Following New York, a new year, a new me?
Still in a post-engagement bliss (lest we forget that, during this month, not only did my second-cousin-once removed Russell Brand propose to Katy Perry, but Lise was bizarrely likened to newly-engaged Katie Price – I know – who starred on Alan Carr’s chat show, to whom I myself was likened the very same day), the year got off to a surreal start with all that snow, and a few extra days off. A real god send, fateful almost, allowing as it did some quality time on a neglected assignment, walks in the snow, drinks in the pub, and preparation for a fancy dress party.
Growing up I had always wanted to be Sylvester Stallone. Well, more specifically, Rocky Balboa.
A Seventies fancy dress party offered the chance to become my hero for the night, and even better, with Adrian Pennino and Butkus (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1331332/ ) by my side. We recreated the ice skating date, apt given the frightful weather outside, but even more appropriate when I realised that Sly and I had, in recent years, exchanged roles actually, given that he has become an Evertonian and a painter of some repute. Here we are at the party, Butkus is whispering to me the proposed plot for ROCKY 7, in which our pugilistic pioneer even becomes a teacher!
All the while I had become embroiled in the ultimately disappointing Africa Cup of Nations. I have written elsewhere, my reasons for supporting Algeria ( see http://www.englishfootballpost.com/news/2010/01/28/the-desert-foxes-on-our-boxes/ for a full explanation, but more will come on here soon), however, the next interesting example of synchronicity came when I gained a role on ITV’s fascinating new show, Soapstar to Superstar, when I even got to meet the woman of my dreams about ten years ago, Myleene Klass. And the very next day I was at a workshop, unbeknownst to me until arrival, led by an artist whom I cooked for two years ago. She has even recently been researching tarot cards.
This weekend was rounded off with a trip to Manchester – by chance we sat on the train carriage’s seats 27 & 28, our dates of birth – to the Strictly Come Dancing live show (long story) where another lookalike – Mark Ramprakash? – won the competition.
And that evening, an interesting twist in the elaborate eviction / escape process of Celebrity Big Brother involved the housemates’ opening of fortune cookies, each of which told that individual’s fate. The rest of the month buzzed by in a blur, with the only remaining stories of note worth telling involving my best mate’s finding of a flat having moved to Australia and a quirky landlord coincidence; my finding of a watchmaker named Jonathan Greenbank; my subsequent discovery that in Kent there’s an immigration officer called Jon Greenbank who made the news for deporting four members of staff in a Chinese restaurant there; and my meeting an artist who had created a work nine years ago whose title had stuck in my mind ever since:
“AS IF IN A DREAM, DREAMT BY ANOTHER”
I was overjoyed to be able to discuss the title with him, relating as it did to stories of… immigration. Moreover, its coming from a John Berger book about refugees encouraged the notion that many immigrants felt – that someone else was controlling their weird life. This I believed, was almost a replica of what I have been living through aswell, that is, should they so decide, others can switch off this fantastic adventure whenever they choose.
It is now six months since my initial visits to the fortune tellers, so next month seems an appropriate time to assess exactly what evidence we have of the predictions having come true – as you will have read, many have for me, with only three seeming to remain outstanding:
The L Plates… as I continue to avoid the contemplation of driving, a friend just passed his theory… but could this mean hen / stag nights?
The twins / three children, one a gifted musician etc… One thing at a time, thank you!
The dying of something like a heart attack in my nineties… a long way to go, yet.
However, I am intrigued to discover if any of these have resonance with your lives in any way: if so, please let me know by e-mail (theartist@jonathangreenbank.com) or discussion on the forum.
The last day of the month I felt terribly ill after a Bourdain-inspired Lapin aux Olives. As I lay in bed, somewhere, a new facebook campaign was being conjured up. Doppelganger week, in which everyone involved was to use a lookalike of themselves as their profile photo.
These two apparently used one of me… Oh, the irony… and notice they must have met at some fundraiser for diabetes (remember the fortune tellers’ tales) organised by Specsavers.
Anyway. Happy Valentine’s. And heartfelt thanks, as always.
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on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 3:19 pm and is filed under I A Y T E W B OK.
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