…but where would they live?
Twelve years ago, by chance, I discovered Shel Silverstein's 'The missing piece'. I gravitated towards the simplicity of it, a few lines, a few words, a whole new way of describing the most basic principles of what it means to be human in a world where everyone tells you that you're never enough. If you... Continue Reading →
I have been contemplating what to write for the past two months - not for the lack of things happening, if anything there would be so much to tell, but honestly between work, workouts, and questionable work-life balance, I have no idea how to form any words beyond my usual everyday jibberish. So, as it's... Continue Reading →
Lately A and I have been playing a little game we like to call "remember when...?". It's our way of reminding each other of all the horrific, embarrassing, and love-filled memories we have made over the past decade. Versions of some of our memories I've retold on this blog, but to be honest, most of... Continue Reading →
I think we all can agree that nature is really awesome. From tiny little critters to majestic creatures of the sea and everything in between, planet ocean is simply magnificent and there is really no place like it! But you know what's even more awesome? Human knowledge being passed down from generation to generation, from... Continue Reading →
Who says you have to travel far and wide to see all the magic that this world has to offer? The truth is you don't, you just need to know where to look or rather you just need to be ready when it magically appears. It may be over in a blink of an eye,... Continue Reading →
A couple months ago I was invited to work on a research vessel as a marine mammal observer - which to simplify means that I'll be professionally whale watching (of course there is MUCH MORE to that than just gazing at beautiful marine mammals - I'll actually be making sure that they're not hurt in... Continue Reading →
A and I moved to Norway almost eight years ago. I'd like to say that we both knew what we were getting into, but the reality is, we didn't have the slightest idea of what that actually meant. If I had to describe it, I'd say it's like the scene where Dr. Strange for the... Continue Reading →
I went diving for the first time ever in the cold Irish waters, it was a very secluded spot, very quiet, very calm, and not very deep. The perfect spot for a nervous beginner such as myself. It took forever to weigh me down, because I am a floater, but eventually we got me down... Continue Reading →
If you throw a stone into a body of water, it'll create ripples with far reaching effects. Also, if you put an object into a glass filled with liquid, the object will displace the liquid. - So, no matter what you do with water, most likely you will notice some sort of change. And if... Continue Reading →
This year has been one crazy roller coaster after enough. Self-inflicted I may add. I've decided to leave it all on the table this year and just put all my fears, all my comfort zones, everything cozy and easy aside and off I went fighting for every inch of a path non-existent. Well, almost anyway.... Continue Reading →
From a very young age the one thing I could not stand where empty walls. I guess it was my parents really, that inflicted that onto me, I remember this picture of a large ever-green tree in the hallway whenever I'd close the front door. My parents had beautifully drawn people, hands, and - oddly... Continue Reading →
I remember the very first time someone winked at me like it was yesterday. I was much (much) younger, in a very different place (mentally and physically), no idea of the bright future that was yet to come. It was late on a Saturday night, I was at a discotheque with my friends, and there... Continue Reading →
This past week has been a new level of everything in the most awesomest and most exhausting ways. I am soooo tired, like ridiculously tired, as in, I'd like for time to stop for a week straight just so I could sleep without skipping a beat. I'm not complaining (well, maybe I'm a little) but... Continue Reading →
Putting on a dry suit was among the most physically uncomfortable situations I've ever been in. Compared to a wet suit, you put on a dry suit to stay dry (naturally!), which is especially important when you're in cold water where you're otherwise running the risk of getting hypothermia. A dry suit is quite heavy... Continue Reading →
A bird may love a fish and honestly, it never really mattered where they lived, because when you love someone that's all that really matters...
It's odd really, words are so powerful when spoken, but I believe that they're even more powerful when written. Written words can mess with your brain, because you read into them whatever emotion you want them to have. If you're feeling happy, whatever words you may read may be happy words, if you're mysterious, that's the meaning they will carry. Simple as that. Written words where my escape and my sanctuary at the same time. So it may not come as a surprise that all I ever wanted out of a career was being able to read and write.
The very first time I got an a zodiac I was sick to my stomach. In my defense, it was an extremely bumpy ride, I was getting sprayed with buckets full of water from all sides and angles and no matter where I was on the zodiac, I couldn't see squat because there were so... Continue Reading →
I am a planner. I have three calendars (two online, in case one fails to back-up) and a physical one, because there is a whale on it and I absolutely loved the design. I use them rigidly, they structure my day and I love spending time updating them (that being said, also a huge-time-waster...). That's... Continue Reading →
The older I get the more I realize that I did not have a normal childhood. I had a good one, but not a normal or rather average one. Obviously, I have not suffered because of it, I grew up just fine and had everything I needed and for that I am eternally grateful, but... Continue Reading →
I've watched the talented Mr. Ripley about a million and a half times in the past almost twenty years since it came out in 1999 (I added this last part of information just to make you feel old). The story never changes but it's an incredible one. Man from lower middle class (Tom Ripley played... Continue Reading →
I had a rough couple of days, not going to lie, I almost contemplated not leaving bed today, but I did it and yes, I deserve praise for that. Nothing particular happened in the last few days, you know, other than me coming so close and yet so far from what I wanted for so... Continue Reading →
Two weeks in and I can honestly say that this year has been the best one yet (but with A by my side, every year gets better). We've traveled far and wide, literally and especially in these past four weeks. But it's time to return to Norway and pick up where we left of. Although... Continue Reading →
I have absolutely no problem with getting up at 5 am every morning. I rather enjoy it, actually. The streets are quiet, (depending on where and when you are) the sun may start to come up and you can quietly start your working day, while everyone else is still asleep. My co-workers make fun of... Continue Reading →
Sweat. Sunburn. Sadness. That's all you need, right?! But there is so much more to it! When we got up yesterday morning we didn't know where the day would take us, so we hung out in our airbnb in the morning before A urged me to get into the car, so we could go see... Continue Reading →
I am an ocean person. There I said it, not that it ever was a secret, but that's who I am, who I always will be... I love everything ocean infinitely more than I could ever love any other landscape. Now that that's out of the way, here's something else you should know: for everything... Continue Reading →
I figured, since it's been snowing and super cold in Oslo, what would be better than summer-dreaming, so this goes back to last August, when we visited a little island called Chios... If you don't know anything about Chios, you should know this: Chios is rich in landscapes! On many different occasions I found myself in... Continue Reading →
Okay, so now that you know a little about Chios and you know a little more about the driving situation in Chios, let me tell you about some of the things that one definitely should (not) miss. Fall has officially arrived in Oslo, and people surprisingly wasted no time getting their parkers, their big scarfs... Continue Reading →
I absolutely love rainbows. I haven't always though, because the analytical side of my mind clearly tells me that there is nothing special about rainbows, no pot of gold anywhere, just the breaking of light in water drops. A rainbow can (as the name suggests) only appear when there is rain and (although not so... Continue Reading →
I have been happily married for a little under four years now and I can honestly say that marriage is everything I never thought it would be: the good and the bad. First things first: Marriage is not for everyone and I acknowledge that. Some people simply don't wish to be married although committed and... Continue Reading →
In preparation for the next few blog posts about our amazing Greece trip, I decided to give you a short intro to the island of Chios, the place where beach hair is a must, you never go hungry and the ocean is never far. My husband is American-Greek, although he would call himself being just... Continue Reading →
I spent the last few months as a prisoner of my own work. Captivated (see what I did there?!) by my own words. I've written so much, I made my head hurt - literally. It felt like my brain was exploding working hard trying to find out the ins and outs of my own writings.... Continue Reading →
I'm going to let you in on my two mantras, which really are words to live by: Dance like no-one is watching, and Never say no. I think everyone who spent a little time with me knows that I'm not shy of dancing, it's my form of expression. It's not that I'm such a good dancer... Continue Reading →
A couple years ago, on first wedding anniversary, A and I went out for pizza and drinks at a some-what nice restaurant in Oslo. Given that we celebrated our wedding in Italy, celebrating our first year at the pizza place around the corner seemed like a good idea. The pizzas were mediocre (if you had the... Continue Reading →
When I first arrived back in Oslo, it seemed impossible to go back to my all to familiar school/work-routine that I carefully had created for myself. The first morning back at home, as I laid in my bed, the very bed that I had missed for so long, staring at the ceiling, noticing that there were... Continue Reading →
In the last 24 hours of my India trip I ate food from a street vendor, got caught in a sudden monsoon outburst and made some life-changing decisions. All in all I enjoyed life to the fullest and have absolutely no regrets. I've returned to Norway a week ago and have since then battled with... Continue Reading →
#summer2k16 so far has everything but what I imagined it would be. I left for Germany on July 5th for three weeks of intense catering to teenagers’ needs. To be honest, I don’t know what I expected but I can with 100% certainty say, I did not expect this. The three weeks were intense emotionally... Continue Reading →
Seven years ago A and I sat in a Silver Diner somewhere in Virginia and shared a slice of warm apple pie with vanilla custard. A wore a jeans jacket, his curly dark hair framed his strong facial features and he looked at me, as if I was the most foreign thing, he has ever... Continue Reading →
"To live will be an awfully big adventure" - J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan I always wanted to be just like Peter Pan, but instead of being the boy that never grew up I wanted to be the woman that forever would be a grown up. As I child I envied people that had a job and fulfilled... Continue Reading →
To say the least, A and I are exhausted. We just returned from a month-long eat-and-drive-cation from the US and jetlag is kicking our butts. Day becomes night and night becomes day, thankfully this is not our first rodeo and we know how to deal with it: do not engage with other human beings because your... Continue Reading →
Staying positive is difficult. No matter how good the cause, I guarantee you, one cannot always stay positive. Not you and not me. For the past several weeks I felt gloomy, maybe even defeated. I buried myself in work and school and volunteering and yet I still had enough time to feel a bit out... Continue Reading →
With this week to come I conclude another chapter in my life. It wasn't an easy decision, in fact it took me a whole year to follow through. But now, that the end is so near, I feel liberated. About a month ago I gave my one-month notice and will, with this Friday have my... Continue Reading →
I am my mom's worst nightmare, in every way possible. I mean obviously I could have turned out way worse, than I actually have, and I do pride myself as a good daughter, but when it comes to life-choices, then yes, I am my mom's worst nightmare. I do things, that she would not do... Continue Reading →
There is no other way to say it, so I am just going to say it, the way I see it: Man, life is exhausting. Has it always been that busy? It seems as if it's not one thing, it's another, but mainly it's me juggling school and work and volunteering and exercising, and the... Continue Reading →
“Alice: How long is forever? White Rabbit: Sometimes, just one second.” - Lewis Carroll February 27th, 2009 - the night A and I first met. The night when everything started. Still, now in his most confident manner (and A is a very confident man) A reminds me constantly, that he knew within seconds of us... Continue Reading →
A and I are about to leave Hong Kong for good in a couple days, embarking on a new journey to Beijing and Lijiang before we will return to Oslo. But here are my final thoughts on what can only be described as the greatest 5 months of my life so far (minus the part... Continue Reading →
The Space Between What's wrong and right Is where you find me hiding, waiting for you The Space Between Your heart and mine Is the space we'll fill with time (- Dave Matthews Band, "The Space Between") I'd be lying if I'd say, I didn't get excited when A's plane finally (after a 70 minutes... Continue Reading →
It was pouring down rain all night and all morning, the storm was horribly loud and kept me worrying all night. As A and I both awakened the day of our wedding, we knew, that our chances on having an outside-wedding were dwindelling. But we kept our spirits up high and sat down to a... Continue Reading →
It's a year ago that I called my mom and frantically yelled "ENGAGED... me.... A.... YEEEES" in her ear, her first reaction was a loud yelp, followed by uncontrolled wheeping. I hear the crackling of her voice still in my ear, it is about the best reaction you can get from your own mom. I... Continue Reading →
First off I want to say I don't believe in soul mates. I do believe that some people are better suited for each other than others and that every relationship requires hard work on both parts. But soul mates? No sir (and ma'am). This being said I believe that some people can touch your soul... Continue Reading →
When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream. (The alchemist, Paulo Coehlo) If you would have told me a year ago, that I would be living in a wonderful apartment, in the center of Oslo, Noway, together with my little hamster Hamie (who, judging by... Continue Reading →
A bird loves a fish 