Oh-Oh Spaghetti Oh

Shake it like a polaroid picture

2009-05-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

photo: Collin David

When I realized that they were not gonna make Polaroid film anymore I finally bought myself a camera, just to have one. But soon the frenzy made all film on ebay unnaturally expensive. It was sad for me but really sad for these photographers.

But now, good news: A group of European entrepreneurs are planning to restart production in an abandoned factory in the Netherlands. Yay, that's the kind on news I like in the morning.

17th of May

2009-05-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Not that the picture itself is of supreme quality, but I love the face of this little guy's look. I took it as the 17th of May (Norway's national day) and I think it really reflect the way we all felt that day when we were little.

The first of many posts that will concern Africa.

2009-05-21T02:28:00.000-07:00

It is strange, how far one can go with a little knowledge. When I started to prepare myself for working in Africa this summer, Uganda was just another country for me. But now, after hours with article-reading and discussions, I already feel a kind of closeness to Ancholi people without even have been there (yet). Their situation is just so unfair, so unfair. And: it is as if their grief becomes mine too. Just because I know about it.

Apropos, my friend Agata which is in Rwanda doing research, wrote this tear dripping post on her blog which you should read!

Peace.

2009-05-20T03:14:00.000-07:00

I took this picture of us during the boyfriend's visit here in Oslo. It's at our new opera and he is doing the "Asian picture sign" (also known as the peace sign in the 70's) to prepare for our trip to Hong Kong.

Today I believe I got a job at the Norwegian Parliament. In the restaurant that is.

I really need to know!

2009-05-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Is old garlic bad for you?

After much discussion with a variety of more or less intelligent people lately I have realized that I have to bring this vital question to the blog world to get a clear answer.

When I was a little girl someone told me that it was toxic. But, after I have commenced this new type of extreme sport (old garlic eating), I can honestly not feel a difference. Can someone please inform me if I'm doomed to a premature death now?

Please vote on poll to the left!

2009-05-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

From my very first and own garage sale

2009-04-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have found my favourite tree. I've been admiring it while passing on my way to school for a week now. When I finally went to take pictures of the masterpiece today a man stopped and told my it was a magnolia.

2009-04-28T19:25:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah, by the way, for those who have been wondering what to get me for my b-day: there is no more need to wonder. Everything on this page, specially the earth necklace, will be well appreciated.

2009-04-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

After realizing how hard it will be for me to get that well-paid-NGO-job I really want, I was feeling a bit melancholic. But, that was until I realized that I could simply become a vampire.

Hoppla

2009-04-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Look what I made the other day:

2009-04-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

I thought I was done with China for a while after my visit last summer, but apparently China was not done with me. Thus, Hong Kong next.

Btw: Concerning my last post. I have fallen in love with fortune cookies. Their messages are so simplistic, but yet sufficient. I like their hopefulness. The one on the picture is one I carry around with me in my pencil house. I have another one in my wallet saying: Your own path is the best.

I know.

2009-04-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

2009-01-03T15:40:00.001-08:00

“When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it’s time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.”

Edward Teller

2008-12-27T11:36:00.000-08:00

This is so boring: I can't find my USB cable, so I can't upload interesting pictures of Norwegian Christmas. Instead you have to be content with this "waiting picture" that I now found. It is from me and Maren's trip in the beautiful Norwegian mountains this summer.

2008-12-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

Traitor Julie will move to Panama. I'll miss her.

2008-12-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

Jay! I was chosen to participate in my school's volunteer program. Thus, my home for two months next summer will be Gulu in Northern Uganda. I'm so lucky.

Down the rabbit-hole.

2008-12-05T20:57:00.000-08:00

Thank you Bianca, for adding this to you mail:

"I can't believe impossible things." said Alice.
''I daresay you haven't had much practise" said the Queen.
"When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day"

"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
- Lewis Carol

A new attempt.

2008-12-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

Bueno. After much critique from various close friends I hereby make a new attempt on entering the world of blogging.

Here not much is happening. Martin lost half his finger (for a more fun account of the event see Finger Better) and I'm trying to learn Spanish in 5 days. The box above is mi caja de espanol, full of spanish words. We moved to a new and magnificent apartment about a month ago and I wake up to the view of Mont Royal every morning.

Recently I have found myself reading all these neat quotes everywhere and that's how I came up with the new and very uncreative feature -Quote of the week- for this blog. Enjoy.

2008-10-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

While I was not writing here fall came along.

Visita.

2008-09-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

I just found her, laying there, on my doorstep today.

Wonder bike.

2008-09-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

2008-09-13T03:01:00.000-07:00

...

2008-09-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

David got migraine and I got a new bike. But of course I bought it broken. Well, correct but very sexist put by the bike mechanic: That's what happen when girls buy bikes. They are more interested in the colour of the vehicle than if the brakes are working.

I'll get it back by Friday and then pictures of my new Cadillac will be for the whole world to see. Stay tuned.

MTL dans mon cœur.

2008-09-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Ok.

Back in the North American edition of Paris. So far I've bought 4 books, read 13 pages, dropped one course due to terrifying British professor, raised my hand and talked in class twice(!). We've had sushi for dinner 4 times, the rest of the days different variants of burritos.

More important than insignificant sushi-news: I've met friends, to not speak about the boyfriend, I had not seen for long time. Above spotted during midweek, late night barbecue.

Only for those with special interest: Pay attention to Julie's bunny ear rings that we bought for her in Yunnan knowing that she is the only person who could actually wear those and still look as great as ever.

Back on track

2008-08-19T23:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm back after a rather long self imposed, and unannounced, vacation from blogging. I guess China and the eternal computer problems there actually took the blogging spirit out of me. Having to go trough a proxy server to enter my blog because the government had blocked it actually produced the wanted effect-Yes, me stopping to blog. So there I am, a great political scientist, strong, against repressive governments.

Well. Obliviously not.

Ok, today it's raining so I added some shell pictures from when there was still nice weather here in Norway.

2008-07-05T09:04:00.001-07:00

Et voila, I'm back in Oslo, and that with a big Boom. Today me and Mine took the boat out to one of the Islands here in Oslo. Hoping to have a nice day. We did not.

Or well, that is not exactly true, we actually had our first swim of the year. That was nice. The trip back home, on the other hand, was rather scary. Our boat ended up in the middle of a thunderstorm. Lightening everywhere and Sabrina very scared. And wet of course.

More delayed news from Shangeli-la.

2008-06-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

Finally I find a computer fast enough to upload pictures again (and I've learned a trick: to make the files smaller on paint.)

Last time I wrote here we were still in Shangri-la, so I though I'd start again there. To have some consistency in this mean.

Anyhow: It's quite funny that the Chinese goverment has changed the name of Zhingdian to that of the valley mentioned in James Hilton's famous book to attrack tourist, when the Chinese is in fact not able to pronounce the R and they end up pronouncing the words more like: Shangeli-la. But everything for the tourists. It is also very peculiar how the Chinese government like to promote the Tibetan culture in the area, when we often hear stories of people who have been to Lhasa, and seen that the monks are not even allowed to leave their monasteries.

The hostel we stayed in had to very nice owners that we had a so-called "family dinner" with each night. And one of the nights we had an encounter with the infamous Chinese liqeur "Baijo", something that proved to be a tougher experiece for dear David. Since he was a boy(man) he had to dink every time the men yelled campeii (cheers), which was a bout every 3rd minute.

I guess I have to mention that there is 50% alcohol in baijio. For those interested I have his state of being at 1 am on video. We can arrage a movie-night when I come home.

In Shangri-la we hiked around the countryside in some small Tibetan villages were there was many horses, but even more yaks. And we discovered that I'm suffering from Yakophobia. They are just to big, and everywhere. Brr.

Now people are getting angry about my extensive computer use. I'll write more later. So pics:

Also look at Davids blog for more great pics. Aspecially the one with my and my favourite tibetan man.

Shangri-la/Zhondigan

2008-06-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

After having been looking for a computer that works faster then a snail for almost a week without luck, I have decided to write anyways. And maybe even upload some pics , although I believe it is maybe to much to expect from this computer.

Right now we are in Shangri la (Or Zhondigan before 1999. Then the governmnet changed the name), a mostly Tibetan city in North-Western Yunnan. We arrived yesterday both with a mild headeache because the altitude is around 3100m (I think). But despite of this we were able to go to the local horse racing festival that is taking place around here these days. Well, actually, I dont think it was so much about racing, but rather about which horse and rider looked the coolest (by Tibetan standards of course).

There is dancing in the main square here each night. A sort of a line (or rather ring) dance with Tibetan music with a bit more beat. Actually when we heard about it we were scared it was some tourist scheme. But we were definitly wrong. I there was women and men from around 90 to small kids which had just learned to walk. And everyone danced. We felt stupid not to, so to night I think we will also.

Today we have visited a Buddhist temple that has the biggest prayer wheel in the world. We spinned it three times like you are supposed to, and boy, I'll tell you its hard work to be a Buddhist. This truth was proved again only an hour later as we climed one of the small mountains around the city to reach a monestary that was on top. Very hard, very high altitude and definitly no breath.

The monestary was beautiful with prayer flags and petit Buddhas everywhere on the moutain-top. When we entered the room with the big Buddha the strangest thing happened. We were recieved by a little boy I guess cant have been more than 5 years old. He showed us how to do all the prayer rituals and gave us incence to light. I was like he was grown up and a kid at the same time. I cant say I belive very much in incarnation or anything, but really, there was something strange with that boy.

Irritation without boarders.

2008-06-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

Internet is just to slow to do anything. Tried for 1.5 hours tp upload pics. Updates will come ones we arrive in Shangrila.

2008-06-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

A little extra-post showing some of our mind-blowing tour from Xi'an to Chengdu.
Soldiers heading for the earthquake area.

Some people waiting for the train in Xi'an.
A guy just as bored as me in Lanzhou.
Beautiful veiw from the train.
Perhaps better. Ricefields.

PS! David put a video of the taoist monk suddenly playing the flute on the holy mountain we were. Although hard to capture on tape, in the moment it actually made me cry. So look at enigmatic worthlessness.

2008-06-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

The last days ,luck, or actually, the Chinese government, has not exactly been on our side. Tuesday, after seeing a disapointingly small terracotta army, we headed for Lanzhou with plans of getting further to Xiahe, which is the town where the largest Tibetan monestary outside of Lasha is located . But after 9 hours on a train and probably a couple more running around the city trying to find the correct bus station (of course there is several. 'Cause Lanzhou is just a mid-size Chinese city of 8 mill.), we were refused to buy bus tickets since they dont allow for forigners into the city.

So, after the intitial anger with propaganda and mock-communism (and an awful fried burger at Dico's) we changed our route completly. Thus, we bough tickets for Chengdu, where we are now, and is today heading for the train station to buy tickets for Kunming in the Yunnan province and then head further on to Lijiang.

The tickets we bough were extremly cheap and we soon understood why. The trainride was awfully long. We though it would take 16 hours, but it did not. It took 28. The heat was extreme and only got worse when the train stopped for two whole hours in the middle of nowhere since the driver needed a luch break. Of course.

The worst was actually to pass trough the first class cart(soft sleeper), where the were blessed with air con, on our way to eat. And when actually getting there, to the eating cart, having to wait for food for 1.5 hours only then to be mocked by the waitress in front of the thirty people sitting there and being told that they actually did not have more rice left. An then being given a cabbage. Donc. C'est ca. On the train we:

Listened to music.
Ate vitamin bears.
Tried to order food on Chinese.
Read about universal travellers or evolutional biology.
Or of course: slept.

And one more thing. Finally David revealed to me why he is so funny: It is because he swallowed a clown when he was little.

Stairway to heaven?

2008-06-02T04:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, the redness is a mix of sunburn and tiredness.
Cat's obviously have better balance than me.

We were there. On top.
Everyone put locks symbolizing love at the passes on he top.
This was ours.

Yesterday we walked the Taoist holy mountain, Hua Shan, just two hours outside of Xi'an. And well, I'm guessing it must have been the most tiering 8km I have walked in my whole life because half of the trip (ergo 4km) was done in very steep stairs. The trip goes from an altitude of around 1-100m to 2100 . Just now, after searching the internet, I found out that the trip has actually been called the most dangerous tourist trail in the world.

Mamma: I swear I did not know about that before.

Anyways, I'm still alive. Donc, I'm feeling, well yes, a bit of proudness now seeing that I tend to get very tired from just walking up from the metro station home in Montreal.

All in all. It was very beauiful. I got to offer incence to the taoist gods, drink tea with a monk and see how mad Chinese are about sunrises. But although you still see the caves in the hillsides where hermits chose to spend the rest of their lifes meditating in earlier times, the mountain is now apperantly taken over hordes of Chinese tourists. Still we were quite lucky doing the trip sunday night and monday morning and did therefore not bump into that many.

2008-05-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

When you see how huge the summer palace and the forbidden city is, which was owned by only one emperor, you see why there was revolutions.
Also in the Summer Palace.
Someone has stolen Buddha's head. That must surly lead to bad karma.
We slept in the top-bunk. Which was quite high up.
Little room...
Also some parts of the summer palace.
Love in China.
Chinese shoes in China.

Yesterday we went to the Summer Palace and David's university in Beijing to find a nice room for him for july. Still, the most impressive part of he's school for me was definitly the large cantine. For I while I though my dream of eating in a school cantine with the tray and everything would come true. But that was untill I realized that you needed a student card to be fed.

The summer palace was beautiful, but crammed with what seemed to be half of the chinese population. But in reality I guess it was not more than 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of it. Yes, I'm definitly realizing how many chinese there actually is. When you see the masses moving around from one place to another you are actually amazed how smooth it all goes. Still, yesterday we used 3 hours to travel 15km by bus. Puh.

Last night we took the train to Xi'an, where we are now. The train was really a positive suprise because the standard was very good. Except the toilet (of course), in which I almost vommited because of the SMELL, which is only ehanced by the fact that you almost have to sit on the ground cause' the toilets are what norwegians would refer to as "just a hole in the ground".

Ni hao!

2008-05-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

Nice guys at the forbidden city.
Scorpion and stail kebabs at the night marked..
Pui #1 AND #2 on Tianiamen Square= The Square of Heavenly Peace.
The White Pagoda in a very widy afternoon.

From the forbidden city.
On top of the white Pogoda.

First: 1. I'm sorry about the gramatical mistakes that will occur cause this computer doesnt have spell check. 2. The fact that the pics come first (no cut and past, only 指定搜索语言).

So, after having a couple of days here in Beijing without being able to enter my blog I finally found a way of posting new posts.

Here everything is good. The last two days we've stayed at a great hostel here with the even more magnificient name: Sitting On the City Walls Courtyard House.

The culture shock is actually not that bad (yet). Probably much due to the fact that I live in Montreal and is used to not understanding much of what people around me is saying. And, actually, after having traveled in Central America I'm kinda shocked when guys are not whisteling after me in the street:) But still we had big problems ordering our first meal here and ended up with a soup of what I believe was sheep brain and cartilege. We also ended up walking all the way from the train station, where the bus from the airport dropped us of, to the hostel which was about 5km, cause we where not able to give directions to the cab driver. But that was yesterday. Today we have been masters of the Beijingese bus system and ordered both kebab and train tickets.

Tomorrow we'll take the night train to Xi'an, where the terracotta soldiers lives. More news will come then. Zaijian.

Preparations for the big world out there...

2008-05-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Today I felt I had to take the red star of the communist hat that Silje bought for me in Cuba, because although a Maoist hat might flatter PSB, the Chinese Security Bureau, I really don't want to offend the possible old grandmother that got half her family killed during the Cultural Revolution.

Such a Perfect day.

2008-05-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

First: Congrats to Kaia which just got into the very cool film making school in Denmark where Lars Von Trier teach .

She also, as the good friend she is, gave me these great yellow shoes in a birthday-in-advance present. Today we spend our second day together.
We (me and Yellow-shoes) went to the Chinese embassy again, where there was a very long line , only to discover that Sabrina had forgotten the receipt she got when applying for the visa. But, despite an angry look from the consulate lady and a long and bureaucratic waiting time, Sabrina can now proclaim herself the proud owner of a Chinese Visa.

We then went to my favourite cafe at Majorstua: Rustique (under) to meet Kjersti and Mine.
There we ate The Worlds Best Chocolate Cake and drank cappuccino (kjersti 3 cup's in an hour).

17. mai

2008-05-19T15:24:00.001-07:00

I guess I also have to post some pic's from the terrific 17 of May (the Norwegian national day):
A lunch including strawberries dipped in chocolate can never fail:

It was Thomas, which is the guy in the right, that had both made (I mean dipped) the berries and made the party/lunch.
Finally the sun came.
Max even came from Germany on a very little bike.

2008-05-18T04:20:00.000-07:00

These Pic's I took late on the 17th of may both rather tired from to much walking in high heels and one to much glass of wine. Still, considering the fact that that I have done no "fixing" on afterwards, I find them quite cool. Kudos to the shop next to Kaia's house which has this great window display.

2008-05-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

My new job has kind of has the same effect on me as the Dementors from Harry Potter. The closer I get to it the more despair I feel, when I'm in its presence it is truly impossible thing think happy thoughts, it makes it feel like time is moving tremendously slow and the only thing that makes you feel good again is chocolate.

2008-05-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

And now I hate flowers. Damn.

Yes.

2008-05-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

So, not much has happened here in Oslo the last days except that I got a job at a gardening centre. Wednesday, which was my first day, I worked for f. 14 hours. Well, except from the 35 degrees ,worms and cactus needles suddenly appearing on my hands it's a quite good way of generating money for China, in which I go to in only two weeks (jippi).

Tuesday was a rather eventful day. I visited Kjersti and Katharina at their business school(BI) and there was much less snobs there than what I had anticipated. And I decided to reconsider my pre-judgemental opinion about the school after seeing the fantastic escalator to the metro there:

2008-05-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

Today my dad and I went hiking in the forest just outside Oslo to a cabin called Ullevaalseter. 13 km later you could find two very proud members of the family Lilleby at Songsvann Station.

Heisann!

2008-05-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, well. Now I've been in Norway a couple of days and its nice to see all my friends again. On Wednesday we went to Stine and Ronan which had a party and later me and Kjersti went to, well I guess it's my favourite bar in the whole world: Spasibar. There really is nothing like a night of Russian disco. And with Kjersti by your side it's even more fun.

Today I had coffee with Linda and Andre, realizing that I'm not the only tv show nerd out there. That felt good.

Kaia is now working at Kunsternes Hus, which is a really cool place. Having finally gotten over my I-so-not-wanne-be-a-waitress-again-fear, I'm going there tomorrow to meet her boss about a possible job for the next weeks. If he'd like someone who can only work for three weeks I'll be happy. If not the quest for another job have to continue.

Tomorrow moi et father is going to a flee market to try to find a desk for my room where I can keep my lovely laptop that now runs on very stolen internet (seriously. How can the Fire Fox add on dictionary not contain the word internet???) . I'm sorry neighbour!

Also. I just received A+ in my Middle East History class. Sorry about the bragging, I'm just very proud (maybe I'll edit this away later when I will get to embarrassed about it. jaja).

Norway at last.

2008-04-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

Finally I'm back in Norway. Now I'm a bit too tired to write, but I'm putting these pictures from my new Polaroid camera that I scanned

Happy (porn)Martin.
Mathias
Save the coffee
This camera makes David weird.
Yes. Very weird.

Mood: Good.

2008-04-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, finally life looks a bit brighter (expect that I`ve gotten pollen and have huge pollen producing tree on my balcony). I only got two exams left now ,and the last days the mercury in the thermometer have been above the 20 mark.

Soon I`ll go home to see all my friends in Norway and suddenly I`ll be in China with giant Buddha`s, dumplings and Shaolin Monks. Sol has just promised that she`ll teach me how to knit socks this summer. Something that apparently involves a lot of wine, which I guess only makes it even more fun. Daniel just came home from India and I`m saving `Juno` to watch it with Kaia. I`m going to dance with Kjersti at Frank Snort and try to make my liberal brother an anarchist.

Yes. I`m assuming this will be a great summer.

In the good spirit of spring: here is pictures of some of the sweet colourful houses around our neighbourhood, Le Plateau.

2008-04-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

Also from The Economist.

The Hard Life Inbetween.

2008-04-19T10:33:00.001-07:00

President Putin to his colleague, Mr. Bush, concerning the possible NATO membership of Ukraine:

“Do you understand, George, that Ukraine is not even a state. Most of Ukraine's territory was “given away” by Russia. "

Along came also a warning : if the country joined NATO it would simply “cease to exist”.

Article from the Economist here.

Please to not read this if you don't feel like listening to my whinig.!

2008-04-18T03:51:00.000-07:00

Shit. Enough have to be enough.

Now, for about a month I have been constantly working with school ,day (and night) from morning to evening. When I've not been at school of course.

I have had lunch twice with some friends in the last month. And that's about as social as I've been. Except for my little time with David of course. Good he's here ,or else I would turn completely into one of those hermit's you see in cartoons that has been stuck in their little cave a bit to long. Well, my apartment is my cave and I've turned into a pyjama-monster.

Now I just woke up at 6.00 (in the morning!!!) by the same sentence that I've been repeating in my dreams all night:

"It is important to remember that the entrenchment of 'The Charter of Rights and Freedoms' into the 'Canadian Constitution from 1867' has not lead to judicial supremacy, but rather a dialogue concerning rights, between the judicial and legislative, of the various, be that federal or provincial, branches of the government, because of to the entrenchment of section 1 and 33."

So that's it. This what haunts me in my night.

I am like a CD with a scratch which just just continue repeating it self. There is no more room in the brain. Not even for one little political theory. The sponge that was my brain is full. Can't take another drop of a thought.

Now, I've had it. To hell with Palestinian mandates, Trudeau and asymmetric dependent international systems. Today I'll put on my new sandals and just sit and drink rose wine in the fabulous 20 degrees weather on my balcony.

Eye Candy

2008-04-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

I don't know, Is it ethically correct to take pictures of other people's pictures. Well, all publicity is good publicity right?

I took this picture, best described as candy for the eyes, at the Fine Arts Undergrad exibithion at my school yesterday. I've forgotten the name of the artist, but I'll find out soon.

2008-04-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

Well, finally spring/summer is here and the day (apres my exam) has been spent eating mozzarella salad and installing hammock chair on the balcony.

David watering his precious basil.
Salad
New hammock chair.

Btw: I also have a new camera and that's probably the reason for this sudden urge to take pics.

Ciao notes

2008-04-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

Finally done with my African Politics exam, now its only three more to go before four months of summer vacation. Jippi!

Here is the joyful moment where I throw away my notes from the exams I'm done with in the garbage. Where they belong.

2008-04-15T17:12:00.001-07:00

Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look, how we perform, is truly important to other people.

Andre Dubus

Good.

2008-04-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

Still, positive things do happen.

This made me happy.

Voila.

2008-04-15T13:36:00.001-07:00

Today I was looking for an album on David's computer.

It proved easier said than done since all his files are either called: Bambino, Downloadsssks, Il giglio pater nostrum, Scallopini al Lemone or something along those lines.

Our printer is apparently called "La Belle et La Bete" on the network. And, of course, the whole network is called "Lille Basilic".

Mad!

Why do I bother studying politics?

2008-04-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

You realize how messed up the world is when you understand that the only thing keeping us from entering a 3rd World War is actually an arsenal of nuclear bombs large enough to blow up the entire earth thirty times.

That's logical.

2008-04-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Iram Haq:

I understand you are impressed by the inventions that has made life so much easier for us modern women, an example being those new packages of just-add-water-cake-mix.

But one thing I don't think will change within the near future is the concept of monotheism. That you're supposed to only believe in one god, you know.

Thus, to thank both god AND Allah seems a bit odd. I mean: Either you believe in one or the other, or you believe that both are actually the same. Or you don"t believe at all. I'm sorry.

Those lucky few who know the beautiful language Norwegian can read the enlightening article here.

Ni Hao!

2008-04-13T15:27:00.001-07:00

Finally I've gotten a Chinese name. From now on(or at least for this summer in China) you may call me Bai LiNa or more correctly 白丽娜.

So, according to Chinese "name rules", Bai will be my family name while LiNa, which (of course) means the beautiful and graceful, will be my personal one.

Thank you Silje's-Chinese-Friend!

A Remarkable Resemblance.

2008-04-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

Hmm...When I think about it.. How did Kaia get a hold of Kissinger's glasses?

From a realist's perspective.

2008-04-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

Today I came over some interesting quotes by Henry Kissinger:

-Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people; control money and you control the world.

-The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.

-America doesn't have friends, America only has interests.

And the best one...

-Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.

Hmm. At least the guy is honest....

Proud

2008-04-11T06:59:00.001-07:00

My new self-made chairs.

.... That's what friends are for....

2008-04-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

This post is entirely dedicated to my great friend Kaia. Today she spent two whole hours before my paper was due ,helping me on the phone from Norway, out of the abyss of what would likely have been a failed paper (well, I mights still fail, but then it's not your fault at least Kaia:))

My new age writing and your visions of grandeur. Together we're dynamite.
Damn you're cool. And you've got nice glasses.

curls II

2008-04-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

Well, now I don't have curls anymore. It must have been an un-permanent permanent.

What I'm proud to have though is a new (or actually very old) Polaroid Camera bought on e-bay for the nice price of 5.50$. Now: all I need is film. Something that is proving hard to find.

Something else I have: is a lot to do. Within Thursday I have to write a 15 page paper that now has the working title "Kurds in Turkey- Why is it a hell?" . And all I know so far is actually just that it's a hell.... And that Turkey want to be a part of the EU. At the same time I have an exam on Tuesday ,and when I hopefully give the paper on Thursday I know I have 5 more exams the week after. Ok.

Over og ut! Bye!

Curls I

2008-04-04T08:27:00.001-07:00

So, now I have curls.

-Piu frisse

Life

2008-03-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Silje's fund raising dinner for the orphanage she'll work in this summer in India. The history of how the home started is quite amazing and inspirational.
Read it : here. And Silje, you are inspirational also, for going there (and maybe biking to Torp-festivalen)!

Well, as some may know, we were planning to go to the provinces Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu in China this summer. But, typically, with normal Sabrina-luck, these are 4 of the 5 Chinese provinces there is Tibetan riots these days. So now the moments between paper-writing and exam-practising is used on reading about other alternative travel routs/areas. Because, really, before I never thought about the fact that China is actually as large and diverse as Europe and that you can not see it all (unless you have time to see it all of course).

More on China: One of my papers these days is about what might happen to the international system now as China is rising. And no matter which approach I use I seem to come back to the fact that we will soon enter a new Cold War. So you were right Daniel. Sad! (Btw: Foreign Policy had a great issue on the subject. Here!)

Alors. Now it's time for much needed sleep! Night!

2008-03-29T11:59:00.001-07:00

Julie's birthday.

2008-03-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Hawaii/Birthday girl

Piu cake.
Maren and Silje.
Silje Lence-Lice.

Memories of happier(and hotter) times!

2008-03-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

Today I found this old picture from when we were in Tela, Honduras, two years ago. And yes, it was definitely nicer than sitting here in cold, cold Montreal doing homework and looong term-papers on unsolvable conflicts.

The picture is from Kjersti' and my, well maybe eight' camera (the seven first was stolen. This one was a disposable). She's the one almost hidden in the sand. Sim, Phil and David is the ones adding a non-female limb to their new sand sculpture.

Voila. Enough melancholia. Jeg savner deg Kjersti. Kom paa besok!

Easter hunt at the post office!

2008-03-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Takk Mamma! For makin' easter great in Canada also.

Middle Kingdom here I come.

2008-03-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

"Operation: Sabrina goes to China soon" has started. The plan was to start eating every meal with sticks but it really proves hard to eat Wasa (knekkebrod), which I eat a lot(!) with them, so that plan is a bit delayed until I have been able to incorporate more oriental-chopped-up-food into my diet.

I have also started to stand closer to people in the sub-way though. Because, like my very philosophical friend Daniel told me after having spent a month in Kerala, 'People are generally more close here. Physically I mean.' But what have I discovered? People really do smell!

xièxie!

Dharamsala

2008-03-19T20:03:00.001-07:00

Today I discovered this gem of a blog with a view into a world quite interestingly different from mine.

A picture says more than a thousand words.

2008-03-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd post a picture explaining why David's blog's called "enigmatic worthlessness":

Contemplating the divine.

2008-03-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

.......

I cant really say I'm the most devout of people, but sometimes you gotta wonder. Like when I found this outside my door the morning three days ago with the note "Get in shape with the new CCM 988".

Alors. At least now there is no excuse.

Udachkuqax*a'a'ch=a sound that calls people from afar

2008-03-05T21:45:00.000-08:00

While talking about things that have moved me the last weeks, this did. A lot. In my favourite right-wing journal of course:): Marie Smith's obituary.

The Art of Resistance

2008-03-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight I saw a fantastic movie called "The Art of Resistance" about the new artistic movement that have evolved in Argentina after the 2001 economical crisis. Stuck as I am, these days, in structural analysis' of how governments are built, this was a fresh breath proving how people with very little means can accomplish great things (I cried trough the hole thing of course:)).

Things addressed in the movie are UFO's in shanty town #21 in Buenos Aires, a very expressive asylum and some angry stomachs.

Run and rent. Recommendable! Definitely!

The Rastadog.

2008-03-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

Montreal and it's inhabitants never ceases to amaze me and new on the list of oddities I've bumped into since I moved here is (drum roll): The Rastadog.

A Sunday stroll in the park yesterday lead to our passionate first meeting, and I felt very lucky that I had remembered the camera. So I snapped several pictures of this creature I felt looked like a mix between 'Adams Family's' Uncle It, and The Luggage in 'The Colour Of Magic'.

It was only later that I discovered that Martin had borrowed the camera to take pictures of his soon-up-for-sale cat, only later to return it without its memory card. Fy Martin!

This is why The Rasta Dog i delivered to you on a blanket of sawdust and not fresh Sunday morning Montreal-snow. The picture is singlehandedly stolen from Grandma Rista's blog who had been on a dog show and seen it. Thank you Rista. Although I dont know who you are, you can steal pictures from me too.

2008-02-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

Today it's only -1. That is truly amazing.

I have a midterm in Middle East History tomorrow so I'm trying to find out what (or who) Mahabbat al-Amrad-Sabbatai Sevi is. That is proving to be hard. More than, that I have a quiz on Tuesday in International Relations, so I'm reading newspapers frenetically preparing for the current events questions. The teacher is very demanding, her name is Bloodgood. Self explanatory.

David has made me co-member Le Boite Noir, where they have a lot of nice (and-hard-find) movies, but I just discovered he has signed me up as Piupiu Lilleby. Now he has started talking with our plants: "Hallo Aloe, how are you?"

Here is a picture of the new cafe-area in our apartment.

A vacation of life-changing events

2008-02-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

Well. After after having written down what have happened the last few days I have come to the conclusion that my life is just too boring to take in trough pure prose-form. So in I-am-a-boring-professor-style I am hereby presenting Sabrina's spring break in chart-form.

The y values are amount of happiness.
The x values events.

Witches Coven!

2008-02-20T12:35:00.001-08:00

The witches is a postcard I found on Sim's moms shelf and it is the exact picture of how I hope my girlfriends and I will spend our golden years. Obviously I have read more Harry Potter than I should have, but, well. You too Kaia.

Snowshoes..

2008-02-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, thought I'd post some pictures from my first time trying snowshoes (truger). Fun, but not as fun as ski's (even though I was not born with them).

The beautiful house is Simon's mothers country house in Glen Sutton. The two other's: David and Simon.

Volia.

Strangetable?

2008-02-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

As the wannabe eco-friendly hipsters that we are did we a box of ecological vegetables at McGill (Julie carried it though. Thank you Julie:)) last Tuesday. The variety was not great due to the fact that -20 C is a quite harsh climate for vegetable-growing, but it was good (and hopefully without any GMO).

Anyhow: What is left now is these four... lumps. They are as big as your thumb, and I really do not understand what they are. Do any one now what they are? Or, more importantly: What to do with them?

Blog?

2008-02-17T14:01:00.000-08:00

So in honour of my beautiful friend Kjersti (and all my other friends that I never see anymore for that sake) that is so good at giving me updates on her/their life I have decided to start this, hopefully informative blog.

Although it will probably not be at all.

If my writing seem a bit like Greek (in English) it is probably just due to what David have chosen to call "Sabrina's new age writing". Me, on the other hand, just blame my never discovered imaginative dyslexia.

Voila. enough of pre-mistake excuses.

Today me and David, as the little wannabe Canadian family that we are, went skating. Only to discover after 2 minutes on the brink/lake that there was a reason why Sabrina's skates were given away to the Salvation Army in the first place: They were in fact just socks with the iron (that what you call the stuff under the skates right?). Anyway we got to take one ugly picture of me before we hurried to the closest cafe to drink we-feel-sorry-for-our-selfs-hot-chocolate.