Monday, February 28, 2011

the suit

Took out my suit from the wardrobe today where it has been collecting dust. I bought it in 2008 for my second and third interview with Maersk. Those two occations are the only times the suit have been allowed out into the fresh air. I am not really a suit person, I just do not feel comfortable with it.

So here I am now, going for an assessment day for a 'suit company' (at least that was the impression for my first interview there) so that is why the suit have come out to breathe once again.

It is ironic though, I found a receipt in the jacket pocket from Burger King. It is where me and my suit ate lunch on June 30th 2008 at Copenhagen airport after my final interview with Maersk. On June 30th 2009, exactly one year later, my boss called me into an office and let me go. (For funsies I looked into what I did June 30th 2010, I was on an interview in Stockholm (they picked another girl over me)).

It brought me luck then (one could pretend) as I did get the job, perhaps it will tomorrow. Or luck, it brought me to a job I ended up resenting but that is not the suits fault.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

frameworks all day long

Been kind of busy the last few days. I have not even had time to change manicure since Monday (which I usually have done every day). Although I did find some time today to paint my nails in a great bright, neon, orange color that makes you happy and longing for spring.

So the last few days I have done something that feels a little bit more useful than switching manicure every day. I have been preparing for my assessment day with Ernst & Young next week. I am not nervous for it (at least not yet...), the tests (SHL) I feel quite comfortable with as I have always done well on tests. However, even though I am good at math I had trouble with the numerical test, mainly I think because of the time constraint and the I have not dealt with math in quite some time.

The thing I have studying and reading up on the most is for the case. I have never ever done case work in interviews and never even at school. I have been reading up on anything I could find to prepare myself for a case situation. Like different frameworks to use solving a case, profitability framework, business situation framework, SWOT-analysis, Porter's Five Forces etc. Nothing of this I had at school but I recognize it, now I just need to memorize it all. Easy peasy...

Right now what I dread the most is estimation questions. I just need to practice on those and the mechanics of it all. It is probably all easy when you know how to think, but my problem is that I like preparation and have difficulties with those on-the-spot analytical questions. I got a such a questions once that I totally bombed. I just froze and my brain went blank. I did not know where to start. 'How many web pages are there in Sweden?'

Friday, February 25, 2011

creole revisited

Some week, or two, ago I did the Creole casserole again. Definitely a favorite. Although this time we switched the pork tenderloin to chicken instead and I actually preferred that. I will stick with chicken from now on.

I also baked some bread with shredded carrots and sunflower seeds, really easy when you just pour it onto a baking sheet. Freshly baked bread with butter is probably one of the most delicious things.

Creole casserole

Carrot bread with sunflower seeds

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

color club to sweden please

Hopefully we will have a new nail polish brand in Sweden soon. Perhaps you can find it already at some places already but mostly you have to buy them online if you want them.

Mom came home the other day with three nail polishes from the brand Color Club. The company that produces those nail polishes had a conference at the hotel where she works and they left some bottles of polish! Of course she could not really bring home one of each (although I wish) but I got three pretty colors. Always fun with nail polish for free! (Especially since I am on a no-buying-policy at the moment.)

Start selling Color Club nail polish in Sweden soon! And at a fair price and not like China Glaze and OPI prices.

Color Club - Mrs Robinson, Peppermint Twist, Koo-Koo Cachoo

Sunday, February 20, 2011

taxi

Not much at all has been going around here today this lazy Sunday. After a late breakfast I started to read a book that was lying on a table downstairs. I sat down in the armchair by the fire place and started reading. I continued reading until dinner and by then I only had a few pages left. So that is how I spent most of the day.

A book by Alexandra Pascalidou about taxi drivers she have me all over the world and their stories. Really interesting. I liked it.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

a no go

I was right in my prediction. When they tell you they will get back to you within a week or two and that week passes then it is fairly certain they chose someone else over you. It has happened a few times now so I am getting to know the signs.

But that I have to make a call to them to drag the answer out of them. Not so cool.

Apparently they went with someone who had experience from banking, at least it is a fair explanation (yeah, I think I will always keep coming back to that). The competition was quite tough as they received more than 100 applications and I was one of ten that they called for interview. I guess I should be happy that I was one of the ten.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

scotch tape manicure #4 and more

I have had some fun doing some nail art recently. A little bit of stamping, dotting and scotch tape manicures. I am in love with all these three manicures. Here is where the pottering and the creative side get its outlet.

Another scotch tape manicure with some H&M - Dashing Diva (which I had on almost a whole summer the year it came out) and some black and white stripes. I adore this manicure! I got inspiration from Lacquerized and Wah Nails (where plenty more inspiration will come from).

Some H&M - Dashing Diva (a favorite) and some black & white.

Here we have some half and half with leopard print stamped on. A more subtle manicure compared to the others but I still love it. Inspiration from nnysworld.

 IsaDora - Ashes to ashes and Combat khaki and some stamping.

Bright and pretty yellow with a fun pattern that I got inspired by at The Daily Nail. Really simple manicure made only by making dots (with my dotting tool) of black and then with a variety of colors on top.

China Glaze - Lemon fizz and a whole bunch of colors.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

gimme

That interview that I thought went so well might not have gone so well. At least that is my feeling for every day that passes now. He said I should hear from them at the beginning of last week. Yesterday I sent him an email wondering 'what's up' and now I damn myself for taking the easy way out and not dialing those digits instead.

For every day that passes it is more and more likely that they have chosen other candidates for a second interview. That they are just waiting for one of them to accept the offer so they can send out rejection emails to the rest of the poor bastards still hoping until the very end.

Bitter? No, why would you think that?

Sunday, February 13, 2011

job update

It is going in the right direction. It feels good. At the moment I am in three different job processes and waiting replies from two and the third one I have an assessment day booked in for. For one of the jobs I should have heard something this week but no news so far so I am going to call them on Monday to nag a bit and see where it is heading. That interview went so well (at least in my opinion) so I am hoping for some good news and a call back. It is my time now.

The other job is also very interesting but unfortunately only temporary for one year and I would be hired by this recruitment firm and therefore the salary is not so great either. Which is not really optimal but at least the job seems interesting and if I would end up getting it, it is not really that I can afford declining it just because of the money.

Monday, February 7, 2011

i reject your reality and substitute my own

That is the quote of the day (or week).

Been watching a lot of MythBusters lately.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

stamping

Finally had some fun with my Konad nail stamping stuff. It is so easy and fun to get all kinds of pretty nails. It might look more difficult than it really is.


Orly - Shine.

Then the lovely color of OPI - From A to Z-urich.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

cooking, dessert, and polish

Among my favorite things. 

Sis came over today and of course we had to have a nice dinner as it is her birthday! We made a really nice dinner with home made pasta, ravioli filled basil and four different cheeses (ricotta, parmesan, aged cheddar, and a bit of feta), together with home made tomato sauce (of course) and a cheese/cream sauce. Really delicious. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture. But I definitely have to try making more home made pasta, it is so easy!

Of course I also made a delicious dessert. A chocolate fondant, a chocolate cake with a runny inside. Served warm with warm raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. Recipe found at the ever inspiring Swedish blog Kalasgott (just look at all the yummy pictures). Luckily there are several left so I will have one or two for tomorrow. Unluckily I did not get a yummy picture of the runny inside.

Chocolate fondant.

Happy birthday sis!

And of course I had some gorgeous nails. A gorgeous green glitter polish from NYX.

NYX - Lime.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

what a wake up call

Do not think I told the story of last fall and my worst wake up call ever. It happened again early this morning. There was someone else waking up really early this morning making so much noise so it woke me up. That does not sound like being a worst wake up call ever you might think. Here's the thing, that someone woke up rambling around in my WALL.

This time I was not as freaked out as last time but it is incredibly annoying as it was impossible for me to fall asleep again when that someone was still moving around in there. The first time it happened last fall I got really freaked out as it moved around under my floor right where the head of the bed is located. I tried hitting the floor with my fist to make it stop and go away, but no. It sounded just like it was running around under my bed, and I was even worried that he would come out and gnaw on my clothes lying all over the floor at that time (it worried me so much that I started cleaning my room the next day, even though I know it would not do that).

This time it was a little bit worse as it was in the wall, still right at the head of my bed. But as it is in the wall I could hear it so much louder. Truly the worst wake up call. Can the spring come now so that the things can go outside?

Damn those mice.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

"christmas tree"

In between this nail frenzy I thought to show you something completely different. Our Christmas tree of last year (since it is 2011 now). We have never actually had a real spruce in the house at any time. The only thing we have had resembling a Christmas tree in this house is some sort of non-look-alike Christmas tree made of plastic. Just because we have not spent so many Christmases in our own house.

So this is the Christmas tree of this season. I actually thought it was quite cozy. Not really Christmasy, but that is how we do it in this family anyway.

scotch tape manicure #3

This is last nights work. Another scotch tape manicure on the absolutely adorable new color of Depend, a turquoise with silver shimmer. This is where my creative side get its outlet these days.

Absolutely love this color! Depend - #227.

Then the scotch tape manicure with LA Girl - Graphite.