Friday, July 30, 2010

last vacation day

Friday already. Oh my. This week has passed way too quickly. Especially when I realize I have not done anything useful. I have been at home. In the rain. Doing basically nothing.

Remember the first alone day at home? I thought I would go crazy here in this big house all by myself. Looking back I have spent many days here alone. Doing nothing. And now I kind of like it. I enjoy being by myself once in a while. It just take a day or two before you remember how it was being by yourself and not constantly surrounded by other people.

I still have one more week though. But on Monday I start working again. So my last weekend. Then I have two more weeks of work. Crazy, three months have almost passed since that first day at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Then I am without a job again.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

white collar

Been incredibly lazy today. But hey, it is vacation.

So I have been catching up on some TV series. True Blood for example, the third season finally started some weeks ago and now I cannot wait until next episode.

But I also discovered a new show right up my alley, White Collar. A little bit like the movie Catch me if you can but in a TV series format. The good thing is also that it is already on its second season so I do not have to be disappointed that it is cancelled after only one season. Like a few other favorite TV series, do not like when that happens.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

few hours of sun

Actually got to see a little bit of sunshine today in the afternoon. That might be the only sunshine I get to see on my last week of vacation. It has been amazing weather in Sweden this summer. Then why does it turn into crap the two only weeks I have vacation?

Monday, July 26, 2010

done with the phone interview

The first interview that I ever got nervous about. I was just looking at the watching with butterflies in my stomach. Perhaps it was because it was a phone interview and it is more difficult to make an impression then. Or perhaps since I am really interested in this company and this job position.

I got really embarrassed after being asked what the capital of Switzerland is after having said that my geography knowledge is quite good. I died. I stumbled on the words as I was thinking and the only city that came into my head was Zürich and I had a feeling it was not it. I did not reply that either. Then he said it was Bern and I felt like sinking through the floor. Having an interview for a travel coordinator position in Switzerland and not knowing the capital of that country. Great... (Now I will never ever forget that Bern is the capital of Switzerland and Zürich is the largest city).

Even though I have no background in that business at least I was called to a phone interview. I will know in the end of the week if I get invited to a second interview in Switzerland. I also fear that they might see me as someone who is overqualified (again) or searching for a more exiting job, since he specified that it is a back-office job in front of the computer and not so exciting. I am hopeful but not, at the same time. I know I do not have the best suitable experience but I think I have the characteristics they require.

I want it. Pretty please.

Now I wait. I hate waiting.

phone interview

Yeay!

Got a phone interview with EF Education First today! Exciting since I did not really expect a call back but I did. Happy times here in the house. This is a job that, at least according to the job ad, seems really interesting and the company even more.

Cross your fingers please.

sleepless in stockholm

Partying and staying out late has side effects. Like that I have to wake up somewhere else than at home since I cannot get home late at night (but otherwise I have to stay at home and that is not really an option). Like I feel the urge for a fatty, disgusting pizza (and other unhealthy stuff) the day after. Like hangover. Like not getting enough sleep and waking up after only 5-6 hours of sleep. Like being so tired the day after and falling asleep in the middle of the day. Like changes in the daily rhythm caused by the changed sleeping pattern. That side effect has evidently become more longterm. Since I am still awke.

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Sunday, July 25, 2010

a pizza a day...

A little bit of pizza for dinner. And I just realized I had pizza yesterday as well, but then it was a fatty, hangover pizza. Today it was a home made one. Love those pizza kits where you get the ready made pizza dough together with a jar of tomato sauce. Then just add the toppings you want.

























Today I went for one half with pepperoni (although I cannot find any good ones in the store, they are not spicy and tasty enough) and the other half with chopped romantica tomatoes, plenty of fresh basil, and some pesto. Of course topped with plenty of mozzarella, the only cheese I want on a pizza.

debaser

Had a great night out on Friday. Met up some friends for some tapas and wine at a friend's place. Nice evening and then we continued to Debaser for a night out. A great night and really crowded. They had a club this Friday with really good music and we danced the night away. It was quite a long time since I last was out so it was fun to shake it off a bit.

It was as much people outside as inside, really crowded. It was a bit different when I was there last time which was several years ago. The thing I remember from last time was that I was given a large shot of whiskey. Not a fan of whiskey. But this time I only had a beer and a cider.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

no resistance

I am just here, home alone, enjoying a movie and a sweet piece of blueberry crumble. I had promised myself to stay away from sweets but had some problem with the thing called discipline. So the other day I ended up in the kitchen making a blueberry crumble. I love my crumbles.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

taste of summer

Yeah, perhaps a cheesy headline but true. Made another delicious salad for dinner today. A garden salad in its true meaning. Well, at least when it comes to the salad and the herbs. I had forgotten all about the herbs in the previous salads and always remembered it after when I went out to water them.


Lovely fresh herbs from the garden: parsley, oregano, and lemon thyme.
Ingredients: bacon fried crisply, pomegranate, fresh herbs, tomato, fresh red onion, pepper. And then of course some salad also from the garden, and roasted sunflower seeds.
And here it is. Yummy.

such a girl

I felt like such a girl today. I had to buy this thing for the car so I went to a place that supposedly sells them. I walked in with blond hair and in a dress asking for the piece. The guy behind the counter asked what kind of car I had to determine if they have the matching piece. I answered that it is a Mitsubishi. Then he asks what model it is. And I had to answer 'I have no idea' since I do not have a clue. Instead he asks for the car's license number (so he can check what car model it is). Once again I have to answer 'I have no idea'. I really felt like adding 'It is not my car' but did not and just went outside to write down the license number off the car.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

etnografiska museet

Took a trip into town today to meet up with sister. Since we did not really want to spend that much money we went to a museum that has free entrance, Etnografiska museet (Museum of ethnography).




















Some really nice exhibitions and a museum well worth a visit, and not only because it is for free. But the weirdest and creepiest exhibition that made our stomachs twirl and not in a good way. It was an exhibitions (in)human, and showed the history of racial biology and how ethnologist have collected human remains in earlier years. Some things was really upsetting but still interesting to actually have seen. They had real human skeletons, skulls and other things. Two of the most disgusting things was to see a piece of skin with a thick layer of fat that was taken off a woman during a liposuction in 2010. The other thing was to see a baby, a fetus, lying in a jar.




















The more pleasant parts was the some exhibitions of American Indians, Japanese and Africans. Been plenty of touristy things this summer. I like it.

red faced

Yesterday we had a clear blue sky. Fabulous since I wanted to enjoy the sun and was lying outside for hours listening to music. It was great until I noticed I got quite a burn in my face since I kind of fell asleep in the chair. At first I did not think it was that bad. After a few more hours my faced was destroyed. Totally red. I kept putting on lotion to make it feel better and try to avoid future skin falling off my face. But no way to avoid that I guess.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

summery

Sister made me pretty the other day. She cut off a bit of long hair in the neck and then did some practicing with blow-dryer. I am feeling very summery with the blond hair and the tan. I am going to start with some more volume and wavy hair from now on.

nordiska museet

Had a nice day in town today. The town being Stockholm of course. Met up J and we went to Nordiska museet (the Nordic museum) that we had been talking about.


I really liked the exhibitions they had now. Especially Power of fashion - 300 years of clothing, Interiors, Table settings, and Plastic!. I guess it is the interest in design that made me like these exhibitions so much, design of clothes, textiles, furniture etc.


The mix of both old and new was really interesting.


I can really recommend the museum and the current exhibitions.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

keep it simple

I love the simple meals. And now that I have vacation - and hence perhaps some energy to cook - and home alone I can create whatever I feel like.

Today I picked some of mom's romaine lettuce from the garden, together with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and spices. Fried some chorizo, roasted sunflower seeds, and voilà.

Perfect on a summer day.

My delish chorizo salad with sunflower seeds.

home alone

So what do I do now? My three weeks home alone started a few hours ago. The parents are away on vacation and sister moved to her first very own place today. I have been home alone for only a few hours and I am already bored.

No sunshine so I cannot really lie outside enjoying the sun and sweating. Many people are away unable to entertain me, and people are also too far away. I always thought before that being in alone in an apartment is worse than being in a house, because in a house you have space and things to entertain you with. Now I am not so sure anymore. Although I have this pile of books just waiting to be read. Perhaps it is a good time to start with that now.

But until, something, I am watching Sex and the City.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

hot day at home

It was a hot day today and way too hot for work. So I plainly decided to stay at home. Lovely with a job like that. If you even can call it a job. Especially now during these summer weeks when there is almost nobody at the office. Last week there were only two people in the office plus me. Not much work left then for me.

That is also why I am having the last two weeks of July off. There is no one at the office and barely anything to do for anyone. Especially for me since I do not really have any deeper knowledge of how they are working. So it is this week and then two weeks off.

Nice.

ode to the commuter trains in stockholm

Yesterday I ran out of the hot office to get home and relax and perhaps cool off a bit. I walked fast to catch the train only to discover that it was delayed five minutes. The train was already at the platform so I stepped on it. Only to be hit by lovely 30 to 35 degrees heat inside the train. Apparently the air conditioner was out of work on the train so we could enjoy the heat, sweating by doing nothing feels great. At least I had a minute to buy a cooling popsicle.






















To add to that the train kept becoming delayed, first five minutes, then ten minutes, fifteen minutes, twenty minutes: more time to enjoy the humid heat on the train. Then another train came to bring us home. We were lucky to get one of the old trains that had been standing out in the sun and has no air conditioner. Lovely.

After two stations I jumped of the hot train and caught the next train only a minute behind. A new train with air conditioner.

Monday, July 12, 2010

no more work

I am melting away at the office. As said before, I do not mind the heat at all but perhaps with the exception at the office. With no air conditioner at the office my brain is just shuting down. And I have also gotten a bit of a headache. From the heat or something else I do not know. Been drinking water but perhaps not enough.

But now it is enouch. I am leaving.

Home is calling.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

bikini day

Waking up to 33 degrees Celsius today. That cannot mean anything else than walking around in a bikini all day. Hot outside, hot inside. The only thing you can do is lie down. Anything else is just exhausting or makes you sticky.

How fabulous it is going to be at work tomorrow if this continues. We have no air conditioner.

But I am not complaining. I prefer 33 degrees of winter and snow any day.

I just hope it cools just a little bit now in the evening since I have to go to bed early for work tomorrow. 

Saturday, July 10, 2010

the marathon continues

























So after a day in the sun, tanning and stuff in the hot weather, I am lying here in my bed. Because it is just to hot to do something else. I wish I could open the window but I hate all the bugs and nightly creatures that comes in.

Lying in my bed, watching Sex and the City. I had a break but picked it up again and I am now on season five. Unfortunately, since that means only one season left. Need to pick out another show for rerun after that.

Now I am just avoiding to sweat. But I am not complaining.

Friday, July 9, 2010

#1000

This is post number 1 000 in this blog. It has become a few posts over the years. And still going strong. Well, perhaps not strong the last month but I am still here.

And of course it is well over a thousand posts counting in the previous two blogs.

Crazy.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

pre-moving

Helped sweet sister pre-move today. It is one week until the actual moving date but we stuffed in all of her things in the basement. So soon it will only be me here. But hopefully I will get a job soon so I also can get my own place.


call back

I got a call back for a second interview. So yesterday I went to the company's office and met the boss and a HR girl. It went well, I got a presentation of the company as well as the job position. The interview was a little bit unstructured but I tried to present myself in the best way possible. But it felt good.

But then they said one of the things you do not want to hear in an interview, from my CV they questioned if I might be over qualified and asked me what I thought about that. I just that I would not mind, if it is a good company and also possibilities to develop I am still interested.

With that still in my head I headed to the train when the interview was over but stopped at Chokladfabriken (Chocolate factory) to by myself some pralines. I thought I deserved it.