July 31, 2006
Very interesting podcast
I just finished listening to this very interesting podcast with Brian Micklethwait and Adriana Lucas on Social media business. A bit long, but very much worth listening to if you are interested in how social media is starting to change the business world.
Back from the gym
Yes, I’m back from the gym. I soooo didn’t wanted to go and almost fell asleep on the tram, but now I’m very happy and proud that I went. I took it pretty easy though. 20 minutes on the treadmill watching an old episode of ER with Doug and Carol at their best. Then 40 minutes of free weights and machines, and finally 10 minutes of sit ups and push ups (girlie one of course).
Food wise I’ve done well so far. Oatmeal for breakfast. Chicken, veges and pasta for lunch. A pear as snack in the morning and an apple in the afternoon. Now I’m about to make one of my favourite cottage cheese mixes with pineapple, bell pepper, red onion and black pepper. Add ham, a green salad and pita bread and you have a very yummy and quick dinner. I passed the fruit and veges stand on the way home so as desert I'm going to have strawberries. Then I just think I'm going to jumo into bed. I wasn't really sleep last night, but now I am. It's hard to have to get up at 6 am and go to work...
Food wise I’ve done well so far. Oatmeal for breakfast. Chicken, veges and pasta for lunch. A pear as snack in the morning and an apple in the afternoon. Now I’m about to make one of my favourite cottage cheese mixes with pineapple, bell pepper, red onion and black pepper. Add ham, a green salad and pita bread and you have a very yummy and quick dinner. I passed the fruit and veges stand on the way home so as desert I'm going to have strawberries. Then I just think I'm going to jumo into bed. I wasn't really sleep last night, but now I am. It's hard to have to get up at 6 am and go to work...
July 30, 2006
The Middle East
A couple of nights ago Philip asked about my thoughts on the Israel – Lebanon conflict. My immediate response was that it is horrendous and totally insane, which I still believe. He knew I would say that so he provoked me by saying that doesn’t Israel have the right to defend itself? Not having the energy to go into a deep, but probably a very interesting, discussion I sort of changed the subject. (I’m bad sometimes I know…)
But Philip wouldn’t be Philip if his comment hadn’t made me think. Over the last days I have thought a lot about it and read several articles both on and off line. Yes, a country should have the right to defend itself. Hizbollah will not stop until they have exterminated the State of Israel. And that is what I call a threat… But then when I think about everything Israel have done over the years. They haven’t exactly been the good guys either… But what bather me the most in this whole situation is the innocent civilians. One could argue that civilian casualties comes with being at war, but I don’t get that. I don’t think that the every day man in Israel or Lebanon really wants to die. OK, this is conflict is rooted way, way back in generations, but still...
I know I’m not very good at arguing my case and this probably comes off as it bit rambling. But it is for sure a very complicated situation and I honestly don’t know who is right and who is wrong. Lets just hope it ends very soon. Very soon!
But Philip wouldn’t be Philip if his comment hadn’t made me think. Over the last days I have thought a lot about it and read several articles both on and off line. Yes, a country should have the right to defend itself. Hizbollah will not stop until they have exterminated the State of Israel. And that is what I call a threat… But then when I think about everything Israel have done over the years. They haven’t exactly been the good guys either… But what bather me the most in this whole situation is the innocent civilians. One could argue that civilian casualties comes with being at war, but I don’t get that. I don’t think that the every day man in Israel or Lebanon really wants to die. OK, this is conflict is rooted way, way back in generations, but still...
I know I’m not very good at arguing my case and this probably comes off as it bit rambling. But it is for sure a very complicated situation and I honestly don’t know who is right and who is wrong. Lets just hope it ends very soon. Very soon!
Back to the Real World
So it’s Sunday night and my 10 days of holidays is almost over. Am I ready to go back to work? Yes and no. More time off would of course be nice but, but at the same time I can already feel how I’m gearing up for going into to work mode. I went through my emails earlier and it looks like things have been pretty slow the last week. Last week and the week before is after all the slowest weeks during the year. Everybody is on holiday.
Going back to reality also means going back to the gym and starting to eating right again. I jumped on the scale this morning and very much to my surprise I was only up two pounds. Those two pounds that I seem to gain and lose over and over again. Sigh! Or maybe it’s just a sign that I will 165 lbs is my weight. Looking at picture from my lowest at 149 lbs (Xmas 2003) I do look ill. Now I understand that people kept telling me that I had to stop losing weight. But then I couldn’t see the wood for all the trees (Is that a saying in English? Or did I just translate a Swedish one?)
Getting in the habit off going to the gym three times a week will probably be the hardest part. I like it, but at the same time it boring as hech. I miss my old circuit and core classes at BingoLotto gym .We had so much fun, and Reino was such a good trainer. He could always motivate me, no matter how boring I thought it was. Now at the gym I just plug in my MP3 player and do my routine. 1-1½ hour later I’m out of there and I haven’t spoken to a single person. OK, maybe one or two, but we all do our routine and leave. I wonder how thing will be next week when The European Athletics Championships starts. The gym is just across the street from the Ullevi Stadium and most of the streets are going to be closed down. The security is probably going to be pretty tight too. Oh well, we’ll just have to wait and see. It’s another week left. First I have to make it there tomorrow…
Going back to reality also means going back to the gym and starting to eating right again. I jumped on the scale this morning and very much to my surprise I was only up two pounds. Those two pounds that I seem to gain and lose over and over again. Sigh! Or maybe it’s just a sign that I will 165 lbs is my weight. Looking at picture from my lowest at 149 lbs (Xmas 2003) I do look ill. Now I understand that people kept telling me that I had to stop losing weight. But then I couldn’t see the wood for all the trees (Is that a saying in English? Or did I just translate a Swedish one?)
Getting in the habit off going to the gym three times a week will probably be the hardest part. I like it, but at the same time it boring as hech. I miss my old circuit and core classes at BingoLotto gym .We had so much fun, and Reino was such a good trainer. He could always motivate me, no matter how boring I thought it was. Now at the gym I just plug in my MP3 player and do my routine. 1-1½ hour later I’m out of there and I haven’t spoken to a single person. OK, maybe one or two, but we all do our routine and leave. I wonder how thing will be next week when The European Athletics Championships starts. The gym is just across the street from the Ullevi Stadium and most of the streets are going to be closed down. The security is probably going to be pretty tight too. Oh well, we’ll just have to wait and see. It’s another week left. First I have to make it there tomorrow…
Birthday flowers
I met up with some friends for dinner on Friday night (after I was done with all my cleaning). It was just a spare of the moment thing. Neither of had anything planed and cooking in the heat wasn’t that tempting so out we went. When going to the restaurant my friends realized it had been my birthday a couple of days ago so they just popped into the nearest store and bought theses lovely roses. Very sweet!
The food was great by the way. I had mozzarella and fresh tomatoes for starters. For main course I had some kind of white fish (sole?) in a creamy lime sauce with homemade fettuccini and for desert I had a very good Tiramisu. We also shared a bottle of Villa Lanata D.O.C Chardonnay. Quite a dry and floral chardonnay, but just the way I like it.
The food was great by the way. I had mozzarella and fresh tomatoes for starters. For main course I had some kind of white fish (sole?) in a creamy lime sauce with homemade fettuccini and for desert I had a very good Tiramisu. We also shared a bottle of Villa Lanata D.O.C Chardonnay. Quite a dry and floral chardonnay, but just the way I like it.
July 29, 2006
Household chores
I spent all of yesterday cleaning and scrubbing my flat from top to bottom. I really can’t say that I enjoy cleaning and most of the time I try to avoid it. (A cleaning lady would be so nice…) But sometime in every blue moon or so I get the energy and clean like a mad woman. I clean out closets, cabinets and polish and dust everything in site. The feeling afterwards is very rewarding, but it will be a long, long time before I do it again.
Today I continued my household chores with laundry and ironing. Still being very hot outside (and in my flat) I actually ended up doing the ironing standing outside on my balcony in the shade with a very nice breeze. The people across the street probably thought that I had gone totally mad, but extreme weather calls for extreme solutions. Finished with ironing I continued my short stint as homemaker with sewing buttons. I had about six different buttons lying on my dresser and it was now or never, before I forgot which button went where.
To finish off my day I made a big pan of my favourite lasagne with cottage cheese and grilled veges. I had one big serving with some fresh Parmesan cheese on top as dinner before cutting what was left it into nice little squares, which was placed in the freezer for days when I don’t feel like cooking. And knowing myself I know that’s going to happened very soon. Sometimes I would like to have a chef along with that cleaning lady…
Today I continued my household chores with laundry and ironing. Still being very hot outside (and in my flat) I actually ended up doing the ironing standing outside on my balcony in the shade with a very nice breeze. The people across the street probably thought that I had gone totally mad, but extreme weather calls for extreme solutions. Finished with ironing I continued my short stint as homemaker with sewing buttons. I had about six different buttons lying on my dresser and it was now or never, before I forgot which button went where.
To finish off my day I made a big pan of my favourite lasagne with cottage cheese and grilled veges. I had one big serving with some fresh Parmesan cheese on top as dinner before cutting what was left it into nice little squares, which was placed in the freezer for days when I don’t feel like cooking. And knowing myself I know that’s going to happened very soon. Sometimes I would like to have a chef along with that cleaning lady…
July 28, 2006
It’s soooooooo hot!!!
I should be sleeping by now, but it’s soooooooo hot! I’m one of those people who hardly ever complain about it being too hot, but now... Right now it’s just too much. Usually the temps go down during the night, but for the last night it has still been around 21-22 degrees, which is very rare for Sweden. I think it is even called “tropical nights” And it is humid as well. Hrm, do I really live in Sweden?! My poor little table fan is working overtime trying to spread cool breeze, but it’s not working much. I’m happy I don’t have to get up early tomorrow. So how do you people who live in this kind of weather all the time do it? Besides turning on the AC I mean...
July 27, 2006
Dear old mum
I love my mum dearly and she’s has always been my pillar to rest on, but lately I’ve started to wonder what the hech is wrong with her. She constantly worries about where I’m going, when I’m coming home and what I’m doing.
I went away to college 15 years ago and haven’t really lived at home since then. When I transferred back to the university here in town I lived at home for almost one term before getting my own flat and since then I’ve lived by myself. I think that by now she should be used that I don’t live at home and that I have a life of my own.
When I travel I have to call her the minute I get to the hotel and when I’m back in Sweden I have to call her. At my last trip to London my colleague from IT and I decided to share a taxi from the airport dropping of my colleague first and then me. By the time I got around calling her it was about 10:30 pm (we landed around about 9:45 pm). She did not wonder how my meeting had been etc since this had been the first time for me. Instead she wondered if the plane was late since I called so late. When I told her that my colleague from IT and I had shared a taxi she immediately asked what taxi company I was going with. I did know that I should only go with the old and trustworthy ones, didn’t I? I just said yes even though I was going with one of the new non-trustworthy companies.
She did not like that I went to London all by myself in June. I had no reasons doing anything like that. When I said I wanted to get away from Midsummer she quickly said I could spend it with her and my step-dad. But going to London. No. So telling her that I was going to meet up with Philip has never been in the picture. She would die. To meet a man you met on the Internet?! That’s dangerous! Haven’t you read about all those maniacs who kill innocent girls they meet online? Well, Philip didn’t turn out to be an axe-murderer. He turned out to be very sweet and nice man, but telling mum. No way!
Earlier this month when I spent an evening at Liseberg with my colleagues she had called three times on my mobile phone. I had of course not heard ring since we where in an amusement park playing games and going on rides. The last time she had called she had left a message and she sounded quite worried wondering where I was. I didn’t see the message until I was almost home. It was about 10:30 pm when I called and her first question was - Where have you been? Don’t you know it’s work night?! I had told her the day before that I was going to Liseberg so I could not understand why she should be so worked up. And the talk about being a work night. It was 10:30 pm and I was sound and safe at home.
Every time mum and my step-dad are in town they stay at my stepsister’s place since they has a guestroom. Carina and her husband live about 10 from me so walking back and forth is very natural. We do it all the time. It’s our neighbourhood. But when I’m over there and mum is visiting have to call the minute I get in. She will not go to sleep if I haven’t called. One night in February I actually forgot to call since I was in a hurry for meeting up with Philip. She eventually called and wondered why I hadn’t called.
This morning she called to see that I was home from Kösso. She had tried to call last night, but the phone had been busy. After trying a couple of times she had figured out that I might be talking with my cousin Maria so she had called her number and when it was busy too she understood that I was home safe and sound. I was talking to Maria and we had loads to catch up on, but I could have been talking to somebody else. Since it’s my phone I can stay on as long as I feel and talking to whoever I feel like.
I know mum does this because she cares about me, but lately it have started to become too much. I’m 34 years old and I do have a life of my own. Her worrying like that make me think that I have to call her every time I leave the house so she won't worry. Sometimes I just don’t remember. I hate to admit it, but this past week has been very so peaceful and quite since mum and my step dad have been travelling in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I would like to say something, but I know if I do I’m going to get the whole thing about being her only daughter and then I’ll end up feeling guilty. Ugh! It’s just a no win situation.
I went away to college 15 years ago and haven’t really lived at home since then. When I transferred back to the university here in town I lived at home for almost one term before getting my own flat and since then I’ve lived by myself. I think that by now she should be used that I don’t live at home and that I have a life of my own.
When I travel I have to call her the minute I get to the hotel and when I’m back in Sweden I have to call her. At my last trip to London my colleague from IT and I decided to share a taxi from the airport dropping of my colleague first and then me. By the time I got around calling her it was about 10:30 pm (we landed around about 9:45 pm). She did not wonder how my meeting had been etc since this had been the first time for me. Instead she wondered if the plane was late since I called so late. When I told her that my colleague from IT and I had shared a taxi she immediately asked what taxi company I was going with. I did know that I should only go with the old and trustworthy ones, didn’t I? I just said yes even though I was going with one of the new non-trustworthy companies.
She did not like that I went to London all by myself in June. I had no reasons doing anything like that. When I said I wanted to get away from Midsummer she quickly said I could spend it with her and my step-dad. But going to London. No. So telling her that I was going to meet up with Philip has never been in the picture. She would die. To meet a man you met on the Internet?! That’s dangerous! Haven’t you read about all those maniacs who kill innocent girls they meet online? Well, Philip didn’t turn out to be an axe-murderer. He turned out to be very sweet and nice man, but telling mum. No way!
Earlier this month when I spent an evening at Liseberg with my colleagues she had called three times on my mobile phone. I had of course not heard ring since we where in an amusement park playing games and going on rides. The last time she had called she had left a message and she sounded quite worried wondering where I was. I didn’t see the message until I was almost home. It was about 10:30 pm when I called and her first question was - Where have you been? Don’t you know it’s work night?! I had told her the day before that I was going to Liseberg so I could not understand why she should be so worked up. And the talk about being a work night. It was 10:30 pm and I was sound and safe at home.
Every time mum and my step-dad are in town they stay at my stepsister’s place since they has a guestroom. Carina and her husband live about 10 from me so walking back and forth is very natural. We do it all the time. It’s our neighbourhood. But when I’m over there and mum is visiting have to call the minute I get in. She will not go to sleep if I haven’t called. One night in February I actually forgot to call since I was in a hurry for meeting up with Philip. She eventually called and wondered why I hadn’t called.
This morning she called to see that I was home from Kösso. She had tried to call last night, but the phone had been busy. After trying a couple of times she had figured out that I might be talking with my cousin Maria so she had called her number and when it was busy too she understood that I was home safe and sound. I was talking to Maria and we had loads to catch up on, but I could have been talking to somebody else. Since it’s my phone I can stay on as long as I feel and talking to whoever I feel like.
I know mum does this because she cares about me, but lately it have started to become too much. I’m 34 years old and I do have a life of my own. Her worrying like that make me think that I have to call her every time I leave the house so she won't worry. Sometimes I just don’t remember. I hate to admit it, but this past week has been very so peaceful and quite since mum and my step dad have been travelling in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I would like to say something, but I know if I do I’m going to get the whole thing about being her only daughter and then I’ll end up feeling guilty. Ugh! It’s just a no win situation.
Birthday dinner
I’m now a year older and wiser turning 34 on Tuesday. Since nobody were around (the city is empty besides tourist) I decided to make a dinner fit for the Queen I am. Going to Saluhallen, an old market/food hall that’s been around for more than 120 years, I went as usual a little bit over board when visiting the different delis and shops. Food, food, food everywhere. I just want to try it all…
For starters I bought my favourite Parma ham, some Taleggio cheese and fresh honeydew melon. The cheese maker also had home made walnut bread that I couldn’t resist even though I didn’t needed any bread. Just looking and later on smelling the bread made me happy. Yeah, I’m weird… Eating food is suppose to make you happy not looking at it. From the Italian delicatessen I went over to the fishmonger and bought some scallops. Next to him was a veges and fruit stand were I bought green asparagus and strawberries. On my way home I also stopped by the liquor shop and bought a ridiculous expensive Chardonnay - Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne Chardonnay. Having to stop for some milk at the market I also bought a cart of Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream.
While chilling the wine I made a nice plate of ham, melon, cheese, bread and some strawberries. Then I made a plain, but very creamy risotto with lot of Parmesan cheese. With the risotto simmering along I quickly put the asparagus and scallops in a hot grilling pan. Laying the table with my good china and crystal glass I then sat down to my birthday dinner. The food was divine and I savoured every bite of it. The Chardonnay was little bit too woody for my taste, but still very good and went nicely with the grilled scallops and asparagus. Finishing off the feast with ice cream I actually thought it was OK to have a birthday dinner all by myself. I do now that having a meal like this is away to deal with those feeling, but right then and there I didn’t want to deal with any of it. With half a bottle of wine left and strawberries Philip came online and we probably spent two hours talking. So all in all my birthday could have been a lot worse.
For starters I bought my favourite Parma ham, some Taleggio cheese and fresh honeydew melon. The cheese maker also had home made walnut bread that I couldn’t resist even though I didn’t needed any bread. Just looking and later on smelling the bread made me happy. Yeah, I’m weird… Eating food is suppose to make you happy not looking at it. From the Italian delicatessen I went over to the fishmonger and bought some scallops. Next to him was a veges and fruit stand were I bought green asparagus and strawberries. On my way home I also stopped by the liquor shop and bought a ridiculous expensive Chardonnay - Jean-Claude Boisset Bourgogne Chardonnay. Having to stop for some milk at the market I also bought a cart of Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream.
While chilling the wine I made a nice plate of ham, melon, cheese, bread and some strawberries. Then I made a plain, but very creamy risotto with lot of Parmesan cheese. With the risotto simmering along I quickly put the asparagus and scallops in a hot grilling pan. Laying the table with my good china and crystal glass I then sat down to my birthday dinner. The food was divine and I savoured every bite of it. The Chardonnay was little bit too woody for my taste, but still very good and went nicely with the grilled scallops and asparagus. Finishing off the feast with ice cream I actually thought it was OK to have a birthday dinner all by myself. I do now that having a meal like this is away to deal with those feeling, but right then and there I didn’t want to deal with any of it. With half a bottle of wine left and strawberries Philip came online and we probably spent two hours talking. So all in all my birthday could have been a lot worse.
By the sea
I spent all of yesterday at Kössö (Köpstadsö), a small island just south of the city. Going out there is almost like going back a century. No cars not even bicycles, just small winding paths with the house next to it. It’s so pretty and peaceful it almost makes you hurt. As a child of the northern archipelago (on the mainland side - Lilla Varholmen), there is no better thing than the smell of salt and seaweed along with the noise from seagulls. The houses (very tiny) cost a fortune, but when I get rich and famous (at least the first) I will buy a house in the archipelago. Along with that London flat… Happily snapping away with my camera I also managed to take quite a few good pictures and getting a very nice tan.
One of many natural harbours
Winding paths and houses next to each other
I wonder how the sheep ended up there
On my way to catch the ferry back to the city
A reminder that it's back to Real Life a.k.a. work on Monday
Bye bye Kössö! See you soon!
One of many natural harbours
Winding paths and houses next to each other
I wonder how the sheep ended up there
On my way to catch the ferry back to the city 
A reminder that it's back to Real Life a.k.a. work on Monday
Bye bye Kössö! See you soon!
July 25, 2006
Who are the bloggers?
Jeff Jarvis at BuzzMachine has a very interesting (and long) post about who the bloggers are.
After reading the post I tried to think why I blog myself. I’m just newbie and nothing compared the OG bloggers who has been around for years. I don’t claim to be a journalist or a writer. I know my posts won’t change opinion or the world. I donät have that many visitors and I don’t think I have one single link to my blog. So really why do I like to blog then? It’s simple. I like to write. I started to keep a journal in my early teens and I still do. As a child and teenager I also wrote a lot of stories. And I have to admit that for a long, long time I dreamt about becoming an author. I still do, but now it’s just one of those silly dreams one has. Still, keeping a journal and blogging is my way to be creative. I can do and write about whatever I like. My friends, who are spread all over the world, also gets a chance to find out what their crazy Swedish friends is up to or think about different things. Blogging can sometimes be a bit exposing, but as my Texas friend Steph once said: Reading a blog is to get to know a person. So I guess you are all getting to know me pretty well by now…
After reading the post I tried to think why I blog myself. I’m just newbie and nothing compared the OG bloggers who has been around for years. I don’t claim to be a journalist or a writer. I know my posts won’t change opinion or the world. I donät have that many visitors and I don’t think I have one single link to my blog. So really why do I like to blog then? It’s simple. I like to write. I started to keep a journal in my early teens and I still do. As a child and teenager I also wrote a lot of stories. And I have to admit that for a long, long time I dreamt about becoming an author. I still do, but now it’s just one of those silly dreams one has. Still, keeping a journal and blogging is my way to be creative. I can do and write about whatever I like. My friends, who are spread all over the world, also gets a chance to find out what their crazy Swedish friends is up to or think about different things. Blogging can sometimes be a bit exposing, but as my Texas friend Steph once said: Reading a blog is to get to know a person. So I guess you are all getting to know me pretty well by now…
OneWebDay
The Web is wonderful. What would we all be today without it? Personally I know that I would be totally lost without Internet. Just this past weekend when my Internet connection was gone I realized how much I relay on the Internet. To check up on news and other things. To send emails, IMs and post in communities. To do my banking, order tickets, books, CDs etc. And last but not least to blog. I went online the first time in January 1997. One computer lab at the campus was connected to the Internet and we all had so sign up if we wanted to “surfing the World Wide Web”. One of the computer science professors watched s very carefully and I remember being terrified doing something wrong. 10 years the World Wide Web has become a daily part of my life and I wonder how I ever did things before. It’s just a marvellous thing. This is what OneWebDay is going to celebrate on September 22.
The Web is worth celebrating.
OneWebDay is one day a year when we all - everyone around the physical globe - can celebrate the Web and what it means to us as individuals, organizations, and communities
As with Earth Day - an inspiration and model for OneWebDay - it’s up to the celebrants to decide how to celebrate. We encourage all celebrations! Collaboration, connection, creativity, freedom.
By the end of the day, the Web should be just a little bit better than it was before, and we’ll be able to see our connection to it more clearly.
Merry Christmas
I usually listen to Yahoo Music Launchcast when I’m online. Having done that for years and rated a lot of songs and albums I now get my very own mix of favourites. I love Nat King Cole and some year around Christmas time I have probably rated both Joy to the world and The Christmas song as favourite songs. So I was kind of surprised when I had both of those songs played today at Launchcast. Don’t now if it’s their randomizer thing that’s out of wack or if they actually think it’s time to start to think about Christmas. It is after all only five months left… Merry Christmas!
Interesting news
Surfing around earlier this morning I found some interesting news:
Zimbabwe eyes plan to spy on citizensI’m just shaking my head and lost for words. Let’s just say I’m not a very big fan of Robert Mugabe. The Bewilderness has more about Robert Mugabe who also refuses to pay his son’s schooling.
Times are hard and getting harder in Zimbabwe, where people too proud to cry about hunger, joblessness and misrule could soon find it too dangerous to joke about them.
Parliament plans to debate proposals next month to empower the secret police to eavesdrop on mail, e-mail and phones without any court approval.
EU to continue stem-cell research fundingQuite a controversial subject, I know, but I’m a firm believer that this kind of research needs to be done so there will be cures for illnesses like Alzheimer, Parkinson’s and diabetes.
The European Union decided Monday to continue funding human embryonic stem cell research, although new rules adopted by the 25-nation bloc prevent human cloning and destroying embryos.
Venezuelan president meets Belarus leaderWhat can I say?! Two peas in a pot. I hope they enjoyed each other’s company because there isn’t that many out there who like what they are doing or their regimes.
Leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez exchanged declarations of solidarity Monday with the authoritarian leader of isolated Belarus, who shares his anti-U.S. views.
Chavez, a frequent and harsh critic of the United States, made Belarus the first stop on a major international tour that will also take him to Russia, Iran and Vietnam.
MTV bringing social networking to TV channelAnother media company jumping on the social networking bandwagon. Doing it on TV is new thing and it will be interesting to see if it works. In this case TV is actually an old media compared to the Internet and its user-generated content.
MTV Networks is launching a TV channel that features user-generated video clips and messages, becoming the latest media giant to embrace the social networking craze and the first to adapt it to traditional broadcasting.
July 24, 2006
Birthday
Tomorrow’s my birthday and I’m turning 34. Yes, 34! I can’t believe it myself. I’m getting old, but I’m still closer to 30 than 40. For the first time in many, many years I’m actually home at my birthday. But not any of my friends! Having a birthday right in the middle of the summer means that either you are away or your friends. Always being away on holiday I haven’t really thought about it, but this year I actually feel a bit lonely. Not even mum and her husband are around. They are on holiday somewhere in Germany-Switzerland-Austria, but I’m sure they will call. I want to have fun, get tipsy, laugh and just be silly. So what will I do? I don’t know. I’ll probably drink some wine and try not making a big deal out it. It’s just one of many birthdays. Hopefully next year will be better. Turning 35 calls for a big celebration, right?!
Books, books, books
Over the last days I’ve really been catching up on my reading. To read is for me the most utterly form of relaxation. It’s just the book and me. The rest of the world just disappears for some hours. The pile of books that been waiting to be read is slowly getting smaller and smaller. So far I’ve read:
Merde actually - Stephen Clark
Not as good as his first book A year in the Merde, but still very entertaining. Being English in France and Paris is never easy. And opening an English the room is even harder.
Hunting and Gathering - Anna Gavalda
Four totally different persons end up living in the same apartment in Paris during a year. They all have a lot of baggage and quirks, but somehow they learn to like each other and live together. A very good novel that I didn’t want to put down.
Blink: The power of thinking without thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
I got his book as welcoming gift subscribing to a business magazine. It’s a very thought provoking book, but still I don’t see what all the fuss is about. One should just trust ones intuition more and don’t think so much
London: A short history - A.N. Wilson
As an avid London lover I picked up this book during my trip there in June. The book is actually was it says – a short history of London. Written in a very easy style it starts with the Romans and ends with the new Millennium.
Anybody out there? - Marian Keyes
Another buy from London. This time from my trip in July with my colleague from IT in tow at Heathrow. Anna Walsh, one of the many Irish Walsh sisters that Marian Keyes has written about before, decides to go back to her husband, friends and job in New York after a emotional breakdown. It’s a chick lit book all right, but as usual it’s also a feel-good book with loads of humour and seeing life from the bright side even if things are bad.
Merde actually - Stephen Clark
Not as good as his first book A year in the Merde, but still very entertaining. Being English in France and Paris is never easy. And opening an English the room is even harder.
Hunting and Gathering - Anna Gavalda
Four totally different persons end up living in the same apartment in Paris during a year. They all have a lot of baggage and quirks, but somehow they learn to like each other and live together. A very good novel that I didn’t want to put down.
Blink: The power of thinking without thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
I got his book as welcoming gift subscribing to a business magazine. It’s a very thought provoking book, but still I don’t see what all the fuss is about. One should just trust ones intuition more and don’t think so much
London: A short history - A.N. Wilson
As an avid London lover I picked up this book during my trip there in June. The book is actually was it says – a short history of London. Written in a very easy style it starts with the Romans and ends with the new Millennium.
Anybody out there? - Marian Keyes
Another buy from London. This time from my trip in July with my colleague from IT in tow at Heathrow. Anna Walsh, one of the many Irish Walsh sisters that Marian Keyes has written about before, decides to go back to her husband, friends and job in New York after a emotional breakdown. It’s a chick lit book all right, but as usual it’s also a feel-good book with loads of humour and seeing life from the bright side even if things are bad.
Saturday shopping
On Saturday we finally saw some relief in the warm weather. Clouds and quite humid, but no sunshine that burns everything to crisp. And like so many others I then decided to go shopping.
For along time I’ve been thinking about buying a Filofax. I’m still one of those people who keep a paper calendar along with the one in Outlook, but that one is only so the rest of the company can see if I’m in a meeting or not. I knew that I wanted a red (of course) Filofax, and going in and out of at least five different shops I finally found The One. A cherry red pocket sized one in Italian leather. Just perfect and so very much me. The Filofax being real leather made it of course a bit expensive, but with my birthday coming up (tomorrow) I quickly decided that this was a present to myself. I’m so good at coming up with excuses why I should buy things…
On my way home I passed shoe shop with a big sale going on. An opportunity no one can miss... And surprise, surprise, or maybe not, I ended buying a new pair of slip on deck shoes. I can’t live with out my deck shoes during the summer. Not that I sail that much any longer, but just because they are the most comfortable shoes to be found. Especially when they are real worn in and fit your foot like a glove. My old ones are more or less starting to fall a part after five or maybe six years, so I really needed new ones. Another great excuse…
For along time I’ve been thinking about buying a Filofax. I’m still one of those people who keep a paper calendar along with the one in Outlook, but that one is only so the rest of the company can see if I’m in a meeting or not. I knew that I wanted a red (of course) Filofax, and going in and out of at least five different shops I finally found The One. A cherry red pocket sized one in Italian leather. Just perfect and so very much me. The Filofax being real leather made it of course a bit expensive, but with my birthday coming up (tomorrow) I quickly decided that this was a present to myself. I’m so good at coming up with excuses why I should buy things…
On my way home I passed shoe shop with a big sale going on. An opportunity no one can miss... And surprise, surprise, or maybe not, I ended buying a new pair of slip on deck shoes. I can’t live with out my deck shoes during the summer. Not that I sail that much any longer, but just because they are the most comfortable shoes to be found. Especially when they are real worn in and fit your foot like a glove. My old ones are more or less starting to fall a part after five or maybe six years, so I really needed new ones. Another great excuse…
Internet problems
Ugh! When I finally have to time to write as much as I want, my Internet connection goes out on me. All weekend the connection has been coming and going. The same goes for my cable TV. Not that there are much to watch these days, but still. I need my daily dose of the evening news. Anyhow, things have been working since late last night, so back to blogging is it.
July 21, 2006
Hot weather
Once again Europe is sweltering in a heat wave. For the last week or so the temperature have been around 30 degrees or more. So need less to say it’s hot. For the first time in my life I work in office with AC so during the days I don’t think much about it. But going back and forth to work and during the nights. Ugh! It’s hot! I hate to complain since just some months ago I was moaning about how long and terribly the winter had been. And just in another couple of months it will be here again…
But living in the northern part of Europe has its benefits. Our temps have just been lingering around 30, and not 36 as in London, 37 in Paris or 41 (!) degrees in Bosnia. Talking to Philip last night I could tell how miserable he was with this kind of temperatures. Travelling on the Tube and train in a suit must be close to unbearable. Poor thing! Going home is one thing, but arriving to work soaking wet is no fun.
The problem is that our homes, work places, public transportations etc are not built for this kind of heat. For about 8-9 months of the year we try to get away from the cold and now suddenly we are suppose to get way from the heat. That kind of equation doesn’t really work. So we just have to try to survive, stay cool and blame everything on the heat.
But living in the northern part of Europe has its benefits. Our temps have just been lingering around 30, and not 36 as in London, 37 in Paris or 41 (!) degrees in Bosnia. Talking to Philip last night I could tell how miserable he was with this kind of temperatures. Travelling on the Tube and train in a suit must be close to unbearable. Poor thing! Going home is one thing, but arriving to work soaking wet is no fun.
The problem is that our homes, work places, public transportations etc are not built for this kind of heat. For about 8-9 months of the year we try to get away from the cold and now suddenly we are suppose to get way from the heat. That kind of equation doesn’t really work. So we just have to try to survive, stay cool and blame everything on the heat.
Playing with my blog
I just spent the last three hours playing with my blog. Adding feeds, tags and a cartoon from Gapingvoid. I’m such a geek! And on a Friday night and all...
At Gapingvoid you can order blog business card with your choice of cartoon. I’m tempted to do it, but no. So far my blog is just my own little playground. But I do love this one and this one. I guess the last one would be more businesslike…
At Gapingvoid you can order blog business card with your choice of cartoon. I’m tempted to do it, but no. So far my blog is just my own little playground. But I do love this one and this one. I guess the last one would be more businesslike…
July 20, 2006
Learning of today
Do not make a cake and use the oven when it’s 30 degrees outside. Your kitchen and flat will get hotter than hell. But the coconut cake turned out very well and as usual tasted divine. French coconut cake is just summer and holiday to me. No matter how hot it gets…
A holiday in Beirut
Johnathan Pearce at Samizdata points out a great article by a Reuters journalist who just happened to be on holiday in Beirut when the bombs started to fall last week. Filled with black humour he describes how it feels like when your holiday turns in to a war zone and you have to run for your life.
You know your holiday has taken a turn for the worse when the hotel slips a note under your door with directions to the bomb shelter.
1% rule
The Guardian today has a very interesting article on community-generated project on the Internet.
It's an emerging rule of thumb that suggests that if you get a group of 100 people online then one will create content, 10 will "interact" with it (commenting or offering improvements) and the other 89 will just view it.Just thinking about the online communities I belong to. It’s the same people over and over who post and generate content. The rest of us just comment and or offer ideas of improvement. I wonder why it is that way? Is it that some people are chattier or more opinionated than others or is it just that the rest of us are lazier? Something to ponder.
So what's the conclusion? Only that you shouldn't expect too much online. Certainly, to echo Field of Dreams, if you build it, they will come. The trouble, as in real life, is finding the builders.So true. And especially here in Sweden where we are very far from the creator to consumer trend.
South African white
I continued trying South African wines today with opening a bottle of Rietvallei Natural Chardonnay Unwooded. A quite fruity chardonnay with taste of citrus, apple and melon. A bit of mineral tone as well, which actually makes it feel a little bit sparkling. To accomplish this great chardonnay I made my favourite oven baked salmon with baby spinach, cherry tomatoes and red onion. All in all a perfect combination.
Holiday
Today is my first day of ten days off from work. Just heaven! Starting a new in job in late May usually means no holidays, and here in Sweden one usually have four weeks off during the summer, so I was a little bit bummed, but I thought I would live. But the hotter the weather got and people left the office I realized that I had to get some time off as well. The winter was incredible long and even though I was home from January until May, a couple of days in the sun without any worries usually works miracle. Another month or so and it will start getting wet, windy and dark again. Just thinking about it makes me miserable so I have to have some days off in the summer to survive. Sweden is at its prime right now and one have to soak it up while it last.
At first I was thinking about taking a last minute trip somewhere just to get away. But then I felt that I just wanted to be home. To lounge around doing whatever I feel like. Sleep late, read books, go to the beach, enjoy the sun on my balcony, eat and drink whatever I feel like. Simply relax!
At first I was thinking about taking a last minute trip somewhere just to get away. But then I felt that I just wanted to be home. To lounge around doing whatever I feel like. Sleep late, read books, go to the beach, enjoy the sun on my balcony, eat and drink whatever I feel like. Simply relax!
July 18, 2006
A happy ending
Last night the Swedish news started to report that two Swedish boys were missing after the tsunami in Java. I didn’t think about it very much until this morning when I skimmed the online newspapers as I always do before starting to work.
My heart skipped a beat when I looked at a picture of the whole family and realized that I used to work with the father Peter and I had also met the boys on several occasions. Peter was, and still is, the producer of BingoLotto, the lottery show I worked for more than six years. I left BingoLott two years ago (in June), but having worked there for so long and being part of its amazing success it something I won’t forget. The article also said that the father was in critical condition in hospital while the mother was back in Sweden worrying. Peter’s wife is Indonesian and they spend every summer there, but this year she had gone home earlier because of her job.
During the day I kept going back to the newspaper wanting to get more information about Peter and his little boys, but no luck. The boys were still missing. The Boxing Day tsunami back in 2004 killed more than 500 Swedes so the press have a field day when something like this happens again. Very much to my nuance.
Right before leaving work I decided to check the news one last time and yes the boys had been found safe and sound. And Peter will be able to leave the hopsital before the end of the week. An ending that I soooooo had wished for all day long.
My heart skipped a beat when I looked at a picture of the whole family and realized that I used to work with the father Peter and I had also met the boys on several occasions. Peter was, and still is, the producer of BingoLotto, the lottery show I worked for more than six years. I left BingoLott two years ago (in June), but having worked there for so long and being part of its amazing success it something I won’t forget. The article also said that the father was in critical condition in hospital while the mother was back in Sweden worrying. Peter’s wife is Indonesian and they spend every summer there, but this year she had gone home earlier because of her job.
During the day I kept going back to the newspaper wanting to get more information about Peter and his little boys, but no luck. The boys were still missing. The Boxing Day tsunami back in 2004 killed more than 500 Swedes so the press have a field day when something like this happens again. Very much to my nuance.
Right before leaving work I decided to check the news one last time and yes the boys had been found safe and sound. And Peter will be able to leave the hopsital before the end of the week. An ending that I soooooo had wished for all day long.
July 17, 2006
Scary
For each day passing things get scarier and more terrifying in the Middle East. According to former US House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich this is the early days of WW III.
I sure hope that’s not what this is coming to, but there is reason to be concerned. Carl Bildt:
I sure hope that’s not what this is coming to, but there is reason to be concerned. Carl Bildt:
So there is reason to be concerned over the effects of talk like that of Newt Gingrich.
It risks increasing the risk of everything spiralling even further out of control.
It risks becoming a self-fullfilling prophecy of the worst sort.
July 16, 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon
I’ve never been big fan of cabernets but I on Friday I found one from South Africa that I really liked Robertson Winery Cabernet Sauvignon. A very smooth red wine with hints of oak, red berries and plums. I think the last time I actually drank a cabernet was last year in London with Holly. She being a sommelier, she of course, picked the perfect cabernet for us to drink. So here’s to you, my London partner in crime!
Falling a sleep on the sofa as usual on Friday night (I’m such a bore) I used the remaining of the wine last night making flank beef in red wine sauce with sautéed mushrooms and onions. Very nice.
Falling a sleep on the sofa as usual on Friday night (I’m such a bore) I used the remaining of the wine last night making flank beef in red wine sauce with sautéed mushrooms and onions. Very nice.
Vanity sizing
PSFK reports (full article at the very end of the page) on the new trend in the fashion industry - vanity sizing.
Fashion brands are making their customers feel good about themselves by providing "vanity sizing" - a trend where brands mark a lower size on an item than it really is. New York daily news says:Yes, sizing is part of a woman’s self-esteem, but going down to sizes 00 and XXS won’t help. Nobody is that small or really shouldn’t be that small either. This makes me very upset. Who says being a size 00 or XXS will make you happier? Life isn’t about a size or number on the scale. I know I’m guilty believing that from time to time, but as a woman you have to learn to look behind size and weight. Life is so much more than appearance. If you love yourself no matter size or weight it will show and nobody will really care if you wear a size 20 or a size 00. Love yourself for who you are now, not for who you want to be!
Vanity Sizing [is] a brand's way of appealing to a customer's ego by slapping a size 2 label on a garment that's much more like a 6 - and it's gained incredible momentum in the past few months.
Banana Republic recently introduced a "00"; Old Navy now has XXS tops and bottoms, and the desire to become a nearly negative size is taking over the retail scene...
"Retailers don't want size 16 women coming in their store and saying, 'I need to lose some weight; I'll buy this later.' They want them to think they're a 12 and buy it now," says Tim Gunn, chairman of the fashion department at Parsons the New School for Design, and fashion authority on Bravo's "Project Runway." "The sizing is so much a part of a woman's self-esteem."
A-Z
The creator or the London’s A-Z map Phyllis Pearsall is to be honoured with the unveiling of a Southwark Council Blue Plaque.
The Londonist reports:
The Londonist reports:
Pearsall covered 23,000 streets, working 18 hour days and founded her own company at a time when working women were still ridiculed. Even then, she initially had to personally fulfil orders by running round town with a wheelbarrow – kind of putting the cart back into cartography.Ms Pearsall is clearly a lady who should be honoured and acknowledged for her deeds. Without her map many, many people including myself would have been lost countless times in the streets of London.
July 14, 2006
I knew it
I've always said I'm Wonder Woman and lo and behold it's true...
Your results: Wonder Woman
You are a beautiful princess with great strength of character.
Wonder Woman 66%
Supergirl 56%
Superman 55%
Spider-Man 55%
The Flash 55%
Robin 50%
Hulk 45%
Batman 40%
Green Lantern 40%
Catwoman 35%
Iron Man 35%
Take the Superhero Personality Quiz
Your results: Wonder WomanYou are a beautiful princess with great strength of character.
Wonder Woman 66%
Supergirl 56%
Superman 55%
Spider-Man 55%
The Flash 55%
Robin 50%
Hulk 45%
Batman 40%
Green Lantern 40%
Catwoman 35%
Iron Man 35%
Take the Superhero Personality Quiz
July 13, 2006
What a review!
My very dear and old friend Jo in Sydney sent me the link for this great review of Two Rooms, the newly changed and reopened restaurant of Jo’s long-time partner Wade Brown.
A well respected Sydney reviewer calls Two Rooms ‘the son of Balzac’ and, typical of family, the child reflects the parents’ heritage but also has a rather independent streak, nursed by Wade Brown, the brilliant young chef running the burners. Let me say up front: the food is fantastic! It’s great-value-for-money bistro/comfort food and it’s food I want to eat (preferably every day).Wade has always been a brilliant chef. Making everything from delicious scramble eggs in the basement flat in Camden he and Jo lived in during their London years to marvellous racks of lamb and risotto at the Charlotte St restaurant he worked at. So I’m not very surprised that he got this kind of review. He has always been a wonder boy in the kitchen and now by 29 he runs his own business. Way to go Mango Man!!!
July 11, 2006
Get blogging
Jeff Jarvis at Buzzmachine on Dell’s new blog:
But seriously, folks, the first step in blogging is not writing them but reading them. The conversation is already happening out there without you. Join in that conversation.Amen to that.
300-year-old court closes
One of London oldest courts, Bow Street Court, will close down its doors on Friday. One on of my London Walks a couple of weeks ago the guide actually talked about this. And this the Bow Street Police Station is already closed down it’s no surprise the court is closing its door now.
Oscar Wilde, General Augusto Pinochet and the Kray brothers have one thing in common - they have all appeared at London's Bow Street Magistrates Court. But on Friday the flow of drunks, murderers, master criminals and political refugees through the wood-panelled court comes to an end as it closes its doors forever.Nestling behind the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, Bow Street will no longer have a court after almost 300 years as the building has been sold to a hotel group and the court's business transferred to another central London court.
July 10, 2006
Blogs vs Mainstream Media
Like so many others watching the World Cup final last night I wondered what made Zinedine Zidane so extremely angry so he head butted Italy’s Materazzi.
Cuchulainn at The Bewilderness has come up with some interesting findings while doing some search on both Google news and in the blogsphere.
Cuchulainn at The Bewilderness has come up with some interesting findings while doing some search on both Google news and in the blogsphere.
As can be clearly seen in the BBC video stream entitled "Highlights: Italy 1-1 France (Ita win 5-3 on pens)" Materazzi pinches and twists Zidane's left nipple 13 seconds before the headbutt. The incident is clearly caught on camera in the stream last night on television. This video doesn't actually show the pinch, but does show Zidane twisting as Materazzi pulls on him.
Today, as I write, a Google blog search for "Zidane nipple Materazzi" returns 40 blog posts. A Google news search for the same text returns a single story from the Belfast Telegraph. This seems to me to be a textbook case of the Blogosphere picking something that MSM groupthink has missed/ignored.
Curvy does it better
I’m very happy to read that Kate Winslet have been voted best celebrity body in the UK. A woman who actually looks the way a woman is supposed to look like. With hips, thighs and breasts. Singer Charlotte Church came in second, which is another example of a good looking and healthy woman. So here’s to all good-looking women out there - Curvy does it better!
Future terrorists?
Yet again the Israel – Palestine conflict is in focus with the recent events at the Gaza strip. I get very upset and annoyed when hear about the way the politicians on both sides are acting. In my eyes they are like a bunch of kids in sand box. “He throw sand at me, now I need to throw something back…” I wouldn’t actually care if they killed each other and destroyed each other houses etc, but think about all the innocent people who suffer. Especially in this case with damaging the electricity supply. Carl Bildt, as always, writes about it so much better than me. But one thing is clear hate and devastation like this breed terrorism.
It would be very difficult indeed not to classify these acts by Israel as deliberate attempts to punish and destroy the ordinary lives of ordinary Palestinians, and to inflict humanitarian suffering well beyond what the laws of war could motivate.
I guess that if someone deliberately destroyed the power supply of New York it would immediately be classified as an act of terrorism, since the purpose could be no other than inflicting harm on innocent civilians.
As long as Israel acts like this - deliberately destroying civilian infrastructure of critical importance for the population - they deserve the condemnation of the world, and they gravely undercut the support that otherwise would be there for actions necessary against rockets fired at Israel.
Whatever it should be called - there is no doubt that acts like these are acts that breed and fuel terrorism.
July 09, 2006
Viva Italia!
Italy just won the World Cup over France with 5-3 after penalty kicks. I was so sure France was going to win and it sure looked like they were when Zidane Zinedine made goal with a penalty kick only after seven minutes. But boy I was wrong. 12 minutes later Italy scored and for the rest of the match both team held on tight. Penalty kicks are never fair. It’s luck more than anything else, but Italy was the better team and has been the better team through out the tournament. So well done Italy! See you all in South Africa in 2010!
Different people
Meeting with my colleagues from other offices and countries in London last week was quite interesting. To say at least…
Meeting and working with people from different countries isn’t new for me. While working at Manutan I spent a lot of time in Paris with my colleagues from the Netherlands, UK, Czechia, France and Belgium. From time to time we had, of course, heated discussions, but still having the same focus and interests we could agree on most things. When we disagreed we just laughed and said: ”OK, we are different even though we are so much the same“. We were also about the same age and had about the same level of experience, so I guess we just got a long very well.
With this in perspective I was looking forward to meet the people from Germany, Ireland, UK, Norway, Denmark, Poland and the Netherlands. Well, this forum was a bit different… The Scandinavians are always easy to get along with and the same goes with the people from the UK and Ireland. But the German… People had told me beforehand that he was a bit different, but I never thought he would be this special. He never shut up and never ever considered that his ideas and thoughts might be different or wrong. We were there to discuss the e-commerce strategies for the whole group, but over and over again he went into details nit picking things. On Thursday morning he went into total spin over some white borders in the new booking dialogue. By then I was very tired of him and his yapping so I just told him to be quiet. If we had seen a major decrease in bookings after implementing this new booking dialogue the discussion might have been a bit valid. But not now when the bookings are increasing. Our customers don’t care about the white borders…. To my surprise he actually shut up, even if only for five minutes. The group IT coordinator was sitting across the table from me and when our German friend got silent she gave me a big thumb up.
The group IT coordinator was a person I liked from the minute I met her. She’s been working at the UK branch forever and knows everything. Being somewhere in the mid 50’s she has a little different perspective on things than the rest of us. She carries around a big handbag most of the time and drinks loads of tea. To me she just comes off as a very wise and bright woman. She reminds me of the Moominmamma, someone who always has the right answer on things. Someone you just want to have on your side when things get difficult.
The meeting wrapped up about 4 pm and by then I had told our German to be quiet two more times. But with not as much luck as the first time… The group system administrator and fellow Swede, was so annoyed so he wanted to leave the minute the meeting was over. “Another minute and I’m going to strangle him!” We hurried out the door, but our German caught us – “Do you want to share taxi to Paddington?” The group system administrator answered very quickly that we were taking the Tube and then walked out the door. A train just got in when we got to the station, so we just jumped on it as quickly as possible thinking that we lost him. But no, he had just been in a different cart. The train to Heathrow was crowded so one just had to sit wherever there was a free seat. This of course got our German complaining and whining like a baby. My God, it’s not like the ride to Heathrow is forever. It takes 15 minutes! By then I thought group system administrator was going to blew a fuse or something. His face was bright red and he clenched his jaws real tight. Poor guy! So I really don’t need to say that the first thing we did after going through security was going to a bar, do I?! A pint later and thankfully he was back to his normal self.
Meeting and working with people from different countries isn’t new for me. While working at Manutan I spent a lot of time in Paris with my colleagues from the Netherlands, UK, Czechia, France and Belgium. From time to time we had, of course, heated discussions, but still having the same focus and interests we could agree on most things. When we disagreed we just laughed and said: ”OK, we are different even though we are so much the same“. We were also about the same age and had about the same level of experience, so I guess we just got a long very well.
With this in perspective I was looking forward to meet the people from Germany, Ireland, UK, Norway, Denmark, Poland and the Netherlands. Well, this forum was a bit different… The Scandinavians are always easy to get along with and the same goes with the people from the UK and Ireland. But the German… People had told me beforehand that he was a bit different, but I never thought he would be this special. He never shut up and never ever considered that his ideas and thoughts might be different or wrong. We were there to discuss the e-commerce strategies for the whole group, but over and over again he went into details nit picking things. On Thursday morning he went into total spin over some white borders in the new booking dialogue. By then I was very tired of him and his yapping so I just told him to be quiet. If we had seen a major decrease in bookings after implementing this new booking dialogue the discussion might have been a bit valid. But not now when the bookings are increasing. Our customers don’t care about the white borders…. To my surprise he actually shut up, even if only for five minutes. The group IT coordinator was sitting across the table from me and when our German friend got silent she gave me a big thumb up.
The group IT coordinator was a person I liked from the minute I met her. She’s been working at the UK branch forever and knows everything. Being somewhere in the mid 50’s she has a little different perspective on things than the rest of us. She carries around a big handbag most of the time and drinks loads of tea. To me she just comes off as a very wise and bright woman. She reminds me of the Moominmamma, someone who always has the right answer on things. Someone you just want to have on your side when things get difficult.
The meeting wrapped up about 4 pm and by then I had told our German to be quiet two more times. But with not as much luck as the first time… The group system administrator and fellow Swede, was so annoyed so he wanted to leave the minute the meeting was over. “Another minute and I’m going to strangle him!” We hurried out the door, but our German caught us – “Do you want to share taxi to Paddington?” The group system administrator answered very quickly that we were taking the Tube and then walked out the door. A train just got in when we got to the station, so we just jumped on it as quickly as possible thinking that we lost him. But no, he had just been in a different cart. The train to Heathrow was crowded so one just had to sit wherever there was a free seat. This of course got our German complaining and whining like a baby. My God, it’s not like the ride to Heathrow is forever. It takes 15 minutes! By then I thought group system administrator was going to blew a fuse or something. His face was bright red and he clenched his jaws real tight. Poor guy! So I really don’t need to say that the first thing we did after going through security was going to a bar, do I?! A pint later and thankfully he was back to his normal self.
Under the weather
I’m down with a sinus infection and truly feel like crap. My throat started to get real sore Monday night, but since I didn’t have the time to be ill I tried to ignore it. It’s just a simple cold. Flying in to London on Wednesday morning was a real pain. (Even though I got upgraded without doing anything. Still don’t know why.) My eardrums wouldn’t pop and it felt like my head was going to explode. For most of the day I walked around in my own little bubble having a hard time hearing what people were saying. And when I talked there was an echo in my head. Ugh! Flying home late on Thursday night I realized I was never going to get a cold and a runny nose. It had gone straight to sinuses and clogged everything up. I dragged myself into work on Friday morning catching up on things and then went to my boss’ annual summer luncheon at his house by the beach. The food was very nice, but I had no idea what I tasted like. The weather was gorgeous as well, but sitting under a parasol freezing one minute and sweating the next I just gave up and went home. I stopped by the chemist on my way home to stock up on remedies and Kleenex. I’ve been pretty doped up on cold medicine since then. Today I can finally feel that the stuff is helping, but I still feel both whiney and cranky. Being ill is the only time I hate living by myself. I want someone who can fuss over me for a while. Someone who can cook whatever I feel like eating and go out buying more ice cream. So I guess that’s what this post has all been about. Me just being very cranky, whiney and feeling sorry for myself. But it’s not fun being ill…
July 04, 2006
Off to London again
I’m off to London again tomorrow morning. This time just for business. Two days of meetings at the London office. And of course if I get lucky enough a quick meeting with Philip. I have to admit that it would make me very, very happy to see him again. Now when I've met in him in real life chatting over MSN feels a little bit strange. I want to hear the sound of his voice, his very British expressions and laugh in real time, not just see him over a web cam connection. I’ll try to do everything possible to see him.
I have to be at the airport by 6 am so I’m sitting here wondering why on earth I went along with taking the early bird flight. I’ve done that some many times before going to Paris and I know that by 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon I’m going to be close to dozing off. And by dinnertime I’ll be like a zombie having a hard time to carry on any intelligent conversation. The next trip London (and there are plenty of them to come) I will be flying in the night before. No matter what people think. I’m not made for getting up at 4 am and then spend the whole day in a meeting trying to make some smart decisions. I'm sorry to admit it, but I'll never be one of those persons made of steel who can live on very little sleep. I need sleep to function and to be a somewhat smart and bright person, especially when it comes to meetings and work related things.
I have to be at the airport by 6 am so I’m sitting here wondering why on earth I went along with taking the early bird flight. I’ve done that some many times before going to Paris and I know that by 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon I’m going to be close to dozing off. And by dinnertime I’ll be like a zombie having a hard time to carry on any intelligent conversation. The next trip London (and there are plenty of them to come) I will be flying in the night before. No matter what people think. I’m not made for getting up at 4 am and then spend the whole day in a meeting trying to make some smart decisions. I'm sorry to admit it, but I'll never be one of those persons made of steel who can live on very little sleep. I need sleep to function and to be a somewhat smart and bright person, especially when it comes to meetings and work related things.
July 03, 2006
One
Earlier this year Mary J. Blige did a new recording of U2’s classical song One. The song is still played quite often here on the radio and every time I hear the first cords of the song I get chills down my spine. Both Bono and MJB’s deep voices along with the lyrics are just an amazing combination.
Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame
You say one love, one life (one life)
It's one need in the night
One love (one love), get to share it
Leaves you darling, if you don't care for I
Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well it's too late, tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other
One...
Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame
You say one love, one life (one life)
It's one need in the night
One love (one love), get to share it
Leaves you darling, if you don't care for I
Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well it's too late, tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other
One...
The blogging pigeon
Nowadays everybody just have to a have a blog of their own… The Londonist has an interview with on Brian, one of Britain’s first blogging pigeons. Written with a great sense of humour it’s actually fun to read what those little creatures do when they are not scaring the life out of me (and so many others).
July 02, 2006
Origins
I’ve found a new favourite brand when it come to beauty products – Origins. It all started last year when I had an overlay of two hours each way at Copenhagen airport every time I went to Paris. Needless to say I spent way too much money in the airport shops… I had only read about Origins’ products in Marie Claire and when they opened a counter of their own I just had to try. And I was hooked.
I started out with trying the You're Getting Warmer mask, but it turned out to be too strong for my skin. Instead I gave it to mum, which now love this cinnamon mask. The mask I’m using now is Drink Up, which is perfect for my dry and sensitive skin. The next thing I tried was Well Off, a make up remover that actually removed all eye makeup with out leaving an oily trace.
Going to London last fall I finally made it to Origins own shop down in Covent Garden. There I found salespersons that really knew what they where talking about and I bought more products to try. No Puffery cooling eye mask and Never A Dull Moment body scrub. Yet another two product that I just love.
Last week’s trip to London meant of course another visit to the Covent Garden shop. My attention (very weak, but still) was to only get some more eye make up remover and skin mask. Hm, well… I also bought Sole Searcher foot scrub, which is heavenly now during the summer when you walk barefoot in many shoes, and Soothing Sea Salts for the bath. A lovely smoothing and relaxing smell of tangerine, orange and vanilla.
So what can I say? I’ve become a bit of an Origins fanatic, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to continue to try their products. Just like Dr Hauschka Origins uses only products from the nature and its own remedies. Something that I think is very important. I have acne scares and I’m slowly getting some wrinkles around my eyes, but I’m not going to treat them with any artificial things just to look better. My skin will still look healthy and young with nature’s own products.
I started out with trying the You're Getting Warmer mask, but it turned out to be too strong for my skin. Instead I gave it to mum, which now love this cinnamon mask. The mask I’m using now is Drink Up, which is perfect for my dry and sensitive skin. The next thing I tried was Well Off, a make up remover that actually removed all eye makeup with out leaving an oily trace.
Going to London last fall I finally made it to Origins own shop down in Covent Garden. There I found salespersons that really knew what they where talking about and I bought more products to try. No Puffery cooling eye mask and Never A Dull Moment body scrub. Yet another two product that I just love.
Last week’s trip to London meant of course another visit to the Covent Garden shop. My attention (very weak, but still) was to only get some more eye make up remover and skin mask. Hm, well… I also bought Sole Searcher foot scrub, which is heavenly now during the summer when you walk barefoot in many shoes, and Soothing Sea Salts for the bath. A lovely smoothing and relaxing smell of tangerine, orange and vanilla.
So what can I say? I’ve become a bit of an Origins fanatic, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to continue to try their products. Just like Dr Hauschka Origins uses only products from the nature and its own remedies. Something that I think is very important. I have acne scares and I’m slowly getting some wrinkles around my eyes, but I’m not going to treat them with any artificial things just to look better. My skin will still look healthy and young with nature’s own products.
Poster boy
While passing a Boots last week in London I casually looked in the window. A huge orange poster with a good-looking man showing off a perfect toned body. For a second I just kept walking until it hit me that I recognized that smile and face. It was Johan, my old colleague and friend from working at BingoLotto. We ran into each other at the airport last year in November when both of us were going Paris. Back then he had just become the face of Hugo Boss’ new skincare line for men, and a huge poster with his face was hanging in the window of Hugo Boss’ flagship store on Champs-Elysées. Running into each other again right after New Year’s he told me that he had just signed an exclusive contract with Hugo Boss (and getting paid an obscene amount of money) Meaning that he would only do work for them and just very selective gigs/ads.
Seeing the poster in the window made me of course walk in to Boots. And there it was again. An even bigger poster of Johan and the Hugo Boss cologne Boss in Motion. I couldn’t help smiling and thinking that we have both come a long way since sharing a small and very cold corner office 6 years ago. Back then who would have thought he would become a fulltime model and I a manager… On my home on the airplane someone was reading The Sunday Times, and there he was again. One full-page picture. Very cool!!! I’m so happy for him.
Seeing the poster in the window made me of course walk in to Boots. And there it was again. An even bigger poster of Johan and the Hugo Boss cologne Boss in Motion. I couldn’t help smiling and thinking that we have both come a long way since sharing a small and very cold corner office 6 years ago. Back then who would have thought he would become a fulltime model and I a manager… On my home on the airplane someone was reading The Sunday Times, and there he was again. One full-page picture. Very cool!!! I’m so happy for him.
July 01, 2006
I won
I spent Thursday night at Liseberg, one of the largest amusement parks in Europe, with my colleagues from work having a bit of pentathlon with different games. Since I don’t have much of “I have to win” spirit, I usually end up last, but still think it’s fun. This time I ended up number three from the end, so I must have done pretty good…One game was putting, which I’m not very good at. The few times I have played golf my puts have either been too strong or too weak. So when it was time to put this time I just concentrated on hitting the ball, not on which hole to hit. When I looked at the scoreboard I had gotten 480 points. I have no idea how I did it, but above 450 points meant 1st price and a stuffed animal. Yeah! My boss, who has a very good golf handicap, got so upset since he was so sure he was going to win that game. He is also one of those people who can’t lose… He asked me over and over how I did it and he could not understand that it probably was pure luck rather than skill. Quite amusing to watch…
A red bag
I did end up buying a new handbag in London. Not a Mulberry as I had been thinking of. Instead I found a lovely Italian brand called Furla. I don’t know how many shops I went in and out of before finding this bag. And I probably drove some salespersons a bit nut with my “I don’t know… Maybe…” The bags they showed me were all very lovely, but didn’t feel right. But then when I found this bag I just know. This was it. My new handbag!!! To make things even better the bag was marked down to £119 from £155. Quite a bargain considering that the Mulberry bags I was looking at cost more than £400. Maybe another time. I’m now very happy with my bright red bag. It will remind me of London for along, long time. Even the dullest of days.
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