New Year's Eve.

And here we are again. Another turn of the year is right ahead (some are already in the midst of celebrating).
Many things have happened in 2012: wonderful ones, and a few ones not too good. But that is how it works,
isn't it? Isn't there the need of negative experiences to always be reminded of value the good ones? If your
2012 has been great, I wish your 2013 will be even better! If it didn't work out for you this year, don't spend
too much time worrying, only a few hours are left anyway. Besides, there might be far better things ahead. ;-)
Happy new year to all of you!

Merry Christmas everyone!

May you have your holidays just the way you like them best!
My thoughts are especially with my dear brother (with you, Armin!) who is spending it in the heat of Australian summer this year.
That must be such a different experience, but I hope a good one. Frohe Weihnachten, Armin!

Christmas present.

You need another Christmas present and have no glue 

what to get for that special person? Here is a last

minute Christmas present that can be made in less than 

15 minutes and does not require some fancy ingredients 

- you probably may have them all at home anyway. 

Chocolate hazelnut creme liqueur:

* 2 spoons of black coffee

* 200ml rum

* 150g chocolate hazelnut spread

* 150g nonperishable creme

* a little bit of cinnamon

* 50g marzipan (or sugar)

* vanilla pulp of a vanilla pod (Alright, that is somehow 

fancy one might not have at home. You can leave it 

though.)

Mix all the ingredients, leave the marzipan, cinnamon 

and vanilla pulp if you prefer. If you are going to use

sugar instead of marzipan it might be good to heat it up

a little for the sugar to dissolve. Bottle it and store it in 

the fridge. You can drink it right away or leave it for at 

least 1 day in the fridge for the liqueur to absorb the 

flavors. Shake it before serving and consume within 

approximately 2 weeks.

Watch out, you might get tipsy adjusting the taste. ;-)

London for Christmas.

I am lucky enough heading to London in only a few hours, trying the catch the British Christmas spirit. Let's see if it feels different
from the continent. Maybe we are even more lucky and even catch that beautiful city snow-covered! Rain would be fine, too, though.
It is more authentic, isn't it? Have a peaceful Advent weekend wherever you are going to spend it.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

It is getting all snowy - finally as well in the part of the world I am living! Hurrayyyy! You guys all have a great
weekend.

Advent.

For me advent just feels right. It is hopefully white and fresh outside and nice and warm in the inside, with
some chocolate and maybe even a cup of mulled wine waiting for you. We, or some of us, start decorating our
houses with Christmas decor we have collected over the years. Sometimes it feels good to keep up traditions.
This time of the year reminds me of my childhood days. Do you also get happy like a child if you set up the
Christmas tree? It is so beautiful to take a walk outside in spite of the cold temperatures as the fairy lights
and the reflecting snow does brighten the night. And yet quite a lot people are starting to get stressed out by
what they are going to give for Christmas presents. Also almost of my beloved ones are indeed lucky and
own all the things they need. This year I decided not to get all crazy about the gifts or even buy something
that might end up at a shelf, never be at looked again. Instead I am taking a day off to create some gifts that
can be enjoyed and eaten, like backed almonds, pralines or a cream liqueur, as well as some small crafts. I
hope you all stay stress-free and get the chance to enjoy the beautiful Advent season. If you don't have a
Christmas market close by a freshly made traditional mulled wine may help. Here is my recipe:
Stir together a bottle of red wine (I prefer to use a dry one, any kind works though),
add apple and orange juice, cloves and cinnamon sticks. You can also add some star anise if you happen to
have them at home. There is no need to add sugar, as the apple juice is sweet enough. Just add as much
juice as you like, there is no limit. Don't let it boil, except if you want to reduce the amount of alcohol.
Otherwise just make sure it is getting hot enough to warm you up. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a
slice of orange or lemon and enjoy!

Fall.

Even though many people don't want summer to come to an end, I believe to recognize fall is gently beginning.
It is not hot anymore, but still comfy outside with mild temperatures and a light breeze that reminds you to
enjoy every last summer moment.
With my summer break is almost over I am packing my stuff again, so is the squirrel which crossed my way
today: while it was rushing through the garden to collect nuts for winter, I picked plums and apples for the cake.
How peacefully that time is.

Karma.

I am a strong believer in karma. 
Being not sure about rewarding good actions I do believe that wrongful acts come back to haunt us. It might not happen as 
soon as we'd expect, and we might not be able to see the tantalizer getting his or her revenge, but eventually those who are 
mean-spirited get theirs. 
I think it is no question of who and how to judge what's right and wrong, but there will be the time when reckless people will 
come to their senses all by themselves. They will question their actions and start thinking about people they have hurt. By
then they might realize the impact of such acts and feel sorry. 
But how to get rid of that feeling, when you start blaming your actions? Imagine, always knowing you have been the one 
behaving like you did it will not be easy to stop worrying and just feel good about yourself again. I think that's fair. The only 
thing that makes those guys getting a peaceful mind is to start living on the good side.

Yes, everything does catch up with us. At least that is want I like to believe in. It is not us who have to bother all the judging 
and taking revenge - at the end people will come to their senses. Let's stay on the good side of life!

Gardening.

Is there something more satisfying than growing your own food? Not is it healthy to spend some time outside at every weather, it
also feels great to be able to walk in your garden and get some fresh, healthy food for dinner, especially in times of preservatives 
and genetic engineering being more and more criticized.
When it is sunny and hot I love to pick seasoned berries, some to eat directly and some to make a fresh fruity dessert or cake. 
You can almost hear a "thank you" and a gasp of relief when you remove the heavy weight from the shrub. Happy gardening!

Global warming.

These days I do experience global warming! The weather is just strange. It is either too hot, like it has been 
during spring, or now, in the midst of summer, there is no sun and moderate temperature not at all. Add 80%
humidity and strong winds, and you've created the environments where I am sitting in front of the wooden 
oven at the end of July. 
After living a year close by the equator I am ready to leave to a milder environment, but I did not quite expect 
a cold, wet summer like this. I personally think these are the first signals of the changing climate world wide.
Let's hope I am wrong.

Strawberry picking

Do you like strawberries? I love them. For me they are a symbol that summer finally has arrived and we are
about to start an awesome season with tons of different fruits and vegetables.

There is a strawberry field close by and I definitely want to go there to fill my basket.
It reminds me of my childhood, when I have gone there with my mom. I loved hopping over the rows to
find the best spot and eat as much as I can of the sweet and sour fruit. You only pick the fruits which seems
suitable for you and enjoy the silence and satisfaction of what you are doing. It still feels really good to me. 
If you have the chance to pick some on your own try it, you might like it as well!

No more paper please.

Do you know how much paper we are using every day? 




Small notes, documents, the daily newspaper is just one thing, but how about all the advertisement: leaflets,  
flyer, receipts, packaging and wrapping which directly find its way to the rubbish? Mostly it is more annoying
than necessary. 
As I have spent these past months in South-East Asia I found out more about the problems within the paper 
industry, especially in Indonesia. As a consequence I declared myself to save paper whenever possible. 


A lot of people have traded their cellphone for a smartphone lately. We are checking it regularly anyway, why 
not taking our notes there? Besides is it really necessary to print out every receipt, the monthly statement of
account, or all the other documents when the trend is towards digitizing everything? 

In the garden.

It's getting hot and hotter, and there is nothing else which pleases me more than spending the day out in the 
garden. There are so many things to do: whether it is having a nice picnic and nap afterwards in the shadow, 
listening to the birds songs and the bugs buzzing, watching an ant making its way up a blade of grass, or just
gardening - it all calms the mind in a wonderful way. 

Home office.

Have you ever tried working from your apartment? Doesn't it sound awesome, being in the nice environment you've created once just the way 
you like it, having food and drinks and all the other stuff right next to you. You even don't have to dress properly but can stay all day long in 
your favourite old hoodie.

These days I spend at home, and I had to notice it is not all good. Most people think when you are at home you have the day off. Even 
though I am telling there is actually work to get done there are still small demands dropping in "as you are at home anyway". 

It could be amazing though, I think. Imagine a studio like this at your place

On the other hand, who wants to stay alone all day, never leaving the house and not dressing up? I sure would miss the daily chat with 
coworkers who have become friends during these years. There is not such a thing than a faithful colleague, isn't it?
It might be a good idea to show them from time to time how much we do appreciate their company. You can't go wrong with this. The relation 
might simply happen to become even stronger. Try it! 

Family roles.

Somehow everybody grows into a certain role within his or her family: one is either the rebellious one or the
clown, or known for his boundless energy (...). It is hard to ever break out while living at home.

Once we have grown up and moved out we get rid of that stereotype and live happily ever after - until we
spend a few days with our beloved family. Suddenly we find ourselves being pushed back into the old role:
the stubborn boy or the sensitive girl is what you might be called lovingly. How does it happen again and again,
and mostly without us even noticing? Is it a phenomenon all over the world?

Have you ever tried to change your role? So far I have not succeeded. Maybe this is because there is a
unique relationship with the family that is different from the one with others. We have never chosen the
person who has become our father or mother, so haven't they had the chance to make a choice.
Nevertheless there is a special bond from the very first moment which is always there. It might be that's why
the family doesn't judge the way others do, it does not turn away as friends might do but loves you unlimited
and supports you not matter what. There is not such a thing which is that sure, and it feels so good to know
this.

The next family reunion I better focus on that and don't worry about giving them the annual jokes or
arguments they are waiting for anyway. How about you?

Speak up!

It has been a while since the last post. So sorry for the long pause! Sometimes you feel no inspiration at all,
or non you think is worth to share.

There have been unspoken things in my life lately. Sometimes you have to sit it out as time makes you forget
about it, but there are others which you better talk about to get peace in your mind, right? If only it would be
that easy!
But once you have been brave enough to start that scary topic you almost always end up being rewarded for it.
At least that is what I experienced so far. Clearing the mind and knowing the facts I have finally stopped
wondering, start seeing the nice side of life again, which does seem even more bright after a "dark" period,
and got back my spirit, yeah!

I hope you guys keep focusing on the bright side of life! There are not many things which are worth to change
that focus anyway.

The ideal?

I am kind of living the dream right now. About one year ago I moved to South-East-Asia, where I find myself in a consistently 30°C environment, passing palms on my way home, accompanied by colourful chatty birds and the smell of joss sticks while I am rushing for not getting caught by the strong but warm tropical rain which always comes by surprise.

Only a few hours drive are the most beautiful white beaches, surrounded with crystalline clear water and fishes in all colours you can imagine. If you put your head underwater you hear a cracking noise which comes from the fish lively nibbling at corals. While you are exploring the island by jungle hiking, both, you and the monitor lizard get a small stroke when you meet for the first time. These spots still are so peaceful that you do feel overwhelmed by the beauty of nature.

Still you don’t have to worry about safety, hygiene or lowering you living standards living in the one rapidly developed state of this area – Singapore.

Even though I should be having the time of my life I found myself struggling several times. Being exposed to another environment I realized how strong the tie is to the norms I grew up with, and how I miss them here: freedom of opinion and choice, practicing a responsible attitude to one another and to the environment, just to name a few. In the long term the pleasant environs couldn’t cover the need of those crucial things. Most of my Asian friends however prefer it this paternalistic way. They feel cared of and secure. How different things look if you change perspective. How about stepping out and shifting your viewpoint for today?

Air traffic

These days I experience quite a cosmopolitan life, flying from one great spot to another, thus posting this
rarely. This is a little stressful with coming home to my place that is mostly in boxes now for the upcoming
move, washing, repacking and rushing off again, but it is also very exciting. I even get a routine with
choosing no layered clothing you have to remove for the security check, as well as avoiding a belt, clips in
my hair and coins in my pockets that cause the peep for a second check.
On my way to the airport I always pass an advertisement from HSBC stating that there are 500.000 people
in the air at any moment. This seems quite a huge number for me but reasonable if you think about the
falling prices for tickets. Here you can see a simulation of the air traffic within 24hours. Isn't it impressing
how busy it is up there?

Good-byes

These last days have been quite busy with packing and goodbyes. As I have mentioned in one of my last posts I am in the midst of preparing for my move. It is not only switching the apartment but also leaving the country and city which has been my home for the past months, and the people who have made it so. Suddenly everything seems so nice and peaceful, once you are about to leave, even though there have been several struggles, too.
Why do good-byes always have to be so hard and sad?
The good thing is no one telling you it has to be that way. Who wants to leave full of memories of your beloved friends crying? It's your choice, in fact why not make the last day together a happy one full of laughter to take lots of joyful memories with you and keep them close.

Knäppa.

This is Knäppa. Made of cardboard it is probably the simplest digital camera ever and the newest give away
article of IKEA, designed by Jesper Kouthoofd. It works with AAA batteries, can hold 40 x 2.3 megapixel images
and comes with a USB stick to connect with your computer. Plus it's recyclable.

With it's Swedish charm, simplicity and family-friendly environment this furniture store is unique. Over the
past years it has not follow the trend of minimalist white interior design but remain true to it's own style, as
well as to it's low price philosophy for what the company is well-known. For me IKEA always feels a little like
entering a home.

Win-win in tidying up

One of the things that gives me most peace is getting rid of no longer needed possessions for keep the remaining ones in shape and order. It calms
my mind and I get my things done with less distraction.
Always longing for something new there are so many things we sum up. Once realized we barely use them we store them out of sight: on the top shelf
in your closet, in the attic or cellar. Why is it so hard to get rid of these things you most likely don't need at all?
For me, it is the dislike of wasting. I feel uncomfortable throwing things away, especially if they are in good shape.

As I am moving soon there are a few things I can't bring with me. So I asked around if somebody is interested in a piece of two. It was a delight to
see how those small items cheered up the new owners. This is when I realized it actually can be fun, once considered decluttering as giving or trading. In your disposable belongings might be joy for someone else. Knowing this makes it much easier to sort things out. Try it!

Emma's Apartment

Looks familiar? You might have spotted it in "One Day". I went to the movies in fall 2011 and couldn't stop thinking about the french apartment of the actress until I finally found a picture. How lovely would it be to live inside this set, designed by Dominic Capon?

Speed Folding.

Some people enjoy doing their laundry. I do. The fresh smell of the clothes while taking them out of the washing machine, watching your clothes lively move with the wind while they are drying on the line and spreading the flavor of your detergent, or simply the process of getting something dirty clean again can be satisfying. Others however don't like it at all. Whatever side you take, it happens we are in hurry and wish to speed it up. Here is your way out!

My latest purchase

See my beautiful new laptop sleeve! Isn't it awesome?
Do you remember when I declared to pay more attention of long lasting items? This beautiful outfit can make it for years, if my laptop is up for that as well. It is made by the talented Keching from aquilafashions based in Singapore. Not only did I finally get a sustainable case for my Laptop, it is also custom made to the unusual size of my computer and fits perfectly. Love it!

Daylight.

Interiors I like most are rooms with lots of light, in terms of huge windows letting daylight inside as well as light colors and mirrors, spreading it even more. It is nice when daylight steps inside our homes. Leading to an up-regulation in hormone production it has indeed a positive impact on our health.
Did you know lightness rises the body's level of seratonin which has a positive impact on our mood? Another benefit of sunlight is its ability to boost the body’s vitamin D supply, which indeed is highly protective. It plays an important role in calcium metabolism and helps sustaining a strong immune system. Doesn't that sound great?
However reality shows most of us don't really spend much time outside. Think about your own habits: when you get your groceries, do you walk or take the car? How about getting to work, wouldn't it be possible to replace the subway by bike? I have my times when I decide from now on to use my bike only, for everything! Such overall changes hardly work out well, and still in some cases it is also unavoidable to do so.

Being aware of the benefits is a first step though. Going shades-free in the daylight, even for just 10–15 minutes, could confer significant health benefits and cheer you up. That is something that could possible work, right?

Peoplemov.in

I guess most of you have had to switch location for at least once. Leaving the place you call your home is one thing, leaving familiar surroundings, friends and family for moving to a different city is another. Think about how it feels crossing border: facing a foreign culture, language, working environment or even social hostility.
There are so many people out there emigrating, we can notice that everyday we walk through the streets, but do you really know how massive the flow is? On peoplemov.in you can not only check out that but also where most of your fellow citizens move to.

The good thing about moving is that you are in for innovation: you decide which things to give away, you can start new habits and create a new home.

Breadexchange

A good bread only needs three ingredients: flour, water and salt.

If you happen to be in Berlin check out Malins breadexchange.

Her adventures into the world of baking sourdough once began out of need for healthy delicious bread. After doing an internship at Lars 

Gustavssons bakery she found herself in a high speed bread production in her Berlin flat, always longing for development, producing more than 

she could eat herself. As people naturally gave her things in return for her bread she started to trade her yeast-free Swedish sourdough bread.

Sustainability in our daily life

“The most sensitive approach toward a sustainable life is to eliminate waste by acquiring 

stuff that lasts.”  (by Architect Andrea Lenardin Madden)

How right she is. I am going with it in terms of kitchen tools and decoration elements. Glas, wood, stone, 
leather, cotton and metal utensils might be more expensive, but at the end they last much longer than plastic 
ones. After all, isn't it more beautiful to look at and to touch as well?

After reading her quote I was wondering where I have deficits to work on and came to the conclusion to just pay 

more attention in daily life. Aren't all those little helpers partly synthetic? This is where I am going to start with:

my long time needing laptop sleeve will be made of a natural, lasting good.

Welcome!

I'd like to welcome everybody and hope you enjoy what I think is worth
to share. Let's see how it works out with us, alright? ;-) Have a good day.