School

We had a print identifying test today. It was tough and it was fun. I have a feeling my wild guesses didn't exactly hit the bull's eye, but it was a fastastic chance to see so many different kinds of print techniques on the same table and to see how difficult it is to identify prints.

A book I have worked with become ready today. Now I have two framings left to do and then I am done. Except that the conservtion reports wait someone to write them ready. Any volunteer?

Mental Teenager - Can't be Good

I have been very determined to avoid doing anything effective tonight. There are certain things I should be doing, like reading "How to Identify Prints" for tomorrow's indentifying test or writing conservation reports. I have browsed the book. I guess I just put it under my pillow and let the knowledge ooze to my head while I sleep. That works, doesn't it?

Another thing (than spacing out) I have been intensive about is listening to P J Harvey. For some reason she sounds better in my ears than ever before. I feel like a pathetic, bloody teenager: sitting in my room (friend's flat this time), listening to music and pretending I'm studying. What next? Acne's comeback?

Faces

The face on the left is from a chinese painting that was conservated at a studio we had our lessons last week. Another face is me having a closer look.

A Colon

Find your own pose!

It's good to know, now that I am heading for the bed, that I am a colon. Isn't it just great that there is a test on internet for everything!

One and half weeks left before returning home. I have never been this eager to be someone's mother than what I am now. And that someone is - of course - Vimme. I wouldn't like to be a mother to anyone else.

A Mental Note

My friends gave me a bicycle for the remaining two Gothenburg weeks. While I worked my way up the hill to where I stay, I made a mental note: don't ride the bike if you go to a bar - you'll never make it back home the same night. The ride down to city takes about five minutes. The ride back takes at least a half an hour - a tough half an hour.

Last night I was at a bar with a class mate. A very weird Finnish progressive rock band played and old Swedish TV commercials and Bollywood dance scenes were showed. Can a monday night get any better?

Origami

Here's a picture from a book I am conservating (hah - funny to use that word, I could have said repairing instead) at the moment. The book is from 1910 and is in quite a good condition. So far I have gone through the whole object, noted what ought to be done, and started with reparing pages.

I got inspired by Nix to make some "New Season Resolutions" (New Season is anytime, so why not to make resolutions every now and then).

- I will focus more on what I'm saying, foot-in-mouth keeps happening to me
- I will drink more water
- I will e-mail my friends more frequently

Oh yes, another thing: 20 nights to my flight home!

How to Get a Free Flat in Gothenburg

I am rather here than in Greta's position in the picture, but I still can't say I am having a good day. I am all pee-em-essy and touchy. I am tired of trying to communicate in Swedish, though everyone would say to this "but you are speaking so well!", which means people most of the time understand what I am trying to say.

I moved today - hopefully for the last time before I return to Finland - and I have a priviledge of being on my own again. My friends who live here are in Finland and they will stay in my parents place, while stay in Helsinki, and my parents are in Zambia. So, send your parents to Zambia and you get a free flat in Gothenburg.

Always Something to Be Happy About

I'm watching the hockey game. It doesn't look good. Canada is leading 2-0. Finn boys have to work harder and sit less on the penalty bench if they want to win. Fortunately I can comfort myself with the fact that I have such a fantastic birthday date and therefore these great qualities - according to Blogthings.

Your Birthdate: August 1

You are a natural born leader, even if those leadership talents haven't been developed yet. You have the power and self confidence to succeed in life, and your power grows daily. Besides power, you also have a great deal of creativity that enables you to innovate instead of fail. You are a visionary, seeing the big picture instead of all of the trivial little details. Your strength: Your supreme genius Your weakness: Your inappropriate sensitivity

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Stockholm and Thereafter

My time in Stockholm was lovely. Prejustices I've had towards Stockholm are getting weaker and weaker, though they do still exist. Stockholm is posh and I am not.

The course in Stockholm (about digitalisation) was very good and I had good time with my class mates after lessions. One night we ate sushi at one class mate's boyfriend. I worked hard to empty a big box of white wine and was very tired the next day.

Before travelling there I though I might call an old friend who lives in Stockholm and we could meet up, but thought then that my time will be going to sitting at lessons and socializing with my dear class mates, so I didn't call her. But I met her at a food store right before I caught the train back to Gburg. It was great! What are the odds?

The social life has been busy lately. Yesterday I was at an opening of an exhibition and to day I watched the Eurovision Song Contest in a bar with bunch of people. It was fun and I think (we) Finns made a great show.

Tomorrow is the Ice Hockey World Championship finals and Finland will be playing for the gold medal, against Canada. I'll be watching that game and I expect Finland to win.

Brrrrr

Where the summer is? I am constantly freezing and that is a sure sign of the fact that summer's not here yet. I can't stand freezing and I feel cold easily. Someone! Do something!

On the other hand - now that I concentrate on thinking of it - I am back in Northern Europe where summers can indeed be cold.

I'll find a hot sauna and stay there for the rest of my life.

Early tomorrow morning I take a train to Stockholm and stay there for few days. I hope it will be merrier than what I suspect it will be. For some unexplained reason I don't like Stockholm that much.

Half an Hour's Walk

This is what I see from my (borrowed) balcony at the moment. Bunch of famous xylitol producing birch trees and birds are singing like there was no tomorrow. Still I am half an hour's walk from the city center - walked there today, so I know.

I had a nice dinner with my friends earlier tonight and I was given pair of vintage sneakers, that has been originally bought to a quite famous model/actress. She never wore them, but it delights me greatly to know that we share the same shoe size: canoe. You never know what happiness is brought to your life next.

A Scandinavian Boozing Day

I made myself a MySpace page. Have a look and if you have one, become my MySpace friend. Hey ho!

Today is a huge drinking day both in Sweden and in Finland. I am going to avoid crowds and will cook some Thai-food at my friends. I am sure there will be some drinking ahead too, but not so heavy that I wouldn't be functional tomorrow.

Last friday was an opening at the gallery where I sit every now and then. If you happen to be somewhere around Gothenburg, go to see the exhibition. It's worth seeing.

It's All About Me Again

1. PICK OUT A SCAR YOU HAVE, AND EXPLAIN HOW YOU GOT IT

This is my right knee. I rode my bicycle on a cold winter morning about 23 years ago, took a tight left turn and soon found myself lying on the icy road with a bleeding knee. I was in hurry so I didn't have time get stiches, hence the scar.


2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS OF YOUR ROOM?

My room is in Finland and it is usually occupied by two males; my son and my husband. They have a periodic table on the wall. Where I stay now walls are white and I haven't been bothered to put anything on them; I'll be moving soon anyway.


3. WHAT DOES YOUR PHONE LOOK LIKE.









4. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?

Right now, at this very moment, I am not listening to anything, but I have listened a lot to Sahara Hotnights, a cool Swedish group. Their "Difference Between Love and Hell" has been my favourite song this week. I love the guitar riff in the song and the singer's half whining voice.



5. WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT DESKTOP PICTURE?

Vimme in Tokyo. I like this picture a lot. The kid looks so calm and Tokyo skyline is nicely in the back ground. From Northern Europe my whole time in Tokyo seems so distant and dreamlike. And so does motherhood... God, I miss my kid!!!



6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?

Well, just look at the last sentence before the sixth question and you will guess what I want the most at the moment; to be with my kid.


7. DO YOU SUPPORT GAY MARRIAGE?

Yes! All the people should have an equal right to get a divorce.


8. WHAT TIME WERE YOU BORN?

01:00 am


9. ARE YOUR PARENTS STILL TOGETHER?

Yes.


10. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

Erm... nothing. Should I be listening to something? A strange question. If I am writing I usually don't try to listen to other than music at the same time and that music question we already went through. Oh well - I should make my own meme then.


11. DO YOU GET SCARED OF THE DARK?

Sometimes. Twin Peaks used to scare the poo out of me in 90's. I had to have toilet company after seeing an episode (I had to see them all of course). I was sure someone else than me would stare at me from the mirror if I entered the loo alone. That feeling was usually gone by the next morning.


12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?

I drank wine with a good friend and we talked about all kinds of emotional stuff. I did shed a tear or two, but she wasn't really the one who made me cry. I guess I am easily teary now that I am so faaaar away from the kid.


13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOGNE / PERFUME?













14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOUR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?

Erm... what difference does it make?


15. DO YOU LIKE PAIN KILLERS?

When I am in pain I do love them.


16. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?

Shy? No, but I don't ask people out for dates... or raisins. Yeah, I know; I should go to sleep.


17. FAVOURITE PIZZA TOPPING?

Blue cheese.


18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Nothing. I am not hungry.


19. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU MADE MAD?

It must have been my kid. He doesn't like "No!"s. Or then it was M and for the same reasons.


20. IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU?

Anyone? Go on then, just confess!

Grandmother

Here is a picture of my already late grandmother. The picture is taken sometimes in 1910's in Helsinki. I think she looks unbearably cute in this picture.

Many of her generation's women, she included, lost their men in war and they had to rebuild their lifes alone, without husband's support. Her life wasn't easy.

I have inherited her handicarft skills and like her, I have only one child and I have her nose.

A Doer

Here's an old technical drawing I have worked with today. It is fun to DO things instead of listening lectures about how to do thing in case you do something. I like to get things done.

I have also started a cautious try to teach myself a habbit of running again. (I haven't that for a year now). Cautious in that sense that I won't be saying: "yes, running is my hobby" before I've done it for a month. Or for a year. Let's see what happens. Maybe I get tired of the whole process on the first rainy day.

I guess I don't understand today's respected Finnish male painters

We were at the Nordic Watercolour Museum with my class mates yesterday. We listened to few minor lectures and saw the present exhibition at the museum. The exhibition was mainly about the dualism of flesh and spirituality in us humans; can these both aspects dwell in us at the same time (the guide told us this). The Finnish chap's (yes, a fellow Finn) works "..explore masculine sexuality with a cynicism and honesty rarely seen." Numerous painting of ugly penises in other words. I was told that he is very respected artist in Finland today. My next thought was: do I have to live in a country where respected male artists paint mud coloured ugly penises for their living?

The pictures is taken close to the museum. A cute little town it was.

Back in Sweden again

Here's my lovely kid ruling the world from his throne. It was - again - so very sad to say good bye to him. It doesn't seem to get easier, no matter how often I do it.

So, I'm back in Sweden, back at school. I am living at my friends who are away from the town most of the time, so I can pretend that I am actually living somewhere on my own.

Tomorrow I'll be listening to lectures about what to do with all the valuable museum and archive object after a catastrophy (fire, flood etc.). My first reaction would be to throw all that crap away, but that can't be a good attitude for a future conservator. Maybe I will think differently tomorrow.

Home Sweet Home

I am at home! Soon I will go to get the boy home from his day care. I would have gone there already, but I know kids are napping at the moment, so I wait for a bit more and rush then to get the boy home.

We had a nice week at school: we made some salt paper and cyanotype prints. I used pictures I've taken in Japan & after Japan; some of them looked really good. I am secretly planning to do more prints at home on some bright future day. That shouldn't be a problem - I do have a personal chemist to provide me the chemicals I'd need.

What will I do with my long weekend in Finland? Well, I do my best to be at home as much as I can, now that I am finally at home.

A Hot Date

It's another sunny day in Gothenburg. M was over for a long weekend. He had a job meeting here and he decided to stay two extra nights, so we had a chance to spend some time together - just two of us - for the first time since the boy was born (4 years). We stayed in a small hotel. It was quite weird, but in a nice way.

I will see him and the kid again on thursday when I'll travel to Finland for easter.

Piko 1990-2007

Last saturday I was in Finland to be there when our old dog was taken to his last walk. He walked on his own wobbly feet, sniffed some bushes and even did some territorial markings before arriving to the vet. Me, M and M's mother were there and stayed close to the dog until he was gone. It was utterly sad. But I am glad I had a chance to be there on his side when he died. He lived a long and eventful dog's life, of which he stayed 14 years with us and the rest with M's mother, where he got totally spoiled, which - I think - was a perfect way to spend a retirement years for a good dog like him.