Limits

All of us have (or we think we have) certain limits we think we cannot overcome. Fears and insecurities take over way too often and prevent us from doing what we really want to do, from following that gut feeling which tells us to bloody stop hesitating and go for what we want.

True friends accept us the way we are, while pushing us to fight our fears and silence that annoying wee voice in our head which keeps doubting: "What if it doesn't work out?" "What if I get hurt?" "What if I won't manage?" True friends look at you and tell you it's time to do it. "Don't think about it, just do it!" (Yes, it sounds like that famous commercial).

The truth is that it's sometimes hard to stop analysing and let yourself go... But a woman's got to do what a woman's got to do or it might be too late! Scary thought.

Friends are like stars...

...you don't have to see them to know they are there.

This is what it said on a wooden star I got as a present from R. today. A sentence I've heard many times before but it's interesting how things acquire a much deeper meaning if said/done by someone you really care about. Nice thought, although I am not entirely sure it holds true. Yes, you don't need to see someone all the time to consider them friends. Thank goodness, because otherwise I really couldn't say I've got that many friends :)

Today is an interesting day:

- it's the first day of autumn (at least if the weather is anything to go buy! Gah!)
- the day when a new wee creature was born :)
- the last day of little S. being 8 (can you believe she's turning 9 already?)
- my first day with a smartphone. There's nothing very special about this, if you ask me, but...get ready to be flooded with pictures of:

- food
- me cooking/baking
- me being silly
- me partying
- me going to amazing places
- me kissing guys (while taking pictures)
- me annoying my dog
- me going to concerts
- me buying new clothes (I really need some proper winter clothes, by the way)


Really? Nah! Not my thing at all!  I really hate being in the centre of attention and hate it when people know about everything I do. The occasional picture is nice, though and it might make this blog more pleasant for you to read :) By the way, have you noticed that I've put food as the first item on the list anyway? There's no "me" without food, is there?

So there you go, my wee stars. You might not always see me/hear from me (please give me some time to get used to touch screen texting!), but I'm always here!

Take a deep breath (a long one)

Part 1: A fine balance

"Don't you feel nervous today? You must be!"

My neighbour & colleague said to me on Monday, as we were driving to work. It was my first day of work after a two-and-a-half-week long holiday.

"No, not at all." I answered back. Partly because I wasn't going to tell her that every time I thought of work I got the chills and partly because I really was feeling relaxed.

Edinburgh always has an amazing effect on me. I have now decided that Scotland is a state of mind and I will do my best not to let it fade away. These past two days I have been much calmer at work (to the point that my colleagues started discussing about Edinburgh and its wonders). A colleague of mine even noticed that my shoulders were not as tense as before the holidays :) I don't know for how long this is going to last, but I somehow think that if I can recall the peace of mind that reigned over me while I was up north, nothing can go wrong.

Those of you who put up with me last year during my master's know that I can freak out really badly. But this time I won't let it happen.  I have taken T's advice seriously and I now leave work-related issues at work ("Hun, we're not paid to take them home!"). I also make sure I go rolling every day and read at least 20 pages from a nice book. I am currently reading 44 Scotland Street, which is set in Edinburgh (and it helps me preserve my state of mind). This book is to be followed by other books from the same series and A fine balance - thanks to M. for that. I also became a big fun of Bill Bryson (thanks M. and J.). I find him extremely funny! So there you go, this is my recipe for a more relaxed life. The only problem is the only way for me to relax is to go to Scotland, I might go bankrupt pretty soon! :)

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Part 2: O Petrih in Pitrih (a Slovene intermezzo)

O tem sem že dolgo nameravala pisati, a sem vedno odlašala...dokler ni bila mera polna (to se je zgodilo danes)! Tema je tako žalostno-zanimiva, da bi si zaslužila veliko daljšo objavo, ker pa sem si zaobljubila, da se ne bom obremenjevala z negativnimi čustvi, bom vsemu skupaj namenila le nekaj vrstic. Le toliko kolikor je dovolj, da povem, kako zajeban je včasih Trst.

Zakaj mora v Trstu

Peter Štrukelj postati Piter Strucheli
Klavdija Cah            Claudia Ca (beri po italijansko)
Jan Vodopivec         Gian Vodopivec (" ---")
Helena Švagelj        Elena Svagheli
Marija Krapež         Maria Crapesi???

Še dolgo bi lahko naštevala. Takih primerov je v službi neskončno. In ja, vsakič, ko slišim kako tako popačenko me zmrazi. Najprej iz ideoloških razlogov in nato tudi zato, ker me pretvarjanje iz "Cah" v "Ca" (beri: Ka) stane preveč mentalnega napora
Mama pravi, da so to dvoživke, jaz zdaj že mislim, da so to kreteni. Pa ne da se mi vse skupaj zdi čudno. Če teh ljudi starši niso naučili svojega materinega jezika in če so se oni sami sramovali lastnega porekla, potem res ni čudno, da so Petri postali Pitri. Kaj pa vem, mogoče bi bilo tudi mene sram. Ampak ne zato, ker bi moj priimek zvenel "čudno", pač pa zato, ker ne bi poznala jezika in kulture svojih staršev.
Mojega nonota so med fašizmom iz Miroslava Č. preimenovali v Emilia C. in nato še v Federica (vedno s C-jem brez strešice). Moj oče se je moral za našo strešico prebiti skozi dolga leta čakanja in cele kupe papirja.
Zato sem jaz Dana Č. Za prijatelje, znance in tudi za kolege. In to z velikim Č-jem. Res sem morala najprej vsem na dolgo in široko razlagati, zakaj je tako, ampak na koncu so le razumeli. Zanimivo je, da se je kolegica in prijateljica, ki je na pol Angležinja na pol Sicilijanka, naučila pravilno izgovorjati moj priimek veliko preden bi se tega naučili zarukani Tržačani.

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 Part 3: Addictions

I have been thinking of replacing my silly phone with a smart one...although I am not sure I really want to. The video explains it all.


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Part 4: Butterflies

He: "Have you noticed that people nowadays take pictures of everything?! You need to take pictures - and publish them on Facebook - to show people that you exist. No pictures - no life."

She: "Hmmm...does that mean that you and I don't exist?"

His smile needed no explanation. Neither did mine.