Upset, but actually quite relieved..

Is that weird?

Message

"I agree that Shawshank Redemption is a very good movie. It is one of my favorites. It makes me look at my life and think about what I could be doing to fullfil my dreams, because the walls that stop me are only of my own making"

This is a passage of a message that lemonmeringue sent me. She received a postcard from me on which I mentioned that the Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite movies.

It's great to receive little grateful and inspirational messages from people via Postcrossing.

This shows that inspiration is everywhere!

Wordless Wednesday #13

Wormsloe, the Endless Forest of Savannah - 16,000 pixels wide!, originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs.

Note from the Universe #1

Picture from tut.com

Every weekday I get a little personal note from the Universe in my mailbox. These are short passages about things that are important in life. Every message is full of inspirational thoughts. I will start a new project and share some of the wise words on my blog.

Note from the Universe:

Lianne, it only takes one idea, one second in time, one friend, one dream, one leap of faith, to change everything, forever.

Just one!

Yet eternity lies in the palm of your hand

The Universe

Wordless Wednesday #12

14. Somedays, originally uploaded by A tree called life.

Blog Silence

Studying -_-, originally uploaded by [ البندري // ♥ QTR.

Stress. Exams. Assignments. Not enough sleep. Difficult literature.

No, I don't like these weeks. All I do is learning full time. And after that all I can do is thoughtlessly stare at the television screen. These are exhausting weeks and I'm not creative or inspired.

So my little online space will be very quiet and silent during the coming two weeks.

But I will be back!

Skribit

I'm always curious what other people think I should write about. Do you really want me to listen to a certain album and write a review about it? Do you want me to dive into a difficult subject that you want to hear my opinion about? Do you want me to try a certain project or any other brilliant thing?

I have a new feature on my blog that makes it easy to tell me what you want me to blog about: Skribit! In the right column you can see a little gadget where you can write down all your brilliant ideas! And then it's up to me to decide whether I will listen to it or not ;)

I can't wait to see some suggestions!

Wordless Wednesday #11

Adagio, originally uploaded by P Rubens.

Choosing Happiness

Y no estabas tú., originally uploaded by Alberto Casanova.

'Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections'
–
Unknown

'Finding happiness is like finding yourself. You don’t find happiness, you make happiness. You choose happiness. Self-actualization is a process of discovering who you are, who you want to be and paving the way to happiness by doing what brings YOU the most meaning and contentment to your life over the long run'
–
David Leonhardt

I used to think that happiness is something that happens to you. Some of us are lucky enough to be happy and some of us are not. That's just it. But could I be more wrong? Happiness lies in every corner. It's actually in front of you, you just have to see and grab it.

Since I discovered this, I'm trying to live life to the fullest and enjoy every single bit of it. I'm choosing happiness! What about you?

Quotes often contain so much wisdom and beauty. These two will definitely be in my Quote Book (Goal # 42)

Day Zero Project: Week 1

Today is the eighth day of the Day Zero Project. That means that a week has passed already. And that means that it is time for a progress report!

Eight goals are in progress. None are completed.

#7: A day a week without internet and television every week

I thought this would be hell! I'm an internet and television addict, I admit it. So that's why I thought this one would be very difficult. Bravely, I decided to go for this goal yesterday. I printed everything I needed for studying the day before, so I didn't have to start my laptop at all.

It all went well, until the evening came. One of my favourite programs on the Dutch television started it's new season: 'Wie is de Mol?'. I decided to go upstairs and try my best to resist the temptation to go and watch it. But I can proudly announce that I did it! I could change the status of this goal into in progress!

#34: Read 75 books I have never read before

As was obvious in the post before this one, I have finished one book, Gerechtigheid by Stieg Larsson. I started this one a long time ago, but never found the time to finish it. The passed week I didn't have much time either, but I got a little help from goal #36 (Read a book for at least 30 minutes 750 days). It's amazing how much pages you can read in such a short period. And then I was absorbed by the book and simply had to finish reading it. So last night I read and read and read until I couldn't keep my eyes open. And this morning as soon as my alarm went off I read and read and read. And then I finished it.

#36: Read a book for at least 30 minutes 750 days

As I stated before, this goal is in progress. It encourages me to spend 30 minutes at nearly every day to reading. Normally I would waste those minutes by doing something useless, so I really think this goal is good for me.

#40: Rate every book I read on boekmeter

Boekmeter is a very nice website where you can rate and review books. There are some people who give extremely helpful reviews that encourage you to read a certain book or just leave it where it is.

I rated Gerechtigheid with 5 stars out of 5.

#46 and #47

Writing blog posts goes really well. 6 blog posts in 8 days is a nice score! I actually think if I keep continuing like this I will pass the 333 by far. But I will have to keep in mind that I won't be posting very much when I'm on vacation.

But I think my paper journal feels a bit neglected when compared to my blog. So I should write some more in that one.

#59: Buy an external harddisk

This one is in progress, because I ordered one. But it will take some time before it arrives, so I have to patient. It's about time I will do some proper backing up!

#71: Send and receive 101 postcards using postcrossing

I have sent 6 postcards, but I will start counting when they arrive at their destination. One arrived extremely fast: only two days after I sent one to the United Kingdom it was already at its destination. So that's 1 postcard sent!

I think it's actually going quite well! Especially since I have to read a lot for my tests and I only spend the time that's left when I finished reading on completing goals.

Goals I will try to pay attention to next week:

#4: Write a letter about my life at the beginning of the project

#7: A day a week without internet and television every week

#25: Open a savings account

#42: Make a Quote and Poem Book and fill it

Stieg Larsson - Gerechtigheid

It's a weird thought, when you read a book and you know that it will be the last new book that you will ever read from that author. Stieg Larsson died of a heart attack. He left three finished manuscripts of books he wrote for his own pleasure after work. He didn't intend to publish them, but the world is glad someone did after his death.

Today I finished reading the last of the three books: Gerechtigheid (aka "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest". I prefer the English title actually.) The first two books were great, the first one better than the second, but still both great. This gave me high expectations for the last book. It didn't disappoint me, I actually think it was the best one of the trilogy. The first two are more thriller-like, this one is more about investigation and justice.

I can't dive deep into the details of the book, because that would ruin things for those who haven't read the first two books yet.

Stieg Larsson started with a fourth manuscript, but never finished it. He actually intended to write ten books about Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander. Such a shame the world lost such an amazing writer.

I would like to recommend this trilogy by heart. Read them, please read them. They may not be the thinnest books, but every single page is worth reading it. When you're starting to get intrigued by the story, it will absorb you until you have completely finished reading all three of them.

#34: Read 75 books I have never read before. Status after finishing this book: 1/75

Wordless Wednesday #10

The Quietus, originally uploaded by djniks.

Waxine Lights

A Happy New Year wish for 2009. That's what this commercial is about. I might be a year too late with blogging about this one, but I think the effects of the waxine lights are timeless.

TwentyTen: the year of Growth

Image found via google on Faithful City Life

TwentyTen. This year is the end of a decade and the start of a new one. Somehow I feel like 2010 is going to be a new start. Maybe because I made a list of 101 things I would love to do and things I would love to improve about myself.

Last year in October I decided that it was time to start living in a new way. A much more happy and inspirational way. Of course you can't change all of a sudden, it takes time. I want to continue to change my lifestyle and way of thinking in 2010. I want to leave the things I don't like behind in 2009, in the past decade.

TwentyTen. I hope it's going to be a great year filled with beauty, inspiration, possibilities, opportunities and growth. Growth in relationships, growth in emotions, growth in writing, growth in wisdom, growth in trying, growth in photography, growth in life in general.

I feel like in October last year a seed began to grow and will be growing more and more. I hope it will grow into a beautiful flower.

Growth will be my word of this year. I hope that I will grow this year in many, many ways.

Day Zero Project: The List

Here it is at last: The Day Zero Project List! There might be some changes to the list during the project, but right now I'm satisfied about all 101 things! Remarks and tips are still welcome!

Edit 1: Thanks to Marjolein goal #37 has been changed. Attend 15 concerts was in the list twice.

The project

1. Think of another 101 things to put on this list

Status: Not started yet

2. Document my Day Zero Project

Status: Not started yet

3. Withdraw 5 euro for every complete task (10/505)

Status: In progress

4. Write a letter about my life at the beginning of the project

Status: Not started yet

5. Write a letter about my life at the end of the project

Status: Not started yet

Self improvement

6. Wake up at 7am every weekday for a month (0/20)

Status: Not started yet

7. A day a week without internet and television every week (7/143)

Status: In progress

8. Find out which political party suits me

Status: Not started yet

9. Write down 101 things I like about myself and hang them all in my room (0/101)

Status: Not started yet

10. Write all my bad memories on paper, burn it afterwards

Status: Not started yet

11. Get out of bed as soon as my alarm goes off for two months in a row (0/61)

Status: Not started yet

12. Quit 15 bad habits (0/15)

Status: Not started yet

13. Make a monthly list of good and bad things (0/33)

Status: Not started yet

14. Write appointments in my agenda immediately for three months in a row (0/92)

Status: Not started yet

15. Say yes when I feel like saying no (0/10)

Status: Not started yet

16. Sort all my paperwork

Status: Not started yet

Health

17. Develop an exercise routine

Status: Not started yet

18. Buy EA Active and complete the 30 day challenge (0/30)

Status: Not started yet

19. Only drink water for a week 5 times (0/7 , 0/5)

Status: Not started yet

20. Walk to the train station every day for a month (0/31)

Status: Not started yet

Life experience

21. Do one thing that truly scares me

Status: Not started yet

22. Identify 101 things that make me happy and experience them in some way (0/101)

Status: Not started yet

23. Make a list of at least 101 'Life Goals' (0/101)

Status: Not started yet

24. Write the story of my life in detail

Status: Not started yet

Financial

25. Open a savings account

Status: Completed

Officially completed on January 12, 2010

26. Buy a piggybank cash cow and put all money smaller than 1 euro in it every Friday (6/143)

Status: In progress

27. Keep track of my money

Status: Not started yet

28. Spend no money on useless things for a month five times (0/31 , 0/5)

Status: Not started yet

29. Save 1001 euro (0/1001)

Status: Not started yet

Books, music and music

30. Watch 75 movies I have never seen before (6/75)

Status: In progress

1. Into the Wild

2. Sherlock Holmes

3. Millennium 2 (aka The Girl Who Played with Fire)

4. Avatar

5. Millennium 1 (aka The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

6. Alice in Wonderland

31. Have a movie marathon with someone

Status: Not started yet

32. Go to 5 sneak previews (0/5)

Status: Not started yet

33. See a movie at IMAX

Status: Not started yet

34. Read 75 books I have never read before (3/75)

Status: In progress

1. Stieg Larsson - Gerechtigheid (aka The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest)

2. Mike Gayle - The To-Do List

3. Erica James - Schaduwleven (aka Tell it to the Skies)

35. Read every book I own

Status: In progress

1. Mike Gayle - The To-Do List

2. Erica James - Schaduwleven

36. Read a book for at least 30 minutes 750 days (18/750)

Status: In progress

37. Listen to 75 albums I have never listened to before (6/75)

Status: In progress

1. Frou Frou - Details (2002)

2. Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild (2007)

3. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (2009)

4. Florence + The Machine - Lungs (2009)

5. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns (2009)

6. James Horner - Avatar (2009)

38. Rate every album I listen to on musicmeter (4/5)

Status: In progress

Musicmeter is a website where you can review albums and rate them (on a scale from 0 to 5 stars)

1. Frou Frou - Details (2002): 4 stars

2. Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild (2007): 4,5 stars

3. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (2009): 4 stars

4. Florence + The Machine - Lungs (2009): 4,5 stars

39. Rate every movie I see on moviemeter (1/2)

Status: In progress

Moviemeter is a website where you can review movies and rate them (on a scale from 0 to 5 stars)

1. Into the Wild: 4,5 stars

40. Rate every book I read on boekmeter (1/1)

Status: In progress

Boekmeter is a website where you can review books and rate them (on a scale from 0 to 5 stars)

Stieg Larsson - Gerechtigheid: 5 stars

41. Sort my music collection

Status: In progress

Creativity

42. Make a Quote and Poem Book and fill it

Status: In progress

43. Make an Art Journal and fill it

Status: Not started yet

44. Make a Memory Book and fill it

Status: Not started yet

45. Finish Wreck This Journal

Status: Not started yet

46. Write 333 blog posts (46/333)

Status: In progress

47. Write 333 things in my paper journal (9/333)

Status: In progress

48. Write 5 pages a day for 2 months (0/61)

Status: Not started yet

49. Start writing a story

Status: Not started yet

50. Try 15 projects or challenges (2/15)

Status: In progress

Notes from the Universe

Things that make me happy

51. Buy two coloring books and color every page (0/2)

Status: In progress

52. Cut old magazines and other pictures & make something beautiful of it

Status: Not started yet

Travelling and trips

53. Visit 5 new cities in Europe (0/5)

Status: Not started yet

54. Visit the 12 capital cities of the provinces of the Netherlands like a tourist (0/12)

Status: Not started yet

55. Go on 10 trips to museums of amusement parks (0/10)

Status: Not started yet

56. Attend 15 concerts (1/15)

Status: In progress

January 23: Local Natives

March 6: Get Well Soon

57. Visit Sanadome in Nijmegen

Status: Not started yet

58. Visit 3 different zoo's (0/3)

Status: Not started yet

Buying

59. Buy an external harddisk

Status: Completed

Officially completed on January 23, 2010

60. Get a SIM-only subscription for my mobile phone

Status: In progress

61. Buy a postcard in every city I visit

Status: Not started yet

62. Buy sticker paper (or think of another solution)

Status: Not started yet

Learning

63. Learn how to make my own youtube video's

Status: Not started yet

64. Learn how to make a podcast

Status: Not started yet

65. Learn how to play guitar

Status: Not started yet

Inspiration

66. Leave 101 comments on blog posts that inspire me (9/101)

Status: In progress

67. Make an inspiration list for uninspired days

Status: Not started yet

68. Do the 5000 Questions Survey (0/5000)

Status: Not started yet

69. Answer 50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind (0/50)

Status: Not started yet

Snail mail

70. Send postcards or other snail mail to friends (0/25)

Status: Not started yet

71. Send and receive 101 postcards using postcrossing (sent: 12/101 , received: 10/101)

Status: In progress

The 8 postcards I sent and 10 I received in 2009 don't count in this goal

Sent:

United Kingdom

Germany

United States of America

Finland

Germany

Finland

United States of America

China
Germany

Canada

Russia

South Africa

Received:

Finland
United States of America

Germany

Germany

United States of America

Australia

Belarus

Ukraine

Russia

Poland

72. Find a system for keeping my postcards

Status: Not started yet

73. Scan and upload my received postcrossing postcards (0/15)

Status: Not started yet

Social life

74. Write down 101 reasons why I love certain people (0/101)

Status: Not started yet

75. Meet with 3 people I haven't seen for a long time (0/3)

Status: Not started yet

76. Give 15 presents without a good reason (0/15)

Status: Not started yet

77. Take someone on a surprise trip

Status: Not started yet

78. Leave 101 inspirational notes for others to find (0/101)

Status: Not started yet

79. Compliment a stranger (0/5)

Status: Not started yet

Photography

80. Take 1001 photographs (0/1001)

Status: Not started yet

81. Photograph a landscape from the same location, capturing all four seasons (0/4)

Status: Not started yet

82. Take pictures with someone in a photo booth 3 times (0/3)

Status: Not started yet

83. Watch the sun rise and set at the same day at the same place and photograph it

Status: Not started yet

84. Photograph a day in my life and blog about it

Status: Not started yet

Food and drinks

85. Learn to cook

Status: Not started yet

86. Bake something every month (1/33)

Status: In progress

87. Try 50 blender recipes (0/50)

Status: Not started yet

88. Learn to drink tea and try 10 different kinds (1/10)

Status: In progress

Rooibos Tea

89. Have 5 picnics at different places (0/5)

Status: Not started yet

90. Try 3 new foods (0/3)

Status: Not started yet

Just because

91. Get rid of 101 material items (0/101)

Status: Not started yet

92. Get rid of all the cloths I don't want anymore

Status: Not started yet

93. Figure out what colors and clothing style suit me

Status: Not started yet

94. Buy 10 pieces of clothing I truly love and that will fit into my existing closet

Status: Not started yet

95. Subscribe to 20SB on my 20th birthday

Status: Not started yet

96. Restyle my bedroom

Status: Not started yet

97. Make a back-up every month (1/33)

Status: In progress

98. Sleep under the stars

Status: Not started yet

99. Start a tradition

Status: Not started yet

100. Get subscribed to Flow Magazine

Status: Not started yet

101. Spend a rainy day watching movies in my PJ's

Status: Not started yet