Time traveling.

Three years ago, I was one anxious wreck.

I just realized this, reading back the posts.

I was intimidated of moving (again).

I was horrified at taking that big a step and leaving loved ones and places behind.

I was worried whether I was doing the right thing.

I can understand why.

I wish I could travel through time though, and look the Me I was back then in the eye.

I would look her in the eye and smile.

I would sing to her, "Jessie dear.. Every little thing's gonna be alright."

I would give her a bear hug just to convince her I am real.

I would probably twirl and wink and (try to) disappear.

Just to convince myself I'm still as crazy as I was.

So changed. So much more self confident. So much more happy.

But still crazy little me. :)

Xx

The Gypsy

Epic Weekends - A necessity.

I am in dire need of a cheering up, thus figured this was the perfect time to remind myself of one of the more special weekends ever. It happened just last week, too. So I'm up to date as can be ;)

The week before it did end in a disastrous exam on Friday, so I was already glad it was over.

The sun was shining (which caused everyone around me to be in the best of moods already) - and I started off my adventure by going to Nieuwegein. Koen had promised me a slideshow of Nepal - pictures, and it sure wasn't a disappointment. I've got travel-itchiness already, I can't wait for Nepal, even though there's still Cuba first.

Also, his kid is awesome. Like, foreals. And anybody who knows me understands how high that praise is, seeing my 'normal' view on children.

I continued through to Den Haag, and arrived at my destination - Elly's place.

Happiness all around, cause I feel right at home there. :)

Saturday, our tourist day.

After braiding up our hair the wrong side up, we set off to Delft.

The day had already started out fine, but when people in the train were cheerfully chatty, we knew that it was going to be special.

(Shot by El (: )

It was a market day, which gave it an even more cosy atmosphere.

We visited the New and Old Church, saw the blue Heart of Delft and I even spotted the secret door through which William the Silent left Delft for secret meetings and the "final escape".

(Epic secret door!)

(Tsk. Shame on you if you have to look up who he is.)

We continued this travelling to Utrecht, Holland's centre, physically and.. figuratively?

Almost all trains end up at its station, and it is a internation hub (especially on a Saturday).

Again, a chatty Polish girl who studied in Utrecht and was heading to Rotterdam interrupted our own trails of thought.

First, we were distracted by some Turkish/Dutch kids who were playing in a playground and were wide-eyed at the sight of some adult (me, mainly.. ) trying out their swings and games. They begged us to stay and play a little, and Elly and I certainly enjoyed it almost as much as they did.

There was an open day at the Wood Mill- De Ster in Utrecht, and I had kept it a secret that that was the plan. It was well -visited, and it was definitely cool to feel the wind pushing and pulling as we stood near the Mill's sails.

Afterwards we walked over to the Dom Tower, through the central Station. The Church was built to be the center at the intersection of four other churches, built in the form of a cross at the heart of.. Holland's centre.

I also remembered (just in time, I might add) what tour I had given in Utrecht, and I sort of skimmed through a summary and showed her the remains of the old Roman's castellum walls.

(Built roughly 210 AD)

Our last stop that day was Amsterdam.

I'd known that by the end of the day I'd be too tired to actually think of anything remotely interesting to say, and thought that a cliché of a highlight-cruise might do the trick..

It would have, also, but we stepped into the wrong cruise. (Isn't that hilarious?)

Instead, ours was a hop-on-and-off taxi, which dropped us off at the Rijksmuseum.

We walked back to our starting point. Which did kind of force us to do some sigh-seeing. (I wasn't too bothered.)

We'd been torn about whether to take our cruise whilst it was still light, because as I had read, by night it also had it's specific charms.

Thus, when we arrived at our starting point just in time for the last cruise to depart, it became clear that it was fate doing all the (awesome) talking. And we hopped on again. This time for our actual cruise. :)

After dinner (which was good and a lot), we made our way back to Den Haag.

The next day, Outrun CF had been scheduled.

I think we did a rather good job, Djuna collected about 3600€ all in all.

It was good seeing everybody again.

It was good just walking along the beach (lots of sailboats to watch).

Elly and I ended up having Kibbeling, walking up the Pier,

nosing in all kinds of souvenir shops.

And last, but definitely not least: On our way home, we passed a Japanese restaurant I'd looked up: We had BUBBLE TEA!

Lychee Bubble Tea, moreover.

I've been wanting to try that in forever.

And that was definitely NOT what I'd been expecting.

But it was all good.

I can definitely advice everyone to go ahead and try it. :)

Xx

The Gypsy

Ps: I'm missing some pictures I'm pretty sure were taken by El's camera.

Might upload those later. Check back in a couple of days ;)

Word Cloud 1.0

I like my word cloud.

I think it looks cool.

Made on: http://www.wordle.net/create

Xx

The Gypsy

But why's the time gone?

Imagine Jack Sparrow saying that instead of always thinking of rum.

That'd be something, nay?

I'm officially out of that "waiting phase" I was complaining about in the beginning of the year, that's for sure. I'm just about not trying to catch up with myself, but things (myself included) are going at the speed of light these days.

Sickness keeps butting in in ways so I fall behind on schedule, but I can't really find the self discipline to over work. Maybe that's a good thing.

School's been nomming on lots of my time, as well.

I'm actually learning loads, this year. Even though it's not what I'd call a full time study.

I actually recall things I've learned and tell it all know-it-all-ly to my friends.

And it makes me happy to add that bit of extra information the

y didn't know yet.

And if they do know it, it makes me happy that I can discuss it.

And then I remember.. THAT's why I'm studying to become a tour manager.

I like spreading knowledge. And my enthusiasm

about anything.

Talking about enthusiasm: Pinterest.com and Postcrossing.com both got my interest, alright.

I wouldn't call it an addiction (yet), but it's certainly high up there.

Inspiration explosion, at any rate. :)

I also still had lots to tell about the week I so spontaneously spent in Egypt:

I heard only roughly 30 hours in advance that I had a ticket with my name on it going to Cairo one Saturday, and coming back the next.

I signed in some friends over there to make some time for me.

I did some last minute gift shopping.

And I dropped Luna off at the best Cat Sitter I know (besides myself).

Why? You ask yourself.

Easy. My aunt (of 50+) was getting married for the first time.

After meeting the guy (who has lived more than 20 years in the States) in December? They got engaged in January, and now, married in February. :)

(Rushing things much? Up to everyone to decide for themselves, nay?)

For us to be able to attend the wedding, which was very important for her, she asked dad to convey when we would be able to come over. Dad checked

my schedule, noticed a week of spring holiday (in which I had things planned, thankyouverymuch), and sent this bit of information back . They bent themselves in every possible curve to enable the wedding to occur within a two week notice. I say, good job. Good job indeed.

Also: Nobody can ever accuse me of being inflexible or not spontaneous!

And before I knew it I was in Zurich, Switzerland. And then in Cairo.

I only spent my Sunday at "home" all day, only accompanying my mum and sis to the doctor.

The rest of the week can be summarized as the following:

4 out of the 6 mornings busy ordering out Official papers/ college / passport things.

1 afternoon getting my accordeon and glasses fixed.

2 afternoons with Sara and Heba.

1 day and night with Jazz, and her kids and hubby.

1 evening for a birthday party and the bachelorette party.

(Sickness had by then hit me, badly. Bronchitis, cold, and a croaky old toad voice)

1 day.. THE day. The wedding. '

20 hours of traffic jam. ( I kid you not. )

20 hours of sleep max. ( I kid you not. )

I think the trip did little to improve my health.

Unless you're counting my mental health. It did loads good to that. :)

I totally need to blog more often.

So much more I want to share.

So much more I know I'm forgetting.

Xx

The Gypsy

Quickest useless update ever.

This is Jess, reporting live from location: Alexandria.

One of the things I've always wanted to say.

Maybe the next time I'll actually be holding a microphone in my hand and perhaps even with a camera in my face.

I don't even have time to report anything: but I will, soon.

Flying back to Holland this afternoon after the most chaotic week I've had in a long time.

Xx

The Gypsy

To a Magical 2012

If I would start this with “Long time, no write” I wouldn’t be very original. I’ve used it before. So I won’t. But the funny thing? I just did, anyways.

I haven’t been here in forever, and I don’t know how I feel about it.
It wasn’t like I had nothing to say. Quite the contrary. This past year was so FULL of things that capital letters won’t even close to cover it.

I’m not going to mention any detail. I’m not even going to give you a real summary.
An objective reflection, maybe.

It was busier than I’ve had it in probably ever. Work, school, health all kept me very busy. I’ve had the best job I’ve ever had, and watched more movies this summer, than I have watched in my entire life, probably. Back to reading and painting, now. Quiet things. Ecstatic happiness and morose depression have followed each other in such a rapid succession that I’ve actually been called Manically Depressed more than once. I’m not though. There’s just a lot of things happening which make the term “emotional rollercoaster” an absolute understatement. It’s not any regular “ups and downs” of life. This has been strenuous. But I’ll survive.

I’ve been out of touch. I’ve been missing company, lately.
Been lonely. Been bored.
I’m back into this “waiting phase”. Waiting for something. Anything.
Waiting for someone or something to change my life.
And that’s just it, isn’t it? It’s not about that. Life’s not about that.
I should be getting my own butt into gear. Getting myself into action.
Live. Laugh. Love.

A happy, healthy, lovely and magical 2012, everyone~

Oh, and for tomorrow: Happy birthday, mum.

Xx
The Gypsy

Easter and May

I'm not sure why I always type "Eastern".

I insist of adding that n to make it sound more.. something.

Not sure.

The weekend after Riga was Easter, though. Saw the family, like I would be (or so I thought) a lot, for a couple of weeks. May always starts with 14 birthdays in the first two weeks, mine being amongst them. There was my uncle singing the Matthäus Passion on Thursday (and Friday, but Thursday's the one we went to), Friday and Saturday evening church services, Sunday morning, easter morning, and easter brunch, before a barbecue at my cousin's and a sleep over, and a chillaxing day at the beach the day after. I do still abhor the sun.

The week after that I was thinking to myself I was in desperate need of a short holiday, when a lot of things happened at once.

1. I came down with a migraine that wouldn't leave me the hell alone for almost a week.

2. I lost my voice by absolutely not using it too much/too loudly.

3. I thought of visiting the doctor's so got sent to the physiotheraptist and got officially diagnosed with migraine.

4. I visited the dentist cause I thought that silly tooth ache might not be helping my headache much. Dentist found it necessary to send me to a jaw-physiotherapist (didn't know those existed), and a (quick!) endodormic therapy treatment thing I had scheduled next day. (Immediate, after all, is like quick.)

5. At the treatment/surgery thing I got well drugged, and didn't feel anything till they started cleaning. Suddenly pain shoots all through my root down to my throat and chokes me. Apparently my roots have been dissolving themselves. In two months, it's either hoping that stopped, or they're pulling (at least) that molar.

6. After all the bad news my body starting caving in. The moment I ate something wrong (at least, I think I did) I threw up night and day. Diarrhea as well. Total dehydration. Poor me.

7. All this and I'm still migrainish. Yes? Feeling sorry for me yet?

8. I rest/lay in bed or on couch all day, and come down with a fever.

9. There's such an incredible heatwave here (did I mention I hate warmth? I do not function well with warmth. At all) that the fever won't die down.

10. Am totally late with my period. Anyone dare joke about any possible pregnancy will get punched in the nose.

11. Am nauseous a lot since. Through pain, and warmth, and PMSing.

12. Felt a cold sore growing on my lip this last night.

13. Woke up with two cold sores (upper and lower, right hand side).

Good times.

NOW I'm in desperate need of a holiday.

And I'm sad I feel so horrible when I'm supposed to be having the best day of my year.

(Tomorrow's my birthday. I want presents. Hint, hint.)

Xx

The Gypsy