Hi!
Well. Here we are. Late again. But I have good reasons, honest! Like, last weekend I was nearly finished writing when the internet slowed to a crawl and I had to give up. So, rather than bore you from scratch (because this weekend was a lot like last weekend minus the two extra days), I present to you what I'd already written!
Anyways, here we are on this exceedingly relaxing four-day weekend - hooray for Easter! Got a lot of those little jobs done around the place that had stacked up
after a couple of months, if not more. And got the chores done, laundry's all done, floors are all happily vacuumed, rugs shaken out and flapping in the breeze, kittehs are guarding the place from out on the balcony and here in the spare room, under the bed - they're so good at this they do it lying down with their eyes closed! Good guard kittehs. Outside it's a beautiful autumn day, but really feels more like any season not summer. Clouds have arrived and look threatening but I know they're full of nothin' - ever since Cyclone Debbie came through, when she left she took summer (YAY!) and all the rain with her and we haven't had a drop since, or, well, nothing to write 
home about (har har har). Ahh well, it is the Dry Season now anyways....... And of course we have some groovy jazz tunes - I went back to check out my first favorite internet radio station to see if they calmed down with all the ads, and they have! I can actually listen most of the day with only one or two station IDs! EX-cellent. Before, it was a series of about four ads (and two were the same) after every three or so songs. Pretty annoying. But I see they've calmed down and I can listen again. Now I've jinxed it for sure. And of course, we have a very nice, chilled, new stand-by sparkling, Zilzie Prosecco - yes, life is good!
Anyways, here we are on this exceedingly relaxing four-day weekend - hooray for Easter! Got a lot of those little jobs done around the place that had stacked up
after a couple of months, if not more. And got the chores done, laundry's all done, floors are all happily vacuumed, rugs shaken out and flapping in the breeze, kittehs are guarding the place from out on the balcony and here in the spare room, under the bed - they're so good at this they do it lying down with their eyes closed! Good guard kittehs. Outside it's a beautiful autumn day, but really feels more like any season not summer. Clouds have arrived and look threatening but I know they're full of nothin' - ever since Cyclone Debbie came through, when she left she took summer (YAY!) and all the rain with her and we haven't had a drop since, or, well, nothing to write 
home about (har har har). Ahh well, it is the Dry Season now anyways....... And of course we have some groovy jazz tunes - I went back to check out my first favorite internet radio station to see if they calmed down with all the ads, and they have! I can actually listen most of the day with only one or two station IDs! EX-cellent. Before, it was a series of about four ads (and two were the same) after every three or so songs. Pretty annoying. But I see they've calmed down and I can listen again. Now I've jinxed it for sure. And of course, we have a very nice, chilled, new stand-by sparkling, Zilzie Prosecco - yes, life is good!
So, work. Yep. Got super busy for a bit there and then it dropped right off.
I've put my hand up to go help another project but he ignores me and wants me to go help the useless project, which I won't. So, for now, I just wait for something interesting to come my way.......... We're in the process of being poolified - collecting us all on a neat and tidy org chart and putting us all in a pool of technical writers, illustrators and the one editor, me - that's sure smart of them. It's funny, but not really, how the folks that love the idea of a pool don't ever have to work from within one. Hmm. Anyways, am just happy to have the job at all, so, I shall wear my sunscreen and hope for the best!
I've put my hand up to go help another project but he ignores me and wants me to go help the useless project, which I won't. So, for now, I just wait for something interesting to come my way.......... We're in the process of being poolified - collecting us all on a neat and tidy org chart and putting us all in a pool of technical writers, illustrators and the one editor, me - that's sure smart of them. It's funny, but not really, how the folks that love the idea of a pool don't ever have to work from within one. Hmm. Anyways, am just happy to have the job at all, so, I shall wear my sunscreen and hope for the best!
And then there have been a few weekends in there....... Well. The last two weekends were spent doing an online course to become a Justice of the Peace (Qualified)! Not sure why I think it's such a good idea but it just seemed the right
thing to do. But first you have to do a course before you apply to the state to become one for reals. The course took two full weekends with time spent over the week chipping away at the homework assignments. My teacher told me most folks do the course in four days but that some have done it in two. I am not at all sure how they managed to do it in four let alone two unless those folks don't have full-time jobs and lives to maintain during those hours because I was flat-out. Even the chores were neglected so I could devote all my time to it. Two days, my butt. Anyways, all that hard work paid off and I passed! My teacher mailed to me my "Statement of Attainment" kit with the certificate I need and instructions how to apply to make it all official and stuff (so many little hurdles to jump). So there you go - if you have any Australian Commonwealth or Queensland documents you need an official witness for, I'm your JP (Qual)!!!! Well, I will be soon, anyways.
thing to do. But first you have to do a course before you apply to the state to become one for reals. The course took two full weekends with time spent over the week chipping away at the homework assignments. My teacher told me most folks do the course in four days but that some have done it in two. I am not at all sure how they managed to do it in four let alone two unless those folks don't have full-time jobs and lives to maintain during those hours because I was flat-out. Even the chores were neglected so I could devote all my time to it. Two days, my butt. Anyways, all that hard work paid off and I passed! My teacher mailed to me my "Statement of Attainment" kit with the certificate I need and instructions how to apply to make it all official and stuff (so many little hurdles to jump). So there you go - if you have any Australian Commonwealth or Queensland documents you need an official witness for, I'm your JP (Qual)!!!! Well, I will be soon, anyways.
And then there was this weekend....... Pretty relaxing and somewhat productive. Got the chores and little jobs done, with one of those little jobs being pretty gratifying - going through the closet and
dresser and taking anything I haven't worn in ages to give to H & M to recycle. For every bag of "textiles" you bring in you get a 15% off coupon (for one item, but still) - I have nine bags! I mean, we're not talking Hefty bag size, just little plastic grocery bag size, and they're not stuffed to the gills - I made that mistake my first time donating - I thought you got a coupon for 15% off your total bill - nope. That's 15% off one item. Ahhhhhh. Anyways, it's pretty cool what H & M do - they'll take any textile - old bras to old sheets, curtains, socks and everything in between as long as it's a fabric, they do whatever they do to it - sell it second-hand if it can be re-worn or shred it and spin it into stuff like insulation or new clothes. Pretty cool I think, considering they're part of the worst offenders club of folks who produce lots and lots of cheap, throwaway fashion that usually ends up in garbage dumps. Cooooooool. And I have a tidier closet and dresser!
dresser and taking anything I haven't worn in ages to give to H & M to recycle. For every bag of "textiles" you bring in you get a 15% off coupon (for one item, but still) - I have nine bags! I mean, we're not talking Hefty bag size, just little plastic grocery bag size, and they're not stuffed to the gills - I made that mistake my first time donating - I thought you got a coupon for 15% off your total bill - nope. That's 15% off one item. Ahhhhhh. Anyways, it's pretty cool what H & M do - they'll take any textile - old bras to old sheets, curtains, socks and everything in between as long as it's a fabric, they do whatever they do to it - sell it second-hand if it can be re-worn or shred it and spin it into stuff like insulation or new clothes. Pretty cool I think, considering they're part of the worst offenders club of folks who produce lots and lots of cheap, throwaway fashion that usually ends up in garbage dumps. Cooooooool. And I have a tidier closet and dresser!
And speaking of mass-produced, cheap, throwaway Swedish stuff, I really had to take the poor 
neglected car out for a spin so we went down to my old favorite, Ikealand! And I'm proud to say I made a list and stuck to it, more or less, and got out of there for under $140 bucks! Go me! Either I'm getting old or Ikea hasn't been putting out cool stuff because over these last few years I've noticed their selection hasn't been all that great, nor is it as prolific as it used to be. It seemed like before they had tons of choices and styles for everything, but now, it doesn't seem as diverse. Like, when you wander through the bathroom section, the "design your own bathroom" desk takes up half the
area, where before it was just full of stuff to give you ideas - you could do it yourself with no hand-holding. Hmmm. Maybe I'm just over them? But who doesn't love 100 tea lights for $4.99 and the odd $39 throw rug?! While I was wandering around it occurred to me that I hadn't been there since the end of December of last year (and not this past Dec, the one before)......... Go me! And I have to say, every time I leave I feel a little disappointed that they just didn't have cooler stuff. I used to get alllll kinds of ideas wandering through there. Maybe it's living in my "newer" apartment (it was built in 1990) and not such a tiny, old (1940+/-) dumpy one with zero storage. Dunno. I should just be happy I don't need stuff I guess! Tho I do have my eye on two of their big, comfy chairs to replace my sofa....... Hmm. Oh, and a new bed would be good..................! Well, either way, I now have at least 350 tea lights to get me through the not very dark Queensland winter!
neglected car out for a spin so we went down to my old favorite, Ikealand! And I'm proud to say I made a list and stuck to it, more or less, and got out of there for under $140 bucks! Go me! Either I'm getting old or Ikea hasn't been putting out cool stuff because over these last few years I've noticed their selection hasn't been all that great, nor is it as prolific as it used to be. It seemed like before they had tons of choices and styles for everything, but now, it doesn't seem as diverse. Like, when you wander through the bathroom section, the "design your own bathroom" desk takes up half the
area, where before it was just full of stuff to give you ideas - you could do it yourself with no hand-holding. Hmmm. Maybe I'm just over them? But who doesn't love 100 tea lights for $4.99 and the odd $39 throw rug?! While I was wandering around it occurred to me that I hadn't been there since the end of December of last year (and not this past Dec, the one before)......... Go me! And I have to say, every time I leave I feel a little disappointed that they just didn't have cooler stuff. I used to get alllll kinds of ideas wandering through there. Maybe it's living in my "newer" apartment (it was built in 1990) and not such a tiny, old (1940+/-) dumpy one with zero storage. Dunno. I should just be happy I don't need stuff I guess! Tho I do have my eye on two of their big, comfy chairs to replace my sofa....... Hmm. Oh, and a new bed would be good..................! Well, either way, I now have at least 350 tea lights to get me through the not very dark Queensland winter!
And speaking of winter, that leads me to the next installment of the Big Nordic Adventure - Norway! So, I bid Kerry and Iceland a fond farewell and set off for Oslo next, where I spent the next six days wandering around - I don't think I realized how much time I was actually going to spend there.... But it was more fun and interesting than Copenhagen I have to say, even if the weather was lots crappier! The first three days were my "free
days" before I started my big 15-day tour of Norway and Sweden, which included three days in Oslo. Anyways, the city itself was cool, small-ish, and like I said, only one of those six days had nice weather, the rest of the time it was damp, foggy and coooooold (hooray for the best winter coat ever!)! But it was beautiful, they have a lovely harbor where sits one of the coolest opera houses outside of Sydney. The day I went it was 
absolutely blanketed in fog (and a thin layer of snow and ice) but it just made it even cooler and kind of sinister (maybe I'd seen too many Norwegian crime shows?). After walking, carefully, up and down the slick, icy stairs I got up to the roof and chickened out (either that or it was roped off so idiots don't slide off the edge), but up there had the neatest, foggy views - it must be beautiful in nicer weather. Then I headed inside to check the place out and to defrost for a bit over a glass of champagne, along with a wander through their gift shop. It's a pretty cool building and if I'd thought ahead I really would've liked to've done the tour or seen a show there. Oh well, another time!
On another day I took myself to check out the really interesting sculpture 
park, the Vigeland Park. Now, I've never really been a sculpture kinda person, even after millions of trips to the Met in NYC I was just never that 
buzzed by it, but this stuff was pretty neat, especially in the dead of winter, which I think made it way more interesting. I managed to spend a fair few hours wandering up one end and down the other. So if sculpture is your thing, I highly recommend it!
park, the Vigeland Park. Now, I've never really been a sculpture kinda person, even after millions of trips to the Met in NYC I was just never that 
buzzed by it, but this stuff was pretty neat, especially in the dead of winter, which I think made it way more interesting. I managed to spend a fair few hours wandering up one end and down the other. So if sculpture is your thing, I highly recommend it!
On yet another day I took myself out to the end of one of the local train lines, Holmenkollen, and its local ski jump and museum. Again, I'm not a skier so needless to say I didn't go inside the 
museum, even if it was the only thing open up there the day I went because the day I picked to go, why, it was foggy and snowing!!! That was OK, it was still super neat to see, well, what I could see, and what I did see scared the ever living crap out of me - as the jump descended it completely vanished into fog and snow. Lord, there isn't enough money in the world would make me go down one of those. Oh, hell
no. But in saying that, if the zipline had been running when I visited, I might very well have done that............! So, all up I wandered around there maybe an hour, and that included the pretty good trek from the train station and 
back. Thankfully, I wasn't the only one making the trip that day, there were loads of folks out to see this ski jump in crappy weather! So I didn't feel so bad. In fact, a fair few of the folks that got off the train at the same time I did got back on at the same time - we'd all seen all there was to be seen in the short time it took to see it!
museum, even if it was the only thing open up there the day I went because the day I picked to go, why, it was foggy and snowing!!! That was OK, it was still super neat to see, well, what I could see, and what I did see scared the ever living crap out of me - as the jump descended it completely vanished into fog and snow. Lord, there isn't enough money in the world would make me go down one of those. Oh, hell
no. But in saying that, if the zipline had been running when I visited, I might very well have done that............! So, all up I wandered around there maybe an hour, and that included the pretty good trek from the train station and 
back. Thankfully, I wasn't the only one making the trip that day, there were loads of folks out to see this ski jump in crappy weather! So I didn't feel so bad. In fact, a fair few of the folks that got off the train at the same time I did got back on at the same time - we'd all seen all there was to be seen in the short time it took to see it!
Then, when I got back into town, seeing as I still had the better part of a day to explore, I took some 
advice from good ol' Rick Steves and headed over to the pretty impressive City Hall. Wow. You can wander all over in there and no 
one chases you off the floor or out of the rooms. And the Xmas tree was yuuuuuge! And detailed murals all over the place. It was amazing, a monument to successful Scandinavian socialism. I spent an excellent afternoon there. Then, getting hungry, I wandered over to the newly revitalized waterfront area, Aker Brygge, and settled on, not the Big Horn Steakhouse as you'd expect, but a little place across from it called Jacob Aall Brasserie and Bar. And as expected they all had revitalized waterfront
prices. So I just had the kid's cheeseburger and a teeny little bowl of fries, and a couple of the local beers. And y'know, it was really good (either that or I was starving). It was a pretty swish-looking place but the staff were friendly and zippy and didn't mind that I had a kid's meal, they were happy I spent my money on their beer! And by the time I'd finished it was around 4.30pm and the sun had truly set. Somehow, for not knowing where I was really, I had a good wander through that part of town I hadn't been, picked up a few little things in the gift shops and found my way back to my hotel. That was a good day.
advice from good ol' Rick Steves and headed over to the pretty impressive City Hall. Wow. You can wander all over in there and no 
one chases you off the floor or out of the rooms. And the Xmas tree was yuuuuuge! And detailed murals all over the place. It was amazing, a monument to successful Scandinavian socialism. I spent an excellent afternoon there. Then, getting hungry, I wandered over to the newly revitalized waterfront area, Aker Brygge, and settled on, not the Big Horn Steakhouse as you'd expect, but a little place across from it called Jacob Aall Brasserie and Bar. And as expected they all had revitalized waterfront
prices. So I just had the kid's cheeseburger and a teeny little bowl of fries, and a couple of the local beers. And y'know, it was really good (either that or I was starving). It was a pretty swish-looking place but the staff were friendly and zippy and didn't mind that I had a kid's meal, they were happy I spent my money on their beer! And by the time I'd finished it was around 4.30pm and the sun had truly set. Somehow, for not knowing where I was really, I had a good wander through that part of town I hadn't been, picked up a few little things in the gift shops and found my way back to my hotel. That was a good day.
Then, bright and early the next morning I was off to the northernmost tippy top of the country, 
Kirkenes - which I will save for next week (errrrr, next week, fer sure, honest)!!! In the meantime, if you guys need a new TV show to watch, I highly recommend Occupied, a Norwegian crime-drama, where a bit of it takes place around Kirkenes (and Oslo)......!
Kirkenes - which I will save for next week (errrrr, next week, fer sure, honest)!!! In the meantime, if you guys need a new TV show to watch, I highly recommend Occupied, a Norwegian crime-drama, where a bit of it takes place around Kirkenes (and Oslo)......!
Overall, I quite liked Oslo, would go again just wouldn't spend so 
much time in the city, and it'd be nice to get over to see Bergen..... And y'know, I didn't even really mind it in the winter, tho it would be neat to see in summer - it'd be an almost different city!
much time in the city, and it'd be nice to get over to see Bergen..... And y'know, I didn't even really mind it in the winter, tho it would be neat to see in summer - it'd be an almost different city!
So, I hope you're all well up there. Am sorry, again, for the delays checking 
in, first I was, well, away, then come back to have the internet crap out, then get it back (more or less) only to do that course, then got lazy, etc. Will try to check in more often, honest! Anyways, I suppose the weather up there has finally gotten to a point where life is bearable again, but when it shifts to the furnace of summer, or not - looking at you Portland and Seattle, feel free to c'mon down where it'll be winter here and I can bore you to death with alllllll the photos from mah big Nordic Adventure! Just kidding, I'll bore you to death only half the time - the rest we'll chase kangaroos and pat koalas!
in, first I was, well, away, then come back to have the internet crap out, then get it back (more or less) only to do that course, then got lazy, etc. Will try to check in more often, honest! Anyways, I suppose the weather up there has finally gotten to a point where life is bearable again, but when it shifts to the furnace of summer, or not - looking at you Portland and Seattle, feel free to c'mon down where it'll be winter here and I can bore you to death with alllllll the photos from mah big Nordic Adventure! Just kidding, I'll bore you to death only half the time - the rest we'll chase kangaroos and pat koalas!
BYE!
J ~
J ~
