The first snow of the Gothenburg winter fell this morning. It started about half an hour before I was due to leave, fell softly when I started to walk to work and gradually got heavier. I left my hood down and just let the flakes fall on me. Call me weird if you must, but I really enjoyed it!
One of my work colleagues is Australian, only moved to Sweden about 6 months ago or so, and she's only ever seen snow once, which was already settled. So you can imagine her excitement as she came into the office this morning, jumping around and saying "I had to phone my mum and tell her". Bless her, I wish I could experience that again!
There was also this article in The Local this morning, about women wanting the right to bathe topless. Well, I'm not going to stop them. Unless they're elderly ladies' floppy breasts (as Marcel Donné once put it).
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Friday, November 02, 2007
Anybody "wanna" learn english?
Good lord.
I was reading The Local (Sweden's news in English), and I decided to click on the Notice board, where people can leave all kinds of messages. As you can probably guess, they usually fall into two categories: "Need a place to live" and "need a job". I myself am guilty of the second category, after posting a message on there about six months ago.
But sometimes there is something different on there, as this post shows. I've copied it below as well (just in case the previous link expires). Suffice it to say that it's an absolute classic. Yes folks, if you "wanna" learn english (with a small E) contact this obviously reputable fellow.
I was reading The Local (Sweden's news in English), and I decided to click on the Notice board, where people can leave all kinds of messages. As you can probably guess, they usually fall into two categories: "Need a place to live" and "need a job". I myself am guilty of the second category, after posting a message on there about six months ago.
But sometimes there is something different on there, as this post shows. I've copied it below as well (just in case the previous link expires). Suffice it to say that it's an absolute classic. Yes folks, if you "wanna" learn english (with a small E) contact this obviously reputable fellow.
WANT TO LEARN ENGLISH?
| Ad type: | Announcement |
| Location: | Gothenburg/Västra Götaland |
| Date added: | 2nd November 2007 |
if you wanna learn english language please contact me: trickyire@yahoo.com we'll make arrangements
Contact details for this advertiser are in the description
Friday, October 26, 2007
Continuing Swedish
Yesterday was my last lesson in the "Swedish for Beginners" course that I enrolled in at Folkuniversitetet. Nanda, the teacher, was excellent. We used the course book sometimes, but a lot of the stuff was done by talking, writing in groups and copying things down from the wipeboard. She preferred to teach us at the pace that we were comfortable with, rather than stick to the book's set course; and for that reason we actually learnt more than we could have.
So impressed was I that, when she said we could go straight into "Nivå två" (level 2), I signed up straight away. This means that we actually carry on and the first lesson is next Tuesday - same times, same days. Nanda mentioned that most students take two or three courses before they feel confortable enough to go out with their knowledge and carry on learning on their own, and judging by how I'm going, I agree with that. I'm still not quite comfortable enough talking in public, but I do try to talk to Linda in Swedish sometimes and, with a few errors, I'm able to make myself understood. I'm sure another 12 lessons will see my confidence grow even more, and I'll be able to talk to "Svensson" (that's Swedish for "Bloggs") without feeling doubtful of my language.
So impressed was I that, when she said we could go straight into "Nivå två" (level 2), I signed up straight away. This means that we actually carry on and the first lesson is next Tuesday - same times, same days. Nanda mentioned that most students take two or three courses before they feel confortable enough to go out with their knowledge and carry on learning on their own, and judging by how I'm going, I agree with that. I'm still not quite comfortable enough talking in public, but I do try to talk to Linda in Swedish sometimes and, with a few errors, I'm able to make myself understood. I'm sure another 12 lessons will see my confidence grow even more, and I'll be able to talk to "Svensson" (that's Swedish for "Bloggs") without feeling doubtful of my language.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Here comes Baker Boz
I've always been interested in cooking my own food, but when you live on your own, you rarely get the enthusiasm to spend time on making any food - cooking for one seems like too much effort.
Recently, however -- thanks to changes in my life -- there is plenty of opportunity to cook now. I could cook-up a big batch of food, eat on the evening of preparation and take the remainder in as a work-lunch for the next one or two days.
Or, in the case of this weekend, we can make it a "couples activity". I had mentioned to Linda that it's my turn to provide the food for the Thursday Fika, a "tradition" held in the support room at my work. (Although I'm not in support any more, they have made me a lifetime honorary member.) So, Linda decided it's time for me to bake something -- or, more to the point, somethings.
The "somethings" in this case were kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), a very popular food to take with one's fika in Sweden. Basically it's a risen pastry (super-puffed with yeast) with oodles of cinnamon (and sugar, obv); glazed with egg and topped with pearl sugar. If you got one from a konditori (patisserie), they're really yummy. I wasn't quite so confident that mine would stand the test, but I was willing to give it a go.
Suffice to say that I surprised myself! We managed to make a batch of 40 of them... of which 34 are left (Linda and I had to have three each and felt bloated afterwards!). So proud was I that Linda egged me on to make a quick batch of raspberry jam-filled cookies too.
So, I think the support guys will be impressed - if not a little surprised - with my contribution to the Thursday Fika.
I would have shown you a photo of the finished product, but alas I forgot to transfer the picture from my camera. I shall edit this entry when I've done that.
UPDATE: Here's the pic!
Recently, however -- thanks to changes in my life -- there is plenty of opportunity to cook now. I could cook-up a big batch of food, eat on the evening of preparation and take the remainder in as a work-lunch for the next one or two days.
Or, in the case of this weekend, we can make it a "couples activity". I had mentioned to Linda that it's my turn to provide the food for the Thursday Fika, a "tradition" held in the support room at my work. (Although I'm not in support any more, they have made me a lifetime honorary member.) So, Linda decided it's time for me to bake something -- or, more to the point, somethings.
The "somethings" in this case were kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), a very popular food to take with one's fika in Sweden. Basically it's a risen pastry (super-puffed with yeast) with oodles of cinnamon (and sugar, obv); glazed with egg and topped with pearl sugar. If you got one from a konditori (patisserie), they're really yummy. I wasn't quite so confident that mine would stand the test, but I was willing to give it a go.
Suffice to say that I surprised myself! We managed to make a batch of 40 of them... of which 34 are left (Linda and I had to have three each and felt bloated afterwards!). So proud was I that Linda egged me on to make a quick batch of raspberry jam-filled cookies too.
So, I think the support guys will be impressed - if not a little surprised - with my contribution to the Thursday Fika.
I would have shown you a photo of the finished product, but alas I forgot to transfer the picture from my camera. I shall edit this entry when I've done that.
UPDATE: Here's the pic!
Monday, October 01, 2007
I'm how old now?
Another birthday has come and gone... it wasn't an "important" number -- nothing special to celebrate especially -- but it was good. My birthday landed on a Saturday, so in the evening -- quelle surprise -- we went to Kville Biljard; "we" being Linda, Kenneth, Robert, Jocke and Hayley; Jeff (a work colleague and one of the guys I'm going to Swedish lessons with) turned up later too. Small but good fun, doing what I like to do!
Linda bought me "Bioshock" for my XBox 360... Oh. My. God. What a fantastic game. I've gotten bored with FPSs, but this is SO much more. Lots of thinking as well as blasting, and the DNA "upgrades" you can inject into yourself are great (my fave being Telekenesis!). On top of that, the graphics are beautiful - retro (from the 40s and 50s). Yum. Go buy it now!
Linda bought me "Bioshock" for my XBox 360... Oh. My. God. What a fantastic game. I've gotten bored with FPSs, but this is SO much more. Lots of thinking as well as blasting, and the DNA "upgrades" you can inject into yourself are great (my fave being Telekenesis!). On top of that, the graphics are beautiful - retro (from the 40s and 50s). Yum. Go buy it now!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Beautiful landscape!
Here's a great photo 4U2C (as the SMS generation would say). Beautiful female form, great lighting, and full-length (or in this case, width!). Enjoy....
(Remember if you're at work... get back on with it soon!)
(Remember if you're at work... get back on with it soon!)
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