HotHotHot

21.6.2006

Well, it definitely was worth a wait: for the past week it has been basically TROPICAL up here! We've reached +30 temperatures almost every day - and sitting in an office on days like that is torture! Not only is it draining, but it's also frustrating. Because, knowing Finnish summer (=short and with low snowfall), one should ALWAYS try to live these hot days to the fullest. And sitting indoors and typing on a computer is definitely NOT the ideal way of doing that...

Well, as I don't have a choice, it's also a bit pointless on complaining on the matter. But a thing I definitely have a right to complain about is the air conditioning in here. Or the lack of, to be a bit more specific... There are two of us sitting in this same room, and the air in here is hot'n'humid. The pitiful table-fan we have in here helps very little - if at all - in this hotness.
What makes it even worse is the fact that a Finn is not built for this kind of weather; as much as I do love summer and sunny days, a week of 30+ temperatures can sometimes be a bit too much... but luckily only a bit! :)

26.6.2006
I was forced to postpone finishing this posting on few semi-simple reasons: 1) work. Ya, it does interfere my leisure time, and day by day I get a firmer grip on things to do here. Anyhow, occasionally I do take a moment for myself and do non-work-related thingies (like update this blog...)
2) Mid-summer-madness. The third weekend of June is mid-summer up here. Basically it means that all cities turn to ghost towns as everyone head to cottages etc. to celebrate. Also, this third friday of June is a semi-holiday, which presents itself as shops closing down by 13.00. Majority of offices are already closed on friday - and so were we too. Hence, I had headed up to Tampere already on thursday night, and on friday we hit grocery stores early on - to avoid the worst rush!
4 guys and I spent the friday night at Olli's parents home (his mom&dad were in their cottage) by BBQ:ing, sitting hours in the sauna and yes, having FEW drinks in a luvly summer weather. On saturday we took off as soon as our designated driver (Valtteri) was fit to drive. Our destination was a friend's summer cottage some half-an-hour drive away. The tradition continued there, with awesome weather, sauna, great food, more drinks and laid-back company. Finnish summer really showed it's best!
Afterwards the feeling hasn't been too dandy, as the notorious KRAPULA (=hang-over) has been present for these past day and some... but I'm pretty convinced that it was worth it!

A big, warm, luvly THANK YOU to everyone who remembered my big-27-day last tuesday (20.06.)!!!! Getting older is tough - and thus I decided to celebrate with the mid-summer... And as you already read; we sure did celebrate!

Other than that I've been just laying low. Being lazy, getting fatter and slacker... and feeling extremely guilty about it!! Weather is still sweet and warm - and this day at work has been next to useless, since our weekend-craziness is still taking it's tolls. Thus, I believe that I'll be heading home now. Maybe I'll go rollerblading tonight. Or then I won't...

Oh summer, where aret thou?

As the title suggests, summer is still greatly waited up here. She showed her best already in the first weekend of May, but the rest of the month it has been cold, gray and miserable. Every morning the temperature has docked down close to 0, and a chilly breeze from the Baltic sea blows a lonely walker over. And it's supposed to be summertime already??

Kids got off school last week, and the weather is what it is... it's sad. Because when I was still in school, all the summers were hot, sunny and lovely. There was no rain, no sorrow and no boring moments. Or at least that's how I remember it! ;) ;) Isn't it amazing how selective our memory is?? ;) Oh well, enough of that. We survived the rainy Ireland - so this slight chill is nothing! After all, I'm stuck in the office all day long - so greyer the weather the better! ;)

Last weekend we celebrated my little brother as he graduated from high school. He also got great news just a day before his graduation, as he was accepted to the military band. And few explanatory words on that: in Finland we have a compulsory military service for all the guys. Of course if you don't want to have anything to do with the military, guns etc. there's an option for a civil service. The service lasts 6-11 months, depending on the "line" you're in.
Anyhow. There naturally are many different lines of service you can do, and the band is one of them. Due to the musical nature of the service it's seen as an easier way of completing this mandatory duty - and thus it's very difficult getting into the band. Actually my big brother did apply for several times and never got in. He's a professional musician today - and served in civil service as he didn't get into the band. But our baby, Rasmus, did get in - and he'll be signing in in January for 9 months of service.

Slow pace has continued in work - but it's all about to change from next week on. The charts for september and october will be opened on monday and tuesday, and thus we'll be booking those months campaigns starting then. And since people are leaving for their summer vacations soon, we'll be in a slight rush too. Thus I get to contribute in the buying process - and apparantely there'll be quite lots of it too! I'm unpatiently waiting for those days, since this idleness is really starting to get on my nerves...

But nothing much up here... we're still the Eurovision song contest winners - and if we're to believe the previous prophecies there is life in Mars and Hell has just forzen over... (those were just few of the things that Finnish and international "experts" had labeled as being more likely to happen than us winning the Eurovision E-V-E-R!) So, now you know; for a hot vacation, go to Mars - and for a ski-trip, head down to Hell. ;) ;)

Hard Rock Hallelujah!!

Summer in tha city

The bluest sky and sunbeams play on shiny rooftops. Hot pavement oozes its aroma, sweating people rush back and forth in their skirts and suits. And I'm at work... this is it; my summer, in tha city.

So, a hint of summer is here. Tomorrow is the national graduation day, when over 30 000 kids get their high school diplomas - and the white hat going with it. This year my little brother is one of the 30 ooo, and thus I'll be taking off work a bit earlier - to head up to my homehome with my sister and her family.

Jyväskylä, my homehome city is located 270km north from Helsinki. We're trying to be in the car by 3pm - so we could reach Kinkomaa (the village I've grown up in...) in sensible time. If it'd be just us adults, it wouldn't have mattered, but since there are my two nephews (Taavi 4 yrs and Nooa 8 months) riding with us, the timing does matter. And thus we'll be going already at three - so that we don't have to put boys straight to bed when we get there; since they most likely (and hopefully, really) will be sleeping most of the travelling.

* * *

Slowly I'm starting to pick up on work routines - but I still have time to do other stuff (like update this blog...). I actually feel like I have too little to do, still... But I'm sure, and confident, that it'll start rolling pretty soon - and then I'll be missing these not-so-busy days. Now I'll just... well, ya, I do complain. ;)

But all and all, things are swell here. My new place has proven itself functional and I'm really settling in there. It's just lacking guests - so book those flights and come up here. Even for a weekend - it'll be worth it, I promise!

But until then... *hug*