Long time no speaky

Still catching up on (multiple) re-runs of the Royal Wedding and all things Wills & Kate (obsessed? me??)
I unfortunately couldn't see the live ceremony because well, 1st. I don't have a tv set (but had planned to go to my parents' for the week-end anyway) and 2. because of that stupid administration I had to go and see to have an urgent paper signed, which, of course, they couldn't do because "the one in charge" was still on holiday (let me point out that it wasn't a public holiday here, ahem). Same thing happened the following monday even though they told me the clerk would be there, and all over again, they said to "come back tomorrow". Our admin system is such a joke!

On another grotesque note, my ophtalmologist (because yes, as if my day hadn't been ruined enough by the admin-&-missed-wedding debacle, I had to have my eyes tested on that day too, I couldn't let a 3-month's wait to get an appointment go down the drain) advised me to have a haircut, since I have that (rather unconscious) habit of tilting my head to the side.

Okay, so the dress was gorgeous, Kate (Oops, sorry, Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge) looked stunning, William's imminent baldness raised everyone's concern again, Harry's grin was more annoying than ever and the Queen's own interpretation of this season's colour block trend was smashing. I wish I could have been there but then again, I can't really stand big crowds and would probably have ended up looking like poor little bridesmaid Grace above ;o)

I was thrilled the couple was given such a title, it reminded me of my great stay in Cambridge last month for a brilliant conference, one or perhaps the best I've attended, all the delegates were so nice and gave me the best feedback ever. I've been sick for almost a month now (how is that even possible?!) and it has really put a strain on my energy and motivation to go on with my thesis, though. Fingers crossed this nasty illness will soon be out of the way, please?

k, babbling almost over, sorry about the whining quality to that post though!
xx

Happiness, please!

Few things make me happy, even though I wouldn't consider myself a sad person, I'm not an optimist at heart either. But when tiny little things happen, it can change my mood drastically (either from very good to very bad, that is. Call me bipolar!) So I was quite thrilled to hear from my former Japanese student today and learn that his family was okay too. I was happy to see that my parents had left some pumpkin soup - my favourite - in my fridge after they visited me yesterday and even happier when I actually realized it was pumpkin in that deceptively orangey glass bottle and not orange or carrot juice as I first thought (luckily I realized that before pouring the liquid in a glass, but I'm sure the mere smell would've been clue enough). I was glad when I received an email from my thesis supervisor on a sunday forwarding me the email from a colleague she had asked about a little detail we discussed just the day before. I was beyond joyful when my mum found my old cream cable cardigan she knitted herself and that I used to wear when I was about 10 years old, and that still fit me!! Love at first sight all over again!
So, on days when I'm so down I don't even feel like getting up and face the stressful day awaiting, I should just focus on tiny details like that. One step at a time.

Colin's Speech

I am so thrilled The King's Speech received another award, an Academy award on top of every other distinction Colin Firth had already been crowned with. I am one happy girl! And yes, I am easy to please as long as "costume drama" and "British" are used in the same sentence. Just add the names of Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter and I'm over the moon. Easy, peasy, told ya!



And for the record, I'm sorry but the following scene is not "offensive", just meant to be utterly funny. (Admire the hesitation "... and tits" + Rush's advice to his son. Haha) I'm still puzzled with puritanism and the paradoxes of the US society/ censors as far as movie rating is concerned (among other things though!)

Small is beautiful

I've recently come across this lovely short film, and inspired by Chloe from "Dirt on your new shoes", I'm posting it for you to have a look. I must admit that my first impulse was to check out Mr Tennant (hehe) only to be slightly (read - utterly) disappointed not to hear his oh-so-swoony Scottish accent. Oh well.

Flight of the Conchords

One day, quite by chance, I listened to a hilarious "mockumentary" on BBC radio with brilliant Welsh actor / comedian Rob Brydon as a narrator (you may best know him through his role in the film "A Cock and Bull Story" or the BBC series "Gavin and Stacey" - that I both heartily recommend! - or then again as "Alan Partridge"). The show was called "The Flight of the Conchords" and it was about the eponymous band from New Zealand and their chaotic but jolly adventures while touring the UK. I then enthusiastically embarked on watching the HBO adaptation of their comic duo and I must say it is beyond quirky and ridiculously funny! But little did I know that the band actually existed as such beforehand and they had performed at various festivals, including the Fringe in Edinburgh, which is where they initially caught the eye of Rob Brydon.

Sorry if most of you guys already know about them, I've heard they were featured on The Simpsons, so I guess they are quite famous in the US (especially as the HBO series is all about their move there) but they are quite unknown here, sadly...

I'll leave you with these screen caps from Season 1, episode 4 where Bret is giving feedback on his dinner date... and trying to give some kind of compliment still using the food lexical field! Classy and hilarious!
and a song from the first episode (I love the "depending on the street" and "you could be a part-time model but you'd probably still have to keep your normal job" haha. Well, I'll let you enjoy it by yourselves now.)








P.S: and I want shirts just like theirs!

Unwittingly trendy

Hee hee, let me introduce you to Felix the leo (yep, that's his name, and don't laugh at me for being all dotty, this name was actually given to him quite officially by the company selling them. I'm not lying)
It's been part of my menagerie for a couple of years now, I think I bought it in Scotland, I just can't resist cutsey things, let alone fluffy animal-themed things. I realize this number is quite on trend right now, and the poor thing luckily doesn't even know about it, otherwise he wouldn't put up with being tucked away in books.
Ok, now I'm rambling.

Going with the flow?

As anyone else is doing at this time of year, I've decided to write something about my New Year's resolutions, even though I know perfectly well that I won't follow them or at least will have a hard time sticking to them ;o)
The thing is, I make a lot of lists (from random ideas, urgent things to do, books to read / borrow from the library, artists I like, etc. to the obviously very exciting grocery shopping list) but whereas they put my mind at ease for a while (especially when an idea crops up just after I've jumped into bed and keeps torturing me until I write it down in order not to forget about it - scatterbrain is my middle name these days...) I have a habit of not following them / forgetting them and improvise. So let's hope 2011 will be full of skilful improvisation! But don't get me wrong, I'm still a sucker for carefully (over)prepared things, maybe something to rethink this year?

* Cut the procrastination and stop dreading the hard work ahead (i.e stop making a mountain out of a molehill, even if the said molehill takes the form of a 500 page PhD to be written)

* Go back to yoga (it might help - or worsen, who knows? - my back problems. Oh my, do I speak like an elderly lady... 2011 with a vengeance

* Be more fearless and do (e.g dress) as I like without thinking about the probable stares and frowns that might ensue

* Eat more healthily (says I after stuffing myself with a delicious tiramisu and buying 500g of chocolate because it was on sale, *ahem*) but my sweet tooth is one of my trademarks (read: whims) Surprisingly I don't eat much "regular" food and feel stuffed very quickly but I seem to have a separate compartment in my stomach for sugary food and unfortunately this one is bottomless, hee hee

And here are my current obsessions:

* Two of my favourite actors playing in the same film about one of my favourite era. I knew I had to see "The King's Speech" as soon as I saw the trailer a few months ago (and still have to wait for it to be out in cinemas!!!)




* Listening to sweet, soothing music such as this:



or this:



Have a sweet and brilliant Year!