prolific.org » smile http://prolific.org ISSN 1568-2218 | Established 1999 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:08:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Gent memories http://prolific.org/2007/12/16/gent-memories/ http://prolific.org/2007/12/16/gent-memories/#comments Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:12:21 +0000 Caroline http://vonbpress.com/2007/12/16/gent-memories/ Continue reading →]]> Gent, kermis
I could tell you about the time I spent in Gent, but then I’d have to… you know how it goes. One lasting memory? Perhaps the very honourable Mr B, composer, Northener, keeling over as he gets up from his seat in Café des Arts. Says he: ‘The chair is drunk. Not me.’

As for the city, the little I’ve seen of it: small, tidy, quaint here and there and a little posh in places. And absolutely lovely service and kindness everywhere we went. Yuji, at Café des Arts, especially, put up with our whims with a smile and once he got the go ahead from above, was generous with the bottles of local spirits. Please, my Flemish friends, never let yourself be annexed or even influenced by your Northern neighbours.

I’d recommend Hotel den Yzer to both budget and more upmarket travellers, if you can give up on luxury for a minute. Almost monastic in its simplicity, its authenticity will warm you. Old world charm beats the creepy vinyl seats in the nearby Ibis hotel any day.

The music was poignant, the temperature icy. The sun shone brightly, the company was dear. Bring on Christmas.
More details at Hydragenic.com

]]> http://prolific.org/2007/12/16/gent-memories/feed/ 2 Second opinion http://prolific.org/2005/06/03/second-opinion/ http://prolific.org/2005/06/03/second-opinion/#comments Sat, 04 Jun 2005 02:54:45 +0000 Caroline http://vonbpress.com/2005/06/03/second-opinion/ Continue reading →]]> My G.P.’s practice is run by two part time doctors. In my five years with them, I’ve only ever met Doctor #1 . I assumed the other one had another office — I never really thought about it much. Turns out they work on fixed days and for some reason I’d never been on a Friday or Wednesday before, when Doctor #2 is on duty. The doctors are two very different types of people. Doctor #1 is a calm, somewhat serious man who quite recently suffered from burn out. I like him a lot, because he doesn’t talk down to you and recognises the ‘smarter’ patient. Doctor #2, is a woman of the chirpy sort. Big smile, seems to be in a rush. This is how they both dealt with me, their patient:

Me: ‘So, yeah, hypothyroidism… what now?’
Doctor #2: ‘Really, many people have it and live normal lives. We’ll give you medication and you’ll be right as rain.’

Me: ‘And, um, what are the consequences of hypothyroidism?’
Doctor #1: ‘You die.’

]]> http://prolific.org/2005/06/03/second-opinion/feed/ 0 Ignorance will be angelic bliss http://prolific.org/2004/02/19/ignorance-will-be-angelic-bliss/ http://prolific.org/2004/02/19/ignorance-will-be-angelic-bliss/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2004 18:53:16 +0000 Caroline http://vonbpress.com/2004/02/19/ignorance-will-be-angelic-bliss/ Continue reading →]]> In an effort to fully enjoy what may well be the last few hours of the Buffyverse, I’m going spoiler free for Angel. (Sorry, Simon, you’re on your own at the Wh’esque.) I only vaguely knew the plot of last night’s funny and creepy ‘Smile Time’ (S5x14, hey wanna see some pretty pics?), which made it just so much more… well, funny. And creepy. The teaser alone had me gasping.

lorne-and-his-little-man.jpg

In other TV commentary, a big big ‘heeeee’ for the poster at TWOP who coined ‘Ambercrombie and Bitch’ for this season’s May/December ‘ship between The O.C.’s Luke and Auntie Julie. And does anyone really care about what happens to Ryan and Melissa? I think not. It’s all about the Cohens.

And also: bye bye Oliver. Good riddance.

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