Stole this from Skolis!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Gender Constant
Time to write about one of my favourite topics - gender equality (my other favourite is climate change, as you've probably noticed).
Unfortunately last year, Sweden lost its no 1 position on the World Economic Forum's equality list, the Global Gender Gap Report. Fortunately we only dropped to place 3, after Norway and Finland (Iceland is no 4 and Denmark no 7 so the Nordic region sure dominates that list). The list compares 130 countries, covering 92% of the world's population.
The rest of Europe does pretty well; Ireland is no 8 and Germany no 11, while the UK occupies place 13 (I'm actually a bit surprised that Ireland and Germany do better than the UK; will have to blame it on my prejudices about Catholic pro-life Irish people and stay-at-home-mother-loving Germans). Don't move to Saudi-Arabia, Chad or Yemen if you are a woman.
The index is based on four main pillars: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment and health and survival. The Nordics score very high in all those categories; Norway overtook Sweden partly due to its work on increasing the share of women in top management position (by legislating; Sweden has decided against that route - we'll see what strategy works best in the long term).
The USA is in 27th spot. One factor for the average position (towards the lower end for developed countries) is the limited maternity provision at childbirth. Here's an article from New York Times on this topic (from 2007 but it's still very relevant):
Paid Leave for Maternity Is the Norm, Except in ...
AMERICAN women sometimes joke that they plan to move to Sweden or France before they become pregnant, to take advantage of the generous paid maternity leave those countries provide.
In fact, would-be moms may not realize they have many more options than just those two: 170 countries offer some paid maternity leave, and 98 of them offer at least 14 weeks off with pay.
The United States is not one of them.
This point was starkly illustrated in a world map published in the August issue of National Geographic entitled “Who Gives Parents a Break?” The data was provided by the “The Work, Family and Equity Index,” a report released in 2007 by researchers at Harvard and McGill.
On the map, the United States stood out as an arid brown blotch, one of only four — the others being Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland — with no paid family leave.
Why doesn’t such a policy exist now, on a national level? There is no simple answer.
First, the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act does require certain larger companies to give workers who meet certain criteria up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. But as many as 40 percent of workers don’t qualify under the provisions of that law — because their employer is too small, or they haven’t worked for the company long enough. And a survey in 2000 by the Department of Labor found that 78 percent of workers who qualified for this leave said they didn’t take it because they couldn’t afford to.
Employees may want greater government involvement, but many businesses object to the idea of being required to give paid leave. The main issue is financial, said Marc Freedman, director of labor law policy at the United States Chamber of Commerce, which opposes government requirements for paid family leave. “Paid leave is widely provided by many businesses already,” he said.
“Employers are at least resistant if not opposed because of their fears of the cost impact of this mandate. They would have to find the money to pay for these benefits.”
While companies may balk at the cost of paid leave, many workers often do need time off for reasons having to do with health or family responsibility — and they can ill afford to lose any wages, let alone their jobs.
As the lawyer Joan Williams notes in her book “Unbending Gender: Why Family and Work Conflict and What to Do About It” (Oxford University Press, 2001), many people, and not just employers, are still influenced by the outdated ideal of the single-income household, in which a working person typically relied on someone at home to care for a new baby or a sick relative or cope with any of the myriad situations that families face.
MOST families today are dependent on two incomes. But Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families, an advocacy organization in Washington, said, “Our policies don’t reflect the reality of working families’ lives.”
There have been changes at the state level. California has had a paid family leave law since 2004, and Washington State approved a parental leave law in April. Similar bills have been proposed in other states. Most of these measures are paid for entirely by employees.
In California, workers contribute a small percentage of each paycheck into a collective benefits fund; those who need a leave can take six weeks off at 55 percent of their wages.
At the federal level, Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, and Senator Ted Stevens, Republican of Alaska, introduced a bill in June, that would in effect become a financial supplement to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Unlike the California program, funding for the Family Leave Insurance Act of 2007 would come from a combination of employer and employee contributions, and general tax revenues as well.
Clearly, there are a lot of details to work out. But given all of these proposals, and the 170 countries with paid leave now, surely there is some solution for the United States. There are plenty of good reasons to go to Sweden or France, but paid parental leave shouldn’t be one of them.
Unfortunately last year, Sweden lost its no 1 position on the World Economic Forum's equality list, the Global Gender Gap Report. Fortunately we only dropped to place 3, after Norway and Finland (Iceland is no 4 and Denmark no 7 so the Nordic region sure dominates that list). The list compares 130 countries, covering 92% of the world's population.
The rest of Europe does pretty well; Ireland is no 8 and Germany no 11, while the UK occupies place 13 (I'm actually a bit surprised that Ireland and Germany do better than the UK; will have to blame it on my prejudices about Catholic pro-life Irish people and stay-at-home-mother-loving Germans). Don't move to Saudi-Arabia, Chad or Yemen if you are a woman.
The index is based on four main pillars: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment and health and survival. The Nordics score very high in all those categories; Norway overtook Sweden partly due to its work on increasing the share of women in top management position (by legislating; Sweden has decided against that route - we'll see what strategy works best in the long term).
The USA is in 27th spot. One factor for the average position (towards the lower end for developed countries) is the limited maternity provision at childbirth. Here's an article from New York Times on this topic (from 2007 but it's still very relevant):
Paid Leave for Maternity Is the Norm, Except in ...
AMERICAN women sometimes joke that they plan to move to Sweden or France before they become pregnant, to take advantage of the generous paid maternity leave those countries provide.
In fact, would-be moms may not realize they have many more options than just those two: 170 countries offer some paid maternity leave, and 98 of them offer at least 14 weeks off with pay.
The United States is not one of them.
This point was starkly illustrated in a world map published in the August issue of National Geographic entitled “Who Gives Parents a Break?” The data was provided by the “The Work, Family and Equity Index,” a report released in 2007 by researchers at Harvard and McGill.
On the map, the United States stood out as an arid brown blotch, one of only four — the others being Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland — with no paid family leave.
Why doesn’t such a policy exist now, on a national level? There is no simple answer.
First, the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act does require certain larger companies to give workers who meet certain criteria up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. But as many as 40 percent of workers don’t qualify under the provisions of that law — because their employer is too small, or they haven’t worked for the company long enough. And a survey in 2000 by the Department of Labor found that 78 percent of workers who qualified for this leave said they didn’t take it because they couldn’t afford to.
Employees may want greater government involvement, but many businesses object to the idea of being required to give paid leave. The main issue is financial, said Marc Freedman, director of labor law policy at the United States Chamber of Commerce, which opposes government requirements for paid family leave. “Paid leave is widely provided by many businesses already,” he said.
“Employers are at least resistant if not opposed because of their fears of the cost impact of this mandate. They would have to find the money to pay for these benefits.”
While companies may balk at the cost of paid leave, many workers often do need time off for reasons having to do with health or family responsibility — and they can ill afford to lose any wages, let alone their jobs.
As the lawyer Joan Williams notes in her book “Unbending Gender: Why Family and Work Conflict and What to Do About It” (Oxford University Press, 2001), many people, and not just employers, are still influenced by the outdated ideal of the single-income household, in which a working person typically relied on someone at home to care for a new baby or a sick relative or cope with any of the myriad situations that families face.
MOST families today are dependent on two incomes. But Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families, an advocacy organization in Washington, said, “Our policies don’t reflect the reality of working families’ lives.”
There have been changes at the state level. California has had a paid family leave law since 2004, and Washington State approved a parental leave law in April. Similar bills have been proposed in other states. Most of these measures are paid for entirely by employees.
In California, workers contribute a small percentage of each paycheck into a collective benefits fund; those who need a leave can take six weeks off at 55 percent of their wages.
At the federal level, Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, and Senator Ted Stevens, Republican of Alaska, introduced a bill in June, that would in effect become a financial supplement to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Unlike the California program, funding for the Family Leave Insurance Act of 2007 would come from a combination of employer and employee contributions, and general tax revenues as well.
Clearly, there are a lot of details to work out. But given all of these proposals, and the 170 countries with paid leave now, surely there is some solution for the United States. There are plenty of good reasons to go to Sweden or France, but paid parental leave shouldn’t be one of them.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Show & Tell: Furthest Below
Tricky topic this Friday. Strandmamman's theme längst under translates sort of "furthest below" or "furthest down". Not sure how to interpret it even once I have translated it! *hahaha*
Okay, I started by looking furthest down my drawers. I really need to throw out some clothes. There are lots of stuff far down my drawers which I never, ever wear. I need to simply reach down there and throw some stuff out. I do go through my wardrobe regularly but with all the cheap H&M tops I buy they quickly fill up again and some stuff I have a hard time getting rid of. "I may wear this again some time even if I haven't wore it for three years..." So since we're not getting any more closet space until we move, whenever that will be, I'd better throw some stuff out (or rather, give to charity of course). I won't take the stuff that's literally furthest down in my drawers but furthest away from wearing I guess.
I'm all alone this evening which means I can do whatever I want; blog, post photos, randomly, surf, watch chic lit movies, etc. Peter sometimes feels he's furthest down on my priority list (because I hang out with the computer too much) but that's not true! That said, I do have a bad conscience about it. Probably many of you bloggers out there understand the feeling. I guess I just have to tell him that the only thing that will pull me away from the computer is a new hobby, like a baby or something! ;)
When I googled 'furthest below', most hits were about the stock market and how low stocks have sunk in the financial crisis. But I also learned which point is the lowest point below sea level:
The shoreline of the Dead Sea, on the border of Israel and Jordan in the Middle East, is the lowest land area on Earth. The altitude of the Dead Sea shoreline is approximately 1,300 feet (400 meters) below sea level.
I think I remember that from school geography actually. Together with the Mariana Trench as the deepest part of the ocean.
You may remember that I wrote about my hometown ice hockey team a while back? We went to a game and for a while they were doing a bit better. But now they are furthest down the league again :( I think they are f*d this season. They'd better play better next year or they'll be stuck in the lower league.
What other "furthest below" can I find? Well, in my list of favourite bloggers both here on the blog and in my favourite folder in my web browser, which happens to be in alphabetical order, Vardag i kängurulandet, is furthest down. That's kind of funny since she's literally as far below one can get in the world too, at least from the perspective of someone living in a country which has land north of the Arctic circle. Anyhow, she hasn't updated for a while but I hope she does soon because I want to know about their last few weeks in Australia and the move back to Sweden!
Okay, I think I have run out of ideas now. Time to watch the new show Lipstick Jungle and see if it's anything to get excited about.
Okay, I started by looking furthest down my drawers. I really need to throw out some clothes. There are lots of stuff far down my drawers which I never, ever wear. I need to simply reach down there and throw some stuff out. I do go through my wardrobe regularly but with all the cheap H&M tops I buy they quickly fill up again and some stuff I have a hard time getting rid of. "I may wear this again some time even if I haven't wore it for three years..." So since we're not getting any more closet space until we move, whenever that will be, I'd better throw some stuff out (or rather, give to charity of course). I won't take the stuff that's literally furthest down in my drawers but furthest away from wearing I guess.
I'm all alone this evening which means I can do whatever I want; blog, post photos, randomly, surf, watch chic lit movies, etc. Peter sometimes feels he's furthest down on my priority list (because I hang out with the computer too much) but that's not true! That said, I do have a bad conscience about it. Probably many of you bloggers out there understand the feeling. I guess I just have to tell him that the only thing that will pull me away from the computer is a new hobby, like a baby or something! ;)
When I googled 'furthest below', most hits were about the stock market and how low stocks have sunk in the financial crisis. But I also learned which point is the lowest point below sea level:
The shoreline of the Dead Sea, on the border of Israel and Jordan in the Middle East, is the lowest land area on Earth. The altitude of the Dead Sea shoreline is approximately 1,300 feet (400 meters) below sea level.
I think I remember that from school geography actually. Together with the Mariana Trench as the deepest part of the ocean.
You may remember that I wrote about my hometown ice hockey team a while back? We went to a game and for a while they were doing a bit better. But now they are furthest down the league again :( I think they are f*d this season. They'd better play better next year or they'll be stuck in the lower league.
What other "furthest below" can I find? Well, in my list of favourite bloggers both here on the blog and in my favourite folder in my web browser, which happens to be in alphabetical order, Vardag i kängurulandet, is furthest down. That's kind of funny since she's literally as far below one can get in the world too, at least from the perspective of someone living in a country which has land north of the Arctic circle. Anyhow, she hasn't updated for a while but I hope she does soon because I want to know about their last few weeks in Australia and the move back to Sweden!
Okay, I think I have run out of ideas now. Time to watch the new show Lipstick Jungle and see if it's anything to get excited about.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
One Word & Wednesday Recipe
Stole this list from Skolfröken. Wrote it at work (over lunch so no colleagues or bosses who happen to read this can complain!) and posted it tonight.
The rules: When you respond, remember that you are only allowed to use ONE word! Just one! It is not as easy as it may seem!
1. Where is your mobile phone? Locker
2. Where is your spouse? Work
3. Your hair? Lot
4. Your mother? Incessant
5. Your dad? Restless
6. Absolute favourite in the whole world? Peter
7. Your dream last night? Nothing
8. Your dream/your goal? Balance
9. The room you're in? Office
10. Your hobby? Blogging
11. Your fear? Illness
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Enskede
13. Where were you last night? Mentor
14. What you're not? Productive
15. One thing you wish for? Baby
16. Where you grew up? Södertälje
19. The last thing you did? Lunch
20. Your clothes? Jacket
21. Your TV? None
22. Your pets? Colleagues
23. Your computer? Slow
24. Your mood? Indifferent
25. Missing anyone? Grandma
26. Your car? Dirty
27. Something you're not wearing? Suit
28. Favourite shop? Design
29. Your summer? USA
30. Love someone? Several
31. Favourite colour? Pink
32. When did you last laugh? Morning
33. When did you last cry? Row
And since it's Wednesday, a recipe! I don't have a photo but I wanted to share my favourite sandwich with you!
Ciabatta (or similar bread)
Slices of pecorino cheese (I've just discovered that manchego works almost as well)
Slices of tomato
Ruccola/rocket salad
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
Pretty self-explanatory. Enjoy!
The rules: When you respond, remember that you are only allowed to use ONE word! Just one! It is not as easy as it may seem!
1. Where is your mobile phone? Locker
2. Where is your spouse? Work
3. Your hair? Lot
4. Your mother? Incessant
5. Your dad? Restless
6. Absolute favourite in the whole world? Peter
7. Your dream last night? Nothing
8. Your dream/your goal? Balance
9. The room you're in? Office
10. Your hobby? Blogging
11. Your fear? Illness
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Enskede
13. Where were you last night? Mentor
14. What you're not? Productive
15. One thing you wish for? Baby
16. Where you grew up? Södertälje
19. The last thing you did? Lunch
20. Your clothes? Jacket
21. Your TV? None
22. Your pets? Colleagues
23. Your computer? Slow
24. Your mood? Indifferent
25. Missing anyone? Grandma
26. Your car? Dirty
27. Something you're not wearing? Suit
28. Favourite shop? Design
29. Your summer? USA
30. Love someone? Several
31. Favourite colour? Pink
32. When did you last laugh? Morning
33. When did you last cry? Row
And since it's Wednesday, a recipe! I don't have a photo but I wanted to share my favourite sandwich with you!
Ciabatta (or similar bread)
Slices of pecorino cheese (I've just discovered that manchego works almost as well)
Slices of tomato
Ruccola/rocket salad
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
Pretty self-explanatory. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Friday, January 09, 2009
Show & Tell: Change aka 2008 Recap
Today is Show & Tell day aka Friday theme and Strandmamman is in charge of the themes this month (you can see the themes in the left-hand column).
Today's theme is change and what better way to illustrate change than to give you a recap of my 2008 together with my thoughts for 2009. In the same way a birthday does not mean you turn a whole year older from one day to another, moving from 31 December to 1 January does not mean much actual, immediate change. Instead change, not all but most, is gradual. Yet, a new year does feel a little bit special. It signals fresh, new start and relief and can be that event that pushes you to do or change something. Even if it's just a frame of mind, making you think in a different way or encouraging you to dream or plan something.
So, to my 2008. This year's...
Happening
Peter's 30th birthday party. Lots of hard work before and after but such a success!
Project
(Excluding various work projects) Peter's party and planning our US trip
Song
I usually don't have favourite songs - I move on quickly - but perhaps Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" or Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love" (which happens to be a Coldplay produced song). I also discovered "Dancing in the Dark" by Jessy this year but I think it's from 2007?
Trip
Our US roadtrip along the east coast of the US - New York, Washington DC, Delaware/Maryland and New England (from Connecticut to Maine)
YES!
I will have to say Obama's victory as well as some of the progress made at least in the EU to combat climate change. We're far from there but some important steps have been taken.
Person
Peter is the most important person in my life of course but if we talk globally or generally I guess I will have to be boring and say Barack Obama.
Slavery
At least two high-profile official visits at work where we were given abour 4 days notice that the person was coming. Chaos, stress and long hours, but fun!
Garment
All the summer clothes we bought for cheap dollars in the US and couldn't wear once back in Sweden as the summer was already over. Good thing summer comes back every year! And of course any shoes as I'm a shoe-o-holic.
Book
As I mentioned in my previous post I didn't read very much in 2008 and I don't want to pick a book I didn't read, so I will have to go for "The Big House" as it's very much associated with our US trip (it takes place in Cape Cod, one of the places we visited).
Purchase
Technically Peter paid for it, but our D-SLR camera (a Canon EOS 450). I have had so much fun playing with it and learned a lot about photography.
Happiness
Many little moments with Peter
Hardest
Seeing friends struggle with serious illness as well as infertility (luckily not in the same family). And something more mundane, frustration at some of the archaic practices at work.
TV moment
At least not watching the Olympics with a 10-hour delay in the US
Gadget
I'm still waiting for my Kitchen Aid! In the meantime I will say Spotify. It's not an actual thing but I think it qualifies as a gadget.
Blog
Lullun in Greenland. Unfortunately she has stopped blogging now but for most of this year she taught me so much about Greenland, made me long to go there and in some mysterious way ;) got me an interview for a job there (which I didn't get but still, a fun coincidence)!
Community
Facebook and my blogging family
Change
Nothing dramatic. Only thing I can think of right now is starting to work with climate and energy issues (i.e. still with the same employer, just new policy areas)
Film
I don't know, "Batman" perhaps, especially since the late Heath Ledger was so good in it.
Personal greatest success
Various achievements at work
Memories
Our travels, especially the US roadtrip but also our trip to Italy with my parents and the long weekend in beautiful Gotland after Almedalen.
Forgot to do (deviance from normal behaviour)
As I mentioned in my previous post I didn't read as much as I normally do and would have liked to. I also feel like I didn't stay as healthy as previous years, especially when it comes to food (I gained a couple of kilos).
Mistake
As Anne said, no big regrets but lots of small ones
Greatest lesson
Living 3 minutes from the gym is not a guarantee for frequent visit. Need a proper schedule and no deviations and distractions!
Spending
Travelling
New people
Fellow bloggers and new nice and fun colleagues. New babies in my circle of friend, especially H's little Heidi.
Best weekend
The weekend between Christmas and New Year that Peter and I spent at the country house, just the two of us. The weekend in Tällberg with Céline and Diego was also very fun and relaxing. Probably we had fun evenings in the spring of 2008 as well but that feels like ages ago! :)
Most romantic of the year
A photo of a ring of pebbles shaped as a heart Peter made for me when he was in Prague with the lads and sent me in an MMS
Thoughts and wishes for 2009
I hope 2009 will be an important year, not just in terms of work (which is a given, considering Sweden will host the EU Presidency in the autumn and the world is scheduled to take some key decisions on the climate change front), but also for me personally. But I won't go into any details; if you say your wishes out loud they won't come true!
Today's theme is change and what better way to illustrate change than to give you a recap of my 2008 together with my thoughts for 2009. In the same way a birthday does not mean you turn a whole year older from one day to another, moving from 31 December to 1 January does not mean much actual, immediate change. Instead change, not all but most, is gradual. Yet, a new year does feel a little bit special. It signals fresh, new start and relief and can be that event that pushes you to do or change something. Even if it's just a frame of mind, making you think in a different way or encouraging you to dream or plan something.
So, to my 2008. This year's...
Happening
Peter's 30th birthday party. Lots of hard work before and after but such a success!
Project
(Excluding various work projects) Peter's party and planning our US trip
Song
I usually don't have favourite songs - I move on quickly - but perhaps Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" or Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love" (which happens to be a Coldplay produced song). I also discovered "Dancing in the Dark" by Jessy this year but I think it's from 2007?
Trip
Our US roadtrip along the east coast of the US - New York, Washington DC, Delaware/Maryland and New England (from Connecticut to Maine)
YES!
I will have to say Obama's victory as well as some of the progress made at least in the EU to combat climate change. We're far from there but some important steps have been taken.
Person
Peter is the most important person in my life of course but if we talk globally or generally I guess I will have to be boring and say Barack Obama.
Slavery
At least two high-profile official visits at work where we were given abour 4 days notice that the person was coming. Chaos, stress and long hours, but fun!
Garment
All the summer clothes we bought for cheap dollars in the US and couldn't wear once back in Sweden as the summer was already over. Good thing summer comes back every year! And of course any shoes as I'm a shoe-o-holic.
Book
As I mentioned in my previous post I didn't read very much in 2008 and I don't want to pick a book I didn't read, so I will have to go for "The Big House" as it's very much associated with our US trip (it takes place in Cape Cod, one of the places we visited).
Purchase
Technically Peter paid for it, but our D-SLR camera (a Canon EOS 450). I have had so much fun playing with it and learned a lot about photography.
Happiness
Many little moments with Peter
Hardest
Seeing friends struggle with serious illness as well as infertility (luckily not in the same family). And something more mundane, frustration at some of the archaic practices at work.
TV moment
At least not watching the Olympics with a 10-hour delay in the US
Gadget
I'm still waiting for my Kitchen Aid! In the meantime I will say Spotify. It's not an actual thing but I think it qualifies as a gadget.
Blog
Lullun in Greenland. Unfortunately she has stopped blogging now but for most of this year she taught me so much about Greenland, made me long to go there and in some mysterious way ;) got me an interview for a job there (which I didn't get but still, a fun coincidence)!
Community
Facebook and my blogging family
Change
Nothing dramatic. Only thing I can think of right now is starting to work with climate and energy issues (i.e. still with the same employer, just new policy areas)
Film
I don't know, "Batman" perhaps, especially since the late Heath Ledger was so good in it.
Personal greatest success
Various achievements at work
Memories
Our travels, especially the US roadtrip but also our trip to Italy with my parents and the long weekend in beautiful Gotland after Almedalen.
Forgot to do (deviance from normal behaviour)
As I mentioned in my previous post I didn't read as much as I normally do and would have liked to. I also feel like I didn't stay as healthy as previous years, especially when it comes to food (I gained a couple of kilos).
Mistake
As Anne said, no big regrets but lots of small ones
Greatest lesson
Living 3 minutes from the gym is not a guarantee for frequent visit. Need a proper schedule and no deviations and distractions!
Spending
Travelling
New people
Fellow bloggers and new nice and fun colleagues. New babies in my circle of friend, especially H's little Heidi.
Best weekend
The weekend between Christmas and New Year that Peter and I spent at the country house, just the two of us. The weekend in Tällberg with Céline and Diego was also very fun and relaxing. Probably we had fun evenings in the spring of 2008 as well but that feels like ages ago! :)
Most romantic of the year
A photo of a ring of pebbles shaped as a heart Peter made for me when he was in Prague with the lads and sent me in an MMS
Thoughts and wishes for 2009
I hope 2009 will be an important year, not just in terms of work (which is a given, considering Sweden will host the EU Presidency in the autumn and the world is scheduled to take some key decisions on the climate change front), but also for me personally. But I won't go into any details; if you say your wishes out loud they won't come true!
Read Books 2008
Before I start a new list for 2009 I thought I'd list the 12 books I read in 2008 - yes, I only managed one book a month, which is a pretty bad record in my view. I definitely need to do better this year! I love reading so it shouldn't be too hard but with the Internet (and blogs) as well as the daily newspaper and the Economist I don't have too much time left over, especially since I don't commute to work (normally a good time to read).
Anyway, here's the accumulated reading for 2008. I have put my favourites in bold.
"Vi i villa" by Hans Koppel
"Born on a Blue Day: A Memoir of Asperger's and An Extraordinary Mind" by Daniel Tammet
"The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home" by George Howe Colt
"Kalla det vad fan du vill" by Marjaneh Bakhtiari
"Picasso valde också Kristinehamn" by Marcus Grahn
"Hey Dolly" by Amanda Svensson
"Om konsten att resa" by Alain de Botton
"The Undercover Economist" by Tim Harford (reading sporadically)
"The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir" by Bill Bryson
"Montecore: en unik tiger" by Jonas Hassen Khemiri
"Världens mått" by Daniel Kehlmann
"Bitterfittan" by Maria Sveland
Anyway, here's the accumulated reading for 2008. I have put my favourites in bold.
"Vi i villa" by Hans Koppel
"Born on a Blue Day: A Memoir of Asperger's and An Extraordinary Mind" by Daniel Tammet
"The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home" by George Howe Colt
"Kalla det vad fan du vill" by Marjaneh Bakhtiari
"Picasso valde också Kristinehamn" by Marcus Grahn
"Hey Dolly" by Amanda Svensson
"Om konsten att resa" by Alain de Botton
"The Undercover Economist" by Tim Harford (reading sporadically)
"The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir" by Bill Bryson
"Montecore: en unik tiger" by Jonas Hassen Khemiri
"Världens mått" by Daniel Kehlmann
"Bitterfittan" by Maria Sveland
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Wednesday Recipe: Tomato Shrimp and Avocado
I thought I'd give the Wednesday Recipe theme another shot. I'll start a bit low-key, no fancy Martha Stewart or Delia stuff.
Shrimps in tomato sauce and avocado
1 avocado per person (or 1 for two people)
6-8 shrimps per person
Tomato sauce (I used sauce leftover from pizza making but you can use any kind, shop-made or homemade)
Mix the shrimps with the tomato sauce, slice the avocados and serve.
Very easy indeed.
I was supposed to post a photo but Blogger wouldn't let me *argh*. Will try to again tomorrow morning. I just realised this is my first post in 2009! Next time I post I will need to do my 2008 recap and tell you about our New Year's celebrations in Paris!
UPDATED with photo!
Shrimps in tomato sauce and avocado
1 avocado per person (or 1 for two people)
6-8 shrimps per person
Tomato sauce (I used sauce leftover from pizza making but you can use any kind, shop-made or homemade)
Mix the shrimps with the tomato sauce, slice the avocados and serve.
Very easy indeed.
I was supposed to post a photo but Blogger wouldn't let me *argh*. Will try to again tomorrow morning. I just realised this is my first post in 2009! Next time I post I will need to do my 2008 recap and tell you about our New Year's celebrations in Paris!
UPDATED with photo!
Monday, December 29, 2008
A Christmas Recap
Some pictures from last week of Christmas joy.
The Saturday before Christmas Maria and Daniel came over for dinner and some Wii. Daniel especially liked golfing even though he ended up losing against Peter. Luckily he beat him at bowling.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day featured quite a lot of food and eating!
Every year we break the Christmas presents record!
I played Santa. My parents have two trees, the plastic one on the left (which is pretty life-like still and has even started losing its needles) and the all-year-round miniature pine tree just behind me.
Christmas Day, or in the evening to be precise, I went for turkey dinner at Peter's parents. They had a beautiful real tree. Peter and I didn't have a tree this year but we plan to have one next year.
On Boxing Day Peter and I went to his family's country house in the Stockholm archipelago (Vindö) and spend two cosy and relaxing days. We took walks in the snow-free but frosty and sunny weather.
It would have been great if the lake had been frozen and we could have gone ice-skating!
We finished this Wasqij jigsaw puzzle in less than two days!
The Saturday before Christmas Maria and Daniel came over for dinner and some Wii. Daniel especially liked golfing even though he ended up losing against Peter. Luckily he beat him at bowling.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day featured quite a lot of food and eating!
Every year we break the Christmas presents record!
I played Santa. My parents have two trees, the plastic one on the left (which is pretty life-like still and has even started losing its needles) and the all-year-round miniature pine tree just behind me.
Christmas Day, or in the evening to be precise, I went for turkey dinner at Peter's parents. They had a beautiful real tree. Peter and I didn't have a tree this year but we plan to have one next year. 
On Boxing Day Peter and I went to his family's country house in the Stockholm archipelago (Vindö) and spend two cosy and relaxing days. We took walks in the snow-free but frosty and sunny weather. 
It would have been great if the lake had been frozen and we could have gone ice-skating! We baked a delicious pizza!
We finished this Wasqij jigsaw puzzle in less than two days!Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Long Time, No See
You've probably wondered why it has been so quiet on the blog. The simple answer is a busy work schedule as well as social calendar. A recap:
Thursday 4 December - Preparations for Céline and Diego's visit from Barcelona; tidying up and baking for Friday's gathering (though I did blog that evening)
Friday 5 December - Céline and Diego arrived just before our other 15 or so guests for a glögg (mulled wine or Glüwein) evening.
Saturday-Sunday 6-7 December - As Céline and Diego have been to Stockholm before they wanted to see a new part of Sweden. So we chose an overnight stay in Tällberg, Dalarna (Tällberg is probably most famous for Tällberg Forum, an annual international conference). We visited a couple of traditional Christmas markets, looked at local handicrafts and stuffed ourselves from a huge julbord (Swedish Christmas buffet) as well as enjoyed a swim and a facial/body treatment at the hotel's spa. Most importantly, Tällberg was covered in snow, something we don't see in Stockholm too often these days. We even slid off the road on one of Tällberg's hills - note to self for next trip: don't bring a back-wheel driven car.
Monday 8 December - We dropped of Céline and Diego in Uppsala on Sunday night but Monday night they came back to Stockholm. Peter and I cooked some meatballs and mash for them, very traditional, and I have to say, better than the Ikea version! :)
Tuesday 9 December - On our visitors' last night in town I accompanied them for some souvenir shopping before we met up with Peter for a dinner at one of the local Thai restaurants.
Wednesday 10 December - Not an exciting evening at all; had to do the wash. Like many Stockholmers we don't have our own washing machine make use of the building's complimentary laundry room. We only manage to book it every ten days or so due to its popularity but with three washing machines, two dryers (though the one is usually broken) and one drying cupboard, we can easily do our washing in three hours.
Thursday 11 December - Time for my work's julbord, which I had organised, from 4 o'clock onwards. Unfortunately I had to leave already at 7pm since my mum was coming to spend the night ahead of our trip to London. Although after all the food I had consumed I was pretty tired anyway.
Friday-Sunday 12-14 December - Long weekend in London designated for shopping, eating and enjoying each other's company. Unfortunately I got a migraine and had (for some stupid reason) only brought this new medication I hadn't tried yet and it turned out not to work. So Saturday and Sunday I was a bit down but Friday I was still fit-for-fight - and quite a fight it is to do your Christmas shopping in London less than two weeks before Christmas. Saturday was really rainy so we went to the brand new super-size shopping centre Westfield in Shepherd's Bush. A great place to shop plus there's a very nice Italian deli near the entrance by Waitrose is located, where I had a very nice English breakfast and my mum had salmon and scrambled eggs on toast. All felt very freshly produced and the staff was very friendly.
Monday 15 December - Did nothing in particular except recover from landing late at 00:40 the previous night
Tuesday 16 December - Worked late; did an evening presentation for a bunch of teachers
Wednesday 17 December - The annual Christmas party at work with the usual after party in the work pub (didn't stay too late but sometimes 11pm on a work night feels pretty late!)
Thursday 18 December - Tried to do most of my remaining Christmas shopping
Friday 19 December - Dinner at Peter's cousin and her fiance who have just moved to Hammarby sjöstad. Very nice evening with glögg marinated pork tenderloin as main course and ginger cookie cheesecake for dessert!
Saturday 20 December - We were supposed to celebrate "little Christmas" with my relatives (aunt, uncle and cousins with families) but my parents, the hosts, got sick and it had to be cancelled. So I spent the day tidying up and cleaning and wrapping presents instead and in the evening our friends Maria and Daniel came over for dinner.
Sunday 21 December - After a well-deserved lazy morning I met up with Helena, Tommie and kids for a late lunch before going to a Christmas carol service at Sofia Church. Helena used to sing in one of the participating choirs and her sister still does so it has sort of become a yearly Christmas tradition. In the evening Peter and I attended a little glögg do at his sister's before it was laundry time again!
Monday 22 December - Last night I had meant to blog as I had the whole evening to myself while Peter was out with the lads! But I ended up wrapping presents, watching TV and weeding and posting photos on Facebook instead. Things that were also necessary of course! :)
So this brings us today, Tuesday 23 December. My last working day for five days! I left the office already at 3pm actually and picked up one last present. Then packed my bags and made sure I had all packages with me before setting off to Södertälje. Peter and I will spend Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day with our respective families but on Christmas Day I'll go over to his parents for dinner with his sister + boyfriend, grandmother and uncle + cousins. Last year we spent Christmas in South Africa so everybody is happy to have us home this year.
So with the last few weeks' of hecticness (is that a word?) I haven't even had time for Friday Show & Tell! I did spend some time weeding old recipe collections around the time of the cookbook theme. I have four huge binders with recipes that I subscribed to in my late teens, early 20s, but since I have hardly used them (what a waste of money!) I have set a target to myself to reduce the collection of recipe cards to a size that fits into one binder. I have done pretty well and am now down to 1½ binders. I figured that I would only keep those that I know I will actually cook/bake.
When it comes to dream travel I will need to come back to that. It does remind me though that I still haven't blogged about the last legs of our US trip this past summer. I will simply have to make that one of my New Year's resolutions!
Thursday 4 December - Preparations for Céline and Diego's visit from Barcelona; tidying up and baking for Friday's gathering (though I did blog that evening)
Friday 5 December - Céline and Diego arrived just before our other 15 or so guests for a glögg (mulled wine or Glüwein) evening.
Saturday-Sunday 6-7 December - As Céline and Diego have been to Stockholm before they wanted to see a new part of Sweden. So we chose an overnight stay in Tällberg, Dalarna (Tällberg is probably most famous for Tällberg Forum, an annual international conference). We visited a couple of traditional Christmas markets, looked at local handicrafts and stuffed ourselves from a huge julbord (Swedish Christmas buffet) as well as enjoyed a swim and a facial/body treatment at the hotel's spa. Most importantly, Tällberg was covered in snow, something we don't see in Stockholm too often these days. We even slid off the road on one of Tällberg's hills - note to self for next trip: don't bring a back-wheel driven car.
Monday 8 December - We dropped of Céline and Diego in Uppsala on Sunday night but Monday night they came back to Stockholm. Peter and I cooked some meatballs and mash for them, very traditional, and I have to say, better than the Ikea version! :)
Tuesday 9 December - On our visitors' last night in town I accompanied them for some souvenir shopping before we met up with Peter for a dinner at one of the local Thai restaurants.
Wednesday 10 December - Not an exciting evening at all; had to do the wash. Like many Stockholmers we don't have our own washing machine make use of the building's complimentary laundry room. We only manage to book it every ten days or so due to its popularity but with three washing machines, two dryers (though the one is usually broken) and one drying cupboard, we can easily do our washing in three hours.
Thursday 11 December - Time for my work's julbord, which I had organised, from 4 o'clock onwards. Unfortunately I had to leave already at 7pm since my mum was coming to spend the night ahead of our trip to London. Although after all the food I had consumed I was pretty tired anyway.
Friday-Sunday 12-14 December - Long weekend in London designated for shopping, eating and enjoying each other's company. Unfortunately I got a migraine and had (for some stupid reason) only brought this new medication I hadn't tried yet and it turned out not to work. So Saturday and Sunday I was a bit down but Friday I was still fit-for-fight - and quite a fight it is to do your Christmas shopping in London less than two weeks before Christmas. Saturday was really rainy so we went to the brand new super-size shopping centre Westfield in Shepherd's Bush. A great place to shop plus there's a very nice Italian deli near the entrance by Waitrose is located, where I had a very nice English breakfast and my mum had salmon and scrambled eggs on toast. All felt very freshly produced and the staff was very friendly.
Monday 15 December - Did nothing in particular except recover from landing late at 00:40 the previous night
Tuesday 16 December - Worked late; did an evening presentation for a bunch of teachers
Wednesday 17 December - The annual Christmas party at work with the usual after party in the work pub (didn't stay too late but sometimes 11pm on a work night feels pretty late!)
Thursday 18 December - Tried to do most of my remaining Christmas shopping
Friday 19 December - Dinner at Peter's cousin and her fiance who have just moved to Hammarby sjöstad. Very nice evening with glögg marinated pork tenderloin as main course and ginger cookie cheesecake for dessert!
Saturday 20 December - We were supposed to celebrate "little Christmas" with my relatives (aunt, uncle and cousins with families) but my parents, the hosts, got sick and it had to be cancelled. So I spent the day tidying up and cleaning and wrapping presents instead and in the evening our friends Maria and Daniel came over for dinner.
Sunday 21 December - After a well-deserved lazy morning I met up with Helena, Tommie and kids for a late lunch before going to a Christmas carol service at Sofia Church. Helena used to sing in one of the participating choirs and her sister still does so it has sort of become a yearly Christmas tradition. In the evening Peter and I attended a little glögg do at his sister's before it was laundry time again!
Monday 22 December - Last night I had meant to blog as I had the whole evening to myself while Peter was out with the lads! But I ended up wrapping presents, watching TV and weeding and posting photos on Facebook instead. Things that were also necessary of course! :)
So this brings us today, Tuesday 23 December. My last working day for five days! I left the office already at 3pm actually and picked up one last present. Then packed my bags and made sure I had all packages with me before setting off to Södertälje. Peter and I will spend Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day with our respective families but on Christmas Day I'll go over to his parents for dinner with his sister + boyfriend, grandmother and uncle + cousins. Last year we spent Christmas in South Africa so everybody is happy to have us home this year.
So with the last few weeks' of hecticness (is that a word?) I haven't even had time for Friday Show & Tell! I did spend some time weeding old recipe collections around the time of the cookbook theme. I have four huge binders with recipes that I subscribed to in my late teens, early 20s, but since I have hardly used them (what a waste of money!) I have set a target to myself to reduce the collection of recipe cards to a size that fits into one binder. I have done pretty well and am now down to 1½ binders. I figured that I would only keep those that I know I will actually cook/bake.
When it comes to dream travel I will need to come back to that. It does remind me though that I still haven't blogged about the last legs of our US trip this past summer. I will simply have to make that one of my New Year's resolutions!
Thursday, December 04, 2008
....Ask What You Can Do for the Climate
Granted, things might be changing in the midst of the financial crisis, but the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's yearly survey on people's attitudes to climate change that was presented three weeks ago did have some uplifting information.Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man.
No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings.
John F Kennedy
- 8 in 10 Swedes think that they can contribute personally to putting a halt to climate change, which is a clear increase since 2002 when "only" 68% said yes and roughly the same response as last year
So how do people contribute*?
- by choosing public transport - 54%, up from 45%
- by taking the train instead of air travel for long-distance journeys - 76%, up from 71%
- by car-pooling - from 54% to 59%
- by leaving the car at home - 57% compared to 33% seven years ago
- by lowering the indoor temperature - from 36% to 59%
- by driving slower (eco-driving) - 63%, up from 41%
What other measures wouldn't people mind taking?
- buying energy-saving domestic appliances - 86% answered "absolutely"
- driving a car with a better fuel-economy - 77%
- taking the train instead of a plane - 76%
- decreasing the energy use in the home - 75%
But when asked if people were willing to eat less meat, only 40% said yes.
67% wants more information on climate change, especially help with choosing goods and services that reduce CO2 emissions.
What else did people say?
- 100% said that they knew or had heard about climate change
- 96% thinks that Sweden has already been affected or will be affected by climate change
- 71% thinks that it is very important that Sweden takes action against climate change
- 84% thinks that Sweden is able to do something to halt climate change
- 80% thinks that they themselves can do something
- 67% wants more information on how they can reduce their own carbon footprint through news in the media, while other information sources are preferred by between 21 and 46
Finger crossed that the EU agrees its Climate & Energy package (the 2020 package) in the coming weeks!
* Figures compare 2002 and 2008 if not otherwise indicatedMonday, December 01, 2008
Show & Tell: Christmas Preparations
I thought the theme this week (well, Friday three days ago; I'm late again in the usual fashion) was Christmas presents preparations but since I haven't bought too many presents yet (and don't want to reveal what I'm planning either since certain people read this blog!), I figured that I would just write about Christmas preparations. But then I looked at Marianne's blog again - she's been the hostess of the theme in November - and realised the theme is Christmas traditions. Oh well. I will just show you some of the Advent decorations we have put up so far and how far I have got in my preparations.
I guess this picture would have been better had I actually lit the first Advent candle... Oh well. This is our living room window anyway. I wasn't sure if I should put out tomten already now or wait until nearer Christmas but Peter hinted he wanted it so now it sits there and waits. 
This little golden tree makes those long, dark winter evenings warm and cosy. 
This is my parents old Advent candle holder. I like the wrought iron and the red (electric) candles!
The balcony is also ready for winter - the trees are supposed to survive winter if they are properly insulated with bark in a sack clothing - and decorated with what is probably the neighbourhood's brightest lights :)
Also wanted to show the amaryllis that my parents gave us - it's well over a metre tall!Hope it doesn't fall over!
The glögg (mulled wine) has been purchased for Friday's get-together when Céline and Diego visits from Barcelona. I'm particularly curious about the chocolate glögg in the black bottle.
Finally, a collection of Christmas presents bought so far.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Show & Tell: Jewellery
Better late than never... I haven't had a chance to take photos of my own, actual jewellery, but fortunately there is the Internet. The photos are a bit small but they will have to do.
I have lots of different necklaces and earrings from different designers (Swedish Snö, Danish Pilgrim and some in similar design to Snö and Pilgrim that friends of friends have made) but most of the time I wear the following:
Camé (cameo) ring and a necklace with a cameo as well. Both in gold. I'm really a gold person even though I will wear earrings and a necklace in silver once in a while. My cameos don't look exactly like the one in the photo but you get the picture I hope :)
This image turned out really small but it's supposed to be a Bismarck ring.
I also wear a Bismarck necklace, together with the cameo one.
And last but not least, I was given a Bismarck bracelet when I was christened that I still wear to this day (well, I started wearing it as a teenager when I finally fit me and at the moment I cant wear it because I need to get the lock fixed).
I have lots of different necklaces and earrings from different designers (Swedish Snö, Danish Pilgrim and some in similar design to Snö and Pilgrim that friends of friends have made) but most of the time I wear the following:
Camé (cameo) ring and a necklace with a cameo as well. Both in gold. I'm really a gold person even though I will wear earrings and a necklace in silver once in a while. My cameos don't look exactly like the one in the photo but you get the picture I hope :) 
This image turned out really small but it's supposed to be a Bismarck ring.
I also wear a Bismarck necklace, together with the cameo one.
And last but not least, I was given a Bismarck bracelet when I was christened that I still wear to this day (well, I started wearing it as a teenager when I finally fit me and at the moment I cant wear it because I need to get the lock fixed). 8 -Track
I've been challenged by my cousin's wife to provide a few personal details.
Rules
1. Publicise the rules on your blog
2. Answer the six 8-lists
3. Notify those you want to challenge on their blogs
8 Favourite Shows
1. House
2. How I Met Your Mother
3. Scrubs
4. Two and a Half Men
5. ER
6. Heroes
7. Design Simon & Tomas (home decoration show)
8. Äntligen hemma (home decoration show)
8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Went to work
2. Spent half-an-hour on hold with the doctor's office (specialist; my regular doctor answered right away)
3. Drank too many coffees at work as usual
4. Met with my Jusek (union) sponsored mentor and the other four "mentees"
5. Bought a dress and a skirt at H&M
6. Had tacos for dinner
7. Watched "House"
8. Went to bed early for a change (which means 2230)
8 Things I Look Forward To
1. Visiting Malin on Friday-Saturday
2. Doing show & dinner with my parents on Saturday
3. Putting up the Advent lights and candles on Sunday
4. Céline and Diego's visit from Barcelona next weekend
5. Spending Christmas with my family, especially since we were abroad last year
6. Spending New Year's in Paris
7. In the long term, getting married
8. In the longer term, having children
8 Favourite Restaurants (in Stockholm, no particular order)
1. Kungsholmen
2. Beirut Café
3. Elverket (for brunch)
4. Babajan, Etnografiska (for lunch)
5. Texas steakhouse
6. Restaurangentm
7. Abbios (for the pecorino sandwiches)
8. Ljunggren
8 Things on My Wish List (in no particular order)
1. A bigger flat in the city centre or a house in Enskede
2. A new job, either in the Swedish government offices or at an EU institution
3. Marriage (and a wedding too)
4. Children
5. Travelling to the continents where I haven't been yet, i.e. South America and Oceania
6. Losing a few kilos and become fit
7. Making or winning lots of money so I never had to worry about that
8. Long, happy and healthy lives for my family and friends (and myself)
8 Persons I Challenge
1. My cousin Emma
2. My cousin's fiancée Marit
3. Skolfröken
4. Lullun
5. Marianne
6. Petra
7. Britgirl
8. Fröken Johanna
Rules
1. Publicise the rules on your blog
2. Answer the six 8-lists
3. Notify those you want to challenge on their blogs
8 Favourite Shows
1. House
2. How I Met Your Mother
3. Scrubs
4. Two and a Half Men
5. ER
6. Heroes
7. Design Simon & Tomas (home decoration show)
8. Äntligen hemma (home decoration show)
8 Things I Did Yesterday
1. Went to work
2. Spent half-an-hour on hold with the doctor's office (specialist; my regular doctor answered right away)
3. Drank too many coffees at work as usual
4. Met with my Jusek (union) sponsored mentor and the other four "mentees"
5. Bought a dress and a skirt at H&M
6. Had tacos for dinner
7. Watched "House"
8. Went to bed early for a change (which means 2230)
8 Things I Look Forward To
1. Visiting Malin on Friday-Saturday
2. Doing show & dinner with my parents on Saturday
3. Putting up the Advent lights and candles on Sunday
4. Céline and Diego's visit from Barcelona next weekend
5. Spending Christmas with my family, especially since we were abroad last year
6. Spending New Year's in Paris
7. In the long term, getting married
8. In the longer term, having children
8 Favourite Restaurants (in Stockholm, no particular order)
1. Kungsholmen
2. Beirut Café
3. Elverket (for brunch)
4. Babajan, Etnografiska (for lunch)
5. Texas steakhouse
6. Restaurangentm
7. Abbios (for the pecorino sandwiches)
8. Ljunggren
8 Things on My Wish List (in no particular order)
1. A bigger flat in the city centre or a house in Enskede
2. A new job, either in the Swedish government offices or at an EU institution
3. Marriage (and a wedding too)
4. Children
5. Travelling to the continents where I haven't been yet, i.e. South America and Oceania
6. Losing a few kilos and become fit
7. Making or winning lots of money so I never had to worry about that
8. Long, happy and healthy lives for my family and friends (and myself)
8 Persons I Challenge
1. My cousin Emma
2. My cousin's fiancée Marit
3. Skolfröken
4. Lullun
5. Marianne
6. Petra
7. Britgirl
8. Fröken Johanna
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
What's In a Name
I went to the doctor the other day and it was a different doctor than my regular one. Her name was Sicking! Doctor Sicking. How appropriate is that! Or not!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Show & Tell: Windows
This month it's Marianne in Kairo who has come up with the Friday themes. You can see them in the column on the left. I missed the first theme of the month, sweets, and I'm already three days late with the second theme, windows. But better late than never, right!
I thought I'd illustrate the windows theme with some photos from my recent trip to Oslo, Norway.
We met up with my cousin Emma who is 21, loves cars and driving. She calls her car Diesel Doris and the text on the back window says "Real girls smell like diesel" :)
Not really a window in the true sense but this gate in the Vigeland Park was so beautiful I just had to include it.
If we continue with the creative interpretation this is a window of sorts. This is also from the Vigeland Park with the famous statues.
View from the hotel bar (through the window)
View from our hotel room the next morning
Peter posing in front of Oslo's new Opera House - almost all windows!
Oslo views through the lens of an opera house
The sea
A cute window on Akers Hus, the fort/old castle in Oslo
Loopholes are also windows!
When it comes to sweets, I love them! But I'm pretty good; I mostly just eat them on Saturdays. A Saturday without sweets feels weird. The childhood tradition of only sweets on Saturday really stuck on me! I planned to write more about sweets but...some other time!
I thought I'd illustrate the windows theme with some photos from my recent trip to Oslo, Norway.
We met up with my cousin Emma who is 21, loves cars and driving. She calls her car Diesel Doris and the text on the back window says "Real girls smell like diesel" :)
Not really a window in the true sense but this gate in the Vigeland Park was so beautiful I just had to include it.
If we continue with the creative interpretation this is a window of sorts. This is also from the Vigeland Park with the famous statues.
View from the hotel bar (through the window)
View from our hotel room the next morning
Peter posing in front of Oslo's new Opera House - almost all windows!
Oslo views through the lens of an opera house
The sea
A cute window on Akers Hus, the fort/old castle in Oslo
Loopholes are also windows!When it comes to sweets, I love them! But I'm pretty good; I mostly just eat them on Saturdays. A Saturday without sweets feels weird. The childhood tradition of only sweets on Saturday really stuck on me! I planned to write more about sweets but...some other time!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
For Lack of Something Else...
A list while I wait for some inspiration.
YOUR FIRST:
operation: on my eye when I was very little and can't remember (I had some sort of fat tissue on my eye lid), otherwise appendicitis when I was 20
piercing: ears, when I was 10 or 12. Added one to each ear when I was 19-20 and a third one a year or two later but today I wish I had only the first original piercing. But even if I last wore earrings in the 2nd and 3rd holes 7-8 years back they never seem to close up!
sport: football, played from age 9 to 16
pet: budgies but they were really more my parents' pets. My first very own (sort of) pet was the cat Kitty Tigera when I was 13
vacation: probably the island of Öland off the east coast of Stockholm where my parents rented a cottage the summer I was 1 year old
concert: no idea but the first big one I remember was New Kids on the Block when I was 14
love: Basse when I was 10-12 years old and then Johnny all through 7-9th grade :)
RIGHT NOW you're:
eating: nothing, but just had a cup of green tea
drinking: the last few drops of the green tea
going to: do some work (since I'm actually at work)
listening to: colleagues typing away or chatting on the phone in their rooms
waiting for: the work day to end and the ladies' film night to begin
looking at: the computer screenwearing: jeans, black top and turcoise-green cardigan
YOUR FUTURE:
children: yes, please, I'd love to have at least two, maybe three
marriage: hope so
career: promising, enjoy my current job but is at the same time looking ahead
WHAT YOU PREFER:
hugs or kisses: don't want to choose, although if I really had to I think hugs because it would be difficult to live without them for the rest of one's life. Sometimes you just need someone to hold you.
shorter or longer: que??
fine-looking stomach or fine-looking arms: arms, since I show them more
mischievous or obedient: mischievous; it's more creative
HAVE YOU EVER:
kissed a stranger: not kiss-kissed (it depends how one defines stranger...) but kissed as a greeting like it's done in Spain or Belgium
lost glasses or contact lenses: no, partly because I don't need them
broken a leg: no
run away from home: yeah, usually to my grandparents
X-rayed: yes, but probably only at the dentist
broken someone's heart: think so
turned someone down (who had feelings for you): yes, mainly while I was still at school and when I gave Internet dating a go
cried when someone died: yes
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
love at first sight: not really, I think it's something that grows
God: sometimes
miracles: maybe
aliens: not little green men but there is probably some life form out there in a galaxy far away
magic: no, only mojo
a heaven: hope so
Santa: of course (with less than 7 weeks to Christmas...)
angels: if there is a heaven there are probably angels
transformers: Darwin evolution, yes
MIXED:
are you in love with someone? yes, in Peter, very much
do you wish you lived somewhere else? in a nice and cosy house in Enskede, or perhaps a penthouse flat in New York!
do other people find you attractive? think so
do you drink? don't we all? I drink everything in moderation
do you use drugs? no, unless my migraine medicine counts
what shampoo do you use? Herbal Essence
what perfume do you like? at the moment mostly Ralph Lauren, Y.S.L. Elle and Oui Lancôme
what are you afraid of? dying before having accomplished what I want, realised my dreams
do you like doing the washing? yes
YOUR FIRST:
operation: on my eye when I was very little and can't remember (I had some sort of fat tissue on my eye lid), otherwise appendicitis when I was 20
piercing: ears, when I was 10 or 12. Added one to each ear when I was 19-20 and a third one a year or two later but today I wish I had only the first original piercing. But even if I last wore earrings in the 2nd and 3rd holes 7-8 years back they never seem to close up!
sport: football, played from age 9 to 16
pet: budgies but they were really more my parents' pets. My first very own (sort of) pet was the cat Kitty Tigera when I was 13
vacation: probably the island of Öland off the east coast of Stockholm where my parents rented a cottage the summer I was 1 year old
concert: no idea but the first big one I remember was New Kids on the Block when I was 14
love: Basse when I was 10-12 years old and then Johnny all through 7-9th grade :)
RIGHT NOW you're:
eating: nothing, but just had a cup of green tea
drinking: the last few drops of the green tea
going to: do some work (since I'm actually at work)
listening to: colleagues typing away or chatting on the phone in their rooms
waiting for: the work day to end and the ladies' film night to begin
looking at: the computer screenwearing: jeans, black top and turcoise-green cardigan
YOUR FUTURE:
children: yes, please, I'd love to have at least two, maybe three
marriage: hope so
career: promising, enjoy my current job but is at the same time looking ahead
WHAT YOU PREFER:
hugs or kisses: don't want to choose, although if I really had to I think hugs because it would be difficult to live without them for the rest of one's life. Sometimes you just need someone to hold you.
shorter or longer: que??
fine-looking stomach or fine-looking arms: arms, since I show them more
mischievous or obedient: mischievous; it's more creative
HAVE YOU EVER:
kissed a stranger: not kiss-kissed (it depends how one defines stranger...) but kissed as a greeting like it's done in Spain or Belgium
lost glasses or contact lenses: no, partly because I don't need them
broken a leg: no
run away from home: yeah, usually to my grandparents
X-rayed: yes, but probably only at the dentist
broken someone's heart: think so
turned someone down (who had feelings for you): yes, mainly while I was still at school and when I gave Internet dating a go
cried when someone died: yes
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
love at first sight: not really, I think it's something that grows
God: sometimes
miracles: maybe
aliens: not little green men but there is probably some life form out there in a galaxy far away
magic: no, only mojo
a heaven: hope so
Santa: of course (with less than 7 weeks to Christmas...)
angels: if there is a heaven there are probably angels
transformers: Darwin evolution, yes
MIXED:
are you in love with someone? yes, in Peter, very much
do you wish you lived somewhere else? in a nice and cosy house in Enskede, or perhaps a penthouse flat in New York!
do other people find you attractive? think so
do you drink? don't we all? I drink everything in moderation
do you use drugs? no, unless my migraine medicine counts
what shampoo do you use? Herbal Essence
what perfume do you like? at the moment mostly Ralph Lauren, Y.S.L. Elle and Oui Lancôme
what are you afraid of? dying before having accomplished what I want, realised my dreams
do you like doing the washing? yes
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)