Karma?

Dear Icebergs, 

Sorry to hear about the global Warming. Karma's a bitch.

Sincerely,

The Titanic.

What the firetruck

I got a t-shirt that I ordered about a week ago in the mail today. Bought it at Smosh.com.

I actually didn't have any t-shirts before I got this one, I've only got camisoles and sleeveless or long sleeved tops. I normally don't like t-shirts, because the neckline is to close to my throat. I feel like I can't breathe. But the neckline on this seems a little looser than normal, so it's fine. And also I just thought it's really funny. The t-shirt is based on one of Smosh's music videos. Basically I just liked the music video so much I just had to get the t-shirt.

It starts with F and ends with UCK

,

Anyway, check out Smosh.com if you haven't already, they've done some really cool videos, and some not so cool. It all depends on your sense of humor I guess.

Vegetarian

My sister said this morning she would like to be a vegetarian. If she lived in a big city where they had meat replacement products.

In the small place where we live now there's no special food for vegetarians. There's obviously vegetables and stuff, but there's no replacement meat products. There are also no sign on any food saying whether or not it's suitable for vegetarians. If you are a vegetarian or vegan up here people give you weird looks and think you're mental. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone being a vegetarian or vegan here. People eat meat nearly every day, and they go hunting and then eat that meat.

My mother is against vegetarianism. When my sister or I start talking about it, not necessarily that we want to be vegetarians, but just randomly, she will try fining loads of negative things about vegetarianism. I've stopped talking about it, I can't be bothered with the arguing.

I wouldn't mind being a vegetarian. When I first moved to England I lived with vegetarians for 18 months, and in that time I only had meat about 6 times. I missed the chicken. When I stopped being an au pair and got a place on my own, I didn't start eating meat again. I had gotten used to living without it.

My reason for being a vegetarian is environmental. It's better for the environment to eat less meat. So next time I find a place of my own, I will try to eat less meat again. I probably won't be a proper vegetarian because I do like to have meat sometimes.

Some people think that vegetarians are really healthy, because they eat vegetables all the time. Not true. Vegetarians can still make unhealthy foods, and also eat loads of cakes/cookies/crisps etc.

I can't really see anything negative about being a vegetarian, as long as you still get all the vitamins and minerals and stuff that you need.

My aunt was a vegan for a while. Which would have been fine if she knew what to eat, but her diet consisted of rice and raisins. She also fed her son this (then a toddler), which I don't think is very good because it's very important for small children to get vitamins, minerals, proteins and all that stuff. I'm not saying that children should eat meat, I'm saying you need to make sure they still get all the things they need through their food, whatever it is you want them to eat.

Miss Universe???

Mona Grudt was on telly tonight. She won Miss Universe in 1990. Well done to her.

This got me thinking. Why is it called Miss UNIVERSE? Are there aliens in the pageant as well? Why not just call it Miss World or something?

I've never actually watched a beauty pageant. I'm not really sure what feel about them. I don' like that they objectify women, but at the same time they've chosen to do it themselves so hopefully they know what they're doing and what they want. But I am against Little Miss or whatever it's called. Children shouldn't be raised thinking looks is everything.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm not really bothered about Valentine's Day. Probably because I'm single.

Although I would love to go somewhere like America or something, somewhere where Valentine's Day is a big deal, just to experience it. Preferably with a boyfriend.

My heart is on fire!

A guy gave his girlfriend 12 roses, 11 real and one fake. He told her "I'll love you until the last one dies"

It's Mother's Day in Norway today.

I cooked lasagna for tea today. I'm not writing the recipe down, because I didn't use one. And also because I used too much tomato paste.

The others didn't think it turned out too bad though I think, they helped themselves several times. I've not used tomato paste when I've made lasagna before, and I think that if I make it again I either won't use it, or use a lot less. Or maybe I'll just use one of those packets you can buy that you only need to add meat and whatever to... But that's not as fun as making something from scratch.

My mum and I have also been on a self-defense class this weekend. It was based on Krav Maga, a martial art from Israel. It was kind of fun, but at the same time I don't like to "fight" one-on-one. But I guess if I ever get attacked I know a little bit more about how to get away now. I hope I'll never need it of course.

Yesterday and the first half of today we learned techniques, and then as a kind of examination a guy came wearing loads of padding that we had to defend ourselves from. The guy that we were defending ourselves from is actually one of my neighbors!

It was really uncomfortable having to defend myself in front of all the others on the course. I don't like it when people are watching me. But of course it's better than to actually get attacked. I have no idea what I actually did when I was "attacked". I doubt I did the exact techniques, but how you do things isn't really what you think about when you're being attacked. I just did everything I could to get away, and it worked. But I hope I'll never have to use it in a real situation.

Photo of the day

"My lips are sealed"

The zip is actually an ear-ring that I bought at Camden market in London. I sometimes wear them to work, they match my very green uniform.

Second thoughts

I have been having second thoughts about studying accounting lately. I was never sure that I wanted to be an accountant, but I really want to study, so I just picked something I thought I might enjoy...

Maybe it's just nerves. But at the same time I don't want to get a huge loan that will take me years to repay. Not if it's for something I don't want to do. It would be better to study something that I can use in a lot of jobs. Like when I got my OCR in England: That can come in handy in any office job, and it was only part-time, and not very expensive.

I still want to go to Australia, and I WILL. But I might have to find something else to do. Maybe be an au pair again. It's how I started out in England. It's a great way to get to a country, because then you've got both a job and a place to live.

It's a little bit embarrassing as well. I have to quite a few people that I've been planning to go to Australia and study accounting. So telling everyone that I won't do it will be hard. But I think I have liked the idea of it more that actually wanting it...

I don't know. I'll have to think about it a little bit more before I make up my mind. But if I decide I don't want to study then I need to let them know at Griffith so that they can give my place to someone else.

What's most annoying about all this is that I really want to study, and get on with my life, get a proper job, instead of just working in pubs and shops all my life. I'm not saying that to work in a pub or a shop isn't a proper job, it's okay for someone that wants to do it, and that likes to work with people, but for me it's just not the right job.

A money saving idea, if only I could stick to it.

I spend far too much money on DVDs. If I see one I like the look of I will buy it.

I have 115 DVDs, not counting TV series. I try to get rid of the ones I don't actually like sometimes, but I keep buying new ones all the time. I use Play.com a lot, I was very happy when I found out they deliver for free to Norway, and as long as they're under £20, there's no customs charge either.

The thing is though, I would save loads of money I could stop buying DVDs all the time. Another reason not to buy film all the time is that a lot of the time the films turns out to be rubbish, or just not my cup of tea, and I regret having spent money on them.

I have borrowed films from the local library a few times. Luckily I can borrow films there for free, I know there are some libraries where you have to pay to borrow films. Which is fair enough, they need to earn some money as well. But anyway, the local library doesn't really have a lot of films on offer.

Instead of using loads of money buying or renting films, why not borrow with your friends?

A friend and I are borrowing films from each other at the minute. I wrote her a list of the films I had and she wrote me one with the films she had. Then she looked at the list I sent her and she told me which ones she'd like to borrow. I had not seen any of the films she had (that I could remember) so I just sent a message back asking if I could borrow all of them(she only had 7). Some of them is the kind of films I don't think I'll like, but since I get to borrow them for free anyway I might as well watch them. Maybe I'll like them after all.

Of course, you can also do the same thing with books. 

I used to spend a lot of money on books as well. When I moved from England I gave most of my books to Oxfam, and I decided I would try not to spend so much money on books from then on, and I have actually managed not to. 

The thing is, after living in England for over 3 years, I've kind of gotten used to reading books in English. I will of course read the book in Norwegian if that's the original language, like Jostein Gaarder's books, but if they've been translated to Norwegian I think they sound weird in a way. The local book shops doesn't really sell many books in English, so of course that helps. So I went to the library, their English book section is also very small, but they told me they can order books for me. For free!! So now I usually hand a long list of books to the library (usually by author like: Cecelia Ahern one month, Marian Keyes the next) and they order the books for me!

Recently though I got the first 8 books of the Sookie Stackhouse series for my birthday, that I only just started to read a couple of weeks ago, so I'm working my way through them. I also got some books for Christmas that I've not had time to read yet. I brought two of the Sookie Stackhouse books with me when I went to England, and I finished them, so I wanted to buy another book for my journey home.... 

Not a good idea. I went in to Waterstone's (wich is a bad idea to begin with when you're me) and I got 3 new books, because they were on a 3 for 2 offer. Then I walked past Michael McIntyres book Live and Laughing the next day, so I had to buy that. And the day before I left, N wanted to buy a book in Tesco's but she could only find one and they were on a 2 books for £8 offer, so I got a book as well so that we would only have to pay £4 each....

 So I now have a whole stack of books to get through, and the library just got a book in that I ordered a while ago, so of course I have to read that first since they want it back in a few weeks time.

Only one book in Norwegian

At least I TRY to save money.

England 2011

The manager's wife told me before I went to England that she would text me if she wanted me to work today, but I never got a text so I thought I could just relax and do whatever I wanted.

I walked in to town at about 1.30pm to go to the library and to find out what shifts I have this week and next. I'm lucky  did. I looked at the rota and I was supposed to start at 3.15pm today, so I just had to walk back home, put on my uniform, and walk back down again!

At least I got a lie in after not getting home until 2am last night.

Anyway. I had a great time I England, It was really nice to see everybody again. I didn't get to do everything I planned, but that doesn't really matter.

Some random art on the way to the train station

I didn't get to Chesterfield until 8pm-ish on Tuesday, so I didn't do anything except going to N's house and watch a bit of telly. As soon as I was walking through Chesterfield it felt like I had never left.

On Wednesday N and I went to Meadowhall (also known as Meadowhell) and did a little bit of shopping, I got some presents for my sister and my mum's cohabitant. When we got back to Chesterfield I stopped by the pub where I used to work, Yates's. I had not told them I was coming as I wanted to surprise them. They were surprised. It was like watching a film. The girl that spotted me first saw me but didn't really recognise me, then a second after she turned away from me she turned around and actually realized it was me. I had a few drinks and some people that were off that day came in to see me, so it was really nice.

Thursday we walked around Chesterfield and did some shopping there, then we went to Tokuda (It's actually calle O-Tokuda I think) in the evening. I love the food at Tokuda, I always have the all you can eat buffet thing, and actually prefer the starters. My favourites are the chicken dumplings and chicken skewers, I always ask for seconds (and thirds, fourths and so on...) of those.

On Friday I went to visit the family I used to be an au pair for, It was lovely seeing the girls again! I missed them so much.I think they missed me as well, or at least thought it was nice to see me, they were very hyper.

We were supposed to go around town on Saturday night, but unfortunately N hurt her knee, so she couldn't really walk around all night, so N, I and two others went to the cinema and saw "Tangled" instead. I really enjoyed it. Of course I wish N hadn't hurt her knee as I've not been out in ages, but at least we did something together.

On Sunday we just relaxed and I had a lovely Sunday roast dinner with N and her family.

N's dog Charlie

I spent some more money on Monday in Chesterfield, and then struggled to close my suitcase. N went to Sheffield to see Peter Kay Monday night because she got a ticked for Christmas. I'm slightly jealous about that.

Tuesday was going home day. I slept for about 2 hours and then I got up and left N's house at 3am and got home about 22 hours later... So the whole day was spent on coaches, planes and airports, and a ferry. I guess it's "practice" for when I got to Australia, that will take about 30 hours.

Watching the sunrise from the coach

A random picture taken through the very dirty coach window

It's a shame we didn't get to go to York Dungeon, but the train tickets were really expensive. 

Does anyone know why people are unable to wait when it comes to planes? Really. I want answers.

very dirty plane window

It starts at the gate; the people at the gate says they are now starting boarding, could the people sitting from rows 16 to 32 please come to the gate?

Why does almost everybody get up and go to the gate? Even the ones sat in row 2 goes to the gate Can they not count? Some have even started queuing up before the gate has opened. The plane will not leave without you as long as you pay attention and get to the gate before it closes. I always get to the gate in plenty of time, but I don't queue up until my seat row has been called up and the queue has gotten a little shorter, why stand when I can sit?

When we are in the air and as soon as the seatbelt sign has been switched off, you can hear lots of people taking their belts off. Is it really that uncomfortable having it on? You are allowed to loosen it if you can't breathe you know.

As soon as the plane lands you can hear people taking their seatbelts off again. Why? You still can't get up until the plane is at the gate, so why take the belt off?

Which leads me to the last question about plane impatience: why does everybody stand up as soon as the seatbelt sign is switched off? I can understand the people sitting by the aisle getting up; they need to get their things out from the overhead compartments and get off the plane so that other people can get off as well, but I don't understand why the people sitting by the windows get up when there is no possibility for them to get out.  I usually just sit until people near me are actually able to move towards the doors.

I have to admit I did try to get off the plane quicker than usual in Oslo when I was going to England. I had enough, but not much, time between my flights and I had to get my suitcase off the carousel and check it back in again. Although I needn't have bothered with trying to get off the plane quickly anyway as it took nearly half an hour for them to put the suitcases on the carousel.

See? 

There's no need to be impatient. If you try to be the first one to get off because you need to catch another flight/coach/bus/train you shouldn't have booked them so close together to begin with, things may run late sometimes.