The Fear of the Crappy Draft

The only reason for having this blog is that I very much enjoy writing. I enjoy using language, finding the perfect word for the purpose at hand, being witty, making up expressions, and rewriting everything until it flows and sounds right. I especially enjoy writing about myself and the things I care about - which, well, is the point of a personal blog. And it is a great side effect that in doing so I can at the same time inform friends and family of how I'm doing and show off some cool pics (and  hopefully make everyone want to move to Scotland). 

Yorkshire Dales - View from Malham Cove

Yorkshire Dales - Malham Cove

This used to be a waterfall, now the water has found its way underground and emerges just at the bottom of the cliff. We were told that this is a great rock climbing place with some of the most difficult climbing routes in the world. Also, a scene in Harry Potter was filmed on the top.

Yorkshire Dales - Janet's Foss

Yorkshire Dales - Hanlith Moor

Just before the rain set in...

Yorkshire Dales - Hanlith Horse

Baggage

At the end of the month I'm going to visit my family in Germany. When I booked the flight many months ago with EasyJet I got a really good deal. I booked flights with carry-on luggage only as I thought I could add on checked-in luggage later if I had to. Now, as I really want to go skiing this year in Scotland, I'm thinking of bringing my skiing gear from Germany. So I checked the EasyJet website today, and to my dismay I found out that besides the 22 pounds for one checked item I would also have to pay an additional 35 pounds for changing my booking from travelling without luggage to travelling with luggage. That's ridiculous. Redunculous even. DHL charges 30 € for a parcel up to 20 kg sent to the UK, and I won't have to carry it myself.

Walking with Friends

Still Young

A few weeks ago I experimented with a dry shampoo substitute (*link*), and I continued experiments today.

Sourdough Explosion

It happens. I fed the sourdough and put it back in a closed jam jar in the fridge before it had completely "digested" the flour. The jar didn't burst, but the pressure was high enough to unscrew the lid a little bit and for the dough to squeeze out into the fridge. The actual explosion happened, when I opened the jar, but no one got hurt. Even the sourdough losses were bearable.

It's strangely satisfying to take care of a living being and watch it prosper. And no, I'm not feeling broody.

Choir Rehearsal

I joined a choir, and so far it has been very enjoyable. I like to sing, and singing a great arrangement in different parts sounds so nice. I'm actually surprised how well we sound, I expected much less. As we were founded only three weeks ago, there is no established culture yet, most people don't know each other, the repertoire is very open, and so is the purpose. We have been about 30 people each week, enough sopranos, many altos, a couple of tenors and basses. Since people are allowed to drop in anytime, numbers and proportions are dynamic.

Bad Karma

I keep killing rats when I cycle home along the canal at night. They get scared and jump into the water. Or can they swim?