I am a One Tree Hillholic

Did I mention that I love One Tree Hill ? If I did not --- well I do.

And don't even think about, they are mine -.-

some sweet time tonight...

Gosh, finally home after a hectic day. First I did some exercising while reading Taxi this morning, it has been like a decade since I last exercised in the morning because I simply just haven't had the time to, before school and all, so it was quite nice actually, hehe (did I really write nice !?). However, then I walked down to town with Vicki to meet Levi's for our lunch date at Dragon Palace (note: not East City) and it was delicious ! I haven't eaten there in like a decade because they don't have sushi in their buffet - but now they do ! Guess that the competition with East City became to big, hehe. Levi's and I ate until we literally rolled out of there, felt like I've gained 10 kg ! That's why I don't go and eat buffets that often, hahaha, my only meal during a whole day. :P

So after meeting with Levi's I came home to find dearest mother asking me to join her to the grocery store. "Sure", was my answer and out I was again ! Finally, I am home and enjoying some sweet time, sis is away at her friend and I have another Mummy'n'Sandra Day to enjoy, hahaha =) Have a great evening.

When you have nothing to do, isn't this great !?

IKEA...and hot dogs

Haiz...okay, I am not yet a free woman, I have biology left but then I can be considered FREE ! But whatever, I am going to have some freedom anyway today. xD Meeting up mummy at IKEA soon for some (shopping ?) and some hot dog, hahaha...only the best at IKEA of couse ! Then I will have my lunch tomorrow ! YEAY ! Levi's (Lewar) is my company even though that poor thing sprained her ankle yesterday, but she did not want to cancel - so don't think I forced her ! :P Haha, well got to get going =)...ciao for now !

Haha, this picture is just a gorgeous vision, right ? x)

my weekend has soon, soon started ;)

Yippi, the weekend has begun for me, (today was my lucky day, no history, no philosophy - ended after three lessons, 12.40 pm xD). Yippi, the pile of headache must be mastered -.-...as soon as possible so I can actually enjoy my extended weekend :), or like my math teacher was joking about, after his usual "you have to work with this at home" or "you have to work with this every day" ~ gosh I love that...LOL...;) ~ but today he said, "hey ya'll, it is called study days for a particular reason" Hahaha...gosh he is amazing LOL. :P

However, that means that I have to get down to business, starting with Mon Voyage de Rêve, just 200-300 words long, in French. Crazy. Then we have two lab reports, biology, economics, Swedish...and then I can consider myself as a free woman ! Update later about my progresses :)

//Ciao

Hero Syndrome: "Believe it or not, its just me."

I became overly excited yesterday at the idea of Obama and McCain suddenly working side by side to make a difference in the world now. Partnership focused on a tactical, plan, Using their influence and clout to assemble their respective parties and ensure action, and not just a discussion of principles and ideas and more promises.

Couple that with a "sighting" of the Greatest American Hero(William Katt) on "Heroes" on Monday night. BTW, he was frozen and then broken into tiny bits. Ouch, that had to hurt. I guess he needed his suit.

I began to think that the idyllic dream/idea of an American Hero saving the day might be contributing to our demise. Surprise world, there is no Superman. Hero syndrome most often gets the hero killed in the real world. Real heroes don't act on behalf of their personal interests ever. They are concerned about the guy next to them. They love their brother and they ACT to ensure his wellbeing. They do not take the time to discuss shared, principles of correctness and diplomacy. If they did, while there were talking, their buddy would simply be killed. The real heroes out there actually take the shots and feel the pain and continue on anyway.

Neither McCain nor Obama can be our next American Hero. That job is already taken by each and every soldier in harm's way, by every father struggling to provide for his family, and by every small business leader clinging to the hope of paying his staff. These folks are in the trenches. By definition, McCain and Obama can only represent them.

Ultimately, which of them has shown the grit and determination to take the pain, accept the risk, and move forward anyway?
Why are we in the public continually enamored with this Hollywood ideal of a hero? Leaders aren't heroes. Leaders are leaders and they rely on heroes to actually get the job done and make a difference in the world around them.

Are you voting for an "idyllic" Hero in November or for someone who can actually lead our country into the future effectively.

reunion cancelled ;(

Me, who really wanted some Chinese food (or should I say Chinese food mostly adapted into Swedish food ?) this Friday, really wonder if I am going to get some...At first I was planning to catch up with the girls ~Winnie and Yasmine~ for a small reunion and it all sounded so perfect. A Friday, lunch, the three of us talking about memories and discussing our futures on this planet...I can't believe that it has been more than three months since we really, really met. Winnie I have seen a quicky a few times but not Yasmine.

So why ain't I getting my wanted "Chinese food" as planned ? Well, the time is perfect and suits everyone but Yasmine has no money ! -.- And don't even think about it, I have already mention that there are loans you can take in this world and that I can loan it to her without requesting her to pay interest, but she does not wnat to because she claims that then she has to pay it back ! xD Hahaha - OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO PAY IT BACK, I told her...Yeah, so now I have to get back to winnie as soon as possible and cancel our rendez-vous...I mean it is not the same without the "Chinese food", haha...

Nevertheless, I spoke to my newlyfriend Lewar or Levi's as I am calling her (or trying to remember to call her, since I am her Kitty [I wore my Hello Kitty gold necklace from M'sia and have alot of other Hello Kitty stuff when I first met her, soo yeah...my new name. Sandra or Alexsandra does not exist to her nomore] =D). Anyhow, she is supposingly free this Friday sooo maybe I will get my lunch after all. =)

God bless the Mp3s

I had no sleep at all last night, so thank God I have my pink baby to turn to in the darkness. Even though it had almost no battery left it managed to stay awake with me the whole night. Bless Sony maybe I should say, haha. So I lay there listening to my music the whole night, because I have heard on Oprah, that even if you don't sleep, if you just lay down and rest your eyes and relax - it is the same as sleeping, almost I mean. However, isn't it funny the thing about music ? That some songs you can listen to over and over again and just never get tired of them ?! xD Here are my favourites last night:
Katy Perry "I Kissed a Girl"
Leona Lewis "Better In Time"
Liz Phair "Why Can't I"
Usher "Love In This Club"
Sara Bareilles "Love Song"
3 Doors Down "Away From The Sun"
Gwen Stefani "4 In The Morning" and "Cool"
Justin Timberlake "My Love"

Isn't Rynn Lim the cutest ? :P

whatever it takes for mummy's apple-pie

It is Sunday and my normal "Sunday depression" is not there ! Haha, perhaps because I know that there is only three days in school next week. Thursday and Friday are studydays so we are off duty, that means extended weekend !!! xD

Guess what lovely sis and I did today ?! We went out to pluck apples ! Haha, just so that mummy could make her delicious apple-pie, that we haven't eaten for like 6 months ?? Oh, and then there is the vanilla custard - totally heaven for the ones who had a bad day - add some Kahlua (or Chivas whisky) to it and your day is saved. I can promise you that, hahaha xD

Sometimes you have to work hard to get what you want...

but the result is often worth it xD...

Dangerous cocktail : Politics & Facebook

Politics plus Facebook equals a whole new "internet" addiction that is down right overwhelming.

I am connected now to so many friends and people that I genuinely care about. My mind is saturated with political commentary on all fronts. I have positions and can carry on genuine civil discourse (sometimes) with them and we can all do this asynchronously across geography and time zone. I am attacked, and can choose my tone and response. I am probably ignored all the same sometimes.

I find myself thinking constantly: "did someone just post another comment" or "wow, I wonder how and why they think like that", or even.. "that was a great point, I need to reconsider my position and do some more research" . Either way, I need to check FB just to see...

The winner in all of this is the social fabric created by the social network. The loser is me in the short term. I have to find the discipline to turn it off and that is easier said than done. After all, the politics will be here tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. Positions and people change. Maybe the technology can help us to learn and work together more effectively. That is certainly my idyllic dream.

The most important thing is the relationships and how they are built or damaged by the discussion.

Danger includes my inability so far to get away from this intense desire and energy to see what everyone else thinks.

when does it end ?

If someone wonders why I do not update as often as I used to, this is my reason...-.-

Interesting Picture

The humor here is a little coarse and hard. I'll give you that, but you can't fault this vehicle for lack of involvement. ;-) We do live in a capitalist society, after all.

better late than never...

Yesterday I had no time to update but Vicki and I finally tried it ! YOGA. xD It was great and I felt really relaxed but when the guy holding the session kept on saying "do not think of anything but your breathing, nothing is important except this moment", I must say it was hard for me. I mean I have so much going on in my life at this point and I know I really need something like yoga to keep my feet on the ground, but it is hard for me just not to think about anything. Then, he was saying all this "relax your 3rd toe on you left foot, relax your heel on your left foot, relax your ankle on your left foot, relax your ringfinger on your left hand, relax your right eyebrow..." I almost fell asleep, because he did not need to tell me to start relaxing - I already was completely relaxed ! Hahaha, but yeah it was great and really calming.

Uppsala Yogaskola (Uppsala Yoga School) it was called, I think he said that their sessions start next week...hmm, wonder if I am starting ? :) When we got home we celebrated a 2 weeks delayed MERDEKA celebration, but better late than never, right ? :P

first REAL Chinese lesson

Yeay ! Today was my first real Chinese lesson and it was great, made a new Eurasian friend, Maria (like the other Chinese Maria in my class, so it is going to be a lot of mix-ups in the future, haha). Her dad is from China and is living in Bejing now, she was really nice and is at the same school as me. xD I still do not know the name of our teacher, neither does Maria even though she had her a couple of years (?) but we call her "Chinese teacher", so there is no problem anyway, hahaha...She is just the sweetest and we did not only have lesson, we talk during them before we go back to repeating and that makes it all so good.

So even though it is Friday and all I really want is to go home and rest, I did not really mind going to the Chinese class at all, because it was so much fun ! So looking forward to the next one, I mean I am happy she gave us homework ! =)

I am so happy about everything today, actually. Had two lessons today: Visual arts and then our phsychology teacher was gone - YIPPIE, lunch, 2½ hours of study technique (only today and another time) and then Chinese...at this point I just enjoy every part of today. Watching Oprah now so, Good Night Folks !

my first Chinese lesson

Today I had my first Chinese lesson. It lasted 5 min, haha. Our history teacher let us go 25 min earlier and we had no philosophy, so basicly I would had ended 01.35 pm. today, but I had to stay since my first Chinese lesson were not going to start until 03.20 pm.

I went to town's library, Stadsbiblioteket and was lucky to find the book I wanted to read ever since I've heared of it Taxi by Alexandra Pascalidou. Read that book a while at the library before heading back to school. Outside the classroom I sat for a while hearing children playing and talking, or should I say shouting, to each other in Chinese. Naaw, that is not where I am going to be, my class doesn't start until 20 min.

The Chinese teacher passed me by, investigating me, maybe because she recognized me but I forgot until she later reminded me and a Chinese mother with her son, about 10 years old also really investigated me, before a bit older boy passed me by and also looked at me ! At this time I was getting a little bit irritated of all the staring. Even though, when I know think about it, the Chinese teacher recognized me, the mother owns a restaurant, or is it the one at Kina Li ?, anyway someplace I go to and the boy...maybe did not recognize me sitting there every time he had Chinese...haha x)

Nevertheless, my real first Chinese lesson - in Swedish - she told me, am I going to have at Friday. Looking forward to it. :D

trip to Port Dickson - priceless (not that that's anything to do with my first Chinese lesoon, but still...miss, miss...)

pretty Uppsala

I have not got that much to say except that Uppsala is pretty nice when you really think about it...Here is my day in pictures...x)

First I spent some time in school with the ladies.

Then there was this long break and since I did not wnat to stay in school studying with Sabina, Maria and Lewar I decided to go to the library in town, Stadsbiblioteket. On the way there I snapped some pictures of my hometown. :P

Domkyrkan - famous church here in Uppsala. Always a lot of tourists in this area, close to my school.

A man sat sitting in the arch playing his accordion for the people passing through, like me. =)

Uppsala is very cozy at some places in town...

Fyrisån - the very well known river in Uppsala.

When I got to the library I sat down and read some magazines and found tickets to Malaysia in Vagabond - my favourite travel magazine. SEK 7 250 to KL, cheaper because school has started...

Nevertheless, I had to go back to have my last lesson in English and then HOME ! :D Quite great day anyway...and it is going to get better since it is family gathering and watching Oprah time soon, hahaha.

//Good night blog !

Convention Attention

The mind numbing political jousting of "conventions" in the past two weeks is finally over. As we enter the next 60 days we are indeed at a cross roads for the future of our country. Things haven't been good for the past few years. Our leaders made some poor decisions and we now in a tough spot. I am intrigued to see if either party can discard "conventional wisdom" and truly strike out on a new road. Can we seek unity as a country, putting aside the convention of divisiveness? Yes, but not without cost and risk.

I was inspired by Sen. McCain and Gov Palin in the past few nights, but I was also inspired by the Obamas. (Less inspired by Biden BTW) The vision of One America, accepting and loving one another and seeking to reach out to the world is warm, fuzzy, idyllic and completely unattainable without the violence and sacrifice of our armed forces. Talk begets talk, which begets talk, which begets talk.. The conventions themselves are testimony of this reality. All the while, people still suffer, hurricanes swirl around, Taliban soldiers kill, Russia expands, China oppresses, and genocide continues.

Our convention of talking and rhetoric is what needs to change. I challenge all of us reject conventional wisdom. Imagine a world where McCain and Obama actually worked together, each in his best arena to implement change and reform. Could it happen? I believe that it can. I support my party and candidate but that doesn't exempt him from my judgement or expectation. We must fight, that is true. We must love, that is true. Where the government is concerned, what we cannot do it just continue to TALK!

Who gives? was the question in my recent Sunday School class. My answer: If the relationship is paramount, then I DO. What would happen if these two men suddenly put partisanship aside and began campaigning together for a New America. What would happen if each of them began promoting the other, if the new convention for change was to support and understand the others' positions? These elections are painful things in the end. It is like splitting a church every four years by convention. Why? It doesn't have to be that way.

Senators! Listen UP! Listen to your own words and trust your hearts. Reject the conventions of your conventions. Reach across the aisle NOW and assemble a unified platform. Don't talk about it. Show us how you will do it TOGETHER!

==========
con·ven·tion - American Heritage Dictionary
A formal meeting of members, representatives, or delegates, as of a political party, fraternal society, profession, or industry.
The body of persons attending such an assembly: called the convention to order.
An agreement between states, sides, or military forces, especially an international agreement dealing with a specific subject, such as the treatment of prisoners of war.
General agreement on or acceptance of certain practices or attitudes: By convention, north is at the top of most maps.
A practice or procedure widely observed in a group, especially to facilitate social interaction; a custom: the convention of shaking hands.
A widely used and accepted device or technique, as in drama, literature, or painting: the theatrical convention of the aside.

"convention." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 05 Sep. 2008. .

Happy Hour the whole day ! xD

This is a happy post. I am just so happy today. Tomorrow we have no maths because he (Godness, I do not know his name yet) is going to be at some conference over the day and he did not even give us homework over the weekend ! Just a little bit "not that happy" about the fact that Christina doesn't want to move up our English lesson where we have maths, because I looked at her schedule and she has a long break there and from the information she told us, it was not possible to change our lesson's start. That means that I will have to end 03.35 pm. instead of 02.30 pm. which would had happen if the English and maths would switch places...

Nevertheless, 9 o'clock is soon and Vicki and I are going to crash infront of the TV, which I haven't done in ages, and watch "The Dukes of Hazzard". I know it is quite old but I never really had cravings to watch it so never did, but today when I just have time to relax why not ? Hahaha, and another reason why I want to watch is that I think that J. Simpson will give me a few laughs. xD

Media Lure

I wonder how much the American public realizes that our media's life blood is controversy not unity. The news machine doesn't want to report on an election filled with civility. Their ratings depend on viewers who want to see "Jerry Springer". Two things struck me last night as I "tried" to watch the Republican national convention coverage.

• I had to turn off the NBC coverage because I wanted to hear the President of the United States speak rather than Brian Williams. Why in the world did they have Brian with the President in the background. Could that have been more disrespectful?At best it was poor production which was further exacerbated when they began presenting the President's speech without the response of the audience. It made him appear to be standing silently but the country was only given half of the experience.
  
• Katie Couric sparring with a RNC senior adviser in a situation where she was blatantly attacking Governor Palin rather than just reporting. Again, this was going on while Fred Thompson was speaking. I'd rather have just heard the speeches themselves.

We are intelligent people. We can listen and discern for ourselves. I understand that there is a sequence to the speeches in a convention and that the entire platform message isn't complete until the end. I'd like a chance to listen for myself and make my own judgements.

Dear News Media, please give us a break and just let the speakers speak for a change. If you must weigh in and do you analysis, do it after the speech is complete.

everyday is a struggle

There are some days when I just wonder "Am I going to get through this ?" and then I answer myself directly "Of course I am, what am I talking about ?" Everyday is a struggle these days and it seems like nothing is longer going my way. Math is difficult sometimes and many people can have some problems with it (like quite many in my class), so for that I will go to maths tutorial on Thursdays 04.40-05.15 pm. Ok, that's fine but English...I just never thought that I would need grammar help or what she said (Christina my mentor and English teacher). I thought the written presentation we wrote about ourselves in a dramatic way; which we did last week went well, even though I did not have the time to look it through and all...

When she told me and some others (all together 6 students, including me) to stay after class, I just for one second thought maybe she wants to talk to us because we wrote the best presentations but then I saw the others I was sitting among and I slowly figured but I did not want to believe it..."You wrote the weakest presentations in the whole class". I did not know if I wanted to laugh or cry...

All I want is to just crawl up behind mum and lie there, just like when I was scared in the early ages. I just want to be little, when everything was so simple, no worries at all...I was once scared of nightmares and spiders (still am though, haha...) but today my biggest fear is...failure.

grandma's day ;)

I know I haven't been blogging in a long time and the reason for that is that IB gives me no time to, but today I've done my maths, economics and Swedish homework (but still got like 10 more things for this week =.=) so I could sit down and just write or put up a picture of what my dear mummy dedicated to my precious grandmother, since it is her day today (english date).

Oh, and yeah HAPPY MERDEKA...even though it was yesterday but then I wasn't home (again) =.=...I miss home all the time these days. Just the feeling of having nothing to do. I miss the boring feeling !