I'M BACK!

Oh my, time is flying! Has it really been over 7 months since my last entry? I am ashamed! And I have no excuse for my absence either. Life has been pretty much the same. Maybe that's why I felt a bit uninspired...?

But fear not, I have bought (another) new notebook and its blank pages are ready to be filled with loads of bloggelicious ideas. And my favourite song lyrics. And doodles. I can't draw, but what is a notebook without doodles?

In addition to my notebook I will go forth and search for other blogs and their bloggers to get the old gear wheels going - come up with things to write about. And maybe make a new friend or two?

So this is really just a very short message to let you know I am still amongst you, and I am here to stay.

(I've just realised that I am in desperate need of a pampering. Few hours at the spa... oh, yeah.)

Puss, puss.

It's November! Wait... what?

Can you believe it is November already?! Halloween is over and Christmas is just around the corner. Where has the year gone?

And with 2014 fast approaching I have realised: I AM TURNING 24! What…? How…? When…? TWENTY-FOUR? Seems unreal. Funny enough, I find myself in situations I thought I would have been in five years ago.

I have just started my A levels. Not wanting to leave England but being unsure as to whether studying in English would be wise I have signed up to do them online – in German. So for now I will stay in beautiful London until the finals, which are about 36 months away.

Then there is a weird thing going on between me and a guy. Which should be SO five years ago! Duh!

And when I have turned 24, am I then in my mid-twenties? Surely with being just one year away from celebrating a quarter of a century of existence I can no longer refer to myself as being in my early twenties.

It’s not about being “old”. Twenty-four is not old! (Shhh, no one argue with that!) But I really don’t feel mid-twentyish. More like 19, sometimes even 8 or 80, but not 24. Not that I’d want to be 19 again, wasn’t the best year of my life, to be honest.

But at the same time I wonder what being 24 is supposed to feel like? Is there a guide book? Can I get it on Amazon? If there was something like that I doubt I could follow the rules. For the last decade I’ve been hanging out with people who are usually a few years older than me. Which should probably make me more mature – but it doesn’t. More like the opposite really.

…..

I just order Pizza online. I think that makes me a pretty grown ass 23 year old. I will worry more about being 24 when I hit it.

2013 - let's do this!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

I hope you all had a wonderful last day of 2012 and the hangovers are not too bad.


Before we get to the resolutions for 2013, let's reflect a little on the last year.
2012 was super exciting. I pretty much changed my entire life; moving to London my suitcase packed with big dreams and a lot of hope. What an adventure!
It turned out quite well. I spent 5 months with an incredible family, saw Her Majesty, meet both my idols, enjoyed the Olympics and a wonderful, sunny, sushi-filled summer in one of the most beautiful cities on earth. I made new friends, laughed a lot and learned even more. Although I've worried a lot about living on my own, playing grown up and starting a new job, everything turned out just fine. And the English winter is not THAT bad...
I must say, 2012 was pretty good to me.

There have been a few lows, especially the last few weeks, but I am entirely grateful for everything that's happened last year.


So my plans for 2013 are simple but crucial. I am going to take care of myself. There have been things that I have neglected, ignored, suppressed or simply forgotten. Time to start sorting those out.
I will also take the first steps towards building the career I want. And yes, this will include more updates on this blog.
Oh, and I will try to swear less. Fucking bad habit!

That's it. No diet plans, no fitness club membership, no deadlines. Whatever comes along, I'll take it and - like my French Friend would say - make it happen.


I hope that 2013 brings you nothing but happiness and love and everything else you wish for.


Thank you 2012. Bring it on, 2013!

So here's to new adventures

And the award for the blog with the biggest lack of update goes to....

I apologise, my friends/readers/strangers; I live in the most exciting city of the year and just don't keep you posted. Naughty, Danny, naughty!

So, it's been quite a while but I have a pretty good excuse for my absence. I have been INSANELY busy. Turns out, I actually have a life after all.

My summer in beautiful London was like a fairytale! I was just about to type "minus the romance", but I actually fell in love... Gorgeous, expensive, always busy, demanding, never boring, mood depending on the weather, full of surprises... that's how I'd describe my lover - also know as LONDON. The city was buzzing with excitement for the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. And both have been a huge success. Yes, see, we're really happy together.

After all the awesome events of the summer I had to get back to the more serious side of life. Big sigh. Don't we all, tho?

So I started to sort out my life, once again, and get ready to tackle the next big adventure my lover had in store for me: a new job and a new flat. Starting a new job in a new company is not so much of a first, whereas living on my own is. From apartment hunting and paying rent to buying all the stuff the Mumsy used to get for me, it's aaaall new. It's very exciting, very scary, very interesting. 

But I am slowly getting used to my new tiny room, the funny flatmates and my public transport journey to work. I am actually starting to live like a proper adult, huh? Dear....

There's been a lot of changes. [Insert philosophical quote from Sex and the City about how life always changes and the world never stops spinning, ect] 

I have also added a new feature to my blog (that I will command myself to update regularly again) so you can now find a link to my book reviews on the right side bar. And since I still, and always will, spend the majority of my free time having my eyes glued to pages please feel free to leave me a comment about your favourite book, any book or even the most crappiest nonsense you've ever read and I will make sure to check it out. You can also leave me a message on tumblr or tweetelede me on the twitterverse. And of course, leave me the link to your online diary and I will snoop around.

So that's done. I'll continue to be all grown up now and...wait, what do adults do on a Sunday night?

Oh, hello there, how are you?

So, the hostparents are at the Coldplay concert and I'm home watching the boys.

Find the mistake...

No, no, actually, I'm glad to get 'a few nights off my social life'. Ever since I have arrived in London I've been busy meeting and making new friends, exploring this beautiful city, getting sunburned and trying all sorts of beer. I've gone from movie nights with the bestie on Saturdays (I MISS THAT!) to three beers on a Wednesday night. Go me!

But since I had to babysit yesterday and tonight, I got the chance to do a bit of a reflection on how I feel since I have arrived. And I finally got some early nights.
So, how am I feeling? Honestly? Pretty fucking good! Despite the meltdown and fears and last minute doubts, I am happy here. And yes, this is the moment you smile to yourself and think "Awww, man, I'm really happy for her!"
Everything is new and exciting, obviously, and my boys are simply wonderful, but something about this busy, crowded, gorgeous, expensive city makes me smile all day. Maybe it's the certainty of opportunities, or the promise of new experiences, or the chance of being simply myself or...the beer. Could also be the fact that I don't have to drive a car. Probably a mixture of everything. Anyway, I take it.

Plus, beautiful London has some pretty amazing things in store for me. The Diamond Jubilee of HM The Queen and, yes, yes, the Olympics. And hopefully a wonderful summer filled with sun, fun, BBQ and new as well as old friends.

And I got to say it: I am really, really glad I took this crazy opportunity life was throwing at me a couple of weeks ago. And while I miss my loved ones terribly, I finally start to see it all come together.
So a little advice from me, just because I am such a happy bunny these days and I want eeeveryone to feel the same - if you get the chance to do something you want to do, do it! Despite the doubts, do it! If it seems absolutely bonkers... that's even more of a reason to go for it.

Now, I'll hold on to my floating balloons and keep getting used to having an actual social life again. And I must buy a party hat to celebrate Her Majesty's 60 years of service. God Save the Queen.

Wait! Who's life is this?

Oh well, it's been a while, huh? I apologies for not being the best blogger, but I have been insanely busy.
So, what's happened the past few weeks?

• I quit my job
• I sorted out my wardrobe
• I moved to London

Nothing of importance, really.

.....

How in the world did all this just happen to me? I. Have. No. Idea!

A long, long, looong time ago the bestie and I decided to leave Germany. (Yes, that's where I'm from.) We have been talking about moving away for years now and after I came back from the US of A, we finally started to work on it. For real. So that's what we've been doing, almost every day - talking and thinking and planning and discussing and depressing and laughing over this huge thing we wanted to do. Move to England.

So, no, I didn't just pack my bags, hop on a plane and randomly ended up here. But it all happened really fast. 

I've really missed being and working with children, and after my boss told me that my position would be cut in a couple of weeks I've decided to be really open minded about what's going to happen next. I had a couple of ideas, and one of them was being an au pair again. 

So I've signed up on a website and within only one week I had had applications and messages from more than 10 families. Thursday evening, before our trip over to London for the McFly concert I skyped with R and really liked her and what she told me about the family. Because they live in London I had suggested to meet up on the weekend. 

We've met on the day after the concert at Green Park. After that I was sure that I would absolutely love to be with them and hoped that they would ask me to be their au pair. And then, Monday night on our way home from the airport, I got the email.

After that everything happened super fast. Within about four weeks I quit my job, told my friends, cried of happiness, sorted out my wardrobe, had 20 mental breakdown, packed my bags and cuddled my cats. (I miss them so much. SO MUCH!)

So, yeah, now I'm here. In London. Upstairs in my lovely room. I just had a wonderful day with my kids, filled with sunshine, ice cream, sand and laughter. I am a bloody lucky lady!


Side note: I'm still debating whether or not to start a separate blog in German so my friends and family and everyone who's interested will always be up to date. / Ich bin mir noch nicht sicher ob ich noch einen extra blog in deutsch für Familie/Freunde/Whoever anlege.
I'll let you know. I miss you! Xx

Yes, no, maybe...? I don't know, can you repeat the question?

We have a new trainee in our department. He's 15 and so shy, but nice. And I've been dragging him around the company all week, to get to know the different departments, you know.
And we've been talking about what he wants to do after he's finished school. Obviously he doesn't know what he wants to do, and he doesn't have to. Because he's only 15. There are loads of other things to worry about. Like... I don't know, girls and football and acne.

Lucky him!


I've been thinking about decisions. Because I have to make some of my own very soon.

Isn't it wonderful when you're only 15 and you think the most difficult decision you have to make is whether to wear the pink or the blue dress? No, kidding, I know being a teenager is hard.
But really, deciding which career you want to take or what country you want to live in makes picking the colour of your dress look like the easiest thing ever.

And it never stops. So, like, when you have decided to move out, you have to find an apartment. And it's not only the building you have to think about... Do you like the street? How far away from work is this place? What about city centre? Are there enough mice to keep your cats busy? Can you actually afford all this? God, growning up can be so hard!

When I was 15 I was hardly aware of the fact that I'll ever have to leave school. And get a job, and start dating, and buy make up, and pay bills, and drive a car. (Yes, we didn't wear make up when I was 15.) All the decisions I had to make were if I'd do my homework in the morning or not at all. Or if I want to sleep over at this friend's place or the other's. Or to which party I'd want to go at the weekend. And what to wear. Those were the hard decisions. I didn't even think about the years that would come after 18.

Now, facing an occupational change, I have to make some of those decisions my 15-year-old self wasn't even aware do exist. The funny part is (there is always a funny part), that I am not even really worried. About finding a new job. But that's just due to one fact - there are more important things to worry about. Can't be? Oh, you have no idea.
But to everyone who's crapping their pants about their work-related future, do not fear, you are not alone! There are millions of other people sending out countless applications. And one day I will have sleepless nights and a throbbing head, too, because I actually know where I want to be, but am not sure how to get there.

But until then, I am going to focus on the things that have to be decided now. Because - I have no choice. Someone has to decide them, and since this is my life, I figure I am the one who should make them.


So, you sweet little strawberries, now go and enjoy that beautiful weather. Making decisions is always easier while filling up on Vitamin D. Sun, sun, sun. Fun, fun, fun.