Today I've felt just about as sorry for myself as this Thomas Holm chap.
Jeg har jokket i en lort / samlet den op og bidt i den.
5.12.11
Thorn in my Side
It is done. I handed in the papers for postgraduate studies last Wednesday, so now I will just have to wait for a letter from the Faculty telling me whether my application was accepted or not.
My topic has changed quite a bit. I have given up on metaphors more or less, although there's still the possibility that I will keep them bubbling under for some rainy-day stroke of genius. Conceptual metaphors could probably make a nice case study if I ever have the urge to come back to them. A little side project never hurt anyone and it's good to keep your topic close and your options closer.
The focus of the study has shifted towards translation history. And, since I have shameless feelings of nostalgia towards anything to do with music, I will be looking at the history of Finnish translations of nonfiction music literature during the first half of the twentieth century. Who knows what I will discover! The field is still relatively uncharted (there will, for instance, be a book on translating nonfiction into Finnish next year, but it won't say much about music, I hear) so I have a chance to do some pioneering work, which is fantastic. My only worry is how will the topic foster my academic career, forward my international connections and help me become an acknowledged scholar.
These musing may seem silly but I feel they are essential questions for me. For the first time, I'm in a situation where I have no plan for my future and it's unnerving. The financial situation at the uni is beyond dreadful, so I'm not holding my breath in the hope of a vacancy, I don't really have enough contacts to successfully operate my translation business and I have no idea what else I'm really good for. Research grants are uncertain at best. It's all rather depressing.
My topic has changed quite a bit. I have given up on metaphors more or less, although there's still the possibility that I will keep them bubbling under for some rainy-day stroke of genius. Conceptual metaphors could probably make a nice case study if I ever have the urge to come back to them. A little side project never hurt anyone and it's good to keep your topic close and your options closer.
The focus of the study has shifted towards translation history. And, since I have shameless feelings of nostalgia towards anything to do with music, I will be looking at the history of Finnish translations of nonfiction music literature during the first half of the twentieth century. Who knows what I will discover! The field is still relatively uncharted (there will, for instance, be a book on translating nonfiction into Finnish next year, but it won't say much about music, I hear) so I have a chance to do some pioneering work, which is fantastic. My only worry is how will the topic foster my academic career, forward my international connections and help me become an acknowledged scholar.
These musing may seem silly but I feel they are essential questions for me. For the first time, I'm in a situation where I have no plan for my future and it's unnerving. The financial situation at the uni is beyond dreadful, so I'm not holding my breath in the hope of a vacancy, I don't really have enough contacts to successfully operate my translation business and I have no idea what else I'm really good for. Research grants are uncertain at best. It's all rather depressing.
12.11.11
By deceit to bereave me / Love me and so deceive me
From Alas, What Hope of Speeding by John Wilbye. Not bad for six upper secondary school graduates.
10.11.11
Che se tu se'il cor mio
I miss singing. I miss our little renaissance sextet, and I regret us not having sung more when we had the chance. I know it's a terribly selfish way of looking at it, but, cor, I wish I could experience the merging of six voices into one harmonious whole again. Regularly. Productively.
Che se... at 3:33
7.11.11
Otherwise
Right-o. This I solemnly do swear: no more scout's honour. The scout's been dishonoured, and it's no use flogging a dead horse, really, is it.
So, do I hear 'doctorate'? Very well.
I have been toying around with the idea of writing a PhD thesis. It would quite naturally continue the work I started with my first Master's, that is, the study of conceptual metaphors in the context of music. What would be different this time is that I would have to assume some translational perspective in the thesis. I don't mind doing that at all, but the challenging part is coming up with a topic that is at the same time relevant, novel or fresh and interesting to me.
One idea that came up was about the five-volume Sibelius biography by E. W. Tawastjerna, published between 1965-88. Although first printed in Finnish, the work was originally written in Swedish, and it has also been translated into English. Thus, a comparative angle presents itself as one aspect rather automatically as does, judging by what I've read so far, the use of metaphorical language. Tawastjerna's language makes frequent use of metaphorical expressions when discussing the music of Sibelius, as expected considering the abstract nature of music and art in general (here, I have a terrible urge to refer back to my master's thesis, but that would be just utterly pi of me).
The problème du jour is that I don't really know where to begin. Right now, there isn't a real consensus between the professor and me on which direction I should run with this set-up (not that she has said one discouraging word about my musings, but she seems to have an inclination to take the topic to realms previously unbeknownst to me). I only have about three weeks to come up with something smart and convincing. May seem like a long time, but considering that I will more or less be married to the words I put on paper now for the next 4 years or so, my thoughts had better be rather stellar instead of meh.
A pillar of moral support comes in the form and personage of Mr T, who's about to embark on the same journey as I am. Many a pint-tipping session awaits the frustrated researcher duo in the future, I reckon.
So, do I hear 'doctorate'? Very well.
I have been toying around with the idea of writing a PhD thesis. It would quite naturally continue the work I started with my first Master's, that is, the study of conceptual metaphors in the context of music. What would be different this time is that I would have to assume some translational perspective in the thesis. I don't mind doing that at all, but the challenging part is coming up with a topic that is at the same time relevant, novel or fresh and interesting to me.
One idea that came up was about the five-volume Sibelius biography by E. W. Tawastjerna, published between 1965-88. Although first printed in Finnish, the work was originally written in Swedish, and it has also been translated into English. Thus, a comparative angle presents itself as one aspect rather automatically as does, judging by what I've read so far, the use of metaphorical language. Tawastjerna's language makes frequent use of metaphorical expressions when discussing the music of Sibelius, as expected considering the abstract nature of music and art in general (here, I have a terrible urge to refer back to my master's thesis, but that would be just utterly pi of me).
The problème du jour is that I don't really know where to begin. Right now, there isn't a real consensus between the professor and me on which direction I should run with this set-up (not that she has said one discouraging word about my musings, but she seems to have an inclination to take the topic to realms previously unbeknownst to me). I only have about three weeks to come up with something smart and convincing. May seem like a long time, but considering that I will more or less be married to the words I put on paper now for the next 4 years or so, my thoughts had better be rather stellar instead of meh.
A pillar of moral support comes in the form and personage of Mr T, who's about to embark on the same journey as I am. Many a pint-tipping session awaits the frustrated researcher duo in the future, I reckon.
1.11.11
when all things are one
Things you see when staring out of your office window:
A boy on a unicycle, uni-cycling at the university (eh, eh? See what I did there?) and hopping up the "Steps of Knowledge".
Very surreal, I'm telling you.
Ooo, and happy 1.1.11 every1.
A boy on a unicycle, uni-cycling at the university (eh, eh? See what I did there?) and hopping up the "Steps of Knowledge".
Very surreal, I'm telling you.
Ooo, and happy 1.1.11 every1.
27.10.11
Here's a rather sad piece of trivia for ya: the second most common search query leading people to find my blog is "my muffin top is all that".
This atrocity is only counterbalanced by the fact that the most common search phrase is "Agitata da due venti".
Scriblitas vincit ars - Ave Bartoli, regina scriblitarum
(Art conquers muffins - Hail Bartoli, queen of muffins)
This atrocity is only counterbalanced by the fact that the most common search phrase is "Agitata da due venti".
Scriblitas vincit ars - Ave Bartoli, regina scriblitarum
(Art conquers muffins - Hail Bartoli, queen of muffins)
Quand j'ai peur de tout
I just now went through my unpublished drafts. One of the titles from a couple of years back read "Sylar goes Martha Stewart". What the hell was that about?
I feel sort of odd. The world seems full of posibilities at the moment but somehow those possibilities also appear to be out of reach. To be, perhaps appropriately, all conceptually metaphorical about it (after all, LIFE IS A JOURNEY), I'm at a crossroads with no destination in sight. What is a boy to do?
This blog is perhaps taking a slightly more academic turn in the near future. If I indeed start working on my doctorate as now (once more) appears realisable, I might start to write this horribly neglected blog with more gusto again. My idea was to turn this forum into a learning journal of sorts, but the question is, would anyone really be interested in reading such crock.
The beginning of my road to a doctorate is closer than I actually feel in my heart of hearts. The research proposal, graduate student application form and all the papers that go with it need to be delivered to the Humanities office at the end of next month. That does not leave me a lot of time to ponder on my existence in this mess I call my life, so I'd better get crackin'. I have already prepared the easy part of the process and copied all the necessary documents and put them in a binder especially designed to keep all mah post-grad vip's (very important papers) in order. Ahhh, the bliss of lulling yourself into a false feeling of efficiancy.
Unanswered remains the question regarding the part that translation as a vocation is to play in my life next year. Should I still be trying to expand my business now that I "have time" to do so under the protective wings of the university? This particular dilemma is concretely illustrated by the two or three applications to different translation agencies that I have prepared and stored in the app tabs of Firefox for later reference.
In the horizon also looms the figure of serious adulthood in the form of a hefty mortgage I'm about to obtain and my ca. 25 years older self staring back at me from 2036. He looks kind of scary in his academic stuffiness, although I do find his silvery hair and classic appearance with a touch of devil-may-care rather befitting and charming.
I feel sort of odd. The world seems full of posibilities at the moment but somehow those possibilities also appear to be out of reach. To be, perhaps appropriately, all conceptually metaphorical about it (after all, LIFE IS A JOURNEY), I'm at a crossroads with no destination in sight. What is a boy to do?
This blog is perhaps taking a slightly more academic turn in the near future. If I indeed start working on my doctorate as now (once more) appears realisable, I might start to write this horribly neglected blog with more gusto again. My idea was to turn this forum into a learning journal of sorts, but the question is, would anyone really be interested in reading such crock.
The beginning of my road to a doctorate is closer than I actually feel in my heart of hearts. The research proposal, graduate student application form and all the papers that go with it need to be delivered to the Humanities office at the end of next month. That does not leave me a lot of time to ponder on my existence in this mess I call my life, so I'd better get crackin'. I have already prepared the easy part of the process and copied all the necessary documents and put them in a binder especially designed to keep all mah post-grad vip's (very important papers) in order. Ahhh, the bliss of lulling yourself into a false feeling of efficiancy.
Unanswered remains the question regarding the part that translation as a vocation is to play in my life next year. Should I still be trying to expand my business now that I "have time" to do so under the protective wings of the university? This particular dilemma is concretely illustrated by the two or three applications to different translation agencies that I have prepared and stored in the app tabs of Firefox for later reference.
In the horizon also looms the figure of serious adulthood in the form of a hefty mortgage I'm about to obtain and my ca. 25 years older self staring back at me from 2036. He looks kind of scary in his academic stuffiness, although I do find his silvery hair and classic appearance with a touch of devil-may-care rather befitting and charming.
14.9.11
Scream
I've been meaning to write for a long time - scout's honour - but so much has been going on I haven't known where to start. Now I'm just going to vent out a bit; as good a place to start as any, I guess.
< rant >I'm back in Finland, quite settled in already, but things are just not working out for me. First, the job around which I had planned my life for the next 5 or so years gets cancelled at the last minute. Then, the agencies I apply for make me feel like the most unappreciated poor sod in the world (how would you like to work for 5 cents per word?). Now the agency I have mostly worked for up until now owes me almost 2k with no sight of payment in the foreseeable future (the due date of the first invoice of the batch was 7 July, by the way) because, quote, the client hasn't paid the agency yet. Tough, says I: I have handed in the work on time and thus expect to be paid in due time. It's not my problem your billing department doesn't know their stuff.
I also signed a new freelance agreement with another agency, who offered me part-time inhouse work that was supposed to start today and last for a week. Surprise, surprise, their system is not operational, so the job got cancelled. This is getting ridiculous.
It's hard to keep positive in the face of the harsh realities of the translation business. The agency I'm starting with now is paying less than 8 cents per word and of course even less for fuzzy matches and the like. All the while I keep seeing Miss Gorschelnik giving her lecture about minimum fees and how accepting anything under 8 cents per word is equal to shooting yourself in the leg (if I remember correctly, a full-time freelance translator asking for 8 cents per word is left with a little over 1000 euros after taxes). The established translators on Translat and the SKTL's survey seem to agree that 18-20 cents per word constitute a suitable fee. Nice, could I get what you're having? Where are these clients?
FML.< /rant >
In much better news, I just spent two wonderful weeks under the Tuscan sun admiring the hills and cliffs, grape vines and olive trees. Have now seen San Gimignano, Volterra, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Montalcino, Montepulciano and places in between.
< rant >I'm back in Finland, quite settled in already, but things are just not working out for me. First, the job around which I had planned my life for the next 5 or so years gets cancelled at the last minute. Then, the agencies I apply for make me feel like the most unappreciated poor sod in the world (how would you like to work for 5 cents per word?). Now the agency I have mostly worked for up until now owes me almost 2k with no sight of payment in the foreseeable future (the due date of the first invoice of the batch was 7 July, by the way) because, quote, the client hasn't paid the agency yet. Tough, says I: I have handed in the work on time and thus expect to be paid in due time. It's not my problem your billing department doesn't know their stuff.
I also signed a new freelance agreement with another agency, who offered me part-time inhouse work that was supposed to start today and last for a week. Surprise, surprise, their system is not operational, so the job got cancelled. This is getting ridiculous.
It's hard to keep positive in the face of the harsh realities of the translation business. The agency I'm starting with now is paying less than 8 cents per word and of course even less for fuzzy matches and the like. All the while I keep seeing Miss Gorschelnik giving her lecture about minimum fees and how accepting anything under 8 cents per word is equal to shooting yourself in the leg (if I remember correctly, a full-time freelance translator asking for 8 cents per word is left with a little over 1000 euros after taxes). The established translators on Translat and the SKTL's survey seem to agree that 18-20 cents per word constitute a suitable fee. Nice, could I get what you're having? Where are these clients?
FML.< /rant >
In much better news, I just spent two wonderful weeks under the Tuscan sun admiring the hills and cliffs, grape vines and olive trees. Have now seen San Gimignano, Volterra, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Montalcino, Montepulciano and places in between.
5.5.11
Davon geht die Welt nicht unter
I have disassembled two shelves. I have cleared up most of the kitchen cupboards, bathroom is almost empty and ready to be cleaned, and my sofa bed will be picked up tomorrow. I don't especially enjoy moving out but the promise of getting to move in to another place soon makes the process much more tolerable.
On Sunday, I will go on a little trip to Potsdam. High time I visit the town, I think. Next week a friend of mine is coming over for a few days, so I should probably come up with some sort of battle plan for that, too.
I love Berlin in the spring time.
3.5.11
I Against I
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| Schloss Charlottenburg 30 April |
Another episode in my life is drawing to a close and it's making me feel very awkward. I'm neither 'here' nor 'there', I'm at an in-between state between states of mind, and, indeed, the states of Finland and Germany. I'm very conscious of having to move out of the country in a few weeks (I'm already moving out of this flat at the end of this week because I sold my bed to a class mate) and that the rest of my stay here is going to be like one continuous farewell. I don't know how to live in the moment; instead, I'm seeing my time here through certain nostalgia and anticipating my future with great expectations. It's a curious frame of mind to be in.
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| Dishes at 'a very cool Berlin flat' (tm) |
I graduated yesterday. The course as a whole went better than I had expected. My thesis was one of three in our class that were given a straight 1.0. I was quite shocked to hear this, actually, as I didn't think (I still don't) that the thesis was that good. Compared to the previous paper I wrote, writing the MBS thesis was a struggle - something that you might already have picked up reading this blog. The concluding two sections are a mess, the analysis is too limited and the sources I referred to are a bit questionable here and there. Then again, at least I know what the shortcomings are. It gives me hope to think that I could've been able to make the thesis work had I had more time on my hands.
The Centre for British Studies would like to publish the thesis in their series of academic papers, but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to give my consent. I can't help but comparing my two theses and thinking that if I'm so dissatisfied with what I wrote I shouldn't really make it public property. Here in Germany, or at least at the HU, unlike in Finland, only the best thesis or theses will become available for everyone to read. I'm not too happy about the idea of letting future generation get hold of the paper. So at the moment it seems like the Centre will have to make do with only two theses this year.
Although I probably shouldn't say "only two". As one of the professors pointed out in his speech at the graduation ceremony, our class was rather exceptional: sometimes the staff have trouble finding even one thesis that should be awarded a 1.0; our class had three. There was also an unusually high number of Firsts in our class compared to other years. We were creative, got along, and the atmosphere was, alles in allem, encouraging. Was the course on the whole a triumph of academic knowledge? Not necessarily. Then was it worth it? Absolutely. Already the internationality of the course made it a worthwhile experience. I also managed to make a couple of friends whom I wish to see in Finland sooner or later and whom I will hopefully get to visit one day, too.
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| People at Görlitzer Park on May Day |
29 days to go. Finland, are you ready for my return?
12.4.11
Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me
After quite a hiatus, I'm working again. Blimey, does it feel good. As far as the ST is concerned, bloody awful and infuriating as well, but translating even a rather boring text such as the one I'm working on now makes me feel happy about my profession, about my education, about language, about myself. Can you honestly ask for more? Well, more work I suppose, but let's leave that issue be.
I downloaded the most recent version of Wordfast, too, and am now trying to learn how to use it properly. I've created a glossary with 55 entries so far (Do you know what "blasting with steel grain" is? Well, I do! Do you know what "CTO" stands for? I can tell you!). My TM for the current commission came close to exceeding the limit of 500 entries you get for free on the demo version of Wf, but luckily the segments stopped just short of 500 at 492 (I finished the first drafts of the three files today, so I know I won't be going overboard with the entries anymore). Wordfast makes me happy.
More good news. I'm in love with my Kindle. It has 42 free books dowloaded onto it and 2 books that I've purchased online. The first book I was ever to read on the thing was Gaiman's Stardust, and I deemed it worthy of such honour. Now I'm reading some Wells (see the Now Reading segment on the left), and I have Twain, Verne, Dickens, Dumas, Defoe, Wilde, Hardy and Shelley waiting for me, just to drop a few names. Never again will I need to drag along a pile of books when I go on holiday. I'll just grab by nifty e-reader and off I go. Yes, I still like how a real book feels in my hand, yes, I like the smell of old books and the sound of a page turning, but practically thinking, I do find Kindle great. Never again will countless books that I will read but once clutter by bookshelves. And never you mind that the Google-converted books make some annoying, albeit sometimes hilarious scanning mistakes, as in the sentence "They wore turbans too, and thereunder peered out their elfin feces at me" - I still like my handy device. Once I get a regular wireless internet connection in Finland, I think Kindle will even become my device of choice for reading all the blogs I subscribe to.
Which brings me to another matter, the matter of moving in to my new home. Still almost two months away, but I'm quite ready to start settling in. Lookie, I even took some pictures:
Come one, come all. Allez, entrez. Ich bin müde. Je vais dormir.
I downloaded the most recent version of Wordfast, too, and am now trying to learn how to use it properly. I've created a glossary with 55 entries so far (Do you know what "blasting with steel grain" is? Well, I do! Do you know what "CTO" stands for? I can tell you!). My TM for the current commission came close to exceeding the limit of 500 entries you get for free on the demo version of Wf, but luckily the segments stopped just short of 500 at 492 (I finished the first drafts of the three files today, so I know I won't be going overboard with the entries anymore). Wordfast makes me happy.
More good news. I'm in love with my Kindle. It has 42 free books dowloaded onto it and 2 books that I've purchased online. The first book I was ever to read on the thing was Gaiman's Stardust, and I deemed it worthy of such honour. Now I'm reading some Wells (see the Now Reading segment on the left), and I have Twain, Verne, Dickens, Dumas, Defoe, Wilde, Hardy and Shelley waiting for me, just to drop a few names. Never again will I need to drag along a pile of books when I go on holiday. I'll just grab by nifty e-reader and off I go. Yes, I still like how a real book feels in my hand, yes, I like the smell of old books and the sound of a page turning, but practically thinking, I do find Kindle great. Never again will countless books that I will read but once clutter by bookshelves. And never you mind that the Google-converted books make some annoying, albeit sometimes hilarious scanning mistakes, as in the sentence "They wore turbans too, and thereunder peered out their elfin feces at me" - I still like my handy device. Once I get a regular wireless internet connection in Finland, I think Kindle will even become my device of choice for reading all the blogs I subscribe to.
Which brings me to another matter, the matter of moving in to my new home. Still almost two months away, but I'm quite ready to start settling in. Lookie, I even took some pictures:
15.3.11
It might as well be spring
I am so hungry right now, you wouldn't believe. It's not a good idea to start planning the menu for your yearly skiing trip when all you have in your fridge is some ready-made pesto. On the bright side, I think I managed to find a dozen or so recipes I really want to try out once I'm back in Finland, or maybe even before. What would you say about a nice light lemon linguine? Perhaps with parmesan chicken breast with posh ham. For this year's grill season I want to give marinated kebabs a go. And for the odd visitor at my new gaff, I was thinking about preparing some salmon tikka with cucumber yoghurt and naan. Hot and sour rhubarb and crispy pork with noodles will definitely go on my list as well.
For the upcoming skiing trip I will prepare a three-course menu. For starters, there will be an Indian carrot and lentil soup with yoghurt and naan. For main course, I will prepare a beef tagine with couscous (and probably some salad as well) and for desert I will make a pineapple curd with vanilla mousse and chocolate shavings. The first and the last recipes have been tested and deemed delicious, but I can only hope that the main course will live up to my expectations, too. I don't think I will try out the tagine before the trip, though. There always needs to be an element of surprise in every menu.
I am apparently thinking about opening the running season soon, judging by the fact that I bought a new pair of trainers today. It was a perfect day for shopping, warm but cloudy, so I wandered round my neighbourhood and had a look around. I seem to be in a strange state of indetermination at the moment. I want to be in Berlin and enjoy this post-thesis freedom by exploring all the places I haven't yet been to, but on the other hand I also want to fly to Finland already and see my friends and family, move in a bit and assemble my new bed, drive up north and have some fun skiing (not to mention eating and drinking, of course, although I hope I can do these things in moderation since I need to lose a few thesis pounds. Munching on Double Deckers does not equal healthy living for some completely unfair reason). Oh, and finish Dragon Age: Origins on dad's PS3.
I sent out a job application today. Probably asked for too much pay, but I have decided I'm not going to sell myself cheap. It is detrimental to myself and the profession in general. Here's hoping they will like me and take me on their list.
For the upcoming skiing trip I will prepare a three-course menu. For starters, there will be an Indian carrot and lentil soup with yoghurt and naan. For main course, I will prepare a beef tagine with couscous (and probably some salad as well) and for desert I will make a pineapple curd with vanilla mousse and chocolate shavings. The first and the last recipes have been tested and deemed delicious, but I can only hope that the main course will live up to my expectations, too. I don't think I will try out the tagine before the trip, though. There always needs to be an element of surprise in every menu.
I am apparently thinking about opening the running season soon, judging by the fact that I bought a new pair of trainers today. It was a perfect day for shopping, warm but cloudy, so I wandered round my neighbourhood and had a look around. I seem to be in a strange state of indetermination at the moment. I want to be in Berlin and enjoy this post-thesis freedom by exploring all the places I haven't yet been to, but on the other hand I also want to fly to Finland already and see my friends and family, move in a bit and assemble my new bed, drive up north and have some fun skiing (not to mention eating and drinking, of course, although I hope I can do these things in moderation since I need to lose a few thesis pounds. Munching on Double Deckers does not equal healthy living for some completely unfair reason). Oh, and finish Dragon Age: Origins on dad's PS3.
I sent out a job application today. Probably asked for too much pay, but I have decided I'm not going to sell myself cheap. It is detrimental to myself and the profession in general. Here's hoping they will like me and take me on their list.
4.3.11
Hands Clean
My crassula enjoying the sun and the clean windowsI think these feelings will blow over in a couple of days. The weather isn't really encouraging me to wallow in self-pity but is instead beckoning me to go out, explore, enjoy and make the most of my last three months here. I have a lot of east side to scout out, I need to visit Gärten der Welt once the spring is here, go to a couple of museums, visit Potsdam and start running (first need to buy a new pair of trainers, though). I also need to start looking for jobs. Have a list of agencies I will write to - hopefully they will have a need for translators at this time of year. I'm not really looking to start working full time for a couple of months still, not until I'm back to Finland and the summer holiday is over, but it would be nice to have a few clients and the odd commission to pay for my red wine, crackers and brie.
In an attempt to distance myself from the terror of being left alone with the remnants of my academic thinking and the memory of my thesis, I have rewarded myself with two films now. I went to see Black Swan and it was hauntingly beautiful and a true horror film for the adult taste. Natalie Portman has deserved all the awards they've given her for her role as Nina, and the cinematography is breathtaking at times. I didn't even recognise Winona Ryder as Beth, I hope this film means a comeback for her. The only downside was the melodramatic plot, but I forgive the storyline due to the film's otherwise balanced and enjoyable execution. The second film I saw was Another Year by Mike Leigh. Another beautiful film with heart and quiet wisdom. Not a very cheery film, though. The last minute of the film, a relentless close-up of Mary's (Lesley Manville) face while all sounds fade away was unforgiving, cruel and sad. I hope The King's Speech will be a more light-hearted experience.
I promise to start writing a bit more often now. Scout's honour.
7.2.11
Take Five
A dear friend of mine is celebrating her five years of blogging by having an amazing giveaway (or a raffle, more like it), professional blogger stylie, and challenging people to list, quite appropriately, five important things in their lives. Here's my contribution. It's been a while since I last did one of these meme(-ish) things, feeling rusty.
1. Family and friends. This is a no-brainer, really, although in the end I don't think I let the affection show all that much, especially when it comes to my friends. I am a bit of loner in some respects and can go days or even weeks without any noticeable social life, which can easily be interpreted as not giving a toss. This is a shame, really, because I do enjoy the company of my friends and feel happy when I hear from them, and they are important to me no matter how detached I sometimes may appear.
2. Pertaining to what I just wrote, I need my peace and quiet. Actually, I often make jokes about this, for example, to my Argentinian friend. Knowing him as someone who's always looking for action and excitement, I often ask him to visit me in my neighbourhood and mingle among the grannies and mummies with me. The truth is I can't stand any continuous buzzing around me. I need my sleep, I need my quiet time, or I go from slightly testy to greatly irritated and on to incredibly vexed and frustrated quite fast. The fact that many people might find this hard to believe just goes to show how good I am at finding my zen.
3. Music and things aesthetic (since we seem to be listing things in pairs.) This one includes but is not limited to music, literature, visual arts and gardening as well as all cooking. Right at the moment, it feels like I don't have a lot of beauty in my life, but I plan to change that once thisbloody thesis is finally finished.
4. Computer and the internet. I decided I shouldn't be too holier-than-thou with this list, which is why I wanted to add at least one material commodity on the list, too. I think I could live without a phone, I don't use it all that much, but honestly, I can't begin to imagine a life without my netbook (or some computer) and an internet connection. Nowadays, I plan most of my social life online, I send emails daily, I read the news online and take care of most of my everyday stuff (excluding shopping for food, although if I lived in Britain I might do that as well, who knows) on the information highway.
5. Black coffee and cherry yoghurt in the morning. One of the unknown ingredients of happiness, I assure you. How will I ever manage next June, when I'm back in Turku again and not even Lidl sells cherry yoghurt anymore? I will have to make do with just half the happiness then.
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Thisbloody G-whizz is driving me bonkers. It's all over the place, it has no focus, it's hopelessly overly ambitious and my attitude towards it is not helping the writing process one bit. 6,000 words to go, which is not that much to be honest, since I still have to write the actual analysis part (plus discussion/conclusion), but it feels like spending an eternity in hell.
I should try to concentrate on the bright side of life, really. Like the fact that my Cheltenham supervisor is coming to Berlin for the Berlinale and I'm meeting with her and an ex-GBZer/Cheltenham volunteer on Monday. And the best part: she's supplying me with Double Deckers, those delicious devil-spawn chocolaty goodies. Can't wait to get my fix.
1. Family and friends. This is a no-brainer, really, although in the end I don't think I let the affection show all that much, especially when it comes to my friends. I am a bit of loner in some respects and can go days or even weeks without any noticeable social life, which can easily be interpreted as not giving a toss. This is a shame, really, because I do enjoy the company of my friends and feel happy when I hear from them, and they are important to me no matter how detached I sometimes may appear.
2. Pertaining to what I just wrote, I need my peace and quiet. Actually, I often make jokes about this, for example, to my Argentinian friend. Knowing him as someone who's always looking for action and excitement, I often ask him to visit me in my neighbourhood and mingle among the grannies and mummies with me. The truth is I can't stand any continuous buzzing around me. I need my sleep, I need my quiet time, or I go from slightly testy to greatly irritated and on to incredibly vexed and frustrated quite fast. The fact that many people might find this hard to believe just goes to show how good I am at finding my zen.
3. Music and things aesthetic (since we seem to be listing things in pairs.) This one includes but is not limited to music, literature, visual arts and gardening as well as all cooking. Right at the moment, it feels like I don't have a lot of beauty in my life, but I plan to change that once this
4. Computer and the internet. I decided I shouldn't be too holier-than-thou with this list, which is why I wanted to add at least one material commodity on the list, too. I think I could live without a phone, I don't use it all that much, but honestly, I can't begin to imagine a life without my netbook (or some computer) and an internet connection. Nowadays, I plan most of my social life online, I send emails daily, I read the news online and take care of most of my everyday stuff (excluding shopping for food, although if I lived in Britain I might do that as well, who knows) on the information highway.
5. Black coffee and cherry yoghurt in the morning. One of the unknown ingredients of happiness, I assure you. How will I ever manage next June, when I'm back in Turku again and not even Lidl sells cherry yoghurt anymore? I will have to make do with just half the happiness then.
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This
I should try to concentrate on the bright side of life, really. Like the fact that my Cheltenham supervisor is coming to Berlin for the Berlinale and I'm meeting with her and an ex-GBZer/Cheltenham volunteer on Monday. And the best part: she's supplying me with Double Deckers, those delicious devil-spawn chocolaty goodies. Can't wait to get my fix.
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