how-to

My simple how-to for cheering myself up?

AC/DC and green tea, with jasmine.

Seriously, the riff of Back in Black is just unbeatable.
Just as a thing, and then thinking of it in Iron Man.
I mean, this just cannot be beat.

It's like the instant-coffee of cheering myself up.

Also.
I never talk inspirational women.
Helen Mirren, though, guys.
You know.

Helen Mirren.

Peace out, and I hope you're having an excellent Thursday.
Happy whatever.
Happy anything/everything to you.

With love and light.
Yours truly.
M.

few days

These past few days have gone by super fast.

Last few gigs done, they've gone super well to carry on our amazing streak and we are almost done now.
One last one to go tomorrow.

And I'm currently in bed with Spanish.
Watching Gordon and drinking tea.
Me, Spanish and The Cat.

I'm so ready to go to Finland and see A. in her summer house.
Just sauna and reading and rowing and drinking tea and swimming and sunning or not, whatever.
So ready for this.
I want some things done beginning of the week, not later than Wednesday - some more, some less practical.
Brother's birthday, I absolutely will go for a massage (my body is so so tired, the touring takes it's toll eventually), sort out my e-mails, sort through my clothes (Spanish and I wanna go for this humongous clothes sale), then take a lot of paper and writing utensils with me and go to Finland. To write, and sketch, and think all the thoughts and write down all the ideas.
Good.

This is such an amazing development from last year.
Vocally, physically, and for me most importantly - psychologically.
By the end of the tour last year I was such a mess, all over.
A. came to visit and she was literally like, calm down, now.
This year has been so enjoyable, and I'm really sad this tour is almost done now.
So awesome, being able to measure development.

Over and out for tonight.

With love.
M.

unexpected friend

Hello, sunshine!
You unexpected friend!

This situation of course presents an interesting change in things.
Sunshine just does this, y'know.

I just got home, and now I've devised the perfect - and I mean, the perfect - set up.
The best one I've discovered living here so far. And that's been 4 years.

I carried the rocking chair to my room, to face the window.
I have my cup of tea and the cat at arms length.
And I'm watching the Biggest Loser with the big speakers attached.
I mean.
Yes.

I haven't had a home day in so so so so so so so long.
I would like to do some laundry, and cut my hair.
And just listen to MY music, real loud.
Real loud.

So here I am.
In my black trakkies, in the rocking chair.
I need to do some work stuff, and I'll see E. later.

PS, judging by that photo I should clean the mirror as well.

Happy Saturday, guys.
M.

yoga

I really miss moving.
(Moving my body, not moving country.)

I go through periods of not doing anything at all, because I get too busy, or too stressed, or too this, or too that, blah blah blah, so basically periods of lots of crap excuses.

But I've got to the stage of just missing moving for itself. 
Moving, and yoga, and tea.

Little things.
M.

nest

This is too crowded with things for me, but for about 8 hours I would like to be in this room.
Have some tea, eat some noodles. Burn some incense, and smoke some shisha, with apple tobacco, please.
And think some thoughts, and draw.

Crowded room.
M.

iceland

Once A. and I go to Iceland, this will be our holiday.
I feel the left one would be my mug.

Travel.
M.

flowers

Good morning!

Hardly moring, but oh well. My porridge, Classic FM and I are having a great time.

And today I'm going to (London-)town with AJ, for some tea at this place (http://www.camelliasteahouse.com/) and a little snowy walk in town.
I've spent way too much time indoors with boxes.

Last night was gamenight. We played 3 games of "Reis ümber maailma" which means "Trip around the world". And it was brilliant.

The other day I had flowers in my hair, and had the most fun-inducing pony-tail.

I hope you're having a good day.
And if you can - play in some snow.

With love.
M.



By Andreas Wonisch (2010)

today

Today was useful.
I got some stuff sorted, respectfully sent off our Christmas tree, and then ended up and the gym (of course) with E., and our session ended with the saunas and pools. Yay!
So I fly tomorrow. At 1.30pm, my flight leaves for LDN. And so I'm currently packing.
I would really like to squeeze in a mini-session tomorrow morning, just to get my pulse up and gimme energy for the flight. And I really want to pop into this place before the airport as well - they do an awesome selection of nuts and allsorts of like, nuts in yoghurt, and almonds in this and that, and clusters of unicorn dust or something, point is - everything.
Oh, and also! I found this man who offers a moving service, from LDN to either HEL(sinki) or TLN. I contacted him and I think we are gonna strike a sweet deal between the two of us. Yay for this! I mean, "Yay!" is such an understatement. This is like, so sweet if it happens. Fingers crossed, please!

So now I'm sat here, on my bed, watching another James Bond. Some Finnish channel showed James Bond movies really really late on Christmas eve, for years on end. And as my parents had gone to bed and I was so excited about my presents, I'd stay up and watch Bond. And to this day, every time the festive season comes round I feel like watching Bond. And now I'm working my way through them. I've got to "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977).
I'm gonna dry my hair, handwash some stuff for tomorrow (don't have a tumble-dryer in TLN), then make some tea probs, pack (my packing list is genuinely like, laptop, phone, and jeans), and that's that.

TLN-LDN. ✈
Lots of love.
M.

homecomfort

Back to the post about the little moments a day, of just little comforts.

I'd like to go hiking. Well, maybe not necessarily hiking - rather for an adventurous mountain-air walk. Not such a "little comfort", plus I want the ground to come out from undernearth the snow, and then I shall look into this. Maybe find a cool place around London, and do it before The Move.

But cups of tea, and good baths, and favourite movies.
I found this list on this blog. The list was called "Feeling Sad?" and I quite liked it. Not that I was feeling sad, but I thought the list was good anyway. (I'll give you a selection)

Here’s all the things I do to help myself feel less sad:

(if you have any more suggestions, send them to me and I’ll put them up here!)

- Ride a bike.

- Pet my dogs.

- Color in coloring books.

- Do yoga.

- Light some candles and meditate.

- Take a bath with all the fancy works.

- Throw paint on canvas, literally just throw it.

- Walk outside.

- Go for a run.

- Watch Lord of the Rings.

- Smile, even though I never want to, it does make you feel a little better.

- Talk to friends.

- Get a bulletin board and fill it with pictures you like.

I really liked it. But I do think dancing should ABSOLUTELY be on the list as well!

I am also in love with the fact that she has Lord of the Rings on the list - I went through a period of just watching it every day, for kicks. I didn't even like it that much before, and then BOOM - daily occurrence. Why not.

So.
Small things that make a big difference.
M.

Also. Some of you might not like tea, and baths, and Lord of the Rings at all, or you might not enjoy dancing, and walking on mountain tops which is soooo unquestionably fine.
Just find the little things that do make you happy, that's all.

STHLM pictures, as promised

A's future husband.
We went out for dinner, and saw this guy, bearded, beanie hat.
Holding a baby on one arm.
We died. So therefore, this guy in the middle could do the same thing. He's allowed.

Indoor market in Stockholm. Pastry. I heart pastry.

Textbook A+M situation/Chaos and Mayhem adventure
= 3AM in Macdo.
The people, and I mean the circus - one of the best I've ever seen.
You get a point, youths of Stockholm.

Bag of coated nuts (omg the variety), and tea.
Location: A's floor. White, wooden. No carpet!

Same indoor market, wintery festive cheeses.
My favourite is the snowman one.

Just some pretty lights.

Since I was wearing A's red Converse (cause I had no other flat shoes),
I couldn't resist the temptation for a self-take at H&M.
Oh, and I fully embraced "the Stockholm pony" -
middle-parting, low-pony-tail.

Oh, and we tried on the same dress, different colours.
Potentially for New Years. It still might be on the cards.

Sweden's biggest out-door museum - it's a biggg village.
All working little houses, and a pharmacy, and a tavern,
and people in national dress.
A. and I danced around a Christmas tree with some children,
for 30-40 minutes.
And then I had a Lussekatter. It's basically a saffron bun.
And its name ends in "cat".

All red. Before heading to the airport.

TALLINNNNN.

breakfast

I stayed over-night at E's. Which meant getting up with her, which meant getting up at 7AM.
Okay, for those of you who have actual jobs that follow an actual schedule, this won't sound ridiculous.
However, I don't have that schedule. Last time I would've followed something like this was school. And not even my banterous London highschool days, but we're talking back before 2006.
Also, I'm not one of the early-bird people, I don't think. I like being up late. But then again, everything's a habit. Regardless of whether this is habitual or natural, I'm not a morning person.

Due to all of these reason, this morning is absolutely out of the ordinary. The 7am, the 8.50 breakfast and you know. The fact that I feel like I've been awake for quite some times at 9.40 (when I wouldn't usually be even up yet).
I'm sat in this place called Reval Cafe right in the heart of Tallinn. Some trivia for ya: Reval is the old name of Tallinn.
And I've had an omelette which was great and some green tea, infused with some fruity stuff, I think.

So there you go.
My breakfast time, in town, early morniiiing.

And as always I'll say, I will do this more often, and as ever, I won't.

But I'm always really hopeful.
M.

(y'know, just chilling with some limestone walls, some tea, and my trusty, trusty reindeer.)

SÜGIS

 
 I'd like to speak elvish. That would be cool. The Tolkien kind of Elvish.

I would like to spend my entire autumn in that room (the last photo) with the leather sofa and the big map. Just planning, planning, planning my next move. Planning the next spring and the next summer. Eating bread that A. has made, and smother it with the triple citrus marmalade that I've made. ("Maria's Marmalade", of course.) I'd sit there and I'd plan. And therefore every autumn I wouldn't think well, this is silly, why the hell must I wear clothing, but instead, I'd know that this was time to plan. Proper hibernation.
And I would always have candles on the windowsill, so I could say "lights will guide you home", or at least will guide you to me. I think that's why I like the Estonian day for spirits ("hingedepäev"). It's somewhere very beginning of November. And it's just to commemorate. And you know, in case there are any lost spirits or souls out there, lighting candles so they know how to find their way. It is just lovely. And I like it so very much. It just triggers some sort of sentimentality, in me. And I like candles anyway.
Tomorrow might be a day for a cracking cup of cappuccino.

The one benefit of autumn is that I want to cook more. And I don't mean make food, but seriously cook. Something like the lamb ravioli and broth below. And bake. Because, I mean, cake and autumn is just something else.

Really working at this autumn thing.
Love,
M.