Friday December 15th 2006

It's been a few days since my last blog. I took some time off as I decided that I didn't have that much to tell really. But now it's been a few days and I've first of all gotten the date for my final exam. I'll be doing that on the 16th of January. Still a little month away, but if I know time it'll fly away - the feathered bugger. I just need to prepare for the exam sometime after New Years and then all should be well.
I also found out that My Chemical Romance will be playing in Malmoe and I so want to go. Johan and me couldn't afford the tickets ourselves, so Katrine came to our rescue and bought us the tickets as an early birthday present. That was pretty darn awesome of her I think. So thanks to her we get to go mingle with all the Swedish emo-kids - if their parents will let them out for the night. Can't wait for that.
Johan did his final exam of the year the other day so we have Christmas holidays together now which is really nice. We sleep late and go to bed whenever we feel like it. Nothing planned from one day to the other and just taking it easy. Good stuff.
Well, hope everyone's well.
D

Tuesday December 12th 2006

Every year there is one thing that needs to be done in due time: Christmas cards need to be written, stamped and sent off before it's too late. So today I decided was the day where I'd first of all get my last presents for friends abroad bought and then I'd write my Christmas cards so they are ready to be sent off tomorrow. Mission halfways accomplished. Still need to do the Swedish versions so basically I need Johan to write them and I will sign them - in Swedish naturally. *cough cough* But apart from that I have finished that part of the Christmas preparations. Now I just need the last of Johan's presents, my sister's presents and Marianne's present. Then it's all settled and ready to go. I can't seem to remember from year to year if I'm always this late with getting the last bits and bobs done. It'll be the 22nd before I finish I reckon. That's pretty late! But hey, I have all the time in the world.
Hmm, not much to say today either. Isn't it lovely?
Rock on rockers!
D

Monday December 11th 2006

The eyecandy to your right is simply because I have nothing interesting or productive to say today. I've basically done nothing but read, feel sick and watch TV. So yeah, let's all look at P!nk in stead and hope that one day, when hell freezes over and pigs fly that I could even be slightly as cool and rock and roll as her. If I had been a little girl writing my wishlist for Christmas I would have written "To look like P!nk" as my first wish. But since I already know that Santa doesn't excist I won't even go there. In stead I will keep eating my carrots.
Marianne and Morten I'm thinking of you. You know where you can find me if you need me.
Take care everyone.
D.

Sunday December 10th 2006

After just about 6 months in Sweden with no physical problems at all, I last night had my first encounter with a Swedish doctor. In the end I had to give in to my stomachpains and Johan took me to the emergency room last night just after midnight. It was quite scary to me as I'm not able to speak Swedish and was scared that I wouldn't understand them or they wouldn't understand me, and that that would somehow affect the examination of my stomach. But we were met by a really nice Swedish doctor who decided to give his rusty circus Danish a try and mixing it with a bit of Swedish, which made me 100% able to understand everything he said. His evaluation was that I have a colon infection and that I need to wait it out a bit and see if I get better and if I don't, they need to determine exactly which bacteria we're dealing with and then they have to start treatment with either antibiotics or whichever drug is needed. So am feeling a little poorly today to be honest. Haven't really left my bed for anything but a shower and don't think I will. Bed = goodness.

And thankfully I have Johan here to support me and hug me when it hurts too much. He truly is my rock and I love him more than anything in the world.

Life sometimes pulls such surprises on us it's hard to understand why we are not in any control of it ourselves. I'm thinking of you, Marianne and Morten. <3>Have a peacefull sunday everyone and as always - rock it!

D

Saturday December 9th 2006

Long live lazy saturdays and 6 episodes of Top Model UK in a row. Okay missed a couple of them as we tried to get out and buy some Christmas presents but since my stomach is still giving me some grief we had to give up on that and dedicate the rest of the day to couchpotatoing and for Johan there was some studying to see to before next week's exams.
With an uneventful day as today I don't have much else to write about, so I'll leave you all a little sooner today with much love and best wishes for a good weekend.
D <3

Friday December 8th 2006

With Christmas just around the corner I decided that today I was going to bake some good old Christmas cookies. So thanks to Marianne I was provided with a good recipe and spent a while this afternoon baking. As you can see my cookie mould is a very rugged looking, crooked legged, hairy man - so basically I made a lot of little Robin Williamses. Not having tasted Robin Williams I'd still like to claim that my cookies are far tastier though. I think Johan might back me up.. not that he tasted Robin Williams either. Oh my.. I'm sidetracking.
Apart from the cookie baking today was very quiet and relaxed. We did a bit of laundry this afternoon and I had a chat with my mum on the phone. Can't wait to come over and see them all for Christmas. I'll book my trainticket one of these next days and that means that this time I will travel over to Århus in style. Normally it's train/bus/ferry/bus basically, but this time it's directly off to Kastrup airport with one train and then change to a direct train to Århus. This will be the first time I try that so there's something to look forward to in the spirit of finding everything interesting even down to it's smallest points. Whichever way I get there I'm just excited to get to go over and see my family and then have Johan come over too. Will be great to have some days in Århus together and maybe relive some old memories, like going out for dinner at Italia or maybe we'll go see a film at CineMaxx or something. It still at times feels like it was hundreds of years since he used to come and visit me there, when in real life it was just earlier this year. Crazy, isn't it? In a few weeks it'll be 2007. Are you ready? Now is the time to line up the New Year's resolutions and start making promises to ourselves. "This year I will lose the extra weight", "this year I will quit smoking", "this year I'll stop listening to Barry Manilow records" - whatever. There are so many promises in the air and we hardly ever do what we promise ourselves. So this year, I'm boycotting resolutions. I can do without. And if I have to promise myself anything it'll be something like "live everyday, love everyday, cherish everyday" because that I can live by forever and ever.
Rock on people and hug each other, the world is short on hugs
D <3

Thursday December 7th 2006

I miss my pets, so today Sophus the supercat will be the featured eyecandy of my blog. This is him doing what he's best at: taking a little nap in whichever small confined spot that presents itself. Such a fluffy sweetheart he is.
Today was nice and easy. We drove out to Järavallen and went for a walk in the forest and then we went out and did a bit of groceryshopping. So nothing too out of the ordinary happened. But that's what's nice at the time being. Everything is peaceful and the only worries I need to have are whether or not we'll be able to move me over here officially now or in another 10 months time. You see, there's a little issue called taxes when owning your own flat and moving to another country, so have a lot of practical stuff I need to sort out before I can apply for a Swedish socialsecurity number. Rather annoying to have to worry about but then again, I'll appriciate it all in a years time when we'll get the profit from selling the flat and thereby being able to afford a little house for ourselves. That's something to look forward to.
Well, hope everyone's well and feel free to comment my blogs. It's always nice with a little sign of someone reading my silly thoughts.
Rock on rockers <3
D.

Wednesday December 6th 2006

Being a Dane in Sweden there are a few things you always feel you either need or miss. Some things can be replaced with Swedish equivalents but in case of emergency: Thank heaven for... well Netto. The weather was so bad today that we had to stay in Lund in stead of going to Järavallen, so in stead we decided to pop by Netto which is about 3 kilometres from our flat. In the spirit of the mighty pedometer we walked there and back home again to reach the all important 10.000 steps. Was a great walk, but we were incredibly tired by the time we returned home. I bet we'll sleep like babies tonight.
Yet another little mouse decided to move in to our flat, under the stove to be exact, and for that it had to pay with it's life. Yes... it was killed and this time I didn't cry about it. Man I am tired of sharing this (very very very very) small flat with more than Johan. And it feels a bit like we might as well be living in a box on the street. Feels unclean somehow. Yuck! Can't wait to move to a bigger flat.
Well, not much else to tell about today. Tonight there's a couple of lovely television programmes we always see, but that's about it.
As yesterday I just want to send some thoughts to Marianne again for her second part of the phonetics exam tomorrow. You'll shine, I know it. <3>

Tuesday December 5th 2006

On this fine Tuesday Johan and me decided we felt like going to the cinema. You know the way it always feels like there are no films on when you want to go see one? Luckily it wasn't like that today. We went and saw Saw 3 and even though the films are quite horrible and disgusting I have to say I love the trilogy so far. They're disgusting, but they have a plot and a damn good one. Very psychologically twisted and scary, but in the good way. Makes you think. So it definitely gets a thumbs up from me.
Apart from the cinema nothing much has happened today. Johan had school and he presented a project which of course went well. Bless his 'ginormous' brain. And when he came home we went for a walk as to stimulate our pedometers. They got what they deserved today and Johan's a bit more, so am a little bitter over that, haha! I'll need to make up for it tomorrow so have begged him to take me to Järavallen for a walk around the forrest. Should be good, both with the exercise but also just with clean, lovely air out there. Am looking forward to that.
I've had some problems with my stomach for some days now, well since Saturday anyways, so am thinking about possible contacting a doctor if it won't stop one of these next days. It's doing my head in. Let's hope it's just a virus or something and not something that will stick with me forever and prevent me from devouring like a whole duck Christmas Eve.
Before I stop for today I am just sending all my best thoughts and wishes of good luck to Marianne who has her Phonetics exam tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. For those of you who read my blogs, please send her positive thoughts too, okay? She will do brilliantly, no doubt about it. Best of luck Marianne <3
Rock on people!
D <3

Monday December 4th 2006

Off to Helsingborg we went today for a small visit at the dentist's office. Johan needed his yearly check up - not something he was looking forward to at all. All went well though and before we knew it we were on our way back to Lund. The photo is from this summer when we spent a day in Helsingør. On our way back to Helsingborg I snapped this photo and I can asure that the blue sky and the overall warm feeling wasn't really the same in Helsingborg today. Time has really flown - it's mad. I sit here and think about it and can't even begin to believe that there's only 20 days left until Christmas Eve. Where has the last 2 months gone? Johan's second schoolperiod this year ends next week when the exam period starts again. I could have sworn he just did exams a few weeks back. But that's already almost 8 weeks ago.
Suddenly this summer feels like it was ages ago. So much has happened in so little time, but it's all for the better. In less than 2 months I'll officially be educated, I'll officially move to Sweden and I hope and pray that my jobhunting will be somewhat on a roll.
Today my thoughts go out to Marianne who's had a bit of a traumatic experience. I know that these next days are very important to you HP and I will always be here for you. Much love to you! Remember that you are my star forever and ever. :)
Blogging every day is turning out to be somewhat of a challenge. Some days there just isn't much to tell. But just know that every day I am happy and relaxed. Such a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and never again will guilt get me down. Rock on people!
D <3

Sunday December 3rd 2006

Today was sunday and we decided to drive out to Järavallen and go for a walk in the forrest. We've recently discovered that we walk too little and have gotten a hold of two of those little pedometer-thingies and try to walk the recommended 10.000 paces per day. That's if you want to loose a bit of weight. Normally you should do abut 6000 paces per day. So we try and do somewhere between 6000-10.000 every day. Today we did 8000 paces in the forrest alone. My pedometer is on 11.000 paces right now, so it was a good walk indeed.
Of course a walk like that isn't just all about how many paces we take and so. It was also about getting away together a bit. No computers, no tv, no music, no distractions. Just the two of us and a huge forrest with a hell of a lot of trees. Walking out there we both felt uplifted and free somehow. No clichees here or anything, it was just very quiet and peaceful except for us talking and having a genuinely nice time. I'm not much of a nature person myself, Johan has always been though. But I really enjoy these walks of ours. We talk and laugh and have such a great time just the two of us with nothing interferring. All the worries in the world couldn't bring me down when we're walking hand in hand through the green. Now there's a clichee for you all. Have a great sunday!
D <3

Saturday December 2nd 2006

In true holiday spirits I sat down and did my "Christmas meets rock and roll"-decoration for our coffeetable. I wanted a bit of an enchanted forrest feeling and with the little electric lights in the moss it turned out pretty darn well, if I'm to say so myself. I probably won't want to put it away after Christmas. Should be interesting to see if it'll be an all year decoration instead.

Today we went out to the local mall to see if we could find some Christmas presents. It's amazing how big a difference there is from when I was a little girl. Back then the lists of wishes went on and on and on. From games, to toys, to cds, to clothes.. where did the creativity go? Maybe it is in fact so that the older we get, the less the presents actually mean to us. It becomes more important to see how our loved ones appriciate and love what we buy them. I still remember back when I was little how sad I felt every year that my parents didn't get as many presents as us. I'd sometimes even feel a little guilty. But they were always happy no matter what - happy because we were happy I guess. That's the whole spirit of this time for me. I'm not a religious person, so this time of year is about celebrating family and love. A beautiful time indeed.

Time to turn on all the little lights in my tiny enchanted forrest and enjoy the peace and quiet of this Saturday. Have a great one everyone!

D <3

Friday December 1st 2006

Today is world AIDS day. 5500 lives are lost daily in Africa to AIDS - on world basis around 40 million people live with HIV. And so far there is nothing we can do to stop it - unless we take action. Wearing the red ribbon is one of the actions we can take. On December 1st we can also wear the 'virtual ribbon' to try and spread awareness. Here is mine:


Go to the official site and see how you can help. One day we might be able to live without the fear of HIV and AIDS. Lets try and push that day forward.

December 1st isn't just about how Christmas is knocking on the door. It's also a day for remembering how priviledged some of us are and for discovering what we can do for the ones less fortunate. Afterall it is a time for sharing and caring.

D <3>

Thursday November 30th 2006

Oh my! Only one day left and then it's December. Time really does fly. This year I have promised myself to get my Christmas cards out in time, so I better start writing them soon. Plus I promised myself to make some sort of lovely "Christmas meets rock and roll"- decoration for our coffeetable and I also want to decorate the flat a bit. So now that I put it in here I *have* to do it! And I have to post pics of it too to prove that I actually did it. Now someone hit me with a dash of inspiration, okay?
Today I did my CV and started my jobapplications. It's hella difficult. I know what I want to write - I even know what I have to write - I just can't seem to get it done. I want to make long lists of adjectives of my own brilliance, but... just looks both fake and stupid. It's supposed to be natural and charming and interesting so they won't be able to resist calling me in for an interview. I remember ealier this year when a lot of my classmates were doing their applications, they all made these very creative books about themselves with pictures and what not, but to me that just seems like a bit too much. I'm going to keep it simple to begin with and if I still don't have a job this time next year I'll be hurling homemade scrapbooks their way.
Johan is in school at the moment. He just made another succesful presentation in crypto-majig-thingy. He is so talented and he needs to remember that at all times. Even if it's tough he studies so extremely hard. I am both proud of him and amazed by him every day. <3
Well, I can't keep worming my way out of writing the applications, so off I go. Thanks for reading! D.

Wednesday November 29th 2006

Today I started looking for a job. And not just scoping the market, but actually sat down and looked through the available jobs and decided on a few to apply for. The Danish schoolsystem can be a little unfair at times. Teachers can actually be hired to teach subjects they don't have any educational background in. Luckily I found a couple of jobs that suit both me and my qualifications. Now I just need to sit down and actually do the applications. So now the real fun begins: Let's sell ourselves! The thought of it alone makes me shudder. I'll treat it like a bandaid and get it over with in a hurry and make sure to highlight all my positive qualities and the really good things I have accomplished over the last 6 years. My international exam, my teaching experience, my work with children, my graduated course in working with children with special needs and then of course the fact that I love teaching. I have a brilliant letter of recommendation from my last practise period, which I'm not allowed to include in my jobapplication unfortunately, but I will quote it that's for sure.
Hopefully in the end I will have a job next year. A job that will buy me a new car, get Johan and me a bigger flat/small house and just generally make life a whole lot easier. I love growing up, it's a beautiful time. And I love the fact that now my life is really taking off. It's all a little uncertain, a little difficult to know what it'll all look like in a year. But let's see how this application-business goes, who knows I might be a fullfledged teacher before we know it.

Tuesday November 28th 2006

November is coming to an end which can only mean one thing: Christmas time! Every year this time brings different states of mind. Some years I'm bah-humbugging my way through all of December wishing I could dig a deep hole and hide out for the duration of the month. Other years I'm humming along to Wham!'s "Last Christmas" by the end of November, longing for the 24th-26th of December to come sooner. This year? I'm peaceful about it. Not too bah-humbuggy and not overly excited yet. I bet the time will come though. So bring on December, I'm ready for it.
The photo is from this Sunday (the 26th of November) and taken by Johan in Landskrona, Sweden. Sometimes you need to stop up and take a look at the world you're a part of. There is by far too much beauty in the world to walk around and feel bad about small things in life that present minor discomfort. By golly, even the world's biggest pile of idiots - whom I actually know- couldn't get me down by now. There's an unlimited veil of colours colouring my world and they all make life an invaluable piece of art.