In Which I Chisel Things

Here's a picture to give you an idea of the environment I've been learning/working in. We've been split into groups to design and build something to sit on, so my group is making a star-shaped chair. I'm glad everyone is getting on and just getting it done. I feel a bit useless because I haven't done any technical drawing before and I'm a little out of my depth in that respect, but carrying wood about and chiseling stuff is the most fun.
I'll post more substantially when I have something substantial to show.

And there's a picture of the lad. Sher didn't he only go and quit his job and start this course, what a guy!

Copenhagen: The First Sunday

I'm on Day 4 of my new adventure of living in Copenhagen, and so far I'm having a jolly good time. I have a journal that I usually write in fairly regularly, at least when exciting things happen, but I've decided to just jot down briefly here what I've been up to, as it's about 20 gazillion times faster to type than it is to write. I'm going to go backwards in time and begin at the beginning.

Sunday


Checking out of one's hotel is made difficult when one must drag one's entire life down two flights of winding stairs, due to all the lazy weekenders hogging the lifts. But you must let it wash over you. Check out we eventually did. We then explored a small bit of Copenhagen. I was glad to see most of the shops and restaurants were shut. As a hospitality worker, I appreciate Denmark's commitment to giving at least some of  the hardest working, precariously employed and poorly paid workers a break.

Gladly, however, Cafe Paludan was open for business, and we indulged in the largest omelettes (I swear, at least five eggs) of our short lives. Better still, the place is not only a cafe with delicious coffee, but a book shop, library and study hall. The international students talking loudly to hide their awkwardness (I feel your pain) were the only distraction. We spent a couple of lovely hours there, then headed further afield.

Due to the Sunday-ness of the day, our search for bicycle shops, bedding stores and really any shop we needed to set us up for our new life was lacking. We whiled away a few hours and wandered through the swankier part of town. As soon as the clock struck 16:00 we headed off to our accommodation to unpack and get ready for, you know, beginning a carpentry course the next day.

So essentially we're living in dormitories, where food is provided, the rooms are nicely heated and there is even a sauna. The monthly rent is VERY reasonable. The food is shockingly bad, the coffee tastes perpetually burnt, but lucky for me I have a coffee perculator and a bag of Bewley's Panama roast, as well as lots of nice things to eat in my room (I mean pickles, berries and mackerel, I need to get my nutrition somewhere). 

The pictures below are an indication of the average-ish view from our window, in rain and in snow. As you can see, it is not amazing, but it's far from terrible, and for the price I am more than happy to spend the next few months here while my earning capacity is stunted.

Unpacking complete, we settled into our first night in our new home. Failing to turn off the radiator (faulty knob), it was absolutely sweltering hot. A good time was had by all.

Just Face It

So I'm going to be frank with you, internet. I've had adult acne since I hit the old 2-0, 4 years ago. Until recently I had failed, in an absolute sense, to deal with it. The uprooting of my hormonal stability was a real shock to me.
 
Since then, I've gone through several phases. Apathetic 'I don't care less' mode; frantic 'trying every product under the sun and burning my skin with harsh products' mode, angry 'I can't believe I'm now an adult and starting to get acne' mode, and the stage I am at now, where my anger has plateaud and I've tried to combat the little devils by improving my diet (and that's another store entirely) and decreasing the amount of 'products' I use on my skin. Since I've taken a hands-on approach to what goes into my body, what goes onto my skin is just as important, is it not?

In the past the Vichy Normaderm range was a bit of a lifesaver, it cleared things up nicely and I was feeling more confident in my skin (second pun of the post, nice one Amy). But Vichy products are expensive. In fact, all cosmetics are ridiculously expensive, and I'm trying to downsize my consumer side all the time. I don't even hugely mind dropping the cash for their products, but I hate the idea of relying on a combination of obscure chemicals to make me feel ok about my skin.

I've almost stopped buying cosmetics altogether (except for lip balm, but I'm going to start making my own very soon) and instead use things I can find in my kitchen to do the things we need to make us clean and feel nice. One method I have for using up left over kitchen bits and giving my skin a bit of a treat.

While in the past I would have dropped a small fortune on something that left my skin raw and red and irritated for the sake of 'treating' it to a facemask, now I just whip up a little something from my kitchen that actually serves a purpose other than sheer decadence, and makes me feel good too.

Tonight I made a face mask using:

A tiny chunk of really ripe avocado
A squeeze of lemon juice
Two tsps of coconut cream
A tsp of coconut oil

I mixed it all into a mulshy/paste, washed my face using a really hot cloth and popped it on. 15 minutes later I rinsed it off using hot water, then rinsed with cold water to close my pores. Later on I'm going to moisturise with coconut oil warmed in the palm of my hand, with some vitamin E oil mixed in.

I've learned to give my skin a break, that overloading it with products won't do you any favour in the short term or long run. Instead, I'm slowly improving my health and hoping that as time goes on my hormones will balance and I will begin to look like the adult I (think I) am.

The End of January

Well, January is almost over, and here's a few things that have been filling my time lately:

I've been enjoying, like everyone else in London, the snow and cold over the last week. The prospect of snow enlivens the school child in me. The prospect of a day off is just too much to handle. I think it's amazing how a touch of cold turns every grown-up into a 9 year old. People need to learn to let go of themselves more.

I don't have a 'job' job as such anymore (my life is slowly disintegrating around me), so I work a bit here and there at one or both of my jobs. Although I'm not earning as much as I want to be, I'm enjoying the whole days off and (even!) evenings free.

In my free time I'm packing my life up, getting estimates for shipping (turns out it's not cost effective to ship books which have only sentimental value), cooking delicious rhubarb and ginger treats, and making soap. My latest soap is pretty lovely if I do say so myself. I made it by smashing up my charcoal tablets into powder and mixing it with cinammon, almond oil and coconut oil for a moisturising, cleansing, sweet-smelling soap.

I have 9 days left in London, and then we're flying away, to Copenhagen to begin the next chapter. I'm making the most of it while I'm here. I'm going to have to go to Allpress at least five times before next week.

One thing I won't be missing is the coldness of Londoners, especially on the Tube. It wears me down. I was made for banter and smiling at strangers, not cold stares and not moving down the carriage and making use of all available space.

All pictures, as always, courtesy of Leo and his point and shoot.