Twiddle-dee, twiddle-dum

Mirthful

This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays. (Though on the whole, Thursdays have been pretty good days lately.)

1. If you were running for governor of your state, what personal information would you refuse to discuss with journalists?
I don’t have that many secrets, and I believe that if you’re running for something like governor almost everything concerning you as a person is relevant information to the voters. I suppose there are questions I’d prefer not to answer, mostly as regards personal relationships – partly out of consideration to the other people involved.

2. How do your business ethics and personal ethics differ, if at all? Do you think you have a better reputation in your business dealings or your personal ones?
They don’t differ much, and I think my reputation reflects that, though I admit more readily to procrastination outside of work…

3. Everyone hears discussions they consider boring. What topic puts you to sleep faster than any other?
Most discussions about sport, especially football (soccer). I can work up an interest on almost any subject, however, even football, if I make an effort, which has saved me a lot of boredom.

Mødre

Mirthful 4 Comments

Mødre er rare. I hvert fall min mor.

Sånn ganske nylig (må det jo ha vært) ringte jeg hjem for å nevne at jeg tilsynelatende har fått meg kjæreste (har ikke helt vent meg til tanken ennå, gitt). Svaret jeg fikk? “Å ja, det blir jo spennende å se hvor lenge det varer, da.” Linda mente at “Sånt sier man jo bare ikke,” og jeg kan vel forsåvidt være enig i det. Men nå er det jo ikke akkurat takt vi er kjent for i familien vår, så det var ikke derfor jeg var overrasket selv. Jeg bare lurte på hvorfor hun skulle reagere på den måten? Formulert sånn høres det da ut som om jeg drar med ny type hjem annenhver uke, ikke sant? Hallo, mamma, jeg er 29 og grand sum total av tidligere kjærester jeg har presentert – eller overhodet nevnt – for deg er 1 (en, ja). Akk ja.

Så snakket vi sammen igjen i går (jeg og mamma, altså, jeg og kjæresten snakker sammen noe oftere) – og jeg sier noe sånt som at “Nå må jeg gå for typen min skal lage middag til meg.” “Du kan da bruke navnet hans,” sier min kjære mor. Det er klart jeg kan, men det er jo langt mindre artig, prøver jeg å forklare. Han har jo hett det samme så lenge jeg har kjent ham – noe som begynner å bli en stund – men ‘typen min’ har han bare vært i snart tre uker. Det må da være lov til å synes at det er litt spennede å få lov til å si sånne ting? Særlig med tanke på at jeg altså er 29 og ikke akkurat har hatt anledning til å si ‘typen min’ så fryktelig mange ganger i mitt liv.

Så, som sagt, mødre er rare. Hyggelige å ha, selvsagt, men rare.

It’s getting old, already

Mirthful

The fire alarm has gone off three time this morning. Well, when I say ‘gone off’ I may be exaggerating a bit. First it rang twice, then stopped. Then shortly after it rang once, then went quiet again. Twenty minutes later, a short while ago, it repeated the trick.

It is, quite frankly, rather annoying.

I say aye

Mirthful 9 Comments

As it’s Wednesday, I could do the Wednesday What Ifs, however, Martin has done them already and since he’s pretty much said exactly what I’d have said (isn’t it sweet how we agree? – Everybody say: “Aaaaw”) you might as well go read his entry.

Instead I’ll point you to a site where you can test your instincts: Harmless nerd or the sort of person who eats kids for breakfast? (via Melissa)

And since I’m sure you’re all dying to know, I got 9 out of 10 correct. Cheered me up, that did (not that I was depressed or anything, but it is early morning at work, after all).

Voice in my head: Robbie Williams – Rock DJ

If you say so

Mirthful 5 Comments

Middle Ages
You come from the Middle Ages. Your soul came from
a time when dragons, knights, war and
Princesses ruled the land.

Where Did Your Soul Originate?
brought to you by Quizilla

Hm. A somewhat silly quiz, as the result seems to be determined by the answer to where you want to live. I want to live in a castle by the sea, which isn’t an option, ‘A castle’ gave me the above result, ‘By the sea’ gave me ‘the ocean’. Well, ok, so my soul comes from the ocean of the middle ages, or what? Now I’m feeling old. (Via Martin, who got the ocean – what’s the bet he said ‘by the sea’ too?)

$$$$$$$$

Mirthful

1. When you take a vacation, do you ever suffer from Internet withdrawal? Or maybe the nagging urge to blog or read blogs? Or are you glad to be away?
Glad to be away? Are you mad?

2. Have you ever been “furloughed” (told to take time off work without pay) or laid off? How did that impact your family dynamics? Your finances? If not to you, have you seen it happen to anyone you know? How did they handle it?
The company I first worked for in Oslo basically asked all of us to leave voluntarily last summer, which was not entirely unexpected and probably just as well as the majority of us had been thinking about leaving anyway. Had I not got a new job immediately, I dare say I would have been less happy about it, but as it was I was delighted.

3. If you fell on hard times, what is are some non-essential reoccurring luxury expenses (cable TV, TiVo subscription, cigarettes, high-speed net connection, newspaper, daily Starbucks coffee, etc.) you would give up to save money?
Most of those. I’d think long and hard about the cable/broadband (they’re one package at the moment), but it’s not as if I couldn’t live without tv (I have done) and I get internet at work… I’d have to drink less whisky, I suppose – or drink other people’s whisky (seems like a better option, doesn’t it?).

4. On the same thought, what is the one non-essential expense you would NOT give up?
Uhm. Buying books.

5. Would you ever ask your family (parents, in-laws, relatives) for financial assistance? What would be some of your concerns about asking for help? Have you ever asked for it before? Did it go well?
I would ask my parents. I’d not be happy about it, though, my mother gets this exasperated look whenever we get on the subject of my finances, and I’d hate them to know how badly I’d messed it up…

6. Has a friend or relative ever borrowed money from you? Who were they and how much did they want? Did you ever get paid back, or did it matter? Did you feel compelled to keep an eye on them to see if they spent it wisely?
Not large sums. My brother owes me money right now, but to be honest I’m not too bothered. He’s not spending them wisely, but I approve anyway.

7. Imagine you won a tax-free gift of $7,000. The only stipulation on the gift is that it must not be invested or saved, and must be spent before 2004. How would you use the money?
Ok, I’ve got a kitchen that needs refubishing. I don’t think you’d have to give me more than a month, really… Oh, and a quick (or not so quick) shopping trip to Scotland wouldn’t go amiss, either.

Actually, give me a weekend in Hay-on-Wye and we’ll see how much is left…