Friday 13 October 2017

36 YEARS AND A DECADE OUT OF THAT.


Last week's Wednesday I turned 36 and this week's Wednesday this blog became a decade old.
The later is a lot and the first neither a lot nor a little; age is a weird concept as it means so much to you at one point (Dag is counting the days, rather literally, until he turns six and dreams about being a magic ten years old) while you at some point just forget about the numbers. (Well, you do have all the physical factors to -painfully- remind you at some point though.)  Right now I don't feel old and I don't feel young and I feel both old and young and, me being something of a constant thinker and non-sleeper am even more so now; having thought a lot about life and my life the past year; what was, and was done, and what is and what will, should and can be. Call it something of an existential crisis, or perhaps existential possibilities. Either way, in general it feels like life does get better all the time, so far at least. And it seems to go by very very fast as well.

So yes indeed, it is late 2017, and I have been blogging here for then years!
In internet time, that is a whole lot. It's fun scrolling back every now and then to what both is and feels like such a long time ago. Obviously, it was a very different life ten years ago, but a lot can also change, or develop, in five.

And obviously, my name is so-not-up-to-date - are there even "fashion blogs" anymore? You know, originally the name was meant to be an sarcastic nod towards outfit blogs, as I when doing freelance work usually just sat around in leggings or underwear working, and then headed over to the harbour to work some more in overalls. And not the nice jumpsuit-y kind, but blue and neon yellow workwear. (well, in that kind of sense I am pretty close to the old days; I seldom get to wear my nice wardrobe because now I am mostly moving around at the studio, moving in the car, or moving on stage in something totally different. That, and also I don't fit most of my old clothes anymore. Ha ha. Sniff.)
So I planned to just do outfit posts on different wool socks, black t-shirts and blackunderwear. But as we all know it never turned out that way and also at this point one can't really change the name now can one?

But ok, lets look back! Because I totally did nothing at all last year when I turned 35, which, as we tend to count in fives and tens, was something more of a thing, I'll go back six years to when I turned thirty. (That's the year I actually celebrated my birthday; we had the True Blood party!)

Here was me then with a new lens. I think I look pretty much the same, but lets be honest here - my skin was indeed six years younger and also two thirds of my clothes from that time don't fit me anymore.  Those physical factors that come with time...

When I turned 25 we (J, my boyfriend at the time) took our friends on a cruise to celebrate. We knew the crew so here we are on a visit to the bridge. (I AM SO YOUNG what is this!)
J is a super fella who still works at sea and has a young boy and a second kid coming up.

And when I turned 20 I looked like this. (Yooooouuuung)My boyfriend at the time was also one whose name began with J. There's a lot of Finnish male names starting on J. I remember this one as well, we had Nepalese food with my family and I wore a long black-and white 1970's maxi skirt.
This J nowadays has a huge Dali-inspired moustache and works as an artist.
Because pretty much everything before I was 25 was shot on film there's not too many pics of my younger years (the two ones above are scanned from an album), especially not if you compare to the constant flow of pics everywhere today. I don't have any  from my 15th birthday here at home but here's one from the autumn when I had turned fourteen. I remember those pants but I have a hard time remembering life and my patterns of thinking back then. We called each other and talked for hours on the phone at home, you could make group calls and we secretly called dating chat lines, used pay phones when out on town and dreamt of being 18. But this I do remember: one day when out walking I told myself to always remember that when you are fourteen you have thought about everything so much already, that you do get things.

And then there's a gap so here I turn one!

If anyone of you have been here with me for the decade-long ride all along I say thanks and send you smiles in ones and zeros! As to anyone who jumped on later as well.

7 comments:

Carol said...

Hey! Yes!! My name ia Carol, I'm 40 years old and I have been following your for 10 years! And its amazing how your blog is always so inspirational. Your style, your house and everything you post! Thanks for providing us such good content and I Hope you dont stop blogging, oh and by the way I'm from Brazil! Keep going girl! I wish you all the best!

Alicia M said...

Wow, I remember the True Blood party. I have been reading your blog for so long! Happy Birthday from Alicia in Vancouver.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday! what I like the most about your blog is how honest you are. I've been reading your blog for so long! sometimes I search for your layers look for winter. How can beat tips for cold weather given by a Finnish person? :-)

Victoria said...

Hello and Happy Birthday from Memphis, TN. I have been following your blog for 10 years and love it. It is amazing how much your son looks like you when you were one! Really enjoy you and your family. Best, Victoria

Samala said...

Happy birthday! I've been following you for 9 years now so I remember the True Blood party too :-) I do love how birthdays encourage a time of reflection. I agree with you that life gets better and better - at least the thought processes and ability to look at things from many difference angles, empathy, understanding, etc etc! So I look back at photos of myself with amazing skin at 20 but I feel a sadness for my young self - I can't help seeing the uncertainty, getting caught in situations I didn't want to be in and such strong emotions. I feel as though life is so much more stable and nurturing now, I know my boundaries, continue to challenge myself and count my blessings every day. I was surprised to read that you don't fit your old clothes as you still look the same size in photos (ie gorgeous)! I agree with a comment above that they appreciate your honesty. So thank you for continuing to do you so well and for growing this journal of sorts in a natural and unpretentious way. May the next decade be filled with more love, adventure and learning x

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Nadja Art said...

The True Blood party was the first time I encountered your blog :D yes, with 36 life is better than ever...but also the speed is quite overwhelming :-o