I'm Wilma. Girl. No dragon tattoo. I love theatre, fashion, music that makes me orgasm and taking pictures. I have split myself between three places (London-Stockholm-Tallinn), but my current hub is Tallinn. Wherever my circus goes, there's always a party. If the party does end, I watch cat videos and blog about it all. Check out my yearly summaries below to get to know me a bit better. Header: Mandel Photography

If you have any questions: hemafruu@gmail.com.

Saturday, January 04, 2020

Everything not saved will be lost. My year 2019


1. What describes 2019? Whole 2019 was so long and eventful, therefore it felt like two years combined  pre-graduation and post-graduation era. Until June I only wrote my master thesis like a lunatic and did a lot of extra hours at work, this period went by like a dream. After June I have had struggles on personal level, which did not allow me to enjoy 2019 the fullest.

2. Something that you hadn't done before? Never have I ever had a master's degree, graduated with cum laude merits and met the president for that. PS. Also I went on a drone "How to" training together with Liis Lemsalu. LOL x 100 (later edit: I forgot the below cool fact)


3. Where did you travel? My wanderlust is a known hobby, however, this year I travelled less compared to my previous year achievements. Of course I visited our Helsinki (six times) and Riga office (two times), so with neighbours I have very good relations. Also, Berlin is a must every year and met my long lost friends London and Warsaw again. The cherry on my cake was a work trip to USA (Chicago-Phoenix-Sedona-San Francisco), which gave me new places I have never visited before. The magic of Sedona and the vibes of San Francisco took my breath away.

4. Greatest achievement of 2019? 
  • Keeping myself sane while having a full time job and full time master studies. During the most busy time, my colleague took new challenges, so for me it became full time job (with extra hours) and no-sleep-just-master-thesis evening and nights. AND I FUCKING DID IT! I am talented. I am powerful. I did it with pride. I did it well. 
  • Travelling to Sedona and San Francisco (oh my lord). Career wise I am living the best life surrounded by fashion that excites me. University knowledge really pays off at work. No joke!

5. Best purchase? 
  • I had 5 extra minutes in Phoenix (Arizona) and I went in to Apple store. "I want this computer" I said. The Apple Genius started introducing me to all of the opportunities and I cut her off with "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! I am in a hurry. This computer I want. Fast". 2 minutes later I walked away with new computer which later on helped me to receive my master's degree.
  • IKEA arrived to Estonia, which opened so many fabulous doors for us. New kitchen, new wardrobe. Thank you Ingvar Kamprad!

6. Something that made you really happy? USA + masters degree + my husband + my Chloé bag

7. Saddest moment? Personally I am having really tough time, which will sadly continue in 2020 as well. Don't worry I have a strong support group (you know who you are) and I will keep my struggles private, but I need to address this after I received few comments that my life seems to be like a fairytale. Yes, I am humbled and should use #blessed more often, but there's always something that you don't know about. You do you and do not compare your life with other's.

8. What song reminds you of 2019? "Tibulinnu" + everything Pluuto did in 2019 +  Foals "On the luna"

9. Favourite TV show in 2019? I did not watch "Õnne 13" this year! "Game of Thrones" finale and Netflix "Crown" won me over. Also, Jeffree Star x Shane youtube series was so 2019.

10. Favourite book in 2019 all time? I read once again my all time favourite book "The Master and Margarita" and it is evergreen amazing.

11. Best theatre play in 2019? Vanemuine "Kirvetüü". Did not understand 50% of it, but still loved it. I cannot even imagine what would have happened if I would have got it entirely.

12. Best record and concert in 2019? A Foals concert a year, keeps mind clear. Foals made the most beautiful album visually in 2019 and their concert in Berlin was out of this world. (Also, I had Florence and the Machine concert tickets, although missed it because USA trip. That's ok)

13. How do you remember year 2019? Like Britney said "I am not a girl, not yet a woman"

14. Humans of 2019? my husband Fred (still so in love) and my thesis supervisor Halliki Põlda (most talented and smartest role model ever)

The picture of the year nr 1: me and the Golden Gate bridge:


The picture of the year nr 2: promise I managed to keep in 2019

Click read more to see my 2019 flash in front of your eyes...





It was actually my 4th sober New Year's Eve, but can you tell?:


It has become a tradition that I spend my New Year's Eve with Norman,
he needs to be there, otherwise the year will not change:



If the day of birth is unknown, then shelter animals receive a new birthday,
which is on 1st of January:


When the whole nation was hangover, we made waffles and celebrated Šarik's birthday:




There was thick snow outside, but Estonian-Australian love heated up the room:



My (then future) husband and I have always clicked in some level:


Face down and ass up in 2011:



Some of us were still pregnant and got proper sleep back then:



Here we celebrate independence day of Estonia:



We started our long journey at the sunrise and we continued to chase the sun,
so it was longest 10th of March I have ever had:


Arrived to Chicago first and then flew to Phoenix.
The clear sky came some breathtaking views (while listening Rihanna's "American oxygen"):


This was Sedona, 
also known as my office for a week:


Our travel buddies were on fire!:


Warm weather, big smiles:


Due to massive snowstorm in the middle of USA the airport was chaotic.
Delayed. Cancelled. Unknown status. Btw Trump, the climate change is real. 

Suddenly we found ourselves stuck in San Francisco with no luggage.
But we truly turned negatives into positives:



Tried to build piece of Sedona in Tallinn (nevermind the sign under my shoe):




This was April and I was writing my thesis, therefore I had to hide my red eyes:


10. Travelling in 2019

I love my home, but only when I can be away often:


Where ever I go, whatever I do, I always visit & Other Stories:


The feeling of that door closing and opening again in new adventures:



I sat in that position for days during spring 2019:


My ultimate support system, my centre if I spin away, my Fred. 
Without him I could not do it:


Blood, sweat, tears, discourse analysis and sleepless nights:


I did it! 
I submitted the thesis and gave my supervisor bunch of flowers and all my gratitude:



After the submission, I was a new person with lower pulse and wider smile. Fred and I decided to warm up our love life, that has been hibernating the past two years, due to uni. 
To do so, we went to the capital of romance - Riga:


During 2019 I have spent significant amount of time in IKEA:


I rollin', they hatin':


That moment I felt so good and liberated:


My colleagues have given me rather wide smiles: 



On my birthday in May Fred told me to put on my best dress and brush my teeth, because he was tired of being my Instagram husband and booked a professional photoshoot session with Merilin Mandel as my birthday present:


I love my blog, 
so getting a new blog header was the best gift (scroll up and check my nostrils out):


He makes me feel beautiful:


I am truly holding myself back not to upload all the 250 photoshoot pictures.
All I need for my birthday are memories:


After glamour I had to handle some poop:



In May we flew out to Berlin to see Foals live for the fourth time.
I promise that there will be many more, because everything not saved will be lost:


We moshed, we jumped, we exchanged sweat.
Mosh-bit is my secret drug:


We have seen Foals live four times now and we have our 2020 tickets booked already:


I went to see another concert as well in 2019.
Karl-Erik morherfucking Taukar!:



G-force was pregnant and we had a proper baby shower:


In 2019 we got a new addition to our gang:




I had to trick people into thinking that I wrote a bitchin' text.
Here I am, just seconds after my 30 minutes of thesis defense, with my heart giving a flat line:


It went really well.
Here I am at the reception for cum laude merit students:


Okey, it went really well.
Here I am meeting the president of Estonia:


He is selling his encyclopedias, because wife knows everything:


Birthday and graduation party combined = celebration to the max: 


Started from Lithuania and worked his way to the party.
4AM sergeant Little Brother arrived straight from duty: 


Never before seen footage A:


Never before seen footage B.
The one and only day in 2019, when I stayed up until 6AM and enjoyed myself.
The last ones standing:


Yes, I smart:


17. The liberation, the fun

Then I finally got the chance to chill.
For example, I got to visit my long-lost friends:


I felt so good. I was so proud of myself:



Instead of usual party, we woke up at 2AM to drive with Fred and Erik to Kakerdaja bog. 
It was something completely out of ordinary, but so worth it:


The shortest night needed some proper celebration, so it was worth waking up crazy early:


Luxurious breakfast at 4am:


The day after "Where my hangover at?":



Yes, he was the husband of the year:




Because the first song "Kalapulk" was that good:



We have an annual tradition (we have done it twice now, okay) where we wave our boyfriends and babies goodbye and take our female selves to Mustvee. Why Mustvee? 
But why not?! It's the hidden gem of "Relax to the max" towns:


This time was extra special, since G had her first night away from her newborn baby aka the adorable new reason to be awake during early hours. So we made it count!:


Our boyfriends got a chopping board as a souvenir:



For some years now Fred and I have booked tickets to warmer climate during our summer holiday. But this year bitches were too occupied with graduating that planning a trip was not on the agenda.  

Instead we left our sunscreen and bikinis at home and went on a roadtrip to see what Estonia has to offer. We did not get tanned, but it actually was pretty fun.


Narva squat:


Happy meal in the forest:


If this is not romance then I do not know what is:


Got lost in Vana-Antsla:


For a moment there I had regrets for not travelling to warmer climate,
because it was bitchin' cold summer in Estonia:


No shower. No water closets. No problems:


The moment when these three reminded me Jüri Ratas, Helir-Valdor Seeder and Mart Helme:


Horses are super big scary animals,
but this turned out to be the peak of our travels:


This was the best (and cheapest) therapy I have ever had:


I found my inner Dr Dolittle that day:



Every year we like to test the RMK rental system out and 
I'm desperately waiting this blog be sponsored by RMK. 
*I accept payments in mushrooms*


The bromance:


The view:


The mood:


The food:


The gang:



Every year Ian brings us together in Haapsalu:


Spilled some tea:


Best place to be:


The young and the restless,
the bold and the beautiful:


On Ian's birthday we went to see dragQUEEN Naomi Smalls.
One of the best moments in 2019:


WE MET NAOMI FUCKING SMALLS!
caps lock excited:




Because worlds needs to see how silly my dog is:


Also, I have a coverstar at home:


26. Family time

I got connected with my family again after being busy with school:


26. The political situation in Estonia needed some protesting in 2019




Jeffree Star lip palette has given me some colour in 2019:


Sometimes I read that holy marketing and PR book:


That bitch likes pink:





Friends started turning 30 in 2019:


Kissing students and a guy that dropped out from university:


30. Once I went to sustainability conference and saw too much food:



Last time Fred and I were in London was during Fred's graduation 6 years ago and last time I was there was 3 years ago, when I still lived in Sweden – everything seemed to be so cheap back then  (look at that fucking rich Swede). So trip to London in October was a must:


Basic bitch shopping:


Basic bitch walking:


Ian now works at Financial Times and 
he let me sit on chairs where commoners do not usually sit:


I owned all the rooftops next to St Paul's:


My mind belongs to Chelsea,
but my reality is in Mustamäe:


The exhibition of Tim Walker "Wonderful things":


My London love:


Meeting friends casually at the bar, that is bliss:



My routine breaker was a little business trip to autumny Warsaw in October:


Sleepy hotel selfie.
(Just moments before I found out that hotel breakfast included DIY waffles):



It was strictly flowers and business:



We started in August:


We did it all together without filing for divorce:


In December it looked like this:


Embrace yourselves, selfies are coming:



Professional hairdresser turned me into a super woman:


Merry Christmas and a happy new year!:


We had a little work divorce. I will probably start missing Helsinki and these lovely people:



Old friends meeting up and taking their babies with:


Foreigners coming home for Christmas bring people together: 


Sometimes I'm funny:


Lemonade still tastes better than alcohol:


New kitchen was officially inaugurated with the longest table and 10h party: 


Family traditions are hard to die,
maybe next year we will not cut a tree down:


Met up with long lost friends and it felt like Retro FM:


Before it was drugs and techno, now it is vitamins, yoga and techno:


Bye, bye 2019! This is how I looked at the funeral of 2019.


Conclusion
Even if the year felt like this...

...this too shall pass. In the end there's only love:

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