all things me

Our summer cottage is such a beautiful place and so special that it was declared a national treasure today. Well, not exactly, but check this out:

Omakuvapostimerkki (Personal Stamp) is a service at the Finnish Post Corporation where people can order stamps decorated with their own photo.

Let’s hope my grandparents don’t know about this blog… The above stamps are their Christmas present. The photo is taken (by my sister, says she) at our summer cottage. I was surprised that the stamps arrived today. I ordered them on 27th (Monday) and on the site it gives a delivery time of 7-31 days. I got it in 4. Amazing!

Beautiful, isn’t it?

10 years ago, on February 13 1996, my favourite band Take That split up. I was quite mad at them for splitting up on Robbie’s birthday (Robbie had left the band some time before). I remember sitting in front of the TV watching a program for teens. They showed Back For Good and there was an animated heart beating over the video. I think I cried. (I wasn’t/am not the crying type.) I programmed my mini-stereos to play Back For Good 32 times (that’s the maximum) and I must’ve listened through at least half of that.

Just the previous year I had been caught in the craze (I have to thank my penpal Shuk Yin for that) even though I’d sworn I’m not the boy band type. Well, at least I never was into New Kids on the Block or Boyzone (yuck).

Gary was my favourite, my dream guy, my biggest crush, although in their solo careers Robbie’s been my favourite all along — quite obviously.

Now they’re back and they just released an album on November 27 — I didn’t know that! On Friday I was listening to the radio while walking home from work and they said Take That’s newest single was going to play next. I walked all the way home during the commercial break (even though I tried to walk very slowly!). I ended up standing in the hall, with the earphones — and my coat — on, listening to Patience.

Gary is still so so cute!

(I know Take That wasn’t big in the US — your loss! )

Update

This is Gary…

This is an excellent way to package a DVD. Who needs the thick plastic covers? They do offer better protection to the disc but aren’t people able to mold plastic in many different ways? Why not make a little slimmer packages? I could fit my small DVD collection in the shelf much easier…

This here DVD is special edition of the Ninth Gate.

S60.com has opened a Wishlist for all our great or crazy dreams about S60 applications. I added my humble wish for an Advanced photo sequence. I haven’t received any ratings yet but I hope people won’t find my wish completely idiotic.

I’m waiting for an email from the library so I changed the address in my library information to my mobile email. I also set up the phone to check mail every hour (not in the middle of the night). I use the Finnish user interface and this, not surprisingly, caught my eye:

First of all, it’s funny how it says “30 minuutin väl.” instead of “30 minuutin välein” even though there’s quite a bit of empty space… (This isn’t by far the worst case I’ve seen. I’ll show you a bad one if you’re interested ) but the 4th item makes you miss a few heartbeats (no? Is it just me?). How did that happen? When you look at the English options, they are nice and consistent:

I envy you who use the English UI! (I know I could use it too, but Finnish feels somewhat more comfortable — despite things like these.)

[Edit: Dec 6th]
By popular demand Here’s the Swedish UI

Today I went shopping with my sister. I hadn’t bought any Christmas presents yet (unless the stamps count) but today I found a present for Dad, Mum, my godson, a friend, and our dog. I also bought “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” DVD for myself.

The doggie present was taken into use right away. It’s a bright orange safety vest with paw-shaped reflectors on both sides.

I still have to think of something to get my sister and my Australian friend… After that, I’m ready for Christmas.

This is what happens when I get too cocky old and cranky

Yesterday I was walking through the mall (it was late and I was fluey so maybe that’s a better explanation than cockiness) and there were lots of kids (that is, teenagers) sitting around. I thought “humph, kids” while walking to the stairs — and of course I stumble and bump my knee on a stair.

The last time I thought “humph, annoying little boys” I tripped on something invisible on the street. Maybe I should just remember to be nice inside my head as well…

(In the upper corners of the photo you can perhaps see the scars from my knee surgery in 1997.)

I’m tired but frisky. After a 44.5-hour workweek (Thursday was a 10-hour whopper) I’m now trying to finish some assignments for a course (due Friday, but my Saturday doesn’t start until I’ve slept, so I hope turning them in tonight will do). I was dead-tired when I got home from work (after a 8.75-hour day) but now it’s getting easier. Maybe the coffee (it was instant, however) and the coke (the beverage!) have something to do with it.

Still, I can’t wait to get to sleep!

I bet I’m not the only one who really needs this long weekend. I’m exhausted — I’ve been yawning since 8 pm.

Today I was waiting for two remaining file deliveries, from Spain and Sweden. I was supposed to have them in the morning — I didn’t. Around 2 pm I started asking if I was getting them soon. Spanish file arrived almost right away, but I had to nervously wait for the Swedish file till almost 4 pm. Luckily, it arrived too and I was able to send all the files forward like I had promised to send them this week.

Yesterday I was told there’s an update coming today to one of my projects. I waited: 1 pm, no update yet, 2… 3… 4… pm, no update. I thought, “oh no.” Soon after 4 pm I get an email. I grimace and take a peek inside. “The update is almost ready for you but I’ll send it after Christmas.” What a wonderful Christmas present! I was able to leave work on time.

I won’t be doing anything special at Christmas (hurray!). I’ll get to sleep later than 6.30 at last; maybe I’ll get to read a little (I’m reading “The Ninth Gate”), watch some movies (I’ve bought many DVDs that I haven’t had a chance to watch — especially because the DVD player hooked to my TV is kaput), play a little (maybe a new game even!).

I have no idea what I’m getting for Christmas — I can’t wait!

Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!

I got Tomb Raider Legend to play and Take That’s “Beautiful World” CD to listen to. I had asked Mum for the CD and when I didn’t find it from her presents, I was quite disappointed. But Dad had bought it instead after Mum had told him I’d asked for it.

I also got money (instead of a gift card to a bookstore) so I’ll go buy “Lisey’s Story” (Stephen King) on Wednesday. I saw it a while ago but I didn’t want to buy it before Christmas, just in case. No one gave it to me so I’ll have to buy it now! (People don’t usually buy me books they know I want because I’ve most likely bought them already…)

I also got a nice business-like bag from Mum, a 1 Gb USB memory stick from Dad, “Silence of the Lambs” from my sister (I was going to buy it but she wanted to give it to me), dishes and things like that. I got a cute little notebook from a friend of mine whom I saw yesterday and I was looking at notebooks because I thought I’d like something like that for Australia. Good thing I didn’t find one I liked! The one I got is just perfect to carry around in Australia (I’ll need to write down everything because otherwise I’ll forget).

Hmm, maybe I’ll try Tomb Raider now. I get to listen to the CD a lot because I’ll copy it to my phone.

What did you get for Christmas?