You've got spam

I'm a real blogger now, 'cause I have now recieved two spam comments on two different posts (that were not caught by the spam filter...). Wow.

I'd like to thank Little Dude, for giving me something to write about and also the time to write stuff.

just FYI

To the person who found my blog by searching 'odense sex thursday 5 00' -

I'm really sorry, but I won't be available for sex tomorrow at 5. I hope you found a place somewhere else. You see, I have a boyfriend who would probably be pretty upset if I went around having sex with strangers. Also, I don't have sex. Except that one time I got knocked up, I swear. Also, at 5 tomorrow I'm supposed to be washing my hair and stuff.

Eksil (Jakob Ejersbo)

Because I'm a nerd AWESOME, one of my very favorite things about summer is getting the chance to read lots of books - the non-academic kind. I've been spending my days outside in the yard, switching between the shaded and the sunny areas.


This week I started out on "Eksil" by Jacob Ejersbo. Where we meet Samantha, who is desperately seeking for meaning in life. Every time she finds someone to lean on, they dissapear. We are introduced to Tanzania at its best and worst. It is a tragic, brutal, very touching book, that I would recommend to anyone.

I've never been to Africa, but I've heard people recommend this book for people to read before going - it's hard to explain exactly why, but it displays alot of societal, political, psychological issues that we can all relate to in some way - even if it is based in a strange, foreign place.

One of the themes that really hit home was the ongoing story of how Samantha felt very strongly about not returning 'home' to England, even though her family pushed for her to go back. But Samantha moved from England at the age of 3 and has lived in Tanzania ever since. She speak Swahili, she knows and understands the local culture, people and customs. She thinks it is strange to call England 'home' when she barely remembers it and certainly doesn't understand it.



I'm working on the sequel - "Revolution." I should be done tonight or tomorrow, and will review that book as well. And then - it's time to go the library for new book supplies! 

Amme undervisning - Breast Feeding Class

Yup, today was the first day or preporatory classes for this whole birthing thing I'm supposed to be doing in about 2 months (2 months? really?). I may personally still be in denial about something ever being able to come out, you know... down there. But I guess it's gotta happen....

Anyway, breast feeding class. I was dissapointed. I was kind of secretly hoping that we would be playing with dolls and practicing feeding positions and stuff. But no. We just sat at a U-shaped table cluster and listened to a sort of lecture on breast feeding and stuff. I guess it was interesting - but nothing really new on the table for me anyway.

I tend to over research stuff and diligently do my 'homework' (as long as it's not for school...) So I have been dutifully reading all the brochures and the books. "What to expect when you're expecting.." and "Graviditet, fødsel, og den nye familie" as well as daily update emails from min-mave.dk.... ahem.

But yeah. Starting next week and then all through July we'll be partaking in 'Birthing and family preparations classes' and hopefully they will have more interesting things to offer.

The fogs

After several days of energy, I had a foggy day today. Or, in normal people language, a day where I was tired and just needed to sleep, eat, and lay on the couch watching TV. A perfect lazy sunday, actually.

Speaking of language, (nice segway segue right?) is it too early to start researching baby language development? You see, I have this plan of giving my baby the gift of being bilingual, so I need to be finding out, like yesterday, how to go about this most efficiently.

So if you are an expert on this, or if you're 'just' a mother, or 'just' someone with an opinion, and idea, or other - let me know!

Happy Sunday!

Go' Morgen Danmark

This semester, I discovered the wonder that is morning television. More specifically - Go' Morgen Danmark on tv2. Seriously. There may be nothing better than spending your first few hours awake in the company of Lisbeth, Morten, Mikkel2, Ida,Katrine, and Peter. You can drink a cup of coffee (or two), and spend the commercial breaks getting dressed, cleaning up, brushing teeth, etc.

I expect this glorious tradition will continue quite a bit through my maternity leave.

All photos courtesy of
go.tv2.dk

MY all time favorite morning team is a combination of Lisbeth or Ida, Morten Resen, and cute Mikkel the weather god.

Did I mention I really, really, really want to be a Go' host? (hopes sucking up on blog will help...) And you know, I really don't have many summer plans, so if you need a substitute summer host - Hit me up. I may be willing to help out.

On those Studenter....

My pathetic attempt at stalking some of the young graduates - just to give you a little bit of an idea of what it looks like.

Now imagine: Loud music. Singing along. Honking. Horn machines (those things they use at soccer games), probably a vuvuzela or two. On each bus: 20 or so drunk 18-21 year olds.

We've had two of these stop on our street, where they stop to visit the parents of classmates. These parents have some sort of food and drink prepared. More loud music. Screaming and screeching and singing. This is what these kids are doing today, all over the country.

You'd think it would be annoying... but they're just so happy.

Now imagine one of these driving off, with all of them singing "We could have had it allllllll...." to the tune of Adele.

Sankt Hans

You all silly Americans claim summer begins on Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year.
We Danes know that Summer really starts on June 1st (although some people believe it happens when we change to summer time.... ).

Part of the reason, I think, is because in Denmark, the difference between December 21st and June 21st is about 10 hours. Of daylight, I mean. This particular time of year, the end of June, is one of my favorites. The days are ridiculously long, and if we're lucky, the weather is warm and sunny - but hardly ever humid.

It awakens memories of childhood summers - it's strawberry season, potato season, and pea season. Studenterne - (the 'high school' graduates) are driving around on their crazy buses and wearing their cute hats everywhere.

And on June 23rd, it's Sankt Hans, or midsummer, or....

We ventured out to see one of the big witch burning fires. Even though we were late (it was past 10:30 before we made it there), there were still lots of people, live music, and a massive fire. There were booths selling beer (Odense Albani, of course), lots of studenter-hats, and families with picnic baskets (and sleeping children in strollers).

FRom now on, and until DEcember 21st, the days will get shorter. But right now... can you smell it? It's summer...

On Goals for the Summer

Generally, a few days of being tired, lazy and foggy results in a few days of energy and overskudsagtighed. Then I pay for that burst of energy with another day of sluggishness. Like today, I've already hung laundry to dry, folded some laundry, baked, and vacuumed. Without slacking on my blog-reading and Go' Morgen-watching.

Anyway, now that I'm officially on Maternity leave (although I'm calling it Summer break for a little while - it's just funner), I've set myself a few goals

• Leave the apartment every day (even if it's just to go to the grocery store. Especially if it's to go to the store.)
• Do something housewifey every day (vacuum, do dishes, a load of laundry, dust, or other).

So these are my goals for not going insane over the next two months. Secondary goals include:

• Reading a bunch of non-academic books
• Finish knitting my blanket project.... (oops).
• Grow a big fat belly.

On being boring, or old, or whatever

I know my previous blog post was pretty much the most exhilarating thing ever. Ever.

It's kind of like that whole pregnancy-and-babies on the brain thing I've mentioned before. And the foggy brain thing I've mentioned before. Yup, I'm sure there's more to life, but sometimes, that's it. Yup, doing a few loads of laundry and getting dinner on the table.

How do some people bloggers make a day of cleaning, reading, and eating sandwhiches sound endlessly interesting?

But it's okay, because it is now Summer break (/maternity leave). Last week was full of projct management, writing, and real academic thinking. I also cooked up a potential thesis topic. (don't put too much weight on this though, every few months I think of something new to write about and so far I'm not feeling 100% inspired)

Life is good and today is the longest day of the year. Little Dude is active and growing. Happy birthday to my grandpa, who turns 85 today. Over and Out.

laundry and stuff

You know you've been too busy and exam-stressed when:

you do two giant loads of laundry, and both laundry baskets are still overflowing.

I'm out of 20's though, so I guess I'm doing two more loads tomorrow... and probably the next day... until I at least can put lids on both baskets.

(and the reason I'm only doing two at a time is because I hang my laundry to dry. My stuff outside, the rest in the basement drying room)

Thought of the day

Does anyone else ever wonder, just a tiny little bit, if all those fashion bloggers out there actually wear those outfits they post pictures of everyday?

I mean - I like looking at the pictures and always feel inspired. But seriously? Where would I wear those outfits? and especially - when would I ever wear those shoes? (I'm seriously bad at heels)

Maybe it's just because I'm cheap (it's true) and don't have a job or school where I would feel the need to dress up quite that much.

I just have this vision of me going to the grocery store, pushing my baby around in a stroller (or just with my ginormous belly) in 5 inch heels, a miniskirt, expensive jewelry, and a perfectly styled hair. And the vision ends something like this:
Exposing my butt to the store when I pick up something from the bottom shelf
Baby puking on my new shirt
Baby pulling at my hair.
Baby trying to eat my earrings
Twisting my ankle and wobbling home barefoot, carrying screaming baby (or possible choking baby if he succesfully eats my earrings) on one arm, and groceries in the other (possibly resulting in broken groceries in the parking lot).


Phew. Thank goodness I don't wear heels, miniskirts, jewwelry, or ever do my hair. It would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Some of the recent debates in the news around here recently has been on so-called experts and their rights to utter their opinions on political matters. Apparently some politicians feel that this negative press from professors, authors, and other scholars should be taken personally (Søren Pind and Pia Kjærsgård - I'm looking at you).

Apparently, you can become a politican without any degree of knowledge or expertise (in theory). Not all politicians (at least in Denmark) are highly educated lawyers. There are plumbers and teachers - and of course lots of masters degrees in political science and government.

But - if you want to voice your expert opinions on EU policy, European matters, and border controls, you're not qualified unless you have a law degree. Even though youve researched in the field for 15 years, have a phd, and published several books on the topic.

So I was thinking, I could totally be a politician. I mean, I don't want to be prime minister or even anything totally important like Secretary of State or anything. And I definately am not capable of being in charge og money or finances or anything.

Nah, I'm thinking - Kultur minister! yeah! Christine som kulturminister. I could totally rock that. I could  open museums and go to sporting events and try to promote Denmark around the world as a highly cultured nation. I may not know a whoel lot about fine art or music, but I'm willing to learn. And I'm sure there are lots of experts out there who could teach me stuff.

Barring this whole career as a politician, I do have an alternative career in mind: Go' morgen Danmark host. OR Go' Aften Danmark. Just because I'm really not a morning person.

No, bad!

I just finally reached my page-count goal for the day and now I am taking the night off - probably. I may make some models for my appendix if there's nothing good on tv (chances are good...)

So if I'm quiet this week, it's because I'm under pressure to write this final project. And also maybe because, just last week, I discovered two new show called Bones and Numbers, and I'm kind of fascinated.

Time for my home-made pizza dinner and then some couch time. Bye ya'll.

Weekly Roundup

It's been two weeks since I rounded up a week, so here it is again. A two-week round up, I suppose. So, what happened in the past two weeks? I'm not sure I remember, but let's give it a go.

• The most beautiful wedding, a beautiful weekend, fun parties, cute babies, gorgeous bride, happy couple. Last weekend was just about perfect. Saturday morning we went to Vejle to celebrate a wedding at Hotel Comwell. After an outdoor ceremony by the water, there was a festive brunch with the nearest family, complete with some traditional speeches, but still very lowkey. We then checked into a different hotel downtown and had some time to relax and change before the evening party. Here, we celebrated with the happy couple and about 25 of their closest friends.
• The weather was hot and humid and sunny, which was fun for the most part, except for the whole part where it was hot as balls.
• Two visits from mother-in-law, one visit from newly wed sister-in-law, baby-bonding time over the weekend.
• Continued the tradition of sleeping a whole lot. Baking a baby is hard work. Apparently
• My second trip to the midwife, where everything looked just fine and Dandy. My uterus measurement (? - symfyse mål) is still slightly bigger than average. Little Dude was estimated at about 1200 gr, which is within normal range but slightly under average - making me even more convinced that he will probably be long and skinny, just like has daddy (PLEASE let him have those good genes from his dad - tall and skinny!)
• The dreaded glucose testing! (read more here)

Pet Peeves Part 2

• People who write facebook status updates in the third person. (Especially if they then start to mix up tenses and persons.) Jane Doe: is really excited about her new pants, but she isn't sure if they might be too big. Can you help her by commenting on the picture she just posted?
• Other bikers who pass me (legitimate, since I'm slow these days), but don't look over their shoulders to see where I am before cutting back in front of me. I swear I've been in too many near-accidents because people almost slam into my front wheel. And I'm a really SLOW biker these days!

On being a crazy pregnant lady

I totally had a near "crazy-hormonella-pregnant-lady" moment this morning.

But seriously - all morning, I was laying in bed dreaming of fresh bread from the baker with lots of butter and homemade jelly (thanks mom-in-law!). Mhhhmmm. Rundstykker.

So I got up and trekked to the baker, trekked back, opened the fridge. Frantically searched the entire fridge. Panic. NO  BUTTER. After I specifically wrote it on the shopping list yesterday!! Ahhhck. I nearly cried. I felt the tears pressing on me. Curse words may have escaped my mouth, if I were a person who knew those kinds of words. Dear boyfriend wasn't home, so he escaped my wrath. And he most certainly would have felt it.

I sucked up my pity party and went to Fakta for butter. And milk. Mostly because we have a rule about never going to the store without buying milk.

Glucose testing

Imagine this

8:10 Show up at the hospital, fasting since last night. No food, no water, nothing. "Hey, sit here and fill out these forms." Ok.

8:25 Let's draw some blood! About 9 little tubes or so.

8:30 "I don't feel so good" - they have me sit with my head between my knees (a difficult trick when you have a watermelon for a belly). Wow, its really hot in here. I think I may pass out.

8:32 Let's move you into the room next door and you can lay down for a few minutes. But you still have to drink these two glasses of sugar water within the next 5 minutes or so

8:33 I'm laying on a doctors 'bed,' unable to decide whether I am going to pass out or puke. Miraculously, neither happen.

8:36 Nurse comes in, "here, you really HAVE to drink this sugar water, even though you look really pale and sick."

8:38 I start drinking the sugar water. It's actually not all that bad. Lemony - but so sugary that it sticks to my teeth and burns my throat. But it's ice-cold! And it's liquid and it's calories.

8:45 Still trying to decide if I am going to puke or pass out, although vomiting seems like a more likely result.

8:55 Feeling slightly better. Move into waiting area with all the other fasting, pregnant people. Leave a urine sample in glass for the nurse. Finish filling out forms and questionnaires.

9:15 Sitting in a chair in the waiting room - whoops, I think I'm gonna pass out. Head down. Wow, it's really hot in here. Is the room spinning?

9:17 Still sick - think I need to go lay down. Move into the room from before

9:30 Nurse comes into room "oh, there you are! Time for more blood to be drawn. Me: ehh okay? Nurse: you look pale - you should stay laying down and I'll wheel the cart in here"

9:38 Three tubes of blood drawn, again feeling like I am going to pass out. Or vomit. Nurse: you should stay here, don't move anywhere, so I can keep an eye on you. Take a nap or something.

10:00 Urge to vomit gone, but having a severe hot flash and SERIOUSLY never been this thirsty in my life.

10:35 After the longest 2 hours of my pregnant life, they draw some more blood and prick my ears for glucose levels, and then they FINALLY let me drink some water. And eat some toast.

Ugh. 'ynk'

oops - overskuddet er i bund.

Desuden er jeg total modsat af at være overskudsagtig for tiden, for det er varmt of jeg er træt og tyk, ynk. Men nu skal der laves mad, for det er vigtigt at spise, især når man er gravid. Det siger de kloge. Og jeg har lovet manden at der ville være mad til ham når han engang kommer hjem fra at lege jernmand og være overskudsagtig. Og så var der noget med en eksamensopgave - men den skriver nok sig selv. Har ellers desperat prøvet at få little dude til at tænke et par geniale tanke for mig, men det er lidt ligesom, at det ikke rigtig virker.

Suk.

All quiet here

Yup, nothing truly exciting is happening these days and my brain is in such a fog that I can't even remember any small episodes that may have been funny to write about.

Monday we were told to expect this giant storm with lots of rain, thunder, and lightning. I was super excited. I pretty much planned the day so that I could stay at home and watch the storm. Ironic, since normally storms scare the living bejeezus out of me. But here, where it never storms, tornadoes are virtually impossible, and the forecasts are rarely correct - I was excited for Denmark to show me some moves. What happened? nada. Nothing. It rained a little. There were a few lightning bolts and some thunder from far, far away.

It never cooled down. So yeah, I'm still sitting here having hot flashes like some menopausal lady. It could be a long long hot summer.

Like, sweaty HOT

Don't ever plan a summer baby. Don't ever spend the summer pregnant. I'm so hot right now that I am sitting on the couch, inside, sweat dripping from my nose. Also, it's 8 PM and it's raining. It's pretty attractive.


A funny: someone found my blog by searching sexthing blog. I really don't think my blog is all that dirty or innapropriate.


I may go dance outside in the rain now to cool down.

On being co-dependent

I really don't consider myself a person who is or becomes codependent in a relationship. You know, I like to believe that I am an individual,  can take care of myself, enjoy my own company, yada yada.

Last night, I was home alone for the first time in our new apartment. Like, really home alone, all night. I've spent lots of time home alone while ironboyfriend goes to school, to work, and on ridiculously long bike rides. But never all afternoon, all evening, all night, all morning.... and I'm still waiting for him to come home to me!

I was surprisingly not that scared of being home alone - (which I usually am! - at least a little tiny bit)  - but it was still wierd to go to sleep all by myself and wake up by myself again. I guess we slowly become codependent without even noticing it when you live together - when you're used to going to sleep next to each other, talking to each other all the time, having coffee together in the morning, waking up to morning breath and racoon-face. Ahhh. Now hurry and come home, we have to get the apartment ready for your mom to visit!

This picture has nothing to do with the rest of the post.
Except that I want one.
A giant Margarita from Chevy's.
Please?