Dandruff.

Heh, bet nobody's used that word as a post title.

My 13th post this month? :-S This is SO not like me... I mean, I've seen worse cases (up to 40-50), but this is a new record for me. Dude...

It's getting late. Listening to Rick Astley (in other words, stereotypical 80's sugar-coated pop). I dunno, it's just catchy. Though the lyrics are as shallow as can be. Synth-pop.

Kinda find 80's music intriguing. Everything from so-called 'poodle rock' (that's the name for it in Norwegian, haven't got a clue as to what the English equivalent is. Bear with me.) and power ballads to synth pop. Can't say the same about the clothes, though, let alone the hairstyles! Puffy sleeves and shoulder pads? Tights? POLYESTER??? (Cf. "polyesterbaluba" in one of my previous blog entries) Sorry, no! Yes, I was born in that decade; yes, the music was just fine; yes, there were lots of historical happenings in that decade; yes, there were a few good films made, but when it comes to clothes... Excuse me while I curl myself into a ball in sheer discontent.

Hm. Suddenly stricken by a slight case of writer's block. Listening too intently to "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors. I think I'm getting tired. I should go to sleep, however, my fingers just seem to surf over the keyboard at the moment. Rather unwillingly. Rather involuntarily. Addicted to posting blog entries. Scary. I've got to cut down on that. Focus on the stuff that really matters.

The thing about blogs is that they tend to be so self-centered. It's all about the blogger, really. Could it be the reason why blogging is so addictive? That people are just too full of themselves? That they want to show the world how it revolves around them? Humph. Don't know the answer to that. Guess that question will remain unanswered.

Don't take this the wrong way; I don't consider myself the center of the world, neither am I full of myself. Just wondering why people keep blogging, that's all. I mean, in reality it's sort of monotonous.

Ok, *yawn* Getting sleepy now. Will hereby go to sleep. Up early tomorrow. Gotta catch up on my work.

Still missing my piano. *sob, sob, sob*

Blaaaaah!
Elise

Crying in the rain...

Not literally, obv! Actually I'm rather happy today! You know, perky. It's just the song I'm listening to right now. The A-Ha version. As a matter of fact, it kinda fits, because 'tis but raining quite hard here. Well, hard with respect to when it usually rains here in Oslo... So far there's been only droplets instead of real raindrops. Droplets are for whimps. This is the real thing. This is just like rain from home. Note to myself: Buy rain boots. Or at least more waterproof shoes. And waterproof bag, perhaps? Nah. Don't spend too much money on things that are in reality unnecessary. Restrain yourself, Elise.

Ooh. Thunder. Scary.

Really quite nice with rain sometimes. Where I live there are several huge water puddles that you need to half-jump over to get to the subway/tram stations. And uni. Ugh. Too much asphalt, I say. Typical city surroundings, I guess.

Inger has just visited me in the middle of my hectic schedule. Really nice to have her over (even though I got completely soaked)!!! It's been too long since we've seen each other! Had a really long talk about anything and everything; how she's been, how I've been, her work schedule, my lecture/seminar schedule, our families, faith, people, etc. I really appreciate her being my friend - we can talk about anything from the shallowest topic to the deepest philosophical questions in life. A great friend! :-D

Hm. 4 pages of notes to take for grammar, then I'm on schedule. On that subject, at least. ExFac is slightly more different. This week we've had about 50 pages. One-and-a-half chapters. Argh. Cringe. Not exactly my cup of tea. Will catch up during fall break.

I'm so grateful for all the friends I have. Just thought I'd write that. Can't wait to see them again! Yup, coming home soon! Actually to be more specific, next weekend! Yey! *happy dance* Dad's getting kinda anxious now - he's asked the same question for the past 5-6 weeks now ("So, when are you coming home?") - so I guess it's time for me to do something about it! Awww... Bless him! He's not exactly been a person who expresses his emotions as much as myself, so yeah, I kinda took that hint...

Actually, moving to Oslo wasn't as "dramatic" as I thought it would be. To be honest, I'd expected me having sporadic crying fits, but no. Haven't had any. None whatsoever. Hm. Dude. And the crazy thing is that Oslo doesn't seem to be that far from home, though in reality it is. Other side of the country. Strange. Maybe it's because I've got a phone. And internet. Everything just seems so much closer to home than what it really is. Hm. Something to ponder there.

So with that little thought I hereby leave you all for now!

Mahna mahna (cf. last video posted),
Elise

Just a little btw at the very end of this...

Notice how the pink alien-y muppets and the background match the color scheme of my blog! :-D Coincidence? I doubt it... :-P

Mahna Mahna...

OK, uh, had this Muppets song inside my head all day today for some reason... I reckon it's one of those catchy songs that seem to etch themselves into your head and stay there for all eternity. Just along the lines of "Macarena", "Asereje" and "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life". But this one's not annoying. This one is fun. Funny, even.

Judge for yourselves.




Ok, this is just gonna be one of those short ones, because it's getting late and I sorely need my beauty sleep. Got some serious work in store for me tomorrow. Ugh. I shouldn't even be doing this at the moment, but there you have it.

Off for a date with the z's...

Ever-so-slightly sleepy (or should I say 'zzzzleepy'?),
Elise

Speaking of notes...

I STILL MISS MY PIANO!!! CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME AND FINALLY TICKLE ITS IVORIES!!!

Hectic life.

Yup. Still missing naval uniforms.

It's amazing, really, 'cause no matter how ugly a guy may look otherwise, slap on him a uniform, and he's suddenly become a stud. Weird.

Come to think of it, pilot's uniforms and police uniforms are rather eye-catching as well. Eye candy... Mmm... :P However, those barf-green camouflage uniforms are not as attractive. Love uniforms, but not any kind of uniforms.

Ugh. Cigarette smell pouring in through my window. Nobody seems to be smoking outside, though. Might just be smelling things... Strange, really. I mean, hallucinating a smell. Hm. Interesting term. Smell hallucination.

Meanwhile on the academical front we've been given extraordinary many pages for exfac. 50 pages. A new record. Usually it's about 20 pages for each week, but suddenly now the number of pages has increased drastically. Normally I'd say this was because of exceedingly "kind" professors wanting us to have something else to do during weekends rather than the stereotypical binge drinking that seems to be the common assumption that uni student spend their entire time on. (Which by the way is far from the truth. Some of us neither go out in the evenings, nor binge drink - let alone drink at all.) However, considering the size of the book and the amount of material we need to get through for this semester, I now appear to simply shrug and just get on with reading/skimming the whole darned thing assigned to us. I'd have to spend even more time on this as I write notes as well. That's the way I learn stuff. Time-consuming, but worth it. Must... end... paragraph... now... ugh...

So yeah, uni's hectic, but I've been through worse, thank God. Will hereby end this entry with one of my favorite quotes of the Bible:

"'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'" (Rev. 1:8)

Don't ask me why this verse speaks to me, it just does.

Back to notes.

Diapers,
Elise

*giggle*

I'd add a picture of some Norwegian naval soldiers in action (particularly those from Stavanger), but I couldn't find anything worthy enough to bestow onto this humble pink blog.

Gotta love those uniforms...

Yep, I'm in that mood! ;-P I miss being at home!!! Because when I was at home, there would be a better chance for me to witness these buffs firsthand. Here in Oslo, chances are pretty slim. Haven't seen any of these guys yet, besides one time when I was at the central station downtown. Made me kind of homesick when I saw him sitting there opposite of me... Why? 'Cause Stavanger's where it's all happening, that's why! (Yeah, right.)

I remember when I'd wait for my schoolbus to come and pick me up at the train station downtown, me standing rather drowsily on a cold winter morning wishing I was in bed, then suddenly witnessing a bus with the name "KNM Harald Haarfagre" on the side pulling up at the bus station opposite where I'd be standing. There'd be a swarm of naval guys pouring out if it with their exceedingly wonderful uniforms with their belongings close by. And suddenly I wouldn't be as sleepy and cold anymore. Hm, amazing how something like that can just make your day.

And the thing is, every guy I've seen that have been wearing this kind of uniform always looks good. No matter how much a turn-off he may be otherwise. When it comes to uniforms, guys always look smart and very attractive in my eyes... So to all you guys who might potentially read this blog (I fear the pink color of my background may be scaring you away, but still...), if you want to impress me, get yourselves a naval uniform!!!

While I'm on the topic of looking smart, guys don't seem to dress that way anymore. Unless you're working in an office with a dress code, or attending some formal gathering, obv. Otherwise they don't seem to wear any sort of... well, smart clothes. Many guys seem to wear only baggy pants, sneaks and sweatshirts/tank tops/t-shirts. And have hair literally smeared with either gel or wax. Ugh. Every girl's dream. Especially the latter, of course. Yukk! Not to mention the load of so-called "bling" that some guys tend to drown themselves in. Gold rolexes, long thick gold chains and enormous belt buckles. Is this supposed to be impressive to us girls? Perhaps to some. Not to me. I'm sorry to disappoint, but no. Not appealing at all. But uniforms, however... ;-)

Call me old-fashioned ('cause I am), but I am all for the traditional stuff with dating. You know, the guy making the first move of asking me out, being all gentleman, dressing nicely and actually listening to what I'm saying. There's not always complete bollocks coming out of my mouth, ya know!

Ok, enough of this.

Off to philosophize some more over naval soldiers and life in general. Ta ta!

Huggies (YES! DIAPERS GALORE!!!),
Elise

Free as a bird...

Stumbled over this video at YouTube; just thought I'd share it with you all.

I don't know what it is about this song that touches me. I guess it must be the combination of the sort of bittersweet semi-surreal construction of the video and the poignancy of the song. Hearing John Lennon and George Harrison again (R.I.P.!) in this their ultimate video decades after they split up seems to evoke this sad feeling within me whenever I hear it. Sad that they're not here to experience the present world with all and because the rest of us wouldn't be able to experience any sort of complete reunion had they remained alive. I don't know how to describe this feeling, really. Or maybe I just did.

Anyway, enjoy this dreamlike trip to the world of the Beatles. In full birdseye view.




The Beatles forever!!! Long may their music be etched into the history of the world!

Elise

Yeeey! It works!!!

*happy dance*

Enjoy!!!

Oh yeah, and while I'm at it... A little gentler humor for ya here, more G-rated, at least... This clip is from a Bergen comedy duo called Ylvis. Have been on their first 2 shows and I left the premises each time with a great big sting on my side and sore muscles on my cheeks that didn't leave me before the day after. Again, you English-speaking people won't understand anything of this either, so... err... watch and learn more about the Norwegian way of courting... Not.

And another little funny thing...

For those of you who haven't even heard of Raske Menn before - MY GAWSH! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL THESE YEARS?!?!?!?!?

I'm-a try something I've never tried before, and try to post a clip of these immensely funny Norwegian dudes here... Hang on a minute, will ya...





Ok. Let's see if this works... Now, if this DOES work, you'll see a clip of these guys in action performing the history of the world in 5 minutes. Well, actually 6mins and 46secs, but who's counting?! You English speakers probably won't understand squat of this (besides the imitation of Thor Heyerdal: "Hellooooo! I've just arrived in my fantastic boat!..."), but I DON'T CARE!!! It's funny to us Norwegians!!! I'd get a video with subtitles in my blog, but it's just not translated right. You just have to go to YouTube and find the stuff yourselves. So there.

Lemme try another one from the same group...



This one is pure genious!!! "Jeg er en skitten liten pike..." and "Hi there, Mr. Wolfy Boy..." Genious, I tell you, genious!!! FYI, this is a dirty little version of the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Funni... Verrifunni.

Now, let's see if this works when I publish it...

Cows, eclectic goths and the Pope.

Bet there aren't that many blogs out there that has this as a headline for one of their entries... Someone has to be the first... Besides, with reference to the word "cow", I'm neither referring to any particular person of my immediate acquaintance, nor those exposed to me through the media. I'm not referring to any members of the animal species of the kind either, especially not those from back home. They're too strange (dare I say ignorant?) to even mention.

While we're still on the topic, I had a sudden realization a few years ago when I was with my family on a trainride through the English countryside; namely that it seemed as if the English cows were seemingly a lot more polite and discrete when they were... how do you say it... egesting. Back home, when cows did their stuff on the fields and someone was passing by (either on foot or by car or train or whatever) they'd always stare at you while they were doing it as if they were provokingly thinking: "I'm crapping/peeing on a field, and you can't stop me! Hah! Stupid human!" The English cows didn't seem to even mind us as the train whizzed by. Hm. English politeness apparently seems to rub off on the animals as well.

Then again, it could just be that this was a day wherein the cows had an exceptional lack of the need to crap at all. I don't know. I like to think that it wasn't a coincidence and that the English cows are like this by nature. But I know that it isn't really true. Not really.

Speaking of trains and other oddities I've observed in a train, one time when I was on my way back from ISS and heading home, I noticed that a goth was getting off at one of the stations at the middle of my endless route. As other goths he wore all black with, you know, some sort of anarchist sign or heavy metal band logo on his chest, and had black hair. He also wore headphones with music that was turned up to the max, to make sure that everybody on the train could hear that he was around. What made me notice this guy was that he actually listened to something I found familiar. I couldn't pinpoint it at once, but there was just something so familiar to what he listened to. Suddenly as the train slowed down and was about to come to a stop I finally realized what song he was listening to.

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper.

I'm dead serious.

That was one of the weirdest moments in my history of train traveling for sure. So my point is that taking trains regularly can expose you to the strangest characters if you just pay attention to what's around you. It may be dull as heck anyways, so why not?

But to a more serious topic. As I was reading VG (Norwegian semi-tabloid-in-denial newspaper) yesterday evening I noticed an article on Pope Benedict XVI's infamous citation from a previous Byzantine emperor's conversation with an educated Persian where the emperor said: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". Of course, as we all know, there was an immense outcry from the Muslims themselves, who demanded an official apology from the Pope himself. This was issued earlier today, apparently. For some, however, this was not enough. Well, you can't please everybody - especially those with "drama queen"-like tendencies.

The Pope's aim of the whole speech seemed to be immediately forgotten based on this quote. His point was namely that of violence and religion not belonging together at all. Maybe that example was a little insulting to certain Muslims, but I'm sure that they know about the holy wars where Muslims were involved. I believe even Muhammed himself was involved in raids and warfare (cf. the Battle of Uhud and the Battle of the Trench). So in that sense I believe the Pope's statements are true and that this was a valid example.

HOWEVER, I'm not saying that us Catholics/Christians were any better. I mean, come on, the crusades in the 10-1200s aren't exactly coined as the golden era of Christendom! He could have used this example just as well as the other one (though since he's the "earthly head" of the Catholic Church I doubt he would). Still, I believe that Muslims should just take the statement for what it's worth - namely an example! What Pope Benedict said is not meant as something offensive!!! On the contrary!!! He knows full well about the tense relationship between certain Muslims and Christians (and Westeners in general, though this is a slight diversion) and does not mean to use that example as a provocation! I don't believe that a gentle man such as himself can possess harsh opinions of Muslims! I'm just gonna go all St. Thomas on this and say that I don't believe it until I see it for myself!

So I guess what I'm also trying to say here is that one should just regard the past for what it is - the past! So what if Muhammed was involved in warfare? So what if Christians were involved with crusades? Does that make a difference for us now? Let bygones be bygones and focus on the more important issues at hand. I.e. those at present. Perhaps taking a closer look at what was supposed to be Pope Benedict's main point of his speech could be a good start?

Gaaaaah! (The sequel)

Hm. Don't have that much to write, really. Right now there's TONS UPON TONS of stuff for me to happily dig into and drown myself in. English grammar and Ex.Fac., for instance. Oh yeah, more than happy to let myself immerse into this wonderful world of deep thoughts and extreme terminology.

Take it to da bridge... (Don't ask me why I wrote that, but it seemed right at that moment. Think it's from "Killing Me Softly", you know, the version by the Fugees. Don't know why, but that line just came to me. Sudden flashback to Elementary/Junior High... Anyway.)

Actually, when I focus on the stuff at hand, it is kind of interesting. A crazy amount of terms you need to know for the exam, but interesting once you get it. My gosh, I tell ya, if my brain was like a computer with several USB outlets, I'd most certainly install the latest version of English Grammar and Ex.Fac. into it. It's so deep!!! I mean, the grammar's there - after 3 years at ISS, how could it NOT be there? I've got it in my veins already, but now we have to examine why we actually write the way we write and get these strange terms for analyzing sentences, etc. into our veins as well. Not that I mind, though (said the eternal optimist), but there's just so much to take in all at once I'm not sure I'll be able to remember everything for the finals. I mean, what if they suddenly ask you "What's the role of the oblique object in this sentence: (...)?" Or perhaps "What defines an SVsP pattern sentence?"

One word: GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Get my point?

I'm-a gone continue the stuff I need to do. I'm kinda behind on some stuff. YES, I know full well it is Saturday today, but I really, really have to. (Nerd.)

Suddenly now I realize the necessity of getting myself into a study group. Ms. Hanson was right. You really do need it at uni, especially for the heavy stuff.

Enough, already. And off we go.

Temporarily busy as a bee,
Elise

My Piano with a capital 'P'

Ode to My Piano

O piano, how I miss thee,
Thy sweet ivories with which I long to be.
Instead of thy music sweet
I'm constantly listening to a miserable beat
From downstairs where they're having a party,
Where I reckon they are drinking hearty...

(Actually the last bit should be "heartily" instead, but I'm trying to make things rhyme, ok? I know my grammar, mind you!!! And there is supposed to be a party downstairs, but there's not as much noise as I thought there'd be... A little fib there.)

How I long to tickle thy keys
The very thought makes me think of a breeze. (Like in a soothing context, yeah?)
Yet here I am stuck with a pile of books;
Reading on a Friday night will surely earn me some (bewildered) looks.
I do not intend to read, nor listen to a CD,
Alas, alack, I miss listening to thee!

---

Craaazy poem, but I DO MISS MY PIANO!!! MY PRECIOUS DARLING BLACK ELECTRIC CASIO PIANO SITUATED IN MY ROOM BACK HOME!!! My gem! My pastime! My loved one (among many, of course - I refer to people here, obv. However, in terms of objects this is the one I love the most)! Instead I'm stuck with a bunch of CDs and books with chapters tingling with anticipation for me to read them! Yaaargh! *definitely NOT happy-dancing today - more like slow sad swaying...*

Okay. Enough of the absurdities already. Even though I never thought I'd miss an object as much as I do right now. However strange that may sound.

I'm kind of astonished that there isn't that much work to do at the moment at uni. Quite frankly, I'd expected heaps more stuff than what we've gotten so far. But it'll come in due time, I reckon. It always does. (Said the eternal pessimist, otherwise known as Elise... Nah, I'm not actually a pessimist, really. I just come off as one sometimes.)

Apart from that, all of the teachers seem to be very nice indeed. Even those teaching the heavier subjects such as Examen Facultatum and English Grammar. I mean, you really do have to focus on what the lecturer/professor is saying in these subjects, but when you actually think about what is being said most of the stuff is interesting. Heavier than any infinitely large piece of lead, but still interesting.

I'm not feeling very good about embarking on the lectures of Examen Philosophicum, however, which I plan on starting next semester. I've got a hunch that this is going to be more about knowing about the various theories of the famous philosophers through the ages. More about Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Kant, Hegel, Nietsche, Kierkegaard, and all of these characters. In the TOK classes of IB it was more revolving around the concept of "the knower" and the process of knowing something. Taking philosophy into practice, I guess; i.e. relating it to the actual learning process. I fear this won't be the case here...

Either way, I'm not going to worry about that for the moment.

I miss my piano.

Heh, suddenly reminded me of something I heard a cat (YES, it was a CAT!) say:

"Oooooh, my dog... Oooh, Long John... Oh, Don Johnson... Oh, Don Piaaaaano... Whyyy I eyes ya... All the live long day..."

Here's the link to it if you feel inclined to watch the clip:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1068990231680562950&q=Talking+cats&hl=en

The cat I was referring to is at the very end of the clip, and - dare I say - the very highlight of it. Cute. Real cute.

Anyway, enough bollocks for now.

Finally...

A huge shout-out to Kim, who's going to go to Australia in the very near future and then immediately afterwards embark on another DTS in Thailand. God be with you always!!! You'll be in my prayers!!!

And (dude, I started a paragraph with 'and'... living on the edge of grammatical/structural validity here!) another shout-out to Eilen, who - according to my own feeble mind - is still struggling with heartbreak. Who wouldn't if someone has made that kind of mark on your life as he has!!! I'm-a gone pray for you, too!!!

And (there I go again...) for the rest of y'all... well... be nice. :P


Probably making y'all bored with all this meaningless chit-chat,
Elise