Greetings from the other side.
Halloween is now upon us. Everywhere you look online there have been Halloween sales going on for he past week or two, and 'spooky' images and images of pumpkins carved in various ways have been popping up everywhere. I have to confess though I have never been that much into Halloween. I guess it is because it wasn't really a part of my childhood as such, I didn't really grow up trick-or-treating, and I don't really remember it being a 'thing' in general where I grew up until I was too old to really go trick-or-treating, etc. I get the idea behind it and the draw of it, but I just don't really feel very much about it when it comes down to it. I do think that I am probably a minority in that these days, which is fine. I don't mind Halloween as I think it is probably a fun holiday for kids, and grown-ups get a chance to be creative with their decorations. :)
I realize that I might sound like a really boring person, but hopefully I made it clear that I don't mind Halloween. All I am saying is that it isn't something that I grew up with so it doesn't really hold any special place in my heart. I can understand why others enjoy it though, but it has never been a big part of my life.
The sky is blue outside the windows for the second day running. It is beautiful. The air is cold and crisp as well. :) I really wish my knee was well so I could go out for a walk, but in the long run it is probably best that I stay inside and rest it until it is well again. I hope that will be soon because after something like four weeks I am getting a bit tired of it being like this. Granted, it has been better at times and worse at times, so it hasn't been all bad all the time. Which I am happy for. I just wish that it would go to being good ALL the time soon so I could start doing the things I want to do again, and help out more around the house and everything that goes into that.
Winter tires are finally on the car now, thanks to my father-in-law. I would have done it myself but because of my knee I really couldn't. He was also with me yesterday when I was working at a memorial service to help me out so I wouldn't strain my knee more than necessary. I am really thankful to him for that, and so is my knee. The knee was sore afterwards, but not as sore as it could have been. When we were driving there it was actually a bit slippery out on the roadway, and at one point the tires spun a bit. It wasn't too bad though, and we got there in one piece without any scares. I guess winter is on its way now. I have been told by a couple of people that they are expecting this winter to be really cold and bad. What I guess in Sweden we would call a 'varga vinter' (wolf's winter). We will see though. I remember last time I saw someone promise a "varga vinter" (the newspapers that time), while I was still living back home in Sweden, it turned out to be a really mild winter instead.
I think that's all for now. Time for me to go stretch my legs a bit. Need to still keep moving my legs from time to time so the knee doesn't get too stiff. I just need to be careful when I do it.
See you all on the other side!
söndag 30 oktober 2016
torsdag 27 oktober 2016
The last couple of days - An update
Greetings from the other side.
Yesterday was the final work-day for me this week. At least going on my regular 60% schedule. I also have some extra work on Saturday. Which is good, because every little bit helps, really. :) I have gotten a lot of work done this week however, so it should be ok even if I don't work today or tomorrow.
I visited a naprapath ('naprapat' in Swedish. I translated it via Google. Though it seems about the same as a chiropractor.) today about my knee. I figured that since I have already seen a doctor about it and it hasn't gotten well yet I might as well try other options as well. I really don't have anything to loose. Hopefully the treatment he gave me will help, though I have been ordered a few days rest for the knee to allow the swelling to go down so I won't really know until after a few days. He also gave me some light exercises to help strengthen the muscles around my knee. Wish me luck!
I was thinking of not working Saturday to allow my knee to heal up better, but my father-in-law has promised to help me out, and it isn't as physically demanding as my regular job can be, so I should be fine as long as I take it easy and remember to rest when I can. I am lucky, and thankful, that he is able to come help me out though.
This evening my girlfriend and I are going, together with her parents, to go practicing with a temporary choir, that has been put together for one performance in church on All Saint's Day (Alla helgons dag), also known as All Hallow's Day according to Wikipedia. Luckily for my knee we will be sitting down the entire time, or most of the time at least. :)
Yesterday I spent some time practicing my map-making again. I am quite enjoying it. :) I have not had the time to do so today yet, but I might do it again this evening. It feels good to be back working on it again, as I have been feeling it is something I need to do for my continued world-building exercises.
Time for me to go get ready for this evening's choir practice.
See you all on the other side!
Yesterday was the final work-day for me this week. At least going on my regular 60% schedule. I also have some extra work on Saturday. Which is good, because every little bit helps, really. :) I have gotten a lot of work done this week however, so it should be ok even if I don't work today or tomorrow.
I visited a naprapath ('naprapat' in Swedish. I translated it via Google. Though it seems about the same as a chiropractor.) today about my knee. I figured that since I have already seen a doctor about it and it hasn't gotten well yet I might as well try other options as well. I really don't have anything to loose. Hopefully the treatment he gave me will help, though I have been ordered a few days rest for the knee to allow the swelling to go down so I won't really know until after a few days. He also gave me some light exercises to help strengthen the muscles around my knee. Wish me luck!
I was thinking of not working Saturday to allow my knee to heal up better, but my father-in-law has promised to help me out, and it isn't as physically demanding as my regular job can be, so I should be fine as long as I take it easy and remember to rest when I can. I am lucky, and thankful, that he is able to come help me out though.
This evening my girlfriend and I are going, together with her parents, to go practicing with a temporary choir, that has been put together for one performance in church on All Saint's Day (Alla helgons dag), also known as All Hallow's Day according to Wikipedia. Luckily for my knee we will be sitting down the entire time, or most of the time at least. :)
Yesterday I spent some time practicing my map-making again. I am quite enjoying it. :) I have not had the time to do so today yet, but I might do it again this evening. It feels good to be back working on it again, as I have been feeling it is something I need to do for my continued world-building exercises.
Time for me to go get ready for this evening's choir practice.
See you all on the other side!
tisdag 25 oktober 2016
A visit from my parents
Greetings from the other side.
It's been a busy few days with my parents visiting. It's been good to see them again for the first time since my move here almost 3 months ago. It is also a bit of a strange feeling, having guests in the house for the very first time. As we were setting things up for their arrival we noticed little details that we hadn't thought of before, such as the need for a couple of not-so-wide mattresses for the sofa-bed. In the end we were able to sort it all out though.
My parents brought with them some more pieces of my furniture that I had to leave behind in Sweden in the original move over. It is good to have them here now. The book-case needs a fresh coat of paint, but aside from that there's really not that much that needs doing with the furniture besides deciding where to put them. My guess is that most of it will be going upstairs, as we are starting to run out of room in the downstairs apartment. Not that it is cluttered with furniture, etc, everywhere or anything like that, but more that in order to prevent it getting too cluttered it is better to put it upstairs instead where there are more spaces to put them. We shall see.
I also got my winter tires over, which is a good thing. :)
It was great having my parents over for a visit, but it was also a bit exhausting entertaining guests for 4 days straight. Now, it may not sound like much to some, but neither my girlfriend nor I are used to having people staying over for that long. My parents did their best to help though and they were good guests. My girlfriend had it a bit rougher than I did as she was having trouble sleeping. Though those problems started before my parents arrived. My father-in-law was kind enough to drive them, and me as I tagged along, around to different places so they could play tourists a bit and see the different sights. I would have done it, but I have not really learned to find my way to all these different places yet, so I am glad he was able to help. It also gave my girlfriend a chance to lie down and rest while we were away.
We also celebrated our engagement together with my parents while they were here, and they brought with them engagement presents (and a couple of birthday presents) from family back home in Sweden.
My girlfriend and I are planning on trying to go over to Sweden for a visit some time before Christmas if we can. Looking forward to meeting up with some family and friends in Holmsund and Umeå when we do. :)
See you all on the other side!
It's been a busy few days with my parents visiting. It's been good to see them again for the first time since my move here almost 3 months ago. It is also a bit of a strange feeling, having guests in the house for the very first time. As we were setting things up for their arrival we noticed little details that we hadn't thought of before, such as the need for a couple of not-so-wide mattresses for the sofa-bed. In the end we were able to sort it all out though.
My parents brought with them some more pieces of my furniture that I had to leave behind in Sweden in the original move over. It is good to have them here now. The book-case needs a fresh coat of paint, but aside from that there's really not that much that needs doing with the furniture besides deciding where to put them. My guess is that most of it will be going upstairs, as we are starting to run out of room in the downstairs apartment. Not that it is cluttered with furniture, etc, everywhere or anything like that, but more that in order to prevent it getting too cluttered it is better to put it upstairs instead where there are more spaces to put them. We shall see.
I also got my winter tires over, which is a good thing. :)
It was great having my parents over for a visit, but it was also a bit exhausting entertaining guests for 4 days straight. Now, it may not sound like much to some, but neither my girlfriend nor I are used to having people staying over for that long. My parents did their best to help though and they were good guests. My girlfriend had it a bit rougher than I did as she was having trouble sleeping. Though those problems started before my parents arrived. My father-in-law was kind enough to drive them, and me as I tagged along, around to different places so they could play tourists a bit and see the different sights. I would have done it, but I have not really learned to find my way to all these different places yet, so I am glad he was able to help. It also gave my girlfriend a chance to lie down and rest while we were away.
We also celebrated our engagement together with my parents while they were here, and they brought with them engagement presents (and a couple of birthday presents) from family back home in Sweden.
My girlfriend and I are planning on trying to go over to Sweden for a visit some time before Christmas if we can. Looking forward to meeting up with some family and friends in Holmsund and Umeå when we do. :)
See you all on the other side!
torsdag 20 oktober 2016
A nice day & some thoughts
Greetings from the other side.
Today is the day my parents arrive for a visit from Sweden. Not sure what effect that will have on my blogging in the next few days, but if I have time I will try to post something at least.
It's been a busy but very good day so far. I had a really good day at work and got to spend the time there with some wonderful and kind people. :) After work we have been cleaning the house and getting everything ready for my parents arrival tonight. They will be bringing a few things over from Sweden for me. Things such as the winter tires for my car, a book case, and a few other pieces of furniture. Though I can honestly, at the time of writing this, not quite remember what it all was. Oh well, I will be reminded soon enough.
It has been a beautiful autumn day outside today. The sky is finally blue again after a few days of thick cloud cover, there's been very little wind and the outside air has felt crisp and cool. Today would have really been a perfect day for a long walk, if we had had the time to do so. Granted, I should probably rest my knee a bit when I am not working as well, to give it as much recovery as I can, so going for a walk might still have been out of question anyway.
Things have now calmed down in the house, and now we are just settling down to relax while we wait to go pick up my parents at the ferry terminal. 4½ hours worth of boat ride can be quite boring at times. Trust me, I know from experience. Though that can vary quite a lot. Some times it feels like the minutes are crawling by, and other times it actually goes by relatively quickly. I am fairly glad that my girlfriend and I don't have to make that journey every time we want to see each other anymore. It was well worth it at the time though, but it is nice to have reached another stage in our lives together, and not having to be apart like that anymore.
My old choir is performing in my old church this evening at a fair trade-themed music café that is being held there. I really wish I could go and listen to them, and meet my old friends. Unfortunately that is not possible, but I wish them all the best.
That's it for me for this time.
See you all on the other side!
Today is the day my parents arrive for a visit from Sweden. Not sure what effect that will have on my blogging in the next few days, but if I have time I will try to post something at least.
It's been a busy but very good day so far. I had a really good day at work and got to spend the time there with some wonderful and kind people. :) After work we have been cleaning the house and getting everything ready for my parents arrival tonight. They will be bringing a few things over from Sweden for me. Things such as the winter tires for my car, a book case, and a few other pieces of furniture. Though I can honestly, at the time of writing this, not quite remember what it all was. Oh well, I will be reminded soon enough.
It has been a beautiful autumn day outside today. The sky is finally blue again after a few days of thick cloud cover, there's been very little wind and the outside air has felt crisp and cool. Today would have really been a perfect day for a long walk, if we had had the time to do so. Granted, I should probably rest my knee a bit when I am not working as well, to give it as much recovery as I can, so going for a walk might still have been out of question anyway.
Things have now calmed down in the house, and now we are just settling down to relax while we wait to go pick up my parents at the ferry terminal. 4½ hours worth of boat ride can be quite boring at times. Trust me, I know from experience. Though that can vary quite a lot. Some times it feels like the minutes are crawling by, and other times it actually goes by relatively quickly. I am fairly glad that my girlfriend and I don't have to make that journey every time we want to see each other anymore. It was well worth it at the time though, but it is nice to have reached another stage in our lives together, and not having to be apart like that anymore.
My old choir is performing in my old church this evening at a fair trade-themed music café that is being held there. I really wish I could go and listen to them, and meet my old friends. Unfortunately that is not possible, but I wish them all the best.
That's it for me for this time.
See you all on the other side!
onsdag 19 oktober 2016
Sleepless night & busy day
Greetings from the other side.
I didn't sleep very well last night. First I couldn't sleep at all and found myself getting a bit frustrated about it. I am normally a person who will fall asleep fairly quickly, but last night I just couldn't. Honestly I have no idea why either. Once I had finally managed to fall asleep I was plagued by nightmares. I wish I could remember them, but I can't. I just know that I had them. Unfortunately my girlfriend didn't sleep too well last night either, so we are both a bit out of it today. She probably a bit more than me, unfortunately. Hopefully we will both be sleeping better tonight. Especially since we need to pick up my parents at the ferry terminal when they arrive from Sweden at 11:30 pm local time. My girlfriend isn't much of a night owl, so normally she would be in bed by that time, but I need her to guide me to the ferry as I have only driven there once, or rather from there, as it was when I arrived here in Finland 2½ months ago and we drove from the terminal to where we now live. Since then I have learned to find my way to various places, but I have not had a reason to drive to the ferry yet, so it's at times like this that I get a chance to learn.
In preparation for their arrival we have been shopping for groceries and other things today. It is amazing how much stuff you need to feed 4 people for 4 days, and then also enough stuff to last us after they have gone back home again until we go shopping again at the end of next week. It feels good to have it done though.
I have found a couple of apps for my cell phone now that I can use to help me learn some Finnish words. I am not expecting any miracles though, and I know they will only teach me words. Grammar and actually forming sentences beyond very simple ones like "My name is...." and ""How are you?" is probably beyond the scope and capabilities of these apps. They are better than nothing though, and hopefully over time I will at least be able to learn to understand some of what is said to me. It is an interesting challenge, I think. Especially since Finnish is so different from any other language I have studied in the past. My previous languages being (apart from Swedish, because that is my native tongue), English, German, Icelandic and Japanese. As far as German goes, I understand it pretty well, but it has been years since I had any training in speaking it so my ability to find the words and forming sentences will most likely be very rusty. As for Icelandic and Japanese I only studied that for a short while and haven't really been using them since, so beyond a few words I wouldn't expect much.
See you all on the other side!
I didn't sleep very well last night. First I couldn't sleep at all and found myself getting a bit frustrated about it. I am normally a person who will fall asleep fairly quickly, but last night I just couldn't. Honestly I have no idea why either. Once I had finally managed to fall asleep I was plagued by nightmares. I wish I could remember them, but I can't. I just know that I had them. Unfortunately my girlfriend didn't sleep too well last night either, so we are both a bit out of it today. She probably a bit more than me, unfortunately. Hopefully we will both be sleeping better tonight. Especially since we need to pick up my parents at the ferry terminal when they arrive from Sweden at 11:30 pm local time. My girlfriend isn't much of a night owl, so normally she would be in bed by that time, but I need her to guide me to the ferry as I have only driven there once, or rather from there, as it was when I arrived here in Finland 2½ months ago and we drove from the terminal to where we now live. Since then I have learned to find my way to various places, but I have not had a reason to drive to the ferry yet, so it's at times like this that I get a chance to learn.
In preparation for their arrival we have been shopping for groceries and other things today. It is amazing how much stuff you need to feed 4 people for 4 days, and then also enough stuff to last us after they have gone back home again until we go shopping again at the end of next week. It feels good to have it done though.
I have found a couple of apps for my cell phone now that I can use to help me learn some Finnish words. I am not expecting any miracles though, and I know they will only teach me words. Grammar and actually forming sentences beyond very simple ones like "My name is...." and ""How are you?" is probably beyond the scope and capabilities of these apps. They are better than nothing though, and hopefully over time I will at least be able to learn to understand some of what is said to me. It is an interesting challenge, I think. Especially since Finnish is so different from any other language I have studied in the past. My previous languages being (apart from Swedish, because that is my native tongue), English, German, Icelandic and Japanese. As far as German goes, I understand it pretty well, but it has been years since I had any training in speaking it so my ability to find the words and forming sentences will most likely be very rusty. As for Icelandic and Japanese I only studied that for a short while and haven't really been using them since, so beyond a few words I wouldn't expect much.
See you all on the other side!
tisdag 18 oktober 2016
Autumnal reflections & the day after before
Greetings from the other side.
This might have to be another short one. Brain is still a bit fried.
Today kinda feels a bit like 'the day after'. The day after my first day back at work. The day after my birthday. It is also the first day of being one year older. Another day closer to my parents coming to visit. All in all though, it has been a good day. I was able to get a lot of things done today at work that needed to be done and, as has started becoming the norm over here now, I have met and talked to some more really nice people.
The sky is still cloudy outside, and there is that autumnal chill in the air that kind of tells you that winter is around the corner. The leaves are falling from the trees and gathering in great, big carpets of red and yellow on the ground. Autumn is a very beautiful season. It is a great time for stopping, taking in a deep breath of cold autumn air, and look at the beautiful scenery. Sadly the autumn has claimed many leaves from the trees now, and some of them stand almost completely barren at this point. At least where I live. At the same time there are other trees who still have almost all of their leaves remaining, some even carrying some green leaves still.
There is something meditative about this time of year. Looking at the colours and feeling the crisp, cold air, can really spark your creative side to life. It can also be calming and soothing for the mind, and the soul. It is as if you are given one last vibrant display before winter comes.
There is something almost magical about autumn, I think. It is filled with vibrant colours, and that silence that feels so typical of both autumn and winter. As if nature itself is going to sleep, in dreaming slumber waiting for spring to arrive once more. Every season has its charms, I think. :)
See you all on the other side!
This might have to be another short one. Brain is still a bit fried.
Today kinda feels a bit like 'the day after'. The day after my first day back at work. The day after my birthday. It is also the first day of being one year older. Another day closer to my parents coming to visit. All in all though, it has been a good day. I was able to get a lot of things done today at work that needed to be done and, as has started becoming the norm over here now, I have met and talked to some more really nice people.
The sky is still cloudy outside, and there is that autumnal chill in the air that kind of tells you that winter is around the corner. The leaves are falling from the trees and gathering in great, big carpets of red and yellow on the ground. Autumn is a very beautiful season. It is a great time for stopping, taking in a deep breath of cold autumn air, and look at the beautiful scenery. Sadly the autumn has claimed many leaves from the trees now, and some of them stand almost completely barren at this point. At least where I live. At the same time there are other trees who still have almost all of their leaves remaining, some even carrying some green leaves still.
There is something meditative about this time of year. Looking at the colours and feeling the crisp, cold air, can really spark your creative side to life. It can also be calming and soothing for the mind, and the soul. It is as if you are given one last vibrant display before winter comes.
There is something almost magical about autumn, I think. It is filled with vibrant colours, and that silence that feels so typical of both autumn and winter. As if nature itself is going to sleep, in dreaming slumber waiting for spring to arrive once more. Every season has its charms, I think. :)
See you all on the other side!
måndag 17 oktober 2016
A special day
Greetings from the other side.
This will be a fairly short post. It has been a wonderful day, but also a long day, so I'm a bit tired.
Today has been a busy day for me, but also a day filled with good feelings.
It was the first day back at work having been on sick-leave last week due to my knee. Lots of things to do this week, but got off to a good start. The weather didn't quite cooperate, being a bit windy and chilly with cloud cover so you didn't really see the sun or the sky much, but it was ok anyway. It felt good being back, and good to be working and doing something again. I think this past week of immobility made it a pure joy to be able to do stuff again. I've really missed it. The knee still feels a bit tender and stiff, but I am able to work and do all that stuff as long as I am a bit careful. It hasn't gotten worse from working today, which is positive. Today went fine, so now I am resting my leg for another day of work tomorrow.
Today is also my birthday, and we've had guests over for dinner and coffee. It was really nice and everyone was in good spirits. It is always a pleasure spending time with my girlfriend's parents and siblings and their families. They are all so easy to get along with, honest and really good people. My girlfriend had made a ham and cheese pie for dinner, and then a healthy version (raw food) of a mars-bar cake, which was delicious. :) I am blessed to have her in my life, and she truly helped make this day a special one.
See you all on the other side!
This will be a fairly short post. It has been a wonderful day, but also a long day, so I'm a bit tired.
Today has been a busy day for me, but also a day filled with good feelings.
It was the first day back at work having been on sick-leave last week due to my knee. Lots of things to do this week, but got off to a good start. The weather didn't quite cooperate, being a bit windy and chilly with cloud cover so you didn't really see the sun or the sky much, but it was ok anyway. It felt good being back, and good to be working and doing something again. I think this past week of immobility made it a pure joy to be able to do stuff again. I've really missed it. The knee still feels a bit tender and stiff, but I am able to work and do all that stuff as long as I am a bit careful. It hasn't gotten worse from working today, which is positive. Today went fine, so now I am resting my leg for another day of work tomorrow.
Today is also my birthday, and we've had guests over for dinner and coffee. It was really nice and everyone was in good spirits. It is always a pleasure spending time with my girlfriend's parents and siblings and their families. They are all so easy to get along with, honest and really good people. My girlfriend had made a ham and cheese pie for dinner, and then a healthy version (raw food) of a mars-bar cake, which was delicious. :) I am blessed to have her in my life, and she truly helped make this day a special one.
See you all on the other side!
söndag 16 oktober 2016
An eventful weekend
Greetings from the other side.
This has been a fairly eventful weekend, but also a weekend filled with a lot of joy, music, good food and good people.
Yesterday my girlfriend and I went together with her parents to sing with a choir that they are in. It was my first time rehearsing with this choir, so I was a bit nervous. However I soon felt right at home. Everyone was incredibly nice and friendly, and there were a lot of familiar faces there as well, including some other members of my girlfriend's family, such as both her siblings and their spouses. It was a good feeling being back singing with a choir again. Though I admit it was a bit of a tough start. One afternoon to practice 8 new songs and then performing them in church after dinner. Luckily, being part of a choir you can hide a little bit, but I think I did alright anyway and didn't need to 'fake it' almost any. We also had a very energetic choir leader who was smiling the entire way through and did her best to spread positive energy to us all. Besides her, My girlfriend's brother was also playing the piano for us when we were singing in church. I have to say he is a really great pianist, and it was a joy hearing him play. We could probably not have sung a single song, and the church would still have been filled with wonderful music from his playing.
All in all it was a very positive experience and I am looking forward to next time we meet. :) Unfortunately it seems that this choir only meet up once a month, or every other month, or something like that. I am not entirely sure.
I have missed being in a choir and singing. I used to be part of a choir back home in Umeå called Cantare. I had roughly 3 years with them, and it was nothing but a joy. :) Though that choir met and practiced once a week, so with this new choir I am probably going to need to do more practicing at home instead.
Today we have just gotten back home from fist visiting church and then the church hall. There were a lot of people there today as they had some visitors from abroad. All in all it has been a nice day. I love meeting new people and so far everyone I have met here in Finland have been nice and friendly. My girlfriend was also scheduled to sing today, which she did really well. She had her brother playing the piano as she sang as well.
We are still getting people come up to us to congratulate us on our engagement, which is nice. People seem truly happy for us, and we are very happy for that.
Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week, and I return to work once again. I will probably take it easy in the beginning and see how my knee responds, but it should be alright. It feels good to be back to being able to do things again. Having an injured knee really hampers your ability to do things.
See you all on the other side!
This has been a fairly eventful weekend, but also a weekend filled with a lot of joy, music, good food and good people.
Yesterday my girlfriend and I went together with her parents to sing with a choir that they are in. It was my first time rehearsing with this choir, so I was a bit nervous. However I soon felt right at home. Everyone was incredibly nice and friendly, and there were a lot of familiar faces there as well, including some other members of my girlfriend's family, such as both her siblings and their spouses. It was a good feeling being back singing with a choir again. Though I admit it was a bit of a tough start. One afternoon to practice 8 new songs and then performing them in church after dinner. Luckily, being part of a choir you can hide a little bit, but I think I did alright anyway and didn't need to 'fake it' almost any. We also had a very energetic choir leader who was smiling the entire way through and did her best to spread positive energy to us all. Besides her, My girlfriend's brother was also playing the piano for us when we were singing in church. I have to say he is a really great pianist, and it was a joy hearing him play. We could probably not have sung a single song, and the church would still have been filled with wonderful music from his playing.
All in all it was a very positive experience and I am looking forward to next time we meet. :) Unfortunately it seems that this choir only meet up once a month, or every other month, or something like that. I am not entirely sure.
I have missed being in a choir and singing. I used to be part of a choir back home in Umeå called Cantare. I had roughly 3 years with them, and it was nothing but a joy. :) Though that choir met and practiced once a week, so with this new choir I am probably going to need to do more practicing at home instead.
Today we have just gotten back home from fist visiting church and then the church hall. There were a lot of people there today as they had some visitors from abroad. All in all it has been a nice day. I love meeting new people and so far everyone I have met here in Finland have been nice and friendly. My girlfriend was also scheduled to sing today, which she did really well. She had her brother playing the piano as she sang as well.
We are still getting people come up to us to congratulate us on our engagement, which is nice. People seem truly happy for us, and we are very happy for that.
Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week, and I return to work once again. I will probably take it easy in the beginning and see how my knee responds, but it should be alright. It feels good to be back to being able to do things again. Having an injured knee really hampers your ability to do things.
See you all on the other side!
fredag 14 oktober 2016
The passage of time
Greetings from the other side.
Another week has almost passed now. Where did it really go? Time seems to fly by ever since I moved here. I can't believe it has already been almost 2½ months since I moved from Sweden to Finland. I guess the fact that time is flying by rather than slowly trudging along is some form of proof that I am happy here and enjoying myself though. In all honesty I am happy here. I have job that I like, a wonderful fiancee, good people around me, and Finland is a nice country. Just two years ago I would never had thought that I would be where I am today. Since then I have moved country, gotten a job there, and gotten engaged to be married to a wonderful woman, to name just a few things. Life, and God, works in mysterious ways some times. You can never fully know what life will throw at you next. Though I suppose that is part of what makes life interesting as well. Imagine if we knew all the things that would happen to us in our lives. Wouldn't that be boring? And somewhat scary as well? Imagine knowing when you were going to die, and how it would happen? Or knowing in advance of a serious accident you would be in - also knowing that there was nothing you could do to change or prevent it? I wouldn't want to know anything like that.
My parents will be coming over for a visit next weekend. Looking forward to that. They will also be bringing with them my winter tires, which will probably be needed soon. This will be their first time visiting us here since my move, so it will hopefully be nice for them to see where I live and what it is like here. :)
My knee is feeling much better now, which is a HUGE positive in my life right now. It isn't fully well yet, but in the last day or two it has been making big strides towards becoming well again. Hopefully it will be fully recovered by Monday when I start working again. :) It has taken almost 2 weeks for the knee to recover. Granted, in the first week I did still work even if I wasn't able to work full-on at my normal pace.
This weekend my fiancee and I are going to go sing with a choir that she is a part of. I am looking forward to it, though I still miss my old choir, Cantare, back in Umeå. This new choir doesn't have a name yet, from what I understand. I am sure it will be fun though, and some other members of my fiancee's family are part of it as well, so there will be familiar faces there. I hope my voice is up to scratch for them though. Always a bit nervous about these things at the beginning.
See you all on the other side!
Another week has almost passed now. Where did it really go? Time seems to fly by ever since I moved here. I can't believe it has already been almost 2½ months since I moved from Sweden to Finland. I guess the fact that time is flying by rather than slowly trudging along is some form of proof that I am happy here and enjoying myself though. In all honesty I am happy here. I have job that I like, a wonderful fiancee, good people around me, and Finland is a nice country. Just two years ago I would never had thought that I would be where I am today. Since then I have moved country, gotten a job there, and gotten engaged to be married to a wonderful woman, to name just a few things. Life, and God, works in mysterious ways some times. You can never fully know what life will throw at you next. Though I suppose that is part of what makes life interesting as well. Imagine if we knew all the things that would happen to us in our lives. Wouldn't that be boring? And somewhat scary as well? Imagine knowing when you were going to die, and how it would happen? Or knowing in advance of a serious accident you would be in - also knowing that there was nothing you could do to change or prevent it? I wouldn't want to know anything like that.
My parents will be coming over for a visit next weekend. Looking forward to that. They will also be bringing with them my winter tires, which will probably be needed soon. This will be their first time visiting us here since my move, so it will hopefully be nice for them to see where I live and what it is like here. :)
My knee is feeling much better now, which is a HUGE positive in my life right now. It isn't fully well yet, but in the last day or two it has been making big strides towards becoming well again. Hopefully it will be fully recovered by Monday when I start working again. :) It has taken almost 2 weeks for the knee to recover. Granted, in the first week I did still work even if I wasn't able to work full-on at my normal pace.
This weekend my fiancee and I are going to go sing with a choir that she is a part of. I am looking forward to it, though I still miss my old choir, Cantare, back in Umeå. This new choir doesn't have a name yet, from what I understand. I am sure it will be fun though, and some other members of my fiancee's family are part of it as well, so there will be familiar faces there. I hope my voice is up to scratch for them though. Always a bit nervous about these things at the beginning.
See you all on the other side!
onsdag 12 oktober 2016
A morning bird story & a bit on stress and relaxation
Greetings from the other side.
The day started quite interestingly, as my girlfriend opened up one of our closets and a small bird flew out. Poor little thing was so panicked. We managed to confine it to one room, and then I went in and opened the window so it could get out. It must have been a terrifying experience for the little bird, feeling trapped and not really knowing what was going on or who us giants were. We have found where we think it got in, and we are now taking measures to make sure it doesn't happen again.
One aspect of living in the country side that I find very relaxing is looking through a window and watching all the small birds fly and jump around outside. You feel a lot closer to nature and the natural world out here, than I ever did while I was living in a city. Though Umeå as a city did have quite a lot of forested areas within the city as well. It still wasn't the same as this though. That's not to say I didn't enjoy living there either. It was a nice city to live in, and I highly recommend people to go there if they haven't been there already. It's also a good place to study if you are a student. Though I should probably stop talking about this before I start sounding like an advertisement. Just saying it how I feel having lived there for many years. :)
Now onto the subject of stress and the importance of relaxation.
Stress is such a negative thing for us humans, at least in too high quantities it is. A bit of stress is fine, for the most part. Excessive amounts of stress however is part of the issue with today's society. And different people have different thresholds for how much stress they can handle. People get burned out, stressed out, suffer from depression and anxiety because of stress and the weight of expectation. I know this because I have been there myself in the past. As have my girlfriend, and many others. Therefore I think it so important to find those peaceful moments in life, enjoy them and cherish them. Being able to just relax for a moment is so incredibly important. Some people have a day a week, for example Sunday, that is devoted to rest. No, I am not talking specifically about Christians here, as that doesn't hold true for all Christians. It is more the idea I am talking about. Having a day devoted to rest, relaxation and re-charging of your inner batteries can be so incredibly important. I'm not saying you should stay in bed all day or just lay around on the couch watching movies. What I mean is that it should be a day where you do things that you enjoy, that aren't stressful to you or weighted down by a bunch of "musts" or "have to"s. Living in the modern society can be very stressful to a lot of people. There are a lot of expectations, work, etc. So having a day when you can just relax can be incredibly important.
I am not saying that letting yourself rest one day a week will keep you from burning out. All I am saying is that it can't hurt to focus on yourself and the things that make you happy and relaxed once in a while, rather than the things that you "should" or "must" do. I think that is good for your soul.
See you all on the other side!
The day started quite interestingly, as my girlfriend opened up one of our closets and a small bird flew out. Poor little thing was so panicked. We managed to confine it to one room, and then I went in and opened the window so it could get out. It must have been a terrifying experience for the little bird, feeling trapped and not really knowing what was going on or who us giants were. We have found where we think it got in, and we are now taking measures to make sure it doesn't happen again.
One aspect of living in the country side that I find very relaxing is looking through a window and watching all the small birds fly and jump around outside. You feel a lot closer to nature and the natural world out here, than I ever did while I was living in a city. Though Umeå as a city did have quite a lot of forested areas within the city as well. It still wasn't the same as this though. That's not to say I didn't enjoy living there either. It was a nice city to live in, and I highly recommend people to go there if they haven't been there already. It's also a good place to study if you are a student. Though I should probably stop talking about this before I start sounding like an advertisement. Just saying it how I feel having lived there for many years. :)
Now onto the subject of stress and the importance of relaxation.
Stress is such a negative thing for us humans, at least in too high quantities it is. A bit of stress is fine, for the most part. Excessive amounts of stress however is part of the issue with today's society. And different people have different thresholds for how much stress they can handle. People get burned out, stressed out, suffer from depression and anxiety because of stress and the weight of expectation. I know this because I have been there myself in the past. As have my girlfriend, and many others. Therefore I think it so important to find those peaceful moments in life, enjoy them and cherish them. Being able to just relax for a moment is so incredibly important. Some people have a day a week, for example Sunday, that is devoted to rest. No, I am not talking specifically about Christians here, as that doesn't hold true for all Christians. It is more the idea I am talking about. Having a day devoted to rest, relaxation and re-charging of your inner batteries can be so incredibly important. I'm not saying you should stay in bed all day or just lay around on the couch watching movies. What I mean is that it should be a day where you do things that you enjoy, that aren't stressful to you or weighted down by a bunch of "musts" or "have to"s. Living in the modern society can be very stressful to a lot of people. There are a lot of expectations, work, etc. So having a day when you can just relax can be incredibly important.
I am not saying that letting yourself rest one day a week will keep you from burning out. All I am saying is that it can't hurt to focus on yourself and the things that make you happy and relaxed once in a while, rather than the things that you "should" or "must" do. I think that is good for your soul.
See you all on the other side!
måndag 10 oktober 2016
A short update
Greetings from the other side.
This will have to be a shorter post unfortunatelly.
Yesterday was a good day. We had friends and family over for coffee to celebrate my girlfriend and I getting engaged. A good time was had by all in my humble opinion. Sadly my family or friends from Sweden were unable to attend, but as I think I mentioned in my previous post, we will celebrate with them as and when they are able to come over for a visit. We already have my parents coming here at the end of this month, which we are excited about.
In less exciting news my knee is still not well, so I have been to see a doctor about it and I am now officially on sick-leave until Sunday. I am under instruction to take it easy and rest my knee as much as possible. I hope it will be better by Sunday, so I can go back to work again. Feels strange sitting home when I know there are things that need to get done. I am trying not to to think about it though, and not to let it get to me. There is no point in me stressing over it, as I can't really do much about it anyway.
I can't wait until my knee is well again. Not just because of work, but also just simple things like being able to help out in every day life. Things you normally take for granted that you are able to do suddenly aren't so simple anymore. Luckily it is something that can get better again.
That's it for me for today, I think.
See you all on the other side!
This will have to be a shorter post unfortunatelly.
Yesterday was a good day. We had friends and family over for coffee to celebrate my girlfriend and I getting engaged. A good time was had by all in my humble opinion. Sadly my family or friends from Sweden were unable to attend, but as I think I mentioned in my previous post, we will celebrate with them as and when they are able to come over for a visit. We already have my parents coming here at the end of this month, which we are excited about.
In less exciting news my knee is still not well, so I have been to see a doctor about it and I am now officially on sick-leave until Sunday. I am under instruction to take it easy and rest my knee as much as possible. I hope it will be better by Sunday, so I can go back to work again. Feels strange sitting home when I know there are things that need to get done. I am trying not to to think about it though, and not to let it get to me. There is no point in me stressing over it, as I can't really do much about it anyway.
I can't wait until my knee is well again. Not just because of work, but also just simple things like being able to help out in every day life. Things you normally take for granted that you are able to do suddenly aren't so simple anymore. Luckily it is something that can get better again.
That's it for me for today, I think.
See you all on the other side!
lördag 8 oktober 2016
Living in the countryside & more
Greetings from the other side.
Living in the countryside is very different from the life I was used to back home in Sweden. I've always lived in a town or city, so transitioning to life in a more rural area is definitely something different. Yet somehow it is also similar, and I have found it surprisingly easy to do so. You really have access to all the basic things you need out here. There is internet, a store, a church, good people, and anything you need that you can't find here is only about a 20-minute drive away in the city. I like the calm here, the d.i.y. mentality and the helpfulness that people exhibit on a regular basis. People help eachother out and it is the most natural thing ever. I like this mentality. I think it is the same thing in smaller communities back home in Sweden as well.
I love how open everything is here. There is forest, fields, open landscapes, and the sea. All clad in beautiful autumn colours. It is getting colder outside though, which is a minus. Pardon the non-intentional pun there. You can see the frost on the ground in the morning, and I have had to move my car indoors now to avoid having to scrape the frost off of the windows every morning before I head to work. At least I probably won't have to do any more lawn-mowing this year, which helps. Because of the warm weather all the lawns were growing like crazy up until a week or two ago.
As the days are getting inevitably shorter and it is getting darker outside, I sometimes wish I could gather a few friends and play some tabletop RPG. Go out on an adventure with my friends and get away from the darkness outside for a little bit. Sadly there is nothing set up here at home for that at the moment, except for the tabletop RPG books that are currently stored in the bookcase in our 'office'. I might try and get something set up in the future though, and see if I can scrape together some people to play a game or two. :)
Tomorrow we have my girlfriend's parents, siblings with their families, and her friends over for coffee to celebrate our engagement. Celebrations with my family and friends, who are currently back home in Sweden, will have to wait until they are able to get over here. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I am sure it will be a nice time and that lots of merriment will be had by all.
Had a chance to sit down and brain-storm a bit with my girlfriend today regarding my world-building. Even if she wasn't able to come up with too many ideas herself, she asked questions about things and let me speak freely, both of which helped get my brain-juices flowing. It is one thing sitting down in front of the computer with a blank document in front of you and try to write something, and something completely different when you get a chance to talk about and/or discuss it. I am grateful for her help.
One issue that has come up with my new phone is the ringtone. I can't really find one I really like amongst the ones that are already on there, and for some reason my mind has been drawing a complete blank on good music that would make good ringtunes. I am sure it will come to me eventually, but for now I am stuck with the default option, unfortunately. Other than that I am happy with it so far.
See you all on the other side!
Living in the countryside is very different from the life I was used to back home in Sweden. I've always lived in a town or city, so transitioning to life in a more rural area is definitely something different. Yet somehow it is also similar, and I have found it surprisingly easy to do so. You really have access to all the basic things you need out here. There is internet, a store, a church, good people, and anything you need that you can't find here is only about a 20-minute drive away in the city. I like the calm here, the d.i.y. mentality and the helpfulness that people exhibit on a regular basis. People help eachother out and it is the most natural thing ever. I like this mentality. I think it is the same thing in smaller communities back home in Sweden as well.
I love how open everything is here. There is forest, fields, open landscapes, and the sea. All clad in beautiful autumn colours. It is getting colder outside though, which is a minus. Pardon the non-intentional pun there. You can see the frost on the ground in the morning, and I have had to move my car indoors now to avoid having to scrape the frost off of the windows every morning before I head to work. At least I probably won't have to do any more lawn-mowing this year, which helps. Because of the warm weather all the lawns were growing like crazy up until a week or two ago.
As the days are getting inevitably shorter and it is getting darker outside, I sometimes wish I could gather a few friends and play some tabletop RPG. Go out on an adventure with my friends and get away from the darkness outside for a little bit. Sadly there is nothing set up here at home for that at the moment, except for the tabletop RPG books that are currently stored in the bookcase in our 'office'. I might try and get something set up in the future though, and see if I can scrape together some people to play a game or two. :)
Tomorrow we have my girlfriend's parents, siblings with their families, and her friends over for coffee to celebrate our engagement. Celebrations with my family and friends, who are currently back home in Sweden, will have to wait until they are able to get over here. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I am sure it will be a nice time and that lots of merriment will be had by all.
Had a chance to sit down and brain-storm a bit with my girlfriend today regarding my world-building. Even if she wasn't able to come up with too many ideas herself, she asked questions about things and let me speak freely, both of which helped get my brain-juices flowing. It is one thing sitting down in front of the computer with a blank document in front of you and try to write something, and something completely different when you get a chance to talk about and/or discuss it. I am grateful for her help.
One issue that has come up with my new phone is the ringtone. I can't really find one I really like amongst the ones that are already on there, and for some reason my mind has been drawing a complete blank on good music that would make good ringtunes. I am sure it will come to me eventually, but for now I am stuck with the default option, unfortunately. Other than that I am happy with it so far.
See you all on the other side!
fredag 7 oktober 2016
A slow day
Greetings from the other side.
This is going to have to be a short blog post unfortunately.
My new phone is finally "assembled" and in functioning order. Didn't really take that long. Longest bit was probably all of the updates and re-starts it wanted to do. Didn't get around to it yesterday, but now it is sorted. Feels good. :) I have also been sorting and putting all of my papers into a folder today. The papers I have aquired here in Finland that is. Things like my job contract, the contract for my new phone, etc. It's good to have it all sorted and in one place so they are easy to find when I need them. It has also helped me reduce some of the piles of papers that are currently adorning my desk, freeing up some much needed space there.
My knee is still stiff and sore, but getting better. It is a slow process though, so I can't really give a time frame for when it might be well again. I am hoping it will be well before Monday though, so I can get back to working normally again. My girlfriend gave me a reflexology treatment for my knee today. Some of the points she put pressure on hurt like *beeep*, but hey if it helps it was well worth it. She's good at what she does, so I know I am in good hands.
Thinking of moving my weights indoors again so I can do some lifting again. Though it will probably have to wait until my knee is better. I don't much look forward to draging them over here with my knee the way it is. Nor should I really be training while the knee is like this either, as it is a bit less stable than normal.
Weighed myself again this morning, and I am still loosing weight, even though I have been hobbling around all week and not been nearly as mobile as I have been previously. I am glad that I am still loosing weight, and I can't wait to reach my target some day.
Sun is shining outside and the sky is blue. Seems to be a bit windy looking out, but not too bad.
Right. That's it for today. I seem to be lacking a bit of blogging inspiration today. Hopefully it will be better by tomorrow.
See you all on the other side!
This is going to have to be a short blog post unfortunately.
My new phone is finally "assembled" and in functioning order. Didn't really take that long. Longest bit was probably all of the updates and re-starts it wanted to do. Didn't get around to it yesterday, but now it is sorted. Feels good. :) I have also been sorting and putting all of my papers into a folder today. The papers I have aquired here in Finland that is. Things like my job contract, the contract for my new phone, etc. It's good to have it all sorted and in one place so they are easy to find when I need them. It has also helped me reduce some of the piles of papers that are currently adorning my desk, freeing up some much needed space there.
My knee is still stiff and sore, but getting better. It is a slow process though, so I can't really give a time frame for when it might be well again. I am hoping it will be well before Monday though, so I can get back to working normally again. My girlfriend gave me a reflexology treatment for my knee today. Some of the points she put pressure on hurt like *beeep*, but hey if it helps it was well worth it. She's good at what she does, so I know I am in good hands.
Thinking of moving my weights indoors again so I can do some lifting again. Though it will probably have to wait until my knee is better. I don't much look forward to draging them over here with my knee the way it is. Nor should I really be training while the knee is like this either, as it is a bit less stable than normal.
Weighed myself again this morning, and I am still loosing weight, even though I have been hobbling around all week and not been nearly as mobile as I have been previously. I am glad that I am still loosing weight, and I can't wait to reach my target some day.
Sun is shining outside and the sky is blue. Seems to be a bit windy looking out, but not too bad.
Right. That's it for today. I seem to be lacking a bit of blogging inspiration today. Hopefully it will be better by tomorrow.
See you all on the other side!
torsdag 6 oktober 2016
Autumn Reflections & some other bits
Greetings from the other side.
Autumn has really painted this place in a lot of beautiful colours by now. Sadly the leaves don't stay on the trees for very long, but the ones that fall instead cover the ground in a beautifully coloured carpet, that rustles so gently when one walks through it. Autumn feels like a great time for reflection and inner soul-searching. If you are an artistic person I am sure you can find a lot of inspiration in the beautiful natural scenery and colour-palette that the world around you is painted in. For someone like me, who loves writing as well as creative and philosophical thinking, autumn is a time for reflection and philosophy. Granted, I think each season has its charms, and they are all beautiful and wonderful in their own way. My advise to anyone is to go outside, preferably away from the city to a place where you can be in natural surroundings, and just take a deep breath of cold, crisp autumn air. Let the clouds, the sky, and the colours of your surroundings fill your senses. It is a very serene and calming feeling. Just let go of your troubles for a little bit and enjoy the moment. It is very important to take moments. Moments of relaxation and serenity. Moments of introspection and meditation. Take a moment to realize just how beautiful our world really is. Regardless of whether you believe that it is God's creation or not, one thing I think we can all agree upon is that it is a beautiful place and we should all try and take care of it as best we can. It is our home, and currently the only world we have. It is our responsibility to look after it. :)
In other news pertaining more to my life here in Finland:
My knee is still aching. I have pushed through at work this week however, rather than calling in sick. If I did, none of my work would get done. At least if I am there I can do SOME of my work, if only at a slower pace than normally. At least I am not in constant pain, but the knee still feels stiff, sore and swollen. It looks a bit swollen as well. At least I am getting today and tomorrow off plus the weekend due to only working 60%, so that is very useful when I have these issues. I hope my knee will get better before Monday. Otherwise I might have to go and have it checked out.
My girlfriend and I went shopping earlier today and we had some errands to run as well. My knee wasn't too happy, but we got everything done. We are now set for having some of my girlfriend's family and friends over for engagement coffee on Sunday. Too bad none of my family are able to attend, but with the ferry out of the water for a two week period, that wasn't going to happen anyway. My parents will probably come over for a visit towards the end of this month anyway, so we'll get to celebrate with them then. :)
My knee seems to have survived all the walking between shops, etc, but my calf is really tender and tense. I think the poor thing has been taking the brunt of me limping around. So now I will let it rest as much as possible together with the knee. I am noticing that the knee usually feels best when I wake up in the morning, probably because it has been resting all night and not had any strain put on it for a few hours.
One of the things we managed to get for me today was a new phone! Yes. I finally have a finnish phone number. I still need to actually put the SIM card in, etc, but the fact that it is here now feels great. I didn't have much hope considering how things have gone previously when we have tried to get a cell phone for me. Happily we were more lucky this time around. Hopefully this means the end of overly expensive phone bills for my girlfriend when she tries to call or text to me.
I have not been able to go home to Sweden for a visit since I moved here some 2 months ago or so. It's a shame, but it is the way it is. I am feeling quite at home here, and I know I will get to go home soon enough. :) Now that I am not working so much I have more time to take a trip across the water. :)
I am also making slow progress with the finnish language. Due to a busy schedule and other things getting in the way, as well as me not having found a good app or other thing to help me study the language, I have only been able to take small steps so far. Learning a word here and there, and my father-in-law gave me some great tips on finnish pronunciation. I am not setting my sights too high, or aiming for impossible things, but I am hoping I will be able to at least understand it in the future, and make myself understood as well, even if I perhaps won't be able to hold too advanced a conversation. :) We shall see how it goes!
See you all on the other side!
Autumn has really painted this place in a lot of beautiful colours by now. Sadly the leaves don't stay on the trees for very long, but the ones that fall instead cover the ground in a beautifully coloured carpet, that rustles so gently when one walks through it. Autumn feels like a great time for reflection and inner soul-searching. If you are an artistic person I am sure you can find a lot of inspiration in the beautiful natural scenery and colour-palette that the world around you is painted in. For someone like me, who loves writing as well as creative and philosophical thinking, autumn is a time for reflection and philosophy. Granted, I think each season has its charms, and they are all beautiful and wonderful in their own way. My advise to anyone is to go outside, preferably away from the city to a place where you can be in natural surroundings, and just take a deep breath of cold, crisp autumn air. Let the clouds, the sky, and the colours of your surroundings fill your senses. It is a very serene and calming feeling. Just let go of your troubles for a little bit and enjoy the moment. It is very important to take moments. Moments of relaxation and serenity. Moments of introspection and meditation. Take a moment to realize just how beautiful our world really is. Regardless of whether you believe that it is God's creation or not, one thing I think we can all agree upon is that it is a beautiful place and we should all try and take care of it as best we can. It is our home, and currently the only world we have. It is our responsibility to look after it. :)
In other news pertaining more to my life here in Finland:
My knee is still aching. I have pushed through at work this week however, rather than calling in sick. If I did, none of my work would get done. At least if I am there I can do SOME of my work, if only at a slower pace than normally. At least I am not in constant pain, but the knee still feels stiff, sore and swollen. It looks a bit swollen as well. At least I am getting today and tomorrow off plus the weekend due to only working 60%, so that is very useful when I have these issues. I hope my knee will get better before Monday. Otherwise I might have to go and have it checked out.
My girlfriend and I went shopping earlier today and we had some errands to run as well. My knee wasn't too happy, but we got everything done. We are now set for having some of my girlfriend's family and friends over for engagement coffee on Sunday. Too bad none of my family are able to attend, but with the ferry out of the water for a two week period, that wasn't going to happen anyway. My parents will probably come over for a visit towards the end of this month anyway, so we'll get to celebrate with them then. :)
My knee seems to have survived all the walking between shops, etc, but my calf is really tender and tense. I think the poor thing has been taking the brunt of me limping around. So now I will let it rest as much as possible together with the knee. I am noticing that the knee usually feels best when I wake up in the morning, probably because it has been resting all night and not had any strain put on it for a few hours.
One of the things we managed to get for me today was a new phone! Yes. I finally have a finnish phone number. I still need to actually put the SIM card in, etc, but the fact that it is here now feels great. I didn't have much hope considering how things have gone previously when we have tried to get a cell phone for me. Happily we were more lucky this time around. Hopefully this means the end of overly expensive phone bills for my girlfriend when she tries to call or text to me.
I have not been able to go home to Sweden for a visit since I moved here some 2 months ago or so. It's a shame, but it is the way it is. I am feeling quite at home here, and I know I will get to go home soon enough. :) Now that I am not working so much I have more time to take a trip across the water. :)
I am also making slow progress with the finnish language. Due to a busy schedule and other things getting in the way, as well as me not having found a good app or other thing to help me study the language, I have only been able to take small steps so far. Learning a word here and there, and my father-in-law gave me some great tips on finnish pronunciation. I am not setting my sights too high, or aiming for impossible things, but I am hoping I will be able to at least understand it in the future, and make myself understood as well, even if I perhaps won't be able to hold too advanced a conversation. :) We shall see how it goes!
See you all on the other side!
måndag 3 oktober 2016
Tales of a mixed weekend
Greetings from the other side.
The weekend went by in a flash, or at least it felt like it did. On Saturday my girlfriend and I went together with her mother to a music café. It was really enjoyable with good music, nice people, and a pizza buffé. The only downside to the evening was that I somehow managed to hurt my knee. Again. Same one that has been hurt before. I didn't really do anything to cause it either, as far as I have been able to work out. As I got out of the car when we arrived there, my knee suddenly started feeling stiff and sore. It is still sore, stiff, and feels swollen even though it doesn't look it. From what we have been able to work out it seems to be some kind of inflammation or similar thing in the places where the muscles attach to the knee. It's a bit difficult for me to explain in english, but hopefully that made enough sense.
Luckily though, it has been slightly better today than it was yesterday and on Saturday, so I am hoping it will keep getting better from now on. It does restrict me a bit in my work, which sucks, but at least I am able to work, just not at a very fast pace and I need to be careful so I don't put too much (or any really) unnecessary strain on my knee while I do it.
When you have an 'injury' like this you quickly realize how much it affects you in your job and in your everyday life. I can't wait until my knee is better again.
Yesterday was spent resting and taking it easy. The knee meant I wasn't going to be very mobile anyway. My girlfriend and I got our engagement photos taken by a friend of hers, and later I got some work done on the world-building, as well as on some game mechanics for the tabletop RPG stuff.
We also got the bookcase assembled and put up yesterday, and it currently has about 3½ shelves filled with binders and my tabletop RPG books and boxes.
We had our first 'proper' frost night last night. By that I mean, we might have had other cold nights with degrees dropping well below zero degrees Celcius before, but this is the first night I can remember where the temperature was still below zero when I woke up this morning. Only -1 but still. Second morning so far (though not in a row) where I have had to scrape the windows free of ice on my car before I drove off to work.
See you all on the other side!
The weekend went by in a flash, or at least it felt like it did. On Saturday my girlfriend and I went together with her mother to a music café. It was really enjoyable with good music, nice people, and a pizza buffé. The only downside to the evening was that I somehow managed to hurt my knee. Again. Same one that has been hurt before. I didn't really do anything to cause it either, as far as I have been able to work out. As I got out of the car when we arrived there, my knee suddenly started feeling stiff and sore. It is still sore, stiff, and feels swollen even though it doesn't look it. From what we have been able to work out it seems to be some kind of inflammation or similar thing in the places where the muscles attach to the knee. It's a bit difficult for me to explain in english, but hopefully that made enough sense.
Luckily though, it has been slightly better today than it was yesterday and on Saturday, so I am hoping it will keep getting better from now on. It does restrict me a bit in my work, which sucks, but at least I am able to work, just not at a very fast pace and I need to be careful so I don't put too much (or any really) unnecessary strain on my knee while I do it.
When you have an 'injury' like this you quickly realize how much it affects you in your job and in your everyday life. I can't wait until my knee is better again.
Yesterday was spent resting and taking it easy. The knee meant I wasn't going to be very mobile anyway. My girlfriend and I got our engagement photos taken by a friend of hers, and later I got some work done on the world-building, as well as on some game mechanics for the tabletop RPG stuff.
We also got the bookcase assembled and put up yesterday, and it currently has about 3½ shelves filled with binders and my tabletop RPG books and boxes.
We had our first 'proper' frost night last night. By that I mean, we might have had other cold nights with degrees dropping well below zero degrees Celcius before, but this is the first night I can remember where the temperature was still below zero when I woke up this morning. Only -1 but still. Second morning so far (though not in a row) where I have had to scrape the windows free of ice on my car before I drove off to work.
See you all on the other side!
lördag 1 oktober 2016
Cell Phone Adventures & Life
Greetings from the other side.
The weekend is here again, after another week of work. Starting on Monday things will be a bit different for me as my job now goes down to 60%. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I have more time on my hands to do other things, and admittedly some of those things will probably involve more work in other places. On the other hand my salary also goes down to 60%. That is less good, but as I said I can fill it out with working extra at other places, so we should be fine.
We had a lot of errands to run yesterday. Included in that list of errands were to get me a finnish cell phone so that the people living here wouldn't have to call 'abroad' every time they were trying to reach me on my swedish phone. Turns out it isn't that simple to get a phone when you are newly arrived here in Finland. I can buy a cell phone if I pay the whole sum for it up-front, something we had decided was too big a sum to splash on a phone right now, all things considered. That just left us with one option: paying in installments. Granted, they did have that option - you could buy one and pay over 6 or 10 months - but it requires me to have lived in Finland for a minimum of 3 years. 3 years. To buy a cell phone. And my girlfriend couldn't get it in her name either as she is currently recovering from her burn out and is thus, technically, still considered unemployed. The fact that I have employment, a salary, and would have no problems paying for it didn't matter at all. So technically together we meet all the pre-requisites: I have a steady job and a steady income, and she has lived here all her life. Unfortunatelly that wasn't enough.
We are still going to try calling and asking Sonera (service provider) whether there is something we can do with them. Why Sonera? Because of the fact that with them I can call in all the Nordic countries (or it might just be Sweden and Finland, I'd have to double-check) without paying extra. If that doesn't work I might just have to buy the phone at some point when I am back home in Sweden visiting instead. Which, considering I will now only be working 60% in my main job, will probably be a bit easier to find time for.
The weather has been pretty up-and-down this past week. We've had a rainstorm one day, sunshine the next day, storm winds the following day, etc etc. You can definately tell that the autumn is here. It is quite beautiful out here this time of year with the trees donning their autumn-dresses. Especially when set against a clear, blue sky.
The house is getting into better and better shape with regards to the two floors. Soon we will hopefully be able to have people from Sweden come over to visit, something I am definately looking forward to! :) We have brought in the book case now which will get assembled soon.
That's it from me for this time.
See you all on the other side!
The weekend is here again, after another week of work. Starting on Monday things will be a bit different for me as my job now goes down to 60%. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I have more time on my hands to do other things, and admittedly some of those things will probably involve more work in other places. On the other hand my salary also goes down to 60%. That is less good, but as I said I can fill it out with working extra at other places, so we should be fine.
We had a lot of errands to run yesterday. Included in that list of errands were to get me a finnish cell phone so that the people living here wouldn't have to call 'abroad' every time they were trying to reach me on my swedish phone. Turns out it isn't that simple to get a phone when you are newly arrived here in Finland. I can buy a cell phone if I pay the whole sum for it up-front, something we had decided was too big a sum to splash on a phone right now, all things considered. That just left us with one option: paying in installments. Granted, they did have that option - you could buy one and pay over 6 or 10 months - but it requires me to have lived in Finland for a minimum of 3 years. 3 years. To buy a cell phone. And my girlfriend couldn't get it in her name either as she is currently recovering from her burn out and is thus, technically, still considered unemployed. The fact that I have employment, a salary, and would have no problems paying for it didn't matter at all. So technically together we meet all the pre-requisites: I have a steady job and a steady income, and she has lived here all her life. Unfortunatelly that wasn't enough.
We are still going to try calling and asking Sonera (service provider) whether there is something we can do with them. Why Sonera? Because of the fact that with them I can call in all the Nordic countries (or it might just be Sweden and Finland, I'd have to double-check) without paying extra. If that doesn't work I might just have to buy the phone at some point when I am back home in Sweden visiting instead. Which, considering I will now only be working 60% in my main job, will probably be a bit easier to find time for.
The weather has been pretty up-and-down this past week. We've had a rainstorm one day, sunshine the next day, storm winds the following day, etc etc. You can definately tell that the autumn is here. It is quite beautiful out here this time of year with the trees donning their autumn-dresses. Especially when set against a clear, blue sky.
The house is getting into better and better shape with regards to the two floors. Soon we will hopefully be able to have people from Sweden come over to visit, something I am definately looking forward to! :) We have brought in the book case now which will get assembled soon.
That's it from me for this time.
See you all on the other side!
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