Sheri - Main Page

Sheri a.k.a. Ze Mean Belgian Frog

Havoc: Ah ah!

I've just learned that the director of my former establishment has been cast aside. And, apparently, the substitute isn't any better.

An acquaintance who still works there told me that she had never seen such a mess in 12 years. She wants to quit. Another colleague has got in touch with a lawyer.

They both think I did the right thing. I think too...

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Hard on(e): Man, I tell you, my job is a laborious one.

I've got those two girls. 2 students of mine, about 16 each. Both really good looking (at least they meet my criteria), both answering by the same name, both with a pretty interesting personality.
Hard to remain professional. Their lips, their skin, their neck... Heaven!

Get a grip, you old fool! You're a married man, for God's sake! Take a cold shower and make passionate love to your beloved wife!
[8 comments]
First real salary: Started my "trade" three months ago. Stopped working for my previous employer last November. This is the first month I got a decent "salary" as a self-employed worker.
I earned more than the French "smic", which is the legal minimum wage for full-time employees. Not bad when one considers the fact that I work on average 18 hours a week.
Combined with Christelle's salary, we're doing good. I can devote the rest of my time to kids, painting and writing.

The only snag is that it will never be permanent. I constantly have to get new customers. We'll see.

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Incompetence: I sleep much better, now that I'm self employed. It's the lack of gratitude and respect from my previous boss which prompted me to go freelance. That man should be fired.
Firstly because he is incompetent: He makes mistakes but would not acknowledge them. Is it a matter of principle or bad faith?
Secondly, the way he handles the staff is in my opinion completely counterproductive.
Now he is losing customers to my own benefit. Too bad.
I think I should inform his superior (who is a man of another kind). What do you reckon? Should I stir the shit (and perhaps accept the consequence) or simply ignore the lot and go my own way?

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I feel sad: Yes, I feel sad.
Since the "twitterification" of the message board and the new layout given to the homepage of the Maison, nobody has been writing anymore (apart from John). No more articles from Lox. No more articles from Nigel. No more link to Travis and the others.
What's going on?
Is it the end of the Maison brotherhood?
I can see Lox, Tim, Rob, Tom and John keep corresponding on Twitter. Fine. Nothing to blame. Personally, I can do without. But the articles! Come on guys! Write! And not just about food, please! I'm always interested to know what's in your mind, not what's in your plate! The spirit of the Maison is fading away.

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A few pics: A few pictures taken two weeks ago in Belgium. Enjoy.

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It's time!: The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that I'll follow the path of the (more or less) famous playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan, my (alleged) ancestor.

One knows he is a writer when one feels the need to write and particularly when that need turns to a craving.
It became like an addiction to me and I feel bad as time eludes me.

Now why should I be a playwright rather than a novel writer or a scriptwriter?
Writing novels, or essays, bores me as I hate descriptions. I like to go directly to the point and convey with few but effective words what I have to say.
Writing film scripts is much more appealing. Unfortunately, the circle of scriptwriters is very tight. Hard to penetrate... unless you know the right person.
Writing plays is, I believe, what suits and fits me best. You deal with nothing but the essential.

But why do I feel the need to write?

- Firstly because it saves me the costs of a shrink.
- Secondly because it's the best way, I think, to satisfy my strong desire for public recognition. I need to shout to the world that I exist. I can't accept that my life is but a brief, insignificant, unoticed interlude. Which is vain, I know. I am a vain person, I won't deny it.
- Thirdly because I came to realise that I'm quite... different. It sounds pretentious, arrogant, but I'm not like Mr Nobody. I know I can go somewhere. I know I can add my own stone, my own touch, my own stroke to the making of this world. There is something in me which says "you can"...... "you can and you must!"

It's time now to stop wasting my skills. It's time now to become productive, to do constructive things. Not in the framework of our economy which I abhor. In a larger, wider, deeper context.

Of course I won't give up work and family. My business is starting rather well, better than expected. I just have to find the right modus vivendi between work, family and writing.

[3 comments]
So far so good: Some of you know that I was considering going freelance. It's now official. I started my business on October 1st. As it takes time to advertise in the yellow pages (had to wait for the coming of a sales rep), I thought it wise to go canvassing door to door. Physical contact is important and I managed to find two customers : a company dealing in metal recycling and another one building customized robots for the manufacturing industry.

Now, in order to be more competitive, the French governement has issued a law which compels companies to devote a percentage of their turnover to training courses (for their employees).

In a country like mine, ie France, teaching English (which is my trade*) is tantamount to standing on a gold heap.

My priority goes to building a network. Among my students I have two CEOs whom I managed to befriend. It helps. Cose those people have useful connections.

I hope it'll work. I think it will. Firstly because there is a demand for it. Secondly because I have acquired sufficient experience to know what they want and provide what they need. Thirdly because... well... I became much more sociable. I enjoy socializing. Not only when it serves my own interests. I just enjoy talking with people. They feel it and, I believe, like me for it.

What happened to me ? I suddenly feel... "grown up". And for the first time ever I feel confident. Is it because I've had my third child ? Did it trigger something in me ? I have a family. A true family now. Of which I'm the Pater Familiae. I feel true love for them. True love mixed with a deep sense of authority and responsibility. Authority which, naturally, I share with my lovely wife Christelle.

Inner peace. At last.

* I teach business and corporate English.
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Lulu: Here is a pic of Lulu, my CBF 600. A supple and elegant roadster.

Je vous présente Lulu. Elégante et souple. Un plaisir à monter.

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Je suis un Homme: Here are extracts from a song which I fancy:
Voici quelques extraits d'une chanson que j'aime beaucoup:

Song: Je suis un Homme
Album: Totem
Artist : Zazie
Composer : Jean-Pierre Pilot

Je suis un homme et je mesure toute l'horreur de ma nature.
I'm a man and I understand the horror of my nature.

Assis devant ma télévision, je suis de l'homme la négation, pur produit de consommation.
Sitting in front of my television, I represent the negation of my kind, a pure consumer product.

Je suis un homme au pied du mur, comme une erreur de la nature.
I'm a man facing the wall, a blunder in Mother Nature's scheme.

C'est moi le maître du monde et vois ce que j'en ai fait: une terre glacée, une terre brûlée.
I dominate the World and look what I did of it: an icy place, a burning place.

Je fais l'amour et la révolution, [.] j'avance à reculons.
I make love and revolution, [...] yet I go backward.

Je fais le monde à ma façon, coulé dans l'or et le béton
I mould the World the way I want, casting it in gold and concrete.

[8 comments]
The essence of our world: Hello Everyone,

Trying to rebuild my bit of space. Created new webpages.

One alloted to the family.

One alloted to my own guidelines. Precepts I endeavour to abide by.

One alloted to my "reflections on Ancient Rome". I do it for my fulfilment, I suppose. It gives me a blissful feeling. I wouldn't mind getting it published, though. One day, perhaps.

Many things are changing here.
The family: 3 kids (3 boys moreover) bring a new dimension. I realise I'm really really really fond of my kids... and my wife (careful there!).
Work: Going freelance.
Myself: I woundn't say I'm getting wiser. But things are getting clearer in my mind.
My relationship with people is changing too. For the better, I think.

I'll try not to talk too much about me in my coming entries. At least, I won't bother you with details and personel problems. The world isn't just evolving around me...! What interest me of late is to find a way to distill the essence of our world.

Here is a pic (of my second son James) I fancy:

[6 comments]
Histoire sociale & culturelle du Vin: Un petit hommage à quelqu'un dont on ne parle pas assez à mon goût et qui pourtant a écrit un ouvrage de référence. Du moins, c'est ainsi qu'il me plaît de qualifier l'Histoire Sociale & Culturelle du Vin, de Gilbert Garrier.

Un ouvrage réellement passionnant et réédité fréquemment. Bien écrit, truffé de références et de morceaux empruntés à la littérature française, c'est une véritable bible pour tout historien et bon vivant qui se respecte.

Pour avoir lu beaucoup d'ouvrages sur la question, je peux vous dire que celui-ci se distingue nettement des autres.

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6. Napoleon: Napoleon

Sons and daughters of France
You sing my praises
And you claim I was an enlightened sovereign.

You should however know
That I bear responsibility for your decline.
It is I who sold off
To the young American Nation
The vast and virgin lands
Running along the Mississippi River.

Oh, twice ill-omened bargain!
I deprived Molière's tongue
Of a bedding the size of a continent,
To seek only defeat in the fateful snows
Of an Eastern Foe.

Napoléon

Peuple de France
Tu encenses mon esprit
que tu dis éclairé

Sache cependant
Que j'ai précipité ta déchéance.
Car en cédant à la jeune nation américaine
Les vastes et vierges terres du Mississippi,
Pour me fourvoyer dans les neiges funestes de la Sainte Russie,
J'ai privé la langue de Molière
D'un continent pour assise.

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5. Economic Growth: Economic growth

« Economic growth !
« That's the key word!
« We need to reflate the economy!

How would you do that ?

« How? Easy! We have to increase our demography!
« Generate an army of consumers.
« Indeed consumption stimulates production.
« Production equals employment.
« And employment means purchasing power!
« It's a cycle.

You mean a vicious circle.
There is however a detail which you seem to neglect:
In order to produce, you need raw materials.
You're supposed to know that the Earth is round.
Resources are limited.
As for demography, I myself have kids.
But where are we heading to?
Do we need to people each and every square metre of land?
Couldn't we think of an alternative
To this economy which will lead us straight to our doom?

« This kind of thinking is worthy of a naive mind!
« Do you know how much it would cost?!

Our way of life, probably.
I dare not think about the bill
We'll leave to our children if we don't do anything now
Today we can still afford to act freely
Tomorrow free choice will cease to be
Our kids won't have any room for manoeuvre
And the cost will increase tenfold

« As I said, you are a naive person!

Future will tell.

Croissance

« Croissance. Croissance. Croissance !
« C'est le maître mot !
« Il faut relancer la croissance !

Vous avez une solution ?

« Bien sûr. Il faut accroître la population !
« Générer une armée de consommateurs.
« Car qui dit consommation dit production.
« Qui dit production dit emploi.
« Et qui dit emploi dit pouvoir d'achat !
« C'est un cycle.

Un cercle vicieux, vous voulez dire.
Il y a un détail, toutefois, que vous semblez négliger.
Pour produire, il faut des matières premières.
Or, vous n'êtes pas sans savoir que la terre est ronde.
Les ressources sont limitées.
Quant à faire des gosses, c'est bien. J'ai moi-même des enfants.
Mais jusqu'où irons-nous ? Faut-il peupler chaque mètre carré ?
Ne devrions-nous envisager une alternative
A cette économie qui nous perdra ?

« Voilà une observation digne d'un naïf !
« Savez-vous seulement ce que cela coûterait ?!

Notre mode de vie, sans doute.
Je n'ose songer à la facture
Que nous laisserons à nos enfants si nous n'agissons pas.
Ce qui tient encore du libre choix aujourd'hui
Deviendra une obligation demain,
Il n'y aura plus de marge de manouvre.
Et le prix à payer se verra décuplé.

« Je le répète, Monsieur, vous êtes un naïf !

La postérité jugera.

[1 comment]
2. The Consumer: Le consommateur

Je suis le consommateur idéal.
Je consomme à tort et à travers, sans me soucier des conséquences.
Je n'ai pas de personnalité propre
Et, ma foi, ma vie se résume
A copuler et à bouffer.

« bouffer », dis-je, car je suis gras et je me nourris mal.
Je ne lis pas. Je passe mon temps avachi devant la télé
A regarder des émissions conçues pour ménager mon intellect.

Je ne suis pas un homme
Je suis une statistique.
Une donnée apposée sur un graphique.

The Consumer

I am the ideal consumer.
I consume excessively
With no consideration for the consequences.
I have no personality of my own
And, come to think of it, my life comes down to breeding and gulping.

"Gulping" I say. For I am fat and don't feed properly.
Nor do I read. I spend my time sprawled before my tv screen
Watching programmes designed to lull my intellect.

I'm not a man
I'm a statistic.
A data lost amid others on a gigantic graph.

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1. Short-term policies: 1. Short-term policies

Overpopulation? Global Warming?
Yes, I understand. Only it's still very distant.
It remains too abstract for the common people.

If I were to take concrete measures
It would be unpopular
And then who would vote for me tomorrow?

No, believe me, let's not rush the electors
Let's wait till we face the wall.
By then, my term of office will be over!

1. Du court terme

La surpopulation ? Le réchauffement climatique ?
Oui je comprends. Mais c'est encore loin.
C'est encore trop abstrait pour le commun des mortels.

Si je prends des mesures concrètes
Celles-ci seront forcément impopulaires
Et dès lors, qui demain votera pour moi ?!

Non croyez-moi, ne brusquons pas les électeurs
Attendons d'arriver au pied du mur.
D'ici là, j'ai le temps d'un mandat !

[1 comment]