In the ‘Did-you-know-this?’ and the ‘Everything-falls-into-place’ categories, let me tell you this, real quick:

This very blog was actually BORN in Australia.

Yes.

Pedro, Faf and I were touring the Down Under for Field Day when we started writing and snap-shooting here. For the recall, allow me to re-print my first blog ever, it was about two years ago, and evidently called:

MY FIRST BLOG.

OK, so, now, how am I supposed to start this?

I, dear reader, am under a rather mild pressure from my blog co-hosts to publish my first entry on this CoolCats verbal gathering. My close friends are often mocking my lack of spontaneity, and it is an actual fact that I tend to ponder, reflect, deliberate, and ruminate a bit before I publish something-whether it’s a song on a record or a simple comment on my Myspace page. (Doesn’t save me for making mistakes, but at least I always know who to blame.)

For instance, here are the ideas that I contemplated for this inaugural post:

-My top (Songs, Trends, Memories, Festivals, Airline meals or A-Trak blog posts) of 2008.

-My bottom (Canadian weather stories, Non-official remixes of Kanye or Justice songs, Youtube comments or XXLmag.com blog posts) of 2008.

-My most looked forward-to (Albums, Proxy productions, Stone Throw or BNR releases, Frat-Pack movies, or Busy P blog posts) of 2009.

And then I thought, what’s the use? Almost every blog I regularly read had their lists already, and I will probably intentionally or unconsciously copycat parts of it. (By the time I got to this conclusion I already received 5 or 6 text messages from So-Me and Pedro to start it already.)

Next i thought, hey, this blog isn’t called Mehdipedia for nothing: I’m going to share those little curiosity quests that make my everyday so interesting with you, dear reader. And this New-Zealand/Australia trip is indeed full of those:

-Why do people pronounce QWANTAS when it’s only called QANTAS? (because it stands for Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Services)

-What the heck is Vegemite? (It is a very, very odd tasting paste made of yeast extract that give Australian people enough powers to beat any French athlete at any sport.)

-Why does Burger King go by Hungry Jack’s in Australia? (it’s a long story)

And then, and then. (At this moment of my hesitations, Fafi already threatened to steal my codes and write a blog for me, god forbid.)

Dear reader, let me tell you one other private thing about me: when in doubt, I always, ALWAYS, turn to my masters, I call them THE 4 J’s: John, Jay, Jerry, John.

Lennon, -Z, Seinfeld, and Le Carré.

I have never been disapointed in finding the solution to any problem my life has made me come accross in the writings of these four masters of life achievement in the modern western hemisphere. Thus, with no futher blah-blah, this is me wishing you all a happy new year in the spirit of Mr Carter’s teachings:

Treating my first blog like my last, and my last like my first.

You stay classy San Diego,

Mehdi.

Peeps,
We’re in the middle of shooting this big budget blockbuster movie in the South of France right now
Let me introduce the cast to you:

The star of the show, the straw that stirs the drink, the number one chick:
FAFI as The Great Fafster.

The mesmerizing sidekick, the beauty and the bodyguard:
AMANDINE as Amanda Magic.

A wizard, a true star:
GASPARD as The Gaspirator.

The ingenuous, the heart, the strength:
ALKA as Frenchy Baby.

The man who cracks the safe:
SO-ME as Ace Handy.

The all-around great guy, musician to the gods, whisperer to the horses:
BOGUE as Blind Willy Johnson.

The master of the kicks, master of the punches, master of the heat:
SUNNY as (Don’t Mess With) The Sun.

The brains:
BUSY P as ‘Motherfucking’ P.

The narrator, the silent witness and eye in the lens:
Yours truly as ‘Shirty’.

MY PEOPLES, YOU BETTER BE READY FOR THIS SUPA-PRODUCTION
OUT SOON IN A BOOMBOX NEAR YOU.

From Biarritz, with love,

Ed.

After the ‘oh-so-fun-but-tiring’ Carte Blanche US tour,
and the dance music marathon of CLUB 75 @PACHA, Ibiza:

plus another weekend of

in Serbia – where, little did I know, Mr Oizo was wanted with a bounty of 250 000€

and Busy P was exercising his best Martin Parr technics (please look at every detail in this pic)

I finally had a week off, which I spent in Toulouse with the fam, basically sleeping.

I made it back to my hometown of PARIS on saturday, to find out that some things will never change in my beloved city:

First, you shall not leave your scooter on the street for too long, because someone WILL steal your engine.

Second, my neighbours are still the best looking peeps in the 11th district.
Ludivine, Kim, you guys—

The traditional 3 hours lunch break with Sunny and Kavinsky (aka my own Kramer, if you will).

Jackson Fourgeax still has the best ‘good vibrations’ aura in the world.

Sebastian hasn’t quitted his usual habits,
ie. posing proudly in front of his brand new car.

Surkin still looks young and fresh, even though the mo’fucker is like, 3 years older than me.

And, last but not least, ‘Les Colocs’, as we call them here, are and will always be the most stylish blokes this side of the Chunnel.

SOME THINGS IN MY HOMETOWN WILL NEVER CHANGE.

PARIS, IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOU.

I LOVE YOU.

Mehdi.

I love my mother, I feel so lucky to be her son.

M.

Peeps,

Preparing for SONAR, here are the two images I draw inspiration from right now:

and

Mindset of a champion—

Mehdi/Carte Blanche.