Where did the postman go?

I've been thinking about that post for a while now. I would come back home at the end of the day, know what I want to write about, get myself in front of the computer, but nothing would come out. Geez, it must be hard to be a writer: you have that idea, you know what you want to write, but once in front of a white page, no words come out; you don't know where to start and how to translate in "real" all these flying abstract ideas you have in your head. Anyway, that was a big parenthesis to explain why there has not been a new post on my blog for the past few days. It might happen often, so do not hate me; I will eventually write; the timing just has to be right.


What prompted me to write this post is a small parcel I found in my mailbox the other night. When I get to my driveway, I can get a peak of what's inside the mailbox from afar, and that night I saw a small parcel. It may sounds stupid, but for a few seconds I really hoped the parcel was for me, that it would have my name written on it, but unfortunately it didn't; it had my flatmate's name on the front. So I took the parcel and dropped it in front of her room.
That episode made me think that we do not use the mailing services enough anymore. I remember receiving letters from my father when I was a kid (late 80s, early 90s). My father lived abroad, so phoning was really expensive and not practical with the time difference, and Internet, emails and skype didn't exist, so we would write. I remember being so excited when mom came back with a letter. Sometimes there would even be a drawing inside. It was always a surprise, a little cheer at the end of the day.

Unfortunately most of us lost that. We now entirely rely on emailing and skyping and do not get me wrong, I bless both, but isn't it nice to receive real letters from times to times?
I already hear the ones advocating against pollution and for the environment, and saying that emailing has allowed us to save trees and forests and all. And funnily enough this post comes at a rather interesting moment, as I just read an article in today's paper about Finland deciding to scan private mail to be able to send it through email to the recipients to cut on hiring fees, petrol, carbon dioxide, and time in the most rural parts of the country. But not too worry, the mail will still be delivered, just not as often as before. Quite funny indeed.

Well even if it means using more petrol for the postman to come to my house, I still believe it will be nice once in a while to receive a real letter or a small parcel; something you can touch, you can feel, you can smell, that unexpected dash that brightens your day.
Plus, another REALLY good reason to write letters is that these days the only letters we receive are bills, so it will be a nice break to receive something that doesn't ask you to write a check.

So here it is, reader, my words of wisdom for a happier life: ask your friends and your family for their postal address (yes because I am sure that most of you do not even know it) and get writing!

I want it NOW!

Today was an ok day; it had its ups and downs like every other day really, but then towards the end of the evening something happened that frustrated me. As I was walking away, I became annoyed at myself that such a small, insignificant event could have even touched me and let alone frustrated me. So I wondered: why am I frustrated? The answer came astonishingly easily: because I didn't get what I wanted at the exact moment I wanted it. That thought scared me.
It scared me because it made me realize that I am a spoiled brat. It is nothing to be ashamed of, as I am laying the blame entirely on the fact that I was born in 1982, the middle of the Generation Y era where instant communication technologies have taken over the world. You just sent an SMS, and Oh My God, it's been two and a half seconds and no answer!!! You sent an email yesterday, and nothing in your email box today..spam? no nothing there either..very strange.. something must be wrong! You posted something on facebook, and no comments yet; what are your 865 friends thinking?? And what about all these new portable gadgets: iPhones, blackberries, etc... Did you seriously need to answer to that email while you were having lunch with your friends? And do not say yes, as I would not believe you (unless you are the president of the republic and an international matter requires your immediate attention). I mean, isn't that crazy? We live in a society where everything has to be NOW!

This is where I put my foot down. Let's breathe and think for a second. Is your life going to be irreversibly changed if your friend does not immediately answer to your SMS or reply to your email or comment on your Christmas party photos on facebook or come over for a drink? The answer is probably not. You will SURVIVE. You will be able to go on with your day just fine, believe me. So take a deep breathe and walk away. Walk away from that unjustified frustration. Maybe your friends' mobile was out of signal, or maybe they were busy with their own problems (Did you even bother asking if they were ok instead of jumping at them with a "where were you? I called you all day??"), or maybe they were just tired and wanted a little alone time.

This "I want it NOW" attitude is in fact a kind of selfishness. Because you are free and available at that precise time, you want everyone else to be. But it does not work like that..unfortunately..

So, this will be my first words of wisdom for a happier life "be ok with waiting an hour, a day, a week...it will make the day you finally receive that email, or text, or see that person you've been waiting to see for so long EXTRA SPECIAL"

And I know what I am talking about...

A demain..

That's what this blog is all about

After yesterday's quite painful experience, I have decided to pass on the blog description..no long description, but 4 words instead: how to be happy. Quite a move from my old blog, which was, like a lot of blogs, a mere narrative of my day to day life. And it was fine because at that time I was living in New York and crazy things happen in New York all the time, so my day to day life was actually pretty intense and newsworthy (to my readers). But 2 years have gone by and a lot has changed. I am not saying that my life is now so boring that it does not deserve a proper blog, but I just don't feel the desire to share it anymore. I mean of course there will be stories about my life on this blog, but I want it to be more than that.

I want this blog to be a sanctuary. Ok, sanctuary might carry too much meaning and you are going to think that I stepped onto the dark side and that I am now a hippie Buddhist jah-loving who walks barefoot, talks to the birds and worships the sun. Let's try again: I want this blog to be a place to come to to recharge your battery, a place that makes you smile, a place that makes you forget that you just had the worst day at work, a place that makes you want to try new things, to get out there and be the best you can be. I want this blog to be INSPIRATIONAL. Even I realize that I am putting the bar very very very high here, and as I write these words I'm wondering how long I will last. How long until my own life breaks into pieces and I have no kind words left to say? Well, I guess that's my challenge. By keeping this blog positive, I will keep myself positive...hopefully. Oh well, what's the worst that can happen anyway? Boring you with my 2 cents feel-good philosophy? I think I'll survive. Running out of inspiration? Then that will be the end of the blog, but I would have tried, and I would be proud and happy I did. So here it is. My new inspirational blog. Welcome to the world, blog! Now, let's have fun.

A demain..

Lesson 1: never mix up the escape with the delete button

Here I am in front of my fetus of a blog, all excited to go back to blogging (yes this is my second blog-writing attempt) writing beautiful sentences in the "blog description" box . I had just written the last word, when, wanting to delete a full stop I hit the escape button instead of the back button and it all disappeared in a second. Quite funny how that happens..you spend hours (ok, in that case maybe not hours but still..it feels like hours) writing, putting your best thoughts out there and BAM, it's gone, all gone, all that effort for nothing. And it's not that you can rewrite exactly what you had written the first time around. I mean I could have tried, and I would have probably come very close but it just would not have felt the same..it would have been like reheated food (and i'm not talking about the kind of food that actually tastes better the next day): good, good but not great.



Now I wonder..should I serve you reheated food tonight or should I just leave it at that: a short, introductory article that basically says nothing about me or what this blog is all about, or should I try, open the microwave and pop that Tupperware in? Well, even though I am in a writing mood tonight, I think I will stop here...and start anew tomorrow with a wholly new blog description.



So here it is, reader, my first article and it feels so good to be back! A demain..