Rants of a Mad Woman

Writers that make us who we are.

2012-02-03T03:30:00.000-08:00

I read a blog post today by Neil Gaiman . In the post he talks about the writers who made him who he is as a writer. He talks about the fact that there is many writers out there who he has read but that some sticks to you and affects (in his case) the way you write and that you keep reading their books over and over again, making them a part of your life.

Now reading this I wanted to say to Gaiman, - well that's what you are to me!
I have read a ridiculous amount of books in my lifetime and probably still will before I die. If you ask me I can ramble out a list of my favourite books but 9 times out of 10 I don't remember who wrote them, except it seems for when it comes to Gaiman. Truth is that he is one of the few writers that I adore, with him it is not so much about loving one or two of his books but the fact that so far I have enjoyed every book of his that I have read and I have the feeling this will never change.

For example I read a couple of Terry Pratchett's books after reading Good Omens (my favourite book of all) as it was written by Gaiman and Pratchett. Before that I had only read the graphic novel version of Mort and watched some cartoon episodes of Discworld. I found that Pratchett is indeed good but that I don't read it with the same flow as Gaiman, I can start a book of his then put it down for weeks before I return. Also I find some more readable then others.

On the other hand when I start reading a Gaiman book I have problems putting it down and generally finish reading it within days. One I even completed in a couple of hours (The Graveyard book) which was annoying as I had brought it to Sweden as a holiday book and finishing it on the first morning I was there meaning I no longer had a book to read for quiet evenings or afternoons.

Another one of my favourites is Veronika decides to die by Paulo Cohelo and after I read that I tried reading some more of his books, problem was I didn't like them. Paulo is very spiritual and it appears a lot of his books are based around this. In Veronika decides to die it's fine as it isn't shoved down your throat but the book in itself just makes you feel all happy to be alive, sadly some of the other books appear to be more about how you should live to be all spiritual which just bores me to death.

So I guess that what I am trying to say is - Neil Gaiman, you to me are amazing! Your books are full of life and wonder and even though they are sometimes sad they make me feel better (except for Nicholas Was which just made me sad, but is brilliant). There is something about the way you write which makes the stories come to life for me and make me want to read them over and over and always keep them close. I love to write (though I am not very good) and if I ever wrote anything half as good as your books it would make me incredibly happy.

Medical trial

2012-01-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Session two of my medical trial is tomorrow and I am not looking forward to it, this is due to a couple of reasons.

1: Whilst the doctor is nice he is pants with needles and I am a big wimp. This means there will be pain and discomfort.
2: I have to walk around nude in a medial gown (except for nickers) and then have stuff put on my chest, so embarrassing and generally unpleasant.
3: The medical trial will in no way help me medically.

So why do I do it?
Well because it might help someone else and I guess that makes it worth it in the end. After all if no one had done medical trials for the stuff I take I never would have gotten the medication and wouldn't be getting better, so I can't really turn down the chance to help other people and still face myself in the mirror no matter how uncomfortable, painful and embarrassing it might be.

Sherlock Holmes

2012-01-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

A new series of Sherlock Holmes has started on the BBC. If you were unlucky enough to miss the first season but do have access to the BBC I suggest you watch it. I found the first 4 episodes very entertaining and the 1st episode of this season did not disappoint either.

For the ones of you who hasn't watched it, it is set in the current day England and runs along the original idea of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson solving crimes. I don't generally do reviews and I don't know who to explain what is so good about it except that it's funny and smart.

Another good thing is the fact that the episodes are long, just over 1 & 1/2 hours. I believe it did quite well and the first season was also later shown in Sweden so I am sure my friends there will also be waiting for the next season eagerly.

The last season was only 4 episodes long and I hope that was just to see how well it went the first time around and that this season will be longer, but I would assume that due to the length of each episode this might not be the case.

When the series first was shown there was some mentioning about whether or not Sherlock is gay and I found that a bit absurd, not because it matters if he is or isn't (though clearly it did to the people mentioning it) but because I think the writers was trying to make it clear that it didn't matter and that as with everything to do with Sherlock Holmes it is a mystery. No one knows what goes on in his head and that is the point.

I wish I could meet someone as interesting in real life, no scratch that I wish I was that interesting in real life.

Writing

2012-01-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

I don't think I have enough patience when I write. I will get this idea in my head of a scene and then I build the storyline around the scene rather then building scenes around the storyline, and I always want to get to the point straight away so it's hard for me to keep a story going.

For the first time in a long time I have this idea of a story line in my head which I actual quite like and now I just have to figure out how to put it down on paper without jumping straight to the punchline. Also I have no scenes planned, so I am in a position which feels strange to me.

I've also written a short children's story and gotten a friend to agree to paint the pictures which I am looking forward to. But since I wrote it I have decided I am not happy with it so now I am writing and rewriting it over and over. I wonder if it will be the same story once I am done or in fact if I will ever be done.

I think it would really help if I could find a local writing course to attend but as the one I applied for got cancelled I am not sure I will have much luck with that.

So it's 2012

2012-01-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

So it's a new year, 2012 has arrived with economical crises, the Olympics, the Queen's jubilee and probably a whole list of other things I don't find interesting.

On a more personal front the year has started with my health slightly deteriorating again and joblessness.
As for the health there isn't much I can do except keep up with the things I think helps and try new things. At the moment I am considering a dairy free diet though I must admit I would find that hard, a lot harder then the gluten free diet I tried in the beginning of 2011.
As for the job I did resign, not get terminated so I can't really complain about that. Even though I do worry about these things I know it was the right thing to do.
I have a friend at work who has loudly proclaimed that she thinks I was doing the wrong thing, whilst I am all for people having there opinion I wish she would be a bit more on my side in this, as whilst I know it was the right thing to do, it was also the hard thing to do.
So why did I resign? Well I guess the reasons are always personal and whilst I don't mind explaining I am not sure most people understand my reasons.
I am a very hardworking person and to conscientious for my own good, I want to work but work was turning into a chore. I spent almost all my time there every day and I worked so very hard but didn't get anything out of it. No appreciation for the hours and with no future prospect with anywhere to go within the company.
On a more basic level it's got to do with me being sick. I got the job before I got sick and I never intended to stay, it was meant to help me save up so I could do what I wanted to do - travel. But then I did get sick and for the last year and a half I have been too sick to look for work anywhere else. And as much as I hate it I will probably always be too sick to just pack my bags and go. I can't just decide I want to move to another country even temporarily, because I need to think about getting my medicine and the fact that in most counties I wouldn't keep getting them, at least not my injections.
So suddenly I do need to think about making a carer for myself and that sucks big time! All I like to do is write, travel, make jewellery and sing. And whilst I would love to be a journalist working as a war correspondent abroad that isn't going to happen now is it!? And my illness means I have not made jewellery for one whole year. As for the singing I am nether good enough or pretty enough to make it.

But I need to start somewhere and at least try, so I am trying. I am trying to find a job I like and I am thinking very hard about something I would like to study (sadly I am coming up with nothing so far), I am trying to write and I am even going to try to make jewellery again.

I quit work because now I can look for another job, and for the first time in what feels like a very long time, I have options again.
Mostly I am painfully aware of the fact that life is too short and too fickle for you to waste your time being unhappy.

I am trying my hand at writing

2011-11-10T05:05:00.001-08:00

Before I moved to the UK I used to write a lot. Mainly just poems and fairy tales, all of them ridiculously romantic and hopeful. Then I moved to the UK and there was no time to write, no energy left to try and put thought down into words.

The years past and I started to write again. It was no longer poems or romantic fairy tales but darker and slightly more explicit. And whilst some of them were OK they have definitely lost something that I used to have when writing back in Sweden. Partly I think it's because I changed language. I was always were good at words in Swedish, both spelling and knowing the meaning of words that most people didn't (though I have always sucked at grammar) and now I write in a language that isn't my first language and were I do not know the meaning of as many words, and my spelling generally requires spell check.
I think there are other reasons too, such as the person has changed and so has the stories I want to tell.

As part of needing to rethink what I am going to do with the rest of my life (thanks to the RA making it very clear that I can't do the things I wanted anymore) I bought a book about writing and already in the first chapter I realised something else which I have lost, I realised I don't do descriptive writing anymore. I specifically recalled a fairy tale that my Friends really like because of the description of the girl in the beginning, "with golden hair, like a field of corn in the sunshine" or something like that, so right now I am practicing descriptive writing.
The bit below I wrote about a can of red bull during my lunch break at work. I thought I should try to pick something very random and see if I could write something about it:

"The can stood on a dirty canteen table, crumbles of food and sauce sashes scattered around it. The can was open and empty, it's content drunk and the can forgotten. It's metal blue and silver shine in sharp contrast to the dull magnolia of the table it stood on."

It doesn't exactly make for exiting reading but I though it's a good start.

I even signed up for a evening course at Reading college but sadly it got cancelled at the last minute :-( So I guess for now I will just have to keep practicing on my own.

What's next

2011-11-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

I haven't been happy at work for quite some time so the other week I asked for a meeting with my boss and told her that I either wanted a raise or for the agency (I temp through an agency for the agency) to start looking for something else. I was told I wouldn't get a raise and as such the looking commenced. Now I know i could just not have said anything and looked anyway but that would mean that 2 of the companies i would like to work for were out of the question and with the hours I work it would be very hard to go to interviews etc. Also and most importantly for me I believe in being straight forward even if the company I work for isn't, I guess I'm still a firm be liver that honesty pays and sure hope I wont be proven wrong.
As it stands the have now found someone else to do my jobs and in a couple of weeks I will be out of a job, the thing is I felt so much after taking the step so I do believe that was the right choice.
Now the problem lays in getting a job I want, I know from my past work history that I should not have a problem finding another job (the longest I've ever been unemployed is just over 1 week), but I also know that if I take any job to tie me over until I find a job I want, the likelihood is that I will get stuck there. Being a person that detest not working as it means not making any money I do have a tendency in the past to settle.
After getting RA and realising how precious life is I just don't want to waste anymore time.
So the question is what do I do now. Do I take a part time job to help me get along which will give me the time to still look or do I not risk it and take another crappy ass temp job with lousy pay hoping I'm able to still look for something else? Or is there a third option?

Don't be afraid of the dark...

2011-10-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

I was walking home from Lindy hop this evening and it made me think about the dark.
My colleagues at work keep telling me off because I generally walk home in the dark, they are worried that one of these day I will be attacked by some shifty character. Whilst I of course appreciate that they care this is not something I worry about but thinking about it I realise how much that means I've changed.
When I was young I was really afraid of the dark, I especially remember a period when I could not decide if it was best to keep my light on or off at night. My reasoning had something to do with that if the lights were off the monsters could sneak up on me but if the light were on well then they would know where I was, so yeah that was a complicated time for someone afraid of the dark. I would also be really afraid when cycling or walking to the bus stop in the morning during the darker part of the year and would cycle frantically to get away from anything scary, or whilst walking would try to look like I wasn't afraid (because whilst I could cycle quicker then the monster I couldn't run quicker then them).

But these days I really like the dark - sometimes I even take the long way home through the forest and then by the canal. To me the dark is just very peaceful, it's all quite with no annoying people around and whilst there might be shifty people hiding in the dark that I can't see they more then likely can't see me either. It's like for a short period time stands still and you are the only one left in existence.

When I was younger I found this Swedish called Don't be afraid of the dark (var inte rädd för mörkret) and whilst I would read it to myself when walking though the dark to stop myself from being afraid I now actually believe the words.

Have you tried this?

2011-10-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

When you get sick you suddenly find that everyone seems to know how you can get better. People see you hobbling around in pain and they can't help but ask, which is fine but then they also remember that their cousin's husband's ex boyfriend or what not who either has RA or read something about RA, told them that something is definitely supposed to "cure" all RA symptoms.
This whilst understandable does get irritating very quickly.

So what different "cures" are there? well the ones people know about are mainly food related.

These are the once I have heard of so far:

Don't eat meat
Eat only raw food (this applies to meat as well as vegetables) and eat a lot of raw liver and fish
No Chocolate (this one the doctor tells you about)
No Coffee (and this one)
Eat fatty food
No Alcohol (also a doctor one)
Drink loads of milk
Don't eat any citrus fruits
Don't eat gluten (this means no pasta, couscous, bread, soya, pizza etc)
No dairy products (milk, yogurt etc)
things that grow during the night (this apparently covers potatoes and all rot vegetables)
Cook everything fresh, nothing frozen and nothing with additives or preservatives (this one ups the price of a weekly shop considerably)
No sweets of soft drinks unless completely natural
No fish (this one I find strange as it's been medically proven that large doses of Omega 3 helps symptoms)
Eat bones soup every day

As I am sure you understand the main issue with following these are that if you followed all of them you would starve to death! Also a lot of them contradict each other.
Now I have actually tried some, when you are in a lot of pain there isn't many things you wont try.
I have tried the no Coffee, no chocolate, no gluten, no conservatives or preservatives and all raw diets.
All that happened is that I lost a lot of weight, but then starving yourself does have a tendency to do that!

So whilst I appreciate that fact that people want to help, please don't give me diet tips unless you have had the same problem yourself and it actually worked!

Now do I believe that none of the above works? Well no, I actually think they might, after all one of the believes are that Arthritis isn't just a case of your immune system going bonkers but that it is actually trying to attack something that is hurting the body, but that it can't "cure" the problem, and as such end up causing more damage to the body trying to cure it then the actual issue that made it start attacking.

It would then make sense that perhaps you are oversensitive to something already in your body or "allergic" so to speak. If you then stop ingesting whatever you are over sensitive to your immune system would stop trying to attack it and the symptoms would go away. So yeah I believe that in some cases the diets may actually help. But in my case it definitely wasn't anything I ate!

Juvenile Arthritis

2011-09-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Prime minister,
whilst I'm not your number one fan I would like you to listen to the following video and do what the kids ask, as whilst I'm a grown up and think Arthritis really really sucks I can't imagine how much worse it had been if I got it as a child.

The thing is...

2011-08-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

I realise that I have not been writing for quite some time (October last year) and that most likely no one is still checking for updates, but here I am.

So why have I not been updating my blog you ask (or don't)? Well a lot started happening last year and still is, which is why I dropped of the planet, sadly none of it is good.

After my once in a life time trip I came back to the UK and settled in to my normal day to day life. Everything was absolutely wonderful and I was planning my next trip which was to be climbing Kilimanjaro, and was supposed to have been this year.

But as I am sure many of you know life does have a tendency to throw you a curveball when you least expect it and I got sick. I started feeling achy last summer and it continued for months slowly getting worse until I got diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis 3 days before my birthday.

Now if you are anything like me you probably believe that Arthritis is something only old people get and that it just means that your joints get achy when it's cold outside, sadly it turns out I was wrong.

RA can happen to anyone at any age and it's far more then achy joints. Some people are lucky and get a mild case where it means exactly that, they are in pain for awhile and then it passes (in interwal's) but most people have it far worse. Untreated the pain gets worse and suddenly you find that you can't even walk down the road to get a litre of milk.

There is also a not so pleasant list of other things you find out. For example your life expectancy is shortened by 10 -15 years and you are suddenly in the risk zone of getting a heart attack or stroke.

On a more day to day basis you find out that most people have to give up work within 10 years of being diagnosed as their bodies can no longer handle working and you suddenly realise no company wants to hire you as they worry you might take a lot of sick leave (even if you never take any sick leave when you work for them as a temp).

On a more personal note you find out which of the people in your life are people who will actually be there for you when you need them, in my case the answer to that question was not what I expected it to be but not in anyway all bad.

I am better now then I was when I first got diagnosed. It's hard to explain to someone exactly how crap you feel as it's not always obvious and most people assume that you are exaggerating. All I can say is that on a bad day I was not physically able even to take the bus to work and had to have my colleague pick me up and hope that you believe me.
I had to give up making jewellery and dancing and could no longer go out with my friends at the weekends.

Your perspective on things change, like a good day for example, a good day stops being what it used to be and starts being a day when the pain is manageable and you can do some of your normal everyday shores like vacuum or do a food shop.
I am getting more good days lately and the quality of them have improved a lot. I can walk to work again and I even managed to go clothes shopping a couple of weeks ago (which I haven't done for months), I have even started dancing a bit again and am planning to start making jewellery again too.

I am still waiting for a good day to be a day without ay pain and I am still fighting for that to be a possibility (how I will tell some other time) and I am still determined to fulfil my dreams and do the things I love.

I don't like talking about being sick because I don't like being perceived as weak, but I realise that everything in my life has turned into this disease, and I don't want that to just be a bad thing so I want to fight and work to help people like me in anyway I can and I think a good start is to be open about it to make sure more people understand it.

So I am starting my blog again and am doing so by telling everyone I got RA.

I am going to kick this RA's butt and I just though it was about time I told everyone about it.

Pictures of Reading.

2010-10-24T04:02:00.000-07:00

The other morning I took my Camera with me when walking to work since it's such a beautiful walk. On the day in question it was also very cold so plenty of frost on the ground. I know scenery pictures can be a bit boring for other people to watch but I just thought it looked so pretty that I had to post some.

The local gas tower, not the prettiest sight in the world but it is part of the scenery so felt wrong to not include it.

Walking to work on a glorious day like this always cheers me up :-)

Big baby swan!

Isn't he cute, it's like he believes I can't see him if he keeps really still.

If you look closely you can see the steam coming off the water

Questions questions..

2010-10-24T03:30:00.000-07:00

If you want to start up on your own (so to speak) who can you ask or where can you go to find out if you need any certificates such as health and safety and/or insurances?
I mean it's easy enough to just go along with an idea but then you don't want to be buggered because you find out you needed something that you didn't have.
I Know that if I do start my own business idea I need to register and I need public liability but other then that I don't have a clue.
How do I find out?

I finally solved the riddle...

2010-10-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

I was going through Swedish songs on YouTube. I guess I was feeling a bit melancholic remembering my youth (don't ask me why because I honestly don't have a clue) and I came across Björn Afzelius. Now he and the Hoola Bandoola Band is one of my mums favorites so I grew up listening to him a lot.

Now this song is my favourite:

I used to play this song over and over again when I was young and suddenly I realised why I turned out the way I did, and more importantly its due to my mother.
It's because I listened to song like this about following you heart and doing the right thing and living dangerously etc. So technically it's my mus fault because she played the songs ;-)

Anyways for the once of you that aren't Swedish the song title means Nine lives and it's about all the crazy things he's done in his life and the crazy things he hopes his kids will do because the idea of not doing any of those things petrifies him, because it would be a boring life.

Christmas Craft Fair

2010-10-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

I've just created a Facebook page for the Christmas fair I'm arranging on the 27th of November. It's the first event page I've ever done so still getting the hang of it! If you are interested in seeing what will be for sale etc please check it out and tell your friends too :-)

Christmas Craft Fair

27th of November 2010
All items handmade.
Coffee and cakes for sale.
Come in from the cold and support local artists whilst buying Christmas presents!
Above RISC and the Global Café in Reading

Me and my weird obsessions!

2010-09-15T03:41:00.001-07:00

Is it wrong that I really really fancy the pants off Damon the evil vampire in The Vampire Diaries?

Just wondering...

The following counts as a spoiler so don't read if you haven't seen episode one of season two yet!

The kissing scene on the porch is not my favourite. My favourite is the one when he kisses the real Elena in her bedroom (just before snapping her brother's neck). The look in his eye when he says "lie about this" makes me go soft every time!

'Sigh' I should be working right now, not be thinking about sexy vampires who *sadly* don't exist and if they did even more sadly would not be sleeping in my bed!

Christmas Craft Fair

2010-09-12T00:21:00.000-07:00

Christmas Craft Fair!

Applications being taken!
Artist and crafters needed for a Christmas fair above the Global Café in Reading on the 27th Of November.
If you are interested please email Lina at:lina@linaj.co.uk
Price £20 for a full table with the possibility (depending on interest) for half a table for £10.

Only rule is that what you want to sell have to be made by you!

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell

2010-09-05T00:06:00.000-07:00

Went to the library yesterday and picked up this book:

It's been recommended to me by my house mate when I told her I'm a big Neil Gaiman fan. So I'm hoping it will be good. Only thing is I expected it to be approximately 400 pages long but it's closer to 800! These days I don't have much time to read so it will take me ages to finish it.

After I read this I'm going on the hunt for Stephen Fry's autobiography.

It's the weekend!

2010-09-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

Finally the week is over and I can breath again!
This week has been knackering at work, and whatever could go wrong appears to have been going wrong.
Now at least the weekend is here and I'm hoping for everything to even back out again. I got loads of ideas in my head but they are kind of jumbled, so looking forward to sorting them out.
Either way we will see, I'm just happy Monday to Friday is done and gone!

2010-09-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

Having one of those weeks where things just keep going wrong! And I feel sooo tired all the time. It's just gone nine and I believe I better go to bed.
1: So I don't fall asleep sitting up
2: So I can pull the duvet over my head until it's no longer today.

Writing

2010-08-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

It annoys me that my muse appears to have taken a long hiatus! I have all these ideas running around in my head but they are firmly refusing to get down on paper.

And today I shall be...

2010-08-30T01:11:00.000-07:00

I love the fact that there is an extra day off from work this week! Especially since I have loads to do.
I'm going to start by eating my breakfast downstairs whilst reading my Craft & Design Magazine.

Then I will go through some emails that needs doing, hoover my room, and upload plus sort more of my travel pictures on Picasa. I might even upload some here if I get the time (God I miss travelling!!).

Then I will work on making some jewellery. Firstly by checking if my Resin has gone off or not, then I'm not sure, probably finish the bracelet I started, plus I got one ring to fix and a new pendant design I would like to try out.

But yeah, starting with breakfast.

Nothing ventured nothing gained...

2010-08-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking for a long time about arranging a place for people to sell there art objects (and mine) but I’ve always chickened out. I mean you have to hire somewhere and get posters and flyer's done. Then you have to find people to take part so you pay for the cost of renting somewhere then you have to make sure you get people to come (because can you imagine how horrible it would be if no one showed up?).
And I guess that I’m mainly worried I would screw it up.

Now I am the most organised person that I know (especially when I put my mind to it) and I believe I know a lot of people in Reading, but it’s still scary.But then what’s the point if I don’t do it? I mean isn’t that at least ten times worse then if I do it and it goes badly, because otherwise I will always be thinking what if…

So I’ve looked into it and even reserved somewhere and on Tuesday I have to give a definite answer and sign myself up (or not).

So if I do and whoever reads this lives in or around Reading, you better come along and have a look or I will be miffed! :-P

As it stands the plan is:

Place: Above the Global Café in Reading
Date: 27 November (which just happens to be my birthday too).
For sale: All things handmade!

If you make stuff and think you might want to take part let me know and I’ll send you details.

I just hope I am making the right decision!

Do you make stuff? Then look here!!!!

2010-08-22T01:40:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I am trying to sort out a handmade event for the beginning of December.
So if you are interested in renting a table at this event in Reading please let me know. I doesn't matter what you make, the only rule is that it has to be handmade.

At the moment things are still quite sketchy. I do have a venue in mind but need to see if I can get enough people interested to be able to meet the costs.
The cost looks to roughly be £20 per person but depends on how many people I can get interested in the idea. This fee will pay for the venue (and a table if you need it) as well as flyer's and posters.

If you are a painter I also have a lot of wall space so am considering renting out the wall space too (if you aren't interested in a table) If you are an artist that want wall space as well as having a table there let me know.

So if you might be interested and want me to keep you in the loop please send an email to: lina@linaj.co.uk

What would you do?

2010-07-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Would you go for a job that pays well and that you would most likely find OK but not love, or would you hold out hoping to try and get that job you knew you would absolutely love?

Etsy sellers

2010-06-07T14:13:00.001-07:00

Etsy is an American website that sells handmade or vintage items. There is so many stunning things on there at all times and I do encourage you to have a look. It doesn't matter if you aren't American since it's now spread all over the world.

When I was in Seattle I meet one of the sellers on Etsy and she even gave me a purse she'd made (it's both pretty and nifty), and today I noticed these...

...absolutely gorgeous brooches that she has posted on there so just had to do a link on my blog:
Ziggybaby On Etsy

I could be anywhere else but here...

2010-05-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

Just got a pang in my stomach making me wish I was still travelling.

This pics shows the small building we were sleeping in on our first night in the Jungle. The building was very basic but look at the outside!

This is the fabulous view from the hotel we were staying in after the basic hut. The hotel was called the Shangri La and was gorgeous with a fabulous view!

Same view but from another direction during daytime. 3 of us lived on the top deck with by far the best view!

Fiction writing

2010-05-25T13:21:00.001-07:00

Does anyone know of a good site where I can find someone to read stuff I have or am writing for any grammatical error and/or crap storyline etc?
I don't want anyone I know doing it so would prefer the anonymity of The Net to help me on this one.
Any good ideas twidlypeeps?

Nemi

2010-05-17T13:14:00.000-07:00

An once again she says what I think!

Prins Charming!

2010-05-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Being a woman you grow up being told the fairytale's were Prince Charming comes and sweeps you off your feet.
That all sound wonderful until I realised if Prince Charming ever actually did show up at my doorstep I would be going more along the lines of "what do you mean I can't lift that" "no I am not wearing that silly poffy dress" and "what on earth makes you think I couldn't beat you in a fight!"
So yeah I am as far away from a damsel in distress as they come, no prince Charming for me!

Perhaps I can have a
Wolverine instead.

He wouldn't want a shrinking violet around anyways so perhaps I am in with a chance there (yeah right and I'm sure there was a draft coming from Hell earlier)

Why can't I have my cookie and eat it!!

2010-05-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

Slowly getting older I am feeling more and more stressed at picking something in my life and sticking to it!

What the hell am I on about you ask (well most likely you aren't asking that, but I'll tell you anyways)!?
At the tender age of 29 years old I am NOT:
-Married
-Enjoying steady employment
-Owner of my own house
-Owns a dog
-Have children
-Have money in the bank for a rainy day

You get the idea.
The reason I have none of these things is because every time I make enough money I blow it on travelling. Recently I have taken this to a completely new level and I can't wait to bugger off again!
Now this wouldn't be a problem if all I wanted in life was to do temp jobs in between travelling, but sadly I want sooo much more.
I want to Travel the world, be a journalist, a writer, run my own company or at least be boss of a big company, own and build my own house and of course be a successful Jewellery designer!
Oh and at some point I would like to own a dog :-)

Now I am smart enough to know I can't have all of these things, maybe one or two if I am lucky. The question that is driving me insane is, How the hell do I choose? And if I choose one thing does that mean I will sit there when I am old and grey and go what if...?

My boss is lovely!

2010-04-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

I had to work Saturday! It was a last minute cock up and someone had to cover a Saturday shift, now this someone by deduction also had to be me.
I was NOT happy, in fact I haven't been more unhappy in a long time.

Especially since the job was working for a company that I morally disagreed with but also because I was getting paid less then I would for my Monday - Friday job, because I had to cancel lunch with someone I hadn't seen since September last year and because I was supposed to go to storage to change space (and since I couldn't lost £25 meaning I after working all Saturday made approx £17 before tax).
Now my boss (who is lovely) wasn't in and didn't know until very last minute that I would have to cover it. Not that this in anyway made my mood anymore sunny.
But when I came into work this morning she popped in to see me to say thanks and to give me this:

I know some people will say it's only flower etc. But true as that may be I had already done it so it's not like I needed to be bribe or anything, so the flowers were a lovely gesture and a very pretty nice smelling gesture too :-)

Hiking in Wales

2010-04-25T04:51:00.000-07:00

Better late than never. These are the pics from the Couchsurfers weekend away hiking in Wales. These pictures were mostly taken by my boyfriend Jeff. I was supposed to upload them ages ago but never had the time, so they have actually all been done by Jeff and all I'm doing is writing the heading ;-).

This is the beginning of our hike

Then loads of gorgeous scenery

Whilst we were there we stayed in a bunkhouse with some other people. On the Saturday evening we made a campfire (well actually someone else made it we just had to get our butts out to it).

Sunday morning (day of departure) when we were all hanging about to lazy to leave.

Bye bye gorgeous bunkhouse!

Just felt like sharing..

2010-04-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

Sara Bareilles is one of my favourite singer/songwriters. This song is one I kept listening too nonstop before I went on my trip

Also check out Sara's collaboration with another great singer Ingrid Michaelson (who is also one of my favorites) I just found a song they did together today and it it of course brilliant, and here is the link. Also here is a something about when they made it.

2010-04-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'm watching Grey's anatomy and eating dinner (dinner being a sandwich) whilst trying really really hard to stop thinking of the Goblin King! It is not going well...

*sigh* Well what can I do? My brain has decided to obsess about him, not my fault will just have to let it pass by it self. Just like I had to do with my Wolverine obsession, I mean that only lasted.. well about 16 years so far and I'm expecting it to pass any day now!

Goblin, fairies and trolls

2010-04-04T01:39:00.000-07:00

Anybody who knows me well knows I live in a fairy tale world all off my own (or like people call it: lala land).
Also I have a tendency to get unhealthily obsessed with the strangest of things. The best example of that would be my obsession with the X-men comics, I started reading them when I was about 12-13 years old, and never stopped.
When I was younger I was really worried that I would one day grow out of my fairytale mind. I remember looking at adults and thinking that one day I would be like them and only live in the "real" world. But this year I am turning 30 and it's very clear that I will never loose this mind of mine (unless I go senile when older or something) so for that I am very grateful.

Anyways the point of this rant was to share with you all my latest obsession, I was recently introduced to this children movie from 1986. I had never even heard if it which I feel is a great pity, but at least I have found it now.
The movie was called the Labyrinth and has the amazing David Bowie in it playing the Goblin King!

Now I have never actually had the hots for David Bowie (and still don't), but the Goblin King, well...wow!
Also the girl Jennifer Connelly (now a grown up actress playing in movies such as Blood Diamond and He's Just Not That In To You) is a good actress and seem very sweet.

So my advice is twidlypeeps. Watch this movie (if you haven't already)! The storyline is actually really good and David Bowie is awesome as the Goblin King and I'm not just saying that cause he's hot as the Goblin King (which he is), he's also a really really good actor.

There is really only one think wrong with the movie. It ends the only way it really can end but the ending does leave the desire for a sequel. This coming from the woman that even though she loves X-men (and especially Hugh Jackman) wish they would stop making sequels to the movies since they are mucking it up more and more. This movie thou practically begs for a sequel and so am I.
So please please please if someone important reads this, please make a sequel. This movie needs an ending and I'm quite sure whoever has seen it knows what ending I want.

Also how come I can't seem to find any good fan fic for this movie? I've found some but so far nothing good. I want some where the characters haven't completely changed personality! Just some simple what happened next stories but so far no luck :-( If anybody knows of a good Labyrinth fan fic please share. There is loads of great X-men fics out there so there must be atleast one good labyrinth fic too.

Oh and Karin, have you seen this movie when you were younger? If so shame for not telling me about it! And if you haven't then I'll bring it next time I go home and you can watch it with the kids.

International woman’s day

2010-03-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

Today is international woman’s day!

This appears to be something not celebrated in the UK. I just looked thru the Sun, The times and the Guardian on the net and found nothing! To be honest I only breezed thru the pages so I guess there might be some small footnote somewhere that I missed, but all in all, very disappointing!
Sweden on the other hand is mentioning it as a headliner in there newspapers. The one I’ve been reading the most being Aftonbladet (=the afternoon paper).The sad thing is that the newspaper has done some articles on how equal things are between men and women in Sweden, sad because the answer is that things really aren’t (equal that is).
Women still get paid less then men for doing the same work, and when it comes to positions high up on the ladder, women generally get passed over. Completely!

When I was little I never knew things weren’t equal, I always just assumed that of course women would get paid the same as men and get the same high positions. It was only when I started reading and watching the news that I realise I was wrong. The thing is I never really understood why this is. I was brought up with a sister and two brothers and we were always told that how capable we were had nothing to do with what sex we had. You study hard to get the job you want and then nothing can stop you from getting to the top!
Now I did by all accounts not go for that route since I finished studying after college. I would have gone to Uni if I could have gotten into the course I wanted (which was Journalism) but studying was never really my cup of tea so my grades weren’t good enough (also there was some bullying issues which didn’t help my chances much). But now being an adult I know something I didn’t know when I was younger, I am very smart (bullying does screw your self value up quite a lot), I kind of always thought I was, but it was something I never fought for. I wouldn’t admit the things I completely suck at (such as maths) and I only recently realised I have an affinity for things such as numbers (I seem to memorise bank number, tax numbers etc for no particular reason). But these days I can happily admit what I can’t do and fight to prove the things that I can do. Most important of all, I am very dedicated to my work. It doesn’t matter what I work with, I arrive on time unless I have a very good reason for being late. I take great pride in doing my work and I will offer to do more if I finish my tasks. I like organizing things to an almost ridiculous degree and I even make a good team leader, any company would be lucky to have me! And if I did get a job it turns out I wasn’t good at I would quite because I can’t stand NOT doing a good job. I have been responsible for a big number of people and I have sorted out problems that hasn’t really fallen on my shoulder to sort out and the older I get the more I want to find a good steady position in a company that I can work my way to the top in. I want to work for a company were I have a future! My only issue is that I also love to travel making the work thing hard, and finding this great company to work for isn’t easy either. I honestly believe that being a manager for a company is something I would be great at and I have on numerous occasions thought about starting up my own business.
So why haven’t I you might ask? Well this goes back to me being smart again. I know my strength and that I have a goods chance of pulling it off if I did start my own company, but on the financial climate of today I am worried about the large amount of money involved. I mean I could probably get a loan but what if the financial climate gets even worse and people stop spending even more? Plus I could be wrong, good business ideas fail everyday because life is unpredictable and I refuse to ever consider going bankrupt! So what I really need is a good capital to start up with myself, meaning any possible money loss would be considerably reduced. But if I make money I find it hard to not spend it on my other passion (travel), also I’m not sure whether or not I would be good at the tax side of being self-employed, especially since the tax office will go to considerable lengths to NOT help you.

OK I know I’ve been rambling on for a bit now, I guess what I was trying to get across is that it is economically unwise for a company to just hire men. If you want your company to be the best it can be you hire the smartest and most suited person for the job, and I refuse to believe that if they did that they would only be hiring men.
And secondly we should all celebrate International woman’s day! Now I don’t think woman are better then men and I can understand if men go, what about us? Why only celebrate women’s day. Well guys you are great and all but women didn’t use to have the right to vote etc so we should celebrate how far we’ve made it. And being the smart men I hope most of you are you should try and help us women get equal rights in pay etc, because you know it’s only fair.You know what they say: Behind every successful man is a wise woman. Well the same works in reverse so we kind of need the wise men to help us out on this one

Here is some more info about The international Woman's day if you are interested.

Boston

2010-02-25T14:55:00.000-08:00

This is the first art of my trip with pics (well the once that were saved anyways) And we start in Boston on the 13/10/09.

I wish I had an image of what I saw when the plane was flying in to land in Boston. Looking out the window I saw so many trees and greenery, all in different shades of green, red and copper. The autumn colours where gorgeous and it had a calming effect on my nerves as I was getting ready for the first day of my 3 ½ month long adventure.

The airport was smaller then I thought it would be, and cleaner.
It was a good start to being in the states. Finding the right bus was a bit harder but not too bad. The worst bit came in getting to the hostel. First going by bus from the airport lugging my big backpack around and then trying to get onto the right subway, squeezing into a confined space with the bag, and of course it was boiling as all subways seem to be. To then find the place from the station was no easy task, the instructions left on the hostelbookers website being about as useful as a soup spoon with a hole in it. I asked a young woman what direction to go, she in return sent me down the wrong way (why people rather make something up then just say that they don’t know is beyond me) making a 10 min walk turn into a 40min walk, with a 23kilo heavy bag on my back and a smaller one in front.

HI - Boston Downtown hostel was better then I had expected (this being my first hostel experience). The bed was reasonably clean and so were the bath rooms. They also gave you a pair of flip flops to use in the shower whilst you were there. And best of all, breakfast was free and it was bagels every day. If rating them from 1 to 5 (5 being best) I guess I would give them 3 1/2.

The first night I wasn’t planning on doing anything but soon found out that hostels generally have some event on every night. I could either go bowling or go out for an evening of comedy stand up at a local pub. I decided to go for the comedy evening since I was quite tired and therefore thought bowling would be a bad idea.
The show was pleasant enough and the stand-up OK (but not brilliant) and I went to bed tired and happy.

On my second day in Boston I bought a mobile phone to use in the states (for texting home) and then I went exploring. I did a tour of parts of the freedom trail then went around looking at buildings and taking pictures. One thing I noticed was the amount of squirrels (soo cute) and the fact that they didn’t seem afraid of people. The weather in Boston was surprisingly a lot colder then England but clear and crisp so still nice.

Boston is actually quite a beautiful place and I enjoyed walking around.

If I don't remeber incorrectly that dome is covered with leaf gold.

And this is the funniest thing . Apparently there was a famous General and his surname was Hooker.
So guess what?! Someone came up with this sign to show where the entrance to his office used to be when he was alive:

In the evening I went to the Museum of fine art. They have free entrance on Tuesday evenings. The museum was huge and very very good. After that I was so tired I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
And then finally on the third day I got on a greyhound bus and continued my travel onwards towards Niagara Falls! The bus was actually really nice and new with big but uncomfortable seats.

How do you feel about being dead...

2010-02-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

She said one to the other...

Quick update

2010-02-11T04:48:00.000-08:00

So I have now been back in the UK for just over 2weeks and I am starting work tomorrow! And on Saturday I am moving into my own place (well room). So everything is going forward as it should.

I am already busy planning away at my next trip as well as what I will be getting up to here in the UK. For example I am planning on going hiking in a couple of weeks time at Brecon Beacons in Wales with a bunch of Couchsurfers, well that's if everything goes to plan. I also have loads of other stuff I'm looking into that I will of course share here.

On another note, I have decided to go through all my pictures that I have left (since a lot of them were destroyed) and post the best ones on here. I will soon start a diary post were I go through what happened on my trip. Since I did kind of keep a diary so should have quite a good idea of what happened when (thou I don't promise anything).

Missing South America

2010-02-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

I have this picture on my desktop:

It makes me feel a bit better when I feel sad that I'm back in England and not in South America anymore.

Back in England!

2010-01-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

Came back to England this morning.

Yesterday I was walking around Sao Paulo feeling a bit chilly since it was "only" +21 degrees. Today I've been walking around in +5 degrees feeling like Im going to freeze to death.

Yesterday I had no worries.
Today I've been on the phone to my credit card people since my bank screwed up the direct debit I set up. Can I prove it? No I wish! I set the payments up with one of my banks staff (Barclays), me on one side of the table whilst she was tapping away at the computer. I've written down on a piece of paper how much I wanted the payments set up as (sorted all my bills out at the same time, normally I like to transfer the money myself every month for all my bills but since I was going to be away for 3 1/2 months that wouldn't have worked), but now find out the CC was set up as £20 lower. Meaning I havent been paying off enough money each month, meaning I lost my 0% promo that was running til dec 2010 and actually now owe more money then when I left!

So yeah not all that happy to be back.

Oh and one more disaster, a big one! I was having issues with one of my cameras memory cards (long storry ending in the fact that the pics appeared to have been erased from the card) and I was going thru the rest today when I realise another one wasn't working either. I took it into a camera shop who kindly tried their best to save my pictures (Station road cameras in Reading who are now my personal heroes) after PC world told me they couldn't (but they did tell me to try the camera shop which was very good of them) and they saved most of my picture thou sadly far from all were rescued. Also it appears my movie footage's arent vieuable. This making me very sad since it means I lost the only footage of me Paragliding (I filmed myself and the vieu), which was quite an event seeing I don't do well with hights. But I will double check with the camera shop tomorrow that the films definitly are lost or if I just dont have the right program to vieu them.

So Im happy a lot of the pictures are saved, but as I'm sure you can guess not very happy that they needed saving in the first place. It appears a faulty card reader was to blame, which is especially ironic since I got the card reader so I could copy the images onto a USB as a backup incase something happened to the cards. Meaning me trying to be smart and save the images is what destroyed them!

I end with a picture from Brazil showing what I miss...
And promise I will update blog with the rescured pictures very soon.

And then...

2009-12-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

Yes I know Im bad at updating. If you want to read someone that updates regularly check out my sister's blog.
As for me I am after all travelling and computers arent always plentyful here in Bolivia.

Since the Inca Trail I have done loads of things!

I have visited Lake Titicaca
Were we did 2 nights of homestays.

Joined my new group and gone to the Salt Flats were we spent Xmas.

The hostel on the first night was brilliant and all made of Salt.
But the place we were at on xmas (the 24th) wasn't as fancy but we made it as xmassy as possible.

Visited some silver mines (were I was forced to climb down a rope which I did with as little grace as possible and a lot of healthy fear)

And now enjoying a lovely town called Sucre.

For New Years we are supposed to be in Santa Cruz in Bolivia and supposedly spending New Years in a waterpark (if open)

Inca Trail!

2009-12-16T16:27:00.000-08:00

Yay! I survived the Inca Trail! Now Im off to eat Guniea pig. Will do proper update later and see if I can get some images uploaded somehow.

Update....Inca Trail.

2009-12-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

In Arequipa now. The Inca trail is getting nearer and nearer. On saturday I start the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. And I have been warned that it´s murder!

At the highest point I will be 4,215 metres (13,830 ft) above sea level.

Apparently day 2 is the worst because all you do all day if walk up steps, thousends of them :-(.

Only rainclud on my sky is the fact that I have been sick for over a week and still are. My stomach is shot and I keep feeling nauseas. But spoke to doctor over the phone and on medication now so should hopefully be OK. Will go see the doctor in Cuzco before the trail if still sick but hopfully there will be no need.

Also no shower for 4 days sounds a bit staggeing ;-)

But yeah I am looking forward to it and will enjoy seeing Machu Picchu at the end!

Ecuador!

2009-11-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday! And I´ve just spoken to my boyfriend, my best friend and my parents. Before that I was feeling a bit down not having any of them here but now I´m happy!

I also checked my Facebook and all the lovely people whose wished me a happy birthday. So now all is fine.
Tonight I am going out for dinner with my gap group to celebrate my birthday, which wont be as fun as if my friends were here but should hopefully still be a great time.
I can wait to post pics of the stuff I have done so far thou anything water based I dont have pics since my camera isnt waterproof.
I´ve been Paragliding and Rafting and Tubing, I also had the chance to do a bungyjump but I chickened out! :-)

Picutures will follow in due time. I still have pics of Vegas I can post. But wanted to just do a quick post today.

Tomorrow it´s onwards to Peru!

Grand Canyon

2009-11-18T20:42:00.001-08:00

Right now I am in Ecuador in an Internet Cafe. Tonight I will meet the rest of the group Im going with and they it´s of to the Amazon.

I succeded in uploading some pics from The grand Canyon, Vegas and New York. So thought I´d do a quick post with some pics form the Grand Canyon atleast, to start with.

Sunrise over the Grand Canyon

Me and my fellow band of very cold explorers!

Like I said, it was cold...

Steph and Markus looking over the edge

Markus up a tree

Steph admirering the vieu

And on the way back we stopped at the hoover dame.

Hopefully I will get more pics but I wont worry about that until I get home.
The Grand Canyon was beautiful and if you have to decide between seeing the the Grand Canyon or the Niagara Falls I would vote for the Canyon.

Last week in the states

2009-11-14T15:47:00.000-08:00

OK, now I am in Las Vegas. I'm afraid this town might be slightly wasted on me since I am not a gambler and don't understand why anyone would build a town in the middle of the desert just for gambling.
But I am looking forward to seeing the Grand Canyon which I am driving to tonight with a bunch of couchsurfers.Then we are staying there for the night and will look at the Canyon in the morning.

Then Monday I an going to LA which will be my last stop before South America. Which I am flying to on Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

I had a great time in New Orleans (Halloween was interesting).
Then I flew to Seattle where I had nice weather for 1 1/2 days before the rain and thunder started making the rest of my visit there were grey and dull.

Then I flew onwards to San Fransisco, flying into SF as great with the sun shining. My time there was absolutely fabulous and I definitely think it as one of the highlights of my trip. Then I took the greyhound bus to Las Vegas then once in Vegas public transport to my couchsurfing host. At this point I wanted to kill someone! All in all I travelled for approximately 18 hours! IT WAS HELL!.
If the bus hadn't been so full it might have been slightly better but you never know beforehand do you.

Some people have warned me about the greyhound and the dodgy people on it but I had no real issues, I mean some of the bus depos were a bit dodgy but there was never any problem on the bus, thou the guy that sat beside me from SF-LA went to smoke weed every time we stopped then dozed himself in perfume to hide the smell, meaning I had the stink of weed and way to much perfume, sitting just beside me. Not very pleasant.

But no one was scary or really annoying or anything so for that reason I don't mind going on the Greyhound, But the seats are quite uncomfortable and when you are stuck there for hours it can be a bit tough. Also there depos can be locate pretty much anywhere. So sometime you are close to town and public transport whilst sometimes it's a bit of a trek with your bags.

So on Monday day/evening I shall be in LA, thou I guess I want get to do much since I wont have much time there before I leave for South America. Thou I would like to see the big Hollywood sign and perhaps go to the beach. We shall see,oh and I need to post some stuff home. Other then that I shall be taking it slow before part two of my trip starts.

Trip part 2 or is it 3...

2009-11-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

In New Orleans.

Sorry I haven't been writing much (not that it matters since no one is reading it but still ;-)). But apparently the states is not a good place to go for Internet cafe's. Brilliant for free wifi points thou but since I haven't got a laptop a bit pointless for me. I've had access in a couple of places but things have been pretty much manic since I started this trip.

Now I am in New Orleans (like the first line states). I like it here!
The swamps are beautiful and I've seen alligators, snakes, turtles, birds etc.
If you like drinking it's also a great town, thou I must admit that bores me after awhile. Got some nice streets and areas and most people are friendly and helpful. I've meet some great people!
They also have loads of great food. Oh and live music which I love.

Halloween was quite a culture shock for someone like me that don't generally celebrate Halloween, and I got some amazing pics that I can't post because I didn't bring the camera led (sorry) and the computer I'm on can't take XD cards.

Anyways that is all for me for today. I'm sleepy and need to hunt for food ;-)

Last day in Boston!

2009-10-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Today I feel knackered, don't know why.

Yesterday I did a tour of the Freedom trail and went to the museum of fine arts. Both were great but by the time I'd been in the museum for 2hours (it was BIG) I was having problems keeping my eyes open.

On the way to the hostel I had one of does strange moments. You know how you can remember thing by their smell and then you always associate that thing with that smell. Well I was walking down the sidewalk when I felt this smell, and first I couldn't remember what it reminded me off only that it was a pleasant memory and then it hit me. When I was little I collected porcelain dolls and I used to have a favorite with black curly hair that I would drag around, and i would snuggle up to her and the nap of her neck smelt just like that.
Yes I know that's weird and all but it's what it reminded me off.

I think it's a pity I have to leave Boston today but I don't have time to stay any longer and I don't want to miss out on everywhere else! Hopefully the greyhound buses wont be too bad.

Turns out STA in the UK didn't know what they were talking about, they said I could just go in and give them the voucher then book the date & time I wanted. Turns out I can't book in advance just have to show up and get it done there and there if available and if the bus transfers anywhere then that's a new booking meaning tonight when I go to Niagara Falls I might get stuck in Buffalo. So not amused with STA. I mean it's quite important details to mention, especially to a woman travelling alone in a country where she knows no one. Also so far everyone has been really helpful except the Greyhound bus people. So far I've spoken to 4 representatives at the station and they were all really rude!

When I get to Niagara Falls I am doing my first time ever couchsurf! What that means is I am staying on someones couch. It's this brilliant website that lets you try and find people who you would get on with in the town where you are going and then stay at theirs (and vise versa). I look forward to it and think it will be a good thing. Hopefully I will find someone in NY too but I doubt it since it's a bit last minute now.

OK will get on with stuff now :-)

2009-10-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

In Boston now!
Have booked in to the hostel where I'm staying and had a shower. They got some activites on tonight (bowling or comedy evening) so am just deciding what/if I should join.
Should probebly go hunt for food first thou.

Apparently my mobile don't work here at all, can't even receive or send texts :-( Will need to hunt for new mobile tomorrow.

Miss home already, which I realise it quite sad, but I'm tired and lonely in a new town so I'm allowed to feel that way. Tomorrow will be more woho I think :-) But not being able to text my friends are more annoying then I would have thought it would be, quite sad how used you get to does old things.

Using internet at the hostel. Facebook wont work proberly so can't even say hi to everyone that way.

Wondering what would be most fun, bowling or listening to comedy. Think I'm probebly to tired to bowl, but then again I might fall asleep if watching comedy :-)

OK well that's all for today will updaye once I have more.

Oh and so far Boston seems like quite a beautiful town, and thou it is quite busy, it's not as busy as I thought it would be :-)

To do:

2009-09-29T14:35:00.001-07:00

Move (have to be out by saturday)
Finish jewellery order (should have been finished today but I appologised and extended it but need it done before I move out since then I can't make anything.
Get travel insurance
Finish Packing for trip
Get some proper sleep (not looking likelty)
Sort our bank transfers & direct debits
Sort out pay that agency got wrong
Clean room
Go to dentist
Get time at doctor (for a shot *brrr*)
Update blog

Well atleast I kind of did the last thing...

Tickets are now booked!

2009-09-06T01:34:00.000-07:00

I am leaving the UK on the 13 October and will not be back until the 25 January!

Unless I get killed or something in which case I might be back sooner...or not at all.

But yay! I'm going :-)

Need input!

2009-09-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

As a female about to travel thru North America I do have somethings I wonder about.

How safe it is to travel on my own? I have common sense so know not to trust strangers or walk down dark alleys at night etc, but I do still want to go out in the evenings and meet people so if anyone knows what towns I'm safest to go out in and what areas I should avoid etc please let me know.
Also suggestion of bars etc that would be fun for a single woman to go to are appreciated!

I'm am wondering about the following places:

Boston
New York
Washington DC
New Orleans
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
San Fransisco
Seattle

Bad day today!

2009-08-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

In a foul mood today! So I'm watching DVD's to cheer myself up, and listening to music, and eating crap...
Right now I've finished wathing a movie so having a break. Listening to music and decided to post some pics of men I find attractive. For no other reasen then looking at attractive men cheers me up! And I need cheering up.

This is the man of my dreams!

Sadly he's not real :-(

But he does have a real life counterpart! Mr Hugh Jackman

And he's number one on my list (well after the real Wolverine ofcourse)

Richard Armitage (who does look a bit like Mr Jackman)

TJ Thyne, he might play a geek in Bones but I have a thing for geeks (atleast really sexy geeks)

Anglina Jolie, yes I am aware she's a girl but she's sexy

John Barrowman and yes I know he'a gay but he is still dead handsome and it's not like i'm likely to get any of the other guys just because the're straight so who cares.

I have no idea who this guy is except for the fact that he looks really hot in a Gambit aka Remy Lebeau outfit (I found it on the net)

I do have a thing for made-up characters, here is a list:

Mr Jack Sparrow aka Johnny Depp (thou I don't find Depp attractive, only Sparrow)

Spike aka James Marsters who I do find attractive both as Spike and himself.

Riddick aka Vin Diesel

Well that's all from me :-)

It's getting closer!

2009-08-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

I am making my trip come together. This is how it's most likely going to look.

Land in Boston:

Spend 2-3 days in Boston, maybe 3 if I can go from there to Niagara falls & then back, otherwise 1 night in Niagara falls as well.

Then Greyhound to New York. Spend 3-4 days in New York.

Then Greyhound to Washington DC. Spend 3-4 days Washington DC 3 days

Then Greyhound to New Orleans thou I will probably need to stop on the way and sleep somewhere, unless I can stay on the bus the whole time. Spend 5-6 days in New Orleans.

Then either the Greyhound to Houston and spend 1 day there or fly (via Huston) straight to Los Angeles. Spend 3-4 days in Los Angeles.

Then Greyhound to Vegas. Spend 2-3 days in Las Vegas

Then Greyhound to San Francisco. Spend 3-4 days in San Francisco

Then Greyhound to Seattle. Spend 5-6 days in Seattle

Then fly from Seattle to LA & then over to South America (because for some reason that's cheaper then flying straight from Seattle).

Now I will work out how many days I will actually get everywhere and how much rooms (or dorms) will cost. And also how long I need everywhere since that depends on what I want to see. So next I will post list of thing I want to do etc.

Trek part 2

2009-08-24T05:42:00.000-07:00

Yay! I just had some great news. Someone didn't pay for their reserved space on the south America trek so I have it instead!
Meaning my plans are back on track and if everything goes OK I will be leaving the country early October :-)

Florence And The Machine

2009-08-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorites! Florence And The Machine are brilliant!

Trek

2009-08-23T03:22:00.000-07:00

My trek might be delayed to next year!

Something went wrong when the travel place reserved my seat on the South America trek so I probably wont get a seat.
I find out Monday or Tuesday :-(

Which means that I could still go but not do South America which seems like a waste. Or spend money on another trek that I might not like as much.

So if I can't get this space I will wait and go next year instead, that does shake up my plans quite a lot but at least I should have more money when going so might do more.

I guess there is an upside to everything :-)

But like I said I will find out in a couple of days.

Bad day!

2009-08-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

Had a bad evening yesterday followed by a bad day today because I'm still upset about yesterday! But such is life I guess and I am trying to see past it.

But still it's hard.

Think I will go for a swim after work, for some reason that usually makes me feel better.
Also will try to make some posts tonight, that might cheer me up, and for dinner I am making myslef blueberry pancakes. Wish I wasn't staying off sweets for 2 weeks (different story) or I would add cream & chocolate to the pancakes.

Richard Armitage

2009-07-29T04:55:00.000-07:00

Watched North & South on Sunday. All 4 episodes in one go.

Had never seen it before and now I'm sold on Armitage. I mean the guy is sexy in Robin Hood but I never really watched it and didn't like his character.

But now...

The guy is sex on legs!

And he's a really god actor in North & South, the character suits him down to a tee.

Me jealous...

Ok will stop drooling now...

India!

2009-07-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

Was deleting pictures because my computer is too clogged up, and found some (well loads actually) of pictures from the second time me & Jeff was in India.
So I decided to post some, due to the amount I will split it into sections and do It as more then 1 post.
I wish I could show pictures from my trip around Europe or the first trip to India but that was my pre-digital camera era :-)

First time we went we were with Indian friends the whole time so this time we wanted a week without them, which we spent in Delhi.
We were planning on travelling further away but British Airways lost my luggage and it took them a week to get it back to me.
When they did they delivered it to the wrong hotel and had ruined half my clothes by getting the bag wet somehow (before putting it into a plastic bag whatever the logic in that might have been). Also there is no one you can call whilst waiting for your bag, we had to travel all the way back to the airport to get any kind of answers.

And BA refused to pay me back for the ruined clothes! This is why I these day try to avoid travelling with them if possible, because I can live with them losing the bag but the way they treated it was appalling.

Also since I am a tall and broad shouldered woman I couldn't by any clothes that fit me. So the first week I wore tops that where too small and bought a pair of trousers for men. Also I could get hold of nickers but no bra my size so kept having to rewash it by hand every day. It did put a downer on the tip since we were hoping to go to Jaipur and ride on Elephants which we didn't get time to in the end because of British Airways.

Busy streets of Delhi. We lived in whats supposed to be the dodgy area. Well I think their dodgy area is safer the our nice areas.
Look at all the cables, that's how they get electricity :-)

Me in gemstone heaven! The first time we went we couldn't really find any, but this time we found a whole street full. Also as you can tell the top was a bit on the tight side, not my fault all their woman are so small :-)

A rooftop restaurant where I could actually get some food. To elaborate, thou I am quite willing to try all foods once, spicy food really don't agree with me. First time in India I lost 2 dress sizes because I lived on rice & water. Also Jeff liked it because they sold beer (not all places sell alcohol).

Our street at night.

Then we went to Derhadun where a friend of mine is from.
As soon as we could we borrowed a small motorbike and drove up Missouri Mountain. We both love it there, and whilst Delhi had still been hot we were going in late Autumn so the mountains were quite chilly.

Going up the mountain

And almost at the top looking down.

The first time we took lot of pictures of the town on the top, sadly we didn't this time so unless I scan some of my other pics onto the computer you will just have to imagine it.
And this is on the way down.
Also on the way down Jeff made noises at a monkey which pissed him off and made him chase us halfway down. Sadly the camera was packed down in my bag so no pic :-(

Me looking over the edge.

Some beautiful scenery when going down.

When also visited this place one day. I can't remember what it's called but they are like an organisation looking after the forests. Had a nice museum inside. And the building was so big It wouldn't fit into the picture.

Late cup of Coffee in a Cafe with friends.

Me learning how to ride a bike. I was a natural! Didn't fall once. :-)

As we where there my friend's cousin was getting married so we were invited to the wedding. The first time we went we were also invited to a wedding which is actually why we went. This time it just happened to be at the same time.

So this is me going to be measured for an outfit for the wedding. Apparently I'm not gracious enough to get to wear a sari so I had to go for what they call a suit.
Also as you can see I now have my own clothes to wear that actually fits!

If I post anymore I will post pics of the run up for the wedding and maybe the actual wedding too. :-)

Today I got told something you don't hear often...

2009-07-19T14:32:00.001-07:00

"Spiderman just checked you out"

Today I was at the London comic con. It was fun thou it was the first time I went and I wasn't sure how to go about things.
Next time I will make sure to book some stuff in advance. For exaple I really would have liked to be at the Twilight talk but it was sold out! But I did go to a Star Wars talk.

The outfits were great! I didn't take that many pictures of them thou.

Also the camera didn't like the room much, and kept giving me blurry pictures (yes it was all the camera's fault not the crappy photographer ;-P)

2009-07-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have the distinct feeling that due to me planning this trip that I am very much looking forward too, this blog can now be looked upon more as a travel (or run up to travel) blog and less of a mad rant blog. But then again I do still rant an people will probably still refer to me as mad so maybe it's a bit off both.
So if you like to travel please contribute with comments about places you have been or give advice about things I need to do (or not do) etc. And if you don't like travelling you probably wont be reading this blog anyway. :-)

I'm going on a Holi Holi Holiday!

2009-07-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

Back from holiday and at work! Now I am planning for my next step! And my secret planning can be revealed

I have decided to take a trip to America. I'm hoping to travel thru North America and to stop in New Orleans for a while, best thing would be if I could do some volunteer work there for a month. I might be female but no one could accuse me of being weak and feeble & I would love to help restoring New Orleans even if only for a month. Then to fly over to South America from New York and join a tour trekking with a group, starting in Ecuador and finishing in Brazil (Rio).

One of the problems is (the biggest problem) money. It will be quite expensive to do all of the above and thou I do have some money saved it wont be enough so now I need to work out how to make enough, and how much enough is.

Might take evening job to make more (if possible).

Also looks like I might be out of a job end of august, I'm only s temp but they are laying people of then so I will probably go to. Can't make enough by then, also my rented room don't run out until end of September, don't know if I should keep it whiles gone (and pay rent for a place I'm not using) or give it up and have no place to stay when I get back. Also need to make sure I at least have £1000 for when I get back in case I have problems to get a job and prob even more if no place to live.
My dad thinks I should split the trip in 2 and do 1 part go home then go back to do 2nd part. I see his point because I could then pay for it in 2 and have more time to make enough but think it would work out more expensive and I'm planning on looking for a good job I enjoy doing when I get back so can't really swan of for months on end again once I find it.

Decisions decisions!
But no matter how horrible the run up will be I think the trip will be worth it! :-)

Holidays!

2009-06-22T05:06:00.000-07:00

Going home on saturday for a week. Only a week but god am I looking forward to some peace and quiet.
Should be the last peace and quiet I'll have for quite a while. I am in the middle of making idea about what to do next, have sooo many. Will write about it when I get back.

2009-06-17T05:41:00.000-07:00

Bad day at work again! Don't seem to be such a thing as a good day here. But atleast I've taken a wk off so will book ticket to go home tonoght (if internet decides to work) and call my parents to let them know.

2009-06-11T05:23:00.000-07:00

Everybody at work is in a pissy mood today!

Job

2009-06-10T04:39:00.000-07:00

Been thinking a lot lately about what I should do for a living. I mean it would be great if I could make jewellery full time but even if i could I think I would want a "normal" job too.
I know it's sounds strange but I like to work, and I really want a job were I use my brain, work with nice people, can put loads of effort in but be rewarded for it too.
I want a job were I have quite an important position and were I can have a career.
To explain:
I would enjoy working somewhere like an art gallery (it would appeal to the artist in me) but I think the actual work would eventually bore me because lets admit it, it requires social skills and maybe some art knowledge but no real brain work.
That came out wrong. I know it requires skill and work etc but it's not exactly solving world starvation.
I want something challenging (thou perhaps not solving world starvation kind of challenging).
Also right at this moment I'm not in a position to find this brilliant job because I have some plans in between. If it started in January next year that would be perfect.

Any ideas?
Yeah right! Like things ever just work out like that, but I will persevere and find the job of my dream to fit around the life of my dream etc. Only problem is, my dreams are dead confusing and strange at the best of times.

Oh, on that subject, guess what I dreamt last night!
I'm really quite upset BNP got voted into the EU Parliament and last night I dreamt they were taking over the UK. Here comes concentration camps for immigrant and gays etc. *brrr*
Lets hope it was just a creepy dream and not so much a vision of things to come.

Nooooo

2009-06-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

My internet keeps crashing. Contstantly!
And T-mobile don't know what's wrong. So at the moment I pretty mucH only get to axcess internet on my lunch break at work.

Me me me

2009-06-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

For no particular reason I thought it would be a good thing to make a list of things about me.

Twenty random things about me:

1: I don’t have a favourite colour. I mean, why should I have to choose just 1 colour when there is so many out there?

2: I’m not afraid of dying, nor does the idea of dying young bother me all that much. What bothers me is the thought that I might die without ever having achieved something. Now that petrifies me!

3: I don’t believe in happily ever after, now what I hope for is a completely different matter.

4: I believe in Karma.

5: I love to travel, and I really mean love to travel. After all that’s how I ended up in the UK. And next I’m doing America (but only for a holiday).

6: I want to get a motorbike before I die (and a licence as well of course).

7: I’m Bossy, and loud. And I never want to change

8: I am dead loyal to my friends but you have to be loyal back. I don’t forgive others easily, trick me once shame on you, trick me twice…and all that stuff.

9: I fell OK about the way I look most of the time, and don’t understand why on earth I should be a size 6.

10: I love chocolate and ice cream, but not chocolate ice cream.

11: I’m turning 29 this year and I still don’t have kids or a husband. Also I really don’t want either. This worries me sometimes, I fell like I should want those things. And what if I do one day but it’s too late?

12: I’m very very stubborn and don’t like to admit I’m wrong.

13: I use Google to prove my point whenever I disagree with someone about the answer to a question.

14: The man of my dreams is Hugh Jackman (or Wolverine depending on the way you look at it).

15: I’m a geek and I’m OK with that.

16: I used to get upset when I was little because the other kids didn’t like me. These days I don’t care who hates my guts or thinks I’m weird or whatever. I mean why should I? The only time I’d care is if it’s a close friend. But then again you wouldn’t be a close friend unless you know what I’m like.

17: I sing or hum or talk 95% of the time. When I’m quiet people worry.

18: Thou I’m always energetic and talkative I actually like being on my own with no one around to talk to for days on end. I’m both social and anti social.

19: I hate crowds. And thou I love having new clothes I hate shopping because it means I have to push thru people and be in tiny smelly cubicles to get them.

20: I’m happy with me.

Twilight

2009-05-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

My room is so hot that I can’t sleep in it!
Therefore I watched Twilight instead and am now sitting by the computer.

I have been given very different views about this film. Adults seem to hate it, whilst teenagers love it.

Teens love it because of the all consuming love story, the thought that somewhere out there, there is someone just for you and they would live and die for you!

The adults hate it for pretty much the same reason. The thought that someone would love you so much they follow you and climb thru your window at night just sounds stalkerish too them and I can understand that. After all you don’t want you’re kids thinking that is a healthy relationship.

So what did I think?

Well I…liked it. It’s a good film, and though I see why some adults would find it worrying it seems more likely to me that they’ve forgotten how they felt at that age, because at that age when I fell in love I felt just like Bella, sadly my choice of blokes were nowhere near as good as Bella’s. I mean everyone in my school hated my guts so any guy I liked avoided me like the plague, which in retrospective probably was for the best!

But I remember that feeling of loving someone so much you would die if they didn’t love you back. And thou thinks never work out the way they do for Bella and Edward I appreciate the sentiment.

I think that to feel something that intently is worth aspiring to!

Rants of a Mad Woman

Writers that make us who we are.

Medical trial

Sherlock Holmes

Writing

So it's 2012

I am trying my hand at writing

What's next

Don't be afraid of the dark...

Have you tried this?

Juvenile Arthritis

Dear Prime minister,whilst I'm not your number one fan I would like you to listen to the following video and do what the kids ask, as whilst I'm a grown up and think Arthritis really really sucks I can't imagine how much worse it had been if I got it as a child.

The thing is...

Pictures of Reading.

Questions questions..

I finally solved the riddle...

Christmas Craft Fair

Me and my weird obsessions!

Christmas Craft Fair

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell

It's the weekend!

Writing

And today I shall be...

Nothing ventured nothing gained...

Do you make stuff? Then look here!!!!

What would you do?

Etsy sellers

I could be anywhere else but here...

Fiction writing

Nemi

Prins Charming!

Why can't I have my cookie and eat it!!

My boss is lovely!

Hiking in Wales

Just felt like sharing..

Goblin, fairies and trolls

International woman’s day

Boston

How do you feel about being dead...

Quick update

Missing South America

Back in England!

And then...

Inca Trail!

Update....Inca Trail.

Ecuador!

Grand Canyon

Last week in the states

Trip part 2 or is it 3...

Last day in Boston!

To do:

Tickets are now booked!

Need input!

Bad day today!

It's getting closer!

Trek part 2

Florence And The Machine

Trek

Bad day!

Richard Armitage

India!

Today I got told something you don't hear often...

I'm going on a Holi Holi Holiday!

Holidays!

Job

Nooooo

Me me me

Twilight

Dear Prime minister,
whilst I'm not your number one fan I would like you to listen to the following video and do what the kids ask, as whilst I'm a grown up and think Arthritis really really sucks I can't imagine how much worse it had been if I got it as a child.