all things me

<sarcasm>A very nice young couple</sarcasm> is building a house right under our noses. There’s a tiny patch of land between our house and our neighbours’ and these “people” are planning to squeeze in there. Well, not just planning; today some Very Official Man came in here checking every room for existing damages because tomorrow they are going to blow dynamites (!) hardly 10 meters from us. Brace yourselves — and all sensitive electronics. I know my room was checked too because I had left a trap. I did ask Mum not to let anyone in my room to take pictures, but when have my requests gone through?

When I say ‘right under our noses’, I mean they’re putting that not-so-humble 2-storey abode in front of our kitchen, Dad’s study and Mum’s study windows. All our apple trees will probably be in the shade from the moment on when the walls rise, and who wants to sit in the garden when the other folks are right there. This is Finland for gawd’s sake (15 ppl/km²) not e.g. Slovakia (111 ppl/km²) let alone Monaco (16 620 ppl/km²)! They’re kind enough not to put any windows facing our house. So, they won’t have to look at our house but we have to look at their house’s rear-end.

I don’t understand why they need to make a 2-storey house in an area where all houses are quite low. Sure, we have 2 storeys too, but one is below ground and I believe the other houses are similarly built. I thought there were some rules for buildings in residental areas so that people don’t go around building skyscrapers everywhere. OK, perhaps if they built one storey below ground that would mean more dynamites even closer to us. Above-ground is the lesser evil. The last time some one blew something up around here, it was a lot farther and still the walls cracked — not from a good joke.

Yet another good reason to move out ASAP.

Yesterday we had a “closing of accounts” gathering at work. Well, we weren’t at the office but at a restaurant. At very first we met in a small conference room at the stadium — we took a private bus there (oh and how we laughed on the way). After the formalities we spent some time at the exhibition there (sport stuff, whee). I looked through the medals and things pretty quickly and then went to stand at the door to wait for everyone. A couple of guys had spotted a table football in a corner and went to play. After a while one of them came back and said “Minna, come, we need a referee.” That was a very sweet gesture because I was standing there all alone. So I went and I was even asked if I wanted to play but the boys were so excited about the game, I let them play. In the foyer there was this stand with a big photo of a pair of ice skaters on it with the faces cut out (I don’t know what those are called even in Finnish) and on the way out our sales manager put his head out the other one and people started taking pictures but first he needed someone to fill the other face. He said “someone? Minna?” I declined (cameras, eep) and the managing director went instead (much better!). It was so odd to be asked to take part in all those things, I’m not used to it which is why I don’t “butt in” but rather keep a distance.

We had a lovely — and very loud — time at the restaurant. It was very fancy, I was told, but it looked pretty normal to me (of course, I didn’t see the prices so I wouldn’t know the truth). The person who sat opposite from me said that you know you’re in a fancy restaurant when you’re not really sure what to do next and how to eat something. Very true; our first appetizer was some sort of vegetable soup served in a small glass mug. It took us a while to realise that you were supposed to drink it. The staff tried to offer me wine a couple of times (“are you sure you don’t want some red wine with the main course?” after I had turned down the initial white wine) but by the time we had coffee (and brandy or amaretto) they believed that I didn’t want any alcohol. The food was delicious; it was the first time I ate asparagus, it wasn’t too bad. Sort of silly to eat just that with a little sauce.

I left shortly after 10:30 and was at home after eleven, went straight to my room and toppled into bed. I’m still tired so thank gawd it’s Friday.

I had been a little sceptic about spending free-time with co-workers. I didn’t attend the christmas party (the possibility of seeing drunken co-workers was a little too much to handle) or a double birthday so now I decided it was time to start participating. I’m glad I did, the people are as fun and easy to be around with as at work.

One morning I happened to go to a cashier at the same time with a man. He let me go first because I “don’t work yet.” I told him that actually I was on my way to work. It wasn’t a shocker that he thought I was a school student, but the logic escapes me… Perhaps he thinks students are in more of a hurry? (So, I was in a hurry buying a microwave dinner to school; all Finnish schools serve free meals.)

On Thurday I “dressed up” — meaning I had a white shirt, necklace, and left my hair open. One of my co-workers said I looked like a 15-year-old (basically it just means young, not an exact age) and I should put a flower behind my ear. I told him I had rather hoped for the opposite effect of looking actually my age for once. He said “oh you’re still the age when you hope to look older? When do you think you’ll start wishing you look younger?” I said “probably when I do start looking my age.” He said “ah, you’ll never look your age.” A compliment or quite the opposite?

I want all X-Files season boxes so I tried to look for them. As it happens, someone had just placed an ad on a Finnish forum selling boxes 1 to 9, either all or the ones you want (I just calculated that if I buy 7 of them, it would cost almost as much as if I buy all of them but what would I do with double boxes — let him make more money ). Also, I may even know the person who’s selling them! Let’s hope someone hasn’t already bought them…

Then I remembered, “oh, Storm of the Century has been made into a book too” (it’s originally a miniseries). So I looked for it at the two bookstores I always buy/order from. I ordered it. As I was going through the trouble anyway, I decided to order another book (Different Seasons) which hopefully is from the correct series. I also looked for yet another book, Regulators, but decided to order it from the other bookstore because the cover is (hopefully) nicer-looking.

Today I also found nice “slippers” for work. I saw walking-shoes (or “pumps”?) I liked but they had only sizes 4 and 5,5 and I would’ve needed something in between. (My shoes are usually size 5.) Oh well, I’ll keep looking despite the fact I’ve looked and looked and looked everywhere. I also bought Cujo (Stephen King movie) and Forrest Gump. I already had Forrest Gump on VHS but it was a 2 for 20 campaign so I’m going to give the VHS to my grandparents.

Hmm, I didn’t write about the “money come” part. No, I haven’t received a raise but now that I think about it, our payday was on Wednesday.

I just transferred a load of money for the XF box sets — I sure hope the seller sends them as soon as possible. Usually I would never ever buy something someone sells on a forum, at least nothing for that much money, but I hope that a fellow X-Phile — especially one that I sort of know — can be trusted.

I can’t help but feel a little nervous nevertheless.

Related:
Money come money go

OK, so the numbers go backwards in the photo, who cares. I had numbers 5 and 6 (the big ones in the middle) and the rest arrived today. Thank you! (although I think — and hope — the sender doesn’t read this blog)

Related:
Money come money go
Nervous

Finland has just won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in our 40 years of participation. Great. But take a look what it took to win…
(I’m assuming most of you live outside Europe and have never heard of the Eurovision — Finland is supposed to do bad, we’re supposed to get 0 points — not all-time highest.)

From this day on I will never hesitate to say proudly: I like Stephen King books. He’s a great author!

In the past few weeks I’ve said too many times “weeeell, I don’t know if I should say it aloud…”

Alright everyone, out with the confessions!