November Goals - One month later

Here we are again. A month has passed and it is time to see how the goals have gone.

1. Clean bathroom floor
It is clean, all the little corners and pipes have been cleaned of dust and residue. It was nice and it feels fresh again. Should probably do this kind of cleaning more often I guess.

2. Make a pumpkin scene in 3D
Just published it on my website. It turned out quite alright though I struggled far too long with the postproduction.

3. Paint the hallway
Almost there. It was finished and then came the time to remove the tape... That tape caused a huge emotional breakdown. After 4 layers of painting it was just too much stress when the tape first didn't pull off without breaking into tiny pieces - requiring tweezers to get off. And then it did of  course rip off big chunks of the new paint which was the drop that overflowed the cup.

I have today had the time to plaster all the broken fragments and tomorrow I'm going to start painting again. Lucky for me that I have some paint left in the bucket.

And guess where I bought the tape... Clas Ohlsson. I will never buy that tape again.

2016 Resolution part ???

Last time I updated on my resolution was in the beginning of the spring. Hurray for my ability to update this blog regularly. Do not however believe that I've forgotten my resolution or stopped going on shows, because I've gone on quite a few this year. From amateur theatre in the outbacks of Gothenburg to Hamlet at the Globe. My memory is bad, but from the top of my head I could count eight shows. Not eleven as I would have liked it to be, but good anyways. There has been a few botched attempts, like that time when they cancelled the show so to faults in the fire alarm system. And this year I learned that the theatres close during the summer, which didn't make it easy for me.

The year is rapidly getting closer to it's end and I will try to squeeze in a few more shows. I'm planning on going in a Christmas concert and the opera is showing Carmen which would be nice to see. And if mom comes down we'll probably go to Liseberg and see their ice skating show. And who knows what else I can find.

This resolution has been a lot of fun so far and I'm looking forward to its finally. Have already planned to go to a dance show in the beginning of next year. If we shadow have offended. It's one of the best things I've seen on stage and I'm thrilled that they are showing it again, only 3 days though. Will try and grab tickets next Friday as the opera house is having a black Friday sale then.

November Goals

I know we are halfway through this month, but I've been working with my goals since the start if the month. The reason for my late update here is because I hate the blogger app. I can't get the formatting I want and I can't add pictures. So in the end I have to fix everything on the computer or I just forget all about it. But enough complaining, here are the goals I'm working with this month.

1. Clean bathroom floor
I do of course clean my floors on a regular basis. But after a pee-accident ( cats) I really need to take everything and clean the floors with running alcohol and really get into all those corners. And while I'm at that I really need to wipe off all the pipes that are a bit covered with dust from the litterbox. Basically a spring cleaning.

2. Make a pumpkin scene in 3D
I know Halloween will be over when this is done. But I saw these cute carved pumpkins and got inspired. I need to be get a bit better at updating my 3D website. And this will probably be rather easy and quick since I'll stick with 3ds Max.

3. Paint the hallway
Ever since I moved in two years ago I've been wanting to do this. Been addicted lately to DIY-videos which have made me inspired to do some homeimprovement.  So now it is time.

October Goals - one month later

I've really liked this month and having these goals, they've done their best to keep me motivated and to not give up. Even though I can only say that I really succeded with one of them. But let's recap and evaluate.

1. Finish one if the small paintings
So I've gotten rather far in this one. I think I will finish it during next weekend. The biggest reason why I haven't finished this painting is because I've hadn't had many free weekends. I've both been travelling and having my wonderful boyfriend over (whom lives in another country). So there hasn't been enough time for me to sit down and complete this painting and I'm a rather slow painter.
There was also a bit of trouble the first time i sat down painting the skull, since I wasn't satisfied at all with the colours i had and how they turned out when being mixed. But I have the right colours now so I've managed to get a lot of the skull done.

2. Sort out the wardrobe full of craft stuff
Yes, this one is complete and I know a very dear friend that would be so proud seeing my sorted crafting wardrobe (even though I know she might be a bit jealous that she didn't get to help).
I still want to fix prettier storage boxes, but everything is in order as it is now and I've thrown out so much that I have never used. It feels really nice to cut down on material possessions, it's make me feel lighter and more focused. Having everything isn't essentially if they are things that you do not need or use. On the contrary, I find it more stressful because I feel pressured to do all the things at once. So getting rid of things I don't need make me more focused to do the things I want to do

3. Exercise once a week
Yeah, I kind of failed this one too. But I've started getting into the habit of swimming once a week. But since I'm swimming with friends it can sometime get tricky do find a day that fit all of us. Managed to go swimming twice and went on a long powerwalk once. So almost.

Goodbye to an Enemy

Years ago in a town miles away, I started a very ambitious project of making a big blanket out of crocheted granny squares. I made over 800 squares and then lost interest when it was time to assemble them. To motivate me I even put the blanket as a goal in my 30-before-30-list, but that didn't do much. I had started to hate that blanket, not only because it took forever to assemble, but because I didn't like the colours at all. And it just got so ugly. Then after being forgotten in an IKEA-bag, I tried one last time to put the last trimming squares on it. But then I saw this wierd husks and holes, so I guess that some kind of moth has taken a fancy to this blanket. And that became the final draw for me and now the blanket is gone.

Goodbye my nemesis.

October Goals

1. Finish one if the small paintings
2. Sort out the wardrobe full of craft stuff
3. Exercise once a week

I am a great procrastinator, like really good. And I kind of don't like that since it feels like I'm never getting anything done. So I will try this monthly goals thing that I saw a blogger doing. Just three rather small things to do before the end if the month.

It will be a bit if a challenge since in also trying my best to do inktober as well. Making an ink drawing every day. I struggle as it is to draw something in a daily basis, so it will be interesting to see how well I can keep this challenge going.

I had originally thought to put "go back to the theatre" on the list, but then I realised that I already have tickets to two shows this month. So having that as a goal felt like cheating since I don't have to so anything to accomplish it. Will make an update in how my new year's resolution is going soon.

2016 Resolution Part 2 of 12 - Northern (de)lights

Two months into the new year and I failed my resolution a bit. I blame it on February being so short and me forgetting that I was going to Vienna for the premiere weekend of the show I wanted to go to. But I got to see it just a few days passed the changing of months.

The show was a collection of dance pieces called "Northern (de)lights" at the opera house here in Gothenburg. It started already outside the stage, where the audience get their noses measured and they get separated in different groups (I got blue for being bizarre). The show is a mix between theatre and dance where different characters tell about their rather special life stories. During the show one of the dancer/actresses walks around and whispers stories to different members in the audience. I never got to hear any.

After a short break we get to see two other pieces. One very entertaining about these mafia members and what goes on behind their closed doors.

Last out was a beautiful duet with two dancers. It felt primal and as if they where exploring their own bodies as they realised that they could move different part. They did seamlessly entangle their bodies and it was a very beautiful interaction to watch.

This blog post is looooong overdue. But you know, better late then never.

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 -.-