Yesterday's mushroom gathering morning.

(not quite as many shroomies, but defenitely lots of pics.)

Books

I have an idea for a new book. Photo book - sort of. About the one thing I am really good at. Here's a hint.
;)

I wish sometimes, that after I died, I would return reborn as Cupid. I am fairly certain what my heaven would be like (probably some form of library or a museum at least...), if there was heaven and I know that it would feel approximately as it feels to lay in bed with the General - that has nothing to do with sex - just perfect comfort, safety and playfulness. Anyways, as far as believing in heaven goes, that's mine, but as reincarnation goes... I really wouldn't mind having the ability to matchmake ordinary, near storyless folk.

           There are SO many decent individuals out there.

Next trip (travel dream) :p

Been thinking... (I know. I know.) Considering I'm in a birthday=I can do anything kind of a mood... Things it may be wise to invest in come near future, in hope of super fun travel and wild adventure :

Realistic stuff: 
A car. This is General's idea of a decent ride:

Which is realistic, given what I would drive, if I actually had any reason to:

So we'll probably get something like:

A tent.

This would be sufficient, 

(ferrino shaba 4)

although considering we plan to invite friends (and dogs) along, and of course in case we every do some heavy duty archeology/anthropology or good old tomb raiding, why not go wild with double the size? :)) The things to look for in a tent: weight (though not so crucial if you're in a car, but dimensions do matter), season readiness and the part where they don't fall to bit after five uses.

Or this, for extreme conditions, such as Norway in summer :P

I haven't camped in a decent tent in ages! Uigh! I can just imagine the General and me, snuggling together in my super duper trooper old sleeping bag, with my sis and her honey coting next to us and Rokstar stuffed somewhere in the middle; the doggies in their box in the corner... Even if just over night, parked outside someone's police station (always the safest place to spend the night), or for a couple of days, exploring some magic countryside... Or Scandinavia... It's 30 bucks per head per night in those regions.. If we are five, for thrice the price of one night's hostel stay, you can get a tent that's like a suite in Hilton.

Doggie transporter: Big enough for two mutts, not too big as to crowd everyone else from the car. (That's why we need a big car. It's no longer just you and me, Toto. 

Cooker:

Car trunk:

Fuel canister: (gas costs waaaay too much to be aloof upon this.) Ferries and highway fees are nightmare enough.

Shovel. I can't believe those bastards broke into my old car and stole my SHOVEL. I mean... Why?! WHY?!

Water canister. And Coke, too, obviosly :D

Unrealistic stuff: (Stuff we don't really need.)

And of course: The Mark :D

 

If we were just random family folk, we'd do our ten days in the summer, same old hotel environment, and a week in some moderate ski resort, it wouldn't be that hard to do it all the time. But to have trips like we have them.. That's a  different matter entirely. In the end the price is ultimately the same, I should think, but the service couldn't be more different. Time, more, places, more, things seen, far otherworldly. Never forget, it's not the data or the emotions that matter upon return: it's the pictures you took and stories you can tell.

Now, let's see... Five people, on a trip, maximum enjoyment, minimum costs....

Three sleeping bags, three mats or two big ones. A light rug for the fore room. Lots of water and some juice or fizzy drinks.. More water for hygiene. Also quite a few wet tissues and toilet paper. I am so totally used to poop since having to pick it up graciously after Starbark, I could probably do the same with mine, but lesson from the army days: nothing much you can't do with a shovel. Everything else is just normal travel stuff - clothes, first aid and cosmetics.

               Whereas as far as food goes - and I know that makes me sound like one of the Polish tourists on Croatian coats, but I am honestly not rich enough to eat in Skandinavia: hmm.. Five people, fourteen days. Two large meals, and snacks. Let's see. Breakfast: corn bread, Poli, margarine (good thing it's cold there and all this stuff would be fine in the trunk. or we could of course just buy another cooling box... Crackers, smear cheese, cookies, marmalade, puddings and suchlike. Also for snacks - fruit, chocolate, energy bars. Big meals: canned food, such as beans (and then a long ride on? Hm.), stews and spaghetti sauce. With it: potatoes, veggies, pasta, tortellini and rice, although rice is not fatty enough and food for trips like this needs to be high in calories, so you eat less and gain more. I imagine it could easily be done. We'd had to either be careful about the food import or just buy the tricky lot once we are there, but I don't suppose that would be our worst problem. 

         Personally I far more dread flat tires (all that fuss!) than food deprivation. One can go a long was on energy bars - but one does tend to be cranky afterwards :D

I found these blog posts by some little girl from my land, whose family tripped over Mongolia.... They seemed to be on en route with two small children, two large cars and total impro all the way, although they did have sponsors. The trips seems to have been perfect. Also had tents in it! :D

(photos by some other people, not me)

See what I mean? :D

Ugh, my heart's not in it... And I messed up my neat background... Too lazy to deal with it now.. :p

Hm. May be time to change my blog mask?

    .....let's see...

Salt

Although not my first choice (but unfortunately the only one this week), the super-skinny new-nose Angelina, whose mouth looks like it's about to fall off at any time, delivers a perfectly watchable popcorn performance - stressing the popcorn part. The movie wasn't dull, albeit painfully predictable, and it would make sense she's paid ten times as much as anyone else, considering she's got 90% of screen time. I liked her husband and his spiders, and how in the church when things go boom, all the high ranking army officials shield the president with themselves. That's high ranking patriotism, that is. If someone shot our president, I think my first thought would be: get your stupid brain off my gorram shoes, dick.I also liked the stealing bit. I still need to suppress my urge to steal entirely, viewing it no longer as an exclusive emotional ride but reasonably  (General's hard logic rubs on me :s) - something that besides fun offers precious little and yet can jeopardize too much. The most crucial factor is, that because in fear of disappointing the General, I am a coward. No thief should worry about consequences of being caught. Then you better don't be a thief. And watching Going Postal kind of kicked in my gut. But I do have to mind myself all the time, badly. Just like swearing profusely in jest, this is also in my blood :P

Haha - WHY watching movies like this is so hard on General and me? Example: when she takes her "emergency" backpack, she even had explosives packed, but NOT running shoes? Seriously? She continues to run around in high heel boots? Okay, I know it's just a movie and the running shoes would look ridiculous on her, but come one. It's the first thing you put on. Good shoes are half the victory. And she was still a sociopath. TRAINED into something and she still shot all her 'brothers' because of new found patriotism for US? A trigger-happy killer, but against global war? A double-agent to the core, but in love with her husband/mark? Make up your friggin mind. And, training and adrenaline aside, NOBODY a) walks upright after that kind of beating a b) has THAT kind of flawless hair-do, coming out of an Asian prison. I went to an Asian *vacation* and my hair didn't look that neat. 

           

A perfect day

Perfectly spent (birthday) day: Rise and shine, check. Pee. Check. Put on some clothes so I don't frighten the neighbors. Checked-to-be. Take the dog down to poo. Take the camera along to the mail office, because the pale morning light in that east-west street is so pretty these days. Buy a wheatty bun for a Poli and margarine sandwich. Eat it. Finish the retouching on the ten to-be-framed pickies and take them down to the frame shop. (Dog along). Looking cool. Get some photographs done. Ask if they print on paper and have the teacher's poster made. NOT spend the money on cloth, because the dog needs to go to puppy school, but whatever is left, take the gang to Evropa for pies. Beg for the apple cake recipe/examine it and spy sneak steal it :P Shopping with the ancestors. Call Luka. Movies with the General, a TON of popcorn! :D Evening walk with a camera (and everybody else, too, obviously.) and McDonald's ice-cream Daim. Full moon. (On the sky, not me after I've eaten all this...) An hour or so of Warcraft, then another two of having my hair caressed and shoulders tickled, then sleepy time. Good dreams. 

That was the plan :) It went almost exactly to it, except that they didn't get the photos right , didn't catch the parents and I didn't have Daim :D Do have a tummy ache from all the beyond-yummy-food, though  :D

Mum asked if the General bought me any flowers and jewelry for birthday. Aw, mum, don't you know me by now? He bought me WAY better: a touch-pen tablet and Gamecard!!

Birthday resolutions:

- not be so easily sucked into negative emotion all the time

- work more and work even more than that.. Then some more. AND FINISH!

- find something for Pat to want to import

- by the end of the year, try to produce ANOTHER 50 items, such as graphic designs and stuff

- have another exhibition, maybe?

- try to get the third book out! (the Tree Timeline..)

- Mark?

Simple enough agenda :))