prefer taking buses. It is not faster than subway, but, apart from some jam-packed lines of buses, you are not going to be dozens in it. For instance, my daily bus capacity is about 25 persons on mornings and not more on evenings. It is a melting pot of persons : workers, retired, pupils, students or, for some reasons unknown, tourists !

Nevertheless, they are regulars on this line : same morning, same hour, same people. It is funny to observe that any morning this lady would come at the same hour, doing the same act before getting on the bus, sitting at the same place without any problem, as all the others do the same thing. I am the wildest person in the bus, I guess. I am changing my habits and my way of sitting in the bus and I noticed that they do remark that : each morning. One of the men is used to look in my direction and whenever I don’t sit in my “supposed” seat, he is quite disrupted.  

Then, another fact is that I am doing a game with a student. Wherever I sit, he tries to be in front of me. He can’t do it sometimes and it is obviously not funny for him. Our game has been lasting for a year and half. We never talked or even greeted. We are just looking alternatively to each other, pretending not to mention the other and, above all, not to notice that we are doing that. I wasn’t aware of that until an elderly lady talked to me a few of months ago. She was at the same bus stopping waiting for our bus to come and she said “Hello”. I replied nicely and she told me without any other introduction “Would your boyfriend be on the bus ?”. I was like “Hello ? my boyfriend doesn’t even know which bus I am taking a ride in !”. 

But she added “Well, not your boyfriend, but your boy-soon-to-be-friend”. As I was a bit perplexed, she explained to me that theory of “our game”. I told her that I never noticed such a diversion and thought that she was imagining that. But the fact is that she was right. As soon as I came on the bus, he looked the opening gate and looked where I was going to sit and then, changed of seat to be in my area. The morning after, I arrived late on purpose to be sure he won’t be able to change seat. But he spent the 20 minutes of ride watching to me through windows reflections

This morning was even more interesting. He stopped in front of me, staring at me during the whole ride and each time I was looking to his direction, he pretended to have a look outside the bus. The elderly lady told me again that he didn’t stop looking to me.

Which is even more surprising is that I can recognize him without having a look. I know his way of walking, his way of behaving when he comes on the bus and even his breath. I don’t need to observe carefully inside the bus I just know whenever he is in or not.

So, the bus ride on mornings is amusing enough. All I know is that he is a student and looks like a sweet boy. He could be my kid. I think that I am entertaining him.

So far, I have nothing else better to do on early morning bus but gaming and listening my MP3 !!

Damon Albarn Performs Dr Dee - The Golden Dawn and Apple Carts - OneFest...

Arctic Monkeys - Coachella 2012 full set

That's where you're wrong.. Arctic Monkeys are great !

I think that it is going to be more and more obsessive ! 

Back in 2005, when I first heard an Arctic Monkeys song via MySpace, I liked their energy, their youth and their sound. Then, I listened to their first album and I liked the singer’s voice. I honestly didn’t know who he was and what he looked like until I saw them on stage in UK.

I can affirm that I only liked Arctic Monkeys onto their music and not because of the attractiveness of the members. Basically, none of them is really my type… and they all could be my kid (technically speaking, of course).

So I started to listen to them with some interest without been totally fascinated although a few months later, two songs hit my mind. There were “I bet you look good on the dancefloor” and “Perhaps vampires is a bit strong but...”.  Alex Turner’s (lead singer and front man, should I state that ?) way of performing them drew my attention and his northern accent really turned me on (some Liverpuldian reminiscence ?). So far, his voice is the main point of attraction, along with music and lyrics. The older, the better I should say.

I definitely fell for Arctic Monkeys when I first heard “Do Me A Favor”. I don’t know how to explain it but I knew by instinct that this band shall be into my musical life for good, as Blur is.

I might like a lot of bands & songs anyhow I am truly faithful to three bands : Blur, Arctic Monkeys & The Beach Boys.

Arctic Monkeys has this incredible front man. A band without a front man is not a good one. Usually, the front man has to get charisma, sexiness and a part of je-ne-sais-quoi.

Within the band, two out of the four have that ability : Alex Turner & Matt Helders. I don’t know what Matt Helders’ future would be made of. He’s got enough talent to keep on doing an excellent drummer and a very amazing actor in videos, knowing exactly how to draw attention.

But it is quite different for Turner. In 2005, it was undeniable that this fragile young guy with a post-adolescence face and his skinny figure had enough charisma to be a leader. But he had the cons of his youth, that is to say nervousness. He looked so shy on stage that it was pretty much boring. They all were performing songs, close to album versions, and went off the stage without a word or a look to the audience. I guess that being in the spotlights was not really their cup of tea.

Turner had face another spotlight whilst his relationship with a British TV presenter. I was not sure that he would, one day, blossomed on stage. But he did. Since last spring, he did. I don’t know whether it is his new hairdo or the way he assumes who he is, but he now has existence on stage. He knows how to flirt with the audience and keep eyes contacts with the front row.

It was obvious in Casino de Paris gig but more certainly on the Olympia gig. Turner became a man. That is all good for Arctic Monkeys.

This paper is not an ode to Alex Turner, but to a young band that did four albums, pretty brilliant and so rock that their ballads are even more gorgeous, especially written by young boys (mainly Tuner, by the way).

Just listen to “Cornerstone” (Humbug album) or “Love is a Laserquest” (Suck it & See) to get an opinion onto Turner’s skill to write gorgeous lyrics and ballads. His experiences with The Last Shadow Puppets or Submarine’s soundtrack might have revealed himself into this brilliant songwriter. So, yes indeed, he is not the best singer ever, his voice might aggravate many of you, but the sound and lyrics are good, first-class, considering his age.

I might not be objective whenever it comes to Arctic Monkeys, but the fact is that many bands lost the battle from “newcomer” to “Group”. They have that je-ne-sais-quoi which makes them be excellent.

As I wrote in a review about Submarine Soundtrack, Tuner’s name will have a major impact in British music and to music in general. Someone told me (my so-called manager) that I can’t help refereeing to blur in any paper I write about music. So here it goes again… Turner makes me think about Damon Albarn, (Front man-singer-songwriter of Blur, Gorillaz, The Good The Bad and The Queen, RocketJuice and the Moon, etc.)  : this kind of obsession with music, getting different influences, go off the path and accomplish greats compositions. Albarn is a genius in music (Listen to his opera “Dr Dee” trailer). Turner is going to achieve that, sooner or later.

So, let’s have a musical dream : a studio, 2 songwriters/singers (Albarn & Turner), and 2 of the greatest British guitarists I know (Graham Coxon & Bill Ryder Jones), add a help from a few friends (Kane, Helders, etc.) and you may have the perfect album ever recorded.

A few songs I deeply love from Arctic Monkeys :

Cornerstone

 Love Is A Laserquest

Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But

 I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

505

Do Me A Favor

 Mardy Bum

 Crying Lightning

Secret Door

Last song RUmine 

And from Alex Turner (The Last Shadow Puppets & Submarine)

My Mistakes Are Made For You

 Glass In The Park