Ashtray Wednesday - The One I Never Got

Thursday, November 1, 2012

There is am empty picture accompanying this post because I never got an ashtray from this person. I am sure there was a lot of travelling involved, both inland and abroad, but I was never made aware of it. There are strict rules about these things, you see, and some people are really meticulous about observing them. I, on the other hand, am not. I have a very distorted interpretation of boundaries and I always make it my mission to overstep them. If it was up to me this would have been a completely different post. But it is not. I was not able to brake this rule, trespass these boundaries.  

I've said it before, I collect ashtrays for the people who gave them to me. This is a person whom I would really love to have as part of my "collection" {maybe I'm coming across as a scary psychotic serial killer - collecting people and all - I assure you I am not...my mother had me tested :) }. For the past three years, this person has been there for me week after week, after week, come rain or snow, fog or extreme heat - we always used to joke about the insane instability of the weather here in Zagreb, one day 30 degrees and sunny and the next 15 and foggier than London in the 1800s. 

Moving on, I am not good with goodbyes and it's been  a very difficult and emotional couple of weeks having to say goodbye to many good friends I've made here in Zagreb. Hence the lack of any serious activity in my kitchen - I'm not counting tea making and cheese slicing as serious culinary activities. This ashtray-less goodbye was particularly difficult because it is somehow final. I have words, memories and lots of laughs to look back to - way better that a lifeless ashtray but still... I would prefer to have one!

This is going to be my last post from Zagreb. On November 2nd I am moving to Athens to study wine and learn how to spit it gracefully. It is a huge career change for me, considering that I've spend a considerable amount of time and money studying Political Science, International Relations, Media, Communications and Law. The only thing wine and those subjects have in common is the need to get drunk silly after a 3 hour lecture on promissory estopel, Northern Ireland and Middle East politics. 

Wine came into my life by accident and it remained there against all odds. Then, when everything seemed to spiral out of control, I tasted just a tiny sip of Xerolithia and could not stop talking about it, it's citrousy aromas, it's balanced mineral palette ..In that infinitesimal moment time stopped and I made up my mind to make the leap and run astray from my comfort zone. 

Wish me luck and bottoms up!!!

11 comments:

  1. It is great that you have decided to follow your heart and dreams and are just going for it!I wish you all the luck in the world! I hope you will not disappear from our lives and like that ashtray that never materialised, we will be left with an empty space where before there was your creativity, your cooking creations and a lot of your spirit in these pages...Take good care of yourself! Kisses

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    1. Thank you dearest Maria for your kind words and wishes!!! I promise that you will not get rid of me that easy :) By the way I am looking forward to your ashtrays.... :)

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  2. Maria, it has been such a pleasure to read this post... Beautifully written (I should learn from you!).
    It seems that a new exciting stage of your life is waiting for you! I never write about wine (I am not a specialist and would have lots of problems with expressing everything in English), but wine is a big passion in my life. I have a food blog, but I will always prefer to have some simple good bread with butter and an excellent bottle of wine than an extraordinary meal and a mediocre bottle... I have never tasted any Greek wine (I don't count the awful cheap retsina someone once served me), so I hope you will enlighten me and share your experience and knowledge on this blog! I must say I envy you a lot! Good luck with your Greek adventure!

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    1. Thank you Sissi!! I say go for it, write about wine without any hesitation and reservations. Write about what you experience when you drink a glass of wine and when you pair it with your amazing food creations. Don't worry about the "wine lingo" Things are different now. Nobody really cares whether you used the right word or not, just enjoy and describe that feeling so we can also, virtually, participate in the experience!...

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    2. Thank you so much for encouragement, Maria. Good luck again!

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  3. This is such a bittersweet post.. at first i laughed.. u collect ash trays.. i collect shot glasses... its my little connect with people and places.. so i really connected with that part!!! Change is never easy but I believe it is the only thing that is constant in life. So, all the best maria.. with your new career, your new city and this new, exciting phase of your life!! will wait for your posts from athens!!

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    1. Amazing isn't it! How constant change is... Thank you so much for your wishes and maybe in the future we can arrange an exchange ... a shot glass from Athens for an ashtray from wherever you are :) :)

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  4. Hi Maria,
    I just saw this post. I didn't realise you have moved. I wish you all the best in Athens and with your new ventures in life.
    I look forward to your posts from your new city.
    xoxox
    Angela

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    1. Thank you Angela! It was not easy - not a big fun of change - but I will manage and so far Athens is treating well (fingers crossed it stays like that when I start school next week!!)

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  5. Like always I like to read your blog. But after reading I miss you more. Live the life, feel the life. You are are able to do that. All beginings are hard,youll make it. But dont change yourself, you are good and nice person.
    Miss you, M

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    1. How can I reply to this? Whatever I say will seem inarticulate and pour, all the words in the world are not enough to express the gratitude and love I feel for you. Thank you for everything you have done for me, being yourself, listening and keeping me sane.....

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