Archive for September 2011
A great reminder from the inspiring, beautiful, wise and wonderful Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai that sadly passed away today, to always, always, do the best to our own capacity.
A friend-ship comes loaded…
Posted on: September 26, 2011
I’m off today and my only plan is to have no plan.
- Be grateful that you have so many people in your life, someone reminded me when I said that there had been too much social commitment over the last couple of weeks.
I shouldn’t complain. Even when I choose to be alone friends and family respect my decisions, even though they probably find me complicated.
I turned down ICEBAR on Saturday night when my brother, his girlfriend and two of our friends were here. 1:st of all, I’ve been to the original one in Jukkasjärvi and spent three weeks doing an internship there. 2:nd, I really can’t afford going out every weekend and 3:d, I was really tired.
Friday before work I took them up to Holmenkollen Ski Jump. It was the most stunning autumn day and the view over the city was amazing.
After work, I joined them again, at the hotel room I had chosen for them, with the balcony and the view of the National Gallery and we checked out 4-5 different bars around Youngstorget, before we walked back to the hotel at 4 in the morning. It’s become a tradition to hang around and chat with the night guard before I head home.
Sunday, we strolled around in Grunerlökka and had a coffee at Parkteatret before they had to get packing, and I had to start work. To thank me for hooking them up with a good hotel deal and to celebrate my belated birthday, they gave me a perfume I’ve wished for: Dolce & Gabbana perfume; The One Rose.
Having friends and family around isn’t bad after all…
Not even three weeks after their last visit Bibi and Maria came back to Oslo. Maria because she was starting a new job. Bibi to celebrate me.
They both arrived Thursday, on my birthday. Maria with a nice bottle of wine, Bibi with awesome cupcakes from Stockholm and my dear roomie Charlotte had left a big golden wrapped bottle of Champagne on our kitchen table.
There was a constant stream of hugs, kisses, birthday wishes, e-mails, phone calls and text messages that flowed through my heart that day.
Me and Challe were invited to Wallmans dinner show with colleagues but we managed to get tickets for Bibi and Maria as well. Everyone was in great spirits.
The weekend continued in awesomeness with shopping, markets, dinners and fireworks…
I almost took them being here for granted.
Actually, Bibi has thoughts about moving here next year.
And Maria will move in with me and Charlotte next month.
Again, how can I complain. My ship has come in.
Ane Brun – Do You Remember
Posted on: September 22, 2011
Absolutely awesome!!!
Count the smiles
Posted on: September 15, 2011
Count your age by friends, not years.
Count your life by smiles, not tears.
John Lennon
Story time
Posted on: September 14, 2011
You know, being here, isn’t just an everyday routine for me.
Like all the places I have lived I really take things in.
You don’t know this, but I put together phrases, sentences, expressions in my head all the time, of everything beautiful that surround me.
I could write a whole story about an ordinary day.
And in this story I would be the person to step out of Deli de Luca at St. Hans Haugen with a cup of moccha in one hand and an umbrella in the other. And I’d smile to myself as “raindrops keep falling on my head” ironically comes on in my headphones.
I would pass by my favourite flower shop and marvel over their bouquets of old pink roses and perfect orchids. The scent from white lilies would linger in my nose until I’d turn right by Wayne’s Coffee and continue to the square of St. Olavs Plass. From there I would head down Universitetsgata with the noble City Hall at the very end.
And I’d be one of many people going to work with umbrellas and rubber boots, but I might be one of few to acknowledge this as an amazing day in my life.
I have so many of these moments , these short stories.
I can flip through them and remember exactly what it felt like in random Septembers of my life; sitting on the back of a vespa, passing by the Colosseum in Rome on a warm late summer evening, biking to school in Båstad on a rainy autumn day or walking along Sea Point in Cape Town in the early spring.
Life moves in circles and appears in many ways.
Tomorrow is my 29th birthday. I have no idea where I will be for my birthday next year but I know tomorrow I’m celebrating it at Wallmans Dinner show with colleagues from work and later meeting up with my best friends Maria and Bibi who are both here in Oslo again and ready for a night out.
Today’s story is drawing to an end, and my body and mind needs its rest.
Thank you for reading, and for being a part of my life!
In all ways! 
Ben Howard – The Wolves
Posted on: September 13, 2011
Ben Howard kinda sound a lot like other contemporary folk rock singers, but never the less, it’s a great sound.
Lately, there have been some beautiful sunny days but today the rain is pouring down. Around here, that is to be expected.
Lately, I’ve been really outgoing but today I’ve stayed in and kept to myself. Came unexpected to someone who was waiting for me.
Lately, I’ve been noticing a pattern…
See, we keep coming back to the same situations.
Life throws us old challenges in new disguises to see if we’re ready for the next round.
I need to make a better choice this time.
The earth is full of seeds of dreams but only you can care for your own.
Like the sunflower I want to plant in my garden one day, I need to nurture myself in order to grow tall and proud of my actions.
Starting with honesty.
If you want the rainbow…
Posted on: September 6, 2011
The way I see it, if you want the rainbow,
you gotta put up with the rain.
Dolly Parton
The more, the merrier
Posted on: September 3, 2011
On Sunday I met up with Moa and her sister Hanna and we went to the Nobel Peace Center. Apart from being a super inspiring and creative Center, there was a photo exhibition by Espen Rasmussen called Transit, portraying refugees in different parts of the world. The photos were taken up close and provoked a lot of thoughts and emotions.
Moa who is on her second year of Peace and Conflict studies and also a member of UNHCR added information and interesting discussions.
The Center had various interactive features including a book with seemingly blank pages but when you touched it a projected filled it with images and sound, like a film appearing in front of you. Also, you could read about all Peace Prize Winners and their achievements and be inspired by great leaders and their quotes.
I’d recommend it to anyone visiting Oslo.
In the evening Hanna made the greatest mushroom risotto with real Parmigiano cheese and we shared some wine in her cozy loft apartment. Hanna is a choreographer and interested in all kinds of art, dance and literature and I already picked out books in her shelf that I want to borrow. Conveniently, she lives just down the street from me.
A little too late and soaked from the rain, we got into the warm and joyful atmosphere of BLÅ where we met up with more friends and danced until late.
On Monday, Maria Medina, one of my best friends from when I lived in Cape Town, came to Oslo.
She had made a stop at Clarion Hotel Gardemoen, at the Oslo airport for an interview as conference hostess. I met up with her at Hotel Bristol in the city centre.
The interview had gone really well and she was really excited and cheerful. I wasn’t surprised when she found out later that she’d gotten the job and is moving here in two weeks.
Everything works out.
Oslo is so welcoming. And its people are so great.
New and old friends that merge
like the food and wine you share
and the memories you create.
Happiness is not ready-made
Posted on: September 3, 2011
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