King's Cup

Changes in status

2007-09-09T02:43:00.000-07:00

Four days after my last post it happened; Olli kneeled in front of me, and asked THE question! All I could do was to nod like an idiot, and mumble "yea!".

So, we're engaged now - and our wedding will be on 4.10.2008! I know it's still a long time away, but anyhow some preparations has already been made: the location for the party is reserved, an idea on the wedding dress is delegated on, hair- and make-up appointments are booked and best man's and maid's of honor are recruited.

About the dress; I just got unbeliavably lucky on that! Olli's parents' god daughter has studied design in Austria (if I remember right), and she's currently working for Mark's&Spencer in London. When she heard about the wedding, she asked Olli's mum if there'd be any chance for her to design a dress for me.
I know, it's a tough one, eh?!?!
So, she stopped by our office before heading back to London to take some measurements - and now I'm waiting for some first drafts of the dress she might have in mind for me! Due to this project, I guess I have to visit London a few time before the wedding. Too bad, I know!
***
Ok, but back to normal life - the wedding is - after all - over a year away!
Work is back on (boring) and I'm also trying to make an effort to lose all the summer-flab I managed to gather during those lazy days. And during the party-bonanza after my vacation (7 weekend's before this one has been more or less boozing :( ). So, now I'm on Weightwatchers (we have a group at work) and really struggling to make an effort on the sport-scene.
School starts again tomorrow - luckily I only have german for the firs quarter (Katja, any help available???). In late October there'll be two more courses starting - with two exams I intend to take. So, maybe this fall I get "lucky" with that burn-out? ;)

I hope someone still stops by here once in a while - even though my update-cycle is somewhat slow... ;)

Summer time!

2007-07-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

I won't even start apologizing - because it's been so ridiculously long since I've updated this blog last time, it'd be useless. Because - being honest - I don't even think anyone even comes here anymore. I know I don't ;) ... which is kinda obvious. ;)

Well, here I am, again! It can be partly due to the fact that I'm actually on my summer vacation at the moment, and I basically have so much time in my hands that I almost don't know what to do with it.
Naah, just kidding - I get my time to fly pretty easily by doing NOTHING. And that's something I believe you're meant to do when you're on vacation, eh?!

Anyhow, back to this blog. It's been kinda bothering me for quite some time now: there's the fact that I haven't really managed to update it as often as I feel I should, which really makes me feel bad. I also tend to write too graphically on things I've been up to - without really thinking whether any of that interests anyone (not, I recon). So, now I thought just to write here some things I've done, maybe, and then what's going on in this small head of mine (ya, small??).

I got home from Bulgaria early on wednesday morning: I spent a week there visiting my friend who's working for a Finnish travel agency Finnmatkat there. While majority of Finns were stuck with "luvly" finnish summer weather Finland offered last week (+12 and pouring rain, mostly) I had the luxury of enjoying Bulgarian heat: +30-45 and cloudless skies every day!

Here's some pics from my trip:

Wild turtle in Ropotamo river

Pauliina and I in local bus from Tzarevo to Primorsko

My toes on Lozenez beach

Black sea and I

Now, that I'm back from my Bulgarian excursion I'll concentrate on Finnish summer. Olli will start his vacation tomorrow, and we'll head straight away up to Jyväskylä to see my family. On monday we'll head to our summer city 2007 = Turku, and we'll spend two nights there.
Latter week of our 2 week vacation will be spent in traditional finnish way: in cottages by eating, sleeping and sauna-going. First we'll go to my family's cottage in Ruovesi and then in mid-week we switch to Olli's granpa's cottage in Hämeenkyrö. The holiday-weeks are ended with a traditional summer-party in Hämeenkyrö with Olli's student board collegues of 2004.

On July 23rd I go back to work - and the next blink of light (=holiday) is as far as Christmas... (actually I'm going to Frankfurt in October, so I may be exaggerating just a tiny bit there... oh well, some self-pity has never hurt anyone, eh? ;))

Too long...

2007-03-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry!!!

It's been A-G-E-S since my last update... well, I have been busy at work, in school, with Olli and of course partying just a tiny bit.

Work. It was busy as H**L for the first 6 weeks of the year. Then, suddenly, it just slowed down. For a while I felt almost useless - until it perked up again just last week. Phuuuuuusk. Now it's busyBUSYbusy again - planning campaigns, buying media space, negotiating with medias, updating our databases and so on and so forth.
So, ya, busy. That it is.

School. I'm actually trying to take it easy this spring, as I'm only taking two online-courses. But what a fraud! I've been sitting in the office - hussling for these S-T-U-P-I-D, meaningless courses after office hours wearing myself out. Then, when I finally get to go home, I walk like a zombie or smthg. At home, I just hit the couch and turn into a vegetable.

Thus, no blogging. (excuse part 1).

Olli. We're doing GREAT! The only trouble is the distance: he's in Tampere, I'm in Helsinki. For weekends we travel. Luckily, next weekend we'll both be on the road - or actually in the air, as we're heading to Copenhagen. To see Damien Rice! :) I also have a mission to find a dress for my sisters wedding there.

Parties are still the same. Some drinks, some very bad jokes, some music and movement someone could call dancing. I wouldn't though. At least when I'm sober. ;)

Ok, gettin' somewhat tired again. And having a headache.
Julia is coming to town, though! In three weeks! Jaiks! Who's next?? :)

European Tour 2007

2007-01-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

This year has slowly gotten to its routines. Or actually all these routines I'm stuck with are the same ones I wrestled with in 2006 already... in other words: it's wake-up in the morning, to the office via shower and clothing-puzzles, in case the office hours fall short I get home around nineish after doing some sweating in the gym or in some workout class.

Ya, that's my life.

On weekends it's train time for either me or Olli, depending on the location of our weekend-plans. Last weekend it was Tampere and My Fair Lady, this up-coming one it's travel fair and Helsinki. And on the last weekend of the month we'll both be on that train, as we go up to Jyväskylä to celebrate my sister's big 3-0! So, lot's of domestic travelling for both of us...

But as the title suggest, I won't be settling for just Finland this spring. Oh no! I'm coming to Europe, baby! I actually have three separate trips already booked with varying travel parties: first I'll head across the Baltic sea to check out Stockholm on the last weekend of February. Then, on March 22. Olli and I fly over to Copenhagen. The main reason for the trip is Damien Rice, who is throwing a show there. We'll then stay for the weekend, though, too...
The final trip booked so far is - yes, believe it or not - to GERMANY! We're heading to Berlin with my collegues for a bonus-trip from last fiscal year! We'll be there 20.-23.4.2007 - so, in case someone would be in the neighbourhood... ;) ;)

But. My lazy ass has just gotten wider, my jokes lamer and the daylight hours in Finland are increasing again! Here's still no snow... which sucks. This is it, global warming. Just dark, rainy misery for 9 months of the year - and then short, light season (often called as summer) is over-crowded, over-booked and over-estimated by majority of this people... Still, CAN'T WAIT 'TILL SUMMER!

Well, before summer I get to do a little travelling - and if I get lucky, I'll get to meet some friends while doing that! :) Fingers crossed!

Merry Christmas ya'll!!

2006-12-23T04:59:00.000-08:00

It's again my favourite time of the year - CHRISTMAS!

Perfect - not just because due to the holidays I get 10 days off work (for the first time since summer!), but for the holidays as a whole. I have loved Christmas always - at least as I can remember. I love those cozy days in the middle of the darkest winter, that I can spend with my family and loved ones. Even though the times BEFORE Christmas may be stressful, busy and frustrating for most of us, when Christmas eve dimms to dusk the rush is gone and quality time, christmas time, can really start.

The fact that there's really no snow in Finland at the moment could ruin someone's holidays up here - but after all; it's all in the ambiance, that quality time and the holiday feeling!

I could bore you again with some tales of my so-called-life in watery, too-warm Helsinki - but since it's Christmas, I spare you. I'll get back to those boring things later - maybe next year or so. Now I just want to wish all of you (maybe just Katja and/or Jula - if even them... ;)) a very merry Christmas - and I REALLY hope I'll see you next year!!!

Here's one for ya - from last year... ;)

Back to basics

2006-10-30T07:23:00.000-08:00

... which basically means that back to close-to-zero-degrees-temperatures...

In other words: fall has found Finland. For past few weeks it's been more and less rainy and f**king cold. And it's not gonna get any better, since that zero will be broken on wednesday the latest. Here in Helsinki, I mean. Up in Lapland it's already winter-wonderland.

But. Enough on the weather. It's just so easy to write about the weather, because it's so amazing to me too... this year has been just insane weather-wise. This hot-hot-hot summer that we had, was totally unheard of --- and now it's such a cruel return to reality. Also, I'm living in Helsinki now - and as a inland-girl, I'm not used to this "oceanic" climate, which basically means wind, rain, damp air and merciless currents. I'm actually totally freaked out when I even think about this approaching winter, since I'm used to piles of snow, freezing temperatures and icy roads... but here, I've been told, winter is more about slush, slushy rains, slushy winds and cruel breezes from the Baltic Sea... that's why I'm constantly talking about the weather.

Now. REally. Enough on the weather!

My routines have pretty much settled now, since school's on, as well as work and everyhting else. I'm constantly feeling guilty, no matter what I do - since, to take a class, I have to leave the office. And to do my job, I have to skip lectures. To see my boyfriend I have to travel to Tampere. And to hang out with my friends I'd have to stay in Helsinki for weekends... not to mention my family, which is in Jyväskylä...
So, I'd need a look-a-like or smthg to manage all my responsibilities. But, you all know what I actually do... ya, I just skip classes and try to pass the exams anyways. And I hook up with my friends on weeknights and try to catch a glimpse of my parents while they're in Helsinki. So, as Alanis said: "life has a funny way of helping you out when you think everything's going wrong and everyhting blow's up in your face..."

Nothing much, then, has happened... I'm trying to organize my life to be able to visit Katja, but somehow it seems like a mission impossible. Not the visit, but the organizing part... ;) I will give you a promise, though: I will visit. Sooner or later - and due to these early burn-out symptoms I'm starting to experience, I'd bet on that sooner-part. ;);)

Now I'll go home to do my laundry... sweet.

Time goes by -- so QUICKLY!

2006-09-27T02:31:00.000-07:00

They came, they saw, they got conquered.

Jula & Katja came and went - and it's already been weeks since! And still I haven't been able to find any time to report on the matter here. Ya, I'm pathetic, I know!

But here I am now - and I don't have TOO MUCH to say. Everyhting we did, was not-so-special to me, so actually I should've asked the gals to do this reporting for me... Going to a cottage for a sunny and warm early-september weekend is nice - but pretty common - for a finn. Also heating up the sauna, rosting sausage on open fire while the night wraps its wings around us, rowing a boat on a calm lake or dipping into that still-warm lake after the heat of a real, wood-heated sauna --- ya, we just do things like that up here. And we're also called a bit mad because of that.

After a somewhat calming two nights at a cottage my guests were still to face one more challenge: my family! I loaded the tired foreigners into our car and off we went: twoish hours later we reached the heart of "lake-Finland", and it's pearl: Kinkomaa! :) The poles were seemingly tired (Michael fell a sleep on our backyard lawn!), but they coped while Katja was making a livley conversation with my parents, my sisters - and I think she did try to chat up my little nephew too... (Taavi 4 yrs) ;) After a rich reindeer-supper we finally headed back towards Helsinki - but not without a small twist: instead of taking just the boring main-roads I decided to drive just a notch longer on a scenic route via Punkaharju. This plan backfired a bit though, since half of our party was fast a sleep through the whole thing. Oh well, that route was much nicer for the designated driver also!

After our great Finnish escapade we stayed stedily put in cozy and sunny Helsinki. I had to work and girls strolled around downtown area taking pictures of all the silly, finnish things they came across with. I also made them eat several dubious finnish foods before they were able to flee the country... ;)

Since the visitor-week life has slowly gotten back to it's normal patterns; work, some school, some school-skipping and several lazy, lonely nights with just tv keeping me company. My work-contract was renewed from the beginning of september - and now I have a steady job!! So, there's no end to these days in the office in sight... but also; the paychecks just keep on coming - and it actually got somewhat bigger in the process too! So, smooth living in the soon-winter-wonderland! (=there's already snow up in Lapland!!)

A year ago we had just started school in Limerick... HOW IN H*LL CAN TIME FLY BY SO D**N QUICKLY???

Get together!

2006-08-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

In Helsinki!!!!

That's right. As I type, Julia is wondering around the streets of this luke warm city. Well, I have to admit that my charisma wasn't strong enough to pull her here, but her boyfriend was recruited by Nokia - and stationed in Helsinki area! So, as he moved here few weeks ago, she flew in today for a visit. And I'm more than happy to take full advantage on her being here!!!

The best part in this is the fact that Katja is coming in two weeks! And Jula will stay here until the 8th = we have a company of three for a week!!! :) We have a trip to a summerhouse planned - with a semi-massive party - and of course we'll drive up to see the places I grew up in. I still have to work somewhere in there - but thats secondary! Prioritizing - that's what I do!

Work is still evolving: I'm learning, day by day. Now that fall is gradually starting to move in - even up here - the fall semester is also slowly getting to me. As I mentioned in my last posting, I'll be starting on international business communication-masters program in Helsinki School of Economics in week and so. How it'll fit into my daily schedule alongside with my career-building, will be another story. Maybe I'll be in burn-out by Christmas. Maybe I'll ditch school within the first month. Or maybe I'll do just fine and manage to jiggle between these two succesfully. You never know!

Tonight there'll be a firework extravaganza in the skies of Southern Helsinki. And that's where I'll be taking my polish friends! And you know the rest: it'll be AWESOME!

Summer is C-R-A-Z-Y!

2006-07-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry for this longish pause on writing here, but as the title suggests: this summer, up here in the back alleys of Europe, has been just insane. Weather-wise, I mean. And ya, I do know that the whole of Europe has been pampered with warmth, sun and high temperatures - but us Finns; we're not used to it! Thus, I've tried to spend as much time outside, in the sun, as possible.

Ok, enough of that. My career in Dagmar (=the media agency I work in) has picked up nicely - but as the whole of Finland is on summer vacation for most of July, it's been almost lethally slow for past week and some. Not just that our office is basically empty, but the clients are also enjoying this luvly weather at home. Luckily I was able to take a week off - non-paid of course - but without it I would've probably gone mad with the idleness that ruled my work-days in the office.

So. A summer vacation. My first one on this millennium - and despite the fact that this time was taken off my salary, it was worth it! I started this luxory up in Kinkomaa, a.k.a. my parents place. The crab-season started in Finland on July 21st and we got the first taste of that delicacy only 2 days later! After a crab-feast Olli and I drove down to Tampere from where we took an inland waterway ship to Hämeenlinna - the oldest inland city of Finland. We had a superior-class room reserved in a local hotel there and the weather treated us - again - smoothly and gently. The fact that we got soaking wet when we arrived the Hämeenlinna harbour is just minor details, since on tuesday the pavement was melting under our feet as we walked to the old Häme castle - which is the main attraction of the city of Hämeenlinna.

From Hämeenlinna we took a train back towards Tampere - just to get off in Lempäälä and to visit Olli's grandparents in their summer house. We took a look around their property, had a nice coffee-moment - and then we headed to Hämeenkyrö for a relaxing and easy rest-of-the-week in Olli's family's summer cottage!

So. Our summer-vacation-week was an easy, relaxing and peaceful oasis in the middle of a hectic work-period. Now, being back in the still-quiet office seems just that much harder - and on the other hand I'm full of energy and enthusiasm for the upcoming fall!

* * *

On the other front I also got some good, happy news: MSc-students for Helsinki School of Economics were announced and I got a spot in the International Business Communication-program! So, if I want to, I can go back to school in September!!! And I really do intend to do so - in a degree that's possible to cope with my work. There are many classes starting at 16.15, and as you know; academic world isn't so strickt. So, I'm sure I'll manage - as long as I just remember to listen to myself and won't take on too much.

Other good news are Julia's and Katja's plans to visit Helsinki: the first "losing" her boyfriend to Nokia and the latter coming over to see me! So, the rest of you: follow the good example and book those flights! :) :)

HotHotHot

2006-06-21T00:27:00.000-07:00

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?

2006-06-09T00:26:00.002-07:00

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

2006-06-02T01:12:00.000-07:00

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*

Work'n'stuff

2006-05-18T03:25:00.000-07:00

Three weeks down - and I'm starting to get a picture on what I'll be doing here...

These past weeks have been filled with dozens of presentations on the company and its different parts & departments. My first touches on the REAL WORK were last week, when we managed to get involved with a campaign that'll be taking place this summer. At the end I ended up being assigned as tha TV-planner on that project...

Well, as I don't have that much of a clue on the processes, the work is progressing somewhat slowly. But, at the same time I'm learning heaps - which on its part will be assuring that my next projects will be completed a lot quicker! To be honest, it's way more motivating to be practising these things with a real case than with something that is totally made-up.

So, everything going smoothly in my working life.

On the private sections of my existence life isn't boring or settled either; I moved into my new apartment last thursday! But this moving-thingy has also risen my stress-levels. Like I wouldn't have had enough on my mind without any extra hussle... The main hussle has been with all my stuff - which is scattered around the country! I have some furniture (a sofa-bed-combo and a book self) in my parents place, all my smaller properties in Olli's storage in Tampere and well, now, majority of my clothes in my new place here in Helsinki. Now, everything seems to be in ther wrong place all the time! >:-( Frustrating!

Despite the chaos my new home here might seem, I will have a house warming party tomorrow-night! Who needs furniture, kitchen ware, dishes, glasses or anything to have a party!? I don't! I do have my stereo, TV and clothes here - so circumstances for a wednesday-night party are perfect!

But now I'll continue pretending like I'd do something here at work... since I don't know what and how to do, I've been quite bored for past few days... But I'm sure it'll get better! Soon! :D

Life in May

2006-05-05T03:48:00.000-07:00

MayDay, a.k.a. Wappu, went. And we survived it. Barely, though.

That first of May is probably the ONLY (semi-)real carneval day up here where it's usually arctic, freezing and otherwise miserable. But. This year was an exeption - as the case has been for several years now... because it wasn't cold or gray. It was sunny, funny and out-of-control! :D

Our "first of May" took off actually already in April 27th with a jolly mood and a laid back party night. On Friday we took off from good old Tampere - by bus - and toured neighbouring counties and towns; or more specifically the crummy pubs & bars of those places. Tampere was reached again after dark - and somewhat intoxicated. As expected.

Saturday was supposed to be filled with action, but we didn't get our selves out of the house until around 3 PM. There was a day-sauna, a beer rally and sing-along-drinking-night (sitsit). Later we headed to a bar called Ruma (=Ugly), which turned out to be detrimental for us: that bar served drinks in jugs - and the rumour tells that we did scoop through few too many. I myself can remember 4...

Sunday, the main day for festivities didn't dawn nicely - as one can probably imagine after "hearing" about our saturday. Olli had a semi-deep wound on his cheeck, I had forgotten my jacket in Ruma - and ya, both of us were pretty heavily hung-over (krapulassa!!). Anyhow, one had to go, since the rest of the gang were also going to a cottage in Nokia (= a small town by Tampere). So, there we were, in sunny Nokia, drinking bubbly & cider and enjoying the LOVELY weather. But. As we headed back to Tampere, the fatigue caught up with us - and we headed home early. Actually after getting some food and picking my jacket up from Ruma, we plonked ourselves to the couch around 7 PM.

Monday, the official First of May, we spent in Jyväskylä. Catching 9 AM train from Tampere was just as hard as it sounds. Especially after 4 days of drinking!! The Kujala family tradition, the 1st of May lunch buffet in one of the biggest restaurants of Jyväskylä, was abundant, delicious and actually healing. It brought Olli and I back to life - or at least at the extent that it was possible. ;)
After lunch Olli took a train back to Tampere while I acted as the designated driver for my bigsister Nanna and her family. In other words: I headed to Helsinki - and started getting adapted for my new life as a working woman.

So, to make a long story short: Wappu was just as wild, wet and wearing as it can be. At it's best. And I'm grateful that I survived it!

Finally!

2006-04-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

Finally there's something GOOD happening to me!! For years and years it has seemed that I'm always the person to be the first one to be left out from schools, jobs... you name it. Well, not anymore.

I got that job in the largest media-office in Finland!!!

I'll be starting next tuesday (2.5.) - which is somewhat questionable, since it's preceded by a 4-day party-craziness... Ok, maybe I have to explain that a bit, eh?
The first of May is a labour day here in Finland. But instead of it being just a plain day off, it's a carneval. It's actually probably the official beginning of spring/summer. To top it all off- and to explain that long party - it's traditionally a great party especially for students. Thus, we'll be starting our MayDay celebrations TOMORROW. Phuuuuuuuuh. It's going to be very consuming, expensive - but guaranteed FUN!

Getting THE job isn't the only great thing that has been going on: I graduated from Mikkeli last friday: we drove up there, took part on the boring ceremonies - and partied the whole night long. Like in the good old days. Oh, it was so much fun!!!!!!

Oh, and from next tuesday on I'll be living in Helsinki - since my job will be locaded there. Duh. We were actually checking out this one flat there yesterday, with my mom, that is. And it was pretty awesome, right in downtown Helsinki. And we decided to take it!!! So, from mid-May on I'll also have my own, tiny, place in Helsinki. When were you coming over?? Anyone?

Summer has finally made it to Finland! Sun has been pampering us for past week, and actually I was just sitting on the balcony in shorts and a t-shirt! Summer is definitely coming! I LOVE it!!!

Too much, too little...

2006-04-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

Umh, again a month has gone by and I've kept silent... sorryyyyyy! But now I'm back again. And... well, nothing much has actually happened either. So, to cut short story even shorter:

No job. Yet? I don't know... Today I was in these psychological tests for the media office-job; it was fourth and final stage of the application/interview/torture-process, and my pessimistic side is very certain that I won't be getting this job. I sooooooooo hope she's wrong. Just for this one single time. Bliiiiiiiiiizzzzzzz... :'(:'(
School's on. Or few separate courses are on - and I'm actually skipping those too... ;)
I'm graduating from Mikkeli in a week or so!! We're heading up there for our graduation madness on the 21st - and the plan is to party like in the old days!! :D :D
I won the photo contest!!! Or the campus series of it!!! :D :D For that I'll get a 170€ gift certificate to this photo/camera shop in Mikkeli! And here's the picture that gave me the victory:

So. Way to go me!!!!!!!!! :D :D

Weather up here in Funland has been something between crappy and shitty. It's gray, slushy, wet and miserable. Water just drips from the roofs, from trees and all the streets are flooding. To top this misery off, it's freaking cold! And that leads to the cruel fact, that when it rains, it's not water, but slush. And sun... whelll, that bugger has been hiding from us like 3 weeks now or smthg. So, no spring madness up here, just grey, miserable wetness and flooding streets, yards, parks and parking lots.

Ya, I'd love to travel to visit you guys; most of all Marta, who's in HOT Spain now. But... no money, no travel. So. I'm definitely stuck in here. And it SUCKS!

Pics from Boomi Annual Ball

2006-03-21T01:58:00.000-08:00

Me, in my evening dress and pimped. ;)

Two-pack King's Cup. A good idea??

Every day I miss you more and more...

2006-03-20T05:32:00.000-08:00

Hi ya fellas - and a HUGE apology for this long pause I've taken with this blog. But - as you can probably imagine, I'm a busy woman! ;)

During these weeks of silence here on my notorious site, my life has been everything but silent, calm or steady. Actually on the contrary: there's been parties (naturally), trips all over the place, job interviews, job application refusals (lots of them :'( ) and more parties...

At the moment I'm feeling a bit more optimistic since I got called to an interview today. It's the leading media agency in Finland - they were looking for a TV planner. I applied - and today they called me in for an interview! :) :)
I also have gotten positive emails from Procter&Gamble, to which I applied for an internship. There should also be an interview coming up sometimes now. My third option is a Finnish medical company, which is looking for a sales assistant - and that interview should also be this week.
So, there are possibilities in the air - I hope to get lucky on at least one of these. Otherwise I have to go selling magazines... Which would suck! Big time!

Ok, but enough on my job possibilities. More about me. Heh.

Last week we took a break. From what, that I don't know, but anyway we did. Or, actually Olli and his parents did need a break, I just transferred my doing-nothing up to Lapland with them. ;) So, ya, we were in Lapland, more specifically in Salla's Naruska, from monday to friday. Olli's family has a cottage up there, it's in eastern Lapland, some 100km north from arctic circle - so yes, there was plenty of snow, reindeer and other northern hemisphere thingies. We were literally in the middle of no-where; so far away from civilization that my cell didn't have service up there. But it was just beautiful, peaceful and laid-back week, while Finnish Lapland offered it's best: for the whole week it was -0-3 during the day, full sunshine and the whitest snow. But as everyone knows; pictures tell more than thousand words - so everyone can build their own images from these:

All and all, the trip was great - we did nothing much: read books, played games, skiied (cross-country), made Karelian pasty, sat around a fire and just enjoyed the unrushed atmosphere.

There was Olli's school's Grand Annual Ball preceding this Lapland vacation - which basically meant two days of semi-serious drinking. Or OFFICIALLY it was/is this dignified academic celebration: on friday there was the actual ball, where boys were dressed in their tail coats and girls pranced around in their evening dresses - and being civilized and all. Well - after a four-course meal with full wine menu and few schnaps all of you can imagine how it turned out to be... Then on saturday we had Sillis - which is, literally, a herring breakfast. Actually what is hidden behind this repulsive-sounding name is just the fact that one has to get drunk. Again. During day time... There we did set up a TWO PACK KING'S CUP. And the rest is history... Fun, most of all fun history!! I would've added more pics, but for some reason this stupid Blogger-system won't let me. So, I'll add them to another posting! :)

But. This posting was confusing, disorganized and anyhow very Vilma-like - or what you say. Brookfield Hall gang: r u still alive?? Send email, come to say hi in MSN - what ever... Miss ye!

Tampere-Espoo-Tampere-Helsinki-Mikkeli-Jyväskylä-Tampere...

2006-02-27T05:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys for the longish pause. As the heading suggests; I've been travelling around this frozen country for the past two-and-some weeks. Now I'm finally back here, home in Tampere. Phuuuuuuuuuuuuh!

There has been lots - and again not that much - going on in my life for this past few weeks. I evacuated myself to Espoo to my sisters place due to that NESU-seminar I mentioned in my last posting. We didn't accomplish much with my big sister Nanna during those several days; just living with those two small boys kept both of us busy enough! I did sit over a coffee cup with few of my school friends for 4,5h on that friday, but that's pretty much it.
I returned to Tampere on sunday night - just to find a tired, alcohol-smelling man lying on the couch.

On following wednesday we had a legendary party, management by PERKELE, in Mikkeli - which we naturally couldn't miss. So, I took off from Tampere early in the afternoon, took a train to Helsinki from where we took another train to Mikkeli. It might sound a bit insane, since going first to Helsinki is actually a very long detour... but the trip from Helsinki with 4 friends was definitely worth it!! We called that trip "an unemployed daytrip" since we're all in the middle of a desperate job-hunt.
The party itself was just as insane as I remembered: for a 10€ ticket one can drink as much as they can. And as you know: Finns can! A lot! This year I was just a bit wiser, since I drank water on the side THE WHOLE NIGHT LONG! This guaranteed that I didn't feel so bad the next morning when I woke up sleeping on this tiny little mattress with my friend Eeva... There was actually 15 people sleeping in that 3-room apartment that morning. Us girls (Jonna, Eeva and I) showered quickly and headed to a well deserved breakfast to Macdonalds... ;)

From Mikkeli I took a bus to Jyväskylä; my home city! My parents are doing some home improvements in our house now, and so I decided to stay over at my friend Pauliina's place. During friday I met my sisters and friends. On saturday I borrowed a car from my parents and drove down to Tampere with some stuff I still had lying around in my parents place - and finally I got my cross-country skiis and skates here!! Then on sunday we drove back to Kinkomaa with Olli, spent time at my parents place (watched how Finnish ice hockey team BITTERLY lost to f****ng swedes in the Olympic final :'( ), had dinner, visited my sister and then headed back home by train.

Now I'm just so happy that I don't have to go ANYWHERE for a while. Unless someone would call me to an interview...

In upcoming weeks we have at least few great parties; sweden-sitsit this thursday and Tampere business student annual ball next friday and saturday. Then we'll be heading up to Lapland with Olli's parents and then... I don't know yet.

Ideas, anyone?? ;) ;)

BusyBusyBusy - and total boredom!

2006-02-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

*sigh*

It indeed was a hectic weekend! Out, in a pub, bar or party, almost every night from wednesday 'til sunday. And now I'm bored at home and it's monday night. There's Olympics on on TV, so I have an option to sit on my fat a** and feel bad receiving all that sporting euphoria - but instead I sit on that same FA and write here. At least then there's something proving that I haven't been TOTALLY lazy...

Oh well, but to last week. On wednesday we had a card game night with boys: Olli, Valtteri, Marko and I went to this close-by pub, Soho, to play cards and drink GOOD Irish cider/beer (Magners (Bulmers) and Beamish). It was fun, relaxing and amusing in all ways! Me and guys playing cards - can a girl complain?? ;)

On thursday there was this snowrally (=hankiralli) I already mentioned in my last posting. After it there was a "standard" overall party in a bar downtown - and naturally (for a Finn) a pre-party in between there. We were supposed to head home after the pre-party, which was held in University of Tampere business student union's, Boomi's, club house. The place is also known as BoLa, which comes from it's full Finnish name BoomiLaakso (Boomi walley). Anyhow, we were supposed to go home from BoLa, and not go to Onnela, but whelllllll....
In the snowrally there was some hot mint chocolate offered by the Finnish association of graduates in economics and business, which I naturally had to consume, since it was slightly chilly Finnish winter night... I also managed to invole myself into the presenting of the whole rally (since they needed someone to do the audio-speaks in english too...). So, a busy night there. But the thing got out of hand in BoLa, since somehow we managed to start playing King's Cup, and after that it was settled: Olli and I were definitely going to the main party and the bar it was organized in, Onnela, too.

On Friday there was one of my favourite Finnish bands, TikTak, playing in Tampere. I managed to talk Olli for coming there with me, and so we did. The gig itself was AWESOME, but as we were slightly tired from the previous night we didn't go anywhere but home after it.

On Saturday we visited a book fair that was held here in Tampere, ate out and went to my old friend's B-day party. Actually this party was thrown by a friend I worked with in summer 2000 in one of the biggest amusement parks in Finland. The job itself was TERRIBLE, but as it turned out, I got few great friends from there! And well, to be honest; I hadn't seen this girl, Tanja, for maybe 3 years - and then now on saturday. But somehow it seemed that it was just yesterday, that we hung out... Anyways, the party itself was so much fun, but unfortunately we had to take off pretty early, since Olli had to catch 06.15 bus to Turku the next morning. Too bad, I'd say - but at the same time I'm confident that we'll take a rain-check with Tanja very soon!!

Yesterday I was abandoned, then. Olli left for NESU-seminar (= an organization that enhances inter-Nordic co-operation between the student unions of business schools in the Nordic countries) early in the morning - and I spent the day with his parents and grandparents. Actually it was a super-nice day; we went for a walk with Olli's parents first, then went to a sauna before a nice dinner with the grandparents. The option for my day would've probably been pretty much like my today: mooching at home, THINKING about going out for a walk or smthg - but never getting around to it. And then it's too dark to go. *sigh*

But that's my busy weekend. Now it's monday night - and I have not even left the building. I popped out to the balcony ONCE to get my clothes that had been airing out there. Feeling lazy and fat. I'll do something about it TOMORROW. (Morgen, morgen, nur nicht heute, sagen immer faule leute... eh??)

Känniapina Suomessa

2006-02-08T04:46:00.000-08:00

That's: "Drunken Monkey in Finland".

This drunken madness got loose last thursday, when we headed down to Helsinki for this business student seminar. First we had some awesome lectures from eg. the CEO of Finnair etc. and after the "official" part we got to "network" (= get drunk and meet new people). The official seminar part was held in this congress centre in downtown Helsinki, but for the night party we floated off to the Baltic sea. And even though the ferry was actually a biggest piece of crap I've ever been on - we managed to have an awesome, drunken party-fiesta-night!

The drinking actually started already right after the lectures, since we had a nice dinner there even before the cruise. Two of my friends from Mikkeli school were also taking part on this whole ordeal, and hanging out with them was so awesome; since we hadn't been seeing eachother since last July-August. Jonna was in Mexico for her exchange and Joel spent his fall in Buenos Aires, Argentina. So, those guys were a bit (!!!) tanned - and I think I was just rusty for all the rain we had to go throuhg in Limerick!? Here they are, tanned bastards, in the dim hours of the night on board the Viking Rosella...

It is a common habit that everyone will go to the ship liquor store to get some booze (cheaply, since it's usually tax free...) and then party on in their cabins for a while until hittin' the ship bars. That was also our plan, but as the ferry was such an old, crowded, crappy piece of sh** we had to hang out in the bars for a good while to be able to even fit into that tax free shop. Well, we finally made it and headed back to our cabin: TO PLAY KING'S CUP!! There was Olli, his friend Valtteri, Jonna, Joel and yours truly - in that 3mX2,5m hellhole called our cabin. Still we managed to have an awesome game - once again - and we definitely reached intoxication! Here's some pics of our game...

After the game our drunken crew headed to the bar - and well... there happened lots, I suppose, until Olli finally found me and took me back to our cabin to sleep. Well, he was TOTALLY WASTED, I was just pissed out of my tree (in other words: I do have some recollection of the night and what I've been up to (= talking to people from my school), while he has no idea where he's been, with who, drinking what... ye know the drill!?). Anyhow, after passing out in the bathroom - more specifically on the toilet - and after I had picked the toilet lock TWICE, I managed to get Olli to the top bunk of our cabin to sleep. I climbed there too, since we were unable to solve the mechanism of the bottom bunk (alcohol had NOTHING to do with it?!).

After some hours of totally drunken sleep, I woke up, and thought to go to the bathroom & have a sip of water or smthg - but apparently I forgot that I was also in the TOP bunk... so ya, I did fall flat and semi-hard from the bed! Result: my knee is STILL bloody, sor and reminding me of the drunken night on the ferry. Olli remained unconscious through the whole episode.

The ferry was to reach Helsinki again at 11.15 in the morning. Since the arrival was scheduled so late we had thought that we'd have PLENTY of time to shower, perhaps have some breakfast and all before that. Well, I wake up for loud banging on our door, and decide to hit the showers. Luckily I took a glimpse on my watch before heading to the bathroom, since it was 11.13!!!! HELL!!

So, I woke up Olli, we jumped into our overalls, tried (!!) to get all our stuff together and got out of there. The losses - that we have discovered so far - were my eye make-up remover and one T-shirt of mine.

The reason for us to put on our overalls was the raw fact that the party was to go on in downtown Helsinki. In Finland we have this habit, that after an academic party there is always a sillis (= silliaamianen = herring breakfast). In other words, it means that ... well, I already said it: the party will go on. It is also a tradition that the sillis location is a secret - and thus we were taken there by a bus. And yes, we did get drunk, again, and had - if possible - even more fun!

Then, at 16.30 a bus came to pick us up and we headed back to dear old Tampere. Olli passed out ON me on the bus - and I think I did sleep some on the way.

But, all and all, it was - again - a one CRAZY Finnish academic party!! Anyone interested in coming here and taking part on something like that?? ;) ;)

***

The partying goes on again on this week, since tonight we'll go out to play cards with some of Olli's friends, tomorrow there's an outdoor party, hankiralli (=snowrally), and an overall party after that, on friday we'll go out to see one of my favourite bands and on saturday there's a 30th B-day party of some friends of mine...

So, part-tee, part-tee in here also. *sigh*

Screw you guys...

2006-01-28T03:13:00.000-08:00

... I'm home.

Ireland is over, Finland is here to stay.

Sweeties, this is meant to be my channel for all of you. I'll try to update this a bit more than that english-version of my Ireland-blog - and so all of ye can have a sneak-preview on how I'm doing up here.

For starters; I do miss you all!

I've been away from Limerick for a week now. It's been cold and snowy here - and I have gotten absolutely nothing done. I've been busy, tired and just lazy for all these days. Well, I did manage to get my stuff unpacked to Olli's closets on wednesday. We had to make some room for me there - and honestly I have no idea how I can ever fit there!? But, I'll try. We'll try.

On saturday - last one, I mean - when I got to his place (and saw the PRICELESS look on his face when he answered the door!!!) there was also three of his friends there, just hanging out. And 24 was on on TV! So, what we did was the obvious thing to do: we started playing 24-drinking game!!! What a great way to come back home, don't ya think!!??

Since that I've been just trying to adapt on being back here. I did vote - the official election day is tomorrow, and to be honest: I'm just terrified! The polls showed that it's 51-49 at the moment (my candidate being just that 2% behind the current president) - and so it'll be so exciting vote tomorrow!
At the moment I'm at my parents place; we did celebrate my dad's 61st and my sisters 29th B-days. And now I'm home alone. I'll be heading back to Tampere tonight - and I'm scared since I have no idea how much stuff I'll have with me... (since I spent last summer here, I do have A LOT of EVERYTHING here; but I have to take a train tonight) I'd like to bring HEAPS OF STUFF to Tampere already, but I don't know how much I CAN. Oh well, we'll see.

But. As I apparently don't have anything much to tell and I'm just blabbing; I'll give it a rest. I named the blog "King's Cup" for obvious reasons - since it seemed to be the only certain thing all of you will definitely remember about me... ;)

Stay tuned! This was just the beginning!