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    <title>: maria erla :</title>
    <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/</link>
    <description>: maria erla :</description>
    <lastBuildDate>Tue, 27 May 2008 18:45:02 PDT</lastBuildDate>
    <generator>http://www.blogdrive.com</generator>
    <copyright>Copyright 2008.</copyright>
    <item>
      <title>other place</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/439.html</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2008 19:43:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;hello all - just a quick note to say that i've moved on, started a new page. if you want to find me - send me an email. if you don't have it....then put a quick comment. i'm sure i'll have yours :)&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=439</comments>
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    <item>
      <title>the end?</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/438.html</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 13 May 2008 15:38:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;i've been trying to figure out what to write as my last blog and coming up short. as in extra 'i've-got-nothing' kinda short.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;maybe i don't have to write an ending. i'm leaving. that's it - there is little more to say.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;i've kept this blog, the links, the photos, throughout the years and until now i haven't found the need for a change. the wedding photos are still there, blogs of people that have died and everything i wrote about cancer.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;but things change.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;as much as the past is part of who i am i cannot live my life looking backwards. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;life goes on. i need to let go.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;so now what?&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=438</comments>
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    <item>
      <title>birthday</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/437.html</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:23:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
 &lt;font style=&quot;background-color: rgb(255, 255, 204); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot; size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cafeastrology.com/birthday/april23.html&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;&gt;it is mine.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h3 style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;The Year Ahead &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;h3 style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;Forecast for April 2007 to April 2008&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.cafeastrology.com/images/arttaurus2.gif&quot; align=&quot;right&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;143&quot; hspace=&quot;4&quot; vspace=&quot;2&quot; width=&quot;268&quot;&gt;When 
a Quarter Moon occurs in your Return chart, as it does this year, you are at 
some sort of a turning point in your life, in terms of personal growth. Events 
that occur this year act as catalysts that get you in touch with some important 
issues in your emotional life. Your emotions run high, and mood swings or 
identity crises are possible. There may be some kind of conflict in your life 
arising from a great urge to do something different. It promises to be a busy, 
dynamic, and significant period in your life.&lt;/font&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;Fortunately, 
the Sun forms harmonious aspects to Neptune and Pluto around the time 
of your birthday this year. You are psychically charged, ready to make important changes 
in your life and to reach for the highest star. A higher purpose to your life is 
what you seek, and you rely more heavily upon your intuition in order to achieve 
it. You display more 
self-confidence when it comes to achieving your goals and going after what you 
want this year. You find it easier than usual to rid yourself of problematic or 
self-defeating attitudes as well as bad habits. Others recognize your leadership skills and talents, or, at 
the very least, your potential. You are motivated to get to the bottom of 
matters. You might find that you become more goal-oriented, and that superficial goals 
no longer satisfy you. You want your life path and your objectives to reflect 
what you’re really about, and you are likely to rid yourself of unsatisfying 
goals or paths this year. You benefit from being more decisive than usual, and your 
ability to concentrate and focus help you to achieve what you set out to do. A 
new project or goal begun this year has a good chance of being successful and 
long-lasting.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;With the Sun also in challenging aspect to Jupiter and Uranus, unexpected 
changes in plans or events can test your patience. However, they could stimulate 
you to try new approaches and they certainly act to cut boredom. Freedom is what 
you seek this year, and how you deal with this issue is the key to how this 
influence will play out. If you recognize your need for changes in key areas of 
your life and adapt accordingly, this can be an exciting year of discovery. 
However, if you resist change and insist on keeping things status quo, you are 
bound to feel very restless, tense, and rebellious. Still, making healthy 
changes should be the focus--change for the sake of change is not what you 
should be concentrating on. Do your best to look before you leap. Situations in 
your life that seem to curtail your freedom could be hard to handle now. 
Spontaneity, not impulsiveness, is the key to success this year. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;With Venus and Mars in a square aspect to each other, your 
affections are strongly stimulated, and you are more acutely aware of your 
powers of attraction. Romance, love, and sexuality occupy your mind more than 
usual. You can enjoy an increase in personal magnetism (as well as libido!), but 
be wary of competitiveness or tension in existing love relationships, as this 
aspect ignites your passions in general, whether they‘re feelings of love or 
anger! As well, you should be cautious when it comes to your finances, as you 
are more prone than usual to buy impulsively. Venus also squares Uranus, 
suggesting that some disruptions in your friendships and attachments are 
possible this year. Unusual attractions (to people and things) can have you 
acting on a whim. You may deal with freedom versus closeness issues in your 
relationships. It may be that you experience sudden changes or breakups with a 
friend or lover. However, the chance of a sudden new friendship is just as 
likely. At the root of this is a stronger taste for the unusual. What is 
familiar is less exciting to you than what is new and different. If a 
relationship seems to threaten your sense of freedom, you may have an easy time 
separating from it. Some fireworks in both your social and financial lives are 
to be expected, keeping things fresh and exciting. The best way to handle this 
energy is to open yourself up to the need for change in your love life or with 
regards to how you spend and make money--or both. Get in touch with this need 
for new experiences and/or attitudes so that changes are not forced upon you. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;Helping you out is a Venus-Chiron trine, which also indicates that 
something big is in the works regarding your love life, but is not disruptive 
like the above influences. You'll have a chance to 
heal old wounds with regards to love this year. You're also bound to find new 
ways of making money. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;With Mars conjunct Uranus and the Moon's North Node, bursts of 
creativity and energy help you to further your goals. You are more able to spot 
an opportunity when you see one. It is easier than usual to break free from 
habits that have previously held you back from going after what you want in 
life. This can be a year when bursts of restlessness, rebellion, and impatience 
figure prominently, however. Your energy tends to be erratic and temperamental. 
You have a tendency to take risks and to act on sudden impulses without 
considering consequences. You assert your will and individuality powerfully, and 
you are ready to fight for freedom. There may be changes in work schedules, or 
life's circumstances could challenge you in such a way that you need to change 
your goals or actions. This can also be a time when you tend to resist others 
and challenge them if they are trying to hold you back. Arguments and 
confrontations are likely. Anger can erupt seemingly from nowhere. If you aren't 
too rash or impulsive, you might be able to free yourself from restrictive 
circumstances. You could also have more courage than usual to do things that 
break the routine, and confrontations engaged in this year could clear the air 
and help you to move forward. This can also 
indicate an increased need for sexual union, as it stirs the passions and 
generally indicates ease in satisfying one's desires through positive 
connections with others. Experimenting with your sexuality is also a 
possibility. This aspect is one indication of getting engaged, married, the 
beginning of a significant new relationship, or the intensification of an 
existing romance. &lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;Mercury forms a grand trine with Jupiter and Saturn at the time 
of your birthday this year. Advances in intellectual and mental pursuits are likely, as you 
make steady progress that has long-lasting results. You might be required to 
travel for business purposes. Young people in your life are more mature or 
serious in their approach to life. Thinking in realistic and practical terms is 
your best bet, and the need for tangible results for your efforts is strong. 
Strong productivity on mental levels characterizes this combination. It's a good 
period for coming up with successful business plans and strategies.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;This year, your love life figures strongly, but not always smoothly! Sparks fly, 
keeping you stimulated. Your need for freedom and experimentation figures 
prominently not only in romance but also in general. Important changes in your life path are in store--you are 
ready to reach for the highest star. You are also more assertive. Avoid 
impulsive decision-making--a strong temptation this year.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.cafeastrology.com/images/numerology9.gif&quot; align=&quot;left&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;50&quot; hspace=&quot;4&quot; vspace=&quot;2&quot; width=&quot;50&quot;&gt;2007&lt;/b&gt; 
is a Number Nine year for you. Ruled by Mars. This is a year of completion and 
transition. It is a time when we need to let go of things that no longer serve 
their purpose, and hold on to things that have a future. It is a time of 
cleaning out dead wood, not necessarily for new beginnings. It can be a time 
when a burden has been taken off your shoulders, and it can be a year of giving 
of yourself. Advice - let go of things that are holding you back, give of 
yourself and express your sympathetic, compassionate side.&lt;/font&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;
&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;
&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.cafeastrology.com/images/numerologyone.gif&quot; align=&quot;left&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;50&quot; hspace=&quot;4&quot; vspace=&quot;2&quot; width=&quot;50&quot;&gt;2008&lt;/b&gt; 
will be a Number One year for you. Ruled by the Sun. This is a year of action. 
The seeds you plant now, you will reap later. Others might find you less 
sociable, as you are busier than ever and you focus on your activities and your 
needs. Still, you are outgoing and your initiative is stronger than ever. Advice 
- Stand alone, take action, start fresh, express independence.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&lt;br style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=437</comments>
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    <item>
      <title>hætt</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/436.html</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:16:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;ég er lystarlaus í þetta blogg. held ég fari að hætta.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;kominn tími til að loka þessari síðu og myndasíðunni líka. byrja á einhverju öðru. nýtt upphaf.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=436</comments>
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      <title>hitt og þetta</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/435.html</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:50:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;búin að vera pínu upptekin - finna íbúð, flytja, þrífa gömlu, reyna að finna vinnu, skrifa. púff.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;það er að koma vor að mér finnst stundum, en svo kemur kuldakast rétt á eftir. búið að vera yndislegt síðustu daga en svo sagði mér lítill fugl að það ætti að snjóa í næstu viku. arg. ég held í tilhugsunina um að í fyrra var orðið nokkuð hlýtt eftir afmælið mitt. það er í lok apríl.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;en já, er komin í nýja íbúð og er að leigja með 3 öðrum. herbergið mitt er í rúst en agalega bjart og fallegt. húsið er risa stórt og á æðislegum stað. ég er agalega hamingjusöm með flutningana. nú er bara að finna vinnu til að borga leigu hehe. hef verið að vinna eina og eina vakt á barnum en það dugar skammt þar sem ég er bara auka þar. sótti um vinnu í dag sem mig langar í. krossa fingur :)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;hef ákveðið að taka þátt í 10km hlaupi í byrjun maí ! ekki séns ég geti hlaupið það í dag og því er ég að reyna að taka mig á. auka jafnt og þétt. hljóp 5km í vikunni en mig vantar nýja skó - er að drepast í mjöðm og hné í mínum. aldurinn ... aha.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;annars er flest við það sama. reyni að horfa fram frekar en aftur, rækta sjálfa mig og vera góð stúlka. jamm og já. þetta gengur allt misvel :)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;aftur að skrifum og leita að vinnu .. x&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=435</comments>
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      <title>páskar</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/434.html</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:46:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;veit ekki hvað er í gangi með þetta veður - það snjóaði í dag! ég sem var alveg tilbúin í vor og bara sumar baby, bring it on! en nei nei.... snjókoma og ískaldur vindur!!!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;en já, páskar. gleðilega páska. ég er spennt. erla vinkona sendi mér föt sem ég gleymdi síðast á íslandi og mig grunar, bara grunar, að það fylgi pakkanum eitthvað meira. þetta er sem sagt hápunktur páskanna. að bíða eftir pakkanum. smá vesen því buzzerinn við hliðið virkar ekki svo kúturinn sem keyrir fattar ekki að hringja í mig. þannig á morgun, á morgun verður ævintýri. þarf að taka strætó út í rassgat að finna höfuðstöðvar DHL. spennó. ég ætla með nesti :) &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;klippti annars á mér hárið í vikunni - og já ég klippti það sjálf - setti smá brúnkukrem á nebbann og svei mér ef brosið er ekki breiðara :) sit núna við kertaljós (hvað er með mig og kertaljós??), borða hráan lax með hvítlauk og soya sósu, drekk Innis &amp;amp; Gunn (uppáhaldsbjórinn minn) og horfi á 'Mona Lisa Smile'. jabb. gleðilega páska indeed :)&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=434</comments>
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      <title>jæja ...</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/433.html</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:54:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;fyndið hvað einn vordagur getur gert.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;rauk út í dag að labba með hund þjálfarans míns (hann gefur mér einkaþjálfun í staðinn) og það var svo hlýtt að þegar ég var komin til stockbridge þar sem hann býr þá var ég orðin rennsveitt. litla hvolpgreyið - hún er reyndar ekkert lítil - iðaði alveg í skinninu að fá að hlaupa en nei, hún er í þjálfun krúttið, þurfti að halda henni í ólinni en leyfði henni svo að hlaupa í lok túrsins. hef sjaldan séð hana hlaupa jafn hratt! (hún er hlaupahundur - blanda af greyhound og collie)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;páskaliljurnar eru sprungnar út hérna um alla borg og á leiðinni heim mættum við risa býflugu. ég veit ekki hvor var hræddari, hundurinn eða ég, því við hrukkum báðar við og enduðum nánast úti á götu. góðar saman!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;var nefnilega farin að kvíða páskunum, þar sem ég sé fram á að sitja ein til borðs, en svei mér ef þetta verður bara ekki í lagi. þarf að muna daga eins og í dag og horfa aðeins lengra fram á við - til sumarsins - þegar ég get farið og setið úti á meadows, sötrað kaffi eða hvítvín og skrifað í bókina mína.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;amm.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=433</comments>
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      <title>ennþá hérna</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/432.html</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:29:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;afsakið bloggleysi - þreyta, stress, ferðalög og hittingur, æ hvað getur maður sagt? :)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;fór til london og endurnærðist í fangi vina - er svo búin að eiga frábæra helgi í faðmi æskuvinkonu og skemmtilegra vina hérna í edinborg. í fyrsta sinn í langan tíma finnst mér ég sterkari en áður. tilfinning sem ég ætla að varðveita og rækta.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;er annars að strembast við að skrifa í dag. óþolandi þegar maður er með hugmynd að sögu, búin að gera beinagrind en bara get ekki skrifað hana því 'röddin' passar ekki. er að prufa ýmislegt. þetta hlýtur að koma. þarf að skila henni af mér í kvöld (ritlistarhópur og gagnrýnin hjá þeim getur verið óvægin - ég hef þó verið heppin hingað til).&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;te og ristað brauð kalla á mig. ætla að svolgra því í mig og halda áfram.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;þreytan hamrar í kollinn á mér, þrýstist út í ennið og mig langar að öskra. göngutúr er málið held ég!&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;***&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;i'm still here, waiting, writing, singing and dancing. life has been hectic, visiting friends in london and generally being a social busy bee. it's been lovely and i can feel myself gaining strength. otherwise i'm writing - and struggling with a story today. annoyed and tired i shall have tea and toast. rock on! :)&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=432</comments>
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    <item>
      <title>þreytt</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/431.html</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:52:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;ég er þreytt í dag. og mjög svo vör um mig allt í einu með þennan miðil. málið er að ég er að leita mér að minni íbúð, ætla að leigja með öðru fólki. ekkert að því en þegar ég sendi email er hægt að 'googla' netfangið og finna þessa síðu. vil ég að væntanlegir meðleigjendur mínir viti svo mikið um mig? og hvað með væntanlega vinnuveitendur? er hægt að lesa vitlaust út úr pári mínu hérna eða er þetta bara toppurinn á ísjakanum og enga raunhæfa mynd hægt að draga? veit ekki. veit bara að ég spái ekki alltaf í hvað ég er að skrifa. skrifa bara það sem mér dettur í hug.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;***&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;there's a small café here in edinburgh that i simply love. the food is awesome, home made cakes, breakfast all day (both healthy and clog-your-veins yummie), the staff is friendly, and what's most important - the coffee is, i believe, the best in edinburgh. and it's hard to get a decent cuppa here i tell ya! luckily, i have friends who are very particular about their coffee, and have been kind enough to let me in on their secret places. this particular place is my favourite. the coffee: flavour and strength is good, the heat just right, the foam as it should be; everything comes together to make it truly enjoyable.&lt;br&gt;however, what i absolutely adore about this café is the size of the place. it's so small but people somehow don't seem to mind. strangers share a table in every corner, read books and papers they can borrow, shoot a glance towards the busy street outside every now and then and slowly, slowly, drink their morning/afternoon cup. it's lovely.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;i'm craving for my fix. i'm tired today.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=431</comments>
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      <title>óskar og töfrar</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/430.html</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:50:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;mér finnst magnað að óskarinn hafi bara alveg farið fram hjá mér! fattaði það kvöldið sem hann átti að vera en nennti ekki að horfa. áhugaleysi? leti? kannski.&lt;br&gt;grunar þó að ég hafi verið svo upptekin við að ýta áhyggjum í burtu að ég hafi svolítið ýtt ÖLLU í burtu - líkt og ég vildi ekki áminninguna um hversu breytt lífið er.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;stundum, og bara stundum, er dálítið skrítið að vera ein í ókunnu landi og vita ekkert hvert maður á að snúa sér til að finna starfið sem mann langar í. heima talar maður bara við mann sem þekkir mann og *púff* - svei mér ef ísland er ekki svolítið töfraland. af hverju er ég þá svona treg að koma heim?&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=430</comments>
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      <title>mittens, kittens, smittens</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/429.html</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:21:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot; size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;it's that time again. rather cold outside, but you know that spring is just around the corner, so you don't fret. in fact, curling up on the sofa has never been more appealing and rewarding. i'm surrounded by candles, watching tv and writing a little. i'm not waiting - i'm just enjoying.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;had my first experience as a barmaid last weekend and another shift last night. working in a bar on rugby night (3 games yesterday) can be crazy. we had to shut for half an hour - just to clean it (we were running out of glasses as well) and get certain people out. it was so crowded, the floor was covered in beer and broken glass. it was awesome. am glad i got a trial run last weekend though - just to remove the 'deer-in-headlights' look from my eyes when serving ;)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;am still looking for a permanent job - i'm just an extra at the bar.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;in other news i'm happy and try not be worried about the days ahead. there's something sweet in the air that's making me smile. i've got amazing people in my life and i love being ... i just love being! i came home the other day to find a package waiting for me. my beautiful friend &lt;/font&gt;&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;a style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot; href=&quot;http://larath.blogspot.com/&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;&gt;lára&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt; had knitted me some woolen mittens. thank you lára - they're amazing :)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;i'm so grateful for my friends, i hope you know who you are xxx&lt;br style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=429</comments>
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      <title>slowly rising..</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/428.html</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:42:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;i'm doing that whole navel thing&amp;nbsp;- taking a good look into that lovely little button placed so perfectly on my belly. and yes, i like my bellybutton. just not always what's behind it.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;i met a boy i know the other day. a musician who&amp;nbsp;is&amp;nbsp;studying music here in edinburgh. i had just come from the gym, standing behind a window in a charity shop (looking at books), when this dark haired boy waved at me. i just stood there, unsure he was waving at me because my face was bright red, my hair a mess, had no makeup so no way he could recognize me. i walked outside to his big smile and a coffee i really wanted in his hand.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;we started talking and suddenly i found myself admitting that i needed a job. he said something that struck me. he had just gotten a job at a restaurant and blurted out the fact that he had 'lost his self respect'. here was me thinking that i just needed to grow up and get a job 'like the rest of us' as my friends would say. this boy, however, a fellow artist, wanting nothing more than to live off his talent but having to succumb to a job he hated in order to eat that month.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana&gt;&lt;FONT size=1&gt;i understand how he feels. although, i'm not sure i'm losing my self respect. it's more a matter of ego. i need to put it aside for now.&amp;nbsp;perhaps not my pen, but yes, my ego - i'm just struggling with how closely connected the two are. it's not a question of growing up (in fact, i hope i never do), i need to adapt to my new life, adapt to the path i have chosen, to the decisions i've made. i need to swallow my pride. i need a job.&lt;FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/FONT&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=428</comments>
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      <title>æi</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/427.html</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:23:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;hef lítið haft til málanna að leggja undanfarið og svo sem engin breyting þar á. mig rámar þó í að ég hafi í annan fótinn langað að skrifa á þessari blessuðu bloggsíðu á sínum tíma til að kjafta mig út úr erfiðum veikindum.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;ekki er það krabbinn enn á ný. sálin og hjartað bara ekki alveg í nógu góðu standi. &lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;skilnaður er erfiður, sama hvað þú reynir að vera viðkunnalegur og hjartahlýr. stundum er lífið bara helvíti skítt.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;ég bý í edinborg. á ekki krónu fyrir rassgatið á mér. ég skrifa. er að leita mér að vinnu. er helvíti vör um það þessa dagana að fólk lýgur út um nasaholurnar á sér. ég er engin undantekning. það sem þú veist ekki, særir þig ekki.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;djöfulsins asni getur maður verið....... &lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;&lt;EM&gt;from the puking bottom of my heart&lt;BR&gt;i lose faith in you&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;the homeless person on the cracked corner of the street&lt;BR&gt;telling me to smile&lt;BR&gt;shows more kindness than you ever will&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;you tear me open and touch the other side of me&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;i do not approve.&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=427</comments>
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      <title>in iceland</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/426.html</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:13:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;font size=&quot;1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;&quot;&gt;gleðilegt nýtt ár og takk kærlega fyrir þau gömlu kæru vinir.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;er hér stödd á íslandi í brjálæðisveðri og notalegheitum. reyni að blóta veðri og vindum sem minnst en stendur ekki á sama þegar ökutæki mitt flýgur næstum af veginum. úff.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;fer heim þann 13.janúar og hef því smá tíma hér í bæ/á landi. er að reyna að njóta. undarleg tilfinning að búa ekki hér lengur. borða pylsur og drekk malt í massavís. guðsonur minn spurði mig um daginn hvort ég talaði íslensku - fyrir honum er ég líklega bara útlendingur og hann rosa klár að skilja mig ;)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-style: italic;&quot;&gt;happy new year my dear friends. i hope you are well, wherever you may be. i'm still in iceland and will be for the next twelve days or so. after that, it's back home to scotland for a quick stop and then italy with my cousin. after that ... well, i've got a couple of ideas but mainly just trying to figure it out as i go.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;i'll not look back on this past year and categorize it or what it's meant to me. perhaps in time i will. right now it's been one of the hardest but also most rewarding year in my life. for now, i'm happy with looking forward.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;cheers for 2008! x&lt;br&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
 
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      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=426</comments>
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      <title>vetur</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/425.html</link>
      <pubDate>Sat, 15 Dec 2007 15:00:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;jæja. kominn tími á nýtt blogg. búin að auglýsa mig nóg ;) takk fyrir frábærar kveðjur!&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;er samt hálf andlaus eitthvað. búin að vera að dreyma illa, er hálfslöpp, fer í ræktina þegar ég ætti kannski að vera heima að kúra en það er svo kalt að ég nenni því ekki til lengdar. sit núna í eldhúsinu mínu með lokaða hurð og ofninn (bökunarofninn!) á 200 gráðum við hliðina á mér. fínt til að steikja mig aðeins. og kaffi. og ég braut klósettið mitt í gær. frábært! missti ilmvatn á vatnskassann og hann brotnaði í tvennt! bölvað. ekki alveg mín vika núna. húmor.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;EN ég er að koma heim og ég hlakka til. ætla að hafa það gott í faðmi vina og ættingja. svo er stefnan á skíðaferð aldarinnar með nönnu frænku í janúar! við skvísurnar ætlum að mála bæinn madonna á ítalíu rauðan, jei!&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;annars er ég farin að hugsa mér til hreyfings. það er alltaf einhver ferðapadda í mér. verð svo sem lítið hérna í edinborg&amp;nbsp;næstu mánuði&amp;nbsp;en mig er sárlega farið að langa í meiri hita. sumarið hérna síðasta var líka bara prump. þrái hita í kroppinn. get ekki haft kveikt á ofninum mínum endalaust!&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;EM&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;it's cold in edinburgh. so cold that i sit in my tiny kitchen,&amp;nbsp;the oven blasting on 200degrees, hoping to be roasted - but alas, no such thing. my toes, even though snuggled by the warm angora, are icicles. my nomadic heart craves a change. i need heat in my body - the oven isn't doing it for me...&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=425</comments>
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      <title>a girl in a book</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/424.html</link>
      <pubDate>Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:53:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;ég er að byrja að skilja hvaða kulda fólk var að tala um að væri í edinborg. það er mikill munur á gas central heating og electrical heating. var með það fyrra - er nú með það seinna. ég er mjög svo fegin að vera með litla íbúð sem hitnar fljótt. fólk er að sofa með húfur. úff.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;en ég. ég er stelpa í bók. á miðvikudag, eftir útskrift, er útgáfuteiti fyrir bók sem verið er að gefa út frá edinborgarháskóla. ég er í henni. ég er stolt. þetta er bók með fólki síðustu fimm ára&amp;nbsp;úr náminu og þurfti að keppast um að komast að. ég veit að árið mitt er eitt af þeim hæstu í einkunnum og því samkeppnin mikil. ég náði tveimur stuttum verkum þarna inn. agalega spennó. læt coverið fylgja með..&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;&lt;EM&gt;i am a girl in a book. the university is publishing writers from the last five years on the course. i'm in it. here's the cover.&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;IMG style=&quot;WIDTH: 518px; HEIGHT: 368px&quot; height=383 src=&quot;http://images31.fotki.com/v1041/photos/2/254529/4915762/image002-vi.jpg&quot; width=535&gt;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=424</comments>
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      <title>planes, trains .. and .. buses?</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/423.html</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:05:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;there's something&amp;nbsp;funny in the air. a change is coming. looming overhead.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;not really, just a cool way to start this little entry. i mean i could tell you that as i was walking home the other day, a bus had just crashed into a bus stop and took out a lamp post outside my door. i could also tell you i missed my flight to belgium today. or that i ran so hard on thursday&amp;nbsp;i thought i would puke my lungs out.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;i, however, prefer: a change is coming. very movie-like.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;i graduate on november 28th. i keep forgetting to order my robe/gown - something very crucial to the whole graduation ceremony. they won't let me walk up the stage without it. siska and thora will be there with me - my adopted family. we're the icemaidens. we rock.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=423</comments>
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      <title>last note of freedom</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/422.html</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:12:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;er komin heim frá íslandi. þetta var stutt, erfið, yndisleg og sumpart alveg mögnuð ferð.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;ég finn að ég er öll að koma til. eftir undarlegt ár er skottan smátt og smátt að lifna við. dilla rassi við rokkballöður áttunda áratugarins (eða er það níunda .. ég ruglast alltaf). þær hrista duglega í mér, minna mig á villingatímabil okkar erlu. keyra bíla hratt og skríkja við hin ótrúlegustu (og mjög svo ólöglegu) andartök.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;ég vaknaði á sunnudeginum við gabríel guðson minn grátandi - því maría var að fara til skotlands. ég dreif mig á netið og pantaði mér far heim í afmælið hans í janúar. verð yfir jólin á íslandi. aldrei þessu vant hlakka ég til.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;næst á dagskrá - skemmtilegheit í belgíu og yndislegheit í london. svo mætir hnátan til íslands :)&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=422</comments>
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      <title>ice ice baby</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/421.html</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:33:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;er á landinu en fann ekki íslenska síman minn ! er með breska númerið :)&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;toodles..... &lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=421</comments>
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      <title>home?</title>
      <link>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/archive/420.html</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:59:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=&quot;Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif&quot; size=1&gt;kem til íslands á fimmtudag og verður ferðinni heitið á paddy's í keflavík um kvöldið þar sem &lt;A href=&quot;http://myspace.com/bsigmusic&quot; target=_self&gt;b.sig&lt;/A&gt;&amp;nbsp;eru að spila ásamt &lt;A href=&quot;http://myspace.com/fridaklassart&quot; target=_self&gt;klassart&lt;/A&gt;&amp;nbsp;- so if you feel like good music, endilega kíkið og segið hæ :)&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;annars er það reykjavík á föstudag. verð með gamla símann minn.&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;er að pakka jólagjöfum. veit ekki hvar ég verð um jólin. kannski bara prufa eitthvað nýtt?&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;EM&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;days ahead: iceland, belgium, london then undecided. i wonder where i will be, come christmas?&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/P&gt;
&lt;P&gt;&lt;EM&gt;&lt;FONT face=Verdana size=1&gt;a stranger smiled at me today. it was just what i needed. i was crossing a dark, narrow, alley and he was big and strong. i looked up and he had the sweetest smile. i think my carma is changing. i've been doing good lately :)&lt;/FONT&gt;&lt;/EM&gt;&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <comments>http://mariaerla.blogdrive.com/comments?id=420</comments>
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