I hate it when insects disprove the theory that they're more scared of me than I am of them. An enormous black beetle just crawled along the top of the couch, coming from the direction of my head. Luckily I have my wasp-removing kit of the plastic top from one of Ulv's bottles + the TV license, so could dispatch him out into the rain with ease. Just hoping he was traveling alone and his whole family's not in here somewhere, about to send out a search party.

Dyed my hair a little while ago. Since getting rid of the black my hair's been an unsightly mix of dark blonde (my natural hair colour) to blonde to orange to red to dark brownish red, due to the bleach. I've dyed it a couple of times before, but it fades and out comes the garishness again. Now it's 'golden beige' moving into dark brown, which is fine for as long as it lasts. All that's needed now is a hair cut, some weight loss, a nose job, a facelift and a few other things.

Have cut down on the TV and started reading more actual books (again), in addition to the audiobooks. Satisfying but as addictive as ever. Be good to get through some of the numerous books I've bought over the lengthy period when I haven't been reading much. Have just started All Names Have Been Changed by Claire Kilroy, but not sure what I think of it yet. Reading it because the plot seems vaguely reminiscent of Donna Tartt's The Secret History and I'm contemplating doing something vaguely similar with my class next year (ripping off the story to make a film, not lead my students into obsession and madness). Last night I finished Sara Strindberg's Drømmefakultetet/Dream Faculty about Valerie Solanas. I started out being very sceptical of the adjective-laden prose, but ended up mostly loving it. Was somewhat put off by the inclusion of several passages directly quoting Hole-lyrics (with no acknowledgement of such), not because I have anything whatsoever against Hole-lyrics, but because it tore me out of the story, to wonder if Courtney Love has been quoting Solanas extensively and Strindberg was just doing the same, or what. Anyway, after reading the book I was curious, and started watching I Shot Andy Warhol which I'm fairly certain I will not come to love, or even like, if I ever finish watching it.

First three were tracks from audiobooks, and several more in between. I've stuck to the actual music.

Gallon Drunk - To Love Somebody
Ministry - The Great Satan
Radiohead - Banana Co (unplugged)
Swans - Red Rose
Pixies - Caribou
Ramones - I Wanted Everything
Pitchshifter - We Know
Death Cab for Cutie - President of What?
The Cure - A Night Like This
L. A. Guns - Wheels of Steel

I fail to see this musical selection(predictable indie with a dash of noise) as in any way representative of me, though I love how the last track breaks with the rest of them. Think my ipod is in serious need of some updating. Now I'll listen to the new Marilyn Manson album, which I didn't even know existed until last night, which is a good indication I'm in need of updating too. And yes, I know, Marilyn Manson, wildly uncool and hated by me for many years, until I started listening and couldn't stop.

Back home. Restructuring my blogging/journaling life. Trying to structure my life a bit more as well. Want to learn more, achieve more, write more. Read, watch stuff and take proper notes. Form some sort of firm knowledge base I can use in both the writing and teaching.

sososososo sleepy tonight, so not going into it more here now.

Just one more Christmas photo of Ulv. He fell asleep in the car going to his cousin Leo's birthday party. I carried him inside and let him sleep for a while on a blanket. He slept while four little kids ran screaming around the room and several adults (+ a baby) sat around talking. The mothers of my brothers' offspring claimed to be impressed, but I felt them look at me funny, as if to say, what are things like at her house?

Today Ulv met Annie Sprinkle (and so did I). Would write more about it only it's been an extremely long day and I'm too tired.

Put Ulv in his pram and went for a walk. Bit chilly, but I was warm from pushing the pram up a giant hill, and Ulv was wrapped up warm. Next time I'll use the buggy rather than the pram, though. When he's sitting up a little tilt is all it would take for him to topple out, and I certainly don't want that.

Tonight is TV night, possibly my favourite of the week. After 60 Minute Makeover (which is on every day Monday-Friday) there's Top Model and then the Bachelor (Norwegian version). Lovely and trashy and mindless.

Tomorrow morning, work. Will be one of the first times ever that I'll have had breakfast before going to work. It's a new life. We start at eight thirty, which means normally I'm up at ten past eight, but nowadays it's an hour or two earlier. If we keep this up we'll have ample time to get up, get ready and get him into kindergarden in the mornings, before I'm due at work. Walked past the kindergarden today, and it does look nice.

I've got a second brain (lone.secondbrain.com). Not quite sure what to do with it yet, as my first one is in such a bad state, but if you get one too, be nice if you add me.

Fifteen years since the Tindersticks released their first album. I got their new one, the Hungry Saw, in the mail today, and due to the wonders of my new little stereo we're listening to it now. Still love them.

When I got my Macbook air, with it's tiny 80GB harddrive, I, for reasons I won't bore anyone with here, ended up with two user identities on it, one of them laden down with all the crap from my old Macbook, meaning it's been packed with stuff, most of which I don't use, and any number of applications I may or may not have found useful at some point but now mostly don't even remember what are for... so today I backed up all my personal stuff to one of the external harddrives, wiped the disc and re-installed OSX Leopard. Shiny new computer again! And having put back heaps of stuff, I still have almost 50GB free space (and only one user identity, making it so much easier to do stuff). Now I need to re-download the applications I do want, and that's it really. For some reason I felt compelled to write about this, though I see now that it's incredibly dull and uninteresting.

Been without a stereo for a long time (the last one melted my vinyl, and as punishment I've banished it). Got my new super-cheap one from Claes Olson today, and I even get decent radio reception on it, which I never did on the old one. Sound is probably abysmal by muso standards, but not mine. First vinyl album track played: Nick Drake "Time Has Told Me" and first thing we came across on the radio was RHCP, so happy about that. Lots of people hate the Chili Peppers, I don't.

We'll have lots more music in this house from now on.

Didn't go to Oslo as planned after all today. Wag relieved this morning that we'd decided not to, as Ulv had a rough night and neither of us got much sleep until we'd been up and gone back to bed again around seven or eight. Had a lovely day at home instead. Didn't get much of anything done from my now ridiculously long to do-list, but took things easy.

We're going to Stavanger on Friday, and will stay a couple of weeks, so I need to get a few things done before then - like doing a few minor things on the school website, get started on the media-article for the next issue of Fett, get rid of the piles of stuff that appeared everywhere when I got the new pieces of furniture in. Simon is coming the first weekend of April, so we have to come back here by then.

It's now almost half ten in the evening and Ulv is asleep. I'll wait to see if I win the cupcake pan I'm bidding for on eBay, finish up the dishes and then probably go to bed. Hopefully I'll have more energy tomorrow so I can get a few things done before they start weighing on me too heavily.

Have started listening to the audiobook of Stephen King's new one, 'Duma Key'. I've been reading and listening to Stephen King for over 20 years, and continue to enjoy his books, not always so much, but I'm happy to have another keep me company for a few days.

I have an awful lot to do this coming week. My mum's coming next Monday, and I want the house to be in as good a state as I can get it, so for the first time in ages she won't have to spend her time here helping me with housework. I'm not depressed, pregnant or with tiny child (small child, yes) so no excuses. Also want to get enough done on the translation so I don't have to panic about that while she's here.

The view from my living room today:


Random baby picture:


Happy today. Will have a batch of 30+ pages of the translation to send off tomorrow, and talked to my friend Sigrid on the phone, and she's coming here on Tuesday. Hurray! Gets a little lonely here - that is, Ulv is lovely company so I'm less lonely than ever before, but I do enjoy adult conversation and he doesn't provide that, however lovely he is in every other way.

Today is my birthday. A year ago I had Thomas the dog living with me (how long ago that seems now), and I was just starting to suspect I might be pregnant. Now Thomas lives elsewhere, my relationship with Simon is over (though he comes here tomorrow) and I have Ulv.

Working on the school website again, like I did last year, but with more ease this time. Last year I was desperate to start working full time again, now I'm happy to have another 7+ months at home with Ulv. Don't really mind the thought of going back to work, but not too happy that it means being away from the baby so much.

I still mostly listen to audiobooks instead of reading. I've been to a few good gigs this last year, and though there are some good ones coming up in Oslo, Neubauten, Mars Volta, Mark Eitzel, I don't mind so much that I won't be going (It helps that I've seen all of them before).

I have lots to keep me busy, but once these next few weeks are over I'll also have lots of time to do whatever I want.

Life is very, very good.

Trying not to spend much money at the moment. Snow is making it very hard to get anywhere with the pram, so I desperately want to get a driver's license and a car, preferably before next winter. This is unlikely, as I probably won't get started with driving lessons until Ulv starts Kindergarden, and I still have to do the bloody introductory course I failed to do last year, which is in the evenings, which means I need babysitters a couple of nights a week for two or three weeks. Regardless of the logistics of that, I'll need shedloads of money for both driving lessons and car (sturdy, safe and warm, pref. red so will be clearly visible if I drive us into a field). Also want to pay off my UK credit card and overdraft (totalling 'only' 3000 pounds after I made giant payment last week), as I'm just throwing away money on interest.

This is why I try to keep shopping to a minimum. To feed the addiction I keep piling stuff into my baskets and carts at various Amazons, Figleaves, Play and some Norwegian book sites - without putting the orders through. Did order some stuff from Amazon.com yesterday. For the first time in years I haven't got a wall calendar (normally I end up with several) + I 'needed' the aforementioned Idlewild CD (the best of one I've downloaded) and a couple of DVDs for the next film article I'm writing. Might also order another external harddrive, as my current one is packed, as is the harddiscs on both the mac and PC.

Have started listening to music again. Realized I had CD's piling up still wrapped in plastic - not one but two Six.By Seven albums (one a 'best of' but still), Troy von Balthazaar and Will Oldham's Wai Notes, which I'm listening to now. An alternative version of the 'the Letting Go'-album, which was so good I'd probably keep buying it if he released any number of different recordings of it. Has some of the best female vocals I have ever heard as well. Also, just found out Idlewild have also released a best of as well as a new album, last year, that I didn't know about. Clearly must start to pay more attention. The only reasons i have the Six.By Seven and Troy von Balthazar albums are because I'm on their mailing lists.

Watched Waitress yesterday. Wasn't at all impressed until the birth scene, which was fantastic and wonderful and which I could relate to in so many ways (though my birth 'scene' went on for much longer and I looked nothing like as beautiful during it). Today I saw Mike Leigh's Career Girls which was sweet in places but grating in others. Sometimes I think he pushes the acting too far into caricature and this is probably the worst I've seen from him in that respect.

The only other films I've seen so far this year are Atonement and I am Legend. I didn't expect to like either of them very much, but I cried during both (dead kids in France + the ending and dog + Marley(edit: the kid, not the talking about Bob), respectively). Atonement was stunning visually, though I don't think it works as well as a film as it does a novel. I am Legend, as everyone else who's seen it seems to agree, was good for a long time, then went completely rubbish. Thought Will Smith was pretty awesome for a while, and kept thinking I was so pleased it was him and not Tom Hanks.

Have downloaded a pile of other films that I hope to see soon. Must just finish some of these projects I'm working on, then I'll have acres of time again.

After a few quiet weeks I've uploaded heaps of new photos to the babyblog - ulvthomas.blogspot.com. Doing another batch now, bringing it up to date.

Got another package from his book club today, and again, the contents were a success. We looked through the two 'normal' books together before our afternoon nap, and he's been playing with the cloth book for ages. Only one book coming next time, a little disappointing but hopefully it's a good one. Information, as usual, is sparse, but I don't mind as I'm always pleasantly surprised.

Need to get a couple of big boxes for toys. I have shelves and stuff in his room, but he's not in his room, so his toys aren't either. They are, in fact, everywhere.

My life is such, that my main worry at the moment is Ulv not having poo'ed for several days. This means the quantity, when it finally happens, will be staggering. I wouldn't be that bothered if not for the fact that we're going to Oslo tomorrow, and I fear he will drench himself in poo as soon as we leave the house.

When we flew to London he pooed just as we were getting on the plane, when coming back he pooed on the plane, and because everything was delayed I rushed him onto the train without changing him and he pooed again there, an awful lot. Torbjørn, whose flat we stayed over in that night, can bear witness to the amount he produced then (not that I expect anyone will call him to check), and it's been a lot longer this time.

Plan tomorrow is to meet up with a couple of people, and in between attempt to buy some Christmas presents. For the first time, this year, I haven't bought loads of presents for myself. There was the huge lot of marzipan, of course, and I've bought Christmas tea and coffee, but apart from that, not so much. Expecting a couple of books from Amazon + the DVD of Vendredi Soir, which I've been wanting to see since it came out but have been to cheap to buy a full-price copy of, and another package from some small label with a CD and book by Troy von Balthazar, the lead singer of Chokebore, one of the best bands ever.

Have bought a few presents already, and mailing some tomorrow, which means they, along with all my Christmas cards, have only the slimmest of chances of actually getting where they're supposed to go before christmas.

Anyone wanting a Christmas card some time in the new year, let me know, and give me your address. They feature a photo of Ulv with a pink plastic tree...

Today my big box of assorted Niederegger Lübeck marzipan products arrived. Oh joy! Have already consumed a fair bit, though this should last me a while. Now about to make a cup of instant hot chocolate with marzipan-flavour...

Ulv is busy looking at one of his books. He is becoming increasingly fascinated by them, much more so than I dared hope at such an early age. I've enrolled him in a book club that sends monthly packages of books and book-like toys suited to his age, and so far it's been a great success. He tends to love everything they send (3 packages so far + the free introductory one) and I so hope he'll come to love books.

Have downloaded a pile of films lately, and not watched very many at all, so now have lots of choice. Have just started watching the Golden Compass, which I have no real expectations for, but I'm sleepy and just waiting for Ulv to become so as well, so it will do. + Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig are both generally worth watching.


Would very much like to have my hair cut, just need to work out the logistics of having someone watch Ulv while it happens. My hair's down to my waist now, and it's extremely impractical. I won't claim there isn't time to deal with hair care, but there is certainly no desire to.

Got paid today, and went to Kongsberg with one of my colleagues. Needed a couple of things for Ulv in the pharmacy + got a small pile of clothes for him. He's been given loads, but needed some more babygros, socks, tights, comfortable trousers and pyjamas. Easy enough to find stuff for him, harder not to buy too much. Also bought a small snow shovel so I can get the pram out in winter. For the last five winters I've just waded through or climbed over the snow, depending on density and hardness, but this year will have to be different.

Right now Ulv is in his babygym, talking to Tigger and trying to bite him. I'm listening to a crime novel set in Iceland and drinking Christmas tea, while waiting for my dinner to be ready. Will take it relatively easy for the rest of today, maybe tidy a little (never-ending, the tidying, and I want everything in order before we go home for Christmas) or work on the school website a little. Quite enjoying it, so not like actual work.