Thursday 20 December 2007

Almost Christmas!!!

Am sitting in our bedroom since it is marginally warmer in here than rest of flat. Probably... oh, 3 or 4 degrees warmer. That would make it around 14 degrees in here. Balmy!

Concerned that might have a depression. Yes, have seen some signs like wanting to sleep ALL the time, sleeping like a baby for 12 hours straight (unusual at any age surely) and eating strange things like baked beans and peanut-butter toast with banana... Then again - do not FEEL depressed, so not too sure if that's it.

Enough whining - am off to Sweden on Saturday! Then Madrid for New Years (deja vu!). Am confident all will be nice and civilized, all acting like adults etcetera - and back in one piece for work on the 2nd!

Friday 14 December 2007

The Spirit of Things

Nearly fell over this morning when leaving for work and thought "Oh brilliant just stepped in dog shit," but turned out ground was covered in ice. ICE! It is bloody freezing. And outdoors is even worse.

Work is going well, am a bit of a genius at it really. If only was not for candidates and clients it would rock! Is there any jobs where one never has to deal with people? Feel free to make suggestions.

Christmas is almost here! Number of gifts bought - 0. Number of cards send - 0. Number of Christmas decorations at home and work - 0. Really getting into the spirit of things!

At least will not have to go to work-thing which is tomorrow. Because I have other plans. Going to Leeds!

Recently have been living the rock-star life here in London - going to gigs where constantly VIP'd into awesomeness and so on, so need some recovery time before New Years. Let's see how us girls go achieving that this weekend.

Will bring bottle of Moet that got from work for first placement! Woooo!!!

Thursday 22 November 2007

Wednesday, a confusing mid-week day...

Confused. Not Monday. Or Friday. Or even Sunday afternoon. OK, should stop obsessing about what day it is.

This is the new thing: Destructive and harmful things that keep doing to self even though realise is destructive and harmful:
1. Drinking tea late at night, so have to go to loo in middle of night when is below freezing (particularly in loo)
2. Eating 4 or more servings of pasta and sauce at once
3. Eating an entire Toblerone after dinner (substitute chocolate bar / packet of biscuits / bag of lollies etcetera)
4. Wearing contact lenses for faaaaaaar more than recommended 2 weeks, resulting in very sore eyes
5. Wasting time on facebook, blog, and so on, when should be doing something constructive

And that's not even touching on beer-drinking and such.

Oh bugger it. Tomorrow is Serj Tankian! Hurrah! Going to drink beer by fountain and then go to gig.

Monday 19 November 2007

Sunday Afternoon and Cleaning!

SUCCESS!!!
Have just finished tidying up in room. Threw out the wreck of a bed-frame, and will now spend an unknown amount of time sleeping directly on floor (of course, on mattress - on floor - worth saying?). Rents here are insane, but that is not to say that a bed is automatically included. On the upside, we have a lot more space now. Mother, who is visiting in 2 weeks time, will of course be horrified. Hmm. She probably will not like curtains either (as not hemmed, but honestly - does anyone these days even know the meaning of that word?).

I remember first time mother visited in Sydney. She had nothing good to say about Petersham house. I do not yet have a translation for the word "knarkarkvart," used to describe state of house. Had asked flat-mates to tidy up, unfortunately our definitions of "tidy up" differed slightly. Mother used video-camera to document everything, and have not quite lived that down yet. Oh well.

BTW, Craig has taken crocodile to work. It now lives there. Kangaroo very lonesome.

Tuesday 13 November 2007

As it should be

Am not surprised, because of earlier discussion, that is is Monday. It can hardly be any other day - because yesterday it was Sunday afternoon. It was Sunday afternoon for a very long time. Now then, it is Monday. And before I know it, it shall again be Friday. And another work-dinner. Oh joy. Must find some way to get out of it. Maybe tonsillitises?

Meanwhile, Amsterdam was nice. Weekend just gone nothing special, though still managed to spend too much money and drink too much wine! Think have got talent for it, and resistance is useless.

At least managed to go to library, as planned for the last month. So do not have to read "the God Illusion" for a second time anymore! Is not exactly light and relaxing reading anyway.

Must clean up in room. We are messy people. Putting it down to talent. Here is list of strange things (remember am in bedroom) currently in view:

- two empty bowls containing left over noodles from about 2 weeks ago
- three cups with various amounts of cold tea in them
- four wet towels
- a take away menu in Chinese
- a tension tower play toy for children over 2
- a red hairnet and red net gloves
- books everywhere apart from bookshelves
- a bookshelf filled with jars, tins, tubes, containers (all make-up or related)

Amsterdam

At that place.


The proud parents are out!


Channy fixes the bike!!


At that place on the canal


The bub

Friday 2 November 2007

Amsterdam!

Living in Europe is everything had imagined! Everyone goes whizzing off over the weekend to places like Amsterdam, Dublin, Madrid, Barcelona etcetera etcetera. Is wonderful! Going directly from work tomorrow and a in a few short hours will be in Amsterdam (and stay at romantic five star hotel) and stay at hostel called something with the word "pig" in it. And it will be (just the two of us) like 20 of us and we will (go to a romantic dinner) go out and get smashed! Woooooo!!!!!!

And will get to see Mark and Gladys and the new bub - which of course is really exciting as babies are cute up until they are about 2.

Feel like is always either Monday, Friday OR Sunday afternoon... Is NEVER any other time of the week. Is that normal?

Saturday 27 October 2007

Brighton



Oh yeah and we went to Brighton.

Thursday 25 October 2007

And shit hits the fan...

Finding that having a career is a rather anxiety-filled and insecure activity. Thought all was well, when out of the blue (or actually it was on calendar but hadn't read it) we were to have a training session. Thought would be the usual blahaha about customer service, handling rude behaviour from clients, time management etcetera etcetera. Instead completely insane new-age type corporate trainer acting like he's always on speed walks into room and starts talking about our different personalty "types." (On a side note; YES exactly the sort of thing one might find on Facebook or in a women's mag)Was kind of funny at first - as I enjoy all this new-religion, new-age stuff, although I prefer tarot to personality-testing.
Does not mean that sort of thing belongs in a working environment. Got really offended when, towards the end, came to realise that trainer-type was taking this all seriously. Especially since he just finished describing myself as someone better off taking orders from the other personality-types than trying to grow a brain - and that my kind should go for careers as factory-workers or secretaries. He more or less made me feel like I was in the wrong job altogether. He ALSO said that in order for someone like me to understand anything people must speak very slowly, and allow me to absorb the information. Trainer-type himself had to, in fact, sit down and slow his speaking down, because I was present.
In a working environment everyone else must simply tolerate that people like me do not work as fast as normal people, and need extra time and also structure (i.e a list of exactly what to do and when, otherwise we would just sit there and stare into space). This was finished off by mentioning that my type also does not care what we look like (we are too lazy) and this according to him, was obvious as he pointed towards the outfit had on. Oh, and my plan for the weekend is... drumroll... the TV Guide!!!

What really killed was finding out that in the session prior to ours, with the rest of the office, they had sat around discussing it and actually come to the conclusion that this is what am like... So naturally raised absolute HELL, as cannot tolerate being bullied at an adult age by people too up themselves to hear what is coming out of their own mouths - but still thinking... maybe am making mistake here?

Just because one does not speak first and think second, or one is not totally IN LOVE with ones own voice, does not mean one does not have opinions (or a brain). So am slightly forgetful. That's all.

Although. Having had little drama today, already feel better!

Friday 12 October 2007

Ok ok ok...

Right, so nothing about that plan worked out. I can willingly admit that. Now - nearly one week later. Got totally smashed! Spent rest of last weekend fretting about what might have done, whether would be frowned upon on Monday at work, the fact that I had lost my jacket, etcetera etcetera. Like any Saturday morning really, except had been out with WORK. So very inappropriate.

Fortunately, turned out whole evening had been massive piss-up of biblical proportions. Some people said I was "absolutely fine," which is of course utter rubbish - the truth is they can't bloody remember anything either! Or remember just enough to fear that they themselves behaved badly, and therefore feel that is safest to not bring up the behaviour of anyone else... Who knows. Point is, seems got away with it! Atleast, so far - knock on wood.

So far the following are comments about the evening that I have snapped up (from the others) whilst pretending not to care:

"I believe we were outside talking... then I fell over. I have bruises."
"I think I was in the kitchen at one point, yelling into my phone..."
"Some kind person put me into a taxi as well"
"I feel ashamed"
"I fell asleep in the cab and woke up on the wrong side of town"
"I propositioned half the office"
"I tried to get a hotel-room so we could all stay up all night"
"I got home and got naked in front of my flatmates"

In view of all these things... nevermind.

Now, a more urgent situation is fact that flat has turned into Gowrie-house. Got about ten Spaniards crashing in the living room (have no idea where they actually sleep) and my other flatmate just got home pissed - with a date!!! So - odds of having a good nights rest before 11 hour shift at work and then out on the town tomorrow = 0. No wonder have no resistance to alcohol.

Friday 5 October 2007

Work-Thing

Have work dinner tomorrow... keep repeating mantra inside head: MUST NOT GET TOO PISSED AND START TALKING SHITE, MUST NOT GET TOO PISSED AND START TALKING SHITE, MUST NOT GET TOO PISSED... JUST MUST NOT, NOT, REPEAT NOT, GET TOO PISSED!!!

Have just had preventative couple of glasses of wine and couple of ciggies (Craig is at the movies with boys) so as to not feel to tempted tomorrow. Has worked I think, feel totally pissed.

So will just say to self - can drink wine on Saturday, tomorrow night must remain sane. Do not think work people are big party-animals. Also would look bad.

Monday 1 October 2007

Sunday...

Friday afternoon at office they brought out the champus - not such a wise idea do not think. Was completely smashed sitting at computer trying to post out ads and not misspell everything etcetera - intra-office emailing some of the others to see how they were doing. So stumbled out of there just before 7pm, came home, ate a giant piece of bread and then went out again. Actually living room was full of people, and think said something like "well I'm going to go off to, and, to, like, go and be off somewhere. Bye!" Excellent stuff.

Met up with Bianca who is a complete Legend. Is always important to have a circle of Legend-Girlie-Girls to hang out with. After getting chucked out of the first place we were at - remember clearly Bianca marching down street with everyone in tow shouting "Come on guys, come on!!! There's a really good place just around the corner! It's just around the corner - we're IN THE CITY!!" And then whispering "Remember what I said about confidence Anna, it's all attitude... I have no idea where we are!"

So was really tempting to spend all of Saturday in bed, but actually managed to roll out of bed AND also buy boots! Also met up with Bianca and a bunch of people in the evening. So all in all very successful weekend.

Friday 28 September 2007

Career Girl Path of Life

Mmm. Mmm. Soon there will be entry about self on Core's website. Had to write it today whilst eating a wrap using keyboard as plate. Have no idea what put. Hopefully something good. It will be on www.corecruitment.com

Really good thus far being a career girl. Spending a good solid 10-11 hours in office each day - which is nothing since every morning when get there everyone is already in, and when pack up to high-tail it home everyone is still there! Maybe having competition: "Who can spend most time at work"? Although. Not complaining. Is definitely BEST job have ever had, and seems really good so far. Yes! Am going to recruit people for the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. (On a completely unrelated tangent - once one has left hotels, there really is NO going back!!!)

Going for drinks tomorrow after work. But have loads to do on Saturday. Must be careful not to fall into old patterns of only ever hanging out at the pub and never getting anything done and just sleeping all of Saturday and Sunday.

Wednesday 19 September 2007

With family in Riga



Prague, Bratislava, Budapest







Bits of Croatia












Snaps of Venice





Well,well,well...

Have.Got.The.Job!!! If I do say so myself; just the kind of job had hoped for! Must pinch self to make sure is no crazy dream :)

Going to kick off career tomorrow. Am so up myself right now, will just post some pics and stop writing...

Wednesday 12 September 2007

London!

And so have arrived at my destination and already got fantastic job paying loads of money working from home! Or not.

But at least had suit on today, went for interview/chat with Bianca which was cool. Hope now things will really take off! :)

Tuesday 4 September 2007

Almost there...

Going to London tomorrow morning! Feeling rather nervous about it, and haven't been nervous about traveling for ages.

Have just spent weekend with family north of Stockholm, where things were much the same as always. Followed pretty much the same schedule every day:

08.00 Get up
08.10-10.00 Sit at kitchen-table and discuss how insane the neighbours are (drink lots of coffee and eat bread)
10.00-11.00 Visit dad and Kajsa, where dad is digging huge hole in backyard to put pool in - never mind it's freezing cold and rains all the time turning hole into mud bath, and Kajsa is painting all the doors inside house white
11.30-15.00 Visit step-sister and baby in town (that baby loves carrots)
15.30-17.00 Cook, sit at table and drink coffee and discuss how insane the neighbours are
17.30-18.00 Eat
18.00-22.00 Sit at kitchen-table and read / do crosswords / discuss how insane the neighbours are

:) Well. Pretty much!

Actually was really good to see everyone.

Right. Have until 5pm to pack all my stuff, as sending one bag to London with a friend - as have far too much stuff already. Do not feel like starting one bit. Maybe will have cup of tea and watch Oprah, then will do it.

Monday 27 August 2007

Update - Sweden

The Disney-story is not coming along great. I have postponed writing it indefinitely. Was ages ago anyway and possibly can not remember much.

Goals this week whilst at home:
1. Exercise everyday (tho not three days that already passed)
2. Eat healthy
3. Learn Excel and Word perfectly using 1000 page folder from computer-course mother took at work - so can say in interviews that am very good with computers
4. Write to FS London
5. Write to agencies (first perfect resume)
6. Buy shoes (already done actually so can cross it off!!)

Will get up at 7 and get started. Will definitely not waste entire week watching TV and baking. Will prepare for career.

Want career where am required to sit in bed at night with laptop on pillow and moan about the workload (so can have plenty of tea-breaks during day). No, really. Just want bearable monday-friday job.

Just resisted temptation to pray. Oh dear.

Sunday 26 August 2007

MILL VILL has come back to haunt me... story will follow...

Resting inside the actual exhibit, before a long 10 hours of trying to avoid doing "the spiel" (don't worry - inside joke).



The snowman (made of ice), inside the winter-egg (don't worry - inside joke).



Another well deserved rest in the exhibit.



Anna and Johan at Vista Way (just thought was good pic of me).

Friday 24 August 2007

Back in Sweden!

The dear boy has gone to London to sort out flat and so on. I will, meanwhile, rest here at mothers house.

Travels have thus come to an end!

Most memorable: Venice
Most fun: Bratislava, Galway
Best food: Croatia, SWEDEN!
Best beer: Czech, Ireland
Least memorable: Budapest
Worst food: Venice
Best hostel: Split
Worst hostel: Zadar
Most pissed (apart from us): Guys at hostel in Galway
Best festival: Roskilde
Sweetest locals: Bratislava
Wost idea: Hire car
Best idea: Get the ferry to Losinj from Venice
Best weather: Croatia
Most quality time: Riga

Tuesday 21 August 2007

Prague

Just a quick note - Prague very nice, sweet buildings in all manner of colour like pink, red, green, yellow and so on.

Hostel bit of a party-place, so will be so nice to be home for a couple of weeks! Then off to London to kick-start career. Oh dear.

Sunday 19 August 2007

Bratislava

Spent weekend in Bratislava - smaller and sweeter than Budapest where thought things were few and far between (and hot as in hell itself). Met an aussie and an Irish dude and hung out with them and a couple of locals - drinking shots of god-knows-what until all hours of the mornings. Fun. Had one big night in Split too actually, but cannot remember most of same so did not mention on blog until now. Anyhow.

Today went to Devin - a small village just outside Bratislava - to check out an old castle ruin. Or, as Angelica would say, stare at old piles of rock. Bratislava old-town is beautiful, but town surrounded by communist-type apartment complexes. Another memory of said era: ugly highway built right in middle of town on TOP OF an old mosque and just missing an old church (or so we were told). Interesting.

Tomorrow heading to Prague via train.

Thursday 16 August 2007

Budapest

Arrived via plane from Dubrovnik and went straight to the final day of the Sziget festival, a very lovely festival a bit smaller than Roskilde - but longer. Thankfully we only went to one day of it... The highlight was Killers, also Juliette and the Licks are interesting but too weird for own taste. I mean.

So now will reflect a little on food. In Croatia everything was very tasty, and mostly Italian. Mostly better than in Venice, tho will be careful not to judge whole of Italy based soley on Venice. Have had enough pizza to last anyone a lifetime. For some strange reason burnt corn seemed to be on offer everywhere - including as late night-after-pub snack (strange surely?).

Since got to Hungary tho, have only eaten not very good things - have come across liver disguised as food and concealed as chinese stir-fry, as well as deep-fried pancake served with nothing but sourcreme and cheese. Yuk. Feels like have rotating brick inside stomach. However, now going out for dinner - so very hopeful!

Budapest is a very large city, have seen a lot of it today from comfort of bus. To hot to walk.

Friday 10 August 2007

Split - Dubrovnik

Heading to Dubrovnik on ferry really early tomorrow morning. Will then stay there for three days and fly out to Budapest - farewell beach-life and back to big cities for the final part of holiday.

Spent entire day on Wednesday on beach here in Split (sand!!), and yesterday went on day-trip to island of Hvar and went swimming in postcard-like surroundings. Very nice.

Met our croatian friend again and went for a drink - made for some interesting conversations. Nightlife here bit lame.

Is interesting when one travels how quickly one adapts to each and every situation and can feel at home at some place where staying for four nights or less. Can see self living in each and every place (if not for language which here consists of almost impossible and highly unlikely combinations of letters pronounced really fast and sounding like gibberish to me - which is how they feel about swedish and, for most part, english). It would sound weird to say that I miss working but... is hard to have FUN all the time... even tho of course we still are! Except when I want to rest, hee hee.

But dear oh dear... must definitely exercise twice a day and eat only cucumber when get back home! Have been eating nothing but pizza, and drinking only beer as cheaper than softdrink. :(

Wednesday 8 August 2007

Losinj, Zadar - Split

Must just say: coastline of Croatia is most, most, most beautiful. Had very good time on the island of Losinj, staying at a resort (who said anything about backpacking anyway??) in Veli Losinj, a small very cute town surrounded by rocks, cliffs and ocean. Can finally go for swin without nearly dying of cold! (also no sand)
Then took ferry from there onto mainland, to Zadar. Met completely mad croatian on ferry and had fun talking to him, and also going for a few beers after arriving in Zadar. Nightlife there good, but decided to leave early in morning (12pm) and head to Split, where are now. Alos is very beautiful, and hot.

Hostel last night was about worst have seen in life. Think is used as student-housing during winter, and all in all very scary place. Had better luck here in Split, staying at lovely apartment in own room - and it has a kitchen! - for low hostel-type price. Everything went so smoothly today that am almost waiting for something to go wrong... But no, must not think like that - all just IS great.

xx

Thursday 2 August 2007

Venice!

In Venice, finally getting some sun! When plane landed outside Venice on Monday it was cold, windy and raining - whereby all the swedish people started screaming in fear of potential rain for whole week.
Is really lovely here, canals and bridges everywhere, have got like 100 photos. Have got lovely room, which is romantic - also went on very romantic (and very expensive) gondola tour!
Going to stay here a few days longer that planned, as all the ferries to Croatia were booked out! Apart from one which leaves on Saturday, going to an island off the coast of Croatia of which we know nothing. Well we know there was only one hotel available, so cheap backpacker holiday now turned into luxury resort-stay with several pools and a spa, right on the beach. Well. Not too bad with a bit of luxury, right! Will definitely rough it and save money when get to Budapest... ;)

Monday 30 July 2007

Relaxing in Riga and Stockholm

The recovery process is almost complete.

Mother and Magnus took Craig, me and Caroline to Riga (Latvia) for a few days - was lovely to spend time with all, although had some minor conflicts of interest (Caroline wanting only to shop, Craig wanting action all the time - and certain others wanting to do nothing). Weather was best have had, and spent half a day on the beach outside Riga.

Have then had nice and relaxing time with family out in countryside north of Stockholm, having bbq's, coffee etcetera. Just spent weekend in Stockholm, staying at Charlotte's place. Even managed to catch up with some old friends, pics later...

Heading to Venice in only few hours! Getting bit nervous, tho have got everything sorted already, hours before departure. Have heard is really hard to navigate Venice, and that all addresses are more or less meaningless to all apart from locals. Also weather there been great all summer, but now of course forecasted to rain. Well. Cannot believe forecasts. Anyway am not going for weather but for food!

Will update soon, but after Venice going to Croatia for over a week.

Wednesday 11 July 2007

THURSDAY

It rained for about 35 hours, missed Björk... These "rain clothes" remained soaked in tent until Sunday!




FRIDAY

Good day, the day after the rain... In front of main stage again.




SATURDAY

Craigs's birthday!! Happy Craig:




Brooke, Bianca, Alex, Craig...




Bianca, Dylan, Craig and Ben in the pink very cool glasses. Will add final name later...




Bit later on, still together - Evan, Brooke, Craig, Mikey, Bianca and Dylan.

SUNDAY

Sunday the sun came out - too little too late in terms of muddiness, but still very good for the soul.




Hair in worse shape than ever - Sunday in front of stage.




Main Stage.




Misery on way back to camp :)







Toilets on right, me in front of sinks...