It's time...

…to celebrate. Maybe. Today, it’s the one year anniversary of my move here. And I’m very wow over this whole thing, because a big part of me still can’t believe I live in England. And now my calendar is telling me that I have been actually living here for a year and I’m just…wow. Where has time gone?

I hate looking back on things. I don’t do the whole retrospective, look back on my life. Not on birthdays, or New Years or anything. Time passes, I accept it and kind of ignore it. But this occasion kind of feels like I should look back. Because a year ago, I was in a tiny hall room, trying to adjust to the whole ‘people are actually using English around me, goodness, how am I ever going to make it here?’. And then the friends came and the occasional drinking nights and school and…I’m happy.

Yes, life isn’t perfect and there are fights and unpleasantness and classes that make me want to bang my head against a wall from time to time but on the grand scheme of things(and boy, I hate this expression and might have to wash my brain with soap for using it) life is good. And I’m happy. Because life is never perfect but for now, it’s pretty damn good.

In the last year, I’ve added two more houses to my list of places I’ve lived in and, while this may be kind of sad, I finally feel at home somewhere. A crazy home, but still home. I’ve added two more countries on my list of places I’ve visited. I’ve bought the first plates that are just mine and the first sheets that are just mine and a lot of other things that are just mine. Managed to not make the building explode in any labs(and let’s keep our fingers crossed that I keep that up this year). Gotten one year closer to a career in forensic science. Written more stories, one more novel, a gazillion fanfictions. Still no British accent but I do say chips and loo and crisps. Cut a few people out of my life. Discovered that I can take decent pictures from time to time and planning to explore this further.

Wish me luck as year 2 starts and hopefully things will continue being good. I’m crossing my fingers.

More Leicester pics

Because my life is totally unexciting and I have nothing to blog about(and I mean NOTHING. At all. Really, I haven't even been watching anything worth while, other than Inglourious Basterds. That was delightfully entertaining.) I am going to post more Leicester pics. So gather 'round children and you know the drill: clicks make pictures bigger. Magic, isn't it?

Just some very special clock at my uni. I swear I've read the plaque next to it about 1.369 thousand times, and yet I forget what it says every time. So I have no idea, but it's pretty.

While my best friend was here, we went out for sushi. Much to my surprise, I found out that not all people adore sushi. Seriously, I want to marry sushi, that's how much I love it. Mmmm...sushi.

A wall. The Jewry Wall to be more precise. Roman baths used to be there.

Random street(now including random people! 2 for the price of 1, people!)

Close up of the wall you can see at the end of the street in the above picture. I have no doubt it's a very famous wall. However, I have no idea how old it is or what it used to be.

One of the many, many churches we have in Leicester. Seriously, I had no idea we had that many churches. I'm going to go take some pictures of the really old gravestones in front of the Cathedral one day.

Bridge. Well, part of bridge.

Under the bridge.

What is more British than this? Really, I ask? (No, we're not counting the Queen.)

And just the sign on my building. Hehe. May or may not reflect the drink of choice around here.

Botanical gardens visit

Since best friend is visiting, we went to the botanical gardens today. She got to look at the trees, I got to see the sculpture exhibit. Nature does not interest me that much. And because I have nothing better to do, here are pictures. I don't know the names of most of the sculptures because my phone was acting up and I couldn't take pictures of the name plates.

I liked this sculpture.

And this one.


Next to the water gardens.

Flower in the cacti section.

One of my favourite sculptures in the park, called Fifth Horsman(Deborah van der Bek).

Close-up of the head.

Pretty.

Cactus.


Falling Man 9/11 - John Sidney Carter FRBS. Absolutely loved it.

Also pretty.

My third favourite of all of them. I think.

Ray II - Irene Rogan.


The water garden.

I was completely obsessed with these people. And I thought this picture looked better in sepia.

And another picture of them. I have a bout a gazillion, but this is my favourite.

Cupcakes

It’s 3AM and I want to bake. Now don’t ask me where this insane urge for me to bake cupcakes came from. I am not exactly Donna Reed and baking has never been one of my major passions. But I want to bake, dang it, and if it wasn’t 3 AM and I had any eggs in the house I would be baking. I also want to cook but it almost feels useless making a huge giant feast only for myself and my best friend is very ‘meh, I don’t care’(she’s visiting, by the way) and all my flatmates are temporarily gone.

So here is my problem: I want to bake/cook but it’s 3 AM and it would be insane to cook. But guys, I am dying to bake something. Is that normal? Is that the first sign that I am going insane? Am I just turning suddenly overly domestic? Cause the last one is rather scary. I think this is just a normal continuation of this uber-creative mood I’ve been in lately(I’m working on 2 fanfics, a short story that has every chance of turning into a novel and have started throwing around ideas for NaNo this year). That is obviously besides real life. And I’m trying to kick Pedro(flatmate, Canadian, I swear I’ll make a post about the flatmates soon. I live in a constant sitcom)into motion because he wants to start a thing for his department at uni and I’m supposed to help and I would love to help but he’s being lazy. So I obviously have enough projects.

But I still want to bake. So since there’s been some interest expressed in a sponge cake as well as a baked Alaska, I thought I might combine the two on Saturday and greet Pedro with cake when he comes back. Yes, my life is hard to explain sometimes(trust me, my flat feels like a train station lately). Who knows, maybe I’m pregnant and nesting. (No, I am not actually pregnant. However, the thought of people who know me and my lack of maternal instinct in real life chocking at the thought of me pregnant was too funny to resist. Ok, now I’m creeping myself out slightly so I’ll just stop thinking about it).

In other news I am completely obsessed with the song in this commercial and I have updated the blog roll to reflect some changes. I am actually try to write something on one of the subjects soon, I promise. Ok, maybe not promise, promise ‘cause we all know that never ends well. But I’ll try.

And really, if you want me to cook and bake anything for you, give me a call. I even wash dishes when I’m done.

Growing up, growing old

I am now officially a grown up. I own a quarter of a fridge.

Let’s back up a bit here. Exams are done so now the only thing I can do is chew on my nails while waiting for results. And do a whole lot of adult stuff. As in sign a contract for my new flat. Because, as the first year of uni is done(How? When? Really?) I’ve got to move out of halls and into a flat. A really awesome flat(really, really awesome. Skylights, guys!). Which lead to my realization that I am a grown up. So far in the last three days I’ve signed the contract, bought a fridge with my flatmates(hence why I own a quarter of it) and proven more commitment than ever before in my life by opening a joint account.

And you know what? It was exciting. Which made it even sadder. Because I really don’t want to be excited about buying a fridge or getting a really great deal on a hoover(£50 off). However, there we were, all 4 of us, scanning through pages and pages of appliances, comparing and analyzing cost and quality instead of just flipping a coin and picking the cheapest one available.

Of course, maybe we’re not completely mature. Meet Duckie, or coffee maker.



As soon as we move, I'll take a picture of Vinnie, our knife block. It's going to be a fun year.

Things that annoy me right now

Because I’ve barely written anything here this month, I’ve decided to put down another list of things I hate(first one is here, if you’re interested, although that's about people I hated at that point). In no particular order:

Just for now annoyances:

• Exams. Self-explanatory, isn’t it? My stupid department put 5 in 7 days, instead of spreading them out like the normal people. They had 3 weeks…would it have been that hard not to stick them all together?
• People that are already done with exams. I get you’re happy, but some of us still have to study so could you please keep it down before I get the sub-warden on speed-dial?
• Insomnia. I am running on 40 minutes of sleep right now. Don’t get me wrong, a few extra hours of studying are helpful but right now I can’t focus on anything. And still can’t sleep.
• And yet another one about myself, my brain. You see, my brain is reacting badly to the sudden input of science by going into ultra-creative mode. As in ‘Dude, remember that story that you started writing 3 years ago? I have this great idea and here it is and now go write it! Write it, write it, write it!’. Brain, could you please wait one more week and focus on chemistry and law? I promise we’re going to spend a lot of time writing this summer, just give me one more week(wanna bet that I’ll be completely incapable of writing one word all summer?). (Also, yes, I realize I am personifying my brain. Give me a break, I’m tired.).

General annoyances:

• People that badly misspell a word on a forum and then post (sp?) or (spelling?) after it. You know it’s wrong. Spell check is telling you it’s wrong. Why can’t you take 20 seconds and try to spell it correctly? For the love of my sanity, it only takes 20 seconds. Google is your friend.
• Connected to that one, people that don’t capitalize. Proper format will make it so much easier to read for the rest of us, I swear. How about you put in some effort and I don’t completely skip your posts, ok?
• The lack of Bruckner books in English. The man is an absolute genius. Why can’t you translate more of his books? I don’t feel like dragging all the ones I have in Romanian and I can’t lent those out to friends and get them hooked as well.
• When people don’t update the blogs I love for weeks at a time. I know I am guilty of that but I don’t think that there’s anyone crying in their pillow at night because I haven’t updated. However you writers of the blogs I like, update more often. Entertain me.
• The amount of celebrity gossip websites with pictures of Chris Pine walking. Um, seriously?
• British spring weather. Argh, for the love of all things, make up your damned mind. I go to uni, it’s sunny. Walk out of my exam, it’s raining. It’s a vicious circle or rain/sun/rain/sun and so on. From now on, weather must stay as it is for at least 4 hours. Reasonable, I think.

Ok, I can’t think of anything else but I’d love to hear some of yours. So…what is annoying you right now?

Things I wish someone would have told me before getting a tattoo

Kind of like with oddly coloured hair, there are things they never tell you about tattoos(just in case you’re wondering, the thing people should tell you before you dye your hair any colour not usually found in nature is that kids will point, you’ll get a lot of compliments-seriously, every time I’m out in public I get at least 2 people telling me how lovely my hair/hair colour is- and that if you see another person with the same colour hair as you, you’ll exchange a knowing smile, like you’re part of the same secret club house). My list of things I wish someone would have told me about first tattoos is:

• The second you’re down from the tattoo high, you’ll start planning the next one(if you’re lucky. If you’re not, you’ll start saving for laser removal surgery). I think it took me two hours before I started thinking about my next one.
• You’ll become best friends with your tube of antiseptic/nappy rash cream.
• There is no way you’re going to pass in front of a mirror without stopping to admire it.
• You will start noticing other people’s tattoos way more. I loved to see ink on people before but since I got mine, I see it more. It just pops out.
• You’ll have to answer the “Does it hurt?” question about a billion and one times.
• Comparing ink and stories will become a regular past time between you and your friends who are just as passionate.
• Tattoo blogs do exist and you may end up spending hours browsing them.
• Remember point one? Let me say it again. You will start planning the next one. They’re bloody damn addictive.
• Clothes will be separated in two piles: those that show the tat and does that don’t.
• They itch. When they’re healing...they itch. Possibly at the most inappropriate times, like your organic chem revision lecture. Did I mention you can’t scratch them? Argh, the itching.
• They’re amazing.
• People will ask “Why did you get that/What does it mean?” a lot.

Yes, I am still very much in love with my tattoo. I’m thinking my hip might be next. Or lower back. Or both.