2011/12/25

TED: Roger Doiron - A Subversive Plot



Such an inspiring and fabulous idea.

2011/12/24

Happy Holidays to everyone!

I wish all of you a wonderful christmas, Hanukka, weekend or whatever it is that you are celebrating. Enjoy some peaceful days with your loved ones, have fun and calm and celebrations.

2011/12/23

Christmas Fantasy


This is how it should look like outside, right now. Instead Leipzig is experiencing a grey day with drizzle and therefore a wet cold that creeps into ones bones. Going by the forecast the next three days aren't going to be any better, weatherwise. So I have to resort to other things to get myself into a christmas mood.


My favourites for this are: "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, hot chocolate tea (Yes, there is chocolate tea, but you have to search to find a good one. I've succeeded just this week after 2 years of search!), candle light, christmas music (currently I LOVE the christmas longplayer by Michael Bublé), watching "Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel - Three wishes for Cinderella" and if all else fails: watching the christmas scenes of the first Harry Potter movie.



What I'm not too fond of is the grocery shopping before christmas, however it has to be done and so I'm off now to get it over with. My treats for completing this will be the new issue of the "Happinez" mag and going to watch "Sherlock Holmes - A game of shadows" with Chris this evening. Only to get up at 4:24 AM tomorrow morning to get to work. *ugh*



By the way, what do you do to get into the christmas mood?

I wish all of you a stress free Friday before christmas. Don't get this: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107688/



PS: I've just realized that I have taken more than 4000 pictures this year!! Mostly they are digital, but still: WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT! Wohoo.

2011/12/22

Hawaii Black sand beach on Big Island


So, yesterday I unpacked, installed and used my next step to independence: my sleek black HP laser printer.* Today I'm preparing for the next step towards independence.

* Yes, I know, my life is terribly boring. But I have really nice friends. My friend A brought me some waste tokens, so I can now get rid of my old tape deck.

2011/12/21

Winter solstice - finally


The longest night of the year and from tomorrow on days are getting longer again. Finally, sigh.

2011/12/19

In between - Mauna Loa


"In between" is a description not just for the Mauna Loa in the above pic which I took standing on Mauna Kea right next to an awesome observatory, but it also describes how I feel at the moment. In between. It feels kinda weird, good and bad luck have struck a fragile balance during the last few days. For example, I was the only one out of my group to have to work today, bad luck, however today every worker got a little sweet christmas present, which is good. So yeah, in between it is for me.

Can't sleep therefore some pics of O'ahu




Not the usual stuff you'd expect for Hawaii pics, right?

2011/12/18

Hawaiian mood


Okay, so this picture might not symbolize Hawaii for you, but it does for me. Why? Well, it was the best day of the year 2008 for me, my trip to the Mauna Kea Observatories. It was a Tuesday, we were picked up at 1 PM at a frozen yoghurt shop. We've enjoy driving up over the plateau and then to the middle station (where we had a nice Dinner) before we drove through the clouds and even higher up to the observatories. It's beautiful isn't it? We've witnessed the most extraordinairy sunset and afterwards we were watching stars through a telescope that the guide had brought with him. I don't remember the tour guides name, but he was fantastic. I've loved every minute of this tour. As I've said previously, 2008 was a great year for me.

Enjoy your remaining Sunday and have a good start into Christmas week.

2011/12/17

Leipzig Street Art - Snail mail


Oh how I wish that I had had this idea. However, I didn't, I just took the picture of it for your amusement.

Have a great weekend.

2011/12/16

Hawaii again


next year? This would be quite some fun, but it's not in my goals. My main goal for next year is independence and this doesn't add up with another Hawaii vacation next year. Sadly. *sigh*

But I've made some major steps towards independence and a brilliant 2012. Yesterday I finally got rid of the big paper boxes in my cellar, that had been waiting for this happening for about a year. I also threw the trash books into the paper trash container. And I've ordered my HP laser printer. Which is a major step towards independence for me. I've also got my new water kettle, but this is a story for another post. And through getting rid of some of this stuff I've also lost a wee bit of unnecessary bodyfat. I'm constantly under 59 kg now! Wohoo. Next is the 58 kg. But no more weighing for at least one week, don't want to get too obsessive. XD

I've also send out 7 postcrossing cards this week, which is above my normal weekly limit of 4 (budget restriction). However for December I've given my communication budget a few extra euros, because it is so much fun to send out smiles and holiday / new year greetings. Next year is the chinese year of the dragon, which means good luck and since dragons are my favorite magical creatures I think this means we have an awesome year ahead of us.

So, how are your preparations for 2012 coming along?

2011/12/15

Why 2012 will be an awesome year and NOT the end of the world


Ranking years I'd say 2008 was a definite 7 (with 10 being AWESOME). It was the year I've been to Venice (job), Edinburgh (marathon vacation, but no marathon due to lack of training after the halfmarathon in April 2008), Paris (job), Besancon (job) and San Francisco and Hawaii (Marathon vacation, again without the marathon). What an amazing year. After that everything went downhill till January 2011.

Next year is going to be awesome because we will make it so. Don't listen to the proclaimers of the end of the world. Their song is getting old and boring. How often have they proclaimed the end.

And look we are still here!!

Yes, we face severe problems, however we are working on their solutions. People don't give up so easily anymore, instead we fight together for the ideas and the stuff that is important to us. Don't believe me? Just look at this past year: the Arab Spring, the help and prayers for Japan, Occupy Wall Street and then the politicians and diplomats working in Durban between the cleaners after the official end of the conference to accomplish a treaty, and all the amazing stuff people do in their very own communities, but that doesn't get recognized by the big media.
And besides what do you prefer to be looking at the end of the world or an amazing year ahead of you? Well, there is no question what I'm prefering and it's a fantastic new year filled to the brim with beauty, fun and exitment, chances and challenges. Remember what the ninth Doctor in Doctor Who Series 1.2 "The End of the World" said? "You lob. You spend all your time thinking about dieing. (..) But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive."

Tell you what, I'd rather put my energy, imagination and thoughts towards surviving than to the end of the world that some stupid bloke decided would happen next year on a randomly chosen date. One can only predict the future when you create it and I will create my none other than amazing future. To all of the end of the world proclaimers and believers I have just one thing to say:

Piss off.

Nope not screaming at them, because that would be wasted energy, energy that I can use better for my amazing here and now and future.

Do you join me in creating a fantastic new year?

2011/12/13

Preparing for 2012 - in a good way!


How was the year 2011 for you? Did you like it? Was it a good or less good year for you?
If I had to rate 2011 for me I'd say it ranged somewhere between 2.5 and 3, on a scale from 0 to 10 with 10 being AWESOME! 2010 was a 1. So there is plenty of room for improvement and I certainly plan to make 2012 a fantastic year. And to get a headstart I'm already preparing for the amazing things that will happen and that I will make happen. ;-) So you might ask what it is I'm currently doing. Let me tell you:

1. As I've already told you before, I've drawn up a budget. I use it even for this month already and it comes along nicely.

2. I've set goals for 2012 and have written them down. All of them are measurable, some are easy to reach, others need perseverance, patience and a pinch of good luck too. Setting goals is another first to me.

3. I'm getting rid of clutter. This has been an ongoing battle for the last three years. I've gotten rid of tons of clothes, shoes, books, video and music tapes, and unnecessary stuff in general. However I still haven't reached the clutterfree state that I want to achieve. So I started with sorting out on Sunday, again. Since I couldn't do my usual Sunday thing due to my ill health, I've used the time to sorting out receipts, postcards, boxes and books.
I've sorted out 80 (in words EIGHTY) books. And that is, even though I had given away a ton of books in 2010 before I moved into my own flat. And you know what is really freaking me out?! I still have at least the same amount left if not even more! Some of the books weren't fit for giving them away, so they went into the paper trash straight away. Most of the others I'll give to the public library and the rest I'll sell or they follow the others to the trash can too. (Whatever it takes to get rid of them before the 31. December of 2011!!!)
I'll also get rid of my old tape deck. I don't own any tapes any more and haven't used the deck in at least 6 years!

The funny thing about the getting rid of clutter is I really have to kick myself to get started (or re-read "Colin Cowie Chic" or "Clear your clutter with Feng Shui" by Karen Kingston {Blog: http://www.spaceclearing.com/html/blog/}, then I'm suddenly in the right mood), but as soon as I have started I get so much into it I almost can't stop.
Sunday I stopped for two reasons only a) I was exhausted (darned cold) and b) the paper trash can was full. ;-) I truly wish I could've also brought the tapedeck to the recycling center, but they are closed on Sundays and I need a 2011 bulky waste token to bring it in.

So, how do you prepare for the new year? Like to share your ideas and traditions?

2011/12/12

Wood leading to the sun


Have a fantastic new week everyone! It's going to be brilliant, with Mercury going direct again and us all making the best of it.

2011/12/11

2011/12/10

Sheer Beauty


Enjoy your weekend!

2011/12/08

The wood in the window


This was actually one of my first lomographic pictures.

2011/12/07

Looking up


Beautiful isn't it? Have a great day.

2011/12/06

The door to Alices Wonderland?


Ahh, how I wished I could go there now. Instead I'm at home and my nose is preparing for a marathon, means I'm sick. Hopefully all of you are healthy.

2011/12/05

Beauty at the roadside


Good morning, I wish everybody a fantastic new week. I took the above picture this spring. It's a good reminder, that beauty is everywhere around us and that we just need to take a closer look. Open our eyes to the beauty of our world. Just a few minutes I was lucky enough to catch this:



A rainbow. Just outside my window and literally a few seconds after I had taken this picture it was gone. So, whenever you see something beautiful, stop to appreciate it in all its glory, you can always spare a second or two for these things. And it's those moments that make our life beautiful and worthwhile.

2011/12/04

TED: 3D atlas of our Universe



Isn't this fantastic and beautiful? I wish I could create something amazing like this.

Nature's colors vs. human grey


Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

2011/12/03

Almost Stock Photography


Don't you think? I really like this picture, it says sooo much depending on your very mood. I took it at the Darss, on the way to the High Dune near the Pramort. Ah, how I wish to go there now. Instead I'm going to Chemnitz to an art exhibition with my parents. Since the weather is nice, I'll take my lomo with me. Tomorrow is Pampering Sunday for me, meaning lots of home spa treatments followed by amazing coffee and pondering time at my local Coffee Culture. Which is less expensive and makes a much better caffe latte then Starbucks. Plus you get to collect stamps which leads to the free 13th coffee or food item. Beat that Starbucks. Okay, it isn't that cozy as Starbucks and they don't have free internet access, however after the first coffee it starts to grow on you. One word of advice though, their hot chocolate has a weird taste so there is another point for Starbucks.

2011/12/01

Otherworldly



A double exposure. The striations are from the scan of the positive, I think they give this picture a very special edge. At first I was annoyed when I saw this jpg, but now... It is really funny but I really like trick photographies much better than the normal ones.

Since it is December 1st, I've opened the first door to my christmas calendar. I've found a drum. What did you find?