Mr Awesome- Neil Pasricha

If I were to be asked: "What is The Most Awesome Blog on your daily readings list?" I would say 1000 Awesome Things by Neil Pasricha without any doubt.
Neil has taught me that the ability to notice small awesome things, which we oh so often take for granted, is like riding a bike- you will never forget it for good. As the saying goes. Can't really tell. Don't know how to ride a bike. I used to focus on the bigger picture and because of that I didn't really see the little details. And then I randomly ran into Neil's blog. I'm beginning to question whether it was a coincidence or not. For me the blog vas vital and so I was ment to find it. But this is a nother story. And I "hopped once again onto the bike of noticing".
What I really wanted to post about is his second book: "Book of (even more) awesome". I just read 20 pages of it here and it was full of electrifying positivness. I already have the first book and I am thinking about getting the new one too. I love the way he writes, love his humour, love the fact that he is by day an office worker and by night the Superman of Awsome, love his courage to write truly honest pieces and share them with the rest of the world. He is truly an inspiration.
Thank you Neil for everything you have given me, us, everyone.

Fashion illustrations by Cecilia Carlstedt

More for the curious ones: Cecilia Carlstedt

Letters to a ±5 year old me

A letter to a 13 year old me

Dear Jaana,

Right now you are probably lying in bed thinking how awful everything is. Don't worry, darling, as everything is going to get more awful. No, just kidding. As you can read your jokes aren't going to get any better. Humor passes you in a circle. That is actually the only bad news I have for you. I am actually writing to comfort you by saying that you're going to be just fine.

I have a few recommendations for you. Firstly, please don't worry too much about the way you look. I don't understand why all you want is to look like that everyday modelesque beauty, because you are far from a typical young girl. Being unusual is a-ok. You will soon begin to realise it. And don't let others get you down if they see you as little overweight. Trust me, you will grow out of it a little, but not out of your curves (yeah). Don't be obsessed about your size, it just lowers your self-esteem, and enjoy life! And as your future favourite writer said: "Live from the inside to the outside. Instead of living from the outside to inside."

Secondly, love yourself as you deserve it. Another person besides you can't help you feel better about yourself. So what if all your friends are dating. Psychologists say that it's not good for a person to start a relationship at a young age. Cha-Ching.

Thirdly, try as many things that interest you as possible. Well not all of them, stick to the healthier ones, please. If you keep hiding in your four walls you will just end up regretting not going for your desires. The more you do, the more confident you 'll get. And don't be such a scarebaby. Of course the world is a scary place and the more you live the scarier it gets, but think of all the great things you will miss out on if you concenrate on what bad could happen.

Allow yourself to be happy, because the only person standing in your way is you. Don't loose the skill to amaze. In the future you will realise that the ability to see the world through a childs' eyes as a grown-up is the quality you will cherish the most. Don't take anything for granted- live moments to the fullest and express how much you treasure the people around you.

You are AWESOME! Just try to remember that.

XX Love Jane

A letter to a 23 year old me

Dear Jane,

I can't express in words how lucky I am to have won the lottery, where the grand prize was living in your shoes. Half because you have a life to envy and the other half because you wear to die for killer heels. I always knew you had great taste in shoes.

I can't really predict where you are right now, but I am confident to say that you are happy because you are on the right path to success. Whatever that last word means to you now. I also know that you live in a place, which at the moment I am searching for, where you feel you belong and what inspires you everyday. I hope you have the motivation to be the best you can daily and you are surrounded with loving people.

While you are reading this petit letter I hope that you think back on me with a smile. I expect you to maintain a little craziness in you so you could write a letter to a 28 year old me.

All the best to you. You are FAWESOME!

PS: I hope that you have by now crossed out a few of thing on your list (You better have).

XX Love Jane

I wanted to post this on my birthday on Tuesday as a present to myself, but I didn't manage to as my flight from London arrived late.

Praeterea

Obsession? Yes

I wasn't really impressed with her single but when I saw this on Saturday Night Live I was in all awe. It was the perfect combination of old and new sounds. I love the scatting in the second part. Her voice is truly out of this world.

Strangely, after having heard Jessie J's song about a few dozen times, the song that started to haunt me was En Vogue's "Free your mind".

A while ago I found an awsome artist who makes Scanner art. Of course I had to try it out myself. I have a total of 3 photoseries, a little less than 200 pictures, and every time I find new ways on how to approach this art form. Honestly, you can never get enough of scannerfun. May I present to you the creme de la creme of my collection.

With Heleri:

Then we discovered movement pictures:

From Evelin:

"Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with a particular fact or reality, or being in accord with the body of real things, real events or actualities. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common archaic usage it also meant constancy or sincerity in action or character. The direct opposite of truth is "falsehood", which can correspondingly take logical, factual or ethical meanings." via Wikipedia

On a strange note today, I was asked two times "Why do you spoil everything?" And by spoiling they ment telling the truth. I am left believing that truth is something unmagical, so-so-realistic, dull, uninspiring, etc.
Why? Truth can be interesting. And this comes from a person who always thinks that reality is sooo overrrated. It still is, most of the time. Is it then better to live in fiction knowing it's fiction than to live in fiction knowing it is reality? I can't really remember why I'm saying this, but I somehow know it was important.

Bodies

I was hoping a lot more out of this, but still have to say that Cee Lo, Janelle and Uncle Karl make an awesome dessert.

Obsession for making lists

I found an artist named Candy Chang, who is a public installation artist, designer, urban planner, and co-founder of Civic Center who likes to make cities more comfortable for people. Her project "Before I die..." made me think about the the most important things in my life in the present day as well as in the future. Where I stand now and where I want to stand?

Back to her project. Candy turned the side of an abandoned house in her neighborhood into a giant chalkboard where residents could fill in the blank.

"It’s also about turning a neglected space into a constructive one where we can learn the hopes and aspirations of the people around us"

         

  

  

  

I loved her idea and I thought about making my own list of "Before I die..", but then I remembered that I already have one with quite a few activities. I'm one of these what you call a list-person. I make them for every occasion as I'm 75% of my day forgetful so I have to write ideas and chores down in order to get them done.

My next thought was "Why to make lists that will only be lists?". Maybe the reason that I don't have to cross out anything on my list is that I compose them instead of acting. Maybe. One thing is sure, I'm soooo close to crossing one out...

Then the Universe sent me one of the best wishes over a long time:
First, choose from the options that thrill you.
Then, choose the ones that also teach you.
And from these, Jaana, choose the scariest.
Butterflies in your tummy are good,
    The Universe
Thank you the Universe. First Candy, then the Universe. A coincidense? I believe not.

What would you write if the chalk was in your hands? Please pick the blue one...

Alexander McQueen Fall 2011 not so much Ready-to-Wear but more Couture

If Leonardo da Vinci had reborn as a woman he would take the form of Mona Lisa. If Alexander McQueen had reborn as a woman he would take the form of Sarah Burton. And indeed Lee has reborn.
Sarah Burton has once more proven to be the one and only heiress for McQueen's legacy. The feminine side of Sarah gives the whole collection a new dimension of softness and elegance, which is something new in the McQueen fashion house, but at the same time it has Lee's hardness and royalness. The combination embodies absolute perfectness.

I am curious to see where can Sarah take the Master's inheritance. Although I am already in love with here design.

This mosaic is made out of porcelain plate pieces. Amazing.

Rumour has it that Kate Middleton will book Sarah to design her wedding gown. If you won't marry in one of those dresses, Kate, then I will. Be calm, my heart.

The hairstyle was also very avant garde. The total amount of hair-clips needed for all the models: 6000.

Can you believe these shoes? I still can't.