freitag favorites + freedom

Well, I’ve done it. German B1 is complete. I seriously surprised myself with my result this time as I really had negative feelings about the whole test experience, but now I just have to find the courage to keep speaking more and more. Luckily my teacher wants to also improve her English so we will start a so-called “tandem” in January and help each other, probably speaking English one week and then German the next. And I also have to force to speak more at work instead of defaulting to English, which is probably the biggest challenge.

All in all, I’m so happy with the knowledge I have gained in the last two years of classes, and I’m also happy to reclaim my Monday and Wednesday evenings again. I am resolved to make dinner more often, re-solidify my exercise routine, read more books, and listen to more music. This weekend will be a good start as Martin is away again and I will have lots of time to do just what I want. Last weekend I focused on re-organization, conquering the kitchen cupboards and bookcase, so this weekend can be more relaxed. I may even make some applesauce and work on my Thanksgiving menu. I also hope to fit in a few more runs before the brilliant fall colors in our neighborhood disappear. (The photo above is from my running route earlier this week.)

I hope you have time for some rest, and enjoy my favorite finds and most interesting reads from this week.

• artist // The Stila holiday makeup palettes are so clever and beautifully designed. I might have to add the perfect blush or eye palette to my Christmas wishlist.
• fancy feet // I’m have fond memories of picking out some shiny shoe clips back for my dress shoes when I was in middle school so I’m pleased that Lulu Frost is bringing them back.
• tunes // I’m looking forward to seeing The Hunger Games: Catching Fire over the holidays and I have already enjoyed some of the songs from the soundtrack now streaming.
• pearly // These DIY Dior-inspired double pearl earrings are on my to make list.
• hypo-allergenic housing // I don’t even know what to say about this new allergen-free building. A lot of city money was built on special housing for sufferers of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), an unconfirmed disease resulting from a strong sensitivity to chemicals. The skeptic in me can only think that MCS  must be the fibromyalgia of Switzerland.