Just a Thought | A musical life

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Have you ever wished that your life was a musical?

That it was socially acceptable to spontaneously burst into song and

awkward dancemoves as a response to a question?

I totally wish my life was a musical.

I tried that whole spontaneous song-and-dance-action.

It was not cool.

When you don't have a band behind you

it's just not cool.

It's awkward. Very awkward.

And people laugh.

But what if?!

Or what if you could at least put a soundtrack to your life?

For every action, feeling or encounter there would be a specific song playing 

- wouldn't that be something?

I'm sure this will somehow be made possible in the future,

and when it is I'm ready.

I've already started compiling the list of songs I want to accompany my life's situations.

Here's what I've got so far:

Every friday morning, as I get out of bed, I want

"Friday I'm in love" with The Cure playing,

just to remind me that it's friday, and thereby 

a very good day. A day on which to be in love.

Then later, when hubs asks me how we should spend our friday night,

I'll reply with Tina Dickow's (Dico's)

"Let's go dancing".

When I get ready to go dancing it'll obviously be to

"Out tonight" from RENT,

and then after midnight, when hubs starts to get a little tired,

I'll bust out Queen's "Don't stop me now".

It'll be epic.

In between there'll be plenty of time for Whitney Houston's

"I wanna dance with somebody".

When it's finally time to go home there'll be no buses,

and hubs will be humming

"Walking my baby back home" with Nat King Cole.

Saturday morning will be lazy, and perfect for pancakes,

so Jack Johnson's "Banana pancakes" is perfect here.

We'll sip coffee and lounge on the couch.

Hubs will want to tell me how lucky he is to have someone like me,

who gets up and makes him pancakes,

and will serenade me with Elvis Presley and his

"Can't help falling in love". Sweet.

He could also do "I've got you under my skin" by Mr. Sinatra.

Whichever. 

I might reply with Ida Maria's

"I like you so much better when you're naked",

but I also might save that for later.

We'll see.

Then there'll be a beautiful duet of RENT's "I'll cover you".

All lovey-dovey.

Sunday will be church time and "Beautiful things" by Gungor

or Audio Adrenaline's "Hands and feet" are both excellent choices.

Preferably both.

You see how this works?

Isn't it wonderful? 

This is as far as I've gotten - 3 typical days.

I've also come up with just a few extras for special occasions,

like David Gray's "Sail Away" for a time when I might need to serenade hubs a bit.

When things are tough I'll need Gungor's

"Please be my strength"

followed by Frank Sinatra's

"For once in my life".

A lovely sunshiney, summery day will be accompanied by

"Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" by Nat King Cole,

and a long day's work will end best with Norah Jones'

"The long day is over".

Days of dreaming and hopes for the future will go well with

"Dreams" by Brandi Carlile.

A roadtrip to Copenhagen to see friends will obviously result in

"Copenhagen" by Tina Dickow (Dico) being played.

Nat King Cole's "L.O.V.E." is for hubs any day, really.

Finally, when meeting new people and making new friends, 

and they ask about me and how me and hubs met I'll have Brandi Carlile's

"The story" playing.

Which songs would accompany your life?

When you hear certain songs, what situations in your life do you picture?

I would love to hear how your musical life would look(sound)!

And now, to leave you with one of the beautiful songs of my life, 

enjoy Brandi Carlile for a bit.

- Lea Binta

Thankful | Migraines

I had coffee with my brother today. Nothing fancy, just in my livingroom, with River Cottage on in the background. We talked awhile about his plans for the future. I remember being 19. How exciting everything was. All the possibilities. Now I'm 24, and life is still exciting. Yet, sometimes I need to be reminded that life is exciting. Like this weekend. Friday was a hard day, but when it was over it was wonderful. We finished our 40-page report we've been struggling with for the past couple of months. Saturday I was in bed with a migraine. I have monthly migraines, no biggie, but this one was rough. I spent all of Saturday in bed. Usually a couple of pills and a nap cures it. Not this time. I thought it might be over by Sunday. It wasn't. It got better, but never completely disappeared. In the end I got so sick of it I just ignored it. We had sushi with a friend, and it was wonderful. Except for the fact that my head was still quietly exploding every now and then. Surely it would be over by the time I woke up this morning. It wasn't, not completely. I still had this numbing pain behind my forehead,  but I had to get up. I had to hand in that report. So I did. And now, the migraine is finally gone.
A weekend spent in bed with a migraine is no fun. Days like that don't feel exciting. I start thinking how life isn't fair. How it isn't fair that I have to deal with monthly migraines, while others go through life without ever encountering one. I start complaining, I start having negative thoughts.  I start to get sick of my life. I forget that I have many more good, exciting days than I have days with migraines. Focusing on the negative causes you to forget the positive, although the positive should far outweight the negative.

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I have a wonderful, exciting life,

but sometimes I forget.

I need to be reminded that the bad days don't overpower the good days,

because they don't.

I would never trade in my life for someone else's, 

not even if it meant being rid of the monthly migraines.

If this life requires a migraine now and then, 

then that's how it's going to be.

I'll take it.

- Lea Binta

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

December | Presents #2

So, we moved out the Christmas tree. 

It was a bit dry.

As in, it practically dropped all its pine needles when we took 

off the decorations.

I've received quite a few presents, 

but I have a few favorites from 2 days ago when I had my family over.

Now, it's time to get ready.

Put on the dress, the makeup, the everything.

I can't wait to pop the bottle tonight and taste this

 golden glittery madness.

Happy New Year!

- Lea Binta

December | Presents

I was going to write a post about my thoughts on this Christmas,

but I can't find the words. 

This year's Christmas was different somehow,

but I can't figure out how to explain it.

Maybe I'll do a post on it later.

This year our presents weren't all that big,

since we mostly wished for money so we could buy new furniture

for our livingroom. 

I searched high and low for pictures of how our livingroom looked before,

but I couldn't find any.

I know I have some somewhere, 

but they're hiding from me somewhere clever.

Of course we were too eager to take a 'before' picture

when putting up the new furniture, 

so now you have to settle for the 'after' pictures.

We love how our livingroom looks now.

Normally our table isn't that fancy, 

but I had my brother, parents, in-laws, uncle+wife, and grandparents

over for coffee yesterday, since it's my birthday tomorrow.

I made lots of little cakes, and they turned out great,

although I was really worried about my gingerbread house.

It was a bit too soft, so it was slowly caving in when we put it together,

but it held!

Today is all about cleaning up and taking down the Christmas decorations,
and getting ready to celebrate New Year's Eve with good friends.

/Lea Binta

Christmas | Advent calendar

Alright, one thing everyone loves at Christmas is receiving presents,

am I right?

No? You lie!

As much as I love receiving presents I also really like getting presents

for other people. 

If I was a millionaire I'd be buying presents for others all the time!

Don't believe me?

Give me a million bucks and I'll prove you wrong!

This December I made hubs an advent calendar 

- one present for each day, from December 1st to December 24th.

We're about halfway done, so I wont reveal all the presents,

but I thought I'd share some of the items.

Maybe you can use it as inspiration for an advent calendar next year,

or use some of the ideas as stocking stuffers. 

Presents included:

nutella

boxers

chili nuts

chapstick

chocolate

handwarmers

beer

car wipes

gum

Check back in another couple of weeks when I reveal the rest of the list.

- Lea Binta

DIY Christmas | Hearts

The stores are booming with all sorts of pretty Christmas decorations, 

but with a minimum of effort you can make your own decorations.

No Christmas without hearts, right?

And nothing is easier than to make than a few hearts.

Obelix likes hearts too. 

- Lea Binta

Handmade Gift Exchange | Christmas 2012

 About half a year ago I heard about this thing called

Handmade Gift Exchange,

where you sign up, are assigned to someone somewhere in the world,

and then you make a handmade gift for that person and they make you one.

This is brilliant!

I love making things and I love gifts!

Naturally I had to sign up for the Christmas edition this year.

Here is what I made Carol:

- a crocheted basked

- traditional Danish Christmas stars

- a watercolor of one of my favorite sayings

And here is what Carol made me:

- a handsewn notebook cover

- a Christmas ornament

The best part about this gift exchange is that you get to know each other,

by email, pinterest, blogs, you name it.

It's not just a handmade gift,

it's a handmade gift with special thought behind it.

Carol knows that I love traveling and Christmas, 

and I'm so in love with the ornament she made me.

I don't think I told her of my love for notebooks,

but she nailed that one right on the head.

Isn't it neat? 

And don't you want to be a part of it? 

Read more about the Handmade Gift Exchange here,

and sign up for the next one in 6 months!

- Lea Binta