Lotuk

Something with doors opening and closing

Brother

don't decide to follow

Poor and poor

If there's poor and there's poor, I walked into the last kind last summer in Uganda.

While on a boat trip on Lake Victoria in Jinja, the boat was moored on Kikondo. Isolation has put the island in a position where it is strongly dependent on it's own capabilities. The sparse and thus almost unpayable medical help that is available, even led in 2009 to a situation where almost all inhabitants were critically sick. Children clamping to our arms, all eyes on us: it felt like we were tourists looking at a disaster.

The village meant a direct confrontation with the waste problem, which is the main reason for my stay in Africa. Plastic acting like earth layers and smouldering fires which were lightened by waste: reality stroke me again.

Processing the situation was not on the agenda. A couple of minutes later we arrive at a nice maintained piece of lawn. Welcome at a luxe resort. The shock almost couldn't be bigger and it felt very unpleasant to  after all we just saw, walk in between the well organised garden en the exotic pool.

Thinking I had seen it all back then, the portion of malaise on my birthday wasn't complete yet. Arriving back at the very little haven, the difference between poor and rich was once again confirmed. A wall ànd barbed wire seemed necessary to protect all the rich inhabitant from the poor, wild plebs of the fisher's village. 

Us people, we can be so blunt and thoughtless.

Is it fear?

Green garden

and I’ll fly on the wings of a butterfly

turns on the relative aspect of things

Morning

Your eyes see the better day

Let it all go

if we're strong enough to let it in,

we're strong enough to let it go

what now

attraction and repulsion

hoping I can keep up

what if memories fade, and the only person I can keep them alive with is distracting me too much, just by living

what then

but

what now

Je suis

and what is it that divided us?

Walking with elephants

Late night overthinkings

Wishing I cared less

*Ugandan lady walks towards me*

"What are you doing?"

I'm writing down my thoughts, so I won't forget them when I'm back in another environment.

"What are you thinking about then?"

Who I am, who I want to be and what I'll do in my later life; and if thinking about it is not just postponing the present.

"And who is that?"

Well, even my mind cannot find out what to feel. But what I know is that I want to spread things, make people aware of situations.

"What kind of situations?"

You, here, talking to me.
was what I should have answered, but the presence and kindness of this woman distracted me too much

Little Wave

Can I Kick It?

Kandaiki

and then it hurts you

but you gave it the power to

you yourself

and that

might be where the hope lurks

Come my way

hey

in my life,

you're quite new

but I love it with all my heart

happy Valentine's Day dear dreadlock

yes, I got a dreadlock woopwoop

0:56

About random conversations. And how much I love them.

I adore talking to strange people on the train. I adore being asked how to get to the nearest busstop. I adore being told about someone's history. I adore getting different perspectives on life. I even adore the small talk about the weather that precedes these conversations.

Talking to others can be such a relief. I met a woman on the train last week who declared her whole life and felt so grateful afterwards, being able to let it all out. She had been through a lot but her positive mindset spread all over our cabin.

It also makes you feel connected. Why should we life next to each other? We often neglect people but this results in such a rude environment. A simple smile can really make my day.

The lady at the coffee bar today asked me how I liked the book I read while I was in there, 'since she read the same one. She was really enthusiast and sweet and the small conversation made me feel good and bad. Good because I felt connected. I was in some way remembered that we are all in this together. Bad because last time I was over there, she acted a bit rude and I judged her while entering the bar. I get real mad when I catch myself having prejudices. 

I'm aware of the fact that we cannot talk to every single person we meet. Just try by talking to at least one stranger each day. Just try.

Freedom

unexpected

Coely, known for her awesome rap skills, amazed everyone a while ago with her Beyoncé cover. Replay.

Let's go surfing

Oh momma

I don't care about nothing

I feel whole. More than ever.

I see you

- when you saw me leaving, did you think I had a place to go?

Rustig, Martha, Het is allemaal voorbij. Er is geen enkel gevaar meer.

<3

Ghost nets

Sit back and listen

Try to acknowledge the power you have

Climate change isn't fiction

We must unite

Soon

Radio Silence

- there's a radio silence going on -

Glass Animals @ Botanique

Never disappointing me.

Thanks Glass Animals, you gave me new energy to keep pursuing my goals.

source: The Losing Struggle

Yesterday I attended their concert at the Orangerie in Le Botanique in Brussels. I had been looking forward to this show for months and my expectations were really high. To be honest: they had me at the first note.

It was one big party. Time flew while all their awesome songs kept coming. The atmosphere was just right. Compliments to the lead singer, his enthusiasm completely lighted the place up.

source: The Losing Struggle

I've been a fan of their work for quite a long time and it's good to see that their good vibes are spreading now. (I wrote about them here, here and here.) Two friends of mine joined me yesterday and the cool thing is that I first mentioned the band to them last summer. Mission accomplished!

I can truly say that this was the greatest concert I've been to so far.

Enjoy your weekend, listen to some music and don't forget to love yourself

Kisses

Terrified

you know it's hard to explain

how I got this way

now people only wanna know why

I wish I had an answer that would make it okay

but the truth is, I'm just terrified

Dance It Down

Today was a good day.

If you wait

I'm on the run. For what, I don't know for sure.
Sorry for not updating as much as before,
but this digital detox actually feels quite okay.

Even though a part of my heart is still in Romania, I'll be leaving tomorrow for Lyon to stay there a couple of days. This song just makes me cry. It means so much to me and there's only one person I can share this exact feeling with. I miss you.

Gameshow

Hi!!

The universe is very kind to me lately. Two weeks ago the new Glass Animals album was released, the stores are now filled with Sea of Noise by St. Paul & The Broken Bones and that ain't all. Next month - 14.10.16 to be exact - Two Door Cinema Club launches a bunch of new songs in an album named Gameshow. I never shared any music of them before, so time to make that right.

I used to be a big fan of the band, years ago. Sam De Bruyn, back then a presenter at my all time favorite radio station Studio Brussel, once suggested the song Undercover Martyn. I looked it up and bam, new discovery in the pocket. I still owe you one, Sam.

Finding new music is such a funny thing. It happens at the most random moments, when you expect it the least. I still remember me being miserable during an exam period, not seeing the forest for the trees anymore. Putting on the radio was my remedy and a perfect decision, when I look back now. There was a show on, where people could call and ask any question they'd like. A guy who was a fan of Oscar and The Wolf (not incredibly famous back then) was looking for new music. Studio Brussel suggested Mercury Rev, Deerhunter and - still thankful - Glass Animals!

Focus. Two Door Cinema Club, they're cool. Their music makes me feel great, it's the only right description. The only reason you haven't heard from them yet is timing. I started blogging a year and half ago and I must admit that I forgot about them during these years.
Other great news: they also will be playing in Belgium next year. I already saw them once at a festival years ago and it was one.big.party. Can't wait!

Did you already know them? And how do you usually discover new music?

Love

Old Pine

We stood

Steady as the stars in the woods

I'll be on a plane tomorrow. Next week is all about Romanian culture again and I'm very excited to meet new people. This digital detox arrives right on time. Being offline calms me and I kind of need that now.

See you soon

Going straight (Sweden part III)

Hi dears!

It's already the 7th of September, how fast is the clocking ticking? Exactly two weeks ago I arrived home after an incredible trip in Sweden, which I told you already about here and here. There's much more to the story, so let's get started.

After the 2-day canoe trip, we prepared to leave for two days of walking. Different this time was that everyone was obliged to leave their own food (like cookies, mm) in the base camp. We all had to rely on a field ration from the French army for the next 24 hours. This is what soldiers use to survive when they are on a longer trip. It contains energy bars, biscuits, a warm meal, a dessert, instant coffee ,... To warm the dishes or prepare the coffee, some hexamine fuel tablets are added. This chemical heat comes in really handy, having hot drinks and soup is a relief when it gets colder. All the youngsters started to trade the content of their own field ration with others and so did we. Gimme chocolate!!!

The group received a map and a compass and we left. Day 1 we mainly took it the easy way and no adventurous paths were taken. After a couple of hours, we arrived at an incredibly beautiful place to stay: Skifors. Easy evening for us, guides. There was no need to prepare a meal for the whole group, everyone had their own dishes from the ration. Later that night around the campfire, we could really feel that they already knew each other a lot better. Lots of laughing, lots of storytelling and a lot of excitement for the next few days.

I launched a little sneak peek last post, about the water over there. Believe it or not: the water in the lakes is pure enough to drink. If you put your bottle an arm length below the surface, it's even better because there are less dust particles in it. Maintaining this magical fact, is everyone's job. Only use biodegradable soap for your dishes and your body and never spit out your tooth paste in the lake!

On the way back, we were up fore some more adventure. We decided to go straight to our goal, really straight. We had to climb a hill that lay on our route and it was very challenging. I'm not even sure if anyone had walked through this piece of nature before we did. It was a breathtaking trip - it literally was -, but everyone was very glad afterwards that we managed to do it. Mission completed!

What would you like more: the canoeing trip or the walking trip? And would you also like conquering the hills to take a straight path?
I still have some nice stuff to show you since we also did a lake crossing and a mountainbike tour in the beautiful Swedish nature. If you'd like to here more, come back soon!

Love

Break

-how hard will I fall when I can't deal with this at all?

I shared some music of Selah Sue with you before and I can't emphasize enough what a great person she is. This song is already a couple of years old. While writing her new album (which came out in 2015) she's been through a depression. The way she was able to talk about it afterwards, was really inspiring to see. 

She is grand.

Sea of noise

Hi dears!

I've got great news. Do you remember St. Paul & The Broken Bones? I shared a great song of them before and mentioned them in last year's Rock Werchter review. If you're interested in the band, check out these previous posts to get to know them better. They have been off my radar for a while, but now they are back again!

In less than a week, their second album Sea of noise will be released. Some singles are already available on Spotify and if you take a look at their website, there's even a way to stream their new album right away. I'm fond of their new tracks. Is it me is a rather calm song, but both releases still contain the special sound that I admire them for.

Their future concert dates are also on their website. Plus: they're coming to my student city to perform. Minus: it's during my exam period. Hopefully I'll be able to see my exam schedule soon. There's still a small change that I'll be free that evening.

Did you already know them? And do you like their sound?

Love!

Celien

No hurry (Sweden part II)

Hi!

I'm still reliving my outdoor challenge and first on my to-do list is to tell you all about it. Sweden has so much to offer and I'm really excited to share it all. If you missed my previous post, check it out right here.

The organization I told you about, offers three kinds of journeys. First, there's a 7-day canoe trip in Sweden, which my friend Jasper did last year. Then, there's also a 7-day walking tour in Norway, where you cross great nature (even snow!) and incredible views. Since a couple of years, they also offer a new formula: the survival slash outdoor challenge. This is a very varied trip which includes a 2-day canoe trip, a 2-day walking tour, a day filled with mountain biking and last but not least, a lake crossing. This opportunity to get to know the Swedish nature in all these different ways, sounded very interesting and challenging to me.

The first two days on Swedish soil were to be spent on the water. We packed all our stuff in water resistant bags and put them in our canoes, accompanied by our food and cooking gear for the next days. At first, everything went real slow, 'cause some people really just aren't born with a talent for canoeing. Tip: the strongest and/or heaviest person should sit in the back and is mainly responsible for the steering. Another tip to my lovely group members: you should paddle to cover any distance. (really.) We laughed a lot and the sun shined bright so having to wait from time to time, wasn't an issue at all.

Eventually, we found a nice place to spend the night so we set up our little camp there. We started a fire to cook our meal and took a refreshing bath in the lake. No hurry at all. Living in the rhythm of nature feels so incredibly great. No rushing in the mornings, no strict time schedules,... it enlightened me.

Around the campfire, the youngsters got to know each other better while we prepared our bread for the next day. We realized how lucky we were, this was a bunch of motivated youngsters, ready to create a real team. Afterwards everyone returned to their tents to put these first wonderful memories in their minds and reload for the next day.

Even though it seemed hard for me at first since I didn't know anyone, I already felt that this would be a great adventure.

It literally took me the whole day to untangle these. I was so.damn.happy!

There are more incredibly things to discover, like the purity of the water and the way the Swedish maintain there camping places. I wouldn't want you to miss any of this, so if you're interested, come back here soon.
If you have any specific questions, shoot! I'd love to answer them.

Lots of love
Celien

(All these pictures belong to The Losing Struggle.)

Not a noob (Sweden part I)

Hi!

A couple of weeks ago one of my biggest dreams became reality. As promised, a recap of my wonderful survival journey to Sweden.

I've always loved traveling. When I look back now, I've been offered so many great chances to see some parts of the world. I went on camps abroad with youngsters that I didn't know yet, participated in a couple of student exchanges, performed on an international dance festival, left with my great friends group and also my family took me a couple of times past the border. And then came Sweden.

A friend of mine who lived for two years in the same building in my student city, was the key to all this luck. When we were walking in the hills during a weekend in February, he came up with this topic. He told about how he went to Sweden a year ago. He guided a group of youngsters and their leaders during a 7-day canoe trip. Each night they would find another spot to spend the night and afterwards they would cook over a campfire. I was impressed and when he told me that they searched new guides, I became really excited.

Two months later I called the responsible to get some information. Little did I know that after this short call everything would already be arranged. As easy as that. That's in my opinion one of the biggest charms of the organization Drakkar. There are no unnecessary formalities, everything is handled really spontaneous. There ain't no recruiting advertisement of any kind. The experienced guides just bring up friends who (in their opinion) are capable of fulfilling the job in a motivated way. I'm really thankful for my friend Jasper to have seen some potential in me, yay.

So there was it, the big step. A day before leaving, I suddenly realized how yolo this all was. I didn't know any person there, never set foot in Scandinavia myself and my job would be to learn these youngsters all about survival. The 'not knowing people' was no issue, I've done that lots of times. The Into the wild skills were trickier, but hey, I wasn't a noob?

Next posts will tell you all the great details of my journey.
Here is already a little sneak peek. Amazing to wake up with this view, right?

Lots of love
Celien

PS: If you decide to follow me (Bloglovin, Blogger, G+ , Email,... ) please let me know. I think it's really important to know more about you, my readers.

How to be a human being

Hi guys!

Describing how I feel in one word, won't completely explain the thoughts in my head but I'll try to be accurate. Relieved is the best pick, I guess, since I just came back from a great outdoor survival in Sweden. I cannot wait to tell you all about it and show some really awesome pictures. I'm still super excited about all the things I've seen and done and I'm extremely glad to be given the opportunity.

This morning, my excitement was even bigger when I opened up my Spotify. I was in the mood to listen to Glass Animals again and when clicking their name, suddenly their new album appeared.
TODAY IS THE RELEASE DATE OF THEIR NEW ALBUM!
Kind of embarrassed that I had forgotten about it, I discovered the songs on How to be a human being. Next to the previously released singles, there are a lot of great pieces of music on it. Check them out!

source: glassanimals.eu

What I discovered next, is that they are having a concert in Belgium in three months! A friend of mine (who became a big fan of the band after I mentioned them) is already enthousiast, so I guess I'll be seeing them live soon.

So much luck. Life can be really good.

Lots of love

Celien

This Isn't Everything You Are

Is he worth all this, is it a simple yes

'Cause if you have to think, it's fucked

Iron Sky

Well hello, the big black hole is back.

Last week, I felt so alive again. I went with a group of youngsters and a phenomenal team of leaders on a camp. Being able to express yourself in the most enthusiastic way possible, feels so incredible. Or, what about convincing cool motor dudes to make bracelets, with success?

It's a pity actually that I'm not always able to be like this during the year. Even if I try not to, I care a bit about what others think of me. I know I shouldn't, but each time this little devil voice inside of me appears and tells me that I'm less than others.

My mind works overtime. It keeps trying to be rational about things but I honestly don't know how anymore. I feel like there's lots of love to give but there's not that one person yet to accept it all. I just want to follow my heart, if only I knew whereto.


But hey, I just got to hold on.

Flaws

I kind of wanted to write about my day 'cause it was really inspiring to me, but all my energy is gone.

Enjoy this song, it's perfect to float away a bit.

I'll keep you posted.
Kisses

Life Itself

- Come back down to my knees

gotta get back, gotta get free

Finally! The new Glass Animals album is on its way. Can't get enough of this first release.

What's your opinion about their music? Are you as excited as I am with this? 

Love

Celien

20 years

Yay!
I turned 20 last week.

I used to think of birthdays as just a regular day, but now I kind of let them symbolize all the things that occurred in my life and made me happy.

It has been such a wonderful year. I've had lots of great moments with my friends and have been able to appreciate them being around even more. I learned to relax a bit more during school and still had the grades I hoped for. My sister graduated, my mom's health is good again and my dog (aka big support) is still alive. I made great traveling trips and have many more planned. I felt love and some pain, but I kept myself going and here I am. Trying to be the best me I can be.

On my birthday, I was surrounded by my friends from dance class, which was too cool to be put in words. I did something I never thought I would do: going to a real nightclub. Luckily it was hiphop night, so I didn't have to be all dressed up with high heels and stuff. Sneakers were allowed, yes.

I also got some great presents from everyone: a mouth organ, a scratch map of the world, a really cool game and a compass!

What do you usually do on your birthday?

Love

PS: This song is worth listening to.

Asleep

I like reading books I've never read 'cause it always makes me look at certain things differently. Some authors are great at showing sides of society I hadn't even thought about. From time to time my mind just wants to calm down, so reading books I've already read can be a nice escape. The one book that always pops up then is The perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

If you haven't read this book, you should. I cannot explain directly what makes it so special, it's just every aspect of it. The spontaneous humor, the truth behind all of it, the sad loneliness that people can relate to,...

What I like even more is the fact that a lot of books and music are talked about in the book. Charlie, the main character, makes some mix tapes with music that's special to himself and other persons. I discovered the song Asleep by The Smiths and knowing all the feelings of Charlie that go along with this song, makes it even better. (Oh I'm confusing reality and fiction again, my bad.) He also said something very meaningful to me, that each song has been listened to by so many people in so many situations. These songs have been supporting or encouraging persons in all different places. It's something I've thought about before, but now even more.

Love

PS: I have lots of things to tell you about, stay tuned!

Taro

Hi dears

How was your Monday?
Mine was fulfilling but mostly exhausting. I kind of feel like all my energy has been sucked out. Wish we could just use a charger like our mobile phones do.

Current music mood: Alt-J. Just laying down a bit and trying to get my mind in order. Enjoy.

Free Money

I kind of feel like I'm an old soul trapped in a young body. Discovering new music is something I enjoy but nothing compares to rediscovering old albums. Number one favorite: Patti Smith's Horses.

The song Free Money really makes me wonder about certain things. I believe there's some underlying criticism on this society that is obsessed with money. Even back then, in 1975, she stood for something.

I hope this gives you something to think about during these (still rainy) summer days. Money can come in handy but please don't let it control your lives. It doesn't define you.

Lots of love


PS: If you ever have the chance to watch Patti Smith live, please do. She's the most inspiring artist I've ever seen.

Made of stone

- Feeling is not a system.

Loving someone is not about rationality. You can try to push your feelings into a certain direction, to avoid any more pain and missing. It doesn't work.

It doesn't happen very often to find someone who has completely the same mind set. I want to spend my evenings talking about life, death, dreams, world issues,... instead of worrying about silly things.
Having found this person, it's hard to accept the things that stand in the way. It makes me hesitate from time to time and I sometimes start to wonder how long I can keep holding on.

Since meeting such a person is so rare, forgetting is just no option.

I wish that you all have the courage to fight for what you want. Pursue your dreams, I'll be trying the same.

Have a nice weekend.
Kisses

You already know

-We said love was painted gold, like all things growing old

I have a few more exams to go now, you'll hear from me soon.
Lots of love

Unbroken

Hi dears

My love for music is infinite and this fact has been proven to me a couple of times last weeks. I miss sharing the artists I love with you and hearing your opinions. Time to step up my game.

It has been rather silent around the name Birdy for the last few years. She's in general known for her incredible voice and her beautiful yet sad songs. A friend from my building asked me a while ago if I wanted to attend a concert of her in Ancienne Belgique in Brussels. I like being surprised, so I agreed, no expectations set.

She really impressed me. Ok, her voice is great, I knew that, but the way she fills the whole room with it is just breathtaking. She's so so pure on stage. The most charming part of it all, was the fact that she dared to play so many songs from her new album. She could have played it safe and only perform her most popular songs, but she just didn't. Taking the time to show us what she's been working on the last couple of years was a great choice in my opinion. I just adore her new style, the songs are even more honest but not extremely sad at the same time. Thumbs up Birdy.

My favorite piece of music is her new one Unbroken. I didn't find a proper version of it on Youtube, so I'll just show you one of the other treasures of her album Beautiful Lies.

Kisses

Celien

The Love You're Given

- and your fear is your downfall

Hi!

Sometimes things don't turn out as expected, but turning these situations in new opportunities is my new goal. I applied some time ago for a really cool dance project with different choreographers and I was really looking forward to it. I kept all rehearsal dates free from other activities and even warned my boss (I work at a bakery, delicious right?) that I maybe wouldn't be able to work each weekend.

Due to an overload of applications, I wasn't accepted which really sucks because it was a huge opportunity to meet all these other passionate dancers. Instead of being sad I decided not to stand still and I booked tickets for a really cool concert. At first I couldn't go because of the dance performance, but now nothing stood in my way anymore. With two other music lovers, who I'm lucky to call my friends, I'll be enjoying Jack Garratt's concert in May! Never heard of him? Check this out, he's extremely talented.

Always turn bad things into new chances.

Love

music music

Music music music
My passion is back and I couldn't be happier with that.

Being in a room in a student city is really great, but also has some disadvantages. Can you imagine how annoyed you would be if the person next door in your building is singing all day long?
I'm that person.

When at home, I sing all.the.time. No one bothers, because my sister and I always have and always will. However, in my room in Leuven I remain silent all week long. It's hard to hold back, but I'm afraid others in my house might be frustrated by my music. This is why I sometimes forget how madly in love I am with music.

At the age of 9, the saxophone seemed really interesting to me. Slowly it became great to play new pieces and to discover new techniques. Because of pregnancies, I began to have a lot of different teachers, I guess six. This wasn't nice at all and practicing started to feel like punishment. Luckily I was invited into an ensemble with a dedicated musician who let us play jazz and blues. These lessons were so broadening and I learned great stuff. I graduated with success but I

Tired of being alone

Hi dears!

I'm very happy to announce you that this own little platform of thoughts exists for already a year now! Ok right, a year and one day.
Probably none of you remember my first posts, but it was very fascinating for me to read them again. My thoughts are most of the time really chaotic and confusing, but reading how sure I was to fulfill my ideals a year ago, gives my life direction again. If you're interested in why I started blogging: check it out.

Sometimes I get lost. I forget about the things I really care about and let others opinions affect my mood. It annoys me that some people have this influence on me. Next week (when my exams will be finally over) is all about enjoying the little things in life and finding myself.

It's wrong to say that people don't change. I've been through so many difficult times in the past and I can say that I'm a different ever since my life completely collapsed. I used to care about such banal things. The amount of friends I had on social media, standing in front during our dance performance, getting better grades than others, pleasing every single person in the world,...

People learn. You cannot please everyone. Dancing is about expressing yourself, there's no need to have the spotlights all on you. Being competitive against others isn't worth the effort. You have to reach goals because you care about them yourself. Deleting all the people on Facebook with whom I wouldn't change a word if we saw each other on the street, was one step. Being alone and processing my past was the next one. But I'm tired of being alone, I'm so tired of on my own.

Love

Rise

- Gonna rise up

Turning mistakes into gold

 

Eddie Vedder's album has been on my wish list for a while. After my exam last Monday I couldn't resist entering the music store, looking for new treasures to ease my mind during all the studying. You'll soon hear about my other purchases. Right now I need my bed, 6 more days of intense brain activity to go.

Love
Celien

POP = ART

Hi dears!

Long time no see. My hair is imprisoned in a bun for a month already and my waste bin is filled with lots of empty pen bodies: hello exams. 3 down, still 4 on their way.

Beside all those panic attacks and moments off complete boredom,

The Letter

- Here is your letter, with everything I know

about the weight of the world and the way things could go.

Only Love

And you saw me low, alone again

Didn't they say that only love will win in the end?

Trouble

Hello dears

I've got a lot of things on my mind, but I felt the urge to share one great piece of music with you.
Meet José James, an incredible jazz artist with a great attitude. His songs calm me down whenever I need something that does. Enjoy.

Do Not Claim Them Anymore

Hi dears!

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Hi dears

It's that time of the year again. Tomorrow, the second of November, should be all about reminding the ones you lost.

Except from playing my dad's favorite songs, I try to ignore this tradition. Isn't it sad? The cemetery is extremely crowded during these days and people don't even get the chance to have an intimate moment over there. It feels more like an obligation to visit the graves and (as you might have noticed) I don't like these kind of forced habits. Being on my own feels so much safer.

Good night peeps,

enjoy the music.

Love

Youth

And if you're in love, then you are the lucky one, 
'Cause most of us are bitter over someone.
Setting fire to our insides for fun, 
To distract our hearts from ever missing them.
But I'm forever missing him.

I admire the band Daughter for their perfectly chosen lyrics. They get me every single time.
In February I'll be attending their concert and I cannot wait to finally see them live.

Their album If You Leave contains more beautiful songs, you should try listening to it some time.

Did you already hear from them? If so, what's you're favorite song?

Love

Berlin

We're all hoping to find the one who turns us into the best person we can possibly be, aren't we?
Trying to escape from life's habits and boredom, side by side. Encouraging each other to purchase dreams. Appreciating even the smallest things in life.

But where do we find this person? And how can we be so sure that this human being will even exist? There is no such answer and this mostly results in doubts.

I love the song Berlin that RY X wrote about this issue. It's a simple song. It ain't very long and has a small selection of lyrics, but damn, once you see the meaning behind every sentence it's even more wonderful. Besides, Ry himself seems quite nice (and hot, duh).

You should also check out Sam Smith's version of it. In my opinion, he did a great job covering it.

Have a nice week!

Celien

July

*poof*
July again. No stress, less brain activity and good weather, at least better than what the Belgian clouds are offering us now.

Parents' House

Hello my dear readers

Happy to see that you're still here with me, even after this long pause with no answer from my side.

I've missed this writing so much, I cannot describe it in words. This is the only way I can express what's in my mind and not doing it has been driving me crazy. It's quite late, but sleeping with my mind full of chaos is not an option.

Something really bothers me.
Have you ever noticed how many different family situations there are?
I have friends who are in the mom-dad-brother-sister-dog-love situation with no impactful changes, but I also know people who really don't like being around their relatives. Some are used to arguing all the time at home and others feel extremely calm in their houses. A lot of my friends do still have some caring grandparents and for some, the divorce of their parents has been hell.

For me it's important to know these things about the people I see on a daily base but I'm sure that for most persons this doesn't really matter.

People can be so rude to each other sometimes. When things are said or done purposely, it is one thing. Not thinking about others situation and pretending for a second to be in their shoes, is another.

I get hurt a lot by people who're talking about their families. Even when it's like "My dad goes to his work by train" 'Oh, mine by car' "Well mine sometimes by bike", I'm holding back my tears. I've heard friends complaining about having to visit their grandparents so often. I would kill (yes, you know what I mean) to see my grandparents again, since the last one passed away six years ago.

I'm not saying that these peoples should shut their mouths about these topics, but I honestly want to make you all aware of the fact that some conversations might hurt others a little. I do know that each family has different problems to handle with and that these situations are not always as shiny as they seem. Just please try to picture yourself in another's place before you speak out conservative statements about life in general. Some have no idea.

Love
Celien


PS: For lovers of Confessions of a Shopaholic, look for a legen- (wait for it) -dary sentence of the movie in the text above.

Oats in the water

and you'll find loss

and you'll fear what you found

Loud places

I go to loud places to search for someone to be quiet with

Last night was pretty amazing. Even though my memories of it are a little bit blurry (wine and beer hooray), I remember me and my friends dancing like there was nobody watching (and sure there was) and having a great time at our favorite bar. Time flies when you're having fun so it quickly became 6 AM. You can probably understand me when saying that I'm glad not to have classes today.

The song makes me think about evenings like yesterday and I simply adore it. Jamie xx has made an incredible solo album and I love the fact that he collaborates with so many other artists. For Loud Places he asked help from Romy Madley Croft, also a member of the band The xx. No possible way that this could go wrong. Her extremely special voice combined with his musical talent is a perfect match.

There's also some other great news: the band is working hard on their third album. Their previous albums have been played over and over again in my room so I'm very curious about the next songs. I bet they will be awesome. Here's their announcement, released a month ago.

source: musictimes.com

Do you like Jamie's album or are you a bigger fan of the band's albums?

Are you as excited as I am about the upcoming album?

Love 

Celien

Lullaby

warning: sad content
if you're not in the mood: press (*)

My mind is a blur. I'm feeling quite low and don't know what bothers me the most.

Am I fine? I truly cannot answer that. I'm sure that I will be, but I have no idea when. There's just so much going on in my life right now. Except for the sad break-up, there's also my mom who's going to the hospital again tomorrow. She will have surgery again and hopefully her cancer will be gone forever. Tuesday, school is waiting for me again, can't wait (u-hum).

Good thing: she'll be treated in a good hospital in the city where I study, so I'll be able to visit her a lot during next weeks.
Bad thing: she doesn't know how to handle the situation, which I fully understand. Trying to be strong and keeping everyone at a distance is her current mood. I really want to help, but it's just so hard here at home to keep her calm.

(*)
There are also a lot of fun things happening right now, that's for sure. This afternoon I watched my previous dance crew perform and was so extremely proud. Girls and boy, I miss you so so badly. But wait haha, I'm meeting them actually in half an hour so no worries.

Since no students of our university have classes on the first Monday except for the newbies (take that!), we've introduced this Sunday evening as huge party time. Finally meeting my friends again!!! OK, just kidding. We've been practically living together last weeks, but still. I wouldn't know what to do without them, really (yes bla bla, clichés).

I think I just need a sweet lullaby tonight. Then it'll all be alright. (got it?)

Kisses
Celien

Thrift shop

Hey you, can we go thrift shopping?

Thrift shops. They all differ in offer and size. Some only sell clothing, others also furniture and kitchenware and sometimes small secondhand markets appear a couple of times a year.
I adore buying things that have already been used by other people. It carries something magical with it and at the same time I feel like I'm helping the environment a little bit. Recycling old stuff is good, right?

My love for thrift shopping came up last year, when I was creating an own, little space in my student city Leuven. Mom and I decided to take a look at our local recycling shop, where they sell almost any kind of object you can imagine (seats, mirrors, tea cups, clothes, beds, paintings, vases, books, shoes, closets, bikes, jewelry,... like really everything).

Beside a lot of glasses with golden details (love it!), we stumbled upon a rose pouf and an old, wooden mirror. The prices were too low to ignore, so the decision was made really quickly. I made it my little project and painted the wood: the result was magnificent.

While in Ghent with some friends, we coincidentally walked by the secondhand shop Think Twice. Inside I found the perfect turtleneck blouse with a subtle glitter in it. I tried my best to take decent pictures of it, but I honestly start to think that this piece is a bit camera-shy. Be confident blouse, you're totally awesome.

I'm showing you the glitters. The rest is left to your imagination.

Since I can be a bit clumsy from time to time, a lot of golden kitchenware I bought last year broke. That's the reason I decided to pay a visit to the thrift shop again. I scored some really cool tea cups and shot glasses but what I'm even more excited about, is the pieces of clothing I bought.

Come on seriously, how superduper cool are these?
An incredibly soft turtleneck sweater for only 10 euros and those used, dark brown boots for just 8 euros: there's no possible way I'm being scammed.


Have you ever bought something in a thrift shop?

Lots of love
Celien

Watch my back

Hi dears!

Even though a tan is missing (damn sun, I begged you), I'm back home after my trip to Croatia. With some memories and sadly also some pounds richer, it's time to enjoy this last chill out days before school starts again.

The trip was full of amazing places, friendship, wines, short nights, unexpected meetings, pizza, long bus rides, incredible nature phenomenons, friendly strangers,... just full of everything.
I'll tell you more about my fav spots later, I promise.

While strolling through the tax free zone in Pula on our way back home, we decided to do a little shopping. With the least intention to buy anything precious I walked into the store and guess what: I walked back out with a small box extra and 100 euros less.
It surely wasn't my fault guys. Blame that small watch over there, which stole my heart.

source: www.alfapoint.ru

source: global.rakuten.com

I'm head over heels in love with this watch. The soft rose color plus the subtle band is like the best combination everrrrrr.

I had been searching for a small but pretty watch for a very long time. The fact that this baby appeared right in front of my eyes was unignorable. My first airport buy ever: check.

Never had I heard before of the brand Skagen (probably because I don't know a thing about watches, whoops) so I checked their website right after arriving home. Turns out they have a great collection, I'm fond of their minimalistic, Danish style. One great advantage: buying things at the airport really is cheaper.


Do you wear a watch daily? If so, do you adore small ones or do you prefer bigger models?

Love
Celien

Empty

'Cause I need freedom now and I need to know how to live my life as it's meant to be