Yet again, someone else expresses just what I wanted to say… Sarah, doing what she does best: putting words to things:

I want someone to always want to read aloud to me, I want one person who continually captivates and charms me and always makes me anticipate seeing him. I’d love for someone to strive to always make me laugh and keep me from being too dominating or too controlling, someone who isn’t afraid to stand up to me yet treats me with the most gentleness he could ever conjure up. I’d love to have someone I never got tired of seeing, someone who knows me better than I ever think and surprises me with little things I love, someone who knows how to order my coffee and what movie I might like to go see.

Someone who’d sit at a bar with me and listen to cliche blues music and be so distracted by me that he didn’t even notice how loud it was.

Sigh.

Is it just that it’s spring, or what?

Voice in my head: Des’ree – It’s Gonna be OK (right, that’s it, I have to put on some music to drown the mental jukebox out)

Make your guests leave before the game is finished if they look remotely like winning.

Voice in my head: Ainslie Henderson – Keep me a Secret

…or does it seem a bit strange to go to war with a country because it is a threat to world peace and then be surprised when you meet resistance?

Voice on the stereo: Elton John – Breaking Hearts Ain’t what it used to Be (men det har det helre aldrig v?ret, it’s always left me feeling wretched, anyway)

Or, rather, at least I now have the material so that I can start making the alterations and just possibly get the bunad finished by 17 May. I thought a picture might illustrate why I had to go to Hamar, the small scrap of darker red was the closest the shops in Oslo could do, and as you can see from the cap it doesn’t look much like the existing lining, whereas in Hamar they had the exact same material (which is actually quite impressive as the design for the Hedmark bunad has changed at least three times since my grandmother’s was made). As I need to part line the skirt, make a petticoat and alter the top somewhat, having the right colour and quality of cotton is a relief. If I were obliged to use the one I could get here in Oslo I’d simply have to reline the whole thing, which would be a pity both from a design and a workload point of view.

Voice in my head: Bob Dylan – Masters of War (quite frightfully appropriate)

One of Linda’s Swedish friends complains that all Norwegians are anglophiles. Well, we’re not. Or at least, all other Norwegians are not anglophile enough to please me. If we were, surely getting hold of any of these products would not be difficult, not to say impossible:

English Cider (ok, you can actually get it now, selected brands, selected places, but still)
PG Tips tea – Meny used to carry it, but they’ve stopped for some unfathomable reason
Skittles
Salt & Vinegar crisps
Cadbury’s Creme Eggs
Cadbury’s Eggs (the ones in the yellow bags)
Fairy Apple Blossom washing up liquid
Chicken and ham pie

And I’m sure there’s more. Anyhow, what I wanted to say was that apparently the Dutch are more anglophile than us. Which gives me yet another reason to look forward to Jane’s visit – I will be able to tick off some of the items on that list, and may be able to survive until I next cross the Channel or whatever it is we cross to get to Britain. Which, according to plan, should be end of June.

Voice in my head: Ainsley Henderson – Don’t Get Me Wrong (Oh joy! He was not voted off! I was sure he would be, it would be just my luck.)

Please join my army at Kings of Chaos.

So (with a score of 7) I’m almost as liberal as Ted Kennedy, am I? No big surprises there. In case you’re wondering, one of my points must have come from this: “21. As a society, we should spend more money trying to find a cure for AIDS than for cancer and heart disease because AIDS threatens younger people. Agree or disagree?” ‘Scuse me? Young people don’t get cancer? Your mother dying of cancer in her forties doesn’t affect you because you are a young person and as long as you are healthy yourself, you don’t really care? Couldn’t we possibly spend equal amounts?

Anyhoo.

Voice in my head: whasisface and the Hermits (or am I off the bat completely) – No Milk Today (and getting heartily sick of it, too)

Ah. New game. It should have been discovered by Tuesday, but wasn’t, so here we go:

1. Poetry or prose?
Ach. Sorry, can’t chose. I read more prose, but I wouldn’t survive without poetry. Besides, a lot of prose is poetry.

2. Funky modern art or the older, “classic” variety?
Classic-ish. You know, Turner and all that.

3. Sculptures or paintings?
Paintings. Though I also love sculptures.

4. Theatre: exuberant musical or serious drama?
I’d have to say the latter. Les Mis has sort of ruined all other musicals for me, so I spend more time wishing I were watching Les Mis than I spend actually paying attention to what’s going on on stage.

5. Ballet or modern dance?
Not a big fan of either, but I’d go for modern as having more variety.

6. Movies: major studio or indie?
Indie.

7. Authors: Shakespeare or Dr. Seuss?
Shakespeare.

8. TV: PBS or A&E?
A&E (being partly responsible for P&P and Hornblower, they win hands down)

9. Music: Beethoven or Beatles?
Beatles

10. Thought-provoking question of the week: You are a contributing member of your favorite art museum, and visit on a regular basis. They announce a new, temporary special exhibit by an artist surrounded by controversy…this person’s work and/or political views offend you. Do you stop supporting the museum, or just stay away during the time the exhibit is there?
Difficult scenario to picture, I am not easily offended by art. Of course, I suppose the controversy could be “is this art or nazi propaganda” for example, in which case I might find it hard to swallow. Unless the “offense” was repeated frequently, I guess I’d still support the museum. And I’d probably want to see the exhibit before deciding whether there were case for offense, so staying away is not an option.

Well, I’d better get on with it, then:

1. What was your most memorable moment from the last week?
Probably an e-mail I received on the weekend. Or the dream I had this morning, which was truly bizarre.

2. What one person touched your life this week?
Does Ainsley of Fame Factory count?

3. How have you helped someone this week?
I gave one of our customers some excellent advice on Wednesday. Does that count? It benefits us as well, so it’s not very altruistic, is it?

4. What one thing do you need to get done by this time next week?
The project really needs to be done. I mean really.

5. What one thing will you do over the next seven days to make your world a better place?
My world, not the world? Ok, I will try to see more of people I like and to make sure that that project is finished on time.

Not very profound answers, but they will have to do. If I come up with better ones over the next few hours I’ll add them…