Computer saga continues

Yes, there story isn't over yet. Formatting the disk and reinstalling Windows on Tuesday night didn't do much good. Talked to the techies at work and they told me to buy a new hard drive. A new hard drive is still a lot cheaper that buying a brand new laptop. Felt rather savvy the next day walking into one of those techie shops where the real geeks hangout and shop (Yes, I'm exaggerating a bit, but that's how it feels like). Got a new spanking clean 1TB hard drive for almost nothing. I remember 15 years ago when I got my first computer and asked for a 500MB hard driver and the salesman asked me what I was going to do with all the storage.

Home again I exchanged the hard drives and went through the same prosedure as before. Formatting and installing Window. Yeah, it worked. Well, until it was time to install the VGA drivers. OK, next conclusion is that it’s the drivers that are bad. Talked to the techies at work again and they told me download new drivers. Also it might be the whole graphics card but usually when the graphics card is broken the screen goes all berserk

So with new drivers I set out yesterday to format and reinstall my computer. Everything went perfect until it was time install the new drivers. Now the screen went all berserk and I realized that it is the graphics card that is bad. Since I really need my computer (who doesn’t nowadays?) and did the formatting and reinstalling yet another time, but did not install any drivers. And voilà it worked. Pretty bad resolution though, but I can live with it until I have decided what to do next.

I'm very tempted to buy a new graphics card, but my current graphics card is part of the motherboard which mean I can't remove it. Oh I well I can get a new motherboard, but in that case I could buy a laptop instead. Looking at the manual that came with computer though, it says that if you add extra VGA cards they override the card on the motherboard.

On the other hand I wonder if it doesn’t work and I have spent money on things I can't use and still have to get a laptop. Need to consult the techies at work again tomorrow morning. So the computer saga continues...

Temporarily out of order

My computer at home decided to give up this morning. Despite me being so kind and reinstalling the whole things just three weeks ago. Sigh! So currently I’m formatting the hard drive and praying to the Microsoft gods that it will work better this time.

The computer turned 3 years old in December, but still it’s not like I’ve been playing games or running heavy duty graphic software on it. Just Open Office, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Photoshop. So cross your fingers the machine will come backto its old self and work for at least another year or so. The other computer before this one lasted for six years. But if push comes to show I guess I just have buy on new, a laptop which I’ve been thinking about for a while.

But it’s never really a good moment to buy a computer. At least not for me, who loves when things work and only buy new things when they break down. For example my iPod is now 4 years old and apparently Apple doesn't expect people to have that old iPods. I visited the Apple store at Westfield shopping centre to get a new case and when I told the sales clerk what model of iPod I had he just stared at me. So getting new technical things is always a bit tricky, becuse I really don't care as long as it works.

Formatting is almost done now, so very soon I’ll know…

The Pacific

For Christmas I gave my step father the box-set of The Pacific. Being a total WWII buff I just knew he would love it, and he did. By Boxing Day or the day after he had seen all the episodes and told me I really needed to see the whole set, right now. And I did. But not in two days. Last weekend I finally watched the last episode and yes it was quite an impressing series and a history lesson.

As a European most of us (at least my generation, our parents and grand-parents) know a lot about what went on during the war in Europe. The Pacific not so much, because it was so far way and Europe wasn't really involved, Europe had more than enough on their own plate so to say...

I had seen a few war movies about the war in the Pacific but I don't think I’ve ever seen anything so realistic as The Pacific. Just as in Band of Brothers you almost felt like you where right there and you realise what war do to people. It's terrifying!

What I liked the most about the box-set was the last episode where they actually interviewed the real person behind the characters What had happened to them when they got home and what sort of life they had lived. One story really brought tears to eyes. On leave in Melbourne a soldier fell in love with a girl. Back home in Texas again he sent for his girl and two years later they were married, and still are. They were both part of the interview. Love conquers all, even in war!

Summer and winter

Holland Park is probably one of my favourite parks in London. (Hampstead Heath is the other one.) So green, so pretty and so relaxing. A spot right in the middle of one of the largest city in the world, but still so peaceful.

The Japanese styled Kyoto Garden is beautiful and I could watch the waterfall forever. The water never stops. And it is as pretty in December as it is in July.

One day

During my reading frenzy at Christmas time I also read One day by David Nicholls. A much talked about book which has been on the bestseller lists both in the UK and the US.

Emma and Dexter spent the night together after their graduation in Edinburgh. The next day they go separate ways, and the story could end there. But instead we get to follow them on the exact same date for the next 20 years. Some years they meet, some years they live totally different lives and some years they don't even think about of each other. It's love, hate and friendship through the 90's and the Naughties.

It took me a while to get into the book and characters, but when I did I couldn't stop reading. It's a smart and quite wonderful book about life and what we make of it. Some things are meant to be no matter how many detours we take. Some people come into your life and never leave. Some people will alwyas love you.

Bistro Merlot

A friend of mine and I always meet for some food and wine indulgence during the Christmas break. I'm not really sure how it started, but now it has become tradition and we really plan on where we should go and what to eat.

This year though we had a bit of trouble finding a place. The first place we thought about were closed, the second one was already full and we were there already at 6 o'clock. They don't take reservation so I guess we just managed to come 10 minutes after the first wave of guests. With -15 outside walking all over town wasn't really on the agenda so we decided to try a new place called Merlot just around the corner from where we were.

The latest restaurant trend at least in Sweden is French bistro styled restaurants where you can get traditional French food without paying a fortune. Merlot certainly looked like a French bistro and when we read on the menu outside that they had both escargot and crème brûlée along with champagne by the glass we had to give it a try.

It was still rather empty inside so we got a table as far as possible from the door and the freezing cold. Before even looking at the menu we decided to start with a glass of champagne. Maybe not the best quality champagne but nevertheless bubblies.

For starters we decided to share a plate of escargots. I don't think I had had escargots since my last trip to Paris and that was 5 years ago. The plate arrived still sizzling hot, but unfortunately lacked that garlicky zing that should come with escargots. There was garlic but not enough to remove the salty taste. Still dipping the bread in the remaining juice was divine and we slowly started to feel that it was going to be a good night after all.

For main course I went with lemon and lavender marinated chicken breast with chevre risotto. As a hardcore risotto lover I couldn't pass up the chance of trying a new twist to risotto. And it really was something to die for. The goat cheese matched the chicken and lemon perfectly. I'm pretty sure there was paremesan cheese as well in the risotto as well just to get that creamy consistency. Clergy a chef that knew how to make a risotto. Having tasted a lot of Pinot Noirs during the autumn and actually starting to like it I decided to have a glass of Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir '04. A good choice.

When it was time for dessert we didn't have to look at the menu. We were going to have crème brûlée and to top it off a glass of Sauternes La Dauphin de Guiraud '02. We have had better crème brûlées and the Sauternes was a bit too cold, but still a very nice ending to a evening of French food and reminiscing Paris where both my friend and I used to spend a lot of time.

It was still early after we had had dessert so we went for another glass of wine. This time I tried Beringer Founders Estate Zinfandel. A lot of fruit, jam and hints of vanilla and licorice. Very nice. An open fire, sofa and I could have been there all night. Instead we had to head home and the temperature had now gone all the way down to -20. Brr! Of course I just managed to miss the bus and there were no taxis in sight so I had to walk home. That was one cold walk, but at home a warm and cosy bed awaited. And a flannel pyjama.

Quote of the day

After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say "I want to see the manager."

~ William S. Burroughs ~

Back to work

It was back to work for real yesterday. After two weeks were I had only worked 3,5 days from home thanks to some planning and public holidays it felt needless to say a bit strange to be back at the office. The remaining Christmas decorations only looked sad instead of welcoming and were removed immediately. Now, 15 weeks to go before Easter... I do not dare to think about how much it is in months...

A new term with work, wine tastings, book club and hopefully the gym. (I did not go all autumn... ) But also longer and lighter days, spring and summer around the corner. It will be all right, in time. As always.

More books

As usual at the end of a holiday break I've really gotten into reading. I guess it takes a while for me to get relaxed enough to just be able to read. Strange really, since when I read I feel the most relaxed and happy. All worries just float away and all my concentration is on the book.

My pile of books in Swedish have been pretty big for a while. I tend to read books in English first... Two or maybe three of the Swedish books stand out. The first one was written by a woman who was a successful insurance broker but then at 39 had a stroke. Paralysed and no longer able to speak she started to write a diary and that's the book. How she fights her way back and struggle to realize that life will never be the way it was before. Unfortunately she died last February so she never got to see her book published. The book has not even been out for a year but a second edition has already been printed. It's quite a story which really makes you think. What if? It only takes a second and your life changes completely.

The other book that got me thinking a bit was a pop-psychology book about siblings and if you're first, in the middle, the last one or even an only child. I was suppose to read it for the November book club but since I was travelling and couldn't make it to that meeting I never got around doing it. The author is a behaviour analyst so I guess what she's saying isn't totally wrong. I'm an only child and when I read what she's saying about the only child it's almost scary. I have all those traits. Both the good ones and bad ones. I love company but is the happiest when I can close the door and be all by myself. I observe things rather than take part. I need attention to feel appreciated. I don't ask for help since I believe alone is being strong.

An only child is more prone to stay single since he/she is comfortable being by him/herself. (No comments there...) Apparently losing as parent as a child is even harder on an only child than children with siblings. Abandoned by one of the most important persons in their life. Probably explains a bit of my behaviour from time to time. Especially when it comes to men... So without digging into too deep it was an interesting book and gave me a few things to think about. At least for while.

Comfort in the kitchen

Yesterday was Epiphany here in Sweden which still is a public holiday so everybody is off work, and with taking today off I got a long weekend again. The last one unfortunately until Easter which isn't until the end of April. Good god, 15 weeks of work lies ahead of us...

With that fact in mind and with the snowing coming down in heaps since Wednesday morning I decided it was time for some comfort cooking. Better to be in the kitchen cooking up a storm than looking outside and just getting dressed and thinking that spring is way too far away.

First I started with lasagne. Lasagne is a staple in my freezer and saviour when I'm tired to cook. All sliced up in appropriate pieces it's just one stop in the microwave and then dinner is ready. Besides minced meat I also add carrots, courgettes and mushrooms to the meat sauce. All to make it more filling and getting in your daily greens. The grated cheese on top this time actually became three different cheeses. Cleaning out the fridge at the same time. Cheddar, Parmesan and some Chevre. Needless to say the aroma coming from the oven was just plain lovely.

Despite my promise of no wine and chocolate in January I then decided to make brownies. The weather made me... (Great excuse, right?!) With hardly no butter at home I found a recipe that only called for 100 grams and would make 8 pieces. Perfect. Well, almost... I didn't have pan that was small enough so in the end the batter got spread too thin and got ready a bit too quick and that meant the brownies lost some of their gooeyness. But still, they were delicious and definitely cured my too-much-snow blues.

London photo of the day

Last month in London I took tons of photo, as usual. From food and people to buildings and birds. And other things as well.

This particular one I snapped on Monday night right before heading off to Heathrow. Just by looking at the photo I get all warm, fuzzy and happy. London is one fabulous city.

Some books

I've been catching up on my reading during the holidays. So far a very good Swedish detective story which ended a more than 30-year-old series of books and two English books that actually made me a bit disappointed.

A week in December by Sebastian Faulks
Seven different characters in London seven days before Christmas 2007. The hedge fund manager who only thinks about money. The tube train driver who outside work disappears in books and the online world. The schoolboy who smokes too much pot, the Muslim student who believes in an Islamist world. The solicitor, the newly arrived footballer from Poland and the book-reviewer. All their paths will cross in on way or another.

The description of nowadays London is perfect and some of the characters are very well chiseled out whereas some are not. They are just briefly touched by and in the end makes the story haltering. After successes like the The Girl at the Lion d'Or, Birdsong and Charlotte Gray Sebastian Faulks can do better

Bad boy by Peter Robinson
DCI Banks is on holiday in the US while his daughter hooks up with a Bad Boy. Back home again Banks gets the news that his old partner Annie Cabott has been shot at his house by the Bad Boy and the hunt is on.

This is not one of the better detective stories about Banks and Cabbot, instead it's a very predictable story which of course end with a regretful daughter returning to her father.

It seems to me that lately the books about Banks and Cabbot have either been very good or bad, which makes me a bit sad since the first books in the series were totally brilliant and I was really looking forward to next one. Now I will probably just wait until it's out in paperback.