All the Xmas stuff

Soundtrack: Trinityroots - All we be

I've done most of the Xmas shopping now, feels pretty good to be done with all the gifts for all my people, and now it's all about the cards. I've sent out quite a few already, but not the "special ones". I have to go somewhere in Norway to send them, and I really hope that I can manage it now that I've been talking so much about it... Hehe. Would be a bit embarassing if not...
I don't think I've ever spent this much money on sending cards.. I'm up to about 40 dollars now, just for cards and stamps. whoa. I guess that is the price you pay for having good friends all over the world - in that sence it is a price that I am more than willing to pay! :)

Ah well, guess I have to run. More updates soon!
Should try to post some pictures...

blablabla

Soundtrack: Leftfield - Swords

I had a good day at work today, just been walking around daydreaming to myself and ignoring the old grumpy men that I make food for. Today's shift of people was extraordinarily grumpy, usually they are very nice, but these men must be of the kind that feed off other people's energy. Anyway, I didn't care much about them. Meeting Odny yesterday was great, finally I have someone of my crew here at home.

I watched the Nobel Peace Price Concert on Sunday, this years winner is the IAEA and their General Manager Mohamad ElBaradei. Well earned. All honour to them, and may they always be here to protect us. ElBaradai was really moved when he entered the stage at the end of the concert, and he said: "As long as I am alive, I will never fail you." What a wonderful man. :)

Quite a large fright

Soundtrack: buena vista social club - el cuarto de tula

Geeta told me that her friend that studies BTM last year said that HGL was leaving for Germany. WELL, Geeta, thank goodness your friend was wrong! He is only on a research leave. ^_^

Still working, cannot wait to meet my friend Odny today! Finally!

Now 25

Well, my birthday wasn't much. I worked till 4, and then was completely exhausted. Went home, ate cake, and went out to eat dinner with my dad. And that was it, really. Got nice presents, from Trav I got Emily Dickinson's complete works, from Feli a cute ass little mirror, from mom and Rex I got a diamond ring (yikes!) and from my dad I got an A-plan! wuhu! no more wallets for me, I'll now appear super organised wherever I go! ^_^
My brother forgot all about me, or couldn't be bothered to call. So much for family love.

Not being able to post pictures on my blog is annoying me. To be able to I have to go through a long series of different things, I have to get it on my thumbdrive, then put it on my other computer to get it on a floppy, then go to the employment office to use a crappy computer to write the post, and then go to the library to put the pictures on. Bah. So that is why my blog is boring.
And Tarz, thank you for waking me up yesterday at 9am so I wasn't late for my bus, I forgot to put my alarm on, but woke up when I dreamt that u were waking me up. Weirdest thing ever! Must be some Maori magic or something..
Feli, Jo and Regi: soon I will have planned when I'll be arriving and all! Wuhu!!!
Greg: u better read my blog from now on!

I've done all my xmas shopping, and can now relax until we go to Trondheim for the holidays. They have snow! Wuhu, white xmas, here I come. Here it is as usual. When it snows, it only stays for 1-2 days and then it's gone again.. grr. But anyway, I'm planning to send cards to those of you that I think would enjoy it, from a very special place. hihi, not saying more now.

Love to all.

I still need addresses!

Soundtrack: Goldfrapp - Strict machine

And that goes for ALL of you, cause I left my address book in NZ. No address, no xmascard. That simple!

Not much news, still working and nothing much happening. Looking forward to eating cake tomorrow.

Trav! I opened the present, a million thank u for the book! I was stunned. :D
Feli, tanks for the lovely mirror! It was so cute!
Hugs to you both.
I opened them today cause I won't be home till late tomorrow. :) Any excuse is good enough. I'm surprised that I got any gifts in time, having such a bad rep myself, hehe.

Late happy B-day Joanne!!

On the 25th Jo had her 20th b-day, and unfortunately my isolation has made it impossible to blog or do anything on the net since my last blog entry... wow. All my thoughts went to her on her bday, and thus I hope that the saying is true: I'ts the thought that counts.....
I didn't expect to have so much work, but I'm really happy for it. I am making money! wuhu! wonderful shopping money to be spent in KL and Sing! Yay!!! I can't wait to go!

So my job is very easy. It's just making food for the staff at the carferry and being in charge of the kiosk onboard. It's easy, and the pay is goood. :) I like it! now my friends and family will have presents for xmas that doesn't totally suck, hehe. I was counting on having to make a lot of home made pressies, but now I can go for something a bit nicer. yay! I aim to please.

So to all of yous that haven't received a nagging email from me: Send me your addresses! I need them for xmas cards and stuff, and Regi: your email address SERIOUSLY doesn't work! I need you to send me an email with your addie and stuff, you also have a late bdaypresent coming...

It's cold as here these days, the median is about -1 degrees and colder at night. But it's nice! maybe I'll have a white X-Mas! wuhu!
Have to run sweeties!

Love

I'VE GOT A JOB!!

Or at least it looks veery promising! I've got training today, and then I start work immediately!! WOOOHO!!!! Happy day! Sooo coool! I've had company this weekend, and that was great. Two of my best friends came home to visit their parents, and then I had a great weekend with a lot of chattering on about this and that.. :) Old friends are great. Vanessa and Renée have known me since I was 8, and that's the longest that anyone have known me xept my parents and stuff. Hehe. I feel so great! I was feeling a bit down, didn't quite see the point in going to the unemployment office, cause there are never any jobs anyway... but here we are! My new and very unflash job is: Working at a ferry, in the kiosk onboard. But hey, I don't give a shit! It's money!

I have to do the tag challenge thing too, since Feli tagged me, so here is 5 random things about me:

1. I put my knee on the lid of the toilet when I flush.

2. I can't stand wearing anything around my wrists, least of all watches.

3. I used to work as a dog-walker when I was a kid.

4. I love jumping into the water with all my clothes on. WHEEE!

5. I like men in uniforms!! I LOVE men in uniforms!!!

Ok, and since more or less all my friends have been tagged already, this ends here. Sorry abt that. I was never much for chain-letters and stuff...

So now, I have to go cause my training starts in 2 hours time, yeee! C u all later!!

The best email ever!!

Please disregard your current result as posted on banner - due to a technical input all results are incorrect. All correct results will be posted Friday 18th November.
Linda WalkerAdministrative Assistant for Tourism ManagementVMS Examination CoordinatorPhone: 463 5720; Room: RH 927Office hours: 9 - 3:30 Mon - Fri

My goodness, such relief... I've been tossing and turning all night and wondering if I was out of my mind, not being able to assess my effort at all, or what on earth could be wrong??!!! The correct results are up already, and I got A- for both tourism and info this trimester. I'm so happy I could cry.. :D

My friend says she has a spare room in the city for me if I want to work there, and my mum sais that I should go... and then it hit me. All though I'm complaining and all that I can't get a job and blablabla, I really treasure this time with my mum. Ok, it's not that exciting, but I love my parents and it's them that I miss when I'm overseas... So it all comes down to two choices: Go to the city and having a much greater possibility of getting work, or staying here with my parents close and maybe face not getting a job at all. I should put my thinking-cap on.
My dad brought me books for studying German yesterday. So now I have 200 pages of grammar to go through before February. hihihi

So it worked out just fine... but MAN I was stressed!! Thank you dearies for support and comfort. :)

snow

We got snow today. Or, it started yesterday and today when I woke up there was a white cover all over. It's melting fast though, so I bet it'll be gone by tonight. But man it's cold now! We have 2 degrees, and in nighttime it'll be even colder.. I'm hoping for snow that lasts. It's pretty. :)

My stepdad arrived from Jugoslavia yesterday, with jewellery, a tonne of candy and cigarettes (growl) and slippers. I got a gold ring with a diamond which I suspect is all too real, but don't dare ask cause then I'd never dare wear it. Slippers from his daughters, and some vegetable paste that smells really dreamy. yee! My mum is going to attempt a vegetarian lasagna today.. I'm just amused that she can be bothered.

I'm actually pretty torn up today.. I checked my grades online and I got a C for tourism in New Zealand... Which I had an A average for before the exam. I can't understand it... I just can't understand it... I don't know what to do either... I couldn't possibly have gotten an E on the exam??? I answered all four questions and did well on at least 2 of them... Someone please help :'(

finally(?) some photos

Soundtrack: Led Zeppelin - baby I'm gonna leave you

Ok, it is getting worse. Today, the weather people say that it will rain so much that it will be actually dangerous... I'm sure that the lake will go over it's boundaries, and some of the waterfalls on the way to Odda will be flowing over the roads... And the bad thing is, we're not even the area that will suffer the most rain! Some farmer a bit further north had his entire farm, house and land washed away in a landslide, and things like this will be happening all over the country now because of the large amounts of water that will be falling from the sky...
In Bergen, the city that I live the closest to they have a saying: When God created Bergen, he thought it was so immensely beautiful that he deided to have it cleaned almost every day! But I myself am still longing for some sunshine and a chance to get out of the house without sitting inside a car...
Friday I went with my dad to Odda, his bluesclub had a quiznight about music (not only blues but all kinds of music) and I decided that instead of sitting inside for another night I might as well tag along. It turned out to be really fun, and our team came in second (as intended. Cause the ones who win have to make the questions for next time ^_^) and even though I was being smoked half way out of the building I had an enjoyable evening. Man those people smoked! every twenty minutes they lighted up a new one.. I felt all grey when the evening was over..

Still no feedback on any of the jobs that I've applied for. And still there is no new ones to apply for. chances are that I'll go insane with boredom before the end. I've started revising some German, but other than that I've got nothing much to do, and the weather is keeping me hostage in the house. I could get some rainclotes or something, but the thought of it isn't all that tempting..

Goodness.. beside me in the library now there are some supernerds... they are playing games on internet, and all they are talking about is the game and stupid people who are better than they are, and bladibla about guns and so on... Hahahaha
I don't get those ppl. Or, in some sense I do, but not to that degree. ah well. I have to go out in the rain again and make my way home for dinner. :)
Love to all.

Let the baking begin

So, now we start an epic day of baking. Bread, buns and maybe even a cake!
You have to do something to get the days to pass, right? Then tonight I'm going for a quiz with my dad. and tomorrow: NORWAY - CZECH(?) REPUBLIC!!! I wanna be in the worldcup!! This is it, the upcoming two matches tomorrow and on Wednesday will be critical. *sweatdrop*

stoneage

Soundtrack: The Black Seeds - Turn it around

Now I'm on my way to the library to buy a *snort* floppy disk, so that I can upload pictures to my blog from the employment office. Well, at least they are good for something? I can't get a job, but I can exploit their internet connection. ^_^ Well, as I have only been home for 4 days, I guess I shouldn't stress too much just yet. Just keep at it, and don't loose faith! I shall get a job! I almost lost motivation today, but then I remembered my Zen, and then everything seemed brighter. :) Still raining.. but there was about 5 mins of sunlight today! Yee!! Today I shall start revising my German, and keep up the knitting. Yess.
Poor Lars, I talked to him yesterday and his comp is dead. And then as I was talking to him my comp died as well! It was weird, like a bug that leaped through the phone and hit my comp, he sais that he is jinxed. The really funny thing was, that when I hang up and tried my computer again, it worked! Poor Lars... his computer luck is all out.
Tarz! I dreamt of you again! This time we had a competition of some sort.. come soccer game/barbecue thing.. it made perfect sense in the dream. hm.
Lots of love to all!

Home again!

Finally I have reached cold and rainy Norway, after 3 days of stress and intensive travelling. It did not make matters better that my travel agent in Auckland managed to fuck up my reservations before I arrived at the airport, so when I arrived at Welli airport at 4am they told me that I had no reservations, and I had to contact my travel agent to fix it *MAJOR SWEATDROP* *HATE*
I'm not flying Austrian again, that is for sure.
Now I am trying hard to get a job. It proves to be very hard, cause there are not many options, and I am really in a hurry...
It was good to come home to my parents though, but I really miss having an internet connection! And money! I'm so broke now...
Trong: I might save a thousand bucks if I fly thai airways through Bankok next year!! where are you at the 9th of February?
Trav: I haven't looked at the note! I threw it away yesterday. :)
Jo: Miss u heeps! Shop a lot!
Tarz: Hope you slept well after I left! Miss u!
Go: I need your address! (you probably won't read this though..)
Kunihiro: Hope you are back with your beloved and having the time of your life. ^_^ Miss you!
Geeta and Katherine: Take good care of Michael and Courage! Enjoy the summer!
The rest of u: MISS U AND MISS MY MSN!!

I really miss Wellington. Husnes is still the same boring little place, full og ghosts that I have left ages ago. I don't feel at home here at all, it is just nice to see mum and dad, but other than that I wish that I wasn't staying here for such a long time. I'll be mad with boredom before december, mark my words! And all the leaves are dying, it is late autumn here now, and I'm remembering summer and green grass that I have left behind. *dreaming*

Melbourne was awesome! I loved the city, it was really nice and the people were friendly, save an old hag who had to make a huge fuzz about me putting my very clean shoes on the edge of the seat in front of me. man... some old people are just sad. I still cannot help but wonder if it made her day to be that grumpy towards a complete stranger. Still, I would definitely like to go back to Melbourne and spend some more time there. St Kilda beach was beautiful!! Too bad that these computers are too crappy for me to upload pictures, hear this: I have to put the pics on a floppy disk to access them on this computer! A FLOPPY!!!! HAHahahahaha

Since I arrived it has been raining, been storming, and yesterday we had lightning and thunder! wow... so much weather at once, I guess I wasn't that prepared for it.

Well, I'm at the employment office now, and their computers suck , so I had better post this before it disappears! hehe.

It's over!

So many things are over now.. My exams are over! Which I am veeery happy about. ^_^ My stay at Vic House is over, which I regret, cause my last 5 months here have been quite delightful. I had a bad start being placed on the wrong floor, but once I got up to the 3rd floor, everything was sweet. It is nice to have so many cool ppl around, and i hope hope hope that Stafford House will be cool as next year!
My first year in New Zealand is over! I cannot believe how fast time flies... I have had so many good times! so many memories, and Man I like this country! It was an exellent choice, and I cannot wait to explore more of it next year. :)
It is the end of my time with Kunihiro and Go, and I will miss them a lot next year, it will be sad to say goodbye to them tomorrow.
But with endings come new beginnings!
It will be nice to get home for a while now and eat some decent food and do some cooking again. :) I have to get all sorts of stuff for my friends here, So I had better get a job fast and earn some cash! Need it, neeeed it. All those that are connected should be praying for me. :) I am almost done packing now, I only need two more boxes to pack all the stuff that I've forgotten all over my room... *sigh* Got 9 boxes + 2 more that I need, 2 bags, one dresser (my bedside table), and the pipe with the posters. Whoa...
Today we finished our exams and then went to California Sushi for lunch. It was nice as! I'm going to bring my dad there next year. Then we went to the mill for a lot of beer, drank a lot of beer and had dinner drunk. Now it is 9 30 pm and I am sooo unbelievably tired.. I only had 1 hour of sleep last night. Kept tossing and turning.. Think I'll have a really early night tonight.

The Corpse Bride

We went to see The Corpse Bride today!
It was really nice and really romantic.. :) There are so many movies that I have to see when my exams end! I want to see Narnia, which was filmed in New Zealand, and I want to see Harry Potter. I'll probably catch HP with my dad when we go to my grandmother's for Christmas. In a way, I don't want to go home now... And in a way I do... *sigh*
If only my exams were over.

Swimming

Soundtrack: Erlend Øye - The talk

So, I now finished two exams and still have one to go. The worst one. To celebrate that I finished the exam, I sat a goal that on our picnic on Wednesday I would swim! It is after all summer? I saw butterflies here the other days, and bees and stuff. U don't get those unless it is summer... I, Jo, Go and Kuni went to Island Bay for the day. The weather was really super nice, and the beach was unbelievably nice. Feli was right, it is really beautiful there. :) I'm definitely going there when I get back next year. When it is hopefully a lot warmer in the water!!! I asked around before going for the swim, and they told me it would be around 11 degrees in the water. I am a Norwegian am I not? So, of course I had to go for a swim. :D It was cold.
Now I am broke, I only have enough to enjoy Melbourne and go home. Which should be sufficient, but still. It would have been nice to have something to use when I got back. Ah well, must get a job fast as!

Indian Festival

Geeta asked me to come to this Indian festival in Civic square, and I decided to go all though I really should be studying.. :D I'll make up for it tomorrow. At least I'll try hard to. So I, Geeta and Katherine walked down there at about 3 pm, looking forward to eating and shopping at the stalls. It was so cool to see all the people there dressed up in the national costumes, and the dancers were really superb, even though they were kids! I was amazed at how well they danced. They must start training when they are really young...
So I enjoyed walking around, trying a lot of strange food that tasted good, but I still have no clue what it is that I have been eating today.
We ate these yellow balls of something that was sweet, that was nice. And some spicy stuff with potato, and something made out of milk. hehe.. not very descriptive. to top it all off I got a henna tattoo! So cool, but I had to walk around with my hand open for about 4 hours, so it was a bit troublesome. It's my first henna though, so now my writing-hand is all dolled up for exams ^_^

Great day in the sunshine, and at the end we went to Hell. We had pizza there before we went home. I've studied for about 2 hours, not enough by far. Still, I feel somewhat confident that I will get a good grade for this exam.. Hopefully my gut feeling is right.

Dinner at Sakura

We had a dinner to celebrate Kunihiro an Go, and to grieve the fact that we will not see them again after this year. Kuni will be going home and attempting to get a job or study or both, while Go has finished his Honors degree and will be going to Japan to start working. Good luck to them both! (so I guess this means that we will have to find replacements when they are gone...) Dinner was nice, but it was not very filling.
After dinner we returned to Vic house to have icecream and wine. Mmm.. :)_
Nice wine and some icecream, and my stomach didn't hurt afterwards. My oh my, a whole day without studying. I was going to watch a movie afterwards, but ended up in Katherine's room after the wine. Oh well. Phrase of the day: "Put it away."

I had an exam on Wednesday, as you know... And it was EASY. I'm hoping that this is a good sign. Then we had planned a dinner for Trong, because he was going away earlier than the farewell dinner for Go and Kuni. But then he decided to go on the 27.. and we just decided to have the dinner anyway. :D We went to a

restaurant called the Tug Boat Restaurant in Oriental Bay. It was pretty flash, and the prices were high.. But the food was not that great. It was ok. We agree that the fishermans table is better though. The scene is better at the tug boat, but the food is better at the fisherman's table. yeah.. anyway.. ^_^

I just got back from a lovely run in the rain. :D I'm freezing, swetty and feel really tired, but still it's great! A woman asked me when I was running past her: Why are you running?! (she was drunk). I yelled back: Because I want to! And then it hit me... I actually like this! Even though it feels like hell, and I feel like the most unfit person in the world, when I'm done I feel great! So now I am going to go to bed with a happy (though disturbing, for some people who don't like jogging) smile on my face.

hmm

Yesterday there was a full moon, and I went around town taking some photos. They didn't turn out too great, but ok I guess. I am now only hours away from my first exam, cannot wait to be done with it! Info 101, this is the end of our relationship. I haven't studied too hard, but still feel pretty confident. We'll see when the report card comes....

After getting into Stafford my stress level has been eased a lot. And Christine has promised to help me with storage if I need it, so now I am confident that I will have room for all my stuff. After the exam tomorrow I look forward to a flash as dinner and a whole week of studying my favourite subject. :) Things are looking up. Now the only thing that is missing is sleep... Cause I'm really awake, and still I have to sleep to wake up early tomorrow. Humm... Someone knock me on the head with something heavy..

To Luke I bestow

Soundtrack: Biohazard - Kill or be killed

Except - prep. With the exclusion of; other than; but: everyone except me.
To leave out; exclude: An admission fee is charged, but children are excepted.

Accept - To receive (something offered), especially with gladness or approval: accepted a glass of water; accepted their contract.
To admit to a group, organization, or place: accepted me as a new member of the club.
To regard as proper, usual, or right: Such customs are widely accepted.
To regard as true; believe in: Scientists have accepted the new theory.
To understand as having a specific meaning.
To endure resignedly or patiently: accept one's fate.
To answer affirmatively: accept an invitation.
To agree to take (a duty or responsibility).
To be able to hold (something applied or inserted): This wood will not accept oil paints.
To receive officially: accept the committee's report.
To consent to pay, as by a signed agreement.
Medicine. To receive (a transplanted organ or tissue) without immunological rejection.


It's hard being trilingual sometimes

Behold our new neighbourhood!! After a long time of dreaming about the promised land, the perfect flat, the hood of our dreams, it is finally reality. Me and Jo will be living in Stafford house next year! Wuhu! Have been a bit stressed today cause the offers were out but me and Jo had heard nothing. So Christine offered to call the warden of stafford and check! And yesss, me and Jo are exepted. So, now it is the matter of getting a two or three bedroom flat. At least now we don't have to stress when we get here with finding a flat! I can do it over next summer, take time to find the perfect flat.. ^_^

Eat my dust!

Soundtrack: A-ha - The sun always shine on TV

I've been roaming around the streets of Wellington this trimester, and lately I've even started to jog! Wow.. that is pretty huge for me! I hated jogging before, now it is something that I actually see myself doing.. so after a few late night jogs around the city, I decided today to get some essentials that I really felt that I need to pursue this new "life style"; a sports bra and shoes for jogging! It feels good to be running away from all the pressure of exams and all the stuff that I have to get organised now before I go in just two weeks and five days. Thank goodness that I'm not leaving Wellington for good! Then my exams would have gone straight down the drain in mourning the city and all my friends. I'll return here next year to see most of them! But alas, Kunihiro and Go will not be here next year. I'll miss them heaps... :'(

Studying is going so so. After this exam it will go a lot better though. I just have to find inspiration for studying, and that is hard when the subject is horribly boring. No more info! Just 4 more days and I never have to think of it again. I'm quite certain that I'll pass, so no pressure here. ^_^ The pressure is on for Tourism, I have to achieve and A or better (yikes!) to be a tutor later.. something that I really want the opportunity to be if I feel like it in later years. Then there is Management... the hardest exam. I MUST PASS!!!! I SHALL PASS!!!! I'll be studying my ass off for the last week. After that I have Melbourne to look forward to, and seing all my friends and family at home! Yay!

want more candy

Soundtrack: Armand von Helden - My my my

I can't believe that it's only 3 weeks left till I go home! Time flies so fast... Three more weeks and I'll be stuck in winterland for months. I have tonnes of stuff to do once I get home, so it'll probably be over real fast. I have books to read, people to visit, have to get a job, going to my grandmother for Christmas... Lotsa things to do. :) And Cristine told me that the offers for Stafford will be out next week!! My my my... Don't know what to do if we don't get in.. Guess we'll have to search online for a flat then. A bit more risky, but it's probably doable. So many things to think of here in the midst of exams and all... Goodbyes, organising things for the summer, cancelling my telephone and all that. Wow... And on top of that I'm close to failing management as it is.. I hope I'll do a bit better on the exam!! *sigh* I really cannot afford to fail any courses... Better get down to business!!

Some neighbours

Tawhana, aka Sonic the Hedgehog. Dressed and ready for the vic house ball.


Do not be alarmed. They are completely harmless. Apparently Calvin got this "haircut" in exchange for a beer. Lloyd doesn't need any explanaition.

Picnics and Parties

Soundtrack: Mandalay - This Life

On Saturday we decided to go for a picnic. It was bright and sunny as we called up Kuni, and he immediately agreed to go on the picnic! Way! So, the four of us packed our bags and went up to the botanical garden. Our aim was for the duck pond and the rose garden, but we never made it to any of those destinations. Instead we placed ourselves on the stage in the park in shelter of the rain.. haha. Typical, picnic and rain. I was feeling a bit tired when we got back, and wasn't really in the mood for going out, but decided that I would anyway. It was a good old fashioned scandinavian style vorspiel! I liked it quite much, normally now there is no vorspiel, and I just never feel ready to go out on town because there is no build up to it. The vorspiel is what welds partypeople together and makes you ready for town. It was fun, but I guess the people are not quite my regular crowd. It's hard to explain, because they were really nice and stuff and were really easy to communicate with, and were sincerely friendly (not fake friendly like Kiwi girls). I've had a weekend with lots and lots of Scandinavians. Friday I went out with Anette x2 and another Norwegian, and yesterday there were 6 of us, 3 norw. and 3 swedish girls. whoa. I think it'll be a long while before I go drinking again.. I'm so fed up with partying right now... It's good to get it out of your system though, now I can focus completely on my exam studies!!

The Alcoholic

Soundtrack: Pulp - Common People

I think Trong is right, I'm turning into an alcoholic. I drank on Wednesday, was out again tonite and I'm going out tomorrow as well. that's three nights in one week! There was an "end of the year tourism party" today, I went to check it out for a while but there was no one there from first year. I kind of expected it, but I thought I'd check it out anyway. Tomorrow I'm invited to a Vorspiel on Kelburn Parade, to a Swedish gril who apparently also studies tourism. That might be cool. I hardly know anyone in my class, exept for a few people that I've been in tutorials with. It was good today though, we went to Eastside, Havana, the big kumara and the Malthouse.

Earlier today I wanted to get out a lot of CDs from the library, and there was a firealarm! I thought it was a dud, but no. Some pranksters had tried to start a fire, burning some paper. And in a way they succeeded... The firealarm was set off, and so was the sprinkler-system. I can only imagine how much damage the water must have done to all the books and the computers. It makes me sad... There was 6 trucks in front of the library... Always when I don't have my camera these things happen. I need a cameraphone!

Why on earth am I dreaming about my friends dying all the time??? Last night I dreamt that Gøril and Lars died, and they followed me around. Only, I was a tall blond boy, not myself. They died in a carcrash, and I was in the car with them when they died. They were following me around, and whenever I looked at myself in a mirror, they would be on either side of me. Lars would possess me, and I would feel different, while I could communicate with Gøril at times. So weird....

No more sugar thanx

Massive overdose on Chockolate Oreos... It's only the second package of Oreos that I've bought in my life, but I think I'm done with them already. The same thing happened last time, overdosed and feel sick to my bones, just wanna hurl. At least they don't have them at home, so I don't have to see them for a long time.

I'm still pretty unproductive. Today was the very last day of the term, no more lectures, but three exams. For the first time, I'm faced with having to revise for two exams of subjects that I don't like and don't want to continue with. That feels scary, it is almost as if I'm doomed to do bad because I don't feel committed to the task. All I know is that I have to pass in order to be able to get support to stay here. But passing is not that difficult... that is not the issue here. It might be for the most difficult one, but I feel that the issue is that of passing with a good grade. Ah well. I will do my best, and I will soon start revising. Sunday will be the day when I start!

I had an absolutely disgusting dream last night. I dreamt that I was on a trip with some people, and just as I started to care about them and feel comfortable, this guy killed one of my friends. I crawled into his bed, and all that was left of him was his face, the guy had cut his face off and put it on his pillow so it looked like he was asleep. And then this guy came after me. He was chasing me, and I was always locking doors, fearing that I wouldn't be able to lock it before he caught up with me... You know, the fear that really feels piercing in a nightmare, where you wake up and still the stress and the fear is so strong that your heart is racing and you try to figure out what the dream might mean..

The couch potato

The last few days I've been doing nothing but watching The Sopranos and The Secret Life of Us on dvd, and being the ultimate sloth. I've just barely managed to get to my classes, and certainly I haven't done anything here at home. Exams are creeping closer, and I guess soon I have to bring myself back on track and start studying for them. I have one week to study for each exam, so It's quite nice laid out that way. Had a looong day today, with shopping, formal dinner in Vic House, Karaoke and ending up in the hallway talking to Greg for hours. I'm probably just gonna watch more S.L.O.F (it almost reads sloth...) and be lazy for the rest of the night. Tomorrow is my very last lecture this year.. Soon I'm going home!! I can't believe how fast these 8 months have gone... And now just one month to go before I go home for the summer. My my my...
I'm gonna miss all the funny characters here in Vic house and my friends over the summer. Then next year we'll probably be living in Stafford house, the promised land... ahhhh. :) Unless they decide that we're not worthy. In which case we have a challenge ahead. Ah well. I've had too much red wine to worry about that right now. :)

Vic House hoody

Soundtrack: Thomas Dybdahl - Adelaide

The Vic House hoodies are on their way, and this is how the design looks this year: Tada! Designed by Rory, a fellow floor-mate, it shows some of the stuff that has caused fire alarms over the year. Apparently, we have had more this year than what is usual, so is't quite appropriate.

Today nothing much has happened. Just chilled, cleaned my room so now it looks spotless, and will watch as much Sopranos as possible tonite! A day of sloth. But at least the weather is not that good, which makes a perfect excuse to stay inside.

The best day ever

Soundtrack: U2 - Discoteque

Today (yesterday now) was one of the best days ever! I woke up after a good night's sleep, and actually felt rested for once! Got up and kick started the day with a mouthful of cola(which kept me hyper for hours...). When we got up to uni, we saw that our reports were in a box, carried by our professor. *heartbeat* I was really nervous about it! after keeping us on the edge for about a whole lecture, he made us watch while he laid them out nicely, grouped by tutors. And then finaly we could have them back! My baby.. I spend soo long time on this report, and I would have been absolutely heartbroken if I'd gotten a bad grade, but it was an A! Soooo happy, I walked down to vic house again (is it a bad sign that every time I try to write vic house I type in vic hourse?) and it was pizza for lunch! jippi! I asked Jo what she was up to, and we decided to go to this other Asian market in Webb street, far off from city core. And we also decided to surprise Kuni with a visit to his house! Hahaha *evil laughter*. Kuni was very surprised to see us at his door. The house he lives in now is super nice, and from his balcony (he has a balcony!) he can see the sea... Well some of us are lucky. After visiting him we went back to vic house again for a nice dinner (!) and after that I went out on town with Anette. It was so good to be chatting randomly in Norwegian again.... ^_^ We went pub-hopping, and she took me to this cool as underground bar that I NEVER would have found if it wasn't for her. and there we saw Elvis!! It's this guy who is in Welli to do a show, he is an Elvis look-alike. I tell you, that's scary! You walk into a club, and the first thing you see when you sit down is Elvis? hmpf. So tired now. Tired and happy, awesome days like these don't come that often. And tomorrow: More Sopranos!!!

Freedom at last!

Finally the day came. No more assignments before exam. Not that I plan on neglecting my revising for exams, but: I shall definitely have a few days of rest now! Tomorrow I'll engage in some of my favourite activities: Photographing and possibly shopping!! I'll try not to shop though. And tomorrow I'm getting the report back! *nervous....* Now the rest of the day before dinner I'm just going to sleep. After dinner I'll catch up with some of the stuff that I should have done AGES ago.. like Feli's birthday present (I'M SOOOO SORRYYYY!!!) and writing a letter to Norma, who is probably wondering whether I'm still alive or not (AGAIN: SORRY!). have to get my nephew a birthday present, and yea... The whole world just stops when you have too much to do. Or rather: You stop, but the world keeps turning and then when you resurface you realise how far behind you are on stuff.. *sigh*
oh well. I'm diving in.

I want to break free

Only one more journal entry, and 400 words on my essay to go. then I'm done. I'm sooo tired, think I'll sleep some now and get up at break of dawn to finish my work. I can sleep the rest of the day when I've handed it in, so it'll be sweet. Night till Monday we had yet another fire alarm... I'll get hold of Tarz and show you guys the design of the vic house hoodies when I get my life back. you'll all agree that it is the right design. ^_^
Ok now, time to concuss and tomorrow at 3pm I will be a very happy girl! All work and no play makes Tina a dull girl....

hole in the head

Oh my goodness how much I have to do before Wednesday.. I have a Journal to do, I have an essay to do, I have a test tomorrow in HTML, and it is humanly impossible to remember all those codes and symbols! HEEELP!

9 signs that your studying is getting to your head:

1. Your neighbour pisses you off when he's too noisy. (bOOm bOOm bOOm bass, and "hyjaaa maan!" "shiit man!" "who's your daddy now!!?" is he for real...)

2. Your neighbour pisses you off when he's too quiet.

3. You get upset when your friends want you to do stuff with them, but you have no time.

4. You get upset when your friends do stuff without asking you. (Like, hellooo... you would have to say no anyway... why make it worse..)

5. You get upset when you have so much to do that you don't know where to start.

6. You get upset when you have ONE last thing to finish, but you're sooo tired from all the other stuff that you've done that you get writers block!

7. You almost start to cry when dinner is bad (no surprises there)

8. You feel that you have to eat all the time to keep studying

9. You decide to blog about the things that drive you insane instead of actually doing some work.

Wallace and Gromit

You have to see it!! It was soooo good!!!
Ahhh.... that will keep me smiling to myself for a good two weeks. :) It was one of the best movies of the year, that's for sure. Lots of subtle jokes and references to classic movies... Yea. Get off your butts and settle them in front of the movie screen!
Other than that it's been a rather uneventful day, lots of studying, need to do heeps more tomorrow and on Sunday. Better get to bed and get some rest before tomorrow.

study...... must study......

Today they found a dead German tourist in Egmont national park, and another tourist from England was kidnapped right here in Wellington, he was beaten up and mugged... Wow... I though New Zealand was so super safe, cause I haven't heard of things like this before. And here I am wandering around in the night-time taking photos and stuff. Maybe it's time to become a bit more careful, get someone to go with me and so on.
So tired but pretty happy about today's work effort, minus the 4 hour nap (heh) that could have been used to study. Ah well, what can you do. Some times you need to sleep some more before you can go on. Been working on the html codes today.. It's true what they say, you start to understand all the funny letters and shit that is in your template and so on. I get a lot of it now, but still have one more part that need to be completed. Hopefully the test will be simple as, at least I haven't had any problems understanding what to do so far. :)
I really like the days when I'm woken up by my dad. He called today at 8:40 am, a bit early, but I had been snoozing since 6 so was kinda on my way to waking up. (II must be the undisputed snoozing champion, some weeks ago I did 5 hours in a row!) Talked with my dad for 2 hours before walking up to campus for my tourism class. All in all a pretty ok day, but tomorrow it is time to get serious about the journals!

Spring

It's spring now... I'm ever so confused. At this time the days should get darker, we all should start feeling slightly depressed and be running off to tanning studios to make ourselves feel better. Funny place to be this. The tree in the quad at Vic House is growing new branches, and everywhere leafs are popping out. And in one month I'll be leaving all this to an uncertain three months at home. No job at salmon farm. People are getting laid off now so I guess they won't need me either... what shall I do.. hmmm. Really need a job to accommodate my luxury lifestyle of eating out several days a week and shopping... Last resort would be to get a job here.
Where does that beeping sound come from!!? It's driving me insane! somewhere outside...
We had our management simulation thing today, and it went great!! Everything worked as it should and we managed to reach our goal. Hopefully that will drag my grade for tutorial attendance up. :) Glad that it went that well after working my butt off for the production.

Pierced ears

Tina at 6:56 am 

Sunday I was talking to Feli, and she wanted to ask me whether I had pierced my ears yet.. Originally I was going to when we were in Taupo. I said: No, I should just get around to it though. So yesterday, I went shopping (bad Tina) and just suddenly decided to have my ears pierced. So I did. It looks a bit funny with the rings an all, but it was cheaper to use rings than studs. Did it in a piercing studio u see, not a hairdresser. $70! Less than half of what it would have cost at home! I'm pretty pleased.
You're probably wondering what I'm doing up at 6... Well... Yesterday's weather was soo bad that I decided at 8pm to sleep. At nine I crawled into bed and stayed there until 5:45 this morning. Now I have two mindmaps to do before school, which should be no problem at all. And we have the good lecturer this week! He works with motivation, and thus he is really motivating! :)
BY THE WAY... Have anyone else noticed the comments-spamming? I hate it! So from now on you'll have to do the word-verification thing. :) We'll se if that helps.

Finally we met up with Kuni again

u 

today me, Trong and Jo went to have dinner with Kuni at Arashi, a Japanese restaurant on courtenay place. It was nice there, and we sat on cute little mats on the floor... :) I've managed to finish my assignments today, so now there is only 3 more things to do before the exam. This week I will be sooo busy... Hell week begins. It's the last of the last! After this, only exams left! And today I got to know that my info exam will be only multichoice.. SWEET AS! That will be somewhat simple, I'm sure. I just wish I could get back the tourism assignment now, pretty nervous about the grade on that one.. But as they spent one month just to mark the essays, it might take longer.
I've started on my christmas presents already, and I have to get something for my nephew soon as well... I'm sure I'll forget though. Hmmmm... Getting a memory card for my camera. Look out Singapore and Malaysia! I'll be armed and ready! :D Already feeling small butterflies in my stomach when I'm thinking of going there. My first holiday in Asia. My photoblog will be bombarded with photos after that...

Ju on 1 and 2

Today we have been scared. But the end of Ju On 2 was so stupid that I'm not walking around like a nervous wreck.. it's ok. I'll handle it a little bit better this time. Still it is a bit scary when the corridor is empty, and I go to the toilet and the toilet is all empty, not a sound in the whole house. Today there is security people patrolling the house. there has been too much happening the last few week-ends I guess. Everyone has been fired up abt the election, which I find a bit strange. 18-year-olds at home generally don't care that much about voting, the turn up is only about 50% for "first time voters." I'm really on my way up and out of the hole that I dug myself about one week ago. I think of the fond words of one of my all time favourites: It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live... My children will learn quickly who Albus Dumbledore is. As soon as they are old enough they will be brainwashed with Harry Potter.. hehe. Don't think about all the things that I could have, feel grateful for the things that I actually have now.
This winter I'll get into shape, so that I can walk the Tongariro Crossing next mid trimester break around easter next year. It looks so beautiful up there. I'll go up to the crater too, and see the volcano. Woooo.. a bit scary, but I think it will be a wonderful experience. Can't wait to go home and interact more with nature.. :) Miss that when I'm here.

Loic's sendoff

f 

Loic is leaving us all on Saturday, sadly. We decided to have a sendoff dinner, just to mark the end of another era. I'm kinda getting tired of all these sendoffs, it just makes me sad all the people that we have lost throughout the year. Luke, Regina, Felicia and now Loic. I guess that is the reality of an international student. We meet so many great people, but we just don't get to keep them. I'm gonna have a nightmare sending off everyone in my 4th year, since most likely I'm doing a masters degree, and Jo and Trong (?) are doing honours. Loic, I'll miss u heaps. I remember how it was like to be the only European in vic house, it was really weird. It's hard to find someone who is passionate about football (the REAL form of football) and who share the same history and understand your reasoning.
Well... I'm gonna concuss now. I'll sleep like a log, hopefully I'll manage to get to my classes tomorrow. :)

stupid wishlist

I tried to add HGL to my wishlist, but apparently he is not for sale!! ;(
Well, he did update his picture, so here is another URL:
http://www.vms.vuw.ac.nz/vuw/content/person.cfm?school=vms&id=447

We have had a GREAT day, going to the National war memorial, and to a restaurant called the fisherman's table. It was good... the sunshine was soooo great for body and soul.

getting better

Everyone are walking around worrying about what everyone else thinks of them all the time, worrying that they're not good enough, worrying that they are not perfect.... I guess that is the trap that I have fallen into now for a couple of days as well. Felt so homesick that I just wanted to hide under my bed and sleep for the rest of the trimester. I guess in the end it is all about how you view yourself. I used to be world champ in that area, I'm trying to find my way back to sublime self esteem. Everyone needs to feel that they belong somewhere. I'm stuck inbetween right now, it's like Kings of Convenience so soothingly sing: Homesick, cause I no longer know, where home is.. I don't know wether I belong here or in Norway, or any of the two places anymore.
Wish my family was closer sometime, all though it's a bit of a mess right now. My brother has not spoken to my mum for almost 3 years now, because she remarried. Now he is saying that if her new husband don't leave her for 5 years then he will talk to her again... That is just stupid. I'm worried about my nephews, that are too small to understand all this, and who deserve to have two grandmothers spoiling them rotten. I wish I could be closer to mum, to help her through the madness. In two months I will be home again though, missing all my friends here in New Zealand. I need a holiday now.. too much to do, and the last assignment took the energy out of me in a way.
Thank you Trav for being a really good friend these last few days. :)

I feel utterly alone and homesick today.. Funny how it is possible to feel alone when there are so many people around you. It feels like being unhappily in love, although that does not make much sence at all.

mess & Hannibal

I've been way too busy to blog lately, but now I finally will have some days off. :) As you can see from the photo I've been far too busy to tidy my room lately as well, and then this happens. It looked bombed until I had some time to tidy a few hours ago. Now I am done. 22 pages of reportwork is done, and now I am feeling really nervous about the result.. Too much work just means that you will be more disappointed if the grade is horrible...
At least I have my good grade from last essay to cheer me up. :) And: I give to you: My favourite subway worker of all times: Hannibal Lecter look alike. Mr nice guy himself. I like this guy for some reason, and it might be just because he looks like A. Hopkins. I had a sub today in substitute of spinach pads here at the hostel.

I'm dead tired now.... should maybe just concuss on my bed.

Yea.

Does this look familiar?

Soundtrack: Portishead - Roseland NYC Live album

Our beloved ritual on Saturday nights: The fire alarm of course! Once again the perpetrator was a microwave oven.. but this time it was real. Someone actually wanted to get the fire alarm going, must have thought it would be fun or something... so someone put shoe polish in the microwave. Great.
In the photo you can se Trong, Jo and Trav, well tucked in ann warm... ish. Well anyway, yesterday was fun. We went to see the All Blacks vs Wallabies game, and the AB's won of course! Hahah, who would have thought that rugby would be this much fun? Still working my ass off with the assignment.. I have 2300 words now, so it is not looking too grim. Most of it is done, just have to do the rest! *sigh* On Thursday I will have my life back for a few glorious days. And there will be much rejoycing. jeee...
then I can finally enjoy my tripod to the max, and do all the things that are way overdo. write letters and stuff like that.

Picture: Cuba Mall, 1969. Source: Graham Stewart (2005).

I just have to have a small break from my studies, I thought drinking a can of coke was a good idea. It was for a while, but now I'm soo hyper that I can't consentrate fully on what I am doing.. Hehe. I thought I'd share a small piece of my work with u. Look at cuba mall! Now it is a street with only pedestrian access... it's so strange to think about.

Only two months now until I'm going home for the summer... Tempus Fugit. Maybe it is true that the older you get the faster time goes by.. One year of your life will decrease in size until you die. One year of my life this year is a larger part of my life than next year will be... it's just time, but it feels so precious. I used to have too much of it, but now I just can't get enough. At least now I have two whole days to work without being disturbed by lectures and things like that... *ugh* Only thing disturbing me now is the All Blacks vs Wallabies tomorrow! GO ALL BLACKS!!!

busy

Soundtrack: Ive Mendes - If you leave me now
Not much to blog about lately. All I am doing is working on my projects and stuff.. Saw movie both yesterday and today, and feel a bit bad that I didn't spend those hours working. Ah well, I am well on my way writing my report. So my life for another week will be just running to uni and back, and working. But I realised yesterday that I have to change the way that I look at life for a while.. I should not be procrastinating and putting off work, my task in life now is to be a student. To learn and enjoy what I am learning.. so there you have it folks. I'm a full time student! Haha... big news.

FOOD

Soundtrack: Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy/Kaizers Orchestra - Evig Pint

This is it, no more holiday. Now it is just onwards till exams are done! wow, that feels strange, soon I will be going home... Some of the things that I am missing it will be great to see again!!! I found a fan-page of goat cheese online. HAHAHA: http://food.impassionet.info/browncheese/ I cannot believe that they have a fanlisting... Anyway, I'll try my best to bring a small stash for next year. Maybe it is possible to freeze it.. hmm. I also really miss x-mas dinners!
Well, I guess going home will not be that bad after all.
Now I am used to eating hostel food or asian food most of the time when we go out, and I love it! But when all comes to all, U always miss what you are used to eating from home. Everyone does. Kuni misses Japanese food, Jo is really hungry for Malaysian cuisine, and I've seen how much Feli has been enjoying the Singaporean food scene since she got home... I should try to take some photos of our food when I go home. ^_^ It is very different... I'm gonna eat so much fish!!! It'll be great... *droole* I'll try to eat some meat too, but if it is too hard to go back then I'll stay vegetarian. I don't want to spend a whole week on the toilet... I can just spend some days there during xmas, hahaha. Ah well, I guess I should go shopping for xmaspresents before I become completely broke. But first of all, the test tomorrow in Microsoft Access, and thank goodness, after that I never have to see the dratted system again!!! WUHU!!

ZZooo

We had a wonderful day at the zoo yesterday. :) When we finally got on the bus after a one hour delay (for various reasons, heh) it looked like the day could either be sunny or rainy, and I was determined that it would be sunny. After a bit of rain, I was right. The zoo is not that big, but it is a nice zoo. The reptile house was a bit of a joke though, it was so dark that you could not even see the ground, much less the animals that (supposedly) were there. We saw a gekko, and that was all. No snakes or spiders and stuff, like in other zoos. They had monkeys and a selection of african animals, we got to see the tigers get fed. They were so cute... Sigh. Didn't get a good shot though, because the fence was fenced off so
we couldn't get close. I'm not that surprised by that though.. :D As the tiger was playing with the bucket her food was in, she looked over to the platform where we were watching her with hungry eyes. I guess the children that were playing on the platform looked much a better meal to her than her actual food. We all symphatised with her, as we know what that feels like. Hostel food..
The Kea was quiet and it was kinda like seing it in Hastings, I want more now. I want to see them free! Laughing and making a mess, I heard them in Mt Cook, now the next thing to do would be to see them.. I Am now facing the assignments that I have to do, and think it is high time that I started working seriously on them. Looking at what I have done so far, I guess I'm not that much in trouble, I have done something and that helps. :)Trying to get back on track for next week. It'll be study study study! That's my job now, so better just get used to it. Four more years of this! That means I must like it... I chose it..