Concerning the New Year

It’s the time for New Year’s Resolutions, but I really only have two. I’m going to see the doctor to find out if iron deficiency or just plain laziness is to blame for the fact that I’m tired constantly, and to see the dentist to check for cavities and other nastiness.

I actually have to make resolutions to do this, because I’ve been postponing both visits for ages. The first because I’m just not used to going to the doctor (my mother is a nurse and she’s usually been more than competent to figure out what’s wrong), and the second because I’m terrified of the dentist. I had a really bad experience when I was ten and had to have a tooth pulled (sufficient to say, the anaesthetic didn’t work and the dentist was an unfeeling bitch), and since then every visit to the dentist have been accompanied by days of anxiety beforehand. So, not really looking forward to that. At the same time, there is a large probability that I will be able to keep these resolutions, in difference to resolutions about eating healthily and exercising more…

Anyway, I’m starting to look forward to the New Year’s Sales. Students get an extra big scholarship at the start of the semester, and though some of it has to go to books and other necesseties, I’m also hoping to do some shopping. I’m currently eyeing this:

The Canon Powershot E1. My old camera is dying, and I really like the look of this one. Plus, it’s 10 megapixels and has some nice functions (and it’s not that expensive either). Maybe I’ll add another resolution, namely to take more photographs in the coming year.

I wonder what will happen in 2009. New Year’s Eve always leave me with a mix of anticipation and worry, but I hope everyone else has a nice celebration.

Christmas Day

Norway is one of the least religious countries in Europe (ironic, since we still have a State Church), and so Christmas (or Yule) has become less a celebration of the birth of Christ, and more about family. We’re atheistic/agnostic, so yesterday’s celebrations were all about spending time with loved ones.

When my mother came home from work, she and I went to the graveyard to light candles on the graves of family members. I wish I had brought a camera, because the graveyard on Christmas Eve is truly beautiful. There are no electric lights, so all the light comes from candles lit by people remembering their relatives. I always go with my mother to the graveyard on Christmas Eve, because I think it’s such a nice tradition.

Afterwards, I lit torches around our house, to welcome our relatives to the evening celebrations. We totalled ten people at the Christmas table this year, which meant everything took longer than usual – from the meal to the gift opening. Not that that’s a bad thing, because I think everyone really enjoyed themselves.

Under the cut is the annual photo of my sister and me in front of the Christmas tree, where you also get to see why the gift opening took so long. And there’s a photo of what I got for Christmas, since I’m just that obnoxious.

I hope everyone is having a great Christmas Day, and I’m jealous of all the UK residents who get to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

God jul!

I love how Neil Gaiman could be a character in one of his own books, what with the white ghost dog and the fairytale house.

I’m home for Christmas, and it’s wonderful! I’m much more relaxed here than in Bergen, and it’s been great to meet up with my sister (whom I haven’t seen for half a year), and my old friends. Yesterday I was at a childhood friend’s house, where we drank some improvised Strawberry Daiquiris and laughed a lot. Today I’ve helped my parents clean the house for tomorrow’s celebrations. And tomorrow we’ll have six family members visiting for Christmas dinner and subsequent opening-of-presents.

Now I have to help my sister decorate the Christmas tree. Merry Christmas everyone!

Heels OMG

For the first twenty years of my life I’ve had problems getting the fascination most of the female population seem to have for shoes. And then, at some point in this last semester, I suddenly understood.

You see, I forgot to add something to my previous post. Namely:

High heeled shoes. I got this pair in the post from H&M yesterday, and they are actually prettier than on the photo. I loved them instantly, although they’re really impractical when it comes to walking on soggy fields and icy roads on the way to the car. I had to do some acrobatics to avoid falling, but it was SO worth it.