Bloggiesta Wrap up Post

Three days are over, already! The time went by way too quickly. I managed to do only a small portion of what I wanted to do but at least a little bit.

On Day 1 I had a late start because I had to deal with two papers first. I finished one and tried to postpone the other one (haven’t heard back by the teacher yet, so can’t tell if it was successfully). As it was late by then already I just did the Pinterest Mini-Challenge and commented on a few To-do-Lists and then went to bed. Sadly I couldn’t attend the Twitterchat because it was too late for me and I had to go to class the next morning.

Day 2 started with said Class and when I was back home I was sooo tired I couldn’t really do anything so I went for a nap – which made me have even less time . *sigh* Luckily I did manage to get at least a little bit done. I decluttered my Sidebars, wrote the long threaded and most feared Review Policy Page and thought about New Content which was a bigger success than I thought beforehand. I also attended the Twitterchat that day, it was a blast!

Today which was Day 3 I slept in way too long (I start to see a pattern here) and attended the Twitterchat. I updated the Excel Sheet I have for my NetGalley books (and realised how many I have to read by now! brrr), did the Goodreads Mini-Challenge and the one where you learn how to make your Reviews better. I also read through the 5 tips to write your Reviews faster but didn’t do the Challenge part for it.

That’s all not a very huge success especially because I wanted to write and schedule a lot of posts and didn’t even manage to write an IMM Post but I did at least something and got some motivation to do more in the Future. Also I met a lot of awesome people during this weekend. I love the Book Blogger Community, everyone is so kind and helpful. It feels like a big family. Btw did you realise it too that (nearly?) all of us where females? I couldn’t really find any male blogger the whole weekend! Not that I have a problem with it I am just wondering! Is it because reading in general is something that more girls do than boys? Hm, this will keep me thinking a while longer I guess .

So when it was time to call it an End I was in a kind of depressed mood for a bit. Not sure if it was because the fun weekend was over already or because I was mad at myself because I wasted it without doing a lot…

How was your Bloggiesta Weekend? Did you manage to do everything on your list? Or at least most? If yes, Congratulations, I am really proud of you! (and a little jealous )

All I have left to say now is Bye Bloggiesta, see you again in September for the next Weekend of Blogging Madness and Love spreading! Thank you Suey and Danielle for hosting this awesome Event!

Bloggiesta Starting Line or How to mess up!

Hi there, Bloggiesta..ristas? I’m so excited that Bloggiesta finally starts. It was so much fun last year so I am really looking forward to this weekend. I just have a “little” problem. Because…. I have two papers due TODAY! So I can’t really start with Bloggiesta yet, I first have to try to a) figure out if I even CAN finish them tonight and b) if yes, finish the papers until midnight or c) if no, write mail to teachers to ask for (another) new due date. I so tried to finish them until yesterday so that I can jump right in the Bloggiesta fun today but yeah, nothing ever happens as I plan. *sigh*

So this Post will be my To-Do List during the Weekend. I will update this post as I finish Tasks or find new ones.

Oh, wait. You don’t know Bloggiesta? You wonder what crazy stuff I am talking about at the moment? Then go check out the two new hosters of the Event at It’s all about books and There’s a Book.

edit day 2: Decided to keep this To-Do-List but split it up in Days to be able to see a little better when I did what.

edit day 3: OMG I did so little yesterday! Need to do way more today. At least I’m not tired today.

But now, let’s get started with the To-Do List:

Day 1:

1. Finish or postpone paper 1 (Code Name: Documentary) (0/2500 Words) (asked for new Due Date)
2. Finish or postpone paper 2 (Code Name: Commercials) (7/8-10 Pages) DONNNNEE!! WOHOO!! *celebrates* Bloggiesta here I come!
3. Write “real” To-Do-List (allowing myself to do when I’m done with 1. and 2. )
4. Roll up my sleeves – Check!
5. Get to know Pinterest and find out what it is/if I want to have it. Another Mini-Challenge here. Mission “Pinterest”  complete!
6. Think of another thing on the List so that I don’t have to have 13.

Day 2:

1. Sidebars: get rid of stuff that is outdated and put in stuff that should be there – Saw a Mini-Challenge for this. Mission “Sidebars” completed!
2. Get Policy Page(s) – Mini-Challenge at Squeaky Books. GOT IT! YES!
3. Go for a Nap. For Reasons, go check out my Bloggiesta Day 2 Intro Post.
4. Think about new Content. (Mini-Challenge) Code Name: Content, complete!

Day 3:

1. Speaking of Mini-Challenges – Do as many as possible this weekend (4 done)
2. Write as many Posts to schedule as possible (failed at this one last year miserably).
3. Check out Networked Blogs and decide if I want to have it too.
4. Check Options for selfhosting Blog (I guess that won’t happen this weekend but I can get at least Info about it)
5. Update About me Page (This is soo way out of date I can’t even tell).
6. Connect with other Bloggers as much as possible during the whole weekend.
7. Edit material for February Wrap-up Video and upload it to Youtube (no, that’s not a mistake. It is supposed to be February. I am soo behind!)
8. Update Excel-Sheet with NetGalley Books. Done!
9. Try to read at least one NetGalley Book over the weekend. (I have so many and not finished one of them yet, I feel so guilty by now!)
10. Find out what Windows Live Writer is all about. I think I’ve seen a Mini-Challenge for this one too.
11. Read and Comment (or try to, had one already that I tried about 20 times but couldn’t post my comment) on all To-Do-List posts of all Bloggiesta participants (No. 1-5 on Starting line post done)
12. Organize Reading Challenge Pages better.
13. Declutter Facebook Page.
14. Do Goodreads Mini-Challenge (by Janicu at Janicu’s Book Blog) – DONE! I LOOOOVE my new exclusive shelves!!!!
15. Learn how to make my Reviews better. Mini-Challenge by the bluestocking society (Now I only have to write them)

Oh and just because I saw it on someone elses blog and thought that it would be fun:

Food and Drinks Consumed:

Day 1:

• 2 Cups of English Breakfast Tea
• 2 Cups of Water
• A Bowl of Cinnamon Cereals
• ~4 Bowls of Cauliflower and Fennel Stew and two slices of bread with butter
• 2 more Bowls of Stew (Don’t worry it’s gone now) and two more slices of bread

Day 2:

• 1 Bowl of Cinnamon Cereals with a banana
• 2 Cups of Water (yes, I know I should drink more)
• 1 Cup of Tea
• Pasta with Veggies

Day 3:

• Another Bowl of Cinnamon Cereals + Banana (yes, I like these)
• 2 Cups of Water
• ~ 3 portions of Tuna Spaghetti

Musik listened to:

Day 1:

• Deadmau5 – Ghosts and Stuff

Day 2:

• LMFAO – Sorry for Party rocking
• David Guetta – Turn me on

Stuff watched:

Day 2:

• Germany’s next Topmodel Season 7?8?9? Episode 6
• Youtube Videos by Shaytards and Sototallyvlog

Day 3:

• Youtube Video by Shaytards
• My Life as Liz – Season 2 Episode 1

Happy Bloggiesta everyone!

Challenge 2.0, Day 17 – The Peter Pan Presentation

Day 17 of Challenge 2.0 was halfway filled with Pan(ic). I got up in the morning and revised the stuff for my presentation. First I felt ok but the closer it came the more I turned into a nervous wreck. When we sat in the classroom waiting for the teacher to come in I was close to hyperventilating. But when he arrived and started talking, this suddenly disappeared. I have no idea why. This worried me even more because it felt like my brain shut down. I feared that I wasn’t remembering anything of what I wanted to say.

But then it was our turn and my two mates spoke their parts first and then it was my turn. Personally I thought that I just said nonsense but everyone else was telling me afterwards that it was  fine. It was a big relief when it was over. But now I am kind of looking forward to the paper we have to write in the end about it as the topic cought me and I want to find out more about it.

In the afternoon I didn’t do a lot except watching videos on Youtube and stuff. I also found a Song there that was (and still is) stuck in my head. Also I like the video and the singer is so cute. I love her. Besides she is a geek too <3. She likes Comics and plays World of Warcraft (Yes, I know. A few of you will hate me or her now, but I don’t mind). Here is the video so that you can see what I am talking about:

Other than that I decided for a topic for Algorithms and Data Structures today. I’ll have a test about that next week. After I chose it, I looked at the lecture material and the incredible happened. I understood my topic! Woho! I’m really proud of myself. In case you are interested, the topic I chose is “extendible hashing with selection sort”.

Additionally I was glad that I registered for the Women’s run already some time ago because today I got an email that it’s sold out! 21.100 Women registered for it! That’s a new record and it happened much quicker than anybody expected. I’m excited!

Tomorrow two girls will come to see the room we soon have available for rent. I’m curious about them. If you are looking for a room in a shared flat or know someone who does you can contact me anytime. I’ll tell you tomorrow how it went. So check back on Day 18!

Picture by Ethan Hein

Challenge 2.0, Day 16 – The Peter Pan Syndrom

Day 16 of Challenge 2.0. I did again no Sports Active. I tried all day to motivate myself to do some work for my presentation tomorrow and managed to do it half an hour ago. At least I realised that my part of the presentation is interesting. I have to compare the movie The Lost Boys (a vampire movie of 1987) with Peter Pan and the God Pan. Interestingly there are surprisingly many of connections between these. I wouldn’t have thought that beforehand. Hopefully I can talk long enough about all that tomorrow and in a way that all the people outside my head understand it too.

During research for that I also found the Peter Pan Syndrom. It is for men who don’t want to grow up. It seems that this is actual an illness. I think at least one of my ex’s is a possible candidate for this one.

Today morning I had my english class again. Again with a presentation but this one was much better than the one last week. Also the woman from last weeks presentation wasn’t around at all and it suddenly was much more quiet during class. That was nice.

In the evening I was supposed to have another class but the teacher was stuck in London caused by the volcano ash cloud so there was no class today. More time for me to work on my presentation….NOT.

I better go to bed now and sleep a night over my presentation and polish it tomorrow morning. See you at Day 17 (hopefully).

Picture by tipoyock

Challenge 2.0, Day 9 – The Writers Block

Day 9 of Challenge 2.0 today and I pretty much wasted it . I should have done a homework I was looking forward to do but when I sat down my head was suddenly empty. Nothing was there, no Idea popped into my head. It is due tomorrow, so I try it again tomorrow morning. Maybe my head works it out during the night. That happened a few times already. Once I was thinking about a problem at my programming homework all afternoon and couldn’t find the solution and when I was falling asleep in my bed at night, I suddenly saw the answer in front of me. I hope for that too today. I guess I just block myself because I put myself under too much pressure. I just don’t know how to release the pressure when the due date is knocking at the door.

Other than that I went to a class early in the morning where I lost some of my worries about the presentation I soon have to do in english (I hate presentations in general, doin it – for the first time – in english doesn’t make it better). That was because we heard the first presentation today and even if I try I will not be able to be worse than this woman.

Yes, I know, that sounds mean, but it really is the truth. She had such a bad pronunciation that you hardly could understand anything. Also she had a few funny mistakes in it. Yes, I’m aware of the fact, that everyone can make mistakes, especially when he or she is nervous. I’m sure I will talk a lot of nonsense when it is my turn. But she said stuff like “in the best fall” (she meant “in the best case” but used the german word “Fall”) and, when she couldn’t remember the word “counting” (or never knew, I don’t know) she said the german word “zählen” but not just the german word she said “zähling”, as if it would make the word english just when she adds the “-ing”. Yes, nevermind, I better stop now. I was just wondering.

Something very clever I did myself today happened in the evening. It’s a bit embarrassing. In the evening I normally have class. Today I didn’t really want to go out as it was raining and really cold but then motivated myself to go there, just to remember right before I was in front of the classroom door that the teacher mentioned something about that there is no class today. So I went there completely for nothing. That made me really happy (/sarcasm off).

The only little good thing I can remember about today is, that I, while I was on my way to the not-happening-class and back, read some pages of one of the books I have to read for Uni (and for my reading challenges). It was the book The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde.

I didn’t do any sport today as it was Sports Active Breakday and, as I already said, ugly weather. Tho I thought about doing some but I wanted to finish (start?) the homework (in what I didn’t succeed, as seen above). But I’ll do my belly exercises later right before going to bed. I found out that it’s nice to do them right before going to sleep as this reduces the time it takes me to warm myself up enough to be able to sleep (I have unfortunately this women-and-cold-feet-in-bed-problem).

Ok, enough ranting for today. See you at Day 10.

Picture by Brenda Annerl

Challenge Day 40 – The last Week

Day 40 of my Challenge was uneventful. I slept long, had breakfast and planned to do some stuff for uni. I indeed did a little bit, but not a lot – as I planned in the beginning.

At least I could finally watch Episode 2 of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution today. The anger and sadness continued but at least there was some hope in the end. This time he went to a class full of 6-year-olds and showed them vegetables – and they didn’t know any of these! Not even tomatoes or potatoes. They were surprised, when Jamie told them, that Ketchup was made out of tomatoes and french fries out of potatoes. But their teachers did teach it to them on their own and in the end they knew every kind of vegetable he showed to them.

Also, the cooks at the school were shocked, when Jamie asked them to give forks and knives to the kids so that they can eat their lunch. HUH? They never used fork and knives before at the school! Naturally they didn’t know how to use them. At least, Jamie was finally successfull and the kids ate a lot more of the food he cooked than the first few days. This helped with the decision, to let him try for a few more weeks! Nice! I’m looking forward to next week’s episode.

I ate a big bowl of delicious salad with my meal today and again no chocolate. Today in one week the challenge is finally completed! Woho, I’m so proud of myself. I also did Sports Active again today plus the belly exercises which I added one more exercises to today. Also I had a (for me) crazy idea. I was thinking about going jogging but then was too scared of it to really do it. I’ll try again tomorrow. Then it is Sports Active Break Day anyway.

That’s it for today already. See you tomorrow at Day 41.

Picture by epSos.de

Challenge Day 33 – The wasted Sunday

So today at Day 33 of my Challenge I went up early to go to uni and had to sit for 4 hours straight on an unconfortable chair but at least it was the the second part of the interesting class that I was at already yesterday. Today we watched less weird movies and our teacher told us about how it is to work with Klaus Kinsky (who is known for being complicated).

Other than that I planned to do serious uni stuff today but I didn’t do a lot except that I sorted my notes and wrote a list of what I will have to do this semester (this became a really long list, including at least 5 presentations – gosh, I hate presentations) and a list of books I have to get me.

And now, instead of going to bed I watched a cute girly-movie and ate the rest of my lunch *sigh*. But no chocolate again and I wasn’t missing it either.

As it is late already and the movie is finally over I go to bed now. See you tomorrow on day 34 (oh, for all of you who wonder – yes, I count the Sundays, even tho I don’t have to, but I want to, so the challenge should last around 46 days total).

Picture by @boetter

Challenge Day 32 – The Strange Movie

Day 32 of my Challenge is a Saturday but I still had Uni today. I’m going to have tomorrow too, so I’m going to bed right after I finish that post. The Class today (and tomorrow) was really inspiring. Our teacher worked as a production designer in movies and showed us movies he worked for and talked about what he did and what where the problems that occured. It was so interesting and sometimes funny when he spoke about the problems and funny stories. For example, when he worked at his first movie, he was pretty young and he told us that he “didn’t know that you get paid for something beautiful and fun like that”. He did it because he really liked to do it. This should happen to much more people in life. Do something you love and get actually paid for it. I’m working on that, maybe I’ll manage to do that one day .

The second movie we watched was a little strange. No, that’s not correct. It was REALLY strange. In the beginning our teacher told us, that every actor in the movie was under hypnosis while filming and when you know it you can see it (I don’t know how it would feel if you don’t know that fact). This was really strange to watch, even a bit scary for me. I wonder if this still would someone do today (as the movie was from 1976). Here is a trailer of it, you can decide yourself:

About the Challenge I can say that I again didn’t eat very “organised” today but at least I got some salad and I didn’t eat chocolate but I thought of buying some other sweets today but didn’t do it in the end.

Picture by Lachlan Hardy

Challenge Day 29 – The Surprise

Day 29 of my Challenge is over. I survived a whole day with a chocolate cake sittin on the table in our living room (which I have to pass everytime I want to go somewhere else than my room) without eating any chocolate. That was even a bigger challenge than saying no in the first place yesterday.

I didn’t eat very much at all today as I missed eating lunch on time so I had to hurry to be at the Studio on time and just ate a soup before. And after work I haven’t been that hungry (strange, but it happened) and in the end it was so late that I didn’t want to eat a lot anymore, so I just made a salad. Somehow I’m now still a bit hungry (or again?) but it might be ok to be able to sleep. In the Past, before the challenge, I would have eaten the cookies now that are waiting for me in the kitchen but not now, when it would screw my Challenge. In general it feels easier than I thought to cut out the chocolate – most of the time. There are a few weak moments when I struggle with myself but I always managed to overcome it until now.

Today evening I somehow got a reward for that. Ok, it’s not directly connected but it feels a bit like that. I told you at Day 15 that I went to an exam. Today I got the result for it. I got a 1 (or an A if this is telling you more). This is soooo awesome! If I weren’t sitting at the Studio at the time I saw it and people wouldn’t have been in the room I would have jumped around and screamed. This feels so good and it is a big motivation especially because I screwed the paper as I told you.

One more thing that helped me get over the demotivation about the paper is another thing that happened today. Today there were two girls at the Studio and one was buying something, I think it was a skirt or something like that, and the other girl looked familiar to me and I asked her if she studies the same thing I study and she answered yes. We figured out that she was at the same class I had to write the paper for and she didn’t write one too. She said she couldn’t get along with the teacher. So, hey, maybe it wasn’t all alone my fault. At least it helps to know, that I am not the only one who didn’t managed to do it.

That’s all for today. Be right back tomorrow with Day 30. Woho that sounds nice!

Picture by Only Sequel

Challenge Day 27 – The Insomnia

Day 27 of my Challenge started pretty early – at 7:15 to be precise. It was even worse because first I went to bed at about 2 in the morning yesterday (as I wasn’t very tired in the evening and got distracted by a friend) and couldn’t sleep very well. I kept waking up and mostly I didn’t know why. Probably it was because it was really windy outside and this resulted in noise. Second thing was, that at about 3:30 in the morning a thunderstorm happened to be with REALLY loud thunder that woke me at least twice. Not a good basis for a good morning. But I still got up and went to Uni. It helped that it was a pretty interesting class about britains history.

After that I went home, had lunch (with salad) and a little online-game with friends (Geek alert!) and then had a little nap before I headed to the next class. This class was about a boring topic but the teacher made it interesting (besides, that’s the reason I’m even in that class). Normally it happens more often that the teacher makes interesting stuff boring so that’s a good alternation.

When I was home from Uni I ate dinner, again with a big bowl of salad and cucumber (Om nom nom, delicious!) and again no chocolate for me today.

Last week I had to do a little homework that decided if I’m allowed to attend another class or not. Yesterday I got the info that I’m not allowed to. It would have been an interesting class but can’t change it anymore now. At least I can sleep longer tomorrow because of that now .

Besides, I decided today, that I have to look for a new phone REALLY urgently as the battery runs out of energy really rapidly already and on Saturday there broke a part of the casing away. I even found a phone now that isn’t too expensive and I would wanna have I just can’t decide if I should stay with my provider or get me a new one. In general I’m ok with the one I have now, it just has one thing I really don’t like, so I think of changing – but every other provider I looked up so far is either much more expensive (and provides less for that) or doesn’t have the phone I want (or decent other options). Any suggestions? Are you satisfied with your provider or your phone? Or you can tell me what I should not get? For that I have to tell you that I only had Nokia phones so far and rather would wanna stick with that in the future.

Ok, that’s it for today. Come back tomorrow for Day 28!

Picture by aussiegall