Mental Calendar messup...

Amsterdam is getting more and more grey for every day and I heard rumors about frost. Fortunately I have not seen any yet but I guessit is just a matter of time. Yesterday the strangest thing happened. Since Katia did not goto her place until Tuesday morning my mental calendar kind of got tricked and I thought it was Monday. I therefore called my sister that I knew was not working on Monday evening and found out that she indeed was working (which of course was true since it was Tuesday). Her boyfriend must have thought I was drunk. Then my father called and I gave him the same story, *stare at the sky*. When Katia called in the evening I just remembered the phone calls and my brain finally made the connection. Bättre sent än aldrig!

A view from a "Windows"

Support when it is at it's best. The strange things you hear about. This one for example (that is probably fabricated) but anyhow the point it is trying to make is true.

I guess it is time to stop with support jobs soon. It is not good for your mental health even though you learn a lot of how people actually think. I think it is like they say about people behind the steering wheel of a car also applies to people behind the computer screen. For them there is only their way or the highway. But I guess it is like that. Well.

Now we will stop whining about support and about how people behave. Me an Katia had a really nice and calm weekend. We were going to a photo exhibition but it was so expensive that we decided to spend the same amount of money on lunch...*think*

I have been called for an interview in Germany for a PhD position. And that is both a curse and a blessing. Blessing because I want to work with astronomy and a curse because I keep moving around like a Jojo. I think Katia has the same opinion and now I bring this upon us as well...

But I'll do my best and will ofc take the position if I am offered. Otherwise the work at Dell is going smoothly. I think I will try to make my way into either the educational part or the production planning part. I have also been suggested quality and call coaching but I am not so sure about that.

Well more next time...Ciao amici!

The summer is no more. It feels kind of strange. I can only hope for that the autumn will have some nice days to offer for the future. I have to start with my Italian studies for real. I have pushed them to far now and it is time to take them up again. I hope I will have something more to use then what I have acquired so far. 30 hours of 'essential Italian' mp3's, a grammar book (rather good actually) and 'Il piccolo Principe' which I think is probably translated into a number of other languages. I also have some Italian movies with English subtitles. Question is: How do I begin?

I also have something else to start studying. I want to take the CompTIA A+ certificate. I have received the book and I think it is more or less to start reading. A lot of what the book sais I probably already know but it does not hurt to repeat. Work is going more or less fine. I have started to feel comfortable in my job and when push comes to show I seem to handle it a lot better then I thought. I also have a very nice team manager that understand my situation and that phone support is maybe nothing I had in mind from the beginning. He has already told me he will help me and guide me through the internal courses to get me the best platform for advancement and that is a chance I cannot let go pass. When the train is leaving I want to be on it.

After a visit in the 'capital'....

...of former West Germany, namely Bonn. I visited a close friend from University. It was really easy to get there from Amsterdam. Only 3 hours by train. And it was quite a nice train ride also. Everything seems to be fine with the 'masked avenger'. And I was delighted to see that she seemed to be settled in. I was however a bit disappointed since you think of something totally different when you say 'Capital City of country X'. Bonn hardly felt like a capital and even though I was disappointed I also enjoyed that it lacked the big city pulse and that everything was so green. So all in all a very good trip.

I have started my new job which is a 40% increase of my former salary. Which is very nice of course. I also feel that the company cares more for my well-being than the previous one which also is nice. Fore sure there will be career opportunities if I choose to within the company and also possibilities to go back to Sweden or move to other countries and still stay with the company. In short: 'I am in.'

However I will still look for PhD. That is my main interest and yes...it is going to mean a lower salary possibly but still at least I feel somewhat 'safe' having a job with a future.

It has been some time since I wrote anything but now I have done so. I will see if there is any photos to add next time I write something. But for now. Enjoy the summer or what is left of it. Again today the weather is switching into something that looks more like autumn....bollocks.

Summer?? What summer??

I am 79% Addicted to Coffee

Summer were did you go? 17 degrees and rain? What is this? Was at a friends blog and found a coffee quiz. So my question to you is: How addicted to coffee are you? Will go with my girlfriend to visit an old friend in Bonn next weekend. It will be fun. Hope the weather is going to become nicer and that the rain stays away. Big parts of Great Britain seems to just flow away and I guess we should feel lucky here in Amsterdam that the British Islands are were they are. Otherwise we would be the ones that would have to swim. Read today that the Thames is flowing over and are threatening Oxford at the moment. I think that the British people would agree on my first question. Summer were did you go?

Summer....were did you go?

Well. So almost a week ago since we came back... unfortunately we left the summer in Sweden and came back to some kind of autumn here in Amsterdam. We can be lucky that the British Islands are in the way of the worst downpour since at least it runs off them. Here it would just add up into a big lake I guess. Even here in my apartment on the 3rd floor I am still under sea level...scary. Luckily I do not notice. In the weekend we will meet an old colleague of mine and the weekend after that we are going to Arnhem and Nijmegen. I have always wanted to see the battlefields of the 'Great War' and what could be better when I am living here.

Life moves on.

Signed with a new company yesterday (Will start on the 1st of August). Seems like it is going to be at least another year here in Amsterdam. From Software support I will now go to Hardware support. Software support has so far only been for English customers but now with the new company I will do hardware support for my countrymen back in Sweden. Even though they will never know they are calling to Amsterdam. Will go back to Sweden in the coming week. See my friends in Uppsala and go back to my parents in Åtvidaberg. See my grandmother and my grandfather and maybe....if I have time get some vacation.
The weather down here in Amsterdam are a bit cooler now, we have had really warm weather and thunderstorms for the last few days. I hope the weather in Sweden will be good when I arrive.
Got contacted on the blog today by an old school mate. She is on maternity leave. And I panic... Not much but a little. My brother is married and have a kid. My sister is engaged to be married. Old friends from home get married and some are on their 2nd or 3rd kid already... I tell myself I should not panic, I guess, I am still 28 but anyway.
Well back to work...

Wherever I lay my hat, it's home.

I wonder if it is true for Icelandic people then....*wonders*

ICELANDIC WIND STRENGTH INDICATOR

Wind strength measured by the angle of the chain

0° Broken - inform the weather office

30° light breeze

45° breeze

60° energizing storm

75° warning - low flying dump trucks

90° Welcome to Iceland

A walk along memory lane...

A few years ago I was on a very nice trip together with my ex girlfriends family to Iceland. A few days ago I found that the Swedish newspaper 'Dagens Nyheter' had a very nice piece of photographs from Iceland together with music by Sigur Ros. I added it in the links to the right because I like it and it reminds me of a country/island with great nature and a sense of wilderness that is hard to beat. It was also great fun going with her family since they are very curious, energetic and positive people. Anyhow a good memory coming back as I see the slide show on 'DN'.
So please check out:

http://www.dn.se/DNet/road/Classic/article/47/jsp/bildspel.jsp?a=651338


Enjoy!

Newsflash!

So I am sitting here in Amsterdam at work. The sun is shining outside, a beautiful summer day. And then all of a sudden life gets even better as I get to know my little sister (well not so little anymore, 25 in November) has gotten engaged with her boyfriend which I now need to call fiance. I wish I could be there to hug her. Anyhow. Life takes yet another enjoyable step, the sky is blue, the birds are singing and I continue working.

Eager to get moving...

So. Back from Italy. Also means from 25-28 degrees and sun to about 18-19 degrees and clouds and rain. Well you cannot have everything. It has been long now and the 1st of May actually was 1 year at my job. Time to look for a new one. Time to move on.
Not sure if that means back to Sweden or another job here in the Netherlands but anyway a new job. Internet at home is not sorted yet, and I know that some of you have not heard from me in a while now. I will try to make it up as soon as things come together and sorts themselves out. Hopefully by Monday (21st May) I can start calling people. Until then...patience.

Finally it rained.

5 weeks! First day of rain in 5 weeks was on Monday. Everything became a lot greener instantly. So far no new news. For people that want to know no Internet for me yet but it is on it's way. Planning summer vacation also seems like it is going to be in August this year. I really will try to take enough time to meet all you people in Uppsala. I miss you. Also have started to see if I can refresh my programming skills and to learn some Java in the process. So far it seems pretty easy. The C++ I had during university makes it a lot easier and Java seems to be more straight forward. Applications for new jobs are also high on the priority list. Even though my colleagues are nice and the atmosphere is good I need more for 6 years of university.

One step closer...

...so. 28. Yesterday. Shit. A nice birthday indeed. Did not do anything. Work is normal. Life is normal. This weekend we were at Keukenhof, the Disneyland of flowers. The weather was amazing. 25 degrees and sun. Not a single cloud in the sky.....and it was 15th of april.... O_o
Felt like June. Anyway. It was very nice and I hope my skin started to notice that the vampire color was not in fashion in this kind of weather and that it was time to start changing to a darker more appropriate color for the summer.

Spring time!

Ohh well. Let's see. Hmm? Did not...hmm? Write in a while. For some reason? Well time again I guess. This weekend was Easter, in fact it is still Easter Monday. Saturday was spent at the Zoo in Emmen were all the animals were thouroughly looked at so none of them felt left out. Especially thouroughly observed was the hippoes. Well maybe not by me...but by someone else you might know. Sunday was brunch and walking in town. In Groningen they have a Cafe called Pepper that I like alot. The music is relaxed and the atmosphere is cool. They usually show music videos or nature pictures on beamers in the place wich makes it interessting also going there by yourself if you understand what I mean.

Next weekend holds Keukenhof, I think. We will see.

One small addition.

Just wanted to say I added a link with a song that makes me long back to times gone by. Wonderful memories in Uppsala and wonderful memories of my student time. However time cannot be stopped and sometimes memories are good as memories. I mean it. Probably some of the memories would not be special if time did not go forward. To all of you, old friends out there, to my family, to special people and to present friends. And to you my angel.

A few days of spring...

For a few days Amsterdam have had weather worthy of the name spring. Bright clear blue skies and about 15 degrees around noon. Cannot remember the last time, unfortunately the memory is short when it rains almost every day. Today Sunday morning the lord is greeting us to a new day of traditional Dutch weather (look, I am unfair to this country and I believe that the Dutch people think the same as me sometimes). A co-worker usually turns to me and sais: "Stop complaining in the Netherlands we grow men!" Well in Sweden we do to but we do not need rain to do so.

Anyway a few days of spring is all that is needed to get the mood in a better shape. Will be moving to a new apartment soon. Sineing the contract on Tuesday and hope we can start to move in the week after. Also need the salary, my wallet is starving. Thought I would try to put some warm color on this grey day. Let's see if this image does the trick.

A Visit to Sweden with surprises...

So. Weekend in Sweden with a big surprise. Basically we were going to see my niece's baptism and my brother asked me to take pictures in church. I said well I can do that and got a fast film since I did not have a flash on my SLR-camera.
However, coming home I realised that I had a "slide-film" in the camera and did not want to waste it and asked my father for advice. He said well you can always save the fast one for another occasion. We looked at each other and said: "For his wedding!!" And laughed.
Well before the baptism I kind of needed to change film anyway so I did. Then when the first chord on the organ played I realised that that was exactly what I had been doing. With the 'Bride March' playing my brother, dresses in mess uniform, and his fiance, dressed in a lovely white dress with dark red ornaments, walked up the ile. We had all been fooled. Only 5 persons knew about them getting married at the same time, themselves, my sister, my sisters boyfriend and the priest. It was a very beautiful wedding. Of course my nice was baptised also. I hope to be able to put some pictures to this text in the weekend or after the weekend.

The door.

During Christmast I was, as said in the previous post, in Venice. All of the photographs I have from Venice cannot fit in to this page so I suggest you who have not been there; Go There!!
And for those who have been there before; Go Again!!

It is not necessary to go in the summer. In fact I think that going around Christmast is a great time to go for several reasons. It is off season, plenty of hotel rooms and not so expensive. The hotel we lived at was 60 euro a night (220 a night in season, read summer). And also the smell of the channels is probably more pleasant when it is cold than in the summer.

Don't miss it.

New meat to the grinder...

New arrivals in the house. A veteran call center worker from Finland landed unexpectedly this evening. Hope he will like it here.

New positions for PhD comes up. Am I interested?? Of course!!! So down to make something out of all my CV versions I have at the moment.

Yet another week. On Friday we fly back to Sweden for my niece's baptism. My niece is among the cutest small girls in the world and also it is going to be fun to visit Sweden.

Time to start studying for the In Design ACE again. I need to take it in Mars or early April I think. It would be foolish of me not to try. Another ACE will be good in my CV.

Lets finish with a picture from Venice! Picture was taken sometime between Dec 26-Dec 29. Cannot remember exactly when. Be safe and...eat alot of chocolate, it's good for you!!

Population Increase.

I now populated my blog with an elf (Link on the right) and a Blog Blob. I have heard rumors about the blue Blog Blob being irritating but to be honest he is probably the cleanest person I have ever lived with ;).

I recommend you to adopt an elf you to. A cuter flash game/app is hard to find, and he is fun to play with, you should try.

Housing issues are in the news and there is a hope on the horizon. I guess it is time to take a closer look. The phone is still out have been for a few days so if you have been trying to call me on the home number, sorry. It will be sorted by the beginning of next week. Cannot say that the phone company is super fast.

Keep safe in cyberspace and drive carefully on the highways of free information, because the real world and cyberspace are dangerously alike...

Dutch architecture

IRS. Something to look at.

Watch out there is more...

What? Already a new post...? I have now increased the content of my page to 200%! A new picture and new text... Jeez!

So what did I do today...I have one word. Lightroom 1.0. I am no expert yet but now I know what it is about at least. :)

How come news does not surprise you anymore? Is it because you have learned the way of things so you, like in the movies, can guess what is coming next? A kind of expertize you get after living almost 28 years? Or is it just that one looses the edge after a while? Seeing having seen most things already another car bomb or another threat of war just does not interest you anymore...? For me I do hope it is the first. That I in some way have learned 'the way of things'. Scary really.

Ah yes and so we are one less person in the house also, my dear German friend moved to Blomendal. Which reminds me that I soon have to find something also. Will have a look around. Well t.b.h. I have already started.

On Valentines day we had dress up-day at work. Only 1 rule. Wear something you normally would not wear to work. So. Ecco!

Finally....

So. Finally for all my friends out there there is a way of contacting the pokute again.
Were is he these days?? Well he apparently moved to Amsterdam about 10 months ago and according to rumor he is still there. Kicking off with yet another week at work for 'a big american company' technical support. Mo. I guess there will be some pictures here shortly to. A blog with only text is to boring...no? So be prepared, more to come!!