Hawaiian party, failed GRWM and my weekend

Hey, guys!

Before we get into the post - a few things I want to say. Firstly, I have been struggling to find time to blog and have been doing so once a week for the last couple of months. I haven't really been too excited about the content, meaning I want to write much more detailed posts about different things like beauty and style, but I haven't had the chance, so I've been doing recaps of my weeks and personal chatty posts. That being said, you all have been super lovely regardless and I am amazed and very thankful to all of you for your comments, feedback, support and subscribing. Welcome to new followers, I am very happy to see you around and I have decided that I want to get into blogging more, put out a couple of posts a week, but first and foremost - just be more active and involved with all of you guys! As per usual, I reply to all my comments and visit your blogs, if you leave the links below, but as much as it excites me, that you come and visit me, I know it's the same for you and you guys write amazing and inspiring and smart posts and I want to read them all and reach out to you and follow your stories, so I  will definitely try to get back at it.

Where was I? Yes. Everybody - thank you. New posts - coming soon. Better content - you tell me. Hopefully. More active Renate - check.

Shoutout to the lovely Zozo, who guessed my nail polish color in the previous post spot on! Impressive :)

Moving on, today I have a semi serious, semi fun post about my weekend! As some of you know, I finished a degree here in Denmark and have made some friends for life. One of them just had his birthday and since he surfs and has the boards in his apartment anyway, he figured to make a themed party! What's more fun than faking a summer in the middle of November?

At the moment, still being on my internship, I live 700 m from his apartment. My boyfriend, however and more of our friends had to take the 4 hour trip to participate, so I got to dress up, party, see my boyfriend AND my lovely friends all at the same night. A girl was happy.

Another friend of mine and I first went to the local party shop downtown to pick out our costumes, so I purchased some flowers and my leafy green skirt.
After that we went to a second hand shop to which I have never been to before and we picked out a couple of shirts. I did my best to find the most obnoxious shirt I could find for my boyfriend to wear and was pretty happy with the outcome!

On the day of the party I took it easy and went to the local drugstore to pick up some salt water spray to give my hair that beachy textured look I found fitting.

I kept my makeup theme-inspired, so - very simple and natural, yet bronzy (as much as my pale skin would allow me to) and my accessories - minimal.

I wanted to show you guys the products I used and the outcome, but the lighting was so bad by the time I was ready, that the photos are either dark or too light - and the flash completely washes out my face, so you can't see anything makeup-wise anyway.

I will do a post on my current makeup routine this week, however, and will find the time to use the best lighting possible.

We had a really fun time, catching up, playing wii and celebrating and had an amazing walk today which freshened us all up after the all-nighter. My boyfriend is heading home now together with our friends and I am waiting for my parents and my sister to log on Skype for our Sunday date :) My parents live in Latvia, as you might already know, my sister lives in Dublin and I'm here in Denmark, so catching up is really important to us and I'm always looking forward to it, with a cup of tea and sometimes - even a note book! To remember to mention everything I want to say and also, to write down upcoming events and important information, so I know when to text, call and congratulate :)

For the serious side of things, I have had a rough couple of weeks, I'm not going to lie. I have really been mentally occupied by my plans, goals and current routine. I have done a lot of thinking and have come to the conclusion, that I need to adjust the way I go about things. A lot of the things I do are calculated and goal-minded, I want to find a job, learn Danish and figure out, what to study further etc. I have been so focused on reaching those goals, that I have spent the whole past year doing everything I can to bring me closer to them. I've accomplished a good deal, but have also "sacrificed" time with friends, my hobbies and favorite activities. I have been telling myself - why would you spent the day walking through the shops downtown, when you actually should be looking through job postings or read up on some additional Danish material. Of course, I have made progress faster this way, but I have also felt low sometimes and... deprived slightly. I now see, that while it might have worked for a while, from now on, I need to find another way to continue reaching the same goals.

I now need to wrap up my internship successfully, finish up with a positive recommendation letter and move onto to the next challenge, whilst keeping sight on the everyday highlights, the coffee dates, the walks, the books, the cooking and all the things that make me happy from day to day.

That was everything I wanted to say at the moment. I hope you guys are having a wonderful weekend and I will talk to you soon! Let me know in the comments below, if you'd like to see the content of my makeup bag first, my latest food choices in pictures and descriptions, my current beauty wish list or anything else :)

Feel free to comment with any feedback or questions you might have, I always love to hear from you and will reply as usual.

Renate ❤

Keep your head up

Hey, guys! Today was just one of those days, when I woke up, looked in the mirror and went - you have GOT to be kidding me... Apart from the usual (dark circles, I'm talking to you), my skin's been acting up lately, but I had on top of that busted my lip during the night (...?) and I just felt like crawling back under the sheets and going: "Nope. This day has been cancelled."

But, you know, I'm a grown up. At least, I try to be. I know I'm definitely trying to be a positive person, though. So I refused to let my day be affected by starting the day off with negative thoughts. So, I had a lovely breakfast and got ready, paying even more attention to how I treat myself than usual and went on attacking the day. It worked, in case you're wondering ;) I had a really nice day and managed to have a really good mindset.

These pictures are not retouched in any way, this is me, blurred, with my phone, snapping the reality of my bathroom mirror (note to self: find a better way to formulate this) and the only reason I'm posting this is because I sometimes really struggle to keep my head up. This has nothing to do with the superficial side of things. I'm not saying, that putting makeup on makes me happy. It's the  negative oh-what's-the-point-of things mindset I'm struggling with and overcoming that made me even bother with putting makeup on. I hope this made sense. I had made the conscious decision to have a good day and be positive long before the products were used, so its not what I was aiming at.

I also stay posivite by doing what I know best - making fun of myself. Hence, the photos. I think it's important to be able to poke fun at yourself and put yourself out there. It's just... life.

So I ate (almost)healthy. I met up with a friend. I laughed. I walked a lot. I shopped a bit (have a themed party to attend this Saturday - super excited and will definitely make a post on getting ready for it!) and I stayed present.

I also did something that I haven't in a long time. I did my nails. Excuse the claw like hand and the bad lighting, it's prettier in person and totally not my usual shade. Just picked it up today. Can you guess, what it is? :) Leave me a comment down below, if you want! That could be fun.

I can also do a post on how I do my nails, because I always do it myself.

Anyway, hope you're all having a wonderful week and I will talk to you soon!

As always, thank you all for reading, commenting, subscribing and being so lovely! I will answer any questions you have, as usual, so feel free to.

Renate ❤

The storm before the calm

Hey, guys! How are you? I miss you.

Despite English being my second language, even I know that the saying is supposed to go the other way around, but to be honest, this version fits my life at the moment much better.

I am busy and working on multiple different areas, but I'm doing it to ultimately settle down and have things figured out… for the most part. Because, let's be honest, life is never perfectly sorted out. (If that's just my experience, don't ruin it for me, please ;)

This past week has rushed by and I ended up getting really sick - not being able to keep anything down and feeling very poorly.

I'm just starting to feel normal again and regain my appetite, which is very nice and I've also managed to update my online portfolio, which was the agreement after my job interview. Now I just need to mail the information to the contact person and see, what happens.

My boyfriend and I have been talking about dreams a lot this last week. Big and small ones, close and distant ones, silly ones and important ones. This turned out to be more of a challenge, than I thought. I never imagined that opening up like that would make me feel so vulnerable and exposed. Our dreams are our treasures. They give us hope and motivate us, they comfort us and makes us keep going.

  

Apart from the first picture, which is me (obviously), the rest are from tumblr.

After our initial conversation, we've built up on it quite a lot and find it exciting and cozy to talk about our plans and goals.

I'm, however, still learning to embrace those plans and goals as opposed to feeling overwhelmed by them and thinking less of myself and my life as it is. This is hard to explain, but I've always been a dreamer and a planner and have approached my plans in a way, that motivates me on the basis of me not wanting to be in the place I am. Oh, God. That sentence doesn't make any sense even to me. Let me try again. I have a goal. I need some motivation. And the way I found my motivation was through convincing myself, that this is what I need in order to change my life for the better, because it sucks at the moment. And I just realized this recently. It's soooo not the best option.

My dreams are important to me. I want to improve my life. But there's nothing wrong with it to begin with. I am not less worthy of a person as I am now, versus the imaginary future me with a better job, apartment, language skills etc. This has been my week's a-ha moment.

And it's also pretty much all I feel like saying right now. I have so much I want to share with you guys and a lot of things are in the works. I have a fun wardrobe clear out project in a couple of weeks and some Christmas post ideas, wish lists etc., but for now, I want to keep this nice and short.

I've been trying to film a video a couple of times, in hopes, that it would help me with blogging on regular basis - it's simply faster to speak than to type for the most part - granted, if no major editing is needed and here's where my problems begin. Apart from not having a great camera, I also pressure myself to be as short and precise as possible, which makes me sound unnatural and also causes me to make some very interesting mistakes. Just the other day, I described my outfit as consisting of "a nice casual overweight sweater". Yeah, make that "oversized", nice try, Renate. Maybe soon, though. Let me know, if you're interested - then I'll keep trying.

Also, what have you all been up to? What are you most looking forward to in the next few weeks? A little something I can add is the Disney Frozen, which I can't wait for to come out. How cute is this?

Hope you all are having a wonderful week, talk to you soon! Let me know if you have any questions or feedback down below, I love to hear from you and will reply, as always asap.

Renate ❤

Where have I been? + November goals

Hey, guys!

Sitting slightly hangover tired here in my boyfriend’s apartment, while he and his family are out in the summerhouse changing the fire place, because that’s where we’ll celebrate Christmas at this year, which I’m looking forward to already.

Nice to have a day off to sit down and write a post – I really, really miss it and wish I had more time and energy to get more involved in both mine and your wonderful blogs, because I love reading them and look forward to it during the week.

Since it’s been a while (what’s new?) and you guys seem to rather enjoy when I get more personal and open (thank you so, so much, by the way – you are sweet and incredibly lovely) I wanted to do a catch up post today and tell you all about what I’ve been up to!

24th of October is my name’s day, according to the Latvian calendar and it’s something we really celebrate back home, because everybody can see, when your name’s day is and it’s such a nice, fun reason to eat some chocolate and treat each other. Even though it’s not a Danish tradition and my boyfriend has never celebrated it before he started dating me, it’s something he really tries to keep in mind and luckily for me, he over-treats me, so this year, considering that I am also living in another city for the time being, he organized a weekend together, where he came on the 24th which was a Thursday and stayed until Sunday night, so we had an amazing time seeing our friends and going to Tivoli (I rode the Demon ride like… 4 times), which had the Halloween weekend and the last of the season until a brief opening in Christmas and then when the Spring comes. We also went to the wonderful museum of Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek – if you’re into art, especially Greek and Roman and happen to be in Copenhagen (free entrance on Sundays, by the way), I highly recommend going and seeing it. Some people where there simply sketching and drawing for their own pleasure and it’s something I’d love to do sometimes. Anyway – a wonderful, rather tiring weekend and something I really needed after the stressful weeks of moving, starting the internship, networking, looking for a job etc.

I like this guy :)

Hotel breakfast is t.h.e. best, isn't it?

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

 

This was his favorite sculpture, I think ;)

Monday morning started wonderfully – I landed my first (serious) job interview (agreed to meet Friday – as in – yesterday); in Danish, I must add, which is a very challenging task for me, since I’m still only learning. But then…

Due to the storm in Denmark (seriously, they registered a new record of wind speed 53,4 m/s) I got stuck at the train station 20 km away from Copenhagen and it took me more than 5 hours to get home + I had to take a cab, which is rather expensive, as you might know/imagine.

Tuesday my boss and I travelled (a total of more than 5 hours of traveling that day too) to another town in Denmark for a meeting (at this point it might be necessary to add, I get car sick… hence, why I’m so diligent at remembering how many hours I’ve spent in a car) and on my way back – I needed to pick up my bike from the station I left it at Monday morning. Unfortunately, the streets haven’t been cleaned from the storm damages yet and I ended up flying over a fallen tree in the dark. I was so, so lucky to land on my knees and hands, so I didn’t hurt my head or back and I am surprised that my computer still works, because it fell so hard and slid on the asphalt ending up so far away, that the computer bag has a hole.

Wednesday was full of meetings, more traveling and again, due to the damages and un-cleaned roads it took me more than 4 hours to get from Copenhagen to Aarhus.

Thursday I was hectically preparing for my interview and ended up being a nervous wreck and basically a pain to be around.

Friday I went to see some other companies, before my interview at 1pm, but got drenched SO BADLY from head to toe, that I had to rush back home to blow dry myself (including shoes, clothes, hair etc.), before heading back out again.

I must say, it went really, really well, though, and even though I won’t know for at least a couple of more months, I am very satisfied with it. Which is why Friday night was spent eating sushi, drinking rose (hence the headache today) and relaxing.

Sorry if this was long and boring! Here are a few random highlights of my week.

My boyfriend decided to buy me a present for my name’s day, which he didn’t have to do, but that was very sweet, because he bought me a blouse and a gorgeous blazer and said – it’s for your job interview – which I didn’t know at the time if I am even getting, so that was touching, because he’s my biggest supporter and believer. I wore it on my interview, obviously, but have been enjoying pairing it with other blouses, button up shirts and tops I have.

I’ve never been an album kind of girl – I like a handpicked selection of songs, but recently, I’ve been getting into it and Birdy’s Fire Within, especially her songs Wings, Strange Birds and Standing in the Way of the Light and Miley’s Bangerz with songs like 4x4 ft. Nelly and FU feat. French Montana have been really nice to put on due to all the traveling. A little out of my comfort zone, but I’ve been very much enjoying the change.
My sister sent me this wonderful TED link and I highly recommend you to check it out too, if you’re into wonderings about life and enjoy it being presented in a standup comedy manner. The other video below is one of my own findings and breaks down life’s lessons brilliantly and has become something I really try to keep in mind from day to day. 

Continuing with the link love, I don’t know, if I’m late to the party, but I found 30 to Mars’s new video quite interesting. 

This week has also been my mom’s birthday, which just so happens to be October 31st and she officially hates Halloween. Imagine having only monsters around and scary movies on TV on your birthday, which is why we never celebrated it in my family, but in connection to this (I promise, I’m going somewhere with it) my mom has decided to take a trip with her friends this year. I texted my boyfriend about it, bored during my lunch break, so we were texting back and forth and my spelling is… another story. Have a laugh too.

Here's an embarrasing fact - while I've been away, my boyfriend and I have developed this habit of texting each other in the mornings. It's like the good morning treat - I usually text him on my way to work or first thing, when I come in, wish him a good day and write something sweet and it's really nice, actually. Here are some of my daily selfies!

On another note, just so you don’t get the wrong impression of me being really hyper positive all the time, I have to be honest and say that I have also struggled a bit. I’m extremely broke (here’s another interesting article, it’s in Danish, but if you can read it – I would recommend you to – a great perspective on what it means to be poor nowadays, especially in a country like Denmark) and I’ve also been stressed, I haven’t exercised and I haven’t been eating my best, haven’t been sleeping my best and subsequently, haven’t been feeling or looking my best. It’s not that I’ve been in a bad mood – I’ve just been emotional – up and down more that usual. So I really want to focus on what I can to improve this and the rest – things I can’t change at the moment – I will try to come to terms with.

November’s here and I really hope you guys are all doing well and have lots of positive plans and goals for the next month and I’ll use today to write a couple of more posts so you guys can see them during the next couple of weeks and I can make sure to keep in touch and save some time – then, during the week I can focus more on your blogs and the posts you put out and check them out, comment and all that good stuff.

I just love this picture! Source

I think that about does it for now. Props for making it till the end and I will talk to you soon! As always, leave me any feedback below, I love to reply to your comments and to hear from you. Have an amazing weekend and take care :)

Renate ❤