Salamanca

I really love my hometown. It's one of the most beautiful and friendly cities I know. It's full of nice independent coffee shops and great tapas restaurants. There are historical buildings everywhere you look, and a story in every corner.

Even The Independent UK thinks so.

A meaningful 2010

So, after looking back at 2009 here and in my previous post, what's left for 2010? Surprisingly, not resolutions (if you don't count the ones that I'm keeping from last year), but a single word that will hopefully carry me through the year.

The truth is that I've been having problems expressing exactly what I want to accomplish in 2010. I guess it feels like such an important year (probably, because I'll be getting married in August!), and it's a bit overwhelming. And so I have started multiple resolutions lists, both as drafts in this blog and in my journal, but none of them felt right. Until a single word popped into my head and I realized that it really encapsulated what I want 2010 to be: Meaningful.

Now, I've seen people around the blogosphere choosing their own words at the beginning of the year. I think it all started with Ali Edwards who has chosen a word for each year since 2007. Last month, Christine Kane hosted a Word of the Year month in her blog, in which several people revealed what their word for 2010 was.

But I really wasn't looking for a word myself. However, once it came into my head, I knew that I should use it instead of a list of resolutions this year. Because meaningful really is what all the thoughts in my head are about. It's not about spending less time online, it's about making the time I do spend here meaningful, visiting inspiring places, connecting with creative souls and not just jumping from one website to the other. It's not about buying less, it's about thinking carefully about what I need and want, and buying only those things that will make me happy for a long time. It's not about reading all the books in all the lists of books to read before you die, it's about reading those that mean something because they teach me something, or simply make me laugh, if that's what I need. It's not about going through an uncluttering phase and getting rid of stuff, it's about keeping and living with those things that are beautiful, useful or special. And it's definitely not about organizing a party for our wedding, it's about creating a day that is special for us, our families and friends and that we'll remember for ever.

It's about living a meaningful life, savouring each moment, reflecting on each decision. Giving meaning to every day.

Looking back

I love the days between Christmas and New Year. A slow time to recover from the Christmas excesses. A quiet time to reflect on the year that has almost passed. An exciting time to dream about what's to come. And, yes, a time for resolutions. I love resolutions, thinking about what I want to achieve in the months to come and what I want to concentrate on. I enjoy sitting down and spending some time making plans for the year ahead. I always start looking back at the resolutions made the previous year, because my new resolutions normally evolve from those. I also think about those resolutions I didn't keep and reflect on why and whether I want to try again this year or maybe it's time to let go of something I'm not really meant to do. This year, as I told you about all my resolutions for 2009 in the blog, it was a lot easier to look back. A year ago, I promised that I would:

• Write more: I'm feeling a bit bittersweet about this one, the resolution that appears in my list every year (and that must mean something). I've written more often, I've started several short stories, I've thought about plots and topics for potential books... but I don't feel I've done as much as I hoped. I certainly haven't managed to write every day, and I still haven't finished any of my stories. During the year, however, I took a writing class for the first time and went on a writing retreat, I collaborated with Discounderwold, and I definitely step out of my comfort zone with my writing. So, for next year, I want to continue challenging myself and I'll come up with specific targets for my writing (I'm thinking at least a short story and a non-fiction article every month), and I'll be trying again to write something every day.

• Take more photos: I feel I've achieved this one. At the beginning of the year I knew I enjoyed taking photos but I really didn't know much about photography. My blog camp girls, and specially Julie and Kristina with their passion, and Spud with her Camera Club have inspired me to think more about photography as art, composition, and even aperture! I definitely want to continue with this one, and I have several ideas for fun photography projects for 2010. I've also decided to participate in the 365 photo project that Julie has started in Flickr. I know it's going to be challenging, but I'm looking forward to it! Also, I got a a Diana F + for Christmas and I can't wait to start playing with it! The boyfriend and I are going on a photography expedition this weekend!
  

• Decorate my own house: This is a difficult one. Yes, I bought a house, but I bought it in the wrong country! My boyfriend and I bought a flat in Spain and spent the week before Christmas getting it ready to rent it out in the New Year. So, yes, I'm proud to own my first house, and I enjoyed trying to make the most of it on a budget, but I haven't been decorating the house for myself and it was a bit sad knowing that we won't be able to enjoy living there any time soon.
  

• Would do more crafts, specially sewing and knitting: I'm not sure about this one... I certainly tried and learned how to sew a bag, a purse, a skirt... I took a course on bookbinding and loved it and I've been trying to do more things with my hands. But I think I was pushing myself too much with this one, and I'm going to relax a little bit. I want to continue learning and experimenting, but I need to realize that not everything I make would be perfect, specially not the first time that I attempt something!
  

Uff, do you think that was too much? There was also the reading challenge that I didn't keep, the think before you buy challenge that I loved, my vow to not read the news, and a lot of thinking about my 5 rules for life, which can be considered resolutions for life.

What's left for 2010? Stay tuned... :)

Merry Christmas!!

white snow flake, originally uploaded by micamica.

The boy and I are leaving for the airport in a minute. The snow has been causing havoc here in England, but that's not going to stop me from spending Christmas at home in Spain!
I hope you all have a lovely holiday! I'll see you here before the New Year. It's New Year's resolution time and you know I love it (See here, here, here, here and here)!

My Glee obsession

I've recently discovered Glee! How did it take me so long? My two guilty pleasures (musicals and high school dramas) combined into a TV series that is also clever, witty and lots of fun!
The perfect antidote for those winter, rainy evenings...

This year... and the next!

Hello, hello! Well, look at that! It's almost Christmas... Can I use that as an excuse for not having blogged in three weeks? No? How about my engagement? No? Surely, if I tell you that the wedding planning has started you'll understand why I haven't had much time...

I know, all lame excuses! But I'm here now. I'm here to stay. How could I not when there are so many friends reading and congratulating us in our engagement! Thank you so much to everyone who commented in my post. It's amazing to think about this bloggy community of ours, where we make new friends that then share with us so many important moments.

Yes, I'm in a reflective mood, as always at the end of a year.  I've been thinking back to what this 2009 has been like. I keep referring to 2009 as a "bad year", but that actually couldn't be further from the truth. It didn't start well, it's true. We came back from our amazing trip in South America at the end of 2008, and so 2009 was the year we came back to rainy England, the year we went back to work, the year Jon and I missed the freedom of traveling, spending time together, visiting amazing places, making new friends and doing something for others...

But of course, 2009 was also the year I turned 30 and had an amazing party, started to take blogging more seriously, made new friends and participated in the very first Blog Camp (as well as the version 2.1 in England, and we're planning the third one for January 2010). This was the year I bought my first property with my boyfriend (now fiance!), the year I got a new, much better job, and of course, the year I got engaged. Not bad, right?


So what's left for 2010? First of all, a wedding! We are planing to get married next summer. It's going to be exciting! And stressful! How do you plan a wedding in a little over six months and in a country different to the one you live in? We're about to find out! I'll try not to make this blog a wedding blog but I'll be showing you some of our ideas from time to time, if  you don't mind.

And a honeymoon! We're not planning anything extravagant, just a beautiful place where we can relax and be together. For the first time when planning a trip, our priority is not to see and do as much as we can, but to spend time doing nothing together. Any ideas for wonderful locations in Europe? Not Spain or England, please!

We're engaged!!!!

So, I wasn't feeling great the other day, I had a cold, I was tired, and I just wanted to go home.... The boyfriend, however, had other ideas. He insisted we went for dinner, as we had planned. I thought it was weird, since he's the one always telling me to slow down when I'm not feeling well. Turns out, he had a reason... and a plan!
He took me for a small picnic in the same spot in the park where we had our first kiss. And halfway through it, he went down on one knee and took a small box out of his bag. Now, I'd love to say that I was elegant and composed while he said his bit, but all I did was shriek "A box, a box, a box..." He was very nervous but was incredibly sweet despite my shrieking. I guess he knows by now what he's getting himself into!
Once I said yes (Of course!), we could both relax. He had planned an amazing evening with dinner at one of my favourite restaurants in Oxford, The Old Parsonage, and a performance of Giselle, by The English National Ballet.  The performance was amazing, but truth to be told, I may have spent more time looking at my ring than at the stage.

It was thoughtful, it was romantic, it was perfect. I can't wait to start this new chapter of our lives together. Jon, I love you and of course I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

Simple things

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
Robert Breault

iPhone Photo by boyfriend

Christina has invited us to celebrate the simple things in life that make us happy.

These are some of mine...

* Breakfast in bed

* Arriving home right before it starts raining

* Listening to an old song on the radio and be instantly transported to that summer 

* Painting your nails pink and feeling instantly fabulous

* Reading a blog post and realized that someone has put your exact same thoughts in writing for you to understand

* Chocolate.

* An unexpected call from a friend

What simple things are making you happy? 

For a first round of my simple things, go here. See if you can spot the one that I've mentioned again today!

An Education

"I feel old, but I don't feel wise.", Jenny in An Education

Oh, to have a picnic by the Seine...

I have just seen the beautiful film An Education and I highly recommend that you go and see it as soon as you can. It's the story of 16-year-old Jenny, who falls in love with an older, mysterious guy. It's the story of David, who sees everything as if for the first time when he's with Jenny, but hides a secret. It's the story of Jenny's parents, who try their best but make mistakes. It's the story of London and England before the sixties really started. It's a coming of age story, it's a love story, it's a social portrait of a time before modernity.

The story is beautifully shot and incredibly well acted. I liked every character (even those we weren't supposed to like), because the actors managed to make them all real, with their strengths and flaws. There is no doubt that Carey Mulligan's Jenny carries the film. She has already been compared by many to Audrey Hepburn. And she may very well be my new girl crush!

Photo by Sew Fab Martha in Flickr

I hope you had a wonderful Halloween weekend! I've never before been excited about this celebration but I absolutely loved it this year. We now live in a neighbourhood with lots of young families and many of them went trick or treating with their children. And for the first time, we didn't go to a Halloween party and at the last minute, decided to stay home to give sweets to the children. Who knew it'd be so much fun! The neighbours next door had an amazing Halloween party that included fireworks! The children loved it! I'm already planning my very own Halloween party for next year!
I'm off to enjoy some pumpkin soup now...