On the move Sunday, Aug 2 2009 

BoyFriend and general ii 9:52 am

I have, more or less, relocated to Old Dragon now. I think the only way either of us can stand the current arrangement is with the knowledge that it’s temporary. I’m getting my own place as soon as possible. The plan regarding that, however, is changing. I figured, that with the situation being what it is, of me having absolutely no knowledge of where I’ll be in six months, I probably shouldn’t get a too permanent of a place.

So I’ll be storing most of my stuff that’s not staying in my old place in a storage, getting a smaller place for myself for the time being, and reconsidering everything come January. Who knows, what will happen. In all honesty? I’m ready to leave the country. I miss Paris, I miss the States, I miss finding myself in a new place, trying to set up a new routine. I miss Rome and Prague. I miss the feeling of walking into a new city, an empty apartment and thinking “this is my new home. This is where I’m building my life now. Wonder what’ll happen?”

Until I come up with a temporary place, I’m stuck at Old Dragon’s, though. This should get interesting…

As for the move, well… It’s still in the works. Most of my things, the ones I need, are here now. Thanks to the generous help of BF and Perfect Morning-After Voice. Latter of which volunteered to pack my lingerie, by the way. I declined the kind offer and asked him to move the book boxes to his car instead. He wasn’t a happy camper.

After getting my books in boxes, and packing a lot of clothes, we were finally ready to move. I still need to go back next weekend, and pack the rest of the things, but those are secondary in importance. There’s some winter coats and linens and stuff, you see. I won’t be needing them right away. I hope. With the Finnish summer, you never know…

Anyhow… I’ve moved. I’m back in Helsinki. I love it. Better stores, more action, close to my dear friend E. We have a list of things to do as long as my arm already.

Most importantly, I’m now closer to the airport. Can you tell I’m so ready to leave the country? Only 6 months to go. Oh, 6 months and a graduation party.

 

Some updating, both you and me Thursday, Jul 9 2009 

Books and BoyFriend and Confessions of a Shallow Mind and fashion and general ii 9:59 am

Okay, so I’ve been away. On the Boat Week. Which was amazingly fun, thank you for asking. I managed to avoid burning, mostly by layering SPF50-billion and long sleeved clothes. I did get some sun, so now I’m all freckled again. Which is all good and well, I like them. BF is all tanned and gorgeous, which really isn’t fair. He was having a blast, and got along great with everyone, btw. I have to admit I was a bit worried. Not because I didn’t trust him getting along with my friends, he’s one of those annoying people who get along with everyone! But because we have a very tight group, we’re mostly known each other since we were 6, so it’s really hard for someone new to come into the mix. Especially someone who doesn’t speak French. But he’s learning!

I took a beating in our Scrabble game, by the way. My French vocabulary is diminishing, it seems. Need to pick up some books in French from now on, as well as fashion magazines.

Speaking of fashion, my Boat Week was cut by a very welcome interruption. I’m currently writing this at my own desk, back in Paris, after taking in some of the Couture shows for fall. Once again, I walked out of Jean Paul Gaultier show with a long list of “I want that!” We’ll have to see. There were a few changes I’d like, and stuff, but… I love his stuff, everyone knows that! You can always trust JP to make something that’s at the same time “wow” and somehow so very “me”.

I’ve been streamlining my closet this past spring and early summer. Seriously. I’ve noticed that what with all the house-hopping, being in Finland, France, couple of places in States, I’ve reverted to the American style of wardrobe. And that’s no good. Most importantly, that’s not me. So, streamlining. Which is something I must remember when checking out the fall shows, and deciding what, if any, I’m getting this fall. (I didn’t make it to the Chanel show, but luckily I’m able to catch up with what they had later today.)

It’s time for me to return to my roots, and to the cornerstones of my wardrobe. Having, using, and buying only things I can honestly say I love with a passion. Things I can say I’ll wear 5 years from now. Because that’s always been my thing. I just got lost, together with everyone else, to this buying frenzy of funny little things and chic little pick-me-ups. (Okay, the lace-and-tulle over-the-knee lace-up stiletto heel boots by Sergio Rossi were a justified buy. If for no other reason, than how much BF loves those!)

But that’s all about fashion. Maybe I’ll make a more detailed post later on about it, should anyone care. There was something else I though about… Wonder what it was…

Oh, yes! In my current “I’m loving the Armed Forces” thing, that was started by the HBO mini series Generation Kill, and carried further by the actual book Generation Kill by Evan Wright, I have been immersing myself to the culture of military. It’s really quite fascinating! The bonds that are formed and the comrade that’s evident is quite special. Also, the philosophical yet practical approach these guys have towards things like life and death, war and love and family, is truly intriguing. I’ll write more about my feelings regarding Generation Kill in my review-of-sorts, once I get there, but for now, let’s just say you should all read it. Seriously. Another thing that’s been interesting to see is the way these more recent wars, like Iraq, Afghanistan and to an extent Vietnam, are treated so differently as stories from WWII and other earlier wars. It’s hard to believe that war’s any different, regardless of the time, and yet the image that gets portrayed makes it seem like the actual battle has changed considerably. But then again, what do I know, I’ve never been in any war, I’ve never served in military. Which in turns makes it an even more interesting read.

I was recommended a book called Of Arms and Men by Robert L O’Connell, about how the development of guns and technology has changed not only the wars we fight in but the society. It seems really interesting, so I might have to check that out.

The Boat Week managed to get me back to books again. I was, once again, in a bit of a reading funk, but all that lounging on the deck made me pick up a book and get lost in a story. After all, it’s not like I was going to swim! So… I’m back! Interestingly, I’ve been feeling my old interest to philosophy return, which is great. I’ve missed that. Also, after an embarrassingly long spout of “I can’t really be bothered”, I’m into contemporary issues again. Politics, culture, society. I want to know. And with that, always comes my thirst for history. Which in turn might have been flared up also by the military things I’ve read, as there’s always references to history when you’re talking about war. So all in all, I’m feeling like actually activating my brain again, after a long period of “handbag shopping counts as a sociopolitical and cultural statement, right?”. In the words of J, “the Brain is back”. This should be fun.

Now I have to go, I have an appointment before lunch.

 

Too late Sunday, Jun 14 2009 

Confessions of a Shallow Mind and Daddy Dearest and general ii 8:28 pm

Whenever something happens, something bad and terrible and dangerous, people get scared. That’s a given, and perfectly natural. And we start to avoid the thing that went wrong. When the planes hit the Twin Towers people started to avoid flying. When someone gets kidnapped, more security measures are put in place for people in similar circumstance as the victim, even people completely unrelated to the issue. When a friend heard her plane for her flight was supposed to be Airbus, she rescheduled, because of the plane that dropped to the Atlantic Ocean.*

Maybe I’m weird, maybe I’m naive, maybe I’m lots of things, but whenever people do these things, I think “too late!” the bad thing already happened, you’re safety measured won’t help anymore. The way I see it, these kinds of bad things are largely individual cases. The fact that the planes were flown into the WTC doesn’t mean another one will be hijacked tomorrow, so you’re perfectly okay to fly to your conference.

That’s not to say we should check the safety measures that are in place. And I do believe everything should be done to minimize the risk. But when something bad happens because of one or more lunatics, your precautions are in vane and too late. It’s not a recurring phenomena. It’s a one-off thing! So what’s the point?

DD wants to put me under closer protection. Like, ‘personal protection’. Because of recent events. I don’t see the point in that. I’m perfectly safe. The shit hit the fan, didn’t hit me, and now it’s over. So why bother anymore?

 

* Okay, maybe that example doesn’t belong there, as there has been some trouble with the Airbus planes. But are there anymore than usual (apart from the crash)? Or are they just making headlines because of the one that crashed?

 

Angst? Aren’t I too old for that!? Thursday, Apr 9 2009 

The Thesis and blog and general and random stuff I can't figure a category for and school and stuff you didn't need to know but I'm telling you anywa ii 10:08 am

Okay, so I though I’d tell you stories. It’s about time, I know. But. I decided to talk about myself instead. Quelle surprise!

With too much things going on at the moment, I’m feeling very overwhelmed. I’m exhausted. On top of all those things (to which I’ll get in a moment) I’m off any reasonable sleeping rhythm, and I’m stressing completely random things for some weird reason. Like, that I maxed out my credit card. Which is not important, as I have another, and can pay them both off if I need to. But until the bill gets here (read: is automatically payed for from my account), it’s maxed out, unless I actually do something. And for some reason this is stressing me out to no end.

What I have to do, then? Well, there’s school work. I still need to graduate, remember? So there’s an essay on using your non-native language (in this specific instance Finnish) in a working environment, with a questionnaire to be sent out and so on. There’s an essay on French wine industry. There’s the development essays I still haven’t turned in (one on South African economy, one on food price crisis). There’s few exams (micro and macro) in a week. There’s econometrics essay (and the other essay and exercises and the bigger assignment I still haven’t received).

And there’s the thesis. Although, to my defence, every time I sit in my car for any period of time longer than 10 minutes, my mind turns to my thesis, and I start working that out. So really, all I have to do is sit my butt down and WRITE IT!

On top of this all, I’m throwing a party to Funny Friend. I was roped into helping with the Student Union play outfits, so I have about 8 dance tops and 9 tunics to sew. (I hate the fabric the tunics are from, it’s really annoying to sew.)

I’m trying to get the design thing off the ground.

There’s a huge pile of laundry I need to iron. And I still haven’t thrown away enough stuff to give me a piece of mind.

I’m ranting. I’m complaining. I’m being boring. I know. I’m sorry. I’ll tell you stories the next time.

 

Must Haves: things I simply HAVE to get Thursday, Apr 9 2009 

Confessions of a Shallow Mind and Must-haves and general and stuff you didn't need to know but I'm telling you anywa ii 9:51 am

- Generation Kill on DVD. I love that show. I don’t want to get the book and read that, most likely, as I’m not too keen on reading the gory details. But I love the show. And while I’m getting all confessional and all, I might as well admit that I find the Marine battle gear totally sexy. Not in a “oooh, that’s a big gun!” way, but I think it’s hot when the guys are all decked out in their gear. I think that gives us Reason 462 on Why ii Should Never Join The Military. I’d jump half the guys as soon as I make visual contact with them.

- Milk. I have to get milk, I’m completely out. And no store is open tomorrow, and I need my daily coffee in a pace that cannot be achieved without the cooling effect of a dash of milk. ‘Add milk, drink more coffee faster’, you know?

- on that note: Food. I’m out. Someone’s eating all my food around here.

- Time. I have too much to do, no self-discipline to speak of, and way too little time to do it. You do the math.

- Henry back. Ski Guy still has my camera, after Val d’Isere, and I really need to get it back.

 

It’s the little things that get you Monday, Apr 6 2009 

general and random stuff I can't figure a category for ii 9:08 am

Thinking ahead of all the things I have to do today, I feel overwhelmed. The list seems endless. But if you think of the time it’ll take to complete one individual task, it’s not that much. So the list isn’t bad. It’s just… long.

At least for me, it’s the little things that go on and make it difficult and exhausting. Keeping tabs on a gazillion things is something I am good at, yes, but that’s the thing that makes me need a bit of a high-efficiency breathing. Like… “drop off the mail that came accidentally to me to the rightful recipient” and “re-loan library books”, “answer the entrepreneur-questionnaire online for the study at school”, “drop off used batteries at recycle” and “take DVDs to the second-hand shop”. The completely random, one-off things. I have no problems keeping track of several aspects of a same project (like “order birthday cake for Funny Friend”, “check the chairs and tables” and “decide on the decorations” and so on), that I can do. But the billion unrelated small random things do get my head ache.

Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to make a list and persevere. I hate today, though. Mondays suck monkey balls.

 

Must Haves: Currently Going Thursday, Apr 2 2009 

Must-haves and general ii 8:12 am

Edith Piaf

I can’t seem to stop listening to her. Of course classics like La Vie En Rose, but also Les Trois Cloches has been on replay.

Marimekko shoulder bag

 

Mine’s black, about 8 years old, and still in perfect condition despite regular use. It’s surprisingly spacious, fits a folder for A4-size papers or a laptop, has handy pockets for cell phone and iPod and stuff, and goes with everything. The strap can be adjusted so the bag can be used as a shoulder bag or a messenger bag across your body. What with my recent very mobile life, with places to go to all the time, this is very convenient!

Moleskin day-planner

in red leather. Couldn’t live without it. It’s stylish and pretty.

De-cluttering

I have too much stuff, so I’m getting rid of lots of it. Including clothes, books and dishware. Call it my kind of cleaning, or a bad reaction to helping other people move. Or maybe I’m just gearing up for my imminent move? Who knows! All I care about is that there’s less stuff in my apartment in the evening than there was in the morning of that day.

Word document calendar on a desktop file

A convenient way of showing the entire month at one glance. Also, an easy way to house all those To Do -lists and schedule things I need to do by a certain deadline. I don’t like to do the scheduling bit (Monday: do project A, Tuesday: finish B, start on C, check up on M…) on my day-planner, it’s full enough as it is with all the other info. The scheduling goes into the Word document where it’s easy to see for a longer period in one go, and easy to change.

 

Story time? Friday, Feb 13 2009 

BoyFriend and My Friend With Huge Boobs and blog and general ii 11:22 pm

I noticed lately (read: while reading Tabbies blog) that I’m not really telling any stories anymore. And I should! For one, it’s fun. And secondly, Nici gets such a kick out of them. But you see, it’s not that simple. I kind of promised BF I won’t be chatting away about him so much, or at least I’d cut back on the stories where he ends up looking silly. And if I’m going to be all good and nice and kind to him, I should extend the courtesy to my dearest friends as well. And if I’m not being mean to those closest to me, who for sure can take it, I really shouldn’t give innocent semi-strangers so much crap! So are you getting the problem here? I’m running out of stories!!

Secondly, as of late, I’ve been in a position where most of the good stories haven’t really been mine to tell. That’s the problem when you’re friends with someone whose name makes the newspaper. You can’t tell stories about their private adventures anymore. So all ski stories are out. Sorry, Chimmy!

Most of all, my life has been truly boring lately. Well, there was Val d’Isere, but like I said, those stories are out. My Friend With Huge Boobs is out of town a lot, as is Hot Roast, and the rest of my friends are just… well, I like them. But they’re not exactly “story material”, if you know what I mean.

So what is there for me to tell you? I did get a new computer! It was right here waiting for me when I arrived at DD’s. I love it. It’s not too big (it needs to fit into my pretty pink bag, after all!), it’s really sleek and stylish, way better than my earlier age-old one, and the keyboard make a nice sounds. Don’t laugh! When you’re spending a lot of time by your computer, the sound that comes from typing IS important. Seriously though, I really love the keyboard, it’s really comfortable to use. And I have small hands so that’s a real issue sometimes.

Now I just need to transfer everything from my old computer to the new one. Anyone looking for a part-time job?

Like I needed any reason to spend even more time at the computer. Together BF and I are absolutely hopeless!

As a final note, maybe something serious for a change? I thought about getting more actively involved with a charity. Instead of just giving money, I’d like to give my time. And maybe some effort. I’m not looking for “good going” messages, but just thought I’d let you know. I mean, I’m running low on stories, you know.

 

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