A lot of shopping

Pffff I am pretty tired by now...

Because my gloves were torn, I needed a new pair of them. And because I was certain to find the gloves I wanted (those without fingers) in the centre of Utrecht, I decided to go there. Boyfriend also needed some things, so we went together.

So far it is allright, but we went from one shop to another, because we do not often go into Utrecht to shop. Allthough we did not buy much, it still could be defined as 'Shop until you drop'! With as consequence that we still need dinner, and Boyfriend is sleeping on the couch, while I am almost sleeping behind my computer screen.

Having said all this I wonder: what have we done wrong that we are so tired? :P

Postcrossing

There are two postcards waiting to be sent again. One is a new official, to Poland, a drawing of windmills. The other one is an official to Germany - this official has been travelling for almost a month already, and still has not arrived, so I will send a new postcard. The new one is a picture of a cow in dusk and myst.

One of my officials is almost expired, but I will not send another one. The receiver has not been online for a month, has only received and sent a few postcards, and does not respond to my message if he really did not receive it. So the chance is too big that it will not be registered on the site even when he does receive the postcard.

Postcard Addiction

Since I got a lot of postcards from my mother a few weeks ago, my postcard addiction seems to have become even worse. Or better, it started earlier that day, when I opened my second Postcrossing account. I know, it is better to have only one account, but the postcards I sent with my first one were on their way for so long already, and I simply longed to send postcards!

Off course, as you will always see, in the days after that many of my postcards were received at the same time. So the 'free' postcards I got came in very, very handy. Meanwhile I heard when I came home: 'Honey, there were postcards for you AGAIN!' Today I promised myself to stop writing that many cards. I'll put my second account on inactive. The cards I have to send become too many, I have reached the top of my budget.

For a couple of weeks I've had the luxury of two postcrossing accounts. With pain in my heart I will have to part with one of them. I will cry some silent tears this evening.

At last, November

The first of November started, and so did my novel. I have written over 800 words now, almost half of what I should write each day. And a new novel-excerpt: I wrote the last one just before all was erased, and I forgot to save it somewhere. Lets say it was a starters mistake.

So, now I will write on, and on, and on. Lets start with that at this very moment, while I should work at school-projects. ;-)

Postcard Problems

It is a really great thing to do: sending postcards all over the world. And the greatest thing still is when they arrive, and someone sends a postcard back to you. However, the postcard must arrive for that, and that is where the problems come in. The case is: post takes it slow nowadays. They have decided that slow is fashion, and they have to come along with fashion somehow. First there was slow food, now there is slow post.

Off course, some of it is due to the TNT-problems in our own country. That cannot be the only problem: it seems to be Europe-wide. A simple postcard to Germany takes twice the amount to travel than it normally does. The same goes for other European countries. The strange thing is: the same postcard sent to the USA or even Japan arrives sooner than a card to Germany or Spain!

I would say: thank you for bringing my postcards towards all ends of the world that fast. But do not forget the postcards closer to home, those people are waiting for their postcards as well!

Rain is in the air...

For the last week it has rained many times. I admit, the sun shone as well, but the rain always came back to us.

Unlike many people, I simply love rainy days. I like to be inside a warm house, with some nice music on. I love to read a book, or do some crafting, while the rain pours out against the windows. My only problem is, that on such days, I hardly come out at all when it depends on myself. So on such days I do need someone to get me out, someone who hates rain, because it is harder to do what he likes to do. Meanwhile we do a little less shopping, and a little more staying at home, and I do not mind at all!

The Chaotic Mind Relieved

Yesterday I told you about how I forgot my photo-camera in the bus. Today I have happy news concerning this: it is found again! It still is at the lost-and-found, where I'll pick it up today.

Oh boy, I was really releived!

Stupid Things of a Chaotic Mind

Yes dear readers, this morning the worst happened to me what can ever be produced by a chaotic mind: forgetfulness. And then so much forgetfulness, that I forgot something aweful.
This afternoon I have to make a newscast with some classmates. So I went to school with, off course, my camera. A nice camera, which has costed me almost 300 euros - one I cannot buy now, with my students' fee.
As you might already have seen coming: I was there, in the bus, and had to get into another bus. Off course I took my bag, and... went out of the bus, and to school.
But, wait, my camera. It did not fit into my bag. Where is it? Off course: in the bus. So there is my camera, all on its own, and there am I, with a big problem.

A little point of light is, that I could get a camera at school for this project. I should have remembered that before I went from home. I should not have forgotten mine. At least the project can go on, but now I am on a huge quest to find my camera. Which will be a problem after all.

So after telling my story, I will go on with my crying, while I try to get my camera back. To be continued...

It's a Beautiful Day!

The sun is shining, at least, it was before it got dark. This morning the alarmclock went off early again, on my free day! I had to be ad the GP early, because I have had many headaches the last months. And since I was not at home, I had to go early to be there in time.

After being at home for some hours, while I could do many things I had to or wanted to do for a long time, Rob and I went to my granddad. My grandmother was gone, to buy some presents for my cousin who will be nine years old next Friday, and for my aunt who will be old tomorrow. (When she'd perhaps read it, Didi, I wish you a happy birthday!)

Off course we've been at Rob's for some time now, and we've dined with... pancakes! Dad, that was not on purpose, and they were not as delicious as yours the day before yesterday. But still, I really like pancakes. I shall have to make Rob cook a real dinner tomorrow.

Postcrossing

And yes, there went another card. My addiction of sending and receiving postcards keeps increasing. As a child I already collected all birthday-cards I got in a big, old, leather schoolbag. In addition to that, my great-aunt often sent each of us in the family cards with Christmas, birthdays, and in my memory just very often. We always loved to get mail from her.

While writing my last postcrossing card, I remembered this. I had decided to write why I got addicted to Postcrossing, and I realized that it all started here, with my postcard-loving great-aunt. Oh, now I miss her, with her vintage cards, self-made cards, and her beautiful handwriting all over them.

When I came across an article about Postcrossing last year, it feeled like the perfect idea to fill my postcard-gap. The whole idea is: you send cards to addresses and profiles, generated by the site for you. Others get your address generated and send you a card, as soon as you have sent one. So you receive as many cards as you like.

One warning: when you begin it, it is very addictive!

The Postcrossing site

NaNoWriMo

Before you start thinking that I put some strange gibberish in my blog-title, let me explain what it means. NaNoWriMo means National Novel Writing Month. This is every year in November, allthough it is not exactly national; people all over the world know it and do it. In this month, in exactly 30 days, people try to write a novel of at least 50,000 words.

Some months ago I heard of NaNoWriMo, and I was really attracted to the idea, allthough I doubted I could write a novel in such a short period. This week I decided to try at least - I wanted to be writer since I was a child, and I noticed the last years I really need something to help my motivation. So I won't have much time to read and such in the month November, but it might be well to do. And great to do, since it is a good way to meet people; once a week the novel-writing people meet to write together.

Letter to Clarissa

Dear Clarissa,

Yesterday I have been to the 'lappenmarkt' in Utrecht with my sister and mother. In the morning it was a fine day indeed, however, it was rather cold, and later it has rained several times. Off course I had forgotten my coat, so I was soaking wet when I came home. The pieces of cloth I bought are very nice. I will use the pink ones to make cushions for my fiancé's house, then it will look a little more comfortable. I'm not sure what to make with the rest of it yet, I would like to make a nice purse which I saw on the internet last friday. I am not sure about that yet, for I cannot sew very well on the sewing machine, and am not sure if it might be too difficult for the moment. Perhaps I should start to practise with something more easy.

Yours faithfully,

Jantine

Friday 24th September 2010

This morning I woke early, with the plan to walk to the bus at 9.45 am. I had to be at school at 10.30 am. At once it struck me that I should leave half an hour sooner to be there in time, which was not possible anymore. Luckily I got a lift, and was here before the start of the lesson.

In a minute I will work on an editorial essay for the subject 'Muckraking Media'. It is astonishing to notice, attending this subject, how media is designed to influence the people. Just last week we learned how movies and series are shown on the televion in order to get us watching while the commercials are broadcasted (no one would watch when there'd be only commercials, except the people who already watch the tellsell time). Or: did you know, while in Europe every media was sceptic about the proof that Iraq had mass-weapons, the US media all praised the strong evidence, telling that nothing could debunk it, and that war was inevitable because of these mass weapons?

I have to go and do some work by now. Have a nice day, and thank you for reading my first blog-post.