Well it seems like my wish for a white winter/christmas came true. At least here (and apparently in quite alot of other places, including London and Brussels) we've had lots of snow for the last few days and a healthy -10 celcius temperature to keep it all from melting. So far it hasn't been too cold, so I've been able to dress relatively freely & stylishly, just adding gloves, a thicker scarf and an extra top layer. I also got some new comfortable shoes suitable for the colder conditions. I actually bought them on a whim, when I was feeling angry/dissapointed about missing my first yoga lesson, because of not being able to find the place! (I also felt pretty stupid. I looked at a map on the internet, but still got lost.. I asked almost 5 different people for directions, but they were all contradictory). The shoes are not as imposing as my black combat boots, so they can be easier combined with a pretty skirt or dress.
Speaking of yoga, I've had only 3 lessons so far at the ashtanga yoga school, but I love it! Our teacher is quite nice, although she usually neglects to mention some important aspects of the asanas we do. I understand they're easier to do that way, but they should be learned the correct way from the start, even though it might be really difficult. Bad habits are harder to break later on. I miss my old teacher,as we had a small group (max 6 people), so there was more time for individual teaching. Also I miss some aspects of hatha yoga, like the meditation and counter forces. But I do love ashtanga as well, since it's more physical (I've already notices a slight change in my arm muscles, as they are put to hard work during almost all asanas) and satisfying in that aspect. Now that the introduction lessons are over (I'm gonna miss next week's lesson, but it doesn't matter that much, since I already know all the asanas and such), I've got 10 lessons in the beginner group to use. After that I'll maybe take a weekend course to advance to the intermediate group, or maybe stay in the beginner group for a while. I'm in no hurry, I still have the rest of my life to use to perfect even the first order asanas. So I'll probably start doing yoga twice a week and also start kickboxing. I thought about getting a membership at the local gym, as they've got a great offer for students, but I don't really relish the thought of running on a threadmill and lifting weights, I want something more interesting than that (especially as this gym doesn't have TVs... I've been spoiled rotten by Royal La Rasante club).
I've also bought some new books, icluding these two; a source book for vintage tattoos & tattoo artists (here are some of my favourite pictures included) and a book on traditional pin-up art (by Gil Elvgren, the godfather of pin-ups). I bought the tattoo book, because I'm interested in the history of traditional western tattooing and the pin-up book because I like pretty ladies (and also the book has some photograps about the original models and quite a lot of information on Elvgren's career). Most of the pin-up art is (oil) paintings, and it's interesting to see that "photoshopping" existed even then, as the pin-up ladies have impossible proportions and prettier faces, even though the actual models themselves were gorgeous. Woman is rarely pictured in art as she is, but rather throughout the centuries different aspects of her have been glorified and amplified in all kinds of art.
And of course; some cupcakes!
Now I'm going to watch some GG and work on some Christmas cards. xoxo Kaytay
-and it seems like I got my wish. Today I woke up to see a white blanket covering the ground, little flakes still drifting down from the sky. Now we just need to hope that it stays/we get more. I also realised that I'll be heading to Lapland for an extended weekend in just two weeks! I just can't wait to get on top of a board again. I've only boarded for about 13 days or so, but I'm quite good. Still, I'm more than happy to just go down the moderate (not too steep) slopes, gaining speed until reaching the fine line between exhilaration and fear of losing control (I've falled -doing a few cartwheels in the air- more than a few times, but never gotten anything worse than a few bruises). Gah, I miss snowboarding so much! I guess I'll try to go to some of the small ski centres near Helsinki, although they're nothing like the Alps... also going to drag some of my guy-friends to go skating and teaching me hockey :p
In other good news, my astangha yoga lessons will begin in 3 weeks, just after I get back from Lapland (already wincing about putting my sore muscles through a intense yoga session after being on a board for 24h or so). And I passed my physics course's end exam! Not much to celebrate about, since the test wasn't that hard, but I didn't really practice enough. I'm going to go raise my mark in January. I also have the maths' end exam then, so that means christmas hols full of studying. Oh joy. I'll be going back home during the hols, hopefully I'll get to meet as many of my friends as possible.
I've been listening to alot of music recently. I lost my ipod and don't have the money to buy a new one at the moment, so now I when I turn my laptop on, turning youtube/itunes/spotify on is the first thing I do. The new most played artists for me atm would be Regina Spektor and Asa (well rather Asa's and Laineen Kasperi's music featuring other good rappers). Yes, suomi-rap, you read right. I've always rather hated mainstream rap, or rather the ideas it stood for. The finnish rap scene is just as polluted by wannabe-gangsters and such, only the finnish guys are like watered-down (and whiter) versions if their american counterparts, but then there are some gems like Asa. His second-most recent album won some award with 40,000e price money, and he used all of his share to produce his newest album Via Karelia , which is a charity album for the Aseistakieltäytyjien Liitolle (the national union of people who refuse to bear arms; military service is mainly compulsory here in finland, unless you have a medical condition/choose istead to do civil service for ethical/moral/religious/other reasons), with ALL the winnings going to them. That's worthy of respect, as Asa isn't really rich or anything, he still lives in the neighbourhood he grew up in, outside inner-Helsinki. Regina Spektor is just magical. Her voice is as wondeful as Norah Jones' or a million other pretty voices, but her music is personal, always evolving, challenging.
I'm really too tired to write about anything else, although I think had other things to say. Sweet dreams, Kata
Met a hindu monk in front of Kamppi. He was wearing a bright orange knit beanie, didn't pay attention to whether he was wearing the robes as well. He said that I looked like a humane person, and asked whether I was interested in their work and stuff. I said I was in a hurry (a semi-lie), so he gave me some garuanga -coconut balls- basicly for free, but I donated 4e for them. He also asked what age I was, and I (quite shamelessly) lied an said that I was 17 and studied at Ressu. Then he let me go after giving me a small flyer and saying that hopefully he would see me at some of their parties. Oh, and at the beginning he asked if we had met before.
Basically almost a complete deja-vu of what happened to Outi with another (or perhaps the same?) krisha-guy :D.
But the coconut balls were really good.
Also went to get my inner conch jewellery changed (now a black-topped glass plug from Gorilla Glasswear ) as the original piercing was done with a titanium barbell (long enough to accomodate even extreme swelling during the intial days of healing), and of course all my piercings have to match. Besides, I wouldn't be able to wear golden or bronze accessories with steel-coloured piercing jewellery.
I'm so glad that next week is exam time, as I only have physics' exam on Wednesday, otherwise just free time. I'm planning on recharging my batteries, partying and catching up in maths. Those are my plans, now it just remains to be seen what I actually manage to get done.
1&2 Got the cutest little china set from Ikea. They're actually kids' toys, but I think you could probably use them for espresso parties. What do you mean you don't have those? I have them at least once a week with Pooh, Urpo and Turpo.
3 The view of my room from my new couch.
4 My art wall. Hopefully it will be full by the end of the school year.
5&6&7 Art from said wall. All of them are just as random as the earlier fetured owl (now taped to Outi's dorm wall in London), so even though I like them now, I might replace them quite quickly. The last one was made partially with recycled Ikea cardboard :D
8 My true love. I don't think I'll ever get tired of veggie soup (usually carrots and potatoes with onion/courgette/scallion/whatever strikes my fancy) with coconut milk, lime/lemon juice, herb salt, curry/chili. The citrus basil leaves are there just for decoration, although they would have mixed well with the other seasonings discounting the curry.
Happened across the new Twilight trailer today, had completely forgotten about it. It actually isn't that bad, if you close your eyes and cover your ears during the mushy scenes. It looks like there will be much more action, and not as much stuff centered around Bella and Edward. But then again, there seems to a love triangle with Bella and Edward & Bella and wolfboy. Also, Dakota Fanning, when did she grow up?
I'm supposed to be studying for tomorrow's math's test right now, but in true Kata-fashion I've found tons of other fun (and not so fun, but nescessary) stuff to do. Maybe I'll go to the store after posting this, to buy pepsi and return all the bottles and cans I have (probably worth over 10e). And then study maths. or at least seriously try. But now, picture time!
I baked mint-chocolate muffins on Sunday (week ago) with Mira. They came out delicious and we ate most of them. We were listening to random music on spotify, when we got a phone call from Anton, and then my room was invaded:
And this is what my room looks like without random people in it + the pretty view from my window:
This Friday Jaakko came over, we ate (was going to make something out of my fancy "low GI vegetarian cookbook", but ended up doing random veggie-couscous dish (mushrooms, carrots, scallion, onion, limejuice, herb salt and curry)), went for a walk at the lil' harbour and he taught me maths (learned more in 30min with him then in all the lectures with our real professor).
Then today I made the same stuff again, and also marianne-crush-pancakes with rasberry jam for pudding. Oh yeah, and I got an inner conch piercing on Wednesday, getting the other ear done when this heals. Also gonna go next Friday to get my scar piece done. How exciting.
She fell from the second floor balcon with the open French windows. You could only hear a whisper of a sound, the whistling of the air against her light child-like body, before she hit the ground without the usual thud. Next her sisters came, two together -third's the charm, I guess, although does it count here?- with their pretty, slightly mournfully coloured lace parapluie opened. They land farther away then their sister, did a few graceful rolly-pollies before stopping and turning to look at the lump on the ground. By then I have reached her, and time seems to stop as I look at the Little Sister lying on the tall grass. Her head is bleeding, but the dark blood seems oddly pretty, even though I've always thought that romanticising Death doesn't sit well in reality. But she did look rather like she was asleep, just with blood-soaked hair and thistles as her pillow and matress.
"Sounds like a sad story", I said to the Instructor, "What happened?", but then it was his turn to go.
I'm rather tired, but am going to write this update anyways, since it's been long overdue, and I will be quite busy tomorrow; I have to clean my room, wash a few weeks' worth of laundry, bake cupcakes, make veggie soup, study maths&physics&javacode and then spend the evening with Mira <3. Wow... two weeks since the last update (and my promise to update more frequently...). Where to start? Maybe I'll just plunge in, and write about stuff as it comes to my mind.
music I've been listening to alot of new music during the past few weeks, playing around with Spotify. I've just added whatever I like to a random-playlist, since I'm too lazy to make several playlists, and am not the kind of person, who likes to listen to just ____ kind of music continuously, but rather like to mix metal/classic/pop/hiphop/whatever strikes my fancy. At the moment the playlist includes The Flobots, Jackson 5, Editors, Tim Buckley, the A-ha, the Police, Pain, Edith Piaf, Public Enemy, the Smiths, She & Him, Philip Glass... My dad brought my guitar with him on Wednesday, now I just have to find the time to play it. I want to take lessons, but have to first find a teacher.
art I just finished drawing this random drawing of an owl. I am rather pleased with it - 99% of my good art works come into existence without unnescessary planning or thinking, and this one is no exception. An a different note, I've been searching through Desing Is Mine for decoration inspiration, and I've got several good ideas. I've gotten back into the mood of doing art, and looking at design blogs is uplifting and inspiring. Dad brought among the other stuff, my fabric markers, and I've got several blank canvas totes to play with, but I'm rather tempted by the idea of just continuing decorating the white bag with new green designs, and doing some stiching on the canvas totes. I'm also going to cut out some letters out of sunshine yellow carton, to string up on my windown, spelling out some silly message like KSS. Maybe I'll change them once a month or something. donnie darko Finally got around to watching the film, and found it as enjoyable as I thought I would. Gary Jules' "Mad World" is still haunting even after dozens of times of listening to it. I remember that three years back (?) Outi and Lauri sang the song in BotB, and that was the first time I herd the song. Another film I need to see is 500 Days of Summer ,as the trailer is cute and the soundtrack is even more awesome.
boys I've decided that chasing boys is a waste of time. And though Inka said that it would be okay, if I turned gay, chasing girls would be even more difficult, what with the heterosexuals-homosexuals ratio in the population. I'm just too much of realist/pessimist, too tired of embarassing myself and getting my feelings hurt -or worse yet, hurting someone else- to bother trying to find someone. More than 99% (the one exception being my elementary school sweetheart, if it even counts) of the time I let myself fall for someone, they aren't interested in me because of my personality, or there are hotter girls for offer. If there really is supposed to be someone there out there, we'll find each other some way, or maybe we won't. At least if I don't try, I can still entertain the notion of someone being interested in me, instead of getting rejected again and again. ... Wow, way to go all teenage-angst on your readers, Kata. And also go all bipolar/schitzofrenic, with speaking to yourself in the third person.
Yours truly, Me&Kata
P.S. The weather's getting colder and colder, I've already started wearing gloves, scarves and hats. Oh autumn/winter clothing, how I love thee. I could do without the rain/sleet, though.
Busy little bee, where have you been? Yesterday was a good day, as I chatted with hymypoika, we had a substitute lecturer in maths (so I didn't have to use all my concentration on trying to understand the mumbling and extract the important words from it), I understood the physics' exercises, I got my student card (one thing less to worry about) and then went to play badminton with Nikke. From now on we'll go atleast once a week, it's so cheap.
Also I just read an update on this random blog I found. It's some girl talking about her explorations into buddhism http://purplezephyr.wordpress.com/ . She talked about how yoga (literally means unity, the linking of the mind and the body btw) makes her feel, and I was hit with such a wave of longing...I could always do yoga whenever I want to, but especially to a semi-beginner like me, I can't just snap my fingers and be in the right mind set to do yoga well. Going to class helps, because the routine of going there (taking the bus etc.) helps you prepare for the upcoming session. Also the class rooms are quite empty, emptied out of any possible distractions and things that have nothing to do with yoga... waking up in bed after 12h of sleep on a saturday, or sitting at the beach of your summer house after swimming and a sauna are nothing compared to the feelings you get from a succesfull meditation. I have no problem admitting that the first time we did meditation instead of the end-of-class relaxation I ended up with just a sore back, because I'd been subconsciously tensing my muscles. But the time after that I took care not to repeat that mistake again. And then during the summer (2008) I just had this epiphany, corny as it sounds, when I went to do read, do yoga and meditate in some park in helsinki. I have no idea for how long I stayed still, just sitting there with my eyes closed, soaking in the surrounding sounds, the slight breeze, the grass under my toes. Then even those things slowly faded to the background and my mind was just blank. Time lost meaning and the connection between my mind and body was streched to its thinnest. This might sound contradictory to the idea of yoga as unity between mind and body, but yoga is more about the pair influencing each other through various ways. Meditation also is not the same as yoga, although they overlap in many ways. Meditation is perhaps the unity of a person's mind (and body) with the surrounding universe, linking to the ideas in zen buddhism and other ideologies (not the corect word to use here, but you catch my drift) about the unity of the universe, of everything being part of a One. So as not to go way too far out there, yoga and meditation to me means a deep sense of contentment within that moment.
I know I said in my last update that I would try to update more frequently, but it's so hard! I mean so many things are happening, so I have way too much writing material and way too little time for writing. Also, writing is a skill. Explaining your thoughts without using too many words but in a comprehensible manner is quite challenging sometimes. I've always dreamed about what kind of discoveries could be made, if people could share thoughts, pure thought processes without the hinderance of speech and it's limits, without the limits of time and the deeply-rooted western idea of linear thinking (you know when your thoughts are going so fast, because you don't have to use any time to refer to things or explain concepts, because they are there in your head? and when you simultaneously think about several things, their past existence, their momentarily state and possible future? Yeah, that's what I mean.)But then again it really is just a crazy dream, and doesn't have any possible base in scientific facts. We have to use carefully determined concepts and linear thinking, because otherwise individuals wouldn't be able to communicate. It is a nescessary evil, and it would take more than science to be able to overcome it.
I just went shopping for kitchen utensils and the like. I bought a 5cm high cheese grater, so cute <3. Dunno if it will actually be of any use, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to buy a termosmug, but the only one I found was just crap (I was in Stockmann). It was supposedly "termal insulated", but it looked like it was made of fucking clear plastic! Instead of believing it was some new awesome material made with nanotechnology, I'm just going to keep looking. I really do need one though, I'm planning on making my own robert's mochas for morning lectures (double espresso, chololate sauce/powder, milk, vanillasugar and maybe cinnamon) from now on. Also was going to buy some room plants, but forgot, so the citrus basil will have to suffice for now.
Now I've got to start doing my programming homework. To motivate myself I'm going to eat toast with tomato and cheese, seasoned with the basil, oregano and olive oil. And grapes and chocolate pudding for dessert.
Hugs and kisses, Kata.
P.S. I don't think any outsider might have stumbled on my blog, but just so everyone knows, I sign the updates, because this (and several other) blogs were started by me and my friends so as to keep track of each other's lives now that we've all moved to different unis.
P.P.S. www.textfromlastnight.com is amusing. And now I'm going to watch Inglorious Basterds.
I could post pictures of my cosy student room, but my camera is in Brussels. Along with my guitar, the rest of my clothes, shoes, books and other stuff. Most likely though my dad and/or mum will bring some of my stuff, when they'll come to visit during October/November. But my room is nice, way too big for only the bed and desk&bookshelf I have at the moment, so I'm going to buy a small armchair or sofa, and maybe a separate table for my computer. And when I talked to my dad, he said that he might invest in a small fridge or me (we have 9 people sharing a kitchen, and there's only 3 fridges and one freezer) :D This place already feels quite cosy, but it will feel like a home in about a year, I reckon. Home is where you make it.
The first week here at HUT was hectic. On Monday I had to wake up at six to get here for eight o'clock (I was still staying with relatives, I got my key on Tuesday). I latched onto Panu, but then after the regular welcome speeches (interrupted by some spirited and excellent and some not so excellent music and dance/theater performances), we were separated into guilds (us into the physics') and then went our separate ways. Then we were told some more important/semi-important/useless information, and then we were again separated into small groups, that were led by ISO-people; older students (most of then 2.years). Then we toured the campus, got to know each other a little better etc. Our groups name is nanaa.rar. Sauli has refused so far to tell me where the name comes from. Sauli is one of my iso-people, they're awesome <3. Then for the rest of the week we had some lectures introducing us to the information systems they have here (how to link up with the school computer from home, the programs used etc.), and then the evenings were filled with parties. On Wednesday we went for almost the whole day/night to Kiljava, for the annual physics' guild trip. There we had tons of entertainment, including beer-pulling. It's the same as rope-pulling, but you can use only one hand to pull, until you have emptied the drink can/bottle (has to contain alcohol) in your other hand. The new girls won again the ISO-captains, I'm proud to say :D.
But now I'm going to go to bed, I've got my first maths', physics' and programming lectures tomorrow, starting at 08:15. I had loads of other stuff to write about, but I forgot it. I'll try to update more regularly, so I don't have to try to strain my brain trying to remeber all the details and events of a whole week/month/year.
My summer holidays are almost over. A week from now I'll be flying to Finland to start university life. (Well thank the Holy Muffin, that I still have from that day on about a week or so to settle in, before my actual studies commence. And also I have Outi and Anna to keep me company and keep the home sickness at bay.) I'm crazy busy (that's why I'm updating my blog...) with cleaning and packing, as I have today and tomorrow to hopefully get all my things sorted out, so I can have a stress-free Pukkelpop-festival weekend! I'm leaving tomorrow night with Mari, Matilda and hopefully Inka :).
My Pukkelpop survival list: festivalticket, trainticket, money, cellphone, flashlight, swissarmy knife, canned beans, juice, water, apples, muesli bars, toilet paper, plastic bags, eating utensils, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, bikinis, soap, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, pens, paper, a good book, alcohol, chocolate, bandages, antiseptic handwash-thingy, sun screen, tent, sun glasses, make-up, towel, can opener, camera, ear plugs, deodorant, shampoo, contact lenses + solution, of course different clothes; shorts, jeans, t-shirts, jacket/hoodie.... Mari and Matilda are taking care of some of these things, but if I were going alone, I would have to take all of that with me.
Last night Greg took me to dinner to celebrate my b-day (16th of September, but sadly I'll be spending it in Finland). He took me to Novo (hadn't been there before), and we went to sit in the back terrace, where he already had a waitress plant my present (the whole thing was a mass conspiracy!). The present was so sweet; a picture of me (reflecting my inner persona quite well, I might add). We had some good food and talked, but then it was time to go home. We went our separate ways on the metro, and I walked home from Kraainem. Jeezh. I actually walked the ~5km in record time, 35min. It was so weird, I felt a bit ill (speed-walking in slightly chill weather with a completely full stomach is not advised), but I couldn't stop. Reminded me of running long distances like 12min cooper; your body and mind are kinda screaming at you to stop, but you're in a zone, where you can't stop or slow down. I actually tried to slow down when I finally got close to home, but I couldn't :P. Then I got home and basically fell face down on the bed.
Next update will probably be sometime next week, in Helsinki. -Last farewells from Brussels, Kata
This post will be short, because I still want to do some cleaning before I curl up in bed with a good book.
Information shocks:
Homemade ice-tea is awesome.
My new cupcake book is awesome (I actually didn't really need it for these cupcakes/muffins I made, but I want to try some of the fancier decorations and icings later).
I found some cool wood for new plugs. I only have Minna's half-finished tunnels with me, as the rest of the works under progress (and some of my tools) are in Finland. I want to make these into some 16,5-17,0mm flat-faced, single-flared plugs, or maybe into tunnels with a simple mayan flower-motif on the front. If you didn't understand a single word I just wrote, check back for some pictures later :D.
I've finally found the time to read more (spending a week or so alone makes even cleaning seem like a fun past time), and I've got quite a few new and old books (in regards to when they where written, and when I bought them) on my reading list.
You'll learn what kind of a person I am, when you read my blog.
This blog is about my studies, my non-existent love life, my friends, my political musings, my muffins, my vegetarian dishes, my bodymodifications, my custom made organic jewellery, my clothes, me, myself and I and many other wonderful things.
Speaking of yoga, I've had only 3 lessons so far at the ashtanga yoga school, but I love it! Our teacher is quite nice, although she usually neglects to mention some important aspects of the asanas we do. I understand they're easier to do that way, but they should be learned the correct way from the start, even though it might be really difficult. Bad habits are harder to break later on.
