Do I have an unhealthy relationship with Excel? Maybe

So, I don’t have anything to tell or show in the knitting department so I was thinking about what I could write about instead. BEcause, you know, if I don’t keep writing, it will be like before and I won’t be writing even if I have something to tell and then I’ll be like “I would love to have a blog… oh wait, don’t I have one?” yeah … so you need to endure my randomness

Last week I found myself reflecting on my reading habits. Maybe because I had got me the BBC Jane Eyre mini series and the 2006 Persuasion movie from the library, or because I browsed through the blog of a new penpal who writes book reviews. I was asking myself, Do I read enough classics? Do I read enough contemporary literature? Should I read less historical romances, because frankly most of them bore me to death… that sort of thing …

I’ve been keeping a digital book list since I was a teenager. I mean, I’ve been an avid reader since childhood and I’ve been obsessed with  lists and keeping track of my reading. As a child I tried to write a reading journal for a while but kinda failed at it. I still have it though, it’s really cute =) I am a bit obsessed with lists… I said it… I like to organise things and I like to analyse things and when I took some excel classes last winter I was amazed. I love excel. Yeah, you can go and shake your head at my weirdness now… but then look at what I did to my excel list last week!

My list is quite exhaustive. Everytime I see something I might like to read, I add it. Everytime someone recommends something to me, I add it. And everytime I add details like, who recommended it, and the date. There were a few old entries, some of which I deleted last week (there where like 20 books from Wolfgang Hohlbein on there whom I adores as a teen but I haven’t read anything by him in years and it’s not really my style anymore). Oh and there are of course all the books that were, back in the day, on the WB’s Rory’s Book Club list. My goal is still to read all that are on there but it’ll still take a while (I read about 25 of them, 87 still to go). Right now I have 301 books on my to-read list. By the way, 54 of them (that’s 18 %) were recommended by my dear Emma … at my current pace of about 20 books a year it will take a little more than 13 years to read all of those books. Well, at least I won’t get bored

On my other page in the excel file I have my “read” list. And this is what I reorganized. I have pretty good tracks of what I read since 2006 with some entries for 2005 and 2004. My strongest year so far was 2007 with 36 books. I know that not very much, compared to what other people read … but compared to what I read in 2011 (15) it’s a lot. Anyway… where was I? Yes, I reorganized that list. I added genres to all the books I read. That wasn’t easy all the time but I tried to keep it broad. So my genres are Contemporary (everything written since the 80s maybe and that isn’t considered a classic, and also not Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Mystery, or Chick Lit), Classics (everything written before roughly the 80s and that is commonly considered a classic), Fantasy (this wasn’t always easy,  because obviously some books contain fantasy elements but aren’t really fantasy novels. Also I put all young adult fantasy novels under fantasy because it’s the fantasy element that makes me pick up those books and all fantasy novels that feature vampires under Vampires) which brings me to Horror/Mystery/Vampire. I have single genres for these but the numbers are so small that for counting I put them together. Historical wasn’t an easy category either. In the end I decided that these were the classic German historical novels that are nothing but historical romances most of the time and well, I added the Outlander series to this as well but not for example The Bookthief or The Joy Luck Club, or Atonement which, by common standards, can all be considered historical novels but all have a very different vibe to them than the German historical romances I read which are much more along the lines of the Outlander series. Does it make sense? Then I had a few difficult cases. What was I to do with the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants? I put it into Children’s/Young Adult even though I had put other Young Adult novels into other categories, and then I added Chick Lit to a few books that I felt were more … well… chick lit (The Nanny Diaries, The Timetraveller’s Wife, My Sister’s Keeper). And then I decided to add single categories for both Harry Potter and the Disc World novels. And there’s Non Fiction but really, there are only two non fiction books and I never added the non fiction literature I read for uni, and I don’t read much non fiction for pleasure …

I realized that for what I was doing, just organizing my list and counting what kind of books I read, my system worked. But I also realized the limits. Libraries for example have to organize very differently and other catalogues that are to be searched systematically have to be organized differently again. I had heard my book studies professor, who was an academic librarian by training, complain about cataloguing but realizing it myself as I was writing this list was a very different thing. This only makes me want to become an academic librarian more, though. I want to learn about the ways of categorization and the technical aspects of it. (I only know some very basics things about horizontal and parallel systems).

So … anyway… this was fun and interesting and I love my new book list.

oh and one more thing, I had to laugh so much at this…

oh there’s a typo… anyway… look at the highlighted part… isn’t that funny… two books with the same title, in English and in German, both recommended by penpals, but by different authors and about a year difference end up together on my list  … and yes, my list is that weird mix of English and German … my mind is, too you know…

Mondays suck

Boy, Mondays suck… After a weekend of not enough sleep (isn’t it just beyond unfair to be woken on both Saturday and Sunday by a ringing alarm clock earlier than 8…?) I also had to get up early today and of course I overslept a little and had to hurry. And yes, I will complain about having to get up at 7 on a Monday because I’m unemployed and I will get up when I want :p

Except today, because I had to be at the dentist at 9. I hate the dentist… everyone does I guess… but this is hopefully all worth it because I’m getting a new front tooth. I was nine when I chipped my left front tooth. It was repaired to last around 10 years. It ended up lasting much longer but lately it was showing that it had been repaired so now I get  a corona (crown?) which will hopefully be a near ultimate solution and will also hopefully be neater. It turns out to be a painful and very, very unpleasant process… I almost choked on the dental imprint thingy and I hate to be numb like that (especially today it went up my nose as well! my nose was numb… yuck!) and now it hurts… ouch and I have to llive with the transitional corona for a week and a half.

So, yes, this day sucked. I also didn’t sleep well because I dreamed of the dentists and a sms woke up in the middle of the night (no complaining though as I expected that sms) and I still didn’t get any mail

now, I’ll let myself be entertained by the German matchmaking show Bauer sucht Frau (farmers are set up with women from the city) which is delightfully undemanding and it’s always fascinating to see those men… with their very clear ideas of gender roles and very own ideas of how women should be … and the consequently following conflicts and fights.

new postcards, souvenirs, and mail

I always love getting postcards and two weeks ago I got some from a country I hadn’t gotten one from until then: Algeria

A friend of mine travels a lot for his work and though I’ve known him for a few months I only recently mentioned to him that I collected postcards and asked if he’d look for some from Algeria for me. I know, crazy to know someone who’s all over the world all the time and not ask him for postcards… I’m not myself at the moment :p but I’m getting there. So he brought me postcards =) a whole lot actually, but here are the three I picked out to go up on my wardrobe door, two from Algeria, one from Paris where he had a stopover:

What I learned about Algeria while he was there: They are on London time, people there shoot in the air to celebrate weddings… there might have been more but it’s all a few weeks ago already The middle postcard shows a library by the way, that is if I deciphered that correctly from the back, my French is basically only guesswork.

Same good friend embarked on a holiday to Ireland right after he got back from Algeria and from there also sent postcards. (The ones above, he brought in person, the ones that follow were sent by mail =) )

I really like the one on the left =) and yes, these two made it to the wardrobe as well.

And the story isn’t over, yet, he brought souvenirs for me. And even though I’ve only known him for a few months he knew what to bring me: =D

behold, it’s yarn! The already mentioned unicorn yarn that I started a hat with and a wool blend tweed-ish yarn that I don’t have any idea yet what to make with. No well… I wouldn’t be a knitter if I didn’t have a million ideas =) I just have to make a decision

He also brought cookies (very yummy) and a Dandelion & Burdock fermented botanical drink that is puzzling me a little… When do you drink something like this? And is it right that it is standing on my alcohol shelf together with the Whiskey and berry liqueur? And what is burdock? I know the German word now but it didn’t help…I think I’ll wait for the right moment… and make him suffer enjoy this with me.

now I have a bit of randomness as well =) I had a bit of an epiphany last week and today regarding bra sizes… I’ve been wearing the wrong size all my life and consequently buying them was an ordeal in the past. Now I finally figured out what I should wear… and I got the two best fitting bras of my life today. They’re also my first “adult” ones I didn’t own a black bra before… well, now I do and also a berry coloured one (which I got in case I won’t find a real red one before new year’s… I figured berry is the closest I get to red for now…) in case you always drag three sizes of the same bra to try out and none of them fit and you return home feeling like you must be some kind of weird alien because there are just no bras to fit you… there is hope go and do some research, get the measuring tape out and then try again

I had a long shopping afternoon, spent a ton of money at the drugstore (for face lotion, lip balm, body oil that I’ll try as a leave-in for my hair, and well, this and that) and also sent out two letters (Belgium and France) which now makes me a sad letterless person =( nothing to reply to left …

Santa was here =D

This was what I found this morning outside the door to my room ^^ A Christmas mug filled with chocolate. Thank you Nikolaus

Cobbler, stick to your last

This is (part of) what I did on the weekend:

Well… the whole story … is I can’t tell you the whole story because it involves Christmas presents … but well in an overly confident moment on Saturday afternoon I thought, why not sew something. I’ve always found sewing fascinating and loved to watch my mum. She doesn’t sew that much but she knows her stuff. When we were little she also made us costumes (and she made them for herself as well I think). Actually the last one she made for me was a belly dancer and I was 15 heehee, still have that one and it still fits (side note, that’s 9 years ago … something to proud of, huh?^^) she also makes table cloths or cushion covers.

As for myself… the last time I sewed something with the automatic sewing machine was in 12th grade for an art project that didn’t really turn out very well. That’s 6 years ago now… long time. I did learn to sew with the machine back in 7th grade and we made a patchwork cushion cover. Mine was one of the neater ones. So looking over my mum’s fabric I thought, what I could do at 12 I must be able to do 12 years later…

ehhem … not necessarily…

I have to say though, it does look ok, doesn’t it? Regarding the fact that that was the first time for me at the sewing machine after 6

it's half a cm off... not ok!

years… if you’re wondering what it is supposed to be … hm … I was just practising really… because one day I will sew a quilt (yes, I’m an optimist, and yes some people think I have a problem with reality) but I thought this here would make a sweet little altar cloth for Imbolc. I thought I could make them for all the holidays and when the last one is finished, the squares will hopefully all be square and the edges in line and the seams as well and I’ll actually know what I’m doing. I’ll just have to work more precise next time.

If you believe it or not… my cursor just disappeared here in the typing field… eerie …

so anyway… since it’s Monday, the rest is randomness pure:

• “My” bus line has resumed its usual route after a four months long period of diversion route that meant delays and walking  … good day =)
• I absolutely didn’t get enough sleep on the weekend … tired
• I had my first shift in the new library building and spent two hours registering new readers. Fun …
• The lunar Samhain was a Samhain alright… pweh … things ended and lessons were learnt
• I hate that I didn’t write anything for my thesis today … put the word count is 4.700 / 11 pages now… not bad actually
• Sure sign that it’s actually as good as winter: I just had my first tangerine and it was delicious.

… trying …

I am trying… I really am, to post progress pictures on Wednesdays. In the current chaos of my life I fear if I don’t I will forget his blog. But now it’s Friday already… where did this week disappear to? It was a weird week. Monday was a public holiday and while I did get some work done I still had to go to my grandma for coffee+cake and then the whole family went to the cemetery to visit my grandfather’s grave. And then I couldn’t sleep because, and not for the first time, I started to panick about my thesis. Luckily I have a wonderful friend who knows reiki and sent me some on Tuesday night =) and since then I’m more relaxed. On Wednesday I visited a mosque with my religious studies lecture which was fascinating. We were allowed to stay for prayer (there weren’t a lot of people there) and it was interesting. Also, immediately when I entered the little prayer hall I felt … well, the religious presence somehow. Quite similar to what I feel in a church. People come there to pray and you (I can at least) can feel that kind of energy even if it’s not my way of doing things. Also, while churches are “cold” mosques are … warm… they embrace you in a very comfortable way. We had to take of our shoes and there was carpet, and we all sat down on the floor. A wonderful experience. It should be part of the school curriculum or something to visit a mosques or other places of worship different to ones own. And the people were so friendly and patient, willing to explain just everything. (One thing was amusing, really, our professor’s outrage when two of the people who are in the senior citizen’s uni programme asked questions heehee… one lady was commenting on segregation and wasn’t really willing to accept the muslima’s explanations and one man claimed that all religion where about how sinful mankind could reconcile with the divine and she (our professor) couldn’t leave that uncommented “that is utter rubbish what you’re saying there” so funny^^).

Anyway, I spent the rest of Wednesday and yesterday writing my thesis which is going quite well. I’m now in the middle of defining “religion” and “religious” and trying to establish how to deal with it in research. It’s like the last five years prepared me to write this… that’s how it’s supposed to be I guess.

Aaaand, yes, I also have a progress picture of bitterroot. I’m still in love with the yarn!

(Really … is there a way to take a good progress picture of a shawl?) I have to say it’s not exactly working out as I thought but I will comment on that once I’m finished. Shouldn’t be that long now as I’m on the border chart now.

Oh and I just signed up for a homemade Christmas/Yule card swap hosted by useless beauty designs, a blog that I’ve been following for a while now. Yay =D very exciting… I’m already pondering what I could do ^^

Today this city hates me

It’s Friday, half past five and I will now officially call it a day… or rather a week… I’ve had enough

It’s been a rather lazy week. I thought as the new semester starts next week I’d take it slowly and relax a bit before work really starts. Today I returned to Münster. I really do like this city. Usually I notice this when I’ve been away for a while and then come back and take “my” bus that goes right through the city, through the pedestrian zone, past all the shops, the cathedral and the place where there’s the weekly farmer’s market. It’s just all so pretty and every time I think I really missed you. Today though, everything was different…

The train was quite full, not packed but full enough to annoy me, especially since I’ve lived like a hermit these past few weeks and just can’t deal with masses of people … not that I ever do that well, but after weeks of only seeing my family and occasionally a friend, weeks of sitting at the desk, beautiful landscape in view it’s just a bit much to be thrown into a full train. And then the station, here packed is the word… crowded… crazy, I don’t think I’ve seen the station this full… I was annoyed then already… My suitcase was full up to its limit (bless it… great suitcase) I had a bag with three folders and my usual uni bag… fun, maneuvering that through the masses.

The next blow came when the traffic light turned red just when I reached it and then I could watch my bus pull up and the other side, and drive away without me. Crap. There are two other busses I can take. The don’t go through the city, don’t take that long but I have to walk about 500-700m up to the apartment building (yeah … I know what you’re thinking … I am spoiled when it comes to bus stops) so I did take that bus, waiting in the misty and cold autumn air …

The bus driver was annoying, I almost tripped when he started because I was still carrying my really very heavy suitcase down the aisle. Then I had to stand because the suitcase likes to topple over and it really doesn’t take that long. But then the bus got fuller and at my stop I had trouble getting to the door, someone was asleep in his seat and rather blocking the way with his leg >.< the door was closed when I got to it and the bus was starting again. I called “stop”, someone else called “someone else needs to get out here” and the bus driver stopped again.

And then I also had to go grocery shopping … that was ok… I got a lot of things to spoil me with tonight, I just need that. But then I had to wait for the bus 15 minutes again … Defrosting the fridge would take far longer than I can do without food and I think I might get terribly bored tonight…

I think I will forgive the  city for giving me such a hard time… because, really, it is a beautiful city. It cleared up and the sun is shining now. The trees at the lake were shining in all kinds of amazing colours, why do I never take my camera … :p and I do like that tonight I can do whatever I want, I can watch TV on the sofa/bed, I’ll stay up really long and sleep in tomorrow… because … well because I can.

autumn… bleh

well can anyone compete with weather like this:

I took this yesterday and it was like that the whole day… grey and dark and misty and rainy… like November. Not nice at all. Today it’s only a little better. At least you can see that the sky is blue behind those clouds.

What cheered me up though was this:

Four and a half little bottles of fresh elderberry juice. I didn’t go and gather them myself this year, it was all my grandma (who is 84 and still insists that she’s fine by herself and won’t accept any help with gathering the berries or making the juice unless you don’t bother asking if she needs help but just help her ) so anyway. I love, love, love elderberry juice and the smell of it =D yummy. And it’s an excellent remedy against colds.

Which by the way I seem to need… I might have caught a cold. I feel all tensed up, my shoulders hurt and everything and today I had headaches and a bit of a sore throat as well. So I decided to take it easy today and didn’t do much. I did finish a sock today (pictures will follow once they’re both ready). I misplaced one of the 2,5mm dpn’s though so I can’t begin the second sock now I hope the needle is just in Münster and not somewhere on a train between Münster and Bielefeld. Sooo I guess I need a new set of dpn’s in 2,5mm.

The Baby Booties, by the way, were given to the dad of the little one on Sunday who seemed surprised. He said they were too big still which I anticipated. I can’t tell you if he was happy to get them or not… he’s hard to read sometimes

Juno Regina

The second finished knitted present of this summer is finished:

Pattern: Juno Regina Stole (knitty fall 2007)

Yarn: Fortissima Socka by schoeller+stahl, 75% virgin wool, 25% polyamide

Needles: 3,5mm (I believe…)

This was a present for my cousin and dear friend and I think she liked it =) Her mum, my aunt, was quite impressed and asked me about where I got the pattern and if it had been a difficult knit. She knits as well but not too  much and she told me about this one sweater that just would not turn out right

My mum, to my surprise, seemed to be proud of me. She was telling her sisters how I never learned to knit as a child and now did all these amazing things just like that, without anyone ever forcing me… there are some attitudes towards knitting … I think people only slowly realise that knitting doesn’t have to mean boring simple socks and badly fitting sweaters and never imagine what you can actually do with needles and yarn.

Well… that’s that. How about some randomness…?

• It’s been a really, really rainy August. In the last 48 hours we had more rain than usually falls in all August. If we’d live only a few km further north our basement would now probably full of water… It was a hell lot of rain
• The more autobiographies from the 19th century I read (and I now have read the accounts of five individuals at least in parts) the more I come to the conclusion that our society is putting too much emphasis on formal schooling. It’s important, I agree on that, but what is far more important is a family and surroundings that won’t steal children their natural curiosity.
• Being with my parents starts to suck.
• I am haunted by some pictures of a vivid dream I had two nights ago… distracting

In case you wondered ;)

Well, I have been silent for a while, haven’t I …? So I thought I’d give at least a bit of an update of what I have been doing. Sadly I’m not ready to post any real post, I’m kind of not … inspired … but I think I’ll soon write something.

So, what have I been doing? I had to papers to write (one on Working Class Women Readers in the 19th century in Britain and one on The Druid in the Role-Playing-Game System DSA ) it was a lot of work, especially as I’m not used to writing two papers during my break but there’s the prospect of graduating soon so I sat down and worked.

I also have been knitting A LOT with which I don’t really want to bore anyone with as I’m not that good really  but maybe I’ll think about uploading some pictures.

Another nice little story is that I started volunteering at our local library in town. I feel there I can do something for my hometown and work on my social skills and learn about working in a library. It’s a very small one and I’m only there one afternoon a week and once the semester starts I’ll have one Sundaymorning a month and every other Friday. But I really enjoy all of it =) and all the people I met there! ^^ like my former teacher form primary school who I have wanted to tell that she almost ruined my life for a very long time but I’m just too much of a coward to talk to her… and she doesn’t seem to recognize me.

All in all though it rather feels like my life has been but on hold again. Next week I’ll be on vacation finally (in Oxford and London) and then I’ll plan my next semester and probably make some changes and hopefully I’ll be more inspired by then

~Sarah