the return of... well, me!

Hey blog,

So I've been postponing this for a while now, I had a draft written when I got back from Norway with a mini-essay about how it was and all that... I even prepared some pictures to put up but as the days rolled by I gradually fell out with the draft and we ended up having a fight and now I found out it (?) was cheating on me with another draft from an anonymous blogger so we have since split ways. What a bitch.

Anyways, I'm over that.

So really I guess I'll try and get back into the rhythm of things by highlighting a few things that have happened since I last wrote.

Christmas

There was christmas, yay. Norway was cool (both "hip" and cold), I enjoyed it very much. But I have to say, travelling/holidays with family is a remarkably different experience to when you're on your own. It was lovely to see my nephew and our latest norwegian side family.

Bye bye 2009, hey there 2010

New year! Throw out the old calendars and unwrap the 2010 ones! Unless, you (reader) have managed to escape the shackles of the gregorian calendar. In which case, tell me where you live.

Vrooom Vrooom!

Perhaps one of the most exciting bits of news for me is that I recently passed my driving test!!! For those of you who know the (long) story, I hope my celebration has somewhat infected you and you are now doing a little finger dance on your keyboard. Otherwise, just know that it has taken a while (gross understatement) to do it. But now I'm finally free!!!! Yay!! Like a genie from its lantern! a slug from it's shell! a kinder toy from it's egg! One of the main things I came back to portugal to do is finally done. Now it's a bit like a door lock has clicked and I can start pushing it open and explore what other doors are there to go through...

Tour guide

I recently had a handful of friends visit me, it was pretty intense because everything seemed to happen in the space of 2 weeks. But it was really really great to have them over, and show them my "home"-town... Even though I didn't know my way around it so well, having them over kind of forced me to learn. We were also blessed with the weather and I had some great days at the sunny beach just frolicking around the rocks, looking at starfish, picking up a crab, playing lots of guitar and singing. Somewhere in the middle I went to concerts and even saw a michael jackson dance tribute in a casino nearby... A bit bizarre but it was a good show! I've found new ways to enjoy this city and am slowly starting to swing to its groove, a bit more in unison, rather than stepping on its toes...

Metro Busking

This is my next big target.

I recently discovered that the Porto metro is starting a new initiative. Basically, they're holding auditions for bands/soloists for the first time, to issue licenses that will allow them to play in the metro. I was really excited when I heard about this and this morning I sent of the application. The scheme is just to get music on the streets, specifically at 3 of the stations. They are going to allocate 2x 3-hour slots during weekdays at each of those stations. The auditions are going to be in just under 2 weeks and if chosen you essentially become a licensed busker. A bit like the london underground, except you can't accept/ask for money. That bit doesn't really bother me as I am just keen to get out there and play. So fingers crossed! I might get to start playing next month!

(R)ecorations

The main renovations to the house have been done, today was the first day since my friends left so we are back into full days working at it. It's mainly decorating it now. Although since most of the furniture are antiques, and they have been sanded/waxed/varnished, we're having to put it all back together... A thought kept striking me today, as I spent hours twisting my wrist, trying to force an old rusty screw into a thread-worn hole. "Furniture technology has come a long way since the 70's/80's!".

By now I'm convinced everyone has at least 1 thing from IKEA in their houses, and if you don't you're not allowed into Sweden. But seriously, the stuff we were dealing with today feels light-years away from what you get nowadays in typical flat-pack furniture. Ok, let's begin with the assumption that they have provided you with enough screws to put the damn thing together. I dare you to put together an antique cupboard, then an IKEA cupboard in an afternoon. I bet that by the end of the day you are going to have new-found respect and admiration for those quick & easy screw fittings... I'm talking about the cam lock screws they come with... if I was a tool I'd screw that!

Despite all that, there is a certain character that you get from antique furniture. No matter how pissed off you might get when you're fitting the hinges back on and you realise "DAMMIT, they aren't the same size or shape" and "DAMMIT, the carpenter cut the wholes specifically to each hinge and now I don't know which one belongs were and... AHH FUCK"...

yes, despite all that there is still something about them... it's a bit of a love-hate relationship in the beginning but when you work it out it's really sweet...

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I'm gonna leave it at that.

Another long day tomorrow...

Much love

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