Winter In Summer - And - The Future.

I am combining a few challenges bestowed upon me by my blog friends, in this one post. I have been tagged in the past, but I have also inflicted the tags upon myself voluntarily, as they seem as inspiring as any theme posts can be. I actually enjoy doing tags and memes, in fact, I once wrote a post on the origins of tags, as I find the whole subject somewhat intriguing.

Enough of that, now let me offer an explanation as to the arctic winter pictures here to the left and below.
You see, my very good friend Kat at Kat's Corner posted a challenge about six month ago, as some of you might recall. She urged us to post our favorite summer pictures in mid winter. Obviously at that time everyone was longing and dreaming of summer and we all happily shared pictures captured during the warm time of the year, me included.
This time around, she did the reverse; cooling us down with some fairy-tale like snow pictures in the midst of this vibrant, hot and sunny season.

Now, I am not greatly fond of winter at all, but considering that the summer has been hot and sunny all across the whole Northern hemisphere this year, I decide to join in and share with you some pristine and chilly pictures from our past winter, which was the coldest one in 15 years.
Do you recall our Arctic Beach? Icy cold wind and subzero temperatures for weeks at a time caused our sea to freeze over, a very rare phenomenon. When I took these photographs here this past February, I felt that the winter would NEVER end. I stood on this deserted beach, completely alone, my fingers numb, as the summer felt distant and surreal. Yesterday, trying to take a picture of the same spot on my way home from work, I could barely get to the shore, as the beach even in the evening at eight was filled to the bursting point with people. Everyone kept staring at me as I looked somewhat silly (and suspicious) walking around fully clothed with a camera.

I was surprised at the outcome. In a certain way, the winter picture appears so much more enigmatic and enticing (please see images below). Thus, I felt that these pictures were worth sharing here again; stressing the point that summer, however lovely and beautiful, does not always produce better images.

As for the award here to the right; my thanks and appreciation goes to sprinkles at Wyldechylde, who passed it onto me recently. I am always flattered by this attention.
This wonderful prize comes with a question:

Where do you think you will be in 10 years?

That is an intriguing one to ponder. I truly do not know. If anyone asked me ten years ago where I will be today, I would have never given the answer of my current status. My life was heading in a completely different direction then and changed suddenly just a few years back. Thus, when that time comes, I am hoping I am in good health and that I will be with someone who I love and who loves me.
The rest truly doesn't matter and in a way; not knowing - and not pondering it - is the allure of living in the present.

Anyone who is up for any of these challenges, please feel free to be tagged.

Monday On A Saturday.

Today I am at work. That is an odd feeling indeed, as I never work Saturdays. No, Saturdays are spend tending to my house and patios, sharing lovely pictures of my garden with you. But not this Saturday. My scheduled weekend has become very unscheduled, but it is all my own doing.

You see, I have a plan. A cunning one, may I add. Today it is raining cats and dogs (what a weird expression that is indeed) and as the weather forecasts predict sunny skies on Monday, I have switched my days around. Thus I will take Monday off.

It is quiet here, no one around. There is a certain tranquility that has settled over an otherwise busy lab. I actually enjoy being here.

Well, I would have actually a lovely day was it not for one thing; the fact that my lab computer had a melt down. It is a mac and even though I am a devoted Apple fan, I have to say this out loud: I HATE that computer. It keeps giving me a blue screen and has overall been very unstable. Thus I am writing this post on a PC. And that is not going all too well, I am afraid, as the computer feels very alien to me indeed.
Therefore while I wait for my electrophoresis to finish, I have decided to post answers to questions that were given to me by the lovely Mel at MELROXX in a recent tag. I have to say she impressed me with the quality of her inquiries, presented by such a young mind.

Thus dear Mel and everyone else interested, here are my answers:

1) What is your philosophy?
My philosophy. I guess that would mean by which wisdom do I live. That has changed a great deal over the years. But one has resonated with me more than any other. Although I find it very hard to follow, the following Serenity Prayer to me eloquently defines the art of living a fulfilled life:

"God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference."

2) If you could be any age again for one week, what age would you be?
This was such a great question, as I realized I am unable to answer it. Initially, I thought immediately; I would love to be twenty again! But after further contemplation I came to the conclusion that my life at twenty was quiet a struggle in every way, not to mention I felt lost and uncomfortable, trying to figure out who I was. Neither would I like to be back in my thirties, as that decade was preoccupied with painful realization of becoming older and stuck in a life I did not enjoy. I guess bringing back time only works if one has regrets. I have none.

3) Who is your fashion icon?
Women that dare to be themselves, through out their life.

4) What was the best moment of your life?
There are so many unforgettable moments as I call them. To single out just one can not be done. I love to revisit them in my mind, as I have one for every year at least.

5) Do you enjoy spending hours shopping or do you try to get over with it as fast as possible?
I used to enjoy going on shopping sprees as a young adult. Those could last for hours, I literally shopped till I dropped. These days I shop online, and although I do enjoy browsing the sites, I will get it done quiet fast.

6) Something you can't get to throw out of your wardrobe is ...
I can never throw anything out, thus I have my basement filled with boxes of old clothes.

7) What is your least favourite household chore?
Vacuum cleaning. I detest that, I dislike everything about it, least of all the smell.

8) A movie that you could never forget.
A few comes to mind, but having to chose just one, it has to be Only You with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. Even though my favorite movie of all times is Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet.

9) What is your favorite part of a day?
The dawn, even though I very rarely get to experience it. Although I love watching sunsets, sunrises have a very positive feel about them. They signify new beginnings. On the few occasions that I have been up at the crack of dawn, I relished in the stillness of the world, and in the idea of having the whole day new and pristine waiting to be seized. I simply love the notion that anything can yet happen, as the magic of the new day awaits.

-Optional- Which cartoon character do you resemble?
I have been asked this question before and I will answer as I have previously; none.

Anyone who loves these questions and would love to have a go at them, please be my guest. I am sure Mel would not mind.
Now I am going back to my experiments; I trust you are all having a lovely Saturday.

Brazil - A Photo Tag.

A while ago I was tagged in a Photo Meme by the very lovely sprinkles. I am suppose to find my first picture folder and list the tenth picture and the story behind it.
Anyone who feels like doing this meme, please be my guests.

I looked up the first picture folder on my stationary computer in my study. That folder, titled Brazil 2004 contained pictures from my trip to Brazil in 2004.

In November 2004 I took part in a scientific meeting held in Angra dos Reis in southeast Brazil.
The meeting was taking place on a secluded resort in the middle of a rain forest, on a coast surrounded by small island. Beside scientific work, there was truly enough time for leisure as well. The door of my room opened directly onto a sandy beach and those 3 days that the weather was actually sunny, offered some incredibly beautiful and relaxing moments on a tranquil and serene sandy shore. The picture below - which was the tenth picture in that folder - was taken on a day like that, a few steps outside my room.

It was an absolute paradise for any biologist, as the rain forest nearby was filled with exotic plants and animals that I have never seen before, nor will I ever see again. However, rain forest means rain. Therefore those almost two weeks at the resort after the meeting concluded, were spend mostly sitting under an umbrella.

All this aside, this tripe made for memories to last a life time. And for many exotic images to help recalling those moments.

75 Millions And A Tag.

75 million Danish Kroner. That is about 13 million dollars. And some change.
That is how big the jackpot was in yesterday's national Danish lottery draw, the biggest ever apparently.

It got me thinking about money. I have never won any money and most likely never will. I never buy lottery tickets as I will not win and so there is no need to waste some perfectly good money on a loosing ticket. Money is a funny subject and everyone has an opinion.
To me it means two things: freedom and trouble.

Money is of course a necessity. I will not deny that I would happily accept one million Danish Kroner, just to pay off my mortgage. But I am not really interested in the rest. Such large sum would only keep me awake late at night, worrying about how to invest it and who to trust.

No, my dreams and source of happiness have never been tied to money. That is why I will most likely never have enough of it.

On another note, I have also been tagged (ages ago) by the lovely Tina over at Gal Friday by so called "Twos Meme". Basically, it means answering one question by listing two objects (subjects) in the answers. Anyone up for taking on this challenge is welcomed to it.

Two names you go by:
1. Zuzana.
2. Lilly.

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Large earrings.
2. Makeup.

Two things you did last night:
1. Talked to the handsome Man from Ireland.
2. Slept.

Two Pets that you have or have had:
1. Gypsi (a cat).
2. Batcat (a cat).

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Absolutely nothing (while relaxing and daydreaming).
2. Gardening.

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. To see my Irishman.
2. To have a long vacation at home.

Last Two things you ate:
1. Boring lunch consisting of steamed vegetables.
2. A piece of Moser Roth chocolate.

Two people you last talked to:
1. A student in the lab.
2. The departmental janitor.

Two things you’re doing tomorrow:
1. Trying to get more firewood.
2. Working.

Two of the longest trips taken:
1. Drove across the US (east to west and back).
2. Flew from Europe to Brazil. I am never doing that again.

Two favorite beverages:
1. A Vodka Martini; shaken, not stirred. One olive.
2. A well poured Guinness.

Seven Wisdoms.

I would very much like to acknowledge a few awards I have received recently (and less recently). I am so flattered that you keep passing these onto me, even though I have stopped passing them on myself. I simply refuse to choose who gets one and who gets left out.

The first one was given to me by Queenmothermamaw and is called "Sisters In faith Award". It is given to the bloggers that have touched ones life and to a new acquaintance as well, which turned out to be me. Thank you so much, I am very honoured to have been chosen for this beautiful sentiment.

The second came from the lovely sprinkles and is entitled "Best Blog Comments Award". Honestly, it should be given back to her with the same token as it was given to me, considering she is one of my most dedicated and valued reader, stopping by every single day, commenting every single post I have ever written. Even the really bad ones. Thank you my dear friend, this means a lot to me.

The last one came from the beautiful Kat and is entitled "Kreativ Blogger Award". The spelling appears not English and I wonder so where it actually originated. Thank you so much dearest Kat and sorry it took me a while to acknowledge this.

This award came with a tag as well, to list seven things that people might not know about me. I have been listing similar tags so many times now, that there is nothing left of any interest to anyone anymore to reveal about me. Therefore I have decided to alter this tag slightly.
I am going to list seven most important things I have learned in life or wisdom that I found to be true:

1) You are capable of achieving more than you think; If you can dream it, you can do it.
2) You will always regret that which you did not do, not that which you did.
3) Happiness is a state of mind.
4) Seize the day. Always and every one.
5) Be curious.
6) Keep your feat warm, your stomach half full and your head cold.
7) The best is ALWAYS yet to come.

Back With A Tag.

And a few awards.
Hello and a Happy 2010 everyone, it is great to be back! I trust you all had lovely Holidays. I have enjoyed my short, but very needed break. Staying pretty much completely off line for a week, it was beneficial for my mind and soul.

I had a wonderful white(!) Christmas and a very laid back New Year. The weather has been bitterly cold and it is snowing as I write this. In the news they talk about a possible "ice-winter", the first one in about fifteen years. This means that inlets and bays of the North sea will freeze. An event that happens very rarely, as it takes prolong subzero temperatures to cause saltwater to turn into ice.

I have decided to ease back into my writing by acknowledging a few awards I have received recently and less recently. I have been feeling guilty about not doing so for a while, but I want all the award givers to know that I always appreciate every single award I get; and I keep being amazed and extremely flattered that these are being bestowed upon me.

The first one was given to me by the talented Doreen. It is entitled Best Blog Award and is given to blogs that are "visually stunning, memorable, educational, and funny". I feel very honoured that I should fall under this category - thank you so much Doreen.

The second one was passed on to me by the very lovely Susan. It is apparently originally a nameless award, but Susan decided to call it Gratitude Expressing Award. Thank you dear friend, I am very thankful for this attention.

The last one was given to me by my friend and a talented artist Stevie; thank you dear, you know this means the world to me.

The last two awards both came with the same tag; I am suppose to reveal Seven Things You May Or May Not Know About Me. I am not sure there is anything left to disclose that you might not know about me (or that is of any interest). I have done similar tags before, such as here, here and here and am kind of running out of things to say about myself, but I am giving it yet another try:

1) When I was a child I fell on my chin and needed to have it stitched. So I have a scar just below my chin; I think this is one of the most common injuries in small kids.

2) I carry my passport with me at all times. It is a strange habit, I guess revealing the more adventurous me; ready to travel at any given moment.

3) I am a collector. I collect stuff. It is not critical yet, but my basement is filled with boxes of stuff. Some I have not opened for years. But as a hobby, as a child I collected stamps, chewing gum wrappings and napkins. I think my collections are still somewhere in some of the boxes.

4) I once went on a two weeks vacation to Cyprus on my own. I was 22. It was "a last minute trip", meaning I did not know where I was staying until actually after my arrival. As luck had it, I was assigned to a first class resort, with my own apartment, sea view and private beach. I met tons of people and had a blast. I never traveled alone again though and would never do that today. Sometimes I miss the braveness of youth.

5) When I was about five years old I saved a kid that was drowning at the shore of the Black Sea. He was a son of my parents friends and our families were at that time vacationing in Romania. This happened as we played on the beach at the shore line, and he kept being hit by waves, unable to come up for air. I grabbed the boy by his hair and screamed my lungs out for help. His name was Tom. I wonder if he recalls this and what he is doing now.

6) I have reoccurring dreams. They have varied over the years, but most of my reoccurring dreams are unsettling. Not directly nightmares, but not directly pleasant either. My latest dream is about a basement in a house, that is apparently mine, but that I do not recognize. A basement that has been locked for years and that I do not dare to enter. Hmm.

7) I believe that Saint Francis of Assisi adequately summarized the art of how to live in this one single quote (which is my favourite, together with the one listed in my sidebar):
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Two Awards And A Tag.

I must thank two lovely ladies that so kindly showed their appreciation of this place by granting me two lovely awards.

The first one I received from the very kind and gentle Sprinkles and it is just so cute. "You are so special" award seems to be as cute as it is colourful.

The second one came from my young and hip friend MelRoXx. Entitled "Bookworm Award", it seems to fit me well as I love books.

Thank you ladies. I find it always so surprising and equally exciting each time any of you think I deserve such an attention.

On the same note, I have also been tagged by the very talented gaelikaa with an interesting book tag. I am suppose to list the fifth sentence on page 161 of the the book that is nearest to me.

Lets see; I am sitting in my red sofa and the books that are nearest to me are right behind me on a book shelf. As they are all in the same proximity, I guess I will follow the numbering in the tag and chose the fifth book in first the row.

This book is entitled "The Celestine Prophecy" and is written by James Redfield. It is one of my favorite books and I am sure most of you are familiar with it, as it was a best seller in the mid 90's. When I read it in my mid twenties, it was full of revelations that clarified a deeper meaning of life for me.
The book is written as an adventure story, but describes the perception of a more spiritual world, forcing us to focus on the eluding question dealing with the meaning behind our existence, in an unusually optimistic way. One can take from it as much as one pleases, believing in the thoughts presented within the pages or dismissing them as New Age hype; still it is a well written book and the adventurous plot is very enjoyable.

The fifth sentence on page 161 reads:

"Anxious thoughts filled my mind."

Short, but a somewhat ominous sentence I must say.There you have it. Anyone who would like to do this tag, please as always, be my guests.

"Blame Tara".

I have been tagged again. I have noticed that these tags, just like awards, come in waves, like a "tag fever". Nothing, nothing and then everything at once.

I am not complaining though as I never say no to a good tag challenge. This time around I was tagged by the very interesting gaelikaa and the tag is called "Blame Tara Meme".
It consist of a set of questions that I am to answer. Here we go:

Question 1: Who do you think is the hottest movie star?
I have to say that I am quiet oblivious to actors looks and I usually connect an actor with a role he or she is playing and the enigmatic appeal is gone, as soon as they are out of character. However, considering I have to give an answer, in the male category it would be Gerard Butler, mostly due to the fact that I love the movies he has been in. When it comes to female actors, I have always thought Penelope Cruz is a stunning and charismatic woman.

Question 2: Apart from your house and your car, what is the most expensive thing you have ever bought?
Well, I did not buy it, but I invested in having it built about two years ago. It would be my fireplace. It cost me half of the price of my car and it is the best investment (right after my house and my car), that I ever did.

Question 3: What is your most treasured memory?
There are many moments in my life that I recall fondly and with great comfort and joy. I would say all of them involve either my family, nature or my house.
Having to choose one, I would say meeting the Irishman for the first time. I will never forget that day as long as I live.

Question 4: What is the best gift you’ve ever received as a child?
My sister, without a doubt.

Question 5: What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
I have made my share of what one might perceive as mistakes. However, in retrospect, they took me on journeys that made my life an adventure and made me who I am today. I have no regrets and I can not account for any wrong turns that did not turn into success eventually.
I have been let down and made choices that lead to disappointments, but I have made no mistakes in my life.

Question 6: Give four words to describe yourself.
Romantic, Optimistic, Creative and Curious.

Question 7: What was your highlight or lowlight of 2008?
I live in the present and leave the past where it belongs; in the past.

Question 8: What is your favourite film?
Franco Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet".

Question 9: Tell something not generally known about yourself.
I am a control freak. I love routines and I need a structure in my life to function properly; I feel best if I can control and organize the course of my day, week or month at all times.

Question 10: If you were a comic strip/cartoon character, who would you be?
I am not very familiar with comic strips and cartoons, I am afraid. I never ever saw myself as one and never considered this before. May I get back to you on that one?

As always; anyone loving this tag and feeling brave enough to be challenged, be my guests.

Altering A Tag.

Yes, I have been tagged once again and I do not mind. This time by the lovely MelRox.

This is a very interesting meme, which prompts me to list 7 words that would adequately describe me.

I like this one, I have to admit, as it actually proved more of a challenge than I originally thought. I feel at times it is difficult to write posts that focus on my person so directly. It can easily become a somewhat self centered subject, likely boring for others and it is difficult to keep it bias. So I cheated a bit.

I asked my family - my mother and the Irishman - to write down seven words, that they would think describe me. Here are the words that they wrote down (without consulting each other) in no particular order:

creative
individual
determined
enthusiastic
fashionable
sentimental
loyal
nature-lover
sensual
artistic
happy
responsible
life-lover
idealist



Interestingly, the words that I would use to describe myself, were not far removed from those used by my family:

creative
punctual
sensitive
passionate
romantic
curious
stubborn



There you have it, all these together must give a pretty good image of me, I would presume.;)
Anyone interested in doing this tag -with or without alteration- please feel free to be tagged.

Honest Scrap And Two Awards.

All of you, my blog friends are so very kind to me and you keep passing onto me these lovely awards. I am really sorry that I never seem to get around to actually acknowledge you all and to tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you feel I deserve all this attention.
I think I would have to go back months and months now to thank you all and I seriously doubt any of you would even remember the occasion.

With that said, you should know that I display all the awards proudly on my sidebar, even though I do not always thank you officially.

I decided to pass on two awards and one award tag to only those who I never given awards to before; even though I wish I could pass on all the award to EVERYONE.


The first one, "One Lovely Bog Award" I received from the very lovely Shelly and I pass it over to Jeanne at Tales From A Cottage Garden, just for the simple reason that her blog is very lovely.

Most recently the very talented Kat awarded me a very beautiful award, called "I Love Your Blog Dahling!" I think that is such a fancy looking little thing, I immediately though of one person who should receive it. I am passing it on therefore to the very beautiful Evi from Absolutely Ladylike, as I really love her blog and she is a dahling.

Last week I was tagged with an "Honest Scrap" award by Sprinkles, (whose blog I hope to get to know better soon). This gift comes with a meme attached. And you know me, I love tags.
The tags prompts me to list 10 honest things about me and then pass this tag onto 5 people. I am often reluctant to actually tagg people as some of you might not like it so much, but I am taking a chance with this one, considering it comes with an award.

My choice are (I am choosing eight instead of five):

Jill
Stevie
Claus
Poetikat
Shelly
Reasons To Be Cheerful...
Sallymandy
Jacki

I hope you will accept.

It is completely fine with me if you only accept the award, without doing the tag.

Here are 10 absolutely true things about me:

1. I have been to the hair dresser about four times in my entire life and hated the outcome every time. I cut my hair very seldom, in fact the last time I had my hair cut must be over three years ago.

2. I live in one country, but I hold a passport from (and am a citizen of) another country, but that is not the country where I was born. Hehe, that is a bit of brain exercise for you.

3. I have a piece of glass embedded in my left knee. It has been there since my childhood when I fell on a broken glass while running.

4. I have participated, together with my cousin as an extra in a Czech movie as a child. The filming took a whole day and we made 50 Czech crowns (equals about $2 today), which was quiet a lot for a 11 year old at that time. However, my cousin told me later that the scene was cut out of the movie.

5. Before I got my driving license, well, before I even sat behind a wheel of a car, I knew how to drive a tractor. I kid you not. For two weeks one autumn I worked on a farm in Sweden. I was 14 and I drove a tractor across the fields with a trailer attached to it, complete with a conveyor belt, while the men from the farm were harvesting vegetables. I have a strong feeling that this was anything but legal.

6. When I was thirteen years old, I piloted a large, commercial ferry. Well, for a minute at least. While emigrating to the west with my parents, I traveled for the duration of two days aboard a ferry between Germany and Finland. There was a tour of the boat and the bridge and the captain allowed me to steer the boat for a little while.

7. I have once skipped paying a bill at a restaurant. Terrible but true and I feel ashamed to admit this. I was young and dumb. I and about ten of my equally dumb friends did run away without paying. However, we were what you might call "stupid criminals", as we have booked the table in one of the friends name and left a telephone number as well. The restaurant called this friend the next day and asked kindly to have its money. Do'h.

8. I hate roller coasters. I have absolutely no idea why people find these amusing; to me they seem dangerous and quiet scary, to be frank.

9. I have had my ears pierced since I was about a month old. That was a normal tradition in my culture; all the newborn girls had their ears pierced and were given golden earrings as a gift.

10. I have walked down the Grand Canyon, all the way to the Colorado River and up again, in one day, in the winter time (I think it was late February). On the way back we walked by flash light. One of the more scarier of my experiences. But worth every minute.

"First" Meme.

The other day I became very curious about the origins of tags and memes. I have been tagged a few times and even "memed", if one can say so. I have even copied and "officially" stolen memes. But until now I never really understood the origins of the word nor the game itself. Being a scientist, I am very curious by nature and so of course I set on a hunt for knowledge.

So where do memes (or tags) come from?

First of all, I realized that I have been mispronouncing the word "meme" the whole time in my head. As I have never heard it being said out loud, I always just read it as it was written. Something to the extend of repeating "me", as in reference to my person, two times. That is however an error. Meme is pronounced more like "meem", riming with "dream". Another version is a short "mem", as a in "memory".

According to the Wikipedia, a definition of meme is (direct quote):
"...a postulated unit or element of cultural ideas, symbols or practices that gets transmitted from one mind to another through speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. The etymology of the term relates to the Greek word mimema for "something imitated".

The word meme originated in a book by Richard Dawkins from 1976, called The Selfish Gene. Here he initially defined meme as a noun which "conveys the idea of a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation". In the book he presents a very interesting theory on the spread of information and ideas through "memes". Comparing them to natural "genes", he hypotheses, that just like these evolve by natural selection, even "memes" will undergo changes while they are passed on through the processes of variation, mutation, competition and inheritance. In simple words; any information that is passed on might have been chosen, changed and survived for its content.

Interestingly for me, this all gave rise to the science of "Memetics", which I have stumbled upon in my work as well.

But back to our Internet Memes. These are in theory; a quiz, a list, a joke, a clip, an animation or a story that is spread through the cyberspace via email, blog, internet forums or IM. These memes can stay the same or evolve and the rate in which they spread is depending on a natural selection due to their popularity.

So there you have it, a short history on the origins and function of meme's.

While doing my research, I stumbled upon a tag here. I liked it so much I decided to copy it and post it in order to contribute to the spreading of the meme information. Anyone who is up for a game, please feel free to play along.;)

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?
Prom doesn't exist in Scandinavian school system. Fortunately.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
No. It is a statue of a prince and I have never said a word to him.

3. What was your 1st alcoholic drink?
Czech Beer.

4. What was your FIRST job?
Delivering commercials in the weekends with my sister.

5. What was your FIRST car?
Red ‘77 T-bird.

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
My telephone company.

7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
The Irishman.

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
It was a sweet old lady, but I do not remember her name.

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?
To Italy.

10. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?
A girl I went to school with in Slovakia - and yes, I am still in touch with her.

11. Where was your FIRST sleep over?
I never had one. As a child that is.

12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?
Someone at the lab.

13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?
Hmm, I remember the wedding, but not whose it was. I think the couple were friends of my parents, I might have been around seven years old.

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
Hugged Batcat.

15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
Eric Clapton.

16. FIRST tattoo?
I do not have one.

17. First piercing?
First and last; my earlobes when I was about a month old. That is customary in my culture; all the little girls wear tiny, golden earrings since they are toddlers.

18. First foreign country you’ve been to?
Hungary.

19. FIRST movie you remember seeing?
Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). I must have been around 4 or 5 and I remember falling on the way from the cinema and ruining my beautiful coat.

20. When was your FIRST detention?
Never.

21. What was the first state you lived in?
Czechoslovakia.

22. Who was your FIRST roommate?
A cat called Gypsy.

Combining Tags.

Recently I got tagged by Reasons To Be Cheerful 1, 2, 3 and by Valentine, with two very similar tags. I have already done this tag before, but considering that this tag changes as it is passed along, I decided to combine the two tags and omit the questions I already answered previously.
Anyone who likes this combined tag, please feel free to play.;)


1. What songs are currently on constant repeat?
Strangely enough, I listen mostly to the radio and whatever they play is on the repeat. If I however listen to a CD, I put on one of my old favourites; “Nuovi Eroi” by Eros.




2. What is your favourite food?
Anything cooked by the Irishman.

3. Favourite fragrance?
Light Blue by D&G.

4. What are you wearing today?
White tank top and white flared pants with large silver earrings and a multitude of thin, silver bangles.

5. Why is today special?
Because I have someone to love, I have a safe home, work that I enjoy, I am healthy and everyone else that I care about is fine.

6. What would you like to learn to do?
To speak French and to cook.

7. What is your most challenging goal right now?
My work.

8. What's your must have piece for summer?
I don’t have “a must have piece”.;)

9. What would you like to get rid of?
Swine flue and the terrible economical depression.

10. What are your plans for the future?
I don’t make plans for the future, I just let life "happen", but I do have dreams I hope will come true one day. My immediate plans are plans for traveling on a vacation in about 5 weeks.

11. Who is your favourite model?
I am totally oblivious to today’s models, but used to think Claudia Schiffer was the ultimate beauty in my eyes when I was younger.

12. Favourite label/shop?
H&M.

13. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
I love all my clothes, but perhaps my favourite is a wrap around blue-green tunic in a light fabric, with coloured beads and pearls along side the hem and the sleeves. I get constantly complimented when I wear it.

14. If you had 10,000 dollars now, what would you spend it on?
Paying out the mortgage on my house.

15. Do you admire anyone's style?
No.

16. What are you going to do after this?
Having dinner.

17. What would you love to see come back in fashion?
Nothing really, I love that fashion changes all the time. Besides, at this point, one can wear almost anything as long as it is worn with taste and style; thus I have no need for anything from the past to come back.

18. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Reasons to be Cheerful... (although I think it is Joanne?); you have a wonderful blog and I love the way you write about the experiences in you daily life with your family – your writing is very light yet so very honest and touching.
Valentine, you are so stylish and fashionable and a true artist at heart; I love your posts that are always mature and loaded with deep thoughts and emotions.

Thank you both for tagging me; please keep at it.


19. Which item of clothing do you wear often?
Boots.



20. Favourite vacation spot?
A pristine beach or a historical city.


21. Four words to describe myself.
Perceptive, emotional, passionate and romantic.

22. Guilty pleasure.
White Chocolate.

23. What do you think you will feel about your life when all is said and done?
I have lived an adventure.

24. What do you look forward to?
Summer vacation with the Irishman.


25. Best thing you ate or drank lately?
Black Pudding for breakfast this morning. As for a drink; sparkling white vine enjoyed on my terrace during a warm spring afternoon this past weekend.

26. Flower of the moment?
White Lily.

27. Favourite ever film?
Impossible to list one; but if I had to, it would be Franco Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet”.


28. Care to share some wisdom?


Eat till you are half full, drink till you are half drunk; keep your head cool and your feet warm.

Friday With A Tag.

Last week I was tagged by the lovely Tereza. I always except a tag challenge and anyone feeling up to it as well, be my guests.;)

The rules are:
1. Respond and rework:
Answer the questions on your blog.
Replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention.
Add a question of your own.
2. Tag eight other people. (Optional)

I have seen this tag before in a bit different format, where pictures, quotes and poems had to be listed as well. However, this one seems to be a more simple version, which fits me splendidly.

Here are my answers;)

1) What is (are) your current obsession(s)?
I am not obsessed with things that easily, but I would guess blogging.

2) What do you see outside your window?
The hedge around my terrace, a few birch trees, a farm in the background and lots of blue sky.

3) Do you nap a lot?
No, I don't. I only like to sleep at night, when in my bed. Why waste days away on sleeping? If I ever nap it is because I have not slept the night before or I am not feeling well.

4) Who was the last person you hugged?
Yesterday I hugged a friend when congratulating her on her birthday.
And Batcat, of course he is not a person though.;)

5) Which animal would you be?
I am a sheep in Chinese Astrology. By choice I would love to be a wild horse.

6) What’s for dinner?
Pasta alla Carbonara.

7) What was the last thing you bought?
Weekly groceries. How exciting.;)
If more personal item, then it was a pair of large, golden earrings.

8) What are you listening to right now?
Urban Gypsy by Marc Antoine.

9) What is your favourite weather?
Hot and humid day full of sunshine and sound of the cicadas.

10) What’s on your bedside table?
A framed photograph, a little angel, a lamp, a few books, my phone, a clock-radio and a glass of water.

11) Say something to the person/s who tagged you.
Dear Tereza, you have a lovely blog and I am so impressed by your English and your sense of style. Thank you for tagging me.;))

12) If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?
Right here where it is now.

13) Where are you typing from right now?
My living room.

14) A book you're currently reading?
"A German Requiem", the third book in a compilation called "Berlin Noir" by Philip Kerr (read for me by the Irishman every evening).

15) What (Who) would you like to have in your arms right now?
Risking to state the absolute obvious; a tall, strong, handsome man that lives in Ireland.

16) What is your favourite tea flavour?
I don´t drink tea. Only when I have the flu; in that case I opt for chamomile.

17) If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Ireland.

18) What did you want to become as a child?
An archeologist, a vet, an artist, a farmer.

19) If you could meet anyone famous in the world, from the past or the present, who would it be?
Leonardo da Vinci.

20) What is your plan for tomorrow?
Considering it is Saturday, I do not have to go to the lab. Therefore I will be getting up late, doing household chores, perhaps some gardening and relaxing, maybe for the first time this season outside in the sun, with a good book or a magazine.

21) What color do you find yourself wearing more often than not?
Any shades of blue.

22) What is your favorite day of the week?
Friday.

Alphabet Tag.

Once again, a self inflicted tag. I am suppose to list 10 things that I love, which all start with the letter "B", as it was assigned to me by Bill.

Anyone who wants to play, just ask me for a letter.

Bubble Bath.

There is nothing more soothing, especially after a long day at work, and after a cold winter day, then taking a hot bath. Unfortunately, I have no bathtub in my house. Yes, weird indeed. Denmark, known for it's "green" and environmentally sound politics, has made tubs very PI and not fashionable. Most houses built in the 90's (my house included) were built with showers only. I guess the next project in my house will be to re-introduce the tub again. Until then, I can only dream of the luxury of a bubble bath and continue taking unreasonably long showers.

Barbecue.

I love to barbecue. I am not very good in operating a grill, but I own one and have used it numerous times. To barbecue is a big tradition in Scandinavian countries. As soon as it gets warmer, actually the first real summer evening, the barbecues are out EVERYWHERE. If one could scientifically measure the amount of grills being used on that evening, it would probably account for 99% of the population, that live in houses with gardens or patios.

Books.

I love to read or have someone reading to me. I simply can not imagine a life without reading. There is nothing that feeds ones imagination more than reading a book. Even in the time, when other media has taken over somewhat, such as the Internet and the television, books are more important than ever. Interestingly, last year, there was an increase in book sales in Denmark, for the first time in many years.

Beach.

I am a beach lover and a sun worshiper. Although I try to hold back, the older I get, due to premature aging and of course the risk of skin cancer, I still can not keep away from the sun. Feeling the warmth of the sun on my face and the texture of the hot sand between my toes, smelling the scent of the ocean and hearing the sound of the waves hitting the shore, while watching the blue-green ocean meet the indigo blue horizon; nothing can be more soothing or tranquil as when all the senses are satisfied.


Breakfast.

The most important meal of the day; I never skip breakfast. I am always hungry in the morning and I like to enjoy the first meal of the day. I never rush it; being fortunate enough to have time, even on week days to take it easy while eating. The best breakfast I know is made by my Irishman; it can often be called brunch though. I love when he brings white and black pudding with him from Ireland and prepares it for me, the way it should be eaten, together with a toast, fried eggs and coffee.


Broccoli.

Yes, I love broccoli! This poor vegetable seems to be so hated by many, I have no idea why. To me it is one of the most exciting vegetables I know. Growing up in Eastern Europe, we never knew other vegetables than those readily available to grow in our soil. I lived in "The Panelak" ghettos of concrete, ugly buildings, and all I knew of were potatoes and tomatoes, perhaps a pepper here and there. And a cabbage as well and sometimes carrots. I saw Broccoli for the first time when I came to Sweden as a thirteen year old girl. Together with avocado, it was the most exotic vegetable I have ever seen.


Bagels.

I miss bagels! They are not common nor readily available here in Scandinavia. In Durham, North Carolina, I would buy my bagels at Bruegger's Bagel Bakery. They had these amazing bagels and they sold the most amazing cream cheese with salmon taste and another one with walnut-raisin taste, I believe. It was fantastic, there is nothing like a bagel and a good cup of coffee.


Beer.

I love beer. At any time, in any place. Born in one beer-drinking nation and now living in another one, plus having a significant other in a third one, beer is simply my preferred choice of beverage.

Batcat.
Need I say more? He is the most perfect companion and my most beloved friend.



Bartender.



Yes, I love a bartender. Not just any bartender. More specifically; he used to be one quiet a while ago. And that is all I have to say on that matter.;)