Madeleine: Random thoughts

As Jennifer has her mother, all the way from Canada and her aunt from Greece, here I have been staying with Helena and now with Julia. I've noticed that I'm calling all places I stay "home". I'm "home" at Helena's, I have to go "home" to Bezons to pick up my stuff before going "home" (Jennifer's), Julia's place is "home", honestly I think the entire world is my home. Unconsciously I think I feel at home wherever I am because in the end we are inhabitants of planet Earth. It feels good to feel safe and at home in so many places, as soon as they become familiar they in one way become "home" because I feel safe there. Before, I longed for my home in Eskilstuna, where I was raised but now that I've travelled a bit and kept moving around, it has become a lot easier to settle. I will want a proper home, where I will live for more then a few months or even years, but it's nice to know that I don't need a firm spot to call home... I think because I'm trying to become less attached to material things it's so much easier to refer to any place familiar where you feel safe becomes a "home". In the end home represents a place which you are familiar with and feel the most safe.
To return to materialism, we are so wasteful with our resources and consumption has become such a major part of all of our lives without we really even notice it. I didn't think it was strange that I couldn't go past a shoe shop without wanting to buy something, but as I'm becoming increasingly aware of the effects of consumerism I'm trying to detach myself from the want to shop and put my needs and wants in perspective. I'm not saying that it's wrong to want, but we all really need to put our wants and consuming in perspective. Honestly, do I need my 40 different pairs of shoes? No, I really don't, but I want them, and more pairs, but I can now go past a shoe shop without even noticing that there are lots of beautiful shoes inside. If this remotely interest you (which I really think it should!) have a look at this: The Century of Self. It's incredible and very enlightening.

We went to Truskel friday night. It's an intimate rather cheap pub/club which has hosted artists like Pete Doherty, The Kooks, Justice and many others. Really like it, the atmosphere and the interior, but I'll probably go back a weekday because it's seriously crowded during the weekend!

This morning Julia and I went for a walk in the park in Porte d'Orléans, and it's so beautiful! The sun was shining, it was warm and nice, people were happy and smiling (not common in Paris) and the flowers are blooming, it's wonderful! So we decided that we were going to go home and get ready, make a massive fruit salad and go into another park called Buttes-Chaumont in the 19th. First time there, but I absolutely loved this park! Definitely worth visiting. Oh, and when we were walking around, there's a high point with a little monument, it's beautiful and when we came up we were welcomed by music from violins playing for a newly married couple. I know, I'm a sucker for romance...