BusyBusyBusy

I haven't been working for school as much as I should have the last couple of weeks, which means I have a lot of catching up to do. Besides that I have internship. And although I tried a couple of times to write an article, about stuff that is happening in Belgium and Europe right now, things are changing so rapidly I can't follow. On top of that, I'm trying to read more during evenings. So I don't have as much blog-time as I'd like in these dark days hehe.

Anyway, I'll try to update more regularly, for now, I'll leave you with this awesome fella:

 

Sabetha

pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

The elephant in the room: Charlie Hebdo

Since Paris is not that far from Antwerp, and since the attack this wednesday was not just an attack on innocent people, but also and foremost an attack on the freedom of speech, I'll do my 'job' and state my support for the victims, family and the protests going on right now.

I won't bother you with details of what happened. I think every one who stumbles upon this blog knows pretty darn good what happened, and else: google is your best friend (just don't automatically believe what some sources say...). It's hard to express what I felt when I heard of what happened. I wasn't shocked, it felt more like the threath we all felt the last years in Europe, was finally unravelling in full force and it was awful yet also oddly familiar, as if we all knew it was coming, we just expected it to be a bombing or some other 'common' method of terrorism. Unlike my reaction to other attacks, such as those in London, I felt really uneasy about it. Not only is it an act of terrorism, it's also aimed at one of the 'rights' we have which I cherish most.

Antwerp is not only pretty close to Paris, we also have a big population of muslims, wether we like it or not. Reaction happened pretty quickly over here. The same night, a spontanious procession took place in Brussels. I also like this Antwerp graffitti:

  

I don't believe muslims were involved in the attack. Extremists did it, not muslims. But that's not what I want to write about now. Since I'm 100% sure we haven't seen the last of this yet, I'll get back to the events and the suspects in another post.

I've read a lot about the militarisation of the police and how the world is ruled by those who we can never see or hurt. But it's one of the first times I can give comments on an event that is met with disgust globaly. I really don't feel happy about it, but I'm really curious to see what rights will be taken away from which people as a response to what took place. Also, this will be discussed by yours truly, later.

What shocked me the most is how close it's all becoming and especially, who got killed at Charlie Hebdo. 2 of the killed cartoonists were old men.
I'm still looking for the right feeling to express what I was thinking when I saw the news, but I can't quite put a finger on it. It felt like recognition, like it was ment to be, we all knew it would come but we never wanted to see it coming.

The year 2015 has not started out good. Am I scared? No, but I'm certainly not at ease. Not only did we loose 12 people on wednesday, the whole event spanned roughly 2 days, in which more people died and chaos ruled France and Europe. We have not yet seen the end of this. More attacks will follow, I am so sure of that. But that's not the only thing that unsettles me. Already have I seen some measures and tactics being used the last days which gave me goosebumps. I'll also get back on that later.

All I want to say for now is this: I condemn these actions and I feel deeply for the deads, pain and suffering they gave us. But let's not forget we are being ruled by an elite who has everything just under control. I want to know the truth about what happened almost in my backyard. I'm not buying this IS/Al-Qaida crap. And I do NOT like what is happening in Europe neither the voices I hear in the streets.

That's all for now folks, as I said 3 times before, I will get back on this.

Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

Nightmares, anyone?

I once read a book in which the author staded that the worst thing to listen to is someone else's nightmare. But I also read someone who had the same feeling about having to watch someone's vacation photographs, and this one for me is the shittiest out of the list. So here we go.

I hate dreaming because of my frequent and intense nightmares. Since I quit smoking weed during the week I've been dreaming again, but not quite like I was used to.

First of all, since two weeks I start dreaming really late because I'm always vividly dreaming when my alarm goes off at roughly the same hour. Besides that, I've been having the same dream over and over again, but with different elements.

It's always about one of the places I spend time a lot. They are always being bombed. It started with my hometown, Last time it was in Antwerp. The only real thing that's always the same is the bombing, the other things happening are random and really stupid or crazy. This one time, I tried to run away in the woods and in another one, some queen of thieves was threatening me. Etc etc.

I always considered dreams and nightmares in particular to be crazy spins of the brain, sadly enough I encounter them a lot during nightly hours. This is one of the reasons I have regular problems with sleep.

But I never dream about the same theme every damn time. I don't believe my dream to be some vision. I'm just wondering what's happening in my brain. This stuff is way too annoying (and creepy) at the same time.

Sabetha

pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

An interesting reading challenge

  

This idea fills me with joy! Some of them have to be re-reads I guess, for example, I can't really know if a book is going to make me cry. But already, some titles come to mind and I'm pretty sure I'll give this challenge a try. Also, I don't consider graphic novels to be books. Sorry. And I hate romance.

My first book of the year is 'Imperial Bedrooms', by one of my favourite authors: Bret Easton Ellis. 

Sabetha

pissedofpenguin@gmail.com

New Year's resolutions?

I never make resolutions, because I know how I am and I never keep my promises to myself. But there are some things I want to do this year.

1. Read 100 books.
2. Keep a list of the books I read. I always wanted to do this but I'm very lazy when it comes to keeping lists.
3. Pass my second year of nursery, preferably without re-examinations.
4. Write more, not only on this blog but also for myself.

There. I probably won't have a problem with the first or even second one. Number 3 is doable but will take some more work than last year. Number 4 has been a problem since I learned how to write. I can't seem to accept the fact that when I try to write something, it's not Pulitzer price material. My own perfectionism keeps me down.

Besides those 4, I also want to exercise more start exercising. I am the world's biggest couch potatoe. Since I was born with a fast metabolism, I never saw the need of doing sports hehe. I really should start living more healthy. And stop smoking. And only smoke weed in the weekends.

Anyway, I hope next year will be a bit better than 2014. It already started out quite shitty tho, so I don't have much hope.

Happy new year to all of you! :)

Sabetha
pissedofpenguin@gmail.com