Contemplating....this is freedom

Sitting in a park in Brussels and listening to Ginsberg reading "America" on my iPhone. It's spring, almost summer, the trees are green. Green little insects are crawling all over me but I don't mind. The hole in my jeans has gotten bigger. I accidentally pushed my foot through it, more than once. I'm enjoying the kind of solitude, peace and calm one can only find far away from home. No time to keep track of. Just the opportunity to sit back and take it all in, to pay attention to the small details that are always there but that we neglect. The small details that make each moment a work of art, a wonder. Brussels might not be the most fabulous city in the world but I will love it for giving me this moment.

Reality check one two

Whoah!

I've been surfing the everyday fashion blogs... I've said it before and I will say it again, it's sad. Pathetic even. Not only because of the lack of style most of these blogs manifest, although that too is truly sad. I'll say it again, buying a ready made style from H&M or GT or what have you does not mean you have style!! Sure, they both have some good looking clothes, some, but it's not very personal. And this is all before we even get to the ethical side of it. DO YOU CARE WHERE YOUR CLOTHES COME FROM? DO YOU REALLY NEED ALL THE CLOTHES THAT YOU HAVE?

I don't know, I'm not that much better myself, I have more clothes than what my wardrobes can stomach. But I'm trying to be more conscious about my spending habits. The thing is, we have a problem. Not just me, or you, but all of us as a whole. We are consuming too much! You can have style without buying new stuff every week. All the waste we produce... this ol' planet of ours can't take it much longer and it is no joke. I hate to preach, but sometimes I feel the need.

Our consuming has consequences. The labor, who makes the clothes you wear? Under what conditions? The exhaust, how environmental are the factories where our clothes are being made? Ever paid some thought to why they are all tagged "made in China/Bangladesh/India/Taiwan"? What do you think the environmental legislation in those places are like compared to the Western world? Next we have the transportation... we transport stuff we could make here just because there nobody cares what chemicals you let out into the nature. It ends up in our stores, we buy it, use it for a month or two and then forget about it. You need to think about why these clothes are as cheap as they are. We might not be paying a lot of money when we buy them, but we are paying a price we can't afford much longer.

It's not right. On any level. Please save our planet. Be more creative.

Enough preaching for one entry. Day off tomorrow, big plans, need to do laundry, wash dishes, clean in general...great fun. Friday morning flying off to Brussels for the weekend. Last weekend it was Stockholm. After this, I have two weeks of Helsinki ahead of me. THEN I finally get some rest! Vacation! Looking forward to it, feel like I'm running around like a crazy person right now, forgetting dead-lines etc. Took a nap the other day and when I woke up, in the middle of the day, it took me a couple of minutes to figure out what country it is I live in these days. Couldn't remember if it is Sweden or Finland. Very confusing. And a bit scary realizing the level of stress I'm under. Seriously, it is no joke, I couldn't remember which country I live in!! I've lived here since 2004! Lets see what happens when I move to Norway this summer...

Cat likes sunshine

5 days off from work! Hell yea! Going to Sweden tomorrow and the weather forecast says sunny skies and warm weather. A good friend is coming with me, haven't seen her since september.

Got a glass of "flädercider" next to me. Got two new chairs, need to show you them some time soon.

Everything is quite good.

Still looking for an apartment in Oslo though. Let me know if you have any tips!

Tuesday morning surprises

Looking through my blog's statistics I have to say I'm rather surprised to find that the majority of my readers are in USA and Iran. Weird. But never the less, nice to have you here.

About 5 more weeks of work, then I'm freeeeeeee for almost two months before moving to Oslo. I should get a move on and try to find some place to live there...and fins someone who wants to rent my apartment here....

E arrived here from Australia last night! Good to finally have him here for a little while. Too bad I'm working and won't be able to spend that much time with him though.

Riginal kauboi stail

I love this scarf! It's from Bellibelli. Got this scarf as a token of appreciation after a project we did together. If you want to see more you should check out Turku Design Week in May.

I'm starting to realize the disadvantages of having my favorite people spread out across the country, and the world for that sake. It makes it hard to find enjoyable company at my present location. Ended up joining a bunch of law students tonight. A good friend of mine studies law. She's also in business school, such an over-achiever! Anyway, she's insane. She introduced me to two of her friends, first one she presented to me with the words "watch out for that ugly midget" (yes he heard it, yes it was intentional, and no, he's not a midget), the second one she introduced to me as the worlds's biggest whore (also a guy, and yes, he heard it, and no, he did not object). When people ask me if we are friends I usually tell them no, she's just paying me to hang out with her. Anyway, good times were had by all.

Now time for some sleep. Tomorrow I'll see what my abs think of working out, pulled them last week in practice and there is a knot in them now. You can feel it, right below my ribs. It's kinda gross. But I guess it'll go away eventually.

Beautiful things

I'm looking at my blog and realizing it's very....dull looking. Not good. So, even though it compromises my anonymity I decided to start uploading some more pictures here. Just pictures of things that inspire, or that I find beautiful. First off, some details from my apartment.

OSLO next

Got the job after all! Now how about that?

So now I start looking for an apartment in Oslo and somebody to rent my apartment here...

This does mean some changes to my everyday life (aside from the fact that I'm moving to another country). The job is an internship and the pay is less than half of what I'm making now and it's in one of the most expensive places in Europe. Now how do we solve this? I have no idea! I guess it's back to eating pasta and tomato sauce five days a week.

Excited never the less! Might open up a bottle of something bubbly tomorrow =)

What's next?

I think no news is bad news, at least now....sigh...had my hopes up for a job position I had applied for...

Monday I have my next interview for a possibly interesting position so keep your fingers crossed for me! Please?

But there are at least some good news, a good friend of mine got the internship she applied for with World Health Organization!! I have so many talented and ambitious friends that I'm considering putting together a totally invincible team for future world domination.

I pulled a muscle yesterday in my abs. Turning hurts, getting up hurts, laughing hurts, even breathing hurts. Despite that I was at a refugee center today to give a capoeira class. It was really nice and I hope they will want us to do it again.

Tonight the plan is to go see a circus performance. It is a work-in-progress piece so it will be very interesting. Also interesting is the person I'm going with. He's not a regular culture consumer. I always enjoy exposing people who don't regularly consume art or culture to these events. Hopefully he will like it. If not I at least really appreciate his open-mindedness to try something new, that means (in my opinion) that he's not all bad.