Shirahime

Happy Birthday!

Halfway Mark

60 days gone, 60 days to go. So far the response has been within the expected bounderies, which sounds a lot more negative than I mean it to be. Combined with the happy news of the printing company that a mere 500 EUR (half the projected amount) will suffice for the first 1000 cards, I dare say we' re well under way to a success.

I can only ask my dear readers and backers to share share  and share this link. In crowdfunding promotion is everything.

Walpurgis night

So...

I could make a long story of how and when it all exactly happened but who really cares. I have a boyfriend now. And he's wonderful.

That's what withes' night is for, I guess: magic happens.

A monday to look back at

How often does the thought of monday make you smile?

I'm wagering; not very often if at all. It is much the same for me but then came along yesterday. Not only have I acquired the mobile telephone number of my most recent crush, we'll be meeting over ice cream later today.

*sigh*

Looking forward to monday ???

Don't tell me why you don't like mondays. In general I think I share your views on this one, but next monday is one I'm having mixed feeling about. It is after all the 20th of april: a day of sad memories.* 

And this year a day on which I don't have to go to work and might be seeing the one I secretly (and not so secretly) long for again.

*the anniversary of a most unwelcome death

Penguin material

-

age

0

style of clothing

hobbies

field of study

+

nice hands

beard

likes board games

likes animals (I presume)

science fiction afficionado

seems to like me

I have yet to find out whether he has a zombie apocalyps plan, who his favourite dr. Who companion is and if he knows how penguins propose, but I'm almost very certain that I'm absolutely smitten.

First month evaluation

30 days down, 90 days to go.

My crowdfundig project is now a little over a quarter on the way. So far the response and enthousiams of my immediate surroundings have been very good. I might not make it to the initial goal of 1000 EURO but then since I know I need about half of that to break even I don't really care.
I would in advance like to thank everyone who has already pledged an amount however small and for everyone who'd like to pledge but hasn't yet. Here's a link: Moheli Print

Let there be buttons!

Twee zachte armen om me heen....*

It has been for the first time in a very long time that last night I have wanted a boy/girlfriend regardles of being in love (which I am by the way but more on this subject later).

Not because it is what family and society alike seem to expect of me.

Not because I think a partner-for-life is essential for my happiness.

Not because I'm utterly sex-crazed from the withdrawal of physical attention.

But because it would be so nice to be able to say "Hold me for a while" without the immediate need for an explanation.

ANd I really don't feel like explaining. I only makes me tremble with anger. An negative loop that I need to get out of.

*two soft arms around me, a reference to a well-know dutch claasic about the solitude of a pestered misunderstood boy whose father is a sea

April 1

No jokes or surprises just a pretty picture of a pink fish.

RIP TT

It is not the greatest of tragedies when an old man dies, however great you think him. A full life is a tribute in itself and enough to be grateful for. But still. As always when a hero of my is no longer among the living I'm torn between grief and happy memories of what they have meant for me.

Fare thee well Tomas Tranströmer.

Allegro
 After a black day,I play Haydn,and feel a little warmth in my hands.The keys are ready.Kind hammers fall.The sound is spirited,green, and full of silence.The sound says that freedom existsand someone pays no tax to Caesar.I shove my hands in my haydnpocketsand act like a man who is calm about it all.I raise my haydnflag.
he signal is:“We do not surrender. But want peace.”The music is a house of glass standing on a sloperocks are flying, rocks are rolling.The rocks roll straight through the housebut every pane of glass is still whole.

Crowdfunding

As a means of pushing myself  and in the meanwhile gather a starting capital without depleting my holiday funds, I've started a crowdfunding campaign.
So far it's in Dutch only, but once I get the pictures uploaded I'll make work of a translation.  In the meanwhile ....

here's a link: Moheli Print

Halfway Sugarfree

Halfway today.

A large milestone that would have been more impressive if I hadn't been cheating once or twice, but it can be said without exageration that my sugar intake has been seriously reduced and that I an happier and more energetic for it.

If only I could get myself to wake up earlier and go for a run every now and then... I might actually get in shape before the summer. but who am I really kidding. I may have left a grand desire for sweetness behind, I'm alrady hooked on an equally addictive substance: dragonslaying. 

No more sugar

It has been previously announced that 2015 would be a year of limitations for me.

After a severe quota on the amount of books I am allowed to read this year. And a self-inflicted  shop-stop when it comes to office or artist supplies. And the long announced alcohol-dry year with which I conclude every lustrum. There comes yet another addictive substance of which I believe I can do without.

In Belgium there has been the last few months a small craze  around the 30-days-without-sugar-challenge. Not just no sugar in your coffee, no unnatural or added sugar whatsoever.

For me it starts today. The small consolation is that this ordeal at least I won't have to submit to alone.

No more office supplies

Dear dear reader,

The yet-another-limitation of which I will speak now, has been set a few weeks ago, but since it is one I find very difficult to keep, I have been silent for now.

The thing is that I'm trying to save some money for the ultimate box of pencils (and/or the ultimate box of water soluble wax pastels) and the only expense left to economise on is purchase of office and art supplies. It makes great sense to not spend anything before I can spend it on the last thing I will ever need or want (or so I think).

Dream with me....

No more books

Dear reader,

I refer to the previous entry in this on-line journal. if it had not been made sufficiently clear in the near ten year existence of this blog : I love books.

Not 'like', not my hobby is 'reading', no 'I wish I had more time to read'. NO.

I love books. I devour them. And of all the challenges and limitations I've set myself for 2015*, accepting the challenge of not reading 100 books a year, this year was perhaps the one challenge I should have thought over. I cringed and gasped for air at the mere sugestion. Of course. But nonetheless I accepted.

Mr. T is hopefully near because I am indeed a fool and need to be pitied.

*more on challenges and limitations in future blogs

A far harder test

One house mate gives up internet for a week. Another drinking alcohol.

I have considered giving up on my greatest addiction i.e. reading but I might die during the process. So Monday hence I will not eat any cookies/ biscuits/ cakes/ etc. For a week.

But no more than a week.

I am Charlie - I follow Charlie

It is no secret that I live in a country geographically, politically and culturally near France. And as 99,99% of my country men, I dare say my fellow Europeans I was utterly shocked by Wednesday's news of an attack on the redaction of the French political magazine 'Charlie Hebdo'. Shocked twofold.

First of course because of the attack itself. Even though I regret to say such a thing is to be expected, every religious, political or cultural view (for lack of a better word I had nearly written 'genre') has it's fanatics and it is only luck that most extremists are simply too stupid to organise their thoughts into actions that saves us from an attack/ killing spree/ threat of violence every day. But I like independent journalism and I'm an artist (though be it in training), it is almost as if some far of relative or that guy you used to know but never kept in touch with just died. You fear for the end of everything you think important or take for granted.

Secondly the reactions to the attack. When a killing spree of this size is claimed by any organisation or made in the name of such and such beliefs a strong antipathy against that group is the usual and predictable response. And it has been so now,... marginally. Marginally from my point of view.  Even in the non-extremist camp of the intellectual spectrum the stupid are in a vast majority but no longer overwhelmingly so and what pleases me most. The media are seen to write sense.

#jesuischarlie = I am Charlie and for me means that I feel for every family member, every colleague, every friend lost to a lack of selflessness.

#jesuischarlie = I follow Charlie and that means for me be bold. Be bolder than ever, fight with words, with pictures, with laughter, with music with everything you have. Fight for ever against violence unprovoked by other violence.

Resolutions - 2015 edition

• not buy any more typewriters
• not drink alcohol
• run 10 miles every week
• buy a house
• finish a 30 day without sugar challenge
• balance reading, drawing and watching Dr Who

Not overly ambitious but well, life can't be hard work all the time.