2016 Resolution Part 1 of 12 - The Makropulos Affair

2016 Resolution: see one stage show every month

This post is a bit late, but the visit to see a stage show was not. My first show for 2016 was also my first time watching an opera. Sitting high up on the third balcony I enjoyed The Makropulos Affair at the Gothenburg Opera. The opera was performed in its original language, Czech, but they actually had subtitles so that you could understand what they were singing about. 

The story was interesting, but I found it hard to connect to what I saw on stage. The beginning was a bit confusing and they also had stage-workers present and singing on the stage which threw me off a little. It is also a bit disconnecting when you have to read subtitles and don't understand the words that are sung. But even though these difficulties I must say that it was a pleasant experience and very beautiful. I would definitely go and see an opera again. 

2015 in a list

Firsts

Work and Australia has been the biggest firsts this year. But this year has also been the first time for me on longboard, visiting Vienna, musicals been seen and lots more. So the whole year has been filled with firsts.

Addiction 

The app Neko Atsume.

Lush

Food

The falafel at MasChuMasChu, Vienna.

Tv-show
Jessica Jones and How to get away with murder

Movie
Inside out, I Cried a lot.

Music
Lots of musicals.
Sia

Museum/Exhibition

Seeing the Rosetta stone at the British Museum

Seeing Gustav Klimt at Leopold, Vienna

Worst
The relationship dramas, wish I could have handled it all better

Proudest
Getting myself a real job
Changing the tire on the bike

Cutest

The little Echidnas with their long and slimy tongue.

Painful

Almost losing my finger when surfing. Accidentally had the leash around my finger when a strong wave took my board away.

Resolutions

My resolution for last year was to take a photo every day, in hope that this would spark my creative photography again. I didn't keep that resolution, though I have photographed more this past year. I've started using Instagram which I think is one of the reasons why I was a bit able to keep that resolution.

The new resolution for 2016 is to visit the theatre at least once a month. It doesn't matter what kind of show it is, if its theatre, dance or musical. I just want to spend more time experience creative pieces that surely will inspired me to create myself.

The year to come

2016 will be another big year in my life as me and my partner are going to find a way to live together. This gets rather tricky as we have to find a location where we both can work. And it kind of has to be two workplaces where English is spoken also. So yeah, it is a bit of a tricky puzzle. But we have a few ideas, some that we have to wait a while before we'll know if they'll work out. But hope is that we will live together by the later half of the year.

I'm very nervous about switching workplace, since I do feel like there's a huge gap in my skills and those that would be required by me at a new workplace. I will try and work on those skills after work, but I know that I have a hard time getting things done by myself. Tried to apply to a distant course, but didn't get in. I find it a lot easier to get things done when there's deadlines.

There are lot of fun things planned for this year. Horse show, Legoland and Phantom are a few that are for sure. There's also some loose plans for Crete and exploring the northern Scandinavian.

I also hope that this will be the year when I become more healthy. My body has so many problems that I really should start taking better care of it. The vegetarian diet I've had hasn't really given me enough nutrition, which needs to be fixed. I will also start trying chiropractic treatment for my RLS, which keeps me from sleeping well. A visit to the dentist is also needed, haven't been at one for many years now. So as I'm now coming home from my vacation and to the reality of this new year, I have a lot of appointments to book.

The year that passed

I feel a bit shocked and overwhelmed when looking back to the start of 2015. It feels like a lifetime ago since I was there and I've forgotten so much. I was in Marrocco, surfing, last year, don't really remember doing that. 

The start of last year was quite difficult. I has been torned in relationship drama the whole winter, which hurted so badly and I feel so ashamed when looking back. Hindsight makes you wiser and it also makes me critical of the person I were. But I know that I did my best in the situation I was in, however big of a mess it now may look like. 

With the spring came huge changes. I went from being a student to my first real job. It was such a huge relief and a burden of my shoulders when the contract was signed. I have a finical security and I've taken one of the biggest steps in my adult life. The world is open in a whole new way.

This year has been filled with weekendtrips all around in Europe, since I'm in the spring also started a new relationship with a man who now lives in Austria. It has been a wonderful time, filled with new cities, musicals and love. 

And my relationship and work has been what mostly taken up my time this year. It started with these big changes and I've now finding my place in this new life I have.

The times they are a-changin'

Been away in the land down under for a while and have completely left reality back on the northern hemisphere, but it is time for some resolutions for the new year and reflections on the old.

Just as I'm starting to write this, Bob Dylan started to sing the very fitting song, hence the title.

Okay, I'll see you in a different post, make sense to separate the old and new year.

New Things For My Home

I've been wanting to renew a few things in my apartment for a while now. So I thought about making a picture with things I want and try to decide what I want and how much it will hurt my wallet.

Kitchen
I need a new mat, that will also serve as a scratching area for the cats. Leaning towards the brighter one, which also happens to be the cheaper one. Ka-ching

Hallway
So I've fallen in love with this beautiful walnut storage thing, that costs 3000SEK, not really something I can afford T.T so leaning towards a wall mounted shelf instead. And then putting a big plant underneath it, or a catbed/strachingthingy. I also need to repaint the walls, thinking of a mustard yellow. Sounds crazy, but there isn't much walls and I thinking of breaking it up with lots of arts in white frames.

Livingroom
My cats have finally succeeded with breaking the sofa cover. So my choice is to buy a new cover, sadly they don't have the same that I already have, or I could buy a new sofas, sadly I can't find anyone that I like. So it's leaning towards just getting a new cover.

Workspace
I want a new table and I'm also thinking to downsize and say good bye to my second screen. And I hate my current table, it is very big. Would also like new wheels for my chair, they don't roll very well at all.

Bedrom
I just found a cover that I like, but in reality I need a bedside lamp and new bedsheets. But the cover is really pretty!

Bathroom
This is the room that I want to change the most. My towels are getting worn and they look dirty even when they are fresh out of laundry. The mat I had got peed on, so I'd like a new one. A proper storage thing for showerstuff would be nice as well. And of course I need to match the new mat with a new curtain. My trashcan that is made in plastic is getting way too dirty, plus Milky tries to break into it all the time. So it is time for a proper one that keeps the trash on the inside and not on the floor, thank you Milky.

A bit of counting and it's about 5000SEK, with some luck some of these things might end up on sale after Christmas.

On a Scale

Decided to check the weights of my cats, since Milky is supposed to lose a few 100 grams. So I took my very dusty scale out of it's hiding, checked my weight and then started to carry the cats to see how much they were. Milky was on track and I then checked Selma, to make sure she's not gaining or losing. And the result shocked me, she was 2 kilos when she's supposed to be 4. So I checked my own weight again and I had magically lost 2 kilos in just a few seconds. Most be a record.

Wish I had a reliable scale since just a few 100 grams make a lot of difference for the tiny cats -.-

Started Writing

After waking up from a dream I decided to try and write it down and ended up with a short story. It is written in Swedish and you can find it on the link below.

När vi sågs igen - Novell.nu

It felt really nice to start writing again and I hope I will find more inspiration to write new material, finish started stories and rewrite what I wrote in my youth.

Poor Kid

I'm sitting in the arrivals hall at the airport, waiting. And what's happening in front of me makes me furious. There are about twenty people here, welcoming home a couple. They have big cameras, signs, heck, they even have a camera filming on a tripod. People are hugging, photographing and shedding tears. This might sound very sweet and you might all wonder what's making me so upset about this scenery.

The couple are not alone. They have one kid with them. A young toddler that I assume that they just adopted. I have nothing against the adoption, let that be stated right away. But this young child have just been torn from his home, might be that it just was a shitty orphanage, but it was this child's home. He's been tossed into a new family, one that I'm guessing doesn't speak a word of his own language. They then take him on a long journey, away from everything he knew. And as soon as they arrive he is surrounded by at least twenty strangers with big cameras.

I understand that the family want to share their new bundle of joy, it have surely been a long journey for these parents to get their child. But this huge commotion, it surely must be shocking, strange and scary for their child. Not given a change to adjust to his new life, he's being surrounded by all these people that want to take pictures, carry him, introducing themselves. Am I just being strange? Or is this a bit too much?

I know I'm very uneasy with new surroundings and new people, I know that it is something that cause me a lot of anxiety, so maybe I'm overreacting. But this just feels so strange to witness.

January in Pictures

First month is soon over and I have been very busy editing and choosing pictures for my "1 photo per day"-challenge. This first month has gone okay I think. I only missed one days. My hope is to do better next month and also publish the photos a bit more often, since this is going to end up to be a long long post.

Let's take a look then, January 2015.

 01.Jan

Playing with fire

02.Jan

On the road 

03.Jan

Mini-LAN, playing "7 Days to Die" 

04.Jan

Good morning 

05.Jan

The stairs outside my apartment, I like the light 

06.Jan

Someone has to unpack her stuff 

07.Jan

My calender, and January has been a busy month 

08.Jan

Arriving to London 

09.Jan

Walking around in London all day was lovely, there was lot of sunshine and so much to see

10.Jan

One can't be in London and not take pictures of the red phoneboxes

11.Jan

The roof of the museum where I went on the last day 

12.Jan

Home sweet home 

14.Jan (yes, I missed 13th) 

Back in school and i spent most of the lecture drawing, 

15.Jan

Time to get packing again 

16.Jan

Good bye to the burg

17.Jan

Arriving to the airport

18.Jan

Hello beaches, sunshine and surfing

19.Jan

Double rainbow

20.Jan

It might be sunshine on the days, but the evenings are cold

21.Jan

Sunset from a little mountain

22.Jan

It might not be that easy to see, but that middle-finger is a bit swollen and hurting

23.Jan

Last sunset surfing

24.Jan

A week goes by so quickly. Goodbye beaches,sunshine and surfing

25.Jan

Time to take home my lovely monsters, only took 2 hours extra because of traintroubles

26.Jan

Rainy and dark, home sweet Gothenburg

27.Jan

I was gone for a few seconds, getting my self some water, and me seat got stolen

28.Jan

It is nice to have my monsters back

29.Jan

Seal of Sweden

30.Jan

Let it snow! To bad it melted away

31.Jan

Trying to take a picture of the monsters can be a bit of a challenge

Goodbye Waves

After a week of surfing and bruising, the time has come to say goodbye and go back to a cold Sweden. This week has been great and painful, I am filled with bruises. I might not be born to be a surfer, but I love surfing no matter how bad I am at it.

Yesterday, after a hole day of surfing, we treated ourselves with one hour of massage. It was really nice for the poor body that is so not used to daily exercise. My shoulders can barely move after all the paddling.

It feels nice going hone, I'm ready to go back to normal life, normal food and to my dear babies. Pictures will come soon I hope, I should perhaps show the London photos first...

Monday Afternoon

You know what?! Surfing in the sunset on a Monday afternoon isn't that bad. I could get used to this.

Surfing here in Morocco just puts more fuel to my desire to travel to Australia and live in van. Spending the days surfing, working when money is low, and driving to new destinations. I don't need that much more money to do that. The biggest thing holding me back are my babies. Being away from them for a year would be so hard.

High Above the Ground

I have never had to run to the gate, until today. We reach the passport control and heard them announce the final call for our flight. There were a lot of people in front of us and panic started to rise. We asked the people in front if the lone if we could go before them, explaining our situation. Thank goodness for nice people, they let us pass. After that we had to run to our gate. It said closed but there were still staff there and they let us through.

I was really scared that we would make it!

Now were trying to sleep a bit, which is hard because the seat isn't the beat and we are surrounded by kids. Flying is boring, even with free WiFi. And getting randomly kicked in the back doesn't make it better. But in a few hours we'll be in Morocco.

There and Back Again

Home sweet home. And time for bed! I will update on my lovely London-trip another day, cause there is simply to time tonight. Tomorrow I have a big presentation about my internship and I am not prepared at all. But it will work out just fine. Good night.