A Swedish Shop

I feel like I have to write now, and remember that we only live once and everything can feel ok.
Some humans think too much, and if you are like me, one of them, you also know how tedious that can be. But it's ok and it's good. 'Ok' and 'good' are such ordinary words, but I think they suffice in this case.

Today was my last day of school and it was also 30 degrees. We left without saying good bye to everyone and it felt just right, not too much, just right.

Town was boiling. I have to stress that I hate the summer. I absolutely cannot fathom why people would love it. The sun beating down on your skin like an endless heated oven, sweat oozing from every pore, sticky rooms and red bodies? Maybe I'm exaggerating. The sun is a beautiful beacon of light and hope and nature. But I like it when it's cloaked in clouds not out showing off.
Even though it was hotter than it's been for weeks, today was beautiful, ... again.

We spontaneously went to Ikea. And we walked about the bedrooms and made up stories and pretended to live there, as one does. Is there a shop more fantastic than Ikea? I want to hide in a cupboard with friends and stay there over night, sleep in 10 different beds, eat cold meat balls and wrap myself in the children's toys.

We sat and talked for hours. And a hiccup of sadness was nullified by soothing words and feelings.

In a week I'll be preparing for my escape to Albion, and I am anxious to see the sea again.
Tomorrow I'm going to spend time with my lovely mum and hopefully acquire a first bikini for dips in the sea. Then I'm going to Annika's to celebrate the fact that we are in fact alive, and it is truly not always difficult, but instead packed with hours of laughing at long foreheads and silly boys and bare feet.

   

Yellow, Rice and the Main

So it's nearing the end of June now and it's so cold that I'm running out of tights agian. I think humans need the seasons, a kind of natural change that helps us cope with more intimate change that might seem wrong. But I appreciate summer taking its time this year.
I have four more days before I can finally kiss goodbye to school for six weeks. But to be honest, I am just starting to like going again.

Today I nearly fell asleep in class but soon woke up after going into town with the soul sister. It was lovely as expected and we sat in a restaurant between two couples and pulled faces while one of the girls gushed about her degree in Aesthetics.
We went to the river that I usually always take for granted, a beautiful, seemingly endless mass of perfect water dividing what has become home in half.
Three of us sat on a bench and laughed and talked and I got so emotional I definitely asked them to marry me. It's scary to think there's not much time left as we are. But probably just as exciting.

Whenever we have days like this, we always end up saying: In a year we'll remember this day! or What do you think we'll say about today in a few years? and I wish I could stay here forever.

So enough of me going on about those precious hours.
Here are some pictures.

Annika and I sat outside Iimori, where we work...

And got extra treats.

 This is today. And those are the hands of two lovely people.

A & B

I am addicted to this song.

Some unexpected things happened in the space of a week. But really, what can happen in a year?

June Showers

It rained all day today and I didn't have an umbrella. In fact, I think it's still raining now, but I am warm and inside listening to Carl playing with a hairband. It feels more like October than June and that's lovely.
In three weeks I'll begin my last ever summer as a pupil and once again embark on a trip to England which I am definitely looking forward to.

Did Zumba for the first time last night and I now firmly believe that everyone should try it out. Shake your behind around, sweat buckets whilst listening to cheesy music? Are you not even tempted?
(Also, the trainer was attractive in an odd way. Or was it just his enthusiasm?)

As promised, here are a few pictures that aren't part of the project but a result of two days worth of taking photos.

Much better than an outtake, which is why it's also on flickr.

To your left, Topmodel candidate Helena Klaric, to your center and right, me hanging on to people in a circle.

Mmm whipped cream and smarties. Delicious...?

日本人になってしまったんだ！(<-- evidence that I did, in fact, spend half a year in Tokyo.)

♥

I hope something exciting happens. Like meeting Noel Fielding in a lift in Frankfurt or winning a trip to Melbourne or perhaps receiving an anonymous parcel filled with chocolate and shoes and stories about elephants in India.
I like listening to this song, when I need encouragement.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Aren't 'the seven deadly sins' cliche but fascinating? I love what wikipedia says:

The seven deadly sins is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct Christians concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin.


We do have a tendency to sin. It isn't difficult to commit all seven deadly capital vices in one day.
Annika and I defined a modern, minimalistic version of the seven deadly sins in the name of a school art project. It's probably (easily) the most enjoyable 'work' I've ever done for school.

Avaritia

Invidia

Luxuria

 Acedia

Ira

Gula

Superbia

Our approach was simplistic and I really like the results. We tried to use as little as we could to define each sin. Essential were the bare background and the few props.
All the photos were taken with my Nikon D40 and a Sigma 18-125mm lens.
Slight lighting adjustments, colour enhancing in post editing with Photoshop CS6!

We completed the project over the course of one week, including planing and editing. I'm especially fond of Greed, Gluttony (because it involved whipped cream and smarties) and Envy (because it was hilarious trying to get a good picture of our male stand in/good friend and I looking like a couple).

It's really made me want to start more projects! It's true that it's much easier to complete something if you're not alone.

I'm going to post some of the outtakes of the shoot in my next post!

You should listen to this song while letting the warmth seep through your skin, lying on a breezy balcony, even if you hate the summer.

Dripping Honey

The past few weeks have swept by almost with ease, even though they were filled with the final exams for this year. Maybe it's because the pain of imposing maths exams was numbed by two-hour phone calls the night before. Maybe it's because there's a lot more to life than school and consistantly trying to do your best- Definitely both.

It's been a long time since I let some thoughts make their way onto this inconspicuous place. My trip to England was perfection!
I stayed with my beautiful Grandma, in beautiful Canterbury. She told me about how she fell in love, resulting in me almost crying over my cup of tea because it was so ridiculously wonderful, she told stories of the Queen's garden parties and took me to the seaside to meet her mad, elderly, wealthy friends. It is worlds apart from seemingly dry Frankfurt but it was the perfect medicine for escape.

So aside from surviving school and dealing with some heavy disappointments outside of my control, somehow I have been rewarded with a warm feeling in my stomach at the thought of the holidays, England and the pair of Jeffrey Campbell Litas I'm going to buy.

I've been going out a lot more recently and on one occasion met the most adorable 15-year-old sunny boy at an eighteenth birthday party. He is to me what Justin Bieber is to many: the love of my life. I'm joking (I think).
I also had a 20-minute long nosebleed in my friend's cousin's house at one in the morning.

I'm helping Annika with an art project for school and the process is horrendously fun. I'll post the results here later when they've all been edited and approved! So keep your eyes peeled for a minimalist version of the seven deadly sins!

And now for some photographic evidence that I am not in fact, inventing everything I write here.

 Just one little piece of a beautiful garden!

Love this cat. History!

These are wonderful and don't hurt your feet, even after hours of walking and/or dancing!

 Herne Bay.

The bed I've slept in most aside from my own and someone lucky's birthday present!

Gluttony nails!

So now you could watch this video of an old Indian man laughing or listen to Oh Land playing a live acoustic version of White Nights or you could go outside and run around topless. That is one of life's beauties: Although we often feel inhibited, the truth is we are free to do almost anything at all.

Albion, I'm coming!

I couldn't tell you how many times I have nearly posted something here.
Regardless of the fact that I am clearly not the most dedicated blogger, I think I can excuse myself by admitting I am out of practice and have had a lot of other things on my mind that have stopped me from pouring my heart out to my second favourite audience: an nonjudgemental white box (my favourite would be Carl the cat, as he is unable to speak but still manages to curl up and purr on my lap, miraculously when I'm feeling really down).

As a lot goes on in three weeks (or has it been four?!) I've come to the conclusion that I should perhaps start writing lists of things I don't want to forget to write. What's important right now is that I am finally on Easter holidays and am flying to England on Thursday morning, together with legions of business men in black suits on the 7AM flight. It's always more than a treat visiting England, because although it is home, circumstance doesn't allow us to go too often. I've got the added bonus of going alone, and although I love people I can't wait to get away from everything here for seven days.
I can't wait for the friendly, smiley, open people of England, I can't wait to forget Germany for a week and am already anticipating the bitter disappointment of unfriendly passport-checkers upon my return to Frankfurt.
I get to see my family, I get to see History (a regal old ginger cat) and Winston (a depressed golden dog)!

I spent a lot of time talking over coffee this month, perhaps more than usual. I am thankful for my caffeine addiction.

I am perhaps slightly late in acquiring the Lana Del Rey album, but I love it. I've missed the feeling of listening to something new over and over again. I read somewhere, Lana was "sadcore pop. Agreed.

We all went to Bavaria for my uncle's 40th birthday party and it was hard work, like family gatherings often are. Cake and sekt anyone? Also, I am now fascinated with the Neuschwanstein castle.  Ludwig II of Bavaria only lived there for around 8 months after is was completed. One day he went out for a walk with his psychiatrist. They were later found dead in a lake nearby.

Fräulein is the best German magazine I have ever come across. It may only come out four times a year, but it's brilliant.

I bought a second-hand dip-dye jumper. First I loved it, then I regretted it, now I like it!

Mint is without a doubt currently my favourite colour! What would people in the middle ages think? What would the Virgin Queen look like decked out in a minty frock? Oh questions!

And finally, Wet Cement and Promises by the Morning Benders.

PS. (You could follow my blog with Bloglovin.)

A man can do what he wants, but not want what he wants.

It's utterly unbelievable how fast time passes. It's been about a month since I posted something here.
My mind isn't working fast enough to produce a lovingly written text so instead have this list again!

I have finally inherited an old iPhone 4 which my Dad sent from Singapore.

Carl the cat was ill again but is now back to being a lively black ball of fur.

Was really ill with Strep type A. Off school for nearly two weeks on a diet of vanilla ice cream.

Worked two days in a row and nearly killed myself in the process.

Ordered a dress off Romwe.

Mum came back from a short trip to London, bringing Topshop gifts and Cadbury delights.

Did some Yoga with my friends 6 year old sister last night, she's a pro.

I bought these bits a while ago when Accessorize was having a massive sale. I'm especially fond of the earrings.

This wall is destined to be wallpapered with beautiful vintage floral wallpaper, but until then I'll clumsily cover it in photos and pages from magazines. Note the Christmas-y mug on an unbelievably untidy desk,

It snowed. It was also -20 degrees for a week.

Can we discuss Mini from Skins?! She's become my favourite after her episode in the new season. I love her style, the bright colours and fearless accessories, but I've also started to love her character.

Instagram!: 1) I wish I was confident enough to wear these cherry trousers I tried on in Zara. 2) OPI Glitzerland! 3) Class excursion to Bonn 3) Starbucks cookie from Mum 4) The love of my life 5) iPhone 4 has a front camera, ok?! 6) DIYed chest of drawers 7) Scribbles.

I am so tired and full of sweets from last night so I will now sit and enjoy some silence. I am in love with this song.

("A man can do what he wants, but not want what he wants." - Schopenhauer.)