Long time no write

It's been a while since I have written anything readable here so, I am going to try.
I' fine, just steeming a bit because I still haven't recieved exam results and it is more than a month since I finished school. I find this totally unfair, since the same crap shouldn't apply for students from abroad, since we pay full tuition so we should get full service, so strikes and other actions taken by the teachers and staff shouldn't apply to us, but that's just me. We live in an unfair world and they just crap all the more over us if they had the chance.
In May I went twice to the cinema even though it is horribly expensive, saw The Da Vinci Code, which was a fine entertainment but no masterpiece and X-men which was all right as well as entertainment, but I didn't find it as entertaining or as much fun as the last two of them.
Mom's calling in all for lunch, so I'm bailing for now. Later ...

SMILE, even through your tears

Treasure your friends and and think of them from time to time. Sometimes they need you too!

Around the corner I have a friend,
In this great city that has no end,
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,
And before I know it, a year is gone.

And I never see my old friends face,
For life is a swift and terrible race,
He knows I like him just as well,
As in the days when I rang his bell.

And he rang mine but we were younger then,
And now we are busy, tiredmen.
Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.

"Tomorrow" I say! "I will call on Jim
Just to show that I'm thinking of him."
But tomorrow comes andtomorrow goes,
And distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner, yet miles away,
"Here's a telegram sir," "Jim died today."
And that's what we get and deserve in the end.

Around the corner, a vanishedfriend.
Remember to always say what you mean.
If you love someone, tell them.
Don't be afraid to express yourself.

Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you.
Because when you decide that it is the right time it might be too late.
Seize the day. Never have regrets.
And most importantly, stay close to your friends and family,
for they have helped make you the person that youare today.

Fate or coincidence

I don't believe in coincidences, I just don't. So when there is something that tells me that there is more to something than there seems, I tend to listen and watch. I dream things and when they come true, I feel like someone is trying to tell me something that should matter. One moment in life and something happens but is discarded until it becomes relevant again, strengthened by a dream that came true and another that has yet to reveal itself of what is to come, seem to me to matter more than just a fluke or a coincidence. I do not pretend to be able to predict the future or understand what this is, but I have learned to listen to the cadence of the dreams and not discard them when they happen. I have told people about the dream and they all agree, green kitchen is a good thing, now I just have to hope that the stairs will end and although I was decending them in my dream, I hope the people in the dream will have to climb them and that they will reach their green kitchen in the end.
This blog is not for everyone to understand, and I appologise for it, but this is something I had to say, it is important to me. I just don't want to believe the things, my dreams and my heart have told me, are nothing. There has to be a reason behind this. I also don't want to influence in any adverse way the people concerning this dream, they have to find their "green kitchen" on their own, together or apart. I hope that the outcome of the dream will reveal itself to me soon.

P.S. dear friends and family
Thank you all for the wonderful birthday I had, it couldn't have been this nice without you. Love the e-cards from friends near and afar and the prezzies I got, I girl always loves to get prezzies.

It's my birthday today

I am twenty seven years old today. Jikes, time flies. I don't feel any older, but that is quite abstract saying, older than what, what I was yesterday or 5 years ago. Dear me, my memory is going bonkers, I don't remember anything about me five years ago. So lets drop the discussion.
Tomorrow I am going to have coffee and cakes with my family and closest friends, decided to have it small and nice and intimate as there is a lot going on around me now and a big party like I had wished for was not going to happen. So I am going to make the best of everything.
I mostly wish for my friends in Scotland, Sharon, Claire, Joanne, Laura and Katie to be able to Apparate to Iceland like they do in Harry Potter but I guess thats "still" just fiction. This is what happens when you want to combine the best from both worlds.
I have already gotten wonderful hi's and cheers from my wonderful friends who are now scattered around Europe and Iceland which have warmed my heart and brought a smile to my face. What more can a girl ask for.
Thank you my friends!

Busy

I just wanted to let people know that I am alive, kind of busy so that I won't be writing much now, that will come later. Have fun and Finland rocks!!!

Lost in Translation

I was thinking back to a few weeks ago when I was with my friends Claire and Jo waiting for one of our more challenging exams to start and what we were discussing. It had something to do with tin cans, and not the usual baked beans variety but the more larger ones. Now if I mention the name Mackintosh Confectionary every one in Iceland will know what I mean, and of course in my ignorant-foreign-people-way thought that this was the universal language for the well known candy. But no, they had absolutely no idea what I was talking about, Mackintosh? Does the name Quality Street give you a clue. Probably if you are Scottish (or British) maybe if you are Icelandic but not as much as Mackintosh. It is just so funny to find out what you have been born and raised to call or identify something foreign differently than the foreign place it originates from.
Another example: a pineapple (who's bright idea was it to call it that when in almost every other language (of the Indo-European strand) it is called Ananas or at least something that resembles it. But like my friend Gummi says, it would be just weird to call it Anas, grins. So for the same reason, let us respect the differences and quirks that develop in languages with identifying things in different ways in different langauges. We are all in this soup together.

Every girls dream

I am going to a wedding in July. In Glasgow! I got the wedding invitation today and I have already booked my flight. My friend Lewis is getting married on 11th July, 2006. I just felt that I must attend and this is something very special so I want to experience it. I will be surrounded by men in kilts, what is not to look forward there. Now I have to contact my Scottish friends to seek assistance in telling me what to wear and what to do. They are quite proper in Scotland regarding weddings, much more so than we here at home. I might possible have to wear a hat. That should normally not bother or bewilder a lady, but this lady might have a problem with it. You see, she finally got her hat, but it's ORANGE not really a wedding color and also I don't have anything wedding fancy to go with it, so now I have to go out and buy a new one, one that goes with fancy dressing. This is going to be fun and exciting.
I'll be going on Friday 7th July and I will be returning home 12th July, I know, I am cutting it quite closely, but it can't be helped because of work.

And speaking of work, today was my first day back at work, and I am beat. I feel like my body and brain has been put through a punching machine. My feet refuse to function properly and my brain has permanently detached itself from me for the rest of the evening. So now I am going to rest for the remainder of the evening and do something fun that doesn't require movement or brain activity.

At home and no idea what to do

I am totally braindead here. I am finally home and have no idea what to do, I am in the mood to do something but have no idea what, when or where. I arrived home yestarday, dead on my feet and shortly after arriving home I took a wee nap. Around dinner time we went to my brother's house where he gave us a wonderful dinner. It was his sort of birthday dinner celebration although his birthday was today. He got lots of prezzies from us and I think he was very happy with them all. But when we came home, I basically begged for mercy and threw myself into bed again, just before elleve o'clock and slept soundly until 9am this morning. And even though I had slept all night and a few hours yesterday I still managed to steal a catnap today, and again I am tired. But on top and probably also the cause for my sleepyness is that I have had continual headache since yesterday and it doesn't seem to want to go, no matter how many pills I pop.
But I am sort of ok now, the headache is bearable but now I have no idea what to do. I want to do something, or it is more like the feeling that I should be doing something. I just don't think I am yet used to not being studying all the time. Weird girl, it is almost like I am starting to miss school already. Weirdo! Just watch telly and enjoy being braindead for a while. I think I'll take this advice and watch good old Brain donors.

So excited I am sick

I swear I always do this. I am so excited about going home that I have actually made myself sick. I feel like I want to throw up. But there might also be another reason. The sun has been shining today without break and straight through my window. I have been tidying in my room since 3 o'clock today (still haven't finished) but I am done packing ... except the things that go in at the last minute. And since I have been dusting, throwing things away (2 and a half big black rubbish bags actually) and vaccuming/hoovering (whatever) I probably haven't been drinking enough in the head and the dust and all the crazyness around me. On top of that there is no wind outside so I don't get any breeze to keep the air circulating and right now I am feeling faint.
We are also waiting for our food to arrive, hope that it comes soon so I can start trying to get my body back to balance soon.

FREEDOM

appropriate hehehe. I finished my exams yesterday and I am so relieved right now, although it still hasn't sunk in yet, that I don't have to start studying for my next exam now. Árdís and I went out celebrating the end of the year and end of exams and we had a very very nice time out. Árdís was even so nice to treat me to dinner, thanks a bunch, Árdís oooo and I almost forgot, she gave me a wonderful exam-finished gift yesterday when I came home. Baking parchment and a toilet roll, everything necessary for a busy student (grins) and also "Scottish wit and wisdom" book for a chance to make me more scottish. Must say I can hardly understand half of what it says in there (and it still comes with explanations ahahhaha). She also gave me Good Food Magazine, the 101 collection of recipies (I think she is hoping I will feed her next year). It was great. But last night we went out to TGI Fridays, what is more appropriate than that and had a wonderful dinnar, I am still stuffed. Then we headed over for the cinema where we went to see She's the Man, which is actually a brilliant remake of the 80s film One of the Boys (sort of) and it was so much fun. And it wasn't just girls at the film but guys as well, and it was so noticeable when just the girls laughed or the guys or when we all laughed together, it was a great film. Good for both sexes.
I am now heading into the city center to do my final last minute shopping before heading home to tidy my very untidy room and clean everything and pack my suitcaseS to go HOME.
My friends in Glasgow, have a very very enjoyable summer (even though some of you have to slave over your dissertation essays) and I hope to see you next year and have a great time.
My friends and my family in Iceland, I look foward to seeing and hearing from you tomorrow and in the next few days. The girl is coming home!

ps. can YOU crack the code?

Drowning in consonants

I have Old Irish coming OUT of my ears now, not just into them. I am now swimming in Old Irish poetry, trying to make any of it stick in my head. I am on my sixth now out of eight, doing all right, but still it is doing me head in. I will be soooooo happpppppy tomorrow afternoon, when I will finally crawl from my last exam. I just hope I won't mix the poems together. Although I must say these are all very nice poems, and not too hard to remember (well the last three are the longest and so quite a bit to muddle through there, although he won't be giving us the whole of them, just bits). I sure hope he will be nice to us and not be very nasty in his questions. I think I dread the palaeography exercise (Old Irish manuscript reading) the most, as it is quite difficult to understand the scribes writings. Sometimes it is almost like reading a handwriting of a modern doctor but with crazy abreviations. And sometimes they can't even decide what the abbreviations stand for.
But after the exam, me and Árdís are going out to celebrate and possibly also go see a movie. Then on Saturday, the real, last minute shopping is going to take place along with laundry duty and tidying up the place, before I leave for the summer. Oh, dear, I am going to be swamped on Saturday. But I am soooo looking forward to going home, I don't care if I will be tidying my room until 5am in the morning on Sunday, because I AM GOING HOME.

ps. just to make you suffer like I am

Cride é,

daire cnó,

ócán é,

pócan dó.

------

He is a heart,

oak-grove of nuts,

he is a young man,

a little kiss to him.

Time flies

Time surely flies fast. In a week I will be home and happy having finished and survived my exams. It is amazing how the time flies. Usually, three weeks seem like forever, not so when you are studying for exams. Because when you are studying for exams, the week doesn't have seven days, it only contains the days between exams. Tomorrow is my fifth exam and on Friday is my last. I dread the exam tomorrow as it is in a very difficult subject, where most of the people taking it have Gaelic where I do not, thankfully I have a background now of Old Irish to assist me in figuring out the differences between the languages and to see how the Scottish Gaelic language has developed over the course of 1100 years. Yes, the period of the course is quite extensive and I have to know very many details of fricative, labial, sonorant and velar sounds along with phonemes, homophones and consant clusters (ng, nc, nd). I also have to be able to tell why there is s- in sé and why they changed from ch > dh and gh in words and how eclipses and lenition changed and diverged with the languages. I even have to be able to talk about the problems of understanding where the -annan in plural endings of Scottish Gaelic words comes from and what certain guys (like O Rahilly, Greene, Ó Buachalla and O Maolalaigh) have to say about it. Dear me, is there any wonder my head is ready to explode.

Lygilegur dagur

Þetta er bara búinn að vera ótrúlegur dagur. Fjórða prófið mitt var í dag, Early Gaelic Literature in Translation, og núna á ég bara tvö eftir. Síðasta prófið mitt er eftir viku og það eru svo bara níu dagar þangað til ég flýg heim. Sá tími getur ekki komið nógu hratt. Ég var í prófi í dag klukkan hálf tíu (hálf níu að íslenskum tíma) og ég sver, heilinn á mér fer ekki í gang svona snemma á morgnana til að taka próf, hann bara þver neitar að gera neitt af viti. En þetta var ágætt próf, ekki eins nastí og prófið á þriðjudag var í Belief and Culture in medieval Ireland and Scotland. Sver Joanne hefði getað drepið kennarann okkar eftir það próf, ég var hrædd við hana. En nei í dag, þá settumst við inn í prófsalinn aðeins í seinna lagi og við áttum að fá nokkrar mínútur auka af því að okkur hafði verið hleypt inn svo seint. Þegar ég var nýbúin að ganga frá öllum upplýsingum á próförkina og nýbyrjuð að lesa prófspurningarnar, var komin að þeirri þriðju á blaðinu þá fór brunabjallan í gang. Er ekki að djóka svo að við þurftu að yfirgefa salinn. Sem betur fer tók ég jakann minn með því að annars hefði ég króknað úr kulda. Þetta var náttúrulega bara fyndið því að um leið og við vorum komnar út þá byrjuðu allir að tala: quick tell me about this and that af því að við vorum náttúrulega búnar að sjá spurningarnar og gátum því ráðfært okkur við næsta mann. Enda eftir prófið þá kom í ljós að við höfðum allar tekið 7 spurninguna sem fjallaði um konur og "sovereignty goddesses" bara snilld. Við þurftum að bíða úti í kuldanum í um tuttugu mínútur áður en slökkt var á kerfinu og okkur hleypt inn aftur. Þannig að í staðinn fyrir að prófið lyki hálf tólf, þá kláruðum við tíu mínútur í tólf. Alveg svakalega undarlegur tími. Hef tekið próf hérna í þrjú ár og þetta hefur aldrei komið fyrir áður. En aftur á móti eftir próf og þegar við vorum að fá okkur hádegismat þá fóru sögurnar af stað. Ein hafði heyrt um eina sem hafði fengið nóg og nýlega eftir að prófið hafði byrjað hljóp hún út öskrandi "there isn't enought time" brilliant það maður. Það hefur liðið yfir nokkra og einn kastaði meira að segja upp þegar hann var í prófinu. Nú þeir sem ekki vita, þá eru þessir prófasalir frekar þröngt setnir. Maður þarf að renna sér þægilega léttilega í sætin og borðið á næsta aðila er upp við bakið á stólnum þínum. Í salnum sem við vorum í til dæmis rúmast 200 borð. Þegar þessi sem kastaði upp lét gusuna ganga, vildi það ekki svo betur til en að það lenti á næsta manni eins og hvaða önnur sæmilega gusa úr Exorcism. Ekki hefði ég viljað vera sú sem sat fyrir framan uppkastarann!!! Það er bara fyndið að heyra af þessum sögum eftir prófin en ég hefði nú ekkert á móti því að sjá einvhern sem er stressaðri en ég þótt að það sé ljótt að segja það. Það hefði bara einhvern veginn vegað skemmtilega upp á móti þessum degi.
Núna er ekkert annað fyrir mig að gera en að drífa mig áfram að læra fyrir næsta próf sem er á máundaginn. Sem betur fer er það eftir hádegi en mig hlakkar ekki til að fara í þetta próf. Ja, hlakkar til og ekki, þetta er í Historical development of the Gaelic language (hljómar síður en svo spennandi I know) en aftur á móti þá er þetta næst síðasta prófið þannig að ég get alltaf haft eitthvað til að hlakka til. Þá verður enn styttra þangað til prófin eru búin og enn styttra þangað til ég kemst upp í flugvél heim til mín.

Easter Sunday Dinner

Good Friday Dinner

Easter away from home

They say that it doesn't matter where you are the holidays still creep up on you. They do, but in my case I didn't notice them. Possibly because I have been studying for my exams and also that I have been able to go into shops everyday of the week and weekend no matter if it is Good Friday or Easter Sunday (weird). I am also more used to being aware of the holiness of the season when I have been home, its a lot more festive than here in Glasgow. But it still didn't get in the way of me having great food to eat (that I even cooked myself), althoug there wasn't much to it, just push the trays into the oven, grins). But staying away this holiday weekend from my family and friends gave me this thought, how do people celebrate their holidays away from home, I have always thought that the holidays come to you, that you make the best of it, but I see now I am wrong. It is you family and friends that make the holidays special, and it is with them that you feel the day is special and then you can fully appreciate what the season means.
Oh boy, didn't intend to get so mushy. I got an easter egg with a proverb that was mis-worded, kind of funny but not. Sá sem alltaf er önnum kafinn að gera góðverk hefur ekki tíma til að vera góður sjálfur (transl: The one who is always busy doing good deeds doesn't have time to be good himself) but in all actuality how is that possible so I think it should read The one who is always busy doing good deeds doens't have time to be good TO himself. Makes much more sense like this.

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter wherever you are!

I am just custie [kustí]

I can hardly believe it. I just finished my most difficult exam of all this year, Old Irish and I am calm. I was calm before the exam and during it, worked my way through and remembered to breath periodically and then we left. Strange, I would have imagined that I would either drown in despair in the next pub or shout to the world that I had survived Old Irish. No, nothing like that, I am still calm. I haven't shouted anything, come to think of it. I think I might still be in shock. It wasn't as horrible as we were expecting ... I mean it was do-able, but could have been much nicer. Three sections, and I went straight to section B, because I knew that if there was anything in the exam that I should be able to handle it would be in Section B - do a translation on a bit of Mac Dathó's Pig (great story by the way) and then there was this unseen translation. I know, just the term makes cold chills run down your spine and your hair curl, but the funny thing was I could figure out from where one of the passages was from, it was from The waisting sickness of Cú Chulainn and I knew that story very well, just not the part that was being asked about. I sort of got the gist of it but not more than that, but I am hoping that it will help bring my mark up anyway. And I left section A to the last minute, because it contained WORDS and I didn't want to do that. 10 words and you had to explain as much about them as you could, well ... let's just say I almost could. But I could do enough so that it satisfied me so right now I am just custie (which I found out today means = excellent).

It's my dad's birthday today, so I am going to ring home tonight when I think they will have arrived home. They were going out at exactly the time I cam home today, they were invited to a Confirmation (Ferming) of a cousin of mine. They get to go (or have to go) to five of these things this year, all of them are in April and I don't get to go to one. But hey, if it means that I get home that much earlier, who cares. I'll just have a mega party when I arrive home.

Well I am away now to be more or extra lazy, I am not going to do much studying tonight ... no really, I am not, just taking a little bit of time to organize things becuase I am going to have to go out tomorrow. Two revision classes and then I am going to the cinema for a little bit of pick-me-up and then I am going home to cook a marvelous dinner I bought at Marks and Spencers, yes I am going to have nice dinners on Easter, I even got a pork-crackling for Easter Sunday!

Tired, cold and drying

It has begun! I had my first exam today: Celtic Place-names of Scotland. It was a two hour exam, and we only had to answer two essay questions. That means panic, how are we supposed to write an hour long essay on anything regarding Celtic Place-names. So in the end I wrote for more like one hour and 35 minutes which seemed reasonable and then I just sat there and stared out into space. I answered these questions: 1) What are the problems and pitfalls of distribution maps of generic elements as tools for the scholar of place-names. And 2) What sort of evidence do place-names provide for the structure and function of the church in early medieval Scotland? I somehow managed to bullshit myself through these questions and when we emerged from the exam hall we headed straight for the pub to have a glas, a pint, a bottle ... whatever would do it for us. When we were leaving to go home it started to rain cats and dogs and probably a few hippos as well, it was pouring. I managed to get into Iceland (hehehe) before I drowned where I bought the necessities for survival (Coke Cola) and took a taxi home. When I got home, I was cold and wet and tired. Now I am actually starting to dry up a bit but I am still cold and now I am getting hungry. But I have to push on and learn for my Old Irish exam on Thursday, dreading that one. At 16:31 on Thursday you will probably hear me shouting from the rooftops from either elation or despair, and then you will not hear from me for a few hours as I will either be heading off to the cinema to award myself my hard work, or I will be drowning my sorrows over some more bottles. Wish me luck.

The Lady is finally a real Lady. I bought myself this hat today!

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I'm Merry oh so merry and very ...

I'm Meriadoc 'Merry' Brandybuck!



Drunken and lively, driven and strong, you're Meriadoc Brandybuck, more often known as Merry!

"You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin - to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours - closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo."

Which hobbit in the fellowship of the Ring are you?

Take Other Caffeine Nebula Quizzes

Bachelorette!

I would never have thought in a million years, that I would label myself in this way or any other for that matter. I am just me. But I allowed my good friend Guðný Stellu to talk me into joining the girls of the Bachelorette page (www.piparstelpur.blogspot.com). Dear God, I have no idea what to write about there, but we will see how it works out.
Well among things I can think about that a Bachelorette would ponder would be guys. So when we was riding home in a taxi today I started wondering and looking around me. Now, I must say, for me, it is not the easiest choice to make. I am very picky when it comes to guys. I like them, tall, rugged, manly ... basically I go for the caveman everytime. The meterosexual guy just isn't doing anything for me or my imagination. I just really don't fancy a guy who thinks more on how he looks than I do. I want him to be neat, (smell nice, and definitely not reak of sweat from the moment he moves in the morning) but other than that I will take whatever. Bodily sounds should be included so that you know he is working right, a brain (and braincells at work) and just for extra measure, a killer stupid humor (to fit into the group) and a naughty twinkle in his eyes. hmmm. Oh, and don't forget a voice that would make you melt and a hillarious laugh, no sizzie laughter but a real bellyshaking, face-splitting, tear-down the cheek laughter. Rrrooowwwwrrrr. Ooo, must stop or my imagination is going to go into overdrive, I should be studying so no time for imagination. Unless it is about a very sexy teacher and .... mmm. STOP!

Too tired to shop?

Yup, you would think it was April's Fools day to be seeing this on my website, but it is true. I managed to drag myself into the city center around 2 o'clock today to get some food into my very empty belly, and I just felt myself get more and more tired. I managed to have a wee keek into few shops but I wasn't concious enough to buy anything. I looked at a lot of pretty things but that was the only thing I managed to do. And to top this up, there are sales going on, upton 70% in some stores and I just walked past. Unthinkable. Unheard off. Unbelieveable. But I sort of promised myself that I would take a better look tomorrow. And then we will see if I get something nice. ... oh my poor poor bank account.

Pre-boarding shit annoys me

I woke up at four to go to the airport this morning. Wasn't in a very chippy mood since I didn't get much sleep. I am lucky if I got two and a half. My last night at home, and I couldn't fall asleep. But the trip to the airport was fine, said goodbye to mom and dad at the security gate and went wandering around the maze of the new and "soon to be improved" airport to do some last minute shopping before leaving the country. I arrived at the gate on time, they said on the card Boarding at 6:50 am, fine with my, but no, not with them. I managed to get my ass there on time, why should I have to wait. The plane was there, two other passangers were there but the crew was a no-show. Had to wait for a bit longer for them to show up. Then when I finally thought I would be seeing my seat, no, they let you in, but only so far. They have a very nice word for it to, "we are only pre-boarding". Can someone explain that to me, I was nowhere near the airplane, how in hell could I be pre-boarding anything. I was just standing there in a hallway, looking at the behind of an American fat guy, and listening to other American fat people bonding. - Oh, hey were are you hailing from? - Well we come from this small shitty place somewhere in the middle. - No kidding, I knew a guy there a couple of years ago, ever heard of him? Hmm, love bright people. I think it would have to be a really small shitty place in America that anyone would know anyone there.
And what is with the hair-dos of the American women. They have horrible hair. It is hardly possible to describe it. It's not feminine, it's not masculine, it isn't even uni-sex. A blind man would cringe at the way they do their hair. And what is it with American men, they can't travel anywhere without taking their cowboy hat with them. Hmm, why not just a sign that screams AMERICAN WITH NO STYLE.
Ok, done with ranting at Americans, not gonna be bothered with them until I return home I guess. So hey, they get a month break. I am back in Glasgow and I survived, dead tired and hungry, but intact. Good night!

It's time for Iceland

This is the english version of the Icelandic Eurovision Song Contest contribution. Just way too cool!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=io9axbFBpk0

It's a 4 thing going on

Everyone has a 4 of something, now I am going to try to think up a few 4s that I have.
4 films I can watch over and over again
- Pride and Prejudice (the BBC version)
- Kabhi Khusi Kabhi Gham (have watched it more times than my own reflection in the mirror)
- Carry On Doctor ( I just love British humor)
- Independence Day (it's just so darn American, you don't need your brain when watching it)
4 TV shows I like
- House (just love Hugh Laurie in it, I miss Jeeves and Wooster)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Josh Whedon is a genius; hence Firefly)
- Desperate Housewives (if you ever heard Árdís and me, while watching these shows you would wonder what the h"#$ was going on)
- 24 (don't know why, but when you start you can't just stop you have to finish)
4 websites I visit everyday
- mbl.is (the the latest news from home)
- gla.ac.uk. (Glasgow University home page, to access my mail, and other school related sites)
- my pal's websites (not technically one, more like several that I go through everyday)
- Amazon.co.uk (to see if there is anything new that I must have)
4 things I look forward to
- finishing my exams (and of course passing all of them with flying colours)
- seeing my pals again over the summer
- getting money from LIN (when I finally hand over the results from my exams)
- going back to Uni in September (I know, pretty weird person this)
4 types of food that I love
- Icelandic lamb
- CHOCOLATE
- anything with a Banana
- and bizzare me Chicken (yes, if you have to eat it (because you are too lazy to cook anything else) learn to love it)
4 restaurants I like in Scotland
- Chows (love Chinese, flied lice)
- TGI Fridays (mmmm cocktails)
- Hard Rock Café in Edinburgh (love it, slurp)
- Whetherspoon (tried it once, loved it forever)
4 languages I have learned
- Danish
- French
- German
- Gaelic (Modern Scottish Gaelic and Old Irish)
4 languages I want to learn
- Hindi (to watch more Bollywood films)
- Shinalese (spoken in Sri Lanka)
- Italian (and maybe also Latin)
- Welsh ( so I can say properly; I want to go to Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, please)

Snow snow snow snow snow

Wow, it finally hit. Finally, snow in Glasgow you can actually call snow, but in a funny way. More than 3000 people had to stay at night-clubs and pubs and hotels in the city center last night because it snowed. Today, I saw at least 4 cars sit stuck in the snow for a while, well, I don't know about two of them if they are still there. I walked with my friend Árdís to the Somerfield store, and going through the park was wonderful and fun. Although my friend wasn't as excited. Everywhere you looked, people were there with their kids and their sleighs and snowfights and snowman makers. Some of the snowmen were really creatively made, and I know for sure that I saw at least one snow-sheep.
I didn't go to sleep very early last night and was awake until 3 am and because I kept hearing all these people outside my window I took a wee look-see and boy, this was hilarious. Young adults (mostly) in their pajamas and boots outside having a massive snowfight. Brilliant.
On the news; they showed us images from people trying to get into work in Glasgow by skiing. Imaginative and inventive. See this comes from being in a country that is really, and I mean really, unprepared for snow. Not that they don't know that they could expect to get snow, but boy, this is stupid. They obviously don't have very many machines to clear their streets and they definitely didn't think of sending them out when it started to snow so heavily, even though they knew it would create a caoz. Thankfully it wasn't Monday night or else Glasgow would have been in a really bad way. And of course because, even though they know they can expect snow, the season for snowing is practically over here in Scotland, so snow of this magnitude, even though it wasn't that great will still put everything to a standstill. No snowtires for the cars, not even the firebrigade, which I didn't find funny at all, when we saw them mosey down Byres road on a call, don't they have chains, even though they are travelling snow-light streets it can be very slippery and chains, would be more help than not. Glasgow! Learn to be prepared for anything, please!
But still I had fun, and took lots of pictures, grins.

Alcohol and Old Irish

They kind of go together. I wouldn't have thought it, but it actually helped make sense of the exercise I was slaving over tonight. I had a big glas of Blackcurrant vodka with sprite, always sooo good, and my Old Irish work. It took me more than 3 hours but still I am now halfway through. Yess, it is not the easiest language in the world, and that is probably why it is deader than Latin. They must at some point looked back and thought what the bl"#$ h#$$# are we talking and changed it somewhat trying to make it understandable. I don't know if they succeeded very much, it doesn't seem to be growing in popularity. Anyway I am knackered and am heading for bed. A big day shopping tomorrow and I think it is better for me to head to bed soon, since I am hardly seeing the screeen and my fingers have given up trying to hit the right keys on the keyboard. It has taken me ages just to write this short passage. Say hello, unconciousness!

Sylvia Nott

Iceland's Eurovison Song Contest contribution 2006!
Had to give you a sneak peak of what you might be expecting.


http://www.b2.is/?sida=tengill&id=147123


Enjoy!! (with caution)

Such a relief

Oh, dear Lord, am I happy now. My exam timetable finally showed up on the web tonight. it is ironic, that I just decided not to give a damn about it and booked my flight home over the summer break, yesterday. I had completely given up hope of seeing it anytime soon. But nothing was going to deter me from going home for a few days. I decided to stay for two weeks, that would still give me enough time to study for my exams here in Glasgow if need be, because honestly, I am not that optimistic of being able to study all that hard when I am at home. So I go home on Thursday 16th, just 8 days from now (am sooo looking forward to it) and then I will be back in Glasgow on Thursday 30th. My first exam is then on the 11th of April and with good spacing between each exam I will finish on Friday 28th. Six exams in all, and boy, am I freaking out right now. But I will be delirious if I am able to go home for my summer holiday on April 30th, Sunday, and the day before my brothers birthday. I miss them all soo much. I have spoken to my niece on the phone quite a lot recently and she is always asking when I will be coming home. Well, now I can tell her it is really really soon!

Sometimes insomnia is ok

Well I don't have insomnia but I had a hard time going to sleep last night. Might be due to the fact that I fell asleep for two hours during the day, which is not normal for me. But anyway, I was ready for bed, but still in the bathroom when I glanced at the tv, and saw something I had not been expecting. I did not hear what they were saying so I quickly left the mirror in the bathroom for the tv instead and turned the volume up. It was a Gaelic program on ITV1 called Air a Bhórd (or On the Table) and is a food show, talking about everything relating to food and foods around the world. But what I noticed was at first, the hot springs (that gave me the first clue) next, a very distinct looking waterfall (clue number two turned out to be Gullfoss) and then the third and final clue and I had my answer, a very nice view over the down town of Reykjavik. Yes, I was home, mmmmmmm .... soory was miles away there. They were interviewing an Icelandic chef, Stefán Úlfarsson, and he was showing them how he made this and that kind of fish and they quite liked what they were experiencing. They showed a lot of landscape and also pictures from the pubs in Reykjaviks center. I feel soooo homesick. I want to go home, I really do. I am going nuts waiting for the time table for the exams so that I can start planning my summer break. Get on with it guys. Although I truly think that they will not publish the time table until Monday, but I can still be frustrated.
PS! It has started to snow, if you can call it that. I see snowflakes but that's about it for now. Well, I am heading out into the "storm" (grins) and try to brave my way to Uni. Hope I won't get lost.

Varð að vera með

Í lífinu hef ég
(x ) drukkið áfengi (og það er að verða sífellt oftar)
( ) klesst bíl vinar/vinkonu
( ) stolið bíl (foreldranna)
( ) verið ástfangin
( ) verið sagt upp af kærasta/kærustu
( ) faðmað einhvern ókunnugan
( ) verið rekin/n
( ) lent í slagsmálum
( ) læðst út meðan þú bjóst ennþá heima hjá foreldrunum
( ) haft tilfinningar til einhvers sem endurgalt þær ekki
( ) verið handtekin/n
( ) farið á blint stefnumót
( ) logið að vini/vinkonu (er nokkuð viss um að hafa alltaf verið þæg og góð við vinkonur mínar)
(x) skrópað í skólanum (jú, peer pressure, Claire neitaði að fara í conversation classes í Gelísku og dró mig með á pubbinn)
( ) horft á einhvern deyja
( ) farið til Canada
( ) farið til Mexico
(x) ferðast í flugvél (þó nokkuð oft)
( ) kveikt í þér viljandi
( ) borðað sushi
( ) farið á sjóskíði
( ) farið á skíði
( ) hitt einhvern sem þú kynntist á internetinu
(x) farið á tónleika
(x) tekið verkjalyf
(x) elskar einhvern eða saknar einhvers akkurat núna
(x) legið á bakinu úti og horft á skýin
(x) búið til snjóengil
(x) haldið kaffiboð
(x) flogið flugdreka
(x) byggt sandkastala
(x) hoppað í pollum
(x) farið í "tískuleik" (dress up)
(x) rennt þér á sleða
(x) grátið svo mikið að þér finnst þú aldrei ætla að hætta
(x) svindlað í leik (man samt ekki eftir því, en ef ég þekki mig rétt þá hlýtur það að hafa verið einhvern tíman)
(x) verið einmana
( ) sofnað í vinnunni/skólanum
( ) notað falsað skilríki
(x) fundið jarðskjálfta
( ) sofið undir berum himni
(x) verið kitluð/kitlaður
(x) verið rænd/rændur
(x) verið misskilin/n (daglega)
( ) klappað hreindýri/geit/kengúru
( ) farið yfir á rauðu ljósi/virt stöðvunaskyldu að vettugi
( ) verið rekin/n eða vísað úr skóla
( ) lent í bílslysi
( ) verið með spangir/góm
(x) liðið eins og þú passaðir ekki inn í/þriðja hjól undir vagni
( ) borðað líter af ís á einu kvöldi
(x) fengið deja vu
( ) dansað í tunglskininu
( ) fundist þú líta vel út
( ) verið vitni að glæp
(x) efast um að hjartað segði þér rétt til
( ) verið gagntekin/n af post-it miðum
( ) leikið þér berfætt/ur í drullunni
( ) verið týnd/ur
( ) fundist þú vera að deyja
(x) grátið þig í svefn
(x) farið í löggu og bófa leik
(x) litað nýlega með vaxlitum
( ) sungið í karaókí
(x) borgað fyrir máltíð eingöngu með smápeningum
( ) gert eitthvað sem þú lofaðir sjálfri/sjálfum þér að gera ekki
( ) hringt símahrekk
(x) hlegið þannig að gosið frussaðist út um nefið á þér
(x) stungið út tungunni til að ná snjókorni
(x) dansað í rigningunni
(x ) skrifað bréf til jólasveinsins
( ) verið kysst/ur undir mistilteini
(x) horft á sólarupprásina með einhverjum sem þér þykir vænt um
(x) blásið sápukúlur
( ) kveikt bál á ströndinni
(x) komið óboðin/n í partý..
( ) verið beðin/n um að yfirgefa partýið sem þú komst óboðin/n í
(x) farið á rúlluskauta/línuskauta
(x) hefur einhver óska þinna ræst
( ) farið í fallhlífastökk
( ) hefur einhver haldið óvænt boð fyrir þig

Fékk þetta af síðu hjá vinkonu minni og varð að vera með. Ég kemst ekki með tærnar þar sem hún er með hælana í hvað hún hefur áorkað í lífinu en ég varð að setja mitt framlag hérna.

Thorrablot 432% proof

This has certainly been a hetic weekend for me, but a very fun one. I have already written down what happened on Friday, but Saturday has been completely ignored. So here goes.
I woke up around ten on Saturday morning for my schedule at the now famous hair salon for a hair-do for the night. Since it was included in the price, I decided that since the Thorrablot would be the only chance for me to really make an effort to dress up I would have a nice hair-do as well. Boy was I wrong. Advice: if you are blind, don't go to a hairdresser because they are blind, so not really a very good combination. Instead of getting the nice, elegant, sleek bob I was aiming for I got a funky looking haystack, full of needles that took turns piercing my skull. I almost ran into the city center and finished all my necessary purchases in record time and headed home (no pun intended). As soon as I was inside the door, I started yanking all the pins out. It felt like I had been to a plastic-surgery and couldn't move my face, and every attempt at smiling, seemed more like a loonatic trying to express anger. I counted the pins I removed, 41 in all, ouch. I decided to just go simple, and elegant, and head-friendly, and only put a simple clip in it.
I got ready and headed into the Queen Street Station to meet Sharon, my scottish friend, who was brave enought to join the drunken Icelandic revelers.
We arrived at St. Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh well ahead of time, and helped get everything ready for the food and drink. There must have been around eighty people that showed up, which is very good. And it was sooo much fun as well. I think Sharon enjoyed herself quite nicely at the evening, and she even tasted almost everything, and liked it as well. We didn't touch the head, since that can be quite messy, at least when I try to pull it assunder so I didn't try it.
Sharon even got to try Malt and Appelsín mixed together. Although it is sort of similar to Shandy's it's much nicer I think, grins. One of the girls at our table had brought small cans of them with them, and I think she was envied by everyone there. We also had our share of the Brennivin (or Black Death) and we also got to taste Tópas (in liquer form), tastes just like the candy except it has this extra bit of alcohol added to it. Sharon said she preferred the Brennivin to Tópas, I am quite mixed in my view. I kind of like them both.
We didn't notice until it was too late, that we would probably not catch the last train into Glasgow, but were lucky enough that there were people there also headed to Glasgow and knew where the bus was leaving from, so we tagged along with them. Funnily enough, we weren't any longer on our way into Glasgow than we would have been on the train, the only delay was that the bus was half an hour later than the train. Which gave us an extra half hour at the party. Soon after arriving in Glasgow we caught a taxi and made it home safe and sound. I even got a text from Sharon on Sunday morning, to tell me she had reached conciousness after the night and was all right. Brilliant!

The Invasion of the Icelanders

Wow, a lot of things have been going on today. First, I was a really good girl yesterday and finished my essay, so I decided to take it easy today and not rush things. I knew my friend Árdís was expecting her friends to come visit for a few days, and we planned to go out to dinner tonight. But first things first. I had an appointment at a hair salon, where I got a cut and highlights, and now I look like a blond. Well, not really, but my hair is soo much lighter than I am used to that for me the feeling is I' BLONDE. But I like it, so I am not freaking out or anything.
Then, like I usually do when I take a time off from studying, you can find me in shops, and today was no different. I had some lunch and then headed for the shops, although I managed to restrain myself. I very nearly bought a top and a cardigan to go with, but decided not to on the last minute. Now, I think I will go back tomorrow to get the thing. Sometimes I can be such a gemini, never knowing which foot to put forward first.
I came home and soon I heard the rather boisterous voices of 3 females, and being as intelligent as I am knew that this had to be Árdís with her friends, safe and relatively sane in Glasgow. I went to say hi to them, and then we decided what to do tonight, and ended up going to Chow's (the best Chinese restaurant in the West End). Our flatmate Stephanie also mentioned to Árdís that it was her birthday today, and that she would be having a night out with friends at The Loft on Ashton Lane and asked us if we wanted to come as well. Of course we wanted to, Icelanders never say no to a party. Somewhere in all the chaos in my room I managed to find a birthday card so at least we had something to give her. Over dinner we suffered through our lack of German and managed to write a few not so accurate sentences of wishing Stephanie a happy birthday. We later appologised and blamed it all on Derrick, she found it hilarious.
When midnight struck I became Cinderella and ran off home in a taxi, although I didn't loose my shoe in the process (or anything else). I decided to head home early because my neck was killing me, after the hairwash I got at the salon today. Also because I am going back (yeah, can't get enough of being pampered, even though it hurts, grins) and getting a hair-do for tomorrows eveing of Þorrablót.
Anyway, I feel my brain slipping down my spine right now, so I should get on to bed, if I am going to make any sense tomorrow.
OOOh, and I nearly forgot, I got to try Opal today and I don't mean just any Opal, but the liquid alcaholic variety. One shot and it feels like you have chewed like a hundred Opals in one and then swallowed. Weird!

Generosity

Britain loves to give stuff away. Especially if you buy something else. In every store there is a special offer '3 for 2' or 'buy this and get this for free'. And I unashamedly use this, like crazy to my advantage, when it suits me. But sometimes I still feel like I have been had. Conned by consumeralism. The story of a shop-aholic.
Today I walked into the city center (which meant I walked to the subway station and let them take me the rest of the way). On my way there I stopped at McColls (a newspaper kiosk) and bought The Scottish Sun (yeah, they have their own Sun here, and they need it as well as it is practically always raining here). The paper was 55p today, since it is Saturday, but still in my opinion cheap. With it I got a DVD disc (Carry On Cabby), which is the only reason why I bought the paper. That's usually the reason why I buy any paper or magazine here in Scotland ... I get something I don't need for free. Well, sometimes it can come in handy. Some of my kitchen cutlery is from a magazine, I got a bag from another. Probably going through all the magazines in Britain and grabbing everything that comes with them, I guess you could almost furnish a small flat. Handbags, clothes, makeup, hair-do stuff, DVD's, cd's, games, hobby stuff, stitching and crochetting, stamps, believe me I have seen it all.
Once I was in Woolworth's just to buy one videotape for the vcr, but the only thing they had was a packet of 3. Not at all what I wanted but it was sort of the only thing I could do if I wanted to get the tapes (I wanted to use it that evening) so I sauntered over to the counter to pay for my 3 tapes, when I came to the counter, the woman cheerily informed me that they had a special offer and the tape packet I held in my hand was a 2 for 1 special. So I ended up with 6 tapes instead of the 1 and the only 1 I wanted. I still have the other 5.
This is the story everywhere, buy something and get something for free. And you get so used to this, that this is such a great offer that you just, get swallowed up in it, and get conned into buying three of the things that you only need one of and only use like once every five years, but you still go away happy, thinking that you got a great deal.

A mostly Chinese evening

Last night, Árdís and I went to the cinema. We decided that it was finally time for us to see Memoirs of Geisha. We didn't want to go to the cinema and then have something to eat, so we bought the tickets and then went hunting for a place to eat. We finally stumbled onto a Chinese buffet style resturant. You pay for the buffet depending on your departure from the restaurant, and you can eat as much as you like. What is nice about this place is that it actually had an incredible amount of yummie selections, from salad, starters, main courses and desserts. I think we ate for the whole week, won't have to cook at all. After this wonderful meal we rolled out of the restaurant and back to the cinema where, as tradition dictates, we went straight to the bar on second floor to wind down after the huge dinner and knock down a few beers or Vodka Ice drinks.
The film itself was very nice, quite compelling, I found myself quite often moving my head in accordance to the figures in the film, almost trying to imitate their movements and actions, I got so lost in it. It is also quite moving, in a way that I would recomend emotional people to bring a towel with them if they feel like letting loose in the theater. And so even thought we went to see a film about Japanese Geishas the actors in the film are mostly Chinese so I would say that along with the dinner it was a mostly Chinese evening we had. I liked it!

Chances are

Everyone in Britain right now are talking about the Euro Million's Lotto Rollover, where the pot has gone up to 126thousand pounds. Not bad. But they are also talking about the chance to get it. Now this Lotto is sort of like the Víkingalotto we have back home, exept more contries are participating in this one than the one back home. So the chances of winning are something like 76thousand to 1. But I saw a loophole, they also mentioned that you have a better chance of being killed off by lighting or eaten by a great big white shark. The loophole I noticed was, that I can hardly credit that a white shark is going to swin all the way to Scotland up the Clyde river and travel to the West End to have a nibble at me, and since Scotland is also suffering through the worst draught in years, that there has not been one raindrop falling here the last two weeks, I actually do have quite a chance of winning the Lotto. The only problem is I didn't bother buying a ticket, so drat.

"The sick man of Europe"

I sometimes wonder what I was thinking, when I decided to come to Glasgow to live and study. All the time there are new reports about Scotland and Glasgow rolling through the news rooms. One, Scotland is known as "The sick man of Europe", two, Scotland is the most violent nation in the Wester developed world (they had to have the developed in there as well, otherwise they would never have beat America), three, the cancer rate is the highest in Scotland, four, the life expectancy is the lowest in Glasgow of all Britain, five, whenever a Scot invents something, someone else (mostly English) comes and steals it away and does it better, say for instance violence, do you know what a Glasgow kiss is? It is a headbutt, yes, greet a Glaswegian very carefully and at a good distance. Drinking, that is also something the Scots are very good at. Mostly alcoholic, not sure if they drink anything else execpt the national brew of Irn Bru, and that is probably laced with a bit of whiskey as well.
And then, this makes you wonder, why they still want to belong to the British Empire, the thing is Scots have to soo nice under the English crown. One fifth of Glaswegians are on welfare benefits, in Glasgow there are also the highest number of benefit frauds (how in heck did they figure that out, heh). If they declared their independence and didn't cling to the skirt of the Queen, they would loose an incredible amount of money, and that would mean that Scots would have to start taking care of themselves, and why should they, leave the problems to the ones that created them in the first place.
When Tony Blair decided to go to war with Iraq, people of muslin origin, from Pakistan and other asian countries who had diligently supported the Labour party woted instead for the Scottish National Party, all of a sudden they were more concerned to be rid of the English than the Scots. Strange turn of things if you ask me. I think there is a long way for Scots to go before the figure out what they want. But I don't think the way they are headed there will be much for them to do if they don't start waking people up to their surroundings.
To qoute Burns: "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled," "get oot ur bed, and do something aboot it!"

Catan

I just recently rediscovered the joy of playing Catan on my computer. I was suffering withdrawl syndrome from not being able to play the board game with my buddies. So now, I can not think of anything but Catan, I was just lisenting to the news and they were talking bla bla bla like usual but one news guy mentioned that "it is a port harbour" and I was just like,ooooo Catan and port harbour go so together. Immediately a picture of the island of Catan sprung up in my very empty brain and I was almost tempted to turn the game on, but caught myself in time. I have to go to Uni and am going to leave my very nice cozy warm room in about twenty minutes. So my Catan game will have to wait. Buhu! Hrabba and Gummi can't you come for a wee visit with Catan (I'd even settle for Carcassonne (which I have here already, although I did not bring the latest addition to it with me)). Dear me I am counting the days till I come home for some Catan action again. This time the victory will be mine!

The night wasn't over

After the wonderful evening last night, I was more than ready to go to sleep. Today I have to be at Uni at twelve, and last night I was quite tired so I crawled into bed. I had finally gotten comfortable and was very nearly fallen asleep when IT happened. The most god-awful noise you can imagine, that you really don't want to hear when you are falling asleep. The FIRE ALARM went of, it was half past one in the morning and I was mad as hell. So we hurried outside where we had to wait for the Fire Brigade to show up and turn the darn thing off, and in all I think we had to wait nearly twenty minutes to be allowed to go back inside. Then it took me nearly half an hour to warm up again and fall asleep. But in the end I slept through the rest of the night without incident and now I am up and about ready for Uni later on. But this is just soooo typical, that something like this happens on a night like last night. But now I can hardly wait to go to Uni and tell my buddies my success last night. Hey hey hey, Iceland finally won something. (grins)

ICELAND 12 POINTS

It was an incredible night. I came home and phoned mom right away. Tonight was Burns supper and Árdís and me decided to go to the International Students party, we were dying for some taste of HAGGIS. The evening started all right, quite interesting, the food la-la, we weren't very keen on the tatties (which turned out to mashed potatoes from a package, not the real thing). I was really thirsty tonight, for some reason and ended up going through two orange Bacardi Breezers, one whiskey (Glenmorangie - very nice) and two glasses of Pepsi. As tradition there were addresses made to both men and women, but in a different and very special way, the address to women was made by a Chinese student in Chinese, and of course no one understood a word, then the address to men was made by a Danish girl (Dansk pige) and in Danish, very good, that we understood.
Now the MAIN thing of the night was of course, reading Robbie Burns poetry, with a twist. One person from each table was to be elected to say a part of a poem and the one that got the most applause won. The poem was "To a mouse", a brilliant poem, which I just happened to know by heart, the first two lines. Of course I told Árdísi so, and she blabbed it to the other guys at the table, when no one of them offered themselves to be the sacrifice. So I ended up having to recite the poem, thankfully we got to have it on a sheet of paper before us.
Along with me were three American chicks, a Nigerian, an Indian, and a Norwegian called Magnus. Heja Norge! I stammered my way through with my very best scottish accent and I was trembling through the last few lines, but I got an amazing response. At the end, the woman in charge asked everyone to applaud the one they felt did best, and of course, no surprise there.... I ended up as the winner. The whiskey helped definitely! Yeah, Iceland finally won! Although it was not the Eurovision song contest, my ego will not land in the near future. For a prize, I got the "Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns" book.
Then the evening sort of came to a close, but not before a big finale for Árdísi. The Burns supper was held at the main hall of the University so we had to walk through University Gardens, through Asthon Lane to get a taxi, but at Queen Margaret Union they were hosting a céilidh (gaelic: a visit, or a get together; usually Scottish dancing going on) and since we were walking by anyway, and heard the music, we decided to have a wee look-see. In the end, Árdís was dragged onto the floor where she was partnered with an Italian stud, and they flew all over the dance floor, swishing and swaying this way and that. It was brilliant to watch, and the "stemming" that was there was incredible. So fun, but she was completely done after that one dance, so we headed home.
But oh, yeah, the night's not over yet. I don't know if was because me friend had been drinking much tonight, but when we sat up in the taxi, she did not notice that the taxi driver wasn't in the car, but outside chatting to his friends, so as soon as she sat inside she said to the spot where the driver usually sits in Britain "Queen Margaret Halls" and then it took a wee while for her to understand why we weren't moving. It was hilarious. But he showed up in the end and we arrived home safely. And I ended up phoning my mom as soon as I came into my room to tell her what had been going on tonight.
I decided to give you a shot at the poem that brougth me to victory! Moi!!!


Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee,
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!

I’m truly sorry man’s dominion,
Has broken nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow mortal!

Guid auld Rabbie

I had to put this poem here, because this is something many of my friends back home would never have the opportunity to hear and appreciate if not distributed among them.

"Tae a Fert"

Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie.
Lurks in yer belly efter a feastie.
Just as you sit doon among yer kin,
There starts to stir an enormous wind.

The neeps and tatties and mushy peas,
Stert workin like a gentle breeze.
But soon the puddin' wi the sauncie face,
Will have you blawin all over the place.

Nae matter whit ye try tae dae,
A'bodys gonnae have to pay.
Even if ye try to stifle,
It's like a bullet oot a rifle.

Hawd yer bum tight tae the chair,
Tae try and stp the leakin' air.
Shift yersel frae cheek to cheek,
Pray tae God it doesnae reek.

But aw yer efforts go assunder,
Oot it comes - a clap o' thunder.
Ricochets around the room,
Michty me, a sonic boom!

God almighty it fairly reeks,
Hope I huvnae pooed ma breeks!
Tae the loo I better scurry,
Aw who cares, its no ma worry.

A'body roon about me chokin,
Wan or two are nearly bokin.
I'll feel better for a while,
Cannae help but raise a smile.

"Wis him!" I shout with accusin glower,
Alas too late, he's just keeled ower!
"Ye dirty thing!" they shout and stare,
I don't feel welcome any mair.

Where ere you go let yer wind gang free,
Sounds like just the job fur me.
Whit a fuss at Rabbie's party,
Ower the sake o' wan wee ferty!!

Major headache!

I feel awful right now. My head hurts so much, I can barely keep my left eye open. I took some painkillers but they sure are going to make me wait until they start working. I stayed at home today, studying for a change, and I think that was a bad idea from start to finish. I think with too much reading and not enough air has put me in this state. So, I think after I have written this bit I will go to bed for a while and see if my head gets any better. Or at least well enough that I can open my eye. Next weekend, no such forced enclosement again, out and about and then study like crazy or the other way around. Study hard and reward yourself with air.
Good idea. Anyway, the painkillers still have not started to work on the pain but they are making me drowzy and on top of that I can not really see what I am writing here, basically I'm just guessing where the letters on the keyboard are. So have fun, enjoy the rest of the weekend, there are an awful lot of schooldays to go through before the next one comes up. Will let you know in the near future if I am still concious!

This is soooo me! Don't you agree?

You Are Internal - Realist - Powerful

You feel your life is controlled internally. If you want something, you make it happen. You don't wait around for things to go your way. You value your independence and don't like others to have control. You are a realist when it comes to luck. You don't attribute everything to luck, but you do know some things are random. You don't beat yourself up when bad things happen to you... But you do your best to try to make your own luck. When it comes to who's in charge, it's you. Life is a kingdom, and you're the grand ruler. You don't care much about what others think. But they better care what you think!

The Three Dimension Luck and Power Test

I pretty much agree with this

This is sort of me, although I do belief in God, I just don't have any need to really question his existance, as I don't feel him as an entity. And I don't foist my beliefs upon others, and expect people to not do that to me.

You are Agnostic

You're not sure if God exists, and you don't care. For you, there's no true way to figure out the divine. You rather focus on what you can control - your own life. And you tend to resent when others "sell" religion to you.

What's Your Religious Philosophy?

How weird am I?

You Are 40% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird...But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

But definitely proud to admit it!

Back in Glasgow = back to the cinema

Yup, that's what happens when we come back to Glasgow. We not only start Uni again, but we also go back to the cinema. Which is nice, I didn't go to the cinema at all when I was at home. Both because I didn't have time and also because it is soo f#$%ing expensive. So I was very happy today, when Árdís and I went to the cinema to see Cheaper by the dozen 2. Sounds corny, sounds pathetic, sounds childish, and it DID actually make me feel like I was in kindergarten. But it was also very funny. There were many children with their parents at the show, not surprising but there was one really funny moment. At one point in the movie, a young girl gets her first kiss on the cheek by a boy and it was a very sweet moment, but was totally ruined by the girl sitting beside us when she mad this very audible gaging noise. It was just hilarious, I nearly choked laughing when I heard it, it was so, absolutely kid-ish, it was great.

Dugleg stelpa

I have been a very good girl... and also a slightly bad one.
First I was good, in that I finished writing up my proposal for my dissertation essay today. 4 pages long, with suggested sources and material taking up three of them. I could have written more and I will probably add to the source list in the coming months, but I feel quite pleased with myself.
The other thing, the thing that I am not so good about, is that I have been sneaking to watch something that I maybe shouldn't, something I will call DH,s2 and is just as exciting as the s before it. I the excitement is killing me, I don't have this kind of patience. This is why I always buy the DVDs and Box sets, I always have to watch everything through as soon as I can to make sense of everything. I have been watching these episodes with my friend and we actually made it through e7 tonight, but then the end was sooooo horrible that after she left I sneak peaked the first few minutes. I know I am a bad person, not being able to wait a few hours. Skamm Elín.
But what the hell, it's what life is about. Tomorrow, is hopefully going to be a nice day, because I don't have to go to Uni, and I think that all days that I don't have to go to Uni, should be nice and sunny, don't you agree? So naturally, Árdís wished me a good shopping trip on the morrow, I don't think I have to worry about disappointing her.

Back in Glasgow ... and I am cold

It is freezing here, it is soooo cold, I have to basically keep my window nailed shut to keep the cold from sneaking into my room. Thank God, for the invention of the electrical radiator I have here.
Today was the second day back at school, and already by 12 o'clock noon you could find me and Claire at the pub, having a wee swally. We were preparing ourselves for Old irish, we didn't really feel up to it yet, I have to do some excercise for Friday and I am so not in the mood. Old Irish today, was just frighting, it contained all sorts of weird and scary words, like; imperative, infixed pronouns and imperfect. But at the end it sort of got better. We got a new book today in Old Irish, it's called Scela Mucce Meic Datho (in Old irish) and is The Story of MacDatho's Pig. Actually a very funny story, although if you have no background in Celtic literature, I don't recomend it as the first read, because I did that and I was just plain scared. At the end of the class today we started to read a few sentences from the book and try to translate them, and it actually went well for me, aside from maybe 3 or 4 words that I didn't know, I understood the sentences, and that is always a good thing when you are learning a language.

I don't want to go!

I have been home for four weeks and a day now. I leave tomorrow. I still haven't managed to do everything I feel I needed to do. Mostly because there was no option to do them before Christmas and New Year. But after that there was only a week before I would leave Iceland. And everything I needed to do then just was too much. Yesterday I counted the days I have spent at home vegging about and there were only three days out of these four weeks that I have been home, but still I did not veg-out during those days. It was Christmas Eve, Christmas day and New Years Eve and all those days I was upside down doing something, helping mom with the cooking or playing with my niece or something, so no vegging. All other days I have been shopping for groceries or Christmas presents with mom (and dad or other family members) or I have been visiting friends, family, co-workers. I am one busy lady. So, even though I will probably have a good time chilling out when I go to Glasgow, I will miss not being so busy and running to and fro things to do and things to see. I still have managed to do a great deal. Yesterday, even though everything else I have been doing I managed to do some baking. Made some Skinkuhorn in my nice new bread-maker and they were delicious. I made my friend Hrafnhildi very proud of me.
But reality will set in on Monday, when I have to turn up at Uni at elleven o'clock for sign-up to my new very exciting classes of Spring 2006. Belief and culture in Medieval Ireland and Gaelic Poetry (what was I thinking with that one) and I will also continue with my course from before Christmas in Introduction to Early Gaelic (Old Irish). The fun is over, get back to work, girl!

New Year ... new movie

I went to see my friend Guðbjörtu tonight, to see her before I go back to Glasgow and we sat down and watched a Bollywood film. Bunty aur Babli! It was great. I really like Bollywood films right now. More so than Hollywood films, 90 min crap that has no story and editing so horrible you have no idea what you were watching and forget what it was the next day. With a 3 HOUR long Bollywood film you, at least, feel like you got something for your money.
Bunty aur Babli, is great comedy with lots of colors and music as well. Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abishek are great in their roles, although the father still manages to outshine his son. Rani Mukherjee is also always great. This wonderful cast manages to make this film very heartwarming and sweet. I even just managed to hold back the tears at the appropriate moment. I reckomend it to everyone that has trained their ass to sit still for more than three hours in the same chair. Although if you are so ingenious to have DVD player, pressing the pause button, helps when taking bathroom breaks.

The Year is almost over

Ok, this became a much longer blogg than I intended and I do definitely not expect you all to read it so just ignore it and take it for the new years ramble it was meant to be.
Wishing you all a very happy new year!

And it has been a wonderful year. Just before Christmas I got to see my cousin Huginn Heiðar for the first time and it was great. I have been following his progess for months. The wee guy had to have a liver-transplant very early on in his young life and he has been patiently trying to get well. It was great to get to touch the soft little guy to see how warm and alive he is, his eyes following us everywhere and the toy we gave him greatly interested him as it made all sorts of funny noises.
My own wee niece has been a great source of fun comments and antics. The only way a four year old could be. Precious moments to be cherished indeed.
I have also spent a number to moments with my dear friends during the year, chatting and playing board-games (that are suspiciously addictive) but now near the end of the year, it was more marked by meeting of friends that have not had the opportunity to see each other for a long time.
My friend Guðbjört, who I have not seen since the beginning of January, came home from India in November. My friend Guðný Stella, went to South-America just after easter, so I haven't seen her all summer, she came home in November as well, so I was very happy to see her again.
But my friends Hrafnhildur and Guðmundur who I left home alone for the months I was away in Glasgow were very glad to see me again, and we have been spending every moment we get to play our addictive board-games.
We like board-games and they seem to like us as well, since they have started producing games that are sooo addictive to us, and on top of that also issuing additions to the games.
We have Catan (the Island) with the Seafarers addition and now Cities and Merchants. We also have Carcassone, which is sort of like an island, but not, and we have the Pubs and Churches addition and now Merchants as well. Both these board-games are addictive because, I think, they are forever changing, the board you play the game on is never the same so you never ever play the same game twice, and that way you never get bored.
This year has also been great in that mom is gradually always getting better and better, although on busy days it can become too much for her.
We all agree that we had a very nice Christmas here at home, and everyone was excited and happy about their presents. I got soo many that I thought someone had made a mistake, because I had not expected this. But the presents seemed to pour in from all over the world. I got loads of games, and even dvd's and cd's that I didn't own, imagine that! I even got a book, and you know how there can't be Christmas if you don't recieve a good book. I got Andlit norðursins (or Faces of the North) by Ragnar Axelsson a very gifted Icelandic photographer, from my brother, I was very pleased with it. I got wonderful martini glasses from my friends Hröbbu and Gumma and a bread-maker from mom and dad along with a coat. I recieved a wonderful blouse from my grandmother and a shawl she had crocheted for me (even though her eyes are failing her) I will cherish it always. I also got a pretty Swarowski crystal cross necklace from my mother. Two brooches from my friends Guðný Stellu and Claire. And the most wonderful sari costumes and shawl and necklace and Indian dolls from my friends Margréti and Guðbjörtu. I could go on and on. Thank you for everything and I love you all guys.

Gleðileg jól

Merry Christmas.
Oh, boy, this has truly been a very busy time, but wonderful. I have managed to do a lot of things that I wasn't even sure I would be able to finish. But then Christmas Eve (day) came and everything slid into place.
Last night mom and I were busy wrapping up all the Christmas presents, and we didn't even finish until 3 am in the morning. I went to sleep shortly before 4 am but woke up to begin the new day of last minute tidying up before Christmas eve begins.
This year, only Grandma will be joining us, so it's only going to be the four of us. Which is nice. The food is cooking in the oven and on the stove and the smell is wonderful.
I still have not managed to get all the Christmas presents out, but that's ok, some of the presents have been waiting for more than a few months to reach their owner, because I still I haven't been able to see my wayward doctor friend, recently arrived in the country again from South America, and she has a birthday/Christmas present waiting for her.
The Christmas tree is up and gleaming with wonderful decorations and presents adorning is base. The advent lights around the appartment light up the dark midday and give a wonderful festive glow to everything around.
Oh, I just love this time of year. When you are able to sit down and get completely absorbed in the excitement, the anticipation, the STRESS and incredible calmness that descends on you at this moment on Christmas Eve you sort of feel like everything you went through to be able to bring the small joy of presents to your friends and family that everything was worth it. Bruised heels from drivers with carts going nuts around the bends in the tiny isles of the supermarket, sore toes from everyone trying to get past you, no matter that you are not a part of the shops decor and you sore head from all the crazy shoutings and arguing over who is going to buy what for whom and who is not.
Well, I just wish you all a very merry Christmas Eve and hope the rest of the holiday season will bring you all that you wish for.

Gleðileg jól og farsælt komandi ár

The Yuletide lads - part 15 - The END

On Christmas night itself

- so a wise man writes

- the lads were all restraint

and just stared at the lights.

Then one by one they trotted off

into the frost and snow.

On Twelfth Night the last

of the lads used to go.

Their footprints in the highlands

are effaced now for long,

the memories have all turned

to image and song

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 14

Candle beggar
( Kertasníkir )

The thirteenth was Candle Beggar
- ´twas cold, I believe,
if he was not the last
of the lot on Christmas Eve.

He trailed after the little ones
who, like happy sprites,
ran about the farm with
their fine tallow lights.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 13

Meat Hook
( Kjötkrækir )

Meat Hook, the twelfth one,
his talent would display
as soon as he arrived
on Saint Thorlak´s Day.

He snagged himself a morsel
of meat of any sort,
although his hook at times was
a tiny bit short.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 12

Door Sniffer
( Gáttaþefur )

Eleventh was Door Sniffer,
a doltish lad and gross.
He never got a cold, yet had
a huge, sensitive nose.

He caught the scent of lace bread
while leagues away still
and ran toward it weightless
as wind over dale and hill.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 11

Window Peeper
( Gluggagæjir )

The tenth was Window Peeper,
a weird little twit,
who stepped up to the window
and stole a peek through it.

And whatever was inside
to which his eye was drawn,
he most likely attempted
to take later on.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 10

Sausage Swiper
( Bjúgna krækir )

The ninth was Sausage Swiper,
a shifty pilferer.
He climbed up to the rafters
and raided food from there.

Sitting on a crossbeam
in soot and in smoke,
he fed himself on sausage
fit for gentlefolk.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 9

Skyr Gobbler
( Skyr gámur)



Skyr* Gobbler, the eighth,
was an awful stupid bloke.
He lambasted the skyr tub
till the lid on it broke.

Then he stood there gobbling
- his greed was well known -
until, about to burst,
he would bleat, howl and groan.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 8

Door Slammer

( Hurðaskellir )

The seventh was Door Slammer,

a sorry, vulgar chap:

When people in the twilight

would take a little nap,

he was happy as a lark

with the havoc he could wreak,

slamming doors and hearing

the hinges on them sqeak

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translated by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 7

Bowl Licker
( Askasleikir )

Bowl Licker, the sixth one,
was shockingly ill bred.
From underneath the bedsteads
he stuck his ugly head.

And when the bowls were left
to be licked by dog or cat,
he snatched them for himself
- he was sure good at that!

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 6

Pot Scraper
( Pottasleikir )

Pot Scraper, the fifth one,
was a funny sort of chap.
When kids were given scrapings,
he´d come to the door and tap.

And they would rush to see
if there really was a guest.
Then he hurried to the pot
and had a scrapingfest.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 5

Spoon Licker
( Þvörusleikir )

The fourth was Spoon Licker;
like spindle he was thin.
He felt himself in clover
when the cook wasn´t in.

Then stepping up, he grappled
the stirring spoon with glee,
holding it with both hands
for it was slippery.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 4

Stubby
( Stúfur )

Stubby was the third called,
a stunted little man,
who watched for every chance
to whisk off a pan.

And scurrying away with it,
he scraped off the bits
that stuck to the bottom
and brims - his favorites.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson
Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 3

Gully Gawk

( Giljagaur )

The second was Gully Gawk,

gray his head and mien.

He snuck into the cow barn

from his craggy ravine.

Hiding in the stalls,

he would steal the milk,

while the milkmaid gave the cowherd

a meaningful smile.

by Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson

Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide Lads - part 2

Tonight the first Yuletide lad comes to town.

Sheep Cote-Clod
( Stekkjastaur )

The first of them was Sheep-Cote Clod.
He came stiff as wood,
to pray upon the farmer´s sheep
as far as he could.

He wished to suck the ewes,
but it was no accident
he couldn´t; he had stiff knees
- not to convenient.

by Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson

Pictures/Copyright©Olafur Petursson

The Yuletide lads - part 1

Let me tell the story
of the lads of few charms,
who once upon a time
used to visit our farms.

They came from the mountains,
as many of you know,
in a long single file
to the farmsteads below.

Grýla was their mother
- she gave them ogre milk -
and the father Leppalúdi;
a loathsome ilk.

They were called the Yuletide lads
- at Yuletide they were due -
and always came one by one,
not ever two by two.

Thirteen altogether,
these gents in their prime
didn´t want to irk people
all at one time.

Creeping up, all stealth,
they unlocked the door.
The kitchen and the pantry
they came looking for.

They hid where they could,
with a cunning look or sneer,
ready with their pranks
when people weren´t near.

And even when they were seen,
they weren´t loath to roam
and play their tricks - disturbing
the peace of the home.

By Jóhannes úr Kötlum / Translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson

The Santa Clause is coming to town

Yes, tomorrow there are 13 days till Christmas and that is when the Icelandic Yuletide lads start heading down from the mountains towards the farmsteads below.
It struck me just the other day that, it is not easy to explain why the Icelandic Santa Clauses are 13 or why they are called so strange names. Understandably,names like Sheep Worrier (or Sheep Cot-Clod), Door Sniffer and Window Peeper might seem more intune with today's perverts than something well yes, perverted in a sense if you really give it a good thought, but it is tradition, and today it's just amusing.
But I decided to give my Scottish friends a treat and put on my website a in 14 installments, a poet by Jóhannes of (/from) Kötlum about the Yuletide lads, because no one gives a better image of these guys than him.
The first one comes tomorrow, so I will start with the beginning of the poet tonight, and for the next 13 days I will add the next bit of the poem so that in the end everyone will know about the Icelandic Yuletide lads.
(I got the translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson online).
Enjoy

Packed and ready to GO HOME!

Wow, this has been an incredible day. I woke up at 8am as usual, but this time I hurried to get dressed and out the door with final laundry before going home tomorrow. When I had finished making the bed with nice clean sheets and stuff it was time to head to Uni. I had three classes today, one straight after another, and then I finished at two. When that happy hour arrived, I flew out the door to meet my friend Árdísi outside the subway station and on we rolled into Buchanan Street Subway station where we lifted off to go to UGC Cinema to see THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. Ok movie, but dear lord, how long IS it! We managed to get into 2:20pm show but it probably didn't start until half hour later and we didn't get out of the screen room until 5pm. Thankfully the movie stirred a few good memories up from watching the BBC version of the Narnia Chronicles so I was absorbed in the movie and didn't really notice the time pass. But then reality intruded and I had to head home to START pack. Yes, at that time I hadn't even started packing and I am going home tomorrow. Well we got home just before six and I started packing for real. I finished packing quarter to seven. I hurried to tell my friend Árdísi, because she has been quite worried the past few days, that I hadn't even started thinking about packing yet. Then for about an hour and half I was cleaning my room. Now, I am sitting down for the first time in more than two hours and eating my dinner, that I ordered from Chow's. Probably the best Chinese place in Glasgow.
I am completely done in, but I am just soooooo looking forward to going home, I don't mind at all. But oh, dear, there will definitely be excess baggage on the move tomorrow and that does not include me.
Friends and Family ... see you tomorrow. Friend in Glasgow ... see you in the new year!

Day after tomorrow

and I'll be home for Christmas. I am looking soooo much forward to going home I can hardly sit still. I continually burst out in songs, singing a strange mixture of Christmas songs with unflattering shakes of my bod. My advent calander is almost finished, marking how many days are until I go home instead of how many are until Christmas, because when I go home, it will be Christmas for me. I went shopping to day, big surprise there, and finished my christmas shopping. Now it's just rest and relaxation until tomorrow when I start packing and then all hits the fan.
But before all that craziness starts I will be chillin' out in UGC cinema (or I should say CineWorld now) watching Chronicles of Narnia. Yes, envy me! Mwhahahahahah!

The Wild West ... End

This is not copy/paste, but what actually happened to me again today, when I was walking home today through THE GARDEN. That darn squirrel attacked again. I am starting to think, I either have an admirer here or a stalker. I just have this mental picture of him jumping on me and running up and down my body while I do that funky cartoon dance trying to get him off me. Spooky squirrel country.

Dilbert©1999 United Feature Syndicate, Inc