I am in a very good mood today! The sun is back. I guess its vacation is over. Til the next time. Things are in order. At least outside. Inside mess reigns. Over my desk. In my apartment. But that's the beauty of it. A total messed order. My own. A natural chaos created by my everyday movements, thoughts and habits.

Would I clean this all up? It is not dirt! It is a mess. Almost poetic. Bach flowers next to pens. A green tea can next to a colors box. An orchid by the window. My drawings and photographs on the wall. On the ground. Even on my chair! A Mandarina Duck's bag by the door. My cellphone rining but I don't pick up! I am in a very good mood today. I am going to relax for 3 days at the lake. Away from this mess. But I know I will take the mess with me. With my books, my notebooks, my pens and my camera. On the ground. On the table. On a chair. On the terrasse. A natural chaos of my everyday actions. Is this mess just the translation of my bad habits? Who knows! I love it!

Foam. Solid or void? Presence yet absence. Temporary yet permanent in its ephemeral state. Mental? Physical? Who can tell? Form and structure. And then, suddently de-formed and amorphed. Where are those 15 minutes Andy Warhol was talking about? Can they last more than that? Even for an entity such as foam? An hour, a week, a month or a lifetime? Foam and Fame. Susan Boyle and Ferran Adrià. One as the incarnation of the 15 minute of fame that are maybe lasting a little more. One as the creator of foamy sculptural artistic gastronomic foamy recipes. Your tv, your plate. Moments you sometimes wish were endless. Feelings, visual fullfillment, optical appreciation.

Not eternal. You wish you could contem-{plate}, admiring a creation that you ultimately destroy. By eating it. But you surely enjoy it. Even if it is for a fragment of time maybe even less than 15 minutes. Some things you wish would last more. But they are just foam.

I am not sure if it is the weather, the astrological momentum, or some other silly excuse but, for some reason, it has been couple of days that my brain is out of shape. It seems I can't even write a small little post! It is not the rain. It is not aries meeting with pisces and hanging around with pluto in some pub down the street. It is a very strange feeling not being able to put down some sentences. Maybe it is because my blog is very free (yeah...that's why it is called FreeForm!!). Maybe that is the problem. When you have too much freedom it is harder to deal with things. Unlike on Funky Paradise (a collective blog with 2 great friends) where a word is given on a daily basis and each one of us writes whatever comes to mind thinking about it.
So, here I am, wandering through the wet space surrounding me, searching for some ideas, some hints, something interesting to talk about. I shot these images today at lunch, under the rain, with my dog jumping in the water.

I feel like a drop, crawling down from a sky of thoughts. From a cloud filled with imagination. From a tree of impatience. I need to work out my brain! Let it do some push ups. Some running. Something!
I was reading this article honoring Rita Levi Montalcini. First Nobel Prize to reach 100 years old! When they asked her what her secret is to live til 100 she candidly answered: "Have a total disinterest in the person. We don't die, only our bodies do. Keep your brain constantly active. Every minute of the day"!

It suddently got me back on track. With my hair all wet and my brain cleaned up after ten miles of running, I ate my lunch. Smiling about the last sentence Levi Montalcini gave to the interviewer: "I eat only an apple every night. This is my secret"! Well, my brain can be active every minute of my day...but only an apple for dinner will kill me!!!

I've been having a lot of fun lately! In a virtual sense! Blog(s), Twitter, Skype, and yes, some times even Facebook. I shared ideas. I discovered new great people (and their beautiful blogs), read interesting stories, real or fictional, was able to talk to friends who were miles away, noticed things that without a proper internet connection wouldn't have even come to surface in this ocean we call reality.
Yet, thinking about it, this fact is a little messed up. Where is reality gone??? But it is reality what we all are experiencing. Where are the noises? Smells, laughs, physical things??? You lose several dimensions when you interact via technology, yet, sometimes, this parallel life is more interesting then reality. Sometimes.
When I think about life in the physical world I think about experiencing it with all the senses. You can stroll in the city, wandering, discovering and feeling. You are a flaneur. You can sit and look. You talk about psychogeography, moods, feelings. Through the web you are transformed in some kind of voyeur. Your window becomes a screen. Physicality becomes distorted. Sometimes it is better, you avoid things that otherwise could not be avoided. I like it. But yet I am thinking wich one is more real? Or I shouldn't think about it at all and just enjoy it! My screen is so colorful this morning. But I know that the real windw is right beside me. Outside is grey. And it's raining!

What a wonderful weekend. Down by the lake, relaxing, reading, eating amazingly cooked (by me and my cousin) food and marvelous drinks. What can I say? It was simply a Super Duper Weekend! I shot some pictures (while taking a break from the couch (or from the terrasse!) to that, in a way, describe the emotional state of my mind during these 3 past days:

Very colorful indeed! And very humid!! It made me feel like after a session of color therapy!

Drinking Negroni watching the lake and some boats conquering liquid space was refreshing and filled me up with creative energy.

I now can't wait for the next weekend to come! Hopefully it will be SD!

Many other stuff were SD but one in particular is making me smile!!!

Switzerland Discovered a week later than the rest of the world one thing everybody is talking about!! The existence of Susan Boyle!! SD meets SB!

I watch the weather forecast only on friday. Just to have an idea on what is to expect during the weekend. To make programs such as "should I stay or should I go". During the week I just look outside the window. Do I need someone in the morning telling me "today is going to rain" when I can actually see it for myself??? Absolutely not!
Anyway, it has been months since when this funny guy on tv predicts a very apocaliptic weather every weekend. Tourism here in the southland of Switzerland, known for its warm and nice climate (it's sort of the swiss southern california) is going really bad. Tourist listen carefully to this wise man and...they decide not to come here. Same thing happened last night. "I have to say that the bad weather wil continue through the entire weekend. Starting tomorrow (today) there will be abundant water from the sky (wow!!! From the sky! I always ask myself where it actually comes from everyday!). The rain will continue until tuesday. Bring back out your jackets and wool stuff. The temperature is going to dropp quite a lot". The only thing I could say, and pardon my volgarity, was "Oh shit. Again?", since I am going to spend the weekend at the lake.

Well, I woke up this morning at 6 am. No clouds in the sky. The sun was shining even more than a Swarowsky diamond! And nature was well awake, colorful looking towards the blue sky.

It's very warm right now. And hopefully it will remain like this for at least a couple of days. The only rain drop I could find this morning were on the flowers blooming on the office's balcony. Drops from yesterday's rain!

I am now doing some forecast! Not on the weather but on the weatherman: I believe he will still be there next week telling us to open the umbrella!! I hope he'll be fired before that!!!

By the way! Yesterday the weather was as if spring had a car accident with summer! Hot, nice, colorful, peacefully entertaining, with the sound of the birds singing making you feel you were listening to a symphonic tribute to life! Today it is totally different! Cloudy, foggy, it's raing and it is not particularly warm! I guess spring didn't pass its driving licence test and, instead of going forward, directed to the future, it insanely started going backwards crashing into the forgotten winter that was parked right behind it! Although this type of weather usually relates to peace and calm, for some reason it is not!! The birds are still singing like crazy. Not a symphonic tribute to life though...more an elevator music. The type of music that after 15 floors you wish the door open very quickly and you suddently feel the urge to seek mental help!!!
I like the colors outside though, all those shadows of gray. Yet I also like dreaming about the colors of nature that hopefully tomorrow will be back out in the world ready to be appreciated!

It has been a very bad week! Nice weather (until today), warm, sunny with the birds singing the everyday symphonie. Yet at work things went a little out of hand. Work and life. Inside and outside. You feel comfortable looking the everyday through your (dirty) windows yet inside the space you feel like you are wearing a pair of old jeans that became smaller...simply because you ate too much or maybe because it is the wrong soap that made them shrink (always blame something else!!!).

So, yesterday was like life wasn't really a nice dress. Old, small and uncomfortable. It simply didn't suit me. Well... if life ain't a suit I should go around naked!! Or, I had other options: 1. change my clothes. 2. Change perspective. 3. Subjectivize reality and make it my brand new dress for the day. 4. Instead of looking outside the window find something in your other window, your computer screen. There you could probably find a new, comfortable perfect dress for the day.

I new exactly what I had in mind! My dear friend ML (a contributor of this blog) has recently done a photo shoot for a fashion Brand named EairTh. When I asked her if I could use her images to put on my blog we discussed about some philosophical issue regarding life (via Skype!!).

I adore these images and I adore the line of clothes that they carry.

I've never thought how a fashion brand could give you so much in feelings. "They are really comfortable" ML tells me and the only thing I could say was "They make me feel comfortable only by looking at them". I hope you'll enjoy the images and the collection of EairTh. And...if life ain't a suit...don't go around naked...just pick something that makes you comfortable. Like me looking at these images...simply because here I can't find these clothes...yet!

Photos: ML (don't tell anyone but her real name is Melissa La'o!!!)

Fashion/Design/art/ almost a psychologist of everyday fashion: EairTh by Melissa Dizon

A great weekend! Eat, sleep, relax, read, drink, a beautiful view over the lake and a good, genuine company of close friends. I hope that the next will be as great as this one! Now...back at work. With a beautiful weather outside. But apparently the rain will come soon.

I wasn't the only one relaxing! Don't these 2 images express extreme peace and calm?

By the way, while driving back home yesterday I heard this song on the radio. A brand new single from a singer that apparently was eliminated from a tv show called X-Factor (sort of american Idol or whatever it's called in the US). Driving on the street along the lake, with no absolut sound other than that of a sweet breeze (and of the cars going back home after the long weekend...but that's just a detail!!!) was absolutely interesting. Even if I was returning home to re-start the usual routine!

TGIF! We are closing the office til tuesday! Working a little this morning and then...off to the lake! As every day, my routine hasn't changed. Coffee in front of my window contemplating. A cigarette to start the day and then...the reading begins!

I start with mails. Personal and work. Then, with online papers (this, this and this) just to be aware of what happens around the world! Then a sneek inside my blog(s) and others. When the office officially opens (8am) I sit down going through the local newspapers (only this and quickly!). I honestly enjoy it. Real paper cannot be replaced! Its smell, tiny stains of ink on your finger...a beautiful routine! Then, after my "reading-break-rotuine" I finally sit down at my desk...work work ork. Lunch and a similar routine: but other newspapers...the big italians (this, and this).

The day goes y very quickly and finally the evening arrives. Now it is the time for a book! Or a magazine!

My weekly routine is always interesting "news-wise". Everyday something new to discover. Sometimes bad news but mostly good ones. I rather prefer those!

What do you like to read?

This weekend I am going to read books like crazy and relax! I'll be back on tuesday! Happy Easter to you all!

This is the thing! I went to the doctor today just to check upon my elbow that still hurts (since almost 3 months). After dealing with these characters we call "specialists", you realize they are divided in 3 different groups: the first is the very intellectual type. The one that, after analyzing your problem, explains you what the clinical definition of your symptoms is. Obviously in latin! You basically have no clue what he/she is talking about but you smile, hoping that the results appearing after the cure he/she is giving you will make all of your problems go away. After a lesson from an anatomy book (in latin) you leave the place with your prescription and realize that even this one is written in latin or some other strange language that leaves you in complete darkness about what the problem is and how it will be cured! The second group is the one composed by intellectual specialists with a more understandable manners. Meaning: they explain in latin but with a translation in your mother language but the terms used are those that usually appear only on a PhD final paper. But hey! At least they tried. You feel more comfortable and you try to look very interested when they bring you the skeleton on wheels to show you where your pain is localized (like you didn't know it before!!!). They write the prescription in your mother language but you still don't know exactly what they are giving you! Yet, you feel already a little better. The Third group is my favorite (obviously)! The chill out doctors. They wear a trendy gown and they explain your right away what the friggin problem is, only after telling you where they have been on vacation and what they have been doing for the past year (or two!)! They speak your mother language and they show you some really cool drawings hanging on the wall and tell you "Honey, this is the beauty of anatomy! Aren't these drawing almost a work of art combined with some distinct architectural nuances??" I guess they know what your job is and they try to explain you with your usual language (I am an architect by the way!) Honestly he is right they actually look great. They are a new version. The one that you probably see in many other doctor offices around the world (group 2 and 3. Group 1 they usually start drawing themselves a sketch of the human body!). But I remembered I had a very old book with all these fantastic images on human parts.

they actually looks like work of art. I shot some details from the pages of "L'Encyclopédie by Diderot & D'Alembert - Anatomy". Gorgeous!

They remind me of other artists like Piranesi and his powerful work.

Ultimately you figure out what exactly the problem is. You chat a little more. He gives you a prescription that probably you don't even bother to look because it might be in Latin (!!!) and you go to the nearest pharmacy. Go home with pain killers and a simple cream!!! The instructions here are easier than in any other book (including "basic medicine for extreme dummies"). The expalnation is written in the 4 national languages plus english...I wonder why they don't put it on also in latin...at least we know!!!

Finally! I did it!!! I've never thought how a simple "click" could make my day! I work with computers all day long: projects, drawing, emails (personal and office), blog and all the other things I have to deal (or I deal with pleasure) during my daily routine. Work anf fun. Sometimes they are actually one thing. Sometimes not! I click my computer's mouse thousand of times daily. Consciously or automatically. I just do it. Yesterday though one particular click made my day! When the "send" button finally appeared I knew it was a one way thing! I clicked it...and my e-ticket came in 10 seconds later. Los Angeles I am coming back!

So, this is me (sketch by the artist I mentioned in the last post) ...contemplating my horizons! My near future! My trip to LA got me all excited! I will see my friends again, I will be hopefully feel at home for 10 days! Movies, museums, beach, concerts and the insanely junky lovable food I so miss! Tito's Tacos, Johnnie's Pastrami, Pink's, all juicy good stuff I don't find here!

I am looking around frantically! Around with my camera!! How many new details will I discover in my favorite city! LA never stop to impress. The "History of Forgetting" was how Norman Klein described it in a book. It's true. You get used to certain things, visually, perceptually, and even mechanically and then...booooom...one day you wake up and it is no longer there! Almost unbelievable here in Europe! But there...good...something new will always grow. A building, offices, a restaurant or a car dealer. New details=new experience.

So here I am! Waiting to be impressed again! Now that change has come...something new will grow. If it hasn't yet...well...I hope I will grow a little more.

I am into a kicking mood...ah ah ah! To tell you the truth...I have to prepare my taxes...I feel another type of kicking come in!!!

As you probably understood, my weekend wasn't all that great! Well, it happens no? Sunday was somehow my day off. Off from the everyday. Went to my parents house for lunch...my mom's Irish Stew always makes me happy. Oh...she isn't irish by the way! Half German and half Swiss! I played with my psycho dog, read a bunch of magazines, and absorbed myself into a deep thinking. I felt very relaxed yet a little pissed about many things. How can I describe my feelings? I am not sure. That's why I tried to represent them through details I shot in my parents house. They have all these amazing paintings by an artist (a friend of the family) named Mario Comensoli. I guess it was funny going around the place trying to capture some crazy moments/fragments of art/abstraction and reflect them on my life/reality!

How do you feel today?

After deciding to keep the door shot I organized my day in a very structural way. Shop for my afternoon gardening, eat some good food before the fun work outside! Beside some tiny funky wood fences and a huge roasted chicken I got 3 old postcards. Really nice and simple. Very detailed and very powerful. Funny the one of a swiss chocolate brand...3 guys eating it on top of the alps!!! Not on a sofa in front of a tv...on top of the freakin alps!!!!

It was supposed to be "fun" last night. It wasn't at all! BDay Party for a friend. Great spot in the city. Actually the same exact place of every friday. Same people. Same lies, same fake smiles, same everything. I couldn't really put up with it. Seriously. I couldn't even keep my mouth shut and I said what I thought with all the honesty that characterizes me!!!! Big mistake??? Who the f cares! I left with a move only the best ballerina does at the Scala of Milan! A little move around the corner and I left, hopefully for good, the place. Let me tell you: when people say honesty doesn't pay...well...in this case it worked really well!!! I was able to finally shut a door just by saying..."you are a freakin joke of nature"! Honesty is a great thing!!!

It's spring! A total new landscape finally appears. New colors, new fragrance new sounds. You get used to these changes every seasons. Winter with its unpredictable silence, summer and the funny noises of people enjoying barbecues in their gardens, autumn and its colorful death and yes, spring, with the birds singing in chorus, with the smell of fresh nature, with the psychotic sudden changes in the everyday climate. And spring, the season where everybody feel the need to become a gardener, of soil, of souls of anything that can positively grow. It happens to me every year. The sudden need to plant stuff and take care of them all the way into their life process. This year I started with a little corner in my balcony with aromatic herbs! Hey, if Michelle (Obama) can do it why can't we? Cool...oregano, basil, sage, marjoram, mint... So I am ready for every occasion! Mojito? Need sage? go in the balcony!!! Lebanese dish? Need mint? Out in the balcony!! I am so proud of my work in the green world. Hopefully it will stay green for a long time!!