at my office on friday afternoons they hand out a beer to all the staff at their desks. Which I think is good, but strange. No socialising really, just sitting at your work desk drinking beer.
Really I can't fault it. I just think it's strange that is all. No complaints thought. I like beer.
Friday, 31 July 2009
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Strangers in darkness of language..
Continually speaking a non mother tongue language can be tough sometimes and it can lead to some terrible disasters when you say something that you didn't mean. The sentence came backwards, up side down or the word that you mean to say you didn't say. Instead you said another which was the WRONG word to use.
I does not only apply to swear words or insults, it can be totally normal words. When it's totally normal words that screw you up the most, because you don't realise you said something that was out of order/wrong/rude. You just see a bunch of people looking at your oddly or angry..
I have a great example of that from our first visit to Australia.
We had come back to Australia for a holiday since ones of A:s childhood friends was getting married. The day before the wedding we where meeting up with the soon to be married couple and some of their other friends. I then went ahead and chatted a bit to A:s friend who's parents had been very involved in the planning of the event.
I said
-Are your parents retarded.
He looked at me very strangely and answered in controlled but upset voice
-NO, Why?
I said
-They don't seem to work so much.
Now I had obviously not intended to ask about his parents mental ability but more about whether they where still working full time, as in “are they Retired”.
I didn't realise what I said until afterwards, like a long time afterwards I just thought he was being really weird and angry.
So that teaches me to double check my wording.
I does not only apply to swear words or insults, it can be totally normal words. When it's totally normal words that screw you up the most, because you don't realise you said something that was out of order/wrong/rude. You just see a bunch of people looking at your oddly or angry..
I have a great example of that from our first visit to Australia.
We had come back to Australia for a holiday since ones of A:s childhood friends was getting married. The day before the wedding we where meeting up with the soon to be married couple and some of their other friends. I then went ahead and chatted a bit to A:s friend who's parents had been very involved in the planning of the event.
I said
-Are your parents retarded.
He looked at me very strangely and answered in controlled but upset voice
-NO, Why?
I said
-They don't seem to work so much.
Now I had obviously not intended to ask about his parents mental ability but more about whether they where still working full time, as in “are they Retired”.
I didn't realise what I said until afterwards, like a long time afterwards I just thought he was being really weird and angry.
So that teaches me to double check my wording.
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Things that only happens here
We where out walking the other day, it was a quiet lazy Sunday and we had been to check out some furniture in one of the large shopping centres close to where we live.
As we where crossing the street I reached out to hold A:s hand. Cause you know, your in traffic, I always look the wrong way and it's nice to hold your husbands hand when you are out walking on lazy Sunday.
When we got over the street we where waiting for the other green light of the four way crossing to turn green so that we could cross that street. Still holding hands.
A car comes racing down the road trying to make sure it makes it past the crossing before the light turns and screeches past the corner. As the car is just on the corner in front of us a head sticks out the window and a man yells
“-Your holding hands, you must be newly married”
How about that for a drive by heckle
As we where crossing the street I reached out to hold A:s hand. Cause you know, your in traffic, I always look the wrong way and it's nice to hold your husbands hand when you are out walking on lazy Sunday.
When we got over the street we where waiting for the other green light of the four way crossing to turn green so that we could cross that street. Still holding hands.
A car comes racing down the road trying to make sure it makes it past the crossing before the light turns and screeches past the corner. As the car is just on the corner in front of us a head sticks out the window and a man yells
“-Your holding hands, you must be newly married”
How about that for a drive by heckle
Monday, 27 July 2009
Other songs I’ve misunderstood
I’ve always thought Bryan Adams sings “Had my first real sex dream, played it to my fingers bled” in the song “Summer of 69”. That made total sense to me, summer of 69 being the summer of free love and all. Apparently he sings about a six string guitar.
Who would have known.
Who would have known.
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Living on a prairie
Last night I found out that the Job Bob Jovie song “Living on Prayer” is not about a guy that lives out on the country side. So the rest of the lyrics of the song makes much more sense now.
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Moving Country = Weight Gain
The easiest way to gain large amounts of weight in small amount of time is to move to another country. I don’t know why that is, but every time you move internationally you automatically put on at least 5 kg (almost one stone). You see it all the time with people moving to London, it is so common it has it’s own name, the Heathrow injection.
I don’t know why this happens, maybe it’s because you are in a new environment and you eat for comfort or you change your life style to be more sedentary, you know you use to go to the gym a lot at home but I take a while to get back into that habit or something.
When I moved to London in 2000 as a student I gained 9 kg in 6 months and then promptly lost it when I moved back to Sweden for a year. I think in my particular case then it had nothing to do with a fear of a new place, it all came down to spending most afternoons in the pub and then mainly eating chips for dinner.
Now however I’ve moved and I’m gaining weight again, I bought a dress the first week I got here, and I can’t fit in to the stupid thing. It was very upsetting to find that out. Not because the dress didn’t fit, but because my attitude and reaction was not very healthy.
Normally my attitude would have been, well sweet cheeks let go of the cookies you and my your little tush are going for run. but this time I was all defeatist going “Well, that is rubbish, I’m rubbish, I don’t fit into my dress, I will never fit into my dress, I might as well eat everything in the cupboards etc”. Which we all know is not the right attitude to get into any dress at anytime.
So to get over myself I went swimming this morning, I only did a pyramid of 3 and it was no so much swimming as trying not to drown up and down the lanes as I so unfit. But it was a start and it automatically makes me feel better to get my hearth rate up, and swimming is the only way that I find I can do that without having an enormous amounts of pain in my hip.
So that was good start to the Saturday morning, now I’m going go and run some errands and buy some gas for my soldering station and a new daylight desk lamp so I can see stuff. Hope everyone has a really good Saturday.
I don’t know why this happens, maybe it’s because you are in a new environment and you eat for comfort or you change your life style to be more sedentary, you know you use to go to the gym a lot at home but I take a while to get back into that habit or something.
When I moved to London in 2000 as a student I gained 9 kg in 6 months and then promptly lost it when I moved back to Sweden for a year. I think in my particular case then it had nothing to do with a fear of a new place, it all came down to spending most afternoons in the pub and then mainly eating chips for dinner.
Now however I’ve moved and I’m gaining weight again, I bought a dress the first week I got here, and I can’t fit in to the stupid thing. It was very upsetting to find that out. Not because the dress didn’t fit, but because my attitude and reaction was not very healthy.
Normally my attitude would have been, well sweet cheeks let go of the cookies you and my your little tush are going for run. but this time I was all defeatist going “Well, that is rubbish, I’m rubbish, I don’t fit into my dress, I will never fit into my dress, I might as well eat everything in the cupboards etc”. Which we all know is not the right attitude to get into any dress at anytime.
So to get over myself I went swimming this morning, I only did a pyramid of 3 and it was no so much swimming as trying not to drown up and down the lanes as I so unfit. But it was a start and it automatically makes me feel better to get my hearth rate up, and swimming is the only way that I find I can do that without having an enormous amounts of pain in my hip.
So that was good start to the Saturday morning, now I’m going go and run some errands and buy some gas for my soldering station and a new daylight desk lamp so I can see stuff. Hope everyone has a really good Saturday.
Thursday, 23 July 2009
so very tired
I am so very tired tonight, you know the type when you get a bit hyper of tiredness and really feel like you should be doing something, something creative. I feel this strong pressuer to go and make something, but I know in these moods I will only break 1000 sawblades and ruin my machines. So maybe it's just better to do nothing...
I really should be working on some of the coding for my site, but it does not exite me today. I think I will just sit down have a cup of tea and read a book.
The pictures as you understand has nothing to do with tiredness but the colour is so strong that I felt it might re-awake me.
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
First day at work......
almost feels like first day in school. It was good, I had nothing to worry about, the people all seem nice and it feels like it will be a good thing. I wont bore you more about that.
However on my way to work I was walking along the street and in front of me there was a grey clad Franciscan monk walking along; holding his skateboard underneath his arm.
Apparently there was a Vocation Expo at Martins Place today as a part of a Christian Youth drive. Scence stands for – Sydney Congress Embracing new Evangalisation. It looked like people there where enjoying themselves, if that is what you are into. There was a group of about 20 or so 16 year olds singing some version of Bloodhound gangs song Fire Water Burn.
Obviously the lyrics where adapted. No longer should the roof go on fire but the devil, and the start chanting bit had been changed to Cheerleader version of JESUS, Give me an J, Give me an E, Give me S etc. etc....what have we got kind of thing.
Now I get that that evangelical churches need to adapt to get street appeal, you know, to get down with the kids. But I do wonder who's idea it was to choose a band that haven't made anything since yearly 2000 and who has other songs with titles such as “Yummy down on this” and “I wish I was Queer so I could get chicks”
But hey, desperate times calls for drastic measures.
However on my way to work I was walking along the street and in front of me there was a grey clad Franciscan monk walking along; holding his skateboard underneath his arm.
Apparently there was a Vocation Expo at Martins Place today as a part of a Christian Youth drive. Scence stands for – Sydney Congress Embracing new Evangalisation. It looked like people there where enjoying themselves, if that is what you are into. There was a group of about 20 or so 16 year olds singing some version of Bloodhound gangs song Fire Water Burn.
Obviously the lyrics where adapted. No longer should the roof go on fire but the devil, and the start chanting bit had been changed to Cheerleader version of JESUS, Give me an J, Give me an E, Give me S etc. etc....what have we got kind of thing.
Now I get that that evangelical churches need to adapt to get street appeal, you know, to get down with the kids. But I do wonder who's idea it was to choose a band that haven't made anything since yearly 2000 and who has other songs with titles such as “Yummy down on this” and “I wish I was Queer so I could get chicks”
But hey, desperate times calls for drastic measures.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
First day nerves
It's my first day at my new job tomorrow, so i'm quite nervous. I'm more nervous about working with new people then with a new job. I know the new job is big challenge as I've not worked in this area before, but as you know, new people are scarier then new stuff. People are more complicated, you can't just work harder or longer to get along with new people.
So I hope that the new people will like me and I will like them.
To try to get my mind from the strange stress nightmares I've had (running away from paying taxi fares, rocking up to social events without trousers and really tiny underpants, you know the normal scenario) I have focused on setting up new studio. I love it.
It's so light and bright and I have so much space. All I need know is a new gas bottle and I can get started. I think my first project will be using the really cool drill A:s dad made from a sewing machine engine. He used to use it himself when he was making jewellery but now it's mine. I love it. I think I will make a lot of things with holes in it.
Here is my drill.
We have got all our furniture now and our living room is looking nice, a bit cramped but homely. I will update with photos when I have got my photos up on the walls.
I will now go and sort out my stones to keep myself from thinking about tomorrow
Monday, 20 July 2009
Feedback wanted
Hi all
I have made a new website release. If you guys could have a look and let me know what you think. If it looks better or worse, if the about page is ok or if it sounds daft.
My Site....
Any feedback would be much appreciated.
ta.....
Hugs and kisses to anyone that says anything :-)
I have made a new website release. If you guys could have a look and let me know what you think. If it looks better or worse, if the about page is ok or if it sounds daft.
My Site....
Any feedback would be much appreciated.
ta.....
Hugs and kisses to anyone that says anything :-)
The crazy noodle shop next door or how I became the owner of 26 scented candles.
I have never understood the need for air freshers, room scents or scented candles. I've always thought that if your house smells like that, hey why not open a window and do some cleaning. I particular have never understood scented candles. You know when you read an article with a model or someone famous who travels a lot with work they keep dragging diptyque's scented travel candles across the globe. Also I've always thought that women and scented candles are somewhat of a cliché, a bit like women equals cosmopolitans, to many shoes and cats. I do not have to many shoes nor do I drink cocktails or really enjoy the company of cats.
I digress so let's continue, I have never lived next door to people who seem to love noodles and deep fry so much. People who for some reason has a ventilation outlet to the common hall way. And as you call know by know; Australian apartments (as well as English Apartments) have large gaps at the bottom to let in proper draught.
Now this draught is not just a little teensy bit chilly it also smells of noodles and deep fry. The people next day seem to cook all day everyday, constantly it smells of noodles and deep fry. Those are my worst hate smells in the whole world. It's worse then stinky feet, or stinky tofu.
I have tried to overcome this problem by purchasing a door snake. It's a litlle snake like thing you put in front of the door to keep the draught out and then I have also been trying to mask the smell with 26 candles with Ocean Mist and Tahiti Beach scent. Today I also added to the collection a air fresner thingy that smells of French lavender, I'm intending to put that outside the door, maybe next to the vent.
The system seems to work right now, I'm on deep fry watch thought most night, smallest whiff of deep fry and I light a candle.
So that is what I do. I light candles and sniff my neighbours.
I digress so let's continue, I have never lived next door to people who seem to love noodles and deep fry so much. People who for some reason has a ventilation outlet to the common hall way. And as you call know by know; Australian apartments (as well as English Apartments) have large gaps at the bottom to let in proper draught.
Now this draught is not just a little teensy bit chilly it also smells of noodles and deep fry. The people next day seem to cook all day everyday, constantly it smells of noodles and deep fry. Those are my worst hate smells in the whole world. It's worse then stinky feet, or stinky tofu.
I have tried to overcome this problem by purchasing a door snake. It's a litlle snake like thing you put in front of the door to keep the draught out and then I have also been trying to mask the smell with 26 candles with Ocean Mist and Tahiti Beach scent. Today I also added to the collection a air fresner thingy that smells of French lavender, I'm intending to put that outside the door, maybe next to the vent.
The system seems to work right now, I'm on deep fry watch thought most night, smallest whiff of deep fry and I light a candle.
So that is what I do. I light candles and sniff my neighbours.
Friday, 17 July 2009
Out of Office
We are going to the Sunshine Coast for the weekend to go to a birthday party. My problem is, I do not know what to pack. I'm leaving in one hour. I don't know what you wear to a birthday party here, I do not know if the party is outdoor, indoors or in cellar. I do not like being cold, so I've planned to pack for all eventualities.
Yesterday I got all my clothes and furniture. You'd think that would make it easier, but It doesn't as now I can choose from 15 dresses instead of just taking the 1 I had.
So I think i'm going old school, blue silk dress, red handbag and black shoes..
Have a great weekend everyone...
Yesterday I got all my clothes and furniture. You'd think that would make it easier, but It doesn't as now I can choose from 15 dresses instead of just taking the 1 I had.
So I think i'm going old school, blue silk dress, red handbag and black shoes..
Have a great weekend everyone...
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Jobb
I got offered a jobb yesterday, that i've accepted. It's a different role from before, there are no programing which i'm very exited about as i've been programming since I left uni and I didn't event like then that much.
That is untrue, i like the building part of programing. I like that it has a start and a defined end point. I like that you end up with a "physical result". But I don't like that i'm sitting on my own not talking to people while i'm doing it.
Anyway, I actually planning to some new code release for my page. So I have been doing some coding on my free time again....danger danger...
anyway. I'm both happy, exited and scared. It's the role where they made me do a presentation for the second interview. Doing the presentation of a subject that you know nothing about to a group of people that are speciallists in that area, well it's a bit stressfull. But obviously I went ok. Now I've got a jobb. Starting on Wednesday...
That is untrue, i like the building part of programing. I like that it has a start and a defined end point. I like that you end up with a "physical result". But I don't like that i'm sitting on my own not talking to people while i'm doing it.
Anyway, I actually planning to some new code release for my page. So I have been doing some coding on my free time again....danger danger...
anyway. I'm both happy, exited and scared. It's the role where they made me do a presentation for the second interview. Doing the presentation of a subject that you know nothing about to a group of people that are speciallists in that area, well it's a bit stressfull. But obviously I went ok. Now I've got a jobb. Starting on Wednesday...
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Finally
I've finally finished writing all the descriptions for the jewellery I was planning to put in my shop.
Now I was going to list it, probably tommorow, but it's funny. I get nervous. I don't know why, because nothing bad is going to happen. But it's a little bit like this.
I've never tried to sell any of my jewellery before and I'm worried that if I can't sell it and people don't like it. Then something that I really love doing and think i'm Ok at is something I'm actually not good at. If you see how I mean.
It's a little bit like when you watch the Australian Idol or X-factor. All this people have this idea that they can sing, they belive the sing real nice but the actually sound like pulling your nails along a black board. And they're moms and dads and friends have always said that they can. Then they go to the X-factor try outs and they get shot down real hard by evil men with a bad choice of trousers.
Now this could kind of be the same. So far this jewllery thing, it has been for me only and I guess for people that I've given presents to. Moving on to try to sell this stuff is a trial to see if i'm actually good at this stuff, not just my mom and dad and friends humoring me, and then chucking in the back of a drawer when i'm not around.
So I guess by seeing if my stuff is sellable I to is facing up to real nasty men in real shitty trousers.
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
One of lifes mysteries
How come the entrance of all department stores smells the same no matter where you are in the world?
Research
I'm going for another interview with another company for another role today and I'm suppose to do some reading up on subjects before. I'm finding it really hard to concentrate as the weather is so fantastic today and I'm in a lot of muscle pain from going to the gym to do my first set of weights in a very long time.
It's funny with training, I have always done some sort of training and I have never really understood people who do not like it. I have never got how you can't and how you can't find time. Now all off sudden not being able to train as I like to and being horribly unfit as I've not been able to train for a very long time I understand. There is nothing enjoyable going from Unfit to Fit, there is only pain and what I perceive as large sacrifices in crap TV time. I final understand what people are going on about. And you get really tired, it's only when you are getting back into the habit of training that training gives you serious energy. This is a good lesson to learn. I think I will aim to do my physic every day, and some sort of other training every second day. Just to ease into it.
Other than that, I really need to do that research, but finding that hard to concentrate on. I hate going to interviews and feeling a bit stupid and wondering what you are doing there. I think this one is one of those.
Other than that, I got good feedback from my presentation on Friday and they have some positive noises. We'll see how that goes. Hopefully well.
Oh and our furniture arrives on Thursday they say, it's gonna be great to sit on a couch instead of the floor for my addiction to Project Runway and Americas New Top Model. I might be the only one who watches project runway to see the design process and the construction of the clothing. I think they are focusing to much on the bitching and then scheming. If they could have a contemporary program about clothing construction I would soo watch that.
So, next week I think I will invite people for dinner as we have furniture for them to sit on then hopefully. And if I get a job offer I'm gonna buy myself a sewing machine. That will be my treat. The most stupid thing I got rid off in London was my sewing machine. Shar I hope you are treating it with the love and respect it deserves, and I'll promise you I'll service it when I get back to London next time as A:s dad ( the handiest man in the world) has shown me some tips and tricks.
I will cook lamb.
Baaahhh, Baaahhh
It's funny with training, I have always done some sort of training and I have never really understood people who do not like it. I have never got how you can't and how you can't find time. Now all off sudden not being able to train as I like to and being horribly unfit as I've not been able to train for a very long time I understand. There is nothing enjoyable going from Unfit to Fit, there is only pain and what I perceive as large sacrifices in crap TV time. I final understand what people are going on about. And you get really tired, it's only when you are getting back into the habit of training that training gives you serious energy. This is a good lesson to learn. I think I will aim to do my physic every day, and some sort of other training every second day. Just to ease into it.
Other than that, I really need to do that research, but finding that hard to concentrate on. I hate going to interviews and feeling a bit stupid and wondering what you are doing there. I think this one is one of those.
Other than that, I got good feedback from my presentation on Friday and they have some positive noises. We'll see how that goes. Hopefully well.
Oh and our furniture arrives on Thursday they say, it's gonna be great to sit on a couch instead of the floor for my addiction to Project Runway and Americas New Top Model. I might be the only one who watches project runway to see the design process and the construction of the clothing. I think they are focusing to much on the bitching and then scheming. If they could have a contemporary program about clothing construction I would soo watch that.
So, next week I think I will invite people for dinner as we have furniture for them to sit on then hopefully. And if I get a job offer I'm gonna buy myself a sewing machine. That will be my treat. The most stupid thing I got rid off in London was my sewing machine. Shar I hope you are treating it with the love and respect it deserves, and I'll promise you I'll service it when I get back to London next time as A:s dad ( the handiest man in the world) has shown me some tips and tricks.
I will cook lamb.
Baaahhh, Baaahhh
Monday, 13 July 2009
Hunter Valley
Look at this, the beauty of the place is un-explainable, sometimes it strikes me that the Australian country side and sky is so beautifull and colourful it almost looks fake in real life.
The sky especially is often percing blue. A blue that you rarely see in Europe. Even on days like this where it's overcast the sky still has a strong overcast colour, it's full on grey. Not a little pansy wansy grey.
So eventhought there where small misshaps during the weekend in Hunter Vally (poor S and R got a bedroom that smelt like egg farts), no petrol in the middle of freeway and then getting lost and driving back to were we came from as we where trying to find the highway after getting petrol the weekend was fantastic.
I have tried so much wine that if I pick any of my scabs off I'm gonna start leaking. I made a fairly large investment in some fantastic tasting wine. I will have to keep them for best as they taste so amazing. Maybe when people come for a visit.
Friday, 10 July 2009
presentation
i've done my presentation, and it went ok I think. I got good feeback for presenting on a finacial subject that I know nothing about to people I've never seen.
So hopefully that shall end up well, if not I reckon I'll have to think about all them other fishes that people say are in the sea
This weekend we are going up to Hunter Valley, which is i big wine area outside of Sydney. I'm quite exited about it, unfortunately I think i'm getting an ear infection or something as I can't hear anything on my left ear and my glands under the ear and throat is really sore.
So i'm gonna cure that with wine...
do not argue, that is my theory and i'm sticking to it. Wine is alcohol, alcohol kills bacteria, so there....
anyway, have a great weekend, i'm now going to sleep on the way up there cause i'm exhausted
So hopefully that shall end up well, if not I reckon I'll have to think about all them other fishes that people say are in the sea
This weekend we are going up to Hunter Valley, which is i big wine area outside of Sydney. I'm quite exited about it, unfortunately I think i'm getting an ear infection or something as I can't hear anything on my left ear and my glands under the ear and throat is really sore.
So i'm gonna cure that with wine...
do not argue, that is my theory and i'm sticking to it. Wine is alcohol, alcohol kills bacteria, so there....
anyway, have a great weekend, i'm now going to sleep on the way up there cause i'm exhausted
Thursday, 9 July 2009
The Kitchen of the 1000 thingamajigs.
People have big houses here, even small apartments are big in comparison to European small apartments. It does not mean that as a back packer you don't live 5 people to a small one room flat, it's just that that one room will be slightly bigger then the one room in London. So you could save money and get a sixth person to sleep in the hallway cupboard.
A slightly bigger flat means a slightly bigger kitchen; and that my friends in this country means a whole load of Kitchen gear. I have never been to place where so many people have so many appliances in their kitchen.
Electric Frying pans, have you ever heard about such a thing. They are really popular here, comes in shapes and sizes from a small little omelette pan to a huge banquette pan that you could cook a small tree in. If that is what you are into, tree frying. They are the same as a normal frying pan but they plug into the wall, instead of using your normal cooking hob.
Then they have the other thing that can be used as an oven to bake and roast in, I can't remember what it's called. But it's something like Flymo Oven or something...
Now if you have a cooking hob and an oven, why would you need to have en extra frying facility and oven.
But that is not all people here have griller, in house BBQ, outhouse BBQ, mixers, blenders and slow cookers. The appliance part of any home ware store is bigger then any of the other parts.
I blame the TV, you can buy many of these things of the TV and people do. Even sane people it seems. Not like in Sweden where people who buys kitchen knife sets of late night TV shows since the knifes can cut soft drink or beer cans (cause you know, you really know that) are mainly crazy lonely people who stay up late at night alone watching. Now my dad will disagree on this as he says that most people who buy things from catalogs and off tv in sweden are women living in large cities who are in their 30:s. And he should know he works in the industry of getting the stuff bought to the house where they shall now live.
Imagine this; your sitting and are having your breakkie watching the news and then someone comes and attacks you with information about the absolute ab worker or the flymo oven, well your defences are down in the morning aren't they. Your tired, your cold (if it's winter, sweaty if it's summer I suppose) and then you just kind of go...”-Yes, of course, it would be grate to be able to roast a whole pig and then not clean the oven afterwards. I will get one of these flymo things cause apparently they roast with infra red light or something and they clean themselves”
and who haven't heard about them self cleaning ovens hu?..They are good.
So you buy your flymo, use it once to make a cake that doesn't rise properly and then you shove it right back into the cupboard right next to the chocolate fountain and the electric fondue set.
So in general people have far to many appliances and really SHIT knifes....only serrated knifes and no knife sharpener...
I'm telling you people...Australian people...priorities please, you do not need more baking machines or automatic calorie calculating scales that take hours to calculate calories to cook easier..YOU NEED KNIFES THAT ACTUALLY CUT THINGS LIKE FOOD...not just soft drink cans
Then again that Absolute Ab-worker seems to work wonders on that woman off tv. She doesn't like at all the same in the before and after pictures. I mean the ab-worker must even have changed her face...amazing. I'm so getting this one...now where is my credit card and the home phone. Ohh that is right, I haven't got a home phone.
I'll go to IKEA instead.
A slightly bigger flat means a slightly bigger kitchen; and that my friends in this country means a whole load of Kitchen gear. I have never been to place where so many people have so many appliances in their kitchen.
Electric Frying pans, have you ever heard about such a thing. They are really popular here, comes in shapes and sizes from a small little omelette pan to a huge banquette pan that you could cook a small tree in. If that is what you are into, tree frying. They are the same as a normal frying pan but they plug into the wall, instead of using your normal cooking hob.
Then they have the other thing that can be used as an oven to bake and roast in, I can't remember what it's called. But it's something like Flymo Oven or something...
Now if you have a cooking hob and an oven, why would you need to have en extra frying facility and oven.
But that is not all people here have griller, in house BBQ, outhouse BBQ, mixers, blenders and slow cookers. The appliance part of any home ware store is bigger then any of the other parts.
I blame the TV, you can buy many of these things of the TV and people do. Even sane people it seems. Not like in Sweden where people who buys kitchen knife sets of late night TV shows since the knifes can cut soft drink or beer cans (cause you know, you really know that) are mainly crazy lonely people who stay up late at night alone watching. Now my dad will disagree on this as he says that most people who buy things from catalogs and off tv in sweden are women living in large cities who are in their 30:s. And he should know he works in the industry of getting the stuff bought to the house where they shall now live.
Imagine this; your sitting and are having your breakkie watching the news and then someone comes and attacks you with information about the absolute ab worker or the flymo oven, well your defences are down in the morning aren't they. Your tired, your cold (if it's winter, sweaty if it's summer I suppose) and then you just kind of go...”-Yes, of course, it would be grate to be able to roast a whole pig and then not clean the oven afterwards. I will get one of these flymo things cause apparently they roast with infra red light or something and they clean themselves”
and who haven't heard about them self cleaning ovens hu?..They are good.
So you buy your flymo, use it once to make a cake that doesn't rise properly and then you shove it right back into the cupboard right next to the chocolate fountain and the electric fondue set.
So in general people have far to many appliances and really SHIT knifes....only serrated knifes and no knife sharpener...
I'm telling you people...Australian people...priorities please, you do not need more baking machines or automatic calorie calculating scales that take hours to calculate calories to cook easier..YOU NEED KNIFES THAT ACTUALLY CUT THINGS LIKE FOOD...not just soft drink cans
Then again that Absolute Ab-worker seems to work wonders on that woman off tv. She doesn't like at all the same in the before and after pictures. I mean the ab-worker must even have changed her face...amazing. I'm so getting this one...now where is my credit card and the home phone. Ohh that is right, I haven't got a home phone.
I'll go to IKEA instead.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Lilla Syster
My sister says I have to remeber to write every day, I'm normaly better, but I've been a litte occupied preparing for a presentaion. I will tell you more about that experiance after tommorow. I'm a little nervous about it, I've not presented much in the last few years as MiJulie used to keep our team locked away in a corner not talking to people.
Anyway, I've been meaning to talk about Australian Morgning television.
It's crazy. Normaly they have some morgning news show untill 9, with adds every 12 minutes (that drives me nuts, so much adds). Then after 9 they have one of those light life style/news show.
You know like LK today or something, (I don't think sweden has something the same cause people work there), it's like a fairly current magazine show, where they talk about things are that are a little topical, like cancer scares and they show spring fashion, and what to cook and that you must wear sun screen.
So they can be in the middle of a chat about eating healthy and obesity problems in school and what mums (always mum, never dad) can do to help their children stay healthy. They will then turn to the camera and go, -"well you know Brett has an interesting message on this"
The it goes to "Brett" who will start a sales pitch for a toaster oven or a steamer or life insurance or some thing you use to wipe things with that is better then other things to wipe things with as they last longer and get things up out of carpets.
So basicly they have light morgning entertainment mixed with informercials, Knife set, internet connection, mobile contract, vacum cleaners, hand steamers and stuff to make your flowers grow...and kitchen gadgets...More kitchen gadgets that you can shake a stick at.
I think these Tv shows are responsible for another Australian Phenonemen - The Kitchen of the 1000 thingies... I will write more on that later.
Now more coffe, and I really want to know what this new steam vacum can do for my house.
Anyway, I've been meaning to talk about Australian Morgning television.
It's crazy. Normaly they have some morgning news show untill 9, with adds every 12 minutes (that drives me nuts, so much adds). Then after 9 they have one of those light life style/news show.
You know like LK today or something, (I don't think sweden has something the same cause people work there), it's like a fairly current magazine show, where they talk about things are that are a little topical, like cancer scares and they show spring fashion, and what to cook and that you must wear sun screen.
So they can be in the middle of a chat about eating healthy and obesity problems in school and what mums (always mum, never dad) can do to help their children stay healthy. They will then turn to the camera and go, -"well you know Brett has an interesting message on this"
The it goes to "Brett" who will start a sales pitch for a toaster oven or a steamer or life insurance or some thing you use to wipe things with that is better then other things to wipe things with as they last longer and get things up out of carpets.
So basicly they have light morgning entertainment mixed with informercials, Knife set, internet connection, mobile contract, vacum cleaners, hand steamers and stuff to make your flowers grow...and kitchen gadgets...More kitchen gadgets that you can shake a stick at.
I think these Tv shows are responsible for another Australian Phenonemen - The Kitchen of the 1000 thingies... I will write more on that later.
Now more coffe, and I really want to know what this new steam vacum can do for my house.
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
House warming and house worm
We have now lived in our flat for 4 days and have noticed some patterns in the building.
Someone with a heavy base going something like to do that something between 9-11 every night. We only notice this since we get a small tinge of the noice in the living room. Once we have a TV we will no longer notice this noice as Project Runway and Bridezilla will drown it out for us.
You don't see many people in the hall way, but they all seem to either arrive or leave their flat at 10 at night. Again I only notice as I've got no background noice to drown it out.
We have no window sills. We have huge windows, but no place to put flowers.
Our water pressure is amazing, I can stand in our showers for hours. I think I personally will be responsible for Australias future drought.
We have received a huge orchid from R and S. I love it. Look, it's yellow, and I still love it.
I have spent the last few days prepping for an interview (they make you work hard for these things here) but last night I took some time out to make a bag bag.
Basicly a bag for the plastic bags that you always end up collecting. There are some issues with this one.
1.It looks like a worm. I call it wormy, and It hangs of Roy the Fridge. So far Roy and Wormy are getting along nicely.
2.It's from off cuts of fabric that I bought to make sofa cushions. So the two sides are not straight. I think the worm shape enhances the lumpyness. But hey, It's a bag worm, it does not need to be great.
3.I sew it by hand. Sewing elastic by hand is a little more complicated then I remembered.
So that is all, I will continue with my prep and maybe try to paint a painting as A has bought me paint and small canvas. But then again, the TV guy should come tonight, so I will not need to do things. I can watch Bridezillas
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Our area
We have lived in our flat for 2 days now and I have made the following observations.
In our complex we have 8 Thai-restaurants/take away places.
We have 5 conveniance stores and one chinese super market.
We have at least 4 different pizza places and one Italian restaurant.
I have one conveniance store, one thai place and one pizza place 10 meters on each side of the entrance of our building.
We have neighbours that cook all the time, I think they might have a "fake" restaurant in their flat as people seem to pass in and out often.
The area is in generall quiet, so I do not understand how all the restaurants can stay alive. Maybe they are all money laundrary restaurants without real food.
We have one gym and one pool that seems strangely busy on a saturday night at 8 pm. Maybe it's everyone working off the Thai Green Curries and Pizzas.
We have a 15 minute walk to one major supermarket and they do not seem to have that magnetic lock on the wheels of the trolleys they have in UK supermarkets. It seems that most of the trolleys are located next to the recycling room in our building.
We have a large amount of cafes, restaurants and galleries in a street 5 minute walk from our flat as well as a Antique shop selling only swedish antiques from 1820-1970.
They all close at 4 pm during winter.
Most shopping centres in Sydney has at least one strange chinese budget store that sells just about anything and everything that you need, including canvases and acrylic paint.
In generall I'm liking this place and I will probably never have to leave my local area.
In our complex we have 8 Thai-restaurants/take away places.
We have 5 conveniance stores and one chinese super market.
We have at least 4 different pizza places and one Italian restaurant.
I have one conveniance store, one thai place and one pizza place 10 meters on each side of the entrance of our building.
We have neighbours that cook all the time, I think they might have a "fake" restaurant in their flat as people seem to pass in and out often.
The area is in generall quiet, so I do not understand how all the restaurants can stay alive. Maybe they are all money laundrary restaurants without real food.
We have one gym and one pool that seems strangely busy on a saturday night at 8 pm. Maybe it's everyone working off the Thai Green Curries and Pizzas.
We have a 15 minute walk to one major supermarket and they do not seem to have that magnetic lock on the wheels of the trolleys they have in UK supermarkets. It seems that most of the trolleys are located next to the recycling room in our building.
We have a large amount of cafes, restaurants and galleries in a street 5 minute walk from our flat as well as a Antique shop selling only swedish antiques from 1820-1970.
They all close at 4 pm during winter.
Most shopping centres in Sydney has at least one strange chinese budget store that sells just about anything and everything that you need, including canvases and acrylic paint.
In generall I'm liking this place and I will probably never have to leave my local area.
Friday, 3 July 2009
My new best friend Roy.
RoyWe have now oficialy moved into our new flat. We only have very limited furniture. But we do have a fridge.
This is the first time in my life I bought an appliance. It's my first fridge, my first microwave, my first washing machine. I have named the Fridge Roy, and the washing machine Roger.
Yep as Roy and Roger, who as we all know have a petrol station together....Na na na na na
I have taken some photos of our new flat, so you can see what it looks like. Please be aware that we have no furniture and still no storage really. So things are kind of placed where they kind of just end up.
Other first thing for me today, I went to the grocery store, and bought a shed load if stuff for out house, and put it in the bot of the car. That was a first for me...
So in generall today is a day of first.
I think I will go and have my first cup of coffe in from our new kettle, in our new flat...and a Tim Tam
But first a walk throught our new flat....
Kitchen
Kitchen..Inside Roy...a teal water bottle...go figure
Inside RoySpare Room- Guest room - New "Studio area"
Living Room
Living Room other direction
Kitchen from Living Room
Bedroom with new fancy pancy proper adult bed frame and such things, like storage, and Lamps. I'm not kidding, the first time I own proper bedside table lamps.
Do you see my new bed linnen, I love it. Only blue and white bedlinnen is allowed in my house.
On suite bedroom of our bedroom.
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Smells- they remind us of the strangest things.
I've bought a hand soap, it smells just like my grandad.
Now let me explain, I didn't know I remembered what he smelt like as he passed away when I was just 11 years old. The main thing I remember is that he loved ice cream and when we went to visit in him in the hospital my grandma would bring home made peti fours that we got to fill with cream and jam while sitting on his bed. Just as long as we took it easy and didn't spill on the sheets.
Good memories is what I have of him. It's funny with the ice cream. My grandad mainly ate an ice cream that in swedish was called 88:an. It's the best ice cream in the world, I love it, it's my most favourite. It's tbe best combination of vanilla, chocolate and candied nuts. Great ice cream
Here in Australia they have a version of 88:an that is called, wait for it,Golden Gay Time.The best ice cream name in the world if you live in Surry Hill in Sydney which has the biggest gay population of Sydney.
I haven't actually tried it, I think it might not taste as good as looks, cause it probably does not taste like 88:an, and I can't really make myself go to the shop and ask for “Golden Gay Time please” as I suspect the answer to be
“-well you are in the right neighbourhood”
So I shall instead go and have a Tim Tam, which is a chocolate bar masquerading as a biscuit.
My favourite type of disguise ever.
Now let me explain, I didn't know I remembered what he smelt like as he passed away when I was just 11 years old. The main thing I remember is that he loved ice cream and when we went to visit in him in the hospital my grandma would bring home made peti fours that we got to fill with cream and jam while sitting on his bed. Just as long as we took it easy and didn't spill on the sheets.
Good memories is what I have of him. It's funny with the ice cream. My grandad mainly ate an ice cream that in swedish was called 88:an. It's the best ice cream in the world, I love it, it's my most favourite. It's tbe best combination of vanilla, chocolate and candied nuts. Great ice cream
Here in Australia they have a version of 88:an that is called, wait for it,Golden Gay Time.The best ice cream name in the world if you live in Surry Hill in Sydney which has the biggest gay population of Sydney.
I haven't actually tried it, I think it might not taste as good as looks, cause it probably does not taste like 88:an, and I can't really make myself go to the shop and ask for “Golden Gay Time please” as I suspect the answer to be
“-well you are in the right neighbourhood”
So I shall instead go and have a Tim Tam, which is a chocolate bar masquerading as a biscuit.
My favourite type of disguise ever.
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Ohh the pain, the pain
I'm in pain today, everything hurts, everytime I move I can feel my abs protesting. I sit down and my hip goes “mother monkey stand up this freaking hurts”, then I stand up and after a few minutes the fatigue in my legs takes it toll.
I have been to bikram yoga or hot yoga that it's populary refered to. It's my first few times in a yoga studio for the last few years. I had forgotten the pain it inposes on the unfit.
I have been going to Yoga for years, but I have not been able to practice for the last year due to the surgery. I also have never done bikram yoga.
Bikram yoga is a basic yoga practice consisting of 26 postures. And they all done in a room heated to 47 degres. Now if you wonder how that feels, it's like sitting twisted on a nail in a sauna for 90 minutes. It hurts and it's crazy hot. 47 degrees celcius means that you are sweating if you are just lying on the floor. Imagine 47 degrees when you have your right arm twisted at face height around your left arm and your right leg twisted around you left leg, and then your left knee bent at 90 degres angle parallell to the floor. Hey presto you are sweating like a rent boy.
So that is good, I normally sweat at yoga as I'm just a sweaty kind of person. In this case the Bikram yoga is very democratic. Everyone is sweating, everyone is tired, not even the most cool of cucumbers been doing yoga for years kind of people don't sweat.
However, it does not mean that the room is not filled with these long limbed dancer body beauties that you normally get, and I assume as the yoga studio is so close to bondi beach that that is where they hang out in summer.
My main issue with Bikram is, the smell and all the men that find it suitable to do the yoga only wearing their underpants. I'm serious, there is no need for that, no-one wants to see that.
The smell obviously comes from 50 people in a room twisting themselves into crazy positions in 47 degree heat. And people are soo sweaty, it's not funny. The room is CARPETED, yes you heard me right. Apparently it's some special carpet that they clean once a weak, with some special backing so it wont get mouldy and such. But still, 4 classes a day, at least 250 people a day sweating in that room. It smells like old school plastic matresses. A combination of vomit and urin. It's fine while your are doing the standing poses, but once you get down to the floor you almost pass out and not from the heat.
And the men and their pants. I'm not kidding you, men in all ages, also some of them I know, have decided that it's suitable to do yoga not wearing a T-shirt. I get that you get hot, I'm wearing the T-shirt, I get it. I can understand the no T-shirt thing, I do not condone it, but I understand it.
But some of them have decided that not only are they not going to wear a T-shirt they are also going to wear the smallest pants known to man. Some of them are obviously underpants maskerading as yoga pants. I wonder what would happen if I rocked up only wearing a thong. I do not think they would let me stay in class. I would scare people. People would get snow blind from the whiteness of my cheeks.
I've decided to finish these 10 days of Yoga (got a 10 day special deal, wanna get my moneys worth), but I think I'm gonna stick to normal Power Astangha Yoga, as at least that only hurts. No-one smells like old running shoe.
I have been to bikram yoga or hot yoga that it's populary refered to. It's my first few times in a yoga studio for the last few years. I had forgotten the pain it inposes on the unfit.
I have been going to Yoga for years, but I have not been able to practice for the last year due to the surgery. I also have never done bikram yoga.
Bikram yoga is a basic yoga practice consisting of 26 postures. And they all done in a room heated to 47 degres. Now if you wonder how that feels, it's like sitting twisted on a nail in a sauna for 90 minutes. It hurts and it's crazy hot. 47 degrees celcius means that you are sweating if you are just lying on the floor. Imagine 47 degrees when you have your right arm twisted at face height around your left arm and your right leg twisted around you left leg, and then your left knee bent at 90 degres angle parallell to the floor. Hey presto you are sweating like a rent boy.
So that is good, I normally sweat at yoga as I'm just a sweaty kind of person. In this case the Bikram yoga is very democratic. Everyone is sweating, everyone is tired, not even the most cool of cucumbers been doing yoga for years kind of people don't sweat.
However, it does not mean that the room is not filled with these long limbed dancer body beauties that you normally get, and I assume as the yoga studio is so close to bondi beach that that is where they hang out in summer.
My main issue with Bikram is, the smell and all the men that find it suitable to do the yoga only wearing their underpants. I'm serious, there is no need for that, no-one wants to see that.
The smell obviously comes from 50 people in a room twisting themselves into crazy positions in 47 degree heat. And people are soo sweaty, it's not funny. The room is CARPETED, yes you heard me right. Apparently it's some special carpet that they clean once a weak, with some special backing so it wont get mouldy and such. But still, 4 classes a day, at least 250 people a day sweating in that room. It smells like old school plastic matresses. A combination of vomit and urin. It's fine while your are doing the standing poses, but once you get down to the floor you almost pass out and not from the heat.
And the men and their pants. I'm not kidding you, men in all ages, also some of them I know, have decided that it's suitable to do yoga not wearing a T-shirt. I get that you get hot, I'm wearing the T-shirt, I get it. I can understand the no T-shirt thing, I do not condone it, but I understand it.
But some of them have decided that not only are they not going to wear a T-shirt they are also going to wear the smallest pants known to man. Some of them are obviously underpants maskerading as yoga pants. I wonder what would happen if I rocked up only wearing a thong. I do not think they would let me stay in class. I would scare people. People would get snow blind from the whiteness of my cheeks.
I've decided to finish these 10 days of Yoga (got a 10 day special deal, wanna get my moneys worth), but I think I'm gonna stick to normal Power Astangha Yoga, as at least that only hurts. No-one smells like old running shoe.
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