Three pictures of the past days

I snapped this picture on my way to the gym. What I love about my neighborhood is its small village atmosphere. Apple trees between the houses and no cars in sight.

 I also needed some girl-time and that's what I got - or new eyebrows, rather.

And I looked after a very special friend's dog and the dog totally stole my heart. I swear she told me she loves me.

Fuck upset

So, I was horribly upset about some friendship/relationship related ongoings yesterday, and today I've just wanted to get out of the house.. I slept in, made a long walk with F and as she almost had a heat stroke, I took her to Rajasaari for some doggy time and swimming. Unfortunately V is such a bully I have to leave her home at occasions like this.

I got myself a Saima Harmaja biography and that's what kept me entertained for the those few hours on the rocks by the water.

 

My mentor

Last spring I contaced a woman who I knew was going to attend a conference I was going to. I told her she has done many things I need to learn from, such as launching a career in the military as a female academic expert. Before the conference we met at the airport and then drove to the conference city together. Very soon it became clear I had contacted a very special person. She knew the context I was working with and had such insight. That, and I felt extremely comfortable talking to her even about the most personal things. We became friends and have stayed in touch - and I know I will keep learning from her.

Women don't support each other a lot, and I'm lucky to have a mentor like her. I love her balls. CLICK

Dress fitting

Today I went to try on the dress I'm having made for the doctoral promotion, and it's starting to look like a dress. In the picture it's full of needles and the lace is not yet attached to the dress itself, but it already looks so pretty I can't wait to get to wear it and get wasted on champagne.

Driving like crazy

Just two pictures from yesterday and this morning - I spent the evening in the country and headed back home this afternoon.

Next it's going to be a long walk I suppose. I've been sleeping like shit lately, and tomorrow I have to be at the uni early in the morning to finish all the invitations to my dissertation dinner.

It's funny how I've been planning the dinner party for almost two years and now that it's the time to actually get shit done - I'm slacking!

Us two

Ends and beginnings

For the past three years I've been writing about war. Now, in less than a month, I'm defending my doctoral dissertation, which means I'm going through strages I didn't exactly expect, but I had heard of - strange emptiness, and fits of optimism followed by utter frustration. I suppose it's life filling up the space that was occupied by the "book". Now that book has become very concrete - I have 50 copies in a box I haven't bothered moving out of the hallway.

The past years I've had my eyes on the dress, the shoes, the party, the fundamental reward for sacrificing all my time and energy, only to realize that the defence is actually not the beginning, but actually also the end of a certain phase of my life. Now the ceremony appears as a farewell of some sort, as with my graduation I'm actually leaving the community I've been a member of. Not entirely, but in many significant aspects.

So, there are problems and "problems" that come to this. Contemplating life is one thing, and figuring out how to meet the demands of a super formal academic setting in terms of style is another. The "problem":
I don't like wearing black. I fought the idea of having to wear black shoes. Then, I realized, there are many ways to wear it. You can look like a nun- or give a new meaning to "crazy cat lady".

Cheers.