SUMMER 2010: OSA KAKSI (PART TWO)

So, where was I, again, before I was rather rudely cut off (by the real world and its hellish demands)?



I think that one of the most curious things in life is that if you happen to live nearby something great, you probably won't go and see it. On my hometown there is a pretty well-known canyon called Korouoma, and it's probably one of best known sights -although that's really not that awesome, since my hometown is rather small. Anyhow, I visited the place this July with my parents, and I loved it.



I love photographing in my mom's greenhouse - the light and the atmosphere do make a neat photo opportunity. I simply love the color green, it is so summer-ish.



Oh my goodness, I managed to get my first bullseye in like, ten years. I was pretty hyper after this. Taken in our summer cottage.



Oh, major love for this one. This is from the terrace of our sauna, and whoo boy, do I love spending time on there or what. It is insanely calming to just sit there, reading a good book and just enjoying your life for once.



I had big plans for this summer regarding fishing. Sadly, like every summer before this one, I didn't have the time for actually do anything about it. Well, I got some pretty photos from the fishing nets, and I guess that is something...



Event though I did not read enough, I managed to make time to read at least something new. This is Chuck Palahniuk's Choke (a book I didn't really care about, to be quite honest).

So, all in all, I had great time, and I managed to take some photos in the progress. Okay, I didn't get all the things done, but at least I didn't spend my whole summer whining and being broody, which is not really a productive way to live.



Aand that's all, folks.

SUMMER 2010: OSA YKSI (PART ONE)

Well, I don't know about any of you guys, but I had a brilliant summer.
Okay, yes, I didn't really have any vacation - I started working on the 3rd of June and I'm going to stop on the 6th of September. And yes, admittedly, I spent about 75% of my waking hours asking whether the customers would like their shoppings wrapped (cellophane or gift bag?) or not. But, still.

I had a list of the things I really, really wanted to do - let's see how well I could hold on to some of my expectations.

- At least one festival!
Sadly, no. I meant to go to Qstock or Flow Festival in Helsinki, but then the situations changed and that meant no festivals for me. But I attended the Brass Week in Lieksa in July? Does that count?

- At least one night spent not-sleeping!
Oh boy, yes. The night before my great Helsinki-trip. We went to the train straight from the bar and perhaps it wasn't such a hot idea after all. But I regret nothing! We had great time - even if we were almost psychotic from the exhaustion and we just wanted to lie down on the pavement and die.

- Big parties with my friends!
Well, of course.



My good friend T is making some kind of a drink here. I have no idea of the quality of the drink, but I bet it was delicious.


- Many new books, many new pictures.
Okay, so I didn't exactly ace the book-part: during the three months, I read only seven new books. And yes, seven is not many for me: I usually read seven to eight books per month. This summer I just read old Stephen King novels over and over again (as if I hadn't read them like ten times before).
But hey, a gold star for me for the pictures! I took pics like crazy.



As you can clearly see.

- Swimming before work, swimming during the night.
Wellll, earlier on the summer, yes. But I've gotten so lazy this year, I didn't really bother with the "swimming before work"-part.



But hey, I took pictures anyways, so.

- Oulu! Lots of it!



Oh God, yes. The one thing that kept me sane during the hectic work months was Oulu. I visited it couple times a month, and every visit was more glorious than the one before.



This pic is from May 2010. We were hanging out on a hill close to my apartment. I was creeped out by the bugs, but I guess the ladybirds were kind of cute.

- Picnics! Barbeques!

Oh, yes.





These pics are also from May. I really enjoyed the picnic, even if I didn't eat anything and I was pretty tired the whole time and it was really, really hot. But for some reason or another I liked the afternoon in Ainola and likewise, I dig the atmosphere of these pictures.

/end of part one!

WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO YOU?

Well, uh, it seems I kind of died there - and by saying "kind of", I mean "oh what the hell, I totally screwed up royally, AGAIN". I had big, awesome plans for updates, but every time I was going to update, something came up. Either
a)I had to go to work - during the summer, real nine-to-five kind, and earlier, during spring, school-related workings, OR
b)one of my friends called and asked what I was doing (and I bet we all know what that means, wink wink, nudge nudge), OR
c)I just forgot about the whole thing and logged on Facebook instead.

But onward! Including tomorrow, I have five (5) days left until I get back to Oululandia. I've spent three whole months working as a cashier on a store and I've been living with my parents the whole time, so one can only imagine how thrilled I am to get back to the city.
But! Unlike last summer, I've actually managed to get stuff done! I've sewn! I've attended my horseback riding lessons (welll, at least for the first part of the summer)! I've taken pictures! Yes! But since I've a working day tomorrow (from nine-to-five, like a good citizen), I'm going to discuss these projects later on.
And this time, I really, really mean it.

But maybe while waiting for that miracle I could try to describe my newest project. You see, I bought a new cellphone earlier this summer, Nokia 5230, and boy, have I been doing awful things with it - it's a true miracle I haven't thrashed it yet (while I've been thrashed, haha, am I ever so unfunny). Ergo, this summer, I've been videotaping embarassing things when hanging out with my friends. While I don't feel quite comfortable sharing these kinds of personal things on the Internet, I can still offer some transcriptions. And I'm doing this mostly for myself - I swear to Lord, if I can't somehow find a way to share the fun I'm going to explode. These videos make me grin like a fool every single time I watch them, and even discussing them is, well, pretty awesome.

So, I taped the video in question a week before this. I was attending Oulu's Taiteiden Yö (Night of Arts) and it was a pretty great, if random, night. On the video, we're hanging out at our favorite bar, Karaoke Aitta. The video shows a discussion between me, T (male, 20, one of my best friends) and M (male, 22?, good friend of T), and we all are pretty wasted - and when I say "pretty wasted", I mean... well, see for yourself. Some of the hilariousity is lost on the translation, but I guess the main idea comes through.

T (wearing my glasses for some reason): Yeah, in my opinion the Finnish - - (M showing a thumbs-up) the Finnish culture has been totally corrupted, because - -
Me: Why?
T: Finnish teenagers still continue to drink. (I start to laugh, phone shaking) Still drinking booze! I thought that all kinds of drinking had stopped - after we stopped drinking - - BUT NO! (said v., v., enthustically) THEY really drink like, so, so much. (I start to giggle hysterically, then calm down a bit) They drink so much liquor nowadays, still. (a pause) Thank you.
M: Aijjai.
Me: Thanks. (I turn my cellphone to face M, who looks amused) Wellll then, whatabout M?
M: Wellll, at the moment I've nothing to add. I'm just going to twirl my beard and agree with T - (motions at T) whatever you said! Your point - I didn't get it (motions with his hands, whistles) - -
T: (v. wearily) I didn't get it either.
Me: Weren't you listening to this drinking liquor - - (long pause, I'm trying to find a right word, not finding it) thing? (T hands my glasses over to M) Oh, put those on, now you'll understand everything!
M (puts the glasses on): Oh, now I understand everything what T told us! (laughter) Yes, yes, true - - it's a fact that our teenagers are totally corrupted (said enthustically).
Me: Is that so?
M: Totally corrupted. (coming closer to the phone, blocking the source of light)
Me: Really, now? (T laughs, while M still trying to come closer) Fuck, I'm losing the light, so no matter how close you're coming - - (everyone laughs, clashing sounds, chaos, then black)

After this, we hanged out till six AM and taped like seven more videos, but I'm going to discuss them later.

FOUND THAT SOUL

Wow lol whut happened, did I die like for a minute or what the hell just happened? Oh well, in my defence, I had a pretty eventful fall there - I had tons of great parties that definitely needed my attendance (ow my liver), I had loads of (boring, blagh) school work and even some personal relationship-thingies going on. Frankly, I've always considered those who have all the time in the world to blog to be no-lifers - or, I guess that it can also serve as a decent excuse to not to update...

Well, anyhow. Despite the fact that the past fall was insanely busy (and frankly, pretty insane also), I had time for a really sweet and awesome Christmas. Finally, I had time to just chill out, hang out with my folks, watch TV (Heartbeat! Cracker! CSI!) and eat myself to coma, oh yes. After like three months I had time to be creative - I drew stuff, I photographed stuff, I almost wrote stuff (but always went to sleep or to eat instead). Hence, I've loads of stuff to publish and loads of new-born projects to discuss, yay! There's going to be a huge-ass update coming, with PICTURES and MOAR TEXT and all that jazz. That update is going to be FABULOUS and not at all as failtastic as this one!
Be prepared, yo.