| June 1, 2008 - It's been a while |
| Dear Friends, it's been a while since I last wrote and that's because there really hasn't been a lot going on. First of all, now that I'm paying a mortgage, I don't have the moolah to globe trot like I used to. On top of that, I seem to have lost the fascination I exert over strange people, so I've not really had any bizarre encounters! And the third thing is that I stay exhausted. Let me tell you why, my dears. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I get up at 4:00 a.m. for boot camp. You'll remember that back in Sept. and Oct. I did a boot camp. But in addition to that, I work out with the personal trainer on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. Then at work I was recently asked to spend half my time working with another team on a big project that they have. In fact, I have to go into work some time this lovely day to spend a few hours doing software testing. This, of course, means that I have several bosses and it's a real juggling act to make certain that all I do works to everyone's best interest. "But," you ask, "what about the weekends, JOHNNYLEEN?" Ah yes, the weekends. Because the cats are now used to me getting up at the crack of dawn to feed them, they start in on me at 5:00 a.m. on Sat. and Sun.! All the meowing, jumping up and down on the bed, patting at my legs with their little kitty claws! It's just too much! Stop the insanity! Well, soon, I will be getting a much deserved break. Yes, I'm heading back to Sweden again for a full month in the Land of the Midnight Sun. My first weekend will be in Stockholm, where I've been invited to a Midsummer's party on the very day I land. Then I head up to Uppsala, get my apartment assignment, and then start school. The following weekend I'll spend in Germany with friends of mine. The weekend of July 4, I fly back to the U.S. to participate in the christening of some friends of mine's baby. I've been asked to be the godfather! Can you believe that, rapscallion that I am? Then, of course, I fly back to Sweden. The weekend of July 11, I head off to Dublin. Yes, I've decided to give it another try because my friend K. introduced me to someone there who I can hang out with it. And then the following weekend I will spend in Stockholm before heading back to the U.S. where I'll promptly resume my exhausting U.S. routine of work, exercise, house cleaning, and cat feeding. I swore last summer that I would practice my Swedish over the past year, but I've only recently begun trying to do so. A Swedish TV station posts many of its programs on the internet at www.svt.se and I've tried watching some of them. One has really caught my fancy. It's called "STHLM" and is very bittersweet. I must admit somewhat ashamedly that I start crying during some of the episodes. Even if I didn't understand a word of Swedish, it would be worth watching just to see the familiar sites of Stockholm and the surrounding archipelago. Oh, I did go to the Bustling Metropolis a few weeks ago and had a great time visiting an old Big Name University chum. We had good food, tasty drinks, and even attended the Legitimate Theatre. Good times all around. Well, I must toddle off now to run a mile on the treadmill, clean the bathroom, and powder my hootchie before I have to go into work. Ta ta! Next entry Previous entry Go to diary entries Go back home |