The adventures of Miss Despina

I’d like to write something about all the wonderful singing opportunities that have come my way recently. About the uni work that is burying me. About lots of things.

I will soon x 

I’m going to kill whoever it was that decided it would be fun to run over my head with a steamroller on New Year’s Eve! All I know is that I made two bottles of red wine’s worth of punch (with much cognac and cointreau) and that in the morning we collected three empty bottles of cava (I’m not buying champagne when, let’s face it, everything tastes the same if you’re drunk enough) an empty litre bottle of gin, and far too many cans and bottles of beer, as well as a couple of bottles of wine.
There were six of us.
What I remember about midnight involves Jez popping corks at 11:56 and offering us all some “fizzy good make feel nice” (thanks Bernard Black), me singing happy birthday, and then trying to work the chocolate fountain, which is still solidified in the kitchen, as I have neither the skill nor the inclination to clean it.
Then apparently there was dancing, and more drink, and conversations along the lines of “at least I haven’t got an arse for a face” - “well at least I haven’t got a face for an arse!” - “well at least I haven’t got an arse for a nose!” - “well, at least I haven’t got a, a, a, a nose for a… nose… bi-atch!” And then “there’s a stain on the carpet!” - “yes, I know, it’s ok, we’ll get some vanish stuff on it.” - “no, but you don’t understand, it’s a stain!!!!” (I’m mentioning no names, Jezzy arse nose.)
It was one of the best new years I’ve had in ages! Thanks everyone! xxx

Anne my love, thanks for tagging me in this insightful meme, and shaming me into blogging again! 

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? Many things! I lived in a foreign country for three months, I did two singing and acting roles on the stage at the Royal Northern College of Music (one was the main role). I moved house six times. I ate octopus. I got fined by two Hungarian ticket inspectors, and a Czech policeman. I painted my toenails turquoise. I heard jazz in central Europe.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? If I made any last year, I probably didn’t keep them. I have a few resolutions for next year, but the main ones are to put more effort into doing things socially as a couple with Jez, and to take control of my depression.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No-one in the UK!

4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit? Scotland, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? Stability. Please!

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 11th - one year of Despina and Jez. And all the dates I counted down to in Prague. Concert dates too, 13th November in particular.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Learning to speak Czech!

9. What was your biggest failure? Not doing as well as I could have done in uni.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? One bad chest infection, cutting off the top of my thumb, styes, and of course the ubiquitous depression.

11. What was the best thing you bought? A brown and cream silk skirt, a la Audrey Hepburn, with matching brown ballet pumps shoes (I’ve had it 6 months and worn it once!) Also, a shedload of sheet music!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? Jez has been amazing this year. Many friends have been very good to me, but Jez’s capacity for supportiveness, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, and pure love, remains unmatched. Mags has been here for me both physically and virtually, and passed all her exams second time round. Mum turned her back on a horrible career and is now enjoying being a retired lady of leisure. Dad coped with redundancy, bounced back and is now doing a bit of everything, being wonderful as always (but is working a bit too hard). Kyne was also a really good friend in Prague, dragging me out to the pub and various places, when I just wanted to hide, and making sure I ate properly.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? My own, recently.

14. Where did most of your money go? Phone bills, I think!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Moving house recently with Jez, seeing Don Giovanni / Manon Lescaut in Prague, dancing on the Danube, seeing Jez after 6 weeks without him, making Christmas, going to Budapest, singing in Czech, learning Glitter and be Gay and hitting the highest notes I’ve ever sung, playing Yum-Yum, being thin enough to wear my favourite dresses, hearing Rachmaninov 2nd symphony, and many, many more things!

16. What song will always remind you of 2007? Too early to say, but certainly any Klezmer or anything by Lakatos, or Julie Fowlis, or the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, or Don Giovanni!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer? A bit sadder I think, and certainly not richer, but considerably thinner. (I yo-yod between 10 and 14 this year, I’m now a curvaceous 12!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Travelling in the Czech Republic, making time for my friends, studying.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Working, dwelling on things, being a rubbish girlfriend, abusing my body and my mind, and fucking up my life in general!

20. How did you spend Christmas? In my beautiful new home, with my family and Jez’s family. It was a really perfect Christmas Day, in fact.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007? Yes, more and more in love.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Can’t answer this one, as I don’t have a TV!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No. I’ve realised how much energy it takes to hate someone, and no-one is worth that when there are so many people worthy of better than hatred.

24. What was the best book you read? Ooooooh I can’t answer this! I’m currently reading the Philip Pullman trilogy and finding it mindblowing, but I loved The Historan and The Icarus Girl, and Immortality, and Inventing the Victorians.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? That I can sightread!

26. What did you want and get? To have the happiest week of my life. (And the worst.)

27. What did you want and not get? So many things.

28. What was your favourite film of this year? La vie en rose.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 22, and I seem to remember it was the first time I saw the house where I now live, and I thought it was beautiful. Then I think Jez made me something delicious to eat, or maybe we went out somewhere… maybe I was a bit drunk.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? More self-belief.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Classic, with a few quirky twists. Three quarter length trousers with ballet pumps, lots of jewellery. Tailoring. Killer heels.

32. What kept you sane? Music.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I don’t really do celeb crushes, but if I had to choose, I suppose Vincent Delerm (Sorry Jez but it is all your fault.)

34. What political issue stirred you the most? The police and government’s reaction to the murder of Jean Charles de Menezes. The words "a corporate failure" remain etched on my mind. I am appalled.

35. Who did you miss? Everyone I’ve managed to alienate in the last year. And in Prague, obviously I missed Jez and my family. I’ve missed Catherine since she went to uni.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Kindest, funniest, or downright strangest? Too many to mention - not just new friends in 2007, but people I knew before who I am now much closer to. That’s a nice feeling.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. I will consider my response to this and write a separate blog post about it. But I am beginning to realise just what a big responsiblity life can be.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Plusieurs indices m’ont mis la puce à l’oreille
J’ouvre l’oeil
J’vais faire une enquète pour en avoir le coeur net
Ca m’inquiète

Y a des détails qui trompent pas

Les draps la couette et la taie d’oreiller
Sont plus dépareillés
A coté de mes fringues en boule
Y a des vêtements pliés et repassés

Y a des détails qui trompent pas
J’crois qu’y a une fille qu’habite chez moi !

Deux brosses à dent dans la salle de bain
Du savon sans savon et le sèche-cheveux
C’est certainement pas le mien
Des petites boules bizarres
Pour parfumer la baignoire
C’est un vrai cauchemar
Quelqu’un a massacré tous mes amis cafards !

Dans la cuisine des sachets de thé
De verveine de camomille
Un message sur le répondeur d’une mère
Qu’est pas la mienne
V’là qu’elle s’en prend à ma famille !

Y a des détails qui trompent pas

Quelqu’un en douce a fait la vaiselle
Où sont mes habitudes mon ménage trimestriel ?
J’ouvre le frigo horreur c’est d’la folie !
Y a plein de légumes !
Y a même des fruits !

Y a des détails qui trompent pas
J’crois qu’y a une fille qu’habite chez moi !

Où sont mes potes qui glandaient devant la télé
Les boîtes de pizza les paquets de chips éventrés
Les mégots de cigarettes écrasés dans les assiettes
Ma collection de new look ? Aux oubliettes !

Sur la table de nuit y a plus de capotes mais de l’aspirine
Y a une fille qu’habite chez moi
Y a aussi des bougies contre l’odeur de la nicotine
Y a une fille qu’habite chez moi !

Y a des détails qui trompent pas

Y a un vrai rideau y a plus un drap cloué sur la fenêtre !
Qu’est-ce que c’est que ça ? Mon Dieu, c’est une plante verte !

L’aspirateur est encore chaud
C’est trop je porte plainte !
Je vais l’emmener au labo
Pour vérifier les empreintes

On dirait que je suis plus célibataire
La coupable je la tiens
Elle est devant l’étau se resserre
Accrochée au téléphone assise en tailleur
Dans une jolie robe à fleur
Une fille me dit "Arrête ton cinéma
Et le loyer j’le paye autant que toi !"

(Bénabar, Y a une fille qui habite chez moi)

1. Happy Christmas Miss Despina! I know whatever you’re doing, you’ll be doing it with 100 per cent committment! Attagirl!

   Mya x

   Comment by Mya — December 23, 2007 @ 6:41 pm | Edit This

2. Happy Christmas from all the Beaufoixs Despina. Hope you and Jez have a fab time.

   Comment by Jo Beaufoix — December 23, 2007 @ 7:11 pm | Edit This

3. Hi Despina,
   I have been checking in with you from time to time and wondering whether everything was alright, so glad to hear that you’re doing OK.
   I hope that you have a very Happy Christmas …and I wish you all the best for 2008…
   Lots of love
   xx

   Comment by Stratford Girl — December 23, 2007 @ 8:14 pm | Edit This

4. Dearest Despina,

   May you and yours enjoy all blessings of good health, love, prosperity, and success in 2008.

   Thank you for being such a lovely blog friend!

   Bacioni ed abbraccioni, vilaine fille

   Comment by vilaine fille — December 26, 2007 @ 2:07 am | Edit This

5. Dear Despina,
   I wish you and Jez a wonderful 2008!
   Love,
   Saffron

   Comment by Saffron — December 26, 2007 @ 12:57 pm | Edit This

6. Hey lovely Despina,

   Have not been around the blogs recently but I assumed that you were busy with chrimbo activities too. I really hope all is well with you. Sending you lots of hugs..

   Comment by sugar007 — December 29, 2007 @ 2:20 pm | Edit This

7. I’m glad :)
   Can’t wait to see you in 2008!!
   xxx

   Comment by mags — December 29, 2007 @ 6:30 pm | Edit This