tunics and tights from now on

As some of you have heard or read, I haven't bought any clothes since the first of July. It was no problem at all for months; rather it has been quite the relief not having to bother with fashion. To tell you the truth, what with tiredness and stress and sickness, having one thing less to think about has been quite lovely.

But these past few weeks I have realised that gaining weight (which I do quite rapidly, because of this medication) and not buying any new clothes will decidedly pose a problem sooner or later, and here I am now: I have nothing left to wear. I have worn the same pants for ages and I suspect they will fall into pieces very soon. The same goes for my winter coat and my suede boots, and I ust can't squeeze into my skirts anymore.

So a few days ago I went out to try and by some pants. Good heavens, is I had known how difficult it would be I wouldnt even have tried. I have been a fan of Cheap Monday jeans and corduroy pants for a couple of years, so naturally, that's where I went first; only to learn that they didn't have anything with a wider waist than 32. How ridiculous is that?!

Basically I gave up the trousers hunt after that and decided to go for tunics and tights instead. For the rest of my life, or until I have lost weight, or, most preferably, clothing manufacturers come to their senses.

brilliant news!

I've been away for ages, and for the usual reasons, too: sickness and stress. But today I have some BRILLIANT news: It's Christmas!

Good things about Christmas:

1. I get to spend a lot of time rejoicing in the fact that Jesus is born, and I am saved. Sweet.

2. Time! I have two weeks of nothingness in front of me! A couple of family dinners, singing in church (4th of January if you can make it) and a New Year's Eve party is basically all I have planned. So if you want a fika, just let me know! (January is my next buy nothing month though, so after that it will be at your place or my place and not at a café.) And if you don't. I'll just sit here and read and eat chocolate and do nothing. Things could be worse.

3. Gifts. I get to wrap some and then open some. I love both. Unfortunately though, this part is over for this year ... But I have some really nice presents to play with, look at and use.

4. New year - new start. At least in my life. As soon as school had stopped, I started thinking things like "oh. a piano, maybe I should play a little?". I haven't wanted to play for ages. I feel things are going up from here! Yay!

I'll be celebrating this newness and general happy mode by re-opening the old photo journal, though at a new address: http://kristinsfoton.mine.nu. Go there! There are some December photos already and I'm hoping it's going to inspire me to take more photos. (Och för eventuella svenskläsande läsare kan jag meddela att jag har tagit upp skrivandet i min halvgamla blog. Flera av er hittar säkert dit, annars får man gärna maila och fråga.) I'll oprobably post here every once in a while, too. There are always some craft projects and stuff like that, which needs more space.

I hope you all are doing good and finding some time to rest this Christmas!

how I've been, lately

I received the sweetest message on my cell phone a couple of days ago. A friend of mine wrote "I noticed that you haven't posted anything in a while. How are you feeling? Hugs!"

And you know what? I'm better! :) It feels weird saying it, because I haven't felt "better" in a long while. But I can sing again, even though I'm not entirely rid of the cold yet, and I'm happy.

I think the turning point was that I decided to ask if I could to the singing test (there's one at the end of every semester, you sing three of four classical songs of your choice in front of four singing teachers and they decide if you are good enough, basically) in January instead of this coming Monday, and it was okay. Before I asked, it felt like a failure ... I didn't want it hanging over me over Christmas, I wanted it over with, and all that, you know. But then I realized it was the right thing to do. And that it's okay. That it can wait. That my health, and feeling good, is more important than stressing out over getting something done.

After that, I realized that, well, somehow I'll be able to get all the pieces together. And since then (that was a little over a week ago) I have. I have been crazy busy with all the stuff that needed to be done in school, but I ticked them off one by one, instead of trying to do them all at once like I did before.

And now I am officially in Christmas mode. No more school until January! I start working at Posten on Monday (and will do so for nine days, until the 23rd). I got the day shift this year, instead of the night shift that I used to have a few years ago when I worked there last day. I love working the night shift, but day shift is fine, too. After all you can have a normal life if you work the day shift. :)

Speaking of a normal life, a normal life to me includes a social life, and I have been thinking a lot about friends and friendships lately. I've been thinking about what all this stress does to us all. I have hardly seen, or talked to, any friends at all this fall - mostly because of my sickness and because most of my best friends now live in other cities, but also because I, and everyone else, have been extremely busy. And I can't help but thinking: what's it all for? Why do we take on so much to do? Why can't we stop ourselves? Were did spontaneity go? I don't want to to it anymore, I just don't.

There will probably be more on that subject soon, but right now, the boyfriend and I are off to buy our Christmas tree. We even borrowed a car from the parentals for the occasion. It's a good thing you know, having parents in the same city and a boyfriend with a driver's license. :)

over there

I just found out that Terenche Blanchard will be playing with the Herbie Hancock Sextet at the concert on Monday. OMG!!! I was a little excited for Herbie (the concert is sold out and was bound to be cool either way), but this! (If you need to know, this is how I felt about a tune of his a while ago.)