Luuworld

From me to you! (You're welcome)

2012-01-24T19:21:00.002+01:00

I'm not a particularily smart guy, but I've learnt some shit during my time on earth. I'm 33 years old and supposed to be a grown up. Well here are my secrets from adult life:

Food: Stuffing your face with that extra piece of cake will make you feel sick! Oh, and sometimes it's OK to have Cheese Doodles for dinner. You can have a wholesome meal tomorrow.

Worrying: Stop it right now, stupid! I can't think of one thing I've stayed up at night worrying about that has actually come true. Seriously. Worrying is time wasted. And even if shit does happen, time spent thinking about it is still like poo down the drain. (I.e gone forever)

E-mails: NO, you don't always have to answer them. If it's REALLY important, they will hunt you down and physically find you! Or less dramatic: They will call you. Seriously, relax already.

Friendship: Be there. Turn up! If you don't invest your time, don't expect too much in return.

Washing your shit 1: You don't have to wash clothes after wearing them one time. (Exept underwear) Some pants/ jumpers I haven't washed for months, and no one cares! (I would if they were smelly, promise!)

Work: If you make a good impression on your boss in the beginning, you can slack off later! When you're new at the job, it's important to be punctual, to put in the hours and be positive. (Of course it helps to be good at your job) Once people have created an image of you as someone to be relied on, it takes a lot to fuck that image up, this I know from experience, haha.

Behavior: Don't be an asshole! Treat the person cleaning the floor as good as you would treat your boss. Being nice doesn't cost a thing. People who are selectively nice are disguisting. Oh and shouting and screaming will only make you angrier. So don't.

Washing your shit 2: I don't have a hamper. I just put the dirty stuff directly in my washing machine. Space saved! Haha.

Other people: You teach people how to treat you. If you let them walk all over you like in that Nancy Sinatra song, they will put on those boots and start walkin'!

Phones on planes: They keep telling you to turn it off, but I think it's a big lie. Nothing's gonna happen if it stays on.

Fashion: It's cooler to be warm, comfy and maybe look nerdy than to be a fashion victim who obvisously tried too hard.

Washing your shit 3: I do it the united colors of benetton way. Mix it all up! I wash all my clothes at 40 degrees (celsius). That way, I don't have to bother seperating whites from colors. Just put it all in there and press the button! Oh and that shit about a seperate detergent for whites and colors? I think thats bull. But that's me.

Boring post from a boring life

2012-01-20T12:33:00.000+01:00

I usually don't have time for a proper lunch at work, so this is what I eat in front of the computer:

Maybe it's a sad state when a highlight is the wine lottery at work on Fridays. I rarely win, but it's fun anyway

In Ruben's shoes! He left them in my flat, so I thought why not wear them!

This was a fun sight on the tram. Let's move a bed! Haha!

Public transportation would be more entertaining if people weren't so quiet!

Random shop sign down town. This shop sells stuff for the bathroom.

This is one of the best cheeses I've tasted! It's from Gran Canaria. It's delilcious! Unfortunately the goodness is almost all gone :(

Brrrrrrr!

2012-01-18T09:40:00.001+01:00

This is how I'm surviving this winter: Covered up with a hat and drowning in a big jacket. (Today it was minus 7 degrees) So this is how I look when trying not to slip on the icy streets while feeling like a fat, stranded whale. I hope it's warmer where you are!

¡Hola!

2012-01-13T12:48:00.003+01:00

On new year's eve we somehow found ourselves in a dingy gay bar in a basement. There was hardcore porn on the TV and full of old men and tall trannies. When we entered, they gave us a bag full of "fun stuff" like fake teeth because it was a special night. I mysteriously got very drunk at this bar.

Boy with very big head

Oh, this homeless guy slept in the square outside our hotel. He was dressed quite nicely and was handsome. We fantasised about giving him a makeover. The poor man just need someone to wash his clothes and cut his hair!

View from our hotel room

I really liked the small local spanish joints. Kind of like a diner where you can get delicious food at all hours

One of my greatest memories from the trip is from a diner where we couldn't understand a particular word on the menu. The owner didn't speak English but was extremely cheerful and hellpful. He ran back to the kitchen and brought back an egg and did a "voila" gesture with his hand. So now we know what "huevo" means!

Hanging out in the hotel room...

...at the beach...

Not so funny in Spanish, but we laughed at it in English. Wow, who the hell lives here?! Must be a real hot shot. Stay away from this man, he's only looking for fun and games and will never commit!

I know it's a bit cheesy,

2012-01-12T23:41:00.001+01:00

but I like inspirational stories about how people overcome difficulties, how they follow their dreams agains all odds ect. I get really into it, and I'm impressed by the resiliant human spirit.

However. In the same stories, people will often say: "BE WHO YOU ARE!" or "SET YOUR TRUE SELF FREE!"

That's where it all stops for me. Um hello! What if your true self is a pretentious asshole? Should these people "be themselves" even more?!

I think the brain dead/ superficial /materialistic /celebrity culture we live in is a result of "positive thinking" gone awry. Some people should just not be encouraged.

Word!

Bliss

2012-01-11T16:00:00.001+01:00

That's a tiny bit of one of the Canary islands. (They are located west of West Sahara in Africa, but the islands are Spanish.)

I celebrated new year's eve here with Miss Mo! How great it was to go away in the dark of winter for one week of light.

Why isn't that sunshine penetrating the curtains in the morning? Nice.

Even more nice: The wonderful sound of waves (+ being able to undress in the middle of winter!)

And the food! The Spanish know their food. Here we have potatoes and chicken fried in some kind of magical garlic sauce. Funny how something so incredibly simple can taste so good!

Even a simple thing as a baguette blew me away. Chorizo sausage and cheese in a warm baguette.

Hey hey

2011-12-29T01:04:00.001+01:00

Thanks for your comments on the previous post, I really appreciate it! I won't be doing any posts till next year, so I wanted to take the time to say HAPPY NEW YEAR! to everyone. I love you! There will be drunken ramblings, naughty adventures and boring every day stuff to blog about next year, so stay tuned!

Winter is hard

2011-12-28T01:41:00.000+01:00

It's difficult getting up in the mornings because it's pitch dark. And the fact that it's dark as night when I finish work in the afternoon doesn't help. It's like this every year, and sometimes I wonder how long I can put up with it. Things just seem meaningless. This winter has been particularily hard. Oh shit, there's nothing else to do but hang in there!

Book club fun

2011-11-30T14:50:00.001+01:00

The nice thing about this time of year is Christmas parties. Eat and be merry and all that. I can feel myself getting fatter by the minute cause I like to eat and be merry!

This is a traditional Norwegian Christmas dish. It's called Pinnekjøtt and is made of lamb and served with a vegetable called kålrot. (Don't know what it's called in English, but it is delicious!)

This autumn I joined a book circle and we decided to have a christmas party. This time round I felt kind of guilty cause I didn't finish the book we were supposed to read by German writer Herta Müller, but whatever. You can't stop me from eating and being merry!

The nice thing about this particular book club is that I got to meet people I didn't know who are also passionate about books.

It's been strangely warm...

2011-11-29T10:20:00.001+01:00

...so far this winter. (10 °C today! I was freezing my ass off this time last year) Where is the snow? I kind of miss it. What's it like where you live?

Moscow magic

2011-11-01T09:35:00.003+01:00

In times of darkness you have to make the best of it. So for one night I snapped out of the winter blues and hooked up with the wonderful Miss Mo.

We went to a hat party, which is what it sounds like. You have to wear a (preferably) silly hat. Miss Mo and I landed on some kind of Russian theme. And I found a horrible fake moustache in a drawer, and put it on for good measure.

Hey look, it wasn't planned, but don't we have the excact same face here?! We hang out so much together, I'm sure if I was a girl, we'd have the period at the same time! Haha.

From Russia with love

We took the night bus home at around 3 A.M, I still had a bottle of wine, so we drank it on the bus, giggling like two teenie boppers

Sometimes I wonder if I act silly and young because I have a baby face OR if I look so young because I spend my Saturday nights like a teenie bopper.

Real world

2011-10-21T09:20:00.001+02:00

I read a lot of books, but forget about them quickly, so I thought I should kind of register them in here so I can go back from time to time and see what I've actually read! So I just finished this book Real world by Natsuo Kirino.

Short summary: A boy murders his mother. Four high school girls get drawn into the crime. The interesting bit is seeing things from the perspective of the kids It's a very dark and disturbing teenage world, which is like a parallell reality to the "real world". They all feel they've been treated badly by the adults in their lives. It's a bizarre scenario of what happens when kids are alone with their crazy thoughts and ideas. Kind of a modern Lord of the flies. It's a psychologically interesting book.

Didn't sympathize with any of the characters, they kind of disguisted me, which I think is fun, cause I like being provoked. But then again, if I don't like anyone in the book, it makes it a bit more difficult to read. Anyway. OK read, but at times difficult to follow, because there were so many characters (and some of them had nick names in addition to their real names). I hate it when names pop up and I go "fuck. who's that again??!") For a short, 200 page book, that was a bit annoying. I've read all of Kirino's books (The ones that have been translated to English anyway). This is not her best. I can really reccommend "Out".

Oh, it's that time of year again

2011-10-18T09:36:00.002+02:00

All I wanna do is stay in bed, under my warm blanket and sleep or read

Or get up to eat. Like this chicken and onion pie I made

I just want to stay inside

But I make myself get out of the house. On Sunday I went to a flea market and got a bunch of books and magazines that will make the dark days more interesting

I like the afternoon sun gleaming on the walls. I wish I could put it in a drawer and save it. And in the dead of winter, I would open the drawer and fill the room with rays of sun that would warm my skin.

2011-10-15T22:24:00.005+02:00

Sometimes i yearn for the uneventful and quiet Saturdays nights of my childhood. Just staying in my room drawing or reading and listening to my tapes or the radio, and then watching tv with my parents.

I got drunk yesterday with a friend, so I wanted to take it easy today. I'm staying in tonight, but had a very nice day so far! I'm in the kitchen. It smells of cinnamon, cause i have an apple cake in the oven. Listening to "Kind of blue" by Miles Davis. Things couldn't be nicer.

This morning I had a very light breakfast, then i went to the gym (i should go more often, but end up just going Saturdays) Directly after, i shopped groceries at the supermarket across the gym. went home and made a huge breakfast/lunch. Pasta with ham, cheese, peas and lots og cream. Yum! Then i went to the library, returned s couple of books and read the papers. Had a coffee at my local cafe and read more papers.

Walked all the way to town and saw a film at the cinema. I didnt listen to music like i usually do when i'm walking, i just listened to the sounds of the city. Cars, laughter from a group of friends passing me, the tram screeching in the distance, sound of cutlery against plates in restaurants, the sound of people chatting at the bys stop. Oh, i'd miss these city sounds if i moved to the countryside.

After the film, i strolled home while talking to Ruben on the phone. I wished he lived in Oslo, not Bergen. cause then we could hang out more often. I love solitude, but Ruben is the only person i can be with but at the same time get the buzz i do from being alone, if that makes any sense.

Excuse any spelling mistakes, im blogging from the phone cause my computer died, and now i have no tv or computer, but that's ok for the time being. I had a gin tonic and a glass of white wine, i like the feeling. And it's fun writing when i'm getting a bit tipsy! Sorry for boring you with all these tedious details. Oh, right now i wondered if i should go to my local pub and order a beer, sit at the bar alone and look at people. But then maybe i should just stay in, cause that apple cake in the oven will be ready soon.

I like Saturdays cause i can fill it with whatever i want. I like not being in a hurry. I can be all alone if i want to, and not talk to anyone and not work and just be alone with my thoughts.

This and that

2011-10-14T14:01:00.001+02:00

I was waiting to get my hair cut. I think cutting my hair is so boring. Like doing the laundry or flossing my teeth. But it has to be done!

This hairdresser cracks me up. He hardly speaks any Norwegian, but he loves to talk. Last time he cut my hair, he looked at me when he was finished and said something along the lines of: "Before cut, look good. Now, not so good!" And then he laughed, and I had to laugh too in order not to embarass him. (Even though I didn't really know what he meant) Anyway. I was happy with my hair.

I seem to spend a lot of my free time with my colleagues. Here I am on my way to one after work for a dinner party. I love her neighbourhood. So nice and quiet.

A little bit of afternoon sun in my kitchen

Hello! This is my youngest newphew! I ran into him and his dad at the local supermarked yesterday

Earlier this week I went to this small town outside Oslo for work. Whenever I go outside the capital, I always love how the pace of life is so much slower and how the people take their time to help me and are so friendly.

Riding the subway in the evening

A friend from work and her table

Look, after I got rid of my TV and put the cabinet in the attic, I now have a dining table that can be expanded if I have many dinner guests. (It can seat up to eight people).

A friend in need is a friend indeed

2011-10-12T10:01:00.002+02:00

I needed to get away. Luckily I had a friend to visit!

So I went to Berlin cause Ruben was staying there for a while. Oh what fun it is to hang out with Ruben! Here are some random shots from the sunny weekend I spent there:

This is the view from the fith floor of the flat Ruben rented in Prenzlauer Berg

Where I slept

I had some kind of yummy latin American omelette for breakfast. Long breakfasts rule!

I read this spy book. Wow, they really knew how to do that secret agent thing during the cold war!

That's Ruben locking his bike. One day I rented a bike and we rode our bikes all over town in the sunny weather. Nothing beats that.

Everyone should have a best friend like Ruben to hang out with. (Not too often though, cause you'd get fat from all the food you'd eat together Haha!)

Weird and boring post

2011-10-05T21:44:00.003+02:00

First thing at work: After i get through the door using my ID card and code, usually between 0830 and 0840 AM, I go to the toilet (to put warm water on my face- it's nice in the morning!) Then I take a look at my hair to make sure it doesn't look crazy, it often does. I say hi to the receptionist if she's there, then I get coffee from the machine which tastes bad but i need the buzz. Walk accross the bulding to my desk, turn on my computer, i'm usually one of the first from my department to arrive, so it's always nice and quiet. I Like it. Then i go to the second floor to get the newspapers, come back down, check my e-mails. Oh and if there's time i like to go outside for a quick cigarette before I start this endless chain of work days. This is a part of my life so trivial, but i do it five days a week, it's stupid stuff like this life is made of. i like asking my friends about the stuff they do first thing at work, they can't believe i'm interested, but in a weird way i think it's interesting. Intimate somehow. So if you wanna share, please do, and dont be afraid to go into detail!

Berlin baby!

2011-10-04T08:46:00.003+02:00

It's no secret that I love this city

I like this bit of town: laid back and multicultural Kreuzberg

Look: Swedish cultural imperialism on Potsdamer platz!

Oh and there's Mauerpark on Sundays! Food stands, a giant flea market

And outdoor karaoke! Apparantly anyone can perform, but it is definitely most fun listening while sitting on the grass drinking beer!

Haha! How about this restaurant's cute name?

People enjoying the last rays of sun of the summer on Alexanderplatz

A random street scene in Kreuzberg

The German know their cakes! Mmmm.

Siegessäule, The Victory Column. Just upside down. Oh Berlin. Ich liebe dich.

Let's go under ground!

2011-09-27T12:47:00.006+02:00

Ya'll know I love the world underground. It's very fascinating! This weekend I explored the subway of Berlin. Yay!

I love the smell of the subway (If it doesn't smell like pee!) I like bursts of warm air and the smell of metall (?)

I'm getting pretty good at taking clandestine photos now! Maybe it's cause my phone has a cassette tape cover! Haha.

The pic above is from Kreuzberg, an area of town with many German-Turkish people. It's kind of like an area close to where I live in Oslo, just with Turks instead of Pakistanis.

Subways vary from country to country, but I find there's something comforting and very similar no matter where they're situated.

You're never far away from a snack when you're under ground in Berlin

The guy in the grey t-shirt was carrying around this huge flatscreen with his friend.

Oslo street!

In Oslo I either walk or take the bus (If it's raining or too cold) If I rode the subway every day, it wouldn't be fun. But since I do it so rarely, I enjoy every ride. What do you think about the subway?

À la recherche du temps perdu...

2011-09-21T15:22:00.003+02:00

...In Search of Lost Time
I love Mad Men! The dialogue and storyline is great. Not to mention the style. Oh the style!

Just look at this character, top dog Don Draper. A womanizer and a bit of a drunk, but wow, he knows how to dress!

Then there's the head secretary Joan Holloway. Watch out for her toxic tongue and dangerous curves...

I'm so glad I don't have to wear a suit every day, but look at this. How incredibly elegant!

Although I love the style of the fifties, I would never actually want to live in the fifties. The narrow mindedness of societey and pressure to conform was overwhelming. So I'll just enjoy looking at the era from a safe distance!

Can't wait to get season five on DVD !

Candy colored

2011-09-20T12:27:00.000+02:00

Check out the nice colors on these Oslo houses. Like candy! I wanna lick them and put them in my mouth!

4 tables and a weekend

2011-09-19T09:29:00.002+02:00

Chaotic! This is what the messy corner of my desk at work looked like on Friday. But fuck it, I thought, the weekend is here. I'm outta here!

Then I met Edim for dinner, he brought along his daughter. It seems like everyone has kids now! I like kids and respect parents (Oh the hard work you go through every day!) but that life is definitely not for me. After the meal we went to a book reading, but then Edim's daughter pooped in her pants, but he hadn't brought diapers, so he had to go home. (The joys of parenthood!) I met some people at work to have some beers instead.

On Saturday I had a late breakfast at a local cafe. I checked out some books at the library, found a table by the window and chilled. That's a tuna sandwich under all that salad, by the way.

That's the table (it's really a teeny tiny dresser) in my hall. I want to keep it free of clutter, but random shit always ends up here. Just below the lighter is a ticket for "The tree of life". I went to see it on Sunday. Didn't like it.

This is what my kitchen table looked like on Sunday just before I made dinner. Ah. And now: Another week!

Out and about

2011-09-16T09:08:00.000+02:00

I moved to Oslo because I wanted a change. Now I've lived here for six years. Time flies! People from Bergen aren't supposed to like Oslo cause there's a rivalry thing going on since my home town is the second largest city. Anyway. I love the capital! (Just don't tell anyone from Bergen I said that!)

I took my trench coat for a walk

I'm not a big car person. But how cool is this car?! It's very sexy. I can picture myself driving around in it. Dressed in some cool fifties clothes!

After the terrorist attacks hearts have popped up over the city in unexpected places. I like it.

This poor cat is missing. It's name is "Tjukken" which means "Fattie". It's not really funny, but it still makes me laugh.

After work one day I stopped to have a beer because the sun was shining and it was warm. Pretty soon it will be too cold to sit outside.

Some jerk left this fat TV out to die. Imagine these fatties were once top notch technology. Now no one wants them.

That's me and a fox. Who's foxiest? Haha.

Hanging out with some cool people!

If you have big feet, you should buy your shoes here! (Store sko= Big shoes)

A nice lunch with friends

Delicious fun on my balcony

I pass this road on my way to work. Ah! It's so nice and green still. Soon it will be covered in a blanket of white snow.

Let's go to Vietnam!

2011-09-15T12:05:00.000+02:00

OK, maybe not in real life, but in our minds! I'm very much stuck in Oslo, but I found these pics from my trip earlier this year. So I thought I'd share some bursts of color from Vietnam with you.

Nice hotels. A little piece of heaven.

2011-09-14T13:56:00.003+02:00

I love love love staying at hotels. Unfortunately I can't afford to stay at posh hotels unless I:

A) Land a rich man/ sugar daddy B) Win the lottery. None of those things are likely to happen. So I'll have to make do with this hotel, which I booked on the internet, but turned out to be quite nice:

This was the view from the window from my hotel in Lison this summer.

That's the nice bed (I like hard beds). Not too sure about the pic of the eye above the bed though...

They had this thing about apples at this hotel. Fresh apples every day! (It kept the doctor away)

I'm sure I would hate hotels if Ispent a lot of time in them like some business people do. But I hardly ever do it, so I'm like a small kid every time! I love that people make my bed and change the sheets every day! And I don't have to make breakfast, but can stuff my face with a great buffet that's always ready in the morning.

Mmmm. I love white crip sheets! White is a very unpractical color. Can't pull it off at home (cause I'm too lazy to clean the sheets every week) but it sure looks nice. One of the best feelings I know is crawling under clean crisp sheets at night after a nice warm shower.

An inner voice tells me I'm SILLY to be all extatic about the joys of staying in a hotel, but damn it, this is my blog, and if I wanna dedicate a banal post to a hotel room, then I'll do it! :)

The bathroom was nice. I like these round mirrors

Oh and the toilet! Looks very ordinary, but it had this mechanism that stopped it from slamming and making a horrible noise. It just closed softly without the slam. Loves it!

Then there was the shower. In normal mode it worked like this

But the BEST thing was when it was like this! Like a warm waterfall. Perfect for a guy like me who looooves long warm showers!

The hotel was in a quiet street about 5 minutes from the subway. But if you're a walker like me, it only took about 15 minutes to get to the city center by foot. The staff was really nice and the breakfast buffet was delicious.

If you're ever in Lisbon, I can totally recommend this hotel. (I didn't even get paid to write that!)

Sana Capitol/ Rua Eca de Queiros 24, Lisboa 1050-096, Portugal
What's your best hotel experience?

Details

2011-09-13T14:03:00.001+02:00

Traveling makes me use my eyes in new ways because I'm constantly bombarded with fresh and new things.That's what I love about traveling!

The Portuguese are crazy about tiles. Yes tiles! They put them on the outside of their houses. A tradition which came with the Arabs who occupied the country way back in the day. I think it's nice!

It's easy to look at the world with curiosity when you're traveling. I try to do it every day, even if I'm just walking to work. Makes the day more interesting!

People!

2011-09-08T12:27:00.003+02:00

I never get tired of looking at people. Especially big city people like Londoners. These pics are from my London trip in April.

I love the pace of life in big cities and how the streets are buzzing with life all the time.

I think it's fun to see what people are wearing too.

Watcha reading girl?! Gotta love a person who is too absorbed in a book to put it away while walking! And look at her laid back chic style!

April in London was wonderful. The sun and the light had returned after a long winter and everyone was hanging out in the sun.

This is such a British sight. People standing around drinking, smoking and chatting outside pubs after work

One of my favorite things to do besides walking around cities aimlessly while listening to music is to just look at people. Maybe while sitting on a bench with a cup of coffee and a cigarette. It's a very cheap and simple hobby !

I love old couples! I'm guessing they've been together for years and don't need to talk much to communicate.

Bom dia!

2011-09-07T10:33:00.001+02:00

...That's how they say "good day" in Portugal. If you thought I was finished with Lisbon you were wrong! Here are some more snaps from my many walks around that wonderful city.

Wikipedia: "Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, outdating other modern European capitals such as London, Paris and Rome by hundreds of years". (This fact is for you Ruben, I know how you like to learn shit from my blog, so how's that for an educational fact?!)

Even though it's an old city, it has all the stuff a big modern city should have. Like a metro.

And Muji! I was surprised to find it here, but what do you know !

It's already getting autumny in Oslo (I know that's not a word!) It's raining and getting colder by the minute. At times like these I wish I lived somewhere warmer. Like for instance Lisbon. Where would you live if you could choose (and money, work, practical stuff wouldn't matter)?

The great thing...

2011-09-05T18:35:00.002+02:00

...about being single is that I can behave like a crazy man and no one cares.

On Friday, at 2 A.M I was drunk, so I went on a cleaning rampage in my flat. I dusted the bookshelf, cleaned the floor in the kitchen, did the dishes and scrubbed the toilet. All this while I was dancing and smoking.
When I still had my TV, I liked to watch the Home Shopping Network to the break of dawn while pigging out eating crisps. Not a nice sight.

Speaking of crazy behavior:

So I went home with this random guy after a drunken night, and it turns out he's a dirty pig! (Not in a sexual kind of way, unfortunately. Haha). There are food leftovers everywhere, clothes scattered all over the place, and the bathroom is FILTHY with dirt and grime on the sink and toilet + wet towels and dirty underwear on the floor. The next morning as I go to the toilet, the guy shouts through the door:

"Hey, please make sure you don't pee outside the toilet bowl!"

Hello! He lived in a garbage dump but talked to me like he was some kind of stern cleaning lady with exeptionally high hygienic standards.

That guy should stay home by himself with his stupid filth! Yes, I do crazy shit, but ALONE. I don't give my one night stands a brush and say go on, scrub the toilet.

I felt like a god damn social worker doing a home visit. Again! And no, the sex wasn't good either.

Happy weekend!

2011-09-02T13:28:00.001+02:00

Hope you have lots of fun tricks up your sleeve this weekend wherever you are!

...and that you're in good spirits like Miss Mo and I were when we took these pics!

Hot or not?

2011-09-01T12:42:00.002+02:00

The great thing about the new phone is that I have a (small, discreet) camera everywhere I go. That really comes in handy! Like the other day I was sitting on the tram. Through the window I saw this guy getting on. Snap snap!

Is the dark haired guy just his mate or is it his boyfriend, I wonder! The look he's sending is kind of tender no?

So what do you think- Is he hot or not?

2011-08-30T18:44:00.000+02:00

Trying to post from the phone! Hm. But how do i post pics?

The best way of moving around town

2011-08-29T14:22:00.002+02:00

It's no secret that I like public transportation! As long as it works, it's genious. These pics are from London in April. The London tube, as they call it, is the oldest underground railway in the world, it opened in 1863.

Public transportation is enviornmentally friendly and you don't have to think about parking. Generally it's a nice way getting from A to B! And most of all, I it's great for people watching, something I love doing! (Not in a stalker kind of way though)

I'm so fascinated by all the different people who travel around the city. Everyone's headed somewhere different. They've got various life stories...secrets... But they're a part of one another's life for a brief moment.

The pictures of this bench was taken with a five minute interval. People come and go so quickly!

I like the maze of the underground. How it's a whole enormous world down there.

I like the concept of the film Sliding doors, in which the main character's life depends on whether she catches a London Underground train or not. It's all decided in a matter of seconds. The thought is fascinating.Would your life would be completely different if you got on that particular bus, tram or subway? Would you meet a person who would change your life...or would you even be in an accident? Is life just a chain of coinsidences?

OMG

2011-08-26T09:07:00.002+02:00

After I took this picture my camera (almost) caught fire- These cool cats were so HOT! Sparks were flying all over the place and I had to get out a fire extinguisher! Some of you wonder what I wore to that party, but can you blame me for not taking photos of myself?

Driving miss Mo

2011-08-25T09:31:00.001+02:00

Excuse me, but have you seen a more classy and foxy sight on a tram before? Or on any public transportation for that matter?! We were on our way to celebrate a friend's birthday this weekend. All dressed up and ready to rock the dance floor.

J is for joy

2011-08-24T09:45:00.002+02:00

Emma and Clemente tied the knot!

Here we are on our way to the town hall. The seremony lasted only a couple of minutes, but it was quite nice (and serious!) Since I was best man, my job was to sign some papers and carry shit for the bride and groom (which I very happily did!)

Here they are goofing around before the ceremony and everything got all serious

After the formalities were finished, we popped a bottle of champagne, went to the park by the royal castle to take some pics. Then we lunched at a ritzy Chinese restaurant where the food was heavenly. Emma and Clemente are keeping it low key for now and saving the big party for later. (And I have to arrange some kind of bachelor party...!)

Aren't they beautiful? I still think it's funny that I got to know these nice people (who are also my neighbors) after having interviewed them just half a year ago. And they met on the internet- now they're married. Sweet.

Interior porn

2011-08-23T12:33:00.002+02:00

4 years I've lived in my flat now! Before I moved in it, it looked like this:

My home is a humble, small flat where the bedroom and living room is one space.

I had to de-girlify it a bit when I moved in.

This IKEA shelf does a good job when it comes to dividing the room

I like that both sides of the shelf can be used

Now that I got rid of my TV, I want to give the space a little make-over. We'll see what I come up with. I want a big dining table so I can host dinner parties more often.

Maybe the dining table could be where the sofa is now, and I could move the sofa to the opposite side.

What do you think?

Birth of the cool

2011-08-19T08:49:00.005+02:00

I was cleaning my cupboard the other day and came across this 'ol painting!

I'm 4-5 years old and had just cut my own fringe when my parents weren't looking! An artistic friend of the family thought my new look was hillarious and painted this. I love the naive, simple painting style. Oh it made me laugh seeing this again! Already an avant guarde style rebel at a tender age! Haha!

And with the happy memory of the wonderful softness of that green jumper against my skin I wish y'all a happy weekend! :)

Miscellaneous

2011-08-16T13:28:00.002+02:00

Spotted this morning. I like creative grafitti like this one. If you're gonna deface public property at least put some work into it punks!

Cake at work cause my co-worker turned 50. Yay! The yellow cheese cake was divine.

On the train to celebrate the birthday of a friend. It was only a short ride away, but it was so rural. It felt a little bit like I was on a road trip! And you know how much I enjoy that...

That's the birthday boy in red. His girlfriend took him to "see a movie". When they entered the dark theatre, the lights went on, and we all went "SURPRISE!!" Then we had champagne, stuffed our faces with cake + popcorn and watched "Rise of the planet of the apes". (Good movie, I must say, even though I'm usually not into sci-fi-ish films.)

I like old signs. Unfortunately they're a dying breed. I bet this one's been here since the sixties. It advertises "Used cars"

After Mo started at work I feel like a high school kid. We sneak out to have cigarette breaks, and after work we gossip, hang out and walk home together. (Good thing we don't have homework anymore!) Some times she makes me laugh so hard my tummy hurts. Here we are at a diner goofing around, cracking jokes and looking out for cute guys.

Oooo. This chocolate biscuit with peanuts is THE BEST! Believe me, I know my biscuits.

Bye bye TV

2011-08-15T16:45:00.003+02:00

Hey, remember how I went on about how nice it would be if I got rid of my TV?

Well I finally did! It actually feels really liberating.There have been times I gone "Oh, I'm bored. Let's turn on the TV!" But then I realize it's gone, and I do something else instead. No big deal.

Oh yeah, (kind of) funny story: I gave away my TV cause I didn't think anyone would pay for an old, big fat one now that everyone's got a flat screen. So I posted an ad on the internet, and this guy called me, and then came to pick up the TV. It was a very cheery Swedish guy in his fifties who was really happy about getting a free TV.

So a couple of days later I get a phone call, and it's this Swedish guy. My first thought is: Oh no, he's gonna say something's wrong with the TV! I sure as hell wasn't going to take it back, and prepared some speech about how he couldn't expect me to be responsible when he got it for free ect. But then he goes: "I was just calling to say thank you! I love the TV, it works great. I want to...thank you. I want to buy you dinner some time."

He totally caught me off guard. At first I didn't know if he was just a lonely old man wanting to make friends, or if he was a lonely old gay man looking for a date. To make a long story short, I declined, and then went on to google the guy. I found a picture of him on the internet with his much much younger boyfriend! There's something about huge age gaps in relationships that makes me uncomfortable. Perhaps I'm just being prejudiced...cause if the same thing had happened with a young, hot guy, I would be like HALELUJAH!!!

Lisbon love story

2011-08-10T15:23:00.002+02:00

I fell in love with Lisbon! Here's why:

I just pointed at this pastry thing not knowing what was inside. It just looked good.

And it was! The chicken filling was very nice!

Super Bock is a Portuguese brand of strong pale lager. I had a lot of Super Bock.

I ended up watching a lot of Portuguese soap operas...

And walking the streets of the old part of town, Bairro Alto

Road trip!

2011-08-08T17:06:00.002+02:00

There's nothing quite like packing a bag, jumping into a car and hitting the road with a friend.

It's a great feeling when you have a plan, but are open to all kind of bullshit cause you feel so excited and carefree and the weekend is fresh and new!

That's my super friend Mo from work taking a break.Officially this was a work trip. You see we were supposed to cover a punk music festival. And sure we worked our asses off (in a non-sexual professional way) but I would have done it all over again, cause it was like a magical weekend. The fun just wouldn't end!

Just sitting in the car with Mo was a riot. Here she is doing some kind of dance. Our challenge was: How can we dance while sitting down, confined in a car? Well, Mo sure found ways to move her upper body and use the space. Haha

We drove for about 1 hour 30 minutes before we came to a teeny tiny town called Horten.

We had to get our work done and didn't get to hang much out in the hotel room

We went to the festival area to work, and it started POURING DOWN, and we got soaked to the bone and had to go back to the hotel and blow dry our clothes cause we didn't bring that many other clothes.

Luckily it stopped raining and we could soak up the cool atmosphere

"Kanalrock" was the name of the festival and we got this bracelet thingy so we could come and go as we pleased

I'm not so much into punk music, but I think I got the look here. I look a bit scary! But don't worry! I'm still the same friendly guy making goofy faces in the toilet when I'm drunk, like here:

This is us after we got off work for the evening. And then somehow we ended up at this afterparty

We met some really nice people at the party

These three girls for instance! They were in a band, and they said: "Hey, we're throwing a party in our town tomorrow, you guys should come!" So they convinced us to come with them to this city called Halden, where one of the girls said we could sleep over in her house. We were ready for an adventure, so naturally we said: "Yeah. Why the hell not?!" So instead of driving home to Oslo, the next day we followed these three strangers.

We drove for a while. Took a ferry. And then drove some more.

On the boat we discovered this crazy vending machine where we got these nice teeth. We told the kids standing around to get out of the way and went crazy!

After a two hour trip we arrived in Halden, where I've never been before. I liked it!

Here we are chilling in front of some stranger's house in Halden

And that's the stranger. The girl in the band, Lisa who let us stay in her house. She looks a bit stern on this pic, but she was super nice!

Her boyfriend wasn't home, but he was on a pic on the wall. Looks like a hunk! Wow, that Lisa girl is super nice and then she's got a hunky boyfriend! Some people!

Oh, and let's interrupt this post with a little hit of interor porn! This is how punk/rock star Lisa and her cute boyfriend lives!

How cool is this band picture?! That's Lisa on the right.

That's the guestroom where we spent the night. I Like that Beatles poster.

We needed a nap before going to the party they had invited us to later that evening. I know I look ridiculous with that eye mask, but I just can't sleep if it's light out.

After the nap we went into town to get some food. Oh my god, the pasta there was DELICIOUS! After having stuffed my face, I was ready to go to the party which was at Karyn's place (the other girl in the band)It felt a bit weird at first since neither me or Mo really knew anyone there, but we ended up having the best time.

It was kind of a house warming party for Karyn (on the right) who had just moved into a new place with her boyfriend

They were all musicians at the party. To me, that was kind of excotic. Most of my friends are academics or journalists. But wow, they were a fun bunch.

That's Lisa (we stayed at her place) on the left and on the right is Hilda, the third band member goofing around

Lisa had some cool tattoos which all had a story, but I can't remember what she said, except the woman with the flower in her hair, that's Lisa's mama!

Mo's hanging out with her false teeth and a banjo (?) and some random guy who later in the evening did some funny and weird dance where he took of his shirt and snapped his fingers.

But boo. All good things come to an end. We drove back to Oslo on Sunday. It started raining

I'm not excactly sure what our faces are supposed to express here, but let's just say it's shock over how much fun we had, and bit of sadness because it was over, and then a hint of fatigue cause we were all partied out.

The joys of solitude

2011-08-03T11:16:00.005+02:00

I quite like being alone. I love hanging out with my friends, but solititude is underrated! I enjoy being alone with my own thoughts. It fills me with peace.

After a week in Mallorca with my friend Bee, I jumped on a plane all by myself...

....the plane took only one hour, and then I was in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

Like my hometown Bergen, Lisbon is built around seven mountains that overlook the sea. Gorgeous!

The cobbled, narrow streets coiled their way up and down the mountains, and I loved walking around aimlessly with good music on my ear, looking at buildings, people and...dogs!

The nicest thing about being on holiday to me, is not having to look at my watch. I don't care what time it is. I also love stopping at random cafes to have coffee or beer, a cigarette and read or write a little bit. It can also be a nice change not having the pressure to talk to anyone. Just enjoy my own company.

Another thing I love about being on holiday is coming home to a nice hotel room with white crisp sheets, take a nap in the afternoon to recharge my batteries and then go out again for dinner in the evening. Yay for naps!

Traditional Portuguese goodness: Pastel de nata. A heavenly pastry thingy filled with custard and sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Mmmmmm.

Don't be afraid to be alone. Solitude is not the same as loneliness.

A perfect day

2011-08-02T21:51:00.003+02:00

Yesterday my boss told me I had today off. No work! Yay! I couldn't believe my luck, cause the weather was great today. And when the sun shines over here, you get your ass out in the sun, cause who knows when the weather will turn nasty!

So I met up with my super friend Mo from work (who had the day off too) and jumped on a ferry to go to Gressholmen island.

I love these ferries. It's like taking any other public transport. You see all these other commuters, but no one's stressed, cause everyone is in summer mode and the destination is summer land!

There's even a nice restaurant on the island.

I reached into my rucksack and surprised Mo with beer. Happy times! Skål! (Cheers!)

I love dressing in the summer, cause I don't have to wonder what to wear. It's always a pair of shorts and a tank top or a t-shirt. Done!

Tipsy self portrait!

When we'd had enough of swimming and hanging out, we headed back to the city. I love how one minute you're in this rural-ish kind of summer paradise and the next you're back in urban Oslo.

We were starving and craved Indian food, so we went to Desi kitchen to satisfy our hunger.

Then I strolled home in the golden afternoon sun, but stopped at a greengrocer to get a little something to put me in an even higher state of summer.

I've been feeling depressed after the terror attacks in Norway last week, but I can't wallow in grief. I just have to make the best of it, and squeeze every bit of joy out of life. Today was perfect. I couldn't ask for more. Just wanted to share this glorious day with you. Happy summer to you where ever you are :)

Goodbye, hello

2011-08-01T10:21:00.000+02:00

See that mobile from the stone ages on the left? I've been using it ever since my other mobile died. But now I've made a leap into the present with a fancy new phone! (Took the pics from the last post with it)

I love my new phone! It's cool that I now have an mp3 player, phone and camera all rolled into one. At the same time, I'll miss the old one a bit. Yes, it's ancient, but it's one of the best mobiles I've had. Never had any trouble with it- It was perfect for sending text messages and making calls (which let's face it- are the essentials for a mobile phone! All the other stuff is just icing on the cake)

Must admit though, I was always a bit embarrased to take the old phone out especially if there were teens around (I'm sure they'd laugh their asses off looking at my retro phone!)

Anyways, since I'm goin all high tech now, I thought I'd at least get a cover for my phone to remind me of the charm of the old! How cute is this cover disguised as a casette tape?!

Good bye and thank you old, faithful mobile. Hello new friend!

Summer in Oslo

2011-07-31T23:31:00.006+02:00

I got a new phone fancy phone (the old one was ancient) with a camera, so I've been snapping away all weekend. Let's start with Saturday!

Right outside the city center in Oslo, there are several islands where you can go on sunny days to work on your tan, hang out and swim in the Oslofjord. The great thing is you that you can get a ferry- it doesn't cost any more than a normal bus ride, and you can get tickets from the machines at Vippetangen harbor.

Then you get on the ferry, and it just takes a couple of minutes to get to the closest island, Hovedøya. That's where I went with some friends yesterday.

It was nice and warm- we spent hours there! Threw some sausages on the barbecue, had some beers and went for a swim.

I love standing on the deck looking at the trail of foam from the boat

I also love these city bikes! All you need is a card (you pay a small amount for the card and you can use the bikes all spring/summer.) I like riding around town, feeling the breeze in my hair.

After a long day at Hovedøya island, I met my friend Erling (you may remember him from the IKEA incident last year!) Oh, and if you wonder, he never hooked up with that guy from IKEA. They only texted for a couple of days...But he's got a boyfriend now. (He met him on the internet, and not at a furniture store...Hehe)

Sunday:

Some nice people have planted sunflowers along a long fence near my place. I love the sight of these big yellow flowers every time I pass the fence.

I met Erling again to go to Sognsvann for a swim. It is only a short ride away from the city center on the subway. I love this place. In the summer you can swim or go for walks and in the winter you come here for skiing.

Erling had to go to work, so I went for a walk in the forest after he'd gone

Then I went to town and had ice cream. (Cherry and melon! Mmm)

A friend of mine gave me two cherry tomato plants this year. They seem to like it on my balcony. I had some of them for lunch today for the first time.

They were delicious with a splash of virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano. Mmmmmm!

It's a good thing I've got tomatoes on my balcony, cause I don't have much in my fridge except for beer...

...and mangoes. I think this is my favorite fruit in the whole wide world! To me, mangoes really represent summer, cause only then can you get them here in Oslo. They're big and juicy! I usually get several boxes throughout the summer. This is my second box so far this year.

I went to Mallorca and Lisbon earlier this summer, but look- I took this photo on the boat back to the city center yesterday. Oslo can be wonderful too. If the weather's good, there's no where I'd rather be than in Norway. Summer days can be pure bliss here.

La isla bonita

2011-07-28T13:45:00.003+02:00

Mallorca isn't only beach and booze. Here I am with a map of the island in the car. I love road trips! Bee and I drove off to see some beautiful, tiny villages in the mountains.

The scenery was stunning. I love mountains! Oh, and I was surprised at how lush and green the landscape was, considering it's so hot there.

We drove from Palma Nova where we stayed, and visited these villages. It was a wonderful ride and luckily Bee drove (I'd forgotten my liscence), so I could have wine with our meals. Haha!

We had lunch in Alaró. Bee who speaks Spanish say they call a sandwich like this Bocadillo in Spain.

That purple/ pink bush/tree on the left? It was all over Mallorca. I love it. A shock of happy color!

Just about every Spanish town has a small square next to the local church. Great for hanging around doing some people watching. Although there was not too many out and about when we were there...

It didn't matter- my eyes had a feast just looking at buildings

When we were tired of walking we rested on a bench. Bee took a nap and I read a little

Some of the locals like hanging Jesus-related small plaques over their front doors, I noticed.

This was before I fell asleep on the way back. Ay Mallorca!

Thanks!

2011-07-27T23:14:00.000+02:00

Your recent comments has made me really happy! Most of you I haven't met face to face. I think it's amazing that the internet has brought us together like this. I think of you as my friends.

There is unbelievable evil out there, but there is also love. Reading your kind words has contributed to the process of me snapping out of a rough patch. Life is slowly returning to normal. Thank you!

Norway bleeds

2011-07-26T02:24:00.006+02:00

Dear friends. Thank you for your kind comments and e-mails. I haven't been able to blog the last couple of days because I'm utterly devastated by the tragic events that has ravaged my country. On Friday a right wing extremist destroyed government buildings, the very heart of the Norwegian democracy that I hold so dear. He then went on a killing spree on an island where kids were gathered at a summer camp to boosts peaceful political engagement. So far, a total of 76 innocent people are dead. (There has been some confusion about this number, but this is the one the police have confirmed today.) The survivors' stories are horrific, it makes it hard for me to sleep at night. I've been on the brink of crying so many times, but no tears come out. I just have this weird heavy feeling in my chest. I'm exhausted.

In the midst of this, there is hope. Yesterday I attended an event in the city centre to honor the victims and express disgust over the terror attack. An amazing 150.000 people showed up, an astounding number considering we are not even 5 million people in this country. Anyway, it felt so nice to see that the forces of good outnumber the forces of evil to such an extent. And this was only for the event in Oslo. All over the country people gathered for similar events.

Also. I am so happy to have a prime minister who in the eye of the storm remains calm and urges people to retaliate not with hate or anger but with more democracy, openness, more humanity. On Sunday he held this speech in Oslo Cathedral. It gives me hope, and it makes me proud to be Norwegian.

Best man!

2011-07-19T23:25:00.004+02:00

Remember Norwegian Emma and Spanish Clemente? I wrote about them earlier this year. After I interviewed them, we became friends. We share a common passion for food, so we've been inviting each other over for dinner (very convenient since they live right across the street!) countless times and have been sharing some really good meals and moments. Clemente Norwegian is getting quite good which is impressive since he came here not knowing a single word.

Here they are celebrating Norway's national day earlier this year

Before the summer we talked over dinner and they were going on about how difficult things were since they weren't married. (Things like getting the Norwegian course for free, various benefits ect.) Clemente said he wanted to marry because of love, not for practical reasons. So I said: You clearly love each other, so why wait? Just get married already!

They looked at each other like they hadn't really considered it and then they were like "Yeah- why the hell not?!"

Today they invited me over for dinner, to announce that they are getting married as soon as Clemente's paperwork goes through!

Anyway, what made me smile is that Clemente wanted me to be his best man! I was really flattered and of course I answered yes. What an honor! It'll be my first time as best man, and I'm a bit daunted by it all, but hey, I'm a man, and if he thinks I'm best, then why not?!

But this means I have to arrange a bachelor party right? Clemente is 41 years old, very down to earth and laid back, so I think the stripper coming out of a cake-scenario is out of the question. I'll have to figure out something fun for him to do. Suggestions will be very much appreciated!

"M" is for Mallorca

2011-07-18T22:43:00.004+02:00

Sand between my toes and warm waves caressing my feet. How I'd missed that sensation!

My summer holiday started in Spain. More specifically on the island of Mallorca (pronounced "Majorca") It's part of the Europe Union and all, but geographically (as this dated old world map reveals), it's just north of Algeria in Africa. So it was nice and warm!

The flight from Oslo took almost six hours since I had a connecting flight in Stockholm and had to wait there, but boy was it worth it...

This is the view from the wonderful flat where I stayed. I visited my Norwegian friend Bee whom I've known since high school. Her family owns a flat on the island. Imagine waking up to a pool glistening in sunlight every morning! That's what I did for an entire week!

There was of course Sangria + great food in abundance! The Spanish have been blessed with a great climate and also, they have perfected the art of the good life. Lazy days in the sun....late dinners with family and friends....I love Spain and the Spaniards. ¡Viva España!

This is the building I stayed in- as seen lying on my back by the pool

The mailboxes on the ground floor (I know stuff like this is really trivial, but I love small details of every day things abroad- how they differ from home!)

We had long breakfasts on the balcony every morning. How wonderful it is to have all the time in the world in the mornings, not having to rush off to work!

This business was located right outside where we lived- I never saw any activity there, we suspected that some dodgy business was goin on in there, cleverly disguised as Celebrity Magazine!

The biggest chain of supermarkets in Mallorca. I love walking along the isles of supermarkets when I'm abroad to see what kind of stuff the locals buy.

Bee's aunt is married to a Spaniard and has lived on the island for almost 40 years. This is the street in which she lives (right next to Bee's family's flat)

She invited us to her flat to have this traditional cake from Mallorca called Ensaimada

It's a sweet cake with some kind of custard filling. Delicious!

Bee's aunt wasn't sure she could invite us over, cause she said she didn't have any coffee to go with the cake, but then she said "Oh I have champagne, that'll do!" Haha! How utterly decadent to have champagne with cake! That would never happen back home. Oh I love being on holiday!

I just woke up from an afternoon nap and was a bit grouchy, and couldn't smile for this photo, but Bee made me snap out of it...

...because she had prepared some ice cold sangria and snacks on the balcony. That instantly put a smile on my face!

One day we played drinking games on the balcony drenched in the afternoon sun.

Then we took the bus to a part of the island called Magaluf. That's where all the northern European kids come to get drunk. (Mainly Brits, Germans and Scandinavians.) I admit, we were in a bit of a state, but nothing compared to these kids!

Looking at this image, you get a picture of what kind of place this bit of town is!

But it was fun looking at the streets filled with packed bars and drunk youth! We found a corner and just looked at people. Entertaining I tell you!

When we'd had enough of drunk kids, we went back to our part of the island and had some KICK ASS sushi. Oh the joys of food when you're drunk!

One day I got up really early and went for a walk on the beach too see the sun rise. There were no people around. It was only me and the wonderful sound of waves hitting the shore. It was magical.

I walked along the beach, enjoying the warm water and the sand between my toes, and then strolled back to the flat and went back to bed, waiting for a new sunny day with a clear blue sky to begin. Summer, I love you.

Random stuff from Lisbon

2011-07-15T12:52:00.004+02:00

It´s amazing how far you get with body language (I don´t mean that in a slutty kind of way!) Yesterday I went into a hardware store to buy batteries. It said 0.70 Euro on the pack of four batteries, but it turned out the price was for EACH battery. The lady behind the counter didn´t speak a word of English but explained it to me in Portuguese and I understood it cause I looked at her face and gestures. Fun!

Because I think the Portugese language is beautiful, I went to see a Portugese rap group last night. I didn't understand very much (except for obrigado- thank you), but it was cool all the same. The atmosphere was great and the beer was cheap!

I was a bit tipsy after the concert and walked home past this seedy area. Two women standing at a corner (something tells me they weren´t nuns preaching the words of the lord) They said something to me in Portugese and made kissing noises. At that point I wish I spoke the language so I could say "Sorry girls, I don´t like boobs!" Haha.

Oh and I was sitting on a bench in a park this morning, having a cigarette, and this guy walks up to me asking for a cigarette. I give him one, and he delivers the funniest thank you speech ever. He says (in English) "Thank you SO much! If you need any kind of help, you come to me! (points over to his scruffy friends across the park) ANYTHING! Drugs, girls, I will be HAPPY to help you!" I was like calm down man, I only gave you a cigarette! But sure, I would be in drug-and-girl-heaven if I enjoyed any of those things. Haha.

"L" is for Lisbon

2011-07-12T20:52:00.002+02:00

Hello dear readers! I haven´t blogged for a while because I´m on holiday, and let´s face it, it´s nicer to be outside than inside some internet café. Right now I am in the magical city of Lisbon, Portugal. I thought I would challenge myself and go somewhere I haven´t been before and where I don´t know the language. So here I am. This is some of the stuff I´ve observed so far:

The Portuguese language has some funny sounds, but it is very sexy!
The people here are very friendly. I haven´t really made any local friends (yet?) but the folks in the restaurants and shops are super nice. (Hello French people, learn something! Haha)
Is the light different here than in Norway? It seems brighter, more delicate, somehow. (And not just because it´s obviously sunnier)
Portuguese people are beautiful!

Oh and here´s some crazy shit: I was walking around town today, and in the crowd I saw a familiar face. It was Finn, a friend of a friend from Oslo! Seriously what are the odds? I had no idea he was going to be here, but then I run into him by coincidence in a huge city like Lisbon. Funny!

I suggested we have dinner tomorrow, but he had already hooked up with a hunky looking local guy. (Wink wink) Some people! Haha. I´m off for dinner and drinks now. I hope you´re having a wonderful summer where ever you are! (What are you all doing by the way?)

Don't be fooled!

2011-06-29T12:16:00.000+02:00

Yeah, it looks nice, but who knows what kind of shit goes on behind the perfect façade?!

This topic is really clichè i know, but that doesn't make it less true/ important! I was reminded of this the other day.

99 % of the time I'm really happy with the choices I've made in my life. I live a simple and happy life. (In case you hadn't noticed!) I don't have any huge dreams/ ambitions. I am content. I'm rarely intimidated or jealous of other people's lives. But once in a while I look at people around me. I start thinking about norms in society. How you are expected to live/ behave. Then I feel like I am a freak because I'm happy to be single and live alone. So I start questioning myself. Am I really happy? How come I'm not desperate for a boyfriend and a "settled" life like nearly everyone else around me? Am I weird because I don't want to change my job and aim higher? Am I stupid because I'm 33 and still love partying and getting drunk?

My friend Ole is in his forties. He has EVERYTHING society considers to be desireable. A beautiful wife, two kids and a gorgeous house in one of Oslo's most sought after neighbourhoods. Part of me envied him. Oh the joy of being "normal" and live up to everyone's expectations! Sometimes I wonder if he pities me. Maybe he doesn't think I can be genuinely happy since I'm not ambitions carreer wise and don't have a family and a nice house.

Anyways, he confided in me last week and said something that really shocked me.

I'm not happy. I had a huge argument with my wife. We are fundamentally different. This isn't going to work. We argued in front of the kids. My oldest son cried because he doesn't want us to get divorced. I don't know what to do, yet I don't want to abandon my life and start over.

What's the point of this post? Well, it's a big note to self: If you feel happy, leave it at that! Don't worry about what other people are doing. All that glitters is not gold, y'all!

Ruben in 'da house!

2011-06-28T09:10:00.006+02:00

You may remember Ruben, my best friend who lives in Bergen!

Well, he stayed with me for a fun filled week here in Oslo. Even though I had to work, there were good times!

Like going out for sushi + beer! I love how we are both extatic about good food

And going for long walks! We discovered this really nice area not too far away from my place. In the middle of the city, but feels like it's way out in the countryside

This is a nice place to drink beer and do a bit of people watching during the summer!

"Dattera til Hagen", Adress: Grønland 10, 0188 Oslo

Ooo look! I made salmon & spinach lasagna! May not look that nice, but it was delicious! Ruben doesn't like "healthy shit" (as he calls it) like fish and vegetables, but even he loved this dish!

Oh, do you like white wine? I'm not such a great fan, but I can REALLY reccommend this one! Mmmmm

We also went bike riding aimlessly around town- Remember how you used to do that with your mates when you were a kid? Turns out it's still fun! :)

Oslo, 10 P.M! Love those long summer nights! GREAT innit?

I love hanging out with Ruben cause we are always on the same wave lenght. And you know you're comfy around someone when you can fart whenever you like without being embarrassed! Plus we can hang out without always talking. I like that.Thanks for a nice week Ruben!

We are the world

2011-06-26T23:23:00.003+02:00

Hey do you remember this one? Many of my readers are a bit young, but for the older folks out there- This one is for you!!! This song was HUGE in 1985. I was 7 years old but remember it so clearly!

My father got the LP all those years ago, and I found it the other day as I was going through some stuff.

Brushed the dust of the cover and looked at the huge pictures (you don't get record sleeves like that anymore with Spotify and what have you. Amazing to think that many of the stars that appear here are still big stars. They passed the test of time! And the song itself is perhaps a little bit banal, but I'm still moved by it.

Gratulerer med dagen...

2011-06-21T17:13:00.001+02:00

...Is how we say Happy Birthday in Norwegian. My friend Mina celebrated her birthday last weekend, but this party had a fun twist.

Mina asked Hey, do you wanna come to a Persian party? I love parties, but I've never been to a Persian one, so of course I said (Hell) yeah!

It was a bit of a family affair- Mina's parents were there plus some Iranian friends. I felt so privileged to party with them. Besides me, there were only two non-Iranians there. It was like I was some kind of exchange student getting a glimpse of another world.

Let me tell you: Iranians know how to party! They were all over the dance floor bumpin' up and down to Persian hits even before they were drunk! (I always need some alcohol before I hit the dance floor and make a fool of myself!)

Mina's dad kept taking me aside along with the other guys to down Tequila shots. Man, I got so drunk! Having fled one of the world's most HORRIBLE regimes, (way worse than the assholes that run Vietnam) I can understand why they dance and drink and celebrate life in a way that could put you in jail in Iran. It's like they're saying fuck you, party pooper regime!

And the food was super nice. I had no shame and ate way too much! Oh and if you wondered: Iranian food is not spicy at all, but very very tasty!

Before we had cake Mina did this cool Iranian dance which is supposed to symbolize prosperity (If I understood it correctly. I'm not sure. Her dad had given me too much Tequila at this point!)

Mina came to Norway when she was 3 years old, but she speaks Persian with her parents and parties with them too- I think that is super cool! Anyway, after this evening I learnt this: Persians are incredible hosts AND they are extremely good at partying!

Small is beautiful!

2011-06-21T00:09:00.001+02:00

I love big spaces, but small can be wonderful too. I am amazed at what these folks can make of tiny apartments. It shows the extraordinary possibilities that arise when you think out of the box. I LOVE this guys apartment. He had the gift of seeing the potential in a dump!

It used to be a disaster, but then it was transformed to this:

Meet Christian and his 24 m² / 258 ft² apartment

Everything he needs is tucked away in closets on the right!

A kitchen

What I love is that the fridge is FULL size. Even though the space is tiny, he doesn't have to sacrifice a regular sized fridge.

Then there's the shower. This is the only thing I would change if I lived there. A see through shower?! No thanks!

Thank goodness the toilet has a door!

But where does he sleep you ask...

No problem, the bed pulls out!

There's no lack of storage

And there's a table that folds out!

So you can have friends over for dinner, just like in a "normal" flat

The best thing of all- There's a big balcony so Christian has an extra room to hang out in with a great view!

Oh and how 'bout this Hong Kong flat???

This NYC flat is nice too:

Another bullshit post

2011-06-16T23:02:00.002+02:00

"What the fuck? You wanna see ID cause I wanna buy cigarettes?! Oh you did NOT just say I have a baby face!!! Hold on a sec asshole, let me just work some magic!" * Fingers snap *

"How about this bitch?! Do I look over eighteen now?!!!! Give me that packet of cigarettes NOW and put a bottle of gin in that bag too while you're at it!"

OK, so you're thinking what the fuck right? Well, For a variety of reasons, I had to dress up as an old man at work. Oh the magic of make up! I nearly peed my pants laughing. So did all my friends at work. I can't believe I got paid for coming to work that day!

Get Dancy!

2011-06-15T14:47:00.002+02:00

This is the season for parties! I can hang out on the sofa and sleep during the winter. In the summertime you get down, drunk and dancy!

Friday ended like this- with a plate of delicious food and a beer (why does food taste so good when you're drunk?!) I was already on my way home but my tummy said: Wait up boy, you gotta EAT!!

It's weird with the camera. When I'm drunk I can't stop taking snap shots.

Hello!

I thought this girl was so ghettofabulous! I mean how can you beat a sequin adidas dress??

My gang at the party

Haha! Awkward moment. The girl on the right spilled beer in his crotch! She offered to wipe it off to be polite, but that was kind of wrong.

So she got dancy instead!

I met friends I haven't seen in a long time which is always nice!

Mohawk! How exotic. Don't see too many of them walkin' around anymore.

Summer!

2011-06-13T23:16:00.000+02:00

It's no exaggeration to say that the weather in Oslo is generally a bit shitty. However, when we get really nice and sunny summer days (once in a blue moon) I forget all about the long winters.

Last Saturday I went to Edim's place for a barbeque with some friends.

The surroundings were nice!

Edim had just moved into a new flat (I loved his huge sofa)

And there was a big balcony- perfect for days like this! I never really give it much thought because we communicate in Norwegian, but this group of friends are really an international bunch. Edim (on the left) has parents from Bosnia, while Amadei's are from Poland. And then there's Amelia (who sat on my right, but didn't make it in the pic) who's Brazilian. Yay for being bi-cultural and bi-lingual!

In the afternoon, we headed to central Oslo where there was live music everywhere since it was "Musikkens dag" (Day of music)

On summer days like this the city is transformed, I love it!

There is nothing quite like downing an ice cold beer outside on hot summer day. Yay for beer!

Yay for summer!

Not having high expectations works for me

2011-06-09T22:54:00.003+02:00

Yesterday I went to a party, but hadn't spent ages looking forward to it like I sometimes do. Plus I was a bit tired and didn't really feel like going. I'd decided in advance that I was going to leave early since it was a weeknight.

I've found that with a shitty attitude things can only get better! The party turned out to be so much fun! The food was nice (Although I ate too much. That's the danger of buffets! I mean seriously, no one need to eat eight fucking eclairs for dessert! God I felt so sick after!) Luckily I had the chance to dance the food off to a fantastic band who played live music.

I bonded with some people from work who I didn't know too well. And after many, many drinks and cigarettes, I have some vague memory of rolling around on the floor with my colleague Mo doing some kind of weird dance routine while people were standing around looking quite amused. (rolling around on the floor was kind of a stupid thing to do because I was wearing a white t-shirt, and the party was in a car parking space!)

Too bad I didn't bring my camera, I'm sure the pics would have been funny, but I thought it was going to be a boring evening, so I left it at home! (Note to self: Bring camera even if you think it will be boring!)

I love "discovering" new people who turn out to be a riot! Fun people like Mo are a dying species in my life, cause so many of my friends are in serious relationships and/ or having kids, which means they don't get down, drunk and dancy with me any more. Anyway. All night long we cracked jokes and laughed. But since we are both sensible people at heart (unfortunately) we ended up cracking more jokes and giggling while running to catch the last tram to the city centre (I had to stop on the way to pee in some bushes).

I got home at about 2 A.M and passed out while stuffing my face with crisps and watching funny clips on YouTube. I was too tired to clean the flat! It was hell getting up this morning to go to work, but damn, it was worth it!

Random pic post

2011-06-08T10:26:00.002+02:00

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by this crazy craving for a Whopper cheese meal. I'll feel like some kind of drug addict and can't get the thought of the burger in my mouth out of my head! Last Sunday I had to get my fix of junk food. I brought a along a book and had some quality time alone! Oh the happiness I felt!

Afterwards- I went for a walk to make me feel better about stuffing my face

The new: I really like the new part of town down by the waterfront. They are building like crazy everywhere in central Oslo. I read in the paper today that of all the European capitals, Oslo has the biggest growth in population.

The old: I love these signs! This used to be an old corner shop selling groceries. (kaffe=coffee / smør=butter). I'm pretty sure the signs will be gone soon forever cause it looks like the place is being renovated. Sad!

This is an unusual sight. A sign lying down instead of standing up. Oh, and I like most countries have their own version of this sign!

What are you waiting for? Put on your dancing shoes!

Ghettofabulous!

2011-06-06T15:31:00.002+02:00

When I went to London in April, I visited Peckham, a suburb in south London a short bus ride away from the city centre. I lived there a couple of years ago and it was nice to be back! When I told people where I lived they would make strange face, kind of like when you remember that you forgot to turn off the stove, or the doctor just told you that you got Chlamydia. It's supposed to be a very rough area, but to be honest, I never saw anything fishy going down in Peckham. It felt a bitweird reading this on Wikipedia: "Peckham is a high-crime area with high levels of gang violence, for which it has a notorious reputation"

Crime or not, Peckham has the library building ever! I was lucky enough to live right behind it. Maybe I am naive and just plain stupid, but I never ever felt scared or unsafe when I went about my business.

And haha- this is the name of the street I lived in. No joke- it's true! Bonar Road!

I shared a small apartment with a Brazilian guy called Tulio. A cool, laid back guy who worked at the cafè at the Design Museum. He would bring back delicious left over sandwiches. Our entrance was the door in the middle. When you opened the door, there were these stairs that would take you to the second floor where our flat was.

Anyways, the point of this post is that I don't buy shit in the media about how dangerous/ rough certain areas are. Sure, the crime rate may be higher than other parts of town, but people get scared to easily! What scares people the most is random violence. (It scares me too). But from what I see, if you go about your daily business and aren't involved in any fishy business, it is very unlikely that you will be stabbed/shot ect. OK, so that was perhaps very bluntly put, but I think it's true tough. Feel free to disagree! :)

Failed booty call

2011-06-03T10:56:00.004+02:00

I had already gone to bed last night when I heard my mobile beep, so I ignored it. But I had to laugh when I checked my messages this morning. It was from Mr X, a guy I haven't seen in aaaages. We had a one night thing a long time ago. And let's just say I had no intention of goin' there again. Here the are the messages, translated from Norwegian just for you, dear readers!

Mr X: 3. June 2011, 00:18 A.M.
Hello! How's it going?

Not long after, the second message came:

Mr X: 3. June 2011, 00:39 A.M
Hi, it may be a little bit late, but do you want me to come over?

I was almost asleep, so I didn't read/ answer any of the messages. Then this morning I received this one:

Mr X: 3. June 2011, 10:05 A.M
Sorry about the text messages last night. Have a nice day.

Haha! I think it's funny when someone else does embarrassing shit and not me. Let this be a lesson to you all (especially me): DO NOT DRINK AND TEXT!

Miscellaneous. Two boring and one nasty

2011-05-31T23:21:00.002+02:00

I wonder what my life would be if I got rid of my TV. Unlike many people, I don't think watching TV is a completely useless activity. However, it does take up a lot of my time. Imagine all the time I could spend on reading instead! But I'm too scared to actually go through with it. Fuck!

I usually always forget my dreams the minute I wake up. That bugs me. I have such a crazy imagination, I'm sure my dreams are funny.

Have you ever had sex with someone because you were too polite to say no? I did recently. Such a shame my parents taught me good manners! Luckily he turned off the light and it was over quickly. Anyways, afterwards I felt a bit like a social worker who toiled for the less fortunate in society. Note to self: YOU ARE NOT A SOCIAL WORKER!!!!!

Kuala Lumpur!

2011-05-30T10:35:00.001+02:00

I've been meaning to do this post for a long time, so here it comes! On my way home from Vietnam i February, there was a 6 hour stopover in Kuala Lumpur. I have never been to Malaysia before and couldn't just sit on my ass at the airport, so I jumped on the airport express and went to town!

It was getting dark, and it was drizzling with rain. The view from the train was a bit gloomy and I had absolutely no expectations of what Kuala Lumpur would be like. I'd hardly read anything about the city. All I knew were Petrona Towers. Anyway, I got a free tourist map at the airport and decided to spend the few hours at "Bukit Bintang" which seemed like a cool place. And it was!

Maybe Bukit Bintang is a tacky place and only tourists go there, but not knowing any better, I thought it was a nice place to start. Coming from chilly Hanoi, it was great to feel the tropical balmy breeze blow through my hair. Also the difference from Vietnam was like night and day.

Vietnam is a very homogenic country. (There are a lot of minorites, but they live mostly in the countryside.) But what I loved about Kuala Lumpur was the visible ethnic diversity in the streets. It was so refreshing after Vietnam! Indian, Malay, Chinese and European faces all mixed together. Cultural diversity isn't always trouble free, but I'm a big fan of multiculturalism. Without differences, life is boring.

I thought this place was an asian version of Times Square in NYC. I walked aimlessly around...Looked at people, browsed in shops and at menus outside restaurants. Oh the food! I had such a hard time deciding what to eat. But I was running late, and I didn't want to miss my flight back to Norway, so I picked this place even though my mouth was watering all over Bukit Bintang and tried a Malaysian dish:

Don't remeber what this was called, but it was fried chicken (mmm. fried...who doesn't like fried chicken?!) with rice, egg, and some kind of delicious lemmon sauce. I flushed it down with a glass of watermelon juice. Delicious!

Time went by so quickly and I had to get back to the airport

I was super stressed since I took the monorail the wrong direction. Luckily I didn't have to wait too long before the one to KL Sentral came.

Made it to the airport on time! (I like how taxi is such an international word, btw)

I made my mind up there and then that I would return to Kuala Lumpur! I loved what I saw (and ate) and was so sad that I couldn't spend more time there. All the things I haven't seen and haven't eaten! I had so many questions about Malaysian society and wished I stayed long enough to talk to some locals! Anyway, I'm saving up money now, and if all goes well, I'll be able to flee the freezing winter temperatures in Norway and feel the warm balmy breeze of KL blow through my hair in December!

Confessions of a nerd

2011-05-27T16:13:00.001+02:00

My second home here in Oslo is this greenish building in the background from 1933

I'm so nerdy I'll spend Saturdays here.

This is the view from the back. Isn't the building gorgeous?

The main entrance of the library

I love the silence and the smell of books...And I like to walk along the isles and pull out random books to read. Libraries are great for people like me who likes their alone time.

Ever since I was a kid, I've spent ages in libraries. I think I got bitten by the bug because my older sister is also a big bookworm.

I love how such a simple thing as a book has the power to take you to a different time, place...and how you can see things from different perspectives and create worlds in your head that no movie can compete with. Oh and how great is the concept of a library?! It's basically a place where you can borrow knowledge for free and then return it so other people can benefit from it too. Yay for sharing!

The libraries of my childhood opened up the world for me. It made me realize that the world was so much bigger than my neighborhood and school where I sometimes felt I didn't fit in.

This guy, Carl Deichman was some rich Danish guy who donated his huge collection of books to the city of Oslo (then called Christiania), so the city could open it's very first library in 1785. Now he gets to keep an eye on nerds like me.

On weekdays, the desks around the circle are filled with people with laptops and books, but it was eerily quiet on Saturday.

Detail of the mural

When I was in my teens, I would look for books on homosexuality, but I was always too embarrassed to register the loan at the counter (to this day, I'm still a bit intimidated by library staff!) so I would actually just stuff the books under my sweater and take them home with me and read about this exciting, yet forbidden subject. (Yes, I was already a bit cheeky even at that age) However, I always returned the books and put them back in their place on the shelves!

You shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I must admit, sometimes I do! I love a well designed book cover and there are so many of them at the library. It's pure heaven for book lovers.

A completely useless post.

2011-05-24T22:21:00.001+02:00

Y'all know that this ain't no fashion blog! You'll never see me posing elegantly in some expensive outfit and writing shit like "this is what I wore today, isn't it chic?" No. I fill my blog with stuff that makes me smile, like getting wasted!

I don't post pics of myself very often because I'm not photogenic- and really, I don't see the point. But I must confess: When I'm drunk I love to take self-portraits!

Like when I came home this weekend completely wasted. I put on some music and had a dance/photo/shit session in front of the mirror!

Why is making faces in front of the mirror super fun when I'm drunk? (This is one of life's greatest mysteries. Along with the fact that I like to clean when I'm drunk. Oh: After this photo session I cleaned that filthy mirror. Just sayin')

But I can pull off a serious face too!

Oh, and I like to re-live situations from the evening. This is my face when I said to the idiot bouncer "Hey it's my turn to get in!"

And this is my trying-to-be-charming-face for when nothing else helps. Unfortunately this face never seems to work either! But you can't blame a man for tryin'!

You know when you really have to go, but then....nothing?

My mind wonders sometimes when I'm taking a shit. Many times I've thought I'm glad I don't have to give birth, cause the squeezing out bit can be....

...overwhelming! Haha. But then again, it feels so nice afterwards!

OK, so this must be the most brain dead blog post you'll ever lay your eyes on. Sorry! The next post will be a sober one. Promise.

A Perfect Sunday

2011-05-23T00:05:00.002+02:00

I love how James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor can look relaxed and yet so glamorous in the picture! Anyway, the laid back feel of this pic is the feeling I've got after hanging out with my friend Sandra today. The pic just exudes Sunday, don't you think?

Sandra is very nice, plus she has the greatest flat ever (LOADS of space and nice furniture) and she's very enthusiastic about things, which I love, cause it rubs off on me! Oh, and what I also like about her is that she is in a relationship, but they're not joined at the hip, i.e they're not a two-headed troll (I've bitched about that before) Anyway, today we went for coffee at the the glamorous cafè in the wonderful opera house, then we went for a really nice walk through the city, including the botanical garden...light rain was drizzling but it only made it nicer, I think. Then we ended the Sunday by having sushi and beer at my favorite sushi restaurant in Oslo and talked about boys and other stupid but essential subjects.

My plan for today was just to lounge in my flat and read a book, but I'm really glad Sandra texted me out of the blue asking me if I was up for some fun. I had a perfect Sunday.

As time goes by

2011-05-19T21:35:00.001+02:00

Some random old couple in Chueca, Madrid a couple of years ago

I LOVE old couples! I like to observe them and see how they interact. I love it when they don't talk a lot, but you can tell from their body language that they're completely at ease with each other. You just know they can communicate just by a small gesture or a facial expression.

Also, I think it's hilarious when their affection for one another makes (usually) the woman answer on behalf of the man- Maybe they're in a restaurant, and she'll tell the waiter who's offering cake: "No- he's not having any more cake, it's not good for his cholesterol!" And the old guy will just be smiling sheepishly and rolling his eyes in the background, but deep inside he knows the old mama is right, and that she's sayin it out of love.

Celebration!

2011-05-18T13:32:00.004+02:00

See this cake? I baked it myself, thank you very much. I'm very proud!

Lately I've been too busy eating cake and getting drunk to blog, sorry! But here's a photo summary!

For my 33rd birthday I threw a party. There was too much wine, cake and snacks- but I guess on your birthday it's nice to have stuff like that in abundance! This year, I said I didn't want any presents, so people brought wine or cake. (Which I don't mind at all! )

I love it when my flat is full of friends talking and laughing loudly. And dancing!

Picnic in the park is always nice! Oh, and some people should pull up their pants! Haha!

For the Norwegian national day, there was more eating and drinking... (Last year, it went down like this)

Celebrating is cool- but also a bit tiring. I'm kind of glad it's over! (My tummy is too full now,and I'm still kind of hung over!) What remains now is to finish off all the remaining cake from my birthday party. Please come over and help me! :)

Enjoy it while it lasts, kids!

2011-05-11T11:15:00.000+02:00

I know spring has arrived when I can get flowers for the balcony!

...And the afternoon sun lingers on my living room wall...

...When small details on the street, like this sign makes me smile (Jeg elsker deg = I love you)

...When a balmy gust of wind creates a snowstorm of cherry blossom petals...

...Or I get to work to find a freebie book of one of my favorite authors

It's spring when people are all dressed up on their way to some party because May is a month of constant parties in Norway

...Or when I can ride a bike aimlessly around town

It's spring when there is a sea of pink petals covering the streets. This sight makes me incredibly happy, but a little bit sad too: It reminds me of how gorgeous life can be but also how quickly It's all gone.

Let's get a tattoo

2011-05-06T12:42:00.001+02:00

In sleepy, suburban Oslo, I was surprised to find this particular business tucked away under some random apartment buildings

A tattoo studio! I didn't go there to get a tattoo, but for work.

I thought the guy who was getting the tattoo was really cute (There's something about a friendly, nerdy guy with glasses AND tattoos....the combination is hot!) He put on a brave face and said it didn't hurt, but claimed it felt more like getting a sunburn.

The ink goes in these small containers. Oh, and they have this new machine now- It's a silent one with a really low hum. It doesn't sound like a dentist's drill anymore!

The atmosphere in the studio was so friendly and relaxed that I ended up I staying a really long time just chatting with the 3 people who worked there + their customers. I love it when that happens while I'm at work, and it makes me really appreciate my job....Coming to work not knowing who or where I'm going that day, but then ending up having a good time with people I never otherwise would have encountered.

I had to leave the tattoo studio before I got a tattoo myself! I want a big one on my right arm! (Don't know if I have the courage to go through with it though...) Do you have a tattoo? What does it look like/ why did you get it? If you don't, do you want one?

Pure joy

2011-05-03T14:50:00.000+02:00

Because I'm an uncle, my responsibility is not feeding the kids nutrious meals, I can give them as much ice cream I want! When their tummies hurt, I can make my sister come get them!

I bought my two nephews ice cream the other day. Their joyous faces and their deep concentration while devouring the icy treats was fascinating!

I really do love my adult life, but sometimes I miss those truly simple, joyous moments of childhood where you have absolutely no worries in life. There is no past, no future, and all that matters in the world is the ice cream you are stuffing your face with.

Wedding, schmedding

2011-04-29T08:52:00.001+02:00

Today is the day of the royal wedding in Britain! Not that I really give a shit, but when I was there last week, flags were already all over Regent street, making it a very British sight a long with the ubiquitous double decker busses.

I got ten of the Kate and William pillows to decorate my sofa at home. No.I really didn't.

I did however spend most of my mornings in this wonderful park in west London

I brought stuff to read and soaked up some sun while lounging on the fresh green grass.

On this particular day I had a Japanese theme for my picnic. Sake in a cup and sushi. It was wonderful I tell you! (Although in hindsight, I realise I should have bought more than just one cup of sake)

Only the last couple of years have I been into plants and flowers. Now that I actually notice them, it blows my mind. The variety and the colors! It sure is an amazing sight after a long winter. I will now be hanging around in parks a lot more. Nature rules!

When I'd had enough of being in the park, I would go people watching with my camera. What better place to start off than on the wonderful tube?

Some random street between Holland park and Notting Hill tube station. How cool it would be to live on this street. I love the architecture!

Or how about living in this house, with a garden and a cute gate in the middle of the city?

Some girl in a funky outfit enjoying a cigarette, while a guy with a red bag sells Time Out London

Wow, the Victorians sure knew how to knock together some kick ass, grand entrances!

London is hectic, chaotic and buzzing with life. I love it.

The scent from this tree was absolutely intoxicating. Passing it on a sunny spring day and just for a fleeting moment smelling this wonderful perfum-y smell...That's one of the small things that make life nice, I think.

Oh, and ice cream sure helps too!

I did something nasty!

2011-04-27T17:06:00.007+02:00

In London I stayed at a place called "Hotel" Strand Continental. Sounds glamorous huh?

I say "hotel" because it was very...err...basic and not exactly luxurious. The first floor was an Indian restaurant. Juding from the "elaborate" design of the sign, you can tell it wasn't the Ritz.

To be able to afford my London trip, I stayed in this tiny room which I had to share with 3 other people. A downer is that you can't fart freely in this environment, but hey, something's gotta give when you travel on the cheap.

One person could barely fit between the bunk beds, and there was hardly any room for luggage. Luckily I love traveling light, so I only had a tiny backpack- which was easy to carry up to the 6th floor. Surprise: No elevator! I didn't mind though, since it was cheap and the location on the Strand close to Covent Garden meant I could walk everywhere in central London.

As luck would have it, I shared my room with these cool cats the first nights. The cute guy on the left, Kevin, was from Australia and was on some sort of European tour, while the girl on the right (Celine) was French. She was an English teacher and had lived in London as an au pair several years earlier. We got along really well, and had breakfast together and went out for meals.

I quite like traveling alone. It never gets lonely because it's easy to meet people when you are by yourself as opposed to traveling with friends. My last night I went to this bar- it was some kind of hard rock bar (straight) with lots of people dressed in black- I thought the crowd was kind of exotic, and I was just having some drinks at the bar, then I ended up talking to this group of 3 British friends, we really hit it off and spent the evening drinking together. The last thing I remember is us holding each other and dancing and saying how much we loved each other! Haha. Oh the joys of holiday friends!

This is the view from the shared toilet on the 6th floor of my "hotel". Celine told me that before I came, this guy got stuck in the toilet. The handle had fallen off and he couldn't get out. He had to climb out of this very window and go down through the fire escape!

Oh- and now for that nasty thing I did: The last night, Celine and Kevin had left, so when I got back from my drunken night out, there were two new people already asleep in the room. Because I am kind and considerate, I didn't turn on the light, and I made a huge effort to be very quiet while I got to bed. I really needed a good night's sleep since I was catching a flight back to Norway the next day.

The next morning, I woke up at about 7 A.M from the sound of some LOUD ASS talking. It was really loud since woke up even though I was wearing ear plugs! Turns out this couple didn't give a shit about the fact that I was still sleeping, like right next to them. I believe normal people would have made an effort to be quiet and perhaps whisper, but oh no, not this couple.

Looking back, I guess I could have just sat up and told them to be quiet, but I was hung over and tired. I was in no mood for any polite bullshit. I just got more mad by the minute. The annoying American couple with no manners did leave the room after about 30 minutes of their loud ass talking. They had made it impossible for me to go back to sleep, so I got up, and the first thing I saw was this Mc Donald's bag by the sink. In any other circumstance, I wouldn't give a shit, but just the sight of the bag this particular morning made me mad. I thought, Why the fuck do you even want to cross the Atlantic and go to Europe if you're going to eat at Mc Donald's? And why do you bring back a take away bag to stink up the room that you are sharing with other people?! Assholes!

I haven't been this mad for a long time, and I thought I had to get back at these idiots for being such loud assholes.

Oh no you didn't....

On our floor, there was a shared shower. The floor in there was always kind of nasty with hair, water and soap residue covering it. So I went in and had a shower- but my feet didn't touch the disgusting floor outside the shower when I dried up, BECAUSE I COVERED THE FLOOR WITH THE ANNOYING COUPLE'S TOWEL! Oh yes, I wiped my feet on their towel on that nasty floor...and then hung it back on the bed as you can see on the picture above.

OK, So looking back, I regret what I did. It was very childish and stupid, but at the time it felt very nice, I must admit that. My heroes Gandhi and Mandela would not be proud! However, I usually try to do the right thing! Like when I was nice to my neighbor from hell.

Anyway, if you were in my shoes: Hung over and very tired, unable to even think clearly. What would you do? Be honest!

PS! I don't have anything against Mc Donald's (I like their burgers- even though I think Burger King's are better!) And also, I don't have anything against Americans either. In fact I love them! (Just not the loud, inconsiderate ones! But let's face it- idiots are found in every country)

Defrosting in London

2011-04-26T09:52:00.003+02:00

Breakfast in Covent Garden. They called it Egg Benedict, and it was surprisingly delicious! Poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce and smoked ham.

Under the Cherry blossom trees in Kew Gardens

Random people browsing books on the South Bank

Notting Hill tube station. I was looking for somewhere to eat, but ended up in the West End instead

Yuk! Straight people showing affection in public! Get a room! Haha....Just kidding.

I was daydreaming and wished I lived in this house....that this would be the nice entrance that greeted me every morning and then every evening coming home from work

I LOVE that there's a part of town in London called "Elephant and Castle". Almost want to live there just because of the cute name.

RAMBLINGS OF A DRUNK MAN

2011-04-22T22:03:00.000+02:00

They say you shouldn't drink and drive. Or drink and text (on your mobile). But how about drinking and blogging? I haven't heard any warnings about that. So that's why I'm writing this silly post right now even though I am absolutely shit faced DRUNK. So please excuse any spelling mistakes and stupid writing.

COMING LIVE TO YOU FROM LONDON!

Yes, that's right, I'm in the capital of England. I must say it's a sorry state of affairs when you have to go to England to get a bit of sun and to DE-FROST your cold winter ass. The weather here has been GREAT, blue skies, sunny every fucking day. I`ve been hanging around in parks just reading and lying in the grass like a dead person and soaking up the sun.

EVERY YEAR, EVERY FUCKING DARK AND COLD WINTER

I say to myself I can't take any more, I will never survive another winter. But then spring comes, and I forget everything. Of course till winter comes again and I curse myself for putting up with the bull shit that is the Norwegian winter.

Being in London is like injecting a huge dose of vitamins directly into my veins.

HOLY SHIT I love this city. It's the New York of Europe! What's there not to love? It's huge, lively, I can eat food from all over the world, there's a ton of stuff to do, and it is TRULY a multicultural city. And such a FANTASTIC place for people watching! I'll just be sitting on a bench and watch the flow of humanity drift by. All the faces rushing off here and there. People from all over the world who have made London their home. So I'm on this bench with a cup of coffee and a cigarette and of course my camera (I'm so shameless with it- it's surprising I haven't been told off by strangers for taking their photos yet. Oh the things I do for this blog!)

Where was I? Oh, I'm killing some time now, waiting for a comedy show to start. I hope I'm not too drunk to find my way to the venue.

ENGLISH FOOD

I just had a meal in an Indian vegetarian restaurant. I had a "Theatre meal"- Nothing theatrical about it, but since the restaurant was located in the West End (Where all the theatres are) I guess it was an appropriate name for a set meal. It was so delicious! And I don't feel all bloated like I do when I have meat. I love vegetarian food even though I'm not a vegetarian. I doubt I'll ever be. Cause I LOVE BACON TOO MUCH! Bacon is the best meat in the whole world.

People say English food is crap. Call me a fucking freak, but I LOVE ENGLISH FOOD. I love meat pies and I adore fish and chips. I've been to places in Norway that sell that dish, and they all advertise what a healthy version they make. "Baked and not fried. A minimum of fat", they'll advertise. HELLO!!!! Why the hell would I want a healthy version of fish and chips????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The best thing about that dish is that it is unhealthy and dripping with fat! It makes the batter of the fish more crunchy and delicious! MMmmmmmm!! And add to the heavenly crunchiness a generous sprinkle of vinegar, a bit of lemon juice and some salt, and I'm in heaven. If I hadn't already had this huge Indian meal, my mouth would be watering just from writing about fish and chips.

Is there such a thing as a FOOD ORGASM? Haha, that's the shit I wonder about when I'm drunk at an internet cafe in London. Maybe it's called foodgasm. Personally I think the high I sometimes get from food is kind of like the high from an orgasm. Plus I always have a smile on my face afterwards and a cigarette is always a nice ending to the session.

OK that's enough of drunken ramblings. I must go now. To that comedy show. I am bursting with happiness and I hope you are too.

International internet love story!

2011-04-18T16:22:00.007+02:00

This is the home of Emma and Clemente. They've lived together (for the first time) in this flat in Oslo since Christmas.

They invited me over for this yummy Indian meal the other day. I can't think of a better way to spend an evening than with friends, great food and wine. That's one of the things that makes my life good, I think. Oh- let me tell you how they met!

Emma is Norwegian, but had lived in London for about 12 years. She met Clemente, a Spaniard (who at the time lived in Spain) on an internet dating site. Emma was actually the first girl he sent a message to after he created a profile. To make a long story short: They hit it off and arranged to meet up in London. When Clemente meets Emma for the first time at Liverpool Street Station, it's love at first sight, and pretty soon they go on weekend trips to see each other.

When I met them before Christmas through a friend, they had just moved into the flat they had bought together here in Oslo. I was intrigued by their story and interviewed them for work. It's one thing being in love, but another thing to give everything up and move to a different country.

Relationships and farting

Clemente doesn't speak Norwegian (but he's learning quickly) and he doesn't have a job (yet), while Emma has her family and friends here, plus she's got a job. That's kind of a tough start for a relationship.

During the interview, this cracked me up: I asked Clemente how he would describe Emma, and just as he was about to answer, Emma interrupted and said "I'm the first woman who's farted in his presence!" After that we all laughed and I knew these funny and unpretentious people would become my friends! As chance would have it, they live right across the street from me. So now we have this dinner club thing where we invite each other over for meals.

Would you move to a country where you didn't speak the language, and had no work just to be with the one you love (who farts in front of you) ?