Long time no see...

Please excuse the long long absence.

Since I began my studies, I haven't had the time to write anything other than my class assigments, and to read anything other than my lessons. It has been a long time since I last studied, and it is costing me a little more than I expected. On good news, I passed all my exams with good grades, so the first part of the year is accomplished! Two more parts to go, one of them coming up just in a month...

My writings and my shop have suffered my absence as well. I have barely been able to list anything new, and not a paragraph of a new novel since I finished the last one. I hope I can get even this summer, but as of now, any moment I can manage some time for myself, I just don't have the energy to craft or to write.

Since I really do not have anything new going on, I will share with you this beauty I found on a flower shop here in Madrid:

It is a natural (dyed) black rose. The wonderful thing is that it is preserved! It will not fade or decay, and it looks as if I just took it from the plant. It is not crisp and feels soft and flexible - although I do not touch it much. I could not believe it when I saw it on the glass window - it was the only one they had - and it just had to be mine. One of my philosopher's stones has been found! The mythical and impossible to breed black rose is resting comfortably on my living room - yes, I cheated a bit, don't hold it against me!

Life at High School...again!

It's the end of my first week in high school, and it's more fun than I anticipated sharing classes with a bunch of teens and young adults.
It's easier than I thought to follow the lessons, and the fact is, I'm enjoying myself - I don't know if I will when homework begins to catch up with us...

Fun facts about the HS:
- no toilet paper in the restrooms. Or soap, or towels (not even paper towels), or heaters, or mirrors... I have no idea why (maybe they get stolen?). I guess we are lucky to have waste baskets for sanitary napkins. It's funny though. Now that flu season approaches, how do they expect us to take care of our health? Of course, we have been told already to get our flu vaccinations. The first thing that I tossed in my bag was hand sanitizer. It's going to be a long winter...
- Walls covered with graffiti.
- I have a locker. Yay! First one I got in my life! :)

I think this course is going to be a great way to find myself as a person and to better myself. I am a bit anxious about tests and such, but I hope my old studying habits will kick in and in the end everything will be all right.

The only thing that bothers me a bit is the lack of time to keep writing my novels. I guess I will have to use the recess time...