Note to self -

http://www.livejournal.com/admin/console/

type: (ban_set username)


http://lechatron.livejournal.com/407511.html

LJ icon maker

Genius! It took me all day, but I finally redesigned my layout in green! A background pattern is coming, and I will get an image to replace that broken image at the top of the page ... but I'm happy enough as it is for now. Plus any possibilities for background images are at home, and I want to put some thought into the image at the top. Someone remind me to speak to yayheaven about it.

Edit: W00t! I located the perfect background image. Now I just have to find something as a banner or something. Do any of my graphic-y friends have any suggestions?

My name is ______ because ______.
My journal is called _____ because _____.
My subtitle is _____ because _____.
My friends page is called _____ because _____.
And, just for the hell of it: My username is ____ because _____.

My name on my journal profile is Yáng Hóng Yù - my Chinese name - but my name is Sari.
My journal is called La Gatita Salta. Spanish for "the kitten jumps".
My subtitle is con mucha pasión (with much passion) because everything should be done passionately.
My friends page is called "Friends" because that's what you are.
My username is kittygopounce because it simply is. It was redyu as my Chinese name means "red jade" (Hóng - red, Yù - jade), and was half in English and half in Chinese as a reflection of my ethnic background.

I am preparing a post about the furniture, but I'm going to wait until it's all finished and I have pictures of each stage before I post it.

In other news I've changed my MSN sn, so expect to see a new contact "add me" from my new acocunt. It should do the usual "Sari (sn@emailaccount.com) has added you" thing. See you there! :P

My lecturer is leaving to go back to Italy next week. I'm sad to see her go as she was one of the teachers I found most beneficial in refining and extending my knowledge of Italian grammar and spelling. She's quite a powerhouse, for all that she's small, and I hope to be able to visit her in Italy when I'm next there. We took her and her husband to dinner last night (check back for photos tonight! lol, whoops! It took longer than I planned to find the time to resize and upload them), and she gave me an Italian book to read. Another thing to my list - along with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Italian, lol.

Speaking of books, actually, I've just finished reading the trilogy, Tales of the Otori, by Lian Hearn. Very enjoyable! I hope she produces something else soon! :) Now I'm looking for new things to read - including Dolce E Salata: A Bittersweet Adventure in Tuscany. It should be interesting, and is written by Marlena De Blasi who also wrote 1000 Days in Venice (a lovely example of travel literature). I wonder if it's bittersweet because the relationship she begins in 1000 Days in Venice ends or comes close to ending?

Back to my lecturer - I hope to be able to post her a gift, shortly before she leaves, so that it arrives in Italy just after she arrives home. I'm not sure what though.

Anyway, onto the pictures! ( As standard, log-in so you can see them! )

More On Jade

The history of jade (commonly referred to as yù) is strongly linked to China. In fact two types of jade exist: nephrite, and jadeite. Nephrite originates in South America, and jadeite in Burma and Asia - only coming to China in the 17th century, although it has long been prized by the Chinese and Japanese, as well as by pre-Colombian Mesoamerican peoples, as the most precious of all gems. The Chinese in particular are known for the objets d'art they carve from it.

This precious gemstone said to stimulate occult wisdom and universal attunement (red jade in particular gives out a very energetic vibration and can bring forth hidden anger to be faced and dealt with, leading the spirit to balance and calm), while offering protection, courage, vitality, stamina, and energy. Qualities that are often associated with the stone in its red colour are those of assertiveness and determination (even aggression), energy and passion, power and courage, protection and spontaneity, heat (fire) and blood, love and devotion. According to the ancient Chinese, jade represented many of their most valued attributes: courage, wisdom, mercy, justice, emotional balance, love, and fidelity. It often also signifies beauty, generosity, and purity, and health, wealth, and long life.

Jade is an exceptionally tough material, and was first used for things such as axe heads, knives, and weapons. Later, as other materials could replace jade as a weapons material, it became appreciated for its beauty, becoming considered as more valuable than gold or silver. Unsurprisingly considering its value, there is a strong tradition of giving gifts made of jade in China. Jade butterflies are still exchanged as a token between lovers, a jade phoenix was often given to young girls on their coming of age, and an amulet called "two brothers of heavenly love" depicting two men was once given between close friends.