Any Given Day

Me and my No 1 gal

I arrive home to some excitement : hardwood floors re-done, Madeleine new cell phone, Sonnet back from a press conference in Milan. .. Eitan greets me post swim practice, 10PM, and off to bed since he is up this morning, Friday, at 5AM for more swim practice. Sonnet takes him (I roll over) then home to get Madeleine to the train station then a run with the dog then to pick up the boy at the pool followed by breakfast and school. All this by 7AM (when I wander downstairs for coffee).

From May to November, our family used 31,240 gallons of water.  It's not Arrakis.

Bon Matin

Paris, sun break

I am in Paris and since my Achilles have not recovered from Berlin in '09 (and likely never will) I find myself up at the crack of dawn to power-walk with the other early-morning freaks. A benefit is that I can take my iphone and read news or emails as long as they are less than two sentences and no potholes.

My hotel in the 8e proudly displays: " Exposition « VEGETABLES » par Patrick Larouche."

And further:

"Des légumes surprenants et géants réalisés par cet artiste sculpteur. Doté d’une solide formation classique et féru de gastronomie, Patrick Laroche trouve une nouvelle source d’inspiration en créant, il y a quelques années, des bougeoirs en forme de légumes pour un grand restaurant."

A bunch of giant glazed asparagus and the Japanese take photos.

Self Portrait Of A Portrait

In Sunday's action, the Sheen Lions defeat Action 3-2. Eitan scores the 3rd decisive goal on a PK.  Sonnet and I watch from the sidelines.

Obamacare is going down like a rock.  Sonnet and I watch from the sidelines.

August, Die She Must

Autumn comes late this year without the usual cold-snap to change the tree colours.

Eitan out to a disco for Emily's birthday which means he wears his new Adidas 'Gazelles' while disappointed that the varsity jacket he ordered has not arrived in time for last night. Sonnet (who picks up Eitan, Joe and Shaheen from the party) reports that the boys and girls dancing separately, in pods : "sweating and smiling at 9PM." Any making out? "No, are you kidding?"

Madeleine watches transfixed as I put a fried egg and bacon on my Johnny-cakes then Tabasco sauce and syrup: "That's disgusting."

Wonder Wonder Woman

Lynda Carter is Wonder Woman

I catch the late-night tail end of "Wonder Woman" which aired from 1975-79. It is camp and sexist and lends the idea that anybody could make a TV sitcom in the 1970s given the production quality and acting .. . But the wonderful Lynda Carter takes it in stride, catching bullets with her bracelets (winking at me slyly) and pulling down doors like macaroni. Her breasts thrust forward with the first Wonder Bra.

The thing is, the world watched these shows and formed their views (and perhaps world views) on US culture from Starsky & Hutch, Laverne & Shirley, Dallas, The Love Boat . .. Fantasy Island.  Justin and I discuss this at some length. At least those shows upbeat, positive and a bit wacky. Now the programs (which I love) are dark: Mad Men. Sopranos. The Wire. Breaking Bad.  The world has changed and the US has moved to black.

The theme song catches the era:

"In your satin tights,
Fighting for your rights
And the old Red, White and Bluuueeee! "
(ending emphasis mine)

Me: "It's so belittling."
Sonnet: "There are many words one could use."
Me: "Such as?"
Sonnet: "Insulting. Possibly misogynistic."

Eitan stumbles into the kitchen. Sonnet: "It's a monosyllabic morning."

STRFKR

Hoxton Bar

I return from Switzerland, stuck in traffic to Richmond, home two minutes then en route to meet Sonnet in Hoxton, East London, for dinner then STRFKR, an up-and-coming band sent to me by Christian. They are excellent, too - the small venue allows us to be in front-and-center as they play their 10 or 11 songs. It's nice to feel 16 again.

Screen Shot

Katie on a conference call

In Zurich I stay at a cool boutique hotel -- B2 -- which is next to the new Google HQ so it really is Google's hospitality pad. Naturally everything connected so I can "shade" the windows or set the mood lighting with the touch of a button. The kids at the bar (37,000 books surround us) look about 25 and appropriately ruffled. Well, in my day, we used to wear suits and ties, God damnit. 

I find a 50m swimming pool in downtown Zurich and have 30 minutes to swim some laps which I jump on since the adrenaline from meetings and coffee needs to be burned off somehow before the flight home.  I have no towel and use an iZod, which gets a couple of strange looks (from the naked Swiss men who I keep at 3 meters)

Rome Has Fallen

When a society worships a bunch of women for nothing else than their underpants when the world suffers typhoon, war and climate change, well, God damnit, party!

Who can forget the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders of the '80s? A harbinger of doom - the 1989-92 recession bit hard.  And those Cowboys barely showed cheek.

Phone Blues

Bathtime

Madeleine looks for a new mobile phone.
Madeleine: "The one I want is £150." [Dad's note: Madeleine wants a Samsung smart phone]
Me: "Sorry kid, it's too much."
Madeleine: "All my friends have one."
Me: "If you hadn't lost your phone we would be talking about getting you the Samsung."
Madeleine: "Knowing you, if I hadn't lost my phone you'd make me keep it for another five years."
Sonnet: "Touché."

Armistice

Fairey Barracuda

We have a group of elderly folks over for the afternoon and, since today armistice, our conversation turns to the Second World War.  

Frieda worked in war manufacturing in Kent and recalls the sirens calling the workers to shelter: "Once I slept through the alarm, we were always so tired, and everybody thought I was a goner since they couldn't find me. But the noise sure woke me up."

Bill spent 46,000 nautical miles on aircraft carrier HMS Venerable where he serviced the 'Barracuda" - a double engine dive-bomber loaded with a torpedo, wing bombs and anti-aircraft cannon. A mean machine. Bill made sure the planes landed and took off properly, about 10 minutes apart. Sometimes they went over the side "we'd try to save the pilot. He was worth his weight in gold."

William repaired the Barracudas at the Hayes plant in Greater London.  One day, the men ordered to drop everything and report to hangar three - about three thousand men - and told: "You will be happy to know that the fighting will cease today at 1500 hours." It was May 8, 1945.  The men given the afternoon off to celebrate "as long as it was within 12 miles of the factory.  All we wanted to do was go to Piccadilly Circus."

"We could talk until the cows come home."

--William

Maturity Jump

Madeleine and I on our Sunday walk

"This game is a maturity jump for us."

--Cam Newton, QB of the Panthers

I like this idea, a 'maturity jump', which Cam Newton applies to the Carolina Panthers following their 10-9 W over the SF 49ers.  A single outcome, Cam suggests, can raise one's game for the remainder of a season, be it football or life and esp, at this hour, the teenage years.

And what jumps we have seen. This year sees the kids mostly self-directed quietly losing the need for an adult presence when Sonnet and I out. Doing their homework (usually) without badgering. Getting themselves to school and back with two and often three bags of kit and maybe a trumpet.  Establishing their own standards of performance.

But the big shifts still ahead yet.  Dating (however they do it now) around the corner. GCSE exams approaching. And their brains and bodies grow.  Eitan is a bean-pole, Madeleine's feet as big as mine. How amazing to be along for this ride.

Madeleine: "Aiden doesn't care what other people think." [Dad's note: Aiden is Madeleine's pal at school. He is from NY and also into drama and acting]

Me: 

Madeleine: "That's why I like him."

Me: "Yep."

Schwimmhalle

I swim laps in the pool where Mark Spitz won 7 Golds

We've all been there and it happens to everybody - usually in private but sometimes it can spill over into a public place like a New York street corner or some restaurant. Tears, sobbing and maybe screaming.  It's the mid-20s break-up and today the couple behind me, row 8, went for it (He: "I made two vows to myself. I would break up with you on December 12. Or let you go your own way." She: "But why December 12? Can't we at least wait until after Christmas?" which actually seems like a pretty reasonable request to me).

Unfortunately this goes on for the entire flight and, in the end, nobody gets anywhere though I do learn the girl attracted to another guy while still loving 8E and he finds their relationship "inescapably physical". I think they deserve each other. As the world turns.

In Munich despite a missed flight and a day of meetings tomorrow.

Chelsea Winner

Demba Ba from The Mirror

Justin and I do our usual Burger-Chelsea match, a favorite thing, and the blues in action against Schahlke, which I understand is somewhere in Germany.  The stands are out for blood - Germany! - and get satisfaction on the first goal which sees Samuel Eto's boot finding the keeper's goal kick, which reverses into the box. Goal! Chelsea goes on to win 3-nil following Eto again and the wonderfully named Demba Ba's perfect strike.  Us fans go home satisfied. I have yet to lose at Stamford Bridge.

Justin and I discuss, briefly, whether one should use a straw.

"The Italian economy is again in disarray but it seems to me the strength of Italian production still leans on expert handicraft, high quality leathers."
--Sonnet in the Evening Standard

Miranda

Leon's photo of Miranda Kerr from 2003 before she was known by the entire planet. He tells me Miranda agreed to do nudes but her boyfriend put the kabol on that one.

Leon's photo chosen by British 125 magazine in their ten year retrospective of best photos.

Brown Eyes

Laurance visits London and over for dinner: he is working on a number of energy related investments pouncing on the shale gas opportunity. He is all over it, making his fortune.

Sonnet meets with 120 members of the press to prime them for the Italians and, though anxious, she is a cool cucumber in new dress and high heels, off too the Bulgaria in Knightsbridge.  The sun barely up.  She still has time to make Eitan breakfast and ensure Madeleine to school on time.

Rusty: "Woof woof woof."

Arthur - Stage Next

Arthur and I re connect at Waterloo Station, Platform 17, to walk across London via Euston Station, the Strand, Fleet Street then the City and Shoreditch and finally Bethnal Green, where we catch a train to Richmond. On the way we find a pub.

Arthur, age 59, retired this year following 35 years at TRW and then Northrop Grumman, which acquired TRW, a satellites business, where Arthur one of the lead engineers. He informs me a big challenge, working on a satellite, is the "realisation uncertainty" or knowing what is actually being built. This not so obvious when there are 100s of PhD technicians modifying and tinkering a highly complex objet. 

Arthur is now working through his reading list and working on a house in Los Angeles while he retains his penthouse flat in London NW1.  Over dinner we discuss Plato's reading of Socrates which became, many believe, the foundation of the Bible.

Meanwhile, a badger-cull aiming to kill 70% of the countryside badgers kills only 65% or 940 badgers. This is the lead BBC story, 11AM.

Tax admin: "Do you know what nationality you are?"
Me: "I'm British."
Tax admin: "That's OK, absolutely fine."
Me: "Well thank you."

“Run with the painters. I always did."
--Kurt Vonnegut

Kamila Checks In

Girls just want to have fun

Our dear Kamila finds herself on a "working holiday" in Skopelos, Greece, between university classes.

Sonnet returns from Smith on the over-night and we are thrilled to have her back in the house.

Eitan and I watch a BBC documentary on the making of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" and then listen to the album on spotify.  The four chords on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" about the late Syd Barrett are crazy good.

Duppas Disaster

The Sheen Lions in cup action today against the Wallington Wanderers whose lovely pitch on Duppas Hill otherwise surrounded by Croydon.  This was the cup Elm Grove won last year.  Today's match promising as our side misses a couple of sure goals then puts one in on a perfect strike from Jack. The Lions go up further, 3-1, in the second half and us dads on the sideline now thinking about the afternoon chores. At least I am. But calamity : three unanswered goals by the Wanderers.  Eitan's last minute equaliser sends us to over-time, 2X ten minutes. Bam! they're up 5-4 and pow! 5-5 tie, no time left.  And so the dreaded penalty kicks, which we lose on the seventh, and last, PK.  Heartbreak hill.

Since Sonnet away and we have nothing in the house to eat I tell Eitan: Make dinner. He prepares a rice beef sauce concoction (and listens to Eminem). Not bad, this kid

Guards

W/ Cyrus

Eitan celebrates 13 one month post facto with the usual suspects at a football match - QPR v Darby County (our side, whichever it is, wins 2-1). He and the Sheen Lions, thanks to David, serve as the 'Guards of Honor' forming the gauntlet through which the players pass to enter the field (me to Eitan: "Don't trip").

A fun afternoon filled with pizza, junk food and friendships which may last a lifetime.

Madeleine's Miracle

Madeleine makes Sushi

Madeleine calls me upstairs in tears: "Something is wrong with Eric" [Dad's note: Eric is her 'runt' turtle] and, indeed, when she places Eric in the tank he drops like a rock.  We gently place Eric in a plastic tray while I search the Internet for 'sick turtle' and 'turtle not moving' while Madeleine sobs: "He's not dead, Dad. I know he is not dead."

One helpful website informs me that Eric may have swallowed water so I pump his little legs furiously : up, down, up, down. His neck fully extends and he can no longer hold its weight. I tell Madeleine: last rights, and she should prepare to say goodbye and consider a burial patch in the backyard. She refuses, so I place Eric by my bed as she cannot bare to be around his final hours.

Next morning he looks no better but Madeleine has faith. She force feeds him some blood worms and, I'll be damned, he starts eating.  Within the hour he has some energy and by noontime he is swimming around on his own.

Madeleine learns a valuable lesson: We will live forever.

Boo

Trick-or-treating out of the way, the kids and I watch TV. Aneta back from the gym and Rusty snoozes on the floor (Sonnet at Smith as the keynote speaker at a conference). An evening well spent.

Trick Or Treat

Madeleine comes in from Halloween with a score, which she spreads on the carpet and we examine together. Her favourite this year: "Gummy Brains". Me: Why do you like them? Madeleine: Because they are gummy.  Fair enough.  Eitan on Richmond Hill trick 'o treating with ten teenagers. Curfew, 10PM.

Eitan: "Suffocating is the worse way to die."
Me: "Boiling in oil."
Madeleine: "So you are saying, Eitan, you would rather boil to death than suffocate?"
Me: "I'd want a bullet. One shot then I'm dead."
Aneta:
Eitan: "Suffocating would take two minutes."
Me: "When they boiled that guy in Shogun it was 24 hours."
Madeleine: "24 hours, Eitan."
Eitan: "It wouldn''t be worse than suffocating."
Me: "How about poking your brains out. Through your eyeballs?"
Madeleine: "At least that would be quick."
Aneta: "It time to go to swimming now."

Anu's Data

Anu (photo from web)

"90% of all the world's data created in the last two years."
--IBM, 2013

This, above all other sound bytes, makes me pause: information is available the question is how we will use it to save the planet and ourselves.

Take Anu Pathria at Correlation Ventures - he is responsible for the firm's analytical assets which include a quarterly feed from Dow Jones on every venture round in North America since 1988 or about 55,000 financings. Anu crunches this information to produce an investment score used by Correlation to make a decision - usually inside 24 hours without much further DD.

Prior to Correlation, Anu was at HNC Software where he co-developed the Falcon credit card fraud detection system currently responsible for protecting over 60% of credit card transactions in real-time and world-wide—a groundbreaking product that took HNC public. So every time your cc switched off for unusual charges you can curse Anu. I do.

How we will use Big Data is only at the beginning of our imaginations.

Mid Break

My Halloween costume?

Kids have another week no school which means boredom, squabbling, television.. and so it goes.

Since Eitan without his gadgets after taking his gadgets to Greece when told not to take his gadgets to Greece, he sneaks around looking for his gadgets, hidden by Sonnet in a place I know not where (Me: "Where's the God damn tv remote?").  I am informed he finds them.  Otherwise they read.

Madeleine: "Did you see our pumpkins, Dad?"
Me: "Yes. And I knew straight-away which one was yours - the smaller one with the gruesome carving"
Madeleine: "Yep."
Me: "It looks like Eitan is going to a party so it's just you and me for Halloween."
Madeleine: "I'm going with Zara and Molly."
Me: "Cool. Can I go too?"
Madeleine:
Me: "I'm going as Rocky.  Boxing trunks, no shirt."
Madeleine: "Um Dad.. .."
Me: "Adrian! Adrian!"
Madeleine: "OK, dad, whatever."

Lou Reed

Nico and Lou Reed

So Lou Reed is dead, a man I never quite got nor particularly sought out.  His songs 'Walk On The Wild Side' and 'Pefect Day' cut through the clutter but I can't think of any others. People compare him to Dylan but I think, no way.  Reed's association with the over rated Andy Warhol makes him all the more suspect.  Still, his influence on New Wave and punk is behind much of the music I listen to and enjoy today. He was out there so full credit.

"There's a bit of magic in everything, and some loss to even things out."

--Lou Reed

Hermitage

We visit the Hermitage in Amsterdam which is the Amsterdam branch of the Hermitage in St Petersburg which owns an enormous collection of everything. Today's special exhibition displays Gauguin, Bonnard and Denis, French painters from the 1890s.  The Russians, of course, fascinated by Parisian culture from this epoch and the most sophisticated Russians owned apartments on the Left Bank where they would invest in the scene, taking it back to Moscow.

Me, I find an empty gallery and eagerly ask Sonnet to take photos before we are found out.

Sonnet: "Shall we go to the ballet?" (Editor's note: we walk by the Amsterdam Opera House)
Me: "Sure, I would love to go."
Sonnet to the box office attendee: "We will have two centre seats please."
Me: "What time does it start? What time does it end?"
Box office attendee: "It starts at 8:15 and ends at 11:30PM."
Me: "Um, maybe we should think about this a minute."
Sonnet to box office attendee: "We will go for a walk and think about it."
Box office attendee: "I'll be here."

Amsterdam

Sonnet and I in Amsterdam taking advantage of the kids final days of swimming camp. Funny how we feel five years younger.

We stroll along canals to the Van Gogh museum but it is really too nice an afternoon to be indoors so we sit at an outside cafe and people-watch. The cyclists are mad - no helmets - and it is unclear who has priority. Cars also drive too fast for the narrow roads and the sidewalks barely accommodate a single person. Oh, well - it is charming and beautiful and we enjoy the moment.

The Pigeons Of Trafalgar Square

Facing the National Gallery

Trafalgar Square once known for its 100s and 100s of pigeons that would climb on you for bird crumb purchased from vendors on the edge of the plaza. Inevitably family photos of the summer trips included laughing kids covered by the fucking birds.

In 2003 Mayor Ken Livingstone banned feeding the Trafalgar Sq pigeons and, in 2007, levied a £500 fine on the bird loving nutjobs who often brought 20 kg or more of seed, flaunting the rules.  Birds of prey were introduced in to eliminate the plague and now not a pigeon in sight. Good riddance, I say.

Baby Prince George Christened !

Sonnet in nature

Sonnet and I up for a morning ramble in County Surrey just outside the sleepy town of Ripley, whose pub dates to "circa" 1540 which, Sonnet points out, could mean a lot of things.

And, so, today, the Royal Baptism gets front and center. The seven godparents receive full page coverage (celebrities!), the Queen's very footsteps followed (BBC: "And now, Her Majesty the Queen, will lead a small family gathering to a separate chamber for the official photographs.. . " The Queen hobbles along) and Will and Kate looking marvellous (of course), making it all seem so damn easy. Man, I must have been inadequate when Eitan and Madeleine that age.

In other news, an infestation of venomous spiders closes a school.  Usual stuff.

Poolside

Madeleine and coach Camilla

Life sure is dull without the Shakespeares. Sonnet and I sleep later, do some house work. Read. Watch TV and have breakfast in our pajamas.  So this is what it is like.

Date Night

Eitan and Dakota (Eitan says age-6). Photo form Dana

Sonnet and I have a US mall experience at Westfields. One can really get into this. We shop, have dinner, see a movie ('Capitan Phillips' - I eat a $15 'medium' size box of popcorn). And further, there are couples everywhere - young and old. The mall has become a modern dating convenience. The perfect neutral ground : safe with plenty of entertainment. And more, Westfields like an airport First Class airport lounge - 5 star luxury all the way. Of course none of it comes for free (as our boxes and bags suggest).

We return home 11:30PM - late for a weeknight - and I do recall Manhattan when it was impossible to retire before 1AM.

Team Wandsworth

We receive a text informing us the kids arrive safe and sound.  Here they are, pre 7AM practice (the poor dears).  Sonnet and I to take a vacation week but I catch the blue meanies and we decide to stay in London.

Spirited Memory

I do some chores around the house including re painting the conservatory. The smell of mineral spirits always takes me back to the summers of 1987 and 1988 in Barrington and Providence, Rhode Island - a time of adventure and exhilaration even if stressful and very often overwhelming.  My memories shared with a number of friends relived whenever together. My parents knew maybe 5% of of it and now I must accept : Eitan and Madeleine on their own path and I am a passenger to their journey.

Swim Camp

Eitan shows us the butterfly

There is a scramble at the door then Sonnet and the kids off for the airport.  Eitan and Madeleine in Greece for one week of training.  The little dudes will see four hours of pool time, one hour of land training and further stretching and aerobics a day. Somewhere in there should be some fun but Madeleine seriously doubts it. Following a solo visit with Stan over the summer they are prepared and no drama. 16 swimmers plus Coach make the trip, no electronics allowed.

The Internets (source: Google)
1998 - 3.6 million Google searches and 26 million web pages
1999 - Jeff founds eZoka.com
2008 - 637bn searchs and 1tr web pages
2013 - 1.9tn searches and 60tn web pages

Eitan: "See you in a week."

Ear Stud

Madeleine plays Moon River

Madeleine: "What would you say if I got my ears pierced ?"
Me: "I would say it's your body and go for it. Mom might have a different view, mind you."
Madeleine: "Indeed."
Me: "They numb your ear then put a needle through the lobe. I bet it hurts."
Madeleine: "Not really."
Me: "And how would you know?"
Madeleine: "Reason."
Me: "Are you thinking about doing it?"
Madeleine: "Maybe. Did you have one?"
Me: "Yeah, in high school. My left ear."
Madeleine: "That is so cool. Can you still put an ear ring in it?"
Me: "I suppose, but it has been a long time."

Madeleine shows me a stud in her left her. Me: "You did it! That is so great."
Madeleine: "Do you think so?"
Me: "Where did you go?"
Madeleine: "In Putney, at a place. I was with my friends."
Me: "Did you feel pressured to do it? That's the only thing that would make me concerned."
Madeleine: "I decided to do it."
Me: "Do you want me to tell your mother or you?"
Madeleine: "You can tell her."

Dad's note: It turns out Madeleine has a magnet that looks like an ear stud. No piercing.
Me: "You so totally set me up!"
Madeleine, grinning: "Yeah."

Aneta walks into the TV room. Madeleine: "What would you say if I got my ears pierced?"

Own Goal

Texas republican Ted Cruz is a fool

Government opens and the debt ceiling raised despite the Republicans. It was always unwinnable.

Eitan: "I have to do homework."
Me: "You're not excused, we would wish your company."
Eitan: "Homework is more important."
Me: "Give us two minutes. You can put a watch on it."
Eitan:
Madeleine: "I'll do it."
Me: "So tell me something interesting."
Madeleine: "Ready, set, go!"
Me: "Ok, I'll ask you a question to get things going."
Madeleine: "15 seconds."
Me: "I'm feeling the pressure. Ok, what did you do in maths class? No, no. Who are you hanging out with these days?"
Eitan: "Joe."
Me: "Anybody else?"
Eitan: "Shaheen."
Me: "Anybody outside of East Sheen?"
Madeleine: "60 seconds!"
Eitan: "Fred."
Me: "Who's he?"
Eitan: "A boy."
Me: "Is he a good friend?"
Eitan: "I'm leaving."
Madeleine: "And he as thirty seconds left."

Self Portrait XXXI

Sonnet walks me to work, 7AM

Sonnet's exhibition will tour three museums in Minnespolis-St Paul, Nashville and Oregon once the show ends in London.

Me: "What are you up to today?"
Sonnet: "I am meeting a fashion film maker to review his proposal for my show. He's Canadian, residing in Paris."
Me: "That's cool, what's he going to do?"
Sonnet: "He's filming close ups of the V and A garments and is going to do a slow motion edit. I wanted something different from the usual catwalk footage."
Me: "Why don't you just put up "Godzilla Versus King Kong"? Now that would be different."
Sonnet cracks up.

Miley Pop

500 million youtube views in September 

Walking with Madeleine. Me: "So what do you think of Miley Cyrus anyway?"
Madeleine: "What do you mean?"
Me: "Do you approve of her behaviour? At the MTV awards?"
Madeleine: "I guess so."
Me: "When she was twerking."
Madeleine:
Me: "And rubbing her bottom in Robin Thicke's mid section."
Madeleine: "Ok, Dad."
Sonnet: "Your Dad is just winding you up, Madeleine. He's still 16 years old."
Me: "And her video, 'Wrecking Ball. "
Madeleine:
Me: "Where she sails around naked on a wrecking ball."
Madeleine:
Me: "And licks a hammer."
Madeleine: "She licks a hammer?"
Me: "Yep."
Madeleine: "I do not approve of that."

Friday Night

8th grade party

It all kind of starts in the 7th or 8th grade - at least, that was the way it was in Northern California. Hot tubs, make out parties, weed. I navigated, ie, avoided, ie missed the time of my life, as I was swimming.

Me, driving the kids to the pool: "So do you have any friends or suggestions on who might help me with the  yardwork?"
Eitan, Madeleine:
Me: "I would pay them of course. Don't you know anybody who wants to make some extra money?"
Madeleine under her breathe: "Don't do it Dad."
Eitan: "It would make us look lazy or something."
Me: "What's the big deal? I will be working with them."
Eitan: "It's just weird. Other families don't ask for help."
Me: "So I have to do all the outside chores by myself?"
Madeleine: "We kids have lots of other things to be doing other than chores."
Me:
Eitan: "Can we talk about something else?"

The Deal

Thibault in action

And so it is Friday. My feet are up and watching Law & Order. Madeleine opts out of swimming having been at morning practice. She now quietly reads a book in her bedroom.  Eitan off to a disco party at the Richmond Hotel. He sneaks out the door, no dinner, hair slicked and looking smooth (I text Aneta that I will pick him up in the cow suit and she thinks I am serious).

Sonnet is speaking at Columbia and arrives in Manhattan yesterday. She is with Katie, who she joins at work (Katie gets a grant from the Ford Foundation, woo hoo!).  I speak to Sonnet 4AM NY time. She tells me it's dark and everybody asleep, my least favorite time of day. Blue meanies.

Freedom

School pitch, post match

I arrive home after Madeleine in bed so I tip toe in to her room and give her a kiss on the forehead, which wakes her for a moment. I get a hug then she rolls over and is gone.

Madeleine's netball team takes on Wimbledon and the gals crush their opponents, 15-1. It's a real confidence booster.

Me: "The thing about getting older, is at some point you stop caring about what other people think."
Madeleine: "Where's this going Dad?"
Me: "The funny thing is, you spend your whole life being embarrassed or uncomfortable and just as you think it's behind you.. . "
Madeleine: "Yeah?"
Me: "I have you guys on my case."
Madeleine: "Like the cow suit."
Me: "Yep."
Madeleine: "Or singing whenever my friends are around."
Me:
Madeleine: "Or that time you were dancing when Billy came over."
Me: "Ok, I get it."

Erect(ion)

One final picture from UAE and it has to be of the Burj Khalifa.  At 165 stories, it dwarfs anything nearby, making 50 and 60 story buildings seem petite.  The thing shoots up from nowhere and, standing underneath her, it is straight sci-fi. I stare up, up, up 2,722 feet with the odd sensation that I am looking at a spacecraft.  The 40 degree temperatures add to the weirdness of it all. I mean, why ? It's the dessert.

Insha'Allah

Sunset over Arabia

And here is what I learn about the Middle East from Jose Fernandez, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs for THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (this is how his business card reads. No, really) : the 15-29 year age bracket accounts for ca. 30% of the population.  Youth unemployment is around 40% and unemployment for those with a university degree is twice as high as those without. This means higher education preparing young people for jobs that do not exist. It is not surprising to learn that, when polled, 80% want to work in the public sector. Already it is around 60%.

Thibault from Astorg and I wade through a number of meetings, lectures, coffee sessions and general riff raffery at the Super Return conference. It must be done. 

Grand Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The Grand Mosque can take 40,000 worshippers, making it one of the world's largest. It features 82 domes, over a 1,000 columns, 24 carat gold gilded chandeliers and the world's largest hand knotted carpet. The main prayer hall is dominated by one of the world’s largest chandeliers –10 metres in diameter, 15 metres in height and weighing twelve tonnes. The mosque's first ceremony was the funeral of its namesake, Sheikh Zayed, who is buried at the site. It dominates the skyline, day and night.

There is not one human figure or animal to be seen on the walls nor engraved in the architecture, making it strangely uninteresting to me. The wailing call to prayer both haunting and beautiful.

Abu Dhabi

Emirates Palace, now a 7 star hotel

I am in Abu Dhabi for an investors conference. First time here and an easy observation : hot as hell. And the infrastructure is totally new - the highways and bridges are pristine (no concrete rot so evident on the London flyovers), the hotels and buildings gleam in the sunshine. The men glide through the hallways in white ankle-length thawbs undifferentiated as individuals yet contrasting totally with those around them in modern or western wear. Like ghosts.

Eitan and Madeleine run a 2K road race to qualify for the borough championships only I forget to give them their race day bar code so the effort for not. Stabbing sensation in .. heart . .. Eitan wins his age group, fourth overall; Madeleine in the top 30. Both would have qualified for Team Richmond.

In And Out

Man smokes a fag, Orly Airport

I am home for one night than tomorrow it's the United Arab Emirates and 100 degree temperatures. This raises a question : what to wear? Apparently the Arabs are business formal but not to worry since the buildings and shopping malls kept at near freezing.

I am looking forward to visiting Abu Dhabi and Dubai and checking out the Burj Khalifa but this hardly compensates for missing tomorrow's 2k road race where Eitan and Madeleine aim to qualify for the borough cross country championships.

This evening the kids are at their club swimming championships where Madeleine competes the 200m breast, 100 freestyle and 200 IM. For Eitan, the 200 fly, 200 IM and 100 free. Sonnet and I take the dog for a long walk and now watch junk television, her choice.

L'Equipe

Jean-Hubert

My week with Astorg continues and today we complete a lengthy strategic overview, in French, followed by a 20 km bike ride along beautiful groomed trails overlooking the sea and distant shoreline. There is good camaraderie yet concern about the lack of deal making in France.

Tomorrow I return to London followed by Sunday to the UAE.

The partners each make a brief remark on what they would wish to accomplish during the offsite. Me: "Je suis ici pour apprendre le français."

French Riviera

Ile de Porquerolles

The French Riviera is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France.  It was one of the first modern resort areas which began as a health resort for the British upper class at the end of the 18th century. The water is a pleasant 27 degrees this time of year.

L'Amour

Paris, 8e

Astorg has an LP meeting which puts about $30bn of investment power in one room together. The discussion covers the portfolio, investment pace, team changes - usual stuff. Now we are at Le Mas Du Langoustier on the Ile de Porquerolles in the Cote d'Azur for a bit of team bonding. I am honoured to be included.

The Mall

 Groovy gal

Madeleine and I hit Westfield London which opened in '08 and offers 150,000m² of retail space or the equivalent of about 30 football pitches - the thing is God damn big.  I ask myself : how many styles of trainer can one look at ?

In my day, the closest mall was Hilltop in Richmond, California, which opened in 1976 and built on land previously occupied by the Chevron Oil Corporation tank farm.  There was parking for miles. Christmas lights went up in October and, in 7th grade, I shopped for a gold medallion to go with my feathered hair.  Now, when I consider Hilltop, I think of Dawn Of The Dead where a group of refugees hole up in a shopping complex to escape zombies.

England, as Napoleon famously said, is a nation of shopkeepers. Until Westfield, London's only mall was Queensway which turned-over clothing boutiques catering to mustachioed men and frizzy haired women. No Prada, no Gucci, no Banana Republic but there is a M&S.