Lineanongrata

...because every dog is different

 

This is an idea for a dog food and dog supplies company. My sister has already told me I'm not funny. - But then we never were of one opinion.

Shoo

Gorilla Marketing

I missed saying Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. And I'm very sorry about that. It all went under in a flood of family (who knew there were so many of them?!) and friends.

For Christmas it's rather late but I can still wish all of you a very happy and successfull new year!

For me it will be a year of marketing and self-promotion. Many new things to learn and do, keep your fingers crossed for me, will you?

 

Almost there (Advent calendar giveaway, day 23)

 

We're almost there, friends.

Tomorrow night we Germans will celebrate Christmas, or Holy Night. I'm sure my godson (he's four) is almost sick with excitement tonight already. How can 24 hours be so long?

I'm sorry this Advent calendar hasn't always been on time or filled with the most original posts I've ever done. Maybe next year I'll start preparing my posts in July.

Yes. Maybe I'll also understand mathematics next year. Miracles can happen, you know?

In any even I have enjoyed this annual tradition. Your comments always make me very happy even though I've not had the time to reply this year. I do read and treasure each one though.

Today we drove from Berlin to our home village in Westphalia. Somewhere in the middle the car briefly stopped working. Fortunately at a gas station. I've not had a car break on my on years and this was quite the luxury version in comparison. After 45 minutes and some miracle operation the car-repair-man did it drove us home, safe and sound.

Tomorrow will be a whirlwind of last minute preparations (not to my siblings: I've wrapped most of our presents already! Believe it or not. And spare me the sarcasm, Hanna), makeup, dressup, church singing, family dinner, song singing, tree decorating... and a million other things.

Today I wanted to show you this video. It took me four times before I could watch this without crying. Singing really gets to me.

Merry! Only a couple of hours to go!

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LeeAnn and Inga, you won the Advent gifts number 21 and 22. Would you write me an email with your addresses, please?

For all the rest of you: Two more days, two more chances to win a little advent gift. Just leave a comment on this and tomorrow's post.

Feeling much improved (advent giveaway, day 21)

Once a year I get a terrible craving.

For green and pink electric lights, terribly tasteless Christmas tree decorations, the smell of woodfire smoke, drunk men (and ladies) and oh, that horrible german traditional music? Once a year I need my dose.

No Christmas without a Christmas Market in Germany.

Sausage with ketchup, red candy apples, grapes and strawberries (in December!) covered in chocolate, perfectly ugly cute stuffed animals, 'funny' gloves, hats and socks you don't wish upon your worst enemy... To all of this add a good dose of cold weather that makes your hands and feet fall off after ten minutes outside... and my Advent is a good one.

A dollop of mayonnaise with a couple of french fries

plus two or three cups of mulled wine that would kill a diabetic instantly...

and I feel much improved.

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Jorun, my 'old' blog friend, you won yesterday's Advent gift. As I said, I'm much in favor of traditions.

Would you write me an email and tell me your new address, please?

For everyone who's new to the Lineanongrata blog: We have an ongoing celebration of Advent until the 24th of December. Every day one of you readers wins a small gift. If you'd like to participate, just leave a comment on each post until the 24th of December and you'll automatically enter the draw.

 

 

 

 

Herb (the advent calendar giveaway, day 20)

(Herb's dandruff problem was seriously getting in the way of his social relationships)

About a month ago I've started one of Agency Acess's Campaign Manager programms. It's been very instructive and interesting so far and I'm very happy I took that step.

Along many other things they asked me to consider a more commercial use for my illustrations. How would I illustrate an add campaign for a product, for example?

Interesting question. I think they might have overestimated my propensity for seriousness. But really - I would absolutely buy an anti-dandruff shampoo with that add!

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Kristy, you won yesterday's gift! Yay! Would you please send me a message with your address?

For everyone who's new to the Lineanongrata blog: We have an ongoing celebration of Advent until the 24th of December. Every day one of you readers wins a small gift. If you'd like to participate, just leave a comment on each post until the 24th of December and you'll automatically enter the draw.

Useful, beautiful, thankful... (the Advent calendar giveaway, day 19)

This year's Advent gifts: Colorful. Useful. Thoughtful. Thankful (I am)...

Kiddingful, too. Not to forget glitterful!

Have you guys your gifts all ready for Christmas, or am I the last one running late? If you're my sister you're excluded from any comments. I don't want to hear it.

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Sara and Lubaska, you won gifts number 17 and 18. Would you please send me an email with your addresses?

For everyone who's new to the Lineanongrata blog: We have an ongoing celebration of Advent until the 24th of December. Every day one of you readers wins a small gift. If you'd like to participate, just leave a comment on each post until the 24th of December and you'll automatically enter the draw.

laundering money (Avent calendar giveaway, day 17)

I can explain this.

No really, I can. It's not at all what it looks like. I'm not money-laundering.

It was more like money-soaking.

I had forgotten that I put these twenty Euros in the vase in the hall one day, not knowing where else to put them but not wanting to leave them out in the open. 

A couple of days ago I decorated the flat for Christmas. Put pine branches in the vase, and in an enlightened moment - plants need water, right? - I poured water into the vase.

Turns out you can soak Euros for two days and neither does the color wash out nor does the paper loose it's nifty structure.

European quality, I tell you.

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Tam, you won yesterday's advent gift. Would you please send me an email and tell me your address so I can send it on it's way?

For everyone who's new to the Lineanongrata blog: We have an ongoing celebration of Advent until the 24th of December. Every day one of you readers wins a small gift. If you'd like to participate, just leave a comment on each post until the 24th of December and you'll automatically enter the draw.

Jingle Bells, or: Almost done, or: Advent calendar giveaway, day 16

 

Sorry friends, I was unable to resist this video.

Tomorrow is the last christmas market for me this year and things are almost packed and done. It's only 1:48 am, I'm a bit proud. Of course, my sister is helping so we're doubl-y fast.

Wish me luck tomorrow, and if you're somewhere in or near Berlin, come visit.

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Frido, you won yesterday's advent gift. Yay for cousins! Would you please write an email with your address?

For everyone who's new to the Lineanongrata blog: We have an ongoing celebration of Advent until the 24th of December. Every day one of you readers wins a small gift. If you'd like to participate, just leave a comment on each post until the 24th of December and you'll automatically enter the draw.

A ridiculous but short post about home bliss (the advent calendar giveaway, day 15)

For years I've thought that decorating your home for the holidays (Christmas or Easter, you name it) is for girls (it isn't mentioned in the kickboxer's manual to tomboy-ism, for example). Because really, the holidays only last for a couple of weeks (why aren't they called Holiweeks, or even Hollyweeks?) and you have to a) find the decorations in the basement, dig them out, dust them, find a place for them, find a vase for the entire arrangement... and then b), once the holidays are over, take them down, put them neatly into a box (because otherwise you won't find them next year in that croweded basement), hide them in the basement (because if you didn't, where would be the fun in searching for them next year?), and all that just for a couple fo weeks! A lot of effort for a couple of baubles, I thought.

This year though, being much better organized than last year (probably because I have invested in a dishwasher and an automatic vacuum cleaner) I have found myself with at least ten free minutes to spare. And I thought 'Wow, what now?!' So I went to the basement and...

You know what? I've found that a) is really worth it. Because even though I only run by my Christmas-bauble arrangement all day in great haste (and it lives in a water jug intended for large batches of punch), it still reminds me that this is Advent, that Christmas is coming and that damn, in all that running around, between all those trips to the post office, all those emails, the Christmas cards, the whatever-else-comes-up, we should be happy.

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Chrissy, you won yesterday's advent gift (which makes me happy)! Would you please write me an email telling me your address so I can send it on it's way?

For everyone who's new to the Lineanongrata blog: We have an ongoing celebration of Advent until the 24th of December. Every day one of you readers wins a small gift. If you'd like to participate, just leave a comment on each post until the 24th of December and you'll automatically enter the draw.