So, now I am back to one of my favourite topics to hate; the laundry room fascism. In the house where I live it is absolutely impossible for me to get my laundry done. I had booked the room two weeks ago, but then I was called to a meeting in Stockholm which meant I did not get back home in time. Therefore I took my dirty laundry and took it with me to my parents’ place and washed it there. Then I forgot to immediately make a new reservation and now I am completely screwed. The next time I can do my laundry seem to be in April!! Not that it is fully booked until then, but the next two weeks every evening is booked and my days are fully booked with meetings so I can not even choose to take time off from work to wash. Then after that I will most likely be away for two weeks, then it is Easter and then basically it is April!
Good that I am not good at getting rid of my clothes and now you see why I might need 11 pairs of jeans…
Monday, February 25, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
My Best Talent
I have suspected that for quite some time, but now I think I am sure. My best talent is probably to do nothing!!
The whole day today I have been at home and I have done absolutely nothing!! Ok, I have been working a bit, checking my e-mails, replying to them, read and commented on some documents and made some phone calls, but apart from that; nothing!! I haven't watched TV, I haven't read any books and really did not do much at all.
Ok, this morning I also spent some time on the phone waiting to get through at the doctors to make an appointment. And then I had to do something that I really didn't want to do today. My landlord had made an appointment with a presumptive tenant to have a look at the appartment and as I assumed I would not be here a Wednesday att 11 I thought that was an excellent idea. But now, having spent two days at home being sick and bored the appartment looked like a dump. So I really had to do an emergency clean up (do the dishes, vacuum clean, hang up some clotes, make the bed and take out the garbage)and as I really did not want to be here when they came I had to go out for a while. (If I would have been here it could very well have been an awkward situation. If the tenant to be asked me if I liked the appartment and if I had felt comfortable here I would have felt stupid to lie, but I don't think the landlord would have been happy if I had been honest!) But still I am amazed how easily a day can pass without noting happening! I am also amazed how we actually have time to work and do all those other things!!
The whole day today I have been at home and I have done absolutely nothing!! Ok, I have been working a bit, checking my e-mails, replying to them, read and commented on some documents and made some phone calls, but apart from that; nothing!! I haven't watched TV, I haven't read any books and really did not do much at all.
Ok, this morning I also spent some time on the phone waiting to get through at the doctors to make an appointment. And then I had to do something that I really didn't want to do today. My landlord had made an appointment with a presumptive tenant to have a look at the appartment and as I assumed I would not be here a Wednesday att 11 I thought that was an excellent idea. But now, having spent two days at home being sick and bored the appartment looked like a dump. So I really had to do an emergency clean up (do the dishes, vacuum clean, hang up some clotes, make the bed and take out the garbage)and as I really did not want to be here when they came I had to go out for a while. (If I would have been here it could very well have been an awkward situation. If the tenant to be asked me if I liked the appartment and if I had felt comfortable here I would have felt stupid to lie, but I don't think the landlord would have been happy if I had been honest!) But still I am amazed how easily a day can pass without noting happening! I am also amazed how we actually have time to work and do all those other things!!
My Best Man
Now, being at home and being sick, I have found a new friend. Well actually I think you could say we are a bit more than friends. We actually sleep together.
He is great! He keeps me warm when I am freezing and don't complain about being kicked out of bed when I get too hot. Well actually; at the moment I think he is better than any of the men I have slept with...
He might look Swiss, but is actually from Hamburg.
My hot water bottle!! ;-)
He is great! He keeps me warm when I am freezing and don't complain about being kicked out of bed when I get too hot. Well actually; at the moment I think he is better than any of the men I have slept with...
He might look Swiss, but is actually from Hamburg.
My hot water bottle!! ;-)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Wish came true
It is true; you should really be careful with what you wish because it may come true.
Some mornings when I really felt tired and really did not want to go to work I sometimes have wished that I would be a little ill. Just a little, not that I would be really ill of course, but just enough to stay in bed and have a day at home. But now I got what I wished for and it is not nice!
Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat, but it was not enough to make me stay at home, especially as the day was completely booked with meetings. But in the afternoon I felt really bad and went home earlier. Today I stayed at home. I have a fever and headache and a very soar throat. It is not that bad that I have to sleep the whole day, but still bad enough to really do anything. At the same time I feel I have loads to do at work and can not really relax and just enjoy watching bad tv and reading books. Instead I try to work a bit, keep checking my e-mails and get frustrated when I can not really take care of them properly because I am not in the office and I feel frustrated because my head feels dizzy and I get tired. But not tired enough to sleep. So here I am, bored and frustated. And I can hardly eat or drink as it feels like swallowing fire. Poor poor me!! :-)
Some mornings when I really felt tired and really did not want to go to work I sometimes have wished that I would be a little ill. Just a little, not that I would be really ill of course, but just enough to stay in bed and have a day at home. But now I got what I wished for and it is not nice!
Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat, but it was not enough to make me stay at home, especially as the day was completely booked with meetings. But in the afternoon I felt really bad and went home earlier. Today I stayed at home. I have a fever and headache and a very soar throat. It is not that bad that I have to sleep the whole day, but still bad enough to really do anything. At the same time I feel I have loads to do at work and can not really relax and just enjoy watching bad tv and reading books. Instead I try to work a bit, keep checking my e-mails and get frustrated when I can not really take care of them properly because I am not in the office and I feel frustrated because my head feels dizzy and I get tired. But not tired enough to sleep. So here I am, bored and frustated. And I can hardly eat or drink as it feels like swallowing fire. Poor poor me!! :-)
Friday, February 15, 2008
Cleaning out the Closet... or not
My disability to clean out my closet and to get rid of old clothes is well known by now. Though I have noticed that cleaning out your closet and cleaning up among your friends have quite a few similarities….
As you go through live you meet a lot of different people and make a lot of different friends, but after while you can see that you have your own kind of “dressing style”. And exactly the same way as you would not wear all your different kinds of clothes at the same time, maybe you would not like to bring all your different friends together at the same time and place, but still there are probably some features that your friends/clothes have in common and others that would never make it into your closet or address book.
And exactly the same way that you can grow out of clothes you can grow out of some friends. Sometimes you get rid of the clothes and sometimes you keep them, although you never wear them any more. Maybe you just want to keep that beautiful dress or jacket only because you remember how much fun you had wearing it. The same way you keep some of your friends, although you never see each other anymore or maybe don’t even talk very often. It just feels good to know that they are there and to think of the good times you had together. Some maybe you actually should clean out. Others just disappear and you don’t even notice and don’t even remember, until something comes up, like an old photo or something and then you start thinking about what ever happened to her/him/that sweater/ those shoes, or maybe even thinking “who is that?” or “I can not remember ever having worn a polka dot dress!”.
Some friends are like a lovely, warm winter coat, you can always trust them to keep you warm and happy even if times get rough. Others are like an ill fitting piece of garment or an itchy wool sweater; you kind of like them for some reason but then there is something that just makes you have had enough after some wearing. As with clothes, some friends change with the time and wear and tear, some for the better and some for the worse. And whereas some friends are like your favourite velour home suite that fits you even when you feel fat, ugly, tired and your hair is unwashed, and that you love, no matter how worn, dirty and disgusting it gets, there are other friends that you will have to accept are more like a gala dress. It will only fit you and like you when you are already made up, your hair is styled and you are in a good party mood. Like there are fair weather clothes there are obviously also fair weather friends. If you are aware of that and don’t expect anything else, I think you can live with that and like them for what they are…
As you go through live you meet a lot of different people and make a lot of different friends, but after while you can see that you have your own kind of “dressing style”. And exactly the same way as you would not wear all your different kinds of clothes at the same time, maybe you would not like to bring all your different friends together at the same time and place, but still there are probably some features that your friends/clothes have in common and others that would never make it into your closet or address book.
And exactly the same way that you can grow out of clothes you can grow out of some friends. Sometimes you get rid of the clothes and sometimes you keep them, although you never wear them any more. Maybe you just want to keep that beautiful dress or jacket only because you remember how much fun you had wearing it. The same way you keep some of your friends, although you never see each other anymore or maybe don’t even talk very often. It just feels good to know that they are there and to think of the good times you had together. Some maybe you actually should clean out. Others just disappear and you don’t even notice and don’t even remember, until something comes up, like an old photo or something and then you start thinking about what ever happened to her/him/that sweater/ those shoes, or maybe even thinking “who is that?” or “I can not remember ever having worn a polka dot dress!”.
Some friends are like a lovely, warm winter coat, you can always trust them to keep you warm and happy even if times get rough. Others are like an ill fitting piece of garment or an itchy wool sweater; you kind of like them for some reason but then there is something that just makes you have had enough after some wearing. As with clothes, some friends change with the time and wear and tear, some for the better and some for the worse. And whereas some friends are like your favourite velour home suite that fits you even when you feel fat, ugly, tired and your hair is unwashed, and that you love, no matter how worn, dirty and disgusting it gets, there are other friends that you will have to accept are more like a gala dress. It will only fit you and like you when you are already made up, your hair is styled and you are in a good party mood. Like there are fair weather clothes there are obviously also fair weather friends. If you are aware of that and don’t expect anything else, I think you can live with that and like them for what they are…
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Out of Beat
Today at the gym I was attending a spinning class and as always when I am there I feel very odd and almost like an alien. Sometimes if I am there with a colleague it feels a little bit better, because then at least we are two who do not like the music, don’t understand the jokes, and can not comment on the same TV-programmes etc etc. But today it really struck me that I feel more different and strange here than I have ever done in any gym. I mean fitness training is pretty standardised and international; you don’t even really have to understand the language to be able to follow a class if it is something you have done before. I have been working out in many different gyms in many different countries but I do feel odder here than for example in Belgrade, where I didn’t even understand the language very well.
I and my colleague have sometimes been complaining about the choice of music, but after a while we gave up and realised that all the others seem to like to do the spinning to schlager music. For me it is a disaster. When I do spinning (or other exercises) it is all about beat and rhythm, I don’t give a damn about chorus or lyrics and I definitely don’t want to sing along. But here that seem to be the whole thing!!
A couple a weeks ago the leader enthusiastically reminded the class that it was only two more weeks until the whole Eurovision Song Contest national eliminations start; “then we will have many new songs!” she said smilingly. I almost freaked out. Not only because I don’t like that kind of music, but for spinning I think it is a disaster. Now she had obviously been to a fitness workshop in Stockholm and today she told us that “from all the songs we heard at the workshop I have only brought one to our programme and probably WE will not like it”. Already then I guessed that would be the song I would like the best. And yes! Without her telling us in advance which song it was, it was the piece I liked the most. Six minutes with no proper lyrics, just a steady, suggestive, perfect beat pushing you to give everything on the bike. Excellent! Afterwards she commented “yes I this was the song, maybe you did not like it?! Now the songs we know and like again” Oh, it makes me sooo tired!!
These things are mere details, that should not really matter, I know, but I just feel so different. When you feel you can not fit in even in those simple everyday situations it feels as you could just as well be from another planet.
I and my colleague have sometimes been complaining about the choice of music, but after a while we gave up and realised that all the others seem to like to do the spinning to schlager music. For me it is a disaster. When I do spinning (or other exercises) it is all about beat and rhythm, I don’t give a damn about chorus or lyrics and I definitely don’t want to sing along. But here that seem to be the whole thing!!
A couple a weeks ago the leader enthusiastically reminded the class that it was only two more weeks until the whole Eurovision Song Contest national eliminations start; “then we will have many new songs!” she said smilingly. I almost freaked out. Not only because I don’t like that kind of music, but for spinning I think it is a disaster. Now she had obviously been to a fitness workshop in Stockholm and today she told us that “from all the songs we heard at the workshop I have only brought one to our programme and probably WE will not like it”. Already then I guessed that would be the song I would like the best. And yes! Without her telling us in advance which song it was, it was the piece I liked the most. Six minutes with no proper lyrics, just a steady, suggestive, perfect beat pushing you to give everything on the bike. Excellent! Afterwards she commented “yes I this was the song, maybe you did not like it?! Now the songs we know and like again” Oh, it makes me sooo tired!!
These things are mere details, that should not really matter, I know, but I just feel so different. When you feel you can not fit in even in those simple everyday situations it feels as you could just as well be from another planet.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A Sign
Was in Stockholm for a meeting today and it is just so good. Ok, the meeting was actually also good and whenever I am in Sthlm for any reason I try to see some of my friends, this time it was a friend who works abroad and who I hadn't seen in a long time, so that was great. But the best thing is almost still the things that happen without planning. Every time I am in Sthlm I just happen to run into people I know. Today I ran into two old colleagues, people that I really like and who make me happy. It felt so good to be reminded of that I used to have a life. And to meet people who know me from back then. I belive it is a sign...
Monday, February 11, 2008
My Time Came
After having been a fast driver for almost twenty years I have now finally gotten my first speeding ticket!
I noticed I was captured by a speed surveillance camera when I was driving from The Small Town to Stockholm just before Christmas. After having seen the flash I looked at the meter and saw I was driving just over 100 km/h on a stretch where the limit is 90. Hmmm not too good, but could have been worse, much worse…
As I had not heard anything from the police since then I thought/hoped that maybe the picture was of such low quality that it could not be used, I have heard that is quite common. But now I eventually received the letter, with a picture and a bill of 1500 SEK (160€)… Great! But I suppose I should not complain (although I for sure know of better ways to spend that money), the letter reported my registered speed to 96 km/h and I feel quite sure I was driving faster than that. Ok, I know that the meters are not always correct and often show a higher speed than the real one, but on the other hand I have read somewhere that the police have a margin of 6km/h on the cameras, meaning that if I really would have been driving 96 I probably wouldn’t have received a ticket at all. So I guess I should be grateful, kind of…
I noticed I was captured by a speed surveillance camera when I was driving from The Small Town to Stockholm just before Christmas. After having seen the flash I looked at the meter and saw I was driving just over 100 km/h on a stretch where the limit is 90. Hmmm not too good, but could have been worse, much worse…
As I had not heard anything from the police since then I thought/hoped that maybe the picture was of such low quality that it could not be used, I have heard that is quite common. But now I eventually received the letter, with a picture and a bill of 1500 SEK (160€)… Great! But I suppose I should not complain (although I for sure know of better ways to spend that money), the letter reported my registered speed to 96 km/h and I feel quite sure I was driving faster than that. Ok, I know that the meters are not always correct and often show a higher speed than the real one, but on the other hand I have read somewhere that the police have a margin of 6km/h on the cameras, meaning that if I really would have been driving 96 I probably wouldn’t have received a ticket at all. So I guess I should be grateful, kind of…
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Sunday Walk in The Small Town
Today I took a walk in The Small Town. All the pictures are taken within a radiuos of one kilometer from where I live.
And you wonder why I am depressed and hate it..??!!
British niceties
Oh, I just love the British and their way to express themselves. They really have a way with words!
This Friday I for the first time met the consultant, who we recruited for the Afghanistan project and he is British. It was a very nice and constructive meeting and I felt very confident afterwards, as he seemed a very pleasant and competent person. Today I received an e-mail with some more information from him. In the mail he also thanked for the meeting and wrote some niceties about how nice it was to meet me and how much he looked forward to working with me. Added to that he wrote how impressed he was with my background and what strength that will be to the mission. Wow I was completely flabbergasted!! He impressed by my background!!! Says he, how really has all the background, competence and experience (working as a consultant for several international organisations and lecturing on three universities!!). I felt so inferior to him and really tried to say as little as possible about my previous (lack of) experience.
Of course I can see reasons for him to flatter me. He is an independent consultant, hired by “my” agency and as I am the representative for the agency he will be working most closely with and as he probably has an interest in working for us again he might see it fit to flatter me a little. But still, the way he expressed it felt as if he meant it and it felt good. I also need a boost to my confidence as this project will probably be the toughest thing I have ever done. I will have to act as if I am smart and know what I am doing…
I wish I could express myself that well in English too…
This Friday I for the first time met the consultant, who we recruited for the Afghanistan project and he is British. It was a very nice and constructive meeting and I felt very confident afterwards, as he seemed a very pleasant and competent person. Today I received an e-mail with some more information from him. In the mail he also thanked for the meeting and wrote some niceties about how nice it was to meet me and how much he looked forward to working with me. Added to that he wrote how impressed he was with my background and what strength that will be to the mission. Wow I was completely flabbergasted!! He impressed by my background!!! Says he, how really has all the background, competence and experience (working as a consultant for several international organisations and lecturing on three universities!!). I felt so inferior to him and really tried to say as little as possible about my previous (lack of) experience.
Of course I can see reasons for him to flatter me. He is an independent consultant, hired by “my” agency and as I am the representative for the agency he will be working most closely with and as he probably has an interest in working for us again he might see it fit to flatter me a little. But still, the way he expressed it felt as if he meant it and it felt good. I also need a boost to my confidence as this project will probably be the toughest thing I have ever done. I will have to act as if I am smart and know what I am doing…
I wish I could express myself that well in English too…
If Life was a Picnic
Today at our nice day at the ski slope we hade brought some very nice picnic (that is, my sister had brougth, I didn't), but normally I am not very much of a picnic kind of person. Not as long as I can not afford having a butler who prepares the meal and brings it out where I am going, sets the table with linen cloth, chandeliers, glass, china, cutlery and champagne. Then we can discuss it…
I have just never understood why going thru all the hassle of preparing food, packing it, carrying it, unpacking it before you can eat it. If you want to get out, I normally want to get started right away. Then someone always come up with the idea to bring food. Then it takes hell of a time to get going before all the sandwiches are ready, pies, cookies, salads, dinks and stuff. By the time it is all ready I have normally already lost interest (or the weather has gone bad!). Then you should carry the stuff around, find a place where it is not too hot, not too cold, not too sunny, not too windy, where there is something to sit on, where the grass is not too wet and where there are no ants or wasps, and you have a beautiful view, of course you never find a place like that! After having agreed on a place that does not make the majority too disappointed the unpacking of the food starts. Only to discover it has gone warm/cold/wet/mushy or you forgot something important. Having saved it from the ants and avoided swallowing too much sand and leaves that got stuck on your sandwiches you always have a lot of leftovers to carry back home as it never tastes as good as you thought. And back home you will throw it away anyway cause no one will ever want to eat it once back. No, picnics are generally a very much overestimated feature.
I much rather prefer going hiking the German way! Where ever you go in a popular hiking area you can be sure to find - at reasonable distance from each other – a nice little Gaststube or Bierstube, where you can have a nice meal warm food and a delicious cold beer.
I have just never understood why going thru all the hassle of preparing food, packing it, carrying it, unpacking it before you can eat it. If you want to get out, I normally want to get started right away. Then someone always come up with the idea to bring food. Then it takes hell of a time to get going before all the sandwiches are ready, pies, cookies, salads, dinks and stuff. By the time it is all ready I have normally already lost interest (or the weather has gone bad!). Then you should carry the stuff around, find a place where it is not too hot, not too cold, not too sunny, not too windy, where there is something to sit on, where the grass is not too wet and where there are no ants or wasps, and you have a beautiful view, of course you never find a place like that! After having agreed on a place that does not make the majority too disappointed the unpacking of the food starts. Only to discover it has gone warm/cold/wet/mushy or you forgot something important. Having saved it from the ants and avoided swallowing too much sand and leaves that got stuck on your sandwiches you always have a lot of leftovers to carry back home as it never tastes as good as you thought. And back home you will throw it away anyway cause no one will ever want to eat it once back. No, picnics are generally a very much overestimated feature.
I much rather prefer going hiking the German way! Where ever you go in a popular hiking area you can be sure to find - at reasonable distance from each other – a nice little Gaststube or Bierstube, where you can have a nice meal warm food and a delicious cold beer.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
A Good Choice
I had agreed to go with my sister and her family to a skiing resort nearby today. They had planned to go there and on the way they would pass The Small Town anyway, so I thought why not joining.
When my alarm went off at 6.30 this morning I rather thought “why the hell?”, it was very tempting to call and tell them I’d changed my mind and go back to sleep. But I managed to get up and get ready. Still it did not look very promising outside. It was very grey, dark and it was raining and hardly any snow. After approx one hour’s driving the clouds started to get a little thinner and the sun shone thru at times. When we arrived we found the slopes in a surprisingly good condition and the sun shone from an almost completely clear sky.
It turned out to be a really nice day. Ok, this skiing area is nothing like the Alps and not even very big for Swedish standards, and the snow was rather heavy and icy as it was a couple degrees above zero, but there was not much people, no waiting at the lifts and basically a very nice way to spend a Saturday without too much preparation, planning and organisation.
Going back, the weather only got worse and worse as we were approaching The Small Town. I guess there it had been grey, dark and rainy the whole day. It seems I did a good choice today.
When my alarm went off at 6.30 this morning I rather thought “why the hell?”, it was very tempting to call and tell them I’d changed my mind and go back to sleep. But I managed to get up and get ready. Still it did not look very promising outside. It was very grey, dark and it was raining and hardly any snow. After approx one hour’s driving the clouds started to get a little thinner and the sun shone thru at times. When we arrived we found the slopes in a surprisingly good condition and the sun shone from an almost completely clear sky.
It turned out to be a really nice day. Ok, this skiing area is nothing like the Alps and not even very big for Swedish standards, and the snow was rather heavy and icy as it was a couple degrees above zero, but there was not much people, no waiting at the lifts and basically a very nice way to spend a Saturday without too much preparation, planning and organisation.
Going back, the weather only got worse and worse as we were approaching The Small Town. I guess there it had been grey, dark and rainy the whole day. It seems I did a good choice today.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Small Town Legislation
In The Small Town and surroundings it seems to be an obvious problem that people visiting bars and restaurants bring their drinks with them when they go to the restrooms. At least I have seen several sings on doors to the restrooms informing that it is not allowed to bring your glass to the restroom.
My favourite is this one:
The text says it is forbidden to bring your drink into the restroom, reffering to "the alcohol law on serving of alcoholic beverages". Fantastic!! I wonder where I can find that law!! I am not sure I want to know what they think people do with their drinks in the bathroom...
My favourite is this one:
The text says it is forbidden to bring your drink into the restroom, reffering to "the alcohol law on serving of alcoholic beverages". Fantastic!! I wonder where I can find that law!! I am not sure I want to know what they think people do with their drinks in the bathroom...
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Wrong Choice?
I use to say "you never regret what you do, only what you don't do", but now I think I seriously start to regret my move to the Small Town. When I was offered this job I was offered another job as well and I had the somewhat absurd choice to choose between The Small Town or Dhaka...
I have been fighting the feeling of regret, telling myself regretting things won't change anything or make it better, but now I feel it is coming stronger and stronger and it is harder and harder to fight the feeling. I feel I am wasting my time here...
I have been fighting the feeling of regret, telling myself regretting things won't change anything or make it better, but now I feel it is coming stronger and stronger and it is harder and harder to fight the feeling. I feel I am wasting my time here...
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Good Job
This weekend I had one of those typical situations I sometimes end up in because of my stubbornness.
As I don’t spend many weekends here and it is hard for me to have things outside my work taken care of during the week, I had planned to do some of them this Saturday. (Sundays you can forget here as everything is mega closed!). One of the things was to have my bicycles fixed (because suddenly none of my two bikes were working!). Therefore I was very determined to get the two bikes into the trunk of my car. Now anyone who ever have tried tucking a bike into a car knows that can be rather tricky, then imagine one person alone trying to get two bikes into the trunk of a normal car. It is not exactly easy. They always tend to get mingled into each other and getting stuck or hitting the sides of the trunk. Then add to that a very heavy snowfall, and it won’t make things better.
Well well, being very stubborn and determined I did not give up until I - after a lot of swearing, yelling and a couple of tears - managed to get them in. Ok, I could not close the trunk, but no matter. I could close it well enough to drive down to town. Of course the whole interior of the trunk and the back seat of the car were covered in snow, but at that moment I could not care less. Quite happy with myself I drove down to the bicycle repair shop that I have used before. Only to find it closed!!!! I almost freaked out!! Guess if I was cursing the Small Town!
Well, well, I knew there is another one and on the way there I prayed it would be open, and at the same time making the decision, that if it was not I would have to drive around with my two bicycles in the car until it opened, even if it would take until spring. Fortunately it was open! A very nice man helped me getting the bikes out of the car. He did not really seem to believe that I had managed to get them both in on my own! One of them he could fix immediately and the other one I had to leave for later. Anyway I was quite happy and satisfied with myself. I left the bike in the car for a couple of days because of the snowfall; I could not really see any reason for letting more snow in. I had just started to realise was snow in your car can do.
What happens to snow when it gets warm? It melts. What happens to melted snow on textile? It soaks in and makes the whole textile damp and causes a very humid air in the car. What happens when this humidity meets cold glass, as in windscreens? Yep! It freezes! So now I don’t only have to scrape ice off the outside of all the car windows, but also from the inside! Great job!! Love it! I think I have to take the car out for a drive for a couple of hours with full heating on. Where to go?? Anyone wants a visit??
As I don’t spend many weekends here and it is hard for me to have things outside my work taken care of during the week, I had planned to do some of them this Saturday. (Sundays you can forget here as everything is mega closed!). One of the things was to have my bicycles fixed (because suddenly none of my two bikes were working!). Therefore I was very determined to get the two bikes into the trunk of my car. Now anyone who ever have tried tucking a bike into a car knows that can be rather tricky, then imagine one person alone trying to get two bikes into the trunk of a normal car. It is not exactly easy. They always tend to get mingled into each other and getting stuck or hitting the sides of the trunk. Then add to that a very heavy snowfall, and it won’t make things better.
Well well, being very stubborn and determined I did not give up until I - after a lot of swearing, yelling and a couple of tears - managed to get them in. Ok, I could not close the trunk, but no matter. I could close it well enough to drive down to town. Of course the whole interior of the trunk and the back seat of the car were covered in snow, but at that moment I could not care less. Quite happy with myself I drove down to the bicycle repair shop that I have used before. Only to find it closed!!!! I almost freaked out!! Guess if I was cursing the Small Town!
Well, well, I knew there is another one and on the way there I prayed it would be open, and at the same time making the decision, that if it was not I would have to drive around with my two bicycles in the car until it opened, even if it would take until spring. Fortunately it was open! A very nice man helped me getting the bikes out of the car. He did not really seem to believe that I had managed to get them both in on my own! One of them he could fix immediately and the other one I had to leave for later. Anyway I was quite happy and satisfied with myself. I left the bike in the car for a couple of days because of the snowfall; I could not really see any reason for letting more snow in. I had just started to realise was snow in your car can do.
What happens to snow when it gets warm? It melts. What happens to melted snow on textile? It soaks in and makes the whole textile damp and causes a very humid air in the car. What happens when this humidity meets cold glass, as in windscreens? Yep! It freezes! So now I don’t only have to scrape ice off the outside of all the car windows, but also from the inside! Great job!! Love it! I think I have to take the car out for a drive for a couple of hours with full heating on. Where to go?? Anyone wants a visit??
Monday, February 04, 2008
Matter of Honour??
Now I will write things that might not be very typical for me or my blog. Normally I am very liberal and prefere reconciliation and forgiveness instead of harsh punishment and condemnation and I rarely call for extradition of criminals. But there are some areas and some acts that I just can not see from that perspective. One of them is what is normally called “honour related” crime and violence.
Today there has been a lot of discussion about murders committed out of “honour”, again. This morning a 16 years old girl was found dead in front of her house after having fallen from the balcony on the fourth floor. The cause of the fall was not completely clear, but crime could not be ruled out and two male relatives were arrested. It was not openly said but I immediately felt it could probably be “honour related”. In the news this evening it was still not sure, but the discussions were all pointing in that direction too.
These are actions and crimes that I can see absolutely no excuses for and I believe those who commit crimes like that should be immediately extradited! No matter the reason for their coming to Sweden or where they come from. In case the perpetrator is Swedish citizen I might even be ready to consider revoking their citizenship, something that is normally not possible.
I find in completely unacceptable and upsetting that people who come here to find a better life will not be ready to grant the same rights and opportunities to their daughters and sisters!!!
Ok, there are probably explanations to why they act like this and in some cases it is possibly not evilness and hatred that make them do things like this, maybe they might even believe they act out of some weird kind of love and do what is best for the family etc etc. But I don’t care!!! It is just unacceptable!! And even if you try to explain it through society and lacking integration, it does not really help. I believe that no matter how badly integrated you are into Swedish society you must have been made aware of that this is not an accepted behaviour here. And if you can not accept that; sorry, but then I feel there is no room for you in this society! Then I feel you have lost your right of protection here. Of course you can say the same about a lot of other crimes and problems that kind of follow you where you go, ie ethnic gang crimes etc, which would leave a lot of reasons for extradition, but I still think there are important differences. First of all it is mostly directed toward family members, the ones you really should love, care for and protect!! And often the victims are children, as the girl mentioned in the news, who was only 16. Of course there are other horrible crimes and of course ethnic Swedes, who you can not really extradite anywhere, even if you would like to, also commit similar or worse crimes. But I find it hard to believe that they feel very honourable then or feel they have done something right and expect (and get!) respect for what they have done. That’s why I think these criminals really wasted their right to live here.
Today there has been a lot of discussion about murders committed out of “honour”, again. This morning a 16 years old girl was found dead in front of her house after having fallen from the balcony on the fourth floor. The cause of the fall was not completely clear, but crime could not be ruled out and two male relatives were arrested. It was not openly said but I immediately felt it could probably be “honour related”. In the news this evening it was still not sure, but the discussions were all pointing in that direction too.
These are actions and crimes that I can see absolutely no excuses for and I believe those who commit crimes like that should be immediately extradited! No matter the reason for their coming to Sweden or where they come from. In case the perpetrator is Swedish citizen I might even be ready to consider revoking their citizenship, something that is normally not possible.
I find in completely unacceptable and upsetting that people who come here to find a better life will not be ready to grant the same rights and opportunities to their daughters and sisters!!!
Ok, there are probably explanations to why they act like this and in some cases it is possibly not evilness and hatred that make them do things like this, maybe they might even believe they act out of some weird kind of love and do what is best for the family etc etc. But I don’t care!!! It is just unacceptable!! And even if you try to explain it through society and lacking integration, it does not really help. I believe that no matter how badly integrated you are into Swedish society you must have been made aware of that this is not an accepted behaviour here. And if you can not accept that; sorry, but then I feel there is no room for you in this society! Then I feel you have lost your right of protection here. Of course you can say the same about a lot of other crimes and problems that kind of follow you where you go, ie ethnic gang crimes etc, which would leave a lot of reasons for extradition, but I still think there are important differences. First of all it is mostly directed toward family members, the ones you really should love, care for and protect!! And often the victims are children, as the girl mentioned in the news, who was only 16. Of course there are other horrible crimes and of course ethnic Swedes, who you can not really extradite anywhere, even if you would like to, also commit similar or worse crimes. But I find it hard to believe that they feel very honourable then or feel they have done something right and expect (and get!) respect for what they have done. That’s why I think these criminals really wasted their right to live here.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Small Town Monster
Spent the weekend in the Small Town. As always that meant a lot of anger, disappointment, frustration, irritation and tears. I really can not stand the place!!
The weird thing though, is that the people who live here are really nice and friendly. That makes me wonder what is wrong with me. How come these people can stand living here and still be human and kind, while the town makes a complete monster out of me?!?
The only possible explanation I can see is that they grew up here and have spent their whole life getting used to the place. I would like to consider myself rather flexible and adjustable, but in this place there is just no room for flexibility. I feel as if I am a star shape, or at least some figure with a lot of edges and corners, that someone is trying to squeeze into a square box. I will just not work! It took me quite some time to become who I am and what I am does not fit here. And somehow I like what I am more that what I would have to become to fit in here. Hence I am a complete disaster here! I don't like myself here!
The weird thing though, is that the people who live here are really nice and friendly. That makes me wonder what is wrong with me. How come these people can stand living here and still be human and kind, while the town makes a complete monster out of me?!?
The only possible explanation I can see is that they grew up here and have spent their whole life getting used to the place. I would like to consider myself rather flexible and adjustable, but in this place there is just no room for flexibility. I feel as if I am a star shape, or at least some figure with a lot of edges and corners, that someone is trying to squeeze into a square box. I will just not work! It took me quite some time to become who I am and what I am does not fit here. And somehow I like what I am more that what I would have to become to fit in here. Hence I am a complete disaster here! I don't like myself here!
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