Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

They say a leopard can't change his spots. As an inherent characteristic, maybe not. And maybe he shouldn't want to, as spots happen to look pretty darn good on a leopard, in my humble opinion. So rock those spots, Mr Leopard. But what about us? Being and staying true to our inner nature is vital, but I don't believe stoic resistance to all the flux around us to be healthy in such a day and age. Change seems to be the plat du jour, society shifts and alters itself according to new trends and happenings, and we are able to remake ourselves almost instantly thanks to the possibilities of the world around us. Social change is and always has been in the air, but that is a story for another day. This reflection is in favour of the day-to-day edits we can make to shake things up a bit: getting a haircut, some new togs, taking up a hobby, swapping up your playlists, supporting a new team (topical reference as an English girl living in Spain during the World Cup of 2014... Sigh. Allez les bleus? We shall see.) 

The idea is not to be a stickler for traditions and customs that are impossible to maintain, or even just that make life more of a chore. A bit of difference or spontaneity here and there goes a long way, for no matter how much control we love to have at the end of the day human nature is to enjoy being positively surprised, and if you go into something new with an open mind you're bound to enjoy it that much more. 

And to wrap up, some wise words conveniently converted into a bumper-sticker mantra, tweaked slightly to suit the purpose of this text: 

Be the change you want to see in your world... 

Have fun folks. 

#justsayyes

A Wednesday morning (at the time of writing, obviously). I find myself on a metro bound for work an hour early, vestiges of last night's G&Ts coursing through my veins, still helping me make questionable choices as I agree to try an early-morning yoga class before the day begins. This after rocking out a teen concert last night, tickets purchased on a whim weeks ago, much to the bemusement of all and sundry over the age of majority. ('Twas a popular act among the sweet-sixteeners; discounting their less-than-amused parent chaperons we had about 10 years on the most part of the crowd. Winning.) Yet there was an unadulterated freedom to being able to do just as we liked and harmlessly party hard with the rest, heedless as to the social stigma or judgment of friends and family. And, who'd've thunk, we had a stellar time of it. 

So this is a short but sweet and fairly self-explanatory tidbit. Throw caution to the wind and seize each moment, you never know where it might lead you next!! 

All's Well That Ends Well

Do you believe in serendipity?

The events that led to my seeing a favourite Spanish singer in concert can only be described as such. I shall regale you with the tale (forgive me this little indulgence):

Once upon a time... No, too cliché. To set the scene, then, the following details: I had bought concert tickets for my flatmate's birthday to see aforementioned popular artiste. The concert was to be in an entirely different city, which we would visit and where we would stay with friends who would also attend the event. The flatmate knew of the trip but not of the show in question. Voilà problem numero uno.
Now, the friend we were to stay with is a remarkably flaky character as it transpires. Little did I know that he had in fact quit his job in the other city a good week ahead of the concert, and was back in our vicinity. My flatmate had his suspicions but for one reason or another chose not to voice them. He merely assumed that the weekend away was not to happen, and thus made his own plans accordingly.
Alas, this left yours truly in the delightful pickle of having tickets to a concert at entirely the wrong end of the country with less than 48 hours' notice to rid myself thereof. Various schemes were cooked up and dismissed as to whether I could indeed attend, but it was deemed a failure and consigned to the 'oh well never mind' bin. And so I set about trying to peddle the tickets, best salesface on, and though for a while it did seem a fool's errand, eventually there they were, gone. Three for cash recompense and one as a charitable gift, for the sake of the old "want not waste not" mantra.
So. We were no longer going to the concert. By this point I had let the cat out of the bag and told a slightly-disappointed-but-not-overly-surprised flatmate about the whole charade. Game over.
That evening, I had lined up another gig lined up (this time in my own city with my own people, who were undeniably less fallible) and so off we popped to have a good time. There we were, dancing away, relishing in the wide array of - I concede, somewhat juvenile - performances, and I soon forgot the trials and tribulations of the ticket debacle that morning.
The more popular the act, the more electric the atmosphere, and although it was aimed at a somewhat younger target audience, the concert turned out to be immensely fun and very diverting.
All of a sudden, the compère (or rather, local DJ, but hey who's against handing him a  promotion here) announced that he had a surprise for us. A thrill of anticipation shivered through the crowd. As he began to drop hints about who the unexpected artist might be, thrilled whispers rippled all around us, whipping us up into an impatient frenzy...
Lo and behold, it was the very same singer I had been due to see the following day! We could not believe our luck. Call it fate, call it chance, call it what you will; it certainly put a smile on our faces. I'm positive I was in a delectable daze of disbelief the rest of the evening. Goodness knows it made up for the unhappy fiasco earlier on. The only disagreeable factor was that the flatmate, the original beneficiary of the piece, ultimately saw no gain in any way; he at best had a pang of jealousy or a slight moue of disappointment to play with.

And so, to conclude, it may all have been a mere balance of fortune, that I should be cursed with a failed attempt then blessed by being in the right place at the right time. Maybe each was in some way my own doing, if you believe in karmic retribution. Who knows. I choose to accept that it was sheer serendipitous luck. It may be a romantic notion or a foolhardy idea, all 'Que Sera, Sera' as Doris would have it, but I find that it more than adequately fits this tale, with no further explanation needed.
And besides, doesn't the word just roll off the tongue oh-so-nicely?!

A friend in need is a friend indeed!

"Make new friends, but keep the old: one is silver and the other gold." This wise refrain has been with me the past few weeks for numerous reasons. During a difficult time, new and old friends alike have offered words of support and courage, hoping and praying all around the world for a positive outcome, and I couldn't be more grateful. It is remarkable how much strength can be found in the comfort of a loved one, and no matter the scale of their gesture nor the closeness of the relationship.
On a daily basis we each take our respective "normality" for granted; that is to say, we only really notice when things stop running as they should. This can happen as a gradual process, which we adjust to accordingly over time, and whatever issue thereby just becomes another fact of life. Not necessarily a positive thing, but it can be worked around. Or something can suddenly occur; a world can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye, when a message comes to say somebody has been taken ill, for example. I'm talking about personal crises, the events that shake your faith and burst your bubble. How we each deal with these situations is down to each and every one of us: we find our own ways of coping, and everyone has his or her own recovery period.
But the true and constant fact is that the motivation we receive from those around us helps keep us strong and inevitably speeds this recovery along. Having a network of loved ones offering assistance or encouraging words can make all the difference: it is the aid we sometimes need to stay steady and keep a level head when all around seems turbulent and distorting. They are the life-jacket in a sea of uncertainty, the anchor that grounds us and tells us everything will be okay, that we will still be here when the waters are again calm.
With this in mind, I would like to give a word of thanks to all those who in turn offer their compassion and on whatever level become terra firma, their actions, words, and understanding providing an emotional crutch that rights us until we are able to find our feet and stand tall once more. Indubitably these people ask no gratitude, no recognition in return for amity, they do not lend their kindness and consideration at a price; yet I feel it often goes under-acknowledged that the grace of human goodness incites this altruistic support even towards those we barely know.
 We as humanity connect to one another and can sympathise or empathise even with total strangers. For our acquaintances, we can spare a thought, a prayer, a reassuring remark. And to our dear ones we can be the leaning post, the comfort, the rallying cheer, the shoulder to cry on, the reminder that things will be better.
So wear a smile for those who look like they need one, care for them in sadness and share with them their gladness, be the strength they need in any way you can. Know that they are appreciative even when they are left without the words to express it. Be the friend you would want to have by your side.
And in case they don't say it out loud, I will say it here and now; 'thank you' for being there for them. A digital salute to each and every one of you. Merci!

Little Winning

Tiny triumphs. That is today's incipient theme. 

Going merrily about my daily routine (or at least, with as much cheer as one can muster at 06:30 on a Tuesday...), I came to put on my jewellery for the day and discovered I had reached a stumbling block: the tangle of necklaces that would undoubtedly hinder my progress. With a sigh, I set to unravelling the metallic weave and endeavouring to retrieve the chain of choice. A few minutes went by, and I was at the point of giving up hope for the day and doing without when my stubborn streak kicked in. Sure enough, competitive nature won through - I was able to detangle the entire knot without too much of a delay. I felt a small wave of elation, for as minor as this win may have been (and I am under no illusion as to the grandeur of my achievement, fear not) it still helped me start the day well and without grudge or gripe. Other such recent events to help set the day up for a smile have included a waitress defending her bar and its patrons' possessions from young thieves, who intended to pinch whatever possible (including, oddly, my soggy brolly which was quietly dripping by the door) until they were magnificently thwarted by the valiant lady and her relentless shooing. On a less tangible note, there was also a rallying unison during the recent metro strikes, with disgruntled citizens coming together to help each other into/out of the melee... Tube strike uniting old and young alike, all for one and one for all - the crowd turning itself inside out to aid and abet fellow journeyers as they conquer the metro's defiant delays and amassing hordes. It is surprising how oft the train thus transforms itself, how fine the line between a collected assortment of unknown individuals and a group come together through the sharing of an attitude, idea, purpose, or even just a smile... A random chap begins a series of owl noises, and the surrounding carriage feels a fleeting unison as shy grins are exchanged for understanding glances, and all social walls are momentarily broken by his harmless yet untoward behaviour. This type of practice is uncommon, for it is not the done thing to smile at those we do not know. It implies a level of 'more'. At what age do we stop appreciating each other simply for being human beings born into this world? It is deemed perfectly acceptable to smile at children, babies especially, waving at them in their prams or rewarding their very existence with a grin or even a treat. Yet to do this to youths or adults would be rather frowned upon. Bizarre.
I, for one, would like to take the time here and now to say that humanity is pretty darn awesome. The ways in which we come through for each another, as much in the everyday tiny assistance as in grand gesture scale of things, are quite remarkable. From the mundane such as holding doors for complete strangers that extra second longer just because they are older or heavily laden, to friendly off-hand compliments slipped in unexpectedly, brightening your day with a few simple words. 

But I digress. True, I love the way we humankind help each other out, yadda yadda. The point of today's musings, however, was to revel in the delight of everyday occurrences that are in themselves unremarkable, but which compositely get you out on the right side of the metaphorical bed. The most basic of these is invariably weather-related for most of us: the sun coming out suddenly elevates moods and spirits, especially when unexpected. And on the odd occasion that this sparks a rainbow, let alone a full one, why then the joy just keeps on spreading, doesn't it?! Like the sky is leaking happy. Or something like that. Leastways, my personal favourite aspect thereof is not the plethora of colour dazzling the skies (for somehow, no matter how old, I always, always want to chase it and see about that pesky mythical leprechaun... thanks, Dad, for the horseplay of that disappointing impossibility. Just like the tomfoolery regarding mountain sheep, which do not, in fact, have two legs shorter than the others if they go in the same direction for too long. Ahh childhood naivety. Thank heavens I never checked to see about the removal of 'gullible' from the dictionary. Moving swiftly on.) - no, the quirk that floats my particular boat in this scenario is - I was recently delighted to learn - known as 'petrichor'; the smell of the earth after the rain. Natural bliss. 

In slightly less hippie ideals, there are many more silver linings to be appreciated in life. Favourite songs being played on the radio, finding all the right ingredients you need already in the cupboard, mixing together two terrible-tasting drinks to get rid of them... and creating a delicious cocktail, re-starting a batch of cakes and STILL having enough ingredients, having to kill time waiting for someone and happening across a replete little watering hole to while away the delay, getting to the end of the month and realising you have just enough to pull together a meal or make ends meet to tide you over until the next big weekly shop. Dream. 

It doesn't all have to be about happenstance either - you can, to an extent, premeditate your mini-good fortune: stashing away a twenty in a wallet crevice to be discovered at a later date, overdoing it a tad at the gym so that you can award yourself some sneaky booze or chocolate (NB I am not, of course, advocating nor indeed admitting to any such healthcare regime...), planning out your week a little so that you have time to do the things you want to do, saying yes to new opportunities or events because they sound like good fun, without feeling you have to (riskily) wait for a group approval to participate. This weekend, I went solo to a street concert (compadres were disabled by varying degrees of hangover, poor mites), and the result was I had a whale of a time. Ambling around the city in the sunshine, not impelled to anyone or anything, pitches a delightfully nomadic freedom and bestows the tantalising gift of possibility: of adventures waiting to happen, secrets to be unveiled, felicity to be found in heretofore uncharted waters. Well; go forth and prosper, say I... 

Odds and Ends

Life is full of humorous daily oddities. We do not have to critically analyse each and every thing that crosses our path to discover them; we merely ought to be open-minded about what we stumble across, ready to be amused, interested, or even inspired, when presented with the right stimuli. Life proffers up such gems every day, we merely have to keep an eye out. 

A few examples that have tickled a smile from me recently:
- a Westie dog out for a walk in the park wearing a leather jacket
- bagpipe practice, again in the [same] park
- a woman trying to get through airport security with four large hold-alls of hand luggage, and not one, not two, but three of the exact same straw hat precariously perched atop her head
- my own dear mother trying to make a snow angel in a nigh-on vertical bank of snow
- seeing the inside of an escalator during its annual cleaning (not so much funny as very mildly fascinating, and so rare a feat that its strangeness and my privilege sparked the smile in this case)

And the best part is, these kinds of weird and wonderful things don't have to be from personal experience - swap such a story with a friend and there's double the fun already. A friend recently told me her flatmate, a tea-making novice, was concerned because the kettle had 'run out of water' and would therefore need replacing...

The internet, too, is a marvellous source for all manner of tiny crazies - this week alone there's been:
- a video about a homeless, toothless man who can make his moustache dance in extraordinary ways
- an intriguing etymological explanation of the term "piss poor"
- a play-off between an American subway busker and a saxophonist on his way home
- a story about an Argentine chap, enraged because the pair of toy poodles he'd purchased turned out to actually be none other than ferrets on steroids. Delightful.

So, dear reader, I beg of you not to become disenamoured by life... It has so many charming quirks to appreciate - lend a cynical eye where you will, just don't write yourself off to being too close-minded to notice...

There's a Spring in my step

One for sorrow, two for joy... 
Spring has finally sprung, the sun has deigned to grace us with some shine, and the world seems a better and brighter place than this time yesterday as a result. Who'd've thought, eh?! Just turning up the sky wattage has coaxed us out of shells and coats alike here in Madrid, and although there is a lingering chill from the vestiges of winter (it was only yesterday, after all...), sleeves are already getting shorter, and the sunglasses are most definitely out. Bravo.
Nature, too, is reveling in this joyous occasion: a birdsong soundtrack and cherry blossom backdrop enhance the scenery; buds bloom offstage, waiting for their chance to burst forth with colour; magpies are but one of the birds taking to the stage of courtship, with glossy wing and gleaming eye belying their romantic intent... Nudge nudge wink wink say no more.  
But my absolute favourite moment of this first springtime day was the glow of sunset's caress as it made the buildings blush... That pure Mediterranean radiance as the fading light strikes facades for one last hurrah, windows winking and twilight blowing kisses from the horizon. The orange aura never fails to impress, tracing steps of contentment across the day's end, setting it to rights just nicely. The dusky violet haze left behind in its wake reflects the serenity of the evening, and the intensity of the clear night sky to follow can inspire even the mildest of star-gazers to level up in their philosophy, and ponder some deep thought or other. Possibly. But let's just say that either way it looks darn pretty. 

Now I'm not saying that all this is hereon out a guarantee: nay, I would not dare to be so naive - chances are we'll be back to drizzle before we know it. It is, however, a rather nice little trailer for the season ahead, and my appetite for warmer weather and balmy breezes has been well and truly whetted, to say the least. Bring it on. And in other news, thank goodness the seasons are finally changing, because I really fancy a picnic. 

Spring also brings with it the wonderful opportunity for change. Spring cleaning, as one of our adopted seasonal traditions, can be the perfect excuse to begin a new chapter in life: habits are easier to keep without the overhanging gloom of winter; outdoor exercise becomes a probability rather than vague possibility (and just as well!); new pastimes are dreamt up (usually involving the park, it seems); and moods are generally inclined to be as light and bright as the weather. Pathetic fallacy eat your heart out. 

So I say this: decide how you want your spring to go, and do your utmost to at least start it off that way, with as positive an attitude as can be dredged up from the dinge of the wintery blues. Your sunshine may be hiding just around the corner, or it may well play hide-and-seek for a little while - or if you're in my beloved Britain, well, then, who knows if it will ever stick around, so good luck ! - but you can still make the most of the shift in your world's emotional kilter and work it to your advantage. Go forth, be merry, frolic like a fieldful of lambs, or just take a second to appreciate whatever side of it floats your boat... From hot crossed buns to daffodils to the fluffiest chicks you ever did see, spring is indeed a wonderful thing.