Snow Magic

A white crispy carpet stretches out over the landscape. Houses which were relatively dull before, now wear their new coat with proud. They make part of the magic. The snow magic.

Snowflakes falling down, seducing you with their shiny, flickering parts. It's almost a shame to break the silence with your enthusiastic footsteps.
But still, you try. You come outside in your coat, making your way through the whiteness. If you blend in without talking, you can hear the snow crackling under your feet.

 Suddenly there are no sidewalks or bicycle tracks anymore. Just one white and shiny invitation...

Snow isn't always that magic. But in my case, after three or four years without snow, it's like living in a frosty tale. You want to stick your tongue out and taste the snow like a little child. Come on, taste it!

By day after a while, the carpet gets smothered by people attempting to act as if nothing has changed. Cars try to crawl their way up through the snow, fighting the snow but losing speed.
After a while, white snow turns into grey packs of icy water.

But at night, the frosty fairy tale comes alive and kicking. Just look very closely.

Just Nature...

 

Wandering around, smelling the earth, splashing into puddles, touching the branches, admiring the light... 

Incredible how being surrounded by nature makes you... relax.

I'm alive!

Creature of Habit

"It are not the situations that bother us, but our judgements about them." 
                                                               Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor

One of the things that Colin wrote, ending his book, was about how difficult it had been to change his habits. People were asking him what the most difficult things were about his change to a no-impact-life, and this was one of the things he mentioned. It made me think about it more thoroughly.

We are so much more creatures of habit than we think we are or want to be. Even your way of thinking can get stuck, just like a habit, in a such a way that you can't understand, tolatere or comunicate with other people. People who have other habits. Which is ofcourse - sad. It's funny if you start paying attention to people's habits.
Even in my quite boring job as a dishwasher in a factory kitchen, I notice how my colleagues have developed strong habits. Which would be allright if they wouldn't be su used to them and discontent when I do something that interferes with that habit. And if that person is not a big communication-talent either, things can get annoying really easily. I didn't understand her way of doing things or her behaviour towards me until I started considering it as a habit. I was unconsciously disturbing her habit. And that made her uncomfortable.
It makes it easier for me to get along.

* The world is like a mirror, you see? Smile, and your friends smile back. *

No Impact Man

Apart from writing application letters and washing dishes, I also have some free time available for myself where I can enjoy myself, read, bake bread, have fun, whatever.
I love reading. I don't always seem to find the time to read as much as I would want to, but I try. The latest book on my floor/bed-side-table/in my backpack is the following: 'No Impact Man' by Colin Beavan.

I'm not the type of free publicity person but I can't help it: I just love this guy and his family making their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. It's just such an honest, interesting and full of commitment-story. I recommend it to everyone who is concerned about contributing to a healthier planet in many ways.


That's what's special about it: it's more than a story. Colin and his wife really actually try to act in a different way instead of pointing their finger at others. One of the things that attracted me in the first place to read it (apart from the green-ness) was that Colin, Michelle and Isabella live in Manhattan, New York. I was so lucky to visit NY this summer for the first time in my life and I can only slightly imagine how difficult it must be not to buy anything that produces waste there. You can have a take-away-anything: from breakfast till midnight-snack. But at the same time I understand why living in NY, Manhattan is attractive. If offered a nice, interesting job there I wouldn't doubt for a minute. Yes, it's a big city, but it's full of everything you can wish for. It's just a little bit more difficult to find your own way and 'resist' consumer temptation.
This makes this story just a little more interesting. Because I want to be convinced that you can live in a city ánd be kind to our planet. Moving everyone to the countryside is not the answer. It's just not feasible.


So I haven't finished the book yet, but I'm almost there. I'm thinking about applying some of Colin's strategies myself, although I know it's gonna be difficult. I know I'm the kind of person that contributes to a healthier planet when it's no big deal for me. Like taking your fabric bag to the shop, shop local, don't buy veggies or fruit in plastic, etc...
Maybe I could try to 'tingle' the few readers I have to slowly add some green actions to our daily lifes. If it's possible in Manhattan, it's possible anywhere!


P.s.: Colin also has a blog, I haven't been reading much on it, but since I discovered it, I try to follow his posts. http://noimpactman.typepad.com/

What is it about 20-somethings?

What is it about 20-somethings? This is the title of an article in the New York Times one month ago that a good friend of mine sent me. I must admit, the article is more appropiate than he could ever imagine.
What hits me is the almost obvious lack of an approach where the changes aren't considered abnormal but rather a deeper sense of living life consciously.That's at least what I felt when I read it for the first time.

Here's an interesting quote:

"The traditional cycle seems to have gone off course, as young people remain un­tethered to romantic partners or to permanent homes, going back to school for lack of better options, traveling, avoiding commitments, competing ferociously for unpaid internships or temporary (and often grueling) Teach for America jobs, forestalling the beginning of adult life."

Has it ever crossed their minds that the so-called adults of today don't want to be the adults of the past? That maybe - after seeing so many people (parents, uncles, etc.) with their dreams hidden in a dusty box - they want something different? I don't think hat the twenty-somethings of today remain without ties, I would merely dare to say they have become pickier in a kind of way. It's just not that simple anymore to remain loyal to another person for the rest of your life while you keep on crossing others. The world has become our playground, and it has made our social network so much more exciting and multicultural. It's more difficult to stick to a choice, in several areas.

Traveling, another beautiful side-effect of growing airline companies - sadly but true not really sustainable, at least not when you take the plane - makes your life full of experiences! Traveling opens your mind. At least, when you are open for it!
Don't go to an all-in hotel then with the pool and cocktails available for you every 5 minutes. But traveling, having time for the people you meet. Listen to their stories, eat their food, share life for a little bit. Makes you so much more humble and happy as a person.  
I wanted to write more about this article but then again  -  I've avoided writing on this blog of mine just because of it so I'm kind of loosing the intitial meaning of what this was/is for me.
So that's it, ready for a new post, on a new day.



"Even if some traditional milestones are never reached, one thing is clear: Getting to what we would generally call adulthood is happening later than ever. But why?"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/magazine/22Adulthood-t.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1

Earrings and so...

Okay, as any person on earth I have some weaknesses I'm not always proud of. One of them are earrings. The last 8 years I've been 'collecting' them from all over the world. Don't think I'm a compulsive buyer - no sir - as a lot of people know I like them they give me earrings! They give me earrings for my birthday, because they traveled, etc. There are earrings from Italy, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium, etc.

So, one of the things of being unemployed is time to carry out ideas! When I spent last weekend in a friend's flat, I noticed she had her earrings hung up on a simple piece of wood. She had connected screws with a kind of thin copper wire. It was hung on the wall by a little hook and a pin. The 'bad' thing about it was that in some places the wire had already given up.

I thought - that's a good idea - and considering my amount of earrings and my unsettled life these weeks, it seemed like a perfect thing for me. Having all my earrings displayed so I only have to choose the pair I want to wear, but not too permanent so I can move to any place I want with only a bag (ofcourse, not considering an overseas move - in that case I would make it again). My dad, who is a carpenter, was totally willing to help me with this idea. Which made it a lot easier to produce it, although I'm convinced I could do it without his help. It would probably take longer and be a little uglier.

This is how it came out; not bad eh?

As you can see I also provided some space for my necklaces at the bottom. I chose wood because I like natural material (and it was recycling) and also the copper wire because I love the color and it seems quite strong. We didn't have to buy anything for this thing! Just great.

What do you need for this simple but handy earring-holder-thing?
* a (preferably recycled) thin piece of wood (you choose the size)
* some screws (we used 13) - 3,5 mm diameter, 25 mm long, flat head
* thicker copper wire --> we used electric wire and stripped the plastic off with a wire stripper - 1,5 mm diameter (I hope this thicker wire will not break that easily)
* screwdriver
* a bodkin 
* a pair of wire-cutters 
* a wire stripper
*  a little hook to hang the wood on your wall/closet/...


You choose where you want your screws, you punch the hole out with the bodkin, you gently screw your screws in the wood. Ofcourse not too hard, you don't want them to come out at the back. 
Then you have to measure your wire, cut  it with your pair of wire-cutters, strip the plastic off with your wire-stripper and patiently turn it around the screws. Finally when all is ready, you screw the hook into the wood on top and choose a place to hang it! 


I know the world is not waiting for this type of information and I also realize that others have probably come up with nicer things. But I had a lot of fun, thinking about it, making it and putting it up.
The idea of making something with your own hands in your home instead of having to drive up to a shop, and probably buy some crappy box made by chinese underpaid employees... I think it's worth it!

A little ray of sunshine

Today is a good day because I managed to get up before 10 A.M. ! Yeah yeah - you can guess it - I'm still unemployed and combing the job market. With no positive outcome so far. So that makes it a little more difficult to go to bed early and to get up early...

BUT... in spite of the shitty (pardon my use of words but it's true) weather all night ánd in the early morning I felt hopeful! And I started to answer and file emails. For me, that's a good sign. Because when I feel energetic and peaceful , I can organize my mails. Something I was totally neglecting the past two months... So after 'clean(s)ing the room where I'm staying for now, my emailaccount was next. I suppose it works for other people too: external order settles the mind. Weird eh?

And after that... I wrote two application letters! So I must say - this day is a good day.
It's still cloudy but the sun has come out - that also gives me more energy.

So for today I give you this sunny picture, one I shot in Central Park, New York this summer. I think it was kind of magic I was there at that moment both animals decided to land on the same flower. I like it.

I wish everyone can have a little victory today just as I had - and feel invincible too - even though it only lasts five minutes. It's worth it.

And for the ones that are still waiting for me to answer their email: I'm on it!

What life is not

In search for what I really want in this life - which is mainly mine but also that from other lives I touch - I regularly come across some parental guiding telling me 'what life is not'. They tell me things I already know. I know that life is not about watching a TV-series (like True Blood for example) until 2 A.M.... but that doesn't mean it doesn't help me relax or forget all my restlessness.
Apart from that, I don't really know what life is or is supposed to be. That's just why I want to take it step by step, thinking deeply and living it intensely, living the now. Because I don't really know it yet.

I just do not and will not understand or agree that life is all about what we buy and have. Because it seems so. It seems that a 'normal' conversation with (young)adults is about the new car they just bought, or the house on sale in that neighbourhood, or how outrageously expensive their latest furniture was.
What about talking about the latest nature disaster? Or talking about the doubts in life? Lost dreams? Far ambitions? Touching encounters?
It seems a lot of people think of these subjects as too wooly or profound to be thrown out in the open. Or maybe a lot of people just don't think about these things at all ...

Are the so-called realists maybe right if they say everyone has to fight his/her own battle without looking at the collateral damage? That in the end the mayority of mankind doesn't care what happens to their fellow beings? Believing this makes me incredibly sad because who would I be without all these people caring about me - not only family - but friends, travel companions, host families, mentors etc.?

Let's just give life the benefit of the doubt and not put forward any hard truths about it and enjoy living it to begin with. Hold that thought. Good Night.

Welcome to the world

Here we go. My new 'baby' is born. Compared to my friends', not one of flesh and blood. But a digital one. Hopefully a place where I can share and connect worldwide. 

I secretly hope that this writing will give me more peace. Because hell yeah - I've been messed up the past weeks. It seemed that all my values and beliefs I was so sure of for the past 26 years got torn down. Nothing is sure anymore.

I personally try to look at it as a chance. An opportunity to question what's obvious, to see the world in a different light.

"What will your new blog be about?" People have asked me. I don't know. I want it to be a place to reflect, a place to share. It's obvious that a lot of my little but true passions will be involved  ... such as photography, food (eating and cooking it) and music. Let's just give it a try and enjoy every minute of it. Because that's what I do. 

It wouldn't be my universe if I wouldn't start it with one of my favourite quotes in the world that knocked my world upside down about ten years ago. Enjoy and let it sink in. 

'I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.'

Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862), Walden; or, Life In The Woods