Feelings and reflections on a Sunday evening

Dear Monday,

I think it's time we went our separate ways! I appreciate the way you represent "new beginnings", but frankly speaking...I feel so tired when I'm in your presence!
I feel tense the night before we meet and I sometimes even dread spending time with you.

There is never a good time to tell you this, but I have met someone else who I

wish to spend the rest of my life with: Saturday! I know we shall meet again - but for now; So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.

Oh how wish this weekend would last forever... I'm truly thankful for the extra hour.......really! It couldn't have come at a better time!

I am sooooooo relaxed and have no desire at all to go back to the madness of being in the middle of high-season at work, having constant pressure and always feeling like you are chasing after the train... This is what a little distance will make you feel ;) Especially after a weekend of completely calm surroundings with the exception of a waitress or waiter dropping a fork...or a little rain dripping down on a metal roof somewhere close by.....or the sound of bubbling jacuzzis.....or possibly having to rush to your next spa-treatment!

Oh sweet life! How I wish I could be in your arms just a liiiiiittle longer!

Surely, after 10 minutes back in reality tomorrow I will find myself back again! Back in that rythm from which I find most of my daily adrenalin kicks and I will be dancing along like I was never away at all..... It's a funny thing.....work-life!

Don't get me wrong! I actually really love my job, it would just be a first class lie if I said I didn't enjoy my free-time more.....if I didn't, I would rather question my sanity than my work-ethics....if you know what I mean!?

Neuschwanstein was truly magnificent!!! If you are ever in the region of Bavaria in Germany, don't miss this little gem hidden at the foot of the mountains - surrounded by magical forests and turqoise lakes.......enchanting!

I know I will go back!! I just have to! Such a charming little place has to be viewed in all its seasonal spectrum! ...and since it's only 2.5 hours away? Well ;))

The only down-side is that if you want to have the perfect view-point for pictures - YOU NEED A HELICOPTER (alternatively be willing to risk your life under extreme climbing conditions)!! In all honesty, it was enough for me just seeping in the magical atmosphere of being in it's presence....and for once, I even enjoyed the guided tour! Quite an interesting story. Probably because I've always had a thing for unsolved mysteries and crime-novels!

Now time for me to do as little as possible during the last few hours of my magical weekend and will leave you with yet another Deepak Chopra quote:

"Your true essence is beyond the ego. It is fearless and free! It is immune to criticism. It does not fear any challenge. It is beneath no one."

Be the best you can be!! YOU are more than you think you are, just ask your family and friends - they will confirm ;)

I hope I will see you here soon again....

xox

Linda - Lost in her sofa, relaxed, reflective, feeling great and back in Switzerland again

Coucouuuu!

Just came back from a 2-day meeting in Zurich, incredibly tired as yesterday was a day of celebration and goodbyes! My manager is leaving the company after 17 years! 17 years!!!!!!

I find that completely amazing....

The past few weeks have been incredibly intense, work-wise, which is why I am more than just normally happy to say that I'm off on Friday!!

Destination: Neuschwanstein, Germany (Bavaria)

Focus: Relaxation, Photos, SPA, Wine, Food, Fresh air and hopefully some exercise to go with it

Feeling: FABULOUS!

Came across these two amazing photos that I wanted to share with you.... Aren't they amazing?

Will be away for a few days now.....basically until next week, taking a break from everything! Work, computers, pressure and practical things! These will be completely banned ;)

Take care of yourselves!!! Enjoy life! Relax! Smile! LOVE! Laugh! .......and do something you really love this weekend. Hope to see you here again soon...

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland for one more day, then off to the fairy-tale castle in Germany enjoying a spa-weekend....aaahhhhh.....

JIMMY CHOO FOR H&M!!!!!

Premiere November 14

http://www.hm.com/se/#/jc_preview/

YAY!

.....and the winner is:

S I L V I O

Congratulations!!

Thanks so much to all of you who helped me out and submitted their feedback!

It has been much appreciated and I will now work on using it to improve the content of this blog...

I'm sorry you didn't win this time, but please keep your eyes open as there will be more give-aways going forward ;))

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland

I wished my office looked more like this....

Coucouuu!
Some recent findings on the World Wide Web that I thought I'd share with you all.
For inspiration.....

by anderssonlinda on Polyvore.com

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland, wishing my home was a little more PINK

Saturday!

I think I love you Saturday!! You make me happy! When you are not with me, I miss you....and sometimes you are aaaaaall I think about ;)

Morning coffee in my hand, Ingrid Michaelson's "The Chain" in my ears, gloomy weather outside my window and I'm so happy that it's finally weekend! I really needed it and it coudn't have come one day too soon! Am slowly, but surely, realising what a change in work-pace/load it will be for me now that my manager is leaving and I am taking over parts of her role. A good and interesting challenge indeed - but also a mighty challenge for my prioritisation skills!! Being a perfectionist at work is not always a good thing ;)

I love these kinds of weekends during fall......no firm plans, just ideas without commitment, and the weather doesn't invite you to do much but just relax and feel nooooo pressure!

I'm thinking; a home "spa-treatment" while Ingrid Michaelson's gorgeous voice is playing in the background, a little shopping (need a lamp for my living-room), sort out some practical stuff (I have a huuuuge backlog) and then off to Winterthur for a nice and cozy movie evening and perhaps a candle-light dinner ♥♥♥

Doesn't this sound pretty nice? Re-energizing? Aaaaaaaahhhhh! I do love my Saturdays!!

Just dediced on my Halloween costume! Will be interesting... Had to go for my second choice as the one I really wanted was OOS and expected back in January 2010....uhhhm a little late??

Oh well! At least I managed to find one!

OK....time to get moving! Leaving you with some picture memories of LOVE to one of my favourite songs! ;) Love the lyrics, which couldn't be more suiting!

"If you are falling - then I would catch you......"

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland

A trip to the fairy-tale castle

A new upcoming trip is planned.... This time a long weekend in the surroundings of the fairy-tale castle "Neuschwanstein" in Germany.
Isn't it just gorgeous???

I just really wanted to share these pictures with you as I find them so enchanting!!

I am completely exhausted today!! Looooots of hard work both behind me (which is why I haven't been around so much lately) and in front of me...

Luckily my motivation is very high and my batteries are quite charged ;)

....thanks to all the people in my life that I love and who give me the same in return!

What would I honestly do without you??!

.....to finish off, a little Confucious quote to help us stay inspired and motivated ;))

"We are not beaten when we lose, but when we quit"

Hoping you are all well and staying clear of flu's, colds and coughs...

Stay warm - inside and outside!

xox

Linda - already lost in Neuschwanstein in my day-dreams.....

I am BACK...

...from my week in Sweden!

Not just physically back, but in all kinds of ways! I feel completely energized and happier than in a looooooong time! Why? Simple...... Because of LOVE!

I have been completely surrounded by it in many diffrent ways now for a week and when you are no longer used to that, it's not only pleasantly overwhelming - but it's like a shot of pure energy!!

I arrived at Arlanda airport last Monday evening, feeling emotionally and physically drained and came home late yesterday evening, feeling as good as new! Allthough, let's be clear, I have been stressing around a LOT to manage to see everyone I wanted to see and to do what I had to and wanted to do ;)

Something that you all have heard, probably more than 100 times, is that you should always try to surround yourself with people who give you positive energy and stay away from those who do the just opposite and steal it from you.

Well, I honestly never truly felt that someone was actually stealing my energy before, but now that I know what it is like to ONLY surround yourself only with those who give you the good kind of energy - it is all so clear to me what they really mean by that! Wow-waaaa-weeeeeeeee!

I will surely try to keep this strategy going ;))

Always when I go home with limited time like this, there is someone I can't see because of too little time or practical issues...this is my only "regret".

Dad - I really missed you!!!

I am so greatful to have the best friends and family in the world!! I feel truly blessed ♥ ♥

Please now that I love and miss you all every day.....

Take care of yourselves and your loved ones and surround yourselves with positive energy!!

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland again, but this time feeling a little less lost ;))

PS. I will soon close the "Wish-upon-a-cupcake Competition" - don't forget to enter ;))

Fields of gold.....

I usually don't like covers.....but this is one that I just can't stop loving! Eva Cassidy's version of Stings "Fields of gold" is so hauntingly beautiful that it gets to me every time!!

The lyrics are fantastic aswell...

"You'll remember me when the west wind moves

Among the fields of barley

You can tell the sun in his jealous sky

When we walked in fields of gold

So she took her love for to gaze awhile

Among the fields of barley

In his arms she fell as her hair came down

Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me will you be my love

Among the fields of barley

And you can tell the sun in his jealous sky

When we walked in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly

And there have been some that I've broken

But I swear in the days still left

We will walk in fields of gold

We'll walk in fields of gold

I never made promises lightly

And there have been some that I've broken

But I swear in the days still left

We will walk in fields of gold

We'll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days

Among the fields of barley

See the children run as the sun goes down

As you lie in fields of gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves

Among the fields of barley

You can tell the sun in his jealous sky

When we walked in fields of gold"

Enjoy......

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland

Movie recommendation - Grave of the Fireflies

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

5/5

Setsuko and Seita are brother and sister living in wartime Japan.

After their mother is killed in an air raid they find a temporary home with relatives.

Having quarreled with their aunt they leave the city and make their home in an abandoned shelter. While their father's destiny who was a soldier is unknown the two must depend on each other to somehow keep a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs.

When everything is in short supply, they gradually succumb to hunger and their only entertainment is the light of the fireflies........

This has got to be the most beautiful and sad animated film I have EVER seen (....am even thinking it is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen animated or not)!!

Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes...

I watched it in english which made it even more emotional for me as I didn't have to focus on reading subtitles. Probably watching this in your own language is the best way - but tastes are diffrent of course ;)

What struck me about this movie is also how incredibly well made it is......that someone can make an animation seem like real life like this this nothing less than impressive!

I was prepared for tragedy as I had heard about it but I still cried my eyes out!! An extra plus for the soundtrack - especially the end track which you can also hear in the trailer below ;)

This is one of those movies, actually there are very few, that I think I will never forget!

I mean it when I say WOW! WOW! WOW!

Watch the trailer:

....or read more about it here:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/grave_of_the_fireflies/

Don't miss this amazing yet tragic GEM!

Enjoy is the wrong word.......but at least appreciate the beauty of animation at it's best!

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland

PS. When I searched for the trailer, I noticed that someone has uploaded the whole movie on you tube, but in several pieces ;))

Movie recommendation - Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

4.5/5

Kiki is a young, headstrong witch who at the age of 13 has to leave her home for one year to complete her witch studies. Ready to face the world of witchdom, with the company of her broom and her cat, Jiji, she ends up in a little European sea-side village where she starts a delivery-service to get by...

Really truly beautiful and cute!! Loved every minute!

Definately one of Miyazakis best......and let's face it, Hayao Miyazaki IS the king of animated story-telling (my opinion of course)

;))

Watch the trailer:

Or read more here:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kikis_delivery_service/

Enjoy!

xox

Linda - Lost in Switzerland

Dear diary...

I am counting down the days.... 3 days until I'm back with my family and friends in Sweden.

It is difficult to put into words exactly how I feel, but let's just say I have been scared of turning into a wreck from the lack of sleeping since this was decided ;))

I am twisting, turning, anticipating, wondering, hoping and just can't seem to really relax... I honestly can't even separate when I'm sleeping from when I'm awake since when I am sleeping, I am still dreaming about the same topics as my thoughts consisted of before I fell asleep.........on top of this, I am more emotional than I have ever been in my life!! The slightest sign from anyone of affection or appreciation makes me cry like a baby! It's like the attack of the mutant hormones - but this is NOT hormones....it's something much more powerful! I think it's LOVE!

Now inspite of it all this, here is the strange part of it all - I feel incredibly energized!!! In fact - more energized than ever.

A while back, I took a conscious decision to try to see things from a positive angle, no matter what. This may sound ridiculous to some of you.......but this is surely not easy, especially not when physical pain is involved...but I have to say determination is really a magical kind of potion for me! Once I have made up my mind, I mean REALLY made up my mind, there is not much hope of changing it unless there are clear, proven benefits of why I should change it again or if someone I care about truly suffers from my decision.

I wish I could share that potion with you and give you the inspiration of doing the same as it has really helped me tremendously, but I know we are all different and hence, driven & motivated by different things...

What I CAN and WILL share with you though, is this really great Myers-Briggs personality test that will help highlight your strengths and weaknesses in different aspects of your lives....from personal relationships to work or studies.

It also guides you in how you fit or clash with personality types different from your own and helps to explain why and how to work around that.

On top of all that, I found out that my personality type is the same as Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Johnny Depp, Sean Connery & Pete Sampras......how inspiring is that?! =)))))

I loved the whole experience and hope you will too!!

http://kisa.ca/personality/

Enjoy!

xox

Linda - Lost in her sofa with a BIG glass of red wine, in her best mood looking forward to next week.....still in Switzerland - but SOOOOOOOON in Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeden