Over the last few weeks I have had 24 hits from people searching for Mysteriet deg. Now that I have actually put the lyrics up, is it asking too much that the occasional visitor leave a comment to say “thanks”?

Voice on the stereo: Avril Lavigne

Reading, web and whisky. New job, again. Finally learning to use camera. Otherwise: procrastination – business as usual. Still no kitchen.

(I’m number 694)

Up until this morning I thought the new Norwegian artist called… now, what was her name again? Maria something? I want to say that her last name is Madrugada, but that’s obviously nonsense. Whatever. As I was saying, up until this morning I was prepared to view her in a benevolent light. Her voice is good. The song is catchy and, though pretty simplistic, not too imbecile. However, after having had the lines of the chorus looping in my head like a broken record all morning (it was on the radio – again) all my benevolence is degenerating into abhorrence. There should definitely be a law against writing tunes THIS catchy.

Quick netsearch and I can tell you that she is, in fact, called Maria Arredondo (the song being called Just A Little Heartache).

1. Do you wear any jewelry? What kind?
Hardly ever. I’ve got a copper arm band (fits around my upper arm) that I wear on occasion.
2. How often do you wear it?
Dunno. Once, twice a year?
3. Do you have any piercings? If so, where?
No.
4. Do you have any tattoos? If so, where?
No. I’d never be able to make up my mind as to what motif to go for.
5. What are your plans for the weekend?
Laze around. Catch the plane back to reality on Sunday.

The Friday Five is back…
1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year?
Getting a new job immediately, resulting in all of, eh, one week of “unemployment” (or holiday).
2. What was your biggest disappointment?
My complete failure to get anything done with the kitchen…
3. Will you be making any New Year’s resolutions?
My ongoing resolution is to get a grip and stop procrastinating. Ah. Next week, perhaps. Or the week after.
4. Where will you be at midnight? Do you wish you could be somewhere else?
At midnight tonight? At my parents’ house. And, no, I don’t particularly want to be anywhere else. On New Year’s Eve? I have no idea as of yet. Somewhere in Trondheim. I have, however, armed myself with a Moet & Chandon, so I’ll be allright.
5. Aside from (possibly) staying up late, do you have any other New Year’s traditions?
Watching the fireworks (in Norway, New Year is when we do fireworks). Drinking Champagne.

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s sorta, kinda, almost Christmas. Due to several different causes, mainly that I want to spend time with my brother and parents while I have the chance, there might not be a whole lot of stuff going on here over the next week or two.

I’ll drop by, though.

Voice in my head: Avril Lavigne – Nobody’s Fool

Lycos have published their annual list of “most searched for”. I am tempted to try some of them on Google to see whether I show up in the results at all, but have decided I have better things to do. In the meantime, someone found me by searching google for “Always look” + “10 kr”. Cryptic. One has to wonder what it was they were actually looking for. Suggestions on a postcard.

I seem to have solved the reading problem, at least for the moment. While discussing it with my brother (who arrived yesterday for a pre-Christmas visit), my eyes were scanning my shelves and alighted on Bloom’s Western Canon, which I’ve been meaning to reread, and I thought “Why not?”. I read the preface on the bus this morning, so the drought is alleviated. My thanks for the reading vibes sent my way…

Voice in my head: Elton John – Nikita (why on earth?)

I will be summing up 2002 in 20 words at some point.

In the meantime, you can get thinking about your own entry…

I haven’t opened a book for days (since Wednesday last, in fact). Seriously. I haven’t wanted to, either. That is, I’ve wanted to read, in a general sense, I just haven’t wanted to read any specific book. I pick one up, say Nils Holgerssons Underbara Resa or The Little House in the Big Forest or Middlemarch (which I’m half-way through) and think, for a second, “How about this one, then?” and then immediately: “Nah.”

I must be ill.

Voice in my head: Pete Seeger – Little Boxes