Not only sheep! Global Wales / Cymru 2111

Gunman hijacks bus in Aber's twin town | News

2012-01-12T01:28:00.000-08:00

Gunman hijacks bus in Aber's twin town | News

Dancing the Polka with Miss El Cajon: Sympathy for the devil

2011-12-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

Dancing the Polka with Miss El Cajon: Sympathy for the devil: One of the great challenges facing a Welsh nationalist is identifying ways in which the Welsh have been horribly treated by the English. Th...

The Blog That Peter Wrote: Remembrance Sunday and Germans

2011-11-13T12:46:00.000-08:00

The Blog That Peter Wrote: Remembrance Sunday and Germans: I'm just back from our little Suffolk town's Remembrance Sunday service. The war memorial is brilliantly looked after, with family names of...

Pererin - Ble'r wyt ti'n myned - cerddoriaeth gwerin Cymraeg

2011-10-09T04:30:00.000-07:00

Digital Riffs: A Sequacious Riff

2011-10-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

Digital Riffs: A Sequacious Riff: The choice of name for this blog was inspired by a collection of poems called Untam'd Wing: Riffs on Romantic Poetry by my friend and form...

Welsh education in crisis, says expert - North Wales News - News

2011-08-31T04:30:00.000-07:00

Welsh education in crisis, says expert - North Wales News - News

Dancing the Polka with Miss El Cajon: A letter home: 4 August 2011

2011-08-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

Dancing the Polka with Miss El Cajon: A letter home: 4 August 2011: "My dearest Emma, I didn't get much sleep last night. At some point I found myself staring at the ceiling unable to move from the terrible ..."

Peter Finnemore's blog: Lost in Translation - the photographs of Geoff Cha...

2011-07-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

Peter Finnemore's blog: Lost in Translation - the photographs of Geoff Cha...: "Over the past few months myself and Russell Roberts, Reader in Photography at UWN and former Head of Photography at the National Museum of P..."

Y Borth's photostream

2011-06-27T11:22:00.001-07:00

Y Borth's photostream on Flickr.

Pererin - Ble'r wyt ti'n myned - cerddoriaeth gwerin Cymraeg

2011-02-03T03:50:00.000-08:00

Dancing the Polka with Miss El Cajon: A letter home: 1 February 2011

2011-02-01T06:28:00.000-08:00

Dancing the Polka with Miss El Cajon: A letter home: 1 February 2011: "My dearest Emma, I am writing to you from a Starbucks. Within my line of sight is a massive superstore, a chain restaurant and the remains ..."

Super walk yesterday! Da iawn!!

2010-10-10T03:38:00.001-07:00

Saunders Lewis - Tynged yr Iaith 1/4

2010-09-29T02:15:00.000-07:00

Campervan on Fire in Machynlleth

2010-09-29T00:52:00.000-07:00

Side Street Style: Current Obsessions

2010-09-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

Side Street Style: Current Obsessions: "So there are some things I just NEED for the coming season and other things I just wish I had. For some reason I did not purchase any new su..."

Pen Talar - rhaglun gwreiddiol S4C am bennod 3

2010-09-22T02:55:00.000-07:00

Brigyn - Angharad

2010-09-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Da iawn, Brigyn! - having a Welsh moment - & Annette Angharad ydw i x.

Pererin - Ble'r wyt ti'n myned - cerddoriaeth gwerin Cymraeg

2010-09-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Pen Talar - rhaglun gwreiddiol S4C am bennod 2

2010-09-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

Pen Talar - rhaglun gwreiddiol S4C

2010-09-17T01:18:00.000-07:00

Pugnacious little trolls: A fyddai toriadau'n beth da?

2010-09-16T03:20:00.000-07:00

Pugnacious little trolls: A fyddai toriadau'n beth da?: "Pobl geidwadol yn eu bôn yw'r Cymry Cymraeg. 'Ceidwadol' gyda 'c' bach bach -- nid ceidwadol yn eu gwleidyddiaeth, ar y cyfan, ond yn eu naw..."

Pen Talar

2010-09-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Pen Talar ist eine Fernsehserie auf S4C.

Sie wird wöchentlich vom 12. September bis zum 6. November 2010 auf S4C ausgestrahlt.

"Eine epische Reise von zwei Freunden und die Geschichte einer Nation über ein halbes Jahrhundert"

"Pen Talar - das ist das große Schauspiel des Herbstes auf S4C; epische Serie, 9 Teile, die Defi und Doug von ihrem kritischen Tag, über ein halbes Jahrhundert folgen, durch einen der turbulentesten Zeiträume in der walisischen Geschichte, Geschichte der Welt und ihrer eigenen persönlichen Geschichte."

"Es ist 1962. Zwillen, Go-karts und Bazooka Süßigkeiten, das alles füllt das Leben von Defi Lewis und seinem besten Freund, Doug. Eine ideale Kindheit, perfekt auf dem Lande von Carmarthenshire. Solange bis sie etwas sehen, das ihre Unschuld raubt, am selben Tage, als die westliche Welt ihrer Unschuld beraubt wurde, als JFK in Dallas erschossen wurde."

"Richard Harrington, Ryland Teifi und Mali Harries sind die Stars dieser Serie, die für einige von einem verlorenene Paradies handelt, für andere ist es die Geschichte der Hoffnung auf ein neues Paradies. Sicherlich, dies ist ein verzweifeltes Drama, ein starkes und wird die Erinnerungen und Träume einer ganzen Nation anregen."

Bank Holiday Weekend

2010-09-01T02:22:00.001-07:00

August 2010 (as dark as always in Wales in August)

2010-08-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Been back from the continent exactly 5 weeks now. I can hardly believe it!

When we landed in Birmingham, the sun was still shining, and it was so very nice. Then the closer we came to Wales, the darker it got. Frightening! - I got this awful feeling around the chest. No, I did not want to think about the rain then.

We heard from friends that it had been raining all the time since we have been away. So now it would have rained in Wales for almost 8 weeks. Okay, you had the odd nice day but never really nice. It never felt like summer. The darkness, the wetness, the damp.

You need to have been born here I guess to cope with all this. I cannot. Oh, how I miss the summer nights, drinking prosecco with friends, talking 'til one o'clock in the morning or longer.
Welsh summers are not for me. I want to hear the crickets chirping again - for many evenings every year.
I love breakfasts outside.

I have missed so much for long enough now.

A change is soon to come.....

Keeping fit

2010-08-11T01:29:00.000-07:00

I have been running now for almost a year - continously!

In the rain mainly - but in any type of temperatures, too :-).

I am now addicted to it, in a positive way.

Our house still has not been sold but it will soon now. I am confident. We were just unlucky with the world recession and so on. It does not matter.
It is personal happiness that counts; and that is 100% happy.

Today the sun has got his hat on. I will do another run - and am looking forward to everything!! Been working so hard, really. I do not have much time for blogging and stuff but I will keep this going.

2010 - it was a great summer: the evening (so hot and nice) along the Rhine, in Düsseldorf and more.

Ta ta tan toc XXXX

Gwyliau

2010-06-29T00:40:00.000-07:00

What a great summer! Yr haf - mor braf

2010-06-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

This year has been one of the best summers in Wales I can think of during the last ten years or so.

I try to enjoy it as much as I can.

Llyn Barfog / Bearded Lake

2010-06-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

Sut mae!?!!

Anyone been here? Walked to to Bearded Lake a few times - and yesterday had lunch here. Lovely weather in mid-Wales right now.

Finishing reading the novel Caersaint by Angharad Price today.

I am also enjoying the World Cup! Brilliant.

Holidays soon!

2010-06-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to going to the continent soon - and to the World Cup 2010.

A Bank Holiday Walk

2010-05-03T03:53:00.001-07:00

A Book About Death, Machynlleth, May 2010

2010-05-03T03:47:00.001-07:00

Dim yn hir tan y Pasg

2010-03-19T04:22:00.002-07:00

Yn ystod y cyfnod hwn 'rwy'n hoffi clywed y Angerdd Pasg gan Johann Sebastian Bach (tair awr!) gyda thema o ddioddef a marwolaeth Iesu. 'Rwy'n cofio y geiriau alweddol yn Almaeneg neu yn y Gymraeg pan oeddwn i'n aelod yn Eglwys y Crwys, Eglwys Bresbyteraidd, yng Nghaerdydd yn iawn:

"Fel dych chi’n gwybod, mae'n Ŵyl y Pasg nos fory. Bydda i, Mab y Dyn, yn cael fy mradychu i gael fy nghroeshoelio."

"Wir i ti," meddai Iesu wrtho, "heno, cyn i'r ceiliog ganu, byddi di wedi gwadu dair gwaith dy fod di'n fy nabod i."
Ond meddai Pedr, "Na! Wna i byth wadu mod i'n dy nabod di! Hyd yn oed os bydd rhaid i mi farw gyda thi!"

(St. Matthew Passion / Efengyl Mathew)

Mae dathliadau y Pasg yng Nghymru yn tipyn bach yn wahanol na yn Yr Almaen. Os ydych chi'n gristnogol 'rydych chi'n efallai mynd i'r eglwys neu capel ymhob man.

Pan oeddwn i'n plentyn mi oeddwn i'n edrych am wyau paentio llachar a candy a oedd yn cuddio gan y "Bunny Pasg". Mae oedolion yn rhoi anrhegion at ein gilydd. Mae llawer o deulioedd yn cael brecwast arbennig wrth y bwrdd, sy wedi cael ei addurno'n hyfryd iawn. Mae llawer yn mynd allan amser cinio i gael bryd o fwyd mewn ty bwyta neu cael brunch mewn caffi ar y ddydd Sul.

'Rwy'n arddurno canghennau gyda wyau pasg wedi cael ei phaentio yn lliwgar yn y ty. Traddodiad! Eleni, mae 'na llawer o wyau ty allan ein ty ni ym Machynlleth hefyd. Fel gacen y Pasg 'rydyn ni'n cael cacen mewn siap cwningod neu oen. Mae cinio y Pasg yn sbesial, yn aml mae pobol yr Almaen yn cael cig oen ar ddydd Sul y Pasg. Mae tân Pasg yn cael eu cynnau ar benwythnos y Pasg mewn nifer o leoedd o ganlyniad i arferion amrywiol. Ar nos Sadwrn y Pasg byddwn yn cwrdd gyda chwrw neu gwin cynnes a BBQ o gwmpas y tan. Mae'r arfer yn dyddio'n ôl i gyfnod hynafol a gwasanaethodd i ffarwelio y gaeaf, llosgi (effaith glanhau ac yn gwarchod yr hadau egino o ysbrydion drwg). Mi oedd y bore Pasg draddodiadol wedi ysbrydoli nifer o artistiaid, er enghraifft fel yr awdur Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).

Google Maps Street View Cymru - yes!

2010-03-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

Größere Kartenansicht

Facebook | Ffotograffiaeth - Contemporary Welsh Art Photography

2010-02-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

Facebook | Ffotograffiaeth - Contemporary Welsh Art Photography

We are now organising a Wales FotoFest Cymru - most places / countries have one!

Machynlleth / Tolkien festival moves after row over venue space

2010-02-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

BBC News - Tolkien festival moves after row over venue space

I was shocked when I read this today.
Good people organise something in Machynlleth - a great festival people from all over the world and the locals were looking forward to.
And then?

Nothing - in a place where not much happens anyway.

Without further words.

I think the Tolkien festival organisers will have a very happy and successful event in Ceredigion.
Pob dymuniadau gorau!

Annette Strauch - LinkedIn

2010-01-29T05:08:00.000-08:00

Annette Strauch - LinkedIn

Facebook | Welsh Culture International / Diwylliant Cymru'n rhyngwladol

2010-01-27T02:45:00.000-08:00

Facebook | Welsh Culture International / Diwylliant Cymru'n rhyngwladol

Facebook | Latvija-Velsas / Wales-Latvia

2010-01-27T02:44:00.000-08:00

Facebook | Latvija-Velsas / Wales-Latvia

The Place of Wales: Amazon.de: Alyce von Rothkirch: Bücher

2010-01-21T02:42:00.000-08:00

The Place of Wales: Amazon.de: Alyce von Rothkirch: Bücher

Facebook | Llyfrgell Digidol Cymru & Co - Digital Library Wales & Co

2010-01-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

Facebook | Llyfrgell Digidol Cymru & Co - Digital Library Wales & Co

Flickr: NettyCymru's Photostream

2010-01-19T05:29:00.000-08:00

Flickr: NettyCymru's Photostream

Frohe Weihnachten Cymru!

2009-12-18T04:20:00.000-08:00

Time to blow away stale cliches of Welsh history; Wales is an ever-changing country. But what makes this small nation on the edge of Europe the place it is today? Historian and political commentator Hywel Williams, the presenter of a forthcoming television series on the topic, discusses the shape of modern Wales.(Features) - Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales) | Encyclopedia.com

2009-12-18T03:40:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed watching the discussion re. Hywel Williams and his series about "modern" Wales with Angharad Mair last night. If I knew it was on a bit before I would have liked to take part.

I think Hywel Williams has a love for Wales - like I have really - for that though one must face the not-so-good things, too.

Hwyl fawr 2009 - helo 2010

2009-12-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

Hwyl fawr 2009 - helo 2010

Un degawd (o fy mywyd) yng Nghymru

Fel y flwyddyn a degawd yn dod i ben, yr wyf yn meddwl am fy deng mlynedd mi oeddwn i’n byw yng Nghymru. Wrth edrych yn ôl, mae'r amser wedi mynd heibio yn gyflym iawn. Mae’n ymddangos fel blwyddyn neu ddau yn ôl pan dathlais y mileniwm newydd gyda Susanne a Michael, ffrindiau o Ogledd yr Almaen - a phryd rydym yn coginio pryd o fwyd yn y cegin Miss Nans Jones yn Melrose Avenue lle roeddwn yn aros am sbel.

Pan oeddwn i'n dal yn y Brifysgol yn Göttingen yn yr Almaen, penderfynais fy mod eisiau i ddod i Gymru i fyw. Mi oeddwn i hoffi y wlad, hoffi ieithoedd. Roeddwn eisiau newid! Roeddwn i wedi bod yn ymweld Cymru bob blwyddyn am wyth mlynedd, dysgu Cymraeg ac mi oedwn i ddod o hyd i fflat da a gwaith da. Rhan fwyaf o bobl yn symud gyda'u gwaith neu oherwydd eu bod eisiau priodi mewn gwlad arall-ond symudais yn unig allan o frwdfrydedd. Mae gen i ffrind o'r Almaen, Bonn a ddweud y gwir, a symudodd i Gymru hanner y flwyddyn cyn i mi. Anke.

Yn gyntaf, y fflat nad oedd mor hawdd, neu y swydd. Es i Goleg Trefeca cyntaf lle arhosais am wyth wythnos i helpu y wardeiniaid gyda thasgau curatorial. Wnes i gyfarfod wraig a ddywedodd hi oedd y llety ddelfrydol i mi, yn ganolog ac nid yn rhy ddrud yng Nghaerdydd.

Mi oeddwn i weithio ar gyfer mis arall yn y swyddfa yn yr Eglwys Bresbyteraidd Cymru cyn i mi wedi dechrau yn gweithio yn St Ffagans, amgueddfa awyr agored. Roeddwn i'n byw mewn tŷ caplaniaeth yn Cathays, sydd oedd taith gerdded saith munud da i Orielau ac Amgueddfeydd Cenedlaethol Cymru, ac nid oedd yn bell i gerdded i ganol y ddinas. Es i nofio a sawna i'r gwesty Hilton, i'r Theatr Shermans a oedd gerllaw, y brifysgol, bistros a thafarndai. Mi oedd popeth mor ganolog. Hyfryd! Mwynheais y cyfan. Yr unig peth gyda tŷ caplaniaeth oedd ei bod yn swnllyd iawn yno gan nad oedd y ffenestri gwydr sy'n dda. Roedd hi'n ffordd brysur, ar hyd Ffordd y Gogledd. Roeddwn yn seiclo yng Nghaerdydd ym mhobman, hyd yn oed i Llanisien, Sain Ffagan bob dydd ac yn ôl. Mi oedd y daith beic i Sain Ffagan yn braf iawn oherwydd ei fod ar hyd llwybr yr afon Taf, gan fynd heibio Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf, weithiau aroshais am Cappuccino mewn tŷ goffi braf yn Llandaf Stryd Fawr, ymlaen i feicio trwy Fairwater, wedyn ar “countrylane” bach hyd cyrraedd Sain Ffagan. Yn aml, roedd hi'n bwrw glaw, ond yr ymarfer i mi eu cadw heini ac yn eithaf fain.

Ar ol tri mis yng Nghaerdydd, yn anffodus, ges i ddamwain beic. Mi oedd hyn yn newid popeth i mi. Roeddwn yn rhuthro drwy Caeau Pontcanna a llithro ar y llwybr gwlyb yn y glaw. Roeddwn mewn poen am tua dau fis cyn i mi cael sgan MRI ei wneud gyda BUPA: oedd yn dangos dau disgiau prolapsed ddifrifol. Roeddwn i wedi cael ffisiotherapi yn yr Almaen achos mi oedd y system iechyd (NHS) yng Nghaerdydd yn hynod anodd. Mi oeddwn i ddod i adnabod y rhan fwyaf o'r chiropracters da yng Nghaerdydd ar y pryd, oeddwn i ffwrdd yn sâl yn aml dros flwyddyn cyn iddynt, cefais y sach!

Mi oedd y pris am fflatiau i rhentu yng Nghaerdydd yn uchel iawn o gymharu â fflatiau hardd yn yr Almaen. Mae'r safonau yn is i hyn yr wyf yn ei ddefnyddio i, hyd yn oed am £ 500 y mis. Symudais tua phedair gwaith tra oeddwn yn byw yn y brifddinas Cymru. Yn 2003, symudais i Aberystwyth oherwydd fy mod yn dechrau gweithio yn y Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru yno. Cefais fflat da am £ 550 yn Heol y Wig. Unwaith eto, roedd y sŵn anodd, y tro ma y swn y fyfyrwyr (drunken students). Rwy'n cofio mynd i westai yn Sir Gaerfyrddin neu Sir Benfro ar ddechrau jyst i gael noson o gwsg da. Mi oedd y swydd yn ddiddorol iawn, y rhan fwyaf o bobl yn iawn hefyd. Gwnes i ddisgrifiadau archifol ar-lein am dros dair blynedd. Roedd rhai o bobl yn y llyfrgell yn gyfeillgar iawn, roedd rhai yn rhyfedd. Mi oedd ein rheolwr er enghraifft eisiau i fwynhau ei rôl fel rheolwr yn hytrach na bod yn teamplayer da neu ffrind. Doeddwn i ddim cael caniatáu i yfed coffi wrth y ddesg. Nid oeddwn erioed wedi profi hyn o'r blaen ac fi angen paned o goffi neu de pan fyddaf yn gweithio! Nid ydym yn gweithio gyda'r llawysgrifau gwreiddiol felly nid oeddwn i'n gweld y broblem. Es i Lundain, Caerdydd a Leicester ac i'r cyfandir o Aberystwyth. Mi oedd llawer o ffrindiau rhyngwladol aros yn fy fflat. Symudais i fflat arall yn Queens Road a oedd ychydig yn rhatach. Mi oedd y fflat yn iawn. Mae'r rhan fwyaf o amser cinio es i Ganolfan y Celfyddydau ar gyfer bryd o fwyd neu coffi latte. Rwy'n dal i hoffi awyrgylch i fyny yno ar fynydd Penglais. Fy hoff siopau yn Aber ydy y siopau Polly ar gyfer dillad, sebon, gemwaith ac anrhegion. Roedd hyn yn agos iawn i'r lle mi oeddwn i’n byw. Yn y nos yn aml, ges i bryd o fwyd yn y Caffi Blue Creek, oedd hynny’n arbed amser coginio i mi a oeddwn i'n darllen tra roeddwn i'n aros neu gwrdd â ffrindiau i sgwrsio. Ar y dechrau 2004, fe gwrddais fy nghariad Mark. Rydym wedi bod gyda ein gilydd ers hynny. Roedd tŷ bach gyda fe ym Machynlleth lle i symud i mewn ddechrau 2005 ac mi oedden ni’n prynu Llys Maldwyn yn 2006 ac wedi ei addurno am ddwy flynedd, hen ysgoldy, yr ydym am werthu yn y flwyddyn newydd. Yn 2004, cefais fy llawdriniaeth yn ôl yn yr Almaen. Mae popeth yn iawn gyda fy iechyd nawr. Rwyf wedi dysgu am wir Cymru, y bywyd yma. Mae fy hoff lefydd ydy Aberdyfi Beach, Caerdydd, Sain Ffagan, Llyn peninsula, Sir Benfro. Pan symudais i Gymru nad oedd we 2.0 a dim recession. Doeddwn i ddim yn hoffi yr holl glaw. Mwynheais Caerdydd gorau. Mae llawer yn mynd ymlaen yno. Mi oedd popeth yn brofiad. Blwyddyn a ddegawd newydd dda!

BBC - Mid Wales Machynlleth - My Town

2009-12-15T09:56:00.000-08:00

BBC - Mid Wales Machynlleth - My Town

Christmassy thoughts in Wales

2009-12-10T02:27:00.000-08:00

Christmassy thoughts in Wales

In Germany and in Wales the Christmas season can be very special if you are religious or not. It is Weihnachten in German like Nadolig in Welsh.

Many people in Germany decorate their houses in December, the children get excited about St. Niclas Day on the sixth of December (St. Niclas is the patron saint for the children) and about Christmas Eve, the 24th.

On the 5th , people put out a shoe or boot in the evening. I do this here in Machynlleth! If you were good during the year you get a present - that is the tradition. I like the Christmas markets, all the stalls, the crafts and the different food there. Students in Göttingen in Lower Saxony, not far from Hanover, where I went to university, they enjoy mulled wine there in the weeks leading to Christmas. It is a nice atmosphere!

I like December when there is snow. There was snow up on Cadair Idris a week ago.

Christmas-time is not complete without music. I like the Christmas oratorio by Bach, Welsh carols and festive music from all over the world really. “Atgof y Ser” with Bryn Terfel is nice at this time of the year.

At university I had a British Christmas party with my friends who also studied English Literature, linguistics and medieval studies. This was fun. We had mince pies which is not typical in Germany. In Göttingen, there is an English carol festival every year.

Ten years ago, I spent my first Christmas in Wales. I celebrated in Talley in Carmarthenshire. We had Christmas lunch in the Talley Arms. The food was generous and very good. All the locals were jolly and friendly. Our friend Delwyn showed me the village of Bethlehem. How nice to go to a place like this on Christmas Eve, don’t you think!? I have been following Heledd Cynwal’s “Seren Bethlehem” on S4C this year. Another time, I spent Christmas in Cardiff. We had Christmas lunch in the Quality Hotel. It was nice, too. I saw the nativity play in the Welsh church Capel y Crwys a few times, went to “Tweilwng yr Oen” in a Wesleyan Church in the city centre of Cardiff. Another year, I experienced Christmas in Llandovery and Llandeilo. I like Llandeilo. It has unique little shops and I used to go to the kitchen shop there which is marvellous for Christmas presents and Toast is quite nice for fashion, I think. I do not know if it is still there. A German friend Susanne came to Cardiff to see the Christmas celebrations in St. Fagans Open Air Museum. This is usually very good! I once went to Tredegar House, Newport which is always decorated nicely for Christmas, too. I have always loved Christmas shopping in Cardiff. The atmosphere with the Christmas lights is just wonderful! And Winter Wonderland with its ice-rink – how nice to be up in the ferris wheel looking down to Cathays and the city centre. Fab! From Cardiff I also travelled to Leicester, London for Christmas shopping. Since I lived in Machynlleth, we used to go to Shrewsbury and Birmingham for Christmas shopping.

In Machynlleth, we always have decorated Llys Maldwyn. I like Ian Snow and the Spectrwm Gallery to choose presents. Sadly, the lovely cookshop has gone from Machynlleth. We have never cooked a turkey here because we do not have a good oven. Ha ha ha! What an excuse, I know.

I used to write a lot of Christmas cards. Now the internet and lack of time has taken over but I do not like e-cards or virtual presents though. I never shop online for presents. That is lazy. Also you do not get the nice atmosphere I think.

I have spent Christmas three times in North Wales. One time it was snowing which was nice.

One Christmas-feeling film I love is “Holiday” with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. An American comes to Britain while an English girl goes to the USA. We will hire it again from the DVD shop in Machynlleth.

A detailed letter in Welsh and in English to the Welsh heritage secretary re. Welsh Culture International.

2009-12-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

I have written a good and detailed letter to the Welsh heritage minister Alun Ffred Jones this morning re. the promotion, marketing and funding for Welsh Culture International.

A lot needs to be done here. Collaboration needs improving. I said this in the summer.

I also think Wales and the Welsh culture is already more appreciated in Europe than some people (politicians, curators) in Wales might think. I know this from my travels and because I am a German who"s dealt with this subject for almost twenty years now.

Wales Culture International

2009-12-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

Mi oedd Diwylliant Cymru Rhyngwladol wedi bod yn un o'm buddiannau mwyaf angerddol am bron i ugain mlynedd bellach.

Rwy'n Anthropolegydd Diwylliannol sy wedi dysgu am y diwlliant Cymraeg o safbwynt hanesyddol a diwylliant cyfoesdrwy ymchwil yn Göttingen, Yr Almaen, a ddysgwyd yng Nghaerdydd. Mae gen i gwybodaeth ymchwil yn y mater hwn a phrofiad ymarferol.

Rwy wedi dysgu yr iaith Cymraeg fy hun, ac rwyf bellach wedi bod yn siaradwraig rhugl am ddeng mlynedd. Rwyf wedi byw yng Nghaerdydd (pan oeddwn yn byw y Mhentyrch, Heol-y-Parc, mi oeddwn yn hyd yn oed yn aelod o Blaid Cymru), Aberystwyth ac ym Machynlleth. Rwyf wedi mynychu'r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol ar gyfer yr wythnos gyfan dros ddeng gwaith, sefydlu arddangosfeydd celf rhyngwladol o Gymru ac am Gymru, yn perthyn i'r gymdeithas Caerdydd Almaen, wedi gwneud 13 o benodau ar gyfer podled diwylliannol Cymru yn Almaeneg, wedi bod yn gweithio yn Sain Ffagan am gyfnod hir ac fe ysgrifennais traethawd MA am y amgueddfa awyr agored yn Saesneg ar gyfer Goettingen Brifysgol. Mi oeddwn i weithio ar gyfer y Rhwydwaith Archifau Cymru yn Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru am dros dair blynedd. Mae Cymru 2.0 wedi bod yn her fawr i mi! Yr wyf yn falch i gyflenwi dim ond rhai cysylltiadau pwysig wefan sy'n cael eu hyrwyddo diwylliant Cymru yn rhyngwladol (mae hwn yn ddetholiad yn unig):

http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/archiv/ausstell/2008/wales.html
http://www.germanblogs.de/archive/author/Netty
http://www.kultura.lv/en/calendar/3787/
http://www.qype.com/search/find_by_tag?qype_query=walisisch
http://www.scribd.com/doc/7654404/Wales-Culture-Ethnoleg-Ewropeaidd-yng-Nghymru
http://www.arhivi.lv/index.php?1&61&view=news-detail&news_id=2284
http://twitter.com/welshculture

Buaswn yn ddiolchgar pe gallech gymryd golwg da ar y cysylltiadau. Yr wyf wedi gweld y ddadl ar hyrwyddo'r Diwylliant Cymru ar y llwyfan global ym mis Tachwedd yn y Cynulliad. Rwy'n cytuno â'r Janice Gregory, Llafur, Ogwr, a ddywedodd bod y tirwedd celfyddydau yng Nghymru weithiau yn ymddangos fel "cluttered". Mae diwylliant yn helpu'r economi.

Yr wyf wedi helpu fy mhartner Mark Robert Davey fel asiant. Mae e wedi bod yn cael trafferth fel ffotograffydd o Gymru (ac yn) Nghymru. Dangosodd arddangosfeydd am Gymru yn rhyngwladol, talu am ei hun. Dyma y gwefan y gwaith ffotograffiaeth: http://www.mrdgallery.com

Hoffwn i werthu Cymru yn fwy i'r llwyfan byd-eang, ac rwy'n bendant o'r farn na allai llawer o bobl yn gwneud hyn yn ogystal â galla i gwneud gyda fy mhrofiad. Rwy'n gwybod yr holl gysylltiadau rhyngwladol a fyddai'n ddefnyddiol yn ein hymdrech â'r enw da Cymru. Mae fy ffrind Carys Pugh D'Auria yn hyrwyddo Caerdydd dramor - Cardiff & Co. Nid wyf wedi cael unrhyw grant neu gymorth i wneud hyn ar gyfer Cymru. Efallai y gallwch chi helpu?

Wales Culture International/Welsh Culture International has been one of my most passionate interests for almost twenty years now.

I am a Cultural Anthropologist who through much intense university research in Göttingen, Germany, and in Cardiff learnt about the Welsh Culture in historic terms and the contemporary culture. I have research knowledge in this matter and practical experience.

I taught myself the Welsh language, and I now have been a fluent speaker for ten years. I have lived in Cardiff (when I lived in Pentyrch, Heol-y-Parc I was even a member of Plaid Cymru), Aberystwyth and in Machynlleth. I have attended the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol for the whole week over ten times, set up international art exhibitions from Wales and about Wales, belonged to the Cardiff German society, twice I edited Yr Angor in Aberystwyth, have done 13 episodes for a Welsh cultural podcast in German, worked in Sain Ffagan for a long while and wrote my MA thesis about this open-air museum in English for Goettingen University. I worked for the Archives Network Wales at the National Library of Wales for over three years. Wales 2.0 has been a great challenge for me! I am pleased to supply you only with some important website links that are promoting the Welsh culture internationally (please note that this is only a selection):

http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/archiv/ausstell/2008/wales.html
http://www.germanblogs.de/archive/author/Netty
http://www.kultura.lv/en/calendar/3787/
http://www.qype.com/search/find_by_tag?qype_query=walisisch
http://www.scribd.com/doc/7654404/Wales-Culture-Ethnoleg-Ewropeaidd-yng-Nghymru
http://www.arhivi.lv/index.php?1&61&view=news-detail&news_id=2284
http://twitter.com/welshculture
http://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhwydwaith_Archifau_Cymru

I would be grateful if you took a great look at the links. I have seen the debate on promoting the Welsh Culture on the Welsh stage in November. I agree with Janice Gregory, Labour, Ogmore, who stated that the arts landscape in Wales sometimes seems a cluttered one. Culture brings the tourists to Wales. Culture helps the economy. You said in the debate that you would hate to see duplicate efforts. I listened to Alun Cairns and Bethan Jenkins who also said that there is a lot of work to be done. Menna Richards talked about collaboration. This is often not the case. The marketing of it internationally is not good.

My partner Mark Robert Davey whose work I have been supporting as an agent has been struggling as a photographer from (and in) Wales. He showed exhibitions about Wales and from Wales internationally with much success paying for them himself. Here is the link to the website of the photographic work: http://www.mrdgallery.com

I would like to sell Wales more to the global stage, and I firmly believe not many people could do it as well as I could do with my background experience. I know all the international contacts who would be useful in our attempt with the Welsh reputation. My friend Carys Pugh D'Auria is promoting Cardiff abroad - Cardiff & Co. However, my means are limited.

Web 2.0 in Wales (yn Gymraeg) - & Web 3.0

2009-12-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

S4/Clic Cymru Hywel Williams

2009-12-04T04:38:00.000-08:00

S4/Clic Cymru Hywel Williams

Good documentary about Wales, its culture today, a film by Hywel Williams from Caernarfon.
It is a bit provocative but I think Hywel Williams wants to help the Welsh Culture.

Always concentrating on the past is not good enough.

I have said this about the Welsh TV. It has improved though, S4C.

Sian Melangell Dafydd - Y trydydd peth

2009-12-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

Sian Melangell Dafydd on Vimeo

Looking forward to reading this. Good video made by Sioned Puw Rowlands.

- Culture Colony

2009-12-02T06:25:00.000-08:00

- Culture Colony

I met Pete Telfer yesterday. Well, he met me in Llys Maldwyn. He admired the photographs of Mark Robert Davey. He told me he works with the film camera mainly. He has done a lot of work for the BBC and S4C in Wales. Spent a good time together. Please take a look at Culture Colony.

SMALL COUNTRY - BIG CULTURE: Wales.

2009-12-02T05:18:00.000-08:00

Just watched the whole debate on promoting the Welsh Culture Abroad; sent a letter to the Welsh Assembly. I wish there was more collaboration!

I have promoted the Welsh Culture for almost 20 years in Germany. The perception of Wales in Germany is very good.

Collaboration is extremely difficult sadly.

People like Andrew Green talk about these matters, when you suggest anything they do not want to know. They are often a hindrance rather than a help which is very difficult and sad. It is better to approach the government in Cardiff, Westminster and even Brussels directly, telling them in detail what difficulties artists here face.

I agree with Menna Richards that the talents should work together.

BBC - Democracy Live - Debate on promoting Welsh culture on the world stage

2009-12-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

BBC - Democracy Live - Debate on promoting Welsh culture on the world stage

I have contacted the Assembly now re. this!

The perception of Wales in Germany is very good indeed!

People are aware of the Welsh brand, too.

Co-operation is needed.

I have promoted Wales Abroad for almost twenty years now. I had no support from Welsh institutions who could pay me for my services; individuals have been great.

Yes, the marketing of Wales internationally is very bad still!

What can I do?

There is no co-ordinated approach.

Remembering the fall of the Berlin Wall in Machynlleth

2009-11-29T03:34:00.000-08:00

Berlin 1989 remembered in Wales

2009-11-27T05:50:00.000-08:00

Grenzöffnung 1989 Neu-Eichenberg / Hohengandern

Stormy and rainy - slowly getting into the Christmas spirit in Wales again

2009-11-26T03:57:00.000-08:00

What weather we are facing in Wales at the moment! It is noticeably getting colder. It is December soon after all! As usual, there is a lot of rain but last night it was very heavy. I did not sleep well. Such a downpour! Then the wind that has been going with it.
Yesterday it was so dark all day!
I am looking forward to go to a spa during the winter holidays.

Later, I will do my run whatever the weather.

I will take it easy again this year Christmas time. I like Cardiff at this time of the year. It is a nice atmosphere in the Welsh city, also in Sain Ffagan, the museum.

In rural Wales, Christmas time is a bit dull, I find. We used to go to Shrewsbury for Christmas shopping, and a friend Anja has asked me to come to the German Christmas market in Birmingham. I have an invite to go to Leicester, too.

I will have a great December!

I like Only Man Aloud, their new CD. Also, I will listen to some Welsh Christmas music.

I think there is a Welsh Christmas beer? I cannot remember its name. I know the winter beer.
I like a turkey in a roll - with cranberry. As a roast, I find turkey is a bit dry. In Germany we eat goose for Christmas. I like sherry, whiskey and I will buy some mulled wine at Harry Tuffins.

Sad to read about the poor nursing and poor healthcare in Wales in the papers all the time. Very sad - but what can I do? Nothing.

Thinking about Welsh blogs and reading some posts

2009-11-25T01:39:00.000-08:00

I am starting with Banksy's Blog, this post: http://davidbanks.blogspot.com/2009/11/newspapers-i-love.html, next Blog Menai: ah, I wrote a comment but the owner needs to approve first (it is like a censorship which I think is wrong especially for a political blog). Not sure if I will come back to this blog.
Looking at "Daflog" now by Dafydd Tomos - oh, he mentions Yr Almaen. It is very interesting. Some Germans were using Google Translate and it obviously did not work very well. Hey! Do not expect all Germans, especially in their fifties and in the high jobs speaking English that well. It is only this young generation that is quite good at it. I have found the post very interesting but I find it hard to comment so I leave it for today. I cannot "cysylltu" and so on...my whole morning would be gone but I still like the Daflog.
The next post I am reading is about Twitter by AM Peter Black. Ah, it is a Dilbert cartoon. I like Dilbert. I am listening to it on my iPodtouch.

The next post I find interesting is about windsurfing, not politics. I saw some interesting windsurfers on Sunday on Aberdyfi Beach. Wow! They were good surfers. The wind was very strong and some managed not to fall down. I do not know which site hosts this blog. It is not blogger or wordpress.

Clecs Cilgwri is a Welsh blog I have never seen so I am excited. Just read that the author of this blog has learnt Welsh.
It is about analog and digital TV. I do not know what all this fuss is about. It is getting on my nerves....Teledu Digidol. In Germany my family and friends have had cable TV for ages and satellite. They never mention analogue or digital. It is a too big thing for my liking in Wales. Yeah, all get digital - and get on with it!
Interesting blog though.

No posts from Dogfael for a while now...I will read more and must write a good blog entry.

Kyffin Blog

2009-11-24T04:37:00.000-08:00

Kyffin Blog

Nothing new here....Pity!

Peter Black AM: The digital future that divides us

2009-11-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

Peter Black AM: The digital future that divides us

One in three Welsh households does not have internet access.
Wow! That is a lot. I did not know the number before I read the blog.

Welsh Noted

2009-11-24T01:36:00.000-08:00

Welsh Noted

A real pity this came to an end!

BBC - Canolbarth - Cofio Wal Berlin

2009-11-24T00:22:00.000-08:00

BBC - Canolbarth - Cofio Wal Berlin

Another article re. this - in Welsh!

S4C - Y Byd Ar Bedwar

2009-11-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

S4C - Y Byd Ar Bedwar

Good programme. Tonight about Tesco's in Machynlleth.....
gosh, they make a fuss about this.

I do not like Tesco's really - but shopping in Machynlleth is rather poor!

BBC - Error 404 : Not Found

2009-11-23T06:19:00.000-08:00

BBC - Error 404 : Not Found

Checking what has happened to this site in Welsh? Mmmh...

Child's Christmas in Wales

2009-11-23T05:13:00.000-08:00

Child's Christmas in Wales

I like this by Dylan Thomas. Writing an article in Welsh and in German about Christmas traditions.

Floods Machynlleth

2009-11-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

Floods Machynlleth auf Flickr - Fotosharing!

This was last year. I did not get round to take photos this year. I hope this was it. It is colder this morning. Sipping my pre-coffee.

More later, Annette

P.S. Blodau on S4C was good!

Follow Wales - Cymru on Twitter

2009-11-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

Follow Wales - Cymru on Twitter

Must add more to this list!! But I am disappearing into the offline now ;-) - want to read and do other things!

Bore Da - Google translate goes Welsh - Pocket-lint

2009-11-22T08:27:00.000-08:00

Bore Da - Google translate goes Welsh - Pocket-lint

I did not know...- diddorol! It can be a help, most certainly ;-)!

Wales: Erstmals Ansteckung mit resistenten Schweinegrippe-Erregern - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Wissenschaft

2009-11-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

Wales: Erstmals Ansteckung mit resistenten Schweinegrippe-Erregern - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Wissenschaft

Hope we do not get the swine flu ;-).

Elizabeth Gilbert | Profile on TED.com

2009-11-22T07:48:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Gilbert | Profile on TED.com

I love her book "Eat, Pray and Love"!

S4C Blodau

2009-11-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

S4C Blodau

I am looking forward again to Blodau tonight. As I wrote before I do not meet many young women like Lily here.

I do not know many good flower shops in Wales really. Even in Cardiff - it can be difficult. There's one which is okay in Llandaff and Barkways in Canton...

I do not know if this SUPPOSEDLY continental touch is good - but I like "Blodau" so far. It is different!

www.elinfflur.com

2009-11-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

www.elinfflur.com

I like Elin Fflur.

Would love the new CD!

Archives & Museum Informatics: Museums and the Web 2010

2009-11-22T04:20:00.000-08:00

Archives & Museum Informatics: Museums and the Web 2010

Why White Bread is Bad for You

2009-11-22T03:53:00.000-08:00

Why White Bread is Bad for You

Another great article.

I like the saying: "The whiter your bread, the quicker you're dead." I think it is true.

Oh, it looks like rain again. I so much would like to go to the beach. I do not fancy a walk 'round Machynlleth. No! I might do a jog instead. I am still undecided.

Weißbrot: Besser verzichten | Moderne Ernährung & Gesunde Lebensmittel

2009-11-22T03:23:00.000-08:00

Weißbrot: Besser verzichten | Moderne Ernährung & Gesunde Lebensmittel

I am proud. My partner bought some white bread today. I was tempted to have a slice but I was not having any in the end of this unhealthy stuff. No fibre, vitamins or anything in it. I ate an apple instead! In white bread all you get is useless calories.

Another step to my healthy and happy life. I am proud of myself!

Ausstellungen: Museumsportal Berlin

2009-11-21T04:30:00.000-08:00

Ausstellungen: Museumsportal Berlin

Annette Strauch (nettys1) on Twitter

2009-11-21T03:09:00.000-08:00

Annette Strauch (nettys1) on Twitter

Please follow me here. I have only protected my updates because I do not want weirdos reading my tweets!

@nettys1

Überschwemmungen in Großbritannien - ZDF heute - ZDFmediathek - ZDF Mediathek

2009-11-21T03:05:00.000-08:00

Überschwemmungen in Großbritannien - ZDF heute - ZDFmediathek - ZDF Mediathek

Machynlleth has been really flooded, too and on this Saturday morning it is raining more and more.

eat_pray_love.mov (video/quicktime-Objekt)

2009-11-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

eat_pray_love.mov (video/quicktime-Objekt)

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)

2009-11-20T13:37:00.000-08:00

Eat, Pray, Love (2010)

I am reading the book right now in Machynlleth. So excited it will come out as a film!

Nia Wyn Jones - Artist in Metal : Artist Mewn Metel

2009-11-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

Nia Wyn Jones - Artist in Metal : Artist Mewn Metel

I stayed with Nia and her family in 2001 in Cardiff for a few months. I will buy some of Nia's work in the future!

Da iawn, ti, Nia!

Daily Post North Wales - News - North Wales News - Machynlleth’s Centre for Alternative Technology wins a top social enterprise award

2009-11-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

Daily Post North Wales - News - North Wales News - Machynlleth’s Centre for Alternative Technology wins a top social enterprise award

We live near the CAT.

MRDGALLERY | Facebook

2009-11-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

MRDGALLERY | Facebook

Please support us and become a fan!
I have supported Mark's photography for five years now. I like his work.

The Lampeter Library Blog

2009-11-20T08:42:00.000-08:00

The Lampeter Library Blog

Good Library Blog by Andrew Prescott. In one post he also mentions ANW (Archives Network Wales)

Andrew will be working in Glasgow in the new year but lives in Llanon.

Sain Ffagan

2009-11-20T01:29:00.000-08:00

Sain Ffagan

Click on the tiny link if you want to know more about the Museum of Welsh Life!
Definitely one of my favourite places in Wales.

Wedi 3 & 7 :: Home

2009-11-20T01:27:00.000-08:00

Wedi 3 & 7 :: Home

I often watch Wedi 7. The afternoon programme is a bit difficult because of time. Okay, I could watch it on Clic but when do you do it all?

Capital City of Wales » Capital City of Wales

2009-11-20T01:22:00.000-08:00

Capital City of Wales » Capital City of Wales

Well done, Carys!

A friend of mine is setting this up. I really love Cardiff, the place to be in Wales for work and culture.

Web 2.0 in Wales

2009-11-19T08:33:00.000-08:00

I must say I would not have survived in rural Wales without the internet. I think it is okay in Wales now if you have good money and a good balance in life.

I started using the internet about ten years ago, just after I had finished my M.A. thesis for the Georg-August University in Göttingen about the Museum of Welsh Life, Sain Ffagan, near Cardiff.

Why was the web not more available when I was a student? I am really deeply disappointed about this!

In 1999 I googled everything about Wales and Welsh, Cardiff and so on. I was a member of a Cardiff forum but I have forgotten its name. It is too long ago. I contacted the warden of Trefeca college who agreed I could spend a month there for the summer before I wanted to move to Wales to find permanent work. The internet I used then was a dial-up connection. It was far more expensive per month in those days. I think you had to pay for the minute. Its use seemed okay then - but I am sure that if I would look at it the same way now it would seem ever so slow and I could not afford it. I used the web a lot for personal e-mail then. Mainly for e-mailing to be honest.

In 1999 I did an online Welsh course offered by Lampeter University by Dr. Julie Brake and Dr. David Thorne. I met them both afterwards, Julie in Lampeter and David in Llanelli on the TV show “Heno” which is now “Wedi 7” on S4C.

Still in Germany back then I listened to Welsh Radio, Radio Cymru, online.

In Cardiff, I had web facility and used it to look for new job possibilities, one of which I found at the Castle Museum in York, and they also invited me for a job interview there. However, I moved to Aberystwyth where I worked on a project called the Archives Network Wales (ANW) which had its office in the National Library on Penglais Hill. Being online all day long, I loved it.
I had back trouble in 2005 so I did a lot of online research about the spine. It was good.
In 2006, the ANW project came to an end, we moved house in Machynlleth, and I bought myself a new laptop, an Acer TravelMate 2410. I bought it from Amazon online, bought some software in a computer shop and had Tiscali internet connection. It was that year I also had a Nikon digital camera and I started to upload the pictures I had taken. Before I always used film cameras. I enjoyed e-mailing those to friends. I also used the DVD player on the laptop more. My main e-mail account was by madasafish (freenetname) which I still have now but not as the main one. In those days I booked flights online to European destinations, many with EasyJet, Ryanair, Bmibaby but also with Lufthansa. It was nice to be able to print out the flight-tickets oneself! I still do so now.

I used the internet for holiday ideas, inspiration and preparation.

Online shopping – I have done a little bit but I still prefer visiting different towns and cities, browse through the shops and boutiques and buy it on the day. I bought books from Amazon, a kitchen mixer from Amazon, a watch from the UEFA football fan site, fashion jewellery from Brigitte Bijou (which arrived broken and then I had the hassle of sorting it out!), concert tickets online and a few clothes. Some were okay, some did not fit – and I still prefer buying fashion from a good shop.

I have never bought food online – but I am tempted with mymuesli.com.

I read certain woman’s magazines online such as the German Brigitte. I still buy the magazines also.

In the beginning of 2007, I arranged international photographic exhibitions online. Most institutions I was considering really had good websites and I always got good feedback. I opened a first Flickr account NettysCymru I think. I started writing my first blog, a blogspot blog about my time which was a bit hard in Wales at the time. I was excited when the google search engines picked up – discovered my blog and when I got my first feedback on blog posts. Fantastic!

In the summer of 2007 I discovered Qype and registered with them but I did not start with any reviews until January 2008. I loved Qype and I still like it as a good source. Through Qype I had arrived at Web 2.0.

In 2007, I started blogging. I did not continue my first blogspot. I needed to write off some anger at the time. It was a hard time for me after my job in the National Library of Wales (with ANW / Archives Network Wales), I had just slowly recovered from all my back problems (in the end I had an emergency operation as many know) and we had moved house because we wanted to be on the property ladder (ha ha, the recession had spoilt it all for us!!). Then my partner took me to Eastern Europe for a photo exhibition he had organised with a group from work. He gave 100% to it. At the same time we had a private exhibition on. His collegues gave him a hard time because of pure jealousy. It mattered to us at that time but we learnt a lot about trusting people and how nasty people can become. So now I regard it as a good experience. I wrote a bit too negative about Wales and feel sorry because the country has nothing to do with it. It was just my negative feelings at the time. I have dealt with those, too. I do not tend to worry about anything anymore, just concentrate on the things that make me happy, work hard and lead a healthy lifestyle. This is what I do. It is fantastic. Web 2.0 has helped because Machynlleth is not the place for me. I met many interesting people over the internet, many of whom I have actually met in person.

I wanted to write a good blog about positive things in Wales – so I became a blogger for Germanblogs - Wales. I almost wrote 200 posts. Take a look at wales.germanblogs.de

I must confess, I used to be a really really dedicated letter and card writer. My friend Delwyn in Cardiff and Susanne in Munich can confirm it. Since web 2.0 I hardly send any cards or letters. I save a lot of money that way. Ha ha – this is not the reason.

For two years I have been on Last FM – NettieStrauch. I like the scrobble function and have used it. Sometimes I am using Deezer. Via surweb.de I also listen to radio stations from all over the world. It is good for my langiage skills. Love the French and Italian stations. I also listen to BBC Radio Cymru.

I started tweeting a year and a half ago, long before it became fashionable in Wales. Twitter: Nettys

I am using Plurk, Jaiku, Bleeper (a German Twitter) as other microblogging sites – oh, and Identica.

Please also check listorious.com/nettys1
Some of my favourite fellow tweeple (people on Twitter) are: @ajprescott (a Professor who worked for the British Library, a digital and library professional who starts working in Glasgow in January) @bexxi (a lecturer from Aberystwyth who’s been living and working in Freiburg for over ten years) @writingwoman (a writer from Berlin) @sunnysides (a fellow student and friend from Göttingen who now lives in London) @Mrs_Penguin (a German living in the Midlands) @Natallini (an American from North Carolina with a German husband, she speaks and tweets in German) @ponor (an artist, painter who loves Sweden and speaks Swedish) @volkergoebbels (an IT expert and PhD in chemistry) @Goleudy (also lives in Machynlleth, well a little bit outside in the hills) @ andreasauwaerte (a guy from Koblenz, researches e-learning).

For over a year I have been using Blip FM. This is like a musical twitter for those who do not know.

Musically, since March this year I have been using Spotify which is great.

I joined Facebook in the summer of 2007.

Been using YouTube for over two years.

I love all sorts of Forums!

My web 2.0 activities were a soliliquy first now they are a means of interacting and communicating. I use Skype sometimes, to or Messi, as I call it, Windows Messenger.

Yes, blogging is freeing and exciting. It is very 21st century, isn’t it?
For photos I use Picasa (on Google), Fotocommunity, Panoramio and also Ipernity.

Twitterlunches /Twittagessen – I like those - or Qype City Nights.

I have seen real kindness online! Social media also means to get talking. Here I find it similar to the ordinary life. People who are bad socialising or never reply to your answers do not have much to say on Twitter either.

It is nice to be able to communicate with people who are on the same wavelength with me.

I still buy the Sunday newspapers from the shop. The internet cannot replace those for me. It is nice to hold the paper in your hand and lounge more comfy with the paper on the sofa.

Some other sites I like are Projektwerk, I joined Chefkoch.de years ago – it is a recipe site, Yazio.de, it is a fitness and health site, allaboutyou.com, Netvibes, Ning, mixx, Hunch, LinkedIn, Scribd, Crunchbase, Cafebabel, Cardiffwebscene, artslant.com, cardiffwebscene.com, posterous, just to name a few.

Podcasts, iTunes, Audacity...Love my 8 GB iPodtouch from Apple. It is nice when you are travelling and have wlan or free wifi.

Professionally I am interested in websites, user experience, online fundraising - and the new developments of course!

I still read books. Looking forward to my e-reader!

Reading "Eat, pray, love" in stormy Wales

2009-11-19T06:43:00.000-08:00

It is a novel by Elizabeth Gilbert.
The writer has travelled to Italy first - and now I am in the middle of the book when Elizabeth is in India.

Blodau - Dysgu ar S4C

2009-11-19T06:42:00.000-08:00

Blodau - Dysgu ar S4C

I am following "BLODAU" on S4C and I quite like it.
The French music in the first episode was a bit strange.

I like Lily as a person. I wish more young women in Wales would actually look like her.
I am excited about the third episode on Sunday night.

Metastwnsh

2009-11-19T06:32:00.000-08:00

Metastwnsh

This is my favourite blog in Welsh, about technology, social media and gadgets! Da iawn.

Wales Blog - Heimat des Drachens

2009-11-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

Wales Blog - Heimat des Drachens

Kyffin Blog

2009-11-19T06:28:00.000-08:00

Kyffin Blog

I am following this blog. I like Kyffin's work.

Stormy Wales

2009-11-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

It is November.
It is autumn.

Rain and storm in Wales.
Floods in Machynlleth.