2013 began as a very confusing and complicated year for me. I graduated from college in a career I didn't like, had no idea of where or how I could get a job, moved back to my old city where I hardly had anyone to talk to and was living in my grandmother's house. She died in 2012, leaving a big hole in my heart, which only grew larger when me and my family went back to her home - those of you who have lost someone you loved will understand, I'm sure.
     Anywhooooo, it was a crappy time. I spent most of my days wishing I would do something amazing that maybe could allow me to work with what I really like, which is illustration. Then, one day, when boredom had reached a peak in my brain and I had to find a way to escape or just crawl in a tiny ball and cry my eyes out, I decided to build this blog. It would be a chance for me to research and use my drawing skills - though in the end I hardly had the time to do it - to learn about things I loved and that trully interested me.
     Of course the perspective of being obligated to learn something new everyday terrified me: I thought to myself countless times "I can't do it!", "There aren't so many things to learn out there!", "I don't think I'm organized enough to make it happen!"... But I did.
      It may sound like a cliche, but, throughout this project, I learned so much more about myself than I ever thought I could. I discovered new strengths and weaknesses, gathered the necessary courage to make the dream of putting this project out there and, of course, learned a hack of a lot of interesting things in the way.

     I don't believe many of you remember the first image I posted here. It was this one:

     And I can tell you now, with all my heart, that it's true. Coming out of your comfort zone can do wonders for you. I'm not saying that nowadays I'm rich and famous because of this blog, but many things in my life changed for the better.
     Writting here in English helped me getting a job as an English teacher and a freelance translator. My research skills improved and I now feel brave enough to pursue my dreams and goals with much more energy than before. I now study illustration in a post graduation course, which is a dream come true to me. And this blog also helped me find someone very special who is now making every day of my life a little bit happier. And that means a lot.

     But before I wrap everything up here and start thinking what I'll do next with this project - and there will be some exciting news (I hope) about it soon ;) -, there are some people I owe a huge thanks to.

     To my dear, dear friends Nana, Leo, Fabiano and Alex, guys, I couldn't have done it without your support, suggestions and comments. You're all so special to me and never let me down. I love you with all my elf-viking-leprechaun being.
     To my mom and sister, who didn't care so much about 365 DOL and, because of that, helped me relax when I desperately needed to.
      To all my friends who suggested themes for me to research. There were days when I felt so out of inspiration that you have no idea how valuable your ideas were!
     To all of you dear readers who took the time to read the things I wrote here, and specially those of you who made an extra effort and left comments. This is so important to me, so THANK YOU!
     And last but not least, to my grandma Lêda, whose memory inspires me to keep fighting for what I believe and love.
                                                                                                Vó, essa foi pra você. =')

                                                                                Lots of hugs, kisses and learning (OH MY!),

~Ally

     I don't know about you, but whenever I think of colors, Pantone's pallete comes to mind almost immediately. Little did I know that, in 1692, someone else thought and did something very similar - and in a much cooler way, if I may add (I'm a huge fan of vintage stuff!). And that person is now only known as "A. Boogert".
     The artist wrote about mixing watercolors and ended up making a 800 page manuscript and hand painted book about the uses of color in painting, their tone changes and hues. His piece was once considered the most complete color guide for painting of all time, and it's very interesting to know that it was conceived as an educational guide! Not bad at all, in my humble opinion.
      You can check out Boogert's complete book for free here.
      What about you, dear readers? Do you know any good color book to recommend me? Tell me in the comments!

~Ally

     Back in the early 1920's, hundreds of Japanese women would dive in the seas of their country in search for oysters and pearls. They were capable of holding their breath for more than 2 minutes, and the search dives would happen for up to 60 times in a single day!
   These amazing womem were called Amas and were also known as mermaids, but the photo above and others by Iwase Yoshiyuki are now the only record of a mesmerizing profession that ended a couple of decades later. And, if you're thinking about breath-held diving (apnea diving) and all their equipment, forget it: these girls would use only a mask for the eyes and special slippers. But why diving naked? Well, diving suits didn't arrive to Japan until 1950 and cotton clothes would disturb the diving, besides being very unconfortable when wet and taking a long time to dry.
     A single Ama, working for some weeks collecting oysters and pearls, would earn more money than a common man working for a whole year. And men, by the way, wouldn't participate in this kind of search. They believed that the women's body was more appropriate to control breath and the low temperatures, since they contained more fat. Talk about chubby girl power!

~Ally

     Although sometimes we embrace and cherish the few times we can be trully left alone, loneliness can be a real pain when it is not desired or needed. This past night I kept feeling it over and over, wondering how could I best act to come up with a "ritual" to get rid of it quickly. Feeling it to the deepest, despairing a little bit (five minutes are more than enough), taking a deep breath, analyzing it rationally and then stop thinking about it usually do the trick, but in the video above are other ideas which can be very helpfull next time you face it.
     And, let's be honest, it'll be sooner than you think.

~Ally

      After reading about Blenda's legend yesterday, I got carried away and decided to read about another heroine from the past I had never heard or read about before, and the chosen one was Agustina de Aragón. What most impressed me regarding her story, though, is that she was 100% real!
     Agustina Raimunda María Saragossa Domènech, or Agustina of Aragón (March 4, 1786 – May 29, 1857) was a Spanish heroine who defended Spain during the Spanish War of Independence, first as a civilian and later as a professional officer in the Spanish Army. Known as "the Spanish Joan of Arc," she has been the subject of much folklore, mythology, and artwork, including sketches by Francisco de Goya and even the poetry of Lord Byron!
     In the summer of 1808, Zaragoza was one of the last cities in northern Spain not to have fallen to the forces of Napoleon and was therefore, by the time of the siege, choked with vast numbers of refugees fleeing the advancing Grande Armée. In early June, the French began to advance on Zaragoza, which had not seen war for about 450 years and was held by a tiny provincial force under José de Palafox, whose heroism would come to rival Agustina's.
     The Duke of Saragossa by Goya On June 15, 1808, the French army stormed the Portillo, an ancient gateway into the city defended by a hodgepodge battery of old cannons and a heavily outnumbered volunteer unit. Agustina, arriving on the ramparts with a basket of apples to feed the gunners, watched the nearby defenders fall to French bayonets. The Spanish troops broke ranks, having suffered heavy casualties, and abandoned their posts. With the French troops a few yards away, Agustina herself ran forward, loaded a cannon, and lit the fuse, shredding a wave of attackers at point blank range.
     The sight of a lone woman bravely manning the cannons inspired the fleeing Spanish troops and other volunteers to return and assist her. After a bloody struggle, the French gave up the assault on Zaragosa and abandoned their siege for a few short weeks before returning to fight their way into the city, house-by-house. With the human cost proving truly terrible on both sides and the city's defences hopelessly compromised, Palafox finally accepted the inevitable and was forced to surrender the city to the French. Despite the eventual defeat, Agustina's action became an inspiration to those opposing the French and, in a latter day, to many feminists.
     Original records on Agustina suggest that she was not fervently patriotic or pious, but an ordinary girl motivated by war. In the mores of the time, a woman who took on "manly" duties posed a problem. However, as the French-imprisoned King of Spain was considered anointed of God, the Church declared it the duty of every Spaniard to take up arms against his captors.
     Various places claim to be Agustina's birthplace. Most biographies suggest that she was born in Reus, in Tarragona, in 1786. At an early age, her family moved to Madrid. To the annoyance of the Spanish, she showed an independence of mind from an early age and records indicate that she was a persistent nuisance, hanging around the Army barracks at the age of 13.
     Although popular history records that she married for love at the age of 16, the age of her son at his death is disputed, suggesting that she might already have been pregnant at the time of her marriage to an artillery gunner by the name of Joan Roca Vila-Seca. The name of her firstborn child does not appear in the popular record, though a gravestone indicates his name was Eugenio. Although her husband was in the army as the Peninsular War was breaking out, she abruptly left him to return to the home of her sister in Zaragoza.
     The image of Agustina as the saviour of Zaragoza has, however, also overshadowed her later actions. After being captured, she was imprisoned and saw Eugenio die at the hands of her French guards. She subsequently mounted a daring escape and became a low-level rebel leader for the guerrilleros, helping to organise raids and attacks that harassed the French. As the strategic situation deteriorated for the French Army, her role became increasingly orthodox as supplies and training were covertly provided by the Duke of Wellington.
     Agustina began to fight for the allied forces as Wellington's only female officer and ultimately rose to the rank of Captain. On June 21, 1813, she acted as a front line battery commander at the Battle of Vitoria under the command of Major Cairncross, who reported directly to Wellington himself. This battle was to see the French Army that had occupied Spain effectively smashed beyond repair and driven out of Spain.
     After the war, she married a doctor and, late in life, she became a familiar sight in Zaragoza as a respectable old lady, wearing medals, who used to go for walks around the Portillo. Agustina de Aragón died at the age of 71 in Ceuta. Until 1870 her remains lay in the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar until 14 June 1908 when she was moved to the Chapel of the Annunciation in the Church of Our Lady (Nuestra Señora del Portillo).

~Ally

     I always like to learn about heroines from history and legend, and today I decided to learn a little bit about the Swedish legend of Blenda, a woman from Småland who led the rural women of Värend in an attack on a pillaging Danish army and annihilated the invaders.
     According to the legend, the events took place in the time of Alle, King of the Geats, when this king lead the Geats in an attack against Norway. King Alle had marshalled not only the West Geats, but also the South Geats (or Riding Geats) of Småland, and so many men had left for Norway that the region was virtually defenseless.
     When the Danes learned of Småland's precarious situation, they took advantage of it and attacked the defenseless small lands. Blenda was a woman of noble descent in the Konga Hundred and she decided to send the fiery cross to rally all the womenfolk in the hundreds of Konga, Albo, Kinnevald, Norrvidinge and Uppvidinge. The women armies assembled on the Brávellir, which according to Smålandish tradition is located in Värend and not in Östergötland.
     The women approached the Danes and told them how much they were impressed with the Danish men. They invited the men to a banquet where they were provided with food and drink. After a long evening, the Danish warriors fell asleep and the women killed every single one of them with axes and staffs.
     When King Alle returned, he bestowed new rights on the women. They acquired equal inheritance with their brothers and husbands, the right always to wear a belt around their waists as a sign of eternal vigilance, the right to beat the drum at weddings, and so forth. The five hundreds were combined into the land of Värend, which means the "defense", since it was a bulwark for Geatland. Blenda's village was called Värnslanda and a location near the battle ground was called Bländinge.
     Damn!

 ~Ally

     Ever wished to quit your life for a bit and then starting it fresh? Here's a way to do it! Enjoy and have a nice rebooting!

~Ally

     Checking out this little "memento mori" video made me think about my life in a new way. We think we have so much time to live and waste... And it is not necessarily so. I, for instance, will try for now on to enjoy more time hanging out with the people I love and developing my art. What about you?

~Ally

     Do you know your life's purpose? Well, I still haven't quite figured out mine, but with 5 minutes and the help of this TEDx talk by Adam Leipzig, maybe you and I will discover it. Tell me later what is yours in the comments section!

~Ally

     (SCREAMING INTERNALLY A-OOO! A-OOO!!!)
     I can't believe I've been posting and running this blog for 300 days. Some days it seems like it's been forever since I started it, and some days it feels like it was just yesterday. Anyway, today I want to show you a poem that has kept me going - as it did with the incredible Nelson Mandela - and giving me strengh and energy to accomplish all my duties.
     It is a short Victorian poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). It was written in 1875 and published in 1888 in his first volume of poems, Book of Verses, where it is the fourth poem in the section Life and Death (Echoes). It originally had no title.
     I hope it inspires you too. And many thanks to my friend Leo who showed me this marvelous poem!

 Invictus
by William Ernest Henley

"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

~Ally