Multi-faceted Abnormal /blog Evamaria plays online

Be crazy dumbsaint of the mind
on 12/11/2008 - like it?

Found today on a writing community I belong to:

30 essentials for writing, by Jack Kerouac

1. Scribbled secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages, for yr own joy
2. Submissive to everything, open, listening
3. Try never get drunk outside yr own house
4. Be in love with yr life
5. Something that you feel will find its own form
6. Be crazy dumbsaint of the mind
7. Blow as deep as you want to blow
8. Write what you want bottomless from bottom of the mind
9. The unspeakable visions of the individual
10. No time for poetry but exactly what is
11. Visionary tics shivering in the chest
12. In tranced fixation dreaming upon object before you
13. Remove literary, grammatical and syntactical inhibition
14. Like Proust be an old teahead of time
15. Telling the true story of the world in interior monolog
16. The jewel center of interest is the eye within the eye
17. Write in recollection and amazement for yourself
18. Work from pithy middle eye out, swimming in language sea
19. Accept loss forever
20. Believe in the holy contour of life
21. Struggle to sketch the flow that already exists intact in mind
22. Don’t think of words when you stop but to see picture better
23. Keep track of every day the date emblazoned in yr morning
24. No fear or shame in the dignity of yr experience, language & knowledge
25. Write for the world to read and see yr exact pictures of it
26. Bookmovie is the movie in words, the visual American form
27. In praise of Character in the Bleak inhuman Loneliness
28. Composing wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better
29. You’re a Genius all the time
30. Writer-Director of Earthly movies Sponsored & Angeled in Heaven

I’ve never actually read Kerouac, but this makes me want to.

Oh HAI, American elections…
on 30/10/2008 - like it?

Have been on a bit of a Jon Stewart kick the past few days. I’ve gotten into the habit of listening to audiobooks on my way to and from work, as I can’t read on the bus into town - and one of the books was America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction by said Jon Stewart, which totally reminded me why I love that guy and his brain. (I get ‘brain crushes’ sometimes, on seriously smart and funny people like Stephen Fry or Neil Gaiman.)

So I decided to see if I couldn’t find a place to watch The Daily Show, which I’d caught in New Zealand a few times (it aired on the music channel C4 there, on the same day as the US, thanks to the international date line) - and ‘lo and behold, you can actually watch the episodes on the show’s official website, no matter where you live! See, that’s why I love the internets…

And following Jon Stewart of course also means following Obama - I actually remember hearing about Obama’s speech on race on The Daily Show in March:

And, because it’s less than one week until the elections are finally here, let me be the last person on this planet to post the “Yes We Can” video, because it’s a lot of fun to play “name the celeb” (and because it is a seriously awesome speech, too):

Okay, enough politics for this blog, I promise! (Actually, in the past - during the 2004 elections, as a matter of fact - I caught serious flak from an “online friend” because I dared to have an opinon about American politics - but, although I’m not American and don’t live in the US, I think it’s safe to say that American politics affect the whole world. Sometimes with… rather tragic consequences.) Umm yes. This was supposed to be a simple squee post about Jon Stewart, but there you go. *g*

New tattoo
on 02/06/2007 - like it?

The idea to get a tattoo (my second one) commemorating my family and our lives together, came to me suddenly, and was realized (with Sibylle’s help) quite quickly. Today I went to Basel Tattoo & Body Art Studio and had it done by Karyna, who did a great job. At times quite painful (depending on the location it went from mild burn to cringeworthy/eye-watering), but luckily it was done fairly quickly, so the pain didn’t get too bad.

. .

The circle with four ’stones’ represents the four of us holding hands. It just seemed appropriate to get this now, because once I leave for New Zealand, our lives as a family probably never be the same…

Good day
on 19/10/2006 - like it?

First I learn that my thesis was accepted, so I’m definitely going to the exams - and then the doorbell rings and I get flowers, totally out of the blue from Sibylle. Just. Big smile time and lots of love for my best friend.

Edit: Photo of the flowers on my desk:

Mmmm…muffins
on 13/05/2006 - like it?

A recent visit to Starbucks reminded me how much I love muffins and what a pity it is that you can’t really get them anywhere (except for Starbucks, where they’re really expensive, like everything there). So I went ahead (the way I do when I get an idea into my head) and bought two of those fancy silicone muffin forms. Which is why the flat is smelling all yummy right now, a perfect contrast to the nasty weather outside - whether my chocolate chip and raspberry muffins (the latter improvised following this blueberry recipe, actually) will actually taste good has yet to be determined…

Merry Christmas
on 25/12/2005 - like it?

Have been completely wrapped up in the season - Christmas is still my favorite time of year… Our traditional family celebration last night was wonderful as always, a beautiful, peaceful family celebration, and I wish all of you (well, those that celebrate the season in any shape or form) a truly merry holiday!

Rooms and holidays
on 01/12/2005 - like it?

Back in my room, which now looks as cozy as ever. Still have to hang pictures (although wallspace is scarce - too many books! *g*) and put up my CD racks, but other than that is’s all done. Walls were painted, a new carpet (in light yellow) was bought and all the furniture and things carried back in and re-arranged to improve studying conditions. Yesterday especially was exhausting, so now I’m really glad to have it behind me.

And right in time, too: A happy beginning of December to everyone that celebrates Christmas! Christmas is my favorite time of year and I’m very excited that it’s now officially begun - last Sunday was the first day of Advent, and now it’s December. My mom gave me the traditional Advent calendar (in the form of a cute postcard) and I opened the first door this morning.

I also found a Finnish Advent calendar online - very cute!

Edited to add: I’ve not forgotten.

Snow!
on 25/11/2005 - like it?

The first snow of the year came down in the night. Not a lot of it, but I’m so excited anyway - there’s just something magical about it in my eyes. Now, if only it sticks so I can take a walk in it… *twirls happily*

Sadly, I’m still sick, though. Spent yesterday morning clearing out my room for the painter on Monday and overdid it. So now I’m back in bed - in an empty room that looks more like a storage facility than a place where someone lives… But still, I’m proud that I managed to get it all done in such a short time (with my parents’ help). It’s almost worth being sick again.

Feminism
on 14/11/2005 - like it?

I just had an epiphany of sorts: I am, in fact, a feminist.

I always had only the vague idea that feminism is some sort of political movement, too radical for my taste and smacking a bit of women-that-don’t-shave-and-hate-men. I had feminists for teachers in high school - Latin and German. They both wore chunky jewelry and hand-died cotton clothes, one had a kid and a stay-at-home husband (of whom she talked condescendingly) and had of course kept her name, and both seemed altogether stuck in the 70s. So my 14-year-old self thought, well, that’s definitely not me and decided that I wasn’t a feminist.

Well, I know better now: If you believe in, support, look fondly on, hope for, and/or work towards equality of the sexes, you are a feminist.

No sun today
on 20/03/2005 - like it?

The air tastes humid, heavy on my tongue, a bit like smoke from a wood fire. Birds are singing outside, but it doesn’t feel real. Not like when the sun is shining and the sky is bright blue. There’s something in the air, in the grey skies hanging low over the trees, that makes me want to be quiet and light a candle. Not sure yet whether in a good or bad way. We’ll see, I guess.