Lovely autumn weather this morning, everything crisp and sweet-smelling while I walked home from barnehagen, listening to Bonnie "Prince" Billy's 'The Letting Go'. Listening more to music again, and on this, the second listen of Pearl Jam's new album, 'Backspacer' I'm falling in love with it.

Autumn holiday in school this week. I had a lovely weekend with a visit from my best friend Sigrid. Ulv was thrilled to have her here and, no surprise, loved the car he gave her so much he's barely let go of it all weekend. On Saturday it was so warm we went for a walk, in short sleeves (and no 'huva' for Ulv) down to one of the farms and along one of their fields, looking for sheep. Good walk even though the only signs of sheep were Ulv talking about bæ a lot.

This week I should get started on the school prospectus for next year, start working on the script for this year's feature + there's some obligatory assignements I need to do for the english course. Only realized yesterday that one of them is an essay of 1200-1600 words, which will take more time than I antcipated spending on it. Still further behind on the course work than I would like to be, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up a bit this week. Have four and a half days with Ulv in barnehagen (Friday we have an appintment in Hokksund together re. his walking, in the afternoon). Tomorrow I'm going to Kongsberg to have a driving lesson, have my eyes looked at and hopefully my hair cut + I need to get Ulv winter footwear, a jacket and some more trousers. Have tempting vision of myself sitting with a coffee somewhere, jotting down notes for the script, but will see how long everything else takes and how much energy I have left at the end of it. Would like to write a few samle scenes to give my students for their scene exercises, to get an impression of how they react to the material, though that's risky if they hate it, as I have no real plan B.

Been very busy since the start of the new school year. My new class isn't bad. Might turn out to be really good, but it's early days yet.

- My macbook air has died on me. Looks like I'll have to send it somewhere to be looked at, at great expense, but this is the third mac to die in six years, so unless this has a happy ending, my love affair with apple is turning very sour indeed.

- Ulv will turn two on Sunday. Wen't for his two-year check-up today and he refused to utter a word to either the doctor or nurse. When the nurse aksed him what sound a horse makes he went as far as to open his mouth, then thought better of it and clamped it shut. He also planted himself on a sit-on car and stayed on it the entire time, screaming when I pulled him off it when we had to leave. Every time we go there he reduces his skill-level to the bare minimum.

- For this year's school/class feature film I'll be working with my colleague Tove and her theatre-class. I'll still write and direct, but she'll probably have some input on the script, work with the actors on their characters pre-shoot and work on choreography for some scenes towards the end. I feel like a fraud when I do character-work with actors, and I have no idea how to go about doing choreograpy, so it's a great deal for me. Having someone to throw ideas around with, for the script is nice as well, especially as there's not much time to get it right. This also gives me ten more people to use as actors, and this one will be more of an ensemble-piece than last year's film. I can't count on finding two actors that are as good as the two that had the leads last year, so playing it safer by having more characters of some importance.

- Kerosene is nearing completion. My edit comes in at a very rushed hour, but a couple of the students will (hopefully) put some work into pacing it better. Also, I'm starting to see my limitations, and I'm not an editor. I enjoy it, but I'm better at seeing what's wrong or right in what other people do, which is why I'm a teacher I suppose. Still think I'm an awesome writer, possibly director though. Ha.

-Just started reading Gordon Burn's Born Yesterday - the News as a Novel, and finding it very hard to put down. His book about Fred and Rosemary West, Happy Like Murderers is very, very good, and the one about the Yorkshire ripper, Somebody's Husband, Somebody's Son I enjoyed too. This one, a novelization of the news, starting in the summer of 2007 is engrossing. I never would have picked it up if it wasn't by him, but his language, the details, the harsh yet compassionate tone is immensely appealing.

- Have started a part-time online university-level English course. Not quite sure how I'll manage part-time studies on top of everything else this autumn, but the two autumn-term courses are language proficiency and civilization (UK and US). The language part shouldn't be that hard and at least the UK-part of the civilization-course should be relatively easy as well. At least I know what the NHS is... In spring, if I make it that far, there's literature (yay!) and writing (not creative writing, sadly) both of which I expect to put more work into, but then spring term should be less packed as well. It's a two-year course and should leave me with the credits equivalent to a year at university, on undergraduate level. Not sure what I can do with it, but I want to study again, and this was the best course I could find that wasn't prohibitively expensive and required me to go for weekend of week-long gatherings which at present, with Ulv so small, is impossible. I'm finding it hard to even leave him for an evening (with who?), which is why I'm at home writing this, tonight, and not in Oslo seeing the Jesus Lizard.

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 Stridsberg'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 Stridsberg 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.