Expression

I’ve been thinking - perhaps due to my recent reading of Stephen Fry’s The Liar - about the crossing-over of words between languages. Words like schadenfreude (deriving pleasure from the misfortune of others) and zeitgeist (“the spirit of the times/age”). Words that perfectly encapsulate an idea or a feeling in such a way that they are irreplaceable; no translation necessary.

There are also a number of French words that cross over into English, German, and beyond. Phrases like c’est la vie, je ne sais quoi, and faux pas, and the Italian prima donna. Classics, clichés, and - on the whole - often misspelled. They are ubiquitous in speech yet avoided in type.

I have also been thinking about people who are able to express things in ways that I could never imagine. People with brilliant ideas which they articulate with style. For example...

i live here: SF
A photography project with the aim to, “share the spirit and fascinating layers of this city through the words and faces of those who live here”. It’s like iheartstrangers, but the stories are written by the subject and share their love for the city that calls itself The City. The creator, Julie Michelle, also runs this fantastic personal blog.

Raptitude
David Cain's project for "getting better at being human" is an endless stream of questions. Questions you've asked and never had answered. Questions you ask yourself on a day-to-day basis, but never explore or resolve. Questions you've never even thought of before. Raptitude baffles me daily, often in ways that make me want to close my browser and forget I ever read his words for fear that I will someday have to come face-to-face with my own thoughts. It's pretty invigorating, and a worthwhile challenge.

Keegan Gibbs
A simple photoblog that captures life in a way that I have always wished I could.

The Art of Non-Conformity
Chris Guillebeau is a man who grabs life by the balls. His tenacity knows no bounds, and he doles out advice and encouragement to help others join him in blazing their own trails. It's difficult not to listen to the man who is building an empire, running a marathon each year, and is well on his way to visiting every country in the world before his 35th birthday.

What words are most expressive to you? Is there someone whose creativity you admire?

'Til next time,
Nicola x

[Photo by Julie Michelle.]

Are You Aware of ME?

Earlier this week, I read this honest and touching collaborative blog post from Daisy Hill and Scott Jordan Harris at Touching From a Distance.

M.E., also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), is a debilitating condition that causes severe and persistent fatigue, headaches, pain, and cognitive difficulties. This is Daisy's video, giving a bit of a description.




At a minimum, M.E. tends to last around 6 months, but can persist for years. The cause is unknown, and there is no known reliable treatment or cure.

M.E. Awareness Week is important to me because my mother has suffered from M.E. for about 13 years now. I was only 9 when the symptoms began, and it was difficult to understand why she had such trouble doing day-to-day tasks and was sleeping all the time. Since I was so young, it because normal to me, I suppose, and I learned to do a lot of things for myself from a young age. Nowadays she is far more adept at handling her symptoms and balancing her day. Over-exertion tends to be a culprit, as it can take a long time to recover from one particularly busy day.

It is not impossible to recover from M.E., but the best many can hope for is improvement. An uncle and a friend of mine have also been affected by M.E. during their lives, and have been able to improve. These are all people who you can help

If you would like to get involved or raise awareness yourself, there are some excellent resources here, here, and here.

Have you, or anyone you know been affected by M.E.?

Until Monday,
Nicola x

[Image from weheartit.]

An Update

Greetings! How are you?

Firstly, I wrote an incredibly silly article for Geeks.co.uk - have a wee look!

I am in Scotland and the sun is shining! Huzzah. It is like a whole new place when the clouds part and we can stop hiding beneath our umbrellas. I always forget how beautiful Glasgow is when the sun is out and the sky is clear and everybody is smiling. Okay, let's not kid ourselves, but they are grumbling significantly less!

So tihs is basically a quick update post. My undisciplined days are coming to an end, and I've decided to commit to a posting schedule. Between here and my film blog, Uncultured Critic, I'm going to post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. This week, I'll be posting here on Tuesday and Friday, and at UC on Monday and Thursday. Naturally, I won't be limiting myself to 2 posts per week, but I decided not to go with a static schedule because every second post would be Things I Love Thursday. Where is the fun in that?!

As always, if you have any comments, suggestions, or ideas for something fun and collaborative, give me a shout!

'Til Friday,
Nicola x

[Image by meppol.]

BEDA #30: The End

A month has passed and gosh, it went by quickly! The upside is that I no longer have to worry about scheduling posts around my flights and relocation back to Scotland. Thinking back on the fact that I had originally intended to leave this fine state on the TWELFTH of April is kind of ridiculous. But I like it. A lot.

So, success! This is post number 29. It should have been 30, but I missed day two. Let's go ahead and pretend that didn't happen. There was no way I could have found internet access that day. The process wasn't as difficult I had anticipated, the themes were fun, and reading everyone else's blogs makes it much easier to sustain momentum. Thank you, BEDA Buddies, for making it another fun year! Thanks also to everyone who has commented, I appreciate your input more than you know! I hope you've enjoyed reading these posts as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

The "Official" BEDA is scheduled for August this year - whether or not I will participate is yet to be decided. Who knows what I'll be getting up to by then.

And now, back to your irregularly scheduled programming...

'Til next time,
Nicola x