sallymn asked What are your favourite costumes in fantasy TV/film?

When it comes to the movies, I say Sleepy Hollow. I know it is set in 1799, but the costumes are largely 1770’s, with Lady Van Tassel’s clothes being pure fantasy. And Ichabod Crane’s mother wear a gown which is 1720’s, or so. Also, ghosts and witches. And it looks fantastic! So many lovely details and the costumes really enhances the story.

( Read more... )

thenewbuzwuzz asked If you were a mythological creature, what kind would you be and why?

A dragon! I’ve loved dragons since I was a small child. I always felt it must be fun to be able to breathe fire and fly.

Here, have my favourite dragon as a bonus. ( Read more... )

I did The Talking Meme some time ago, but found the idea of doing it every day for a month a bit challenging. So I'm gakking thisbluespirit's version:

Give me a topic to talk about and I promise to try and post about it sometime in the near future.

Go ahead, ask me anything you want. :)

icecoldrain asked: If you could have one (unusual) superpower, what would it be?

Hmm, super speed, I think. It would be nice to be able to do all household chores super fast to make more room for fun things.

I’m one day late but I was floored with some kind of tummy trouble yesterday. You don’t want to know the details.

a_phoenixdragon asked: Do you have any bad habits you've tried to kick? Or any that you did?

I’m perfect and I don’t need to change anything! ;) Well, let’s see. I have never smoked and drink very little, so I have had kick those habits. I don’t really have any bad habits I try to get rid of, more that I try to maintain some good ones. Like regular exercise. I’m not an athletic by nature, but I know that if I move moderately I feel better and sleep better too. Before my lungs started to act up on me I had a good routine that included lots of walking and doing about 40 minutes on my exercise bike four times a week. (I watched a good show while I did it) I had managed to maintain that for a year and lost 20 pounds on the way despite not really having that as a goal. But after having been ill and getting asthma along the way, it’s been very hard to get back into that habit. I walk a lot again thanks to my dogs and I try to do Pilates once a week, which helps, but I would like to get the habit of the exercise bike again. As it is now I usually remember way too late in the evening that I was supposed to and I haven’t found any good trick to get me back on track.

Now I remember a bad habit I kicked. When I was seventeen I got in the habit to buy candy to eat on my way home from school. I have never had a sugar tooth, but I developed one now, to a point that when I was running late one day and didn’t have time to buy candy, I felt irritated and annoyed all the way home. So I went cold turkey and really had some sugar withdrawal for about a week, then it stopped. And though I occasionally eat dark chocolate and a few time of year licorice, I have never developed a taste for sweet stuff again.

verdande_mi asked: What is you favourite poem/song lyrics in Swedish?

I think it must be Trollbunden by Karin Boye, a poem about unrequited love.

När du är borta, hungrar så vilt min själ.
När du är nära, längtar jag likaväl --
förtvivlad ser jag,
stelnad, sluten,
hur tom och fåfäng
flyr minuten.

Ditt väsens stolta kungliga blomdoft fin
jag ville hemligt dricka, ett heligt vin --
men dödstung står jag
som i drömmar,
med törst som Tantalos
i klara strömmar.

I ensamhetens tid har min tunga bränt
att säga dig det vackra jag drömt och känt --
men i din närhet
min tanke somnar,
min port är stängd,
och hjärtat domnar.

And here is an English translation, made by Jenny Nunn, which is quite good.

Spellbound

When you are away, my soul hungers wildly.
When you are close, I long for you just as much -
in despair I see,
numb, secluded,
how empty and futile
is the minute which goes by.

Your essence of proud and regal perfumes fine
I secretly wanted to drink, a sacred wine -
but I stand heavy as death
as in dreams,
with a thirst like Tantalos
in clear streams.

In times of solitude my tongue has burned
to tell you of the beautiful thing I have dreamt and felt
but when I am near you
my thoughts slumber,
my door is closed,
and my heart is numb.

zhelana aksed: Do you collect anything? This prompt should include pictures.

No, I don’t. I used to as a kid. Then I collected dolls in folk costumes from different countries, porcelain cats, paper dolls and embossed, die-cut paper scrap pictures. For example. I still have those collections, but they are packed down. As a young adult I didn’t have the money for collecting anything and when I finally had the money for it, I made the conscious decision to not start any new collections. I understand the joy of it, but I also feel I have too much stuff already and I don’t need more stuff. I have lots and lots of books and fabric, but they arenät really collected. And the fabrics gets made into clothes eventually.

the_moonmoth asked: If you could have any author (pro or fanfic) write a story to your specifications, who would it be, and what would the story be about?

Last year I read a Doctor Who short story written by Neil Gaiman called Nothing O’Clock. (You can read an excerpt here.) It features Eleven and Amy Pond and a very creepy monster called The Kin and I enjoyed it a lot..I would love to read more Who stories by Gaiman. No specification needed- I’d be happy with anything.

thenewbuzwuzz asked: If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?

A cat! At least one of mine. To quote Prince george in Blackadder; “As far as I'm concerned life is a big palace full of food, drink, and comfy sofas.” Which pretty much sums up their life. And spending the summers on an island in the archipelago.

snogged asked: Who is your favorite superhero and why?

I don’t read much comics and I have never been that keen on superheroes, but as a kid I loved The Phantom. Mainly, I think that because it’s a hereditary position there was a lot of adventures about previous Phantoms during various epochs. I always loved the historical adventures the most. I haven’t read a Phantom comic in years, though. I think I would be rather put off by the premises of a superior white man in Africa now.