Wednesday, January 30

let's all meet up in a year 2020

When you can't sleep, you can amuse yourself by taking photos of yourself. I think I look much better through a stained mirror!




Poor Dad turned 65 on Monday, and only got a card from me - and the card was late.
Lately I've felt like I constantly forget about 30% of the things I should do; either that, or I just seem to be too slow. Do you ever feel like that?


I'm supposed to hand in an autobiography tomorrow, for my Basic Academic Writing class. I found the assignment really hard (and to top it all, we have to pretend it's 2020 - that makes me 38 years old), and it's a loooong time since I had to write something not based on scientific facts. But I'm doing surprisingly fine - so better get back to it! (Though really, I'd rather be in Helsinki where Roisin Murphy has a gig right now. Sigh.)

By the way, one thing I really like about writing in English is being able to use semicolon; in Finnish it's rarely used, and my Finnish teacher in school forbid it entirely. But I like semicolon, so I'm going to use it as much as I can! :)

Tuesday, January 22

new year's resolutions (or: not a domestic goddess)




I'm not really one to make new year's resolutions, but in the past few weeks I've thought about some things I'd like to try this year. Or at least in the next few months - let's be realistic...

One of my non-resolutions is that I try to take better care of myself. I think this is something we all should remember, actually... It started as a promise to myself to cook more. I actually like cooking and baking, but was a bit shocked to realize I haven't eaten many home cooked meals in the past year. It began with working hours which seemed to leave no room for cooking (well, I also had only 10 minute breaks, not really enough time to heat and enjoy a decent meal), and after I've moved I've just eaten at the university cafeteria most days, and felt too knackered in the evening to cook more than boil water for instant porridge (which I like). The sorry state of my so-called kitchen doesn't encourage me a bit. So, cooking more, and hopefully, eating more healthily will be my goal. I'll have to make some new friends to invite over for dinner, as I'm always more inspired to cook if I don't have to eat alone.

After making the cooking resolution I thought I might as well do something for my general well-being (the healthy food would help here, of course). I've promised myself to tackle my sleeping issues, which go a way back - maybe I'm not meant to spend my life tired all the time, after all - and other, long neglected issues as well. I feel a bit self centered saying this, and unsure of whether said things are important enough for seeking help. But I hope all that will make me less self centered, in a way: a better friend, a better listener, more open to my friends and less deep in my little no-sleep universe (lack of sleep really does make me socially disabled).


I think my cooking skills would be miraculously refound if I had the apron in the photo, designed by a Finnish designer Tiia Vanhatapio for Artek. Though that apron surely has to be worn with some sexy high-heeled peep toes....


photo from fashionFINLAND.com



Sunday, January 20

a winter's day



It rained all yesterday, but today the sun shone for a while. First time in a long while, or at least it seems like a long time.

I'm missing living in Helsinki like crazy right now. Not the friends, necessarily, because it's easier meeting some them now I only visit the city - because there's only a limited time they can see me, they are more ready to make time for me, perhaps? But the city itself, walking around the streets I know, the trams, the sea and everything. My little home.

I do like Tampere, and I know I'll find it more like home after I've lived there a bit longer (and maybe when I live in an apartment more satisfying). Maybe I just underestimated the time I need to start really liking Tampere - and I also need enough free days (with no endless rain and a bit lighter evenings, thanks) for exploring the town. I'm waiting for spring to come...


Tuesday, January 15

when helsinki disappeared













Photos from last Saturday
1. church near me
2. yellow boat
3. a bridge
4. Siltasaari disappearing

Saturday, January 12

saturday coffee with friends



J's tea flower




big ass donut holes (I didn't eat them)




new shoes ...more presents from me to me (they were 50 % off)

Friday, January 11

christmas presents



I know I'm real late blogging about Christmas presents, but I have to show you Smudge. He comes all the way from Australia, and is sweet miss A's present for me. Smudge is incredibly well made by Bellgirl and really adorable (clicking the links you'll get to her Etsy shop).




As I said before I didn't give any handmade gifts this year (except a pair of fingerless mittens I agreed to knit for J a little before Christmas) but I too purchased some gifts from Etsy. For my nephew I ordered a lovely seal screen print from Wonting's shop. It looks even better in real life, I'd love to get one of Wonting's prints for myself too!
For A I ordered these funky earrings from Little llama shop. I just love them, and hope A does too.




Etsy is a really great place to find presents if you want to find something different (well, nothing new there for most of you I think), without leaving the home even, and at the same time you get to support artists/crafters. Another great alternative is to go and visit all those fairs before Christmas, but sadly I fell sick the weekend I was going to visit three fairs this year... In 2006 I really liked the one organized by the students of The University of Art and Design in Helsinki - just a hint for December 2008. :)

And then my gift for myself (bought just few days ago): Skullcandy Ti headphones. In August I got a new cell phone which doubles as an MP3 player, and I've been putting off getting decent headphones, but I decided to get some as I'm really tired of being forced to listen to other people's phone calls in the train. I was going to get pink ones, but I these were a last pair in the shop, and getting 20 euros off the price was too good an offer to refuse. These headphones with their skulls and studs have way more street cred than I do, and I'll probably look funny walking around in heels and a dress and these in my head... Roisin Murphy blasting from my headphones. Mmm.




...and I really need a haircut.

(See H, two posts in two days - are you satisfied? ;))

Thursday, January 10

first post of 2008

I didn't really mean to take a blog break, but first I had some internet issues and then I guess I haven't had much to say. I thought the holidays would be all about photographing and reading for me (for some years, I had this 'read a classic on holidays' tradition, and I was going to start it anew and read a Finnish classic I've been meaning to read for ages), but it turned out to be about knitting in front of the telly. Not bad at all. I even finished socks which were almost finished for about four months - they're are a birthday present for a friend who had her birthday in September. Oops. I also noticed that I don't really need a tv; as fun as it is to half-watch something while knitting, there isn't that much I really need to see. I wish I could learn to read while knitting...

One of the reasons I haven't been blogging was the endless rain we had in Eastern Finland, where I spent the week after Christmas. My camera just doesn't co-operate indoors, and I was too busy knitting to go out.






Still haven't taken much photos, so these are from my (Helsinki)neighbourhood bar's restroom; the floor and the ceiling. :)


...and since I was complaining about rainy days & bad photos, here's a reminder ( for me that the sun doesn't have to shine for me to get good photos...