Day #236

Today has been spent preparing for tomorrow's journey back down to Åbo (which I’m honestly really, really excited about!). I’ve so far today cleaned out my room, packed all my bags and spent some time with people I care about and who will not be joining me in Åbo.

I feel really nice about the cleaning (I think this room might actually be cleaner than when I got here). I did all my laundry yesterday, so I didn’t have to think about that, and I didn’t have to think about separating clothing when I was packing, since everything had already been cleaned.

I love the thought of going back. I’ve loved spending summer here at my parent’s place, it’s not about that. I just miss my own little space (even though it’s so little it’s driving me insane) and I love the idea that I don’t have to repeat my outfits over and over anymore (I’ve been living out of a suitcase for 2 months). I hate to admit it, but I’m quite materialistic, and I’ve missed all of my things.

I’ve also decided to vlog the entire day tomorrow (from 6 a.m. when we’re getting up), and I’m really looking forward to that! Stay tuned!

Kittens!

Look at these adorable kittens! (Yes, we now have two kittens, I am getting very spoiled by all the soft fluffiness) And I’m going to miss them terribly when I leave tomorrow.
The lighter one (who’s also both bigger and older) is called Julia, and she belongs to my sister. The darker one doesn’t really have a name yet, and we’re not 100% sure if it’s a she or a he. I fell in love with him, and wanted to take him back to Åbo, but I’m not allowed pets in my apartment, and it’s really tiny so he/she wouldn’t like it, and the kitten is too young to move away from her mother (which is one of our cats). I’m going to miss them both tho, because look how cute they are!
I’ve also decided (partly because of them) that when I move into a bigger apartment, I’m getting a cat. I've really missed having a pet, and I think a cat would be a good choice, since they're so independent and I don't have to spend time with them 24/7. I feel very alone without pets, so I've decided on picking up a cat or a kitten the moment I get the chance!

Sisters

When the two Maura and Kate learns that their parents are selling their childhood home, they decide to clean out their old bedroom during one weekend. Filled with nostalgia and rage over not being consulted the sisters decide to throw one final house party with their former classmates. But of course, as every house party in every movie ever, it spirals out of control. Fast.

Being a total cliché, this is a movie I consider a bit of a guilty pleasure (so this is something I’d never admit to anyone face to face) because I actually like it. It is a cliché in its finest form, but it actually drew a couple of chuckles from me and was actually quite enjoyable.

I've honestly never really cared for the actors of the main characters either, which made the enjoyment even more of a surprise. Not that I dislike them, but I've just never really found them to be good actors.

If you like chick flicks, I’d really recommend this movie to you, but otherwise I don’t think it’d suit you all too well.

Day #236

I’m well aware that like 25% of my blog now is about geocaching (same goes for my snapchat/instagram) but it’s soo much fun! So I assume you understand today’s positive choice is going to be geocaching, because of course it is!

I went geocaching alone for the second time today, and instead of just going to 3 caches (like I did the first time) I doubled that and went to 6 different ones! There was actually one that I didn’t manage to find, which was sad because I looked for it for a really long time and I couldn’t figure out where it was.

I also found my very first park and grab cache, which although really easy also was fun, and now I’m one experience richer (I honestly didn’t know these were a thing before I found one myself) in the geocaching experience.

When I first started out, I had no idea I would fall so violently for geocaching as I did (in about two weeks, I've found 56 caches, which I think is an okay amount), and I have no intention of cooling my passions about it. It's a great hobby and I love how I collect knowledge about all these adorable places in the process.

The nice views and the drive added up to some pleasant bonuses for the day, the weather was nicer than it’s been all week (it’s been raining for like 5 days straight, the weather has no chill) and getting the motivation to take a break from all the writing was even better!

Enjoy these cute pictures from today!

Charlottesville

Originally, I wasn’t going to address the Charlottesville fiasco, but since the drama surrounding it has died down, I decided to write about it anyway. I don’t like to engage in political drama too much, because I fear I’d become repetitive quite fast, but this is something I’m quite passionate about, so I’m going to make an exception.

After reading about everything surrounding the white nationalists and their actions during that event, there’s only one reaction appropriate, and that’s to be appalled by the actions of these people. When looking at pictures posted on news sites all around the world wide web, you could think they were taken in the 1950’s (besides the color and the clothes of course).

When first reading about the first news regarding the incidents, I didn’t even know how to react. Anger was my second reaction, but the first one was pure shock. This is 2017, I would have thought we had gotten further than this. The acts of violence is one thing, but the fact that both swastikas and the confederate flag were spotted amongst these white supremacists is a whole other. In Germany, showing a swastika is punishable by fine or prison, but these americans don’t have the same regard and respect for their country’s historical foupas.

This is yet another thing that proves that racism is still alive and well, that some people still wish for segregation and honestly believe that they should be treated better, because they are white, and that they have the right to treat others the way they want to, just because of the color of their skin.

Sadly, the difficulties of racism is only talked about in media whenever a catastrophe like this one occurs. During other times of the year, when our media doesn’t flare with excitement over the suffering of other people, no one discusses racism or the questions that should be raised along with it.

We should dare to discuss the matters important to us, whatever is going on in the world at the moment. People barely dare to utter their opinions anymore, which doesn’t help the issue. I encourage all of you to share your opinion, spread positivity and always empower those who need it the most!

My thoughts go out to everyone hurt in Charlottesville, their family and friends. I hope the best for all of those suffering the effects of racism and prejudice, and despite the horrors in Charlottesville I will always hope that humanity will become better and more considerate of their fellow humans.

Remember, darkness can only be fought with light.

My July ft. Ridiculously Upbeat Ukulele

Enjoy this recap of july, featuring an odd, ridiculously upbeat ukulele! I’m also planning to vlog during saturday, so I'm looking forward to that!

The Re-Draw

Being really bored, I decided to do a redraw, deciding to combine my old style and the new one, redrawing one of my favorite drawings from about a year ago (the upper one) by making a completely new one (the lower one).

I’m kinda pleased with how it turned out, though the new surrealism style is really hard to combine with the old anime/manga thing I had going on about a year ago. I found out that I actually kind of miss the old style, and I’m thinking of picking it up again. I also haven’t really been drawing too much this past year, but I probably should start soon. There is a strange calm around drawing.

Which one do you like better? I actually like the new one a little bit more, I like how the shape of the tail and the hair turned out, on the first one it looks really unnatural, the second one’s looks a lot softer than the first one. The tail on the first one also turned out a bit too simple and way to curvy to fit with the rest of the body, but the second one seems more proportional, and a little bit more detailed. I think the second one is better, but the first one also has it's charms; for example, I really like the eyes.

  I've actually missed drawing, it's one of the many things I haven't really found the time for in the past year, and I think I actually want to start doing it again. It would be benefitial for me, I think, at least it would be relaxing. And honestly; when I do the next re-draw I'd really like to see a bit more progress than this time, better blending etc.

And also, before anyone says anything; I’m aware that I’m not good at this, I just do it for fun and because it's really relaxing and comforting. I also really like the noise the pencils make when they touch the papers.

Tired and Unknowing

I’m feeling ridiculously tired today and I don’t know what’s causing it. I’ve felt quite weird for a couple of days, it feels like I haven’t slept at all even though I often sleep through the night. I feel exhausted and unmotivated to do anything at all, and it reflects how I do the things I do anyway. I can’t seem to focus on anything, and though I try, I can’t bring myself to write something constructive.

I’m returning to Åbo next weekend (aka. in exactly seven days), and I’m looking forward to this sooo much. I have no idea how to make the time pass, since I honestly can’t wait to be back home. I’ve missed the city so much, though there are very many good things about being on the country, I miss the noises of the town, I miss the feeling of having my friends only five minutes away when I need them or they need me. I miss the library, I miss my favorite hanging out spots, my favorite bars and my favorite cafés. I miss everything about it. So feel free to contact me if you want to hang out next weekend, I’m open to suggestions! (Also, in honor of only a week being left, enjoy this old selfie from when I was still in Åbo. Look how weird I look with longer hair! Also, look at my finger sneaking into the picture!)

The recap of july video is also coming soon, as soon as I get the electronics involved to cooperate!

When Violence Reaches Home

I've written about violence before, talked about the horrific acts happening around all the world, but today is different. Violence is different when it happens so close to your home. I was lucky; I'm still at my parent's house, far away from the town.
In my town, Åbo, there was an attack. Eight people were stabbed, two people have already passed. The people close to me were lucky; they weren't harmed. But I still feel shook.
This is my second home. This is where I can always feel safe, this is where I meet people who know me on the street, no matter what time I decide to go outside. This is where I study, this is where most of my friends are, the friends I've started to view as kind of a second little family. This is not a place I expect to be violent. This is not a place where I need to feel scared or vulnerable. This is where I live. This is my home.
At times like these, you need to think about things in a new light. In a world when you don't feel safe, nothing is more important than making the people around you feel more safe. Take care of each other, see to it that you and the people around you are safe, and make sure that they know how much you care about them.
To all of the people suffering from the violence that transpired today, I hope all of you find the strenght to move forward, and that you stay safe.

Day #229

Some of you may remember in the early summer, when I went paddling for the first time ever (and if you don’t, you can click here to read it!), and how I claimed to want to go paddling again before I went back to the city.

Well, today opportunity struck and I got to enjoy the physical activity and the beautiful views once more. My boyfriend, again being my company, suggested it yesterday, but because of the rain, we waited until this morning. The gorgeous nature around the water, the pretty insects (butterflies and a ton of dragonflies) kept us company as we made our way through the water. There was something very peaceful about the activity, though both our backs started hurting about halfway through. But yes, it was totally worth going a second time. There's something quite special about drifting through a calm river on a gorgeous summer day, just enjoying yourself and the nature around you as much as you possibly can. And of course, getting some great blogging material out of the experience isn't all bad either!

And if you have yet to try this, please go ahead and do! It's a lot of fun, though your arms/shoulders might hurt for a few minutes when you're done.

Please enjoy these beautiful pictures of the surroundings and the selfie featuring both of us. How did you spend this gorgeous day?

Day #228

Yesterday was, in part, spent in the forest. My family all love blueberries, but no one really has the patience to pick them, so after Theo suggested that we went berry picking, it didn’t take long until we were actually were in the forest, in the fresh air looking for these delicious little treats. Him (obviously knowing the surroundings better than I did) led me to a beautiful little piece of forest where we could pick in peace. And not a day too early either; the berries were more than ready. Also being lucky enough to avoid the rain, which came down only a couple hours after, the relaxing activity went very well, as you can see. Also, please enjoy this hardly flattering picture of me bending over a cluster of blueberries!

I also spent part of today filling the little pink bucket to the edge, bringing my family a happy little surprise when I got back from my miniature vacation. I don't think I've ever seen anyone look so overjoyed because of a pink container before.

Get Out

Chris Washington is finally going to meet with his girlfriend’s (Rose Armitage) parents. Despite him being african american as her parent’s being as much wasps as you can get, Rose promises him that they’re not racist. Upon arrival however, Chris notices that Dean, Missy and Rose’s brother Jeremy are trying a bit too hard. Also disturbed by the odd behaviour from the black housekeeper and the groundskeeper, Chris tries to shake off the unsettling feeling. In an attempt to help him quit smoking, Missy (who is a licensed psychiatrist) hypnotizes Chris, despite the young man telling her not to.

During the weekend, a traditional Armitage party is held, where Chris suddenly meets another young, african american male amongst the wasps. But just like the help in the house, his behaviour is strange, adding to the oddities around the Armitage home. As the young man looks familiar, Chris soon notices that he went missing several years ago, many states from the Armitage house… And yet, he’s only started to scratch the surface.

This American horror film was released in February this year, however, I wouldn’t really call this movie scary, more along the lines of unsettling. Adding together the appalling concept of racism and a family obsessed with living forever, the movie creates something that hasn’t been seen quite yet on the big silver screen. Recommended, not because of the horror genre, but because it was a great film.

Day #226

My weekend has been quite a mess, for many different reasons, so when my boyfriend suggested we go away for a couple of days, how could I say anything but “yes, please!” and come along. So yesterday was spent food shopping and preparing for going out to his family’s cabin for a couple of days. And right from the second we stepped out of the car, it became clear to me; I needed this.

We went out geocaching, picking up on a few caches he had already found, but he wanted me to be able to log them as well. I also climbed a small, wooden tower, and enjoyed the view for a moment, before Theo told me to come back down (apparently the structure was quite unsafe, which I didn’t notice before he informed me, but everything went fine).

For dinner, we did what we do when we’re here: he managed the grill and I made my regular salad, and we ate outside. I love eating outdoors, it’s like the food tastes better when you also get a breath of fresh air to go along with it. And as always; we had a bit of wine.

I really enjoy being here, and it has made me long for a cabin of my own, when I have the opportunity to get one. There’s something about really being able to get away from your daily life and just relax that I love more than I could have imagined.

ART

You say ART doesn't matter
But ART is a big pART of me
It makes the world better, you see
It makes me feel beautiful and smART
and has a special place in my heART

If I didn't have my ART
I would have no idea where to stART
I fear my mind and I would be apART
Even myapARTment would be boring
In pARTicular my looks would have people snoring

See without ART, we have nowhere to quit and nowhere to stART
My mind lies restless, just the physical pART
It rests so close inside my heART
Look at it, can you see it's off the chART?

Look at yourself, look at your ART
Listen closely, and you'll hear where to stART

Day #225

Yesterday's afternoon was amazing, spent on a really cute trail in the forest, geocaching. It was amazing, the fresh air and the gorgeous surroundings helped me enjoy my day, distracting me from the heavy thoughts filling my head and my heart lately.

I've actually fallen in love with geocaching, though I’m quite late to the trend. I love that it brings me to interesting, beautiful places and inspires me to go outside more often. I’m looking forward to discovering new, fascinating places and finding new caches. And if you haven't tried Geocaching yet, please give it a try!

Losing someone you love

We never really expect it to happen, but one day it just does. Even if they’re old or sick, we convince ourselves that they’re going to be there forever. And one day, they’re gone.

Yesterday we lost our dog. At 13 years old, she passed away from old age, and we will all miss her a lot. She managed to stay energetic and happy for 13 whole years, and I’d like to think she knew how we cared for her.

Always when someone passes, there are regrets, no matter if it’s a pet or someone else. “I should have spent more time with him”,”Why didn’t I tell her I loved her?”,”Why didn’t I go see her during the end?”.

We would all like to live our lives without regret, but we can’t, and I’d love for you to take this post as a reminder to spend time with the ones you love. Let them know you cared, that they’re loved. Make sure they know that they matter, because if you don’t, you’ll regret it.

Day #224

Yesterday was filled with positive choices, although not physically healthy ones. I started the day out as a volunteer at an auction kept at one of our neighbouring houses, where my task quickly became to handle the grill. Since I’ve been quite busy this summer, running around doing all kinds of things, I haven’t really had the time to see our neighbours. Taking care of the grill gave me an excellent opportunity to talk to almost all of them.

Later during the afternoon, after quickly re-applying my makeup and changing some clothes, I headed out to Jakobstad, where I had plans to meet up with a friend for coffee. Already having had two cups, I decided to skip the coffee and go for lemonade instead (the pictures in this post portraying the cake I had and the lemonade I drank). Despite getting harassed by a bee (which probably smelled the sweet tasting cake), I had a really good time and loved catching up. The thought of seeing this friend again in Åbo in a just few weeks also makes me really happy.

I also had a third activity planned; one of my best friends decided to celebrate her birthday late (about a month after the actual date) and I had promised I’d be there. I had already purchased a little gift for her, so I headed for her home as soon as I could. I had the best time, and I also had even more cake, and more coffee (which probably was a good thing since I haven’t felt so tired in a long time). I love spending time with my friends, no matter how tired I am when we start! I miss them so much when in Åbo, and the birthday girl is one of the people I miss the most when I’m away, and being several hundred kilometres away from her in just a couple of weeks makes me really sad. Darling, if you’re reading this, I’ll miss you when I go back!

50 Unknown Facts About Me

In honor of reaching 50.000 unique visitors on the blog (thank you for that by the way) I decided to make a post that would allow all of you to get to know me a little bit better. So here are 50 (because symbolism) little known facts about me. Enjoy, and comment if you knew any of these from before!

1. I started writing books by age 8, although they were a lot shorter than the ones I write now.
2. When I was a kid, I hit my face on a bench at my grandmother’s house, resulting in a tiny scar on my lower lip, that’s still visible to this day.
3. I’m ambidextrous, meaning I’m just as good with my left  hand as with my right one.
4. I actually wear glasses, but only when I read or use something with a screen for a long period of time.
5. You’ll never see me wearing something orange. Never.
6. I actually consider myself to be a very shy person.
7. Counting this one, I’ve had 4 different blogs, and I started the first one when I was 14.
8. As a kid, I loved Richard Scarry’s Best World Book Ever
9. I only recently started drinking coffee, and still keep below 3 cups a day.
10. My favorite thing to do when I’m alone, is binge watch tv shows on Netflix (not write, as most would think, because I enjoy writing with people around me).
11. I still write a lot in pen, on paper, and I hope to someday own my own typewriter.
12. My favorite kind of candy is everything sour.
13. I once got a concussion from tripping over my own feet, and I had to rest for two weeks afterwards.
14. I almost never eat breakfast.
15. I love taking walks, often really long ones (Around 7km and up).
16. I have been seeing my boyfriend for 4 months, and we’ve soon been officially a couple for 3.
17. I can’t stand it when people are mad at me.
18. I love taking pictures, but often forget to do so when I should.
19. I’m quite the shopaholic, and use every excuse I get to buy something new.
20. For someone who claims to be a rational, calm person, I have a large amount of outbursts from time to time. I’m not calm, nor am I rational.
21. I was really scared to turn 20, but now that I have, I’m scared to turn 21.
22. Alongside green, purple is my favorite color.
23. I always wear coconut scented perfume.
24. Leaving my house/apartment without makeup on makes me feel really uncomfortable, so if you’ve ever seen me without makeup, you probably know me extremely well.
25. I read a lot of magazines online, for example Science Illustrated and the New York Times.
26. The only games I really play is Sims and Minecraft, and I can play both for hours without growing tired.
27. About this point in the post, I realized this is going to be one of the longest blog posts in the history of my blog, and I got very anxious (even though I know you all love the longer ones).
28. I love playing cards, even though I suck at it.
29. The best part of blogging is the comments, if you ask me.
30. I stuck these pictures in here just so the post would be less boring, they have nothing to do with any of the content.
31. I love looking at clouds, and could do so several hours a day. There is also about 100 pictures in my phone, portraying clouds.
32. My favorite things in the entire world is my computer and my phone. My favorite person is my boyfriend.
33. I love the scent of mango and apples.
34. My biggest dream is to become an author, and I’m determined to make that happen.
35. I have always had a lot of friends, but was never considered one of the “popular” girls in high school, something I worried a lot about when I was younger, but now I just realize how lucky I was to have friends who loved me.
36. When living in the city, one of the things I miss most is having pets.
37. I don’t care for pop or rap music, every other genre I love.
38. I will read everything I get my hands on.
39. The best part about studying at a university is meeting so many new and interesting people.
40. Like most women, I would like to get married some day. Unlike most women, I want to do it around the time I turn 30.
41. People who get engaged before they’re 20 really freak me out, because how could you possibly know what you want (?!), but I’m also very happy for them.
42. I don’t trust a lot of people.
43. I dislike the way my legs look, but feel the most comfortable when I’m wearing a dress or a skirt.
44. My favorite foods are spaghetti, and tortillas.
45. I have never, nor will I ever understand homophobes and xenophobes.
46. The best physical quality in a person is their smile, the best quality in a personality is a great sense of humor.
47. Though I still have 2 weeks left on the country, I long for the day when I get back to Åbo. I miss my friends.
48. I think missing someone is the best thing you can do for them, because that means you really care about them, though I hate when I miss people.
49. There are very few people I could imagine spending every hour of every day with; my best friend and my boyfriend.
50. I’m already thinking of re-using this idea when we reach 100.000 unique visitors, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
    
    
    

Day #223

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved picking berries, no matter what kind. I would never expect myself to love something as mundane and simple of a task, but I do, really. Something about how easy it is calms me down, and I would probably love to do it several hours today. I was actually sad when I thought I would miss it because I lived in the city, but since I stayed home longer than I first had planned, I was actually around for it.

And what’s better than picking the berries? Enjoying a little cup of them when writing a few blog posts of course!