The Susanne

Autumn came suddenly this year. A month ago I returned from London laden with clothes suitable for the first, warm month of autumn which I thought was ahead of me. What met me off the plane, was grey skies and freezing temperatures. And rain. Loads and loads of rain. Very depressing, very wet. It took me about a week of daily soakings to learn that leaving the house without an umbrella is just plain stupid. I’m not used to this kind of weather — autumn is supposed to be lovely, sunny, slightly cooler than summer at first then gradually progressing toward winter. A day or two of rain, then snow. Certainly nothing like what we’ve been experiencing this year. This guy wasn’t very happy about his lot either:

When you’ve had several days of continuous, pouring rain and feel like nothing will ever make you happy again, I’ve discovered there are a few things you can do to cheer you up:

– Buy some pink lilies!

– Make chicken breast burgers with rocket and real parmesan cheese and store bought home chips (the kind that takes only 5 minutes!)

– Go out for a couple of beers with a mate

– Warm up on some lovely rib-eye steak with vegetables and creole sauce. Feel the heat!

– Go for a walk in the evening after the rain and enjoy the smell of wet apshalt…

I remember when I first learned the expression ‘playing hookie’. It was when I saw Huckleberry Finn played by Elijah Wood, and I remember confusing ‘hookie’ with ‘hooker’. Oh, to be young again!

Today, I needed a day off after my long house arrest (read: forcing myself to work on my essay which never got anywhere) so after a long, slow morning of breakfast, two coffees and the entire morning paper I left the house in search of the Museum of Contemporary Art. I’ve never been there before and I didn’t look as closely at the map as I should have before I left: the museum is in the one part of Oslo where I always get lost. So I took a wrong turn of course, and found myself at Akershus Fortress. I quickly decided that as I was already there a walk around couldn’t hurt — I hadn’t been in years and years! When I got up to the castle a tour was just about to start — so obviously I joined it. (if you’re interested in seeing the photos from the tour of the castle, I’ve posted them here: Tourist in Oslo) And it was really quite interesting! I got to see the dungeon — the only cell still there today is the ‘Witch-cell’ (or ‘Trollkjerringhølet’ as it’s called in Norwegian…)– but it was pretty cool, complete with witches and all:

The rest of the tour was also cool, especially as there were only seven other people besides myself and the guide: an old couple and their two granddaughters, and three foreign guys who didn’t complain once even though the entire tour was given in Norwegian. The old lady kept butting in with extra information and her husband kept quizzing their granddaughters about events that had happened there, people who’d been imprisoned, kings and queens. I noticed that they didn’t always seem to hear him…

After the tour I decided to take a walk around the grounds. They are so gorgeous this time of year, when the foliage shows its prettiest dress and even through the gray skies and the rain the persistent sun lights up the surroundings. Absolutely beautiful! I decided to take a picture of one of the poor guards, whom I feel deep sympathy for. I really do support conscription for young men as I think it builds character and teaches them to stop acting like the spoiled babies they are raised to be. But I pity the ones who join the Royal Guard. Imagine just having to stand there, for hours, in all weather, with no noticeable difference in uniform whether it’s summer or winter. So tiring and so boring, so hot and so cold! Ah. My heart goes out to you boys.

Then I left the fortress and started walking back towards the city centre. On the way I found a stunning little park, and another girl photographing her surroundings (just like I was!) and then… the Museum of Contemporary Art! Yey! I found it! I was only one block away of course. I’m going back soon — possibly tomorrow, if not then definitely this weekend!

As I got closer to the main street Karl Johans gate, rain was pouring steadily. I didn’t have an umbrella; mine was still hanging in its place on my wardrobe door where I’d left it this morning because the sky was only a light gray and it didn’t look like it would rain. Yea. Silly me. I noticed this little guy and felt sorry for him:

Deadline for the first draft of my essay was nine minutes ago. I handed in nothing like what I hope my finished essay to be a month from now — in fact I have simply not been able to wrap my mind around the question. Either it must be ridiculously simple and only a matter of discussing how the characters differ in their ruthless self-seeking, or it is as I think: much more complex and complicated. And I still haven’t figured out how to answer it. I have come up with an idea for a brilliant essay on the difficulty of the question, but somehow I doubt that will get me that A…

I always feel strong disappointment in myself at times like this. I feel like a failure, I feel like I have not put enough effort into it (although I have, of course!) I feel like I have no worth while thoughts at all and that I know nothing. Yea, I know. Sad. It’ll pass soon enough though. And when it does, hopefully the veil that I know is hiding the answer I seek will lift and I will be able to finish my task!

In the mean time, I’ve got the layout job for Filologen looming. The first course night of the layout class was yesterday and I found it interesting, if maybe a little difficult and not completely satisfying. There were questions which I didn’t get answers to, and lots of stuff that is quite irrelevant to the type of publication we make. I’m going back for round two tomorrow and am excited about it: hopefully things will fall a little into place and I’ll be able to learn most of what I’ll need so that when Monday rolls around and I have my meeting with the editor and the rest of the editorial staff I won’t be completely clueless.

I must admit I eat quite well even when I’m busy with studying. The distraction of cooking is the most welcome to me of all distractions, and I’m sure many of you can relate to my feelings on the subject of distractions and procrastination: Yes please, no please, please leave me alone… So I allow myself the luxury of spending an hour or two in the kitchen cooking and eating. Yesterday it was smoked sausages and sautéed vegetables; today it was a lovely grilled tail piece of trout, with green beans and sugar snaps (as you know, my favourite combo), mushrooms and a sweet balsamic vinegar glaze. Mmmm!  What I really love about cooking when I’m really supposed to be studying, is that I can rationalise and tell myself that I must eat, I need brain food, I can’t very well starve to death over an essay! Plus the break is very refreshing and I always return to my work with renewed energy and much, much happier!

Or should I say that time of the semester: it’s essay time! Four essays to be written and handed in within the next couple of weeks, the first one due tomorrow. And let me just say, that as fascinating and fun I find the play I’m supposed to write my essay on, Ben Johnson’s Volpone, the question is proportionally boring and uninspiring:

“The majority of the characters of Ben Jonson’s Volpone are devotedly self-seeking, and vary only in their methods and their degree of ruthlessness.” Discuss this statement.

Seriously, what’s there to discuss? Yes, they’re devotedly self-seeking! That’s one of the major themes of the d*** play!  And yes, they are all different and so they must inevitably vary in their methods, as well as their degree of ruthlessness! Ahh…I’m frustrated.

There is no relevant criticism to be found on the subject either, I’m guessing because it’s such an obvious theme that no one has bothered to write about it. Feel my frustration! Does anyone know this play? Anyone willing to rescue me from my current state of hopelessness by assisting me to another view on this subject and/or giving me some pointers on how to write this essay, will earn my eternal gratitude and possibly dinner if they live near enough.

Of course, all work and no play (well, one play, but you get my drift I’m sure) makes Susanne a very dull girl.. and hungry too! Luckily delicious, light meals can be put together in a jiffy if you’ve only got a few staples at hand: a little rocket, some cherry tomatoes and a few wafer thin slices of parmeggiano reggiano and you’re good to go! Well I am, anyway. Sadly, snack time and ranting time over, it’s now time to get back to work. Yey.

Last night as I was settling down with my books, ready for a night of hard core studying, a sudden surge of loneliness came over me. I felt desperately sad and pathetic, newly single and home alone on a Saturday night! Yesterday was also the one month anniversary of my break-up, which only made things sadder and more pathetic, in my mind at least. So when C called me, on her way home from Göteborg, I thought I’d never been so happy to hear another person’s voice. A few hours later I found myself on her sofa, glass of wine in hand, giggling and discussing where to go out. We ended up at a party with C’s friend M’s friends who are all civil engineers and it was the weirdest, funnest and funniest group of people I have met in a long time. Firstly, they all looked the same! Actually they all looked very different, but somehow they still managed to look identical. Quite the conundrum! Secondly, they were all dancing! All the time! Grown men (and a few women) dancing to Bob Sinclair and DJ Ötzi, taking up all floor space and a couple were even spotted dancing on chairs. Strange, you say? Unbelievable, you say? You don’t have to take my word for it: I took pictures!

The last couple of days I’ve been trying to get rid of some of the stuff that’s been accumulating in my fridge and pantry — it was at the point where I felt very guilty about buying any food because I already had so much, plus there was really no room for new food anyways. So I made two ‘throw everything in a pot’ meals which both turned out amazing! Yesterday it was a seafood-noodle stir fry which i made with kimchi flavoured ramen noodles and seafood from my freezer. The noodles were an impulse purchase, I actually had no idea what kimchi was but I had a vague feeling I’d heard about it somewhere before, most likely on Elyse Sewell’s LJ. My desire for learning ignited, I poked around a little on this wonderful thing that we call the Internet, and learned all about kimchi. Who knew fermented vegetables could taste so good? I used a little of the kimchi broth to make the stir-fry sauce, along with soy sauce, garlic, hot sauce and onions. Fried up the noodles with green beans, sugar snaps, some carrot and onion, and the seafood. Mmmm!

Today I made a sort of bulgur ‘risotto’, with julienned carrot and sliced onion, and an asian type glaze which I made from onion, garlic, loads of ginger and soy sauce, with just a little corn flour to thicken. It was so yum! And healthy too, if you don’t count the tons of salt in the soy sauce. And I’ve always been a bit extreme when it comes to my salt habits, so nothing new there…