Thanks mum and dad for sending me the kaviar.  I’ve been eating off it for weeks now. Glorious! English people don’t seem to like it though. Judging by the look on their faces. :D

I am really lagging when it comes to updating my blog at the moment. Mostly due to the fact that I have so much to do at Uni (as usual). Remember that presentation that I was so nervous over? Well, I did it. And it went fantastically. I followed some tips that Tom had given me earlier and I found that I rapidly became more confident.

One of them is: Deep and slow breathing. If you are short of breath, you can’t speak. Don’t stress it.

Other is: Don’t clutch the paper with both hands. Leave one hand free to have by your side.

And: Write bulletpoints, not an entire essay. If you just read off the paper you might as well  give it to the audience because there’s no point.

And my own tip: Smile. Not a joke. I’ve noticed that if I smile, I instantly get a lot calmer. Heard somewhere that smiling sends signals to the brain that we are happy and calm. Might be complete  bullshit, but it worked for me.

I was talking about the female Disney villains. I went last as the others spoke about the goodies first. While the others were speaking I noticed that my hand holding the paper was shaking, so I rested it against the computer that was on the side of the stage (the computer was needed to show pictures and slideshows etc). Then it was my turn. The room was filled with people and two teachers who were marking us. I began talking and found myself getting more and more confident.  People were laughing when I said things in a joking manner, they were interested in what I had to say and one of them had to ask me something in the middle of the speech, even though the question and answer time was afterwards. When the question and answer time came up, I got tons of questions, both from the audience and the teachers. Even after the speech I was approached by a friend who was agreeing with me on several points etc.

It was awesome. …  o_o

I felt so proud, but tried not to show it too much. It was my first English presentation in front of so many people that went well. I had another one the week before about my Illustration project, but that was only in front of the class (30 people).

I think that the more you are forced to do it, the more you get used to it and relax.

“Mmm?”

“You are Swedish right?”

“Yeah, Why?”

“Is it a Swedish custom to wrap yourselves up in a blanket outside?”

“Well… If it’s cold, it is lovely to snuggle up in a blanket!”

“Try to make an Englishman do the same…”

This mornings random conversation at the outdoor coffeeshop while I was waiting for the bus. It is located in the very centre of time by the major busstops, so you are basically sitting with traffic on both sides of you. They have chairs and tables outside the little coffee place where I always sit down and read the morning Metro while sipping on my Mocha. It has been a morning ritual for the past months or so. The Coffee people know exactly what I want and make it ready before I even arrive there. This morning Chris saw me from far away walking towards the coffee shop and made exaggerated gestures with an empty coffee mug, asking me if I wanted it ready made. He’s really funny. :D

He also calls me ‘Miss Gun’ after my second name.

Other random quotes from the last few days.

“How’s the boyfriend?”

“He’s fine and cute and all that. Why?”

“Damn. Because I want to marry you.”

“O_o”

————

“Aw Jen, you’re so quiet when you put your headphones on.”

“It’s because I go into work-mode.”

“Which is good! But…”

—————-

“You’ve got lots of energy! Well done!”

:DDDDD

That was from my new dancing teacher.

Yes you heard right.

DANCING TEACHER.

I’ve started taking tradititional African pan dancing classes.

The music is AWESOME. The moves are AWESOME.

My legs are still mush.

———–

Today I’ve got a presentation in front of tons of people. Down on a stage thingey. I’m nervous just by writing that. I can’t do presentations in English. I get a mind blackout and just go: “uuuuuh….”

I will be talking about the evil disney female villains. I’m gonna die. … :/

———-

Had my Illustration presentation two days ago. It actually went really well and I was really happy with it. The entire class giggled and chuckled as I pronounced the sayings in Swedish. (We were doing a project on idioms.)
I couldn’t help but smile myself. They find my language so funny for some reason. :P

———
Stomach is all tied up and crampy. I’m so nervous before the presentation. I’ve heard you will get grilled up there.

…. Mommy.

Have to work work work today to make the deadline for Monday morning. Won’t be able to work much during the weekend due to italian people coming here O_o

Took a break and speed painted my character.

CSN money is here! Oh baybeh! 60,000 kronor for meeee~~

Laaadiiidaa~~

*dances*

Off with all the stress about rent and sheit. Finally one can relax. Bless the Swedish Educational system.

Bought the comic Auschwitz yesterday with the help of Neil. Forgot to write that earlier I think :D It is fantastic and gruesome and gloomy and original and… Gaaah.

Abby (My illustration teacher) also showed me another artist who does dark and menacing stuff, since I needed it for my final pieces. Away with the cute shit and lets try something different! Anyway. This artist does printing, painting and makes sculptures out of different material. She even uses real teeth from the dentist…. It is so freaky. She also has a thing for beheading stuff.

Sheesh. o_O

Watched the three first episodes of “Jamie’s School Dinners” yesterday with Tom. I never realized that British schools were that horrible with food. There were kids who had no idea what a leek was. When he held it up in front of them, they thought it was an onion. … Some of them had never had salad before in their entire life. I mean, SHIT. WHAT THE HECK ARE THE PARENTS DOING? O_O There is also a common health problem among school kids as young as 5. They basically get so much fat, sugar, salt and processed food crap in them that it clogs the intestines up and makes them unable to poo. So where does all this poo go then? Out their mouths.

They vomit shit.

I was feeling sick while listening to the doctor on the program.

oops. Too much writing, too little getting-ready-and-leaving-the-house-to-go-to-the-goddamned-bank-AGAIN-to-stop-them-from-closing-my-account.

Yet again life is too busy. Way too busy, but I am feeling strangely calm.

Illness is almost gone. Only having coughing fits now and then, but otherwise I’m perfectly fine.

Painting and drawing for my final pieces in Illustration. I should be stressed, but I’m not.

Doing research on my public presentation on female disney villains. I should be nervous, but I’m not. Public speaking is NOT my thing. I may be loud and all that, but when it comes to having 4783947385 people watching you… It all gets very tense. Especially in a foreign language. Will ask Tom if I can practice in front of him or something.

Tomorrow I am going to El’s place to have an allnighter of art and chinese food. I’m such a leecher! But I will bring food of my own as well. Got Swedish Kaviar here :D Thanks mum and dad! Also bringing my Swedish candy. Salty. Yummm. Aaaaand bringing the tea! Looking forward to it.

The day after that I need to go to the comic forum and ask one of the guys there about a few scripts that I was going to be given for the next project. Also need to check if the other comic is up on the shelves yet.

The day after that I really need to finish my project stuff and put it up in the studio. Also need to continue the forum RP with pictures!

Need to clean the house.

…. No breaks here yet. Blrahjrhjgdf.

Will try to actually get time to scan some of my latest work though. Tried doing some very strange sheit. o_O

Oh, and I’ve taken up WoW again on my spare time. It serves as some form of relaxation to just brainlessly level. Maybe that’s why I’m so calm lately? My stress disappears while playing WoW? No, let’s not give that game too much credit. :P

Will end this post with a quote from my classmate Naomi.

“Jen, you’re the fastest talking person I know.” On me being high on caffeine and explaining my paintings to a new friend of mine named Dan. He’s really nice. I made him eat salty candy. He made faces.

8D

I haven’t written here in a long time (a week? More?) and I thought I’d tell you why.

First of all. I’ve been sick since christmas and I’m still not well. Today is my first day of Uni and I’ve still got my cough/throat pain/fever/cold. When I got home from Sweden I had about one week to finish three projects. Something I knew would be impossible to do well. It didn’t really help that I had to go rest constantly due to illness. My immune system is pathetic!

I couldn’t focus on my projects when I got home because we were going to have a newyears party here… And we had no furniture… So the following two days, me and Tom went out furniture hunting. In the end we got lotsa beanbags, cushions and a futon. The newyears party was fantastic. Calm, relaxed and very very nice.

Day after I couldn’t work either due to Tim staying over. We had long discussions about religion and lots of other things. For an entire day. O_o Tim is one of the nicest people I’ve met here. He’s infact so nice that he is a bit afraid of offending others during discussions, which can make him switch his views around completely. :P

So! The day after THAT I was FINALLY able to start working. And that’s what I’ve been doing, non stop until this very day. I had a brief pause a few days ago when we hade a PnP RP session here and I also went out to town to buy games with Tom on Saturday… But otherwise I’ve pretty much been staying inside, coughing my lungs out and trying to focus on my work.

As expected I have only finished the one I really need to finish. If I fail this one, they kick me off the course.

I’ve been so stressed I’ve found myself walking around aimlessly in the house, not really doing anything. Restless to the extreme. o_o
Today I am feeling a tad better though. The illness isn’t a bit better, but I am personally very happy to return to Uni and I actually can’t wait to get there.

Future posts shall be without so much Emo! I just needed to get the frustration out somewhere and Tom almost jumped out the window upon hearing my whines, hour after hour after hour :D