Oh. My. GAWD.

My darlings!

I have shamefully neglected you.

In my defence: tons of stuff was going on, which I will detail to you right now, hoping you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

First of all, there were my exams.
I really went for it this time (good, because I had eight instead of the usual six and my schedule was rather... fucked-up.)
Long story short, I finally got rid of my freshman courses, which is a relief on its own. Passed 3 of my 6 second-year courses, which leaves me with 3 re-sits, which I'm actually quite satisfied with. Actually got a 14 (out of 20) for my favourite course! Woop!

Second, Ze Grand Movin'. It is done.
Finished my exams on Monday the 22nd and spent the three subsequent days painting. Alone, because The Boyfriend was working. Didn't turn out quite as good as I hoped because the previous layer of paint started peeling off. So we're doing some of it again in September, when we find the time.
On Friday and Saturday, there were two equally vexing and exciting trips to IKEA, in which - we thought - we got all of our furniture. It was only on Sunday that we realised we have no bathroom closet and all our shampoo &c stuff is now in bags until we find the time to get back on that. However, we have very pretty (and relatively inexpensive) furniture right now, and are very pleased with the spaciousness of The Apartment.

Thirdly, Ze Garden, which you knew we would have, because, well, I told you: it is quite barren. The ground is very dry and very very rock-filled, for lack of a better world. It has been decided that we should just scoop out most of the ground (including rocks) and bring in new - fertile - earth before we are able to magically make grass and flowwers appear.
I'm thinking lavender and some herbs (thyme, rosemary,...).

Speaking of which, we had some company over yesterday, which consisted of my father, stepmother, oldest stepbrother + girlfriend, my sister and youngest stepsister. I was very nervous for no good reason at all and am now very well pleased.

Dad has offered to help with the garden (two weeks from this sunday) and will then be bringing a new kitten.

Ay, a new kitten.
Typhus has been quite restless and strangely longing for affection, and we decided (me more than The Boyfriend, but he came around) that a playmate would probably be good for him.
We are still debating names, but so far, Chaos, Brein (which is Dutch for Brain) and something else, which was suggested late last night and I don't remember, are on the shortlist.

Talking of lists: I am, of course, still working on my Project Day Zero, and will update you on progress in a separate post, so as to maintain an overview.

I hope this post has a least put you all at ease that I am not, in fact, deceased and will keep on writing.

Have a nice days, everybody :)

Vanilla goes Day Zero Project!

Alrighty then folks, you've been reading about Day Zero Project at E's Extraordinary Eloquent Extravaganza, and today, you get to read my freshly made list! woop!
I am starting today, Tuesday 5th of May 2009.
The Project ends at Tuesday, 31st of January 2012.
I will report on my progress at the beginning of every new month.
Let's get started, shall we?

EDUCATION

001. Earn my bachelor's degree in 2010. Then smoothly move on to the Master's and complete that in the appropriate time too.
002. Learn to speak Japanese. Do this by taking University classes.
003. Start studying at least a month in advance of finals. EVERY time, not just once.
004. Finally start earning merits. I would so love to do a PhD.
005. Impress favourite professor(s) with smart remarks during class.
006. Strike up an intelligent conversation with a professor at least once.
007. If have year extra for study due to stupid system, take interesting relevant classes to boost resumé.
008. Work for school every day except weekends and holidays.


SELF-IMPROVEMENT/ALTRUISTIC

009. Write a letter to myself when I'm 40 about my long-term goals in life. Learn from it.
010. Be a mentor about something to any younger person.
011. Donate blood at a point where I didn't get tattooed/pierced for six months.
012. Fill out paperwok to donate my body to science after I die.
013. Ride a roller coaster, so as to learn not to be afraid of new things.
014. Stop picking at my lips so I can wear lipstick.
015. Work on my self-esteem re: appearance.
016. Protest for or against something.
017. Stop using the sad "sick" voice completely.
018. Get up at 8 every day for a month (except Sundays).
019. Make a memento-related scrapbook about the good things in life - not be such a pessimist.


CULTURE/IMPROVING MIND

020. Get a short story published.
021. Maintain my blog.
022. Get a hobby that doesn't involve watching TV/DVD's or reading.
023. Complete NaNoWriMo at least once.
024. Participate every year.
025. Finish the Dune series - including the parts he didn't write himself.
026. Go to the theatre at least twice.
027. Make at least one sculpture.
028. Go to FACTS at least one of the two days every year.
029. Go to lectures that aren't class-related.
030. Maintain my French. Do this by reading a lot and trying to have conversations in it more often.
031. Learn to speak Japanese. Do this by taking University classes.
032. See Stef Bos in concert.
033. Write a short story.
034. Buy at least two books every month.
035. Save up for a trip to Japan after my studies.
036. Read 100 new books.
037. Read Sandman.
038. Read the non-fictional works of at least 4 geniuses.
039. Learn awesome quotes from novels by heart so I can reference them correctly.
040. Write a letter to Richard Dawkins. Aim for a response.


MISC.

041. Learn to play poker.
042. Sing at Cabaret Gothique. No chickening-out!
043. Go horse-back riding one more time.
044. Finally wear that D&G dress.
045. Do another photoshoot.
046. Learn to walk properly and for long periods of time in heels.
047. Lend a book from the library, write commentary on a card and return it with the card inside.
048. Wear a dress or skirt every day for a week. NO PANTS. (0/7)
049. Do a movie marathon.
050. Do an Eddie Izzard marathon.
051. Finally get a collar for the kitty. Succeed in putting it ON the kitty.



JUST FOR ME
052. Find cute sexy-librarian-type glasses even though I don't need them.
053. Buy one awesome, yet expensive bottle of perfume.
054. Go on a vacation that's longer than 2 days.
055. Finish my tattoo projects. (DNA, cogs, orchids.)
056. Dye my hair in a crazy color at least once before I have to give it up to the boring professioinal appearance.
057. Fix my rhythm-issues by learning how to dance so I'm not embarassed at parties anymore.
058. Find a ring exactly like the one my grandparents gave me for my 14th (? maybe 13th) birthday.
059. Find a nice summer job, not one where I want to kill myself daily.
060. Get a really wonderful tea set.
061. Take one long bath a month, for rewarding self. Light candles.
062. Get an alarm clock where you can program any CD to wake you, not some stupid cellphone tune.
063. Decide on a variety of orchid for my leg piece. (help me out later!)

SOCIAL/RELATIONSHIP

064. Get in touch with Dad again.
065. Take my sister out partying.
066. Visit my brother's new apartment.
067. Have a tea party with E. at least once a week, except during exams or when either of us is out of the country.
068. Write someone a letter.
069. Burn good CD's for the people I love most. Do not need reason.
070. Maintain good healthy relationship with The Boy.
071. Have a BBQ in our new garden at least once every summer. Invite a lot of friends for it.
072. Invite my mom and her partner over for dinner.
073. Get closer to my kid sister.
074. Make friends in international intellectual circles, in order to learn and make connections for future work life.
075. Go on a romantic weekend at least twice.
076. Appear in sexy lingerie more often. Not in public though.
077. Eat fish at least 20 times, even though Boy does not like it.
078. Throw a huge party for my 20th birthday.
079. Go out more with friends from school.
080. Surprise others with little gifts more often.
081. Buy kitty a toy he likes.

HOME/ORGANISING/MONEY

082. Grow something in my new garden.
083. Paint my new appartment just the way I want it.
084. Buy an oven to bake cookies in.
085. Make a collage of pictures of my loved ones. Hang it on the wall.
086. Put up motivatinal Post-its for myself around the house.
087. Clean out my closet. No worn for at least a year => out it goes.
088. Find a good organising system for my book closet.
089. Get a plant for inside the house, and this time, don't let it die.
090. Clean the whole apartment on a regular basis.
091. Try a new recipe at least once a month.
092. Buy a proper domain for the blog in case it ever gets to be huge.

HEALTH
093. Quit smoking. NO REALLY.
094. Eat fruit every day for a month.
095. Take up cooking real food instead of buying ready-made stuff.
096. Walk more often, especially short distances - no need for buses.
097. Go to class by bike when it's not freezing cold or raining.
098. Drink 8 glasses of water a day for a month.
099. Find a way to excercise that isn't sex or running to catch the bus.
100. Go to the dentist.


LIST-RELATED

101. Review tasks completed and start a new list.

E's Extraordinarily Eloquent Extravaganza: Day Zero Project

To me, people aren’t just who they are in a certain place and time. People are processes of change. There’s nothing more interesting than seeing people constantly evolve, preferably in a positive way. Needless to say, I’m also a huge fan of the whole “Personal Development” thing. If you know change is inevitable, why not give it a push in the right direction? It can only make you a happier person. Not to mention that great feeling of satisfaction when you actually notice that positive change.

Now, the problem with the whole ‘improvement’-area: it’s surrounded by creeps.

This is Steve Pavlina, “one of the most successful personal development bloggers on the Internet”. Or so he says on his site. Apparently, modesty isn’t one of his greatest achievements. Also, his creepy smile has haunted my nightmares on several occasions.

People (like dear Steve, here) who like to call themselves personal developers, motivational speakers, or, God forbid, self help guru’s (I think I just puked a little), terrify me. Is it the way they all try to look so smooth and successful, like the American Dream come alive? Or maybe it’s the fact that I don’t want my personal improvement, with all its silly-habits-to-get-rid-of and stupid-things-I’d-like-to-do, to depend on complete strangers I will probably never even meet. Probably both.

Needless to say, I prefer to go solo. But unfortunately, just saying “Today, I will quit every bad habit I ever had, and replace them all with awesome ones which will eventually make me a better person” doesn’t quite work for me. Somehow, I always end up with an “Ah, fuck it!” feeling, and just quit. But now, hopefully (fingers crossed!) I might’ve found something that works... (dah dah dah daaaaah) The Day Zero Project

Dayzeroproject.com – join the fun!

The whole point of Day Zero is to complete a list of 101 specific, realistic tasks in a period of 1001 days. I made my list (which was much harder to make than I expected, by the way, and took a whole evening) and organized it into several categories: Organizational & Financial (including everything about planning my days and money, obviously); Brain, Eyes & Ears (everything regarding reading, writing, studying and watching things); Food & Health; Appearance (it’s important enough to get its own category. I’m that vain.); Love & Friendship; Personal Improvement (I know, that’s what it’s all about, but this is just me being selfish and wanting an entire category to myself); and my favourite of all: Random.

Now, I wouldn’t say there are a lot of deep things on my list. Because honestly, there aren’t. It mostly consists of good habits I wish I had, and things I still want to do but never found a good reason/enough time/… to actually get off my lazy butt and just do it. But I’m hoping that completing my list will at least give me some new experiences, and hopefully make me a better person.