A DIVA'S NIGHT

Yesterday evening I started some random experiment. Honestly rather for my very own pleasure, I tried to bring some completely different groups of people together for a simple dinner invitation. You’re asking me – what’s the clue? Meeting new guys is an awesome sauce for a Friday night. The twist was, that as a rule two divas in a single opera house will never rub shoulders and thus I tried to force two very grimly rivals passing an evening together maybe without clawing the others eyes. Though I had my doubts and actually anticipated an almost little scandal – nothing. Completely mature behavior. I asked myself what I did expect? I absolutely underestimated my friends and feel a bit worried about this circumstance. Did we finally arrive at an age where a grown up converse can be required? Nevertheless I was completely surprised but did enjoy the brilliant time I had with the guys. Is this an adult life can look like by commanding oneself? Maybe we have to control the Diva within us just prefixing a set frame within she can move freely?

I led the Diva-Discussion often during the past, but never got the point why folks associate a Diva with negative attitude. In my very personal mind someone who should be called a Diva in a modern understanding is a brutally honest person. I mean what is about if someone knows what she wants from life and maybe forces it by playing the own rules and giving the best. Basically regarding the root word, Diva comes from divina, which means nothing but godlike – and who would ever claim being a god as something bad? By pegging somebody, who exudes great style, class and personality with confidence and expresses this without having anyone getting in her way, the rest of the world declare themselves as poor imitator of even the criticized one by even letting everybody know that they would prefer to live the denounced life, but could barely achieve it, don’t they? I often receive the impression that it is in most cases our surrounding world, which has primary a problem with the godlike lifestyle. At the end it is a matter of appearance and impact we have on the rest and which in some cases may appear as haughty or arrogant. Maybe the majority isn’t simply habituated having a rather self-confident person around or cannot handle it yet.

One of the greatest Divas I had the honor to meet personally was – a man. Yes folks, guys can be Divas, too. Simply remember Freddy Mercury, the probably most impressive artist the 1980s brought out, who fascinated his audience by the possibly most freaked out shows of the era. In my special case the guy is one of the most popular drag artists of our time and I absolutely do not mean the queer stuff you may think about right now. The man I am talking about has an attitude within, which simply leaves you impressed. It is all about his movement, language and style and if you didn’t know that the creature standing in front of you is a man you wouldn’t believe it at all – a phenomenon on 20cm heels.

Have you ever been called a Diva? And if yes have you ever asked yourself why? For myself I had quite a lot coincidences with my friends in which they described me as terribly divine and I am not sure if they always meant it that positive. At some point in my life somewhere in the past I probably decided for myself If you can’t hide it, decorate it and I do still live more than good with it. Ok – maybe it is annoying if people always examine you as something different to their selves, but even here it remains a level of the very own endorsement and how the circumstances of self-relation are stated. Sometimes you should accept who you are, even if it means being an obnoxious Diva. And believe me, being one will at the end pay off. So start into the night and remember at any time: People will stare – make it worth their while.

Cheers

Lorax

USUSAL UNUSUALNESS

So – what is usual? Can we still afford a rather outmoded understanding of judging someone or something normal or usual in a modern and seemingly tolerant world? I led even this discussion with my mother at our weekendly shopping tour. So what is this fragile and more or less social construct of usualness about? Both of us agreed, that though we all seem to live in the very same world our lives couldn’t even be more different as they are. I mean all this variety of social origin and standard coinciding in totally ordinary places like cinemas or supermarkets are scary and calming at the same time. Weird, isn’t it? I am asking myself if my very own life is really that normal I often would like to declare it. Obviously, compared to the lady refilling the shelves of the drug store I went to since the age of five my life is everything but not normal – so my mom glancing at my Rolex with a wink.

While I was waiting for some friends for the five o’clock tea at the Four Seasons (so far, so normal) I had some time left to observe the audience. I do actually adore hotel lobbies, as they reflect this international spirit I do miss this often in our small city, which does always want to reflect much more as it is. This very special lounge brings you back to a time, when grand-hotels were really grand. The thing I appreciate the most is, that you find at this history-charged place nearly every extravagance of human and material nature: One of the biggest, most exquisite champagne selections, the sophisticated British couple celebrating a Gin Tonic via some luxury tourists with the typical glance of expectations in the eyes, through to the gold-caged Arabs, wrapped into the latest collection of Louis Vuitton. All this is though a certain usualness in a very certain world with all habitudes and behaviors it brings with it. You may say, that of course all this stuff is not that reachable for a huge part of our society, but nevertheless it is simply a common or just normal way of lifestyle to the people, who are and will be familiar with.

Maybe we have to reframe and redefine a difference between normal and usual. Seen in a more usual way, usualness is not really to describe by a term like normal, but more with something like different, and that may be the reason why we rather often define issues, that are not that usual to ourselves as everything, but not normal – just because they simply are different. But do we have to judge about something just because we actually don’t understand?

Back to the drug store seller I had to admit, that I didn’t understand how someone could lead a life like she does, just out of the reason that I will maybe never understand how she ever will feel complete – and again: am I allowed to judge over her, only because something seems different to myself? Actually not, do I? I mean how can I even compare my very own situation to hers? She may be happy with her choice and fully regulated daily routine, even if someone like me would never even consider choosing to be someone she represents.

Going to the other extreme I should describe a guy I met a few days ago at my favorite bar; as well a hotel lobby, as the most interesting people spend their time that may have left from their journey, at the very own hotel. So this guy, as a complete opposite to the drug store lady was the classic PR manager, probably working in fashion industry. Dressed more than expensive but completely in black and ultra-extraordinary, jewelry everywhere with dark shades at 10 p.m., a tremendous laugh and stuck at the mobile for more than three drinks. Though I firstly smiled at him I immediately reconsidered the discussion about usualness. He is different – simply diverse to the most male examples this world showed until now, but he still is in full faith of his very own attitude by dismissing the conventions someone like everybody wanted to put him into. He remains true to his self, and this may be the point what turns usualness into something normal. By being faithful to the very own appearance, everything you will make becomes something normal and turns your usualness into something more common, simply out of a reason of charisma.

Karl Lagerfeld once said, that today the world is different, so you have to make it differently. Maybe this stays an answer about how usualness or unusualness might be seen in the future – just different!

Cheers

Lorax