"Heal Over" by KT Tunstall
It isn't very difficult to see why
You are the way you are
Doesn't take a genius to realise
That sometimes life is hard
It's gonna take time
But you'll just have to wait
You're gonna be fine
But in the meantime
Come over here lady
Let me wipe your tears away
Come a little nearer baby
Coz you'll heal over
Heal over
Heal over someday
And I don't wanna hear you tell yourself
That these feelings are in the past
You know it doesn't mean they're off the shelf
Because pain's built to last
Everybody sails alone
But we can travel side by side
Even if you fail
You know that no one really minds
Come over here lady
Don't hold on but don't let go
I know it's so hard
You've got to try to trust yourself
I know it's so hard, so hard
Come over here lady
Let me wipe your tears away
Come a little nearer baby
Coz you'll heal over, heal over, heal over someday
Wednesday th 18th, Centro & Dinner with Tio Johnny
We headed downtown again; I don't think its possible to get bored of watching people. The kids seem to be really punk rock, and the skinny jean lives here proudly :) We had lunch at a peruvian restaurant with one of my dads best friends, Enrique. A lovely gentleman, he spoke mainly english to me, so I was able to actually have a conversation! My broken Spanish continues to frustrate me, although I can hear it getting better. Enrique has started a construction business, and the broker in me immediately asked him about his course of construction....ahhh, old habits die hard. I was suprised to find out that they don't have it here, as insurance is kind of a new thing here in South America. I imagine with the corruption of most of the governments, it would be exceedingly difficult to manage risk. Where there is a will, there is a way, and I suppose it won`t be long. I know Aviva has an office here...just another reason to become fluent in the language!
We walked a little further to Mc Iver street to check out the Jewellry (Bling Bling, Dad is getting me some gold hoops!) and we walked past the theatre...equivalent to the Queen Elizabeth? So Beautiful! My Dad informs me he's only been there once, must be a pretty swish place ;)
We came home in time for a nap (the sun is so exhausting!) and then headed to the wine district of Maipu, which is where my uncle Johnny lives. We enjoyed dinner with his beautiful wife Yasna, and three delightful kids Tomas (16) Sofia (11) and Antonia (9). It was a wonderful night, Tio Johnny is an incredibly gifted artist and his house is a reflection of his creativity, full of art, eclectic furniture and light fixtures. Yasna is a lovely cook, and we ate, drank and conversed all night. The family photos are all being posted on FB, so consult there for more description!
It is a beautiful day in the neighbourhood. Centro, that is!
It was a hot one in Santiago today; we left the house at 1:30 pm and it was 30 degrees and rising. I talked my dad into bussing around today; we caught the 508 downtown to the Plaza de Armas. It is the centre of the city and what is now called Plaza de Lima in a tongue in cheek manner by Chilenos, a reference to the amount of Peruvians that have immigrated here.
It was packed full of people shopping, eating and generally milling around. Right now we are at the end of summer vacation, and all the kids go back to school March 2nd, so there were a lot of loitering teenagers...some things are universal, non? Plaza de Armas is basically a large square surrounded by buildings, namely city hall, the post office and Cathedral de Santiago. There is a large fountain in the middle, and a section for artists to sell thier paintings. It is similar in feel to Granville street downtown in terms of shopping, department stores and smaller boutiques, but you know...much, much older.
We came home to Tia Patti, with her Granddaughter Amelia (daughter of my cousin Paola). The family resemblances make me laugh, all the girls look like thier mom, and all the boys looks like thier dad. My Tia Patti looks just like my Tia Pily, and I can see her in Paola and Amelia As well. We are having dinner with them Thursday night, I will post the photos asap.
santiago, 15th &16 th
It was a long haul from Vancouver to Santiago. We left the house at 4:30 am to catch our 5 oclock shuttle to Seattle. Our 1:30 flight to Dallas was about a half an hour behind schedule, but our pilot made it up in the sky, no problem. I`ve never flown american airlines before, and I`ve got to admit, Ì was prepared for disaster, but was plesantly surprised. Besides the fact that the planes were clearly not as shiny and new as the Westjet planes I`m used to, nor are the flight attendants nearly as cheerful, they were still very professional, competant, and beyond the unreal amount of turbulence on they way into Dallas, the flight was outstanding. The same could be said of the flight into Santiago, although next time I think we are coughing up for the upgrade to first class...it`s simply not possible to get a decent sleep in coach. Getting through customs was also very interesting. I was unaware of the $132USD fee to get into the country, because of my canadian citizenship. Ouch!! Once that was out of the way, along with getting my passport stamped and clearing my luggage, i was greeted by my long lost uncles, Tio Johnny & Tio Marcelo. It`s funny, I haven`t seen them in nearly twenty years, and even though I can see how theyve aged, they look exactly the same to me :) We swung by Tio Johnny`s place for a little breakfast, and I got to meet his wife Jasna, his son Tomas who just turned 17 (so handsome!!) on the 14th and his two daughters Cecilia & Antonio (dead ringers for Yvonne. They are just like what I image she and I were like at that age). The beginning of family that Ive never met!! Tio Johnny got married after I visited last, so although Ì am facebook friends with my cousins, this is the first time I`ve met them.
We headed further into town, to the apartment of my Abuelita. I must admit to getting a little teary eyed at seeing her, it has been so long, but she is still so beautiful. I really wish that I had taken a spanish course before I left, so I can talk to her some more, but I can already feel it coming back, so hopefully I`ll be in better shape by the end of the trip :) Its very interesting to watch my Tio Marcelo with her. He is the last single uncle, and he still lives with her, taking care of her. I hope that myy children take as good a care of me when I`m her age!!
I must admit I didn`t last long, I was totally exhausted, took an enormous afternoon nap, woke up in time for tea, and went right back to bed. Tio Marcelo was kind enough to give me his bed for this trip, and I slept like a corpse.
I woke this morning to the sound of breakfast. mmmm, fresh bread and manjar...if I`m not careful, I`m going to be as big as a house when I leave. We left the house for groceries, which was SO much fun...I wish i could have wandered around a little more looking at what they have. So much is marketed in English, it was really interesting to see. there is very little that is fresh, most things are canned or powdered. I can`t help but wonder if this is because of the heat- fresh things would go bad so much more quickly, and air conditioning is not the norm here.
We are just about the have lunch, so I`ll sign off for now. More to come later, with lots of pictures!
Three more sleeps
After eighteen long years of absence, I am returning to the motherland. Well, the fatherland to be more precise. Santiago, Chile-Here I Come! I was sad to learn of the 18% sales tax, though...that's going to cut a hole into my shopping.
John Hughes
I think all his movies should be mandatory viewing for human beings in North America.
Sixteen Candles is on TV right now...none of our current teen movies, and I mean *none* of them compare to the emotion and awkwardness captured by JH. He just gets it, without ever being cheesy. Well, without being too cheesy. It can't be easy, especially considering how trite the subject matter is.
"Not many girls in contemporary society would give their panties to help a geek like me."
What more can you ask for??
An open letter to John Mayer
Dear John,
Hmm, that doesn't open very well does it? I guess we'll have to blame your mother for that and move on. I was listening to your music tonight, thinking about the relationship I've had with it and to some degree you, for the past 8 years. Now, I don't know you personally. We've never met, much less had coffee, established a friendship or even something more meaningful. However, I feel as though I have come to know you to some degree through your music. I'm sure this is the intention of every artist, and it is a testament to your talent at how successful you are at putting into words the sentiments of our generation. Confusion, loneliness, indecision, love (or what we can only hope is love) is all there for the world to hear and feel. I think the secret of your success lies in the fact that your songs are never condescending. The don't preach, they simply reveal your perception of the experience. Your guitar skills aren't shabby either.
So when did it all go downhill? When did you go from being a rock star that only occasionally granted a terribly clever interview to what appears to be a total media junkie?
It begs the questions: When did you start reading your own press? And more to the point, WHY did you start reading your own press?? Wasn't counting your Grammies enough? Hundreds of thousands of fans pay obscene amounts of money to attend your concerts. Your songs are top 40 and famous artists would give a kidney to work with you on projects. When did that stop being enough? When did it PUBLICLY become about insecure blondes and tabloids? Your private life used to be exactly that- private. And I loved your for it, I truly did. It was cool that you wrote for Rolling Stone, because that was a tiny glimpse. But This? This is too much. This is the part where I interject a note about work/life balance.
Work is work. Music, recording, concerts, award shows-That's work, and that's public. Family, relationship and for god sakes breakups-those are private. Don't tell your publicists, and it goes without saying (at least I thought it did) that you don't tell the paps. Because we know you dumped her. Obviously you dumped her, she's an insecure old lady who is worried about her ovaries shriveling. You are a handsome, famous man with chicken heads throwing themselves at you 24-7. We see who is wearing the pants in the situation. Move on and let her save face, she has the world's pity, don't lose sleep.
This got a little long winded on me, sorry about that. What I've been meaning to say is this: your music is awesome. You used to appear awesome, and now you appear desperate. How the hell did that happen? Bottom line- you are better than this sh-t. So stop it, right now. Fire your publicist. Fire her publicist. Go underground. Need tips? Call Joshua and Diane, or Ryan and Rachel, hell even Ashton and Demi are better at it that you have been.
One final note: The next album better not be about desperate wanna-be's that stalk you and demand commitment, otherwise 'we' are friends off.
Your (once) loyal fan,
Christine
