What's new pussycat..

Okay..it has been 12 days since posting. I know you are all waiting with rapt anticipation of what the hell I could have been doing to delay me from keeping you all updated on my oh-so-interesting life. Well your curiosity will be rewarded.

I have been medicating myself with some of the biggest horse-pill antibiotics I have seen in a while and also some ass-kickin codine-laced cough syrup.. After insisting I was "fine" while coughing up half of what was left of my lungs, Mira finally convinced me to go to the Dr. Turns out my "fine" is a respiratory infection bordering on pneumonia with a killer sinus infection to boot! I suppose the 38 C fever should have clued me in that something was drastically wrong. Okay so I was in denial. Sue me. I mean hell, I have freakishly high white blood cell counts already, so one would think I wouldn't get sick! What the hell did they do, take a farkin holiday and leave the door open so all the germies can come in and invade my body? Bastards.. I suppose I shouldn't have traveled on business for 2 days as well ( note to self..never fly with a sinus infection again...thought my head was going to explode with enough force to cause cabin depressurization)...but I did...to Oulu..

Oulu..a postage stamp in the frozen tundra that is almost northern Finland. Middle of assbackward nowhere. Had an all day business meeting and then a "celebration" that evening at a place called the Viinitupa. It turns out the Viinitupa is a cottage in the middle of nowhere with an incredibly overly demonstrative and LOUD proprietoress. Don't get me wrong, she was Finnish...but the most UN-Finnish person I have met since living in this country for the last (almost) 2 1/2 years. Folks, she made ME look quiet and soft spoken. I thought I was gonna die. If the killer breathing/Sinus ickiy thing I have didn't kill me, I was going to shoot myself if I had to be around her for long. Flew back the next afternoon..with a repeat performance from my sinuses...UGH...

Finally went to the Dr. and he put me on sick leave. I can go back on Friday. On the plus side, the cough syrupigoodness now allows me to get more than 2 hours of sleep a night..and Mira too. The poor thing couldn't sleep because I was hacking up my bronchia all night.

OH..and I took a gander at CNN today. Ladies and Gents it is now SIR TOM! Yes indeedy..the Tiger from Wales is now Sir Tom! ROCK ON!!!

Green green green - SUGA!!!

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh
La ale-lah pwad-rig son-ah jeev!!!!



..no not Finnish folks. Gaelic! It means "Happy St. Patrick's Day!!" (for more than 1 person)... My personal favorite in Gaelic for this holiday is: "Tabhair dom a rud céanna mar atá ag an fhear ar an urlar!"....which means: Give me the same as the man on the floor!

Now I am not even remotely Irish. As Beth says, I am "portapottaginny"...which is her polite way of saying "Portuguese"... see..any romance language (like Portuguese or Spanish) sounds like "ackadack ackadack" to her. The truth is I am half Portuguese and half French. Mom is the greenhorn and Dad is the frog. However, my Dad has been married to a 100% Irish woman for going on forever..so according to her and my 86 year old grams, her mom, I am honorarily Irish. Let's face it, at 86 years old, my grams can say and do whatever the heck she likes. She has earned it and I adore that woman. She has never ever uttered the word "step" in front of granddaughter when introducing me and I love her for that. One of the most amazing women I have ever met and I love her beyond words. So today, per my grams, I am either O'Gaudreau..or O'Costa...either way it works for me.. Oh..and Happy Anniversary to you Sug - one of the only people (besides my brother) who actually got me into a dress for a wedding. I would gladly be your maid of honor all over again! - Much love to you and Leb.

Now, go out and get yourself some beer ( preferably green - food coloring does wonders) and get royally pissed to celebrate that wonderful Catholic story of a Guy and some snakes. If you say a Hail Mary or an Our Father while drinking it is almost like goin to church! :)

And because I am a proud portapottaginnyirish woman today...all 3 family crests make it into this post :)

Roche:



Gaudreau - thanks to a clown as an ancestor (true story):



Costa - who knew somewhere in my heritage there was someone who could read and WASN't a fisherman or a farmer :)

36%

...bring on 2008 now please?!?!?!?

Just in case you were wondering...Conan

..I have no idea where my politically, activist charged last few posts came from. Normally I like to keep this sedate and mildly amusing (well at least it is amusing to me).

In case you didn't know, Conon O'Brien is a "god" in Finland. Yes, I know. Not the funniest man on the planet, but I gotta support the hometown boy (jep he is from Boston too)... Well his show is aired here in Finland (3 days delay)...

Long story short...because he got so much fan mail from Finland and because,in an entirely disturbing way, he resembles the female President of Finland (dunno which one of them should feel slighted at that one) he came here in February for a 4 day visit. He even got to meet the Pres.

Well tonight ( March 10th) in the States, his entire show is going to be on his visit to Finland -

So if you were really wondering what the hell Finland looks like in February and also how easy it can be to laugh at yourself and us living here - take a gander at his show tonight....

shamless plug I know..but had to do it...

Stole this image from Hale's Blog.... Oh and abortion..

2 votes for evil...Hale's and Mine...





And while we are on the subject of controversial items.. I am going to take this opportunity to react to the state of South Dakota outlawing all abortions where the mother's life is not in danger.

This bill was signed into law by the governor of South Dakota as a move by the pro-lifers to directly challenge Roe v. Wade. And move the fight to the Supreme Court to over-turn the present law on the books allowing for abortion. Now, I knew it was coming, but it still amazes me the backward thinking of some people...

Anywho.. I am not worried yet. Yet being the operative word here folks. You see, the "direct threat" I keep reading about really isn't one. What will happen next is that the law will be appealed and it will be sent to the lower Federal court to determine its validity. The lower Federal court being bound buy the previous ruling of the Supreme Court will nullify this law. "But wait!!" you yell, "They will then bring it to the Supreme Court and we will be screwed!". It is entirely true that the proponents of this preposterous law will try to bring it to the Supreme Court..however I do not thing the SJC will even hear the case and refer it back to the lower Federal court letting the said same's ruling stand. My opinion is that the justices on the SJC (including Bush's 2 cronies) will not hear this case. Not now. It will look too much like political pay back.. Not to mention the current standing of the SJC is solidly 5-4 pro Roe v. Wade.

This is where the Yet comes in.... who knows what will happen farther down the line...

What the hell...

Wow..this takes the cake. Okay boys and girls, on our left we have the white washed version of the animal kingdom and on our right we have..um..er..nevermind.

Penguin book moved from children’s section
Parents complained about story depicting two male birds raising baby

Jesus H. Christ - this is a frickin TRUE story of 2 male penguins adopting an abandoned egg at the NY City Central Park Zoo. We can't have kids learn that this happened! They mighgt think that the birds are gay and therefore that gay people might want to adopt too. Cause that would be wrong. 2 same-sexed indviduals can't possibly adopt or raise a baby together. It just isn't natural.

Well folks.. obviously Penguins find nothing wrong with it...

Karma - mon dieu!!!

..it comes back and bites you in the ass every time.

I did write a long winded rant about something to do with work..but considering I am not sure who reads this... I think the following small phrase will make sense to most people who are familiar:

"For an (sniff and glaring down the nose)..American..."

There..cryptic.


I got great comments on the promo from people..so Thanks! Sug you moved already?!?! Email me your new addy :)

Lakko and making up for lost time..

For those NON Finns (which is most of you) who read my blog, the word "lakko" means: strike. As in a labour strike, not as in I kick your ass with my nuclear missle strike kind of strike. It appears as though the labour negotiations between the Transport Worker's Union and the government have collapsed at this point and a bus strike is imminent.

According to YLE news (the state run news/television channel):

"The Transport Workers' Union says it is still prepared to begin the strike
on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. The state mediator's office says that there
has
not been enough progress to submit a government-backed compromise deal.
The key
dispute is whether employers should be allowed to use more part-time
contracts.
..."

I am a bit relieved that I take the train to work (well to the stop nearest me and then walk the 1.5 km to my office). Our department assistant actually sent out an email today:

If you think that the strike will affect you, please send mail to Petra (last name removed to protect the innocent): and tell from where you are coming to work. We need to organize a car pool to help those who need a ride to work during the strike.

Deadline: Thursday 2.3. by 14:00! (so we'll have enough time to try to find the rides for you)

Very nice of them in my opinion. It also means that we will be able to bill the client if employees actually show up and do work :)

I also got sort of a promotion. I have been accepted as "Development and Deplyoment Manager" of a global process being developed and implemented for our client. Now I am not so sure it is actually a promotion at this point though. It is a fuck load more work and more responsibility. It gives me greater visibility and more impact on our relationship with our client and our bottom line - as I will be the one getting this process implemented into projects where our staff already is placed and having our staff (to whom I have taught the process) moved into more projects thus expanding our reach and the depth of service we provide for our client. So instead of the opportunity to fail on a project level, I get the opportunity to fail on a GRAND stage! Or succeed - if you are an optimist... I had the interview with the global owner of this thing on Friday and he said to my boss: "If she can learn to speak Finnish as well as she actually does in under 2 years, then she can do anything and I want her on my team." ....Um....er..talk about a frickin ego boost and having the bar set REALLY Manute Bol FUCKING HIGH for me. Nothing like giving me an ego boost and scaring the crap out of me all in the same sentence!

I start next week.....

Um

I have no idea what got into me last week. I was hell on wheels! I really was a horrible person to be around. No idea why I was that way or what kicked it off. I just hated everything i guess...

So..this post is about the comments I have gotten on my previous posts. Normally I respond by putting my own comment in the comments section responding to the questions and items presented to me.. This time I figured everyone gets a post about there questions.

From my entry: "The Cool Kids"
beth said...
Oh dude, that pic is just too scary. Now, I love Barry, but yer scaring me.

--dude..I scare most people and that pic scares ME!

From my entry "Mighty"

Beth said...
Jesse's girl is it. Sorry, you cannot escape your destiny, Luke.

::sigh:: Lalalalalalala Jesse's Girl...



From my entry: " Excellent..warning..nasty language and graphic descriptions"

Anzi said...
Forget about gay marriages... Melissa Etheridge is on tour? Awesome!
Is she coming to Finland?
I must be one of the rare hetero chicks out there who like her but I think she's awesome

...Anzi you are not a rare hetero chic. I know several hetero chics who dig Melissa. As for the concert dates..none announced for Europe yet, but I am keeping my hopes up!

From my entry: "Someone put me in a Time out please?!?!"

There are many comments on that one so here are my responses in no particular order:
Hale: Yeah.. I really hear ya.

SUG: SUGA right back at ya and I definitely do need some SO CA sunshine and a big
fat G&T

Anzi: Tell me about it..my brain hurts at the end of the day.

Hank: I think I will pass the exam. I still have until 12/2008 before I can apply for citizenship so if I totally tank on this one I can always take it again.

From my entry: "Puff Puff"

Beth said...
You can smoke around me anytime.

- DUDE you rocksor!!! SUGA FOR YOU!!!

Tii said...
You know it is actually bad for you... ;)

- Tii, I will choke you later...too tired right now..

BigHairyFinn said...
you sound like you went on a strike ;)

- Hank, you have no idea..