PRINCE OF WALES GARDEN

Next to our houses there's a patch of land, which I believe is the Council's, and it's all filled with tall grass, bushes and worst of all rubbish! People tend to throw stuff out in here! For months now I've been wanting to turn this into an urban park, but have been too busy with uni. Now that I'm done, I can start and hopefully work way into next week. 

Just cleared most of the rubbish, then grass cutting time.

After grass is cut.

So why am I doing this? Well this has annoyed me for months now. Even though it's not on our land, it's next to our house. Basically if something looks shit, people are going to treat it like shit. And there's no point in me just sitting here complaining about this. If I want something fixed, it's up to myself to do it. I think it's a shame when people just sit there complaining and don't do anything about the problem when they clearly can. AND besides, it's a great workout!

I want to create a sort of urban "park"/"garden".  My landlord was kind enough to lend me all the tools I need, rake, grass trimmer, hedge trimmer and a spade. One of my mates found some good wood we could get for free to make benches and hopefully the Environment department will donate a bin for the "garden". I did talk to them a couple a months back about it and they seemed positive, so just hoping if I get this to look good that they will place one there.

The yellow area is the general area I'm working on, but mainly focusing on the front part. With the help of Google Earth, I calculated that the area I'm clearing is about 150 m2 / 1600 ft2. Problem is that this green area have been neglected for years, so that means bushes, grass and tree have been left to themselves. Which normally is fine, but because vegetation so dense here, the main trees are not growing right because of the lack of space. So my plan is to chop of the damaged branches and get rid of/trim the bushes. Then even out the ground afterwards. Also I'm going to remove the aluminium poles which is left after someone stole the fence a few years back. Yes I know , crazy, but you could fetch a good price for the metal then.

And in a perfect dream world the Council would donate some flowers to plant, but doubt that will happens though (I will try to apply for it).

Oh and guess what I found in the tall grass today? ....Two old nappies! Ehw.... I think it's DISGUSTING what people get themselves to throw away. I've found two car tires, a mattress, tubes, a bunch of beer bottles, like 30 books and wood. But I will get there. So if anyone in Swansea want to come and help turn this into a "proper" Prince of Warden garden, then come along! I'll be working for the next five days or so, at least.

Stop waiting for change to happen. Be the change! Take control. If you're unhappy about something in life, change it. This might be work, school or love, what's holding you back? CHANGE = moving forward in life

Today's song: Katy Perry - Firework

HOMEMADE NORWEGIAN BREAD

I love baking bread. Gives you such a great feeling and perfect if you're angry. And besides I like having control over what I eat. I can't stand loaf! It's too white and hardly keeps you full, no fibre. There's nothing better than a fresh piece of warm home made bread with butter! Yummy!

Ingredients
175ml full-fat milk
175ml water
2 tbsp dark soft brown sugar
1 x 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
250g rye flour
200g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp fine sea salt
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
sunflower oil, for greasing

Preparation method
1. Put the milk, water and sugar in a small saucepan and heat very gently, stirring constantly, for just a few seconds until the liquid is lukewarm and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl.
2. Stir in the yeast and leave for 10 minutes until there is a light froth floating on the surface.
3. Put all the flour, rye and white, in a large bowl, stir in the salt and caraway seeds, then make a well in the centre. Pour the warm yeast mixture on to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon and then your hands to form a soft, spongy dough.
4. Turn the dough out on to a well-floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Kneading this dough can be hard work so you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and give it some welly.
5. Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with oiled cling film. Leave to rise in a warm place for about 1½ hours or until it has doubled in size.
6. Put the dough on a floured work surface and knock it back with your knuckles, then knead for another minute.
7. Shape the dough into a fat oval or round loaf, pulling the dough from the top and sides and tucking it underneath to make a neat shape.
8. Place the loaf on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and score the surface 4 times with a sharp knife. Cover it loosely with the oiled cling film and leave to prove for a further 40–50 minutes until it has doubled in size once more.
9. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Bake the loaf in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes or until it is well risen and the base sounds hollow when tapped sharply. Cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.


Go baking!

90% DONE

90% of my uni work is now done! I've handed in three visual diaries, my own film and a group film (which you'll see soon enough). I'm pretty happy with two of my diaries and OK-happy with the last one. For those of you that doesn't know what a visual diary is; it's a collection of all your work and research throughout the module. So that means all sketches, mind maps, meetings, notes, research, designs, products, assessments and much more. Basically all the relevant stuff I've done needs to go into my diary.

Anyhoodle, take a look at my new film!




A short documentary about the Bromoil process. The Bromoil Process is a process whereby the silver image contained in a black and white photograph is replaced by an ink image. The image is replaced by an ink and will in theory last forever. There's only a handfull on people in the UK, in the world, that do this art.
Local photographer Derek Ashman was kind enough to show us how he takes a normal black and white print and turn it into a Bromoil print.

Find out more about Bromoil on bromoil.org.uk

Producer, director and editor - Tom-Daniel Laugerud
Co-Producer - Angella Wang (王勰)
Photosphere by Charles Atlas is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

So I'm more or less pleased with the final results. Of course there are parts I'd love to be able to re-do, but hey, that's life.

Only thing I got left now is my dissertation proposal, which is due in on Monday. That'll be fine. This has been a crazy crazy year! Going to be great to be able to work again (££££) and work on some private/external projects. Got a couple of films to finish for some external clients, but besides that BEACH and FITNESS are two key words. BBQs and morning runs down at the beach... life doesn't get better. I'm going to work out so hard this summer. I don't care what it takes. I don't care how much pain I would have to withstand. That six pack will be on my body by September. Mark my words. I'm running in the Cardiff 10K in September, which will be great.

Check out this documentary, Gallaghers Gym which is really good. I like the shots, the story and the people. This is the kind of documentaries that inspire me and reassures me that all the work I'm putting in now, will pay off in the end.



Like Kelly Clarkson sings "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger". I'll get there. No matter what.

Today's song: Kelly Clarkson - Stronger

90s & 00s MUSIC FROM MY CHILDHOOD

Let's face it. What we grew up with in the 90s and 00s weren't that great was it? More or less it was pop that dominated our upbringing. All these hits you see below are songs that more or less any Norwegian that grew up in the 90s most likely know by heart. I have to admit, I'm glad that these kind of "pop-days" are more or less over. Even though Justin Bieber and Jedward haunts us with the presence in 2012...


ATC, a Russian pop group                                    U can't touch... That's right! Still sung today

The Scandinavian group Aqua was a major hit       Boom boom boom
all over the world.

Boys bands like Westlife, Back Street Boys            You have to give it to them, the video for
and N-sync were big.                                           Everybody is great! I still love this.

Shania Twain still haunts Norway to this on           EVERYBODY knew Britney's songs whether
radio.... the channel P4 keeps playing it....            they liked her or not

Ricky Martin or Latino artists, often get a strong    Eiffel 65 was an Italian group and got big with
place in Norway. Livin la Vida Loca being the         this hit.  I'm blue dabedee...
classic that we all know.

Daddy DJ.... I remember buying the single for      With U2 quality is coming into our lives.
this. Loved this song!

David was in the Norwegian Idol. Have no idea     Kurt Nilsen, the Norwegian that beat Kelly
what he's doing now...                                          Clarkson at World Idol in 2004

Oh god.... I remember when I had a cassette        One, two, three four.....
player in my room. I recorded songs from the
radio and played them back later!

Cartoons was a group from Denmark. All the         LAS KETCHUP! The girl group the swooped
kids knew many of their songs!                               over Europe. Everybody knows the lyrics to
                                                                         this. This represents most of what I can say /"sing"
                                                                         in Spanish, haha!


Or this Finnish group... EVERYBODY listened
to this song!

Listen to them all on Spotify - "90s & 00s"

Did any sound familiar to you?