indifference

it's my favorite word at the moment.

why waste time on something or someone that doesn't give you anything in return.
you shouldn't, because it's a waste of time.

you know what, it works.
you should try it sometime.

the house bitch

I've lived in the same shared flat now since september and in shared houses for way longer then that. Over that period I have lived with a lot of people - this isn't really about any particular person, just flatmates in general. So if you are someone's flatmate, grab a paper and a pen and take notes of the big do's and don't's.

There are three types of flatmates:
1 - the really cool one you are friends with
2 - the one you're not really sure that is still alive because you never see them
3 - the one that drives you crazy and you want to kill them

to be honest, number 2 is probably the most ideal one. You just feel like you're living on your own.

You're probably wondering 'why not the number 1?' one. Well, sometimes you are tired from work and you just want to come home and chill but you don't want to be mean to your friend by not wanting to hang out with them. Which is not really a big deal. The main thing is because either you or they will move which is going to suck because that means you'll probably never see them again. OR the worst of it all, they'll turn out to be a brat. It's better if they were always a brat because then you would just know not to spend any time on them. If you become their friend, and then they're a brat it's just like a waste of time for both of you and then you've lost a friend as well. That sucks.

The thing is, I know what it is like living with other people and my tolerance is pretty high. I am not fussy about people not taking out the rubbish, leaving a couple of dirty plates around the sink area and even if they don't buy toilet paper or clean the house on their assigned dates. Because if these things would drive me crazy I'd be proper mental at this point.

What does drive me crazy how ever if I feel like I have to raise these people I live with because they are lacking common courtesy and it is affecting the way I live my life. Examples:

- not being nice to me when they have just moved into my house.
ok. I know you are paying astronomical figures on rent. So am I. I don't want any trouble, but as far as I am concerned you are currently a stranger in my house. Just introduce yourself. I'm not scary and it'll make everything a lot easier. A lot. For both of us.

- Don't change anything, specially not if it means you're taking things out of the common areas.
That is just extremely rude. You're not the only one here.

- Smoking in the house.
Because that is disgusting. Specially if I am either falling asleep or waking up and all I can feel is all this smoke. Then if I mention it don't be like, 'oh really, can you tell?' because that means you are just assuming I am really stupid. I don't like that. In particular if it is Marijuana. I don't really appreciate this second hand high forced upon me, thank you very much.

- Rubbish on the FLOOR!
If you can't bring yourself to walk those ten steps from our apartment on the ground floor to take out the rubbish, don't bother taking the bag out of the rubbish bin only to LEAVE IT ON THE FLOOR. Because that is disgusting and smells.

- Kitchen.
Please just make sure there's at least one knife and one plate clean at any one point. I don't really care about the rest.

- Laundry.
Don't leave your laundry in the washing machine for like 4 hours. I don't spend a lot of time at home so I would like to have access to the washing machine if it is not being used.

- Attitude.
I am a very polite person. I have worked with dealing with people for about 40 hours a week for a year and about another five years (not full time) before then. I am very good with people and I am very polite. I would never bother you unless something is seriously not right. It is very important to me to live in a house were everybody feels like it's their home. If I politely bring anything of the above up it's not because I get a power kick out of bossing you around and being the house bitch. Trust me.
This works the other way around as well. If I am seriously bothering you, just tell me. On the other hand don't complain to me about the house not being up to a 5 star hotel standard. If that is what you were after, guess what. Maybe you'd have to pick up the vacuum once in a blue moon, just quietly. And if there is something wrong with the flat, don't complain about it to me. Odds are I already know that given the fact that I happen to live here. Call the landlord.


Ok. That feels really good to get of my chest. It probably means I am the crazy house bitch.

If you are reading this and you are living with your parents, I can't really say I'm jealous to be honest but I will say this.
Appreciate what you have got. And be good to your mum (or mum-figure - look at me being all politically correct and everything!), she probably deserves it.

I'll give you a report on my new job ASAP.

writing.

I love writing.

I am just not really good at knowing what is appropriate for a blog which is why I never really post anything.
Everything I write I think is too silly or too personal to post on here, which is why I have about 10 drafts for every post I actually post. (As in different posts, not just the same one re-written 10 times)

Because either I get really awkward that somebody actually reads all this and comments on it, wether it's here or in real life.
Or I don't get any feed back at all and then I don't really see the purpose of posting it here and just feel really silly.

I want to be like Jenna Mourey (youtube her and you will have full three hours procrastinating what ever it is you should be doing) and just not give a damn. Maybe I'll get there one day. Or maybe I should start writing about something other than my own life, just something neutral like music or restaurants. Or just a lot of essays. I am such a nerd.

I always write in the middle of the night though, particularly if I have a very important next day. This is the second post I'm writing now (I didn't want to post the first one) and I am starting a new job tomorrow - one that emphasises on the importance of being presentable, on time and prepared (I know that is pretty much every job though). So what a pleasure, two seconds before I fall asleep my brain (whom I have no control over!) starts and I quote: "nooo I want to write something! please, please, let me I'll be very quick!" Stupid brain. Keeping me awake in the middle of the night.

Anyway, wish me luck for tomorrow. I am very excited to try something new after over five, probably more like seven, years of hospitality.

PS. I think it's very cute you're reading this, I haven't even checked in here for months! Thanks you, you're sweet.

simple things.

Today on my way home on the bus, I saw a group of tourist.
One of them was taking a photo of the rest of the group.
I offered to take their photo so they could all be on the photo.
Simple.
I still managed to make four strangers smile.

They asked me if I was local.
Simple.
I said, not originally.
Simple.

However it dawned on me then, and only then, I up until this day have always answered similar questions with, no I am from Iceland.

Perfect Day

- I got up early for the first time in my life.
- I had breakfast.
- I went to work.
- Not to work though.
- I met my old regulars there.
- I got coffee.
- They gave me money.
- I went for a half an hour walk in the London rain.
- I went to an amazing lecture at Tate Britain.
- I wasn't the most hung-over person there.
- I had a wonder in Tate Britain.
- I plan to go there again as soon as I can convince myself to go all the way to Pimlico.
- I came home.
- The entertainment industry decided to combine: how I met your mother, love being found, the phrase "oh honey" and Katy Perry; which all happen to be amongst my favorite things.
- I am not that sorry, that I forgot to say spoiler alert before this bulletin.
- I actually am, because this episode was great and now I have ruined it for you.
- I am not really. You should have seen it already.
- I got my share of patriotism for the day seeing the new Steed Lord Video

The song is alright I suppose, not my favorite in any way. But I love, love, love this video. The choreography, the editing, the make up, the look, everything. Fab. It is nice seeing Icelandic bands making ambitious videos (i.e. not just playing with focus on the camera as the band plays in a studio).
- I cooked dinner.

next
- I will finish doing my laundry.
(then I'll have something to wear again. yay!)
- I will read my very interesting homework after being so inspired by my lecture today.
- I will watch that HIMYM episode again.
Plus, I don't have to wake up early tomorrow.

Pretty good life, huh?

All work and no play makes

These ads are pretty funny.

Yes, I'm actually working at the moment, so I'll keep this short. Plus I just gave you guys a big one yesterday. This is my new job. Loads of research. Occasionally I come across an ad that makes me giggle a little bit inside as I try my hardest to maintain the image of "one-of-them-super-important-looking-people-working-on-their-macs-at-an-arty-cafe". As I found this I was sitting at a cafe called Tit Lane. I know, literally. There are posters of Billy Idol (why don't men wear make up anymore?) and David Beckham weighing up against all the half naked women there (posters, not actual women. Even though that might probably be more interesting). The music theme of the day consists of some bizarro mixture of Busta Rhymes and Destiny's Child. It is played way too loud. I like that. The lamps are made out of plastic cups and the barista is wearing purple jeans. I am working my way through every wi fi spot within 5 min walking radius from my house now that I work from home. Maybe I'll make a little evaluation on that one day.

Annoyingly you need a password at tit lane every hour so this awesome post got deleted. So I moved across the road to a cool bar where they sell some Indian soup and nan bread. Which I am enjoying now. Before I get back to work. Stop disturbing me.

What's so great about London?

When I lived in Greece I had quite a few friends that had lived or spent some amount of time in London. When I told them I was moving here seven out of ten people looked at me like I was crazy, often followed by the words, "London...? really?" (those other three were in most cases Londoners). I actually still get that look from people when I get out of the city. People look at me with an expression that says "why would anyone want to live in London? no honestly, I've been there, I just don't get it" but ask me really politely if I am doing alright. In which case I always smile and say that I couldn't be better.

Ask just about any "Londoner" what they think about London though and almost everyone loves it, not in a "I suppose it is pretty good" sort of way, but actually really like it. I suppose that is normal for a city where a small fraction of the population happens to be born and bred here, which means almost every person living in the city is here by choice. (Plus that normally means the individuals are more driven and ambitious than your average Joe). Besides they pretty much better as it would otherwise be ridiculous to pay so much time, energy and money to live here.

I'd say tourists are definitely one of the biggest landmarks in London. They are literally everywhere. If I would see London one day without a single tourist I would probably be more freaked out than if there was a bomb scare at my local tube station. Still I am always really surprised why people come here as tourists. The geographical landmarks are far less interesting than in just about any other European city. You have to go through the London airports (or at least one of them). There sure are great museums and exhibitions here, but not nearly all of them go there. There are far nicer shopping streets than Oxford Street and Regent Street. Everything is about twice as expensive as it needs to be (still cheaper than Iceland! It says more about Iceland though). Allowing myself to stereotype that is pretty much what, at least first time visitors, do in London: Trafalgar Square, H&M on Oxford Street and party on Leicester Square.

I find London great despite these things. As any good citizen of London would do, I do my very best to avoid as far as humanly possible to visit those places. When I do I make sure to moan about it before, during and after. Then be a bit frustrated when I secretly enjoy it. Still on any day of the week I'd rather go to a tiny, dirty bar in Hackney than a glamorous club on Leicester square (even though that probably would not be very good for my health), finding a H&M with a reasonably long queue is a precious experience (Hammersmith! God, I miss working there, they even had Primark and Sushi too). There is nothing better than finding a great little hole in the wall restaurant. Then moving on to a bar that is a little quirky. Or has surprisingly cheap drinks. My favorite is finding a place that serves really good coffee (fortunately they've got Starbucks on every other corner). Then you tell your friends about it and try to remember where it is. After a lot of these swap stories you start having a mental map of places to be, things to see and what to do. Plus all the gigs. The gigs are great.

But I think I have finally figured out why Londoners love London. I do not know a single person in this city that is not spreading themselves a tad thinner (or you know, a lot) than can be considered healthy. Everyone works crazy hours plus an additional hour or two on transport every day. So when the long desired free time finally arrives, the aim is for excellence. As you only have a time to do a fraction of what you'd like to, you always go for the most awesome option. Pretty good life, innit? Having to prioritize from awesome to great. There is absolutely no need to eat at an so and so restaurant when there is a great one next corner down. You'll hopefully have more than one friend that you try to fit into an evening here and there. As your friends are just as busy as you are, plus travel takes ages you will not be able to see them as often as you like. When you finally do you have a great time as there is so much catching up to do. There is definitely some research involved, but it's not the destination is it? Plus if it was really bad you have new material of complaints, which after bitching about the weather, no respectable Londoner could possibly pass down.

Culture

As my exams are over, my job not started yet and I have no guests with me any longer I decided to keep myself busy with a day of culture today.


I saw this gorgeous dress at the V&A, made of silk and oyster pearls. It was worn by her majesty Diana.


I enjoyed my favorite part of Japanese culture, the ever tasty sushi. I am pretty sure I could eat it all day, every day.


I watched the documentary on the making of Vogue, the September issue (then I had to watch the devil wears prada to see if they compare). Now I know this photo was taken in Rome, the reason why her hair is up is because Sienna was growing her hair out and Miss Anna did not approve and there is pretty much one woman, Grace, that does all the styling for all the photo shoots. She is good.


Then I enjoyed a little bit of my guilty pleasure, Katy Perry. I think she is probably the prettiest woman on earth at this moment and I love, love, love her style. She comes a cross as laid back, glamorous, cool, quirky and awesome all at the same time.


Then I just found out these guys, that I have been listening to for a while now and thought was some super famous band that I got from my super trendy friends that give me music, are actually from my gorgeous Iceland. I so should have known this, recognised the accent at least. Again, me being completely oblivious of my music.

Anyway, that was pretty much my day folks.

Crazy Times.

London has been proper busy since I got here. Exams, visits, gigs, work, party, job interviews, ect. I can't wait till after next Monday to catch a breath.


I like this song.

cos I'm a material girl...?

Lists are fun. My favorite Christmas presents, all from some random strangers. Well, that is not entirely true - I did buy some myself. They are not in any particular order because you do not favor your babies. I know, I know, I know. I prefer words in a blog over google skills as well, but here I go. I promise my next post will be all intellectual and pretentious and full of words.

Harrods Diary

I love diaries. This year I decided to get me the Rolls Royce of diaries. I have never gotten into the habit of using my phone or computer for a diary, I am retro like that.

Lipstick

This color looks fab on me. For the first time ever I actually put stuff on my lips. I have not since ninth grade when I tried constantly to wear lip gloss. Who ever has been out in wind with lip gloss with long hair knows why. In Iceland, it is always wind. I was never big on the lipsticks till now, I love them! I really want to wear dark and edgy colors now. Back to the eighties. LOVE IT.

My Doc Martens

I have actually had these for a while now. I just like them so much! Most amazing shoes ever. They are comfy, cool and my feet are not all wet and freezing like every other winter. One word, AWESOME.

Headphones

Proper headphones! These are not exactly like mine though, but really really close though. Finally I do my great music some justice. When ever I walk I feel like I am in a movie. You know, because in a movie you never hear the background noise and then there is some song playing. That is exactly the experience. It is great.

White Fur Coat

Just got this lady, am not sure to do with her.

Casio watch

Yeah, I did. It is awesome.

Diljá Björg design

My fav designer in the world! I do not have a photo of mine but it is these one's cousin, it is pink and has five circles, not just one. It is fab.

There were more lovely presents I got that so belonged here on that list, but I could not find a picture of, for example Royal Extreme jacket, Iceland design earrings, my eighties jumper and a little pink bracelet made by my gorgeous little sister.

Please don't be hating because of all my fab things. Lol, who am I kidding, why did you think I posted this here?

Loves to you my friend.

PS. bottom line, thanks for Christmas everyone. I did not even make a wish list this year. God, my people know me well. It was wonderful. Plus it is really just a favor to everyone that knows a girl my age - these presents will rock their world. Promise.

Happy New Year

I am now back in London after an amazing time back in my lovely Iceland. I will not make you jealous you with details of how awesome it was meeting my lovely family, lovely friends, having lovely food and reconnecting with my lovely Reykjavik. Instead I will be making you jealous of the amazing wonders of the sky I witnessed.


(photo by Sævar Helgi Bragason)
Truth to be told, unfortunately I did not see any of the amazing Aurora this time, but I have seen them many times and thought they belonged here.


(photo from wayfaring.info)
I did however witness, one morning - for the very first time, an amazing phenomenon they like to call Nacreous Clouds. They are really cool. The Icelandic word for them is really beautiful as well, it would directly translate to something like glitter clouds. I saw them at the crack of dawn along with an amazing sunrise.


(photo by Gunnlaugur Júlíusson)
I also witnessed a lunar eclipse. Apparently it could be seen from all over the world though so you might not get that jealous. Oh, I chose that picture because I live right next to that hideous building. So this was almost exactly how I saw it.


(photo from visitreykjavik.is)
Last but not least, only my favorite time of year, experiencing the craziness of Reykjavik City when it hits midnight on New Years Eve - with the sounds of explosions like you are in a war zone (bless us, being the only nation that gets excited about that noise - it makes us so innocent) and the sky painted in the colors of the wind aka. fireworks.
(I know I have used this photo already, but it was in an entirely different context, sort of. Plus, it is just really cool and grabs the feel of NY pretty well)

Yeah, Iceland may be small and far away and people may not know where it is or may not be able to pronounce just about any words in Icelandic (read: my name) but damn does our sky kick your sky's ass.

That's all folks. Happy New Year.