Lazy bum

The only photos I have from the past week are from last Sunday, when I went berrypicking with these two creatures, also known as my parents. Say hello to John Harald and Nina, everyone. My dad and I also drove a bit longer and went to some of the most beautiful beaches in the area. The sea is blue, the sand is white...and the water is about 10-12 degrees, and makes the sea outside Falmouth seem warm in comparison. We wore plenty of clothes and didn't go in.

Other than that, I've been working every day, went to the cinema on Monday, had my parents over on Tuesday, had Ingrid over for dinner on Wednesday, and yesterday I went to a thing for the volunteers of Døgnvill-festival (I am one of them). Today I'll be going home to my parents, since my sister, her fiancée (get married soon plix so I can start calling him husband, much easier to spell) and my amazing niece.

Hopefully sometime this week (maybe even on Sunday) I'll go through all my berry/beach photos and maybe post some of them, and maybe I'll get a more even blogging pattern. At the moment I am annoying even myself.

Almost everything beginning with "S"

 Skyr: an Icelandic almost-yoghurt that is amazing, and stuffed with protein (good for building muscle).

 Sult by Knut Hamsun: Also known as Hunger, in English. Just started reading it, and it is written in 1890s Norwegian, which makes it slightly harder. The spelling has changed so much the past 120 years. But it is so captivating, even though I've only read 40 pages I would recommend it to anyone.

 Squash: The Norwegian name for courgette. I know, it's weird. I would like to call this picture Still Life with Broccoli, Green Squash and Yellow Squash (or Courgettes if You Are English and Prefer This)

Sccchina. Made in the People's Republic of China. Found this bowl for 50p in a local charity shop.

I went to the farmer's market today to buy vegetables. There wasn't much variation though, most farmers had cauliflower and carrots and potatoes. I ended up buying the broccoli because it looked much tastier than shop-broccoli, and the courgettes because the yellow one was funny, and the green one was normal. This past week I've been feeling really bad for not being able to afford vegetables, but my body seems to be happy enough with all the carbs. I've been cycling about 30-35 miles (50-55km) every week for the past three weeks, so I'm sure my body's just going yum, caaaarbs. I'm trying to give it some more protein as well, so I can get stronger.

Oh (I just remembered), I've met my first person through Couchsurfing! Her name is Gabriela and she is staying in Tromsø to try to get a job and learn Norwegian, and we sat on the church steps in the park on Tuesday, eating ice cream and talking about Norway and South America (she's from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). I've set myself up as "meet for a coffee".

Tuesday and Wednesday

 Went to Tromsø Uni to fix some stuff. More about that later. I just love the text under this mailbox. No Parking. Locks will be cut! The post will --- this is difficult to translate. It's like the Norwegian version of this motto.

 Had a few days off, so went to town, got some books out of the library and went to the park to read them.

 This page photographed especially for my dear Freya.

 There was a mistake with my pay check, and I haven't received all my pay yet... This week: Pasta + tomato puree + cheese. Not much else.

Wednesday I went to see Jonas Gahr Støre give a little talk, our foreign affairs minister. He is one of a kind, really. I try to be critical when he (/any politician) speaks, but then he says a lot of clever things, and I just want to hug him.

So: I'm going to try to combine studying with working. It's a bit like Open University, but with my local university. You can choose to just do one subject, and you get all the student priveleges while still being able to work almost full time. I've yet to work it out completely with the Norwegian Mail (I'm probably staying with them because they're so flexible about working hours), but I'll figure it out somehow. In Norway, no matter what you want to study, your first semester will comprise two extra subjects: ex.phil. (examen philosophicum) and ex.fac. (examen facultatum). Everyone has to do this: The first is an introduction to basic philosophy, the second is an introduction to philosophy of science. Since I don't know what, or whether, I'll be studying next (the cost of studying in Norway is 50 pounds student fee + whatever your books cost, per semester), I thought I'd study ex.phil. for now. Some reasons:

1) I get to do something outside of work, and get to know some new people my age

2) I get to think and discuss philosophy, which can be (already is) interesting, and will keep my brain from melting into only knowing street names and house numbers

3) I get student status, and probably some student discounts

4) I get to be a part of the student community

Sooo...yeah. I could have done ex.fac. as well, but this is already taking 5-6 hours off my working week, and I primarily want to work and earn (and save) some money.

Ps: P.G. Wodehouse is the primary reason Norwegians think all English men saunter around in tweed, hallooing and saying "tally-ho" to each other, while they marry their secretaries and housemaids.

Where I make a point

Norwegians wear blue, white, black or faded colours. Or plaid. Not much else. English people wear florals, band tshirts, tshirts with funny quotes on them, and/or other patterns. Generalising is fun.

Oslo, happy times

 On Saturday, Maja and I went to see the opening of the election campaign in Oslo. Here: Fabian Stang, Mayor of Oslo.

 Just to show you that Nesodden, where my family lives, and where Henrik and Elaine is from, is a bit of a faerie land.

 I took almost no photos on this holiday. Which was nice. All the photogenic things happened when I had only my mobile phone camera to rely on.

I can't stay in Oslo for more than a week though. I went temporarily insane for a moment and thought "maybe I need some beige slacks. They're nice". Lucky I was going back home this day.

Maja and I were interviewed on national news on Saturday! And we're very proud of it. I can't get the clip to work, but try following this link, we're in one of the very first minutes: Dagsrevyen

We think they approached us because we were loudly debating the opening of the election campaign and whether they should have talked more politics and less roses (we think they should). I don't think anyone will be surprised to hear that Maja and I had strong views on this.

Oslo, sad times

Maja took me to see the area that was affected by the bomb. This is the labour party building in Oslo, with chipboard (apparently that's what it's called) put in instead of windows. I already knew it had happened, of course, and I didn't see any broken windows, since it was now three weeks since the attacks. Still, though. Seeing it with my own eyes made me realise more than ever what happened.

We also walked past one of the girls whose story from Utøya has been published online and in several newspapers. If I'd thought about it at the time I would have given her a hug. Strange times.

Poor quality photos of high quality experiences

 Adorable indoor-cat at a party I went to. Friendliest cat since Bamse (my grandparents' old cat, looked a lot like this as well).

 Sunrise in Oslo at 6:30 on Sunday morning. Yawn. Beautiful moment only ruined by strange man who wanted me to come to an after party in his flat. I declined.

 Walking home supertired on Sunday morning (yes, I had a great Saturday night now you're asking), this deer suddenly jumped out from the side of the road. Beautiful. Only sad I didn't bring my camera out on Sat night. Then again, someone might have stolen it and I would have had to take this with my phone anyway.

At home (hah! MY home!) last night, just chilling in my rocking chair. That's right.

I've been a short trip to Oslo, happy times

Photos to come, once I find them all (my phone likes to mix up old and new photos, it's great fun)

Some random photos, just for you

 Some urban knitting in town, covering at least 6 ft of this banister.

 My first official food shop brought back to the house.

 What I said earlier about pretty things; I insist on having a nice colander. Of all things. And hearts on my chair.

Dinner at my parents' after hauling a rocking chair, two normal chairs, and other small things, from our old attic. One of the last sunny days...

Saturday two weeks ago, my mum and I met in town to get stuff for my apartment. As we went into Åhlens (Freya: where you got the mini alarm clock), I realised two things: I wanted almost everything they had, including a tiny Muji writing desk, and I could hardly afford anything, including the tiny Muji writing desk (which was 250 pounds). So I went out of there with some clothes hooks and my lovely colander, and the world's tiniest frying pan which my mum got for me (it's the size of one fried egg!).

Exterior, quickly

 This romantic effect produced by the old bus windows, filled with condensation between the two layers of window.

 The old garage just below my house, Tony would love it, it's all old tractors and rust and debris.

These flowers are so beautiful, and everywhere in Tromsø at this time of year. Wikipedia tells me it's called Rosebay Willowherb in Britain, that's such a romantic name. In Norwegian it's called goatherb (geitrams).

Interior, quickly

 View from my bedroom window, I've got some very close neighbouring houses, but also green gardens, pretty idyllic.

 Quick photo of my bed one of the first days. Now I just need to get some photos up on the wall, and it will look quite nice, I think.

 My new chest of drawers! I am absolutely in love with it. It is part of my new plan to only buy things if I'll like looking at them. From the Salvation Army charity shop, Fretex.

My current arrangement for books and dvds. Not very elegant, but much better than cardboard boxes.

I am feeling more and more at home here everyday. I enjoy living by myself (although that might change come winter), being able to use my time exactly how I want to.

Fest og folk

 Drinks and smoke and bright bright nights.

 Predrinks at my new place, I love being able to invite people, since I now live in town.

Here: My friend Ida's Danish friend Cæcilie, very sweet girl.

 Ingebjørg, whom I almost never see, but enjoy seeing when I do.

Ida's Danish friend Daniel, trying on my (Viktoria's) silver sequin dinner jacket. He usually wears mostly black and muted colours, I tried getting him to wear it when we went out, but no luck.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week, I spent my evenings with Ida and her visiting friends from Copenhagen, where she's been studying for the past year. Both Thursday and Friday I stayed up way too late for someone who has to get up at five the next morning, but I had a good time, so who cares? I did the mornings after, but oh well. Saturday I had people at my new place for predrinks, and it went rather well I think, I just need to get more chairs for people to sit on. Daniel was going to play his elektronika music at a bar in town later (which was really good, and I became completely lost in the music), so we all went to this bar, and stayed there until they closed. Then night time... And I could not get up on Sunday morning.

That's right, I've moved!

My collection of broken sunglasses, I think I managed to throw one of them away. I'm too nostalgic.

 I love love love this photo. Five years ago...

 One of the last days before I moved (Norwegian sweet bun with brown cheese, nam nam). The day I left my parents house I reached up for my Moomin mug and manage to drop it and break it. This was still early enough for me to go "well, my family and friends and myself are all alive, I don't care" and just laugh. I miss it though.

 My mum and I carried this onto one bus, then another, then up to my apartment. We had our own seat at the bus stop, very handy.

 I spent a whole weekend packing down what I had just unpacked from England, in addition to looking through the rest of my stuff. Luckily, I've moved several times before, and I've already got all my school books and such in my parents' old attic.


Also: The reason we were carrying chairs on the bus: The very day I was going to drive some of my stuff over to my place, our car broke down. I ended up having to move everything, including myself, that same day, since that was the day we could get my uncle to help with his van. So since then it's been a slow carry-what-you-can move, meaning I have almost no furniture or book shelves. I do have a kitchen chair though, so I don't have to eat in bed anymore and feel like such a lazy student.

Time for fun things again

a) I've been busy, and
b) it's felt completely wrong to write about having fun and good times with my friends when it's only been a week or two since the attacks.

I think I need to now though, so my blog doesn't completely stop... And I am having fun and good times with my friends, so I might as well show it.

""Well, that's fucked up" might be too kind"

I've taken a week off writing anything here, because I couldn't a) get myself to write about what happened, or b) get myself to write about happy fun things while the entire country was in shock and mourning. I think we're now only mourning... I'll let other people speak for me:

Excellent text by Øystein Runde, written last Saturday.

Incredibly moving by Prableen Kaur (Norwegian version) (English version), who was on the island when it happened, and managed to get away.


This week has made me so proud of my country, our politics, our PM, even our royals - who came to the hotel near Utøya on Saturday to talk to the survivors.

So many thoughts on this. Some newspapers/media (mostly international) have tried starting the debate about national security, the police force, and other issues, that I am sure we can discuss in great length in due time. It's not what we need right now though. What we need is to share stories about how all youth parties in Norway have seen an increase in their membership numbers. About the incredibly strong youths who survived the attack, and the girl I heard talking about her experiences there, as I was sat on a bus here in Tromsø, 6 days after the event, without her voice faltering. About how every official statement encourages us to join any clubs, parties or organisations, and express our views, no matter how far left or right they might be. How there is a constant emphasis that right wing extremists should still have as much right of speech as any other persons.

We need the emphasis on everything that is good, everything we've done right in this crisis, and then later we can review what could have been done better.

No, I can't

I'm actually speechless. I woke up to the message that there were about 80 people killed at Utøya, not ten, which was the number they gave last night.

I think, if it had "only" been the bomb in Oslo going off, we would have been much less shocked. Because we know that extremists can think explosions will help their cause, and this has happened in many large cities. What throws us (me, at least) is that the man (apparently) who placed the bomb in Oslo, then went to a youth camp and shot randomly at hundreds of teenagers. I don't approve of either happening as means to a cause, but I can easier understand the thought process behind the Oslo bombing. A youth camp? We're probably talking down to 13-year-olds. No.

Condolences to everyone who has lost someone. I can't find more words. I don't understand this.

Faen.

More about this tomorrow. I can't stop thinking about it.

Work and work

And house viewings and sleep and work and food and more house viewings and now sleep and then work and then WEEKEND and then time to do stuff and maybe unpack my photography books/workbooks from England, still in their suitcases...

A. S. Byatt - The Children's Book

 I started it at the beach.

 And finished it... Oh, I don't know. Inside.

Here's one of my old Falmouth photos to illustrate England.

Norwegians: don't bother reading this book.

English (normal English speaking people): go ahead, if you want.

English and Creative Writing/History/Media or any other kind of English degree: this is written for you.

It is a book set in the years between 1895 and 1919, which means it spans many important events, including but not limited to: Queen Victoria's death, The Boer War, The First World War... I found it interesting since the classics I read tend to be either 1800-1850 or mid-20th century. This is a modern book set a hundred years ago, and I found that I did not really know anything about that time in England.

The author is so clearly writing for an academic audience, it almost pisses me off. She only gets away with it because I've gone to uni in England, so I get some of the injokes and references, but I am equally aware of the references I miss completely. I can tell that they are there, but they mean nothing to me. Here is one I did pick up, as an example: The family in the story goes to see a puppet theatre show of E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Sandman. When discussing the play later, one of the boys talks about it being uncanny, and there is a lot of talk about automatons, etc. This was about twenty years before Freud's essay about The Uncanny, where he discusses The Sandman in detail...

There is so much you Creative Writing graduates would get that I don't. It was still an entertaining read though, mostly. The book has a mass of characters, and I spent the first hundred pages leafing back to see who belonged to whom and whether they might be related in some way. The middle of the book enthralled me, and I could hardly put the book down. The darker, seedier parts were particularly interesting... Then the author went, ooh, war, let's send all the boys there and see who survives, and that will be the exciting moments at the end of the book. Snooze.

Anyway, just thought you might enjoy it (if for no other reason, to snigger at knowing all the references to literature and history).

Today, I've been looking for apartments. Wish me luck!

Family and stuff

 Thursday night had Anna and Dina coming down for the weekend. Anna tries to look... serious?

 And Anna tries to use my camera.

 Saturday = work... Fun times. These are the Norwegian Mail cars, not so different to Royal Mail, I think. Very exciting.

 Family party: I was juggling a plate with cakes and cupcakes on my lap, whilst drinking Solo (almost Fanta, only different) from my left hand and Cava (almost champagne, just not from Champagne) from my right hand. Happy days.

My mum who claims she never looks good in photos. Actually, most of the time she is right...

Saturday was driving my usual route plus an extension, since there is less post in the weekends. It was also my last day with my mentor Rita, so Monday will be scary. I will be driving alone and have to juggle normal post, small letters, and adverts, at the same time as I am trying to remember the route correctly. Oh well.

After work I went straight to my aunt's house for a family celebration of her 60th birthday. I love our family gatherings, I have ten cousins on my dad's side, plenty of aunts and uncles, and plenty of cousin's children (I still haven't figured out the English system of first and second cousins, etc.), and it is always just lots of people sitting around eating cake and drinking coffee and watching the children and trying to catch up with what everyone is doing.

I never had dinner yesterday, I only had one bread roll with cheese, and then cake, cupcakes, and more cake.

I then went to Ingrid and asked for painkillers before we went to the cinema, whereupon she brought me a plastic bag full of white tablets with the letter "E" on them. Apparently they were some kind of caffeine painkillers. I trusted her, and it seems to have gone all right...

Harry Potter! Go see it, if only to properly finish the septualogy (?). I've enjoyed the Half Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows 1 and 2, more than any of the others. Maybe it has just been a while since I read the books, so I don't really know or care if they have changed something. Maybe I just like David Yates' style of doing things, the cinematography is so beautiful... Although I didn't enjoy OotP, which he also made. Anyway. He actually did the best he could with the awfully twee book ending. And tied in some jokes from the first few films. And Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have actual chemistry here. So, I guess: If you're a massive fan, you'll love it, if you're a massive critic, you will criticise it, if you've become a pretty average critical fan like me, you'll think it's all right.

I need to read the books again, but at the moment I am quite happy to be finished with Harry Potter for a while. Someone said though (I hope this is true) that the first and the last spell to be used in the whole series is Reparo. Can anyone confirm this?