Lisbon Treaty signed

“Mr Klaus and his supporters had opposed the treaty fearing it would lead to closer European integration and give too much power to Brussels.” FT.com

“Opinion polls showed most Czechs wanted their president to sign and worried that his continued resistance was harming their country’s standing in the EU.” FT.com

Finally, the Treaty is signed! pheewww things can move on. Hopefully for a better governance of the Union. Now let’s all gather and discuss the next steps, shall we? What will happen next, now that the treaty is signed? ^^

looking for the perfect graphics tablet

In my quest for graphic tools and gadgets I have discovered the possibility of actually buying a graphic tablet, as I am learning illustrative art and design. So today I have started reading bits and pieces of reviews. Should you have any recommendations regarding the perfect tablet for drawing, I would certainly take them into considerations. help me decide what features count most and learn how tablets have changed the way graphic design is being done! :)

First of all, about.com has an article of things one should be aware of before buying a graphic tablet. I’d say a good informative read! I learned that desired size of a tablet would be 4”, 5” even 8” for home users and hobbyists. Apparently, Wacom and Aiptek are the only manufacturers known to produce wide-format graphics tablets. The pen/stylus can offer a bunch of features too. There are more things but I will not list them all now.

Before choosing a gadget it is important to check reviews and specs. A few websites that offer a bunch of reviews of graphic tables are:

• Testseek
• Graphics tablet Reviews
• Pixmania.co.uk
• Best Tablet Review

I’ve yet to learn more and discover the features that most interest me. I’m not looking for something expensive though. Wish me luck! :)

what’s begun

Today I pondered a lot on my dream: to write my novel in a cottage high up in the Swiss Alps. The actual place does not matter that much, but the wish to write and feel artistic in my own way of expressing colors and sounds with a palette of words is overwhelming. Every year I plan to write a bit more. I have started my novel – maybe few of you know that. It’s hand-written in an old notebook with yellow pages – yes! they’re already yellow. It’s rather bohemian in nature, a notebook with red covers (so it used to be) – the place where my childhood has rooted phrases in my head only to gather them all later in this very notebook.

How it all started? I would really have to ponder more :) I guess it started with a book by Mihail Sadoveanu – a famous Romanian writer. A small diary also contributed with tiny pages for the poems I was writing at the time.

It feels good to remember. It feels good to know how things begin, how memories unfold. It is also a delight when I manage to put it all together – I will, in my novel.

it’s November, start writing!

Click here to read more about this initiative.

AND

on love and friendship

Love comes from blindness, friendship from knowledge. -Bussy-Rabutin, Comte De

Love that comes from friendship though cannot be blind. Love that comes from friendship is deep and thoughtful, romantic and incredibly special; knowledge and friendship spice up love in a multitude of ways.

the need to forget

“We need to forget things before we want to remember them.”

Long-strapped from Vogue

I sincerely like long-strapped bags because I can wear them across my body and not worry that the strap slides on my shoulder. This season they’re very trendy and Vogues likes to praise the style. Read more here.

“One of the best places for this kind of bag is at a concert,” saysVogue Fashion Writer Jane Herman, who just took her little YSL pouch to a Dodos show in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “You can clap, hold a drink, and easily keep an eye on your bag.”

I do like this bag a lot! It looks comfy, simple, special and matches my style.

Friday Fill-Ins

A weekly meme hosted by Janet at Friday Fill-Ins

1. The crickets sing, winter is coming.

2. I am thinking of you, wherever you are.

3. I want to get far away from the noise and pollution.

4. Learning to play the guitar; this was a dream.

5. But as for me I am not always so cheerful as people believe me to be.

6. Many people want to know where I come from, because they believe I am of Hispanic origin.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a lovely walk in the park, tomorrow my plans include conference with my friend from Guatemala and a lot of work on my thesis and Sunday, I want to visit my grandma!

what I’ve been up to this fall

Maybe many of my friends and acquaintances have been wandering. I have kept many in the dark about details or flashes of stories. I’ve been enjoying fall, though under a circumspect load of actions on my part, incessant ideas and longing for new adventures abroad. I’m getting along with my thesis and it’s going great. I’m also working at the same time on an EU Project.

And for some extra dose of novelties:

• traveled to the mountains in August

• got a Google Wave account ! the preview is quite good, there’s lots to learn about waving ;)
• got a netbook which I’m enjoying a lot

my new netbook

• worked in the garden and hand picked my fave veggies

• rediscovered autumn delights

walnuts, corn, my grandma's chickens and leafy trees

• fell in love with interior design and I wonder why I haven’t done some design and creative studies for a change
• sort of planned winter holidays (but there are details to sort out)
• traveled to Budapest for Balazs’ graduation: read more here.
• have been drinking more coffee than I used to (I’m not proud)
• have checked Facebook more often, since most of my friends are abroad and reachable this way
• have had a couple of interviews for next year and there are more to come, but focusing more on thesis now and the EU project I’m working on
• reread Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen ^^
• rediscovered a special online community –> takingITglobal

direction of sense

Surprisingly so, I secretly didn’t want to go to Norway for one year. It would have been totally against my/our sought-out plans. It might have indeed complicated matters and have led to a development of novel situations and exceedingly unnerving feelings. I’m not going there. And it is good to know and get my mind off things, except for those pointing me to BXL.

It’s settled. Life works when it points out the road in an old fashioned way and pokes you in the shoulder to get your attention. To me it says: “you’re on for a great adventure to BXL, the city you wanted in the first place. So, you’d better find a way to get there fast, as there’s nothing else to stop you now”.

Yes, life can be direct and can give me long speeches too.

[my] dress

I call it MINE.

It is a beautiful Ann Taylor dress, with simple folds and stylish appearance. And oh the color. I got it in my reader feed from a website called The bridal wishlist. But this is dress can be perfectly suited for let’s say a New Year’s party.

Dress by Ann Taylor/ via The Bridal Wishlist

I love it. I had to post it here and hear your thoughts.

And it is official: if/when I get it I have my personal photographer for the photo shoot. YAY

Now.. who wants to get this for me as a present?