2014 GOALS LIST RECAP

Hello guys and Happy New Year!

I finally got a chance to come here to say Hi :) My computer still needs to be fixed and I'm driving insane that I can't type whenever I feel inspired. As soon as I get in Quito (Ecuador) I will fix my computer, it's a priority. In the other hand, it was great to be far away from electronics and internet during holidays season to fully enjoy it in a colombian way ;) I hope you had a great time with your family and/or friends or traveling. Let me know how you celebrated Xmas and New Year's Eve, I'm super curious!

I know, the first week of the year is coming to an end and here Iam talking about my goals for 2014. Great start hein? I have my 2015 Goals List on my mind, is a wayyyy smaller list... I will leave this for another post. Hopefully this month! Ha!

PURPLE/PINK HAIR

 Hello there my dear readers!! I'm sorry if I took a while answering all your emails but I arrived California 2 weeks ago and went directly to my friend's ranch with no internet connection, it's not that they cannot afford or nothing, they prefer this way so it's our little retreat, for a while we are disconnected with the world. Oh yes, there's few phone network as well over there.

So I couldn't wait to show you my newest hair, which means another 2014 goal crossed. Go Marta! I wanted to dye it pale pink but I need to bleach all hair again and damage a little bit more so I decided to just bleach the roots that were giant and dye it purple. I didn't go to any hairdresser, I just ordered purple dye from Amazon (I used Punky Colors brand) and asked my friend Carla (who wasn't that experienced at all) to help out. I watched near 10 videos on youtube before doing anything, collected all the tips and let's go for it!

GOALS 2014: HALF YEAR RECAP

Hello friends!

Here Iam again with my goals for this year. In the meanwhile I added much more goals (I'm a dreamer) but I'll keep these ones only to make it real.

So let's see how I'm doing, not so bad I guess. This is my progress from beggining of April until the end of June. If you missed the first Goals 2014 recap you can read here.

MARTA'S GOALS FOR 2014:

* Make a tattoo

Two first sessions are done, next is coming and finally color in my redwood! probably will need another session which makes 4 sessions total. I prefer to go slow (3 hours sessions max.) so I don't get too tired but I'm not really the most available person, I'm glad Helder, the tattoo artist is patient and always find time for me :) You can have an idea of my tattoo in this post. 

THE NEWEST BLOND IN THE BLOCK

(This is probably the most futile post I ever done but it's part of my 2014 goals I want to share in the blog)

Everytime I look at the mirror or I pass thru a shop window I can't believe is me, I mean, I needed a huge face change but this is too much :) I'm just getting used.

One of my 2014 goals was to dye my hair a bright color. I finally decided to dye pastel pink but to be possible I had to bleach my hair, I was a bit scared, especially after searching on internet more about bleaching hair and seen awful pictures of burned hair and holes in the top of the head.

My friend Nina, who's a hairdresser student needed a model to learn how to bleach hair so it was the opportunity, instead of doing myself I was doing it with a expert nearby, helping my friend and for free! To get the pastel pink I wanted I needed to bleach white blond, like a barbie doll but I didn't want to damage that much my hair so decided to bleach a bit and dye pink or ocean green afterwords.

NEXT STOP: NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM AND LUXEMBURG

You might be wondering Marta doesn't travel out of Portugal for 2 months, what's going on? Don't worry next week I will be in Europe for a short trip of 20 days in Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg. Because is such a quick trip we planned days to be in the places so we don't waste one minute. 

PRETTY PLEASE: If you are living or traveling in the same place and same time as me I'd love to meet up with you! Haven't meet any foreign Shanti Free Bird reader yet and I'm excited to do so. I love to meet people!! Save the date, for July. 

VOLUNTEER WORK IS OVER

"Don't be sad because you're leaving, be happy because it happened". This quote translates every single thought of my mind right now. 

Mostly of volunteer work I've done was charity related, so this is another beautiful experience to add to my life. I didn't know what to do on June, no travels planned, so I headed to Tipi Algarve for 3 weeks to be a volunteer. My job was cleaning the tipis, weeding and make sure the whole place was looking neat. In return I had accomodation and food (vegetables and fruit from the garden included), didn't spend a cent while I was there.

I GOT A TATTOO!

It's been 10 years since I made my last tattoo and since then I wanted to tattoo something big, something that means the world to me. We all know that tattoos last forever and I guess that's the reason why my first tattoo is in the neck and now in the back - I don't get to see it everyday but it's still there with me all the time. If I had a chance to see it every single day I'd probably get sick of it.

I knew my next tattoo would be a tree because symbolizes oxygen, shade, food, LIFE. But which kind of tree? Last year I finally found the answer when I met Redwoods (find my past posts about them here and here), it was love at first sight. They are giant pine trees, the largest and tallest trees in the World (they say), ancient (they can live 2000 years) and only can be found in California and Oregon.

GOALS 2014: STEP BY STEP, A LITTLE DEEPER, A LITTLE CLOSER.

Heyaaa guys, what have you been up to? I guess it's about time to go back to my 2014 Goals List and check how I'm behaving during these three months. I think I'm in the way but I can always do better, I'm pretty sure by the end of the year mostly of my goals were complished. Let's take a look.

MARTA'S GOALS FOR 2014:

* Make a tattoo

I have my redwood tree draw done but it's big size so I'll need 3 sessions of 6 hours at least, means I need to settle down and have it done. In the meanwhile I had this idea of doing henna in my hand or foot and then make it a tattoo. Photo Source.

RECIPE BOOK DIY

One of my 2014 Goals includes a Recipe Book to make me cook diversity food. I went to the Public Library and found this Traditional Algarvian Gastronomy Book, brought it home and wrote down about 20 South Portugal typical recipes, great to keep traditions and to show off to my dear overseas friends :) Also found a mini Spanish recipe booklet (those that are free when you buy a magazine and then you collect) which I ripped out the ones I wanna try to my own Recipe Book.

Spanish and Traditional Portuguese Food so far, let's say I'm doing good. But where's this recipe book you are asking? I just made it, myself and I. Why buying one when I can do myself with my personal touch?

Here's the DIY project, pretty simple.

Materials:

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

One day late but been pretty busy with the party we are organizing :) Read more here.

Long time ago I used to celebrate Valentine's Day with my boyfriend, dinner in a nice and fancy restaurant and then go home and spend romantic time together. Nowadays I think it's just another comercial day, to make us cosumists, spend money in gifts (that sometimes the other person doesn't need but you have to buy something) and dinners out. I respect people who celebrate it, but isn't Valentine's Day everyday? Just like Children's Day or Mother's Day? We should celebrate LIFE everyday with our family and friends, doesn't matter if there's a reason to celebrate or not.

SUPER FUN CHALLENGES FOR 2014

I found out about two interesting projects for this coming year and decided to share with you.

Someone made this incredible chart! This is a genious idea to save money for what you wish/need/want. In the end of the year you save 1.378 dollars or euros. Very worth it and besides the last months, it's pretty easy to save up the money. If you cannot make it until the end of the year it's OK, don't need to be so hard to yourself... 500 dollars/euros is already lots of money.

GOALS LIST 2014

*** HAPPY NEW YEAR *** 

*** FELIZ ANO NOVO ***

This is the second time I'm making a List of Goals for the New Year. I thought was fun to post it in the blog and during the year looking at my goals and see the changes, check if I'm in the way or if I achieve any. I'm a dreamer and I know some of them are utopic for this year but I will try my best to make it real and if not we always have next year ;)

MARTA'S GOALS FOR 2014:

* Make a tattoo [I have the idea what I want, I know who will draw it and I know who will make it so I guess I'm in the way]

* Stop using Microwave [Now I know how dangerous can be using it so no more heating food in this thingy. TV was the first electronical I decided not having at home.]