Happy new year! :)

Just wanted to wish you all a very happy new year full of love & laughter :)

thank you for checking out my random and endless banter throughout 2009 :)

Have a good evening ... and be safe! Let the guys at the Emergency Dept at Mater Dei have a quiet and peaceful evening ;)

xoxoxoxoxo

i'm a hooker and i'm gonna do rapunzel

I know I know, it's such a childish title, but I came up with it a while ago and I honestly didn't want to pass it up.

Each time I start a new project or buy some new yarn, I always say that this time round I will write a post about it. Well, as you can clearly see I have barely brushed on the fact that I crochet in my whole blog!

I've taught myself this craft over the internet ... thankfully there are a lot of generous souls out there who have posted a lot of tutorials :) I will compile a list of helpful websites in another post some other time.

So I've cleared the "hooker" bit (if you haven't got it yet, the main tool crocheters use is a hook). Now on to the Rapunzel bit.

Meet Rapunzel ...



no not the girl! the top!


It's been created by Aoibhe Ni Shuilleabhain (you can find her here and here) and it's suggested yarn is Sublime Kid Mohair. Now, I'm not a girl who spends a looot of money on yarn, but I decided that for once I was going to use the same yarn that is mentioned in the pattern because I was totally head over heels in love with the design and didn't want anything to go wrong, so I bought it from English Yarns ... taking little notice that there was a nice insert on the side which gave you 3 options - save, spend, splurge. Yes, you've guessed right, the Sublime is the "splurge" option, arrrrggghhh!! But, to be honest I'm not regretting my purchase, honestly!

Anyway, I was super excited when I received the yarn, but I had some other ongoing projects and I didn't want to have another thing going on. I've earmarked this project for quite a long time, but I postponed it a bit because I was super afraid of using this kind of yarn. It had to many bits flying about and looked quite fragile, and I absolutely didn't want to ruin it for 2 main reasons - it's price, and the limited amount of quantity there is for this colour, so I left it to the side for some time.

In the meantime I got more yarn, worked on other projects, until I discovered that Tal-Lira (the Maltese version of the dollar store) sold yarn (!!!!!). Nothing special and no variety, just one thing, but a few colour options. It's a 100% acrylic yarn, but it had a very similar feel to the Sublime one (no, I'm in no way trying to offend the kid mohair!) - feels fragile and it looks fray-ey. I've done a whole shawl with this yarn (will feature in another post), and it gave me enough confidence and insight to be able to use mohair without ruining it.

So earlier this month I finally starting working on it, but halfway through the front half I noticed that there was something wrong ... it was far too big. I actually did do a small swatch, but as usual I didn't care much of the results. (I know! I should be ashamed of myself!) I was reaaaaally frustrated, and couldn't even frog it (it gets tangled up) but my mum offered to do the frogging for me. After a lot of grumbling and refusal from my side I conceded and she did it ... what took me only a few hours to wip up (let say around 5), it took her over 8 hours to frog, such is the nature of mohair. I tried to swatch again but I still couldn't meet the gauge and at this point I was really frustrated and disappointed, so much so I barely crocheted anything else - just a headband and a monster pouch.

Anyway, yesterday I went to the yarn shop and got some yarn to get some other projects done (and in a way to motivate myself to start crocheting again) and today, while I was browsing some patterns on Ravelry, I stumbled on the Inside Crochet discussion board. I half-heartedly went through the topics to check if there was anything about Rapunzel, and in fact there was one! And amidst questions and discussions about yarn and hook sizes there was this question which has proved to be a gem:

I have a friend at the yarn shop that wants to make your design and we were wondering if the DC is a British DC or an American DC.

Suddenly everything made sense! How could I NOT have thought about that!!! This is a pattern taken from a British magazine, and I was thinking of it in American terms!! Aaaaaaaaa!!!! I couldn't believe that it didn't occur to me, and it was such a great aha moment that I felt almost euphoric!

I'm still a bit afraid of starting it all over, but this time I will swatch and I will make sure that it comes out right. So yes, I'm a hooker and I'm gonna do Rapunzel (take 2) ... I will keep you posted on the progress of it :)

As mentioned at the beginning of the post, I will also blog about the new yarn I've bought, and in the future I will post pictures of my finished objects ... slowly but surely :)

ps: this pattern is featured in the second issue of Inside Crochet :)
pps: if you want to buy a digital copy of any issues of this magazine, you can obtain it from Yudu :)

The Alchemist

I just wanted to drop a quick note to celebrate the 21st anniversary of The Alchemist (a novel by the Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho).

If you have never had the opportunity to read this book, go out there and get it ... do not pass up on this really beautiful piece of work. Not all of Coelho's novels appeal to the general public, and I understand that. But this one is different ... after all that's the reason for its huge success! It has been translated in about 67 languages and it has been on the tongue of the general public ever since.

I'm gonna leave you with the most famous sentence of this book:

"When you want something, the whole Universe conspires to help you realise your dream"

Villa Francia

Just wanted to let you know, in case you have missed it, that on September 13th, Villa Francia in Hal Lija will be open for public.

I've never been there myself, but I did see bits of a program about the extensive restoration work that was done on it, and trust me, both the work and the place seemed pretty impressive.

For more information about this place, check out this article and this article.

If I were you, I would make sure to keep my day free ... that's what I'm planning to do :)

[photo by Matthew Mirabelli, taken from The Times of Malta Online

information via: The Times of Malta Online and Office of the Prime Minister]

Pangea expedition: expanding one's knowledge

Last time I mentioned that I had the occasion to leaf through a magazine published by Mercedes-Benz.

One of the articles listed there was about a project sponsored by this same company - the Pangea Expedition. Basically there is this one guy, Mike Horn, who wants to share the beauty of the earth with youngsters. He plans to circumnavigate the world over 4 years with young people so that they really understand why they should appreciate earth, and work hard for protecting it.

When I read about it, I simply wanted to join in, but unfortunately I no longer appertain to the age range, which is between 13 and 20 years old. The participants have to go through training in Switzerland, as this is no easy task, but I bet that those that pass will be awarded the experience of a lifetme.

2 thumbs up for Horn ... and as for you, any reader, pass the word, who knows ... maybe it will one day fall on the ears of a young teen who might take this opportunity and expand his/her knowledge :)

social contribution ...

Yesterday, just as I was about to walk into my office's building, I was accosted by an African guy who asked me whether we were in Gzira, and where he could find "business women" (yes you have guessed right, he was looking for sexual pleasure, and no, I am not jumping the gun, he later specified what kind of women he was looking for). I gave him the directions and continued on my way to the office.

While I was waiting for my incredibly slow laptop to fire up, I started going over the events in my brain. After reeling from the initial shock that this guy might have thought that I was a "business woman" too, after seeing me stepping out from my father's car (!!!!!!), I moved on to more serious reflections (yes, I know that being potentially confused with a hooker is not a nice thing and that maybe I should reflect on that, but 1. I honestly don't believe I look like a hooker as I'm always in trousers and non-revealing (not that there is much to reveal) tops, 2. he might have approached me because I was in a quiet street with no one around, and didn't want to ask where he could find what he was looking for amidst people enjoying a coffee on the sidewalk).

The first thing that cropped to mind was that judging from his clothes and looks, this guy probably didn't have a job and if he did, I don't think he earns much more than the minimum wage. Most probably this guy received a monthly social contribution and this time round he wanted to use those finds to find some relief.

I want to make myself clear a priori, I'm not trying to be prude or anything, and I'm not saying this because he's black or because he wants the company of a prostitute. He triggered my mind and made me think about other persons who might be receiving some form of social contribution and rather than using it for their wife, kids, food for themselves, etc, they would use it for alcohol, gambling, etc. I'm not against social contribution, but do you think it's fair that this kind of money which is given out to help the economic situation of the needy is used in such a manner? Why should someone receive this money and use it to buy alcohol, instead of that money being given out to the poor widow next door who has minimum levels of education and still needs to raise a couple of kids?

There is also another thing which cropped to mind - illness. This particular guy is risking of catching some kind of disease, and there is also the possibility that the reverse happens - he has some disease which will be transmitted to the woman he sleeps with, which in turn transmits it to the rest of the guys who want to enjoy her company, who in turn transmit it to all the other ladies they sleep with and to any potential kid they might have. In my opinion this is unfair and even selfish. It brings to mind alcohol and cigarette abuse, and yes, why not, even unhealthy eating. Why should the general public pay for the health care of a person who has never taken care of one's care and that of others, when those funds could be channeled towards those persons with genuine needs?

As I said earlier, my intention is not to be racist, I'm just quoting this event as it has triggered some (what I believe to be valid) points. It's not my intention to be prude either and I'm not going to go into the matter of whether sexual relief should be considered vital to a person's well-being or not.

My whole point is that maybe the structure isn't as good as it should be, or hasn't been refined enough to curb down abuses / waste of such funds. Maybe we should really take into consideration the idea of legalising prostitutes so that they could be regularised through a licensee, regular check up and tests for diseases and assurance of better, cleaner premises. Maybe we should do something in health care where persons who induce certain diseases on themselves are asked to pay. These are just a couple of ideas, and I'm sure that there are persons out there who might be able to come up with better ideas and solutions.

I know that I have touched some really hot points here, but I felt that I should share them with you. And I would love to hear your reflections about this too :)

"My Beautiful Backside"

no worries ... this will not feature any nude pics and does NOT concern my own backside ... trust me!

So, today I had to take my car back to the dealer to get something sorted for me (not gonna delve into it, at least not today) and while I was waiting for the guys to weave their magic, I grabbed one of the magazines at hand to while away the time. It happened to be some magazine issued by Mercedes Benz, but it was not specifically about their cars; it had features about New Zealand, an artist, some projects the group finances and design in general.

While going through the latter pages, I stumbled on this photo:

It is a sofa by Moroso and it is called "My Beautiful Backside". Is it just me or do you also think that it simply looks lovely? (Follow this link and enlarge the photo ... it gives it more justice, trust me).

I would love to have something of the sort in my future house ... it's swanky and unconventional, but I'm afraid that I will never afford something of the sort (especially since I cannot find a price tag anywhere and it seems that it has been designed for the Salone di Milano expo of 2008) *sigh*

[via: (I'm afraid I do not know the name of the magazine)

Moroso - the designer label

Doshi Levien - the designer

Mocoloco - the source for the picture posted in this post]

summer roundup

sooo ... after quite a long hiatus, i'm back :)

What have I been up to in the past few months? Well, quite a bit actually :)

I've spent most of the time since my last post till mid-July at work ... covering shifts, etc. But come July the fun starts :)

I've spent a weekend in Comino with my better half. The plan was to spend a couple of days away from the madness of Malta, the Maltese and the madness of work, and to work on our sun tan, BUT ... it didn't occur to me that on weekends, a lot of Maltese go to Comino, until I got there and could hear the music blaring from across the beach. But we still managed to enjoy our time, until Sunday evening came round and we were in pain due to the sun burns we got in a space of a couple of hours (on Sunday itself!).

But all in all it was great ... I enjoy the landscape and seascape of Comino, the beautiful beaches, and the idea that you can't be reached by anyone (especially if you simply switch off your phone :))

After such a nice break, and ... how shall I put it ... after making some time available for reflection, it was time to undertake quite a daunting task ... that of buying a car.

I've whined a bit about this decision on this blog (not half as much as I've done with my boyfriend, poor thing) so as you can imagine it was not an easy one ... especially when you consider how indecisive a person I am. Anyhooo ... I had seen this ad on the newspaper for a 2nd hand car, and I had gone to see it. It was in a good condition and the price was within budget ... so all that was left was for me to take the decision. Anyway to cut a long story short, I bought the car so finally I have my own ride, which I'm not really keen on driving (but that's another story, might write it down some other day).

And once that was covered it was my time to cross the pond and go to Canada, precisely to Prince Edward Island, where I've spent 3 blissful weeks away from work *zones out for a couple of minutes ....* It's a lovely little island, and by little I mean that it's 22 times larger than Malta, hehe. It's a wonderful place, each and every house has it's lawn, there are trees on the side of most roads, and if you drive a few minutes away from the suburbs you will be treated with wonderful views of vast meadows, trees, grazing cows, sheep and at times even llamas!! From a consumerist point of view it is close to heaven - you will find anything you need and most of the time it is dead cheap, plus good customer support.

It was a great holiday, and I'm really grateful towards J's family for welcoming me into their own home, and taking the time to show us round and spending as much time with us as possible :)

As i told you in my last post, I have some special news for you :) While I was in Canada I've received an sms from my sister-in-law breaking the great news that in February I'll become an aunt!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! I'm finally becoming an aunt!!!! The news still overly excites me :) (hence the post about the Kookles Nursing cover giveaway ;) )

Now that those three weeks are over, we're back to this dusty, over crowded, but beautiful rock. I'm sorry that I'm back to work, having to listed to all levels of stupidity being spewed out of some of my clients (not the mention 75% of the commentors on The Times of Malta), but I'm glad that the "refreshed feeling" hasn't worn off yet ... let's wait till I get a bunch of overtime shifts to work just coz everyone went on holiday, then the b*tch will come out again.

Hope that everyone had a nice summer, and managed to take a couple of days off to unwind and maybe enjoy a dip in the sea :)

Kookles Nursing Cover giveaway

I know I know ... I need to update you about my summer ... but in the meantime I'm posting this link as I would like to win this for someone special ... details will follow in my next post ... PROMISE!! :)

So, what's this all about? Grosgrain is being generous enough and giving an opportunity to her readers to win a Kookles nursing cover. Basically this is a convenient cover which you can use so that you can still nurse your child in public without having people ogle at your breasts. I think it's a lovely idea :)

Check it out at: Grosgrain's - Kookles Nursing Cover GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!! ... and keep your fingers crossed for me :) hihi

why I think Maltese politicians are full of sh*t

See the image below?





These are all the election leaflets we've received in a single day.

What I hate about this is that ALL of candidates emphasise ad nauseum the importance they give to the environment in their agenda.  Honestly, if the protection of the environment is your top priority on your agenda, why on earth do you feel the need to send out a whole magazine detailing your life (of which, frankly I do not give a damn, especially about your childhood, and when you got married, and why you married that girl, bla bla bla) to all households in this country which is not even printed on recycled paper, or not printed with soy inks.

I know that you need to market yourselves, but frankly, I'd rather receive your website address on a small piece of paper (and then I'll check out your views, recommendations, etc etc.) then receive a daily mass of junk, which more often then not ends up littering our streets because some people feel the need to pointedly rip the opposite party's papers and throw them out in the street to emphasise their hatred towards that party.

Ah, one other thing, I don't give a damn how and where you were brought up, I don't care to see huge photos of you with the party's leader, I don't care about your wedding pictures, and I don't care about seeing nice shiny photos of you with various other persons - there's facebook for that!

What I find increasingly irritating in this election is that the issues that are being discussed are more of a local (and even personal) level than an European level.  What does Gonzi and the electricity bills have to do with the MEPs?  I have to say that each and every day I feel even more disappointed by all parties who are more ready to take the whole country for a ride instead of working their ass off to safe guard the interests of our country.

cuteness: tableware

OMG OMG OMG!! this Pepe and Friends tablewares collection by Camila Prada is sooooooo cute! If I had a house of my own I would seriously consider getting something of the sort!

[via: Apartment Therapy]

eyecandy for the bibliophile 6

The Italian company Cassina came up with the above bookshelf, which when you place two together, they look like a giant opened book.

Now that's quite a nice idea, ain't it? :)

[via: Design Milk]

oh for heaven's sake!

Today I've ran into a couple of articles which made me groan. 

Times of Malta ran an article saying that a group of Muslims in Malta have said their prayers on the Sliema promenade after they have been turned out of an apartment which they were using to meet up and pray.

The journalist interviewed one of the onlookers who said:

"Malta is a Catholic country. They have no right to come here and pray in front of us. I don't care what they do in the privacy of their own home but not here," one Maltese woman said."

... spoken like a true Catholic!!  Obviously other persons commented on this article and took this position. For heaven's sake!! If you believe that Malta is a Catholic country and you are a Catholic, then practice what the Catholic church preaches.  Be tolerant!!  Also, if the Maltese are allowed to have their festas (which I love!!) which are considerably noisy, and can have their processions and their Easter peagants (which I really hate) which border on the gory, why should we stop a group of persons from practising their religion if this is done in a quiet and respectful manner?  As far as I know they were not doing anything indecent or creating havoc, etc. so why should we complain?!!  Anyway, if you want to read this article and all of the comments you can go here: Muslims gather on Sliema waterfront.

On to the next show of stupidity of the day.  The Mail Online states:

"State-funded organisations are being ordered to boost the proportion of female, black and gay staff to reflect the make-up of the UK population under plans unveiled by Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman."

It goes on to say that:

"Earlier this month a leading academic [Dr Louise Livesey of Oxford University]

 said the BBC should employ more women to help make shows such as Top Gear 'female-friendly'."

So let's look at this from Top Gear's point of view.  As Top Gear's executive producer Andy Wilman aptly replies:

"I also do believe that this sort of claptrap is very patronising to women, because it assumes women can’t enjoy a show’s presenters on merit, but can only appreciate a programme if spoken to by one of their own sex.

As I’m sure our regular viewers know, on account of them normally having more common sense than politicians or academics, Top Gear is a male show, in that it revolves around three males enjoying their love of cars.

That doesn’t make it macho, or exclusatory, it just means one of the show’s editorial pillars involves a journey into the male mind, in the same way that the excellent What Not To Wear veers more towards the female mind."

For Pete's sake! Stop this crap! We don't want to see women everywhere! I don't want anyone to change the format of their product just because someone has decided that we are not inclusive enough. In Malta we are already ruining the education of our children because someone has decided that we have to be inclusive. I had a chat with a couple of friends of mine a few weeks back who happen to work closely with kids and they have confirmed what I've always thought. This inclusivity thing does not work! Instead of helping a child who has learning disabilities to move forward, we are setting back the rest of the class because this child cannot keep up. Anyway, back on the original topic, the Mail Online has also stated that:

"Critics fear programmes will be forced to hire actors, presenters and producers on grounds of gender, ethnic background or sexuality, rather than suitability for the show. [...]
Mr Hunt [Now Tory culture spokesman] said: 'Allowing broadcasters creative and intellectual freedom over the content of their programmes is vital in a free society."

I hate how new shows have to include an Asian, Caucasian, Black, Indian, tall, short, disabled, with glasses, without glasses, with moles, without moles, hairy, non-hairy, bald, with hair ... characters. You can actually have a show without having to include everyone you know! And this selectivity actually gives a different product which can have it own appeal. Honestly, stop ruining everything!!!

on getting a car

10 days ago I got my driving license yippiieeeeee!!! But now it's the turn of the frustrating bit ... choosing a car. There are far too many decisions that have to be made for my liking; new or 2nd hand? what's the budget? do you really need that feature? bla bla bla

At the moment I'm thinking about getting a new car straight away; less CO2 emissions, less consumption and the thing I like most of it all ... not having to deal with the 2nd hand car dealers. Most of my friends think that I should not go for a new car and I do agree with most of their points - you still don't have the 'real' experience of the road and the other drivers, you still have to get used to the size of your car, etc. But then I think of my brothers who started with a new car (because my mum never let them get a 2nd hand one, but I managed to make her realise that not all used cars are $hit :D) and realise that I should focus less on the denting and more on the reliability, warrenty, peace of mind, etc.

So we've been going round to some showrooms to get some quotes, get to see the cars, etc. and in a couple of days I managed to get material about 14 models. And there lies the problem ... which one shall I choose?!!!

I've made myself a nice little list ... comparing the price, CO2 emissions, consumption, etc.  Here's a copy of what I've compiled so far:

Anyway, so far it seems that the C1 is the best buy (I still have to check about the features though as the sales rep was nowhere in sight when I went over to have a look at the car), and so you might say "so what's the problem? Go ahead and buy it!".

Well the problem is that for the past couple of years I've been obsessing about the Fiat 500, and now I can't shake off the influence this has left on me.  I like it because it's got a retro design, it has a history and when it comes to styling it's amazing ... and when you see it upclose and actually touch it, it's breath taking!  I've been always wondering why car manufacturers do not put any emphasis on designing a car whose interior is also beautiful instead of throwing a bunch of cheap plastics together with the hope that the customer will overlook it (especially the dashboard).  And then Fiat came up with the New 500 which is stylish both on the outside and in the inside and it stole my wee little heart.

And even though everything shows that it's not worth it, I still want to keep it short listed.  

I've been driving around in a Peugeot 107 (which is basically the same thing as the Citroen C1 and the Toyota Aygo, except for the body) for the past year or so and even though it seems to be a nice sturdy car, I don't really like it, especially it's interior.  The plastics, the design, yuuhhkk!  But that's not the main reason why I'm still hung up on the 500.  After giving it much thought I realised that it's not just the influence of loving something with all my might for the past years, but it also had to do with the image it portrays.  It's a case of keeping up appearances something very instrinsic with the Maltese character ... the idea of being better off than your neighbour.

Mind you, I wasn't brought up like this, and I'm not the kind of person which gives a lot of weight to image but I've realised that in this case deep down I do.

In the past few days someone (can't remember who) asked me to imagine myself in the car - first in the most reasonable one and then in the one I really want and that should help me in my decision.  Today I was thinking about that advice and I've discovered this 'dark' characteristic.

I imagined myself meeting or even seeing all those persons who made my life hell, and those girls who back in school thought that they were too cool (back in school I wasn't popular for various reasons, mainly because I'd rather stick with a stinky nerd than with a bad-mouther).  I would imagine myself walking past with a grin and thinking "while you were busy polishing the tonsils of every guy in sight and getting knocked up at 16, I got a degree, got myself a good job, landed a promotion and now I have enough money to get a nice swanky car" *even wider grin*

Once the "you rock girl" moment passed, this thought shocked me.  I'm not a person who seeks validation from anyone (except for a couple of persons) and I surely don't give a rat's a$$ what these persons think.  So why the heck was I factoring that in?!!!  ... or maybe it's just another way to cling to the idea of still getting the car of my dreams?

*sigh* I don't know.  There are still things that I have to take into consideration like features, warranty, insurance, etc.  I just hope that whatever decision I take, I will not feel bitter afterwards.

PS:  sorry for the very long post!

Happy Easter

Just wanted to drop a quick note and wish you and all your loved ones a Happy Easter :)


hope that the Easter bunny will bound your way :)

Ravelry meet

This is just a quick reminder about the "stitch and bitch" meeting for Maltese craftsers. We shall be meeting at 10:30/11:00 at the Wool Shop in Msida, and we'll move to Irrera from there :)

Below you can find a map showing you where The Wool Shop is and where Irrera is. If you know anyone who might be interested in meeting up then spread the word!!



View Larger Map


Nighty night ... looking forward to meeting y'all :)

cuteness: keyholder with message board

Stumbled on this while browsing DaWanda. This is a site similar to Etsy but it seems to be more focused on the European market.

I love this idea, it's practical and sweet. You can hang your keys, it acts as a mail rack and it is also coated with blackboard paint so you can leave your notes on it. All this for €39 ... I think that's a sweet deal :)

[Loki Pinboard by anette72 via: DaWanda]

eyecandy for the bibliophile 5

For those who feel that having piles upon piles of books is not enough :)


[via: Rare Bird Finds]

Sir Ken Robinson on Education

The best way you can spend the coming 19minutes of your life ... trust me! He has expressed some of my thoughts perfectly.

[via: TED: ideas worth spreading]

craft: desk organiser

I love this idea. Since I've hoarded incredible amounts of pencils and ballpoints over the years, and my desk if full of tins holding them, I think I'd have to skip this one ... or I can make it for my bedside table, hmmmmmmmmmmmm *hops off to find an extra/old directory or yellow pages*

Instructable by my bf!!!

My sexy, geeky boyfriend has created this Instructable: Amiga Joystick - USB Camera Cable Release. He has received an incredible amount of hits and got featured on various blogs, so at this point I'm feeling slightly ashamed of myself that I didn't mention it in my space!!!!

So go ahead and enjoy your geeky selves :)





[image via: Instructables]

calling out to all Maltese crafters ...

So far it has been decided that the meeting will be on April 4th ... I will give you further information once I get it ... or you can always send an email to knitmalta@gmail.com :)

Please spread the news ...


(the image doesn't show up entirely, so please click on it so that you will be able to read it)

wishing that there is a Ctrl+Z option in real life

I don't want to dwell on what has happened today as it's still too raw. Just wanted to let you know that I've had my driving license test today ... I've managed to pass through Hamrun and B'Kara, I've managed to keep within the speed limit, I didn't do any stupid things especially round the roundabout, I managed to switch off the car when I was the lights and switch it on again without any problems and without missing any of the steps, and there I was ... sooooooooooooooooooooo close to the finishing line, less than 1 minute again, and viola'!!! A pedestrian choses to cross the road on the zebra cross just as I'm moving off and BAM!!! Test failed!!!!

So close and yet so far ... as the Maltese saying goes: "fl-ahhar tal-mazzita sibt iz-zbiba". Right now I'm really really really wishing that there is a Ctrl+Z option in real life!


I'm off to mull and continue with my sulking ... hope that you're having a better day than mine ...

eyecandy for the bibliophile 4

Wonderful ... if all books look so good!

[via: I Suwannee]

the ultimate eyecandy for the bibliophile

I have already made some posts entitled: "eyecandy for the bibliophile" but it never occurred to me to look up the phrase in Google ... et viola! I've stumbled on this blog which carries the same name!!

Go ahead, delve in and enjoy yourselves!! :)


[image from: Guidespot]

Maltese bus drivers and their antics ... meehhh

Today I was rambling away on LaDelirante's blog about the pros and cons of the Maltese public transport system, and as they say "il (buon)giorno si vede dal mattino".

In the evening I went off to Valletta for a talk about "Subterranean Valletta", obviously by bus. When we reach Blata l-Bajda, my bus meets another bus, and you can immediately see the glint in the drivers' eyes as they hit the accelerator pedal to see who will outrun who. Who cares about the passengers (a couple of whom were elderly women, and another three were foreigners, leaving me and only another Maltese girl)?!! We are jostled around due to all the humps and bumps and then we go roooooooouuunnddd then beeeeeeeeend and *CLINK* [insert sound of glass breaking here][insert incredible amount of swear words here] [and multiply it by 5,000]. I turn around and see that one of the side windows on the rear is broken - one of the side mirrors of the other bus had hit the glass while they were in their mad dash and my driver decided that he should simply overtake the other guy so that he would stop him from "winning".

The three foreign ladies who were sitting in the back seat and the other Maltese girl you was seated a couple of seats in front of them didn't even realise what had happened, and they've only asked what was going on when the driver slammed his brakes and stormed out of the bus amidst a string of curses. I joined the old ladies in muttering and grumbling at how irresponsible bus drivers are. Thankfully no one was sitting on the right hand side of the bus, as otherwise they would have been hurt. Thankfully we stopped next to the MUSEUM church in Blata l-Bajda and the next bus passed by immediately so we weren't held up.

But I felt ashamed. Even if I wasn't late, and even if there weren't any foreigners on the bus I would have still felt disgusted by the sheer irresponsibility of both drivers. But I felt appalled and ashamed because of what those three lovely British ladies might have been thinking. Thankfully they actually laughed at the whole situation ... but what if there was a kid sitting there? Everyone knows how kids like to stick their faces to the windows of a bus. No one would have actually laughed or taken this lightly if someone got hurt.

There are many what ifs and I don't feel like dwelling on this incident but I have to say that I do feel sad by the whole situation. How does it make YOU feel?

/me is not really cheery at the moment

Apart from the fact that when I look out of the window I can see that the clear blue skies are rapidly being replaced by gray ugly clouds, I just found out that on the 23rd of March there is the possibility of isolated showers, and in the previous day there is also the possibility of a thunderstorm!!! Aaaarrrrrrrghhhhhh!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I really really reallyyyy need sunshine on the 23rd (at least in the morning) and on the day before :/

For the time being I'm not gonna say why per scaramanzia ... I will tell you on the 23rd in the afternoon ... if I'm in a good mood that is.

Oh bloomin' hell! It seems that I'm gonna start being a nervous wreck as of today. Oh the joy!


[weather forecast via: sdweather]

eyecandy for the bibliophile - ultimate love

now this is true love!!




[via: The Bookworm's Hideout]

Happy International Women's Day!!

Hope you have a nice one! :)


[image via: DryIcons.com]

humpfffff!!!!!

I have been working on this hat for two days non-stop and now I have to frog half of it because it turned out too big. I know that I should have heeded the comments and made the adjustments straight away, but I decided to follow the instructions anyway, mehhh :/

The problem is that I still cannot figure how reducing 5 rows will help as the main problem is the width of the brim and not it's general size ... so I'll either frog it, or else decrease in the brim, but I think I'd better leave this decision for when I have a clearer head.

Ciao ciao for now ... and thank you for reading my rant xD


(I'll post some pictures of this project later on, promise!!)

new project

Just wanted to tell you that I'm gonna start a new crochet project, yippieeeee :)

Wish me luck :)




[image via: Crochet and Lace ]

cuteness: nerdy baby

This is something I imagine my boyfriend giving to his own kids (or any kid for that matter). To prove my point, he suggested that I get something from GEEKitty Gear for my cats! He actually wanted me to get the Rubik's cube for them but it seems that it has already been sold, so here's a NES controller for your kitties:



So all ye g33ks out there, rejoice!! :)


[Nerdy Baby poster via: electricboogaloo]

[NES controller via: GEEKitty Gear]

eyecandy for the bibliophile 3

Is it just me or does it look really soothing?


[via: I suwannee]

here comes the sun .... :)

It seems that the end of the cold spell in Malta is near!! Yippiieeeeee :)

I hate the type of cold we get in Malta, it manages to penetrate all layers of clothes and heads straight to your bones, and don't let me start on how much colder it feels inside the house!!

So yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaay for the sun and warm weather!!! *victory dance*



Times of Malta: Warmer temperatures on the way

cuteness: hair accessories organizer

This is something I really really need. I've been trying to come up with ideas how I can organize my hair accessories, but I didn't come as close to these cute items. Mind you, I don't have much accessories, some headbands, heaps of elastic bands (I'm always losing them so I buy a batch of 100 at a time!!), and a couple of barrettes, but they're all over the place and it wouldn't be such a bad idea to keep them in the same spot, no? :)

[via: Rare Bird Finds]

eyecandy for the bibliophile 2

stairway to heaven ...




I would build a new staircase just to have such a library!!

[via: Gizmodo]

cuteness: bird pouch

Now isn't this cute? And I suggest that you take a look at the rest of the items over at The Wren's shop at Etsy ... if you like this, I'm sure you'll find something you or your loved one likes :)


[via: Rare Bird Finds]

belated Happy Valentine's to all :)

What better way to show one's love if not through books? :)

[image via: Library Thing]

eyecandy for the bibliophile

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.

I <3 stop motion!

I simply love stop motion. It's distinctive style has always intrigued me and I do have a couple of projects in mind I would like to do ... but in the meantime I want to share this mini-masterpiece by John Douglas Powers with you. Hope you'll like it as much as I did! :)


The Collector from john douglas powers on Vimeo.


[via: Make]

the secret life of bars :)

Bars & Tones from André F. Chocron on Vimeo.">

[via Make]

cute desk calendars

I know that we've almost reached mid-January, but I don't think it's too late to get either one of these:



[via: Craftzine: Papercraft Robot Calendar]



[via: Craftzine: 3-D Calendar Download from Blackpio]

Carrie Bradshaw actually knows that books exist?!! :o woooow!!!

Carrie Bradshaw knows that library exist?!!! And has even heard about the likes of Keat and Voltaire?!! I'm impressed!!!


Sorry, this might sound daft, but I finally got to watch Sex and the City (the movie), and I could not contain my astonishment that the character of Carrie actually had some knowledge of literature!! Throughout all the series, I always thought that this character was quite crass but it seems that I was wrong ... or someone decided that in this final appearance of Carrie Bradshaw she had to improve herself (as far as I remember there never was an episode where Carrie went to the library, or is seen reading anything except for the fashion magazines!!) ... and that's why I always cringed when she would say that she is a writer!!

Anyway, I'll stop here with this pointless blog, and get back to work ... it seems that finally some emails did trickle in!

a little gem ...

In general I hate the kind of "tear jerker" tv shows, or those shows which delve too deeply into the personal life of others ... they are personal, why the heck do you want a whole country to know all your dirty little secrets?! Anyhooo, a couple of days back I was watching tv and for want of better things to see, I watched a few minutes of this particular program on Italian tv. From what I gathered they were trying to find the "perfect" companion for a guy, and they would interview a girl (or maybe girls? dunno) and after the interview the guy would have 10 seconds to decide whether he is interested in having a relationship with the girl in question or not.

This particular girl stated that after a decade of failed relationships, she has finally put her finger on what the problem was. She didn't want yet another relationship where she has to change herself, her thoughts, her personality and her ways because of the guy she's in a relationship with. She wants to have someone who accepts her as she is (mind you, she wasn't a fat and ugly lass as those who say this usually are ... she was in her early 30s and very beautiful), while she won't pin any expectations on the guy or the relationship. She seemed very fond of an Arabic poem which puts this perfectly into words:

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

This is an excerpt from the poem "On Marriage" by Gibran Khalil Gibran. [via: Adab.com]

I suggest that you read it all, it's nicely put and good fodder for the brain.

belated welcome to 2009

Oh my! I've started the new year with yet another rant ... but let's face it, I'm passionate about archaeology, hate the way people treat it (especially in Malta; it only has the value of a political pawn when time are right).

Round up of 2008? Nothing much has happened ...

- went to Sicily with my better half

- discovered Google Reader, and more specifically Craftzine and Makezine

- started crocheting and actually managed to finish one project in a single week! *gasp* Have to admit that I've stopped for now, but I do have some projects in mind ...I just need the right frame of mind

- I've been promoted to manager, something which I'm really proud of. On the day of my first anniversary at this job, I got called in for a meeting with the big honcho, and voila! I got the post :D I worked really hard for it, especially in the few months leading to it, so it's quite a big achievement for me :)

- discovered Twitter ... you may call it stupid or geeky, but I like it

- got a great birthday present: this super cool leatherman and built this Drawdio ... cool ain't it?

- acquaintances and friends my age [22] (or almost there) getting engaged, married, or even having babies ... quite shocking for me, but this deserves a post on it's own


I guess those are the highlights for 2008.

What are the plans for 2009?

Unlike last year I'm not gonna make any promises that I will post more often. As you can see I haven't honored the promise that much ... I've only posted 5 times in a whole year.

But I do have hopes, and I'm gonna do my best (or at least try) to:

- keep my room clean and organized ... I hate when everything in my room is in order, but last night and this morning I felt that my mind was more clear, and that's definitely NOT coz I had too many sweets yesterday. I guess my mum was always right, and I'm gonna try (remember: no promises, so don't hold this against me :p)

- keep giving my utmost at my job ... I've felt tired lately, but I don't won't to throw all those months of hard work (and nagging to my boyfriend), so I must find someways to relax and remain motivated

- exercise? I need it to wind down, relax and avoid the possibility of hitting someone (I'm not violent and I've never hit anyone, but that leads to big headaches and frustration). Still don't know what, I miss karate, but I'm not sure if that's the way to go ... still have to think about this

- reply to messages, especially SMSs immediately!!

- start going for walks/hike on Sunday afternoons (?) ... don't like going on my own, so this also depends on my better half

- start waking up before 11:00 ... ideally at around 07:30, 08:00 the latest!! I'm wasting far too much of my days and this has to stop!

- read more ... sadly I've abandoned reading, and this is reflected in my (shockingly) increasing spelling mistakes and (very) badly constructed sentences *blush*

- continue crocheting, and maybe even start sewing and embroidery *already thinking about a couple of nice skirts for spring :)*

- travel ... I do have some ideas and options in mind, just have to make them concrete

*- as my dear beta-j pointed out, in 2009 I have to get my driving license and a car!!! I've been going for lessons for far too long, and I've postponed scheduling the test for quite some time now, but a couple more (parking) lessons, and I should have enough balls to book a date ... hopefully I will feel confident enough with the parking, and I won't mess up my whole test *fingers crossed, touching wood* :D

I guess that's all I have in mind for 2009 for now.

So Happy New Year to any readers of this blog. Take care and enjoy your self safely :)

this takes the cake ...

see: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081231/local/still-too-early-to-tell-fate-of-punic-tombs

It seems that Josie Muscat not only doesn't give a damn about human life (read: illegal immigrants' life), but he also doesn't "give a fig" about this country's heritage.

For crying out loud!! This guy set up a party to safeguard this country's heritage and culture from those barbarians from Africa who come to our shores packed up like sardines in rickety little boats, and now he doesn't care about this nation's heritage and he's furious that those Punics (who ironically also came from North Africa) decided to build their tombs bang in the middle of the site he has chosen to build his money-making machine (new hospital).

What is wrong with these people? I'm gonna be frank. I don't like the current state of affairs in Malta, and I honestly think that this constant influx of illegal immigrants (don't give me the irregular immigrants crap cause I don't like it, they come here illegally and this should be called so) is exponentially bringing problems to our tiny country and sooner or later we will reach the breaking point, and we might as well start kissing our small safe little island goodbye, and welcome the ghettos, crime and tension (I'm not wholly blaming the immigrants for crime and tension, the Maltese citizens have their fair share of it). But to lash out against persons who have crossed a continent as large as Africa in search of a better life under the pretense that you want to safeguard our heritage, and then you publicly state that you don't give a rat's ass about this same country's heritage makes you one of the biggest hypocrites of all.


Congratulations Dr. Muscat!! With this latest stunt you have managed to sink even lower. So you are xenophobic, believe that women have no place in society except for cleaning dishes and making babies (ideally via IVF in one of your hospitals), and you "don't give a fig" of this country's heritage. Way to go mate!!!