The highlights of last week can be divided into all sorts of categories, so I thought I'd figure out some creative way of listing them that wasn't just a bleak copy of Julie's Sunday posts. But then I'm too much of a perfectionist to experiment without serious preparation, so if I want to get to bed at all I'll have to save the spontaneity for later.
I've been reading:
- Slouching towards Bethlehem, a collection of short essays by Joan Didion which I highly recommend. The piece 'On Self-Respect' is just wonderful.
- Morgenbladet, as always. I love that newspaper, both for the wonderful writing and for fitting into almost all my handbags when folded correctly.
- Every article I could find about Berlin, to be prepared for my upcoming holiday.
I've been listening to:
- Sufjan Stevens' pre-Michigan cd 'Seven Swans', which is ridiculously beautiful.
- More The National. I can't seem to figure out why I love the sound of their music so much, but I think it's a combination of some fantastic lyrics and the drums. The drumming on most of Boxer is just insane, and listening to Brainy really loud on my iPod on my way to work gived me an insane little kick every time. Other bands that have the same effect are The Shins and The New Pornographers.
- Montt Mardié, who makes every walk through the nasty parts of town feel like a Hollywood film.
- A little David Bowie, a little Beethoven, a little Keith Jarrett.
I've been out and about:
- At three concerts: Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening's summer concert, which was amazing. Taxfree Turkeys' concert on Saturday was great fun. Norwegian Indie Festival (which in itself passed would have passed me right by, had it not been for the fact that my friends are much smarter than me and keep up with this kind of thing) hosted a Love-Fi concert which I wasn't planning to attend at all, but I'm very glad I went because that singer has a great voice.
- Picking up my shoes from the shoemaker's, which had been a much more pleasurable experience had I actually been able to afford repairing them in the first place. They are my Lisbon shoes, though, and they deserve all the love they can get.
- Getting tipsy in some of Oslo's murkier pubs, which is always a pleasure. Especially when you can be sure that paparazzp-Dee will put all the photos on Facebook the secod she gets home.
- Drinking champagne and having Julie's home-made crème brulée to celebrate her finishing exams. We had finished off a bottle by seven o'clock, which was a first,and watched Mean Girls. It was fantastically girly.
- Catching up with a classmate from middle school (yes, I know, that is a contradiction of terms, I'm getting to it). I'll have to save that story for tomorrow, though, because I need sleep. At least I've got all the boring bits out of the way now so that I can focus on the highlights of the weekend.
Good night!
I've been reading:
- Slouching towards Bethlehem, a collection of short essays by Joan Didion which I highly recommend. The piece 'On Self-Respect' is just wonderful.
- Morgenbladet, as always. I love that newspaper, both for the wonderful writing and for fitting into almost all my handbags when folded correctly.
- Every article I could find about Berlin, to be prepared for my upcoming holiday.
I've been listening to:
- Sufjan Stevens' pre-Michigan cd 'Seven Swans', which is ridiculously beautiful.
- More The National. I can't seem to figure out why I love the sound of their music so much, but I think it's a combination of some fantastic lyrics and the drums. The drumming on most of Boxer is just insane, and listening to Brainy really loud on my iPod on my way to work gived me an insane little kick every time. Other bands that have the same effect are The Shins and The New Pornographers.
- Montt Mardié, who makes every walk through the nasty parts of town feel like a Hollywood film.
- A little David Bowie, a little Beethoven, a little Keith Jarrett.
I've been out and about:
- At three concerts: Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening's summer concert, which was amazing. Taxfree Turkeys' concert on Saturday was great fun. Norwegian Indie Festival (which in itself passed would have passed me right by, had it not been for the fact that my friends are much smarter than me and keep up with this kind of thing) hosted a Love-Fi concert which I wasn't planning to attend at all, but I'm very glad I went because that singer has a great voice.
- Picking up my shoes from the shoemaker's, which had been a much more pleasurable experience had I actually been able to afford repairing them in the first place. They are my Lisbon shoes, though, and they deserve all the love they can get.
- Getting tipsy in some of Oslo's murkier pubs, which is always a pleasure. Especially when you can be sure that paparazzp-Dee will put all the photos on Facebook the secod she gets home.
- Drinking champagne and having Julie's home-made crème brulée to celebrate her finishing exams. We had finished off a bottle by seven o'clock, which was a first,and watched Mean Girls. It was fantastically girly.
- Catching up with a classmate from middle school (yes, I know, that is a contradiction of terms, I'm getting to it). I'll have to save that story for tomorrow, though, because I need sleep. At least I've got all the boring bits out of the way now so that I can focus on the highlights of the weekend.
Good night!
Out of sheer desperation, I'm blatantly ignoring the fact that this post is copied straight off my Facebook. This is just to keep you from bugging me until I finish my 'On flirting' post. Don't get your hopes up, it's not a work of literary genius or anything, but my brain and I need to kiss and make up before anything further happens, blog-wise.
I think a 'This week' post would be suitable, in honour of our dear friend Julie who is is offline in all conceivable ways for the week.
I have been reading:
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, for the umpteenth week in a row. It's been my bus/lunch book for ages (and as such it's ideal, it proving to me that people who are nuttier and more insane than my colleagues actually exist, at least in literature), but seeing as said colleagues are incapable of understanding the whole 'I'm reading, please leave me alone with my book because if I have to participate in one more conversation about what I'm doing next year, what my boyfriend is like, how lovely the weather is and where I got my shoes I WILL go ballistic' thing, my reading time is limited to ten minutes twice a day. And that doesn't do much good, now does it?
- gofugyourself.com - It is at all times the PERFECT distraction. I check for updates religiously.
- Friends' blogs, after having not followed them in a while.
- English Grammar: Theory and Use. I heart this book. Mari, feel free to hate me.
I've been listening to:
- The National's new album, Boxer. And pretty much everything they've ever recorded. They're my new favourites; the ultimate sad bastard music.
- My Språkteigen and Mark Kermode's Film Reviews podcasts (thanks to![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
sootpigdog, I now have an intimate and caring one-way relationship with a gorgeous, witty Brit)
- The sound of silence, now that the overall-clad teenagers are finally back inside where they belong and I can get a good night's sleep for the first time in weeks.
I've been watching:
- Ugly Betty, just because I think she's absolutely fantabulous and I'm not afraid to admit it. Well, a little, but not as much as I am to reveal, say, that I still enjoy the afternoon re-re-reruns of The OC.
- Shooting Dogs, a very haunting film about the Rwanda 1994 situation. Not what you would call a cheerful watch, but to me a very good film which scarred my retinas for life.
- Hot Fuzz, which was the funniest film I've seen in a long, long time. I did the big-loud-laugh-followed-by-spontaneous-a
I've been doing:
- NOTHING, goddammit. I knew my laziness one day would come after me and bite me in the arse. But I have:
- Been to a birthday party for Ditte, which was bit awkward at first, seeing as I wasn't really in the group', but then turned fun when the other disconnected people arrived (and cake! And disgustlingly sweet punch!), and ended really, really pleasantly with my making a new friend and finding out that there still are some good guys out there, you just have to catch them when they're alone (and preferably drinking). Also, damn me for being so crap at accepting compliments. Must work on that.
- Had my hair cut with a pair of kitchen scissors. Anyone who has even met me will now need to take a few breaths before moving on, but I assure you, it looks really good, and all I have to pay is one spinach and ricotta pie (which you will receive some time this week, Elin!).
- Celebrating the Day of Many Flags with Julie, Heidi Karethe and Per Ivar, and some of their bunad-clad friends and relatives. The celebration included a fantastic lemon sorbet, cake at Pascal, a little walking, a lot of confusion and a lot of repeating lines like 'White leggings are murderers' and other comments on the general inappropriateness and/or tastelessness of other people's outfits of choice. Fun fun fun.
And finally, a list of the things I should have done, but haven't:
- Finished the Eurosong post for my blog, or any other posts for that matter. I will. Tonight.
- Planned my holiday. I'm not even sure where I'm going yet, so that really needs doing SOON.
- Called my grandmother. I'm a horrible person.
And on that note, let the working week begin.
I think a 'This week' post would be suitable, in honour of our dear friend Julie who is is offline in all conceivable ways for the week.
I have been reading:
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, for the umpteenth week in a row. It's been my bus/lunch book for ages (and as such it's ideal, it proving to me that people who are nuttier and more insane than my colleagues actually exist, at least in literature), but seeing as said colleagues are incapable of understanding the whole 'I'm reading, please leave me alone with my book because if I have to participate in one more conversation about what I'm doing next year, what my boyfriend is like, how lovely the weather is and where I got my shoes I WILL go ballistic' thing, my reading time is limited to ten minutes twice a day. And that doesn't do much good, now does it?
- gofugyourself.com - It is at all times the PERFECT distraction. I check for updates religiously.
- Friends' blogs, after having not followed them in a while.
- English Grammar: Theory and Use. I heart this book. Mari, feel free to hate me.
I've been listening to:
- The National's new album, Boxer. And pretty much everything they've ever recorded. They're my new favourites; the ultimate sad bastard music.
- My Språkteigen and Mark Kermode's Film Reviews podcasts (thanks to
sootpigdog, I now have an intimate and caring one-way relationship with a gorgeous, witty Brit)- The sound of silence, now that the overall-clad teenagers are finally back inside where they belong and I can get a good night's sleep for the first time in weeks.
I've been watching:
- Ugly Betty, just because I think she's absolutely fantabulous and I'm not afraid to admit it. Well, a little, but not as much as I am to reveal, say, that I still enjoy the afternoon re-re-reruns of The OC.
- Shooting Dogs, a very haunting film about the Rwanda 1994 situation. Not what you would call a cheerful watch, but to me a very good film which scarred my retinas for life.
- Hot Fuzz, which was the funniest film I've seen in a long, long time. I did the big-loud-laugh-followed-by-spontaneous-a
I've been doing:
- NOTHING, goddammit. I knew my laziness one day would come after me and bite me in the arse. But I have:
- Been to a birthday party for Ditte, which was bit awkward at first, seeing as I wasn't really in the group', but then turned fun when the other disconnected people arrived (and cake! And disgustlingly sweet punch!), and ended really, really pleasantly with my making a new friend and finding out that there still are some good guys out there, you just have to catch them when they're alone (and preferably drinking). Also, damn me for being so crap at accepting compliments. Must work on that.
- Had my hair cut with a pair of kitchen scissors. Anyone who has even met me will now need to take a few breaths before moving on, but I assure you, it looks really good, and all I have to pay is one spinach and ricotta pie (which you will receive some time this week, Elin!).
- Celebrating the Day of Many Flags with Julie, Heidi Karethe and Per Ivar, and some of their bunad-clad friends and relatives. The celebration included a fantastic lemon sorbet, cake at Pascal, a little walking, a lot of confusion and a lot of repeating lines like 'White leggings are murderers' and other comments on the general inappropriateness and/or tastelessness of other people's outfits of choice. Fun fun fun.
And finally, a list of the things I should have done, but haven't:
- Finished the Eurosong post for my blog, or any other posts for that matter. I will. Tonight.
- Planned my holiday. I'm not even sure where I'm going yet, so that really needs doing SOON.
- Called my grandmother. I'm a horrible person.
And on that note, let the working week begin.
So I get it now. People nag, and it works, so here I am. I haven't felt like updating in ages, and not even now, really, but here's a quick recap of my goings-on this weekend. Baby steps:
1) Arne and I went to the theatre on Friday, and it was a very fun evening. I single-handedly started a round of applause in the middle of the play, which made me feel good, it being the premiere and there being tons of v important people there. Got me thinking, I should do this more often.
2) Been trying to read a lot, or at least more than usual, and have been enjoying books ranging from Tale of Two Cities to Doppler, and also quite a few essays on literature, language and other topics that stimulate my geeky side. Today I read one of Cora Sandel's really long short stories, and I now remember why I like her so much.
3) Went to see Dreamgirls with Julie today (free tickets), and it's all bubbly and colourful and musicaly and shoop-shoo-ah-y in ways that I had forgotten were entertaining. Kind of a silly 'hold hands and skip afterwards' story of solidarity and friendship and all of that, by which I am not wholly impressed, but seeing as it's a musical, bland stories are allowed, so long as the costumes are good and the film doesn't slow down at any point. It was no time to be artsy, and they didn't try to be, so I was left with a single feeling: the little drag queen in me was fed and happy.
4) Had the girls over today (I feel like a member of the DAR when I say that, but as of yet none of us have nicknames like Minnie or Kitty or Bitsy. Be warned, though). Evening consisted of the usual: Cake, ice-cream (with three different toppings, the hostess in me not resting for a second), tea and the perfect movie, 8 Femmes by Francois Ozon. Little mini-me drag queen jumping of joy by now, preventing me from going to bed.
That's it, really. I'm sleepy, working tomorrow, expecting a very dull week.....
....with the exception of Tuesday, when I turn 21. Hah! Now that you've read this, there is no acceptable excuse not to send me a congrats-sms! *snigger*
Now go to bed!
1) Arne and I went to the theatre on Friday, and it was a very fun evening. I single-handedly started a round of applause in the middle of the play, which made me feel good, it being the premiere and there being tons of v important people there. Got me thinking, I should do this more often.
2) Been trying to read a lot, or at least more than usual, and have been enjoying books ranging from Tale of Two Cities to Doppler, and also quite a few essays on literature, language and other topics that stimulate my geeky side. Today I read one of Cora Sandel's really long short stories, and I now remember why I like her so much.
3) Went to see Dreamgirls with Julie today (free tickets), and it's all bubbly and colourful and musicaly and shoop-shoo-ah-y in ways that I had forgotten were entertaining. Kind of a silly 'hold hands and skip afterwards' story of solidarity and friendship and all of that, by which I am not wholly impressed, but seeing as it's a musical, bland stories are allowed, so long as the costumes are good and the film doesn't slow down at any point. It was no time to be artsy, and they didn't try to be, so I was left with a single feeling: the little drag queen in me was fed and happy.
4) Had the girls over today (I feel like a member of the DAR when I say that, but as of yet none of us have nicknames like Minnie or Kitty or Bitsy. Be warned, though). Evening consisted of the usual: Cake, ice-cream (with three different toppings, the hostess in me not resting for a second), tea and the perfect movie, 8 Femmes by Francois Ozon. Little mini-me drag queen jumping of joy by now, preventing me from going to bed.
That's it, really. I'm sleepy, working tomorrow, expecting a very dull week.....
....with the exception of Tuesday, when I turn 21. Hah! Now that you've read this, there is no acceptable excuse not to send me a congrats-sms! *snigger*
Now go to bed!
So it's the night before my first exam. I've been an idiot of a girl and done next to no studying for this one, but it's one of those exams where your mark is so dependent on luck that the chance of a few days' studies helping much is unestimable. But hey, I aced a grammar exam for which I had studied nada, so strange things obviously do happen.
Ugh, earlier today I had so many ideas for topics to ramble on about, all of which by now are gone, no doubt to your bottomless grief. That means this will be a medium-sized entry of non-specific rambling. Damn. I will also refrain from revealing a large amount of detail from my ever-spiralling love life, for once. Now, let's see what's left.
Tomorrow is The First Exam Day. Three hours, nine to noon, of translation practice and theory. Then on Monday there's British literature, Tuesday is British civilisation and Wednesday phonetics and intonation, oral this time. This is my future. Excuse me if my sense of humour is somewhat lacking, the reason for which you now know.
But: summer is coming, and summer calls for new summer music.
I WELCOME SUGGESTIONS EXCLAMATION MARK
On my list so far:
Pulp - His 'n' Hers, This Is Hardcore, Diff'rent Class
Håkan Hellström - Det är så jag säger det
Belle & Sebastian - Tigermilk (I have this on minidisc but I stil WILL own it on cd within two months, I promise)
Possibly Sonic Youth, who I am slowly 'discovering', or rather 'discovering that I actually really like, which I didn't think I would'
Lisa Ekdahl
Suzanne Vega - Songs in Red and Grey
Already on in my shelves:
The La's - s/t
Iron and Wine - Our endless numbered days
Some B&S (Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Push Barman... comp.)
My 'classic' summer music (The Margarets, Five for Fighting (that strange-looking American who made the horrible Superman song, whom NOBODY likes except me), Pete Yorn, Norah Jones before she did the whole Dolly Parton duet thing)
Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk
Stevie Wonder - Talking Book
Anna Ternheim - Somebody Outside
My mind failing, as it so often does, I have probably left out about half of what really should be on there. I'm talking poppy, happy, light stuff, things even I could dance to.
List #2: Things I've been doing today instead of reading
- Watched Rumour Has It with Jennifer Aniston, which had a two-digit number of out-loud laugh moments, but which was, at the end of the day, a completely predictable romantic comedy. Jennifer Aniston in film is like the Queen Midas of Hollywood, everything she touches turns to bubblegum.
- Re-organised my lingerie drawer, which I really didn't need to do, and shouldn't have done, because now I'm entirely not satisfied with the system in there and see another attempt in the near future.
- Had a beer. Hell, why not?
- Comtemplated alphabetising my cd collection, even though I'm currently very happy with the system there, too
- This
- Listened to considerable amounts of internet radio
- Chatted on the phone with Eva, discovering to my surprise that other people have exams left, too
- Drunk large quantities of raspberry tea
- Plucked my eyebrows. More.
- Watched Ally McBeal and a bit of other trash, and found out that Trinny and Suzannah are back on hext week - hooray!
Also, I'm happy.
Ugh, earlier today I had so many ideas for topics to ramble on about, all of which by now are gone, no doubt to your bottomless grief. That means this will be a medium-sized entry of non-specific rambling. Damn. I will also refrain from revealing a large amount of detail from my ever-spiralling love life, for once. Now, let's see what's left.
Tomorrow is The First Exam Day. Three hours, nine to noon, of translation practice and theory. Then on Monday there's British literature, Tuesday is British civilisation and Wednesday phonetics and intonation, oral this time. This is my future. Excuse me if my sense of humour is somewhat lacking, the reason for which you now know.
But: summer is coming, and summer calls for new summer music.
I WELCOME SUGGESTIONS EXCLAMATION MARK
On my list so far:
Pulp - His 'n' Hers, This Is Hardcore, Diff'rent Class
Håkan Hellström - Det är så jag säger det
Belle & Sebastian - Tigermilk (I have this on minidisc but I stil WILL own it on cd within two months, I promise)
Possibly Sonic Youth, who I am slowly 'discovering', or rather 'discovering that I actually really like, which I didn't think I would'
Lisa Ekdahl
Suzanne Vega - Songs in Red and Grey
Already on in my shelves:
The La's - s/t
Iron and Wine - Our endless numbered days
Some B&S (Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Push Barman... comp.)
My 'classic' summer music (The Margarets, Five for Fighting (that strange-looking American who made the horrible Superman song, whom NOBODY likes except me), Pete Yorn, Norah Jones before she did the whole Dolly Parton duet thing)
Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk
Stevie Wonder - Talking Book
Anna Ternheim - Somebody Outside
My mind failing, as it so often does, I have probably left out about half of what really should be on there. I'm talking poppy, happy, light stuff, things even I could dance to.
List #2: Things I've been doing today instead of reading
- Watched Rumour Has It with Jennifer Aniston, which had a two-digit number of out-loud laugh moments, but which was, at the end of the day, a completely predictable romantic comedy. Jennifer Aniston in film is like the Queen Midas of Hollywood, everything she touches turns to bubblegum.
- Re-organised my lingerie drawer, which I really didn't need to do, and shouldn't have done, because now I'm entirely not satisfied with the system in there and see another attempt in the near future.
- Had a beer. Hell, why not?
- Comtemplated alphabetising my cd collection, even though I'm currently very happy with the system there, too
- This
- Listened to considerable amounts of internet radio
- Chatted on the phone with Eva, discovering to my surprise that other people have exams left, too
- Drunk large quantities of raspberry tea
- Plucked my eyebrows. More.
- Watched Ally McBeal and a bit of other trash, and found out that Trinny and Suzannah are back on hext week - hooray!
Also, I'm happy.
- Noise:Just the birds
Mark Kermode. BBC Radio Five Live. Film reviews.
Go listen to the radio, folks!
Wonderful man.
Go listen to the radio, folks!
Wonderful man.
Listening to Bonnie Prince Billy (aka. pretty much any wild guess you can make), enjoying life in a 'strange and extraordinary' way. The sky is like this homogenous grey canvas, but then you look a bit more closely and it's yellow and green and purple, and no, I'm not trying to re-enact the scene in Girl with a Pearl Earring. I just love it when it's like this. Everything is like an understatement, it's tense and it's energising.
Feels so good, this.
Feels so good, this.
- Noise:Bonnie Prince Billy
I have absolutely no sense of the value of money. I have it, which means I spend it, which means I don't have it any more. But that's not really what today has been about. Today has been about snow. And inexplicable happiness, and unfortunately not-so-inexplicable discouragement. Plus I have this really bad skin all of a sudden, which annoys me to tears. So tired now... BUT some food will get me going again, I'm sure. And I'm seeing Transamerica this evening with my ex-boyfriend (sounds so wrong...), which will be lovely, I hope.
My eye hurts. Or the skin right underneath it, actually. Hmf.
Still waiting for spring. Raining today, which is awfully dull, but still bears promises of better weather soon. I can't wait to start riding my bicycle again, I so need to work out. God, my eye! Ow!
My brain turns into a complete blank when I need to have something to say. I'm sure my friends would appreciate if that happened more often in their company, but alas... Will get back to how good or bad Transamerica was. And what I actually have to say.
My eye hurts. Or the skin right underneath it, actually. Hmf.
Still waiting for spring. Raining today, which is awfully dull, but still bears promises of better weather soon. I can't wait to start riding my bicycle again, I so need to work out. God, my eye! Ow!
My brain turns into a complete blank when I need to have something to say. I'm sure my friends would appreciate if that happened more often in their company, but alas... Will get back to how good or bad Transamerica was. And what I actually have to say.
- Mood:
okay
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