Blogstalkers 3.0 Weeks 4 & 5 – The morning edition.

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So, for the previous / next weeks (I think it is those two), the topics for Blogstalkers 3.0 are “What is your favourite breakfast?” and “What makes you back into a human in the morning?” that are closely related, in my opinion, so it’s great to write about both at the same time.

First, what makes me back into human in the morning. Because it’s the third thing I do in the morning (after popping in my eyes, and using the toilet :p). Shower. I need my morning showers, it’s to me like coffee to other people. Considering I have caffeine induced sleep, it makes sense. I like to take a quick shower in the morning to get awake. And so that I don’t growl instead of talking if anyone comes near (luckily, in the mornings I’m usually alone, so no biting needed).

Then, after getting dressed, comes breakfast. My daily breakfast is: one multivitamin, one glass of orange juice, two or three toasts (homemade multicereal bread!) with Nutella. My favourite breakfast tho? Breakfast buffet with lots of fresh fruit, different kinds of bread, butter, jam, cheese, some freshly baked pastries, and depending on the mood, hot chocolate, coffee or tea ;) Yep, I’m a spoiled brat like that!

BlogStalkers 3.0 Week 3 – The Driving Force

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This week’s topic for BlogStalkers 3.0 is what driving force inspired me to take up knitting.

I learnt to knit when I was 14 maybe? I don’t remember, actually. My mother used to knit a lot, and I wanted to do something, so after finishing some petit-point works, I asked her to teach me how to knit. I chose some funky acrylic thick and thin in red. And wanted to knit a scarf. Typical starters project. Mother casted on for me, and helped me fix all the mistakes I made and then taught me how to cast off. And that was it.

A few years later I took knitting again, and wanted to knit a veeery wide scarf (that was fashionable back then)… And never finished, because I got bored of it. And then it went on suspend for a couple of years. Then I got Stitch and Bitch – The knitter’s handbook, taught me how to cast on, and do multiple stitches, and read patterns, and found Knitty. And then I became a Knitter. Not afraid to try anything!

Although it seems that I don’t knit much right now. This semester I’m so busy, I barely have time to take a rest, least of all knit. Or when I do have time to knit (like now, after dinner) I’m so tired, that I don’t feel at all like knitting. My poor Anastasia sock is languishing!

What is Your Taste in Art

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Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test…

Conscientious, Fulfilled, and Spiritual

37 Renaissance, 14 Islamic, 30 Ukiyo-e, -35 Cubist, -43 Abstract and 3 Impressionist!

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that profoundly affected European intellectual life.  Beginning in Italy, and spreading to the rest of Europe by the 16th century, its influence affected literature, philosopy, religion, art, politics, science, and all other aspects of intellectual enquiry. Renaissance artists looked at the human aspect of life in their art.  They did not reject religion but tended to look at it in it’s purest form to create visions they thought depicted the ideals of religion.  Painters of this time had their own style and created works based on morality, religion, and human nature.  Many of the paintings depicted what they believed to be the corrupt nature of man.

People that like Renaissance paintings like things that are more challenging. They tend to have a high emotional stability. They also tend to be more concientious then average. They have a basic understanding of human nature and therefore are not easily surprised by anything that people may do. They enjoy life and enjoy living. They are very aware of their own mortality but do not dwell on the end but what they are doing in the present. They enjoy learning, but may tend to be a bit more closed minded to new ideas as they feel that the viewpoint they have has been well researched and considered. These people are more old fashioned and not quite as progressive. They enjoy the finer things in life like comfort, a good meal, and homelife. They tend to be more spiritual or religious by nature.  They are open to new aesthetic experiences. 

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at Hello Quizzy

I’m Sick… Again

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For the what? 6th time in the last month and a half.. I’m getting really tired of this cold that won’t leave me. So I decided to stay home and hopefully get rid of it. Also I get bored ’cause I can’t do much but curling on the couch and watch tv, because I can’t focus or do anything that requires bending my head much (runny nose, anyone?).

It’s already November, and that means that I missed my fourth blogging anniversary for nearly a month (check the first post on this blog, from October 8th 2005!). It also means that my birthday is close. One year more on the shoulders. Best friend is helping me plan a party.

November is also National Novel Writing Month and National Knit a Sweater Month, and if you choose so, you can also do National Blog Posting Month (altho this is every month). Guess what? I’m not doing any of them. I’m not setting myself up to failure.

I tried NaNoWriMo last two years, and I didn’t get past the first 5,000 words (out of 50,000). I tried Ravelympics 2008 with a pair of socks, and I didn’t get past the foot of the first. Do you see a theme here? I don’t do well with “Do ____ in ____ time”

End of random scattering of thoughts from a snotty brain high on cold medicine.

BlogStalkers 3.0 Week 2 – I Love…

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This week’s topic for Blogstalkers 3.0 is “I Love _____ Because _____”. Let’s see what I come up with:

  • I love weekends because I can sleep in.
  • I love waking up (relatively) early because it feels like the day has more hours and I can do more things.
  • I love my best friend because she makes me get out of the house.
  • I love cold weather because I love snuggling up under a blanket with the boy, with a glass of wine and some good music.
  • I love baking because it smells delicious!.

I Hate Mornings

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I’m not a morning person. Or well, not early morning. I have to get up at 6.40 am every day for class, which I know it’s late for some of you, but it is early for me. My body likes to get up at 9am. And then I navigate the metro (subway, tube, underground) for 45 minutes to get to class. And here it’s what I hate:

  • People that don’t shower. Stinking of sweat at 7.30 am, in a closed space with no ventilation such as a metro is very very inconsiderate
  • People that stink of smoke and smoke in front of me. I’m a non-smoker, don’t blow your crap towards me, the city pollution is enough, thank-you-very-much
  • Smelling the parfume of a person that’s walking 10m in front of me. Parfume is for short distances. And by short I mean 20cm.
  • Speaking of parfumes, there are summer parfumes, winter parfumes, and night parfumes. In order of strenght and warmth. And when you wear a parfume always, you get used to it and don’t smell it any more. Don’t use more, dammit, it’s still the same strength for the rest of the world.
  • Your music. I don’t care what kind of music it is. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t care you’re getting deaf with your music so loud, that’s the least of my problems. I am not interested in your damn music, period.
  • You and your chatty friends. Fine if you’re a morning person, I don’t need to hear your conversation from the other side of the train.

And that’s a short list that comes to mind. I’m tired of getting sick to my stomach thanks to the lovely inhabitants of the city.

Yoga Mat Bag

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So, I’m signing up for Iyengar Yoga in the end. I’ll go tomorrow to enroll. The pilates class is all full. And the Integral Yoga is too spiritual for my taste. I’ll only have one class a week, but it’ll be nice.

I needed a bag to carry my mat, so today I sewed one, from a bit of cotton canvas from Ikea. Less than a meter of Ikea Bettina (discontinued) cotton fabric, one 80cm zipper, and some black thread later, I got this:

Yoga Mat Bagyoga mat bag
yoga mat bagYoga mat bag

Now I can take my mat along with style :)

Uni

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I start classes on monday, but I won’t be able to enroll til mid-october (again) because I get the mark for the exam I took yesterday until the 8th (revision on the 13th). I’m still indecesive about what courses to take. Well, I know two of them, but still have to decide about the third. I’ll go to the first class of the two courses I’m thinking about and decide from there.

But, that’s not what I really wanted to tell. I got my papers to enroll yesterday. So I can look at schedules on paper and other information. There is this one about sports at university. And this year there is good news! I can take Integral Yoga on Tuesdays from 13.30 to 14, Iyengar Yoga on Wednesday from 13 to 14.30, and / or Pilates on Thursdays from 15 to 16.30.

I think I’ll take Pilates, and one of the Yoga classes (each full course is 60€), but I can’t decide on which Yoga class to take. I’m wondering if the Intergral Yoga they teach will be too… philosophical-religious? I’m writing the school to ask about the teachers and more info, but any comments or suggestions are welcome.

PS: This will make me get in gear and sew a bag for my yoga mat and some clothing!

Project Finished!

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It’s been a while in the works, because I postponed sanding and revarnishing for a long while. But it’s done.

Decorated Ikea Fira Decorated Ikea Fira

This is an Ikea Fira. I bought my first one some years ago, and back then, they came assembled. Now they come in flat packaging, and I sometimes wish they still had those nifty plastic nail holders, makes nailing in the right spot a lot easier. Other than that, the chest needed a sanding before the stenciling and two layers of varnish (with sanding in between layers). And it’s a lot smoother and a lot better now. It’s in the bedroom hiding odds and ends, jewelry, hairbands, makeup and other stuff.

I want a second one for my crafting items, but I’m thinking about a different technique.. Or maybe I’ll use some black and red lacquer to give it an asiatic look, with a nice golden design…. ah, the ideas keep flowing!