Saturday, December 30, 2006

Christmas 2006

This Christmas has undoubtedly been the best Christmas i have had for about three years.
Nothing amazing happened: but nothing really bad happened either.

Some highlights for me were:
Best Moment
Out: Myself and eight girlfriends wearing -without consultation- eight slightly different versions of 'the little black dress' on a night out (wasted on The Hi-fi Club).

In: cutting holly with red berries on it from the garden.

Best Presents
Given: 50 trees for Ethiopia from Oxfam Unwrapped to my mum (she loved this).
Received: 20 Q! Oh my God it really can read your mind!!! You think of something and it asks you 20 questions and then guesses what you are thinking!!!
It's genius- but more about that next time. I'm too knackered to make it sound funny at the moment. Going to read some of my favourite bloggers instead....


Sunday, December 24, 2006

Joy to the world

For the last two nights in a row, i have woken up with this really wierd feeling. It's like an unspecific joy bursting out from my chest in the middle of the night. I was quite freaked out the first time: to feel like that that for no apparent reason (wasn't having any fantastic dreams or anything....) The second time, i tried to go with it rather than fight it. I tried to think "Okay, i don't know why i feel like this but it's a good feeling in fact it's pretty fantastic (if a little unfamiliar)"
My theory is that it's some kind of preparation for a feeling like that that is coming pretty soon. Any time now in fact..... and it's not about christmas presents.
Apologies to all the people i offended by my geographical error. I admire your nationalism although i was a little surprised by your anger - it wasn't intended as a slight.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Lost, 1886

This weekend i went to the opening of Akselli Gallen-Kallela at the Groningen Museum in the Netherlands.
He paints women beautifully. If i was going to be painted that is how i would like to be portrayed- with the love, respect and tenderness that Gallen-Kallela obviously had for his subjects. I would go so far as to say that although he painted other subjects, his paintings are a celebration of womanhood.
The publicity image shows a beautiful pubescent girl, hair streaming into the moon behind her, looking heavenward with arms outstretched. Her eyes could be filled with tears but she doesn't look sad. She stands open and accepting, up to her thighs in a red sea.
The painting which affected me most was the one with the title above. It shows a female figure slumped at the base of a tree in a forest. When i looked at it, i couldn't decide wether i was looking at a woman or a young girl. I searched her figure for signs of maturity but still found myself stuck between a plump child and an androgynous young woman.
The figure is predominantly blue with the saddest most dejected look i have ever seen painted. She has sat down because she doesn't know what to do. It would be easy to assume that this is because she cannot find her way home.
Her hand lays palm upwards on the forest floor. She is holding a red checked piece of cloth which seems to bleed into her hand.
When i read the catologue i find that an earlier version of the painting contained a dead baby.
Incredible.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Text Sculpture

On Sunday 3rd December i texted to ask him, "When are you coming to see me?"
He didn't reply.

So on Monday i asked him "When".
On Tuesday "are you".
On Wednesday "coming".
On Thursday "to see me?"

Roughly at the same time every night, but a little later or earlier each day, to take him by surprise or to make him wait.

I thought it was like a text sculpture.

Still waiting.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Christmas card from Suburbia

I know i'm really here now that i have my first Christmas card signed
'from A**** at No.3'.
I have joked about this many times, but i didn't expect it to actually happen! I don't know what to do now! I mean, what's the etiquette here??? Do i now return a card to A**** at No.3?
But s/he is a complete stranger! I would feel too weird! Should i maybe go and introduce myself and say thank you for the card in person? I may pass this person many times and each time be committing an unwitting rebuff.
If i did go round i'd probably end up going into some spiel about how i wasn't going to send any Christmas cards this year because i feel they are an unnecessary drain on the earth's resources. I really like trees the way they are- not when they're pulped for banal seasonal greetings. Inevitably this would sound like a criticism if not a direct attack on the personal life-style choices of my new neighbours. That's not going to work.
I guess the only option is to go back on my principals and buy a fucking Christmas card and sign it
'from Nina at No.*' - otherwise they won't know who the fuck i am.
Then i have become the thing i am priding myself on believing i am not. My new principle about e-cards flying out of the window as i slowly collect and similar greetings from all 75 residents of the street.