A Slice Of Life

Food Of The World

2011-01-15T19:58:00.000Z

Pasta, pizza, noodles, omelette, curry and toast. Do any of them sound familiar to you? I bet you’ve had at least one of them wherever you are from in the world. How about Besbarmak? Or snúður? What about shelpek? There are many ways to explore the world and its differences such as religion, culture, and history to name a few but how about food?

There’s no doubt that I am a lover of food and I do have my favourites. I cannot get enough of udon noodles or dim sum but I love when I find new food that I can obsess over. I have been thinking for a while to start a project where I would aim to try as many different cuisines as possible and who better to try it with than Dani. We will actively try cuisines from all over the world and document it in our 'Food Of The World' journal.

Cute, huh?

The project won't be complete without a

point scoring system.

Our first experience was Eritrean food. The State of Eritrea is just off the North East coast of Africa and is bordered by Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan. The food was absolutely fantastic and I will definitely eat Eritrean food again.

The first page is a photo of our dish. It was one huge dish

with a huge array of flavours and textures.

Then on the second page we will stick the business card in,

rate the experience according to our point system then add

general notes and what we ate.

(They also wrote out names in Tigrinya!)

How about you? Have you ever wanted to try food from all over the world? Are you trying to do so?

Love is Louder

2010-12-03T14:59:00.001Z

This is my photo for Love is Louder a movement that strives to show that ‘love and support is more powerful than the external and internal voices that bring us down, cause us pain and make us feel hopeless.’

Love is indeed louder. Please share the love.

A Charitable Christmas

2010-11-28T23:37:00.000Z

Ho ho ho! It’s that time of year again. Christmas is coming and what does that mean? Shopping, shopping and more shopping! So many people are trying to get their Christmas shopping done during lunch breaks and that precious hour after work. Most of the time there’ll be a few who, failing to come up with that perfect present, will just have to settle for buying those generic bath salts. Does anyone use them anymore?

Well this year, I have decided to do something different. I don’t know about you but I feel all my loved ones have all they could ever need or want. Yes, they may want a Ferrari but I refuse to buy someone that. Did I forget to mention I’m a student?

Anyway, I have decided to buy cows! Yes! Well no. Not just cows. Cows, chickens, seeds, water, mosquito nets, fishing rods, medicine, you name it! My nearest and dearest shall be getting a charitable gift from yours truly this year. Why? We are spoilt rotten. I can bet everyone’s had at least one gift they didn’t really like or even had use for. Yes, I mean that crazy jumper you were given from your aunt that was just too small on the arms. So why not help developing countries a little now and then? Besides, 'tis the charitable season*.

Now that it’s time for Christmas shopping, how about giving a charitable gift which will give someone else much, much more. You’ll feel great about yourself and you’ll be helping people in developing counties make a life for themselves. How is that not a great idea?

So how about it? One size fits all. An added benefit for those of you struggling with gift wrapping is that you won’t be asked to wrap a chicken. You can just hand your gift receiver the special little card telling them you’ve bought a chicken for someone who needs it on their behalf. Aww.

Here are a few great places to purchase gifts:

Oxfam: (You could feed a family for £7)

Unicef: (How about an emergency water kit for a family for £9.50?)

NSPCC: (You could get a child a letter from santa for just £5)

World Vision: (This one has an array of goodies. TB screenings for £5, school textbooks for £9 and much more).

World Gifts CAFOD: (A school starter pack is just £7, or how about teaching someone to read for £10?)

*Note: We should really be charitable all year round but it seems people are more generous around Christmas. Better than never I guess.

A few of my favourite things

2010-11-07T11:51:00.000Z

* It's so cute! You basically press your fingers on the banana platform and the monkey blows air on your nails and it dries them.

What about you? What are a few of your favourite things that you own?

Superhero style

2010-10-31T20:33:00.002Z

I love Marvel and DC superheroes. Sadly, I don't have the time to read or watch it as much as I used to, but whenever I come across artwork of my favourite childhood superheroes/villains, I can't help but beam gloriously inside.

I am absolutely in love with the above two pieces. They're done by Miss Bugs (a tag team of two) based in London. I cannot believe I have come across them only now. The two discs are my favourite pieces by them. It's full of raw power and movement; I could stare at them for ages. I also love the contrast made with the colour and the white. It's addictively shocking and totally awe inspiring really; it really blows me away.

This is the best vintage/rustic art I've seen of our beloved superheroes. They're done by the talented Michael Meyers. We all need a bit of vintage and I think my wall could do with a huge vintage superman.

Happy Halloween! Check out the dirty grunge feeling of Joker and Ragdoll by Christopher Uminga. A perfect compliment to the underground baddies. I love the blotchy background and the feel of the pictures themselves. The cheeky childlikeness of them is also fantastic. They're cute and evil at the same time! Aww. Wouldn't we all just love a mischievous little Joker running around? No? Just me?

5 things I’m still trying to figure out

2010-10-30T13:21:00.001+01:00

1. How to buy 3 hours from someone who doesn’t need it and add it to my days.

2. How to bottle up a hug from the person you love the most and keep it for when you need it.

3. How to get all my studies done and still have a life.

4. How to be a philanthropist whilst being a student.

5. How to be an artist, lawyer, blogger and a good friend all at once.

Any ideas?

Food Betrayal

2010-09-16T23:56:00.001+01:00

PiCTURE THiS:

It’s your second week in an internship which you’ve been trying to get for as long as you can remember. You’re through the glorious doors and after a few days, the boss wants to take you out for lunch to get to know you a little better. You have no choice but to say yes and so you slip on your jacket and sheepishly leave the office expecting something to go massively wrong.

After a bit of awkward small talk you both finally reach the restaurant and take your seats. This place is brimming with fellow city workers. As you are handed the menu from the smiley but tired waitress you can’t help but notice the talk of business, law and office affairs in the air. You scan through the menu in hopes of something familiar popping up to make ordering quick and easy. You don’t want to come across as indecisive in front of the boss. You see something! Chicken burger! Oh yes!

You can suddenly imagine the succulent chicken breast tasting like heaven as you bite into the big juicy burger. You crave it will every ounce you have and want it so badly. You can’t even remember the last time you had a burger. You must have deserved it by now. The awkward introductions to the staff on your first day, the war with the photocopier, getting drenched on the way into work; all of these must equate to that juicy, juicy burger. Reality kicks in and it’s time to order. It could go two ways.

Scenario 1

You order that burger. It’s on the boss! You can’t stop craving it so why not? A little indulgence never hurt anyone. A few minutes of waiting, your succulent burger has arrived in all its glory. Perfection. You look across the table and see the boss has ordered steak. He smiles at you as he picks up his knife and fork and digs in. Excited, you reach for your burger. But, hold on. HOW are you going to eat your burger? Are you going to have to fiddle with a knife and fork to eat it? It’s like eating spaghetti with a spoon. It’s just not right. You really just want to tuck in and inhale that burger. Time is ticking, you can’t be too slow or the boss will finish before you and you’ll end up having him stare at you while you eat this beast.

You pick up the knife and fork in an attempt to look somewhat presentable but the burger doesn’t take to it well. It refuses to cut, damn these stupid worn-down knives. There is no choice but to eat with your hands. You reluctantly go for the burger and take a bite. Sauce drips out the opposite end; a nice sight indeed. Why oh WHY did you not go for the pasta?

You have to finish the burger. He’s paying for it; it’ll be far too rude to leave it half eaten out of sheer embarrassment. However, the worst hasn’t even started yet. He starts firing subtle interview questions at you. “So what makes you want to be a lawyer, then?” This is the worst timing ever. You’ve just taken the biggest bite of the burger and you’re pretty certain you have some ketchup smeared on your cheek. You must look like someone who has never had food before. This really isn’t going well and there is no way to abort. You have to chew as fast as your teeth can move and wipe off the mess attacking your face in a graceful enough manner to give off a good impression. You’ll most probably have to take clients out to lunch and this episode is clearly showing in you some pretty bad light as it is.

The rest of the lunch continues in this fiddly, embarrassing way. You try to scoff down the burger to make it all end already. And then, you realise what a pig you look like. You’ve just scoffed down a burger between surfacing for air in front of your boss, barely answering his questions in sufficient depth all because you’ve had to get rid of the damn burger on your plate. All he has gotten from this lunch is that you are impulsive, messy, unsophisticated and nervous. Good job.

Scenario 2

You’re far too clever to order a burger or anything as messy as that. Only IDIOTS do that, clearly. You sacrifice your craving and go for the inoffensive pasta. Classy, filling and best of all you can actually engage in conversation! You’re still a bit nervous but sipping on your drink and having a few bites of pasta seems to settle your nerves a little. You manage to survive the meal and the boss doesn’t hate you! Excellent. For that, you deserve a kit-kat when you get back to the office.

I really wish I could eat a burger in a somewhat presentable way. I am so self conscious about eating messy foods in front of people I don’t know or people I need to make a good impact on. I’m PRETTY sure the image of Mrs Patridge (as pictured) is a bit of a lie. I’ve never seen anyone eating a burger attractively. I for sure don’t. I actually enjoy eating it messily in the presence of comfortable company. Damn you temptation for kicking in at inappropriate times and damn you world for making me believe for a second that burgers are okay to eat in front of the boss. Damn you! I won’t forgive you for this. Ever!

So. Anyone hungry? I think it’s time for a burger.

It's All In The Name

2010-09-15T19:34:00.001+01:00

So my first week of college/uni/school has ended (yes, I realise it’s Wednesday). I really don’t know what to call it. Calling it ‘college’ makes it sounds like it’s a step back and calling it ‘school’ makes it feel even worse. I don’t like to call it ‘uni’ either because it feels like I haven’t moved up in my studies. To make matters worse my ‘course provider’ is now officially a ‘university college’.

Seriously guys, a little help in the name department please?

Photo Diary: Siem Reap, Cambodia

2010-09-09T10:53:00.001+01:00

Above: A nice climb in Angkor Wat leads to a great photo.

Above: Butterfly.

Above: Victory Gate.

Above: I fell in love with the trees growing over the ruins.

Above: Reading in the ruins.

Photo Diary: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

2010-09-07T22:15:00.001+01:00

Above: The courtyard in the National Museum

Above: The Silver Pagoda

Above: English Class at the Orphanage

Above: Smiles

If you are interested in helping the N.C.C.O (New Chance for Children Organisation) Orphanage, click here.

Above: Carrying the heavy burden

The Little Things in Life

2010-09-04T12:00:00.000+01:00

I’m back from my travels and have had some time to settle in. I’ve finally managed to get used to the time zones (I have no idea why it took so long for it to adjust this time) and I'm getting ready for my life to begin here at home. During this time of lazing around and mass caffeine consumption, I’ve had the time to reflect on the differences of South Asia and the UK.

So here we go...

Hot water.

Getting used to cold showers took a while. I love hot, almost lava flowing showers. So getting to terms with the freezing cold water attacking my skin like ice needles took a bit of getting used to. Initially, I found myself throwing the water at myself in pain but eventually got over it. Besides, why would there be heated shower water in South East Asia when the temperature outside means you’ll be soaked in sweat as soon as you step outside?

Consumable water.

We are so spoilt as a nation with our water. Almost all of it is treated and filtered so we never need to think about where it’s come from of if it’s okay to ingest. It’s not the case on the other side of the world. It’s not just about the drinking water. It’s making sure you don’t get water on any cuts and even brushing your teeth with it. Using bottled water when brushing your teeth isn’t fun. Or easy! And it makes it so much sadder to think that we waste so much of our ‘on tap’ clean water where elsewhere most families cannot afford such luxuries.

No mosquitoes.

There was a point in Siem Reap when I got eaten alive by mosquitoes. I have to say I was relieved to not have to drench myself with 50% DEET spray every 10 hours when I got back to the UK. Those buggers are persistent and really REALLY annoying. Not the worst type I’ve had though, but still. It also means that we are lucky enough to not have to worry about Malaria and antimalarial tablets. I can't believe how lucky we are.

No bed bugs!

It wouldn’t be South East Asia without meeting a few bedbugs. Waking up with bumps and being itchy all over is clearly a sign of a good time. We even had an insect infestation in one of our rooms and ended up being somewhat homeless and sleeping outside. Good thing we didn't have torrential rain that night.

$1/$2 places to stay.

I loved being able to rock up to a guest house and pay like $2 for a room. It was the best. A great money saver and you meet the best people there. And these rooms were not that bad either. I was mightily impressed when I saw them. Shame we don’t have such awesome stuff here. Imagine paying for a £1 room here. First of it would be extremely questionable. Why is it so cheap? What’s the catch? Will I be held at gunpoint as payment? Is it in a sewer? It just won’t work.

Sticking out like a sore thumb.

Yes, I am of South Asian descent. So somehow it was perfectly fine to yell, “Hey India” every time I stepped out of wherever I was staying. Funny how I’m not even from India. Having to explain that I was actually from England and had no blood ties in India proved to be a hard pill to swallow for most people there. I can’t blame them too much for it but there was even a point where I wanted to write “I’m not from India” on my top. You’d never get that here. We’re far too politically correct to say what’s on our minds. And I guess because London is amazingly diverse, no one really sticks out here.

The heat.

I’ve actually gotten used to the enveloping heat of South East Asia. Yes. Me. The one who always hides to be in the shadows when it’s summer in London because it’s just too hot. There’s a first time for everything it seems. I’m actually freezing cold here when it’s about 20c. I reluctantly leave the house armed with my winter coat, scarf and occasionally gloves! Yes. Gloves. I quickly shoved them back in my bag when I realised what a doofus I looked like. I’m weaning myself off the winter attire and moving on to more autumn-y gear so as to appear a little more normal. I also have nothing thicker to wear for winter so I may be well and truly screwed when winter comes along.

Even though there is a world of difference between the two parts of the world I would easily trade to go back and travel again. I think it’s the differences in life and living that makes travelling so appealing to me. The rougher experience is great! You have so much more fun and it makes you appreciate the little things in life. That’s how I feel anyway.

Thoughts on Leaving

2010-07-29T10:55:00.000+01:00

Today’s the day.

Time has most definitely flown since I booked that one way ticket to Cambodia. Vaccinations are done, bags are packed and I’m pretty much ready to go! I leave for the airport in a few hours and then it’s an impressive 15 hours to Singapore and another 2 to Phnom Penh. It should be interesting.

I’ve been thinking about all the things I’ll miss when I’m travelling and here’s a bit of a list.

Things I will miss (in no particular order):

-My car. I always miss my car when I go away.

-The Swede. Can you blame me? I’m hoping to send him messages as much as I can if I find little net cafés and stuff around the area. I will really miss not being able to skype with him all the time and hear his voice for most of my day.

-My bed. I have no idea how, but your own bed becomes this embodiment of perfection when one goes away for a certain length of time. The unique firmness, softness and comfyness somehow turns into a shrine of pure bliss when away.

-Tea. Being a major tea addict, I’m really going to miss all my “cuppas” during the day. Hopefully I’ll be able to try out some new teas when I am out travelling.

-Friends and family. I’ll miss out on the new things going on in their lives. But I’m sure I’ll be able to catch up when I’m back.

Things I am looking forward to:

-Being in a new environment and atmosphere.

-Seeing new faces and hearing new languages.

- Being on holiday!

- Being able to write about what I’m doing in my little travel journal (I will try to upload a few when I am out there if I can).

-Trying out new cultures.

-Meeting new people.

-Taking great and memorable photos.

-Making some memories.

- Going to lots of airports. (I LOVE airports, I love the scale of an airport and how everything is under one roof. I really like looking at the different architecture and layouts of airports and how you can see so many different people there). I’m getting happy just thinking about it. Weirdo.

Things I am not looking forward to:

-Mosquitoes! Argh. I’m bringing 50% DEET mosquito repellent spray and malaria tablets. So it shouldn’t be too bad. *Fingers crossed*

I’m hoping this trip goes well, I feel pretty prepared. My backpack is just under 10kg and I have a little shoulder bag where I have all my liquids/flight necessities/valuables (I’m scared my backpack will get lost somehow). Once I’ve landed in Phnom Penh I’ll be able to shove it all in my backpack to make carrying a bit easier.

Well, take care guys, I’ll try to update my blog during my travels if I can find a net cafe and if time permits.

Lea heuy! Selamat tinggal! Goodbye!

Patients without Patience

2010-07-27T10:53:00.000+01:00

So last week I was sitting in the waiting room of my GP’s surgery (general practitioner) because I had an appointment with the nurse to get my travel vaccines up to date for my epic travel adventure. Yippee.

Now, my mother is a GP herself and it’s safe to say that I have grown up in the environment of a surgery. I spent many summers as a child helping around the surgery and seeing how everything was done. So I must admit, the experience of being on the patient’s side of the desk is not very familiar to me.

Upon my arrival, I was greeted and kindly informed that the nurse was running late and there may indeed be a bit of a wait to see her. I sat myself in the waiting room and began reading the posters on the opposite wall whilst having Pearl Jam play a rocking gig in my brain.

After about five minutes, a woman who was ahead of me in line commented about how the nurse must have ‘forgotten’ about her. After another five minutes a middle aged man entered the waiting are and started to scowl and impatiently stare at his watch. An older couple who were supposedly there long before the woman said they “can’t believe the nurse can take so long”.

After a minute had passed, the nurse appeared to call the woman in. The man with the watch immediately jumped out of his seat and exclaimed, “Hey, what about me?” The nurse duly apologised and reminded him that she was running late and there was a wait. Clearly, he was not happy so he made a point to resentfully sit back down in his seat.

The nurse then called in the older couple after just over 5 minutes. By this time, the man with the watch thought it was appropriate to cause as fuss. He had only been waiting ten minutes.

I don’t know about you, but this was very interesting to see in a patient’s perspective. These people had to wait on average about thirty minutes to be seen. They had been informed of the wait and the receptionists and the nurse apologised for the wait. Clearly they could not understand that some patients require more time than others and this is not something that the nurse or doctor can foresee.

Personally, I would rather wait thirty minutes if it meant that the doctor or nurse was able to carefully and methodologically treat me instead of rushing as rushing leads to mistakes. Something might be missed and in my eyes, that’s far worse than waiting in line for a bit.

People can wait days for the iPhone, they wait hours in line for a ride in the theme park, or in line for security at the airport check in. So I do not see how thirty minutes of waiting for free and up to scratch health care is such a massive dent in their lives to create such a fuss.

We live in the UK. Delays are expected absolutely everywhere. You’re getting something for free that will help you or potentially save you. Buck up and wait your turn.

Addicted Travels

2010-07-25T22:35:00.000+01:00

It seems that the travel bug has worked its way around the world and has in recent years, firmly attached itself to me.

There was a period of time when I did not go abroad for years despite longing for it. Being too young and extremely super busy parents did not bode well. However, time has granted me my wish of being about to travel as much as I can and I have tried to take full advantage of that. This has somewhat ignited the ‘travel junkie’ in me.

After my stay in Sweden earlier in the year and a little visit to Spain, my feet have been itching. Itching for a new place to venture to, new food to taste, new faces to see and new soil to touch. So I am happy (total understatement) to announce I shall be travelling once again!

The plan is go backpacking. I will be going to Cambodia in a few days to meet my friend who is already out there backpacking. We’ll be travelling around Cambodia for a bit and then head down South to do some volunteering. The next stop should be Indonesia at some point and then Oz before heading back home.

I’m hoping this will be the fix I need before the treacherous path of the LPC (legal practice course) begins and I become a social recluse for nine long months. I can’t imagine having to stay in the country for that long – this gap year really has spoiled me.

Anyway, I will try to update my blog while I am travelling – fingers crossed I find a decent net cafe to do so but in the mean time it’s time to get packing!

Have you been backpacking before? What are your stories?

Friend

2010-07-09T11:54:00.001+01:00

Friend

Another technique experiment. © Gaia Ganeshalingam 2010

Balloon Girl

2010-07-08T15:03:00.001+01:00

I thought I might try out something different. Balloon Girl

Perfect Packaging

2010-07-07T16:39:00.001+01:00

I admit it. I am head over heels in love with packaging.

Now let me clarify, I don't mean plastic cartons or yoghurt pots. I mean the art of creatively wrapping a gift. It's not odd for me to shriek with joy as I see a wonderfully wrapped box for yours truly. The gift itself is great, but the packaging? Just the fix I need.

I have to admit that sometimes I don't want to open the gift in fear of ruining the perfection. I will be mighty happy if I get an empty box that looks absolutely amazing. Can you blame me? Look at the creativity and style that goes into packaging!

I love the blue satin with the black ribbon. It's so simple but is oh so attractive too.

This just screams out creativity! Flowers AND shells as decorative pieces on string? You spoil me. Total summer beach holiday wrapping. Perfect.

I am in love with the romantic and elegant wrapping. It's just so beautiful. (Click the picture to find a great gift wrapping blog too for all you other gift wrapping maniacs).

Hankerchief/scarf wrapping? Excellent AND reusable! A skill in itself which I must learn.

How about you? Are you a gift wrapping maniac like myself? Or do you enjoy the pleasure of tearing apart the wrapping to get to what's inside?

Today in Pictures: 06-07-10

2010-07-07T01:28:00.000+01:00

1. Drawing in the sun.

2. A free ride on the London Eye.

3. Awesome views and great weather.

4. An amazing Capoeira performance called Brazil!Brazil! in the Udderbelly (with a complimentary drink).

5. 1 hour sketch of my friend's son as a thank you for letting us ride the Eye for free.

Don't you just love perfect days like these?

P.S: I love London and I love my friends.

A Slice of Real Lives: I Am A Parent To Two Children With Autism

2010-07-06T00:14:00.001+01:00

As part of my new Slice of Real Lives segment, Elise Butowsky has agreed to share a part of her life with us. She describes herself as a happily married parent of two young men with Aspergers syndrome. You can find her at her blog Raising Asperger’s Kids and on Twitter as a moderator for The Coffee Klatch, a support group for parents of special needs children.

How would you describe autism?

I guess I could give a clinical definition of autism and be done with it, but for that anyone can click on Google and find the answer. You see I can’t tell you what it is to live with autism, but I can tell you how it appears to me, a parent.

Imagine that there is a huge chasm, and that within that chasm is another chasm. Now at the bottom of the second chasm is your child. Who they are and all that they will be is buried at the bottom of that chasm. Your job is to reach the bottom of the chasm without fail to pull your child to safety. You dig road after road and even find some tunnels that you can by-pass. But then there is a huge earthquake and everything that you built and discovered is lost. In fact, there may appear a new chasm that you have to traverse to reach your child, who is still at the very bottom. Now they may have made it up a few steps as well, but not enough for you to grab hold of them and pull them to safety. The earthquake and chasms rob you of successfully bringing your child out to the light and to the safety of level ground. This is autism and this is what all families with children on the spectrum face. No matter how hard you work there is always an earthquake and something sets you back. But you get up and begin again, because if you don’t your child will be left in that chasm forever; lost in darkness and alone.

What do you think life is like for your boys?

The interesting thing is that my boys, with all their troubles and travails are two of the very lucky ones. They have what they term the good kind of autism, aspergers. It gives you a keen understanding of things in the world, but it does take from them the ability to read the social construct. That is fine, for with their innate intelligence they at least can be taught. Until I had had children on the autism spectrum I never appreciated how much we learn by existing. It is truly interesting how much we learn from being able to understand what is around us. Something those on the spectrum find very hard to do.

Now think if you could not pick up on the subtleties of life, how hard that would be. That is what it is for the boys. Every social interaction must be scripted. Every event must be role played before it happens. Every event in their lives, from the moment they learned how to brush their teeth has to be explained, diagramed and instructed. You basically are attached to them and need to talk them through every incident. Not because they aren’t intelligent enough to see what is in front of them, but because they are lost, and without the ability to reason through the situation because they cannot always understand the cues that are in front of them. But once they have been through something, and they practice it time and again, it does come to them. It’s as if they keep everything scripted in their heads so they know what to do when.

What do you think are the common misconceptions in society regarding raising autistic children?

Society has a term for this kind of parenting. It is usually spoken of with derision and held up as an example of how we are not letting our children grow up. It is called being a helicopter parent. But for a child on the autism spectrum it is their life-blood. For without the constant teaching and reteaching they just will not get it. They will not just one day figure it out on their own. They will not one day have that light bulb come on, not without turning yourself into a “broken record.”

How does the school learning process cater for those with autism?

What children on the autism spectrum receive in school is just a drop in the bucket of what these children need. It is merely 8 hours a day of supervision with some therapy thrown in. When that afternoon school bell rings, for most children on the spectrum, their day is just beginning. There are more doctor visits, more therapy visits, more tutors (if you are lucky enough to have a child who can learn in a mainstream environment) and then private lessons, tons and tons of private lessons, because your child cannot participate in group sports. They don’t understand the rules of a soccer field, or a baseball diamond, not without help and quite frankly how many support personal do you see running alongside someone on the soccer field? They can’t even do group tennis lessons because the instruction has to be so personal that they take up all the instructors time.

Now you could say don’t give them the lessons. Then what? What if that is the thing that brings your child out of their shell. What if that extra horseback riding therapy is what makes your child turn to you and say “Mom” for the very first time or lets you know that they are hungry or thirsty without you having to guess. You aren’t going to take that chance. You are going to find a way, debt be damned, to give your child everything they need, because you don’t know what will work and what will not work. So with each lesson and therapy and doctor visit, you hold your breath and hope and pray that this is the thing that works. This is what stops the earthquakes and this is what leads your child up through the chasm and into the light.

Finally, what does the future hold?

We live with the knowledge that our children will outlive us. That we need to prepare as best as we can with guardians, special needs trusts and support for our children as they live out their lives without our support. Every night I pray that mine will have the future I want for them, as any neurotypical has that choice. I know that if any with an autism diagnosis can, my boys are lucky enough to have that capacity. But for most of the parents of autistic children they know that somewhere down the line, even if there are siblings, your vulnerable, sweet, good natured, neurodisabled child will be at the mercy of strangers and society. The reality is that it is ignorant people that terrify us not for now, but for when we are gone and are not there to protect our children.

Elise has kindly compiled a list of useful websites where you can find more information on autism. For more information please go to:

Autism Society http://autism-society.org/
Autism Society and HFA Syndrome http://ahany.org/
GRASP http://www.grasp.org/
Autism Association of New England Support Group http://aane.org/
New Jersey Autism Support Organization http://www.aspennj.org/
For legal issues and a wonderful yellow-book guide to support services Wrightslaw http://wrightslaw.com/
Learning Disabilities and ADHD http://ldonline.org/
In the United States for federal law concerning your child’s rights http://ed.gov/

Thank you Elise for sharing a slice of your life with us!

If you have any questions for Elise, you can contact her at her blog: Raising Asperger’s Kids.

This article’s statements are copyrighted to © Elise Butowsky 2010, USA. She represents no one and no organization.

22. Buy The Perfect Pair Of Boots

2010-06-25T01:11:00.000+01:00

Do you all know that woman wearing that gorgeous dress whilst standing with and air confidence in her expensive jet black stilettos? Yeah, that’s not me. Some of you may know that I’m not the kind of girl who can successfully wear high heels and stay vertical, let alone walk around. Well, that’s not entirely true. I am just about capable of withstanding the pain of two-ish inch heels but anymore than that and I’ll have an uncanny resemblance to a limping animal close to its demise.

I have to admit it isn’t that much of a big deal for me as I am a somewhat satisfying 5ft 6 inches so the need for skyscraper high heels is fairly low on my agenda. I do however love boots. Boots are just so awesome in every way imaginable, especially work boots. I can’t get enough of them and I am so happy to say that the months of searching for the perfect pair of boots have eventually paid off!

My little babies were hiding in Selfridges down Oxford Circus one crisp February morning. They even greeted me with a surprise £10 off! Now if that doesn’t scream it was meant to be, I have no idea what does.

So here are my perfect pair of boots, Oh and check out my awesome tights. I found them in Sweden. Neat, huh?

14. Make A Bag Out Of Old Clothes & 19. Learn How To Use A Sewing Machine

2010-06-22T00:39:00.002+01:00

We just love recycling don’t we? Isn’t it fabulous how used paper can be turned into loo roll, glass can be used for brick manufacture and aluminium cans can be turned into, well other aluminium cans? So why not turn old clothes into handy bags or better yet, new clothes?

The notion of using old clothes to create new things has fascinated me for many years. I’ve managed to conjure up a pretty good collection of the things I could make with an old tee or my favourite pair of jeans that are just far too short for me to be wearing out in public. Playing around with stitches and seams are great but the one thing that held me down was the complete lack of a sewing machine, and more importantly, how to use it.

Gone are the days in Home Economics where we sewed pillows and material wall collages. After all these years I’d shudder at the thought of threading the old Toyota. Thankfully, I have a mother of many talents who agreed to show me the ropes and after going over the basics, I finally realise how simple the whole process is. What on earth was I worrying about? And so I decided to test my abilities and make a bag out of an old tee. So here it is!

This is the cut up tee.

Check out my stitching skills, and by that I mean the ability to keep the cloth straight. Go me!

Here is the final product!

I'm quite pleased with the result. I sewed in a cardboard base for extra support. So there you are. I suggest you all give this a go and share what you come up with. I'll also post more up of my little sewing escapades.

1. Learn a beautiful song on guitar

2010-06-01T20:06:00.001+01:00

So I've finally managed to record myself playing a beautiful song called "Snowflight" by Andrew York. It's one of my favourite melodies on the acoustic so I had to learn it. As I don't have an acoustic guitar (as of yet) I've had to do some cramming in order to play on Dani's guitar in Sweden. Sad to say I turn into a puddle of mush when the camera began recording and had to settle on a imperfect rendition as I was running out of time.

So here it is. The next time I'm back in Sweden (or of I get an acoustic guitar by then) I shall attempt this feat again.

Here is a compilation of my lovely out-takes. Enjoy!

Babies make the best adverts

2010-05-23T18:31:00.004+01:00

This is the 2010 advert for Libero Up & Go baby diapers aired in Sweden inspired by the FIFA Football Championship. Isn't this just amazing?

10 Inventive Chopsticks

2010-05-22T11:06:00.003+01:00

I love chopsticks, maybe a bit too much. But still! I find them really artistic and functional at the same. Let the madness begin.

1. The Chork. Don’t they just look so artistic? It’s a great transition for those who haven’t quite yet mastered how to use traditional chopsticks.

2. Peggy Chopsticks. These are so cute! I think I would stick them on my wall. They’d make great decorative pieces.

3. Sauce dispensing Chopsticks. I guess this means you can now bring your favourite sauce with you to the restaurant in case they’re not packing what you want. They do look like strange pipettes though.

4. Soup Spoon and Chopsticks. This totally saves up on washing time. Two utensils in one! What more could we need? It must look pretty strange in the restaurant flipping your chopsticks around all the time. Just be prepared to apologise to your food neighbours as you flick your soup at them now and then.

5. Chopsticks to Fork. I have to admit, I love this version of the chopstick. I am in fact seriously considering purchasing a pair. The idea of clicking both the chopsticks together to make a fork is utterly fantastic! They pass as super stylish forks too. A must have to funk up your cutlery drawer.

6. Twig Chopsticks: How cool is this? It’s a peel-able chopstick! There are 3 layers that can be peeled away making three disposable chopsticks in one. I love how the idea of recycling and saving resources are shaped in a twig too. I want!

7. Chopstick Glasses: How have I lived my life without owning a pair of these? The chopsticks are tucked in the sides of the glasses, now you can always have your own chopsticks with you wherever you go. Too cool.

8. 3 legged bamboo chopsticks. I’m not too crazy for these but I’d like to try them out if I can. I’m sure it’d look rather strange to flash these in a restaurant. I doubt they’d be immune from curious eyes. But it’s more of a fashion statement that way. Brilliant.

9. Folding chopsticks. These are so cool and simple. Imagine flashing them as you stylishly remove them from your breast pocket or your little leather satchel.

10. Chopstick Bra. This just had to be done. Collapsible chopstick in a bra? Why not?

2. Make my own bread

2010-05-10T20:27:00.001+01:00

I realise how long it has been since I last blogged regarding my 22 new things. So being here in Sweden with Dani is a great opportunity to get into gear. So we basically spent the most of today with the bread.

As you can see here, Dani is working in the dough.

And here I am putting it in the oven. Teamwork rocks!

Finally, this is the finished product. It’s really yummy with butter and tastes great with some sweet chilli sauce too! Mmmm

Last day of school!

2010-05-08T20:30:00.001+01:00

Some of you may know that Dani is doing a teaching degree and in doing so is required to do a certain amount of work experience in schools. Yesterday was his last day in the chosen school and luckily enough, I was there with him. As a treat, he had baked the children some kladdkaka (messy chocolate cake) the day before. We ended up baking two cakes in order to ensure everyone got a piece of goodness.

Armed with the very chocolately kladdkaka, I was able to meet some of the teachers and the 'after school' children. Now, being someone who can barely speak Swedish, communicating with the six to eight year olds proved challenging. One girl was very sweet and began telling the other kids that I couldn't speak much Swedish when they began asking me questions. I even managed to get a few games of "råttfällan" in too! Check me out.

After playing outside in the sun we all went inside to the after school classroom and ate the kladdkaka and said our goodbyes.

Look! one of the girls drew me a picture! How sweet~

I'm not entirely sure who or what it is supposed to be. Our theory is that it started off as a red boat in the water and then turned into a girl?

Anyway, overall Dani spent five weeks there and got wonderful feedback. I guess it's hard to go wrong when you do something you love.

Better Mistakes

2010-05-02T23:14:00.003+01:00

Who gets the window seat?

2010-05-01T23:50:00.001+01:00

You’ve woken up at one of the most unimaginable times ever, trawled a suitcase containing far more items than you can imagine, sat on the train which seems to last a lifetime and somehow managed to make it to the airport.

Now, the problem is not blundering your way through security and worrying about whether you have accidentally left your tweezers in your hand luggage. God forbid you decided to torture your fellow passengers by individual hair removal. The problem for me is where I will sit on the plane.

I find myself queuing up to board the plane trying to decide where to sit and after the many trips, I’ve managed to narrow it down to a few points*.

Window Seat:

Pros
-It is gold dust for the inner child.
-There are always spectacular views and you can stare at the wings as the breaks go up during landing.
-You can be rightly antisocial when travelling alone (sounds like my cup of tea).
-You can lean against the side of the plane. Naptime anyone?

Cons
-You’ll have to shuffle past your passenger partners in order to go to the bathroom.
-There isn’t as much leg room.
-You’ll have to wait ages when exiting the plane as everyone is trying to get all their bags through the aisle.

Aisle Seat:

Pros
-There's loads leg room!
-You can freely walk about the plane without disturbing anyone.
-You can exit the plane super fast as you’d be the first to your hand luggage.

Cons
-People will be disturbing you continuously while they try and get out of their seats.
-The airhostess will lean over you whilst she’s trying to serve the person on the window seat. Personal space much?
- There isn’t much to lean against when you’re trying to sleep.
- You will most probably get disturbed by people moving up and down the aisle as they brush past you.

In order to get the best seat for you, you would also have to take into consideration the length of the journey itself. For my usual short trips, I always go for the window seat just behind the right wing. Since the trips are generally around 2 hours, whether I’d leave my seat to go to the bathroom is not an issue and I can also have those lovely pessimistic fantasies of the wing snapping off when we land. Yes, I do that almost every time and oddly enjoy it. It just happens. Psychologists, read into that as you may.

On the other hand, when it comes to long haul flights, the decision is far more difficult. I must say it really does suck when you are in the window seat and need to go to the bathroom but your passenger partners are asleep! I usually feel too bad to wake them up and then it gets down to the power of holding it in. However on long haul flights you do sometimes get those spectacular views of your destination which is such a shame to miss. It’s just a matter of luck really.

Anyway, fingers crossed I get that right wing window seat on Tuesday when I jet off to Sweden. I can’t imagine what would happen if I can’t get it. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s why they don’t allow tweezers on board.

*Note: The middle seat is not up for comparison because let’s be honest, there are no advantages for sitting between two strangers 41,000 ft up in the air.

Fun ways to display your photographs

2010-04-22T23:55:00.004+01:00

So like many others out there, I own a digital camera. This has given me the wonderful opportunity to take a billion photographs of anything and everything. Abusing the macro function, secretly dabbling with the beauty function to get that oh so flawless look and of course being too damn lazy and just using the "auto" or "smart" feature.

However, now it has come to the point where I have folders and folders of photographs stored in my external hard drive and I only get to browse through them once in a blue moon. Shame I say! Shame on us! We have the power to capture such wonderful friends and memories, yet we just stuff them away (after uploading the nice ones on facebook, of course). Our ancestors would be ashamed.

So why not exhibit those photographs? I personally don't like using photo frames. They can be so boring and they take up so much space. Can you imagine 50 or more photo frames containing a handful of my favourite photos scattered around my bedroom? There is not enough surface area!

So being a little creative bunny, I've found some really creative ways to display those photographs. Don't worry; they work well for those on a budget too.

+Click on the images for further details+

★

This is just fantastic! Just get your favourite photos printed out in a variety of sizes, frame then with a little bit of black card and bend them over/cut it in half and stick them on the corners of the walls! Who thought wall corners would actually be interesting? I think an inverse version would be quite interesting too.

★

Ever accidentally ordered duplicate photos? Well there is finally a use for them! Why not make them 3D? I admit I wouldn't do this for every photo, but one or two around the house would be rather fun.

★

Have you every wanted to try out the stylish vertical display of photographs but afraid of all that blu tack and sticky tape? How about Magnetic Photo rope? This stuff is awesome! It comes in different colours and it won’t ruin your walls or photos. That way, if you fancy a change, it won't be a hassle either!

★

This is pretty much the same concept but cheaper, horizontal and one that you can make yourself. You can probably skip out on the wood photo holders and just use colourful card or how about using some funky wrapping paper?

Now there are no more excuses for hiding away your photographs. You took them so you can capture the moment, so why not display them?

How about you? Do you have any other creative ways to display your photos?

Love

2010-04-19T15:30:00.004+01:00

In other news... Baking

2010-04-18T19:43:00.002+01:00

Huzzah! I have been baking!

Yes, and here it is. Chocolate and hazelnut cupcakes! I love baking when the weather is awesome out. The whole flat fills up with the smell of cupcakes and it is so rewarding to do.

I really want to try to make a chocolate cheesecake too. Looks like my aim to make a dessert that does not contain chocolate will have to wait.

Enjoy the weather guys!

Share

Secrets of the London Underground

2010-04-15T14:46:00.002+01:00

Picture this Londoners:

Much like many others, I am minding my own business on the Piccadilly line passing Covent Garden. Earphones are firmly in place with Dave Matthews Band performing a gig in my brain. I am pleasantly minding my own business and as I look up to see where the train has stopped, the woman opposite me in her large floral dress and firmly held purse makes eye contact and smiles.

Yes. Smiles.

Now for all of those who do not know, there is an unwritten etiquette for travelling on the London Underground. Keep to yourself and mind your own business. Yes, that may sound a little harsh but over the years it seems Londoners have hardened themselves. I think it’s a defence mechanism. No one will bother you if you do not make eye contact or if you appear to be engrossed in that free Evening Standard or that tatty novel you have read over a thousand times.

So for someone who only knows how to behave on the underground per the unwritten etiquette, I find myself in a dilemma. Clearly this plump woman is somewhat of a virgin to the London Underground so by ignoring her smile and looking away would most certainly be rude. It's like not returning a high five, it just doesn't work. It also makes the person instigating the action feel rather offended by the rejection. Call me weak, but I'm not that mean to do that.

However, as she smiles at me and maintains eye contact the unwritten rules call at me, nipping at my temples. "Look away, Look away". There is now an impending internal war between my loyalty to the unwritten rules and my conscience. I am suddenly fully aware of the fact that I am blankly staring at her while I am battling within myself. A decision must be made.

So in true Gaia style, I attempt a compromise. And it fails.

I quickly turn away and smile at the pole that is to my left. Yes. In my vain attempt to stick to the unwritten rules and flash a smile, I realise I am looking like a complete idiot as I smile at the blue metal pole. Suddenly I reassure myself that I technically smiled be it not at the floral woman, and I also stuck to the unwritten rules.

Compromise sucks.

Bearing that in mind, it's funny how the unwritten rules are kicked away as soon as this face starts smiling at you.

This little monster of cuteness is powerful enough to make the most loyal rule follower fling the rules out of the sliding doors and electrocute it on the train tracks. Nay, this ball of love is powerful enough to make even the best of Londoners coo and pull the strangest of faces. The transformation from the introversive traveller to the blithering idiot is remarkable. All so that we can see him smile like the cutie he is.

Yes, we may look like complete idiots as we try to communicate with this bundle of joy, but it proves one thing. Under that unapproachable and apathetic exterior, we are big, mushie softies inside.

13. Sell a piece of artwork.

2010-04-15T11:47:00.002+01:00

Huzzah! So I've finally done it! I've managed to sell a piece of art and here it is:

It was basically a Kolum design for a Hindu wedding. A Kolum is a pattern or design filled coloured with dessicated coconut and powdered dye. It is then placed on the floor to the entrance of the ceremony. It is largely used these days for decorative purposes but it ties in with spirituality and the peacefulness of creating the Kolum itself.

It's fairly large in terms of the size of art I am used to (A5/A4 for portraits) and it took me a total of 20 hours to complete (designing and drawing out). The bride wanted to colour in the Kolum herself, so I gave her a colour printout of the design and left her to it. I think she did a fantastic job at it. Check it out!

I am so please to have sold some art, hopefully I will be able to sell more, be it Kolum designs or portraits. Fingers crossed!

My Art here.

Help raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

2010-03-20T18:37:00.006Z

Call me biased, but I am lucky enough to have some incredibly fantastic friends. It’s also great how they’re the type of people to do things for charity. One of them in particular is my wonderful friend Davina (A quirky, Harry Potter loving nut case). Her most recent charitable aim is to take part in the British Heart Foundation’s bike ride around Norfolk this summer. You just have to be amazingly nuts and brave to volunteer for a 100 mile butt chaffing, so why not raise some money while doing it?

About the BHF

The British Heart Foundation was founded in 1961 and it does a fantastic job in supporting patients, raising awareness of heart disease and helping raise funds for the vital research needed to aid heart disease sufferers. You can find more information about the BHF here.

So why not donate a pound* or two (even a few pennies would be great!) Help fund a great cause and you might learn a thing or two about your heart along the clicks.

Donate Here!

*Or a dollar? For those out of the UK, you can donate via Paypal too! Isn’t that great?

Feeling charitable? Got a few quid to spare? Why not donate at Davina's page here and help the British Heart Foundation!

The 'Kitchen Sink Packer'

2010-03-08T14:36:00.006Z

I was once a ‘kitchen sink packer’.

Well, in all honesty my ‘kitchen sink packer’ monster is tightly locked up inside only to rear its garish head and enormous eyes a few hours before I leave.

Having Dani across the ocean means that I am now some sort of ‘frequent flier’ hopping on and off a plane every 2-3 months. This also means that I cannot afford the luxury of the big name jets with their oh so beautiful stewardesses and underwear model pilots. No. My wallet is now restricted to the comfort of flying on a somewhat tighter budget.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not complaining. The seats are perfectly comfortable for the twoish hour flight and the service is warm and general. It’s just what I like on short flights. I’m not one for making chummy buddies with the stewardess when I’m leaving the Swede behind anyway.

However, with my chosen airline, they have a policy of charging for all sets of luggage whilst only permitting one carryon baggage for ‘free’. This means for a penny saver like me, I need to carry light.

I have leant over the journeys that the ‘kitchen sink packer’ is your foe. Although you think you’ll be ready for any situation, come alien invasion or volcano eruption, it is not a good idea. Think of the pain you’ll go through hauling that suitcase up and down the stairs at the train station. Think of what you’d lose if somehow your luggage goes missing. Think of the feeling you have when you’re packing up on holiday and realise you haven’t worn the 3 tops or the pair of jeans you packed ‘just in case’. You could have brought more souvenirs with you if you just didn’t pack those damn things.

Now I’m not completely repudiating the idea of ‘just in case’. By all means bring extra medication and money, but just stash some of it somewhere else in case your main bag somehow evaporates.

With regularly visiting Sweden, I’m lucky enough to be able to leave a few things there so I do not need to keep bringing it with me. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t need to pack any sort of trousers and only about 2-3 tops. The rest is all girly stuff like make up and my straightners to which I have lifeline like relationship with.

Now I am not intending to give one of those informative blogs on how to pack. If you are looking for that, visit Miss Von who will share her worldly knowledge with you.

The reason for this blog is that I am just beginning to marvel at the fact that I am able to pack less and I am comfortable with the rules of holidaying. It is perfectly acceptable to wear the same clothes over and over on holiday. Now all I really ever need to pack are the necessities: passport, ticket, medicine, wallet, phone, camera, chargers, makeup, straightners, 2-3 tops, underwear and socks. Of course with the extra room now in my luggage I bring chocolate for the Swede and his family, but I’ve found that the packing experience is far more pleasant this way. The necessity list is called the necessity list for a reason. Without it my trip would be hindered in some way but if I only had the items on my necessity list with me I would still have an amazing time.

Now with that in mind, it’s time to pack for my trip to Sweden on Wednesday.

How about you? Are you a closet ‘kitchen sink packer’? Or are you a proud light packer?

Life as a Defence Lawyer?

2010-03-06T08:56:00.008Z

For those of you who don't know, the main reason for my absence from my little blog is due to the fact that I have been on a legal (unpaid *sob*) placement for about a month.

It was a good experience, I kitted on a suit everyday and sat on the tube for about an hour or so on my way to living the life of a defence solicitor. Yes, that means I have gone into prisons and psychiatric wings to meet our clients. (Innocent until proven guilty, let me add). There were so many interesting cases, fraud, murder, drugs, you name it. It was a really useful experience and I have learned so much from it.

Now I know some of you may be thinking how people could POSSIBLY defend a rapist or a murderer. It's not about that. The reason for these criminal defence lawyers is to adhere and uphold Article 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998. "I've head of that!" I hear you say. Well, this specific article contains the right to a fair trial. We all have this right, and trust me. If you were somehow wrongly convicted (this happens a lot - you may just be in the wrong place at the wrong time) you'd be screaming for that defence lawyer right about now.

I'd like to address another incorrect view too. So many people think lawyers "lie" and there are countless "jokes" and stereotypes on this (I am victim to such jokes whenever these pop up now and again). It's quite a silly understanding of the law if that would be the case. It is against the law to lie in a court. Ever heard of contempt of court? Not to mention the lawyer would be in SERIOUS s**t if he/she did lie. Bye bye solicitor's certificate! I can't think of a lawyer who is willing to bite that bullet for a client. It is most definitely not worth it.

Lawyers are needed to interpret the law laid out by the government. There are so many rules in interpreting statues and Acts. Sometimes the court will look at the literal meaning of the words (the Literal Rule), the reason why the Act was passed (the Mischief Rule) and finally if these two still cannot clarify the law, the court will construe the Act in such a way for it to be correct (the Golden Rule).

Since the Literal Rule and the Golden Rule a pretty self explanatory, I will not go into more depth about them.

The Mischief Rule:

For example: Street Offences Act 1959 - it is an offence for prostitutes to solicit men ‘in a street or public place". If read literally, this would men that prostitutes COULD solicit men everywhere else other than streets or public places. However, the court in Smith v Hughes looked at the reason for why this Act came about and held that the purpose of the Act was to create safer streets where innocent people would not be molested and where passersby would not be approached by prostitutes. If the court looked at this Act in a different way, there would be massive loop holes which would render the Act completely useless and ineffective.

So what I am getting as is that the law is about interpretation. Lawyers are here to interpret the law whilst maintaining the right to a fair trial. And since we are a society which rests on equality, irrespective of if someone is actually committed the offence or not, they still have this right and lawyers play a big part in maintaining this right.

[Okay, rant over.]

Despite having a strange boss (I shall not get into that here), I managed to do quite a lot at the law firm. I went to various courts and meetings, which I loved. I also had the opportunity to actually work on cases. (Yes Mr Barrister, you are reading out an extract to the Judge which I wrote). Claim to fame? I think not (sadly).

Oh, the case I was working on was in the newspapers the day after the trial too. That was a fun day at the office "Spot the libel, guys!" We actually went through the article and underlined all the incorrect statements. Let me tell you, don't trust everything you read in the papers. Yeah, yeah, you've all heard that before but it's completely different when you can actually pinpoint the incorrect statements. I don't know how people can live with writing complete BS about people and get away with it. (It sells, yeah, yeah) *Optimism gone*.

So I've had a good month all in all. I've experienced loads and learnt a lot. Now it's time to look for more legal placements in London. Know any? *hint* *hint*

I also have some ME time before I head off to Sweden on Wednesday. HUZZAH. (It's about time for a holiday, sheesh).

Tuesday's poem (on a Monday)

2010-02-22T10:16:00.005Z

Dani's Tuesday poem translated and then played with in Wordle. Try it yourself :)

Confessions of a far away friend.

2010-02-15T10:18:00.005Z

Dear my far away friend,

It seems so far away the days and nights we would talk and talk about everything and nothing. Here are the days where we don't manage to talk much at all. This is mainly due to our lives, uni, work and different time zones. I am not here list the reasons of why we don't talk that much anymore. I am here to apologise. I am sorry for not being able to talk to you that much. I miss talking to you how we used to, but I guess both of us no longer have the time for it.

I am so happy when we do manage to talk and how we try to share what is going on in our lives. I should do that more, I just cannot always remember what I have not told you. (That sounds so pitiful, but it is true).

I want you to know that this picture is for you. For your birthday. I hope you enjoy it as you deserve to. I really love you, far away friend. Just know that you are still in my heart when there are times that we do not talk much. I miss you very much. You are a great person. Kind, loyal and understanding. I am lucky to have you in my life. You have been a great support over the years. All I can hope is that I have been good to you and what a friend should be.

Thank you for being awesome :) and a great laugh. You are my perv partner, through and through. Have a very happy birthday. I love you loads and loads.

Love from,

Your far away friend.

10 Tips on waking up on wintery mornings.

2010-02-10T20:10:00.009Z

So it's 6.30am or whatever and you have to wake up early for work. *Urgh* It's totally dark and it's the time of year when it's dark on the way to work and dark on the way back home. (Seriously now, does the sun actually exist anymore?)

I feel your pain! So I've complied a little list (who doesn't LOVE them) on tips to help you wake up on those dark and cold wintry mornings. Now I'm not saying this list will turn you into a morning person (I am most definitely not one of those), but I hope it helps.

1. Slippers! Now don't underestimate these little puppies. I have laminate flooring and JEEZE does it get cold! Your feet are extremely sensitive to temperature (that's why some people stick their feet out of the duvet when it's really hot). So why shouldn't you cover them up when you're cold? Jumping out of bed onto the cold floor will by no means motivate you into getting out of bed. So keep a good pair of slippers just by your bed so you can slip them on and walk around the the house with cosy feet. (It won't make you feel as cold as you would feel without them).

2. Timed heating- This is a GODSEND! If you have it (which you probably do) USE IT! If you know you're waking up at 6.30am, set it so the underfloor heating/heaters kick in at about 6am. That way your house is all snuggly for when you wake up - making waking up that much easier to get out of bed.

3. Get a good amount of sleep - OK who HASN'T preached about this? I know some people are fine sleeping with about 5 hours or so, but I am unfortunately not like that. I know I need at least 8 hours for any sort of human related functions to kick in and I go out of my way to ensure I get 8. So yes, I am an old maid and sleep by 10.30pm when I know I need to get up at 6.30am. So if you know you need a certain amount of sleep - make sure you get it! No one likes waking up when they haven't slept enough.

4. FOOD! Okay chill, I'm not telling you to gobble up loads of food. I'm telling you to be a bit more careful about what you eat. Try and be a bit healthier, it will help. (I'm not writing a lot about this - I'm sure you've heard it a trillion times before and it is quite boring to hear).

5. Think about what you hear - I am the kind of person who would never get out of bed if my alarm clock is a horrendous loud and annoying noise. It actually takes me longer to get out bed when I am woken up by a horrible alarm noise. If you're that kind of person then try using your phone alarm or an alarm clock that has a calmer and more natural sound. However, some prefer and are able to wake up to those universal alarm clocks. My alarm sounds like bubbles and it begins really quiet and gradually gets louder. That way waking up feels more gradual and natural.

6. Routine - Yeah, I know. Boring. Before you protest, this really helps! After forcing yourself to sleep early and wake up early you'll be getting used to it after a few days and the chore of waking up won't be so bad. (I mainly do this when I know I'll be waking up early for more than a couple of days - that way I don't feel completely dead by the end of the week).

7. Taste! Mmm~ Some say that an apple is an excellent way in helping to feel more awake. I think this is great for those who steer away from tea and coffee. It's also healthy! (Woohoo! One of your 5 a day!)

8. State of mind - Do NOT open your eyes and jump to the thought of you having to do so and so at work and that you have masses to do at the office. Who would want to get out of bed after thinking about that? Just think about the near future like, "Mmm, I get to have a nice warm cup of tea to start my day" or "Mmm, I get to pass that really cute mail man on my way out to work today". Basically, start the day happy! It'll do wonders for you. :)

9. Snooze in moderation - Okay, I won't tell you that you're not allowed to snooze - that's just mean. We're humans and we deserve a snooze! Just do it in moderation. I have actually snoozed accidentally for 2 hours. *Oops* Now however, I have put a limit on my snooze (when I have work that day). I am allowed 2-3 snooze alarms, which grants me on average a 10 minute snooze. That way I feel like I was not robbed of my sleep and end up being happier.

10. LIGHT! Okay, this is my amazing secret I am sharing with you all, my lovely friends. Invest in an energy saving light bulb in your bedside light table! (I figured out the pure amazingness of it a couple of mornings ago). First of all, it saves energy, yey for saving the planet (and my wallet). But secondly, and most importantly in this case, it aids in waking up on those dark mornings! (How the hell?) Easy! Just flick it on when your alarm goes off (or put it on a timer - light alarm FTW!) This sort of acts like a Dawn Simulator (and is way cheaper than those expensive simulators) in that it gradually makes your room brighter without hurting your eyes and making you want to dive deeper into your dark and warm duvet. This has really worked wonders for me and I suggest you try it yourself.

So with this in mind, good night and I shall see you tomorrow morning looking more human and a bit happier :).

8. Get into a good LPC School

2010-02-07T10:08:00.008Z

Huzzah!

I did it - finally, I'm going to a well respected place to further my legal studies (I mean I went to a decent uni to do my law degree - but it wasn't anything special, lets be honest). So I guess I see this as my chance to get somewhere further in life and not be labelled with my university all over me.

It's so lovely to have such an opportunity to go to an internationally known legal training institution (which is also conveniently about a 30 min commute). Many top law firms send their future trainee solicitors there, so I think it'd be a pretty good step up on the ladder.

Granted, it's not just about the place you go to. I know due to the nature of the institution there will be a lot of competition, and an unbelievable amount of work to do but I guess this is something I need to be expecting. It's not such a highly regarded legal practice course provider for nothing! And since I am a bit of a freak in enjoying the studying environment, I'm hoping it'll be okay.

However, lets not be too blind in assuming I'll never have any bad or difficult days there. I think it's mainly about understanding where I am and the fact that if I do well there, then it'll will (hopefully - depending on the economic climate) increase my chances of entering a 'good'* law firm.

So I know it's going to be tough (we need good lawyers out there, right?) but I have great friends who will remind me of who I am and if I stay focused I think I will be okay.

Oh, it's going to feel like I'm going back to school in September! (X.x - where is my pencil case??)

*The definition of a 'good' law firm varies from person to person. I consider it to be a warm and welcoming place with respected lawyers (who are willing to teach) with happy and satisfied clients.

17. Attend a Sunrise somewhere new.

2010-02-01T10:09:00.007Z

Travelling to the airport in Sweden in the wee hours of the morning was a great opportunity to witness a snowy sunrise. I had to pleasure of sharing it with Dani and his brother (who so kindly drove us to the airport).

These pictures were taken from the airport, and it was such a lovely thing to see whilst saying goodbye to Dani.

Isn't it lovely?

Apart again.

2010-01-31T00:37:00.007Z

I can't seem to bring myself to write my usual style posts. All I can think of is that I've had such a wonderful time with Dani and I can't believe I had to say goodbye to him again.

Nobody said long distance relationships would be easy, but it is far worse when one actually experiences it. The sorrow, the pain, the longingness. It is too much to take sometimes. I miss him already, I miss everything about him.

I can't bring myself to do anything but wallow in this horrible feeling. It kills me to think that I have to wait almost 3 years until he moves to London so I can see him all the time. I'd do anything to be able to see him as often as other people see their partners. I know I'm not the only on in this situation, but I have no idea what to do sometimes. Do I wallow in it? Do I ignore it and pretend nothing is wrong? There must be a sane and reasonable way to managed missing someone you love so much. (But what is it?).

The first few days of being apart are always the worst. You grow so close to someone and then it is taken away from you because of reality. I have no idea how we're supposed to be strong to take these hits for the next 3 years, but I'm going to do it. I'm going to be as strong as I can and enjoy what I have with him because he is amazing and I am so happy with him.

I have to say I am envious of those who can see their partners regularly. They are so lucky, and I wonder if they know this? I would do anything to be in that situation. I really hope those people realise how lucky they are to be with someone they love and be physically near them too.

It's also really painful when you have to leave the person you love and you don't know when you are to see them again. That is a total killer. To not know whether it will be 2 months or 7 months until you can hold them again is torture. This time, however, I will try to book a ticket for March if all goes well (fingers crossed). But I know it will only be for a weeks visit, so I'm not sure how I'll cope with leaving again.

Nevertheless, despite this relationship being hard on the heart at times regarding distance, it has taught me so much. Time should never be wasted on arguments or misunderstandings. Communication is key and it has done wonders for us. We haven't argued and we just take it how it is.

It has also taught me to be wholly grateful of my other half. Long distance relationships have no room for ingratitude. We are grateful for every opportunity we have to hug each other or even be in the same room as each other. For that gift I am truly grateful as it is usually the ones we love most that we rarely show true gratitude. I am glad to have such a wonderful and understanding person in my life. I miss him dearly, but our present selves require our relationship to be this way. I'm sure the 3 years will go by fairly quickly because that period of time is a pivotal point in each of our chosen career paths.

So forgive me, friends if I seem sullen or uncharacteristic. I am missing someone I love dearly and am adjusting to such a change in my life. I will return to normal, just give me time to get myself back on my feet and to do this I need you, my loving friends. Please, lend me your support.

Sledding!

2010-01-26T00:11:00.008Z

Hey guys,

So yesterday Dani (above) and I went with his brother and his girlfriend to visit another brother of Dani's and his family.

It was such a lovey day. They live near the forest and the air is amazing there. So me being a City girl I have ashamedly not been bobsledding properly before. It was fantastic, but oh so cold! *brr*

This is Dani dragging me along in the snow :)

Oh, and of course if there is snow, we need a snow angel!

I had such a great day. I really think Sweden is a great place for me. The people I've met are great and I just love the place. Everything looks so pretty and I really think I'm going to miss this place when I leave.

But lets not think of such things right now!

In other news, Dani bought Disaronno today. An almond liqueur we came across at a Christmas party we attended. He loves the stuff. I think because of the taste and that it's so versatile. He seems to like it with lemon juice so far.

Try it if you haven't!

Nine + Ten

2010-01-25T23:25:00.005Z

Hey guys,

So as I wrote earlier, I am doing 22 new things before I turn 22. So here are some that I've managed to do so far.

9. Do an all-nighter and complete a game.

So a few days ago, Dani and I decided to try playing Suikoden and see how long it would take to play. It's a really nice rpg game with great music. The characters are kinda cool too and it took a total of 14 hours to complete, resulting in us falling asleep at around 4am.

I think it's the first time that I've actually done a complete run-through of a game. It was quite hilarious really. By the end of it I was really struggling to stay awake but we finally did it! I can't believe how tired I was by the end of it to be honest. Gone are the days where I could easily stay up and do repetitive all-nighters. It's quite shocking really. It's my fist encounter with my body not being able to keep up with what I want to do. Sigh, gone is youth at 21? Oh hell. What will I be like in a few more years time...

Maybe I really should eat more greens...

10. Try colour contacts

I did it! I've always wanted to try out colour contacts. (Not those weird ones that are currently the rage in East Asia - I'm sorry but in my opinion they make people look a bit too freaky).

Anyway.

The ones I use aren't prefect for me. Did I mention that I am a horrific -9.00 on each eye? Yes! I kid you not. So obviously, the contacts I wanted could only go up to -8.00, so I am sort of blind when wearing them.

But they are so cool! (I'll try to refrain from using them too much, as I fear I will become more blind). In my defence, check them out!

I am your typical brown eyed girl, so I think these green ones work pretty well. I am so happy with these. Fingers crossed I manage to find some good ones in -9.00.

Hurrah!

22 things before 22

2010-01-20T17:40:00.011Z

Hey Guys,

So after being inspired by Sarah Von I have decided to compile a list of 22 things to do before I turn 22 in June!

Some of you may know that I love writing lists. It makes me feel so organised and like I'm actually doing something productive. On the list I'll blog the bits that I have done. So fingers crossed I manage to get some done.

Here we go.

1. Learn a beautiful song on guitar.

2. Make my own bread.

3. Try mango to see if I still hate it.

4. Take a cake decorating class.

5. Go on a road trip.

6. Start learning Swedish.

7. Get my hair cut in a style I've never had done.

8. Get into a good LPC School.

9. Do an all-nighter and complete a game.

10. Try colour contacts.

11. Donate Blood.

12. Give something/do something for charity.

13. Sell a piece of artwork.

14. Make a bag out of old clothes.

15. Learn to play a new song on the piano.

16. Make a dessert that does not contain chocolate/coco.

17. Attend a Sunrise somewhere new.

18. Fight for a good cause.

19. Learn how to use a sewing machine.

20. Go somewhere I've never been before.

21. Start (and stick to) a good habit.

22. Buy the perfect pair of boots.

So fingers crossed this goes well. I would be really happy if I can achieve some of these and I'll keep you posted with the progress.

Lets begin.

16-01-2010

2010-01-16T21:27:00.008Z

Hey guys,

So today was our anniversary, and it's been great!

I've always wondered about the point of celebrating anniversaries as sometimes it ends up being a celebration of "we did it, we managed another year. Cheers". But it shouldn't be like that (unless that is really how you feel, I guess). I feel it should be an opportunity to reflect and appreciate how amazing the other person is and how great the relationship is. So this is what I set out to do and I am so glad I did it. I have genuinely realised how lucky I am to have the people I love in my life.

So today Dani made us breakfast and lunch and it was wonderful. We also took a walk in the lovely snow here in Sweden. The cold is quite nice (so far). It's really fresh and everything looks so beautiful here.

I can't believe it's been a year already! I know it sounds cliché but time certainy does fly. I never thought I'd be so close to someone like this and I am really grateful for having Dani in my life.

I am also eternaly grateful for my friends for being so supportive. A long distance relationship can be difficult at times - it's hard being away from someone you love, but I think it can be done. I think the key thing is to be open, honest and understanding about everything. I am quite impressed about how things have panned out and I hope it continues this way. (Don't worry, my head isn't in the clouds - I realise not everything works out and there are ups and downs in life). I just feel really lucky and am very grateful that I have my boyfriend and several amazing and supportive friends in my life.

I've had a really great day today. The candle lit dinner at home was wonderful and so were the chocolate cakes for dessert <3.

We also bought some Punschrulle which is really nice. It's basically crushed cookies and stuff wrapped in marzipan and both ends are dipped in chocolate.

Mmm~

We also did presents! Dani got me a few presents and one of them was a hilarious and cute nail varnish dryer. What is that? You remark. Bear with me. I am constantly complaining to him about how my nails are not dry yet and so this cute little device solves the problem!

Isn't it cute? It's a little monkey that blows cool air when you put your fingertips on the banana button! =D I love it so much and I couldn't stop laughing when I saw it.

As for my gift for Dani, I decided to be a little crafter and made him a scrapbook of our photos and memories together. It took ages, but was indeed well worth it. Here is a page of what it basically looks like...

I am so glad that he likes it and that today has been great. We've decided to spend the rest of the evening watchin some Anime (a favourite past time of ours) and just relax.

Nice.

Sweden

2010-01-15T16:13:00.011Z

Hey guys,

So I've been a little naughty and am behind on my blogging. So consider this a double post for today.

A few days ago, while back in London Dani and I decided to decorate some good ol' gingerbread men. (Before you argue, we decided that gingerbread men should be enjoyed even after Christmas - they're amazing, so why not?)

So here they are! 3 decorated in total (they tasted lovely too).

The First is Dani's gingerbread man.

Can you guess who it is?

The next is mine, I decided he should be an enthusiastic office worker. (Lol, you can laugh now, I just thought it'd be a nice idea.

The final one is, well as you can see a woman. (The office worker needed a wife who could nag him all the time ^_^).

So now that we're up to date with it all. I am now in Sweden! Dani's brother was super kind enough to pick us up from the airport and drop us off at Dani's place. It was about 2hr 15min. We thanked him with a box of chocolates but it'd be nice if we could do something else for him.

Today we woke up at our leisure and decided to go to Maxi and Netto for some shopping. I was kitted up from head to toe with really thick clothing and boots (thank you Linda for supplying me with your boots) and was ready to go.

The snow here is fantastic. :D

Sweden in the winter has surprised me. I knew it'd be a nice and refreshing break and all, but I didn't realise how refreshing it is. The air is completely different from London. It is so much fresher and clearer. The snow is completely different too. I made the mistake of jumping into a pile of snow (thinking it was like the snow at home and would be a solid ground) and I fell right though it up to my knees! The snow is so soft here and the view is amazing. I am so glad I came here.

Dani is making dinner tonight, coconut and honey chicken curry with rice. So i'm going to go and have some now.

Oh! Tomorrow is our 1 year anniversary! I finally finished his present today (while he was out with his sister) and I can't wait to give it to him tomorrow!

Gaia~

Scandanavian Kitchen please.

2010-01-10T22:55:00.008Z

Hey guys.

So since my Swedish boyfriend is over, we've been frequenting the Scandanavian Kitchen. I love that place so much. And we try to go when we can. It has such a lovely feel to it and has loads of food from Scandanavia.

The people are so welcoming and friendly and I think that when I miss Sweden I'll spend my time at the Scandanavian Kitchen. =)

There's a shop and a cafe all in one which I find fabulous. :D They also use really awesome mugs! Check it out =)

I don't think I've loved a cafe/store as much as I love the Scandanavian Kitchen. It's just so welcoming and homely. (I'm so happy to have found a happy place to go to if I'm feeling down or if I have a MASSIVE craving for Kex :D). Mmmm~

A home away from home. This is where you'll find me. Check it out sometime! :D

Enjoy.

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'Make me Happy' Muffins

2010-01-09T22:00:00.007Z

Hey guys,

So somehow, today managed to be more of a wreck than yesterday (I didn't know it could possibly be). Stress + broken trust = not a happy bunny :(

Anyway.

Putting the mess aside, I am eternally grateful that my long distance boyfriend has been with me during this mess. I don't think I could have held together if he wasn't here. Thank you.

So as I was sitting in my room pondering on the events of the past few days I suddenly felt the urge to bake some 'Make me Happy' Muffins! And voilà! Here they are! =D

These are most definitely 'Make me Happy' Muffins. The smell was amazing and indeed cheered me up. ^_^

I think they look really cute with the little chocolate pieces on and they taste lovely :). I'm enjoying them right now with a nice cup of tea.

So hopefully tomorrow will be a better day - but I think i'll be feeling better in a few days and then I'll be blogging from Sweden!

I'll leave you with a funky piano building in Dubai. I love unique and inspirational buildings. I think it is wonderful how someone can actually build somethings in such a massive scale that looks like smaller more everyday objects.

More can be found here! There's a strawberry building, a basket building (my favourite on that page).

Enjoy!

Ups and Downs

2010-01-08T00:01:00.009Z

Hey guys, so today's been a bit of a rollercoaster. It's been full of ups and downs.

Who hasn't had one of those days?

Anyway, lets not dwell on the downs. Today I spent a lovely time with my boyfriend. As he's visiting from Sweden (long distance relationship - urgh) we try and make the most of what we can when we're together. Basically, he has to study a bit whilst being here and we thought we'd make a day of it (braving the British snow might I add - you can laugh now).

I'm taking this (-2c) as training for going to Sweden next week (-30c) :/

So we hopped on a bus and decided to spend the day with him reading for uni at our local Cafe Rouge.

I really like this place, the ambience is wonderful.

We had some wonderful food (pics of which are on my boyfriend's blog here) and we relaxed and read. It's quite nice to read 'with' someone. Even though you don't really get to talk much whilst reading, it's still really nice to just be in someone's presence that you care about ^_^.

I have to admit, writing this blog has calmed me down quite a bit about what has happened today. Lesson learned: It's important to not dwell on the bad but appreciate the good.

So I leave you with this. Andrew York's wonderful "Snow Flight". (Thanks to Dani for introducing it to me). This hasn't failed to give me goosebumps.

Enjoy.

Poems on the Underground

2010-01-03T17:26:00.005Z

Hey guys,

So as an aspiring solicitor I am trawling through law firms trying to find some work experience and a training contract. (You lawyers out there may understand). As per usual I get really unmotivated after a while and I thought I'd share something.

Basically you Londoners would have seen this on the Underground as "Poems on the Underground". I love it. I saw it a while ago and had to have a copy of the extract. The last time I really read a poem was during my A level days (English Literature - which I loved immensly). Ah, Chaucer and Keats...

Sadly I don't take the time nowadays to really read poems which is a bit of a shame because it really is a wonderful and beautiful form of expression. So cheers to the London Underground for introducing such a wonderful art to London commuters. (It's quite calming to read a poem while some suit is poking your ribs with his elbow while he tries to turn the page of his morning paper).

So enjoy. Love it or hate it, I just wanted to share this with you.

And Now Goodbye

Poetry is with us from the start.
Like loving.
Like hunger, like the plague, like war.
At times my verses were embarassingly foolish.

But I make no excuse.
I believe that seeking beautiful words
is better
than killing and murdering.

(Lines 17-24)

- Jaroslav Seifer

(1901- 1986)

No matter how far in life anyone is, they all started out somewhere.

2010-01-02T12:48:00.008Z

And this is my beginning.

Well, sort of.

So hey everyone. Thanks for visiting, I hope you find what you are looking for be it inspiration or just because. It may take me a while to get this blog fully up and running, but hopefully i'll get on my feet with this and it should be an interesting ride.

Over the posts you'll see me posting up my art (I am primarily focusing on portrait art - You can find me here), I'll be posting titbits of my life and I'll also be sharing beautiful, funny or inspirational things which I find on the wonders of the internet.

Anyway.

So last night I was killling time and playing Tetris with my boyfriend (we're totally not competitive - what are you talking about? ^_^) and we decided to record our game for our lovely far away (she lives in Argentina) friend. Everyone needs a pick me up and it was really fun doing it - I love Tetris, but I managed to fail so much when we were recording. (Yeah, yeah Gaia - lame excuse). It's true! I'll prove it to you in another video. But for now, here is the one we uploaded. Enjoy.

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