Kuva!

Marjaanalle:

Midsummer festival

We're off to Dada's house in the Sutelansaari (Wolfies island). Lots of sisters, some relatives, HUGE bonfire, sauna, swimming and eating bbq. Sounds like total summer vacation in 3 days.

Hyvää juhannusta kaikille! Happy midsummerfest to all living creatures!

Time for some parti parti...

Well... We had some cake and all. And new dress and great smile. And punch which makes you happy.

All's well, I enjoyed, get drunk - naturally - and finally end up to the floor of our living room.

Perfect evening, huh?

This is Helsinki!

Been there done that.

Well what has happened?

I've been in Latvia (yep!) more exactly in Valmiera and Valka - beautiful village of Valka opened it's history slowly to me and I really fell in love with the athmosphere. It was like time captured in past decades. Anyway, I need to go there back most probably I plan for short visit to Border festival in August. Uhh, there was even pensionar who was ready to marry me! Finally I found Latvian groom ;)

Since that I met my whole family - relatives at Pappa's funeral. It was a beautiful, warm remembering moment. Most of the people thought cried when they played my granpa singing... It still makes my eyes go sore.

In the end of May I celebrated a bit early my graduation. My sister graduated as Master of Technics - Diploma Engineer, I finally got graded my MA-thesis. I got cum laude approbatur - those who know Latin, they will know that it is an average grade and I am proud of it after that long winter of too much bad happening. Today I returned an application (in Finland, you need to apply for your papers) to declair one as an MA.

From 4th of June I've been working as congress coordinator. Job is variegated and I am happy to work there. We're making two big congresses this year: EABCT and Psychology, both doing a lot of things with psychotherapists.

Plans for the future are more or less variegated as well. I'm going to be operated in October, but before that I will most probably spend 3 weeks in USA. Where exactly is still unclear, but hopefully NYC and NOLA will be my visiting places.

Huh, on this Saturday I invited all my friends in Helsinki to join for a party. Some nice cloudberry-goose cheese cake will be offered as well as salad, rhubarb pie and baquettes (And while we're in Finland, don't forget punch-booli which will be some sangria this time).

If you have some time, be my guest!

And yeah, Helsinki summer has started fabulously - lots of energy, time and good weather (for me - who loves around 20 Celsius)

Museums

I've had inconsistent week. I've got sad news, but also good news. And own life is better than average.

Anyway, our loved grandad - pappa Pauli passed away on Tuesday evening, alone in the hospital room in Mikkeli. He was old, 87 yrs, and had various old people's diseases. Though it wasn't predictable, somehow it's relieving - thank you Pappa for all the things in life.

Tuesday was also my father's 55th birthday - that made the day even more inconsistent. I got congratulated my dad in late afternoon, and early evening Dad delivered the sad news to me.

More good news came with right to make "maturity exam", which is the last exam the finnish university student will do before graduating. I did it also on Tuesday. Yesterday was also fun, I was substitute teacher in school, music classes, it was just good: youngsters and I were training for Spring Festival (last school day 31th of May). The song was Let it be. We had drums, 2 synthesizer (violins) , 2 pianos and singer. All the kids more or less disabled. Sounded good once again.

Today I'm meeting my dear auntie (mom's sister) who is going to be 60 soon. She is still active in finance field, though she is retired. She has some meeting during morning and later on we will spend a nice day in the city, tomorrow more relaxing day in the city.

We will visit most probably museums: Amos Anderson museum has an exhibition about Pompeiji - its called Domus Pompeiana. Then there is possibilities to visit Museum of Cultures, where is an exhibition about Karelia:

"The extensive exhibition presents people living across Finland’s eastern border and the Finns’ relationship with them in the tumultuous 20th century. The history of the multicultural area and the destinies and identities of minorities continue to be topical issues in East Karelia as anywhere else in the world."

My friends has also suggested to visit The Finnish Museum of Photography. There is a exhibition of newspaper photos. Here is a good exemple what to wait.

Anyway, now I'm off to those places. Hopefully I get at least to some museum, not shopping all day.

Visiting doctor

It has been beautiful (+10degrees) days here in Helsinki. I've been much out of house, mainly walking around streets, getting lost in the neighbourhood. I've got nice brownish colour on my face, yeah, we all know: summer is slinking towards us here in the northern side of this fabulous globe.

Swimming, works and reading has took my days, I'm really enjoying life.

Today I went for my nose-throat-ear doctor (which is really nice woman, best ear-nose-throat doctor i've had). She showed me a good quality CT-scan pictures from my maxillary sinuses and frontal sinuses. Pics were nice though, showed that I don't have any air in there, which is normal case. Even left frontal sinus is full of something. So I am going under the knife. Which is good, because - at least I hope - it will take off the shitty pain from the face.

This is good news. I'm off again, sun's shining so I'll be out for some time.

Seems like

I've done lots of things since last post. I've been working (oh yeah) and dancing my legs off.

Me and my friend Marianna, went to the western classical music tradition (classical music) - concert, organized by state of Estonia. Estonian country celebrates it's 90th year of existence, not necessarily the independence, but existence over easier and more difficult years. The concert was full of feelings, different ones, and the best thing was high class orchestra with great pieces of compositions. There was of course music of great composers like Arvo Pärt and Jaan Rääts as well as some newer composers like Helena Tulve.

During the week we also had our sauna club -meeting, we have formed a group of women, who likes sauna evenings, the sauna part, not the drinking part. Normally we hook up together once in a month to explore public sauna's in Helsinki. We went to Arlan Sauna, which is quite similar to Kotiharjun (Harjun) Sauna also located in Kallio area. The steam was this time quite cool, but somehow perfect, we could sit in the sauna like hour or so, dipping in the middle with cold water, and then going back there again.

On our sauna club, there is about 5 members only: couple years back in time we spend Juhannus - Midsummer Fest in one members cottage, we had lots of food and some beer, good music from Radio Suomi (this one is full with music for all age, a bit from 50's-90's and a hint of this century). During that juhannus we warmed the sauna up at 16:00 and spend all the evening on the sauna cottage - sleeping around 3:00 (AM). It took lots of logs to burn, but it was just the best thing to do.

Later on this week I've been acting as a teacher, I made kids learn about Biology (we got through fungus and moss) and Physics (there we learn (me too!) about colours, how they work with different kind of filters and how the colours are full of energy - red colour is low energetic than others). There was also English lesson, where we had "After School" - words - like run, walk, watch TV, crispies and so on.

I took part to motor functions lesson: what is a lesson where the kids are tought for use their body more useful, as you might remember, I work with disabled kids, which means - some of them cannot control their body autonomously. It was interesting to see that even though they make small things daily (like trying to turn themselves from supine to one's side) during one year or even some months they can do it autonomously. It's a huge success for next years, whent they can try to learn some other thing to do.

Today I'm having free day. I'm going to eat lunch with Aura - we want to check out new thai-restaurant's lunch counter. Maybe we also plan for new trips (what we want to do all the time) and talk about coming weeks.

Weekend will be full of works - again. But its ok, I'm having too much free time now :)

Works

Well, I woke up today to a phone call, and they asked me to join for team of the teachers of the school, where I used to work as an assisting disabled kids. First shift this week, next time in the beginning of May.

This is a challenge to learn more about teaching, but also a change to get a bit better pay (well, something more or less double from my now-a-days jobs). Kids will be easy, I've been hanging with the same people since dont remember it, so It's gonna work well.

At the same time, I will still work at Sanoma Corporation, but only the evenings, so It wont harm at all. I've been thinking -- after I delivered my thesis, that I should find something to do for next 1½ month...

I've just have had good luck during last months!

Joku yksinäinen etsijä (some lonely searcher)

I went for a job interview yesterday. Sounds good, looks good and before all... I would just work a bit - get to know how work life really is. From the school, where I have been working before, they also told that there might be possibilities to work from next fall again. But it wont help much, if the work starts in August.

Of course, financially being unemployee in Finland, is better than be student. So, at least I will give up for 1 year in Uni. Helsinki. I've to see something else than irrealistic stuff while studying.

I've been listening finnish singer-songwriter Ville Leinonen, who is btw, coming to play records/guitar to our last club organized by FOAM (Friends of Alternative Music). Leinonen btw is on tour in Germany, his new record is heavily influenced by finnish and russian folksongs. Before that he made a record full of schlagers (finnish/translated).

Today there is a plan to see one of my old time favourites as well, The Flaming Sideburns, which I most probably have seen the MOST often (i bet, the amount is now something 30+).

And now, I am at work, been here already one hour, it's quiet morning and now i should get that last essay ready to graduate from Uni. Tampere.

Until then - have a nice weekend!

a-g-a-b-a-g-a-g-f-d-f-c (what is this melody and where you can find it)

Seems like my personal difficult winter's gone and I am able to write in English again. Well, i kept continuing my blog here (http://gramofoni.blogspot.com) in Finnish for finnish readers.

For foreign readers, I have some news to tell, what has happened in last 6 months. I got seriously ill with my head (don't even read my last post on this blog during fall), which was just a sign from other illnesses. I got in dense examinations about my body, lots of blood test (more than 20 during 2 months), meetings with series of doctors - general ones, gynecologists, internal diseases doctors and I've met lots of nurses and laboratory staff. First they find out in endoscopy that there is something in my body which doesn't belong there. The gynecologist told this: We cannot be sure what it is, and that's why we need to take more exams.

The gynecologist examined the cushing's syndrome out of it first. Then I was send to hospital of gynaecology. They examined me again couple times with endoscopy (which is not so nice thing to do) and later on they made certain that my extension in my ovary is a tumor called dermoid cyst.

The care of dermoid cyst is an operation, which we decided not to take yet, because it would make me most probably _not so productive_ - I mean - fertile. Other of my ovary is suffering from PCOS. That is a biggest reason for women to be infertile.

Well, that is not all what I've done. I started with my MA-thesis at the same time with these examinations. And well, when I got comforting result about illnesses - one month more and I returned my MA-thesis. Which is, I could say - how many of you, my readers would be doing the same? Only my closest friends and mom and dad knew what I'm going through. Not my university teachers or studymates.

Now I am having a small - I don't know what to do - situation right here. No writing, no work at this time, home is well kept and I'm doing sports every day, but that takes only 1-2 hours. No money for travels.

But on Friday I am having job interview at local company, and it sounds good. I'm looking forward on it. But now, I keep on blogging here as well. I know some people would like to know more about happenings :)

And yeah, the subject of this blog-post today is straight from the melody of Love will tear us apart. By Joy Division.

innan allting tar slut / before it all ends

täällä soi sanna ja lapset ja on tiistai. tässä on koira haudattuna. löydä se.

sanna and the kids are playing here. this post is a monkey business. find it.

jaa, oliko tää nyt tässä

Mullon vähä semmonen tunne, että kaikki on tässä paketissa nätisti nyt.´

Käyn tossa salilla vetäsemässä sarjat ja sitten katoon tonne yön pimeyteen. Lämmin syysyö ja samettinen merivesi.

o-ou

Oon hävittänyt kaukosäätimen.

Bookfair, Helsinki 25-28.10.

I got a tickets to Book-fair in Helsinki (i will work there in a stand of Rozentals-organization). So the best friends of mine will get tickets, if they prove to be my best friends :D

(haha, i bet i end up there alone with 4 un-used inviting cards).

I'm In The BAND!

I got this message just right now: Hellacopters is passing away. I want to thank about all the brilliant moments at home (with No Song Unheard) and at sweaty clubs (I'm in the Band) and scraming (Hey!) at the festivals.

But as always, I feel like one time in my life is passing with Hellat - but hey, I am in the band!

Things that Matter

I don't know - today I've been thinking three things: 1) Stolen credit-card numbers, 2) "academic" versus "normal" people and 3) KELA (why it haven't been paying my living cost help money yet).

So, probably some idiot asshole stole lots of credit card information from Kartenhaus.de - I bought Deftones ticket from there last spring. Concert was great, small arena and nice beer and nice host (thanks Annette!). But now I probably need to close my credit card. I will go to bank later today, so let's see and hear later.

I have get too much of academic talks lately. Studying in University doesn't make people anyhow more wiser nor better than not studying. I know some people who almost despise all the others, who are not studying (in the Uni, because in the Uni there is SOOO MUCH wiser and cooler people, only people who has brain!). It doesn't have to be accentuated that we have this and that cultural club where only the wise brainly academic people can join. Bullshit! I've met lot more wiser and cooler and delicate and witty people, who have never ever been in Uni (or any other school after high-school, one of these is Norwegian fella Björn! Ok, this doesn't mean that I think that I am studying without any sense and goal, but hey c'mon. Life is so much various than...

KELA stuff is just whining about money. I can do it and I can also live one month with 40e (after bills). So who cares.

Today to the Lithuanian lesson (I wanna learn some nice words, like Myliu! :D)

Life is a huge concentration camp.

Topic for today: Imre Kertész - Felszámolás (Lopetus, Liquidation)


IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:1. Open your library2. Put it on shuffle3. Press play4. For every question, type the song that's playing5. When you go to a new question, press the next button

Opening Credits: Mew - Panda
Waking Up: Pyhimys - Angervotien Ajattelija
First Day At School: Franz Ferdinand - Jacqueline
Falling In Love: Mew - Snowflake
Fight Song: Sigur Rós - Untitled 1 (a bit slow, beautiful - "perfect" Fight song)
Breaking Up: Antony & The Johnsons - Fistful of Love
Prom: Noir Desir - Ernestine
Life's Ok: Ryan Adams - Come Pick Me Up
Mental Breakdown: Beatles - Blackbird
Driving: Hellacopters - No Song Unheard
Flashback: Tehosekoitin - Maailma on sun
Getting Back Together: Secred Chiefs 3 - Hagia Sophia
Birth of Child: Tiktak - Heilutaan
Wedding: Arcade Fire - Une Année Sans Lumieré
Final Battle: Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing
Death Scene: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
Funeral Song: Deftones - Be Quiet And Drive
Credits: Mew - Comforting Sounds

Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace

Seems to be that all the crazy people are calling today here. I've been listening for stories about procents and most of all: tomorrow there will be somekind of alien invasion coming! I'm waiting! I'm curious of this now. Also, it will be raining snow, in Helsinki, if I would believe these people. I was checking, whether it is full moon (it drives some people reaaally crazy, we got lotsa more calls about strange stuff at that time) but it is not. So more reasonable is then that something extraordinal will happen and these people know it already.

Party was and went. Nothing more to say.

I am feeling blue (suprise, suprise). I am somehow really angry towards other people, i think most of the people are useless. And not even funny. People, all, even me, is just these piece of shit's. People cannot do any decisions by theirselves, they cannot say: I was wrong, they cannot forgive. Me: I cannot reach any friends nowadays, I just stay and stay and stay. I am too tired to kick others asses forward. And feeling that I am not enough for anything. Such a Nice feeling. And a thruth.

if i could, i still miss you (Like It Or Not)

Huh, I am at work. I wanted to write about Tampere and scent of autumn. Right now I am having my own time: eating coconut-quark and listening Radio Helsinki. This morning was the first, when I wore winter boots, it was +4 while I walked to work. Soon it will be minuses. But back to the stuff.

So I went to Tampere for ethnomusicology master-seminar. We had only two topics on that on going hours, other was really important to me: we talked about my thesis. I was suprised how well the teachers were reacting towards my plans. They encouraged me to keep on doing all the stuff I have been already doing: I have the research question already and now I should just start to read read (about fandom, marketing, interaction, street-teams) and slowly start to interview the people who are into street-team marketing. Teachers guided to choose one smaller community/record company who makes street-team marketing. Spurring lesson indeed.

In Tampere there was also some other stuff why I stayed over night. Freshmen party at Uni. and I wanted to meet some friends (Maria and Jukka) and my little sister Marjaana. With Marjaana we saw soundcheck of J. Karjalainen's Lännen Jukka in Telakka. It was awesome, Ninni Poijärvi on violin and Mika Kuokkanen on a guitar. We were so suprised that later on that night I called Marjaana whether she would like to go to the concert itself, so she did and we went. Jii told stories about Lännen Jukka, who went as a young guy to America, to look for nothing special. He came back from there with lotsa stories and with finno-american music (awesome, great, excellent style). Later on he teached stuff to J. Karjalainen and now he made the songs again. We loved version of Piupali Paupali! (It's a traditional finnish children song which our granny and mom and i bet, sometimes even my dad used to sing while we were kids, it starts with this: Who are you young fellas, I don't know your names ;)

In Tampere there was this other thing as well. Scent of an autumn. While Crazy Days in Stockmann, there is always a fresh doughnuts and the smell of that flows around the centre. It reminded me about times I was living in Tampere, some good things there. But guess what: I have never ever tried those doughnuts, I bet they're great. Memories, memories!

This week has passed by really fastly, preparations for the party and school stuff has taken all my energy and now I should keep partying today. My other sister Pauliina with her boyfriend Heikki and my little brother Sampsa will come to our party: I have heard the rumours about Esmeralda (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Chicago Gangster and Peter Pan are coming as well. I hope things goes well, cakes, salads and punch are soon ready. Before that I need to work 3,5hours more, clean up rest of the flat and sleep couple of hours. I didn't get enough sleep last nite.

helan går?

I'm at home. I should be sleeping. It wont work this way. Tomorrow morning, works at 07.30am. Its almost twelwe in the evening now. Or night. And my Kent cd is broken. And I cannot get sleep. I am going to take some meds.

And.

I DO NOT KNOW what to do withmyself.

Wish me luck for tomorrow. Tampere brought back my strange hangovers.