All The Live Long Day: Lists

Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts

Thursday, 25 April 2013

I got to tell you something...

Dear Jennifer from Grits & Moxie has tagged me to share 5 things about myself. Reading her five, I found out that she is some kind of super-cool creature, able to defy matter and time. See for yourself!

Now I know these kinds of posts are usually quite light-hearted. I warn you, this one won't be. I've been thinking about what kind of things I wanted to share with you, and as I had already been contemplating on a few matters that I feel I should be more honest about, this came at the right time. Each one of these would probably warrant a post on its own, so excuse me while I come clean...

I am going to be 36 years old on 3 May. I do not know why telling you how old I am seems to be such a big issue for me. I do feel like an imposter sometimes, 'hanging out' with blogger friends who are way younger than I am, so here we go: I'm almost old enough to be your Mama! Doesn't mean I'm any wiser or more clued in, though.

Marco and I are not planning a family. Seeing as you now know about my old age, you might be wondering: where are the babies? There aren't any, there aren't even any thoughts of making one. I am not saying that it will always stay like this, but right now we're happy with each other's company and as a family of two. This is a conscious decision, not influenced by circumstance or medical conditions.

I am a size 20. Even being tall, this makes me obese. And I am not happy with my size. Not at all. I wish I could say I was, but I loathe the surplus body I carry around with me. I am fat. And although I am trying to be honest here, I would not be comfortable telling you what I actually weigh. I am too embarrassed by that number. In my mind, I am slim. I chase after the bus, I go hiking, I jump up and down at concerts, I love to swim, run and to be active. But then I get self-conscious when I remember what I really look like. I am shocked every time I see photos of myself, or my reflection in a mirror. I really want to lose ~~some~~ a lot of weight. I did it before. I shed 30 kg, and I felt fit and healthy. There was less of me, but still I felt more like myself. Now I am so angry and annoyed that I let myself go again. I know, it should be easy. Exercise more and eat less. But add my head to the equation, and it gets just so utterly, utterly complicated and frustrating.

I am reclusive. I love the few friends I have to bits, but sometimes it is very hard for me to keep in touch. I am happy in my own company. It feels easier being by myself, as I am always trying super-hard to please everybody when I am around others. I love all you internet people for engaging with me here, but if you should ever suggest we meet up in real life, you will send me into a state of mild panic. I do try to be sociable, but I usually prefer being the quiet one sitting in the corner and observing.

I am really insecure. If you pay me a compliment, I will not believe you, or I will try and talk it down. I do not know how to accept one graciously. I say thanks, but I will still doubt your judgement For some reason, I seem to come across as this confident, strong, creative person. I have no idea why, because I mostly feel like I am a failure and a mess. I am not saying this to fish for compliments, because you already know that I can't handle those. Sometimes, though, when I do think that I have done something well, I have the really annoying habit of talking about my achievement forever, mostly to poor Marco, asking him to analyse every little thing with me, almost like I am trying to commit the success factors to memory, so that the triumph might be repeated. If I then try the same thing again and fail, I will be heartbroken and devastated.

***

And that is it. Phew. Sorry for abusing you for therapeutic purposes. I feel better now. You probably feel worse. Can I make you a tea? I just felt like I was kind of hiding these things and we'll be better friends if I can be honest about them.

I'd like to tag Susi, Jessie, Aimee, Vaida and Jo to share next. No pressure at all, and please feel free to be as light-hearted and whimsical (or as heavy and solemn) as you like with your 5 things.

Much love,

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

An Awarding Experience

I really don't know how it always happens, but it makes me happy, happy, happy that some people like my blog enough to want to award it. One of these people is Gabriela from The Clueless Pixie, who honoured this space with the Liebster.
Now I know people do not appreciate long thank-you speeches, so I will just quickly say how chuffed I am to have received this big fat heart of bloggy love and how flattered and amazed I am by the words Gabriela chose to describe All The Live Long Day. And then I will move on to the questions that she asked me to answer in return for accepting. But beware. I wrote an essay for most all of them! ***

Well... I've had my ears pierced in 5 places and used to wear a nose stud, too. I wear earrings every day, and necklaces, brooches or bracelets often. While I am writing this, I have a turquoise strand of fake hair clipped to my scalp and am sporting green nail polish. This year, I would really love to finally get a tattoo. So I guess I'd say I am inclined to be in favour of adornment!

I am not sure about this. I really don't like using Facebook all that much, but I have made some really good connections through Twitter, Instagram (when it wasn't owned by Facebook) and of course, my blog. I think if you really care about the people you like, follow or 'befriend' and don't just do that because you want to look popular, social networking can add value to your life. The best example is my Twitter list for people and organisations that are local to me. I find out about a lot of events in my area through it and have actually met a few of my "neighbours" because of it. I feel more involved with my community, and that is definitely positive.

Again, not sure, but I always liked the characters in Astrid Lindgren's books. Pippi Longstocking, obviously. Also the less-known ones like Emil or Ronja. They seemed to have the perfect childhoods to me. Growing up independently, always up for adventure, running around, surrounded by nature and even though they did not often do what the adults expected of them, they always were forgiven in the end and you could tell their families loved them, really. I think they were brilliant role models.

I am new to electronic reading, as I have only had my eReader since Christmas. I wasn't sure if I even wanted one for the longest time. I'm an ex-bookseller and also old-fashioned, so I could never imagine liking the experience. I think reading a real book engages more of my senses, and thus is better for my soul. But I definitely would not want to give back my little electronic library either, as it's so convenient. They're different experiences, but both have a place in my life.

Another grey area. I've grown up with IKEA, and still have a lot of their stuff in my home. It's like it's become a part of me! Each new catalogue feels like a little life event to me. I like that they carry affordable, interesting furniture. I like assembling the flatpacks. Yes, really. I like he meatballs and the hot dogs. And the bread mix they sell! It's like German bread! I like that Marco and I now seem to be able to go together without ending up having a fight. I like that they seem to care about ethical manufacturing and shopping. I don't like the mayhem that goes on inside the shop on the weekend or evenings. I don't like that they are now skimping on material to be able to stay affordable. I do not like the hassle that you can have with customer service.

Depends on the people! If they are horrible, stinky, piss-drunk, abusive, bad-shit-crazy or all of the above, I would rather they did not bother me. If they are lovely, I welcome random conversations. Like the other day, when a gorgeous Italian lady asked me where she needed to get off, and it evolved into us knowing each others names and having a conversation about cheating boyfriends and following our dreams. That was nice.

I like it if books are really imaginative and take me to another world, like Life Of Pi did, for example. It does not literally have to be another world, even though I like Fantasy and SF, but I like reading about things that I do not know much about already. Like when I read The Lacuna and learnt about Frida Kahlo and the Mexican revolution. Or when I read Mildred Pierce and learnt about being a businesswoman in the 1930s. I also really appreciate good use of language, be it in a poetical or grammatical sense. I do not care for books that are badly written, even if the story interests me.

Lists! Lists and silence and alone time.

I like fall. The fresh clean air, the colours, the smells. It comes with opportunities to light a fire, drink hot chocolate and get cosy. I think it suits my melancholy disposition, as it's the time of year when nature goes into introvert mode and starts replenishing all its strength for the coming spring. To me, it's a time of reflection and promise.

French. I've tried, too. It just never seems to stick much. And I can't get my head around the grammar. Or the counting! If only I could live in Paris for a year, I'm sure I could pick it up... I'm not much of a classroom learner. Quel domage.

Maybe tolerance? I try to be open-minded and accepting. I want to hear both sides of a story before making my mind up about somebody. Sadly, this sometimes works better with the people around me than with myself. ***
And now for some blogs that I think deserve an award. I've done this before, and I think you already know the people that I have been reading for a while, so I wanted to list a few places that are new and exciting to me.
The Clueless Pixie - I know, Gabriela passed on the award, so she obviously already has one herself, but please go and visit her! She's a very intelligent writer on any subject, and I appreciate her dry sense of humour and her photography.
Aimee J Arnold - Actually, Aimee was one of my first readers, but has now picked up blogging with full force. She is a really talented crocheter and artist, a mom of four and also fairly deadpan. What can I say, I like a girl with a sense of humour!
Thrift Street - Here you will mainly find delicious, down-to-earth food on a budget. And some knitting. I feel really welcome and at home whenever I visit those pages. And last year, I was even inspired to make rose hip syrup.
Kitty Cat Stevens - Jenna is just really, really nice. She loves cats (her Olive is beautiful) and is a marshmallow maker (yup!). She also takes wonderful photos and shares stories about her life in Tennessee. Go swoon!
Loulou Downtown - First off, Loulou gets a bonus for being Canadian, We all know they're lovely. Secondly, she is quite cool. She has a great dress sense, a fantastic eye for urban photography and plays in a band! This combined with her fondness for cats and vintage things made me want to be friends.
As I have made my head hurt by writing this much, please accept my apologies for not thinking of eleven new questions to pass on. If you want to participate, please could you just go with Gabriela's set or have a look here? Thanks bunches!

Tuesday, 1 May 2012

Fleeting Fixations

I go through phases in my life in which I discover something and then get slightly over-involved with it. It could be a song, a certain make of pasta sauce, something I notice a person doing. Random things. But I will then listen to that one song on repeat for days, stock up on the sauce every time I shop or look out for the same tick in everybody I see. My passion for that particular something may last a week, a month, rarely forever.

If you know what I am talking about, you may like my new idea of posting about my latest obsessions. I will tell you about them from time to time, and maybe if you feel like sharing yours, you can leave a link to a similar blog entry. I will call these posts Fleeting Fixations, because in most cases I will probably not even remember what made me go crazy about those things in the first place in a few weeks time!

Here are three things that I am currently obsessed with.

Draw Something

This game is so much fun! It's available for iPhone or Android and you play against your friends or random strangers. You get given a word that you have to draw for the person you are playing with, and they get to guess what it is. Some of the drawings I got to guess were so hilarious. I'm pretty rubbish at drawing on a small screen with my fingers, but what matters most is imagination and creativity (I have myself believe). But check out this website to see how amazingly skilled some players are! My user name is All The Live Long Day if you would like to play with me!

Vanilla Soy Milk

I do drink regular milk, but I just really, really like the taste of this. Silky smooth and vanilla sweet, like custard. And it has less calories than the milk-based vanilla drinks you get at the grocery store. I go through roughly one pack every other day at the moment...

Stylist Magazine

Stylist is a multi-award-winning women's magazine that is given out on the streets of London every Wednesday. For free! It's a really well-edited, diverse publication. Features cover all the usual things you would find in a girly mag, like fashion trends, make-up and recipes. But in addition to this you get articles on books, working women, politics, feminist matters and a fantastic column by Lucy Mangan. The last issue covered the lack of attention and unfair pay for top female athletes, for example, and a feature on how good make-up for women with darker skin really just became available recently. I would happily pay for a magazine like this, but getting it for nothing every week is a treat!

*** Now you! Link up if you have blogged about something that you are momentarily infatuated with!

Thursday, 12 April 2012

Eleven Questions. No, wait. Twenty-two Questions!

I recently got tagged not once but twice to give the answers to eleven questions. The first time it was Diane from Crave Cute who wanted to know 11 things about me, and not long after, I got 11 more questions from Mandy of Chocolate & Cream Cake. Thank you, Ladies, for thinking of me!

So today I will be answering all 22 questions that were put to me and think up 11 of my own that I might ask you... you... or even you! If you are curious about what Diane had to say for herself, you can have a look here, or maybe you'd like to pay Mandy a visit here?

First let me lay down the rules for this gig. There are several versions of these, so I cobbled a set together to my own liking:

1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of you.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag the somebodies who you would like to answer them.
5. Let them know you've tagged them.

That's rule number one and rule number two done with already, so without further ado I'll move on to the questions:

DIANE ASKED:

1. What is your favorite plant or flower and why? I like birch trees. They are ethereal and beautiful and remind me of home. I also like ranunculus. Because it's so purdy!

2. Approximately how many books do you have in your house? Many? I'd say 500+. What can I say. I love books!

3. Do you like to shop better online or at a physical store? In general probably in a physical store, because it just makes a difference to check out the look/feel/sound/fit of your purchase. But I also love eBay and Etsy and if I order books or CDs, I try and order them from independent stores or the musician's website.

4. Are you the kind of person that likes to make lists or do you just wing it? I'm loving answering this list of questions A LOT! I am also fond of questionnaires, shopping lists, packing lists and to-do lists and I go crazy for ticking things off on all of them. So yes, I'm a list girl through and through.

5. If you have a pet, do you let it sleep on your bed? Of course. I have two cats. They are cute, warm, furry and they purr. I'd be mad not to let them sleep with me!

6. Do you prefer to cook or would you rather order in, or pick up something prepared at the store? Cook in general, but I also love going to restaurants and trying out convenience foods. All food has its place and time.

7. Do you have a favorite Holiday? Christmas!

8. Do you like traditional or modern art and furnishings? Again, I could not really say. I love art when it appeals to me in some way emotionally. I like Italian renaissance paintings, Dutch still-lifes and photography through the ages. Some well-known artists I like are Botticelli, Rodin, Klimt, Stephen Shore, Emily Carr, Arnold Böcklin and Henri Rousseau. For furniture, I love the early 20th century, especially the designs form the 50s and 60s. But IKEA is always a good place to shop for well-designed contemporary furniture and I would definitely not turn my nose up at antiques. I'd say my taste in these areas is pretty eclectic.

9. Who is your favorite artist or musician? I've been a Pearl Jam fan through the ages.

10. Do you remember what your favorite childhood book was? It was the Nesthäkchen series, which followed a girl growing up in early 20th century Berlin, through the first world war, finding friends and falling in love and eventually starting her own family. I read all 10 volumes several times.

11. What was the best piece of advice you ever received? Be kind to yourself.

MANDY ASKED:

1. Do you have a favorite pair of shoes? What are they? No, I have in fact several pairs of shoes I love. First, my Converse. The epitome of cool and comfort. Second, my hiking boots. Because when they come out there's adventure in the air. Third, my slouchy brown boots that I have unsuccessfully tried to wear to death. They just keep on going and complete my default wardrobe of dress and leggings. Fourth, my beautiful tapestry heels. That I still have not worn.

2. If you could be a family member of a fictional family, which one would you choose? I'd love to be Lorelai Gilmore's second daughter!

3. Which sense (sight, taste, touch, smell, hearing) would you be most OK with losing? Losing a sense? No thank you! None of the above! Although, thinking about it, I'd like to lose the sense of doom that I always feel hanging over things.

4. What's your favorite color? Has it always been your favorite? Teal. It used to be red for a long time. I actually love red and teal together.

5. If you could travel in time—forward or backward—to "when" would you go? The States in the 50s. And I've been wanting to do that even before Mad Men made the 50s cool again.

6. Who do you envy? People who seem effortlessly happy and content. I'm struggling to get to that place, but can't seem to figure out how.

7. Would you rather be a cyborg or a mutant? Mutant. I'd probably manage to break my own technology if I was a cyborg. (Hang on. Is Wolverine still a mutant or did he become a cyborg when they injected him with adamantium???)

8. What's your favorite candy? Milk chocolate with whole nuts.

9. Do you prefer cold weather or warm weather? I prefer real weather. By that I mean that I want to be cold in winter and warm in summer and have seasons that are pronounced and different. But I think I'm most fond of fall and winter, so I guess the answer would be 'cold'.

10. Would you rather travel through space (a la Star Trek) or the oceans (a la Seaquest: DSV)? Oceans! I love diving and swimming and the mystery of the deep sea. Space is a bit scary to me.

11. What's your favorite number? The one that I dial for Thai food?

Okaaaayyyy. Now you know a lot more about me than you knew an hour ago when you started reading this post.... Are you still with me? Here are my 11 questions:

1. What or who would you like to be reincarnated as?

2. What is your favourite crap TV series?

3. Which country is your absolute dream travel destination?

4. Do you have a nickname?

5. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

6. The Cookie Monster. Marry, snog, avoid?

7. If you had created Earth, what would it be like?

8. What's your favourite food?

9. What's your favourite song?

10. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

11. Would you rather read Fantasy or Science Fiction?

So, there we go. I'm just gonna put these out there. If you feel like participating, please do answer my questions and let me know! I'd love to get to know everybody better, but I must say that I'm particularly interested in how Jess, Fiona, Laura, Shelly, Helena, Sydney, Vicky, Jessi, Reese, Candace and Amy would reply. Consider yourselves tagged, girls, but don't consider this a must-do!

P.S.: Sonia, I really wanted to tag you too! Heck, I'll just do it anyway, who says you have to have a blog to play?!