Luliriisi

The Plan

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:38:00 +0000

I recently updated my yarn stash storage. Instead of two large plastic bins in the corner of our bedroom, there is now a 4x1 Kallax unit with drawer-boxes that’ll coordinate with the curtains that I’ll eventually swap out. The curtains, while already purchased, need some blackout lining attached before I can hang them. One of the many things on the “to do one day” list.

But what I realized as I was transferring my zip-locked stash from the plastic bins into the boxes was that it doesn’t all fit. I still have bags of yarn in another corner of the bedroom and who knows what’s squirreled away in various corners downstairs? My aim is to have enough space in the boxes that I can impulse purchase on occasion without wondering where it’ll fit.

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Quilt for baby M

Tue, 13 Oct 2015 14:15:16 +0000

Just got back from visiting my brand new nephew! Four weeks old today. He’s *adorable*. I can’t wait to see my sister’s family again (which won’t be until sometime next year now). And I managed to finish his blanket in time too! I kinda wanted to keep it, but I can always knit one for myself if I really want one. Probably in different colours, since while I love red, the yellows and oranges aren’t really me.

6 weeks to go

Sun, 21 Jun 2015 15:14:57 +0000

Bought a bunch of carnations just because.

I feel like I’m running out of time. While most of the major things are now done, there are still bits and bobs left to sort out. My dress still isn’t complete. My shawl’s not done, but I am on the edging now, so that’s something. The seating plan display is about half done. Most of the RSVPs are in. I’ve picked a bunch of songs for the DJ to play at the reception. We have a photographer!

Purple is the colour of choice

Sun, 14 Jun 2015 17:06:33 +0000

Hemulen inspecting the hair accessories in progress

The thing about deciding to make a lot of the things for one’s wedding means there isn’t much time to do other stuff. That’s okay though, I’m having fun. My dress is almost done. I had my mom and grandma help me fit it so that all I have left to do is sew the neckline/back seam and attach the little hooks to close it. I have some really small white lace that I could use to finish off the neckline, but I haven’t quite decided yet whether I want the neckline plain or not.

Good mail days, ideas and plans

Fri, 08 May 2015 20:50:05 +0000

The last few weeks have been full of good mail days. The latest Knitscene arrived first, then came the Mason-Dixon knitting book (a bargain at just £6 including shipping), and then… yarn! That’s the yarn for my little nephew’s blanket, plus an extra skein of lace for me. Funny thing, as I was entering the details of the lace into my stash, I realised that I already had a skein of laceweight from the same dyer in the same colour. Different base, but still! Apparently I really like teal. It’s not one of my “safe” colours that I usually go for (pinks and reds, for the those who haven’t known me for long), so I don’t know what it is that drew me to it.

Channelling Yoda

Wed, 29 Apr 2015 18:02:54 +0000

I look ridiculous right now. There’s this thing I read about online called plopping. Basically it’s a way to dry curly hair so that the curls stay nice. So now I’ve got a T-shirt wrapped comically around my head, being held in place by hair clips. I don’t have high hopes, but I figured I might as well try it. I kinda have a feeling that I’ve wrapped the T-shirt incorrectly, but it seems to be staying on my head okay, so I’ve decided to just leave it as is. Who cares that I look like Yoda’s cousin with the green shirt around my head? :D

Fun with technology

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 17:32:46 +0000

So this past week or so, I’ve been having fun with technology. And I mean that both sincerely and sarcastically. The sarcasm is to do with work, so I’ll just leave it at that.

The actual fun with technology happened mainly this weekend. Our friend Ryan came over for the weekend and we spent it playing all sorts of games. I’d forgotten how much fun we three used to have playing Civ IV, each of us on our own computers. Because the turns took awhile to complete, I had plenty of knitting time. It was just like the good old days back up in Sheffield, including the game going out of sync after we hit about 1840 AD and then us giving up because we still don’t know why it does that.

Spring is definitely here

Sat, 11 Apr 2015 14:37:46 +0000

Last week has been gorgeous, weather-wise at least. The one grey day before all of the glorious sunshine, I bought some tulips on an impulse to try to cheer up the flat a bit. They lasted about a week, so I’d say it was a well spent £2.50.

Another sign of spring being here, for me anyway, is how colourful my recent meals have been. First there was my lunch, where raspberries added a great pop of colour to my honey & yoghurt. The teacup and saucer are a bit of an anomaly from what I usually choose colour-wise. But I love them. I think it’s because the cup is a lot more delicate than my usual mugs (which means I can’t haphazardly set down the cup without looking), so it forces me to slow down and actually focus on the beverage in the cup. It’s the kind of cup that I drink from when pretending to be sitting outside on a balcony in sunshine and reading a book. The big sturdy mugs are for curling up on the sofa under a blanket with rain coming down outside. The other splash of colour came in the form of a salade Nicoise, recipe from The Skinny French Kitchen by Harry Eastwood. I love this book, it has so many great recipes in there.

ALL the swatches

Fri, 03 Apr 2015 19:22:57 +0000

I’m finally at the point in my wedding shawl where I need to decide which pattern to do next. So I’ve been swatching. And re-doing charts (I love charts, btw). And swatching some more. And then swatching again. I’ve churned out at least five swatches just for this section of the shawl. I’ll admit, I was a bit reckless and didn’t swatch at all for the centre bit or the lace bits that separate the points. Then again, those three lace patterns that I’m using as fillers are my favourite patterns of all time (patterning on both sides!) and I’ve used them before, so I was fairly confident that my charts would work out just fine without a test run.

Mrs Lear's Scarf

Tue, 31 Mar 2015 21:21:43 +0000

Here’s the second of my two patterns from Defarge Does Shakespeare: Mrs Lear’s Scarf. It has cabling and wrapped stitches, just like the mitts and sections of textured stitches in between the columns of cables. So if you’d rather make a wrap instead of a scarf, super easy to just modify the stitch count to make it wider.

If I wasn’t in the middle of lots of deadline knitting projects (as well as sewing projects), I’d start playing around with the pattern in various weights to see what it’d be like. I can just imagine the stole being knit up in a mohair laceweight feeling like a cloud of cotton candy (without the sugary stickiness) being wrapped around you. I would do it myself, but I really dislike knitting with mohair, so that’s not going to happen. Someone else, make it happen! And show me pictures.

Mrs Lear mitts

Thu, 26 Mar 2015 21:17:07 +0000

As I mentioned earlier, I have two patterns in the new Defarge Does Shakespeare book that’s coming out soon (digital copy out tomorrow, March 27th, print version ships two weeks later). I’m the kind of person who likes clothes, accessories to match/co-ordinate, so I designed a scarf and a pair of mitts meant to be worn together.

Side note: Yes, this started as a kid. My grandma keeps telling me how at three years old, I’d tell her in English (not Finnish, I don’t know why) if outfits/jewellery matched or not. If they did, it’d be good, if not I’d apparently wrinkle my nose and suggest something else.

It's coming!

Mon, 23 Mar 2015 19:42:20 +0000

Defarge Does Shakespeare

Finally! So excited. The next Defarge book - Defarge Does Shakespeare - will be out this Friday, March 27th. I have two patterns in it, a scarf and a pair of fingerless mitts, both based on King Lear. But I want to give both patterns their own separate posts, so this is just a general “squee!” post.

There are lots of goodies to go along with the release of the book. Just sign up to the mailing list to get in on the freebies, raffles, etc. And if you pre-order the book, you also get a free pattern! I don’t know what that pattern is yet, but there was a peek of it on the mailing list. *hint hint*

More wedding chat

Sat, 21 Mar 2015 16:13:06 +0000

Shawl progress

I’ve made a decent dent into my wedding shawl knitting. I’ve got to the lace sections now and even though I have three pages of charts (because there are three different lace patterns) to follow if I need them, I seem to be just fine reading my knitting and working out what to knit that way. I’m loving the lace sections. Patterning on every row is just so much fun. Plus it makes the lace look really delicate.

It's all about the food

Tue, 10 Mar 2015 20:56:14 +0000

The past few days I seem to have taken pictures of only my food. It all started off my lunch/snack on Saturday:

Tomato, pesto and goat's cheese muffin from the farmer's market

Then came dinner. Baked mac’n’cheese (from scratch) that made my niece ask for the recipe:

Baked mac'n'cheese

On Sunday, I went for a traditional roast in a pub with two of my friends since one of them had never had one. After that meal, we were all basically in a food coma for almost 24 hours. We were actually having a group chat on Facebook saying we were too full to move the few meters that were needed to get whatever it was that we wanted. Even though we ate around 2:30pm, I didn’t eat anything else for the rest of the day. And I wasn’t hungry in the morning either, which was weird. I’m used to basically starving by the time I wake up. That full feeling also lasted pretty much all day Monday.

I seem to have a new hobby

Sat, 07 Mar 2015 15:59:56 +0000

Since I last blogged, I seem to have acquired two things: a shiny ring and a new hobby in the form of dressmaking. And yes, these two things are related since I’ve decided to not only design and knit my wedding shawl, but to also make my wedding dress. Or at least half of it.

So, this is the plan: buy the “base” of the dress, alter it a bit if need be and then make another dress out of just lace to go over the base. I’ve already purchased the base and I’m pretty sure I’m going to try to convert it from a halter neck to a strapless version. A few weeks ago I went to Brussels and found the lace I wanted to use from Maison Dorée. They also had so many pretty trims that I’m sure I’ll be going back there the next time I visit my sister. Sidenote: Lace can be ridiculously expensive. In the shops in Soho it was over £100/m, while most of the lace in Brussels was over 50€/m.

Ever changing London weather

Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:16:08 +0000

Morning

Afternoon

Some days, I hate how unpredictable and always changing the weather is in London. Today is not one of those days. Both of these times of day (6:45am and approx 2pm) made me really happy.

Afternoon Tea with a twist

Tue, 15 Apr 2014 08:40:12 +0000

Melia White House Hotel

On Saturday, I went out with Krisi, one of my oldest friends. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but we both love food. Last month, we went to have a traditional afternoon tea in a hotel in Kensington. This time, taking advantage of yet another 2-for-1 deal, we opted for a Spanish-style afternoon tea in northern-ish central London. Doesn’t it look just utterly delicious?

And since Saturday was also my name day (it’s a Finnish thing; not sure if other countries have it too?), I did what I do every year to celebrate: I bought myself some music. This time, I bought “Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge” by The Pierces. I discovered them when I started watching Pretty Little Liars. Their song Secret is the theme tune to the show. And after streaming it through Grooveshark for like three weeks on an almost endless loop while at work, I decided that I really should buy the album since I like it so much. All of the songs are quirky and most are really catchy. I’ve even woken up humming or singing the lyrics, because they’ve been stuck in my head. And I foresee myself buying more of their work as soon as I get bored with the current music playing on iPod. I highly recommend giving them a shot.

Timey Tantalate

Sun, 30 Mar 2014 19:36:57 +0000

Timey Wimey

My latest knitting project: Timey Tantalate. The pattern is from the latest Knitty (Sweet Tantalate) and the yarn is Timey Wimey (EasyKnits). I bought the yarn last year at Woolfest solely because of its name. How could I resist? It’s just a bonus that it’s such a pretty blue that suits me. ;)

All of my other knitting projects are done. The Myrtle cardigan is done except for the buttons, which have been purchased, so I just need to attach them. The Gothic Spire socks are also finally done, just in time for me to put them away into the sock bin for summer.

Spring!

Sun, 09 Mar 2014 16:25:47 +0000

March 9th, 2014 temp

Just spent a glorious two hours reading in the park. I only came in because the shadows crept up to my spot and it got a bit chilly without the sun. Still, it’s a beautiful day. It was so nice, that I even got up at 8am (on a Sunday) and went for a morning run. Something I haven’t done since we moved to London. And the last time I ran at all? Christmas, back up north. Sunshine makes me happy. I get this urge to soak up all I can, so I get restless if I just sit indoors when I could be sitting outside. Maybe it comes from growing up in Finland where the winters are so dark. The first hint of spring and I’m OUT. I even try to have my lunchbreaks outdoors as often as possible.

Last minute knitting

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 22:50:30 +0000

Baby mittens

I would’ve thought that last minute gift knitting would be over in January. Nope. I was wrong. I just got invited to my cousin’s birthday party. Which’ll be in a week. Which means I have a week to knit her gift. Good thing it’s her first birthday, so I can whip up some mittens. Hoping to get these done by tomorrow night, but if not, I’ll just take them into work and knit during my lunch breaks. Good thing they’re easy. And tiny!

Blonde(-er) again!

Sat, 14 Dec 2013 20:59:13 +0000

Hair

Got my roots dealt with today. And had about six inches chopped off. It’s a bit weird, having such short hair (although it’s still past my shoulders so it’s not too short). Then again, I only get my hair cut once a year. Get my roots done more often, but cut only about once a year. I love going to the hairdresser’s. I really should do it more often. It’s so relaxing. And the stylist at I had today (I went to a new salon since schlepping all the way to Sheffield is a bit of a pain for just highlights) was great. And yay, no more roots! Sometimes Mother Needs a bit of a helping hand. Especially in the UK where the sun doesn’t do its magic like it does in Florida.

Working backwards

Sat, 30 Nov 2013 13:23:39 +0000

Buttons

Since I can’t tell you what I’m knitting right now (Christmas present - yes, I know in the previous post I said I’m going to focus on making food gifts this year, but some knitted presents have wormed their way onto the needles), I’ll talk about what I will be knitting for me soon-ish.

A few weeks ago, O & I went up to Sheffield for a long weekend to visit his parents. On Friday, I managed to find a few hours to just sit in a park in between meeting and catching up with friends. It really struck me how much space there was. And how quiet it was. I know it was in the middle of a work day so of course it’d be quieter then, but it still really stood out. It was actually a bit unsettling not seeing many people around. I guess I’ve really become accustomed to London and the masses of people here in the six months that we’ve been here now.

Prepping for Christmas

Sun, 10 Nov 2013 15:58:16 +0000

Orangettes in progress

Yes, I’ve said it. I’m already prepping for Christmas. I’ve decided that this year, instead of knitting gifts, I’ll be giving the majority of recipients edibles. It’s nice to change things up a bit. And since a lot of my plans involve making things I’ve never made before, I need to start testing recipes! Today is orangettes from The Skinny French Kitchen by Harry Eastwood. (I love this cookbook so much.) So, what you see above, is the orange peel getting a nice syrup bath. The recipe says not to let the mixture burn, so I kind of obsessively hovered over it. And in the process gave myself an orange-scented steam facial. The peel bits are now drying out before I dip them in sugar. If they taste as nice as they smell, they’ll definitely be a gift option.

Searching for the perfect tart

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 17:22:03 +0000

Le Pain Quotidien tart

So, Krisi and I have decided that now that we both live in London, we should try to meet up more often than once every 2-3 months. Which is still more than what it used to be (once every six years or so!). With that in mind, she is also on a mission to find the best raspberry tart. We’ve agreed to meet up once a month to try new patisseries. It’s a win-win; I get to see one of my longest known friends and I get to eat cake. We also think that eating cake more than once month, while tasty, won’t be thanked by our waistlines and we seem to have fairly busy social calendars (how did that happen?! I’m a homebody, I’m used to staying in all the time…), so once a month is perfect.

Let’s face the music

Sun, 20 Oct 2013 16:50:21 +0000

Willi - Oct 2, 2013

Which reminds me. We’ll be in London from December 11th to the 14th. We’ll be seeing Wicked on Wednesday and Matilda on Friday. :D

Let’s face the music

Sun, 20 Oct 2013 16:50:21 +0000

Top Hat

And dance! Which I did on my walk home on Friday night.

I love going to the theatre. And now that I live in London? I actually get to go!

My friend Krisi and I went to see Top Hat to celebrate her birthday. She’d found a deal through LastMinute.com (I think that’s what she said) where we could get a 2 course meal and a ticket to Top Hat for just £24.

Can you tell I like horror?

Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:49:10 +0000

Library books

I went to the library today. I specifically went to get Let The Right One In since it’s the book club pick for November, but when I saw The Woman in Black, I grabbed that too. I’ve seen the play, but haven’t read it. Nor seen the movie. The play was fabulous, so I’m really hoping that the book’s good too.

The only thing that’s dampening my enjoyment of it so far (yes, I already started it, couldn’t help myself!) is that a previous patron has obviously used it in an assignment of sorts. There are tons of bits underlined in pencil (at least it’s not in pen?) and little notes in the margins. I’m trying not to be distracted by them all, but it’s not easy. I’m nosy and want to see what this person has to say about the story. But I want to read the story without outside influences first. And they’ve folded down the corners of the pages too! Someone clearly doesn’t respect library books.

New WIP

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:44:34 +0000

New WIP

Since my current projects (socks and a blanket) aren’t inspiring me too much, I decided to cast on another cowl. It’s the stranded version of one of my designs (a double-knit cowl) that hasn’t been released yet. I really should get to work on writing up the pattern and getting it tested, huh? I procrastinate way too much. Anyway, when I picked out the colours for this, I had the recipient in mind. She looks fabulous in orange. But it wasn’t until I actually cast on and started knitting that it occurred to me: the dark grey and orange? Totally Halloween-ish. At least it’s not black! And they do look really nice together, so hopefully she won’t mind.

Breakfast in Brussels

Sun, 13 Oct 2013 16:11:14 +0000

Mint tea and galettes

In an attempt to blog more often, I’m trying a different approach. I’m going to think of my posts as mini-postcards of my life.

So! I went to Belgium last weekend to visit my sister. She took me to the market on Sunday morning where we had breakfast before doing her weekly grocery shop. The mint tea was deliciously sweet; the galettes had smooth goat’s cheese and honey inside. Since they were spread onto the freshly cooked dough, the melted goodness dribbled down our hands as we finished them off. Definitely worth a visit. So jealous she gets to do it every week!

Good mail day!

Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:00:44 +0000

I have the best friends. Look at what was waiting for me in the mail box!

Liquorice

I can see in the sun now!

Fri, 26 Jul 2013 18:57:35 +0000

I wandered over to Covent Garden today. I wanted to buy these sunglasses since I don’t have any sunglasses right now and I know Oliver has bought me a 50s style dress as a birthday present. But alas, they didn’t have any in stock in the store. They did suggest buying them online, but shipping is like £5.50. Over half the price of the item. Not worth it. The shop girl was really nice though. She’d bought some for herself online and let me try them on. They were cute. I might get them one day if I ever order something else from them at the same time. So I wandered around some more, found another retro shop and voila, now I have sunglasses. For only £10 too! :D Whatcha think?

Woolfest wrap up

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:58:52 +0000

I went to Woolfest last weekend with three of my friends from Sheffield. I went up to Sheffield by coach on Friday. If you follow me on Twitter, then you already know that the air conditioning wasn’t working and it was just awful where I was sitting. But there was a plug socket and free WiFi so it wasn’t too bad. I spent Friday night at Lucy’s and we went out to eat with Sarah and Janice for my second ever curry. I’ve decided that I like Indian food, as long as it’s very mild on the spice. If I remember correctly, I had a lamb paneer? Whatever it was, I liked it. The portion was huuuuuge, so next time I’d be better off just getting a side portion instead of a main, but that’s an issue I have with a lot of places.

Update-y goodness

Fri, 21 Jun 2013 15:27:05 +0000

So, in my last post I mentioned lots of exciting things are happening around here, but I didn’t say what. Now that it’s all official and nothing’s going to get jinxed (I hope!), I can reveal some of the somethings.

Firstly, and this is a big reason why I’ve been off-grid for awhile, we moved to London (and therefore have had no broadband for almost a month, so I’ve only been keeping up with Twitter and e-mail for the most part)! O got a new job and that required us to leave Sheffield. I love Sheffield, but there really weren’t that many opportunities for us there. Plus, I’ve been kinda itching to move again. Staying put for five years is a long time for someone who’s used to moving almost once a year. Anyway, our new flat is fabulous and we’re sharing it with a friend of ours that we’ve known for a long long time. Plus, sharing is a great way to save money and we get a much nicer place this way. And when I say nice, I mean nice. Right now, as I’m typing this, I get to sit on our balcony and watch boats go by on the Thames. And I can see the top of Westminster Abbey (I think… I’d better double-check that with O actually, just to make sure). So the last few weeks I’ve been dealing with all of the fun stuff that comes with moving. Like transferring utilities over, learning that when this place said furnished they meant it (I’ve never had crockery be included in a furnished place before!), discovering that the previous tenants hadn’t cleaned the oven at all, that there are carpet beetles in this place too. One was right smack in the middle of the wall as we were doing the inventory before we moved our stuff in so I know we didn’t bring it with us. But seriously, I’m so glad that we’re here. I do miss my friends back up north, but we do visit Sheffield quite often, so it’s not too bad.

The view from our new living room

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:43:29 +0000

The view from our new living room

There will be a “proper” post shortly!

Taking a break outside

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:49:02 +0000

… from all of the boxes that still need packing.

More Monkey Adventures: the Iceland Edition

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:27:25 +0000

So, we went to Iceland last month! Want to see all that Monkey saw?

From Monkey’s Iceland Adventure

Link to album

Many more exciting things are afoot chez nous, but I’ll save all that for a later post when things have settled down a bit first. That includes editing all of the photos I took in Iceland not featuring Monkey!

Monkey’s Christmas Adventure

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 19:57:48 +0000

Monkey, the TT team’s mascot, accompanied me to Finland for Christmas this year. Click the photo to see everything he saw!

Monkey’s Christmas Adventure

And tomorrow? He’s off to New York City with my co-worker L. Lucky thing.

I can haz yarn!

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:58:11 +0000

Both from Stitches N Rows:

Killjoy - Definitive Soles sock yarn (100% superwash BFL) Minty - Luxe Soles sock yarn (80% merino/10% cashmere/10% nylon)

No clue what they want to be yet, but I’m sure I’ll find out eventually.

Mythos Collection + a giveaway!

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:09:41 +0000

Winner announced! Congrats HeavensJoy!

My designer friend Erica Jackofsky has graciously sent me her Mythos Collection (Ravelry link) for reviewing.

The collection consists of seven shawlettes each using only one skein of fingering weight. They are all based on Greek and Roman myths and each pattern has a little blurb at the beginning giving a bit of background on how the myth inspired the shawl. Both written and charted directions are given and the collection does say that the skill level needed is intermediate. There’s a nice mix of bottom up, top down and even sideways knits.

Kelsey Mitts

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 13:17:44 +0000

From Blog photos

Pattern: Kelsey Mitts by Silka Burgoyne, Knitscene Fall 2012 Yarn: Natural Dye Studio BFL/Exmoor Blueface (Great British Wool Club January 2012 shipment)

They’re done! My Smurf mitts are done. I’ve nicknamed them that because of the yarn. Whenever I knit on them, I got this stripe of blue on the my left index finger and the tips of my fingers were tinged blue after a few rounds. I understand that because of the way the yarn is dyed, the transference is to be expected, but it’s still slightly annoying to have tinted hands. I believe (and hope really really hard) that giving these beauties a good gentle wash will take care of the excess blue coming off on my hands when I wear them.

Adventures in sewing

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:28:29 +0000

For a few years now, I’ve thought about making an advent calendar out of fabric that I can fill up myself. Mainly because I really dislike the advent calendar chocolate in the ones you buy from the stores, but I do like the idea of a countdown to Christmas. My friend Lucy and I decided to just do it this year. We bought the front fabric bit online, then yesterday we went to a fabric shop to get wadding and the backing fabric. Now, the front bit comes with instructions that are fairly straightforward. Cut here, tack here, topseam these bits. Then it says: “Back the calendar with fabric. We recommend you use wadding to give more body.”

Tea Rose Shawlette

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:18:02 +0000

One of my favourite designs to date (shh, don’t tell the others!), the Tea Rose Shawlette is now available as a Ravelry download. It first made its debut in the Smell the Roses club run by The Unique Sheep back in April. It uses just under 150g of yarn and is worked from the top down. Two sections of the lace have patterning on both sides, so this does require some attention, but there are simpler sections in between for a bit of a breather. The garter stitch edging is then knit on so there are no tight bind-offs to worry about. Stretch it to your heart’s content!

Fall is in the air

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:36:46 +0000

I’ve been wanting to knit a sweater for awhile now. The thrill from the shrug wore off fairly quickly. So, a few weeks ago I decided to buy Interweave Knits Fall 2012 and Knitscene Fall 2012 because of the sweater patterns. I also bought Knitscene Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 since they were on sale (20% off if KS Fall 2012 was bought at the same time). Again, mainly because of the sweaters.

Green Leaf Shrug and other knitting

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:47:13 +0000

From Blog photos

I finally have photos of my GLS. I took the Safire pattern by Hilary Smith Callis (free Ravelry download btw), modified it to suit my gauge and then added patterning to the sleeves. Even though it’s a teeny tiny sweater/cardigan (I’m planning on wearing it over strappy tops to work), it took me over a month to knit it. I think a part of it was because of all the mods I made and that I kept trying it on to see when it’ll fit. I also tried to use up as much of the yarn as possible so I had to keep weighing the remainder to see when to stop knitting the body and when to start the sleeves. There are more detailed photos on my Ravelry project page.

Edinburgh Trip

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:37:06 +0000

Well, we got back from Scotland on Wednesday. Technically we got to Sheffield at about 3pm but we went over to O’s parents for the afternoon/evening. See, O got Stark Trek TNG episodes on blu-ray and wanted to share. We also needed to drop off our car there so that O’s dad could go take it to the garage the next morning (one of the windows broke, as in the electrical mechanism thing broke so it was stuck in the up position). Repairing it was pricey, which has led me to the conclusion that our car is female. Attention-seeking, high-maintenance and, excuse my French, a bit of a bitch.

Oh my

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:20:42 +0000

Oh dear. June has just flown by. Lots of things happened.

Two of my sisters came to visit. Had loads of fun. Miss them. But I’ll get to see them at Christmas.

WOOLFEST (this will get its own post eventually).

We’ve booked our trip to SCOTLAND (don’t ask why I’m typing some stuff in all caps. Some words/events just require it to be so.) So excited. There will be pictures when we get back.

Pink elephants? No, pink reindeer!

Sun, 27 May 2012 19:24:37 +0000

From Blog photos

The pink blob I showed a photo of last time? Turned into a pink reindeer! It was for my team lead at work who loves pink and reindeer (I get horrified looks whenever I mention how tasty elk is). So it was her birthday this week and she got the reindeer and a silk scarf that was dyed by Laura from The Unique Sheep. She loved both gifts and totally wasn’t expecting the reindeer. I’d adamantly told her that she wasn’t getting a knitted reindeer. Which was true. This one was crocheted. :D

Happy Mother’s Day!

Sun, 13 May 2012 20:07:48 +0000

Can you guess what this will be?

It’s great for using up leftovers. It’ll be one funky… well, you’ll see next time when I’ve got photos of the FO. It’s also a great reminder for me why I don’t crochet that much. Because the gauge has to be super tight on these to make sure the stuffing won’t poke out, it really hurts my hands. Especially if the fibres don’t have a lot of give in them (like the alpaca that I’ve used for a part of it). I love the finished product, but I just don’t want to deal with the stiff fingers and cramps I get while making it. So I’ll just stick to knitting for the most part.

Long weekend! happy dance

Sat, 05 May 2012 10:30:58 +0000

It’ll be nice to have the extra day to chill. Good thing too since we’ve got so much stuff planned for today. We’re going to go see The Avengers. Then we’re going to go shopping. I say we, but really, it’s me doing the shopping with O tagging along. I’ve seen some really nice dresses in Dorothy Perkins online, so I’m going go try them on before buying. I don’t think I’m very good at judging how something’s going to fit from just photos so I always want to try clothes on before buying them. I’ll try to remember to show pics of what I’ve come home with if I do find something I like that fits.

Errata

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:51:45 +0000

Tea Rose Shawlette

Chart B written directions Row 14 should read: P3, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, p3…

Chart D written instructions Row 4 should read: P1, p2togtbl, yo, p1, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, p2togtbl, yo…

Bashful Butterflies

Instructions for Chart B should read: Work Chart B rows 1-13 once, 2-13 once then 2-7 again.

Total stitch count after Chart D should be 297 sts, not 365 sts.

All about the neck accessories

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:28:40 +0000

From Shawls and scarves!

Continuing on from last week’s theme of carpet beetles, I decided to take all of my scarves and shawls outside for a bit while checking for damage. Looks like my neck should never be cold. That photo is actually missing three of my shawls (Secret Garden, Aeolian and Tea Rose). Yeah, I may have a slight issue with accessories. But I’m okay with that. I like having options.

Spring is here. So are the carpet beetles

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:17:04 +0000

We’ve been having gorgeous weather here lately. Like five days in a row of sunshine and warmth. That was broken yesterday (icky grey skies, but no rain). Today? Back to being gorgeous. So I heeded the Yarn Harlot’s advice and aired out my stash in the sunshine for a few hours. Luckily I have not found anything in my stash, but I do know that our house has a carpet beetle problem (it’s over 100 years old so there are bound to be issues!) so I keep checking it more often than not. Same goes for all of my hand knits and natural fibre sweaters (ie the ones that my dad has bought for me).

Random Thoughts About Stuff

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:03:26 +0000

Kinda bored with my current knitting (Jaden, a sweater from Knitty.com; can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it here yet). But it’s for Woolfest so I’ll keep going on it. Might leave it as a sleeveless top though. Haven’t decided yet.
Spinning of my Wensleydale is almost complete. Just have the plying left to do. Bored with that too.
Have knitting projects in mind that I want to cast on, but don’t have the yarn for them yet.

The Last 3 Weeks

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 13:49:38 +0000

Knitting/Spinning:

My mom’s shawl is done. Hop on over to my Ravelry project page to see photos. Isn’t it gorgeous? Kinda want to keep it, but the whole time that I was knitting it I knew I was making it for my mom so now when I see it, I just think of her. So I can’t keep it.
O’s sister’s shawl is done. Also very pretty, but I’m not that attached to it. The lace pattern is kinda hidden by the colours, but I picked the yarn because O’s sister’s favourite colour is purple and if it’s worn against a solid light colour, you can see the patterning.

Two book reviews

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:17:55 +0000

Well, seeing as I don’t have much new to report on the knitting front (still working on the same two shawls and blanket as before), I’ll jump right into the book reviews.

First up, Traitors of the Tower by Alison Weir. Now, I’ve read both fiction and non-fiction by her. I’m not a fan of her fiction. Her writing style just doesn’t gel with what I want to read. This book however is non-fiction so I thought it would be fine. I really should have read the blurb about the book before putting it on my wishlist (I received it as a Christmas gift). Based on the title and the author, I was expecting proper biographies of people imprisoned in the Tower of London. Instead, the book in my hand was slim with slightly bigger text than usual. It was a QuickReads book (again, this is listed on the website, I just didn’t notice it before putting it on my wishlist). It felt really simple (duh), which made me not like the book because I wasn’t expecting it. It’s fine as a quick reference book, but a bit of a disappointment (partly of my own making).

A Confession

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:37:57 +0000

I have a confession. I get sucked into reality TV shows. It started off with America’s Next Top Model a few years ago. And then some of the spin-offs of it. And some of the Survivor series. Then 16 and Pregnant. And Teen Mom. Some of the Jersey Shore. The Great British Menu (this kind of qualifies even if it’s not the same format as the others).

And my latest reality show addiction? The Biggest Loser. I stayed away from the show at first because I didn’t like how it fixates on numbers. I still think it does that. But, watching everyone working so hard to lose weight is inspiring. It also makes me feel glad that I’m not as heavy as the contestants are. Over-weight, yes. Definitely could lose some weight, but I’m no where near as bad as they are.

Clubs and Shawls

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:54:37 +0000

From Blog photos

Sip’N’Stich came last week! The yarn is a gorgeous gorgeous red that photographs do not do justice. I haven’t tried out the coffee (Cafe Femenino from Joe Van Gogh) yet because, believe it or not, I still have some left from the previous shipment. I guess I just haven’t needed/wanted the caffeine as much in the mornings lately. I’ve been choosing to have tea instead. Maybe it’s a comfort thing, picking tea over coffee.

Caterpillar Mitts and two quick book reviews

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:56:57 +0000

One of my friends wanted a pair of mitts for his wife and asked me to design and knit them. Since the idea of what he was requesting was intriguing, I gladly began working on them. The result is above. They’re a really quick and easy knit. It feels like I spent more time weaving in ends than actually knitting them, but they’re really cool and stretchy. Kind of like an accordion. I also discovered while knitting these is that I really like using Wendy Norse Chunky. It’s surprising since the yarn is a wool/acrylic blend and I usually prefer all natural blends (mainly due to the softness and sweaty-ness factors). But I can see myself eventually knitting a whole sweater out of this yarn. Once I clear out some of my stash and queue first obviously.

The one where I can’t talk about my knitting

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:02:23 +0000

Brandy - Jan 6, 2012

OMGosh I am so hooked on Downton Abbey too! Sounds like a wonderful day. Secret knitting you say?!? ;)

The one where I can’t talk about my knitting

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:02:23 +0000

So, hi! Happy New Year! December just kinda flew by. Just like last year. And kinda like the year before. Maybe I should just make this a yearly thing, to take a break from blogging in December. It makes sense since I’m at work most of the day and then the rest of the time is spent doing gift knitting so I can’t talk about it anyway.

This year, I kept the gift knitting list small. A bookmark for the Secret Santa thing at work (along with a gift card to the bookstore) and two felted mug cozies for my grandparents. I also sent a pair of mittens (the Ruba’iyat pattern) to my youngest sister, but that wasn’t a Christmas present. But I had other secret knitting to do that I still can’t talk about so moving on to things I can talk about!

I look like a chipmunk

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:49:48 +0000

And no, I’m not going to show a photo of my swollen cheeks. I had two of my wisdom teeth taken out this morning. It went a lot faster than I expected, even with the left upper tooth being stubborn. My dentist really had to work at it and when it finally did come out, she went: “Wow that’s a big one!” I took the day off work and I’m not going dancing tonight either. According to the leaflet I got, physical exertion can cause the sockets to start bleeding again, so I’m staying put. Totally fine by me. Been knitting and crocheting while watching TV. And it’s easier to find soft foods to eat that I don’t have to take with me. Like yoghurt. Been having lots of yoghurt. Mainly because I can’t think of much else that I could have as a snack/small meal.

Sip n Stitch is here!

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:47:50 +0000

From Blog photos

Okay, so this came last week. Monday I think? Anyway, yesterday it was finally sunny enough to take a photo of the package. It was really hard to resist waiting until today to open up the coffee. I don’t know what it is about the coffee that the Unique Sheep send, but it always seems to be amazing and have tons of caffeine in it. The coffee beans I buy here (either from the supermarket or from a coffee stall at the farmers market) just don’t have that same kick. The mug is super cute and has been officially designated being MY mug. O and N know that it’s mine alone to use. Just like the other Unique Sheep mug I received in a previous round of Sip N Stitch from a few years ago. MY mugs. Mine.

No photo this time

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:56:43 +0000

No photo this time. Mainly because there isn’t anything to show. Spinning is still going along as planned. All of the fibre has now been spun up and I’ve even started the plying process. Still madly in love with it. The fibre and colours are wonderful to work with. Can’t wait to knit with the finished yarn.

In knitting news, Secret II (using Handmaiden SeaSilk which was *really* nice to work with) has been bound off. And to celebrate, I’ve cast on a pair of colourwork mittens in the Ruba’iyat pattern by Heather Desserud. I’ve already completed the cuff patterning. I do have one quibble about the pattern so far: there are no finished measurements listed. Which means that even if I get the gauge listed, I’ll have no idea what size my mittens will actually be. So, based on my experience knitting the Andalus mittens by HD, I’m went up to 2,75mm dpns instead of 2,5mm as written. My Andalus mittens are perfect except that they are a tad too short. I’m hoping that my current mittens will be longer, but they’ll also probably be looser since I went up a needle size. If they turn out really massive, I can just wear a pair of gloves underneath like I do with the mittens that my grandma knit for me years ago.

I am in LOVE

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:40:27 +0000

From Blog photos

Quite often, I forget how much I love spinning. I don’t own a wheel, only two drop spindles, so when I do spin it takes me awhile to get a finished yarn. I think that’s what puts me off. It’s a long term project.

But last weekend, I got the urge to spin again. Nina picked out three tops from my stash and I picked from those (I wasn’t able to choose by myself). It’s one of my more recent purchases: UK Merino Top in Tobacco Rose from Wildcraft Fibres. Love it. Absolutely madly in love with it. The photo of the spinning in progress does not do justice to the pretty colours. I’m almost halfway through the 100g. Might even have a finished yarn by the end of November (told you it takes me a long time to spin!).

Berry Berry Mitts

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 09:29:02 +0000

Yeesh, it’s been three weeks since I last posted. Been a bit busy. Like getting the above pattern tested and ready for download! The Berry Berry mitts are knit with two weights of yarn (aran and worsted) with optional beading (only need 8 4mm beads and a crochet hook). If don’t want to do beads, that’s just fine, there’s still the berry lace pattern to keep it interesting. The pattern also comes with two short photo tutorials on how to place beads with a crochet hook and how to do a backwards loop cast on. I was originally going to call it the Blackberry Pearl (blackberries because of the yarn colour and lace pattern; pearl because of the beads) but then O pointed out that that’s a phone… Then one of my testers used pink and red in her mitts and they reminded me of raspberries, so I changed the name to Berry Berry so it can be whatever berry you pick.

Purple Purl

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:58:28 +0000

The last two weeks in photos

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 15:37:28 +0000

So, since I’ve been busy, I’ve decided to just show off some pictures of my last two weeks instead of telling you all about it.

There’s been dancing.

Yorkshire Dance Festival - September 17th 2011 4th place Under 35 Beginner’s Ballroom

From Blog photos

Then there’s been knitting.

I.B. Footsie by Heather Zoppetti - finished the pair this morning

From Blog photos

Then there’s been baking.

Criminal Sock found!

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:10:41 +0000

From Blog photos

I finished my Dawn Gnot socks last night (actually wearing them right now, a sure sign summer is on its way out when I need to put on wool socks). They’re from the Criminal Sock Investigations e-book by Heather Zoppetti. Each pattern has a little blurb about what that particular sock has done. I think it’s a nice touch. There’s a KAL for it over on the Ravelry group for it. These are my first pair and I’ve already cast on for my second pair (Desi Myna). I used Woolhunter’s Ewereka Sock in Foxy Lady (a birthday gift from Lucy) on 2.5mm dpns. I also twisted the cables the other way on the second sock like it suggests in the pattern. Used Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off for the first time ever. It is super stretchy. As for mods, the back of the leg is supposed to be stockinette stitch, but I changed that to 1x1 ribbing (and added one st) because I wanted to make sure the leg would have enough stretch and snugness at the same time. The pattern itself is fairly easy to memorise after a few repeats, but doing socks toe up on dpns kinda feels like I’m wrestling with a hedgehog in the beginning. While I don’t mind doing socks toe up that much, I definitely prefer knitting them cuff down. That’s the way I’m used to doing them (just like I will only use dpns for socks, magic looping bugs me as does 2 circs).

And in the naughty corner

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:17:58 +0000

From Blog photos

We find Stalagmite once again in the naughty corner. I swear there is just something wrong with me when knitting this pattern. First sock went in the naughty corner after I messed up the cabling in the leg of the sock (I later ripped back three rounds and fixed it). Now it’s sock #2 that’s causing me grief. Just compare the top bit of the photo with the lower half. You’ll see. I was watching the latest ep of True Blood and apparently not paying enough attention to the sock. I haven’t ripped back yet, but I will tomorrow. When I’m done being mad at it.

Additions to the household

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 20:04:56 +0000

From Blog photos

Meet Chicken #1 and Chicken #2. They don’t have names yet. Probably never will. Why do I have chickens? Well, some of you may know about Beyonce the metal chicken. I told this story to O’s mother and ended it with: “You know, I kinda want one now.” Two weeks later, I’ve got chickens guarding my plant pot (which is full of weeds). She’s awesome that way. Doesn’t think I’m silly for wanting chickens, just goes out and finds me some. So today, while it was very sunny and warm out, I sat next to the chickens knitting and listening to Chop Bard (currently working my way through The Tempest).

The Dr Seuss Shawl

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 16:36:33 +0000

From Blog photos

It’s done and blocked! Took me almost a month to knit this (Omelet from Knitty.com), mainly because I could only work on it while at home. And you know what else I discovered today? Photographing green projects in our garden is really tricky. The two others that I deemed worthy enough to be shared with others are posted to the project page on Ravelry. But I love it and can’t wait to wear it. Still a tad too warm to be needing shawls, so for now it’ll just hang out in the living room with my Laminaria.

Knitting books

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:52:13 +0000

From Blog photos

I’ve got more knitting books! Looks like I really should just go to IKEA and buy that bookcase I keep talking about. My knitting book pile just keeps on growing.

Anyway!

Heirloom Knitting by Sharon Miller came in the mail yesterday. Now, while I most likely won’t be knitting any of the patterns in here, I absolutely love all of the stitch patterns in it (the Shetland Bead in particular). That’s why I bought it. So many ideas just bouncing around in my head waiting to be put into patterns of my own. It’s inspiration.

Bashful Butterflies

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:58:28 +0000

Last week, I turned 26. On the same day, I decided to release Bashful Butterflies, a small summer scarf or medium shawlette, depending on yarn choice and gauge. The 4ply version uses under 100g and the DK version uses under 200g. You can get it either through Ravelry or The Unique Sheep’ website. I got my wonderful youngest sister to model for me while I was in Finland. Whenever people who know me have seen pictures of her, their reaction has been along the same lines as Mike’s yesterday: “She’s got your face!” And of course, my three test knitters (Sadie, Amy and Sharon) have been fabulous, like they always are. And the pattern is currently being tested by a fourth for exact Gradiance instructions, so once those are up, I’ll let everyone know about the updated version.

Trying to make life easier

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:54:22 +0000

Muumimamma

… for those who want to buy me presents. Last weekend I went to Finland and saw Moomin mugs in the shops. I decided to start collecting them. As of right now, I own two. The one pictured which I bought last weekend and one that’s somewhere in storage at my mom’s. I can’t even remember which one it is. I think it’s blue? I got it years ago from my uncle. So! If you’re wanting to buy me a present but have no idea what to get me? A Moomin mug would certainly be appreciated. Or then there’s always my Amazon wishlist. Or various knitting related items that I’ve got my eye on.

Stash Enhancement eXpedition (aka Woolfest)

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:47:21 +0000

So, last Saturday, I went to Woolfest with Nina and Lucy. Had a fabulous time. I was amazingly restrained in my purchasing. I think partly because most places only accepted cash or cheque, neither of which I had. We did take the free shuttle to Cockermouth from the fairground to get lunch and some cash, but I don’t like carrying a lot of cash on me, so I made sure to stick to a tight budget. Nina and Lucy on the other hand? Let’s just say that I’ve got stash envy. ;) I discovered quite a few dyers that I hadn’t heard of before. All three that are pictured are completely new to me. I had such a hard time picking a color in Wild Fire Fibres’ stall. I eventually settled on Cornflower (Tempo base) and I’ve already cast on with it (Lissajous by Cookie A). The drive there and back was nice and easy. Although on the way there we discovered that the CD player wouldn’t eject the CD. And since there weren’t that many radio stations that didn’t sound static-y, we listened to that one CD over and over again. And then some more. Other than that, it was a fabulous day. I definitely want to go again.

London baby!

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:43:29 +0000

This is a London baby. Our nephew to be exact. Isn’t he adorable? Really well behaved too (most of the time). A bit mischievous, but that’s why babies are so fun. They keep you on your toes.

So we went down to London on Thursday and came back today. Stayed over at O’s sister’s. Never have I been so glad to come home again. Sleeping on an air mattress is not fun. Especially when you need to share it with someone else. Every time O moved, I moved. Plus, since we were sleeping in the living room, we had to get up when the baby got up (which was around 7am every day).

Rhombus

Mon, 30 May 2011 19:47:39 +0000

It felt like these socks took forever to knit. Partially because I knit almost three of them. The first one was out of Nerdclub2000’s Elementary Sock in Macbeth’s Tartan, but after the gusset decreases, I frogged it. Weird pooling and I really didn’t like how the colors looked in reverse stockinette stitch. So now I’ve got a pair from Araucania Ranco Multy in some random number color. I love how the Ranco feels and knits up. I’d probably be happier with these socks if I hadn’t had to rip out the first one. But at least they’re done. And they’re mine. All mine!

A fairly family centric post

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:50:40 +0000

Isn’t it cute? This teapot was a Christmas gift from my sister Jaz (along with tea and teaballs). She knows me so well. I love the pattern and the colors on it. ^_^

No new news really. Still knitting Rhombus. I would’ve had the pair done by now, but I got sidetracked by two things. Firstly, I discovered the library in the centre of Sheffield (how had I not been in there before now??) and I’ve spent my lunch breaks reading The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory instead of knitting. And while I’ve been at home, I’ve been knitting a DK version of one of my designs. The shawlette has been sent to testers and I’m hoping to release the pattern by the end of July (it all depends on how fast my testers are and how much trouble the charts are giving me). So that’s where my knitting time has gone.

Shopping

Sun, 08 May 2011 08:48:44 +0000

Yesterday, I went to the Land of Shoppertunity. This is amazing for two reasons. One, I hate crowds and going to Meadowhall on a Saturday? So busy. (Don’t even get me started on the women bringing their massive strollers into the tiny shops where they knock over everything because they don’t fit in between the racks.) Two, I actually found something! I’m going to my youngest sister’s confirmation in July and it hit me that I didn’t really have anything to wear to it. So I went dress hunting. The key to a successful shopping trip? Do your homework. I went online the night before and browsed websites until I found about ten or so dresses that had potential. So when I went in, I knew exactly what I was looking for and that the shop had at least three dresses that fit my criteria. In the end, I went with a dress that I hadn’t seen online, but that’s not the point. It was a lot less stressful when I knew what I was going for. So to go with the above dress, I also got earrings, flower clips for my hair and a green cropped cardigan that ties in the front. I considered buying shoes as well, but then I remembered that I have the perfect pair at home which I’ve only worn once so far, so I’d better go with those. Yesterday’s shopping trip also made me miss Jaz. She’s the perfect shopping partner. We really need to live closer together. She would’ve been way more excited about my purchases than O was.

Sake socks

Mon, 02 May 2011 10:34:01 +0000

The above socks have been done for awhile now. The sad thing is, they’re not for me. I mentioned them awhile ago. My sister replied to my e-mail with: “thank youu, i like socks !” so she’s getting them. I’m just annoyed that the second one fits me! I realized why my gauge changed so much between the two socks. I knit the leg of the first sock while at work, but the second leg was knit while I was at home during the weekend. Less stress at home so… yeah. At least she likes and appreciates socks (even if she calls the ones I knit “fancy-pants socks” and doesn’t like wearing shoes with them).

Brain’s too fried to type much, so I’m showing off pretty things

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:47:35 +0000

Judi - Apr 5, 2011

Great pics, those socks look fab!

Le sigh

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 09:14:51 +0000

I have cast on another pair of socks. No, the Sake socks aren’t done. Last night, I finished the gusset decs on the first Sake sock and decided to try it on. Guess what? It doesn’t fit! I can’t get it to go past my ankle. So, either my youngest sister will want them and I’ll finished knitting the pair, or then it’s to the frog pond. If I have to rip it out, I’ll restart them with a larger needle (am using 2.5mm currently). I don’t usually have a problem with Cookie’s pattern, so I’m not sure what’s up with this one. Anyway, the new pair is Mona (also by Cookie). I found some really pretty blue Ranco Multy so that’s what I’m using.

A list

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:59:54 +0000

Today, the post’ll have to be in list form because, well, I like lists and I don’t really have much to say.

Thira is done. Took less than a week to knit. No pics yet because the weather is being uncooperative.
Cast on new project: Kernel scarf (knitty pattern) from the Manos Silk Blend I got for Christmas two years ago from O’s parents. Love it. Adore the yarn. Pattern’s not easily memorized though.

Thelonious

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 11:58:32 +0000

These have been done for awhile now, but I haven’t had a chance to blog because omg Busy. First there was IVDC (in Blackpool), then the following weekend was O’s birthday party. ‘Twas awesome, almost the whole dance team came! Had a bit of a *flail* moment when I realized how many would actually be coming over (almost 20 people), but it all worked out in the end. The house was actually cleaner on Sunday morning (before the clean-up began) than it was on Saturday morning. Having parties is an excellent motivator for cleaning ALL THE THINGS. Which I did. And I baked over four dozen fairy cakes.

Socks! Times two!

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:10:38 +0000

I’ve reached the halfway point in my crochet blanket! Yay! Now onto the knitting content.

Just realized I hadn’t blogged about the first socks I knit this month, so this’ll be a double FO post.

Both of these are a part of the Knit.Sock.Love KAL I’m in.

Sade mittens

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:18:53 +0000

The pattern is live! *happy dance* These mittens were made to match the Sade hat. Rolled “brim” cuffs, twisted stitches, the same twisted decrease patterning… The only thing missing is the seed stitch. I didn’t see that as being very comfortable on hands. The left mitten decreases towards the right, the right towards the left (mentioning that because you can only see the left mitten’s patterning in the picture). I love these mittens. Could be because I used Malabrigo and omg, I love how soft and warm it is. Plus, they match the hat (I know I said that already). And I love the hat. I’m very much a slouchy hat person. Other hats just look wonky on me. So when I’ve got mittens that match? Even better. I’ve been wearing these with my Skinny Clap which is in a blue that’s close enough to the Malabrigo that I look all co-ordinated. All I need now is blue handbag and blue shoes (all worn with my grey coat, since wearing a blue coat would just be too much). XD

Where’s the leg?!

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:56:50 +0000

This is us doing the Viennese Waltz last Saturday at the Sheffield Social. And thanks to my camera having its settings wonky (I was messing around with it and didn’t put it back to normal before I had to go dance), a lot of the pictures came out blurry. But, occasionally, the blurriness created cool effects, like missing limbs and Monet-esque photos. So now my partner has no left leg. XD (For those of you on Facebook who have me as a friend, I’ve just uploaded a bunch over there if you want to see more.) And we won stuff! The medals are gracing the mantelpiece above the fireplace, along with the rest of our dancing awards.

Sade

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:22:17 +0000

Ever wake up knowing exactly what you want to knit? That’s what happened with this hat (and the co-ordinating mittens which will be released once the testers are done). The night before I’d planned out exactly what I was going to cast on next (Annis from knitty actually; I did finally cast that on last night) and when I wake the next morning? Hat and mitten pattern clear as day in my head. So, off I went, knit the things, wrote out the patterns and sent them to testers. The lovely Sadie offered as usual. She’s one my favorite testers. Clear advice on what’s not working, fast knitter, basically just awesome.

More knitting stuff

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 19:51:45 +0000

I’ve just finished the mittens I talked about last week. Tried them on now that they had thumbs (pre-blocking) and they’re still snug. As long as I don’t have long nails, I’m fine with them. So now they’ve had a bath and hopefully once dry they’ll have stretched enough to be comfortable. On the whole, they’re very pretty. And the pattern’s fairly easy (even though I still think that the thumb gusset is way too short).

Blocking will fix it, right?

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:44:32 +0000

So, apparently I’ve got freakishly large hands. I’ll back up a bit:

I’m knitting this really pretty colorwork mitten (Andalus by Heather Desserud). I picked a gorgeous orange and yellow so that I could wear the mittens with my Haruni shawlette. I waited three months for the yarn to arrive. I finally get my yarn and cast on about a week ago. The mitten comes in two sizes: small (knit in fingering weight) and large (knit in sport weight). The gauge for both is 10 sts/10 rows = 1 inch. I figured that since I’m getting 9sts/8 rows per inch, I should be fine. I am aware that I’ve got large hands, even if they don’t look out of proportion with the rest of me (they go with my large feet). Another tiny gripe about the pattern, even though it says sizes small and large, it doesn’t give exact measurements for either. Just how big is large? What’s the total length of the mittens? Just something to give me a better idea of what I’d need to change about my gauge to get the size that I want.

Still here, still knitting

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 15:10:10 +0000

That picture there? Christmas Eve dinner. So delicious. That’s exactly what I wanted. Didn’t care about presents, just wanted the fish. And boy did I get my fish. :D (It’s a bit odd really, that I can’t find fish I like here in the UK. It’s an island for crying out loud! There should be lots of fish. But no, I can’t find fish I like. /rant)

Snow Angel

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:27:05 +0000

Just made my first snow angel of the season. :D I didn’t go to work today. I did try. Got up at 7am as usual, made breakfast, got dressed, packed my lunch, all the while watching BBC Breakfast and checking Twitter and travel websites for updates. Katie also happened to be on Twitter while I was doing all this and tried checking bus websites if there was any news for me. Turns out that the almost foot of snow that we got was enough to grind everything to a halt in Sheffield. Even the very few buses that were reported as running limited services (none of which reached my neck of the woods as far as I could tell) were cancelled by 9:30am (and still aren’t running as I type this at approx 2pm). So even if I had made it to work, I don’t think I would’ve made it back by bus. And I really don’t fancy the idea of walking over 3 miles in almost knee-deep snow.

It’s snowing again!

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:21:39 +0000

Well, I’m back from Chicago. Spent a week with my older sister’s family. Awesome time. They predicted snow for Thanksgiving, but none fell. So guess what I came home to? The above! That’ll sure make tomorrow’s trip to work interesting. I took today off to help with recovering from jet lag, so I haven’t really left the house since bringing our car home yesterday. I know I’m not experienced enough to even try driving in that, so it’ll have to be the bus for me. If they’re running that is. According to Travel South Yorkshire they aren’t running right now, so who knows what the case’ll be in the morning.

Baking a thank you

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:08:53 +0000

Those of you who follow me on Twitter or Plurk already know this: a bus hit my car on Saturday. The car was parked and we weren’t in it at the time. It hit the rear of the car, so now there’s a dent and some scratches. After a few days of playing phone tag with the bus company, the manager came out to see the car last night. His first response after seeing the damage: “Yep, that’s us. Sorry love.” So they’ll fix it.

Books and stuff

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:05:06 +0000

I got some very good mail yesterday. I bought some perfume from a destash and as an extra, she threw in that yarn. It’s perfect for my blanket (I’ve actually run out of leftovers so this is a great help for keeping my blanket going while I knit up other stuff). I’ve already tried out two of the perfumes (one yesterday, one today) and they’re exactly what I’d hoped. So yay! ^_^

Snow White

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:51:38 +0000

Proof that my Snow White is done! Whenever I’ve put it on, I haven’t wanted to take it off. The yarn is so soft and warm. ^_^ The knitting went really quickly (I’ve never finished the body of a sweater in just two days before this!) and the only thing that slowed me down was trying to find the right sized circs for the sleeves. Some people on Ravelry have said that they probably would’ve knit a size up because they’re not used to sweaters being so close fitting, but I knew going in that this one would have 2" negative ease on me so I expected it to be tighter than my other sweaters. I probably won’t knit it again because I really don’t need two sweaters that are identical, even if they are different colors. But I do recommend the pattern. Really easy to follow and I didn’t find any mistakes in the size I knit (40"). The only thing I had to look up was how to do the picot bind off and then play around until I found the right amount of sts and where to place them to get the look that I wanted.

Polly Jean

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:35:53 +0000

Finally a picture of my finished Polly Jeans (there are more pics and details on my Rav projects page)! Or well, of me just wearing one. It’s been a pretty wet and dreary day here, so it was hard to find good light. Turns out that the best light was on the kitchen counter. And that’s exactly where my foot is. You can see in the background the paper towel roll and the black wire is connected to the fridge (which is why I didn’t unplug it to move it away from the background!). All in all, these socks were fine to knit. Not awesome, just fine. The repeat is easily memorized, but I kept messing up on the heel flaps (had to rip back both flaps at least twice and I wasn’t even knitting these at the same time). And I forgot to do the pretty toe pattern decrease and by the time I noticed that, I’d already kitchenered the toe so I just decided to make the second one to match.

Tea and knitting

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 09:24:06 +0000

That is my little collection of tea. There’s tea from the Sip N Stitch shipments (the third tea is in the container that’s next to the coffee grinder) and tea from Palais des Thes in Brussels. There’s more tea in the cupboard (ie O’s Earl Grey). The whole reason why I’m showing all this? I went on a little cleaning spree yesterday. I took everything out of the cupboard, cleaned it (found licorice that expired in Dec 2008!), and decided I should rearrange everything so that there’d be more counter space. So now, instead of hiding all of my tea, that’s out on display and all the ugly stuff that was cluttering the counters? In the cupboard all neatly organized. I hadn’t realized how much I disliked being in the kitchen until after I’d cleaned it thoroughly. Now there’s more space and I don’t feel claustrophobic. Things won’t to topple over when you walk by. In hindsight, I probably should’ve taken a a before picture just so you all could see how bad it was. Oh well, too late for that.

Loot x 2

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:36:36 +0000

Where have I been? Cursing a certain yarn and the baby stuff that was requested to be knit in it. Seriously, the yarn is the most awful stuff ever. Especially when one loves stitch definition and this yarn has none. None at all. The stitch definition thing is also why I try to avoid mohair and angora. I want to see stitches!

Anyway, now that the baby knitting is finally done, I can catch up on my blogging. Ages ago I got my final Sip’n’Stitch tea shipment:

Poinsettia

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:02:55 +0000

Okay, so this year I’m going to Finland for Christmas. I’ve been really looking forward to it since I didn’t get to go last year (had to work Christmas Eve and that’s when we celebrate Christmas so yeah…). Anyway, I’m really excited about going and it occurred to me that I didn’t have a scarf that was appropriate for the weather. It rarely gets cold enough to need a thick scarf over here, so all the ones that I have are made from fingering weight. I had the yarn in my stash and whenever I looked at it, I thought of Christmas because of the color. That’s the color of the decorations my mom uses on our tree (it’s just not Christmas without those exact decorations). And so I came up with this pattern. It’s fun to knit and it goes really quickly because it’s made from thick yarn and big needles (5,5mm needles are very big for me, I usually use 2,5mm!).

Lohengrin became Polly Jean

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 08:35:06 +0000

Sadly, I had to rip out the above sock. The pattern and yarn combination just wasn’t working for me. I let it sit for about a week and last night I cast on again. This is what I’ve got now:

A much better fit, don’t you think?

Things that I learned today

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:11:50 +0000

Stiletto heels and Sheffield’s sidewalks do not mix.
Driving in stiletto heels is difficult, but do-able.
Being tickled can also mean being elbowed in the eye.
Broccoli and blue cheese soup is not as good as it sounds.
People at the office really don’t like other people at the office.
It is possible for the fridge to be full yet contain nothing to eat.
Snowflake Chunky is really really really awful to knit with. (This I actually knew beforehand, it’s just been re-confirmed.)

Laminaria!

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:20:56 +0000

What’s pink and lacy and so totally me? This gorgeous thing!

I used Eos (50/50 merino/silk) from The Unique Sheep on 3.75mm needles. It was slow going, but so worth it. Still, I did get it done in less than a month. The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the weird way the centre stitch separated itself from the rest of the star chart. It doesn’t look bad, just different.

Mmmmmmmmmmalabrigo scarf!

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:25:11 +0000

Since I’m still plugging away at Laminaria (only three rows to go before bind off!) and that’s my only current knitting, I decided to show off my scarf. My Mmmmmmmmmalabrigo scarf. The yarn is so yummy it’s unbelievable.

I knit this back in March, but only got around to blocking and photographing it this weekend. Pretty isn’t it? The color’s a bit off in the picture though. It’s actually a very pretty almost mint-y green, not the grey-ish color it’s showing up as.

FO: Spindle Socks

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:45:28 +0000

Done! It still amazes me how quickly a pair of sport weight socks go. A nice an easy pattern. I added an extra pattern repeat to the leg since I shortened the cuff a bit. Other than that, no mods. The yarn’s Foot Prints in the colorway Quechua by the Unique Sheep. This was the third shipment of the coffee Sip N Stitch. Isn’t it pretty? And no ugly pooling which is a bonus.

Teh kyoot!

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:11:42 +0000

Look at the extremely cute stitch markers I just bought! Aren’t they just adorable? On Saturday I was browing Ravelry, like I do almost every day, and saw a picture of these stitch markers in someone’s projects (I forget whose, I’m sorry!). They were in a different color. But the picture I saw didn’t have any info on where to buy them. So off to Google I went and found Atomic Knitting. They weren’t listed on the site, but found contact information and asked if it’d be possible to get a custom set. After a few e-mails back and forth, voila! They arrived on Tuesday. :D

Blanket progress: 216/864

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:45:03 +0000

Those two bags now contain 1/4 of the blanket. 216 squares. So it’s coming along. But, I’m now almost out of leftover yarn to use for it. So I’ve just wound the yarn I got from the final coffee Sip N Stitch shipment: Footprints in Quechua. I adore the colors. It shall become socks. Spindle socks by Anna Bell to be exact. Since it’s sport weight, I’m expecting them to go by quickly. I’ve also decided to just use one of my handspun for the blanket entirely. It’s too rough to actually make a garment out of it, but it should be fine as a part of squares.

Happy August!

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:55:35 +0000

Little bits of stuff have happened since I posted last week.

- It’s August! Yay! This means cooler temps (not that it’s gotten that hot over here anyway), but the cooler temps also mean that I get to break out my handknit sweaters again. Turns out that I don’t have a lot of summer clothing that can be worn to the office. But sweaters fix that problem nicely.

- Speaking of sweaters, I’ve almost got an FO to show. Just need to seam up the sleeves and add the ribbon into the neckline, then my Sheerly There sweater’s done. I shall do that today.

Loot!

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:18:39 +0000

Happy birthday to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The books are from O; the yarn was bought with gift cards from O’s sister. I got one skein of Austermann Step Duett and eight balls of Sublime Baby Cotton Kapok DK. All of it was on sale too. :D The books are awesome. I love them all. I’ve already decided that I will be making at least two of the sweaters in the Northern Knits book: Annemor and Pia and quite possibly Unnur as well. And the gloves and sock patterns are quite tempting too. I need more time to knit!

A very good mail day

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:47:07 +0000

Things at work have been… a bit hectic to say the least. And it’s not even month end, let alone year end! But since we’ve got one person off on holiday and another who is sick, I’ve been given quite a bit of extra work to get through. So when I came home today, seeing two packages waiting for me was very very awesome and made my day a lot better.

1/16th of the way there!

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:22:34 +0000

Just hit 54 squares. That’s 1/16th of the amount I need. Still have a long way to go.

But the funny thing is, it just hit me that the amount of leftover sock yarn that I have right now won’t be enough to complete the blanket. So that means I need to knit more socks, right? Right. So I just spent over an hour perusing my pattern queue on Ravelry and looking at my stash options. Turns out that I don’t have as much sock yarn as I thought. Only 24 full skeins and not all of that is suitable for socks (like my Handmaiden Sea Silk!). Then when I had finally settled on my next pair and what yarn to use even though I wasn’t quite feeling the mojo, I rummaged around the craft sack I have down in the living room and found a bag of leftovers. Ta-dah, problem solved. I’ll just keep using up that before I feel like casting on a pair of socks again. No point in casting on a project that I’m not quite in the mood for.

Squares squared

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 09:22:57 +0000

Okay, so I’ve decided to start another long term project. Ever since I finished the blanket out of sock yarn for my grandfather (which I still haven’t given to him! It’s sooooooo late it’s not even funny), I’ve wanted one for me. And I want to use up leftover sock yarn again. But I really don’t want to knit more squares on teeny tiny needles. Crocheted squares it is!

Instant Human mitts!

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:37:20 +0000

I’ve finally managed to write up the pattern, get it test knit and then set it up on Ravelry! Awesome, isn’t it?

I came up with the pattern one day a few years ago while I was doodling around and petting my new yarn. The brown was just so luscious that I had to design something with a coffee theme to it. And so after a lot of charting and playing around with gauge, I had the mitts. A fairly quick knit, actually (it helps that I really do love my dpns). Then after awhile, people (and I mean mostly knitters) who saw me wear them prodded me into writing up the pattern. So I did. And then the wonderful Sadie test knit them for me and gave lots of good advice. She got one of her patterns into Knitty so go look!

Planty-do-dahs

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:34:28 +0000

I’ve been doing some more planting again.

O’s dad bought me these tomato plants last week and yesterday morning I moved them into the gro-bag that’s on the step next to the shed.

That little pot next to the tomatoes? I’m fairly sure it’s lettuce. My gardening method (when starting plants from seeds) is mainly along the lines of: seeds + soil + pots + sun + water => see what happens. It’s magic. So yeah, pretty sure it’s lettuce but not 100%. Some of the seeds that I planted in the propagator tray got mixed up so I’m in for a few surprises.

Rainy Nox Day Socks

Fri, 07 May 2010 22:21:40 +0000

Gorgeous yarn (Green Sheep Sport in the Nox colorway by The Unique Sheep) + great free pattern (just search for Rainy Day Socks in Ravelry) + 3,25mm dpns = pretty socks that knit up quickly.

Owl Mittens

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:05:25 +0000

See those up there? I designed those. And now, after they’ve been test knit by others, I’ve made the pattern available for you all for free. Because free is nice. And because I can’t claim that I came up with the idea for owl cables, as neat as that would be, so I didn’t feel right charging for the pattern.

The story behind these mittens started last November. I wanted to knit a pair for my youngest sister for Christmas in this lovely DK yarn that my LYS had. So I bought the yarn and figured that Ravelry would help me in finding an owl mitten pattern suitable for my gauge. No luck. But I really wanted to knit these, so I resigned myself to having to do math. To make sure that they would be worth my time, I e-mailed my sister with just this line: “You like owls, right?” Her reply: “Yes? Your question scares me.”

Wordless Wednesday 10.03.10

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:16:53 +0000

February’s always busy

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:06:43 +0000

I’ve been busy, but I have a good reason for my absence! See the above pic? *That* is what I’ve been up to. IVDC (InterVarsity Dance Competition) was held last Saturday at Blackpool. Once again, I got to dance in the Empress Ballroom in pretty dresses. :D

I’d say that Ian and I did quite well. We entered Novice and out of about 170 couples, we made it to 40th in the Ballroom dances. But only 101st in the Latin dances. Still, considering that Ian totally forgot our routine at the previous comp, getting through a round at IVDC on an almost improvised Jive routine (learned it the week before) is quite good.

They’re done!

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:41:40 +0000

The Bex socks are done!

Out of 100g of yarn, I had 3g left. Talk about cutting it close! All in all, I really like the pattern. Got into a nice groove once I had it memorized. The leg portions took forever (approx 2 mins per needle, yes I’m a dork and timed myself while knitting during my lunchbreak at work). The foot just zoomed by in comparison.

An adult beverage kind of night

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:54:08 +0000

I’ve been knitting on my Bex socks almost exclusively this week. Today, it’s the only project that I’ve touched. Past the gusset decreases now. Kinda worried about running out of yarn. :/

So to steel myself against that possible eventuality, I’ve made my self a drink: Apple Sourz and lemonade (the British kind, sort of like Sprite).

Mmmm

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:09:34 +0000

Still snowing. Still knitting. But now with chocolate buns at O’s request. ^_^

First FO of 2010!

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:59:38 +0000

First of all, the snow is still here. I took that pic on Jan 5th, but the front yard still looks pretty much the same so I didn’t bother taking a new photo. Pretty, isn’t it?

Secondly, even with all of this snow, the buses are still running so I’ve been working during week. This explains why it’s taken me so long to finish any knitting. But I do have an FO! These are the Garden Trellis mitts I knit for a friend’s birthday. Took me about a total of six hours for the pair.

Wrapping up 2009

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:31:22 +0000

Everyone seems to be blogging about all that happened to them in 2009. I shall sum up my year thusly:

Finished my MA 2) Lots of knitting (esp socks, but a sweater or two or FIVE snuck in there) 3) Got a baby brother and learned that a nephew/niece is on the way in spring 2010 so this all means even more knitting. Good thing baby stuff is small-ish, right?

I was hoping to finish up my Lorelei cardigan before the year ended, but I can’t make it to Hobbycraft for buttons until Jan 2nd. All that’s left to do is the buttons. So I’m still counting that in my sweater tally since the knitting (and seaming!) is all done. I’ve also got a blanket that needs finishing. Three more squares to go. Don’t think I’ll get those done (and seam the darned thing together) before the year ends, but I’ll keep plugging along.

About

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:35:27 +0000

Apparently, I should tell you all a bit about me.

I live in London, UK with my other half O, but still dream of flying away to Canada where there’s actual weather that won’t freak people out. Until that happens, I spend my time by knitting, spinning, designing knitwear and working away at my novel-in-progress/other random stories. Oh and we both dance ballroom & latin, so competition pics might make their way over here as well.

For Sale Patterns

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:40:45 +0000

Free Patterns

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:40:22 +0000

Home home home!

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:58:49 +0000

Home again. Christmas is over. We went to O’s parents’ place for four nights. Already done two loads of laundry today. Need to get the cigarette smoke smell out. Also, their shower wasn’t working so washing my hair was no #1 on my to-do list when we got home. Felt a lot better afterwards. :)

I finished these socks (Kai-Mei by Cookie A) on Dec 19th, and I still don’t have a decent photo of them. Also? Noro was being uncooperative and had a knot in the middle of the skein, so my transitions are messed up. And they were almost identical until that knot showed up!

Feeling at home

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:50:29 +0000

It snowed again today. A lot (relatively speaking of course).

We ventured out to Lidl today to buy some food so that I don’t have to go out and buy lunch next week at work. We usually order online from Asda, but all of the delivery slots were full. ALL of them until Dec 29th. Anyway, when we headed out, it was snowing. Not a lot. By the time we had gathered up what we went for and paid for it, the snow was coming down a bit heavier. A minute after we left the store, it really started coming at us. When we finally arrived home, I looked like a snowman in progress. The snow clung to my wool coat and my hair and lashes. O, on the other hand, just had a very wet face.

Bits’n’bobs

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:36:45 +0000

Gosh it’s been awhile hasn’t it?

Well, I’ve got a few bits of news to share.

Numero uno: I have a job! I’m in Accounts at a major solicitors firm over here. It’s a temp job through an agency, but they’ve already asked if I can come back in January so it seems to be going very well. Kinda funny that I’m in Accounts though, my math ain’t so great. Seriously. On my first time sheet (I started on a Tuesday), I wrote 7 x 4 = 27. See, not so much with the math.

No time to blog

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:02:34 +0000

Working 9-5 + Christmas knitting to be done = no time to blog.

Will be back once insanity has let up a bit.

Sip’n’Stitch

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:36:58 +0000

I just got my first Sip’n’Stitch package. It’s awesome. Love the yarn (Luxe base: 75/25 sw merino/tussah silk)! The color will most likely grow on me. I’m not usually a fan of browns, but the gold in this is just so pretty. And that’s also a part of the fun of being in a club: getting something that I wouldn’t usually pick for myself.

The coffee is from Joe Van Gogh and it says on the label that it’s “an organic blend from Guatemala with hints of cocoa to warm you up this holiday season.” I can smell it through the bag and it’s just so enticing. But before I can try it out, I need to wash my French press and coffee grinder.

Drama-free life

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:20:10 +0000

Hear that? That is the sound of my life going back to normal. The drama llama is gone.

Long story short, she sent me text saying she’s never speaking to me again. Fine by me. That gave me the push to finally remove her from my Facebook friends, and from Twitter and to block her on MSN.

I’m freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Also? The fever’s gone. Cough’s still there and it feels like I’m hacking out my lungs bit by bit. But I’m getting better. ^_^

Knitting update

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:13:33 +0000

Not much new on the knitting front.

Mostly working on secret projects, so can’t talk about those. Cast on the Lorelei cardigan from Twist Collective (Fall 2009) this morning. Have done four rows on it, but then the secret projects needed my attention again.

I’ve decided to frog my Fifi 2 scarf (link is to my Rav page). Basically, it’s too long, too narrow, keeps curling inwards and kinda feels like a rope around my neck the few times that I’ve worn it. So to the frog pond it is. I’ll probably reuse the yarn to make another thick scarf, possibly matching mitts or something to go with it since I most likely won’t use all of the yarn for the scarf.

Good day all around

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:43:00 +0000

So what’ve I done today?

- A load of laundry washed & dried - The dishes - Cleaned the bathroom - Tidied the bedroom - Sorted summer clothes into a storage bin and took out winter clothes - Cleaned the kitchen - Tidied the living room (did most of that yesterday, but had a few things left over to put away)

And listened to CraftLit while doing all of that. I was done before noon. ^_^

Ta-dah!

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:36:59 +0000

This is 98g/212 yds of squishy goodness. ^_^

Fibre fest

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:09:42 +0000

Mara - Sep 1, 2009

I love Woolhunter yarns, and am working with a couple at the moment. Her colours are exquisite. Yay for getting red tomatoes, finally…!

Fibre fest

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:09:42 +0000

So the Sheffield Wool and Textiles Craft Fair was this weekend. I went on both days and this is what I came back with.

That’s a hank of alpaca (90/10 alpaca/nylon), a hank of Gothic Yarns in Lost Innocence, 100g of Shetland in Humbug and a niddy noddy. Never had a niddy noddy before. Can’t wait to use it! Which is probably why I’ve been on such a spinning kick. Finished off the second singles of the September club shipment from WildCraft today. Will ply it tomorrow.

A sneak-peek of what I’m working on now

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:18:13 +0000

Home again!

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:17:53 +0000

Just posting to show that I’m still alive. Will blog about my trip to Finland later. For now, I’ll just leave you with a pic of my gorgeous new shoes.

Secret Garden Shawl

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:49:38 +0000

My mystery shawl is done! All of the yarny/knitterly details can be found on my Ravelry page.

I bound it off last night and was kinda worried that it looked a bit small. But once I made it wet and spread it out on the bed? Boy did it grow. :D

The amount of daylight in the attic bedroom isn’t the best, so forgive the not so awesome pictures. I’ll take more outside (with me wearing it) when it’s dry. I ran out of pins while blocking this (had about 1/6 to go), so I had to do some emergency strategic redistribution. Now I’m just waiting for it to dry so I can wear it!

Roses

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:13:23 +0000

Last night at the pub, I got these as a birthday gift from my friend Jane.

And I just spent over 800 words of my 5000 limit explaining why I titled my dissertation’s set of stories the way I did. I guess I feel very passionately about that.

This is what I do to procrastinate

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:24:27 +0000

I should be working on my dissertation commentary. And I will start it today. The story section I got done last Thursday (14,081 words, giving me about 1000 words or so to play with while editing). My goal is to have half of the commentary done this week, the other half next week. So that’ll leave me with about four weeks to edit and revise the whole thing during August.

My gardening attempts

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:34:24 +0000

Earlier this spring I decided I wanted to try to grow some veggies. So I planted seeds for lettuce, tomato and cucumber. It was four of each in their own compost pellet things and they started off fine. Then three of the tomato plants died, three of lettuce plants died but all four cucumbers seemed to be okay. I was telling O’s dad about my gardening attempts and when he saw the state of my puny tomato plant, he bought me two seedlings.

More about my trip, this time with photos!

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:13:36 +0000

GirlMeetsNeedle - Jul 4, 2009

YAY! Piccies piccies piccies!!!! I had SO much fun with you guys! I really hope we can make it over to your part of the world before you migrate over to good ole Canada! And by the way, that yarn at the bottom looks super yummy! =)

More about my trip, this time with photos!

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:13:36 +0000

Another post so quickly after the last one? Amazing, I know. We got our suitcases this morning! Which lead me to take lots of pics to update my Rav page and then I figured I might as well blog about them too. Anyway, a heads up that this is very picture heavy so… yeah… just sayin’, lots of pics.

Like I said in my last post, I met up with Cadence on Wednesday and we went yarn shopping. We visited The Windsor Button and The Stitch House and this is what I came home with:

Home Sweet Home

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:24:58 +0000

And I’m back from Boston, MA. Had a great time, but I don’t think I’d want to stay for more than a week without a rental car. If we had that, then there would’ve been day trips to all sorts of places nearby. But we just spend the week in the city exploring. Getting there was fine. The train was on time, no delays at Manchester (although they did tell me to put my knitting in my checked luggage) and hanging out at Newark was fine. Our flight to Logan airport was delayed for about an hour, so that wasn’t too bad. Even our suitcases arrived with us!

WWKIPD

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:23:31 +0000

Yesterday was World Wide Knit In Public Day. And Sheffield had something organized! It was held in the Peace Gardens from 11-4. The weather was gorgeous. So we (yes, we, Oliver came with me even though he doesn’t knit) got there a little after 11. Hung around knitting until about 12:30 and then we went to a friend’s birthday BBQ party for the rest of the day.

The organizer’s friend, who just happens to be a professional photographer, came along too. So, here are some pics from the WWKIPD. Can you find me? Even better, locate Oliver’s shoe! :P

Right, yarn-y update! (warning: photo heavy)

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:14:57 +0000

What’s up? Not much. Lots and lots of school work. I should actually be reading and critiquing stories right now, but I’m blogging instead. Yay for procrastination?

The weather has been gorgeous over here. So much so that I spent most of Sunday outside reading (finished The Other Queen by Philippa Gregeory). And I wound up burning my back. The rest of me’s okay, just my back’s a bit red/pink. Not awfully burned, but enough for it to be a bit uncomfortable to wear a bra (yeah, no bra while I was outside reading). I started Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale yesterday, only about 20 pages in, but it’s pretty good so far.

Not much new to tell… okay, that’s a lie. I seem to be chatty right now

Tue, 19 May 2009 10:10:53 +0000

I’ve finally wound off the singles from my spindle and begun spinning the other half of the bfl/silk.

Aeolian is done. Ends still need to to be woven in and then blocking. It’s a pretty good size the way it is now. And I can tell it’ll be very warm (doing it in fingering weight instead of laceweight helps).

I’ve started some Milo socks from Cookie A’s Sock Innovation book. I’m using Lisa Souza’s Sock! Merino in Shade Garden on 2,25mm dpns. Looks great so far. I finished the gusset decreases of sock #1 yesterday. ^_^

Proof!

Wed, 06 May 2009 09:50:55 +0000

Lookie what I finished yesterday!

That’s about 50 g of the BFL/Silk blend that I’ve spun up this last week. Now I need to wind it off, pre-draft the other half of March’s shipment and spin that up. This stuff is amazing. Like seriously soft and so easy to spin.

And this is Aeolian!

It’s scrunched up on the needles because it’s so huge. Takes me forever to do a row, but I’m meeting my goal of at least two rows a day. At the rate I’m going, I probably won’t finish it until after our Boston trip, but that’s okay. It’s out of fingering weight so it’s more of a fall/winter shawl anyway.

Knitting and spinning update

Sun, 03 May 2009 11:33:00 +0000

Well Pioneer is done. I’ve worn it twice already. It grew a bit more than I expected during the blocking, but that’s okay. Next time I’ll just throw it in the dryer so it won’t do that. I’ve started another large project: Aeolian. I’m using the green 100% wool I bought while in Montana two years ago. All I know about the yarn is that it’s not superwash wool. Came off a cone. I don’t even have an inkling as to how much I’ve got (either weight or yardage). But that’s okay. I’ve got a plan. And it’s working! I decided to use the lighter green for the Yucca and Agave charts and then the darker green for the edging. I’m doing the shawl size instead of the shoulderette and boy is this thing going to be big. Not huge, since the swatch didn’t grow a lot, but still pretty big. And it’s taking me forever to finish a row because of the size it is now. Also? The nupps, not so bad to make. I’ll definitely be making them again if another shawl calls for them.

He’s here!

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:42:52 +0000

I’ve got a brother!

Born today, about six hours ago. Weighs 4.3 kg and 56cm tall. :D

Everyone needs a little Cute in their lives, right?

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:55:26 +0000

I bought these really cute stitch markers today. Cheese and strawberries! There was a reason for wanting them too (besides the cuteness). I’m working on this sweater and my current stitch markers (cheap, plastic Lion Brand ones I got while back in Montana) just aren’t working. They’re too big and causing oddness in the raglan increase sections. So new stitch markers! o/ It’ll take awhile for them to get to me, since they are being shipped from Hawaii.

Mini rant at the end

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:20:07 +0000

Not much to say. Usual stuff going on:

1. Knitting Lots of stuff. Mainly socks right now. Still need to knit up a bookmark as a birthday present. Then I’ll be starting Pioneer from the newest Knitty. OMG this issue is made of win. I want to knit most of the patterns in there. I’ve already queued up Decimal, Absinthe, Cachoeira, Cirque and Sourwood to make after Pioneer (or at the same time). There just isn’t enough time in the day to make everything I want. And the cool thing about Pioneer is that I already have the yarn in my stash that I want to use. So yay, stash busting!

Book Stuff!

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:07:42 +0000

I got this from Leanne.

What’s your bookstore? Waterstone’s or Amazon.co.uk

Hardback or paperback? Paperback. Easier to hold and cheaper.

Bookmark or dogear? Bookmarks all the way.

Keep, throw away or sell? Keep. I love my books. But if I really dislike something, I’ll donate it.

Read with dust jacket or remove it? With

Short story or novel? Both. I tend to buy more novels, but I love short stories too (which is one reason why I write them!)

Cleaning

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:28:14 +0000

That’s what I’ve been doing today. Now all I need to do is vacuum and move the final things off the floor. The exterminator’s coming over tomorrow. Yep, the carpet beetles are back. Augh. I found one in the bedroom on the wall and the other in the living room on the phone. I wonder who it wanted to call…

Anyway, I let our landlady know immediately by e-mail. She e-mailed me back like 30 mins later and had arranged for the exterminator to come over. She’s made of awesome. Seriously.

I’m noticing a trend

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:53:39 +0000

I seem to post only when I’m sick. Huh…

But yeah, I’ve got an ear infection. Just been to the doctor’s and now I’ve got antibiotics. I hope they kick in soon. I’m still going to knit night tonight. I don’t feel that bad right now. And I’ve still got all day to see if I feel up to it.

I also asked about why my hands and feet get really cold. He checked my blood pressure, circulation and asked if anyone in my family’s got Reynaud’s. The conclusion? A spasm in a nerve. I think that’s what he said, my head’s so full of goo that it’s hard to think straight. Anyway, just another reason to knit more wool socks because nothing can be done about that.

My list is funny?

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 11:42:01 +0000

My dad’s in FL right now with my grandfather. So I sent them this list of stuff that I’d like:

- Pancake mix - Maple syrup - Peanut butter chips (for baking) - Corn Pops or Apple Jacks cereal - Tootsie rolls - Downy Simple Pleasures dryer sheets (vanilla & lavender scented) - a bullet holder/case/container thingy (so that I can keep my sample-sized perfumes organized)

For some reason, this list made them laugh. Especially the last item. It seemed to be the funniest thing ever.

The usual topics: knitting, writing, food…

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:54:09 +0000

I’m procrastinating again. I’ve got to write two stories for my next Fiction and Children’s Fiction classes (well, rewrite two stories actually). I made myself a deal, I can do whatever until 3pm, then I need to go do school work. Then at 4pm, I get to stop and go on the WiiFit.

My knitting’s going pretty well. The first Bayerische is done and I’ve got a pattern repeat done on the second one. I’ve finished off my mom’s Mother’s Day present and I’m on the final color of the baby blanket border. I’m hoping to get the blanket done in the next few days. I’ve already got my grandma’s Mother’s Day present lined up, but I can’t say more about that since they read my blog!

Good mail day

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:26:40 +0000

I lurves my mailman. He actually knocked this time!

Okay, so yesterday I decided to buy some yarn (yeah, like I *need* more, but there ya go). The yarn is from The Knitting Goddess. Bought it yesterday, got here today. Love her service. Anyways, what I got was some 4ply 100% superwash merino in Cinnamon Trio and Indian Summer. The green hank is 2ply 59% cashmere/49% cotton in semi-solid Jade. Add in the shipping and the total came to under £25. Not bad. But but but! Joy, the owner, had included a freebie! It’s a lavender sachet pouch kit. :D

Lookie, another post with pics!

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:31:32 +0000

Just thought I’d share a few more pics with you all. (Yes, I’m procrastinating, still have to write something for teens that’s due tomorrow…)

It started snowing again this morning. The snow was falling when I took the pics (doesn’t really show, but I promise it’s there) and still falling an hour later.

And this is the Bayerische sock I’m working on now. All of those cables just make me do a happy dance inside. And it’s actually not that hard. Just have to pay attention every single round so that the cables don’t get twisted the wrong way. Which is what happened to me two days ago, but I was able to fix it. ^-^

Snow snow snow

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:42:21 +0000

We’ve got snow. It started last night and still going on now. So this morning, I took these pics:

Last I checked, we had about 12 cm (5"-ish).

And because of all this snow, traffic and trains have been kind of a mess. I decided to go to Nottingham early, drop off my coursework that’s due today and come back straight away. Skipping class is so worth not being stuck at a train station late at night. When I got home, there was an e-mail from my course leader saying that because so many of the readers have cancelled due to the weather, the session has been cancelled. W00t! Now I don’t feel guilty about deciding not to go to class. ^-^

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:09:53 +0000

I seem to be on a Batman kick right now. Watched “The Dark Knight” last night (which was just awesome btw) and now “Batman Returns” is playing on TV. That and playing Lego Batman on the XBox 360.

In other news, coursework is finally done. Good thing too because garter stitch is beginning to melt my brain and have it ooze out of my nostrils. Kinda like what Proust thought was happening to him (’twas because of syphilis). But luckily spinning brought back some sanity.

Food poisoning sucks

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:54:21 +0000

Throwing up, diarrhea, stomach cramping up, chills… not fun. Not fun at all.

Messed up my plans for today. I was going to go buy need headphones for my iPod (current ones keep falling apart on me) and then hang out at my LYS until it was time to meet O for dinner. *sigh*

I blame the salad dressing I had last night. Throwing that out as soon as I get the energy to go to the kitchen to make me tea.

Let’s hear about cheese!

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:44:21 +0000

So yesterday, in the middle of my very exciting day of cleaning, I got a text from Lucy asking if I wanted to meet her for coffee. Of course I did!

I walked into Hillsborough and saw the very special variety of people that go to Java Lounge. We sat outside knitting and trying to have a conversation. Wasn’t easy, considering there was a group of parents with their kids. That in itself is okay, BUT the kids were misbehaving (throwing rocks, destroying the flowers, etc) and the parents weren’t doing any parenting. At all.

Well darn it

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:56:03 +0000

Drat. Dratdratdrat.

I just got a message from my landlady. She can’t come over tonight to deal with the outside drain that keeps getting clogged up because her son is sick (which is sad and I hope he gets better soon). So she’s coming over on Friday instead. Which is fine. Really.

But it also messes with my people watching plans. I was going to spend Friday afternoon in Starbucks and hope I see/over hear enough to get me inspired to write again. I *need* my writing mojo back. It’s been on a longer vacation than my knitting mojo! So, Friday was the day I had set aside for that. Now, I have to stay home. I guess I could finish off my coursework that’s due in a week and a half instead, but still.

Music game time!

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:34:04 +0000

Play the game if you wish! If I ’ve tagged you, it’s because I think you’ll have fun

The game goes like this:

1. Grab your iPod or other MP3 player and randomize your songs. 2. Type the first line/phrase of the first 20-40 songs that come up (you can skip one if the first line is, say, the actual title of the song). 3. Anyone can try and guess the title of the song by commenting on this note. 4. When the title has been guessed, bold out the lyric and add the name of the person who guessed it. 5. NO cheating by using search engines to find answers.

Goop galore

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:41:55 +0000

You know how I said that I was sick?

Well, yesterday, things got even better. First, on the flight home, my nose started bleeding after I blew my nose. It’s not like I was blowing my nose really hard or anything, just lightly because I felt it dripping and bam! Blood. Then again, the flight attendants were really nice and gave me a whole empty row to myself to deal with the bleeding. It did stop eventually.

Eh…

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:43:22 +0000

Just thought I’d let you all know that I’m sick. Again. The last two days I’ve had a fever (no thermometer so don’t know how high, but everyone agreed that I have a fever) which means that I’ve been sleeping a lot and just lying in bed reading or lying on the couch semi-watching TV. My throat is still really sore, kinda hard to swallow. So yeah, not dead, but feeling very icky. And I still have a ton of homework to do. *sigh* Going home tomorrow though!

General update-y goodness

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:48:16 +0000

I can’t seem to get inspired by my WIPs. I’ve got two pairs of socks and a mitten. Well, the mitten only needs the thumb and then the pair’s ready. I just so don’t feel like working on it though. And this whole having three projects at the same is driving me nuts. I prefer to be a monogamous knitter, two projects at the most if one of them is a bigger one like a sweater or a shawl. At least one of the sock pairs is almost done; both of the socks just need the foot and toe doing, then they’re done. The other socks just have half of the leg done on sock #1.

Mug preferences

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:41:39 +0000

We’ve got quite a few mugs and cups and glasses. Lots of them. But I’ve got some mugs/cups that have designated purposes. Like the blue mugs (two of them) are for morning tea for me and Oliver. And it’s always tea in them. Then there’s the green mug; that was mine (came with a matching bowl) but now that’s what I make his afternoon/evening tea in. The yellow mug (with matching bowl and teaspoon) is for both tea and coffee. Mainly tea though. The Florida mug that says “Julie” on it is mainly for coffee, thus mine since Oliver doesn’t drink coffee at all. There are two random mugs, a black one and a huge maroon one, that don’t really have a “purpose” in my head. But I usually have hot chocolate from the maroon one on the rare occasions that I make hot chocolate. Then there’s the black flowery cups that came with our cutlery and plates and bowls and coasters. Those are the ones that are given to guests. Because they match. It looks good. It’s all about the presentation. Then we also have some plain cream colored cups that are kind of like backups. And then there’re the hand-painted butterfly china cups that I bought from Greece. Those are for special occasions and thus haven’t actually been used yet. But they’re really pretty and I want to keep them that way.

happy dance

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:07:15 +0000

Guess who passed their driving test! ME!!!

And now I’m trying to decide which scents to get myself as a reward from Happy Housewife.

x_X

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:55:07 +0000

Augh so tired.

Went to Nottingham yesterday for the induction day. Had to get up at 7 am to make it there for 11am. Was okay, nothing too interesting.

Had day school there today. Again, had to get up at 7, even though I had to be there by 10:30. The train gets in at 10:25, so I missed about 30 mins of being shown how to use the uni’s search engines. Did figure it out by myself from the handouts though. They’ve got some really good stuff! The classes were really fun. Won’t go into too much detail now, maybe later on when I’m not practically falling asleep. But fun was had.

Creepy crawlies

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:14:09 +0000

We’ve got ’em. Carpet beetles. *shudder* It started out with me finding holes in my Hedera and then snowflake lace socks. I looked through the bag where I kept them, didn’t find anything and checked that the rest of my handknit socks were okay. They were so I didn’t think much of it. Fast forward for a bit and I’d found some munching on three of my swatches made with Lane Borgosesia’s Cashwool. Not too bad, I didn’t really want to keep them anyway. Icky, but not heart-breaking. Then I found out that they’d gotten into my underwear and sock drawers. And one of my handspuns had been affected too. Killed ’em, vacuumed thoroughly and left it at that. Then I found a dead adult carpet beetle downstairs. At that point I contacted our landlady Debs, who is awesome btw, and we arranged for her to come over the next day (since it was a Friday night that I e-mailed her). We dealt with the woodlouse problem and she gave us some spray to use up in the attic bedroom. That was two weeks ago. Today, one fell out of my hair! Ew ew ew. After I made sure that it was a carpet beetle larvae, I killed it and vacuumed the whole house. I was going to vacuum today anyway, but that’s neither here nor there. I contacted Debs again and within half an hour she got back to me to say that the council’s environmental services are going to come out once they’ve verified what the pest is. So now I’ve got a live larvae in a sealed food container waiting for Debs to come over tonight to pick it up.

Bits of this and that

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:24:31 +0000

Just got back from my driving lesson. I rock at emergency stops. Got 5/5 on my evaluation sheet. W00t! It’s quite fun too. Jim said that I might be an adrenalin junkie. I guess I am, but only in safe situations, like roller coasters. Haven’t been to an amusement park yet this year, must rectify that soonish.

Yesterday I found fabric! So it’s not exactly what I was looking for, ie white with dark green, but it’ll do. It’s just a plain light green. So if I have the time, I might embroider something onto it. Yeah, I know, I’m just creating more work for me. But at least I have the fabric now, it’s been washed (yesterday) and ironed (today). I’m planning on starting the tracing of the pattern onto tracing paper today, but I seriously doubt that I’ll have it all traced and cut and attached to the fabric until Thursday. At least the fabric was cheap, so if I mess it up it won’t be too awful to go get more (just £1/metre).

Wonderous words

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:25:27 +0000

I’m writing again! Okay, so I had a burst of inspiration yesterday and somehow writing 1000 didn’t seem like anything. Then again, 1000 words for a story is nothing compared to trying to write 1000 for an essay in my head. But yes, I have a third of my story written now (no it’s not going to be 3000 words in total, it’ll be longer than that). There’s still all of the editing to do, etc so once it’s done I need volunteers to read it and give constructive criticism. Anyone?

It’s been forever, I know…

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:07:30 +0000

Okay, so in a nutshell: - My mom and youngest sis Jade are all settled in Finland again with our dog Mocca. - Jaz has moved into her apartment in Brussels. - During July we did manage to go to Greece for a week, just the three of us (Jaz & Jade that is). Loved the tan I got there. It’s fading away now, which I’m not too happy about. Oh well. - During my very short trip to Finland I spent a few nights over at one of my best friend’s place. Oliver came too. There was the class reunion; it was fun to see everyone again. The guy that was weird back then is still weird now. Some things never change.

Letting y’all know I’m going away for a bit

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:00:04 +0000

I love grapefruit. How could I have forgotten how good it is?? That was my snack. And for breakfast I had strawberries! I love summer. ^_^

I’m graduating on Tuesday. That’s the day after tomorrow! The stress of getting everything sorted out… ugh. I’ll be so happy once it’s over. We still don’t have a place to stay, but at least the photos and the robes have been ordered. And I know what order I need to do things in. Now I need to pick out my outfit.

The Farmgirl in me

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:17:13 +0000

So, I’ve decided to join this called the Plurkette Hencircle. Basically, it’s about wanting to stick to the old homegrown ways and building a community. Our first group task is to introduce ourselves, so here goes. :)

I’m a 22 year old Creative Writing post-grad student who has just moved in with her boyfriend of almost four years. Since we got the house (we’re renting so can’t do anything major) I have realized how much I actually enjoy doing housework and baking and gardening. Right now, my mission is to get rid of all the weeds that keep popping up everywhere. And the nice thing is, once it’s done there are surprises in involved with it; like after getting rid of a big weed plant, I found a rose bush behind it. I guess a part of this stems from helping my mom out whenever she gardened. I didn’t always enjoy being dragged outside to help with the trimming of bushes or mowing the lawn, but I am glad now that I did. And I’m finally getting why my mom likes this stuff. Growing things is fun! Not that I’ve planted anything yet, but I am planning on it. I’ve got the yarn/fiber/fabric crafting skills, now I just need the time to do more of that. But if I have less time for those now that I’ve begun gardening as well? That’s okay. Then there’s all of the cooking and baking to think about as well. And discovering new ways of cleaning things. Washing floors is still at the very bottom of my list, but everything else is becoming fun. That’s what I’m hoping this circle will do for me, make things fun while I do what some consider as chores. I have to do it anyway, so why not enjoy it too?

I am a sheep that has jumped on the band wagon

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:49:41 +0000

http://plurk.com/redeemByURL?from_uid=1191000&check=-1601285760&s=1

That is where I am spending all of my time. Just signed up today. Already love it. ^_^

I did some cleaning and gardening in the morning, but the wind just annoyed me too much to do more than pull up the biggest weeds in the front garden. I did unearth a small rosebush that had been obscured by pink weeds. ^_^

We’re getting a new washer-dryer tomorrow and our landlord will be over on Saturday to install it. Thing is, we’re leaving tomorrow night to go to Leicester to celebrate Shaun’s birthday. So I told our landlady that we won’t be and asked if they have a set of keys to get in (because I don’t mind them coming in to do stuff that *needs* to be done. They’re great people and I totally trust them). Haven’t heard back from her yet.

I baked! And some photos…

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:24:44 +0000

I just made a small batch of rolls. I’ve missed baking.

This is what they looked like before putting them in the oven.

And this is the rolls just out of the oven.

Soooo yummy. But this was a bit of a lame attempt at baking. It was one of those Just Add Water! mixes. Oliver’s parents had bought it for me, so I figured I might as well use it up before breaking out the multiple ingredients I’m used to using when baking.

Little things

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:19:56 +0000

I had decided to make meatballs tonight. And make them I did. Except that I didn’t have two of the ingredients that were called for in the recipe that I got from my mom. So did I do the neighborly thing and ask next door if they had any? Nope. I improvised. And they taste pretty good too. They just aren’t meat_ball_ shaped. I’m calling them BBQ meatflats. Because they’re flat. Y’see, the first batch that I tried frying up crumbled all to pieces. But the next ones I smooshed flat with my fingers before I put them in the pan and they were fine. Weird. But still, they taste good. And that’s the main thing.

Our house

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:35:11 +0000

The new house is great. Been here almost two weeks now and we’re moved in as much as we could be. As in, we’ve brought over all of our things and I’ve put away as much as I’ve been able to, but we still need things like a TV and a coffee table and nightstands and stuff. Like right now, our living room consists of two couches, a painting, Oliver’s moniter that functions as a TV set up on a dining room chair… yep, we’re livin’ the good life. :P

Piccies of FOs

Thu, 29 May 2008 21:40:18 +0000

And this is a knitting update. Lots of pics. You have been warned. Oh and if you don’t understand the knitting chat (don’t worry, there won’t be much of that since it’s all already on Ravelry), just ignore it and admire all of the Finished Objects (FOs). ^_^

Fawkes Socks

This is Fawkes; pattern is by the late Momma Monkey and she designed this as a part of the Harry Potter series of socks to celebrate the last book coming out. I looooooove the yarn. Lisa Souza rocks with her dye jobs. It’s the first time ever that I’ve done all of the repeats that the pattern has said and it still came out very short. Not that I mind, since socks that are longer in the leg have this annoying habit of slouching down to my ankles.

We got the house!

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:55:32 +0000

The estate agent called about an hour ago. We got the house! We’re signing the rental agreement and getting the keys tomorrow.

*does happy dance*

And now I should get back to packing.

We’re getting a house!

Fri, 23 May 2008 18:43:35 +0000

We’ve decided on renting the house. Today I went and got the paperwork that needs to be signed (I’ll take that in on Tuesday since Monday is a bank holiday). Tomorrow Oliver and I have an appointment to go open up a joint account where the rent and bills and stuff will be paid from. So we’ll be moving in soon! Squee! :D

I’m almost done with my Autumn Fruits scarf. I’m calling it that because the color of the yarn makes the melon pattern look more like apples and berries and pumpkins. Now I just need to do the lace edging and then it’ll be done. Well, need to block it as well. But still. My next project will most likely be a Calla (I think that’s what the pattern’s called) in the same dusty rose bamboo yarn that I used for my modified Bad Penny. I feel like I need to use up my yarn since I just went and bought some more today. I only bought two skeins though. One of them was so that my Clapotis scarf could be made longer (it’s very very very short right now). The other one I got because it was pretty. And all the other knitters keep telling me that sock yarn doesn’t really count as stash.

Trying to decide what to do…

Tue, 20 May 2008 12:32:11 +0000

I’ve made an appointment to see a house later on today. Except I’m feeling a bit icky (as in sore throat and kinda nauseous). Nauseous + bus riding = not that good. So now I’m debating on whether to call the letting agency to ask if I can move my appointment to tomorrow. I’m pretty sure I won’t throw up, but I just don’t relish the idea of getting an even more icky feeling.

Apartments, cars and knitting

Sun, 18 May 2008 10:11:28 +0000

Not that much has happened in the last week or so. I left Aber and came to Sheffield on Friday. My dad was almost afraid that we wouldn’t get everything to fit in the car, but we did after a little rearranging. ;)

Then Saturday was spent looking at cars. The Ford salesman would not stop talking and that pretty much put me off of getting a car from there. So after about five hours of sitting in various cars, I decided on either a Smart or a Mercedes-Benz A-Class. A Smart would be better in the city (since it is tinier) but an A-Class feels safer on highways. And I will have to use highways to get to wherever I’m studying at next year. I have received a conditional offer from Aberystwyth (need to get a 2.1, which I’m pretty sure I will) and Nottingham Trent wants to interview me. Don’t know yet when the interview will be, but I’m hoping that they’ll tell me soon.

A heads up

Tue, 06 May 2008 22:49:13 +0000

Just thought I’d let you all know that since I’m leaving Aber on Friday, I’ll be busy until Monday. Not that I’ve been really active here lately, but still.

In knitting news, still working on the Bad Penny. Did the lace and then the increase sections. Tried it on and ripped it out because it didn’t look nice. Mind you, I didn’t rip out the whole thing, just to where the lace began. So it’s back to nicely mindless stockinette that I can do in the car on Friday. :D I’ve also made a Clapotis scarf from Regia Silk. I ran out of yarn just as I was about to get to the final rows, so I used up some ends that I had in my stash. I don’t really like the way that turned out, so I’ll be ripping out what I’ve dubbed the Hufflepuff tail (because the leftover colors that I used were black and yellow) and just do a different kind of bind off.

Follow the leader leader leader…

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:10:04 +0000

I’ve still got the Barn Dance stuck in my head; both the song they played for it at Manchester and the actual steps. It was one of my fave dances. And we’d be doing it at practice on Friday when I’m not here. *sniffle* I did meet a really nice guy named Chris who dances for Warwick during the first round of it. At the end of the dance we were supposed to hold on to our partners and dance a Rumba with them. It was during the same round that I danced with the guy from Our Favorite Arguing Couple (a couple from Manchester that constantly argues at competitions). He was a very good dancer, but I didn’t get the nice vibe off of him, unlike Chris. Then during the second round of the Barn Dance I wound up with some advanced guy and were supposed to dance some Salsa afterwards. I told him that I didn’t know any salsa and he was like: “We’ll do it anyway!” and started just twirling and spinning me around the dance floor, very energetically I might add, for over three minutes. Ooh, and I swear, the judge was trying to kill me when he put us through to the second round of Jive. It was tiring enough to do it once, but during the second round something went wrong with the American Spin and I almost fell flat on my face. Luckily Alan caught me in time.

Gah

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:57:50 +0000

This morning has been… well a bit annoying, but mostly okay. I sent off for my provisional driver’s licence. I took the bad pictures that always come out of those automatic machines. It cost £4.20 and I only had four pounds on me, so the guy that was fixing it gave me the 20p I needed. Such a nice old man. ^_^ But the man behind the counter at the post office was just… gah. I needed a postal order to send with my application so he printed out one for me. I get all of the special delivery envelopes so that they can send me my passport back securely and when it’s time to pay? The wrong amount comes up on the machine. Then he tells me that I need to pay for the postal order with cash. Like I have any, everywhere I go I pay with a card. So he sets things aside and I run across the street to the cash machine and get the £50 I needed. I come back and he’s like: “You do know that there’s a fee with this, right?” I nodded my okay and again, I was about to pay with my card. Nope, he asks if I have any more cash on me. *rolls eyes* Something wrong with the machine that takes cards. I need to run across the street again to get more cash. Geez, he could’ve told me all of this sooner! And because he got me running around, I forgot to write my name on the back of the postal order and get the special delivery number of the return envelope. Hrmph. Although I have had pretty good experiences with the special delivery system of the Royal Mail so I’m not too worried. It’s just the regular letters that get lost into the ether. Could be either Royal Mail’s fault or the USPS. Oh well. But yay, that’s done. I should have my provisional licence in a few weeks! o/

No I haven’t disappeared… just been… away…

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:39:08 +0000

Okay, now that I’ve gotten back into the swing of things, i.e. having to churn out writing on a regular basis and actually using my brain for something other than deciphering knitting patterns and watching the History Channel and Grey’s Anatomy, I thought it would also be a good time to write in here for a change. So yes, I’ve been gone for about five weeks. Not from the net, just from updating. So what have I been doing that’s been so enthralling that I haven’t even bothered to yammer on about on here?

Subway and stitching

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:13:20 +0000

Going to Blackpool today. The bus won’t be leaving until 3pm, but I’m gonna have to leave my room by 2:15 if I want to get up the hill with my four bags and not be a big puddle of sweat. I’d be fine if the bus would go to the usual pick up places that we have when we go to competitions; mine is down in town, so it’s all flat to get there. It’s the whole walking up the hill that I don’t like to do when I already feel like a mule. :P

This is me procrastinating

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:33:03 +0000

I should be cleaning up my room for the inspection next week. I should be packing. I should at least finish the second Clessidra if I’m not going to do the above two “more important” tasks. Instead? I’m hanging out in the kitchen with Hannah, I’m reading blogs, I’m listening to L&V, and now I’m talking about everything that I should be doing instead of just doing it. >_< Nothing really thrilling to report about this last week. Went up to Sheffield on Thursday, hung out, did laundry, watched movies, bought books, came back on Monday. Since then I’ve been to class, bought food for the competition on Saturday and been to dance practice.

o/

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:06:10 +0000

I got a First!!! *does happy dance* Oh I am so buying three skeins of yarn now instead of two. Just sayin’. Now I need to go find the final colorway to go with my Aww-tum and Printemps.

Earthquake! (Seriously, I kept typing in earthquark o_O)

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:30:55 +0000

Last night there was an earthquake. I figured that since the epicenter was in Lincolnshire, that’s why I didn’t feel it. But no. There’s a comment in the “Have your say” section from someone in Aber saying that they could feel their floorboards move. Yeah, I slept through an earthquake. Did not feel a single thing. Oliver felt it (then again he’s up in Yorkshire anyway so it must’ve been stronger over there. I guess I just sleep like a log.

We decided to call ourselves "Where the hell is everyone??"

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:29:36 +0000

Well, the quiz was a bust. Only three of us showed up when it’s usually more like seven to ten. We did okay on the picture round, as in got everything, but it was all downhill from there. So when one of Matt’s friends called, he and Phil decided to go to the Open Mike Night at the Union and I came back because I had these grand plans of writing up the rest of my Writing Project. Yeah, that didn’t happen. Got sidetracked reading the L&V message boards.

I am not happy

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:07:01 +0000

Two things really bug me about living at Aber: 1) The boys I live with don’t do a thing to clean up after themselves. Which is why when Hannah went home for the weekend, I refused to do anything dealing with the trash and recycling. Someone keeps throwing in food into the recycling bag meant for cardboard and plastic bottles. And I know that that someone isn’t Hannah, since she wasn’t here. I’m pretty sure I know which one of the boys did it, but since I’m not 100% sure, I won’t say it. Still, it’s a recycling bag. The trash can, albeit overflowing when the pizza wound up in the recycling bag, is right next to the recycling bag. How lazy do you have to be to not bother putting in a new trash bag? *rolls eyes* I couldn’t stop myself from wiping all of the counters and scrubbing the stove though. But that’s because I need to use those to cook and there is no way I’m cooking on something that’s not clean.

Singing along all day long

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:37:34 +0000

Today’s been a good day. I’ve just been in an excellent mood ever since I woke up at 7:35 am… Yes, I actually woke up then without the help of an alarm clock. I think it’s because I sleep with my curtains open, so when the sun rises and my room slowly gets brighter my body obviously thinks along the lines of: “Oooh, it’s light outside again. Time to get up! Wake-y wake-y…” Never mind that my room faces west, not east, so it’s not even direct sunlight that’s getting me up. The cool thing is that the sky’s a lighter shade of pink and light blue in the mornings and a really deep saturated pink and blue when the sun’s going down. I think I prefer dawn to dusk.

All about the curl

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:57:37 +0000

I love curly hair. Especially when it’s my own. :D

Lookie what happened after 25 mins of trying not to burn my skin or my hair!

![](http://www.luliriisi.me.uk/uploads/080217 curly ponytail.jpg)

![](http://www.luliriisi.me.uk/uploads/080217 more curls.jpg)

Now, I know it won’t last all day, but that’s okay. I still feel great. ^_^

Mmm, strawberries

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:52:25 +0000

It’s such a pretty day today. Cold, but pretty. Still all sunshine and no wind (unlike on Thursday). I would be outside, if I knew that I’d be moving around, but all I want to do is sit and knit or read. Again, it’d be the perfect day to do that and eat strawberries on the beach, except that it’s too cold to stay still. So I’ve got the strawberries next to me, sort of a lunch/snack while I catch up on my blogs and knit a bit more of my SSS. :) And now I want some sock yarn in a strawberries and cream type colorway. I’m sure there’s something on The Loopy Ewe.. Still need to wait two weeks before I can buy yarn though. It’ll be a tough wait. But in the mean time, I’m working my way through the stash; slowly but surely it’s getting smaller. :)

The usual rambling…

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:32:39 +0000

I know I know, been quite for about a week now. Not much has really happened though, just the same stuff. Oliver’s birthday was on Saturday. We spent it at the Sheffield competition. Got to have lunch at Nando’s; something that never happens at other competitions because we don’t know where places are in the towns they’re held in. I bought him three DVDs for his birthday, I picked one that I knew he’d like and then I had him pick out two more. And I also got myself The Last of the Mohicans on DVD since it was only £3.

Dancing with two ;)

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:40:59 +0000

Well, today was a first: there were more guys than girls at dance class today. So I got to dance with Alan and Ludwig (the French guy). ^_^ Ludwig is a really really good leader. And he applies the right amount of pressure and has enough force to make sure that I spin enough and… he’s just a very quick learner. *grin* It’s just too bad that he’s too busy to compete because he’d up Aber’s chances of getting into the finals of various dances. Plus, he’s really nice, good smile, smart and smells nice too. :P It was actually kinda fun teaching him how to do certain steps that I knew how to do and he didn’t. Like I said, quick learner. It’s such a shame that our Wednesday slot got taken away. I’m always so happy after dancing for two hours. Sure, my feet really hurt because I haven’t worn my dance shoes in like a month, but it’s so worth it. Ooh and we learned a new dance today too. It’s called the Gay Gordon. Really fun, but very very dangerous to one’s ankles when the high heels keep slipping and sliding on the floor (seriously, I’ve got no traction; even Alan knows that and is prepared to stop me from winding up on the other side of the room when I’m supposed to stay near him).

Early mornings are sometimes quite useful…

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:02:54 +0000

The fire alarm woke me up at 7:30. Stupid drills they make us do. They saw all of us out there last night when it was raining! Someone obviously doesn’t know how to cook. But at least it was an actual fire that they managed to put out before the fire department got here. And how do I know all of this? The smoky smell had wafted on over to our flat and from outside I could see that the kitchen window of the neighboring flat were all steamed up. Still. People, this a Public Service Announcement: Do Not try to cook when you’re a) drunk, b) high and/or c)forgetful (or more likely Stupid) enough to leave stuff in the oven/on the stove unattended. It’s common sense.

I just heard thunder. SQUEE!

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:49:37 +0000

I haven’t been in a proper thunderstorm in ages. Love love love thunder and lightning. Which is why I kinda miss Florida. Okay, so the hurricane warnings and stuff weren’t that fun, but the lightning and booming thunder that came every July? Awesome. I wonder what it’s like in Hawaii…

Apparently over 10,000 homes in Southern Finland are without power because so many trees have fallen down (onto the power lines I assume). Trees just falling down in a forest and knocking out power that way would be kinda odd.

Stash woes

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:28:04 +0000

I am trying to knit from stash. Because I have quite a bit of it. And I don’t want to carry it around with me as much as I do like yarn. I feel that it has to be made into something, otherwise it’s just in the way. But, and there always is a but, I have a slight problem. The problem being that I want to knit a pair of socks. I don’t have sock yarn. *pauses so that everyone can wrap their minds around the idea* Yes, that’s right. NO SOCK YARN. And sock yarn doesn’t even really count as stash! The little remnants that I did have have all gone into making the Clessidras (which still aren’t done, btw but I’m working on it, I’m working on it). And OMG are those taking forever. But that’s what I get for making knee socks. So those don’t count. And it’s beginning to look like I won’t have enough yarn to finish them either. I want sock yarn. Can’t get anything but really overpriced Regia at my LYS. The John Lewis in Sheffield that I frequent quite often has the same Regia, some Cygnet and they used to have Jaeger as well, but I think that’s been discontinued. So the fact that I’ll be in Sheffield on Friday doesn’t really help me. I could buy sock yarn from online. The Loopy Ewe has a great selection, and if the shipping costs are over $16, they’ll pay whatever goes above it. And I know that if I go to TLE, I’ll want some Lane Borgosesia lace yarn as well as the sock yarn. If I go to Lisa Souza, well, I might be able to keep it to two skeins of her Sock!, most likely the Aww-Tum and Mars Quake colorways. And the shipping would be about $10 I think. But, seeing that I am a student and no one in Aber wants to hire me since I won’t be here during the summer, I really don’t have money to spend on yarn, even if it is something I don’t have. Which is why I’m knitting from stash. And whining about not being able to make socks.

Mainly knitting, with a little bit about dancing

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:47:06 +0000

I’d forgotten how much fun dancing is! Especially when there’s a surplus of guys instead of girls. XD So yes, today I got to practice with Alan again (and danced a bit with Tom too). I thought I’d forgotten it all, but it came back to me. Neither one of us, meaning me & Alan, can remember our Rumba or Cha routines. And those are the ones we’ve practiced! No clue what we did for Rock’n’Roll since that was kinda made up on the spot at the Manchester competition. It was literally about fifteen minutes before we had to compete that we got shown the “routine” by our team captain. Anyway, we did pretty well today. NUDC should be good. We’re not going to compete at the Keele competition which is this Sunday because Alan can’t make it. Ah well.

I’m clean!

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:56:45 +0000

Back in Aber and yep, I’ve showered! It’s so nice being able to just hop in the shower and wash away all the dirt whenever I want. It is admittedly an awful shower for two reasons: the water pressure/temperature combo doesn’t work well (the hotter the water, the less pressure there is) and it’s icky icky icky because it looks like no one here has cleaned it for the month that I’ve been away. Good thing I’ve got cleaning supplies just itching to be used in my laundry corner of the room. After my first shower, I just kept repeating at random intervals: “I’m clean!” in the sort of squeeing voice that Lime & Violet get when looking at yarn. Oliver thought it was funny the first few times, but then he kinda began chalking it up to me being my weird self and stopped reacting.

A long chatty post

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:44:01 +0000

Didn’t go to Leicester this weekend. Mainly because everyone else who was going had already made plans to go to clubbing, and that’s not really my kind of way of spending a weekend. So instead Oliver and I went to eat at Pizza Express on Saturday and then just hung out, watching movies in his room. Speaking of pizza, on Friday, after Oliver tried to help one of his mom’s friends set up a router for her laptop (turns out she only had a router, not a router/modem thingy), we went to get pizza from Pizza Hut. While we were waiting for our order, a man with a collection tin and some roses comes out from the restaurant section. He’s collecting donations for children with leukemia (I assume it was to help them and help fund research) and for £2 you get a rose. Oliver was about to say no, but then he changed his mind and gave £2. Picked out a deep red rose and gave it to me. That’s the first time ever that he’s bought me a flower. It’s in a vase on his desk right now. :D

The Importance of A Working Shower

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:51:11 +0000

The SSShawl is going swimmingly. I just completed row 80 of Clue 2. Of course, others have already completed Clue 3 which came out on Tuesday. Oh well, I’ll catch up to them eventually. The shawl is uber pretty. The alpaca sometimes gets kinda stuck on the needles, but only if I’ve been holding it in my moist hand for awhile. I say moist because they’re not really sweaty, but not so dry as to make the yarn slippy on the needles. Which is actually kinda good in the sense that at least my stitches won’t be randomly jumping off into the ether where the only rescues available come in the forms of crochet hooks and tinking. I do not frog lace. Too risky.

Knitting, writing, reading

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:33:53 +0000

I have begun two things: working on homework (yeah, I know, me actually doing something instead of procrastinating!) and the Spring Shawl Surprice. I think I’m on Row 30 or so of the first clue on the shawl. It’s turning out pretty well. No way I’ll be able to catch up before the next clue is released (Tuesday). But hey, it’s not a race, so as long as I keep knitting a few rows every day, I should be fine. :) Also, the Herring Socks are hibernating for now. As is my Tempting. But they should come back out of the bag soon. It’s just that the shawl drains all of my knitting mojo after about five rows. Then again, those five rows equal about 700 stitches on teeny tiny needles with super thin yarn.

I fell off the wagon…but not far!

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:33:59 +0000

I went to meet Oliver after work today. Since I got there an hour before he got out, I went to John Lewis to see if they had any 5mm dpns. They did not. But, I saw that they had some point protectors, so I got a pair. I was about to just buy those when I saw the discount bins. Plural! OMG, I so wanted to buy the Debbie Bliss Cashmere they had. But even at being 50% off, I still couldn’t spend £5 on a teeny tiny hank. Instead, I found a skein of Cashsoft 4ply for £1 (such a steal) and three skeins of Jaeger Baby Merino for £1,60 each. They are so pretty! They had way way way more in there, but I was good and only bought those four skeins. Because really, I want to enjoy the stuff I already have. Not just give into rampant consumerism every time I go near “new” yarn. In other knitting news, I finally seamed up the remaining open seam of my Isabella. I tried it on: looks Fabulous. Good thing I decided to remove 4 sts so it’d be a bit narrower, because now it doesn’t feel so loose like the first one did. I’m also working on the sillisukat (I just really like the way that sounds, all I’m saying is Herring Socks). I’ve got the pattern memorized. Now I just have to hope that I have enough yarn. I should and I can always go buy more if I do run out (I checked today that they still have at least one of the colors that I’m working with).

The highlights of my virtual absence… kinda

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:25:22 +0000

Guess who’s sick again. That’s right. Me. >_< At least whatever it is that I have is going away now. Yesterday was not pretty, but today I felt okay enough to go to Meadowhall with Oliver. Bought some jeans. The exact same ones that I bought about two months ago but a size smaller. Hopefully, these ones will stay up even after they stretch.

Christmas was good. I made the Christmas Day food already on the 23rd. (Thing is what I call the dishes I made. The literal translation of the word into English would be box and that’s not what the food is, so thing is what I’m designating it as.) The swede thing turned out perfectly, the potato thing was okay but not quite right and the carrot thing, well, needed more carrots. Good practice for next year when Oliver and I go to Hawaii over to Ellu’s for Christmas and New Year’s. The Christmas Eve meal was easy to make since it was mainly just setting the fish dishes onto the table. No further preparation needed. The present side of Christmas? Very nice haul indeed. Jaz had this awesome calendar made for me; it’s all pictures of me. Very narcissistic, I know. But just all of the thought that went into it, like sneaking onto my MSN Msgr account to talk to people I know in Aber and ask them for pics of me and then getting them to keep quiet about it… :D Then from Anji, Oliver’s sister, got me yarn! It’s so nice to actually get stuff I’ve asked for. And, she got me this sport weight Peruvian sock yarn in the exact colorway I’d been eyeing at the store! So yes, I was very pleased with that gift. I also got the hairdryer and curler that I’d already requested for my birthday (my parents), a bag for my camcorder and camera (from Oliver’s parents), Oliver & I got matching shirts from Jade :D, lots of chocolate (always good) and a jigsaw puzzle that I won’t attempt until I’ve got the time and space for it. It’s only 1500 pieces, which was kind of a let down at first, but then I saw the picture and it’s like whoa. It’s in the style of one of those Where’s Waldo? picture books. Everything looks so much alike. And no Waldo to find either. Since I didn’t have the time to do it at home and no space up here in Sheffield, it’ll have to wait until Oliver and I find a place of our own before I attempt to complete it. What’s another five months or so before I get to do another jigsaw puzzle? :P

The joys of the holidays

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 09:51:43 +0000

It is so freakin’ cold out there! I just got back from a walk with Mocca and my cheeks are frozen stiff. This is not what winter in Belgium is! Hasn’t been for the past five years. And the one year I decide I don’t need to bring my thick winter coat with me? Yep, I need it. At least I can borrow my mom’s other coat. And I’ve just given Jaz the only scarf I have with me. So hopefully Oliver will be able to bring me my coat and a scarf when we meet up in London next week. Hmm, I wonder if he can fit my boots in as well… Anyway, during the past few mornings I’ve taken Mocca out for a walk when my mom hasn’t had the time to take her to the park. And since it’s so cold over here (and it’s going to stay at just a little below freezing for the next week) everything has this layer of frost on it. We have no snow, just a lot of frost. And this frost has crystallized onto the spiderwebs. I finally remembered to take my camera with me on the walk, so now I’ve got a few pictures which I’ll put up when I get my laptop back from Jade (she’s playing Sims2 on it).

Brr

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:36:12 +0000

I’m cold. My eyes water. I keep getting chills. My nose is kinda runny. Fun stuff. Especially since I’m supposed to travel for about nine hours tomorrow. Augh, my head in pounding. And earlier I was nauseous. Why did I have to get sick just before my vacation? I mean, seriously.

I’m all packed (with the exception of my laptop and lunch, since I won’t make that until tomorrow anyway). Cleaned up my room a bit too. My suitcase is ridiculously heavy. I blame the Christmas presents I’ve got stashed in there. And the DVDs I need to return to Jaz. Oh, I might get to meet Oliver tomorrow while I’m in London. He went to visit his sister tonight and if they don’t have any plans, he’ll come see me at the station for a few hours before I go through the Eurostar check-in. I need help with my bags. *sniffle* Why can’t I ever travel light?

Adorable kid

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:08:53 +0000

As I was on my way to the grocery store this morning… And boy was it a beautiful morning! No clouds whatsoever, a nice pink hazy glow on the sea, little black dots of surfers waiting for good waves, no wind, just.. perfect. I need to wake up earlier to enjoy this more often. Anyway, I was going to the store and a little two year old blond boy with big blue eyes was coming towards me, holding his father’s hand as they slowly walked behind the mother pushing a stroller. The boy looked up at me, grinned and said: “Pwitty!” That just made my day. I guess all it takes is a smile and kids think you’re pretty. :D

My room is nice and warm… ^_^

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:38:11 +0000

Okay, just a quickie since I really really really want to listen to the latest L&V podcast and knit.

Saturday was tiring, as was to be expected. Alan and I danced six dances: Beginner’s Waltz, Quickstep, Cha, Jive, Rumba and then the Open Rock’N’Roll. We were also the D team Quickstep. Amazingly enough, we got to the quarter finals of the Quickstep and Jive!! Who knows how, since our first round of Quickstep was just awful. Awful awful awful. And I’m not exagerrating. He tried to lock step when I thought we were doing just a basic, then vice versa and our “quick quick” timing wasn’t the same but somehow we managed to do the “slow, slow” parts together… Odd. And the Jive? Well, after about 20 seconds of dancing that, my legs got so tired that I couldn’t lift up my feet properly anymore. So maybe the judge saw us at the beginning of our “routine” (basically, we didn’t have one; just muttered what we were going to do next to each other)?

The usual topics I ramble about

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:38:00 +0000

I am done! o/ No, not with my second portfolio, you silly people. With my Isabella. Bound it off last night. Okay, so I still need to weave in the ends, block it and seam it together, but it’s done. Of course, since it’s a tank top, I can’t actually wear it until it gets a hell of a lot warmer (even in my room where I’ve got the radiator on full blast, I have to wear socks and a sweater when I usually just hang out in a T-shirt and sweats).

My two hobbies have taken over my life…

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:30:30 +0000

I can tell that I’m about to get my period. During the last few hours I’ve been really happy (found some awesome Bailey’s ice cream!), very annoyed at Martin (I do not want to be cooked alive while showering, thankyouverymuch), kinda down and not in the mood to work on my second portfolio, had weird cravings for salt and then something sweet, feeling very bloated and then content again when I put on my Monkey socks that had been warmed up on the radiator. Gotta love hormones. o_O;;

More chatter about dancing

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:19:17 +0000

No no no! NO. That was my reaction when I heard that today’s class was cancelled. Why? Cancelled classes should be a good thing because it gives you free time, right? Well, it’s been rescheduled for Thursday afternoon. That’s when I’ve got dance practice! And with the competition on Saturday, I can’t afford to miss that practice especially since the stupid fencing people took the timeslot that we usually have on Wednesdays. So, I’m seriously thinking about skipping that class. I’ve only missed one so far, so it’s not like it’s the end of the world. And I’ll e-mail him the work because it is already done. Now I just need to convince Alan to skip his 3pm computer lecture thingy so we can practice for another hour…

Put on my dancing shoes…

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:01:03 +0000

I get to compete on Saturday!!!!

Okay, off to find clothes to dance in. *grin*

Random bits of my life

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:45:50 +0000

I have a bruise and a scratch the shape of a high heeled shoe’s heel on top of my right foot. Hurts. :( But those are the dangers of dancing. Need to get used to it. I bought some shoes on Friday to dance in. Pretty strappy black things with sparkly bits. Got them from Peacocks. They’re actually the exact same shoes as Sophie’s got. I wanted the gold heels they had, but those didn’t have a strap around the ankle and thus, they’d fly off my feet when I tried dancing. At today’s session, the first Sunday session I’ve ever been to, I practiced with Oliver. Apparently my timing is way way off. XD Can follow okay, but timing is just not something I can do. Only four of us showed up, none are competing next weekend. Well, Oliver is, but not with me. :P

Busy as a bee… are they ever that busy though?

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:36:59 +0000

Decided not to go to the earlier dance class. Felt really icky. But I am going to the next one this afternoon. Yay, more dancing! ^_^

And, since I felt bad about staying behind, I worked on my portfolio a bit more. Over 1200 words now! Just need to write two more pieces, about 300 words each, and their commentaries and then I am done. Then I get to knit to my heart’s content. No wait, I can’t. I have that other portfolio and an assignment to do. Will do the assignment now, since I won’t have the time to do it during the weekend. Oliver’s coming tomorrow! Squee!

Dreaming of sneezing babies

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 09:02:41 +0000

I guess I am going to the morning session of dancing as well, seeing as I am up before nine. Guess what I woke up to? Really loud, high-pitched laughter, sort of like cackling. When I went to get breakfast, I found the source: Tom’s room. Why on earth would he have someone over this early??

Anyway, it is kind of a relief that I did wake up. Had really really weird dreams. In the first one, I tackled my mother because she was attacking one of my sisters. Then in the second one, a weird tent collapsed on me, then I was holding a baby girl, she sneezed on me (got me straight in the eye too!) and there was some lady nosing around about how I’m funding my dancing. All very odd. And kinda disturbing. o_O;;

A quickstep is playing in my head

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:59:31 +0000

You know what? I really enjoy dancing. I do. And going to competitions even if they tend to be really long days and some have the tendency to drag in the middle quite a bit. So I’ve decided that I am going to try to find myself a partner for the Manchester Winter Competition which is in two weeks time. I actually already have a certain person in mind that I’ll try to convince tomorrow if he shows up. Wish me luck!

Early, early riser is me

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 03:33:35 +0000

The things I do for him… I woke up 45 minutes ago because I need to be in front of the train station by 4 am. Leaving in 15 minutes. Dani, the Team Captain, called me last night at nine. Said that there’s been a change of plans. We’re leaving thirty minutes earlier. Fun stuff. I’m cold. I think it’s because of the lack of sleep. Only had like three-four hours. And all this because I want to see Oliver today. I just ran into Tom. He hasn’t been to bed yet. He did have some weird stripes on his cheek though, so I assume there was a theme party somewhere out on the town. I’d better be able to sleep on the minibus. I’m bringing a pillow.

Personality DNA

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:47:59 +0000

Just hover over the colors to see my results. Text results can be found here.

Good morning to y’all

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 09:54:46 +0000

It’s actually working. The past two mornings I’ve had to get up by 8:15 in order to make it to class on time. Then today when I have absolutely nothing to do that is scheduled, no alarm set up or anything, and I wake up at 8 all by myself. It was an odd feeling. Then again, tomorrow I will definitely need the help of an alarm clock since I have to get up at 3:45 am. I’m going to the Nottingham Competition. Just as a spectator though. Don’t have a partner and I haven’t really danced in three weeks either. Yesterday I did go to both dance classes they had, making it a grand total of four hours of dancing in one day. ^_^

Meme

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:30:11 +0000

I should be in bed (trying out this newfangled idea of going early to bed, early to rise). Besides, I’ve got an “early” seminar tomorrow. So I need to get up early for that anyway. Especially if I want to try to make it to the train station before going up to class.

Anyway, onto the meme!

The Book Meme 1. Grab the nearest book. 2. Open the book to page 123. 3. Find the fifth sentence. 4. Post the text of the next four to seven sentences on your LJ along with these instructions. 5. Don’t you dare dig for that “cool” or “intellectual” book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest [unless it’s too troublesome to reach and is really heavy. Then go back to step 1]. 6. Tag five people.

Going home!

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:51:36 +0000

Yes, it seems like I travel a lot. Which I kinda do, now that I think about it. Anyway, I have just bought my train tickets to go home in four weeks time. ^_^ I wonder if Mocca still remembers me. I’m pretty sure she does. The last time I called home and Jaz called out to Mocca saying that I’m on the phone, Mocca apparently ran to the front door and then my room door looking for me. How big has she gotten? I’ve been told that she’s been put on a diet. Tsk tsk for them feeding her table scraps. *sigh* Now I want my own dog. Well, I guess I’ll get one soon enough. I mean, Oliver and I are planning on getting one at some point. But I want us to have a house first so the dog’ll have lots of space to move around. Especially since I prefer the bigger breeds, like a German Shepherd, while Oliver would rather have a teeny tiny Italian Greyhound. For now, we’ve compromised on a Norwegian Elkhound.

Little joys

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:18:06 +0000

Have I mentioned how much I love fish? Well, I love fish. There. It’s been mentioned.

Oh and it is so nice to be back in my room with all of my things. Especially my knitting stuff. ^-^

Travelling woes, but knitting brightens up everything!

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:21:01 +0000

Back in Aber again. Just seeing the sea made me happy. ^_^ Anyway, I got the 10:53 train which was late, but never mind since I had like forty minutes to change at Birmingham New Street, right? Wrong. I get to Birmingham, don’t see the Aber train on the board yet (too early) so I go ask what platform it’s going to go from. I get told that it’s cancelled and that if I want to make it to that specific Aber train, I need to hotfoot it to the Wolverhampton train that was going to leave in like three minutes and make the connection from there. Dragging a ridiculously heavy suitcase from one end of the station to the other and down the steps is not fun. Trust me. Don’t try it. Oh and from Sheffield to Birmingham? Had to stand the whole way because apparently, some people decided that the luggage racks only hold two or three at a time, took over the empty space where wheelchairs and stuff go with their suitcases, leaving no space whatsoever for the other people who are unfortunate enough to be travelling with more than just a small bag. So I stood right next to the door with my suitcase and read three chapters of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

It’s red again!

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:39:08 +0000

I went shopping yesterday. Needed a pair of jeans (found some for £10 at New Look). I also bought a pair of pants from H&M, some hair pins, hair dye (temporary, of course. Too much of a chicken to use permanent stuff) and a notebook. I’ve been wanting to dye my hair dark brown for a few weeks now and so I finally bought some dye called “Exciting Chocolate”. Can anyone sense where this is going? Anyway, I used it this morning. The color from the tube looked okay, nice and dark so I was optimistic that this would work. Nope. Nuh uh. It’s red. Again. Why does my hair always turn red? Is it some sort of subconcious desire that my hair holds to be red? Is that why every dye I try gives it a red tinge? Don’t get me wrong. It looks nice and I do like it. But it’s not what I wanted.

A mini babble

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:51:29 +0000

Saturday was really tiring. That’s when the Leicester DanceSport Competition was. Basically, it was a day for me to just knit, read and of course film Oliver as he danced. He did pretty well, especially in the team match Quickstep where he came in fifth. Ran out of space on my memory card so unfortunately I didn’t get any of the Team Walk On or the team matches. :( Being up for about twenty hours and nineteen of those spent travelling or being at the competition… TIRING! Fun, but I need to remember to bring caffeine with me to the next one that I go to. Oh and a guy from the team took a photo of me asleep on the bus when we were coming back. I never realized how odd the position I sleep in on busses is. Sorta flopped over face down onto the seat next to me. It’s on Facebook if anyone’s interested.

Survey thingie

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:50:37 +0000

So I was kinda bored…

What is your name: Julia
Spell your name backwards: Ailuj
Date of birth: July 22nd
Male or female: Girl all the way
Astrological sign: Cancer
Nicknames: Juli
Occupation: Student/knitter
Height: about 5'6-ish I think
Weight: 85 kg (just lost 2 kg in the last month, w00t!)
Hair color: dark blone/light brown
Eye color: green/blue
Where were you born: Finland
Where do you reside now: Aberystwyth, Wales
Age: 22
Screen names: luliriisi pretty much everywhere, I’m nothing if not predictable
E-mail addy: I’m sure you could find out if you really wanted to…
What does your screen name stand for: It’s a variation of my first and middle names
What is your LJ name: Luliriisi
What does your LJ name stand for: Same answer as for #17
Pets: One dog, sorta. She (a German sheperd named Mocca) is at home and I wasn’t even there when they got her so… Well, she is kinda my dog too.
Number of candles you blew out on your last birthday cake: 1. It was actually one of those tea lights. XD
Piercings: Two pairs in the ears
Tattoo’s: Nada
Shoe size: Er, European 41/42, UK 8, US 11… I think.
Righty or lefty: Righty
Wearing: Black v-neck shirt, navy blue sweats, Gingerpeach Monkey socks! ^-^
Hearing: Lime&Violet, Ep. 45
Feeling: Bored and kinda itching to go back to knitting and anticipating tomorrow’s travelling.
Eating/drinking: Sparkling water

Guys/Love/Kissing/And Other Stuff

Have you ever been in love: Yep
How many people have you said “I love you” to: We’re not counting family and friends right? So then it’d be one.
How many people have you been in love with: One
How many people have you kissed: Still just the one
Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex: Nope
How many people have you dated: I’ve gone on dates, but actually had a relationship with? One
What do you look for in a guy/girl: Physically or personality-wise? I’ll just answer both. I’m really drawn to blue eyes and someone who is caring, makes me laugh more than makes me cry, makes me feel safe, is smart, someone I can talk to…
What’s the first thing you notice about the opposite sex: Their smile, hair or eyes. One of those three.
What type of guy/girl do you usually go for: The tall ones! Some of the questions are missing….
Do you have a crush right now: Yep
If so who is it?: The Cute Teacher, duh.
Do you believe in love at first sight: No
Do you remember your first love: Yep
Who is the first person you kissed: Oliver
Do you believe in fate: Yes and no…
Do you believe in soul mates: Kinda
If so do you believe you’ll ever find yours: I think I’ve already found one of them. ^_^

again, more missing questions

What I did during the past few days

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:28:28 +0000

Back in Aber again. But just for a few days. I’m going away again on Wednesday. And that means that I won’t be online a lot. Soooo here goes.

Let’s see… Wednesday was the party at Mel’s. ‘Twas fun, met *a lot* of new people. I did get pretty tired the closer it got to midnight though. It was a costume party. The host and hostesse were both dressed as geishas, there were two draculas, a Wonder Woman, Alice in Wonderland, a fox, and others dressed in random black outfits with white make-up and fake blood on their throats and stuff. I went as a gypsy. Well, tried to anyway. But since I had to travel in my outfit, I didn’t really do over the top make-up and stuff that probably would have made my outfit a bit better.

Juice is good

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:37:47 +0000

Decided not to go to class. Feeling pretty icky. So I’ll just sit here, drink a lot of tea and orange juice and hopehopehope that I’m better tomorrow. I’ve e-mailed my teacher, sent him this week’s assignment and asked him to e-mail me the task for next week. I figure that I can miss one class, especially since I *always* go to class unlike some of the other students I know. The latest excuse that I heard? “But I always go to the (something I can’t remember what) and of course, I drink when I go, so all of Tuesday is spent in bed recovering.” Geez. You’re paying tons of money in tuition and accommodation and you can’t drag your ass to class for four hours a week because you’d rather party??? Ugh. People like that annoy me. I feel like they don’t want to learn and are just dragging the rest of us down who actually do the work and show up every week. *rolls eyes*

It’s back…

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:57:14 +0000

I’m sick again. And I know why. It’s because there is no friggin’ heat in the building! Okay, after the gas leak they had to turn it off. I get that. But apparently they’ve tried turning it back on and now it doesn’t work. Grr. So now that means I can’t shower because of the lack of hot water. I don’t like cold showers on the best of days and now that I’ve got another cold, I’m not risking it. I slept in a lot of layers last night. As in I’m used to sleeping in just a T-shirt/tank top and pyjama bottoms (sometimes not even that) and last night? A turtleneck, sweater, sweatpants, gym socks and wool socks on top of that. And yet I’ve still got a cold. *rolls eyes* I’m vascillating on going to class today or not. Granted, I’ve only got four hours a week. But my voice is pretty much gone. If I go, it’ll just be to sit there and listen. Or I could just stay in here (in the cold no less) and drink a lot of honey tea and hope that I get at least a bit better before tomorrow. I could e-mail my teacher saying that I’m sick and if he could just e-mail me back with this week’s handout, I’ll do that assignment for next week.

Sad news

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:54:52 +0000

The person that fell into the sea last night? He drowned. :(

An interesting night

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:42:36 +0000

Okay, tonight has been odd to say the least. First of all, around nine p.m., the fire alarm went off. Nothing new there, right? Wrong. It went off because they needed to evacuate the buildings because there was a gas leak and we could have been blown to smithereens. And apparently, this gas has been present in the building for like four days. I thought I had smelled something off about twenty minutes before the alarm went off, but Lucy and Tash, two of Gabe’s flatmates, had been feeling ill and stuff and they’d told the porters about it. Several times. They hadn’t taken them seriously, but finally their foot stomping got someone to come up and check it out. Why yes, yes indeed, there’s a gas leak. *rolls eyes* So out we go. Thankfully we were allowed to go in Alexandra Hall to wait instead having to stay out in the cold and get wet from the sea spray. Remember when I said that there were big waves earlier today? Those were nothing compared to these waves (and actually, that surf is still crashing away there).

Huge waves outside

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:53:02 +0000

The waves are awesome. Big crashes every once in a while. ^-^

Did anyone else remember that we go back an hour today? Not complaining though. Now I feel like I’ve definitely got the time to listen to L&V! Squeee! (There was a new ep last night but I had to go to bed when I found out about it).

Then again, I am feeling a bit productive right now, so I just might write up the commentary for my second portfolio.

Desiring fiber

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:29:12 +0000

I want to buy yarn. Like now. From Lisa Souza. I (heart) Lisa Souza. I want the Alpaca Lace and some Sock! and Sock! Merino wouldn’t hurt either. And I would looooooooooove to get some silk as well. Any silk really. A silk blend even. And Lisa’s colors… *drool* I want Milk & Honey, Emerald City, Mars Quake, Aww-tum, Printemps, Earth Birth, Little Devil, Sky Drama… the list goes on and on and on. I want almost everything that she has dyed. Seriously.

Annoying day

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:31:26 +0000

*sigh* Today has been several things. Tiring (because I got up at eight when I’m used to staying in bed until 11), frustrating and annoying. The frustrating part came from people being unsure of when reading week *is* and misinforming us. It’s not Nov. 5-9, but a week later. And this little alteration screws up my plans for going to see Oliver. So now I’m still going to Sheffield on Halloween (with the stupid rail works causing disruptions no less) but I have to come back on Sunday. Then I’ve got another week of classes before I go back to Sheffield and spend the week there. Grr.

Accomplished

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:50:37 +0000

And, my dear friends, I believe I have just completed my first portfolio. 2,646 words about obsessions. And I didn’t even realize all of the pieces I wrote for the portfolio were about some sort of obsession until just now as I wrote the closing lines of my commentary. But yep, I quickly read through my portfolio and all five pieces are some form of an obsession.

Apparently, I am very interested in obsessions right now. At least I know I’m pretty good at writing about them. Y’see, today’s seminar was about how a piece of clothing tells you something about the person who owns/wears it. And I wrote a short piece about The Knitter who apparently is a bit loopy (I didn’t realize quite how crazy I had made them!) and everyone loved it. It was the only one that made people laugh and actually *talk* about.

O.P.I. rules!

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:58:56 +0000

Doing girly stuff makes me feel better. Like doing my nails. And taking frustrations out on stains on the counters and such.

Should I be worried?

Gah

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:02:21 +0000

If you ever want a clean(er) kitchen, get me annoyed.

That is all.

Eep!

Sun, 21 Oct 2007 00:25:43 +0000

Okay. Before I was anxious that I couldn’t reach the appropriate word limit. Now, I’m finding out that I actually might run out of space. I’ve got about 500 left to talk about two of my pieces in my portfolio. Can someone remind me next time that I *seriously* should not worry about not meeting the limit?

And I just realized how late it was. Gah, time flies when I write. Should go to sleep. Let’s just hope that I won’t have to stand outside for ten minutes in the cold at 5 a.m. again. Stupid fire alarm this/last morning…

One more entry before I go back to writing

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 23:03:27 +0000

Let me just say: THANK [insert your choice of deity here] I brought last year’s theory notes with me to Aber. This is why I don’t like to throw things away as soon as I’m done with them. I never know if I’ll need them again. Plus, there was still loads of space (ie empty pages) in the notebook and I hate to waste paper…

Found a "new" drink

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 22:31:30 +0000

I love love love honey tea. For the life of me, I can’t remember why I don’t buy honey unless I’ve got a cold. So there is one good thing about this cold. Rediscovering a lovely hot drink.

Been working on my portfolio and knitting Isabella.

Pigeons keep trying to fly into my room, but even though my window’s open, the gap’s not big enough for them to come in: Free entertainment. XD But, there happens to be pigeon crap in the kitchen because someone keeps leaving the window open and letting them in. I refuse to clean it up this time. I’ve already been suckered into obsessively cleaning the stove; I’m not wiping up pigeon droppings as well. That job can be left to the person who keeps using my utensils (I don’t mind that part) and washes them after use (don’t mind this either) but leaves the soap to dry onto them instead of rinsing. Grr. This does seem to be a British habit though. I can count on two fingers the number of British people I know who rinse the dishes after washing them. The rest… Yum, soap.

Late night productivity again

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 22:51:11 +0000

Okay, so on Tuesdays I go to “Writing Lives” (the one with Cute Teacher). This week’s assignment is to write something based on a person’s clothing. I asked if I could write about a WIP (work in progress for you non-knitters), he said that that would be okay “and it’s actually a really interesting and original idea”.

So, I just spent the last forty minutes writing about yarn. *grin* I get to have fun and join two of my passions (for a grade too!). How lucky am I? Now I guess I should either pick up the project I wrote about or work on my portfolio. Less than 11 days to go until it has to be done. :-S

And I’m sick

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:16:10 +0000

Yep, the cold that’s been going around finally caught up with me. At least I think it’s the cold. Sniffly nose, sore throat, runny eyes. But I also get chills and sometimes feel like throwing up. Those don’t sound like cold symptoms to me…

Half-way done!

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:41:17 +0000

I’ve got 1402 words so far. Maximum allowed is 3000. I’ll try to write the commentary about my other two pieces first to see if I need to write one more short piece to ramble on about in the commentary. So far I’ve managed to blather on about a 384 word piece for almost an equal amount in the commentary. Seriously, these people should not tell me to talk about my work. They can’t shut me up. When it’s written that is. If they ask me on the spot to explain my stuff, I freeze up. Ah well, such is life.

I actually seem to have a life

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:04:20 +0000

Went to a pub quiz tonight with Alison and her friends. Came in fourth. There was this one guy who gives me the heebiejeebies if I look at him too long. Especially if I look him in the eyes. I mean, he’s nice and funny and smart and all but just looking into his eyes makes me really uncomfortable which is really weird because I usually have no problem looking people in the eye. This guy though…*shakes head* Probably going again next week. :) I looked awesome tonight though, even if I do say so myself. My hair cooperated, make-up looked good and the shirt that I wore… Well, even though it was pretty low cut, I thought it looked great. And low cut shirts usually don’t look good on me because my “assets” aren’t big enough to make them worth it. But this shirt, *excellent* buy. ;) As Mel said, or so I’ve been told by Oliver, I at least know how to best “display” myself to make me seem bigger than I am. She had been talking about chest sizes with Oliver and he had said that he prefers smaller chests to big ones and that suprised her because Oliver seemed to go for well-endowed women. He pointed out that I’m not that big (seriously, my 36B is not big) and she doesn’t seem to agree with him… XD

happy dance

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:19:01 +0000

I’m in Ravelry! Squeeeeeeeeeeee! I’ve just spent thirty minutes organizing my stuff on there. No where near being complete, but it’s late and my eyes are going all blurry on me, so I should go to bed. Just one more: SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

P.S. I (heart) the way my Cute Teacher pronounces my name. ^_^

And the writing has begun

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:10:13 +0000

I like taking showers. They let me think. AND I get brilliant ideas for portfolios somewhere in between rinsing out the shampoo and slathering on the peppermint scented shower gel I bought from Bath & Body Works while I was in Montana. Just spent the last 45 mins writing and editing one piece of my portfolio that I need to get done before Halloween. Not bad, even if I say so myself. Some days, especially after writing a lot, I just feel like I’m a genius. Some of the stuff is pretty good actually. Or at least that’s how I’m feeling right now. Let’s wait until I actually have to hand it in and see if I’m sweating bullets then. XD Anyway, this portfolio isn’t due until Nov. 5th, but that’s reading week (which I’ll be spending in Sheffield) and I’m already going over to Oliver’s on Halloween, so I need to hand in my portfolio before I leave. Otherwise it’ll be very expensive to come here, drop it off and go back again or it’ll cost me a whole lot of points. Neither is an option I’m willing to entertain. So I’ve got about two weeks to get it done. I can work on my other portfolio while I’m in Sheffield since that isn’t due until the next Monday. Everyone is already talking about their dissertations and how they have no idea of what they’re going to do them on. I feel just a tad smug about my situation: One, my “dissertation” is only 6,000 words with a 2,000 word commentary (I swear, they need to let me write more than 6,000 words, that’s so not enough for someone like me who likes to ramble) and two, I’ve already begun mine and have about 3,000 words so far! And I’m not even past the introduction yet! Gah. I see lots of editing ahead of me. And I’m thinking about participating in NaNoWriMo this year. Don’t know if I have a whole 50,000 word novel in me, but hey, it’s an excuse to write (as if I need one). It’s gonna be a busy Novemeber. Especially if I decide to compete in the dance competitions as well!

Any day now…

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 09:57:12 +0000

Just wanted to say that I should be getting my Ravelry invite soon. As in there are about 1500 people in front of me on the list. Then me! That is all.

Proper update once I’ve gotten my assignment for Writing Lives done and Oliver has gone home again. :(

Exciting news!

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:58:42 +0000

Yesterday I heard that my first cousin Jenna is pregnant! *grin* The baby’s due in early April. Now, the question is: Do I make a baby blanket or a baby garment? And what color? No one knows the sex of the baby yet, so I’m thinking something like pastel yellow and spring green and sky blue. Staying away from pink. Maybe some lavender if it’s a blanket that I’m making…

Connected again

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:44:00 +0000

I love watching the sea. Especially when there are bigger waves than usual. Like right now. :)

My internet connection decided to die on me last night at around 8:30. Tried restarting, unplugging the cable, all that jazz. Nada. So this morning I called the Network helpline people (I got their number from reception downstairs). They said that they’re working on fixing it. Being the impatient being that I am sometimes, I decided to pay them a visit personally if the connection had not rectified itself by the time I had to leave. God, that sounds ominous. What I meant was that since I was going to be in that building today anyway (had to print off an assignment at the library) I’d stop by and ask again. So I did and they asked me all sorts of questions like do I know my IP address (yeah, right, I have the memorized just for emergencies like this *rolls eyes*) and did I have my laptop with me (Uh, no. It’s heavy. Not lugging it up the hill unless I really have to). Eventually, they wound up printing off some instructions on how to reconfigure my connection settings and if that didn’t solve it, I should bring my laptop up tomorrow for them to take a look at it and help me solve the problem. Luckily, their printed mojo worked. ^_^

Aah back to student life

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 07:34:20 +0000

Okay, so it’s 8:29 right now and I’ve been up for half an hour. We had a fire drill. >_< But the guy who was doing rolls call (he used to be a tutor of mine during my first year) said my name and then this look of realization dawned on his face I know this one!. Gotta love an unforgettable surname. ;)

I guess I should start doing stuff that can be crossed out of my to-do list. Yes, I made a to-do list last night. I think I’ll go do laundry. Seems the easiest right now.

Something I forgot to mention in my earlier post

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 20:13:17 +0000

Oh and last night, someone would just not lay off the intercom buzzer thing! It took me forever to realize that that sound wasn’t actually a part of my dream, then it took awhile for it to click in my head what the sound actually was (because it sure wasn’t the fire alarm and I know what that sounds like) and then stumble out of bed and as soon as I get to the intercom, it stops. I didn’t even have the chance to pick it up and ask really irritably who it was (because I’m still nice to total strangers [because the voices at the other end always equal “total stranger” in my head before I know who it is] even if they drag my carcass out of bed), before it stopped. Haven’t seen anyone in my flat today so I haven’t been able to ask them if they heard it too or *gasp* if they were the ones I hadn’t let in at quarter past three in the morning.

Apparently I’m predictable

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:18:33 +0000

Yesterday, the weather was gorgeous. The sun was out, it was warm, but there was a slight breeze to keep things cool enough. :) In the morning, I went to the Farmer’s Market kinda hoping to find some roving like I did in Montana, but I had a feeling that I wouldn’t find any. And I didn’t. I had also given myself a £5 spending limit and since I didn’t see anything at the market that I wanted, I went to Clare’s and bought one skein of Classic Yarns Cashsoft DK (57% extra fine merino, 33% microfibre, 10% cashmere) in a light grey for £2.50 (it was discounted because it was the last of the dyelot). Really pretty. And soft. And I have no idea what to make out of it. I’ve got about 130m/142yds of this and that’s not enough for a scarf. I don’t want to make a hat out of it. Or fingerless mitts. *sigh* Other news on the knitting front: I have finally gotten an idea of what to make for Christmas for Krisi. Not saying what, just in case she reads this, but I like it because it’ll be something practical and I get to do some stash busting. ^_^

Dancing

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:01:06 +0000

I (heart) dancing. Especially when it’s with a guy who knows what they’re doing! Or even sort of close to knowing what’s supposed to be done. Today, at dance practice, I danced with four guys: Luke, Pete, Martin and Jan. In that order. Each time getting better than the last. From the beginning then. Luke is a beginner. We did waltzed together. He kinda forgot steps, but that’s okay seeing as this was his second lesson ever. (He kinda looks like Ron Weasley. As in the way I imagined Ron Weasly to look like before I say any of the movies.) Then it was time for Quickstep. That I started out dancing with Pete. It went okay. I don’t think that he was taking it too seriously though. He feels more like a “fun” person than someone who actually wants to practice dancing. Soon though, he had to go do some team stuff, so he passed me onto Martin, another guy from the “team”. Quickstepping with Martin was a whole lot more fun than with Pete. I think it’s because Martin actually did seem to want to practice and neither one of us was too clear about doing the turning so we kinda learned how to do that together. Plus, he was fun to talk to while we danced. Then came Jan. Wonderful dancing Jan. He’s from Holland and has been dancing for five years. An excellent leader I must say. He had me doing twirly things and stuff. Made me actually feel like I could dance. We only had time to do the cha-cha (or is it chacha?) before we (as in the whole dance group) were kicked out of the room because the stupid Sports Cage had double-booked the room and hadn’t told us about it. Grr.

Two types of cuteness

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:42:59 +0000

Type one: Okay, so a recap of Tuesday: OMG my teacher is so hot! I mean, seriously. I am so lucky to see him once a week for two hours at a time. *grin* He just seems to exude this confidence, an intellectual sexiness. He seems to be the type of person who’d know how good wines. It’s some sort of finesse that he’s got. Plus, he’s young-ish. As in I doubt that he’s much over thirty, if that. Unless he’s got really good genes like Steve who just doesn’t seem to age (I swear, he looks pretty exactly the same now that he’s 39/40 [can’t remember which] as he did when he was 20). Okay, so my teacher’s kinda got this camp thing going on, so I’m not too sure if he’s gay or not, but that does *not* detract from his attractiveness. And my flatmate Hannah agrees with me! So it’s not just me with weird taste. If someone else thinks that he’s gorgeous as well, then he must be. ;)

My tutor is trying to kill me

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 08:23:28 +0000

Okay, so the earliest class I have so far is at 11:10 a.m. Now, that may not sound so bad, but I need to leave an hour before class starts, otherwise I’m all icky and sweating when I get to class. And I need to be up two hours before that to make breakfast and pack a lunch since I’m not coming back to my room in between class and dance practice. So that means I have to get up at 8. Not so easy when you consider that I keep staying up until at least midnight just working on creative stuff (like Christmas presents!). So I’ve been up since 8. I made breakfast (that was a fiasco in itself, I kept spilling stuff everywhere and it just wasn’t pretty) and when it finally was done, I decided to check my e-mails. I got one from my Writing Project tutor. She just gave a basic outline of what we need to bring to our next session which she wants to have next Wednesday at 9 a.m.! Meaning that I need to get up at six a.m. *weeps* Oh, and I know that she means well by wanting us to be structured in our writing and that it’s supposed to help us but I just don’t write like that. I go where the story takes me. I don’t write it all up and do literary research in advance. It’s more like: “Oh hey, this guy seems to want to talk about trains. Guess I should look up some stuff,” instead of deciding before I even start writing “This guy is a train addict.” Plus, I’ve already got a story I want to work on that I’ve already written. I don’t see a point in me starting a new story because that’s something I know how to do (you should see the amount of drafts and just one page scenes I’ve accumulated); I’d rather work hard at revising what I already have to make it as close to being published as possible. Well, I’m meeting her later today so I’ll discuss it with her then.

Pipe tea

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:59:13 +0000

My tea tastes of pipes. :(

And I overslept again. I really need to stop staying up until two. Although, that is when I get my brilliant creative ideas for stuff. Like last night I was working on my mom’s Christmas present. And no, it’s not knitted.

In which we are again ten

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:04:39 +0000

I was just reading Miss Violet’s (of the hilarious Lime&Violet podacast) old LJ entries and came upon this question:

If you could meet yourself at aged ten, what would the ten year old you think of who you are today?

She’d be surprised that I’m so into knitting (especially since I wasn’t too keen on it when I had to do it at school). Actually, the 10 y/o me would probably think that I was nuts when she found out about my stash. ^_^;; She’d be pretty impressed that I *can* actually speak French (even if it isn’t the greatest in the world) and glad that I’d had the chance to live in the States for a year. She’d also probably be comforted to know that eventually I did get a boyfriend who’s really great. She’d most likely offer me ice cream to make me feel better. Think that it’s no wonder that I moved to the UK since I like tea so much. And wonder why I *still* don’t have my driver’s license. Be amazed that I actually like dogs now and would prefer to get a puppy as a pet instead of a kitten.

Small town life

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:28:13 +0000

It was the weirdest thing. I was walking down Marine Terrace, going over my shopping list in my head and I see a guy with longish strawberry blonde hair coming towards me. We both do a double take before saying “Hi!” It was Tucker from UM! It was kind of surreal realizing that I know this person who I just happened to take a class with last autumn in the States and now he’s just someone I can run into at the oddest times.

Nothing too special. Basically just an update of the last two days

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:01:51 +0000

Why won’t the red just fade away? I mean, it says that it will on the package. It’s all gone from most of my hair, it’s just being really persistent at the roots for some strange reason. I wonder what would happen if I just added some honey blonde color on top? Would it turn orange?

Went out last night with Gabe. Met some international students, had a tour of Aber and then had coffee in this great little place called Fresh Ground Café. Afterwards, Gabe and I just hung out. Well, I kinda made him stay late because I had a latte and I was wired and I wanted company. I was up until three a.m. No, he didn’t stay that late, only until like 11:30, but I was up just watching Desperate Housewives and playing Minesweeper until three.

Now I need to learn how to keep time…

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:07:26 +0000

I just joined Aberystwyth’s Dance team. Cost me £38 (because I need a Club Sporty card to join and that costs £33 *rolls eyes*). But I will be getting exercise at least twice a week, three times if I can be bothered to go there on Friday nights as well. I tried convincing Gabe to join as well, but he is resolutely set against dancing. More of an intellectual guy he is. *nods*

And I just did a Joey Tribbiani

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:29:11 +0000

I just licked my teaspoon and put it back in the drawer (it’s the only yellow spoon there is and it’s only used for tea anyway).

So as the admirable Chandler Bing put it: “You licked… you licked and you put!” XD

I’m in Aber!

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:12:39 +0000

My dad did eventually show up at 10 a.m. He’d been stuck on the M1 for two hours. So we quickly packed up the car and off we went! Let me just say that the road from Sheffield to Glossop has some really beautiful scenery. The Peak District is awesome. ^-^ So is Northern Wales. The dense greenery, the huge Bala Lake that we passed, the hilly-ness of it all. Love love love. And speaking of wonderful views… I LOVE my room! It’s right on the seafront. I wake up to hearing the waves crashing on the beach, then I get to see it once I’ve opened the curtains that just let the light flood in. The way the sea changes color and is multiple colors at the same time. The white caps all over dotting the surface. How the peeking sunlight forces its way through the clouds. The wind blowing seamist everywhere… Can you tell yet that I adore this place?

Going back to school

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 07:09:31 +0000

And now I’m just waiting for my dad to show up with the car so that we can drive to Aberystwyth. I’ve been up since 6:45… Feeling a bit nauseous actually. Then again, that is how I always feel when I have to get up really early. But I think a part of it is nervous-ness as well. I still haven’t heard back from the Accommodation Office (I’ve e-mailed them twice, letting them know that I won’t be arriving until today). I have no idea where my dad is right now. I know that he was supposed to get off the ferry at four a.m. and according to Google, it should take about four hours to get here. Which means that he should be here right about now. So…

Knitting related ramblings

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:08:30 +0000

Let me just say this: a desire to start another project can really speed up your knitting, even when it is cables! I swear, I detest this intricate cabling because it takes up so much time. I’m really into instant gratification, which is why I knit socks a lot because I can pretty much churn out a pair in a weekend. AND it looks like I’m making a lot of progress. I know I can do shawls; I just finished one a few weeks ago. Plus, I’m a fast knitter. I’ve been called a knitting machine by several individuals. So why why why does cabling have to take up so much time? >_<

Kimono Shawl

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:37:28 +0000

And the shawl is done! o/

Go lookie!

And this is why I keep getting called Fergie by Bob

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:04:01 +0000

Just click here and you shall see what I looked like last Saturday. It has pretty much washed out by now, though. If you don’t know the password, leave me a comment or e-mail me and I just might give it to ya. XD

Grr… stupid cotton

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:47:20 +0000

I bought this fabulous knitting pattern from Cookie A called the Twisted Flower sock. Sure, the cabling can get annoying at times and my fingers hurt a bit and I’ve had a cable needle in my mouth pretty much all day, but all in all, I really like the pattern. It’s well written and the chart is easy to follow and after doing it for awhile, I just keep it there beside me as a security blanket in case I mess up.

Sorting Hat meme

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:35:10 +0000

Your Score: RAVENCLAW!

You scored 24% Slytherin, 44% Ravenclaw, 28% Gryffindor, and 28% Hufflepuff!

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind.

Ravenclaws are known for their intelligence, ingenuity, and lifelong thirst for knowledge.

Link: The Sorting Hat Test written by leeannslytherin on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Gee, I would never have guessed this result. XD

MA possibilities

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:07:59 +0000

I think I know where I’d like to go do an MA if I decide to do one. Manchester offers an MA in Creative Writing where the “dissertation” is a piece of creative writing of 15,000 words. Sounds a whole lot better than having to do an actual dissertation. But the thing is, they only take 36 students. So I don’t really know what my chances are of getting in the program. I mean, I could do an MA at Sheffield, but they don’t offer Creative Writing MAs. Which means that I’d have to do an actual dissertation in literature or history or something. Just writing a 3000 word essay makes me feel like banging my head against a wall so the thought of writing something that’s five times the length of my previous essays… :( At least I’ve got until February before I have to hand in my application to Manchester. And, if I do get in to Manchester, then it’s only a 50 min commute by train from Sheffield (where I’ll be living with Oliver). So it’s doable. Knitting time! :D

Yes, I am still alive…

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:25:39 +0000

Yes, I know it’s been ages since I’ve updated, but I just haven’t been online that much lately. Right now, most of my time goes to knitting my “Japanese Kimono Shawl” (made with 100% bamboo yarn!). The pattern I got from Cheryl Oberle’s “Folk Shawls” book. Anyways, that’s taking up a lot of time during the day when Oliver’s at work (I get to watch the Crime & Investigation channel, The History Channel and Dr. Phil all day with Oliver’s mom Jill). Then when he gets back, usually a bit before six, we play Civ4 Beyond The Sword and then later watch a few episodes of ‘Allo ‘Allo. Good show that one, I recommend to… well, anyone really. It’s funny. :D So that’s basically what I’ll be doing until September.

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:03:00 +0000

I went to donate blood yesterday. Well, tried to donate would be more appropriate. When they pricked my middle finger to test my iron level, the blood squirted out and scared the nurse. XD But since they’ve got a high cut-off level (125) to make sure that once the blood has been donated that the iron levels won’t drop below normal, I wasn’t allowed to donate since I was at 120. First time that has happened. Ah well, after 90 days I can try again. And that time I’ll also see if I can donate platelets. ^_^

Figured I needed to update…

Thu, 31 May 2007 15:42:18 +0000

Okay folks, not much has happened since I got back to the UK. I stay in all day watching TV and knitting (and doing Hanjie and sometimes reading too…). Plus, I clean around the house when everyone else is out because I don’t want to get in their way, nor have them in my way. I disagree with some of the ways that things are done around here, but it is their house, not mine, so I won’t say anything. I’ve been out with Jill (Oliver’s mom) twice now since she has the week off work. A lot of walking around markets and such. Bought 900g of yarn yesterday in Barnsley, so I’ve got enough to make me a sweater. 80/20 blend of acrylic and wool, but it was cheap so I figured I might as well. At least I can throw it in the washing machine instead having to hand wash it.

Just waiting for my RA to check me out of my room…

Thu, 10 May 2007 22:44:37 +0000

I can’t wait to leave! I’ve had a great time here, really glad I came, but right now I’m just feeling really antsy. I want to see Oliver!

Oooh, pretty lightning.

*waits*

And there’s the thunder. :D

Tonight’s gonna be fun though. Spending the night at Brandie’s. A bunch of us are going to order pizza and watch movies. Then she’ll drop me off at the airport in the morning. :) Hmm, maybe I can convince her to get up early with me and we’ll get breakfast at Denny’s or something like that. Dunno.

Protected: And the results are in!

Thu, 10 May 2007 21:40:54 +0000

I now finally have all of my evaluations. Did better than last semester. :)

Creative Writing: A Seduction: A- Medieval Lit: A- Northern Ireland’s Trouble: B

Squee! o/

A revelation

Thu, 10 May 2007 16:39:39 +0000

I’ve been sneezing a lot lately and my eyes have been watering as well. And now my nose is a bit stuffed up and itchy. For awhile, I thought that I was coming down with a cold. Then, as I was walking back from the bank (just closed my accounts and they snipped up my pretty gold card ;_; oh well), it hit me. I’m allergic to something. What? No clue. Some kind of pollen possibly. Sort of relieved that I’m not sick, but this’ll stay with me for the rest of my life. Appearing every year. Fun stuff. :P

Mini update about yarn and knitting

Tue, 08 May 2007 02:07:26 +0000

Went shopping today. Bought sock yarn from Joseph’s Coat. I’ve got 3 ounces of Brown Sheep Company’s Enchanted Forest for Jaz’s socks, 3 oz of Brown Sheep Company’s something (it’s a really awesome pink) for me and Lanett’s 100% superwash merino wool in Lavender for Jade’s socks. To see pics of Jaz’s and Jade’s yarns, go here. Don’t have a pic of my bright pink yarn yet.

I also finished my second Pomatomus. I’ve also taken pics of those, my Diamante socks and my still unfinished Branching Out scarf (it’s real purdy and soft and squishy and I just love it!). That scarf will be awesome once it’s blocked.

It’s hailing… hail

Fri, 04 May 2007 19:36:49 +0000

Yep, it’s May and we’ve got white mountains! It started yesterday with the freezing rain and today we got hail. It’s so unfair. On Tuesday, wonderful weather. Like +25C (or high 70s, low 80s for you Farenheit folks). And now it’s cold. >_<

I’ve been working on some Pomatomus socks in this pretty self-striping red/pink/orange/white with black twisted around it. I was a bit iffy about doing the pattern at first, but I decided to give it a go, since it is a Cookie A pattern. She does wonderful patterns. You know the pink socks that I made? Hedera was her pattern. I’m thinking of buying her Rhiannon and Gothic Spires patterns, but I haven’t quite made up my mind yet.

The Lime & Violet effect on me

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:50:21 +0000

And I am done! o/ I have finished all of my long papers that are due. All I have to do now, is to print them out. And write one more one page paper. But I can have that done in like an hour. So whee! *spins on an imaginary swivel chair*

Played Scrabble last night with Anika, Rey and Kaiser. It was fun. I lost, but I don’t care. XD And speaking of losing, my notebook disappeared. I’m pretty sure I took it up there, but halfway through the game, it went poof! So… no knitting patterns for me. :( But they said that they’ll give it back if it pops up. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed. It’s got stuff in it that I’d like to have back…

See, shoes are amazing. Even stalkers think so!

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:32:26 +0000

Okay, so, I’m walking up the stairs in Miller after lunch reading the school paper. This guy suddenly asks me: “Are they suede?” “What?” *looks down at the blue high heels* “Your shoes, are they suede?” “I dunno.” *keeps reading* “Heh, blue suede shoes.” And so I keep walking and reading my paper, I’m heading down the hall when the same guy asks: “D’you have the time?” “Yeah. It’s 11:40.” “Thanks. *pause* What’s your name?” At this point I’m thinking: wait, why are you still talking to me? But I figured he might be visiting someone on my floor. But then he keeps talking and following me! We wind up at my door and at this point, he’s like: “You’re very pretty. Are you single?” Cue in me going: O_O “Thank you. And no.” But the persistent little bugger starts talking to me about religion! And no, he’s not trying to convert me, since he does not profess to be of any religion himself and doesn’t press on about me stating that I’m an atheist. I mean, really. I’m giving off obvious vibes of wanting to get away from this guy and he still keeps talking. I’m all flattered and all about him thinking that I’m pretty (even though I so obviously was not looking my best), after I tell you that I am so not single, it means GO AWAY.

Unintended punning (most of which only I’ll get, but oh well)

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:11:02 +0000

Feeling less guilty now. I started my final paper tonight. I only have like the introductory paragraph written and it’s only a provisional one, but it’s still something. And I named my paper too! Heh, I just realized that pun. I’m writing about how names affect identity. ^-^;; And the reason why I was feeling guilty was that I did not do any homework on Monday or yesterday. Brain go kaplou-ey from the riddle essay that I churned (another pun! what is it with me tonight??) out during the weekend.

Spendy spendy…

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 04:44:51 +0000

And I just spent £29 on knitting books. But I really wanted them. One is about socks, two are about lace and the fourth… well, it’s called Naughty Needles. So I guess it’s not that bad, four books for under thirty pounds. Plus, free shipping! I always try to get the free shipping.

What else… well, the weekend’s essay extravaganza kinda fried my brain. But I now have two revised final papers. Yay me. Still have to write that last one. Urgh. I so don’t feel like it. But yes, due to the brain fry-age, all I did yesterday was knit! (Like that’s anything new.) I finished my first ever toe-up sock. I made the Diamante sock pattern from Knitty.com with the Lisa Souza Sock! Merino (100% Superwash Merino) in the Lime&Violet colorway. It’s soooo pretty. And as I was showing off my beautiful new sock to people in my classes today, I got comments like: “Y’know, if my knitting was this even, it’d be all I’d do all day” and “You are a knitting machine.” So yay! There will be pics, but right now I just don’t have the time to take them, load them onto my computer, make them suitable for the blog, upload them, create the page and do the links… That takes some effort, y’see. And I have an essay to write. And another Diamante sock to knit.

Annoyances here and there

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:25:32 +0000

Augh. I’m just so annoyed at certain people right now. One of them is definitely someone I can avoid; just a little click and I don’t have to put up with them anymore, so that’s what I did. ^-^ The other… not as easily dealt with. Not going to say more about it now, things might change tonight, but seriously, you’re 21. Act like it.

One down, one to go!

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:14:33 +0000

Yay, go me. I have finished my first Hedera sock! It’s soooooo pretty and warm (well duh, since it is 100% superwash merino wool). And for your enjoyment, I’ve taken pictures! Just go here to see them.

Genesis 19:30

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:14:14 +0000

Okay, so I’m not religious at all, but due to my Medieval Lit class, I’m reading riddles. One of the riddles goes like this:

A man sat sozzled with his two wives, his two sons and his two daughters, darling sisters, and with their two sons, favoured firstborn; the father pf that fine pair was in there too, and so were an uncle and a nephew. Five people in all sat under that same roof.

Drop dead tired (but still gorgeous!)

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 00:05:03 +0000

I am about to conk out. I’ve been up since 3am (went to bed at 11pm, so only four hours of sleep) because I had a 6:00 am flight. And since it was out of O’Hare, it meant that I had to get there early. Good thing I got there there on time too, since the check-in line was huge, the security line was even longer and then there were about thirty passengers on stand-by because they had oversold the flight. *rolls eyes* But I got to Missoula alright; just had dinner with Megan, Jeff and Ethan with a few others joining us a bit later. I finished my Medieval Lit homework even though I really really really didn’t feel like doing that. But it’s done. So yay me. :)

I’ve got mail!

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:08:08 +0000

Okay, so this like totally made my day: Miss Lime, from the Lime & Violet podcast, e-mailed me back! I’ve been grinning all day. I feel like I’ve been in contact with a celebrity or something. I mean, I know, not many non-knitters know who she is, but… !!! Oh and Brenda Dayne. We all worship her. *nods*

And then, to make my day even better, Lisa from Lisa Souza Knitwear and Dyeworks e-mailed me a little bit later on to tell me she’s shipping my yarn tomorrow! Squeeeeee!! So yes, I did wind up buying two skeins from Lisa Souza. I can’t wait to have it. =D

Tough choices

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 05:01:28 +0000

What to do, what to do? I have found some really awesome looking yarn at www.lisaknit.com. It’s 100% Superfine Merino Superwash Hand Dyed Sock Yarn and I would just love to have it in Violet’s Pink Ribbon and Lime & Violet colorways. But Milk & Honey and Gingerpeach look just delicious as well! It’s $16 per skein, 560 yds in a skein so really, it’s not a bad deal at all considering that it’s 100% merino wool that’s hand dyed and it’d probably cost me about the same to get that kind of quality from a local shop that doesn’t even have that pretty colors. The shipping is $1.59 for one skein, $2.55 for two, and three would be $4.00. But how can I justify buying more yarn right now? How???? Agh, the choices I have to make. I dunno, should I just go ahead and order two skeins? If I get the Violet ones (named after Miss Violet and Miss Lime from the Lime & Violet podcast) then some of the proceeds will go to them and help pay for Miss Violet’s medical expenses… so I’d be doing a good thing, right?? I soooooooo want that yarn! What do I do?

The Best Comment EVER

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:25:20 +0000

Today, Austin told me in his critique of my story that I “could be the Joseph Conrad of our generation if you stick to it, which I’m positive you will”.

!!!

*grin*

Okay, so Nathan is like the most critical person in my creative writing group. And he gave me, not a good, but glowing review in his critique. Really makes me like him a lot more now. Well, he had been growing on me, so this just cemented it. If he likes my stuff, he can’t be all that bad. XD And of course, Sam’s and Lela’s and Sarah’s reviews were all excellent too. Mark’s was nicely constructive. ^_^

Knitting ramblings

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 05:53:57 +0000

Well, I am so disappointed. I just found out that the Woolfest UK is taking place this year during the time that I won’t be in the UK. Damn. Damn damn damn! And there is no way that I can make it because my sister is graduating on June 20th (or maybe it was a bit later than that…) and her birthday is very soon in July after that. So there would be no point in me nipping over to Cumbria during that time. Urgh.

Mrs Beeton and podcasts

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:52:44 +0000

I have just finished my first pair of Mrs Beetons! Yay! o/ They’re really pretty. I did have to modify the pattern just a bit to suit the yarn I wanted to use and I had to leave out the beads. But I think they look great. :) I will put up a picture, eventually, along with a pic of the scarf I made for Marissa. The pattern for the Mrs Beetons (they’re wristwarmers, I just noticed I hadn’t actually explained what they were) can be found in the Knitty.com archives and it’s by a woman called Brenda Dayne.

EVE Online Time Cards - 60 days for $34.99

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:39:51 +0000

You can pay for EVE Online in two ways, either a with a credit/debit card subscriptions or with time cards. Time cards were traditionally bought in shops and provided people with plastic (usually under 18s) a way t pay for online games. I’m telling you this now for two reasons:

Firstly, to advertise blatant links for an affiliate scheme I joined that sells them. The actually seller is Shattered Crystal whom I buy from myself.

Goddamn arsonists

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 11:48:36 +0000

Some brainiac decided to set fire to the posters on the fifth floor (apparently the ones where it says no smoking/fires/candles/etc). So I have been up since 2 a.m. That makes it almost THREE HOURS now. Grrr… I really feel like smacking whoever did it. I’m tired, I’m cold, I’m wet (it’s snowing pretty heavily out there). I feel like having a tantrum. But I won’t, since I’m not three years old unlike the person(s) who caused this misery. So I’ve decided that I’ll stay up until 6 am when the gym opens, go do my workout, shower and then sleep.

Greek Mythology Test Result

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 22:04:58 +0000

, you’re now logged in!

Below you’ll find your test result. After, continue on to your homescreen to discover what we’re about.

continue to OkCupid homescreen >

The Oracle
33% Extroversion, 100% Intuition, 16% Emotiveness, 71% Perceptiveness

Heuristic, detached, and analytical to a fualt, you are most like The Oracle. You are able to tackle any subject with a fine toothed comb, and you possess an ability to pinpoint nuances and shades of meaning that other people do not have and cannot understand. Accomplishment and realization of ideas are, for you, secondary to the rigorous exploration of ideas and questions – you are, first and foremost, a theorist. You hate authority, convention, tradition, and under no circumstances do you accept a leadership role (although, you will gladly advise leadership when they’re going astray, whether they want you to or not). Abstraction and generalities are your interests, details and particulars are usually inconsequential and uninteresting. You excel at language, mathematics and philosophy.

Rambling on about various things like brain farts…

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 15:53:42 +0000

Would you look at that. It’s five in the afternoon on a Friday and I’ve only got two bits of reading left to do until my homework’s all done. w00t!

Going out to eat with Marissa, Michelle, Natalie and Erin tonight. We’re all going to the movies afterwards. Gonna see US vs. John Lennon or whatever it’s called and then straight after that Marie Antoinette. It’s over at the UC and it’s only $4 for both movies if you’re a student. :)

Mocca!

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 20:16:11 +0000

Our puppy is gorgeous! *grin* They got Mocca yesterday. Just absolutely adorable. Let me know if you want to see a pic. :)

Supremacy

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:31:02 +0000

Supremacy is a Risk clone I wrote in Shockwave a while ago. I recently found it and decided to put it back for the world to see :)

Play Supremacy

It used the original 42 countries from Risk, has no continent bonuses or Risk cards. And has a few bugs regarding the number of reinforcements it says you have. It’s also quite fun to watch six computer players play against each other…

Mini-update

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:33:48 +0000

I am sooooo tired. I was up for 26 hours yesterday. Then during the night I kept waking up every hour to check what time it was because I was paranoid that I wouldn’t wake up when my alarm went off. So now… well, feeling weird. I’m tired, but I know that if I try to nap, I’ll just lie in bed fully awake. So I don’t know what I’ll do. Kinda hungry, but I can’t be bothered to actually go find something to eat. Need to go buy milk though. Hmm, I’ll do that a bit later.

Christmas Eve Eve

Sat, 23 Dec 2006 23:38:11 +0000

*yawn* I am so tired. Should go to bed, but I just don’t feel like it just yet.

Well, I’ve finished wrapping up everyone’s presents. Did a little tidying up, otherwise I’ll get yelled at tomorrow. Why does Mom make Christmas into such a stressfest for herself? Okay, so the house isn’t spotless. Who cares? As long as there isn’t any dirt on the floor and things are sort of neat, it should be good enough. But yay, presents tomorrow! o/ I really want to give my mom her present. And if she doesn’t like it (which I doubt), well I’ll just take it. It was hard enough parting with it as it is. XD

So true XD

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 00:29:59 +0000

Crackpot - INTJ
20% Extraversion, 60% Intuition, 53% Thinking, 86% Judging People hate you.

Paris Hilton hates Nicole Richie. Lex Luther hates Superman. Garfield hates Mondays.
But none these even rates against the insurmountable hate, people have for you.

I mean, you’re pretty damn clever and you know it. You love to flaunt your potential. Heard the word “arrogant” lately? How about “jerk?” Or perhaps they only say that behind your back.

Papers and stuff

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 01:01:49 +0000

Yayness, I’ve completed my Shakespeare paper. And my very lovely friend Gabe read it over for me and helped me tweak it. Yes, Gabe, the nit-pickiness is very good. My teacher used to be a lawyer so he wants evidence to back up any claims that we make in our papers. I’m so relieved that that’s over and done with. I’ve also finished my extra credit paper for that class, but I’d still want someone to look it over for me.

Le sigh

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:07:55 +0000

Well, Oliver left yesterday morning. Not really a fun way to start December. But I will get to see him in about four weeks. Now only if I had a ticket to get out of Missoula… XD To make myself feel a bit better last night, I watched Bridget Jones’s Diary. It really did lift my mood. Colin Firth is just so happiness inducing. What I’d really like would be the Pride and Prejudice movie that he stars in. At least I’ve got the Keira Knightley version of it for my PSP. Something to keep me occupied during my layovers. :)

An hour left!

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 05:13:28 +0000

*grin*

He should be landing in about an hour! I’ve got my hair all nice and curled, put on a nice dress after I showered, gonna wear my new boots… Yep, I’m ready. God, an hour is such a long time to wait… But Meesh wants to go get a smoothie, so I guess that’ll kill some time.

Squee!!!

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:31:32 +0000

Three good things that are making me giddy, in ascending importance: 1) Sci-fi class was cancelled 2) Justin (the really cute guy) talked to me 3) Oliver’ll be here tomorrow!!!!

So yay! Oliver’ll get in tomorrow evening at 11 pm. I cannot stop grinning. I get to see and be with my sweetie tomorrow night! *squeeeeeeeeeeee* Two whole weeks of being together. I can’t wait! Seriously, it’s been so long and he’s finally coming over and… lol, well, yesterday Katie told me to stop being so giddy because it was making her giddy. These emotions just rub off really easily among us girls. XD

Road trip!

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 05:15:07 +0000

Well, today was election day over here, but since I ain’t no US citizen, I can’t vote. (Oh dear Lord I need to get rid of the fake Southern accent I’m using. It just sounds so bad. *cringe*) Anyway, because it is Election Day, nothing over here was open. At least not on campus. All classes were cancelled. So yesterday afternoon, we all just decided on a whim to go over to Alysha’s in Thompson Falls. That’s like a two hour drive from Missoula. But we had fun. Michelle and I met Corey’s grandfather, who was interesting, to say the least. He’s the one who gave us two shots of tequila each. It was my first time trying it and even though it wasn’t bad, I still prefer whiskey. Alysha thought it’d be fun to videotape us taking the first shots, so we’ve got that on my camera. XD Apparently, the two shots really affected Michelle but it didn’t really do anything to me. They thought it was hilarious that after two shots of tequila, I decide to start working on Shakespeare and actually come up with good stuff for my essay (yay, it’s finally done!).

Hard to believe it’s already November

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:18:31 +0000

It is soooooooooooooo cold over here. The weekend was fine. Around +15C. Then Monday morning I wake up to snow on the rooftops. Been freezing ever since. *rolls eyes* But I like it. Even if I do have a slight cough left over from Saturday’s really weird illness I had. Oliver almost scared me into thinking that I had meningitis. But after sleeping for like 11 hours, I felt fine. Now I’m just a bit stuffy.

Disclosure Policy

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 15:34:47 +0000

This policy is valid from 30 October 2006.

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact Oliver Brown.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

Language Search

Fri, 27 Oct 2006 11:15:26 +0000

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Strange dreams

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:21:16 +0000

Well, I had another really strange dream. The first time (which was the night before last) the UM clocktower had planted itself onto Miller Hall, I was late for Shakespeare class and forgot my book (which Oliver brought to me) and the Weasley twins were dressed as a ghost and a sunflower on the roof and they were stealing my laundry through the window. Very strange indeed. And then last night, I was sitting in a convertible with some auburn haired guy that I was dating (while I was in a relationship with Oliver too) and we were taking a drive during the evening/night. It was spring/summer. I looked up at the sky and saw the letters M-A-R-R forming. I looked at him in surprise and asked was he seeing this too. He pulled over and said keep reading. I turned my gaze back to the sky and saw the words: “Marry me” formed by the stars. Gaping, I turned back to him and asked how he had managed to do that. He was holding my left hand and had slipped a ring on my ring finger. Eyes wide, I looked at him then the message again and then I stuttered: “I-I-I have to think about it. I’ll get back to you in a week.” Then at the ice skating rink, my aunt saw the ring and was all excited that I was engaged. Then she saw that it was made of plastic. I hurriedly explained that he didn’t have much money and that it was the thought that mattered. The rest of the dream I spent contemplating whether to say yes and whether to tell Oliver about this if I decided to say no. Then I woke up.

You have to read this outloud. We have forks

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 02:00:12 +0000

Well, I feel like I should update. So here goes: classes are going fine. Having fun with Michelle and Alysha. Getting sloshed right now. Well, they are, I’m still pretty sober. There was a load of fog this morning. Couldn’t see the mountains at all. Sorta strange when walking to class and not seeing them. Didn’t feel right. Handed in my Shakespeare paper today. Hope I did okay. Need to buy another paper diary, finished off the last one last night. Saw the exchange student lady today, got my advising PIN so I can register for classes next Monday. Hope I get into the ones I want. Wasted a lot of time playing Sims2 this weekend. One of them died because his wife’s plant ate him. ;_; Bleh, I can’t really be bothered to go into detail about everything. So that’ll have to do for now.

Squirrels attack!

Sat, 07 Oct 2006 18:56:31 +0000

Yay, I’ve finished off my bibliography which is due on Monday, and started the two big-ish things that are due the week after: my short story and my Shakespeare paper. I’m feeling very productive right now for some reason. Not complaining though. ^-^

Also, the blanket I’m crocheting is coming along nicely. It’s way too small if I keep it at the 48 squares the instructions tell me to make, so I’m making it bigger. 5x6 or 5x7 instead of the 3x4. We’ll have to see once I’ve attached the rest of the squares I’ve made so far. And, I’ve finished my mom’s present. It’s so nice, I almost want to keep it for myself. But I won’t. I chose everything for her and it’s gonna be hers. I’ll just have to make one for myself at some point. There will be pics up of them eventually.

Weekend!

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:44:15 +0000

It’s really really warm in our room for some reason. I have the shades drawn so the sun won’t be glaring with full force into the room (our window faces to the South) but it’s not making it much better. The windows are as open as they can be (which no doubt will invite the stink bugs in!) but, again, it’s not any better. Oh! We have a fan, I’ll just turn that on now.

Genealogia.fi

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 04:31:29 +0000

OMG this is soooooo cool! I found the Finnish correspondent to Ancestry.co.uk and I just found people I’m related to! *does a happy dance* I soooooooooooo happy now! I’ll get no school work done this weekend because of this! *major grin* When I saw that it actually works, I almost cried, I’m that happy!!!

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 22:39:56 +0000

Gabez - Sep 4, 2006

Suddenly “I don’t understand anything!111” is constructive criticism? Oh, well, happy to help anyway! Let me know how it went. Also, I want to go ice-skating even though I’m rubbish at it.

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 22:39:56 +0000

I got my story finished on Saturday thanks to Gabe. ^-^ All I need to create masterpieces (okay, so it’s not a masterpiece really, but it’s an interesting story anyway) is some constructive criticism. Just simple things like what wasn’t clear/needs more explaining, a certain sentence sounds funny, etc. So thank you Gabe! *huggle* Now I just have to go make a gazillion copies for everyone in my class. Okay, so it’s just 15 copies, but that’s fifteen times ten pages with a page being five cents. Why can’t we just e-mail them to each other?

Who’s hammered?! =D

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 06:34:14 +0000

Apparently there’ll be snow here tomorrow, but it won’t stick to the ground. But we will have heavy duty snow before Halloween according to one of Michelle’s parents’ friend’s son that lives in Missoula. o/

And I’m really drunk right now. Baaaaaaaaad Michelle. Bad bad bad. But apparently I’m entertaining. XD

Ellu was right…

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 04:17:06 +0000

… I was told that once I get to uni in Montana, I’d get hammered. Well, my dearest roomie Michelle has brought back some Bailey’s and Malibu from home and today we went and bought some milk… yeah, we’re drinking. But since this technically isn’t a party, I’m still keeping to my word of saying that I’m not much of a party person. XD She is sooooooo hammered right now. Talking to her crush, being very hyper. It’s pretty amusing. She’s trying to get me to feel the buzz too. So I’m on my second drink which happens to be stronger than the first. I really hope I won’t get a hangover tomorrow. The good thing is that we’re both 21 and as long as we keep the door shut and keep it to ourselves (as in be QUIET!), we’re allowed to drink in our room. So that’s what we’re doing.

Friends survey! FILL IT OUT!!

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 22:50:31 +0000

IF YOU’RE ON MY FRIENDS LIST, I want to know things about you. I don’t care if we’ve never talked, never liked each other, or if we already know everything about each other. I really don’t. You are obviously on my list, so let me know with whom I am friends! JUST HIT REPLY.

1.Your Middle Name: 2. Age: 3. Single or Taken: 4. Favorite Movie: 5. Favorite Song: 6. Favorite Band/Artist: 7. Dirty or Clean: 8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:

Pics are up

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 16:31:56 +0000

So I finally got around to putting up pics of what I’ve made. Just click on Knitting Pics to see the whole list of stuff. Or just go straight to here to see finished wristlets or here to see the unfinished legwarmers.

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 19:27:33 +0000

Tomorrow the Grizzlies are playing South Dakota State. Their last game against Iowa was awful. Lost 7-41. I just hope tomorrow’s game will be better. The thing that amazes me is that the tickets (for students) are only $4.00!! Seriously, that’s really cheap. I thought they’d be like $20. And the guest tickets are really cheap too, just $10. So in November when they play Montana State (our rivals) I’d better line-up early because the tickets sell out fast. Especially the guest tickets. Oliver’ll be here when the game is, so I’m dragging him there. I know he doesn’t want to go, but if I’m paying for his ticket then he’ll show up. I really want to go to that game. As do Michelle and Alysha. We’re gonna go as a group I think. They’re not coming tomorrow though. Both went home for the weekend. I’ve been trying to reach Emily to plan where we’re gonna meet up but she hasn’t answered her cell. Hopefully she’ll call me back tonight.

Bad bad bad movie

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 18:46:48 +0000

Today’s Labor Day which means no class! w00t!

Anywayz, I went to see The Wicker Man last night with Michelle and her mom. It sounded like a really good movie and the beginning was actually pretty good. A tad strange, but good. But then.. no no no. *shakes head* It just fell apart. It really did. It was supposed to be a thriller type thing, but everyone in the movie theater was laughing! I swear, someone really screwed up with this movie. It got to be ridiculous. So if you want to have a laugh, go see it. If you want a serious/scary movie, find something else.

Miller is teh awesome

Sun, 03 Sep 2006 04:49:58 +0000

I’m so tired… They give us loads of work over here. I mean, I’m used to having the amount of lectures/seminars that I have over here, but they just give you so much work to do. And I have a quiz once a week on Shakespeare. >_< Well, the good thing is that I don’t have an exam on Shakespeare, just two essays to write. Fun stuff. And over here they give you the number of pages they expect, not the word count. It’s a bit strange, but I guess I’ll get used to it eventually.

Shower theory

Sat, 26 Aug 2006 03:33:38 +0000

I have a theory on why the pressure is set to hard in the showers. Because there are so many girls on the floor that have to share the same four showers, someone must’ve thought: Hmm.. didn’t draw up enough shower space. How do I fix that? ….. Hey! Let’s make it painful for them so they won’t spend ages in the shower. That way lines won’t form! and continued on with the drawing of blueprints.

Registration stuff

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 22:41:35 +0000

Well, I’ve managed to register for two classes. Two more have to be overridden on Monday before they show up on my schedule. Registration is such a pain. >_< And why on earth would a Shakespeare class take place in a gym?? I mean, really. A gym??

Busy busy bee has been lil ole me

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:51:11 +0000

I’ve been sooooooo busy the past week. First there was the flurry of activity when my sister moved house (just down the road, not far at all but still) while we were still staying at their place. That was on Thursday. Then I flew out here to Montana on Saturday. That was a long day. But I did get to talk to some interesting people while I was waiting in the airport. I’ve actually got a videoclip of this group of Canadian Italians singing while we were waiting for our plane to arrive (it was an hour and a half late). I’ll put it up later when I can actually be bothered to upload pics and stuff. I do have those, I just have to resize and crop quite a few of them. Back to the hectic-ness of my days here in the States. Sunday I spent all day unpacking and trying to get my computer hooked up to the internet. That didn’t happen until yesterday because they were being really slow over at the office that sets up the connections. Monday and Tuesday were all day of Foreign Student Orientation. They gave me a shot! *sniffle* It actually hurt more than when I go donate blood and that’s when they drain me! Hmm…

Mini quizzies

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 00:19:13 +0000

Your Candy Heart Says “First Kiss”

You’re a true romantic who brings an innocent hope to each new relationship. You see the good in every person you date, and you relish each step of falling in love.

Your ideal Valentine’s Day date: a romantic dinner your sweetie cooks for you

Your flirting style: friendly and sweet

What turns you off: cynics who don’t believe in romance

Why you’re hot: you always keep the romance alive

Finally flying!

Sat, 12 Aug 2006 17:51:31 +0000

So I’ve finally bought my ticket to Montana. Leaving Saturday afternoon and I should arrive at 11pm. Which means that I *have* to get all of my bedding sorted before I leave. On the plus side, I’m allowed to take two suitcases with me. So if one of those is reserved for the bedding, the other can be for my clothes and stuff. I’ll still need to have some of my stuff shipped over from Chicago, but not as much as I thought I would. There are still a few things that I want cleared up before I start packing though. Like what do I do about my laptop? I could have it checked, but that’s something I don’t want to do. I feel safer carrying it around with me. I just don’t trust the airline to not lose it. But there’s the increased security measures and they recommend that all the carry-on baggage be put in clear bags. I don’t want to advertise that I’ve got a laptop and a camcorder with me. And, I can’t leave my laptop behind either. Who knows when I’ll be able to get it shipped over. But right now, I’m just glad that I’ve finally got my ticket. Makes me a bit more relieved. :)

singing I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again…

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 11:43:43 +0000

Well, on a boat actually. The taxi’ll be here in about 20 mins. At least I’ve packed. Unlike someone I know… They’re driving me nuts. >_< My mom was asking about what to put into a suitcase and what stays behind, my dad was trying to talk about ghost writers to me, Inga was trying to talk to my dad, Jade came in asking about ghosts… Urgh. I escaped into the kitchen to eat something before we go. But of course, they all followed me. Fun fun.

Family tree stuff

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 21:15:05 +0000

I know it’s been ages since I’ve updated, but I’ve had so much fun working on my family tree. I bought this bit of software while I was in England for £5 and then for my birthday I got another bit of software. I like both, but I think I prefer the one I got as a present.

Anywayz, I’ve heard some really interesting stories from my grandparents about my great-great-aunts and uncles. Like one of my Martta-aunts (there’re two) died of heartache when her lover was ambushed and killed by the Reds during the Civil War. I’ve got it all written down, well, notes mostly, but I still remember the story. Then tonight, my grandma found stuff she had begun writing and she promised to give me all of the books and research that’s she’s done so far.

Sales and gorgeousness!

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 15:38:08 +0000

Went shopping with Tian-le, Jaz and Jaz’s friend Tac. Since it’s sale season, I got three anklets, a hairclip and earrings. And all it cost me was 4,64€. ^-^ Jaz on the other hand.. well, she spent a lot. But that’s who she is. We love shopping, she’s just the one who winds up buying a lot of stuff.

I LOVE being back in Belgium! It’s just all the attention that I get over here. I’m an attention whore. XD Y’see, yesterday when we went to rent movies, we got two cars honking at us (that’s a good thing over here :P) and now on our way back home from the bus stop these two really hot guys honked and whistled and did all sorts of stuff to try and get our attention. I mean like really gorgeous guys, about 24 or so, shaved heads, nice car… *grin* It’s so nice to know that I’m wanted. That sort of stuff makes me feel pretty. And it’s really important to feel pretty, because at least for me, it gives me this little bouncy step and keeps me in a good mood for the rest of the day. Looks aren’t everything, but just the feeling that it gives is so nice. :)

Results and stuff

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 09:19:49 +0000

I’ve got my results. 67.33% for the whole year. Which makes it a solid 2.1. ^_^ My modules were: Study of English: 63 Writer’s Art 1: 68 Basic French: 90 Aspects of Genre: 62 Contemporary Writing: 58 Writer’s Art 2: 63

So all in all, I’m happy. Of course I wish that CW would’ve been just a little bit higher so that everything would be at least a 2.1. And the French did skew my results just a bit. If it isn’t included, then my average is 62.8%. Still a 2.1, so yay. o/

Such an eventful day

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 21:40:26 +0000

Lots and lots of stuff happened today! o/

I tried reading and sunbathing out on the terrace in the morning. No such luck. The neighbor’s cat decided to come visit me. It thinks that our house is its home. o_O Very possibly because my mom keeps feeding it. At least it knows not to come inside. Anywayz, I had just made myself comfortable when the feline decides to plop right in between me and my book. I try pushing it away so that I can see the page again, but no. It would not move. Just stretched out right there in front of me. Okay, I roll over onto my side. The cat gets up, rubs itself against me for a bit before settling down again. This time leaning against me and staying my shadow. It moves its head practically (but not quite, since we all know how proud felines are) begging me to scratch and stroke it. I give in and give it attention. A very happy cat. And I like cats, I really do. But, this one sheds *so* much. >_< Well, even if my own cat (the one I’ll get someday after my kids are old enough to know how to treat a pet) sheds a lot, I’ll still love it. And grumble quietly about its hairs when I’m vacuuming. X)

Protected: sigh

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 21:08:48 +0000

Well, you all know that my favorite uncle got married in late February to a woman who was like 20 years younger than he was. I’ve met her once; thought she was really nice. The age difference was a bit big in my opinion, but I didn’t really care. So fast forward to tonight. My dad calls my mom and tells her that my uncle has just told them (them being my grandparents, other uncle and dad) that they’re getting divorced. After being married for only FOUR months! Apparently, my uncle realized on the day of their wedding that they have nothing in common. Yet he still went along with it. *shakes head* And just imagine what this is doing to my grandparents. My other uncle is unemployed and basically a hopeless case. My parents are divorced. My dad went to prison for a year. This uncle is now getting divorced for a second time. Not easy at all.. *sigh*

Minor gripes

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 22:49:31 +0000

Well, I’m finally home. Got back about an hour ago. x_x I would’ve been back earlier, but Jaz said that Apocalyptica would be giving a free concert in Grand Place so we went there instead of going home straight away. The two songs we did get to hear were great. The things that made our time less enjoyable were the opening band (sucked), all the Finnish people there and this one kid that happened to be right in front of us. He just out-right annoyed me. Kept hopping up and down, whining at his mother to pick him up (he was a pretty chubby eight year old) and not staying still. AT ALL. Aaaargh. Why would you bring kids to a metal/rock concert thingy? I mean, I was standing pretty far away from the stage and I thought it was really loud. I saw parents who were closer to the stage holding up one year olds! Nuts.. just nuts. *shakes head*

Baby Poncho

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 18:33:32 +0000

Well, I’m out of yarn. But this is what I have so far. Ta-daa! o/ So when I come back, I’ll continue it. I won’t be taking it home with me because it won’t fit into my suitcase. It feels so nice to knit again. :)

I’ve got an iPod! o/

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 20:02:23 +0000

Ryan, Oliver & I went to Meadowhall today. I was given my birthday present early. iPod! :D o/ Converting my music library to be compatible with it right now..

Oh these are sooooooooo good. We stopped at Thornton’s and this prompted Ryan to buy “death cubes” again. What he actually bought were the mini caramel shortcakes, but the last time he bought some, we came to the conclusion that the amount of saturated fat in them was so bad that we renamed them to Death Cubes. So now, he just offered me another one. Sooooooooooooo good. ^-^

21 in a month! o/

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:57:10 +0000

Well, I’ve just updated my wishlist. Those are just ideas of what I like if you have trouble thinking of what to get me. No pressure! ;)

My shoe broke :(

Mon, 26 Jun 2006 22:09:21 +0000

Yesterday at Shaun’s BBQ my shoe broke. The nice tan strappy one. The nine of us decided to go play rounders (sorta like softball) in the field. Well, there was no field that we could use, so we wound up in this playground. We made the bases out of the weird thing none of us knew what it was, the big spinning roundabout thing and the swings. Anywayz, I was the only one in a skirt and with improper shoes for running. Go me for being girly. Still, I decided to play anyway and after awhile, one of the straps broke. *sniffle* But once Oliver and I got back to his place, his dad superglued it back together. o/

Macs aren’t as good as they ought to be…

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 19:59:59 +0000

Today I went to Meadowhall with Ryan again. His Mac is really acting up and he went to complain about it. It’s the third time he’s had to give it in for repairs. Anyway, they gave us four different people to talk to. The woman listened to the problems Ryan’s having and took the computer into the backroom to listen if it was making the sounds Ryan said it was. Then we got this chubby man who did the whole trained spiel of listening to the customer’s opinion and then stating what the store could do to help him. The really skinny bobbing-head man was the most condescending out of them all. He had the attitude of “I’m right and you’re just making all of it up”. Really annoying. I was lucky enough to be allowed to tune him out and concentrate on scoping out everyone else in the store. Then we got a Spanish man who was nicest of them all. He also was very understanding and gave Ryan a form to fill in. So now his MacBook Pro is in for repairs once more. Lovely stuff.

Lots of Shoppertunities in Meadowhall - well, there would be if I had money

Tue, 20 Jun 2006 20:13:10 +0000

I caved in and installed Open For Business yesterday. So far running the Delarosa flower business is easy enough. I saw a fear that I’ve never encountered before: Be Old and Never Married. But it went away the next time she got up, so it’s not gonna ruin her life when she becomes an elder. Now that I’ve had a bit of practice, I can get my regular Sims to have businesses and stuff. XD

Mini update of yesterday

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 16:27:35 +0000

We met Mel and Steve at The Bluecoat at five. Well, Oliver & I got there at five and they didn’t get there until 5:40 (they did let us know that they’d be late, so it’s okay). It started off with Oliver and Mel just talking about people they know and what’s going on with them. Apparently some girl deliberately stopped taking the pill to trap some loser guy. Right now she’s over seven months pregnant. No clue who these people are, but apparently this is very juicy gossip. Anyway, after awhile Steve and I began to participate in the conversation a bit more and soon enough we were all feeling a little bit more at ease. One thing that all four of us have in common is that when we eat, we’re totally silent. No one talks, we just eat. This isn’t what I’m used to at home (with five around the table, someone’s always got something to say) and it seems like that’s what goes on at Steve’s home as well. We also talked about what we thought we’d be like. I had this picture of Mel having reddish-brown hair. Other than that, pretty much what I thought she’d be like. She told me that she thought that I’d be bitchier (most likely because she didn’t like Oliver’s last gf) and that I’d be taller. That one was probably because Oliver doesn’t really talk about people at all and all she had to go on was my name and nationality. All in all, we spent five hours together so I’d say it went pretty well. :)

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 14:24:54 +0000

We’re meeting Mel today. I totally forgot about it this morning, but when Oliver finally got up, he reminded me. Anywayz, we were supposed to meet up at four, but it’s been pushed back to five. I wonder how it’ll go… I mean, she and Oliver had a thing. Not really a relationship, but still a thing. That’s as accurately as I can describe it. We’d been planning on meeting up for ages but never actually did anything about it. So last week we finally decided that now we really will meet up.

Rambling on about locusts and knitting

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 09:53:46 +0000

Went to see The Da Vinci Code on Friday with Oliver, Ryan and Shaun. Shaun drove since he finally passed his driving exam. He’s pretty good considering he hasn’t been driving for that long. Sorta makes me want to get my license at some point. Just not over here, since I can’t handle driving a car that’s got the wheel on the right. :-S Anywayz, the movie. To me it seemed kinda slow paced. The book just flew when I read it (before I heard the hype about it, Ellu just sent it to us and said that we should read it). But the movie… not so much. Maybe it’s because I prefer reading to watching movies. I get to go at my own pace and things actually look like how I want them to. Yes, I like having control of things. Another reason why I love playing games like Sims2 and Civ4. XD

Finding places and squirting blood…

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 21:48:33 +0000

Spent the day driving around with Oliver’s dad. He drove, I read the map and found the houses he needed to get the interviews. Not that he actually got any interviews, but still. It was fun. Saw this really pretty place where you can just go wander around. There was this rock that looks like a toad’s mouth. XD Anyway, I’m gonna suggest it to Ryan that we go walk around there while Oliver is at work. Since Oliver doesn’t want to go camping (something Ryan and I are very interested in) so just something similar to it that we could do during the day instead. In theory, Oliver has nothing against just me and Ryan going camping just the two of us, but I am going home soon so he doesn’t want to lose any time that we’ve got left.

Summer’s here…

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 12:04:52 +0000

It’s so warm over here. Usually I wouldn’t complain about it since I like summer and all. But for some reason, the temperature in Oliver’s bedroom is unbearable. We did go shopping yesterday and he bought this unit thingy that has lowered the temperature a bit, but not by much. So I’ve been outside reading a lot. Tanned quite a bit, much to Oliver’s dismay. He doesn’t like me being brown. And now I’ve developed this weird coloring on my chest of brown, pink and white. XD

Ai gats muusik!

Mon, 29 May 2006 17:00:30 +0000

Went shopping on Saturday. I wasn’t actually thinking of buying anything, but I came across “Wide Open Spaces” and “Fly” by the Dixie Chicks and I knew I just had to have them. Just listening to them confirms it, money well spent. And they were only £16. ^_^

So now Oliver’s parents have met mine. They did make an effort to talk to each other. Mainly just my dad talking to his. It was actually a bit entertaining. They think they’re talking about the same thing but they’re not. Then when they don’t understand what the other is saying, they just nod and then keep going on about what they were saying before. *shakes head* That’s what you get for having a bf from a different country. Especially one who’s from Yorkshire.

Love Languages

Thu, 25 May 2006 09:10:06 +0000

The Five Love Languages

My primary love language is probably
Physical Touch
with a secondary love language being
Quality Time.

Complete set of results

Physical Touch:

Quality Time:

Words of Affirmation:

Acts of Service:

Receiving Gifts:

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don’t understand our partner’s requirements, or even our own. We all have a “love tank” that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

So sleepy

Thu, 18 May 2006 21:54:16 +0000

Hmm, I probably should go to bed now. But I figured that I should update to let people know that I haven’t disappeared off of the face of the earth. Oliver just didn’t have a working computer while I was over there.

89 spam comments. Ridiculous, I tell you. *shakes head*

Well, I got back to Aber today. I was supposed to take the 8:53 train from Sheffield, but I missed it because of a truck or something had turned over on the parkway and there was loads of traffic on the alternative route we chose and yada yada yada. So basically I spent an hour and a half at Birmingham and didn’t get in until 3:20. Two hours later than planned.

Baby dream

Thu, 04 May 2006 00:00:02 +0000

I just remembered the dream I had last night. It was so freaky. Okay, so I don’t remember all of it, just one scene.

I was a nanny for this one family. I was taking care of a toddler. A girl, I think. Anyway, I felt like I should take the baby. I don’t know why, just that it was the best thing for the kid. Then the next day, I took her. I got to the front gate, hearing the mother screaming for me, and I just couldn’t make myself take the baby away. I couldn’t. It was so.. scary. I went back to the mother as quickly as I could, handed over the girl and I remember clearly saying: “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.” And then running away from her with this dark red old slim book in my hands.

Stick a fork in me, I’m done!

Wed, 03 May 2006 12:29:33 +0000

I feel so satisfied. I’ve finished off my essay and just finished writing my portfolio. Now all I need to do is print them out! o/ Plus, I had a lot of fun writing my portfolio. The only thing that’s not so nice about writing for portfolios is the word limit. I really don’t like the word limit they’ve set. It’s not enough!

And all of this means that I can go over to Oliver’s tomorrow. ^_^

An actual author commented on my blog!!!

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 17:46:09 +0000

I got a comment by John Sam Jones!!! *giddy* He’s the guy who wrote Fishboys of Vernazza and he signed my copy when he came to give a lecture about it. This is so cool! o/

So far, I still have 1400 words or so to go on my essay, but it’s getting easier to write it now that I’ve gotten into the swing of things. On the downside, I’ve been talking to a load of people and we’ve all chosen the same question. I want to make my essay different from theirs. I like being original. At least for my portfolio I was told that it was really interesting to read and if I had more time to work on my pieces, they’d be really good. Last semester my grade was 68, now I got a 61… it’s a different teacher, so it’s possible that my way of writing just appealed to my American teacher more than it does to this Welsh one. *shrugs* Not too worried about it though. :)

One more before I start working again

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 20:10:08 +0000

Can You Open My Safe?

1st Number:

The number of rings I usually like to wear on my right hand.

2nd Number:

How old will I be in the year 2048?

3rd Number:

The number of nieces/nephews I have.

Enter Combination:

1st

Number

2nd

Number

3rd

Number

Make Your Own Safe - Click Here

I’ll post an actual update later

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 20:02:05 +0000

You scored as Postmodernist. Postmodernism is the belief in complete open interpretation. You see the universe as a collection of information with varying ways of putting it together. There is no absolute truth for you; even the most hardened facts are open to interpretation. Meaning relies on context and even the language you use to describe things should be subject to analysis.

Postmodernist

75%

Materialist

75%

Existentialist

69%

…when the rhythm starts to play, dance with me, make me sway…

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 15:15:36 +0000

I’ve just spent an hour on Oliver’s DancingStage mat. Because the program I used is on the computer, the cable that hooks up the mat to the computer makes it so that it doesn’t recognize pressing two directions at once. So it looks like I’m doing really horribly. Which I probably am. I don’t care though, it’s a load of fun! I like the Japanese songs it’s got, but so far, my fave is Shaft’s “Sway” or whatever it’s called. *…when the rhythm starts to play, dance with me, make me sway…*

Rough mat + soft skin = blisters on feet

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 19:43:54 +0000

*yawn* I’m so tired.. haven’t actually done much today, but I guess the lack of sleep has caught up with me. Last night, Oliver and I went over to Shaun’s with Ryan. Darren was there too. Played Risk II on the computer. Darren and Shaun were eliminated first. We stopped playing a bit past midnight because Darren left and we were getting a bit bored too. Plus, I fell asleep on the couch while Ryan, Oliver and Shaun watched some TV show called “Metrosexuality”. Guess that says how good I thought the program was, huh? XP

I’m back!

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 08:38:56 +0000

Krisi - Apr 6, 2006

Wow im so jealous!! Dubai!! ok though its never fun getting burnt..or getting money stolen but still, Dubai!! Haha with us its the opposite, im usually late on my own..not always but usually ;) but when with the family we’re always on time…except we’re always annoyingly too early! i know its good just in case but möh! Post the pics soon! :)

I’m back!

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 08:38:56 +0000

Well, the trip was wonderful. Except for a few minor glitches: 1) They sent a smaller plane than planned so they had to drive us to Amsterdam instead of flying us there. But we made our connecting flight in time, so no harm done really.. 2) I burned my skin more than once. Not fun. :( 3) I was given $500 of spending money before we left. Yesterday, both Jaz and I discover that we only have $400 in our wallets. We’re both pretty sure that we took all of it with us, but not positive. There is the chance that we wanted to save some of it and left it back home, but so far, we haven’t found any of it. And we don’t remember doing that either. So.. yeah.. someone stole it. No clue when or where or how. >_< 4) Family trips are really stressful. Mainly because we’re always late. When I travel anywhere = I’m always on time. The five of us together = running to the gate.

Late night rambling, not caffeine induced

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 23:11:48 +0000

Just thought I’d let the ones who don’t speak to me on MSN daily that since it’s Easter vacation soon, I’m going home for a few days before going to Dubai and then back to Oliver’s. All of this means, I won’t be online. And therefore not updating. Then again, I haven’t updated my blogs for ages either.

Got my Aspects of Genre assignment back today. Borderline 2.1/First. So cool. I wasn’t expecting such a good grade from it, since I didn’t put that much effort into it. I did put effort into my Contemporary Writing essay and got a borderline 2.2/2.1… so yeah, really happy surprise. :D And the funniest thing was that my tutor just found out today that I’m not American. I would’ve thought that my last name would’ve been a big tip off. Anyway, when he handed me my essay, he was like: “Finally, an American who can write!” “I’m not American. I’m from Finland!” “Damn.”

Coming and going and coming and going

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 15:12:14 +0000

I really feels like I’m just running around like a headless chicken. I just got back today from Sheffield (spent Friday night in Leicester because it was Russel’s birthday party) and I’m going back again already on Thursday. For like the third weekend in a row. But I get to see Oliver. :) I haven’t bought the tickets just yet, but I’m planning on going back home on the 1st of April, then go over to Sheffield on the 15th. Get back here on the 23rd. And I’m going to be spending most of my time at “home” in Dubai. Going there on the 3rd and coming back on my nameday, the 12th.

The unproductive me

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:12:53 +0000

I’m feeling so.. unproductive right now. I’ve been writing my essay, the one that’s not due until the 27th, and so far I’ve got a bit over 800 words of it. Normally, I’d consider that as progress. But for some reason I’m not getting that feeling. And I think I know why: I’ve spent about 6 hrs playing Sims 2 University today. XD Y’see, Oliver bought it for me on Friday and I’ve been dying to play it ever since. So that’s what I did today. Played Sims 2. It’s just really really addictive. I kept thinking “Okay, just one more day. I need to get them happy again, etc”. And that’s where the time went. Then again, this was after the frantic last minute cleaning spree I had this morning for the inspection.. my way of relaxing. Relaxing isn’t supposed to make you feel guilty though…

He got it!

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 21:49:24 +0000

He got the job! Oliver had an interview this morning and he’s just gotten an e-mail saying he got the job. *grin* The funny thing was when Jaz told our dad that he’ll be earning £18/yr. Not £18,000, but £18.. XD

So today after my lecture I sped down to the train station just to time myself in preparation for next week. Took me a little less than 20 mins to get on the platform. Then afterwards I dropped off my credit card application and then went in search of boots. I found the ones I had seen earlier on Monday, but unfortunately, they didn’t have my size. So no nice brown boots. :-( I just wandered around shops afterwards. Ran into Kayla and Simon in Dorothy Perkins. She said that they can give me a lift to the station next week, so no rushing! Yay! And I’ll have time to stop by Burger King to get a Whopper to go since I won’t have the time to get anything in Birmingham (only got 10 mins to change there, instead of the usual 30 mins when I take the later train). Plus I bought a pair of jeans. Only £10. ^-^

w00t!

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 00:32:10 +0000

Yayness! I’ve completed my next essay which is due next Monday. I was talking to some of the people in my seminar and they stayed up until like 4 am writing the essay that was due today. I dunno, I guess I sorta feel like a nerd for having finished things early. But, if I want to go away two consecutive weekends, then I need to get all of my work done beforehand so I can enjoy myself. Oooh, if I’m feeling really productive, I might be able to finish off the essay that’s not due for another month! XD

!!!!!!

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 22:12:23 +0000

I got in!! I’m going to Montana next year!!! *happy dance* Penn State withdrew from the program, so Montana’s my next choice. *grin* Horseback riding! Cowboys! Ranches and stuff! :D:D:D Just gotta get all the paperwork done by Monday because they need it in by the 1st of March. Which means that since my stupid laptop is being a pain in the butt right now, I gotta hoof it over to Carol’s office early Monday morning and fill them out there before my 12 o’clock seminar. >_< The cool thing is that it’s like over a thousand pounds cheaper to be there for a year than here. And I’d be staying in one of the more expensive rooms too. ^-^

Why are there no clear street signs??

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 16:55:28 +0000

Okay, so today I went down into town after my 10 am seminar just to see how long it takes to get to the place where the interview will be tomorrow. My guess is about 30 mins if I don’t rush. I’m only estimating how long it actually does take because once I got to Great Darkgate Street, I couldn’t find Laura Place anywhere. I spent 40 mins wandering around, trying various little alleys/streets to no avail. I got so frustrated I went shopping to calm myself down. Retail therapy really does work. *grin* I got a shirt, skirt and pants for under £15… Anyway, I decided to find the place after my shopping because it really wouldn’t be a good thing for me not know exactly where it is tomorrow. So I wander around again and this one man asks me if I’m lost. Er, no, I know exactly where I am (on Vulcan Street) but I don’t know where Laura Place is. Does that count as lost? Anyway, I didn’t say that to him since he was being really nice and all. I told him I was looking for Laura Place and he showed me this tiny little gap between a stone wall and a green house and said that it should be right down there. So that’s where I went and voila, there it was. But seriously, no obvious street name signs or anything. How the hell are tourists supposed to find places? And there weren’t any street maps either. Grr… I hung out at the beach for a bit, just watching the water change colors and the clouds move. Stopped by the Ceredigion Museum. Free entry so I figured why not? I think I spent an hour and a half in there just looking at stuff from all ages. I mean it, from the Stone Age to like the Victorian age and turn of the century electrical appliances.. Really cool. And I listened to tapes of different types of bagpipes and the tunes they used to play in different countries. :)

Interviews and essays

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 19:23:12 +0000

My interview’s on Thursday at 3:45pm. I wonder what they’ll ask… what should I wear? Since the interview’s down in town, I think I’ll take a pair of heels with me and swap shoes once I get to the office. Need to look neat. Gabriel, from my Creative Writing class, has also applied to go. His first choice is U of Pittsburgh, while mine is Penn State.

Speaking of interviews, Oliver has one next week. ^-^

Another fire drill

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 21:22:24 +0000

So yeah, woken up by the fire alarm again. This morning it was at 7:30 and it turns out that it was a fire drill. We were so not happy. One guy even complained at them for choosing to wake all of us up today. Mainly because we were woken up yesterday morning at 7 a.m. because the fire alarm went off (most likely because of someone’s shower). Their reason for doing this drill was to count all the people and make sure that everyone got out. The complaining guy pointed out that they should’ve been here to count everyone yesterday morning when it actually did go off. And obviously, this counting business isn’t very effective because Dani’s boyfriend spent the night in her room (and therefore wasn’t present in his own building when they had the drill) and Oliver’s over here too. How are they supposed to know who’s gone home for some reason or another?

First AG seminar

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 20:39:57 +0000

Yup, so because of the mix-up last week, today we had two seminars taught in one. Was a tad strange.. But Oh. My. God. My tutor just does not respect personal space! I mean, I kept having to lean back in my chair and have my back against a hot radiator just to get some distance. Then afterwards I asked the girl next to me of what she thought and she said that she was afraid that he’d swing into her (tutor was on a swivel chair). So next week, definitely sitting at the other end of the room. And on a side note, he seems gay. Don’t know if he is, but he seems like it. Very effeminate voice anyway.

Deadlines!

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:32:07 +0000

Deadlines! O_O;;; Okay, so in two weeks I have an essay due on the Monday.. then a presentation on the Wednesday, then a week after it another essay and a week after that one more portfolio. Looooovely.. So today I finally kicked myself into action and got books so I can prepare the presentation. I might just wing some of it though. Like I usually do. XD And for some reason, I seem to do okay when I wing it. It’s kind of a scary thought actually. What if I can’t come up with anything? I did write on my personal essay for the exchange program that I thrive under pressure. That’s when I feel like a genius.. but it’s not good when I just freeze. Eh.. -__-

Baby Got Book

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 13:45:49 +0000

Just found a really funny video on someone’s blog. It’s called Baby Got Book.. That just put a grin on my face. Just scroll down to Jan 31st and you’ll see it. ^_^

video, christian rap, baby got book

A girly-girl meme this time

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 00:27:21 +0000

01. DO YOU HAVE ON A LOT OF MAKE-UP? As in right now? None.

02. HOW MUCH DO YOU PUT ON? Usually just some eyeliner and mascara does it for me. Some lipstick/lipgloss if I feel like finding the right color.

03. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO GET READY? It depends if I have to wash my hair or not. From 5 mins to half an hour.

04. DO YOU PUT ON A LOT OF LIPGLOSS? If it tastes good. But most of the time I don’t wear any…

The A-Z of me

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 16:43:40 +0000

A - Accent: Leaning towards American when I speak English.. B - Breakfast Item: Either muesli or tea & toast C - Chore you hate: Funny thing is, I’ve started to like cleaning.. but right now it’s picking up after my flatmates. They just don’t know how to keep the kitchen tidy.. let alone clean. >_< D - Dad’s Name: Petri E - Essential everyday item: My phone F - Flavor ice cream: Ben & Jerry’s Peace of Cake G - Gold or Silver?: White Gold.. but if that’s too expensive then I prefer silver H - Happy Place: In Oliver’s arms ^_^ I - Insomnia: Only when I’ve had too much caffeine J - Job-Love or Want to Leave: Not working right now, unless you count being a student as working.. K - Kids: Don’t have ’em.. L - Living arrangements: Sharing a flat with seven others while I’m at school, when I’m not I’m either at home with my parents & sisters or over at Oliver’s M - Mom’s birthplace: Er… Jarvenpaa? I don’t know! ;_; N - Number of lovers you’ve had: One O - Overnight hospital stays: None that I can remember.. but I’m guessing I stayed in a hospital when I was born. XP P - Phobia: High places.. don’t want to plummet to my death. O_O But if it’s got like loads of safety rails that’ll stop me from falling, then I’m okay. ^_^ Q - Question: Where will I live next year?? R - Religious Affiliation: Lutheran S - Siblings: Two younger sisters, one older half sister (but still considered as a whole sister), one adopted younger one… does Oliver’s sister count here too? T - Time you wake up: When I feel like it.. usually between 10:30 and 1pm. Unless I’ve got an early class, then I wake up at 8:15. ^-^ U - Unnatural hair colors you’ve had: Only dyed my hair once with orange-y streaks.. which didn’t really show up anyway. XD V - Vegetable you refuse to eat: Uhm.. dunno.. I’m willing to try everything at least once W - Worst habit: procrastination? X - X-rays you’ve had: 2; one when I broke my arm and another when I had pneumonia & bronchitis Y - Yummy: yes please! Whatcha got? :D Z - Zodiac sign: Cancer

Oh dear me

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 13:27:55 +0000

I was reading Customers_Suck when I came across this one post. It had a link to a bunch of teens ordering 103 cheeseburgers. o.o;;; Here’s the clip to it.

Last night I got a video clip from Oliver.. now the tune is playing in my head. I love the lyrics. XD The Ultimate Showdown

videos, McDonalds, 103 cheeseburgers, Ultimate Showdown

Not a nerd! o/

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 20:43:32 +0000

Okies, so I just took a test to determine my nerd quotient.

And like I said in a comment on Ryan’s blog, nerd , geek and dork are not the same thing.

quiz, personality test, meme, nerd test

Got my results

Tue, 31 Jan 2006 18:22:29 +0000

..from my essay and portfolio that is. I know my tutor said that it was my best work so far which made me think Okay, so that’ll give me a grade of like 63-65…. But.. I got a 69! A 69! That’s almost a 1st. :-D Then I got my portfolio back yesterday and today my teacher e-mailed me the coversheet which had my grade on it.. 68! I am doing so well! *grin*

Poetry.. not my fave

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 14:25:07 +0000

Okay, I’ve read the whole book of poetry by Tony Harrison called Selected Poems. What a waste of time. Seriously, 250 pages of nothing but crappy poetry which sounds like something a teenager had written. Lots of swearing, politics, showing off how “smart” he is by throwing in other languages… and he came off as a little bit of a racist. And perverted. Really, why is he so fixated on sex? Lots of references to Africa and poverty and death too.

One more funny thing!

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 14:40:30 +0000

Oliver just told me about Saddam is suing Bush and Blair for the destruction of Iraq. That made my day. *grin*

Saddam Hussein, Bush, Blair, war on Iraq

Exams are done! o/

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 14:31:39 +0000

But not that big of an achievement seeing as I only had one of them. XD Anyway, French exam was this morning. Seemed to go fine. The only bit that made me go O_O;; was putting the verbs into the imperfect tense. I couldn’t remember us covering that in class but it did eventually pop into my head. Then afterwards I met Roisin for coffee and we discussed the exam. She couldn’t remember us doing the imperfect tense either. Later on I saw Mike online and he said that he wasn’t sure we did them in class either. But he did remember them from doing his GCSEs so he got them in the end. ^-^

Bet you didn’t know these things about me!

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 21:15:50 +0000

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Julia!

There is actually no danger in swimming right after you eat Julia, though it may feel uncomfortable.
It took Julia 22 years to build the Taj Mahal.
The average human spends about 30 days during their life in Julia.
Julia is the only bird that can swim but not fly!
Julia can be very poisonous if injected intravenously.
Julia is the world’s smallest mammal!
There are more than two hundred different kinds of Julia.
It can take Julia several days to move just through one tree!
Scientists have discovered that Julia can smell the presence of autism in children!
More than one million stray dogs and half a million stray cats live in Julia.

I am interested in - do tell me aboutherhimitthem

Back in Belgium

Fri, 06 Jan 2006 22:49:13 +0000

It’s weird typing with a Finnish keyboard again. I’ve just gotten used to using my own laptop’s keys and now I gotta remember that the punctuation is in a different place again. >_<

Anywayz, today was Jade’s birthday. Jaz video-taped some bits of the morning and took pics of Jade opening her pressies. Can’t believe she’s already 9! Wow.. Later on, when Jade was out with the parental units buying pet supplies for the dog that she’s gonna get, I found a set of books in the basement that I think that she’d like to read: Little House on the Prairie. I actually started reading the first book today. It starts out funny: Once upon a time, sixty years ago,…. But that’s the only funky bit so far that I’ve noticed. I just remember that I loved reading those books. :)

Happy New Year!

Mon, 02 Jan 2006 21:20:22 +0000

Yes, I know, I’m a day late. But I’ve been sick (not a fun night on the 30th/31st). And I’ve been busy playing CivIV with Oliver and Ryan. I got it as a Christmas present from Oliver. ^-^ Then I got loads of stuff that I’ve had to leave back in Belgium because they won’t fit in my suitcase! ;_; Hrmph. But I did take the lovely pink bag my dad bought me from Dubai. It’s got these flowers embroidered on it and the sequins sparkle and I just love it. :)

Merry Christmas!

Fri, 16 Dec 2005 12:01:04 +0000

Okay, leaving today, don’t know when I’ll be able to get online next so I just thought I’d say it now.

Merry Christmas!

I’ll be back as soon as I can. ^-^

Christmas, updates, greetings

They’re done!

Wed, 14 Dec 2005 22:12:37 +0000

Go me. I’ve now gotten all my school work done that’s due on the 9th. o/ No need to worry about will it get lost in the mail or anything like that. Now I can relax during my holiday. ^-^ This portfolio was a bit easier to write, I think. Got two long-ish renges and one multiple POV story plus a vignette where I tried the stream of consciousness that Woolf used. I’m happy with it. And that’s what counts.

Blind dates or going online?

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 11:54:58 +0000

I just read an interesting article on Yahoo about blind dating coming back into fashion. It made a good point about the possibility about meeting creeps online and how at least with a blind date you can be sure that if “they tell you he’s a Delta Airlines pilot, he’s a Delta Airlines pilot, not some guy working at the Avis rental counter” because the one who set you up with that guy knows him. You’re not relying on some electronic information which could just as well be made up as it is true. But there are gems online too. I’ve met people who’ve become good friends and I’ve been with my boyfriend (who just happened to find me on OkCupid) for over a year now. So online dating isn’t as horrible as some make it out to be. Like that one Mormon we met last summer said: “It can really work out great. My sister met her husband online and now they’ve got two kids too!” I’m sure she meant that they had kids the natural way, not online. XP

Mermaids and Intellect…

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 11:09:26 +0000

the Wistful
You scored 60% Seductiveness and 56% Playfulness!

The day-dreamer. You can be happy, in a sense, but there is always something missing. What is it that you’re missing? the Wistful is constantly searching for that, often emerging from beneath the waves to contemplate in the sunset. Beautiful in a bittersweet way.

Your opposites - the Merry

Link: The What Kind of Mermaid Are You? Test

And there I was thinking (while taking the test) that I was going to get the Siren as my result…

Inspection!

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 17:06:56 +0000

Well, tomorrow’s the inspection. And now my room smells like puke. Lovely. -_-;; It’s the vacuum’s fault. Well, technically it’s who ever used the vacuum to clean up vomit that’s at fault, but still. So now my back’s freezing because I need to have my window fully opened.

Hmm.. maybe if I go to the Co-op now and by the time I get back, the smell would’ve gone away? At least a little bit? *hopeful*

Icky black goop has taken over my shower mat

Sun, 11 Dec 2005 21:55:49 +0000

Not nice at all. We’ve got an inspection on Tuesday and this time they check the bedrooms as well as the kitchen. So I figured I might as well clean my bathroom today and then do the vacuuming and tidying up tomorrow. The sink and the toilet were easy enough. Just spray and then rinse. Same went for the shower walls. But the shower mat.. the underside of it is covered in black goop! I sprayed some of the same cleaning stuff I used everywhere else but it didn’t work. So I resorted to scraping & rubbing it off with my fingers. Really messed up my nails. And my finger hurts now. ;_;

Annoying neighbors some ppl have…

Fri, 09 Dec 2005 20:46:35 +0000

Well, I think I’m hooked on coffee now. I actually bought some Nescafe Gold blend or whatever it’s called. It came with free samplers so I figured why not? I’ll need caffeine in the future to keep me up when I try to write essays and stuff.

Sat in the freezing library today for three hours. Got some stuff done for my essay. And now I’ve written a bit over 200 words of it. So I’m on the right track. But I still have to write portfolio stuff at the same time. Hmm… well, hopefully I’ll at least get one of them done before I leave. I can then mail in the other. Don’t really want to mail in both…

Coffeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Fri, 09 Dec 2005 01:52:10 +0000

Hmm.. I guess I shouldn’t’ve had that cup of coffee after all. I was feeling really tired at around nine and I had decided to stay up a bit later to work on my Creative Writing portfolio. So that was like five hours ago and I don’t feel like sleeping. At all. I know I’m going to regret this in the morning, but right now I don’t care. I feel like I’m on a roll. I’ve been playing Text Twist on Yahoo, which gave me some inspiration to what to do for the poetry portion of my portfolio. So I’ve been combing the haiku (stuff we did earlier in the semester) with the definition poems we did for this Monday. It’s not quite ready yet though, but I just felt like I had to take a mini-break from writing it. Not easy coming up with the right word for the amount of syllables needed… Getting there, getting there. No clue what to write for the prose section though. I could try the stream of consciousness stuff Virginia Woolf did. It’s really boring to read, unless… I wonder if I could get Phil to describe what it’s like when doing drugs. Apparently he’s had some sort of bad trip and that could be interesting to write about. Hmm.. I’ll ask him tomorrow.

yawn

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 10:35:11 +0000

I am so sleepy! I went to bed last night at like midnight and I actually did fall asleep after about an hour. But then I get a text message from Ryan at like 1:30, then Oliver calls me at 1:45 and then again at 2!! Okay, so it was to confirm what time he’s coming over here today but still!! Me needs sleep. *sniffle*

But I did wake up in time for my French test. And my breakfast exploded in the microwave. Nice way to start the morning, eh? >_< I handed in my essay, met a girl named Rebecca, bought Jaz’s Christmas present (a part of it anyway) and now I’m here.. in the computer room waiting for Creative Writing to start. What an exciting life I lead. XD

I should be asleep…

Sun, 04 Dec 2005 01:30:10 +0000

But I’m not. So I’m entertaining myself with quizzies again. ^-^

I took the "The Aura Color Personality" quiz on gURL.com

My aura is…
green
It’s quite a coincidence that green is “the color of money” because people with green auras are often motivated by a desire for power and material success. Their ambition compels them into leadership positions; if they’re not on the student council, they may be planning early on where they’ll go to college and even business school. Read more…

It’s December! o/

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 00:27:59 +0000

Which means that I’ve only got 2 weeks left to do my Christmas shopping. Well, I’ve already gotten something small for Jade, which I’ll supplement with something.. not giving away details of what I’m getting everyone. :-P Then tomorrow I’ll go buy Jaz’s present and possibly Mom’s. No clue what to get Dad. Oliver’s present.. well, I’ve found something that I think he’d really like except.. the store doesn’t have it anymore. So I’ll just have to come up with something else while I’m in Belgium. Unless I can find it in another store tomorrow..

Rude awakening

Sun, 27 Nov 2005 13:39:16 +0000

Urgh.. the fire alarm just went off. Good thing I was wake, unlike the others in my flat. XP No idea what caused it to go off. Was folding laundry when it went off, grumbling about the fact that we don’t have a working iron anymore. Meilyr dropped the one we do have and, well.. it ain’t workin’. Grr..

I should start my essay.. I’m going over to Rotherham tomorrow. Then on Tuesday I’m going over to Comet to complain about this laptop. On Friday, it just froze. The mouse and screen were fine, but I just couldn’t use the keyboard at all. Shut down and restarted like 3 times before I gave up. It’s a brand new computer. It shouldn’t do that. Yeah, so I need to start my essay. Good thing I’ve got the weekend to write it as well. It’s Ryan’s birthday then and I’d really want to go, but unfortunately, my essay is a bit more important. Damn Wordsworths.. Why do they choose boring subjects for us to study? I mean really. This journal is sooooooo dull, and the essay question isn’t even about the journal; it’s about her brother’s poem! Then our next assignment… Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse. On the back cover it says that it’s “an enduring work of art”. I’ve read about one third of it and it’s boring me to tears already. I just don’t like the way she writes. I can put up with Pope and Marlowe with their difficult lengthy lines and weird words, even Dorothy’s complaining of headaches all the time, but geez. Maybe it’ll get better once I’m a bit farther in the book. That’s my only hope for VW right now…

Winter’s here

Fri, 25 Nov 2005 11:16:28 +0000

Snow. There’s snow. Outside. Here, in Aber. That’s like.. !!! it’s not even December and Aber gets snow. What’s that telling us about the weather to come? Snow. I’d expect it from Finland, but not Aber. Tseh.. Good thing I’ve got my winter coat, eh?

On an unrelated note, I’ve gotten a card from my grandma (no, not the one that died in January). My grandfather has gone to Egypt. Strange things are going on.. o_O winter, snow, weather, cold

My results from LoveHappens

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 00:51:11 +0000

Mr. Right - His Personality

What are you really looking for? Your ideal match is charming, good with people and handles stressful situations with grace. He’s filled with a friendly, positive energy and secretly might wonder why he’s not famous yet. Chances are he doesn’t get annoyed with people very easily, and he can handle stressful situations with grace. Yup, sounds good..

Is he a rare breed? Approximately 6% of men have that exact personality type. Another 17% are similar to the type you’re looking for.

Quizzies!

Mon, 21 Nov 2005 23:57:11 +0000

Your Birthdate: July 22

You tend to be understated and under appreciated. You have a hidden force to do amazing things, doing them your own way. People may see you as strange and shy, but they know little. Your unconventional ways have more power than they (and even you) know.

Your strength: Standing up for what you know is true

Your weakness: You tend to be picky and rigid

Idiot grading policies…

Mon, 21 Nov 2005 10:33:20 +0000

I am so ticked off right now (and it doesn’t help that I’m sick).

My French teacher just told me that the department has this policy that they can’t give grades above 85-90%. Okay, I’m cool with that as long as the other students get treated the same way. And my teacher agrees. But if he demands the same standard of grades from them, they’ll all fail. So it’s not fair that I’m being graded differently than the ones who don’t speak any French. Future employers won’t know the difference between my pretty good French 76% and a beginner’s 51%. All they’ll see are the numbers. I’m gonna go complain. My personal tutor’s gonna get an earful.. as will the heads of dept. I’m not gonna blame my tutor (it’s not her fault), but she should help me! At least this way I’ll know that I tried to do something about it. Maybe I should start to protest by failing on purpose or something…

Estonian mouse cheese…

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 16:56:52 +0000

Yup, that’s what I just ate. Estonian mouse cheese. At first when I glanced at the packet, I thought it said “Mouse cheese” in Finnish. Nope, upon closer inspection I realized it said “Hiirte juust”. That’s not Finnish. But I still understood it. That’s how close those two languages are to each other. So yeah, my dad brought over loads of cheese for me. I’ve got at least 4 different types in the fridge now. Good thing I like cheese somewhat.

blink blink

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 00:40:12 +0000

I am so tired.. I didn’t get up until 11 am, but still. Spent the whole day out walking around Aber with my dad. We went shopping! o/ So now I’ve got new chocolate colored sheets, two pairs of gloves, a scarf, a zip up sweater, a purple shirt and a purple thingie. Dunno what it’s called, so from now on it’ll be thingie. And I’ve got a new Aberystwyth University sweater. :)

Babbling

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 20:10:42 +0000

Grr.. the library isn’t open until 10 on Fridays. Annoying. So’s the fact that the books I wanted to consult were all on loan. *rolls eyes* Ah well, I’ll just have to stick to e-journals and e-books then.

My dad’s coming over tonight! o/ Should be here in about 3 hrs or so. We’re going out to eat if there’s still a place open at that time. If nothing else, then we’re going to McDonald’s.

Stressed just a bit.. ^^;;

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 20:20:15 +0000

Well, just got a text message from my dad saying that he’ll be coming over to Aber to see me on Friday. I’m really happy to see him and all, but why did he have to pick this weekend? I have an essay due on Monday. ;_; And if he’s coming over, then that means I won’t get anything done on Saturday. I won’t get back to Aber until Thursday myself… >_< So, I’ve started writing my essay here in Rotherham.. only have 100 words so far. Need about 900 more.. I have no idea what to say though. That’s the annoying thing. Bleh..

Quick update

Mon, 14 Nov 2005 10:37:58 +0000

Haven’t done much this past week while Oliver has been here. All of my schoolwork has been done, with the exception of my Pope essay (haven’t started it yet, but I will as soon as I’ve written this, or then on the way back from Rotherham when I’ve finally got my laptop).

Went down to the beach yesterday. Just walked around.. saw birds flying in a really strange formation. I think they were preparing to migrate or something. Just loads and loads of small birds twittering around the North Beach. o.O Can’t blame ’em though. It’s getting to be really cold over here. But at least today’s a nice sunny day. Not overcast like usual. And not windy!

I’ve made up my mind.. I think

Sat, 05 Nov 2005 18:23:50 +0000

Eh.. just fell over on the way over here. o_O It was on the stairs. Luckily no one saw me. I blame my shoes. I decided to try wearing the pink-ish heels that I bought from Tallinn during the summer. One heel got stuck on the hem of my jeans and voila.. there I was, sitting stupidly on the steps just outside of the Cwrt Mawr Communal Block. >_< So now, my right hand hurts. Fun..

Shopping! ^-^

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 17:06:14 +0000

Okay, so I know I promised myself that I’d really watch what I was spending my money on, but there was a sale that I couldn’t resist! 20% off everything at B-Wise plus the 10% discount I got for having a valid NUS card. 30% off!! *grin* So I bought four shirts (purple, pink, orange and brown) and a pair of stretchy jogging pants. And all just £21,70. Basically £4 each.. *happy happy* The pink shirt is a really deep pink, more like magenta actually. Anyway, it’s a stretchy skin tight shirt with 3/4 sleeves. The lavender one has a nice large rounded collar (again 3/4 sleeves). The chocolate brown one has this white shirt peeking out from underneath it, but in reality there’s nothing there. It’s got good proper (as in long) sleeves. The melon colored one has stuff written on it in French and nice small printed designs on it in grey and white. Can’t wait to wear them. ^-^ And I found a clothes dryer rack thingy. Went to Charlie’s.. finally found that place. So now I finally can properly dry my clothes in my room. XD Retail therapy’s goooooood… Need new sneaks though. The shoes I have now are starting to smell. >_< ;;

Weather observations

Thu, 03 Nov 2005 19:37:51 +0000

Wow.. so windy outside! Earlier it was really pouring and now it’s just plain windy. I wonder what gale winds are like.. I mean, to me these winds right now are pretty strong but they’re not gale force winds. And even though it’s pretty dark outside (basically pitch black with a few street lamps giving off an orange-y glow) I like it over here. Winds, rain and all. I dunno. I think the weather’s a really big part of it. I love this type of weather. Which means that in the future I need to live next to the sea.

Random rambling before class

Thu, 03 Nov 2005 14:17:59 +0000

Nice dark nails. Decided that today I’m finally going to paint my nails and I chose “Redcurrant Jelly”. I feel like me again. It’s been so weird going for a whole year without dark nail polish. All I had with me were these really light colors. So while I was in Belgium I bought two Maybeline polishes: Redcurrant Jelly and Baby Doll. ^_^

For some strange reason none of the plugs in the kitchen work. Yesterday they were fine but today.. nada. Really weird. I’m gonna go tell the ppl at the reception about it if someone already hasn’t. I don’t get any tea without working plugs in the kitchen.. ;_; I wonder if the stove’s affected as well..

Personality test

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 22:09:15 +0000

The leveller Well done; you’ve a healthy and balanced approach to life. You are strong at both thinking and feeling and, as a result, can spot problems and solve them quickly, easily and effectively. Just carry on as you are!

Who are you - and why? As a leveller, you’ve got your life together. While other personalities major too much on thinking or feeling, you are in perfect balance. You respond to situations with clear-sightedness, taking your cue from your feelings, but using your mind to help you make decisions and action plans. Pretty much what the MBPT test told me a few years ago.. being an INTJ and all..

Happy Halloween!

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 23:31:02 +0000

The Union seems to be in ghoulish spirits tonight. They’re showing “The Amityville Horror” for free if you’ve got an NUS card. I watched the first 30 mins of it and decided that was enough. I couldn’t make myself watch any more of it. Not because it was a bad movie, it just brought up too many things that I just don’t feel like thinking about when I go to sleep. Alone. *shudders* I mean, it’s not very cheerful to be thinking about how a guy murders his whole family right when you’re going to bed now is it? Especially when I know so much about the actual murders (did a presentation on it two years ago.. not the happiest of subjects but.. well, that’s what the teacher wanted and I aced it so I’m not complaining).

o/

Sat, 29 Oct 2005 16:52:45 +0000

Go me, I’ve finished off my essay. Just printed it. ^-^ So nothing to worry about on Monday. Except forgetting to post it in the box meant for essays.. :-S That wouldn’t be good. But I will remember to do it. I will I will I will. And I’ve already started writing stuff for my portfolio. Got the whole plot planned out. Well not all of it, but enough for me to actually start writing something.

Such a nice sunny day.. why am I inside??

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 12:50:35 +0000

Urgh.. I so cannot be bothered to write my essay. It’s too much of a pain. And now I find out that I need to do a bibliography for my writing portfolio as well! Double urgh. I guess I’ll quote Anne Rice and Virginia Andrews and Brian Lumley (or whoever it was who wrote Necroscope) and Dan Brown.. I mean, those are the ones I’ve just recently read so.. *shrugs* Still annoying though..

Disturbing awakenings

Wed, 26 Oct 2005 12:41:32 +0000

I have no idea why, but the last two mornings I’ve woken up because I was crying. Not just tears flowing down my cheeks, but the really violent crying that makes me double-over and shake.. It’s so strange. And I have no idea what I had been dreaming about that made me cry. It’s like when I wake up, totally confused. No idea what’s going on. Really strange..

Well, not much else has happened. Been researching and writing my essay. Have about 650 words now. Going down into town today.. actually I should get going now. Need to eat and look for that drying thingy before I go over to the Old College to sign up as backstage crew.. possibly audition for a minor role if the play interests me. There’s no need to prepare anything so I could do it just on a whim. Speaking of that, I guess I should first find out what it’s about. ^^;;

Why the hell am I up this early??

Tue, 25 Oct 2005 09:18:47 +0000

Okay so 10 a.m. isn’t that early, but still. I woke up at 8! Lay in bed for about 45 minutes before I finally decided to drag myself out of it. *yawn* See.. this is why it isn’t good to get up early. Especially when you’ve stayed up 2 hrs past your usual bedtime to talk on the phone.. The phone convo lasted only 30 minutes (I think).. the rest of the time I was doing logic puzzles. o/ At least I did start my essay. I have about 250 words now. No idea if it’s any good, but starting is always a good idea. I’m gonna type up what I have right after I post this..

I’m back!!

Sun, 23 Oct 2005 15:52:50 +0000

Okay, I got back yesterday.. Really tired all day because I had to get up at like 3:30 (UK time that is.. which is what I live on nowadays). Was up for about 18 hours.. x_x;; Anyway, happy to be back. Not much work to catch up on since I did manage to do some on the plane rides. I had no idea that all the flights were less than an hour.. caught me by surprise there. But still.. talked to interesting ppl on the way to Brussels, slept mostly on the way back. And I was lucky enough to have a good night’s sleep last night. About 12 hrs.. ^-^

Going, going, gone

Tue, 18 Oct 2005 18:36:09 +0000

I’m going to Brussels tomorrow.. o_O Found out last night that I’m going this week. I wasn’t expecting to go until like next week. But this week it is. So I’m taking the 7:30 train to Birmingham Intl (changing at BNS), and my flight leaves for Amsterdam at 3 p.m. Apparently there’s a 2 hr stop over at Amsterdam so I need something to read or do.. probably gonna buy another puzzle book.. I like puzzles. ^-^ I’m coming back on Saturday (flight leaves at 6:30 a.m. -_-;;) so I should have enough time to get some work done then as well.. I’ve already informed all of my teachers that I can’t be in class/hand in assignments that are due on Friday. They seem fine with it. So all’s good there..

Coincidence?

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 10:19:44 +0000

So strange.. I’m reading Anne Rice’s The Tale of the Body Thief and guess what it’s got one of the Talamasca guys reading. Goethe’s Faust. Which is basically the same as the play that we’re studying & dissecting every Thursday afternoon. The endings are different though. Goethe has Faust going to heaven while in the play Dr. Faustus winds up in hell. I haven’t gotten too far in the book yet, but hopefully it’ll tell me a bit more about Faust so I could use it in my essay about Dr. Faustus..

Fire drill woke me up

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 10:07:19 +0000

Urgh.. had a fire drill this morning. At 7:30 a.m… Made me fall out of bed too. Plus Lewis banging on my door didn’t help.. -_-;; So I’ve been up ever since. It’s a really strange feeling, not having slept enough yet being so awake. And my being cheerful really confuses everyone. No caffeine in me. Naturally up. XD

So, going to Rotherham tonight, Leicester tomorrow then back to Aber on Sunday. Should find out today when I’ll be getting the rest of my stuff. o/

Cuddlable International Name? XD

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 20:34:22 +0000

Heavenly Cloud
Congratulations! You scored 18 CuddlePoints out of 22!

Cuddling with you, is like sleeping on a cloud… it doesnt get ANY better than that… You are the BEST Cuddler there is, and there isn’t anyone (well… except maybe the Stone Slab) who wouldn’t want to cuddle with you! In fact… Wanna come cuddle?

Link: The Cuddlability Test written by on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

I’m cuddly! *grin* o/ Anyone disagree? :-P

Writing again!

Wed, 12 Oct 2005 15:27:10 +0000

Well.. our assignment was supposed to be only 250 words, but as usual, I wrote over the limit. But it’s okay, according to my teacher. We’ll just have to cut it down if we use it in class. Most of what I write will probably wind up in my portfolio. Seeing as it’s gotta contain both poetry and prose (2,500 words’ worth), it should be pretty easy. It’s the commentary that’s worrying me..

Fashion test

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 14:24:30 +0000

Brainy Student
51% Tastefulness, 58% Originality, 42% Deliberateness, 34% Sexiness

[Tasteful Original Random Prissy]

Your style is classic but not glamorous. You don’t concentrate on clothes an awful lot, preferring to spend your time on more interesting matters. You don’t want to look like everyone else and your probably take care to have a unique element or two in your outfits, just to emphasize your personality, but, on the other hand, you don’t need too much attention paid to your looks. Believe it or not, fashion says some things about character. You’re probably quite an intellectual and somewhat reserved. But your style is not bad.

Lovely Monday sched

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 13:18:44 +0000

Well, just when I thought my Mondays were bad enough (from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) the listening skills part of French is being moved to 9 a.m. from it’s 1 p.m. position on Friday! Luuuuuuurvely. *rolls eyes* But at least the rest of my week is fairly easy. ^-^ Like today and tomorrow, nothing. No classes. Gives me time to complete assignments for Writer’s Art and Study of English seminars. So for Friday I have to write 250 words worth of descriptive prose. Should be simple enough. I’ve already done all the observations I need for it, now I just gotta write it out. That is, if the teacher approves of my idea. I wasn’t so sure it was exactly what he wanted so I e-mailed him and asked. No reply yet.. I thought I was going to get the list of possible essay topics yesterday at the lecture but the guy didn’t give us any! Mih.. I wanted to start thinking of stuff to write about. I won’t be getting any work done this weekend so a headstart would’ve been nice…..

Poem!

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 12:24:11 +0000

Colored

When I born, I black. When I grow up, I black. When I go in sun, I black When I cold, I black. When I scared, I black. When I sick, I black. And when I die, I still black.

You white folks…… When you born, you pink. When you grow up, you white. When you go in sun, you red. When you cold, you blue. When you scared, you yellow. When you sick, you green. When you bruised, you purple. And when you die, you gray.

Tix!

Fri, 07 Oct 2005 18:32:35 +0000

I finally have my train tickets to go see Oliver and Ryan next weekend! Altogether it cost me £52, but £20 was the railcard. And the railcard gave a 34% discount immediately. So it’ll be well worth it, even if I only take one more trip with it. ^-^ And I plan on seeing Oliver once a month at least. So it’ll really pay for itself in the following months.

Two more personality tests

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 11:06:47 +0000

p e r f e c t i o n
…you are 94% loyal

your a pretty loyal person… you may have had those few bad experiences or bad thoughts but for the most part… you’re a great boyfriend/girlfriend. you know whats wrong and whats right and you keep yourself in line with that knowledge. some might tell you that your crazy, but in reality you’re a great person!

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender:

Waiting for mail

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:43:18 +0000

Still no mail. Weird. I really want my bank card! And no e-mails either. Except from teachers, which is kinda unsettling. Friends don’t send me e-mails, but teachers do.. o_O;; Then again, I do talk to them on MSN Msgr so I can’t really complain. Except when they’re not there.. like now.

Yesterday.. didn’t do much. Went into town, bought a sweater (B.wise is a really cheap store!), sat by the seaside and wrote haikus (gonna put them up here later tonight probably), came back, had lunch outside and then wrote a letter to Jaz & Jade. That’s basically it. No classes.. Today I’ve only got one seminar which doesn’t start until 4 p.m. So I gotta figure out how to while away the hours before it’s time to go there.. It’s at times like these when I really wish that I had my own computer. Then I wouldn’t be so bored. I’ve already started the tasks on Dr. Faustus which don’t need to be done until like next week! I think today’s when they actually tell us when the tasks are due. I’m just a bit nervous about the essays that we have to write. Well, at least we don’t have any exams. ^-^ French listening is most likely being moved to Tuesday morning. So that means I could (in theory) make it to the 1:30 train. o/ I timed myself yesterday; I left the Porter’s Lodge at about 11:05 and I was on the platform next to the train at 11:24. I didn’t run, but I did walk a bit faster than I usually do. So especially if I run down the hill (could be dangerous), I’ll have a pretty good chance of making it. Which means (that if the train isn’t delayed and I make it to the connecting train at Birmigham) I should be in Sheffield at about 6 p.m. Not bad.. I wasn’t expecting to get there until like midnight if I’d’ve had to take the 5:15 train. So that’s like 3 hrs off the train journey. ^-^

More OkCupid tests

Tue, 04 Oct 2005 18:48:47 +0000

Funny.. I didn’t think I was extroverted..

Televangelist
You are 42% Rational, 57% Extroverted, 0% Brutal, and 57% Arrogant.

As the Lord as my witness, I swear upon the good book that you are indeed the TELEVANGELIST! Characterized by extreme arrogance, self-assurance, and extroversion, you would make a very charismatic leader (or a very despotic one). On top of that, you are also more intuitive than rational, predisposing you to a more spiritual or emotional outlook on life. Thus, you are thoroughly irrational. You also tend to be rather gentle and considerate of others’ feelings. Clearly, you would make the perfect televangelist. Emotional, extroverted, arrogant, and gentle, you annoy the hell out of people who have to listen to the feel-good, intuitive shit spewing from your mouth. Not only that, but people may look down on you as a self-centered asshat. So while you are gentle and genuinely care about others, it is quite clear that you still care about yourself MORE. Why is your personality flawed? Because you are too damned extroverted, emotional, and arrogant. So preach your irrational message, brotha-man! I assure you, no one will be listening!

My first whole school day!

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 19:37:06 +0000

Okay. First Monday is done. Had a two hour Writer’s Art seminar. The teacher for that was about 20 mins late. Sort of a weird guy. But hey, he’s an American. We have to write three haiku poems for him by Friday midnight. Yech. I hate writing poetry. But I’ll deal. I’ve written haiku and tanka stuff earlier so I should be able to churn out something. As part of our class, we had to go outside and just observe things. No talking allowed. Loads of students who were passing us by gave us strange looks. We just ignored them. It was actually sort of like spying. I saw two men in suits talking and one of them almost tripped. Loads of students on cell phones. Groups of 2 & 3 going by.

First week almost through

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 16:30:59 +0000

All of this is so tiring! But I have managed to get loads of stuff done. Yesterday was registration and I decided to take Basic French as an extra module this semester. I would’ve taken the Advanced French, but I only had 20 credits left and that one used up 30. So I had to down grade to Basic French. At least it’ll be an easy course. No stress really there. ^_^ Next year I might want to take Basic German or Basic Spanish. Dunno yet. I still have a year to decide. XD

Tomorrow, tomorrow.. I’m going tomorrow

Fri, 23 Sep 2005 21:31:10 +0000

Going to Aberystwyth tomorrow… sorta nervous about it. Well, less nervous now that we actually have the train tickets (boy did that take a long time to book them on the phone!) and taxi ordered for tomorrow morning. The train leaves at about 10:20 a.m. so I should be in Aberystwyth around 3:30 p.m. Oliver’s coming with me which is very nice since I’ll prolly be a nervous wreck on the trains. He’ll keep me sane and calm. Hopefully. ^_^;;; He’ll go back on Sunday though. Staying for just one night. But that’s better than nothing. I’ll be pretty busy anyway, registration and whatnot.. so it’s probably best if he does go back almost immediately. We won’t be apart for too long. I might be going to Ryan & Shaun’s house warming in Leicester in mid-October so I’ll see him there. :) Next I’ll just have to figure out what to get them. Plants? Dunno.. I’ll find something.

Spam! And condoms

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 21:58:28 +0000

Wow.. just got my first ever spam comments. Advertising some online poker. So honoured. -_-;;

I’ve just been counting condoms again.. The site Condoms-Cheap is up again and I was enlisted to do inventory of the stock available.. Yippee! *rolls eyes* To tell the truth, I can’t tell the difference between a natural condom and a ribbed one. The ones with benzocaine in them I do notice because then the sex usually lasts longer (not that I’m complaining about the duration it takes now without the help of chemicals), but that’s what they’re made to do, right? We’ve only been using the natural ones because 1) since I can’t really tell the difference between most of the types it’s best to go with natural and save the others which sell more easily and 2) we didn’t find the others until like 30 mins ago.

What else can go wrong before I even start?

Sat, 17 Sep 2005 19:31:16 +0000

This is just my luck.. I got my International Student Identity Card (ISIC) today. It’s got all the info on it correct, except my picture! It’s got some mean looking blonde girl’s picture on it! *rolls eyes* God what else can go wrong before I get there? Anywayz, I tried calling the place but since it’s a Saturday, no one’s there. So I’ll have to try it on Monday. And I’m gonna try to get a refund instead of a new card because I am not giving them another picture of me to mess up.. Grr…

Train or car?

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 21:15:06 +0000

Seems like I’m not going to Belgium before I go to Aberystwyth. I kinda got the feeling that I wouldn’t when I didn’t go two weeks ago. So now I don’t know do I book train tickets to Aberystwyth from here or go to London and my dad’ll drive me.. I should know tomorrow. Possibly. Could be that I have to wait until Monday. But at least I now know my vaccinations. No need to flub them, my mom found the card where they’re recorded or something like that.. ^_^ Next on my list of things to do (besides mail the medical document), is to find out if I can get any opiskelijatuki stuff from KELA or the equivalent of it in Belgium.. I should be able to get *something*. Even if it’s just 20€/week or 20€/month, I don’t care. Any money is good. Krisi’s gonna get about 100€/month when she turns 20.. now it’s only about 50€/month. I’ll possibly get a part-time job at Aberystwyth. Work at the Union or something. Any place that is flexible concerning work hours during exam periods.

God this is so frustrating!

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 20:54:38 +0000

Okay, so I went to the bank on Monday and tried to open an account. They said they needed a paper from Aberystwyth saying that I’ll be staying over there. So I come back, call Aberystwyth, explain the situation to them and they say that they’ll send me the standard letter they give whenever someone needs to open a bank account immediately (spoke to 8 people before I got the right person). The lady at the other end obviously didn’t listen to me because when I got the letter this morning, it had my Finnish address. Well, I tried it anyway today with Oliver’s dad. No luck. So I had to call Aberystwyth again. They said that they don’t know my halls of residence address yet. I told them that even just the main address of the hall I’ll be staying in is enough to open the account. So the lady said that she’ll try to send it to me as soon as she could. But really. Whose idea was it to make it so complicated for foreign students to get a DirectDebit form of paying? They won’t let me enter the halls of residence until a) I’ve paid the whole amount in full or b) given them a Direct Debit form. I don’t have the whole sum, so it’s the Direct Debit that I’ve got to use. But I can’t hand them a completed form before I have a bank account. And I can’t get an account before I have proof of residence. *rolls eyes* Whoever thought of this system… urgh.. it’s just such a pain.

Pimsleur again

Sun, 11 Sep 2005 16:19:56 +0000

So now we’ve got the German, Russian and Japanese discs of Pimsleur.. All are quite good. Russian seems to bee the easiest to pronounce. Go figure. For some reason I almost say gazpacho every time I’m supposed to say Mrs. (gezpajra?).. And if my mind starts to wander while doing a lesson, I might say the word they’re asking for in the wrong language. So I gotta stay focused. Japanese has too many words that sound the same. But it’s still fun to learn. I’ve only done one lesson of that so far and I can only remember watashi, eigoga, iie, hai and sumimasen. It’ll all come back to me when I’ll do the next lesson. I hope. ^-^

While Ryan & Oliver are playing around on PS2, I thought I’d update

Sun, 11 Sep 2005 16:13:39 +0000

A few days ago, Thursday night to be exact, someone (as usual) was speeding down the winding road where Oliver lives. Since it had been raining, the road was wet (logical..). That would make most drivers want to slow down a bit, right? Nooo, not this guy. So, he loses control of his car, skids hits a wall. Everyone rushes out, to see if he’s okay, etc. Except me.. I was upstairs when it happened and listening to music on the headphones. ^^;; It wasn’t until Oliver came upstairs to get me before I knew what had happened. I mean, I heard a noise, looked outside onto the field, figured nothing major had happened since I didn’t see anything and went back to playing Minesweeper. Anyway, the guy seemed fine, a bit shaken up but otherwise fine. Didn’t seem drunk. He was given tea and then when the police arrived he was questioned. On closer inspection, we noticed that he had plowed through three walls. He probably lost control of his back tires, flew over one wall, broke his axle and flipped his car.

And we’re back

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 20:59:13 +0000

That was… wow. Some of the best sex ever. I’m so flushed it looks like I’ve been sunburnt. Okay so we were having a bit of a slow “season” these past few months, but after yesterday and today.. *grin*

That’s all I’m gonna say.

WOW.

*grin*

sex

It’s finally done!

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 23:06:58 +0000

We’ve just completed the 3D puzzle of Big Ben. 1400 odd pieces.. the windows were a real pain. So now it’s standing proudly on the coffee table in the living room. 127 cm in height.. in the end I had to stand on a chair while we attached the roof of it to the walls. No, I’m not that short, this whole thing was standing on the dining room table. So of course I couldn’t reach that high. XP The windows were a real pain to complete but once that was done, the actual walls were easy to complete. Only took us about 2 days. ^-^ Next we’re gonna build the Capitol building. The cottage is already done. That one took us about 2 hrs.. the length of a movie.

To go or not to go? That seems to be the question…

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 19:01:22 +0000

Well.. I still don’t know when I’m going to Belgium. I called my dad today and he said that he’ll call me tomorrow.. This is getting really annoying. I mean, I’m not like my parents. I’d like to know at least two weeks in advance what I’m doing. But noooooooo.. still no clue. I might be going over to Brussels on Saturday, I might not. I’ll know tomorrow. In a way, it’d be good if I didn’t go back this weekend because then I could open a bank account here before uni starts. I need to hand in a filled out DirectDebit form to a British bank account or have the whole amount to cover the costs of tuition & accommodation ready before term starts. If not, they won’t let me attend. So… if I stay here, my parents could mail me my UCAS papers where it says that I’ve confirmed my place in Aberystwyth which I’ll use to open a student account at NatWest or HSBC or something. Plus, I’d get to spend more time with Oliver. ^_^ Then again, I want to go back to Belgium so I can see what things I want to take with me to Aberystwyth. I know I want my stereo but I’m not gonna take my whole CD collection or my entire wardrobe or make-up collection. So before I go over to Wales in September, I want to go back to Brussels for at least a few days. (And that way I’d get to catch up on things with Auri..) Apparently, there’s a sports week thingy in Aberystwyth for the first year students starting on the 20th of September. A decision has to be made by the 9th.. I might go. Don’t know yet. Sounds like fun though.. we’ll see… ^-^

Colours and poker

Tue, 23 Aug 2005 19:15:09 +0000

Well, I lost. Oliver and I were playing poker.. betting with Monopoly money. Lost all 30 whatever the currency is. XD But I am getting better at it. At one point I had managed to win back all the “money” I had lost, but then.. well, I thought Oliver was bluffing and lost it all. ^^;; But we’re gonna keep playing later tonight. I wanna get the hang of it. This game was called Texas Hold’em.. A completely new game to me. But then again, I don’t know many poker games.

Planning my future wedding.. in a way

Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:50:54 +0000

I was asked an interesting question recently. Have I already begun to plan my wedding? Now that immediately assumes that I’ll get married some day. At one point, I was pretty sure that I didn’t want to get married. Just being together with someone without involving the authorities, like Dharma’s parents in Dharma & Greg. Staying together because they chose to do so instead of because a piece of paper legally bound them together. I don’t feel that way anymore. I would like to get married someday. But not in the next few years. I still need to experience what it’s like to be totally independent, living on my own, earning my own money, paying bills.. Okay, so I’ve already worked and earned money, but I haven’t moved out. Not quite, even though it sometimes feels like I have. That’s another thing that I like about uni, it brings me another step closer to freedom by letting me live on my own.

First time drunk, first time hungover

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 16:31:59 +0000

I do not like being hungover. Seriously, the headache.. no matter how much fun I had at the BBQ, it’s not worth the results the next day. Now I’m fine though. Yesterday.. meh. According to Ryan, I looked like I was dying when we were in Meadowhall. Once we got back to Oliver’s and I got to lie down, I was fine. So now I know, I need a whole day to recover from a night of drinking. The problem was that we didn’t know how much alcohol there was in Sangria or white wine & lemonade. Oliver drank more than I did.. but he wasn’t as affected as I was. Faster metabolism even though he weighs less. It was actually quite fun being drunk. Talking to Ray was quite interesting. And I did know at the time that I was drunk. So next time, I won’t wear high heels. Because I was really wobbly on the way back. I feel sorry for Oliver’s mom who had to support both me and Oliver when we were walking. I managed to trip in the driveway and I caught hold of the small concrete wall to stop myself from totally falling flat on my face. Really scratched up the skin on my right arm. Still hurts a bit. But at the time, didn’t feel a thing. Just thought it was funny. Being drunk is a bit like whenever Jaz and I get our giggle fests. No one else understands what’s so funny, but we can’t stop laughing to explain why we’re in stitches. What I don’t get is why they kept filling my glass when they saw that I was drunk. I never asked for a refill, they just kept pouring me more. Then there was the fact that Oliver kept saying: “Oh go on.. where’s your sense of adventure?” while someone was going around with the pitcher. So I wound up drinking at least 3 Sangrias (about 2 dl each) and 2 white wine & lemonades. *shakes head* Ah well. This doesn’t mean that I won’t drink anymore, just not that much. I’ll limit myself to one or two drinks. That’s it. Amazingly enough, I can remember a lot of what went on at the BBQ. I wouldn’t have thought that I could, seeing how drunk I was. At least I didn’t throw up or blackout. So all in all, it was a fun BBQ, even if the ones serving the drinks were a bit irresponsible letting me drink that much. I remember telling them that it was my first time drunk and apologizing a lot for my behaviour. I think I was the youngest one there. One plus point about being drunk is that you stop feeling the cold. At around 10 o’clock I was thinking that maybe I should quickly nip back to Oliver’s to get my coat but I decided to wait until I felt like I really needed the coat. By the time I probably would’ve needed the coat, I was too drunk to feel temperature changes. It’s amazing I’m not sick with the flu right now. I just hate to think of the damage I did to my liver that night. Which is another reason why I’m gonna limit myself from now on.

Behind in German…

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 16:31:04 +0000

Haven’t listened to Pimsleur’s German for a few days. Tsk tsk. But at least we’re one ninth done. They had us repeat the one of the worst sentences ever: “jetzt nichts essen”. I can’t do that in the normal speed one’d use in a conversation. The different S sounds are too confusing. Just like back in school when I first learned the word Franzözich. For me, that’s incredibly difficult to pronounce. The two on the CD having the conversation.. they’re funny. The guy’s trying to find out when the two of them could go out to eat together. The woman suggests a time and the guy always says: “No not then. An hour later?” Well, he susbstitutes the hour later part with the actual time he’s suggesting. At one point the woman obviously gets frustrated and says: “You don’t understand German!” Which just promts the man to ask again does she want to go eat with him. *rolls eyes* They’re really rude too. Keep inviting themselves over to the other person’s place for a drink or to eat. That’s not something one’d do in normal circumstances. It’s impolite to invite oneself over to another’s home. Or maybe it’s different in Germany.. doubt it though. At least Pimsleur works. I can remember everything they’ve taught me. At least I think I can. Still feels like we’re going way too slowly, but I am learning things. ^_^ Just too bad that they’re so expensive. Hopefully they’ve got Pimsleur stuff in the libraries in Aberystwyth. I want to continue learning.

Silent Hill 2

Sat, 13 Aug 2005 15:47:13 +0000

We finished playing Silent Hill 2 a few days ago. Got the “Leave” ending. Was pretty much what I expected it to be, after playing Silent Hill and Silent Hill 4. There were two things that got me by surprise. 1) the newspaper article about Walter Sullivan (and then later finding his grave) 2) the writing on one of the walls in a store or something: “There used to be a HOLE here.” To me that just proves that when they were making SH2, they were sorta thinking about SH4. Still, the stories are separate enough to be played on their own without having to know the story of a previous game. I just kept expecting to see red notes slipped underneath the doors. Blame SH4. I really liked the Riddles (played it on Hard). As usual, we had to take out pen and paper to solve one. But that’s the whole fun of it. Making you think before allowing you to continue. The baddies were funny.. although not as funny as the two-headed babies burping everytime they were hit in SH4. Still, the headless mannequins (like always) they managed to scare me whenever they jumped out from behind a corner. Really did not like the Pyramid Heads. The music was pretty good too. I liked the tune the music boxes played (also a good riddle, even if it does assume that one knows fairy tales). Most of the sound effects managed to make me jump, so they were as effective as they were supposed to be. Oliver thought I was being ridiculous hugging the pillow whenever there was the ominous sounds in the hallways of the apartment buildings, but.. but.. sounds scare me! Even more than images. Sounds can be terrifying. That’s when my imagination gets going. I’d probably hate being blind.. not mind being deaf. Although that’d mean I couldn’t listen to music anymore. And I’m straying from what I was talking about. Back to SH2. The people who thought of these games.. they’re twisted. Really weird plots. I mean, really. Dead people, cults, holes in the walls.. what’s up with this whole alternate reality? Really confusing. Especially without a map. Anyway, over all it’s a pretty good game. Frustrating at times, but that’s what spoiler free walkthroughs are meant for. XD

Weird coincidence

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 13:12:24 +0000

Yesterday Oliver and I went to Rotherham to get more Pimsleur language courses from the library and to find a coloring book. I guess it’s that time of year again, when different charities try to get others to sign up for stuff. There were loads of “Save The Blind” people around, but we managed to dodge them. Apparently they like to aim for the boyfriend half of the couple because he’ll be more likely to respond so he can show his girlfriend how caring he is. Which is exactly what one of the girls did. Didn’t stay to talk to her though. Just when we thought that we were safe, this guy in dark blue holding a clip board catches us by surprise. So there we were, having to listen to him talk about monks while I was thinking: “Wait a minute.. isn’t this the same guy we met in Blackpool in March??” I donated 1p, didn’t have more with me.. and that one just happened to what I had found 10 minutes earlier on the ground. When we finally got rid of him, Oliver and I just looked at each other and asked (pretty much at the same time): “Haven’t we seen him before?” After going to the market, we bump into him again and ask if he was in Blackpool. It was the same guy. Here’s the funny part: he thought that we were on our honeymoon back then. o_O

Short summary of my days here in England

Mon, 08 Aug 2005 16:07:00 +0000

Donated blood two hours ago. No wooziness. Good good. It was a pretty simple process really. Just fill out a form, answer some questions, tell them my name and birth date a dozen times and then just let them suck the blood out of me. Took about 30 minutes all in all. I was lucky, got a chatty nurse. Talked about loads of things. Turns out that she has a friend who just finished taking Drama courses at Aberystwyth. So we talked about dancing, how Oliver and I met, people getting squeamish around blood.. A fun person. ^-^

Tests, tests, tests!

Mon, 25 Jul 2005 13:37:00 +0000

Yay for tests. ^_^ Tell me your results if/when you do them.

INTJ -The Mastermind
Your Type is 0% Extroverted, 12% Observant, 68% Logical and 87% Structured

You are more introverted than extroverted. You are more intuitive than observant, you are more thinking based than feeling based, and you prefer to have a plan rather than leaving things to chance. Your type is best described by the word “mastermind”, which belongs to the larger group called rationals. Only 1% of the population shares your type. You are very strong willed and self-confident. You can hardly rest until you have things settled. You will only adopt ideas and rules if they make sense. You are a great brainstormer and often come up with creative solutions to difficult problems. You are open to new concepts, and often actively seek them out.
As a romantic partner, you can be both fascinating yet demanding. You are not apt to express your emotions, leaving your partner wondering where they are with you. You strongly dislike repeating yourself or listening to the disorganized process of sorting through emotional conflicts. You see your own commitments as self-evident and don’t see why you need to repeat something already expressed. You have the most difficulty in admitting your vulnerabilities. You feel the most appreciated when your partner admires the quality of your innovations and when they listen respectfully to your ideas and advice. You need plenty of quiet to explore your interests to the depth that gives you satisfaction.
Your group summary: rationals (NT)
Your type summary: INTJ
vincex’s shorter version of this test.
My longer version of this same test. The real deal.

been playing with fire

Sun, 24 Jul 2005 20:33:00 +0000

Was at the lake again. This time we grilled just sausages. And roasted marshmallows. I was the only one who managed to not burn their finger(s). Then again, I have been nominated as the Fire Watched of our “tribe”. So of course I know how to handle the fire. And this time I got it going by myself too. ^_^ Yesterday I just kept watch over it, making sure it wouldn’t go out while our entertainer was putting on a performance. Jade came up with a really funny show too. Jaz, the leader, said that Jade has to play a rich city person. So Jade goes around these imaginary stalls buying with loads of bills berries that have to be carted around in a huge basket. In the end she gives it all to the leader as a present. Then Jade has to play a poor city person. So it’s another trip to the berry market. Except this time, she can only afford to buy one strawberry, one blueberry, etc each worth one coin. Then when she’s bought the basket for the berries, she checks her pocket, turns it inside out to show that she has no money left with a pout. She pours the few berries back into her hand, gives the basket back and gets her coin back before she presents the berries to the leader. ^_^ She killed us with the surprised pout. It was hilarious. Really. Should’ve been there. Trust me. The food we had yesterday.. *drool* There was filet mignon in two different marinades, blue cheese creamy potatoes, pickles (the American kind) with smetana (a sort of sour cream), sundried tomatoes.. Yum. ^-^ Haven’t had food that good in ages. The only times I’ve had my meat cooked exactly the way I want it has been when my dad grills it. He just knows when it’s a really nice medium-rare. Usually the rarer the better. At least with his style filet mignons.

Dreams and blueberry soreness…

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 14:19:00 +0000

I keep having really strange dreams. Most of the time I can’t remember what they were about, I’m just left with a strange feeling. I do remember bits of last night’s dream though. I had gotten myself a shift at a shop that looked like Alepa but I’m a Prisma cashier… Anyway, it was like 3 a.m. when I reported for duty. I ran into Daniela in the changing room.. didn’t talk to her, just waved and I went to my register. Some little old lady had left her groceries next to my register the night before. So I took all of them back. Then I run into Anji and Steve. They tell me that they’re the supervising kassapäällikkös or something. I ask if my shift can be modified a bit and they said that they’ll see what they can work out. We run into Dave and we all sit down at the café. Then this really weird old guy joins us and starts blabbling about something random.. we all start to inch away. Then it suddenly switches to morning and I’m in my bed. I remember sitting up and thinking that that was a weird dream. Then I hear my parents walking into my “room” with my birthday cake. And then I really wake up. And again, I’m left with a strange feeling.

Testing something

Wed, 20 Jul 2005 11:49:00 +0000

Yup.. a quiz for your enjoyment. ^_^
Now let’s see if this works.. what I’m trying to do that is..

Air
You are 59% Extroverted and 52% Chaotic

Virtue - Air people possess the virtue of knowledge. This does not mean they are more intelligent than anyone else but are generally well rounded and informed. They are good communicators. Most have a good grasp of the language and generally know a little something about everything. They have good personalities and are easy to get to know.

Finally! It's raining. ^_^

Sun, 17 Jul 2005 10:25:00 +0000

There’s just something that I like about getting up before everyone else, drinking tea and hearing the rain come down. Calming.

Getting checks is a real pain here in Finland. Okay, so on Friday we went to Lahti to get some from Sampo. The girl we got looked like she had no clue what she was doing, jumping up from her seat all the time to go ask someone if they knew. Supposedly the person who handles checks was on vacation and no one knew how to do it. So we went to Nordea. There they knew what a check was (unlike the girl.. we even had to explain what a check looked like) and everything went fine. The only really annoying this is that since checks aren’t used in Finland, when you ask for one it’ll cost you 22,10 €! *rolls eyes* Okay, so if it would’ve only been one check that we needed, I’d still be okay with that. But silly UWA wants two separate checks. One as the acceptance fee and the other for the two extra nights of accommodation that I’ll need for the New Students Induction Weekend. In the end, we have the two checks and all of the papers can be mailed as soon as I find one more passport photo of myself. Mom said she might have some in the yksiö, but she won’t let me go look for them. So she’d better do it today or then we’re going to get the pics done in Helsinki tomorrow. The papers have to be mailed tomorrow. They need to be in Aberystwyth by Friday. So I’m taking no chances in case the mail gets to Wales slower than to England. Shouldn’t do, but still… you never know.

More randomness before I pop down to the CISV party-thingie

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 13:12:00 +0000

Lady
You scored 61 princessness!

You’re a fine lady who respects herself. You get a wild hair now and then. You care about other people, but you feel you’re entitled to be a little selfish now and then. You’re not quite Princess material, but you’re pretty darn close.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender:

More late night babbling.. but this time it’s caffeine induced!

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 01:37:00 +0000

And I’ve finished the fourth chapter. o/ Dunno if drinking two cups of Persian Earl Grey tea helped or not, but I’m still happy. I would’ve gotten it done earlier, but a certain someone keeps sending me text messages and interrupting my train of thought. At least it’s done now. No clue right now how I’ll continue it, but maybe it’ll come to me tomorrow. Or then the night after that..

Late night babbling.. maybe it’s the alcohol?

Tue, 12 Jul 2005 01:35:00 +0000

*yawn* I really should go to sleep. It’s just nice being up all by myself, having me time. Haven’t had much of that lately. It’s just so cramped around here. Seven people living together… soon it’ll be eight when my uncle gets back from my other uncle’s summer cottage. Good news though, I won’t have to put up with it for too long. Going back to Rotherham in two weeks! o/ Haven’t actually bought my ticket yet, but I’ll do it tomorrow. It was a bit too late to go over to the room with the comp when Dad finally agreed to let me go. More good news, my grandfather got out of the hospital a few days ago. ^_^ Still no clue what made his feet and knees retain loads of water but at least he’s back here. He said he’d like to come swimming with us, but the doctors told him to rest at least a week more before he’s up and about. Speaking about swimming, went to the lake today. Don’t know how but I managed to burn my face and left shoulder. Now why it’s just the left one and not the right one, I have no clue. I read for about 10 minutes before I went into the water.. I can’t burn that easily, can I? ;_;

More tests from OkCupid…

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 17:45:00 +0000

Very Happy
You scored 86!

You are very happy, you are probably one of the happiest people in your group. Very little can get you down but be careful because you are not invincible and things can change quite quickly.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on Happies

Because I’ve got nothing better to do right now

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 13:20:00 +0000

Hot Tamale
You have an intellectual sexiness factor of 70!

You’re hot! You’ve read a lot. You’ve done a lot, and there’s a lot you’d like to try in the future. You’ve got a sharp, sexy mind, and few inhibitions to restrain you from exploring all the pleasure you can get. You have few hang-ups, and there’s not much you don’t know about sex. You’re open-minded and able to enjoy things that would make a lesser person squeamish. You’re an exceptional treat as a lover, appreciated greatly by those who know the differnce. You were probably bored with a few of the people you’ve been with in your past, feeling like you had to drag them along with you in the sexual adventures you want to have, and probably dumping them for the same reason. It takes a lot to stimulate you; you realize it’s not just about bumping uglies. In the end there’s gotta be a lot more to it. Still, there is always room for improvement. Before you can graduate into a true sexual genius, there are a few things you’ve got to learn, to explore, to think through, talk through, and fuck through. A good place to start is in taking a look at the few things you’re still a little hesitant to try. Break down you’re last few barriers and discover the outer sexual frontiers, and you’ll become a master.

Long time no post…

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 10:46:00 +0000

Not much has really happened since my last post. Or then I’ve just got a really bad memory. Either way, there won’t be much text this time.

Right now I’m in England again. Got here a little over a week ago. Haven’t done much. But then again, I never do much when I’m here. XP On Monday is Oliver’s graduation (the reason for my presence here), which means that we’re going back to London on Sunday. I’m going back to Finland on Tuesday. *sniffle* But hey, it’s been a good three weeks when I leave. It’s just annoying that we have to spend six weeks apart before we can see each other again. He was supposed to come over to Finland for my birthday, but since RyanAir doesn’t do cheap tickets during the holidays, he can’t afford to come. That just means that I’ll be coming over here in AUgust again. I’ll most likely have to pay for it myself but that’s what I’ve done before too. Nothing new there. I wonder if I still remember how to use the register if I can get myself a couple of shifts after our trip to Dubai. I’d also need to be somewhere in the Espoo-Vantaa-Helsinki area if I want to work. Well, we’ll see. I actually kinda liked working. Okay, so the actual work wasn’t that exciting, but I sure did like the paycheck. *grin*

Long time no post...

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 10:19:46 +0000

Not much has really happened since my last post. Or then I’ve just got a really bad memory. Either way, there won’t be much text this time.

Right now I’m in England again. Got here a little over a week ago. Haven’t done much. But then again, I never do much when I’m here. XP On Monday is Oliver’s graduation (the reason for my presence here), which means that we’re going back to London on Sunday. I’m going back to Finland on Tuesday. sniffle But hey, it’s been a good three weeks when I leave. It’s just annoying that we have to spend six weeks apart before we can see each other again. He was supposed to come over to Finland for my birthday, but since RyanAir doesn’t do cheap tickets during the holidays, he can’t afford to come. That just means that I’ll be coming over here in AUgust again. I’ll most likely have to pay for it myself but that’s what I’ve done before too. Nothing new there. I wonder if I still remember how to use the register if I can get myself a couple of shifts after our trip to Dubai. I’d also need to be somewhere in the Espoo-Vantaa-Helsinki area if I want to work. Well, we’ll see. I actually kinda liked working. Okay, so the actual work wasn’t that exciting, but I sure did like the paycheck. grin

The floor is so shiny again! ^_^

Fri, 03 Jun 2005 12:28:00 +0000

I’m so happy with myself right now. I’ve finished the second and third chapters to “Opposites Attract”. Haven’t started the fourth chapter yet, but hopefully this motivation streak will continue during the weekend. ^_^

The cleaner came today! o/ I had given up hope that anyone would come this week. I was geared up to go over to the BBF office and let them know that they’re not living up to the once every two weeks cleaning they promised. Now all I have to tell them is that no one has come to change the lamps even though I had called two weeks ago and the man on the phone promised me someone would come that day or the next. *sigh* Ah well. Otherwise I wouldn’t bother about two light bulbs, since I’m leaving in 2½ weeks but I’m going to pay the rent so I might as well tell them while I’m there. Won’t cost me anything. XP

2005-06-01 - 14:37

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 14:37:32 +0000

I’ve changed my mind. I am going to continue the “Wait” story, only change the names and title. So the first chapter will still be named “The Wait” but the whole story’s title is gonna be something different. Not sure what exactly, but I’ll come up with something. Feeling very inclined to write now. I certainly was so last night. ^-^

It’s a wonder my legs haven’t begun complaining at me. Yesterday I had to go buy paper plates, napkins, white acrylic paint and fixative for Jaz. So I basically hiked from Schaerbeek to Evere, from Evere to Woluwe-St-Lambert and then back to Schaerbeek. rolls eyes God it was a long walk. Luckily it wasn’t raining, otherwise I would’ve protested. On my way from Carrefour to the mall, a man stopped me and asked where Rue de Colonel Bourg was. On any other given day I wouldn’t have had a clue, but since I had just consulted the bus map (I was following bus stops to find my way to the mall from Carrefour), I incidentally was heading for that street as well. The poor man was going in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to go. I told him to turn around and keep going straight until he comes to it. I continued on walking and after about 10 minutes, he showed up beside me again and gestured that should he keep going straight. I nodded, he waved thanks and went on his way. It’s so nice being able to help someone find something. :) Then, when I went to get Jaz from school, I noticed a man staring at me from his car going the opposite direction. The reason why I noticed him was because of his music. It was on so loud that even I could hear it through my headphones. I keep on walking but the guy turns his car around at the roundabout and drives past me grinning at me the whole time. I ignore him, but he turns around at the next roundabout (yes, there are at least 3 roundabouts on the way to VF) and drives past again, grinning the whole time! After this happens like 2 more times, I’m getting a bit freaked. So when he drives past me as I’m crossing the street, I let him go on to the next roundabout while I turn right and take an alternate route to VF. Didn’t see him after that. ^^;; Sure, I like getting attention (who doesn’t?) but sometimes when I’m walking alone it’s just creepy how some guys/men start following me. They should take some lessons from the ones who just say hi and wait for an answer. They’re polite. And usually somewhat cute. grin These followers are almost never cute or good-looking. They’re just creepy. shudders

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 11:11:00 +0000

It’s a wonder my legs haven’t begun complaining at me. Yesterday I had to go buy paper plates, napkins, white acrylic paint and fixative for Jaz. So I basically hiked from Schaerbeek to Evere, from Evere to Woluwe-St-Lambert and then back to Schaerbeek. *rolls eyes* God it was a long walk. Luckily it wasn’t raining, otherwise I would’ve protested. On my way from Carrefour to the mall, a man stopped me and asked where Rue de Colonel Bourg was. On any other given day I wouldn’t have had a clue, but since I had just consulted the bus map (I was following bus stops to find my way to the mall from Carrefour), I incidentally was heading for that street as well. The poor man was going in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to go. I told him to turn around and keep going straight until he comes to it. I continued on walking and after about 10 minutes, he showed up beside me again and gestured that should he keep going straight. I nodded, he waved thanks and went on his way. It’s so nice being able to help someone find something. :) Then, when I went to get Jaz from school, I noticed a man staring at me from his car going the opposite direction. The reason why I noticed him was because of his music. It was on so loud that even I could hear it through my headphones. I keep on walking but the guy turns his car around at the roundabout and drives past me grinning at me the whole time. I ignore him, but he turns around at the next roundabout (yes, there are at least 3 roundabouts on the way to VF) and drives past again, grinning the whole time! After this happens like 2 more times, I’m getting a bit freaked. So when he drives past me as I’m crossing the street, I let him go on to the next roundabout while I turn right and take an alternate route to VF. Didn’t see him after that. ^^;; Sure, I like getting attention (who doesn’t?) but sometimes when I’m walking alone it’s just creepy how some guys/men start following me. They should take some lessons from the ones who just say hi and wait for an answer. They’re polite. And usually somewhat cute. *grin* These followers are almost never cute or good-looking. They’re just creepy. *shudders*

A new story!

Mon, 30 May 2005 15:23:47 +0000

Haven’t done much today; went to the store, did some laundry, tidied up, wrote something. grin And I finished it. Only took me two hours. Y’see, I got a review for something I had written ages ago, and that gave me the boost I needed to actually write something again. So I just sat down, began writing and voilà! “The Wait” awaits comments at http://www.fictionpress.com/read.php?storyid=1926096. It felt so good to write again. I’ll probably write something new later tonight. If I’m still feeling creative then. It’s funny how I get these urges to write. When I actually want to write, I sit and churn out something in a few hours. Then nothing for a few months. Hopefully I’ll be inspired enough next year to write more than once every four months, seeing as I’m majoring in Creative Writing. ^^;;

2005-05-27 - 15:09

Fri, 27 May 2005 15:09:31 +0000

yawn I’m so sleepy. Maybe I shouldn’t stay up late as often as I do. I just loooove getting up early in the morning. And I love staying up late because that’s when inspiration hits me. Usually.

The weather today has been so great. Sitting outside in the park for a few hours today was nice. Until the little kiddies came out. I was fine with the high school kids coming out to the park to spend their lunch break out in the sunshine. But the little kiddies.. rolls eyes They scream, they run around, they kick balls that fly right next to my head, their teacher yells at them while she’s standing right next to me. Urgh. Remind to never become an elementary school teacher. But, like every summer, I don’t put on sunblock and I burn. My shoulders are lobster red. Luckily my face isn’t as bad. So on Saturday when I go to Carrefour, I’m buying sunblock and shampoo. They had this special offer of buy 2 get 1 free on Timotei shampoos. Total cost would be around 5€. The reason why I’m gonna get three for me and three for Jaz is because we know that our mom won’t buy brandnames. And we prefer quality over quantity. So if a penny pincher like me is willing to buy it, it’s good stuff. At least their chamomile shampoo has lightened my hair a bit. Not as good as the John Frieda stuff that I got from Ellu, but still works.

2005-05-23 - 15:16

Mon, 23 May 2005 15:16:23 +0000

I’ve just spent 1½ hrs walking around Scaerbeek and Evere. I was looking for Brico, which I could’ve sworn that I saw the first day I came here. But now it’s disappeared! sniffle Ah well, I’ll go look for it again tomorrow. I did find some of the stuff that Jaz wanted from Carrefour. Hope she’s happy with it.

I love pencils. grin Last night I decided to use a pencil instead of a pen when I wrote into my diary. There’s just something that’s so nice about the sound it makes when it scratches the paper. The only downer is that I need to sharpen often. I guess I just write a lot. But! I do have a sharpener. All new too. :) I also love buying new notebooks and pens and markers and… Basically I love going shopping in the fall for school.

2005-05-23 - 15:14

Mon, 23 May 2005 15:14:49 +0000

In exactly three weeks, Oliver’ll be here. ^_^ Yeah, so I spoke with Dad and he said that I can go buy my ticket when I feel like it. I’m not buying a return. Because, well, I don’t know where I’ll be returning to. Will it be here or will it be Finland? We don’t know yet. But he’s willing to pay the little extra it might cost not to buy a return ticket now. So it’s all good. He’ll be arriving here on the 11th on the 22:10 train and the two of us will leave on the 21st on the 17:56 train. Three weeks of waiting will follow at least three and a half weeks of joy. grin

Memes..

Sat, 21 May 2005 17:28:37 +0000

1) Total number of movies/dvd that I own: Erm.. a whole lot. But they’re all in storage so I can’t go count. XP Maybe around 60?

2) Last movie I bought: Let’s see.. it’s been ages.. but maybe Bruce Almighty? It was a present for my mom though..

3) Last film I watched: This one’s easy. The American President.

4) Five films I watch a lot or mean something to me: Okies, Gone With the Wind because.. I just love it. Something about it that’s just great. Last of the Mohicans because of Daniel Day-Lewis (so hot! drool). Pirates of the Caribbean. Cry Baby. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (reminds me of my family somewhat..).

2005-05-21 - 16:16

Sat, 21 May 2005 16:16:37 +0000

That ice cream was waaaaay too sweet. Yech. Icky..

Still haven’t called me yet. I can be very antsy, but but but. I need to talk to them! Must know which tickets to buy today. Today’s the last day the cheap one for the 11th of June can be bought. I wonder how we can get seats next to each other when we go back. It’d be kinda silly to be on the same train but at opposite ends.

2005-05-21 - 16:12

Sat, 21 May 2005 16:12:18 +0000

Erm, right. There’s a man to check the Internet connection in this apartment right now. We don’t have the Internet here… maybe BBF is installing it to all of their apartments in this building. Strange. When I went to answer the door I thought it would be someone coming to change the light bulbs. At least he isn’t looking at me funnily. whispers I’m not wearing a bra and the T-shirt is doesn’t hide that fact. ^^;;

2005-05-20 - 14:11

Fri, 20 May 2005 14:11:16 +0000

The cleaner came today. \o/ I have never been happier to see clean floors. Lol. Tomorrow someone’s gonna come change some light bulbs. Can’t sleep late. u_u

I’ve been thinking. About soulmates. Just like Prince Henri was thinking in “Ever After” when he was at the lake with Leonardo Da Vinci. First line of thinking: Is there just one for everyone? What if they’re on the other side of the world? What if they die before you meet them? Do you then get another one? Or is that it? Then: Okay, there are more than one. If you meet one before the other, are they the one that you’re meant to be with? What happens if you meet two at the same time? Then how do you choose? What exactly is a soulmate? What I think, and this disagrees with the questions I posed above, is that they’re two people who are meant to be together, not necessarily in a romantic or sexual way. They’re the sister/brother destiny forgot to give you. You’re bound to them your life in one way or another. Now this doesn’t mean that it’ll be an easy relationship. No relationship is ever easy.

2005-05-19 - 16:14

Thu, 19 May 2005 16:14:50 +0000

I can’t sleep. Well, I can but I don’t want to. Because there’s the danger that if I go back to sleep, I won’t wake up before noon. Now while that in itself isn’t that bad, if I sleep that late, I won’t have time to go to the post office (if necessary, don’t know yet). Plus the cleaner comes at 11 or so (I hope!!). If she doesn’t, then I’ll have to call Robbie. Well, I have to call him anyway. Two more lights went out on Tuesday. rolls eyes

Yes I'm bored..

Wed, 18 May 2005 12:06:18 +0000

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.

You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage something you've always wanted... though you haven't really thought about it.

In this moment, you think of love as something you can get or discard anytime. You're feeling self centered.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Interesting.. nice to know I’d never cheat. I guess that’s pretty much accurate.. but I have no idea how choosing animals determines all of that…

2005-05-18 - 11:28

Wed, 18 May 2005 11:28:37 +0000

All of the errands for today have been done. The next thing I need to do before I go get Jaz from school, is the laundry. Had to cut my pretty long nails. sniffle Can’t do laundry with long nails. Or pretty much anything else for that matter. Typing was horrible! Especially on this laptop…

I got the Sims to work! grin Thank you thank you thank you Oliver and Anji!!! I’m so addicted to that game. The Unleashed expansion pack is so much fun. The cats are so cute. The dogs aren’t that bad either, but it’s a bugger to house train them.

2005-05-18 - 11:27

Wed, 18 May 2005 11:27:28 +0000

I’ve been back for about five hours now and… it sucks. At least it hasn’t reared its ugly head that much this time. The sucky feeling I have isn’t that strong. Last time it physically hurt for like eight hours, the idea finally taking root that I’m back here again. Now, it’s more of a “meh” feeling. Possibly because I was away for only four nights. The time before it was four weeks! So yeah, I’m not feeling that bad right now. Not that good either. Not feeling much either way. I just… am. But it sure was a fun extended weekend! grin The only time I was able to get a good night’s sleep was when we stayed over at Anji’s. Gotta say, I love that bed. So spacious. And there’s no fighting over the duvet. Didn’t get much sleep (no need to go into detail as to why XP) but the six hours I did get were great. ^-^ One really weird thing happened while we were away. Jaz has met this guy named Nick Shanks on OkCupid. Oliver has received comments from a Nicholas Shanks in his blog (he also has a link to Nick’s site). As it turns out, this is the exact same person. Small world, eh? o.O;;

2005-05-18 - 11:25

Wed, 18 May 2005 11:25:56 +0000

Why do they say that they’ll call me back when they won’t? I’ve called that EuroRent place three times today, twice they’ve said that they’ll call me back in the next ten minutes. It’s been an hour since the last time they said that. rolls eyes And I don’t know has the apartment been rented to someone else or not. The lady said that this morning one apartment in Auderghem had been rented but she wasn’t able to check from her computer at that moment was it the one I was talking about. I don’t have the credit to keep calling them. And when my dad calls to ask how far I’ve gotten with them, well… I can’t tell him anything new. So then he’ll get frustrated and possibly take it out on me. Probably thinks that I can’t take care of anything. And no, I’m not imagining this, he’s done it before.

2005-05-18 - 11:24

Wed, 18 May 2005 11:24:36 +0000

Egh.. phoning from my cell before 4 pm is not cheap. Costs 0,50€/min. If I wait to call after 4, then it’s 0,25€/min. Aaaaaaaaanyway, the way I found out about this was when I called this place called EuroRent. Possibly getting an apartment in Auderghem. Spoke with them this morning, then my dad called and I told him everything I had found out about the penthouse from the woman on the phone. He told me to make an appointment to see the place. I called EuroRent again at 2:30 but no one picked up. So then I called again just after four and got an answering machine. Oh how I hate those machines. I always sound so… well not me, whenever I leave a message. But leave a message I did. So hopefully they’ll call me back tomorrow before we leave. If they say that I can see the place tomorrow then I’ll probably stop by the post office too. The one we used to go to when the whole family was in Brussels. Not that close to where we are now. Told my dad that when he asked me to stop by that place. He was on his “Three hours is plenty of time!” reasoning again. If I don’t want to walk (which would take me about an hour (whispers slow walker!)) I’d have to take either two trams or a bus, a metro and a tram… like I said, not easily accessible. And when I go see the penthouse, I’ll probably have to take like three busses before I’m anywhere close to a sensible walking distance. Maybe someone can give me a ride to the place! hopeful

Fire possibilities and heebie jeebies

Mon, 09 May 2005 15:13:07 +0000

I like this feeling. The feeling that I’ve actually done something during the day. I’ve been to the store, ironed, washed the dishes, tidied up a bit… Can’t be bothered to do the laundry right now. Maybe after Jaz gets back from school. We’ll see…

I’m really sleepy for some reason. I don’t think it’s the lack of sleep, since I slept for over 10 hrs last night. Some bits of my dream are coming back to me. There was a store and I found juice that cost only 0,29€/l. But when I had finally gotten my mom back to that aisle, the whole shelf was empty. All of the customers had gone too. The place was closing. It was very disorientating. Suddenly I’m in a white hallway hugging Mikko S. We’re walking (I’m going backwards) and still hugging. There’s a small white bed and a four-year-old Jade snuggles up in between us and asks us to read her a story. I ask Mikko to carry Jade back to her room when she’s fallen asleep. That’s about it. All I remember.

2005-05-09 - 15:09

Mon, 09 May 2005 15:09:11 +0000

I’ve got new stuff. ^^ Yes it’s very materialistic of me, but I need to spend money every three-four months. So, what I bought today: a dress (blue! like someone requested ^~), white wedge sandals, a bikini, three pairs of earrings and two bras. Everything from H&M except the sandals which were from C&A. I think everything I bought was a pretty good deal. The most expensive item cost 15€, and that’s the sandals. Can’t wait to get to wear them. My feet are barely working… At least while I shop I get to burn calories as well. In a way, it’s a form of exercise. But since it’s fun, you don’t notice how much you’ve actually moved around until you get back home, sit down and gasp at the amount of money spent that day. I like the stuff you get from H&M. It’s got nice clothes that are affordable. Especially if there’s a sale.

Tip of the day: Mustard sandwiches clear up sinuses

Fri, 06 May 2005 15:10:07 +0000

I think I put too much mustard on my sandwich. One bite and whoosh! It’s as if I have a cold. Runny nose, watery eyes, some coughing… ^^ Good sandwich though. Made me want to not eat anything for awhile. My mouth feels like it’s on fire. A dieting tip, eat lots of spicy food so you eat less. Unless you’re accustomed to really spicy food then that won’t really help.

More babble...

Fri, 06 May 2005 15:08:11 +0000

I can’t remember who said it, but they were right. I think it was the real estate agent a few years ago. Anyway, what she said was that the fruit and veggies from those little shops that are scattered all over the place are the best. Today we got grapes and the verdict is: way way better than the ones in Carrefour. And if I remember correctly, they were cheaper too. 1,95€/kg. I think the ones they sell in Carrefour are over 2,50€/kg… Yes I know, I keep harping on about money and food, but I like both. So sue me. On second thought, please don’t. I’ve had enough of legal stuff in my life for awhile.

Not much going on here…

Fri, 06 May 2005 15:04:33 +0000

Today hasn’t been that productive. Jaz and I thought of going to the mall since she didn’t have any school today. We actually did walk all the way over there and back, even though at half-way there we realized that the reason why Jaz didn’t have school was it was some sort of religious holiday. Which also meant that all of the stores were closed. At least we got some exercise. ^.^ I just hope that the cleaner comes tomorrow. If not, then I’m going over to the BBF office and complain. After all, we are paying for someone to come clean every other week and if they don’t… well, I’m not happy. I don’t like being a pain, but I do like complaining when I’ve got reason to.

2005-05-06 - 15:02

Fri, 06 May 2005 15:02:48 +0000

Oh ew ew ew. Today’s Oprah deals with messy houses and omg, Carol’s house is shameful! Fruit flies everywhere, dog poop all over the place, putrefied food in the fridge, things just all over the place… Just.. eurgh. shudders The two ladies Aggie and Kim did wonders with that house. The cleaning team was just amazing. Right now it’s like a show-house. I know I’m not one of the cleanest people around, as in I can leave dirty dishes in the sink for a day and only vacuum once every two weeks, but that’s the limit. Clutter is still somewhat bearable, but not dirt. Like now I have this urge to vacuum… only I don’t have a vacuum. At least the cleaning lady will come over tomorrow. Hallelujah.

Chocolate and bugs

Wed, 04 May 2005 11:56:24 +0000

Wow. Today the weather has been acting up. Right now, pouring rain and really strong wind. When I went to the store, the sun was shining, no wind whatsoever.. Gotta love Belgian weather. XP

Speaking about Belgian things, I looooooooove the chocolate. Jaz bought some Côte d’Or Double Lait chocolate today and… it just melts in your mouth. I think I know why some use chocolate as a substitute for sex. Especially if it’s this chocolate. Don’t get me wrong, I like this chocolate but I’d never give up sex. Not for all the chocolate in the world (think of the calories! O.O) This one sort of reminds me of Reese’s Pieces. Sort of peanut butter-y but not quite. Lovely, lovely stuff. But a tad too sweet if eaten too much. Gets kinda icky… :-S

Lots of wondering...

Wed, 04 May 2005 11:55:31 +0000

Just got back from my second trip to Carrefour today. Y’see, I bought two T-shirts and the second one was supposed to be half-price. I didn’t notice the fact that the machine didn’t give me the reduced price until I got back. So I went back. It was only 1,20 € that I went back for, but that’s one hour’s worth of being online. And I got my bank card sorted out as well. Now it has the Bancontact function and the Maestro side so I can use it abroad. Probably won’t, but it’s still good to have a back-up. What’s really scary is walking around with over 200€ in one’s wallet. I totally forgot that I still had it in there when I left. It’s what was left of the money our parents sent us for the rent. But not as scary as having four 500€ bills like I did when I first got here… Why do they print money that large? I guess it’s easier for people to pay the rent with one or two of those than loads of 20s and 50s. But I think most people just pay their rent and other bills through the bank and not with cash…

2005-05-04 - 11:54

Wed, 04 May 2005 11:54:07 +0000

It was just as I thought. They won’t exchange anything without a receipt. Need proof that the product was purchased from that store, otherwise it messes up their stock inventory or something. The lady was very nice about it though. I just tried it again and like I said before, pear’s not a bad scent. I’ll keep it and when I’ve used it all I’ll get the coconut perfume.

I just watched Wallace & Gromit. Didn’t see the whole episode, but this one had Gromit go to prison because of something Preston (Wendolene’s robot dog) did. Shaun the Sheep with the sweater was funny. At the very end he was sitting on top of Wallace’s cheese. I loved Wallace’s reaction: “Get off me cheese!” Sounded a lot like Oliver whenever he goes back up to Sheffield. ^-^

Burned again. Hope I don’t peel…

Wed, 04 May 2005 11:52:56 +0000

He called me. ^-^ Even if it is just half an hour that we get to talk, it’s still something to look forward to. Only 11 nights to go!

Well, the two hours outside was enough to burn the skin on my right shoulder. And my face is looking pretty red. It doesn’t hurt or feel hot though. My shoulder does… My legs are still paper white. sniffle In a way, it’s a good thing that we’re not spending the summer in Belgium. This sun here is treacherous. It burns my skin without me realizing it. Whenever we’re in Florida, I know that it’s more than likely that I’ll burn if I go without sunscreen. Duh. Here, I keep thinking that I’m not south enough to actually have the sun do anything to me. I’ve been proven wrong already twice but I still don’t learn. Silly me. The nights here during summer are really nice. Slight breeze, but still pretty warm. Wonderful to walk around.

Stressing about money but loving the weather ^-^

Wed, 04 May 2005 11:51:27 +0000

Jade just called us. ^-^ So cute. She said that she misses us. And that she wants the Sims game back. Earlier she couldn’t play it because it was our uncle’s computer that they were using, but now that it’s our grandparents’ computer, she could play it. So she’s a bit annoyed at us. Or actually me, since I’m the one that asked Jaz to bring it. ^^;;

Jaz and I spent 2 hrs outside today. But at around 3 it became way too hot for us to stay out there anymore. It must be like 25 C outside. Maybe more. I love summer weather. Which is why I’m going to buy sandals and a dress on Wednesday with Jaz. We’ve decided that if our dad can afford to go to Estonia, he sure as hell can afford to buy us some new clothes for 40€ each. So tomorrow I’ll just see if I can exchange my perfume. If not, it’s not the end of the world. It’s not a bad scent, so I’ll just use it myself. Coconut would be nicer, but pear is just as good. It just really annoys me that I lost the receipt. Grr…

Random babbling...

Wed, 04 May 2005 11:48:27 +0000

My feet are killing me! I’ve been to Carrefour and then the mall. Spent around 6 hours just wandering around with Jaz and Alex. We did buy stuff though. For instance two shirts and a perfume, which I want to switch now that I got home want to change into the other scent I was thinking of. Jaz keeps insisting that it’s a nice scent on me, that it suits me, but I still prefer the other one. So I’ll be going back on Monday to see if I can exchange it. I’m sure that I could if I had the receipt, but I can’t find it anywhere. I think it fell out in Delhaize when we needed a plastic bag to put our snacks in. Ah well. I can always give it as a present to someone. In any case, I’ll buy the other scent on Monday. Plus I’ll get two dresses then. I did buy one dress today, but when Jaz tried it on it looked better on her so I gave it to her. I’ll get one a size smaller and in a different colour. And I won’t feel guilty if it’s pink. I don’t have pink dresses. Just pink shirts and skirts, no dresses.

2005-04-29 - 18:16

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:16:35 +0000

Okies, called Telenet and asked about the Internet. It turns out that they only offer their services to the Flemish part of Belgium. So that’s out. But when I went to see my uncle, I walked past two Internet cafés (one which is on the way to school! No idea why I haven’t seen it before…) so I guess that’s what we’ll be doing until we leave. Not that bad I suppose. Could be worse. No access to the Internet at all. O.O;; So when I go get Jaz from school, I’ll ask if she wants to stop by in there. I might actually get to post this as well! ^-^

Aberystwyth here I come!

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:15:01 +0000

Dad just called. This time the connection was a whole lot better than when Mom called. They had gotten brochures from Aberystwyth (lol.. he could not pronounce that properly at all) and he’s thinking of getting me a room from a B&B instead of in a dorm on campus. Erm, okay. Sounds okay, if I’ve got an Internet connection and storage space. And my own bathroom! If I can’t get en suite then nuh uh. In that case I’d rather live on campus. Living on campus might be more fun. Even if I have to share a bathroom. It’s all a part of the experience of going away to university, right? Ridiculously small rooms, shared facilities, living with others… Unless of course the B&B option is cheaper. Then I’d really consider it. But from what I’ve seen of the B&Bs in the UK (okay, so both were in Blackpool, but I assume that they’re pretty much the same everywhere), the rooms aren’t big enough, the breakfasts are terrible (no offense) and it’s actually someone’s home. If I want to share a living room then I’d rather it be with other students, not a family and strangers who leave after two nights. Just not my idea of university life. Then again… I could be right next to the sea. I’d love being that close to a huge body of water. There’s something about water that just fascinates me. The waves, the vastness… Another point: at a B&B I couldn’t cook for myself. It’d always be the same greasy breakfast. Yech. So again, I’d prefer to share a kitchen with 5-7 other students. Actually the ideal would be what Oliver has: his own shower and toilet and a mini-fridge in his room. That way I could eat whatever I wanted, take a shower whenever, keep my drinks cold… But if not, it’s okay. So right now I think living on campus would be best. He said that there’s the chance to go to the U.S. for my second year. There’s like 10 partner universities in this exchange program. But they’re all really close to the Canadian border. I guess they don’t want anyone getting a tan. XP The southern most one was Notre Dame, PA. It’s a thought. But I dunno. Depends on how my first year goes. Besides, it’s really likely that I’ll be going to the States to get my Masters degree after my 3 yrs in Aberystwyth. I know this is a really silly question, but do they have school colours there like they do in the U.S.? What I want is one of those university sweaters. I like showing off where I go/went to school. I’m usually proud of where I’ve been educated (Pohjis and I.C.M.E.S. excluded). I love my VF sweater. I used to love my Heathrow Elementary T-shirt and Postipuu sweats, until they were too worn out to actually be worn in public. ^^;;

Biology and body image

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:14:04 +0000

She keeps asking me questions! Driving me nuts. Like: Why do we have hair? Why do we have lips? Lips have no purpose. But the thing that really bothers me is where do feelings come from? My toes? What’s the purpose of toes? What about the curve in our feet? People are always interested about brains. Why hasn’t anyone studied toes? Are bald people more likely to die than people with hair? Why are some people double-jointed? People are freaks. Why do we have four fingers and not three? And skin color. No wait, that one has been explained. It’s because of the sun, right? And on and on it goes. Oh thank God. Oprah is on. She shut up now. It’s not like I mind answering questions about stuff I know, but this.. I have no clue about. I tried giving logical possible answers, but then she fired another question before I even had finished answering the previous one. Sort of like a seven year old trying to figure out how the world works. Her words, not mine. Pretty fitting though.

Escalators again… and a very interesting article headline…

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:12:07 +0000

I dreamt about escalators and a metro station again last night. It seems like I’m always looking for someone, going up and down those moving stairs. And the station is always this open space where one can see the trains coming and going. Sort of like the station in Roodebeek but larger, wider. And darker. It’s almost always night time when I’m at the station. It changes every time just a bit, but I still recognize it. This time I was looking for Auri, but I ran into Julia. The girls I was with knew her as well and they made us sit down and talk. Catch up on all the things that have happened to us over the years. We were getting along fine, even though we both were very reluctant to sit down at first. Then the station began closing… I figured that Auri had left with her friend. There were also bicycles and bridges and Krisi appeared in a park… I lost my book, but then found it from the trash can. I was so grateful because my Belgian ID card was being used as a bookmark in it and someone old was asking to see it… very strange. The thing that bugs me is this recurring stuff about metro stations and escalators, with me always looking for someone in the crowd. What am I looking for? I keep going up and down… always down first and then back up again. Sometimes it’s stairs, but usually escalators. And the predominant colour is this dark red… and the place I’m at is never well-lit. Hopefully tonight I’ll have nicer dreams. I don’t like the feeling of trying to find someone from a crowd and not being able to see them. Or chasing after someone. That happens a lot in my dreams as well. And then there’s the one with the lake and Jaz and Mardi Gras type celebration in the city and the rocks/hills from where I can see the sea… Haven’t forgotten about that one. Or about the recurring feeling that I’m trapped and can’t squeeze through a narrow gap to my escape. Seen many different versions of that one…

We’re actually going to London in two weeks!!

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:11:05 +0000

We have the tickets! And we’re leaving on Thursday evening. So only 15 nights to go! grin Everything went fine until it was time to pay for the tickets. For some reason the machine wouldn’t let me use my account to pay for them. It would only accept the Proton part. And since the tickets cost 190€ altogether and only 125€ can be loaded onto the Proton, that didn’t work. I tried going to a cash machine to withdraw the money I had put into my account and that wasn’t possible either. x_X Then I remembered I had my Finnish bank card with me. Used that as my payment method. The thing that really made us happy (me especially) was that the tickets cost 42,50 a piece going there and 52,50 coming back. I was prepared to pay like 70€ per ticket. ^-^

All is well again (at least for today)

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:09:55 +0000

The lady was really nice. ^-^ The bonus was deactivated and I got my 20€ back. So I’m happy again. And I didn’t have to get into a long explanation or anything. Just politely said that I’d like to deactivate the bonus and get my 20€ back because I wasn’t aware that I’d be out of 20€ worth of credit immediately. So she gave me a code and voilà! J

We really need warm water during the evenings. It’s okay if we don’t get it that much during the day because Jaz is at school. She’s the one that needs to wash her hair frequently. I can go for 4 days without washing before feeling very icky. With her it’s every other day.

Bonus my butt

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:08:49 +0000

Okay, why don’t they tell you that when you activate the 0,01/sms bonus thingy, they take 20€ of your credit immediately? That’s 40 msgs that I could send to Oliver. Or call Robbie to complain about various things. I need that credit! So tomorrow when we go get the train tickets, I’m going to find a Belgacom shop, ask them to deactivate the bonus and give me the 20€. Simply explain that I need that money because we’re poor students and can’t afford to go get more credit because we need to eat. Oh! I just found the Customer Service number. It’s free. At least this thing claims that it’s free of charge. I’ll try that first.

Rambling on about clothes and my so not interesting day…

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:07:58 +0000

I am so tired. Well, not really. After like 30 mins or so I’ll be ready to do stuff again. I’ve been to the store, the bank and the newsagents. I was about to buy some credit for my phone (I really like this prepay stuff… very handy) but they were out. The new batch won’t be in until noon (it was 10:30 when I went there). So in about maybe an hour or so I’ll pop in there to see if they’ve got some. While I’ve been waiting I’ve done everything I can do here: tidied up, washed the dishes, folded laundry, washed laundry… The only thing that I could do would be rearrange things. But that’s too much of a hassle. And Jaz would kill me if I couldn’t tell her where her things were after I moved them. ^^;

Planning the future, budgets, etc.

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:06:00 +0000

Anyone ever see “Now and Then” with Melanie Griffith, Christina Ricci and Demi Moore? Well, if you haven’t, this line won’t really spoil the movie so I’ll just go ahead and use it: “I’m so happy I feel like I’ll bust!” or something like that. Well, that’s what I feel like right now. I just want to.. I don’t know… do something! I can’t wait 19 nights. Egh… there’s so much planning left to do. Like what to wear, no, that won’t be a problem. Erm… okay. Money, how much would be enough? What we’ll eat… lol, stupid question. KFC on Saturday and then Pizza Hut on Sunday. Hmm…

Have begun counting the days…

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:04:57 +0000

Otherwise I’d feel really great, but boy do I really hate cramps. Aaaaanyway, we’re going to London in 20 days! happy dance No idea where we’ll stay, but still! grin Less than three weeks. ^-^

Guess who’s going to Wales!

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:02:29 +0000

I got in! I got in! jumps with joy Oliver called me today just as I was near VF and a really busy intersection. Didn’t hear every word he said. But! He did tell me that I got into Aberystwyth. huge grin I can’t wait!! This is like really really good news. I’m going to university in the fall!! little dance

And yes, I did get the book. Then I spent about half an hour just talking with Enola’s mother. Okay, my French is still a bit rusty but I thought it was really fun. So maybe when I see Houda again, it won’t be as bad. I mean, with Tian-Le it’s still okay because she speaks English somewhat, but Houda doesn’t at all. But anyway. I’ll get to see my friends again. ^-^

My strange yet wonderful dream

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 18:00:46 +0000

I slept so well last night. Had a strange dream, but it was really nice as well. It was like a play, three acts. In the first one Oliver and I are in a store and I only have £5 in cash. So I obviously can’t pay the £21,21 with that. I asked if he had any cash and he said that he didn’t have any on him right then but he could go get some. I said don’t worry about it and went to pay for it with my Belgian bank card, but when I put it in the reader, it said 30,74 or something like that. Then the guy who came to cover the lady while she went on her break said that I can just take the stuff and they’ll say that the stuff was just stolen when they did the inventory. The reason why he said that was because he couldn’t get the price back to the 21,21 and the people in the line were getting really annoyed (it was the only till open). In the next part Jaz, Oliver and I are walking outside in the dark. It’s winter with snow all around so I don’t actually know what time it is because the sun sets so early. The path we’re on is in the middle of the forest. It’s wide enough to let two horse-drawn carriages pass each other. Suddenly Oliver jumps off of the path and starts running up this hill. Jaz and I just stare at him bewildered. I hand over the backpack to her (with the “stolen” food) and run after him. He veers off to the left and slides down some of the hill. I manage to catch up with him and semi-tackle him to stop him from sliding down some more. As we hug, we start rolling down the hill and can’t seem to stop, so we just hold on to each other. The next thing I know, it’s part three. It’s spring/summer. Jaz and I are standing outside this humongous castle made of cream coloured stone. We walk around the corner and see Mom & Tarja talking. They say that they’ll join in our game after “the sisters” stop being a pain. Jade runs to us and after hugging us, she tells us that we’re princesses. We look down and see these gorgeous old-fashioned gowns. I lean on the railing, look down into the garden and see Oliver walking around with a man, both dressed like princes (swords and all!). Suddenly we two are lying down on deck chairs in our bikinis and we’re sunbathing. When I turn over so that my back won’t burn, I see this amazing waterfall appear in the mountains in the background while Tom Hanks is the lead jester and entertains us by speaking French with an Italian accent… Then I woke up. It was such a wonderful feeling though. Sunbathing. Which is why I ate breakfast sitting outside in the sun. I love spring/summer. The warmth, the sunshine. Actually, fall isn’t that bad either if there’s sunshine. Don’t know about winter since I’m kinda conditioned to think that there is no sun during the winter. Also yesterday’s phone call really lifted my spirits. It’s amazing how just hearing his voice makes me feel better. And we didn’t really talk about anything special either. I just hate to think of how much it cost to talk for 40 minutes… K

Do you see me carrying a toddler around on my hip?

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:59:02 +0000

I have such a headache right now. I hate headaches. I hate headaches caused by crying. I hate crying. Especially if it’s practically on a daily basis. Dad called today. No, that in itself isn’t that bad, but… well, there’re a few obstacles. First we don’t know if we can switch this apartment to a bigger one (which is 300 € more expensive, so that’s another thing we gotta think about). If we can, then getting a Net connection won’t be that difficult. It’ll just cost about 60€ a month, which is kinda nuts if you can get it for 15€… Anyway, if we can’t switch apartments… Bigger problem. It’ll be really expensive to get the Net installed in here and the contract has to be for a whole year. feels like hitting head against a wall Still, that wasn’t the thing that made me cry. Sure it was really sucky news, but not something I’d cry about if it were they only thing. Noooo, it’s what comes after that. He called at 2:30 p.m. and asked what we’re about to do. I told him that we’re gonna go to the store (which we did) and that’s about it. He asked me if I had already gotten the Code de Route. I told him that I’d get it tomorrow when I go get Jaz from school because the only place I know where I could get it from is at Montgomery and I don’t feel like walking all the way over there just for one book. It’s at this point when he calls us “hessus”. I am not like my uncle. I actually do do something during the day. It’s not as easy as it sounds, cooking & cleaning & laundry by hand. And Jaz goes to school during the day, works her ass off on schoolwork during the evenings. But that comment, it just.. brought up the feeling of being inadequate again. I know he doesn’t mean to, but it just hurts. God.. this is giving me flashbacks of him trying to teach me Math. I’m terrible at it. He’s like this genius. And of course, because I am his daughter, I’m supposed to be good at Math as well. Which I so obviously am not. I failed Math. Big time. He thinks that this is supposed to be fun, living by ourselves. I’m sure it would be, if it’d feel like Jaz and I were roommates. But it feels more like I’m a substitute mother. He has no idea what it’s like being 19, having this responsibility of making sure that Jaz has enough clean clothes and versatile foods… I’m also pretty terrified that something’ll happen and I won’t be able to take care of it. Something like someone’ll break in and rob us. I just want to take care of myself and no one else. I am my own responsibility. That’s it. If I wanted to take care of someone else, I’d have a baby. Do you see me carrying a toddler around on my hip? Nope. This is another reason why I want to go to university. It’s just me. None of the baggage that being around family brings. I love them all to bits, but really… I feel like I just can’t live if I’m surrounded by them all the time. Then he asked if I knew anything about my university applications. As in if I had been offered a place or not. The only way I’d know before they did was if I went online. But how can I get online??? I’ve had NO access to the Net for almost two weeks.

2005-04-29 - 17:57

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:57:56 +0000

I have no idea how I can sleep so late all the time. Like last night, we went to bed before ten, but getting up at 7 was torture. Well, would have been if I had actually done more than lock the door after Jaz and then go back to sleep. I was supposed to walk with her to school and get the Code de Route book. Now it’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning. shakes head I can be so lazy sometimes. Well, at least I’ll do some walking today when we go to the store. That should be a nice small 5 km walk. Tomorrow morning though.. must kick myself out of bed. I need to get that book.

Does milk go bad if it hasn’t been opened but it’s past the expiration date?

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:56:42 +0000

Did make it on time. Actually, with time to spare. Maybe I shouldn’t leave so early. Nah, then it wouldn’t be me. I always prefer being too early than being just a minute late. ^^;

Dad said that I have to buy the Code de Route book again because my earlier one is in the storage. He wants me to start driving lessons ASAP. At first I was a bit iffy about it, having to take all of my exams in French, but I’ll deal. At least it’ll give me something to do during the day besides wash clothes and dishes while Jaz is at school..

Large people, large dinners…

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:55:32 +0000

I’ve been reading ”Beauty’s Punishment” by Anne Rice. It’s… interesting. She’s got a really twisted imagination. o_o

Hmm. I don’t have much to do right now. Not going to the store until tomorrow (trying to cut the spending XP), have already done the laundry… or at least all that I can fit into the bathroom to dry. One thing I did notice this morning was that out of all of the clothes I’ve washed so far, trousers are the dirtiest of the lot. Not socks, but trousers. But then again, socks are only worn for one day before they’re put in the laundry basket (at least I hope so!) while trousers can be worn for up to a week (Mom’s gonna kill me if she knew I said that ^^;;). I guess I could go wash the dishes…

Whites today, darks tomorrow…

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:52:18 +0000

I’ve been to the store and bought some lessive and adoucissant. Which means that I now can hear dripping coming from the bathroom. It feels so nice to know that I’ll have clean clothes again. Whenever I can be bothered to wash them that is. Since Jaz doesn’t really have the time to do any washing herself, I don’t really mind washing some of hers as well. It’ll give me something to do during the day. Besides go to Carrefour all the time.

Some spoons and a strange dream..

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:50:51 +0000

Yayness. There’s a guy fixing the bathroom sink now. I think he’s changing the whole thing.. so, no more leaky faucet! \o/ He also brought more spoons. ^-^

I really like the bed I’m sleeping in now. Makes me feel well rested. But it also has this weird effect on me, gives me strange dreams. I know it’s not necessarily the bed’s fault, but usually when I dream they make sense somewhat. The ones I’m having right now don’t at all. Take for instance last night: I dreamt that I was in Blackpool Pleasure Beach with my mom and Jade. Jade and I went on Valhalla. She got wet, I didn’t. But instead of continuing the ride, we’re suddenly in a supermarket in the clothing section (Jade is dripping on to the linoleum floor) when we see this creature fly above us in the sky. It’s got a yellow horse head, blue ostrich body and a brown dog tail. The wings are white and it’s got loads of these little monsters of different colours crawling all over it. We’re inside, but we’re not since this thing is flying in the sky. I keep thinking that I need to find my camera to take a pic of this thing because otherwise no one’ll believe me. It lands in a pile of t-shirts. I walk towards it and suddenly I’m back in Blackpool looking for the entrance to Valhalla with a dry Jade… o_o

“Late” night babbling

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:49:14 +0000

Believe it or not, I’m quite sleepy right now. Yet I’m still up. Why? If I had access to the Net, then it’d be understandable… there’re some B-movies on practically all the channels. Ones that are in English anyway. Very boring.

I wish Oliver was here. Or more like I was there. I’m not feeling weepy or mopey or anything like that. Just… well, it feels like everything’s okay when I’m around him. I feel protected, taken care of. This might sound pretty old-fashioned, but I think one of the reasons why I feel that way is because he’s male. All of my life it’s been a male that’s taken care of everything (excluding things like housework and most of the cooking). Usually it’s been my dad, but whenever I’m out with my godfather (the uncle I like) or my dad’s best friend Sam, I feel like a princess. And I’m not ashamed to admit that I like that. Of course I like being independent and all that, but sometimes everyone needs to be babied a bit. If anyone disagrees, feel free to tell me.

Trash hunting and dripping faucets…

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:48:00 +0000

Urgh.. am in so much pain right now. On the bright side, it’s physical pain. ^-^ It just hurts so much to move right now. Really should’ve waited for Jaz to take the suitcase back with me.. My back, my legs, my arms, my hands… ;_;

Another bright point which I realized this morning while I was walking Jaz to the coach: yesterday was the first day I made it through without bursting into tears. grin So if things keep going like this, I should be fine. And since it’s pretty likely that we’ll be staying in this studio until the end of June, we’ll get an Internet connection soon! Which means that I can actually post these soon. Even if they will be back-dated.

Tiredness causing over thinking of things…

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 17:46:21 +0000

God I’m so tired. I dragged Jaz’s suitcase from school this morning. Usually it takes us about 30 minutes to walk, but now it took me two hours. rolls eyes My feet are killing me. People in Brussels are really nice though. All throughout my slow trek they came up to me and asked if I needed help. ^-^ At first I declined because I thought that I could manage by myself, but then it got to be a bit too much. That damned thing weighs about 30 kg! Anyway, one Indian man (about 40 yrs old) carried it up a hill for me, then a lady (about 35 yrs old) in a car offered to drive me somewhere. Declined that, because well.. I’m not an idiot. I won’t get into a car with a stranger. Doesn’t matter if they’re female, they could be homicidal maniacs for all I know. But I’m digressing. Right, the last person to help me was a Caucasian 25 yr old guy. He carried it to the front of the building. That was really nice of him. Didn’t tell him which apartment I live in though. Again, keeping safety in mind. He was very flirty while we were walking. But I bet that if his friend would’ve been walking with us instead of looking at For Rent signs, he wouldn’t have been that flirty. It’s weird, I wasn’t wearing any make-up and I still felt pretty. Maybe because I forgot that I had gone au naturel. Or then it’s the attention. Must be that… Like whenever I go to England, I don’t feel like I need to wear make-up. I get my daily dosage of wanted attention even if I never leave the room/house. I think that’s one of the reasons why I love going over there and don’t want to leave. I feel special there. I feel special over here too, but not as often.

A quickie before the Italian Hawaiian gets here..

Wed, 06 Apr 2005 22:10:15 +0000

I now know where I’ll be staying in Brussels. Not too far from the last place I was at. And it’s still a walking distance from VF. My next step is to find the closest grocery store. Preferably a Carrefour since we’ve got the Happy Days card. Plus, I like Carrefour the most. It sorta reminds me of Target, but with a food section. Nicer than Wal-Mart. Not that there are any Targets or Wal-Marts in Belgium. If I remember correctly there’s Carrefour, Delhaize, GB Supermarkt (or something like that), Match…

Phish Food...

Mon, 04 Apr 2005 20:07:15 +0000

I like ice cream. But right now.. too full to have any. The really cool thing was that you could get two pints of Ben&Jerry’s for just £5. Usually it’s £3.99 for one. Too bad they didn’t have Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. So now I’ve got a pint of Phish Food and a pint of Caramel Chew Chew instead. Oooooooooh the calories. Don’t care though. Won’t get to eat B&J ice cream when I go back. All I’ll buy is healthy stuff. At least I’ll try to. Possibly some of the non-brand name ice cream if Jaz wants.. but B&J, nuh-uh.

I've got pics!...

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 15:26:13 +0000

..they haven’t been developed yet. Because there’s still some left on the roll. Anyway, pics of IVDC and other places/people I’ve been to/seen. So when I get to Brussels, I’ll get them developed.

I’ll be leaving in about a week. Don’t really want to. Although going back there does have its plusses. Like getting to see some of my friends again. And actually using French. Going shopping in Carrefour can always be fun. And then there’s the attention.. ^_~ I’m an attention junkie. It’s very addictive. ^^;

Not accepted into any uni so far...

Tue, 15 Mar 2005 12:02:36 +0000

Hmm..okay.. I didn’t get into Reading either. What to do, what to do.. Probably should contact them, ask why and see if there’s something I can do that might make them want to accept me. Should look for other unis as well I guess. And send in my application to FSU so I’d start in January. Meh. Annoying. But I won’t let this affect my stay here. It’s just a minor set back. >.

Aaaargh! I hate computers.. Grr..

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 20:29:55 +0000

This thing erased my post! No it’s not LJ’s fault since I wasn’t even connected onto the Internet.. I had just spent 45 minutes typing on WordPad my real post for today and when I wanted to save it just in case LJ decides to eat my post what does this do? It loses it! For some inexplicable reason while it was saving my entry onto one of my diskettes, the whole computer just goes whack and the dreaded blue screen pops up telling me there’s something wrong and I might lose unsaved documents. >_< Then when I finally get this damn thing working again, to my joy I see that it has saved my entry onto the diskette. But.. dumdedum.. when I open it, it’s gibberish. And I have no idea if it can be put back into the format which I can understand. Sooooo annoyed right now.

still waiting

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 08:33:35 +0000

He’s officially 26 minutes late. I think he overslept. o_O But still, while I wait here are more memes!

What I would look like as an anime elf by Elgaladwen
Your Name
Hair color	Silver
Eye color	Gold
Dwelling place	The Caves
Weapon	Dagger
Age	7,559

Quiz created with MemeGen!

Interesting.. Gold colored eyes and a dagger. I like the sound of that.

Meme thing I took from Wind..

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 08:08:38 +0000

Just had to try this when I saw what Wind got. ^^ It just won’t let me see what it looks like. ;;

Dance the night away by karchan85
Name
What you Look like
The Music	Blues

Quiz created with MemeGen!

Only two more nights to go! grin He’s late.. looks at watch

The short version of an earlier post..

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 21:29:25 +0000

Lj is acting up again. Had a nice little post all bright and cheery about how well my day had gone and poof, Mozilla freezes up and voilà. No post. Ah well, I’m in such a good mood that I doesn’t matter. I will say this, nothing is a better cure than waffles, a good cry and a bouncy conductor. ^-^

loving HB right now

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 10:20:35 +0000

Still feeling kinda funky.. I really don’t like being in this kind of state where just the slightest thing makes me want to cry. Need to get rid of this before work starts. Just in case there’s another customer who’s feeling agressive for some reason and takes it out on me. Tim is a good friend. Really helped talking to him last night. Made somethings a bit clearer. Didn’t get rid of all of the weird feelings I was having, but still..

sigh

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 21:18:09 +0000

Well.. dunno where to start really. Too many things to say. Lots of emotions all jumbled together.. guilt, hurt, happiness.. Meh. I’ll just leave it at that. Sort it out in my tangible diary. Somehow easier.

Creeping around an empty house, strange dreams and manatees..

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 10:34:26 +0000

I have decided that I like the Mozilla browser more than the Konqueror one. Sure the font is a bit smaller, but Mozilla lets me access places and it actually keeps me logged in on LJ! Konqueror doesn’t..

Had an okay time at work last night. Talked with this Bulgarian lady named Aise. Turns out that she knows one of my former classmates. And then I saw Anne on the cover of MeNaiset.. she looked like she didn’t have any eyebrows. Which was weird. o.O Anyway, got back at 10 pm (since I missed the earlier train by just a minute sigh). The whole house was completely dark. Not a single light anywhere. Well, they had left the key in the door so I got in okay and almost tripped over Elli. I figured that everyone had gone to sleep. So I tried being really quiet while I got myself something to eat. Auri came in half an hour later and she told me that everyone had gone to the movies. Only Aulis and Ämmi were in the house. Lol.

Wrinkly shirts and warm beds..

Wed, 02 Mar 2005 09:59:46 +0000

This is weird.. When I opened this page I felt like I had loads to write about, but now.. I can’t figure out why I can’t think of anything to write.

Yesterday’s documentary was interesting. I feel so sorry for those men. They get breasts when they’re teenagers, go to the doctor who manages to botch up the surgery completely and they still have to live in shame and not dare to go out topless. Like after this one man’s surgery, he was still in square one. The only difference being that instead of having breasts he had these dents in their place. It just looked so awful. What on earth were those surgeons thinking? Then the week before, the topic of the documentary was PSAS. Persistant Sexual Arousal Syndrome. It can’t be fun living with that. Especially if you’re like Heather who lives in the middle of the U.S. where everyone’s really religious. Jeannie had a good sense of humor about it though: “I’ve heard that when women hit menopause, their desire to have sex diminishes. It’d be just my luck that I’d be the oddball..” or something like that. At the end when everyone who was interviewed met up, it looked like they were having a ball discussing different types of sex toys. They had only just met, but instantly bonded. It’s not easy finding people you click with right away. Granted they all shared the same problem which made it a bit easier to relate to the other person, but even then being able to trust someone enough so quickly can’t be a piece of cake.

delicious smells wafting from the kitchen

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 20:30:14 +0000

They like my bread. so pleased It’s really easy to make too. If anyone’s interested in getting the recipe, just ask. I doubt that anyone will since practically no one ever reads this.. And the ones that do, aren’t interested in baking bread themselves. Anyone wanna prove me wrong? Didn’t think so.

Took Elli out for another walk. For some reason I can’t stand being inside all day right now. I really don’t want to go to work tomorrow either, but I will. Just sitting there scanning products and handling money is really starting to annoy me. I have no idea how some people can actually do that their whole lives. It’s really boring and there’s the fact that it’s usually us who get yelled at when the customer isn’t having a good day. Even though it’s not the cashier’s fault that the store is out of a certain product. Then you gotta think about the monotony of the job. Can after bottle after cheese packet after ready-made meal after dog food… you get the picture. I’ve been so bored that I’ve even begun to memorize some of the EAN-codes. Like for instance the box of small tomatoes costs 3,55 euros and the code is 8 430543 000007. It helps to remember that though, because the bar code never works on that and you always have to type in the EAN. So whenever I see those tomatoes, I immediately punch in the numbers and don’t even bother trying to scan it. Eggs and nuts are also becoming pretty familiar. But I won’t bore you all with those codes.

Linux is acting up again...

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:11:51 +0000

.. which it isn’t supposed to do. Or so I’m told. For some weird reason, whenever I log into Hotmail, it suddenly kicks me out of the session and I have to log in to the comp with another user. Very strange.

Well.. now I’m just waiting for my hair to dry before I go take Elli out for a walk. No work today. Even though they did call me.. very persistent that lady.. practically forcing me to take the shift, but I did manage to decline. Don’t really want to learn a new system just yet.. maybe when I get back from Belgium..

Long time no see...

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 21:25:57 +0000

I am finally able to update again. Using Linux again. There’s this thing called Kopete which is like MSN Msgr, but really weird. And annoying because it doesn’t flash the little thingies when someone says something. But anyway.

Went to the magistrate today. Proved that I most definitely am alive. A waste of time in my opinion. Anyone walking on the street can tell that I’m not dead. XP Saw Wind afterwards. Walked around Helsinki, looked for Gubby’s birthday present (yes, I know that it was earlier this month, but since I don’t get to see him for another 10 nights I haven’t really bothered to look for his present yet.. been busy with work, y’know). Unfortunately, did not find anything from Helsinki. Which is pretty weird since it is the capital of Finland and thus implies that everything that is needed should be found from there somewhere. Ah well.. Had a very nice smoothie at Spizy Co. when we went to eat. And a cookie. I liked the smoothie more than the cookie. Except it made me very cold from inside. Came over to Auri’s around 4. It’s a good thing I called Auri before I got to the train station in Helsinki and checked that it was okay that I’ll be staying at their place. It turns out that she had forgotten to inform her mom, but she did then call her and tell her that I’ll be there. Then after dinner Sampo, Theresa and I went to the store.. and I did find what I was looking for. ^_^

2005-02-10 - 13:05

Thu, 10 Feb 2005 13:05:39 +0000

Why does a train ticket from London to Brussels cost 60 €, while a flight from Tampere to London Stansted costs only 75 € taxes included??

Then again, it is cheaper to go straight from London to Brussels than to fly back to Finland and buy a really expensive (like over 200€) plane ticket to Brussels? No point in that really.

So right now, my plan is to go by train to Brussels. Even if it means paying 60€ for my ticket. rolls eyes All of my hard eaarned money going to be spent on some measly train ticket. Ah well..

2005-02-02 - 11:22

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 11:22:01 +0000

Okay.. some goods news about the funeral on Saturday. I’ve found another cousin I like. His daughter is one of the sweetest little things I’ve seen. So cute, so cute.. and the cousin that was in prison a few years ago seems okay.. The rest of my cousins are just plain weird. Don’t really talk. Like, at all. Except my step-cousin. He’s an okay guy. Let’s see.. not much has really happened. Gonna be kicked out of the apartment after Feb. Loads of yelling and accusations been thrown at my parents by my aunts. Not so nice to listen to. Whacked, the whole lot of them..

2005-01-20 - 11:57

Thu, 20 Jan 2005 11:57:52 +0000

I wish the weather would make its mind already. I really do. Right now there’s snow coming down so quickly that you can barely see where you’re going because of the sting it causes when it hits your face..

Ah well.. more quizzies for you all! Why? Because I’m bored and I’m done with work.. just gotta ask how am I going to be paid for today’s work.. a waste of time really, but if they want me to do it, I will. ^_^

Been a long time gone... stuck in my head..

Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:02:45 +0000

Okies.. have sent off my applications to UEA and Reading, and now I’ve also sent copies of my diploma and my exam results to Reading (since they were nice enough to request them). They’re actually considering me. ^_^

Now, over at Jari’s again. Only for 4 hrs today since I’ve got a kassavuoro in Malmintori that starts at 3. And Ellu’s coming over tomorrow! ^____^

Only I can’t go to the airport to meet her since I’ll be at work again. And on Saturday too. But I promise that I won’t work on Monday. Then it’ll be just sister-bonding time for us. ^^

2005-01-10 - 08:55

Mon, 10 Jan 2005 08:55:10 +0000

Eh.. I’m feeling pretty okay considering the circumstances. I have no idea why the last few days I’ve been crying for no reason at all. Like yesterday for example.. 3 times for no apparent reason. Maybe I’m getting my period. I get all moody just before I get it.. I don’t think it’s the fact that my grandma died. Or maybe it is. I dunno. I just feel like crying a lot. Like right now. Egh.. I’ll just stop talking about it. Think of other things.

Save me!!

Sun, 02 Jan 2005 05:31:31 +0000

urgh.. seeing ze g’rents today. And I’ve only slept for like 3½ hrs. Should be fun. XP

2005-01-01 - 13:58

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 13:58:03 +0000

Happy New Year! Last night was fun. We went over to Krisi’s for dinner (yummy stuff.. spring rolls, chicken, noodles, fruit salad..) and watched “Ice Age”. Then after the fireworks we came over to the hotel and watched “Heathers”. That was a weird movie. o.O

Going to KotiPizza today. First gotta find one though. Then tomorrow we’re going to celebrate Jade’s birthday at Myrskylä. Going sledding! Wheeeeeeeeeee…… I’d rather go ice skating though. Can’t find my skates. ;_;

2004-12-25 - 17:24

Sat, 25 Dec 2004 17:24:17 +0000

happy sigh Today’s been a good day. Got to sleep late, had a wonderful breakfast of last night’s leftovers, went sledding and had a snow fight, went to the sauna.. ^__^

Not much has really happened since the last time I wrote. Had work.. cleaned (mainly it was just washing the dishes that Mom kept piling up while she was making dinner).. Dad came “home” for Christmas.. my cousins came over for dinner (took pics!).. and then came over here today.

2004-12-21 - 10:00

Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:00:56 +0000

I feel so guilty about canceling a shift. But I don’t have the time to do that one.. and the money I’d get from it wouldn’t be worth it because it’s not an evening shift. Luckily the woman at Staffpoint was understanding and let me cancel it. I did tell her that if there’s no way of canceling it, then I would do it.. I don’t like calling them and asking if I could cancel. I feel like I’ve let them down or something because I’ve said that I’d do that shift. It’s not a nice feeling..

waiting for chocolate boxes

Mon, 20 Dec 2004 09:39:32 +0000

And no.. the chocolates aren’t for me to eat.. I need to wrap them up in pretty Christmas paper. The work I’d usually do isn’t possible because my computer has been taken over by two Swedes. They’re installing a webcam type thingie into the reception. I’m on Paula’s comp right now. She’s at the Skatudden building with her replacement showing her around.

Jaz came home last night. ^_^ She’s lost weight. Looks good. Well, what I saw of her. I pretty much went to sleep right away when we got back from the airport. Only got 6 hrs of sleep. So now I’m feeling pretty funky..

2004-12-19 - 12:08

Sun, 19 Dec 2004 12:08:46 +0000

Egh.. wet snow.. now my jeans are all wet. (Took the dog out for a walk)

I loved yesterday’s movie! “Girl with a pearl earring”. Just loved it. Love love love. The music, the costumes, the acting, the story.. happy sigh And of course.. (must mention these) Colin Firth and the guy who plays Pieter (or however it’s spelled).

And I’m going to go eat reindeer now. ^_^ (I love staying at Auri’s. They take such good care of me.)

and the good news just keeps on pouring in..

Sat, 18 Dec 2004 18:42:10 +0000

All in all, today has been a great day. I didn’t get annoyed with anyone, the people at Kirkkonummi were very understanding of the fact that a correction in my timetable needed to be done and they even faxed it over to Staffpoint. ^^ Then my mom calls me (while I’m at work rolls eyes) but I couldn’t answer then. I called her back during my break and it turns out that my dad can come “home” for Christmas. He’ll have to go back on the 26th, but all in all yayness! ^________^ Then Squidgy is coming over to Finland tomorrow and Gubby’ll be here on the 27th and.. Basically, I’m just really really happy right now. Like on top of the world happy.

Quiz thingie.. fill it in plz!

Fri, 17 Dec 2004 10:43:23 +0000

Pick the ones that describe me and then post it on your own LJ! ^^

leader/follower quiet/talkative spontaneous/planned dominant/submissive logical/intuitive social/loner kinky/vanilla

Ty!

2004-12-17 - 10:41

Fri, 17 Dec 2004 10:41:40 +0000

Would she stop calling already? That was like three times in ten minutes. But then again, it was stuff that she really needed to know and couldn’t wait until Sunday when I get back.. It was nice talking to her the first time, but then when the phone just kept ringing again and again. Lol. She really should have a French-Finnish dictionary instead of asking me all the time. But.. Jaz took the dictionaries with her. shrugs Yeah, so Ma told me that they’re going to see Dad already on Saturday instead of Sunday. Solves my problem. I can go out with Auri tomorrow. ^^ It would be cheaper if I just stayed here until Monday, but I wanna go to the airport to pick up Jaz. And there’s a present in Järvenpää that I wanna give before Christmas gets here.. I won’t say what it is, but when I saw it, I knew immediately that I had to get it for the person that I’m gonna give it to. I don’t usually like orange that much, but this was pretty. ^^

2004-12-16 - 22:27

Thu, 16 Dec 2004 22:27:51 +0000

Another day of work behind me. Why do ppl always start forming lines when I’m about to close? So annoying.. There was this lady that stomped up to my register and asked me was I the only that she was dealing with earlier. I probably looked like a deer caught in headlights. I told her that I had just gotten back from my coffee break, so I probably wasn’t the one she was looking for. Then this other kassalady told her that the one she wanted just went on her lunch break. So the lady slams this sign down onto the conveyor belt and starts yelling at this other kassa about how unfairly Prisma treats it’s customers and how the kassalady in question didn’t believe her in the first place and that she wanted to see that she hasn’t been charged twice for the underwear, etc.. But she was polite to me when I rang up the right price for the underwear that she wanted. Another customer of mine was really really picky about the price tag on a CD that he bought as a gift. I asked him (like I usually do from everyone) that does he want it in a sinettipussi and do I take the price tag off. He said yes to both and when I tried peeling it off, I got the price part of it off, but the rest of the sticker was still stuck on the cover. I asked if it bothered him (there was a line forming behind him..) and he said: “I want it all off!”. So there I was.. peeling off every little bit of the price sticker that I could with my just manicured nails for 10 minutes. rolls eyes

Good morning!

Thu, 16 Dec 2004 10:26:45 +0000

Slept wonderfully last night. I just adore that bed.. and the silence. Well, I did wake up when Auri’s dad came downstairs to work in his office. I forgot to close the second door. But I went back to sleep and didn’t wake up until it was 11:30. I would’ve stayed in bed longer, but my shift starts earlier today. Need to take an earlier bus. Preferably the 5 because it takes me closer to the entrance of the mall. I don’t like walking outside when it’s really windy and rainy and cold. That’s not winter! Winter is supposed to have snow(= Finland) or sunshine(= Florida). Not bloody rain.. Well, I can accept rain during the winter in Belgium and England but not in Finland. NO no no nononnonono.

2004-12-15 - 11:54

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 11:54:42 +0000

Just as I was trying to open the door so that I could come upstairs, my phone rang again. Extra called! So now I’ve got work for the 21st, 22nd and 23rd I think.. I still need to check from the Net what my shifts were since I didn’t have any paper to write it all down on. Hmm.. I wonder does Jari need me next week. But I think I got evening shifts so I could over to the hotel in the mornings and then work in the evenings. I do want to go to the hotel. Catch up on all the gossip and see Paula before she leaves (she’s switching jobs.. gonna work at the Holiday Inn). She’s the one I get along with the best. Sure Ingela, Heidi and Anja are nice but Paula’s the one I talk to the most.

2004-12-15 - 11:02

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 11:02:31 +0000

Meh.. I don’t like getting up in the mornings. The bed is so nice and warm.. And it’s so cold outside. sniffle But I must. Have work to do. No envie really.. I don’t like using busses. And they’re the only available transportation in Espoo.

phone rings Gotta answer that..

comes back Ma just called. Wondered if I had any work for Sunday. Not yet..

Apparently Jaz’s exams aren’t going that well. But it’s understandable. She has missed 5 weeks of school.. Besides, she’s still got the whole spring term to make up for it. I know she can do it. If I had 5 échecs one Christmas and then in the spring none, she can get the three echecs she has now made up for later..

Yup.. more quizzies..

Tue, 14 Dec 2004 22:59:46 +0000

Dreams

?? Which Angel Or Demon Are You ?? brought to you by Quizilla

You have the Rossetti girl look. You are the kind of girl pre-Raphaelite painters admired; tall, slender, and fair as a lily flower. The pre-Raphaelite girl had dramatic beauty; long neck, large soulful eyes, full shapely mouth and masses of wavy hair. The pre-Raphaelites painted girls like this, they showed them in dramatic situations dressed as famous characters in legends, plays and poetry. The favourite colours of the artists were russet, green and gold. The following artists would have loved to paint you; Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Edward Burne-Jones, William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

‘Pretty As A Picture’ - Which Artist Would Paint You? brought to you by Quizilla

is back from work

Tue, 14 Dec 2004 21:38:47 +0000

Why am I such a worrywart? My shift didn’t start until 4.. but I still left the house at 2:30. I was at the mall by 3.. So I spent an hour wandering around stores looking for possible Christmas presents. Possible gifts found for others = 3 Things I wanted to buy for myself = a few.. like this really really nice diary I saw in Tiimari. Cost 10,90 € I think. It’s got this brown cover and a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci and I like the texture of it. But I’m getting sidetracked here.. Things bought in total = 0 I did check my balance today though. I have gotten at least some of the pay I should get. I haven’t compared it yet to my own list of shifts that I’ve done. But now I’ve got a little over 500 € in my account. ^_^ Then on my way back from work, I had to change busses at Tapiola. It was so weird being there again. And when they began playing BSB’s “We’ve Got It Going On” on the radio.. total flashback to 1996. Freaky.. o.O

Yes.. bored again.. waiting for work to start..

Tue, 14 Dec 2004 12:12:33 +0000

You know you are a kid of the eighties when… (* applies to me)

You’ve ever ended a sentence with the word “PSYCHE”.
You watched the Pound Puppies. *3. You can sing the rap to the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy. *5. You yearned to be a member of the Baby-sitters club and tried to start a club of your own. *6. You owned those lil’ Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls. *7. You know that “WHOA " comes from Joey on Blossom
Two words: Hammer Pants
If you ever watched “Fraggle Rock “. *10. You had plastic streamers on your handle bars…
You can sing the entire theme song to “Duck Tales”. *12. When it was actually worth getting up early on a Sunday to watch cartoons. *13. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
You saw the original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” on the big screen…
You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school. *16. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side. *17. You played MASH (Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House.)
You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
L.A. Gear….need I say more.
You wanted to change your name to “JEM” in Kindergarten. (She’s truly outrageous.)
You remember reading “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing " and all the Ramona books.
You know the profound meaning of “WAX ON, WAX OFF”.
You wanted to be a Goonie. *24. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (because it was the cool thing to do)
You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted. *26. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf. *27. You took lunch boxes to school…and traded Garbage Pail Kids in the schoolyard. *28. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets. *29. You still get the urge to say “NOT” after every sentence.
You remember Hypercolor t-shirts. *31. Barbie and the Rockers was your favorite band.
You thought She-ra (Princess of Power!) and He-Man should hook up.
You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
After you saw Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure you kept saying “I know you are, but what am I? "
You remember “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”. *37. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide. *39. You have ever played with a Skip-It. *40. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds. *41. You’ve gone through this nodding your head in agreement.
You remember Popples. *43. “Don’t worry, be happy”. *44. You wore like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top Reeboks. *45. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do… getting yelled at by “younger hip” members of the family). *46. “Miss Mary MACK MACK MACK, all dressed in BLACK BLACK BLACK” With silver buttons buttons buttons, all down her back back back…
You remember boom boxes…
You remember watching both “Gremlins” movies.
You know what it meant to say “Care Bear Stare!!” *50. You remember watching “Rainbow Bright” and “My Little Pony Tales”.
You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot. *52. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool… and don’t even flinch when people refer to them as “NKOTB”. *54. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on “Saved By the Bell”, the ORIGINAL class. *55. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART. *56. You just sang those words to yourself.
You remember watching Magic vs. Bird.
homemade Levi shorts…
You remember when mullets were cool!
You had a mullet! shudders *61. You still sing “We are the World”.
You tight rolled your jeans. *63. You owned a bannana clip.
You remember “Where’s the Beef?”
You used to (and probably still do) say “What you talkin’ about Willis?”
You had big hair and you knew how to use it. *67. You’re still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren’t you!!!
You so wanted that secret passage in Webster’s house.
You’d watch the after school specials at 4:00.
Girls - you so wanted to be Baby and would dance around the house after watching Dirty Dancing. Guys - you have to admit the fact that you’ve seen the movie more than once.

Okay.. I have continued working on my applications and now I’ve just gotta finish off my personal statement before I need to send it. And find out what my job title is at the hotel. I’m not quite sure what you’d call it.. I mean, it’s just paper work. And sometimes lugging suitcases around and checking if the rooms are clean. o.O

2004-12-14 - 09:52

Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:52:22 +0000

I loooooooove sleeping in the basement! So nice and quiet. ^_^ Seriously, I could sleep all day in here. Except I’ve gotta go to work.. Hmm.. should eat breakfast at one point as well. Maybe go for a walk with Elli before I leave.. Well, we’ll see.

I am a hybrid of: Progressive Girl Girl Next Door Click on the pictures below to read more:
Take the 'What Kind of Girl Are You?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com

2004-12-13 - 22:38

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 22:38:41 +0000

Wheeeeeee..

Okay. Maybe I’m just too tired to actually be up this late and just don’t realize it, but I’m feeling kinda hyper. Like I wanna do something to get rid of all of this energy but I have no idea what.

Why do I always get the people who buy condoms? I’ve asked other kassa people and all of them say that they’ve never had any.. hmm.. the funniest one was when this guy around 70 wanted a 10-pack. Kinda hard keeping a poker face with that one.. ^_^;;

More quizzies!

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 11:21:57 +0000

33%… is that good or bad?

2004-12-13 - 10:21

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 10:21:52 +0000

Just took Elli out for a walk. It was actually pretty nice. Behaved very well the whole time. Well, except for the last few minutes of the walk since she knew we were heading back and obviously she didn’t want to come in yet. Nothing too major happened though.

I slept so well last night. No noise whatsoever downstairs. Complete silence. =)

Urgh. The computer downstairs that I used last night crashed this morning. Which means that I can’t use MSN Msgr until Auri’s dad has fixed the problem. so sad I want to talk to ppl! Auri’s at school right now and Mirna is asleep. I’ve got about 3 hrs to kill before I gotta leave for work. Maybe I should continue working on my applications…

2004-12-12 - 20:35

Sun, 12 Dec 2004 20:35:19 +0000

Okay.. I don’t know what’s up with my internal compass. I (again) somehow wound up on the main road while trying to take a short cut. And I was about to walk totally the wrong way while trying to find the train station at Kirkkonummi. Hmm.. maybe I get distracted by the music. At least there was a nice lady in the parking lot of the Prisma in Kirkkonummi who gave me a ride to the station. ^_^

at Auri's

Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:00:20 +0000

I’m in the living room right now. Auri’s dad is watching this sorta funny show on TV.. gets distracted easily Talking about Russians and the Russia-phobia that Finland has..

Well I got a ride to work today, which meant that I was there an hour earlier than I was supposed to. After half an hour of wandering around the mall, I decided to start my shift earlier. There really was no point in me walking around aimlessly for another half an hour when there were long lines at all of the check-out counters. Is that what it’s called? I’m just so used to saying kassa that I dunno what the right word for it is in English anymore. Anyway, loads of people all the time. No time to fill in the Bonus slips, because I had at least 4 ppl in line all the time. Even at 6:15 when the store had closed 15 minutes ago and my shift was supposed to have ended! The whole time I kept thinking that I was going to miss my bus. I thought that it went at 6:26, so when I got to the bus stop at 6:30 I was pretty sure that I had missed it and would have to wait an hour for the next one. I must have looked at the wrong stop when I was checking the timetable because when I checked the timetable at the bus stop, it said that the 35V was supposed to get there at 6:32. I was happy that I wouldn’t have to wait in the cold for an hour. smile Then when I got to Nihtisilta, I started the shortcut correctly, but I must’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere, because the next thing I know, I’m back on the same road where I started from, just a couple of meters down the road. A very weird loop I made. Since I knew the way from the road, I decided to stick to it. Not gonna try the shortcut again. Might enter the Twilight Zone the next time. XP I arrived at the same time as Kirsikka(Auri’s mom) did. She had fallen down last week and sprained her ankle while walking their dog Elli, so she was limping a bit. And hasn’t been able to go shopping for food so we went out to eat. The chicken & goat cheese toast I had was very good. v. full It was a nice little restaurant that we went to.

at Krisi's

Sat, 11 Dec 2004 10:17:19 +0000

I just got a shift for tomorrow. ^_^ It ends at 7 and it takes about 30 mins with the train to get back from Kirkkonummi.. Hmm. I should buy another one of those 10 journey tickets..only three left on my current one and I need to use five this week… I wonder if there’s a proper station at Kirkkonummi where I could buy it from. I know there isn’t one in Kilo. At least I haven’t seen one. I should probably tell Auri that I’ve got a shift tomorrow. But she’s on a cruise.. I’ll just see her tomorrow morning and tell her before I gotta go.

Lunch break ramblings again..

Fri, 10 Dec 2004 11:26:11 +0000

And I have finished June! Go me.. well, okay, there are still a few ppl missing from the list, but I can’t help it that the invoices for them haven’t come up yet.. I’m already half way into July.. I’m supposed to be counting the nights that ppl from Accenture have stayed here, but the damn network isn’t working. The screen keeps freezing up as well. >.<

So back to comparing the booking and invoices it is..

Quiz time! (yes I'm bored..)

Thu, 09 Dec 2004 10:19:50 +0000

Take the quiz: “Which Random Irish Gaelic Phrase Are You? " Is maith liom bananai Is maith liom bananai - ‘I like bananas.‘You’re laid-back and you enjoy the simple things in life. Some might say you’re a little too laid-back. Just what is it you’re smoking, anyway?

Take the quiz: “Which Disney Character Are You?” Ariel (Little Mermaid) You LOVE to explore the sea and you love to swim. You love to wonder.

10 and 18..

Thu, 09 Dec 2004 08:34:10 +0000

Eeeew.. Just stepped in Bella’s pee. I had to hold her so that my aunt, mom and Jade could get out of the apartment without Bella running into the hall. I had to backup a bit so that my aunt could get past us and voilà.. I step onto the newspaper where Bella had just been. Ick ick ick. So now I’m without a sock (which I washed in the bathroom and it’s drying there right now) and I doubt that it’ll be dry in time before I have to leave for work. >.<

The coundowns have begun! 11... and 19...

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 16:11:52 +0000

Now I finally like how my LJ looks. I’ve been fiddling around with the colors and format.. is happy with it

I’ve found a course I really wanna do. It’s “Scriptwriting and Performance” at U of East Anglia. If I’m accepted, I’ll definitely go there. When I saw that option, I was practically bouncing off the walls. So beats American Studies. Creative Writing is almost as good. Earlier I was getting really stressed about whether I’ll be able to send in my application on time and what to write in my personal statement, but now I’m zen.

2004-12-07 - 10:22

Tue, 07 Dec 2004 10:22:19 +0000

Okay.. still sick, but getting better. Saturday was the worst. My voice was totally gone. Even though I had told the people at StaffPoint on Friday that I was sick and wouldn’t take any more shifts before Tuesday, they kept calling and offering me shifts for Saturday. Can’t they tell from my raspy voice that I’m not up to sitting and smiling for 8 hrs the next day?? o.O

But I did go to work Friday evening and Sunday. Double the pay on Sunday. ^^ But oooooh the lines. It was non-stop. Technically my shift ended at 7:00 but I wasn’t able to close my station until 7:12 so the girl at the info desk modified the paycheck list thingy so that my shift ended at 7:15. ^^

2004-12-01 - 10:01

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 10:01:21 +0000

I hate being sick. Yesterday I still felt fine (well, besides randomly feeling like bursting into tears) but now I’ve got this really annoying cough that won’t stop unless I continuously drink hot tea. Which means that I gotta go to the bathroom once an hour. rolls eyes At least my eyes have stopped watering now. It’s weird, sometimes I can’t tell the difference if my eyes are just watering because I’m sick or if I’m actually crying. o.O

on a break

Mon, 29 Nov 2004 12:58:36 +0000

Well, I’ve finished what Jari gave me to do and he’s gone somewhere, so now I’m just waiting for him to get back..

In the meantime, I took a little quiz.. and the result is:

What’s Your Kissing Style?

You’re a born romantic.

The great thing about being inherently romantic is that you actually enjoy kissing, according to William Cane, the New York City-based author of The Art of Kissing (St. Martin’s Press) and the brain behind www.kissing.com. “Romantics are very lucky. For them, kissing provides a tender, wonderful way to stay connected with their partner. They have a natural instinct to kiss as a way to communicate love and affection. By reaching out in that manner, they continually strengthen the bond with their significant other,” says Cane. Seeking out opportunities to express their fondness is second-nature to romantics, and their relationships tend to benefit.

2004-11-29 - 11:29

Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:29:09 +0000

On my lunch break right now..

This morning it snowed so much that I could barely see where I was going. Which meant that the train I was supposed to catch was cancelled due to “technical problems”. Too much snow on the tracks I assume. So I took the InterCity train from Tampere which made an exception and stopped at Järvenpää to pick up the ones that were supposed to go on the 8:20 R train. Didn’t have to pay for that trip, so I’ve saved 4,80 €. grin I was late for work though. Not that it really mattered much since I couldn’t start work before Jari got here and he came in 10 minutes later than I did. The snow is very pretty though. And there’s lots of it too. ^_^ I wonder when can I go ice skating.. need to find my skates first..

2004-11-26 - 11:39

Fri, 26 Nov 2004 11:39:08 +0000

Cold outside.. -8C. Froze my ass off this morning walking to work. Well, not really but my thighs were freezing. As were my ears. Good thing I’ve found my thicker jacket. Personally I think it makes me look like a blob, but if it keeps me warm I won’t complain.

yawns So tired, so tired.. Been at work since 9 a.m. More invoice and booking list comparing. Funfun. At least I’m here only until 4. Then from 5 to 9 I’ve got cashier work in Tikkurila.. Yayness. ^_^

*taking a break*

Thu, 25 Nov 2004 14:44:46 +0000

Aaaaaaarggh! I feel like my head is about to burst! Seriously, I hate the old system they used. Very very annoyed at it right now..

Glad to get that off my chest. goes to eat her apple in peace

*lunch break*

Thu, 25 Nov 2004 10:42:44 +0000

Well, I’m back at work again. At Accome for today. I’ll call Extra later tonight to see what shifts they have available this weekend. Judging from the amount of msgs I got last night after I had landed, they need help. 6 messages one after the other practically begging me to come to work. It feels nice to be needed. Then my mom called me and told me that both my uncle and Jari needed me urgently to do work for them. So right now I’m helping Jari. Checking invoices with his Swedish partner Micke. Nice accent. :) It’s simple enough work. He tells me the name of the client, the dates which they occupied a room, the room number and the price and I check that they’re the same in the booking list. We’ve found loads of mistakes already. One person wasn’t even on the list! And the first 1½ hrs I didn’t do anything because I was waiting for Micke to arrive. I just read a newspaper. It had this really funny article that was written in 1952 (I think) about how Thanksgiving is explained to the French. If I can’t take the paper with me, then I’ll at least photocopy that article. Worth saving. And the original is worth $80,000! This one lady bought it for $10 at a garage sale. Talk about a steal. ^_^

2004-11-22 - 15:47

Mon, 22 Nov 2004 15:47:00 +0000

Hmm.. nothing earth shattering to share really..

Whee.. Going out tonight. grin

groans Noooooooooooo.. Pennjon is back. Trying to get the details of my sex life. I should’ve remembered that that’s his fave topic before I said hi back.. oh well. I did like his reaction when I told him that I’ve got a bf though.. I like telling people about Gubby. It’s a wonder that people don’t get annoyed hearing about him.

2004-11-20 - 16:02

Sat, 20 Nov 2004 16:02:35 +0000

yawn So sleepy.. Why did I agree to watch “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” at 1 am?? I knew I had to get up early today. >_<

Anyhoo, going over to Anji’s in a bit.. should be fun. Get to meet Steve’s brother..

2004-11-19 - 15:53

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 15:53:11 +0000

Well.. he’s in class again. I’ve got about an 45 mins by myself.. w00t. What to do…

Ooh. Someone just IMed me. Weird. Haven’t had that happen for awhile. ignores him

Anyway. Saw “The Shawshank Redemption” last night. I liked it. Even if Tim Robbins isn’t one of my preferred actors.

o.O Lennert’s online. And he said hi. Wow. It’s been ages since we’ve spoken. Like 6 months or so. Very awkward too.. Nothing to talk about really. It feels like we’re both treading on thin ice. I don’t think he’s forgotten about our fight. Well, neither have I really.. waits awhile ooh.. neutral territory. Music. And it ended there. Oh well. shrugs

2004-11-18 - 16:47

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 16:47:41 +0000

happy sigh

Gubby is fantastic. Really is. Last night = WOW. Quickies are fun, but last night..

feels like floating off the ground

I wonder if we’ll be the topic of gossip at dance class again.. Yesterday was quite funny. Even teachers participating in gossiping. It was fun confusing them though.

“What’s ‘rhetos’ mean?” “Senior in high school. It’s French.” “Oh. So you’re French?” “No. I’m Finnish.” " blank look "

Archive

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Luliriisi

The Plan

Privacy policy

Collected information

Cookies

Third parties

YouTube

Quilt for baby M

6 weeks to go

Purple is the colour of choice

Good mail days, ideas and plans

Channelling Yoda

Fun with technology

Spring is definitely here

ALL the swatches

Mrs Lear's Scarf

Mrs Lear mitts

It's coming!

More wedding chat

It's all about the food

I seem to have a new hobby

Ever changing London weather

Afternoon Tea with a twist

Timey Tantalate

Spring!

Last minute knitting

Blonde(-er) again!

Working backwards

Prepping for Christmas

Searching for the perfect tart

Let’s face the music

Let’s face the music

Can you tell I like horror?

New WIP

Breakfast in Brussels

Good mail day!

I can see in the sun now!

Woolfest wrap up

Update-y goodness

The view from our new living room

Taking a break outside

More Monkey Adventures: the Iceland Edition

Monkey’s Christmas Adventure

I can haz yarn!

Mythos Collection + a giveaway!

Kelsey Mitts

Adventures in sewing

Tea Rose Shawlette

Fall is in the air

Green Leaf Shrug and other knitting

Edinburgh Trip

Oh my

Pink elephants? No, pink reindeer!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Long weekend! *happy dance*

Errata

Tea Rose Shawlette

Bashful Butterflies

All about the neck accessories

Spring is here. So are the carpet beetles

Random Thoughts About Stuff

The Last 3 Weeks

Two book reviews

A Confession

Clubs and Shawls

Caterpillar Mitts and two quick book reviews

The one where I can’t talk about my knitting

The one where I can’t talk about my knitting

I look like a chipmunk

Sip n Stitch is here!

No photo this time

I am in LOVE

Berry Berry Mitts

Purple Purl

The last two weeks in photos

Criminal Sock found!

And in the naughty corner

Additions to the household

The Dr Seuss Shawl

Knitting books

Long weekend! happy dance