Aww, shute! (4th Sunday of Advent on Christmas Eve)

ARGH! That final verse of that poem... Of course. Been a busy bee lately, so haven't had the time to write it down for y'all... Ah well, better late than never, eh?

Vi tenner fire lys i kveld
Og lar dem brenne ned,
For lengsel, glede, håp og fred,
Men mest allikevel
For fred på denne lille jord
Der menneskene bor.

* * * * * *

There. Advent poem complete. Off to face new challenges. Maybe watch some TV, perhaps? Surf a bit? Tickle the ivories of my precious darling piano and sing myself completely hoarse? Hm. Tempting.

Fireworks, "Auld Lang Syne" and 2007,
Elise

EUPHORIAAAAA! :-D

Heheee... Big word! Couldn't help myself. Once a nerd, always a nerd. ;-)

Two days ago I got the best Christmas present EVER!!! :-D I'm not intending to give any details on this humble blog (as I want the more important aspects of my personal life to remain private), but what I will say is that I feel indescribably happy and extremely lucky to have this happening to me. The side effects remain up until the moment of writing, and will most likely remain for a long, long time. At least, that's what I'm hoping for. Heh, made you wonder now, didn't I? Well, that was the intention.

I reeeeeeally want to write more here, but there's something that stops me from doing it. I.e. rumors and gossiping. Especially at home. Besides, as I said earlier, certain aspects of my life don't really concern others but myself and those who are involved in those aspects as well as those who I regard as being my closest acquaintances (i.e. family and certain close friends). Certain private things should remain private, in my opinion. So I've come to the conclusion that this one will. Unless somebody asks me what this strangely amusing thing I'm talking about is, of course... I will reveal certain details about this if ever someone asks me, though not all. When it comes to matters such as this, I like to be in charge of who gets to know how much about what.

So there.

Otherwise, besides that wonderful thing that happened two days ago, Christmas has been awesome! I can't describe how great it is to be home right now! It's been ages since I've seen my family and my friends! And yes, I've missed the wind. And right now it's really windy outside. Aaaah. Perfect. Almost.

So, what more to write? Hm. It's cold in my room. Sitting in front of the computer with a blanket over my back and slippers on my feet to prevent myself from freezing to death. But I'm good. I'm fine. I'm warming up. Slowly, but surely. Anyway. Randomness galore. Um, I'm gonna quit now before it gets worse...

Positive vibes to the world! (And peace and goodwill to all men! And women!)
Elise

P.S.: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :-D (Just in case I forget to write about this when the time comes...)

Aww, shute! (3rd Sunday of Advent 2 days ago)

Dangit, I forgot to update the Advent poem thingy of mine! Well, my excuse is that I was at my aunt and uncle's and didn't really get a chance to post anything at all. Believe it or not, but this was the case. I'm serious. So here goes:

Så tenner vi tre lys i kveld,
For lengsel, håp og glede.
De står og skinner for seg selv
og oss som er til stede.
Så tenner vi tre lys i kveld,
For lengsel, håp og glede.

* * * * * * *

There. Now I'm back on track.

Still crazy about Christmas (!),
Elise

And we're back!

Words cannot describe how glad I am to be home now! It feels great! Actually more than great! Hadn't seen my Dad since the beginning of October, and Mom since... err... the middle of November, so it was awesome to see both of them again. They haven't changed. They still have heated discussions about the same trivialities, they still mock each other (picture slightly milder versions of Frank and Marie Barone in "Everybody Loves Raymond" - which incidentally is one of their favorite sitcoms!) and I still love those two people so dearly! I had to burst out laughing when I heard one of their infamous discussions over the kitchen table as I was sitting there gorging on one of Dad's "culinary treats" that I so lovingly despise. Man, it's good to be back!

Nope, still no sign of any snow. Rain we've got enough of, but snow? Where art thou?! Frolick over to the gentle coast of Jæren and bestow your wondrously white wisps (note the ever-so-subtle alliteration here...) upon our fields, buildings and what have you! But seriously, it's been ages since we've had a white Christmas over here. We're lucky to even get sleet! If we do ever get snow, though, it usually arrives at around January/February, I reckon (without me being too certain about that). Aaah, the wonders of living on the west coast of Norway... "Mmm... sleet..."? As if!

Meanwhile, gifts are bought, cards are (almost) sent, Christmas decorations are up and I've spent the day baking Christmas cookies etc. with Mom, so now the whole house is filled with the sweet and spicy scents of... all kinds of stuff. Too difficult to explain in English. But it smells good and the house looks good and it's all christmasy... Oh yes. Christmas is definitely my time of year... Everything about it!

Well, except all the rushing about to buy presents and stuff. It's not that I don't like shopping ('cause I do! Man, if shopping was a sport...), but the focus is all wrong in my ears. And eyes. Everybody are just rushing about to get their kids the stuff they want for Christmas, spending heaps of money on things they actually can't afford, and end up with a huge debt. Where's the Christmas spirit in that? What happened to spending time with your family and friends; people that you care about? Where did that concept go? ("Oh, there it is. Found it! It was under my couch all the time!" õ.O) The world is too materialistic sometimes, and I can definitely feel myself getting dragged down in that maelstrom sometimes. Heck, all the time. Take me to any kind of shopping center and I'll get sucked in before you can say "Merry Christmas".

Christmas? Bah. Humbug.

This isn't Christmas anymore. We aren't celebrating Christmas. We're celebrating the act of buying things we cannot afford in the first place. We're celebrating materialism. Oh yeah. That's fun. *sarcasm* What happened to celebrating families? What happened to celebrating friends? Where did we go wrong? (Somewhere in the 20th Century, I reckon...)

Anyway, thoughtful mood today. I blame "sirupsnipper" and "peppernøtter" (with lack of English equivalents). In that case, I'm-a go get even more thoughtful now, i.e. eat more of these scrumptious tidbits.

And she's off.

*relieved sigh*

NOW I'm happy! :-D

Just so utterly undescribably relieved to be done with all my exams. ALL of my exams! ALL OF THEM!!! Bet those who are done with their exams can relate to the giddy feeling I've got in my gut right now!

Phonetics exam didn't actually turn out as bad as I feared it would. The teachers were really patient and helpful (and dare I say somewhat nonchalant?), which I was so thankful for, since I was nervous like heck. I'm just so glad it's done now.

And to all of those who aren't quite done yet: All the best of luck! :-) Y'all can do this!

Next challenge: Gift shopping and sushi dinner (mmm... sushi... Need I say more?) and some quality time with aunt, uncle, cuz and not to mention friends.

Happy girl (i.e. NOT worried!) behind computer screen,
Elise

2nd Sunday of Advent.

Så tenner vi to lys i kveld,
To lys for håp og glede.
De står og skinner for seg selv,
Og oss som er til stede.
Så tenner vi to lys i kveld,
To lys for håp og glede.

* * * * * * *

There. 2nd Sunday of Advent, and still the masses in the convent are in French. Interesting and poetic language, but still don't get squat of what he's saying. But it was translated, though, which was good.

Oops, wrote that first stanza of this poem kinda wrong. Didn't notice that until now when I actuall googled it... And then it was corrected. And she saw that it was good. :-)

Off to stuuuuuuuudyyyyy for my FINAL semester final!

Good luck to you all! (Almost wrote "lick" there! Haha! "Good lick to you all!" Ok, that was silly.)

Jingle bells,
Elise

Not feeling very nerdy now.

Yes, she knows full well she should be studying for her last semester final, but somehow the procrastinating part of Elise managed to convince her that this could be postponed one day longer. Or at least a few hours longer... which turned out to be... well, the whole day. So she did some grocery shopping, washed clothes, made dinner and surfed and watched TV all day long. And listened to Christmas songs. And catched up on her reading of "Wuthering Heights". And she felt no remorse at all, though she reckons she should have.

This world is getting stranger every day. This isn't me during exams. That is, this shouldn't be me during exams.

"I'm driving home for Christmas... Oh, I can't wait to see their faces..."

Sorry about that... Just like that song... Besides, it really expresses what I feel at the moment... Missing friends and parents. "Get my feet on holy ground..." Oh yes. But it won't be long now. Just a few more days, an exam and a sushi dinner later and I'll be laughing. *longing sigh* There. Done. Won't turn myself into a pile of mush. This is neither the time nor place.

Ooh! Elvis singing "Here Comes Santa Claus"! :-D That song just sums up his way of singing. "Here comes Santa Claus-uh, here comes Santa Claus-uh..." Always makes me laugh out loud. Can just picture him with his famous raised upper-lip and infamous hip movements while he's singing it. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually did that while singing it. Wearing a Santa costume. More fun(ny) than heartwarming, really.

Ok. Enough nonsense. Don't really have anything of interest to write here, so I'll spare you from having to endure more mindless chatter. Or gobbledygook, for that matter. ;-)

I'll shut up now.

Almost done (*yey*),
Elise

Heh.

Can't blame you if you find the last post daunting... Blogstipation. ;-)

Day off.

Oh yeah. 3 frantically-scribbled exams later, I'm back behind the computer screen. Oh yeah.

Such a great relief to be done with 75% of the exams! I'm sure my other friends can relate to that! :-) Though the remaining 25% is still a considerable amount. But the last one will just last 15 minutes, so it's probably going to be over before I know it. At least that's what I'm hoping for.

I intended to write a little something on this page to Kim who just recently got engaged, but never really got that far. That little voice inside my head reprimanded me baaaad when I got to the "Create post" frame/window/thingy/getmydrift. So I listened to it and plunged myself into the depths of the sea of Translation. And last night I moved on to the sea of Grammar, where I was dangerously close to drowning. Near-death experience academically there. But I survived.

So anyways, here goes then: "CONGRATS WITH YOUR ENGAGEMENT, KIM!" :-D So incredibly happy for you! I'd give you a hug, but you're far away... Far, faaaar away... In another continent, even... But still, the best of luck to you and Shane! May God bless you and keep you together forever! :-D

This evening I've got NOTHING planned! As my final exam's on the 12th, I figure I'd give in to my lazy-ass self and do NOTHING. NOTHING of academic value, that is. My brain needs a rest.
Meanwhile, I'm starting to get into Christmas mode now. What with Christmas tunes on the radio, the library/study hall filled with decorations, Christmas lights outside the faculty buildings, utterly gigantic Christmas tree on the square on campus, the smell of rice porridge from the cafeteria, Christmas commercials on TV, Christmas songs being played on the radio, cooooold weather (*content sigh*)... I mean, can you really avoid it? But I absolutely adore this, so I don't really mind!

All that's needed now is snow.

In Oslo as well as at home. Preferably at home. And during my train ride. *sigh*

And that exams are over and done with. Of course.

Not too many Christmas lights in the windows of the houses I walk past on my way to school, though. Some at the Institute of Meteorology, though. But that's about it. Feeling slight disappointment... At home people put up their lights on the first Sunday of Advent, and there's this competition between the neighbors on who puts up their Christmas lights first. Hm, well, it's not really a competition, though. We just notice who's put up their lights first. "We" as in my Mom. ;-)

Hm. Now I'm really in Christmas mode.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire (but where's the fire? Not to mention the chestnuts?),
Elise

Ps.: Feel like munching on ginger snaps now. Need to get myself some...

1st Sunday of Advent

Så tenner vi et lys i kveld,

Vi tenner det for glede.

Det står og skinner for seg selv,

Og oss som er til stede.

Så tenner vi et lys i kveld,

Vi tenner det for glede.

* * * * *

Hm. It was just a question of time before I'd write something in Norwegian. Inevitable. But at least I got the date right this time! :-P My sense of time is slightly skewed at the moment. It's all "before exams", "during exams" and "after exams" over here.

Shouldn't really be blogging right now, since exams are closing in at an incredible speed, but there you are. Breaktime. :-)

Ugh. Feeling I'm wasting my time here, so I think I'll leave it at this.

Wishing you all extremely good luck for all of your exams! We can get through this!


Still insanely fascinated by guitar riffs (especially Brian May and George Harrison's! Oooooh yeah!) and missing my piano,
Elise


And there you have it.