all things me

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Last year I had to pay residual tax, but this year I’m getting it back — fivefold!! (Not until December, alas.) Next year I’ll probably have to pay again because for some reason they lowered my percentage considerably, and this year — unlike in the past — I’m making dough (well, ‘dough’ in the student-budget sense).

Today I met up with a friend for coffee and because we were in a bookstore I wanted to pop by the shelves with books by a certain author… There was nothing new in the paperbacks but when I went to the hardcover section I found an Illustrated Edition of ‘Salem’s Lot! I already have the story in paperback but I couldn’t not buy it and leave it there for all kinds of people with their filthy hands. It’s so pretty! Just look at it!

Invigorated by this I — just a moment ago — ordered On Writing and Tommyknockers. On Writing will hopefully be from the correct series (NEL).

But why oh why am I buying books just after returning 3 months’ worth of student allowance? To cheer myself up?

I watch the Bachelor(ette), I’m not too embarrassed to admit it. Ryan is my all-time favourite and Jen let him go!?
Here’s just a cute little picture for me to goggle at:

The finale is next Sunday but I just had to see what to expect. I knew Jen would pick Jerry — they always pick the “mysterious” and unsteady ones. The ones that don’t give you answers and won’t tell how they feel. I couldn’t believe when the last time Meredith chose Ian, either. No one’s stomach stands a permanent rollercoaster so why doesn’t any of the Bachelorettes pick the one that is “all I’ve ever wanted”?

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My thoughts exactly.

Yesterday morning (alarm went off at 7:40 — on a Saturday!) I hopped on the train and travelled to my aunt (+ family) near Hämeenlinna

(Map from Wikipedia is in public domain.)

They had bought a new laptop, printer/scanner, and ADSL connection a few weeks ago and needed me to hook it all up. I don’t understand how anyone can keep their hands off a brand new computer, but they’re the sort of people who think computers are the Source of all Evil. Which is why they’re probably planning to keep the thing secret until their 4-year-old and 6-year-old both turn 18.

Nevertheless, off I went and hooked it all up as requested. I didn’t have to do much though, the Internet connection worked as soon as the computer had had time to think a little and the printer-scanner combo had some Easy Peasy installation application (which I didn’t use though…). At least I taught them a little about the programs and created a new Email account (on Outlook Express, ick). I was planning on installing a Real Browser, but I guess it’s easier for everyone if they just use Internet Explorer. Mozilla’s localisation is horrible and incomplete (at least the last time I checked). No offence, Mozilla Localisation team.

When I was done, I headed to my grandparents in Hämeenlinna proper. My uncle (not a blood-relative, but I guess one calls the spouses uncles/aunts, too?) drove me there because he went to pick up their kids. They were care-of the grandparents because, as I said, they weren’t allowed to see the new toys. (I suspected that they probably smell that there’s something new and electric in the house…) When we were sitting in the car he asked me when was the last time I drove. I ho’ed and hummed and replied I didn’t remember (probably 2-3 years ago, at a different aunt, forced by a different uncle). He said I should try it out. I said I didn’t have my driver’s licence. “That doesn’t matter, we’re in the country side now! And besides, the police could look it up on their computer” (already having police in the picture, hu?). I politely turned the offer down a couple of times but when he suddenly pulled over I didn’t really have a choice. So — trembling — I circled the car to the driver’s side, sat down, struggled to position the seat so I could even reach the pedals. At first I didn’t realise I could hold on to the steering wheel to pull myself forward. Instead, I kept sliding back.

The car was wonderful to drive compared to our humongous VW Passat whose sideview mirrors feel 10 meters apart, ready to collide with the passing cars, mobile or immobile. Alright, maybe it’s not that bad but I haven’t driven the Passat for… hold on, have I ever driven it?

The road was wonderfully empty except once I had to pass a car on a snowed-in road. It went alright if going a little over the snowbank is ‘alright’. When I turned to the grandparents’ house Grandpa was outside and surprised to see me get out of the car on the wrong side. He said my entrance had been quite swift but I don’t think I drove that fast… If I did, I’ve been known to do that. I’ve been known to cause grown men slap their hands over their eyes — at least mentally. But hey, the entrances have never ended with a crash.

At my grandparents’ I helped them with some anti-virus woes — the software wanted to upgrade and there was a double icon in the tray. The double icon made Grandpa nervous. The download took a while with their 56kb modem. Yeah, some still have those things. I also installed a similar printer/scanner for them, this time using the Easy Peasy installation wizard (took considerably longer than the old school installation). The printer is pretty nifty; maybe I should get one of those.

Is this what writing a master’s thesis feels like? Endless revisions; choosing a word, no, choosing a better one (and most likely going back to the first one); trying to think of a catchy start; trying to think of witty headers; just trying to think of how to end this thing…!

I think I now only have two chapters to extend and reference links to check. Then I’m done. Ha.

Disclaimer: This post does not reflect my “journalistic” style. Not even close. And no, I haven’t seen Trainspotting in a while.

No, this isn’t an “I’m sorry I exist” posting.

Today, again, it was cold enough for breath to become visible and as I was standing at the bus stop I tried to breathe slower and slower because the cloud of vapour that was rising out of my nose looked screamingly white. I don’t make noises when I breathe (hey, some people do…) so it annoys me when people can see it anyway!

On another note, I ordered the PostSecret book on a whim. I’ve been reading the blog for a while and some of the postcards have been very apt and touching. I doubt the exhibition ever reaches Finland and I’ve been bummed about the fact that the site doesn’t hold an archive. And besides, I like books.

These are wonderful!

• Fun Movie Quiz (score so far: 13. I don’t understand what I’m supposed to write for picture 27!)
• Fun Movie Quiz part 2 (score so far: 15)
• Intelligence Test, Part 1 (score so far: 10)
• Intelligence Test, Part 2

Yeah yeah, it’s ‘quizzes’ but it’s odd how the z doubles.

Intelligence test part 1:
7 days of the week
4 signs of the zodiac
32 is the temperature in degrees fahrenheit at which water freezes
100 cents in a dollar
12 months in a year
13 is unlucky for some
29 days in february in a leap year
365 days in a year
52 weeks in a year
60 minutes in an hour
1000 years in a millennium

After having been a project manager for a week now I’ve started to get annoyed by the technical people. I’m willing to work without a lunch break (let alone coffee or cigarette breaks (I do drink coffee, but I don’t smoke)) to get something urgent done — I did that on Friday — and in my naïvete I expect everyone else to do the same. I was furious when the person who was supposed to be working on an urgent project (deadline on Monday) was nowhere to be seen. I don’t understand why it’s so difficult to do something snap, right there and then. I realise the work isn’t progressing, so I’ll probably have to do it myself on Monday. I can’t really tell the client that I couldn’t keep the deadline because the others weren’t doing their jobs, can I?

I know I’m horrible. I’m sure the others have lots and lots of more work to do than I — even if they have time to frolic and complain that they’re bored. On Friday I was panicking about the deadline and they laughed that I’ll probably throw something heavy at them. I couldn’t, I was too tired.

I’ll be very glad when this 2-week multiple personality disorder is over. I don’t mind doing the technical stuff and I don’t mind doing the project manager stuff (it’s been, despite everything I’ve just said, very interesting and refreshingly challenging). But I can’t do them both, full-time, simultaneously.

Despot — a person exercising power tyrannically

Picture of Mitler from South Park Create A Character