Contradictions

Lately, I've been obsessed with things that are contradictions of themselves. This started when I decided to move to a castle in rural Scotland and found that the things I loved about the place were also the very things that made it so miserable.

Some examples:

- The most exciting thing to happen on most days was the sheep moving fields. 

- You're always wet and muddy. 

- It is so cold in the winter that keeping your fire going is a necessity. Because of that, there is the constant preoccupation with what would burn well.

- Everything you need requires hours of walking.

- It is so wonderfully (and terrifyingly) quiet.

I've since left the castle and moved back to Edinburgh, but I now find myself sitting in a cafe in Berlin. Those who know me well, know that I tend to have a very strong opinion of any city I visit pretty much right away, and Berlin is no exception. 

Berlin is a city rife with contradictions, and it has forced me to look at both my perception of beauty and my previous insistence on things being inherently good or bad. Something I've only just begun to come to terms with is that most things (if not all) are a wonderful mixture of both states. Berlin is beautiful and ugly, stinky and delicious, its decay is turned into art, and (something I absolutely loved about San Francisco) it is hilariously and predictably unpredictable.

In the near(ish) future, I will move here and I know that it will be an important part of my life because it will help me to learn that the combination of good and bad in everything around me is, in itself, a truly beautiful thing.

The Six Stages of Sheep Trust

Having recently been surrounded by sheep, I have learned that there are six stages of trust that they exhibit. 

Stage One 

The sheep run away. No amount of quietly walking or friendly calling of "sheepy, sheepy, sheepy" will stop them.

Stage Two

The sheep *pretend* not to care that you are there. They demonstrate this to you by continuing to eat their food as if you aren't even there. You know that they are only pretending because they are sure to turn away from you first, giving you the sheep equivalent of the finger (a view of their ass).

Stage Three

The sheep *actually* don't care that you are there. The only difference is that they don't bother turning away first.

Stage Four

The sheep become mildly interested and stare at you with an intensity that in most other animals translates to "I want to eat your face".

Stage Five

The sheep are officially curious and will slowly take a few steps towards you. Only a few though.

Stage Six

The sheep are friendly and affectionate.

I was able to get as far as stage five with the local sheep in Killearn (which is definitely two-steps-forward-one-step-back), but I did witness stage six when they were with their human. One day, I am determined to make it there!

Back!

I haven't posted in years! I'm not going to offer any explanations, but my life has changed quite a bit recently. Other than saying that Robin and I split up quite a while ago, I'll just continue on as normal and hope that these changes will become apparent on their own.

Update (the ultra short version)

So much has happened since my last update that there is no way I can fit it all in. So, here's a super condensed version:

• Robin and I got married.
• Star and I got visas.
• Star started high school.
• I got an awesome job.
• I'm back in school now, but had to start all over since I couldn't transfer any of my credits.
• I'm doing my own version of NaNoWriMo (with music instead of words).
• I've started making my own bread.
• I cut my hair short.

Now, let's pretend I never left!

Yet Another Update

Wow. It's been a while!

Mid-January, our visas were approved. We were back in Edinburgh by the end of the month, with Robin back at work and Star back at school.

I've done some Russian dialogue videos. They are part of the Princeton Russian Course I've been studying, and it's been great fun playing the male characters! http://www.youtube.com/user/writerachelwrite#p/c/0DE7D005FB95CEAC

Robin and I will be married four weeks from today (yay!)

I started walking 10 miles a day. However, I was forced to take a break when I sprained my ankle.

After a ten-year hiatus, I've started back to school. I am attending Open University for Modern Language Studies, focusing on French and German. It's been an interesting experience because university in the UK is vastly different from university in the US. The main difference is that there are no core requirements in the UK – you only study subject matter that relates to your degree. As a result, all of the core credits I had in the US (history, psychology, science, philosophy, math, etc) don't count towards my degree here. And although I think the UK method gives you a deeper knowledge of your field, I think I prefer the US system.

Star has finally created a site for her comics. http://www.komickake.com

I've decided that I really don't like Twitter. And I mean I really don't like it. I'm toying with idea of deleting my account, but haven't decided yet. We shall see.

I keep meaning to update my blog, but things have been so busy that I end up putting it off. So, once again, a list -

Still no news from the embassy. If we haven't heard anything by the end of January, we're going to make our way to Ukraine. (Star and I can only stay in the Schengen region for 90 days out of 180, and we'd like to leave a little time just in case we get a call while we are in Kiev.)

I've stopped studying everything except Russian. Since over 50% of the population in Kiev speak only Russian at home, I figured this was probably a good time to study!

Star has finished her latest comic. Will work on scanning it soon.

Star has also been fascinated with cooking recently. We bought her a cookbook for Christmas, and she has cooked at least one meal a day since then.

Robin is working on a new play. His last play, Broken Holmes, is preparing for its upcoming run at the Leicester Comedy Festival.

I've discovered that my favorite snow is that just beneath a tree. It's the crunchiest.

The yarn here is the cheapest I've ever seen, it's cold and I have lots of spare time. So, I'm knitting a cowl neck scarf.

I have been eating paprikas like apples. Yum.

That's about all I can think of for now. Must sleep.

Пока!

Quick Visa Update

We were denied visas. It seems that poor folk like us don't love each other as much as those with fat bank accounts and cushy jobs. At this very moment, Robin is on a bus, heading for Warsaw. He is making the same trip Star and I made exactly two weeks ago. We are going to appeal the refusals and hope that they are overturned.

I'll post updates when I get them!

Warsaw IV

The British Embassy contacted me Friday to let me know that a decision has been made, and that we can now come pick up our passports. Tomorrow at 15:00, we will know what's going to happen. What we've done the last few days -

Warsaw Uprising Museum - There is a pillar down the center of the building with fake bullet holes you put your ear against to hear sounds from the uprising.

Nike Monument

Pawiak Prison

Star drawing in the sand on the beach in Praga.

From the beach in Praga.

Band statues in Praga. On the drum is a list of songs and a number to text. One to five minutes after texting, your song plays.

Star being Star.

Praga skyline.

I don't care for Amy Winehouse, but I thought this was a very good sculpture. It was in the Koneser Vodka Factory that has since been transformed into an art complex.

Star played chess with no opponent.

This symbol is everywhere in Warsaw. It was painted on walls during the uprising and stands for Polska Walczaca (Fighting Poland).

Warsaw III

Everything is filed with the embassy. Now, we wait. After our second appointment in two days, we went to the park nearby. We saw the Chopin monument and fed things.

Warsaw II

We went to the Warsaw Zoo today. We ate gofry z bita smietana z czekolada (waffle with whipped cream and chocolate) and saw more red squirrels than we could count.

Tomorrow is our appointment with the British embassy here in Warsaw, so keep your fingers crossed!*















*Metaphorically, of course.