One. Adam at Quark technical support rocks!
Two. Starting the week with a stomach flu of some sort, not so much.
Posts Tagged ‘my life’
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Getting to know you
This week has been pretty full on, in good and in bad. Can’t remember a time when I’ve last been ‘out’ after work nearly every night of the week. Slightly exhausting. But there’s something to be said about being busy, it definitely has a way of making you feel alive, and like you’re a part of life in general. As much of a homebody as I am, not making the effort to interact with the outside world can have a very isolating effect. And currently I’m really enjoying just getting out there and meeting new people, making new connections, getting new ideas.
On Tuesday I attended a ’round table’ do, with some techy bloggers and representatives from 3UK, which came about through my association as an INQ1 tester. I was all prepared to share my views on what 3 is getting right, what wrong, and where I think they should be heading towards. But as it happened, I was waaaay too slow to butt in anywhere in the conversation. I felt like a bit of a dunce to be honest, but none the less, it was still really interesting, I think I went as far as saying ‘exciting’ on the night. God knows I’ve at times been really frustrated with the 3 coverage (and help desk) during my years as a customer, but after hearing for myself how they are going about trying to make a difference, I feel quite intrigued to stick around. It’s refreshing to hear from a company who genuienly wants to listen to their customers and make new ways of communicating available for everyone. A fact which was confirmed on Thursday, when came the announcement that 3 will be offering free skype calls to everyone, which I’m sure left other operators reeling.
On Wendesday I had a meeting with an author about shooting headshots for her book jackets, which was pretty exciting. She divides her time between Venice and London (jealous much?) and her flat by the Thames was as unbelievably nice as she herself was. I must say I’ve never visited such a beautiful home before. One of the things I absolutely love about my photography gigs (apart from the photography itself that is) is getting the chance to take a peek into the different lives people lead. It’s truly fascinating.
And to tie that thought into Tuesday’s 3 event, I’d add that on a personal level, the best thing that comes from that sort of things is getting to meet new interesting people. It’s really refreshing to hear new points of views and life stories. Which leads straight into my Thursday when I popped out for after work drinks with Ant from Fresh Plastic, whom I met at the round table do. I’m glad I did as the weather was gorgeous, the South Bank heaving with people, and I thoroughly enjoyed the company. Good times.
And then Friday. Less said about that the better. A complete meltdown in the office due to a network error, which resulted in a big part of the issue – due to go to press that day – having been wiped out. Long story short, the latest backup files we ended up with were from the previous Friday, so I’m still in the middle of trying to re-create a week’s worth of work by next Tuesday for there to be any chance of the magazine going out in time. Hey ho. Oh but I must say that Twitter is pretty friggin amazing. As soon as I posted about my problem the advice started flooding in from all over the world. I felt truly amazed and humbled at how many people were trying to help me! Anyone who says social networking is a waste of time has no idea what they’re talking about. End of.
Yesterday was finally Lucy & Richard’s wedding day. In the morning it looked like it was going to rain, but luckily the weather held out and what started as a gloomy morning turned into a gorgeous sun-baked afternoon. The wedding was brilliant, even if I was absolutely cream krackered afterwards. And again, I could go on and on about how cool it is to be able to get to be a part of other people’s lives if even for just a brief moment. So very very cool indeed. But yes, I was way too trigger happy and the editing work looming ahead freaks me out a bit. Not going to even start on that until next week though. I’ve booked a couple of days of annual leave from the day job, which, when added to the Bank Holiday weekend, should hopefully give me enough time to process this wedding. Dreading and looking forward to it in equal amounts. :D
But today has been all about re-charging. I was sorely in need of a day off, so today I ‘ve been concentrating on catching up with my Sky+ recordings and unread magazines. Even got around to reading the David LaChapelle special edition of PHOTO magazine I got in Paris. That was a long time coming!
Oh and can I just finish up with sharing how much I love Red Direct, the online store for Red magazine. I especially adore the little catalogues that come with the magazine, so well layed out, bursting with such perfectly photographed pictures of their brilliantly edited collection. Someone there really knows their stuff. Is it weird that flicking through the catalogue gives me immense pleasure even if I didn’t order anything…
Wow. This turned into a bit of a monster post! I guess a day off can have that effect… :D
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
This is me
I’ve been thinking about things like branding and online identity a lot lately. Or rather, they have been issues that have come up over and over again in various conversations in different contexts, with people such as Jonas and Cathie to name but a few. And for a while I was struggling over how I should brand myself/my business in order for all the different messages to be clear and not get muddled up by all the noise.
The thing is, I am interested in a lot of things. I am what could be called an enthusiast in a lot of different fields, and often those areas don’t necessarily relate to each other. So what do you do if you don’t want to alienate anyone? Is it possible to relate to everyone? While this really wasn’t such an issue before, it was something I had to get my head around when setting up my wedding photography business. It was quite clear that the business needed to be a separate entity from everything else – it makes no sense for a bride to be reading about gadgets or trips to the hairdressers. But then again, I had quite a widely spread online identity as mnoo (from dA to pretty much every other service there is), and mnoo.com was pretty established at that point in terms of showcasing my personal photography, so it would have been a waste not to use that presence to drive traffic, and more importantly, to allow for a more in-depth picture of me. And why is that important? Well, because in any business, which is built around you and your skill, and where you deal with the end customer directly, you are effectively selling yourself. You want to attract clients who can relate to you and your personality, and your clients need to feel like they ‘know you’, and thus, can trust you.
There are people out there who are very suspicious of laying it all out online. I think, in this day and age, there is really no place to hide. If you want to make the most of your opportunities, you just have to be out there. As transparently as possible. And wouldn’t you want to be the one in charge of how your identity is perceived in any case?
Right, did I have a point in my head somewhere when I started. I guess what I was thinking about today, was how my wedding customers reading my Twitter might get confused about what I get up to. And how those people coming to this blog for pretty pictures of flowers might get bored by the gadgetry things, and the gadgetry people by the wardrobe silliness. But the thing is, this blog, and especially Twitter, is just purely all the things I am about. And it’s not thought-out or aimed at any specific reader, it’s just about me putting it out there – regardless of whether it’s ‘of value’ to anyone. I am interested in a variety of things and get excited over different non-related events. And I couldn’t for the life of me edit myself down to just one clearly branded – soberly positioned – identity, with one specific interest. It’s all me, and if that’s confusing to some, then so be it.
This is me: photographer, wife, magazine designer, Finn, internet addict, cinema lover, gig goer, technology enthusiast, fashion fun (for everyone) advocate, gadget twiddler, social networking fiend, traveller, lover of words…. who loves colours, pretty things, reading books in one go, weddings, open mindedness, meeting new people and chocolate.
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Sock it to me
I just had to show you these amazing wool socks, made by my mum’s friend Kati, and given to us as an Easter present. She’s been keeping us in wool socks for years now, and I’m not quite sure how my usually frozen feet would have ever survived the English ‘central heating’ without her. Thank you so much Kati, you are teh awesomes! :D
Monday, 13 April 2009
What day is it again?
It’s only been a few days, but I’ve managed to quite blisfully detach myself from the normal trappings of time. All I’ve done is read books, sit in the sauna and sleeeeep. I’m not entirely sure which way up the day is, which will probably turn out to be painful to snap out of, but for now I’m loving it. In a minute I will have my last sauna of the trip. Then what’s left of this mini Finnish holiday, is a hairdresser’s appointment tomorrow, with some speed-shopping thrown in afterwards. And then it’s time to head back home to London and reality. At the moment I’m really not feeling ready to return at all. Hopefully I’ll start feeling differently tomorrow.
Definitely feeling relaxed though. Right now. In this moment.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Glittering cloud
To write something would mean moaning about the reasons I haven’t had time to write, which would make for a futile blog entry with very little in the way of entertainment. I don’t suppose this is exactly the kind of place people come looking for entertainment but still…
It’ll suffice to say that life’s been super busy. It’s good and exciting and scary and big all at the same time, and I’m not quite sure how long I can go on at this pace until bits of me start falling off. Looking forward to next weekend and my mini-mini Finland break, which will consist of a trip to the hairdressers, sauna, sleep, sauna and some more sleep.
At least the sun has come back home from where ever it spent the winter.
Friday, 27 March 2009
Hey I’m alive!
Phew, what a week it’s been. Getting the magazine to press in the day job, and getting ready for Saturday’s wedding in the ‘evening job’ has certainly taken it’s toll this week. Oh and I’ve also been working on setting up the client-side of my website, with the help of the indispensable Paul. On Tuesday I went to check out the venue for tomorrow’s wedding, and yesterday I finally met up with the couple. It was slightly nerve wracking not having met the clients until two days before the big day, but luckily it turned out that they’re all-round lovely people.
Running around all over town has meant that I have had zero time for housework and the flat is an absolute mess, which kind of adds to the stress of everything. Hopefully, unless I’m completely dead, I can do something about that on Sunday. S is off to Ireland on Sunday for two weeks with work. It’ll be strange having an empty house for that long…
Despite being tired and stressed I’m really looking forward to Saturday. It’s great to finally start shooting these weddings that have been in the pipelines for so long. It’s actually the enjoyable side of running the business, unlike all the admin work that’s been piling up recently.
It’s Layla’s birthday on Sunday (I know this since she’s been reminding me every day for the last month), and today we went out for a celebratory lunch in Nando’s in her honor. It was only my second time in Nando’s ever, and it wasn’t half bad. Even if my food took forever to arrive and I then had to practically run back to the office as my lunch hour was up. Oh well.
I’m taking a couple of days off work next week (thank god for April and the start of new holiday year) in order to process tomorrow’s wedding and partly to avoid all the G20 hoopla. I just have no energy for any extra commuting disruptions.
But yeah, I’m alive, just a bit snowed under!
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Hellos & goodbyes
Paul came over from Ireland for a quick visit. We had fish & chips, went shopping in Kingston, saw Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and learned about the importance of truth. Good times.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Twilight zone
I’ve been busy catching up with admin/paperwork today, which makes me feel a bit more organised – in my life and in my head. Last week was somehow just… awful. Lots of conflict, stress and feeling sad. And on top of it all an old problem decided to re-visit me and I broke my stupid tooth. After a couple of dentist trips it’s now ok, I think.
Yesterday I had this somehow really surreal trip to the dentist. My appointment wasn’t until 5pm, so the sun was already setting when I got to central London. My dentist’s (the lovely Maarit Spiridonis) reception is located in a part of town where there are not very many people around at the weekends. Walking through the empty streets felt… peaceful. The reception itself is in a quirky old building and the space is just insane. Antiques and heavy colours everywhere. She took over the lease from a Dentist who retired, and he’d been a big fan of dance. There are these signed fading posters of famous ballerinas, thanking him for his services, on the walls. All the equipment is very old school, but seems to work, and somehow has this very sympathetic feel about it. Somehow the whole thing feels like being inside one of those surreal movies, such as Amélie.
I walked back via Oxford Street, and turning the corner on to it, the throng of people was a shock to the system. It’s funny how turning one corner can change everything. Getting home was a bit of a nightmare with engineering works on most of the tube lines, and I didn’t get back until 9pm.
Regardless of that, the whole trip somehow had this calming and uplifting effect on me. You can’t say that about most trips to the dentist!
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Winter wonderland
Some more pictures of snow. Gee, it’s like I’ve never seen any before. :D This was the view from our front door yesterday.
I made a perilous trip around the corner to the local shop. Really not a good idea with my ankle. This is also where it becomes clear why snow doesn’t belong here. There’s just no infrastructure to deal with it. No gritting on pavements, no ploughing on other that a few main roads… it makes getting around pretty damn difficult.
This was the view that awaited me at the shop. It’s like the end of the world! :D They were all out of bread and eggs.
I’m still working from home today, mostly due to the combination of my sprained ankle and icy streets. Some trains are running but our train line is advising people not to travel. Hopefully tomorrow things will start getting back to normal…
Monday, 2 February 2009
Snow Day
It started snowing in the evening. I kept waking up throughout the night because of my achy ankle, and took a picture out of the window each time. It just kept on snowing.
Finally I woke up to this.
It’s weird. I’ve lived in snow for a big part of my life, but it just seems so out of place here. I think it’s because there are no snow ploughs out there doing anything about it. Everything just stops.
Originally I phoned in to ask to whether I could work from home as I couldn’t walk in the deep snow with my ankle. I soon found out that my trains and all the buses have been cancelled anyway. We’re officially snowed in it seems!
Sunday, 1 February 2009
This little life goes so fast
It’s funny. I dream of this sort of weekends where I have completely cleared my schedule and just do nothing. But every time a weekend like this gets to the Sunday I start feeling really down… like I’ve wasted time, missed opportunities, let life pass me by… Silly really.
I guess it doesn’t help that my ankle injury, instead of getting better with the rest I’ve had, seems to have gotten worse. I dragged myself to the post office yesterday and it was such a painful trip I wasn’t sure I was going to make it back! After that the ache has just gotten more and more constant an persistent, and I can’t seem to put any weight on the foot. The sun outside my window seems to tease me, of course the weather looks perfect out there just when I’m stuck inside…
I’ve been toasting my feet in my lovely new slippers. The warmth helps the pain. And the strokable softness of them makes me smile every time I look at my feet. :)
I’ve also medicated my mood with a naughty breakfast of hot chocolate and de-frosted buns from Christmas…
I did see two good films this weekend. Yesterday I finally watched The Fall, by Tarsem Singh, the director behind one of my all time visual-inspiration films The Cell. The cinematography certainly didn’t disappoint! Having been shot in 20 different countries, everything on the screen was just pure visual gluttony. And pleasingly the storyline wasn’t bad either, certainly a step up from The Cell.
Today I’ve watched Thumbsucker. The script is an adaptation of a book with an unusually honest look at us humans as intrinsically faulty, with a desire to fix ourselves and the people around us. The film boasted an impressive cast, which turned what was essentially a teen coming to age drama, into something relevant to everyone. I can’t fault any of the performances, the casting really was superb. Every word delivered was meaningful, even each and every throwaway side comment. I can thoroughly recommend this film if you want to watch something that should be depressing in revealing our limitations, but actually manages to be uplifting in delivering the message that all of us are somewhat defected. And that’s ok.
I also have to mention that yesterday I got tickets to see Rachael Yamagata in February, and today I’ve been mostly listening to her new album ‘Elephants… Teeth Sinking Into Heart’. And it. Is. Brilliant.
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Achy breaky everything
Sorry for the silence, I’ve had a bit of a manic week and weekend. Every bit of my body aches and I could do with a complete re-boot, but still, I’m happy to be doing what I’m doing.
Today I had a pre-wedding shoot with Magali and Jeff. We spent the day traipsing around in the mud on Hampstead Heath, braving the bitter wind. At least the sun made an appearance, which was nice!
I’m still in the middle of editing those pics (and should probably sleep at some point), so I’ll show you some later on.
After the shoot we went to check out their wedding venue, Burgh
House, which is also the home to a little restaurant – and possibly the cutest place you could ever find. Warm tea and soup was just what we needed.
Now I really gotta go rest my achy bones…
Monday, 5 January 2009
Rude awakening
Phew. First workday – done. It was a bit of a shock to the system to first of all wake up to a snowy and freezing London, and then get out of bed when every fibre of my body was convinced it was still night time! It was also a bit difficult to get my ‘work head’ on at first, but by mid day it all started feeling like I’d never been away… Not sure if that’s a good thing.
When we got home yesterday the flat was like a bloody igloo. We’d had the heating turned off (as it costs and arm and a leg) for the two days we were away, and of course those days were the start of the longest cold snap in London in however many decades. Today the inside conditions are starting to be a bit more humane, but last night was certainly no picnic! Oh how I miss Finnish central heating at times like these… Outside it’s a different story, I’m quite liking the cold crisp weather. Although once the snow turned into sleet and icy wind in central London I wasn’t enjoying it that much any more. :P
I’ve decided to ignore my to-do-list for tonight. So there.
Friday, 2 January 2009
Unexpected turn of events
It comes as a bit of a surprise, not least to myself, but I’m currently writing this sitting on a bed in a motel room in Cornwall! :D This morning we woke up to a serious case of end-of-holiday-angst and swiftly decided just to jump in the car and drive. The thought of no holiday until April is giving me the heebie-jeebies so it felt right to come down here for a few nights while we still had the slightest window of opportunity. The weather actually feels a lot warmer down here than in London, and tomorrow is supposed to be a sunny day. Really looking forward to spending the whole day out and about on my beloved cliff tops, camera in hand. Sometimes impulsives decisions are just the best.
Thursday, 1 January 2009
End of the year survey re:2008
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Hmm. I can’t think of anything! Ack.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolution for 08 was ‘try to be happy’. I think I failed dismally for most of the year, but there were some happy bits I suppose. For this year my resolution is to remember to see the big picture and keep working towards goals that might not be clearly in view just yet.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, there seems to be a baby boom around me again! Elisa gave birth to the gorgeous Hilla, Annis to Jules and, just before Christmas, Mirka had a little xmas princess. There’s also more to come very soon.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. But I did miss people who have passed more than usual last year.
5. What countries did you visit?
What a washout. Just Finland and Sweden.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A plan.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
25th August. Standing on a cliff top in Cornwall with my two favourite boys in the world.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finally taking the plunge and starting to charge for my photography. Also, setting up DLB.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not having enough time for friends, family or myself.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes, another bad year for illnesses. Seems like I’m down with something constantly. Also had a neck injury which was possibly the most pain I’ve ever been in.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Camera gear, especially my cute straps from PhatStraps. My darling Wind. Also, concert tickets.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Stu’s! (as always :P) Also, couldn’t have done half the things I’ve done without Paul.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I don’t know if there’s been a specific person this year. Well maybe, but I’m not mentioning any names.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Camera gear, concert tickets.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing Cat Power, Turin Brakes, Reverend and the Makers, David Gray, Sia, Matchbox Twenty, Joshua Radin, Alanis Morissette (!), Rufus Wainwright, R.E.M., Heather Nova (!), Antony & The Johnsons, Lisa Hannigan and Tracy Chapman play live in concerts. Also saw Simon Amstell and Bill Bailey live, both of whom were very very funny.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2008?
Weirdly, Apulanta – Koneeseen Kadonnut. Sign of an angsty year? :P
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEB5Ypqg34A]
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer.
Oh dear.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Socialising, relaxing, loving life, exercising.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time feeling angsty.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve at home with Stu. Christmas Day and Boxing Day with Stu’s family.
21. How did you spend New Years?
Unfortunately, after our lofty Southbank plans with Sooz, I was feeling kind of rough during the day and ended up spending the evening at home with Stu.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Not really. Well, there were those fleeting moments when I was in love with music.
23. How many one night stands?
0.
24. What were your favourite TV programmes?
Heroes, Brothers and Sisters, QI.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t think so.
26. What was the best book you read?
This is going to be embarrassing. Sophie Kinsella – Remember Me? Ooh I read it in one go, was such lovely fluff! :D
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
It’s been a very bad year for discovering new artists… just haven’t had the time to listen and find as much music as I’d normally do. Lisa Hannigan, CALLmeKAT, Brand New, Santogold, Sophie Zelmani, Tanya Donelly…
28. What did you want and get?
A new job.
29. What did you want and not get?
A new job that would have felt a step forward…
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
The Savages.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Flew to Finland on the actual day and had a lovely BBQ with friends a few days later. I turned 32.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The economy not going into a complete meltdown.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I think with DLB my focus moved a bit away from myself and more towards fashion in general. Personally I still tried to make an effort most of the time, not always so successfully.
34. What kept you sane?
Susanna. Miikka. Music.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Colin.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The end of the world as we know it. Also, Obama, couldn’t really avoid that one if you wanted to.
37. Who did you miss?
My nan. Certain people from my previous life.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Layla! What an inspiring ray of light you are.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
If you want to change the direction of your life you have to work hard, things don’t just ‘happen’.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Tiredness fuels empty thoughts
I find myself disposed
Brightness
fills empty space
In search of inspiration
Harder now with higher speed
Washing in on top of me
So I look to my eskimo friend
I look to my eskimo friend
I look to my eskimo friend
When I’m down, down, down.
Rain it wets muddy roads
I find myself exposed
Tapping doors, but irritate
In search of destination
Harder now with higher speed
Washing in on top of me
So I look to my eskimo friend
I look to my eskimo friend
I look to my eskimo friend
When I’m down, down, down.
When I’m down, down, down.
When I’m down, down, down.
Damien Rice – Eskimo
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Local tourism
We had a lovely time yesterday. It’s fun to be a tourist in your own town, it makes you take a step back and really take notice of the hustle and bustle around you. Our hotel room was pretty fancy pants as well, it was weird having huge windows looking straight out onto Shaftesbury Avenue. We spent quite a lot of time just people watching.
And of course, Bill Bailey was so much fun, I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so much.
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Holiday continuum
Well, I’m still on holiday for a week (WOO-fucken-HOO!), but today has felt a bit less so. I spent very nearly 8 hours faffing about with excel sheets (yuck), trying to figure out my wedding photography packages and prices for next year. It’s so bloody difficult trying to calculate how much you’d need to charge even to just break even, versus what kind of package would give most value to the client. Argh. I really hate this side of entrepreneurship.
Tomorrow we’re off to enjoy Stu’s birthday present. We’re spending the night at a fancy hotel near Piccadilly Circus and seeing Bill Bailey do stand up at the Gielgud Theatre. Should be a fun day!
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Christmas roundup
Christmas kicked off on Christmas Eve when we celebrated Finnish xmas at home with S. It was such a treat to be able to watch Santa’s Hotline via the miracle of the interwebs. For my generation of Finns listening to little kids phoning Santa, trying to impress him at the last minute, and make sure he’ll find the right address, is a pretty integral part of getting xmas started. And of course then there’s The Snowman, a true sign that yet another year has passed and Christmas is here.
In a fairly non-traditional fashion, I had pancakes and hot chocolate for breakfast.
On Christmas Day we headed to Essex for the English onslaught of xmas traditions. This lasted for two days, and included two different turkeys.
Such happy Christmassy faces… :D
Certain someone got an air drums set for Christmas. Much hilarity ensued.
And finally, here’s my loot. I must have been a fairly good girl this year!
