tomern

KIA-ORA NEW ZEALAND

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 11:22:00 +0000

For the past year or so I've been posting inspirational quotes on Facebook, Instagram and on this blog. I've preached about following your dreams no matter what. Well I can finally reveal I'm about to live up to my teachings.

For the past 16 years I've been in full-time education. I've gone through primary, secondary and college in Norway and then university in the UK. For 16 years my life have been set and decided for me.
So I decided many months back I wanted to try something different, something completely crazy. Over the past year I've reading book in and book out about travelling. I've messaged several travel bloggers asking for tips and tricks. And I've managed to save up every singly penny I had left over. When I was a young boy I used to watch Travel Channel at my grandparents place, cause they had cable TV. The things I saw... I remember sitting thinking that must amazing.

HOW
It was one morning that changed my future. It was 07:30 on a chilly April morning and I was at home having breakfast before my physiotherapy. I sat there, sleepy as a sloth, eating oat porridge halfway asleep. Then I stumbled over this post from a Facebook page I've LIKED:

I read it. I liked it. Then two hours later, whilst in the gym, I ended up having a 20 minute phone assessment with their UK representative.

After this, the process of getting a medical examination, police certificate and visa started. In the beginning I wasn't sure if I wanted to travel that far away, but every single person I spoke to said do it.

HOST FAMILY/EMPLOYER
Four days ago I had an email of the Bartle family. She really liked my profile and my introduction video and wondered if we could set up a Skype chat. Half an hour later, we were on Skype. I got to talk to both her and her boys and we immediately clicked. We spoke for about 40 minutes, really about everything. The place, New Zealand, the kids, the job and about rugby and sports (with the boys that is).
She said that she love for me to be their Au Pair, so I said I wanted to consider it for a bit. Within 24 hours I had accepted.

GOING
I've now got a 6 month contract for a job in New Zealand and I'm leaving Norway and Europe on the 2nd of September 2013. I CAN'T WAIT. And this is where I'm going to live. Mt Maunganui, Tauranga.

Guess where I'll live? One street from the beach, meaning the beach will practically be on the doorstop.

WHERE
Mt Maunganui is about 2,5 hours away from Auckland. The boys dad lives in Auckland and they go up there every other weekend, so I can get a free ride every other weekend.

View Larger Map

Why now? Well, like I've told others who've asked that; I haven't got a mortgage/apartment contract. I haven't got kids. No one in my immediate family is dying. And Europe is a sinking ship... Why shouldn't I go?

Why New Zealand? Have you seen the place? Many say it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world and I actually believe them.
Also I've got a couple of friends down in that region, mainly Australia, whom I haven't seen for years and would very much like to visit.

So what is my plan?
- Leave in September
- Work as Au Pair for six months
- Travel round New Zealand for 1-2 months (I'll be living 30 minutes away from Hobitton!!)
- Jump over to Australia and travel and work for 2 months

Throughout the year I'll be doing freelance work, filming and taking pictures. I'm also in the process of setting up a new blog and have contacted companies for getting sponsorships and so far so good.

When am I back? I'll be gone for almost one year. I'm definitely back by August 2014, because then one of my closest friends in the UK is getting married and I wouldn't miss that for anything in the world. I told her that even if I have to crawl back from Antarctica, I will be there.

Aren't you scared? Oh yes, I'm really nervous. It's on the other side of the world for Christ sake. But I know that if I don't push myself, if I don't test myself, I won't experience anything and I won't be happy in life. Travelling the world has been my dream for years and years, so I just decided it's time I start following MY dreams and go out into the world MY way.

It must be somethings in my blood, seeing as so much of my family members have traveled the world either in the air, sea or on land. The notion of settling down, getting a house simply does not appeal to me, at least not yet. I'm young. I'm wild. I'm going travelling.

Let this inspire you. Never let anyone tell you what you can't do, because it only means they're scared to try it themselves. Dream big and do it. Regrets are for people who are afraid to follow their dreams.
Over the next few weeks, you'll see several things change. I'll be posting more about the job, about why I'm doing this, more detailed travel plans, the process I've gone through, how I can afford this as a student and much more. So stay tuned and thanks for following :)

This is one the songs I've listen to over, over and over again for months now. I've been wanting to do what she does in the video. Just totally smash everything and take off to somewhere amazing.

Today's song: Avicii vs Nicky Romero - I could be the one

RUNAWAY VIKING: cause it's time for you to shine

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:09:00 +0000

Three years ago in last February, I made the decision of moving to UK and to Swansea. I wanted to experience a different culture, a different language, but above all, create a life for myself.
The three years that have passed since 2010 have been amazing. They have been the best three years of my entire life. For the first time I felt like I was creating a life for myself, a purpose. I've become accustomed to the local community. I've become a part of it. The people that I have lived with for the past three years have become like family.

I love my housemates with all my heart and we've all become quite close after living with each other for almost three years now. Oh my god, three years. Can you believe it? The years have just flown by.

Some of the amazing people I've met is the Rose/Scullion family. They are a loving bunch, who I've grown quite close to. Nothing like being invited up to a homemade Sunday roast by Rachel or attending the Christening of one of their beautiful children.

I've experienced a lot in the past three years. Fun, love and happiness, but also pain and heartache. It's that roller coaster of a life that makes you into you. I remember arriving in Swansea in September 2010. It took us two-three days just to get a basic understanding of the dialect. Kick starting the whole thing was Freshers, two weeks of partying and enjoying life. I remember going to my first pub shortly after arriving together with fellow students and student union staff. That first pint is a memory I'll treasure forever. I remember talking to the welfare officer Kaceigh, the university's own "mother". She was probably the most happy and giggly person I've ever met.

Over the past three years we've had some amazing fun. We've had amazing house parties, eventful nights out on town and lazy BBQs on the beach. We've cried, laughed and fought, sometimes all at ones. I swear, our lives have sometimes been like a scene from the Hangover films, cause random stuff just keeps happening.

In uni I've gotten to know some amazing people, many of which I class as some of my closest friends. Take my friend Laura for example (top left). She's getting married August 2014. Even if I have to crawl back from Antartica, I wouldn't miss that wedding for anything in the world.

Outside uni, I've gotten to work with some amazing people, both young and old. My job in the union have allowed me to meet some of the amazing students and events Swansea has to offer. I've worked as a videographer for Student Swansea Events for almost two years. And even though I felt knackered in the morning after finishing work 02:30 in the morning, I loved my job. I've got to meet and film some of the biggest acts in UK. I've danced on stage, I've interviewed artists like Rudimental and Tim Minchin and I've partied, sensibly of course.

Outside uni and work-work, I've volunteered for a charity and met some amazing kids. This part of my life have given me immense joy.

And now comes the dreaded summer... I can feel the country I ran away from three years ago is trying to pull me back. Of course I miss my friends and my family in Norway and I can't wait to see them soon.
But I'm so conflicted between UK and Norway... I feel that my "family obligation" is pointing towards Norway, but my "personal obligation" is pointing far away. I see it like this; Norway is my childhood, UK and the world is my adulthood. I find Norway odd now.

I love my family and friends, and Norway is a beautiful country, don't get me wrong! But the one thing I've come to dislike after moving is Norwegians as a people. Norwegians are often (on a general level) perceived to be a cold and rude people when you first meet them, which is true. Also, I just get so ashamed and angry when I read about Norwegians who go on strike to get 20 KR/£2.20 more an hour, so they can have 189kr/£21.10 an hour in total, when there are people in UK, Greece and Spain having to sell everything they own just to put food on the table... Too many Norwegians are spoiled and take stuff for granted.

I decided awhile back that I wouldn't be moving back to Norway, at least not for many years. The only thing for me in Norway is friends and family. That's it. (Which I'm going back to see in a few days.) Even though I feel really guilty for leaving my family, I still feel I need to explore the world MY way. It's MY life. I am the only person who should control MY life.

The easy answer to all of this, is that I have a craving for knowledge. And the fact that I like going to a shop and have a wide selection of food/clothing. I like being able to have a pint of Guinness when watching the rugby without having to pay £9.50 (Norway). I dream of living in a crazy country, live by the coast in a nice house/apartment and a thriving urban life.

I think it's just a bit unusual feeling, not having school anymore. I mean, I've been in school for the last 16 years, which is crazy. So I think it will some time getting used to, not being in uni/school.

The question every graduate HATE, which people always asks, is "What's your plans now?" and often they'll throw in a suggestion what THEY think you could do. How do I know? Jesus... Let us get our bearings first will ya'.

So what are my plans?
Well, I've tried keeping them hidden from my family, but that made nothing better, so here we go.

I've got two major plans:
1. Travel for up 12 months, working holiday.
2. Get a job in Cardiff, London or Bristol

That's my plans, both of which I've been working on for many months. I've applied for a job in a different country (secret), which I really hope I will get. After having traveled/worked around the world, I think I would like to try my luck in Cardiff, Bristol or maybe London.

Source: Backpacking Mate

I think I need to travel more and/or live in another country in order to be able to appreciate Norway more when I maybe return in a few years. So hopefully in 5-10 years from now I'll be the most patriotic Norwegian there is! I'm leaving for Norway in a few days, but only for the summer. After that, only fate knows what will happen.

If you're considering studying in a different country, I've only got one thing to say: Do it. Don't look back and go. You will be a bit scared and people will try to stop you, but you must never let them. Because when people are afraid of something they don't want you to do it. Those people you should never listen to. The brightest minds in the human history were odd and people told them to stop, but guess what? In the end the shut other peoples negative opinion out. That's what both you and I need to do.

Fear only makes us realise that something is worth it. Fear of the unknown is what makes it all so exciting. Pushing yourself to the limits of your comfort zone is the only way to live. The cultural and languages experiences you get from living in a different country are HUGE and will benefit you later in life. The people you meet and the friends you meet, will benefit you hugely in the future. You'll be able to view things differently to those people back home-home.

Live, laugh and love, but above all LIVE

I never thought I'd make one of these, but now I have. Just a tiny selection of photos from my time in Swansea.

Owl City is one of my favourite artists, right up there with Pink and Katy Perry. Let's be shooting stars.

Today's song: Owl City - Shooting Star

FALLING LIKE ALICE 2: Picture perfect country

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 22:38:00 +0000

My three years are up. Time to move on into adulthood. This thought is now going through many graduates at the moment. What's going to happen after graduation? It is scary though. It's time to go. But where?
A choice that many international students like me face after finishing their degree, is where to live. What is home? Where is home? This something I tried to explain with the Third Culture Post a few weeks back. Basically my conclusion was; home is where you are, where you are apart of a family and/or other social group (like friends).

And I'm starting to realise, I need start trying to remove things from the equation. UK or Norway, that is the choice. My mother said to me that Norway is more home because that's where I lived for 19 years, but I've come to disagree with that. Those 19 years were, to me, my childhood. Even though I was working from the age of 14 next school, making my own money, I was never fully independent. I acted independently, which something I always have done, but I was still living at home. My "grown-up" life, to me, started when I crossed the border in September 2010.

However when I think of the choice I have to make, I feel sad, borderline heartbroken There is one thing that is truly making this choice for me really difficult; family. More specifically, the youngsters of my family. I have several sisters and cousins I greatly care about. Of course my parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties etc. mean something to me too, but they are grown-ups. They can understand and handle me living in another country for a while. When I leave Norway after holidays, it's not the grown-ups I miss, it's the youngsters.
THAT is the single biggest reason, why my choice is so hard for me. If I didn't have six sisters and five cousins, I wouldn't even think twice about the choice. I would have stayed here or traveled all over.

And some might think this is silly, letting stuff like that influence you. But in the end you have to remember this; they are family. And family never leaves you. One simply needs to stop over-thinking it and just live in the moment. (Oh if only I could listen to my own advice...)

Source: knittingiris.typepad.com

Of course I have friends I care about in Norway, but them I see either through visits (in Norway or UK) or through social media/messaging. But besides those two factors, and maybe snow, I feel no need to reside in Norway at the moment. I don't see a big future for me within Norway. For example the media industry is small and Norway is borderline a god damn picture-perfect Hallmark card. I like fixing stuff, to mend something. Norway isn't broken. I know it sounds weird, but I don't see Norway as a challenge.

Norway is a beautiful country, the fjords, the forests, the mountains and all that is beautiful. It is absolutely stunning! I've come to love my home country after I moved, to appreciate what I have. The peacefulness and nature (except in Oslo...) is great and really fills ones soul with joy. But the one thing I've come to dislike more and more, is Norwegians. Yes you heard me right. I've come to see how spoiled some Norwegians are and how lucky we are to come from Norway. Contrary to what others might say, Norway was never really hit by the financial crises. Norwegians spending has increased exponentially since the world went to hell in 2008. No other nation in the entire world has that many card transactions per citizen. However, each year you find Norwegians complaining about "low" pay and too "many" hours work per week. And even though Norway has Europe's cheapest petrol, we still complain over the prices.

So why do I want to travel and live all over except Norway?
I want to see the world. To see different cultures. I want to be free.

Me as a baby, always driving around to new places. Think I was about 1-2 here. Look at those curly golden locks 'ey?

Growing up, I traveled round a bit. Every single Easter from the year I was born until I turned 18, my family and I went to Sweden. I went to Greece for the first time when I was seven years old, after my dear mama had been saving for months to take us on holiday. In a few days I had managed to pick up a few BASIC Greek phrases. Why/how? Well basically because when I said something in Greek I'd get some cocktail accessories like an umbrella, fancy straw etc.. I still remember that holiday and treasure the memory dearly. I remember running into the veranda door, because the glass was shiny and polished. I remember looking at the weird looking drachmas (Former Greek currency). Since then I've returned to Greece four more times (and my mother well over 20 times). I went to Legoland in Denmark with my grandparents and to London with the family when I was 12 years. This list goes on, France, Italy, Monacco, Germany.....
Every time I went I felt a thrill, a happy and adrenaline filled sensation going through my body. It was something new. Something different.

Monaco 2008: Visiting my great auntie and great uncle who's got a lovely holiday home in southern France.

I grew up with Spanish, Italian and Greek food. I watched BBC as a child in addition to Norwegian channels. I read the Times, The Guardian and BBC News as a teenager. I prefer English fiction (books) over Norwegian any day. 90% of the songs I listen to and the films I watch are in English, 5% is other languages and 5% is Norwegian.
Point with all this rambling is that I feel addicted. Addicted to try something new. Something different than what I know.

So I've decided to look into jobs here in the UK. Because I need to try. To try to make a life for myself, here. If I simply go back to Norway, it would please my family and friends, but not myself. I don't see a future for me in Norway right now and I'm not ready to come back just yet. Because in my head I'm terrified of two words "What if?". What if I had stayed for two years in the UK? What if I had found the perfect job? What if I had tried a little harder? I will drive myself insane with the "what if"s.

So today I've registered with several job sites and will be spending the Sundays for the next two months applying for jobs. I'll probably look in Norway, but my main focus will be UK.

Besides, I simply love crumpets and Welshcakes. You can't get that in Norway, haha!

Haven't seen it, just was the first thing that popped up on Google. Besides, it sums up the message.

Always have a back-up plan, so you have something to fall back to. Though my mama taught me to be spontaneous and adventures, she also taught me to think ahead. For example when I broke my leg; 10-15 min after I'd broken it, whilst I was still lying on the snow, I had managed to call my housemate with instructions of what to pack and cancelled a meeting I had. Now I'm not saying that you should plan every single thing in your life, god knows I haven't...FAR from it. Most of the happiest moments in my life have been pure coincidence. Like UK, pure coincidence, but I'll leave that for another time.
What I mean is that you should have an option you can explore if your first choice doesn't succeed straight away. Like if you're looking at getting a job with BBC; either you don't get it or you get fired/made redundant after 2 months. Isn't it then nice to know you have a VAGUE idea of what you could do?

It's not like I'm worried that I won't have anything to do and end up on the street come August/September. I've applied for year study in athletics, English, pedagogy and arts & crafts at several universities in Norway (Stavanger, Oslo and Volda). That's my back up. If I don't get any job by August in the UK, I know I can go back to Norway and study athletics for a year. It might not be my first option, going back to Norway, but it sure beats living on benefits in UK.

In the next post I'll compare complete expenses of living in Norway and UK, incomes and life. They say people in my home country earn well, but do they really? Stay tuned Norwegians, you might be shocked.

Now this song has been stuck in my head for days! I listen to it way to many times a day. Enjoy!
Today's song: ♡ How to be a heart breaker? - Marina and the Diamonds

FALLING LIKE ALICE

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:32:00 +0000

Life is one of the many greatest miracles in the universe. It it a symbol of existence. It is a symbol of growing. We start our lives crawling round and having grandmas going Peek-a-boo! Who's a cute baby? Yeah? Who's cute baby? and pinching our cheeks. Gradually we start walking and exploring the world. We get independence (and bruises from falling over). When we're around 5-6 years old, we start school. About 12-13 years later, you've just graduated from college and now face a major choice; do you go into the real world or do you opt in for the safer option of 3, 5, 8? years of university. Many people opt for the three or five years approach. After university there's no turning back, the real world is coming. You're stood on the edge of the university's door and in a minute you're about to get a gentle push in the tush.

After that "tush-push", many students might feel like Alice, after she's fallen down the rabbit hole. Everything is new, weird and scary, but at the same time a bit exciting.

I'm at the "just-started-crawling-into-the-rabbit-hole" stage. It's not long before my "tush-push" comes. And that's when the scary bit comes. Coming up in May, I'm turning 22. So for 16 (!) years of my life I've been in school. For 16 years, the life has been laid out in front of me. Decisions have been made for me by society. Then all of a sudden, it's not anymore. Many people find this idea daunting, the idea of not knowing what's next.

For the past weeks, maybe even months, I've been trailing the web for motivational speeches. To find something that will give me an indication how I can find my path, or "destiny" if you like. To find out my dreams.
When you're in year 10 of school and are about to start college, the standard approach from the school guidance counselor is to say Okay, write down your interests, beginning with the one you like the most. The top three should be you top three school choices. Done. Often that is the case. But how do you define interests? And what is the difference between interest and passion?

Life coach Jessica McGregor Johnson defines the difference as follows:

A passion is something you can't live without - When it is missing from your life, you feel a hole and it nags away at you. You constantly wish that you were doing, living, being, or having it.
An interest rouses your curiosity - An interest is a more intellectual thing; something that you want to discover more about. It ‘peaks your interest’.
(Source: Careershifters.org)

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. - Henry David Thoreau

Ever watched TED talks? They are AMAZING! Don't know what TED is? Long story short, TED stands for "Technology, Entertainment, Design". It is a conference that meets every year. People give talks about many things, for example, science, art, and business.

I watched this talk by Tony Robbins today and it was really good. He spoke about the basic needs and dreams of human and how these can be achieved. It's talks like this that makes me think; What do I want to do?

Your parents, family, university and society as a whole, has got an opinion how you should live your life. Your parents and family want you close, in a secure job and see you establishing a life. The university wants you to work within the industry you've have got a degree in, promoting their course.
And the society has got a ton of social conventions of how things should be. It tries to dictate how to live the "perfect" life and what conventions you need to abide by to get there.

That is the reality for many graduates (and also people in general). We let others dictate our life. We let other people decided for us what we should do, based on their past decisions. I'm STARTING, to realise that I need to stop letting other people decided for me and only let them guide me, if needs be. Sometimes what you want, is completely different from what your parents and family want for you and that can be hard. You're afraid to hurt them. To push them away. This sometimes results in a compromise, a compromise which consists of your parents/family's place, structure and type and your fading dreams and wishes.
That feeling can be destructive, on your dreams and your life. For me, I need to stop thinking what everyone else wants and find out what I want. That's it. But that's easier said than done. I've got people I care about both here in UK and in Norway. I feel home in both countries. Having to choose between them is probably one of the hardest decisions I've had to make in my life.

NEXT TIME: Looking into the cost of living, job market and possibilities in UK and Norway. The result might shock you. And yes, I have got a plan, even though it may not seem so. Maybe all this, can inspire you.

Today's song: Avril Lavigne - Alice

THIRD CULTURE ADULT

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:38:00 +0000

A documentary by Adrian Bautista about TCKs.

A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The TCK frequently builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Although elements from each culture may be assimilated into the TCK's life experience, the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar background.

I know several people who are TCKs, who are born Norwegian, but spent half their life in Asian countries or people born in a different country that live in Norway. From what I've been told this can be a challenging life, but also an fun upbringing.

But I would like to talk about "normal" kids growing up in one country and then in later life becoming a "TCA", Third Culture Adult. I don't know if that's an official expression, but I just thought I'd start using it.

Being a third culture person in general is the feeling that you somehow belong to two (or more) different cultures. You feel a connection to several countries, that "home" is a hard word to define.

This is how I feel. I feel like a "TCA". My nationality is (and will always be) Norwegian and my home country is Norway. But if you were to ask me "Where is home?" I'd have a hard time answering that. Because I feel that here, Swansea, is my home. This is where my life is. But then again, I often refer to Norway as "home-home".

Top left; Norwegian flight from Norway to UK Top right:Wales-England border. Bottom left: Norwegian flight Bottom right: Train from Swansea to Gatwick

But what is home?

The dictionary defines "home" as follows:

home - /hōm/
Noun - The place where one lives permanently, esp. as a member of a family or household.

So a home is where you live? But it also says where you are part of a family or household. Then what defines family? I define family as the people closest to you that you can't push away no matter what. To me family isn't all about blood relation. Just cause you're blood, doesn't make you family. You've gotta earn that. I don't believe that just because you're blood you need to like each other, need to have contact or anything. Having said that, I've always believed that being close with your family is key and that there's very few things that beats a family dinner.
I consider my housemates, all 10 of them, to be like a family, a slightly dysfunctional family, but never the less a family. We might fight with each other, but we can't get rid of each other.
When I'm tired after a long day of uni, I say I'm going home.

So home is where you live and are a part of some type of community, but it may also change. Swansea would then be my home for now, but if I moved away then that place could be my new home.

The reason I've decided to write about this is because over the next few months, I'm faced with a choice. I have to choose where my home is going to be. A choice which many of my fellow international students face every year. Where will we end up? And quite frankly I'm absolutely terrified!

If anyone asks me if moving to a different country to live and study is worth it, I always said yes and that if you don't live at least a year in another country I think you're missing out on life, BUT.... there's one negative reason about living in a different country. The choice when your studies are done.

If I could split myself in two, I would. One part to Norway and one to stay here in the UK.
A part of me feel that the "right choice" is to move back to Norway because here I've got my parents, grandparents, sisters, uncles, aunties, cousins and friends. And it's also a logical choice because the unemployment rate is Norway is stupidly low. I mean, compared to other countries, it's so easy to actually get a job (any job that is) it's ridiculous. But then again, family and friends will always be there. As long as you're good to maintain contact through Facebook, Skype, email etc. it should be fine.

Then my other half feel a connection to UK and Wales after having spent 2.5 years so far here. I've built a life for myself here. I've got a bank account, job and friends. I know most of the staff in the gym I go to. It's a life.

Though I grew up in Norway, I actively looked for English in my childhood. When I was 13-14, I used to go to the library near where I lived and read The Times and Daily Mail. I watched BBC World News and BBC Entertainment (international BBC channel, not in the UK). I've read more English books (British mostly) than Norwegian in my life. I can't stand 90% of Norwegian films (a post for itself).
And I've got English family, which we (my family) don't have any contact with anymore, but still. I grew up in Norway with British traditions and language. I've never used the Norwegian word for "toast" (rista brød), I've always used the English word "toast". When my mum made pancakes I'd always have lemon and sugar on it. Or for Christmas, we'd normally never have the traditional Norwegian ribbe (whole side of pork). We always had ham roast, British tradition. The first thing I was taught in English was by grandma when I was a toddler, which was the nursing rhyme Humpty Dumpty. I was never taught the Norwegian version, Lille Trille.

My list goes on and on. Though I say I'm proud to be Norwegian, I wouldn't mind not saying it. If that made any sense. Like when people ask where in Wales/UK I'm from and I go I live in Swansea, but I'm originally from Norway and they get surprised and say they would never had guessed that, then I feel proud. I feel happy that I've integrated so well that they don't pick it up anymore.

Needless to say I'm a little culturally confused. Many people have all this. They grow up in a different country and/or with foreign family. And all this is mashed together at high speed and volà, the result is you. Depending on where in the world I get kids, I'd want them to be bilingual. If the kids were growing up in Norway, I'd still speak both English and Norwegian at home. And many people feel that way. They feel they want to give their child the best head start in life, to be able to explore.

I bought this book on eBay for 99p, a used former library book.

But when I graduate I don't want to settle down. I want to travel. I want to travel the world. And my plan is that if that goes alright, it could become my new career. Like Peter Pan said "I won't grow up". So neither country can have me. My dream is to work for Travel Channel and make the entire world my home. That way I won't let anyone down.

Q: Do you feel a bit like a TCK or "TCA"? What's your choice?

Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey. - Tad Williams

Today's song: Rascal Flatts - Life is a high

A LOT HAS HAPPENED

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:20:00 +0000

Wow, it's been a while now. Well do I have a story for you, because a lot has happened since last time we spoke.

On Friday the 18th of January there was Swansea's first snowday and some friends and I decided to go sledding down a hill. More like a tiny slope, not even steap... Anyway, after 20 minutes of sledding I manage to do the most stupid thing known to man. I, the Norwegian who referred to himself as the king of snow a few hours earlier on Facebook, managed to brake my leg.

Yup that's right. As I was going down, I landed wrong. I got my right leg caught underneath my left leg, landed wrong and felt (and heard) three cracks in my leg... MMM! I know right. Basically what I did was manage to break the bone (not the big one, the other), dislocate my foot and expand my anklejoint. Basically what the last bit is that my foot popped out of its joint and shifted 5 cm to the right. Now that was fun!

On the Sudnay after, the 20th, I had an operation where they basically put everything back together and put one srew on either side of my ankle. After 12-15 weeks they can come out again and I won't have any long term damage. I'll have no long term damage if everything heals alright, so I can still run like I always do. So I am considering myself to be lucky, it could have gone a lot worse. The man with no shoes considers himself lucky when sits next to a man with no legs.

All this is nevertheless come at a very unlucky time of my life. Being in my third and final year of uni, being in bed all day isn't exactly the most optimal thing. But I'll get there in the end, only 16 days to go before I can start walking again! Yes, I'm counting, of course I am.

Being confined to crutches and a wheelchair has really taught me something; never take your legs for granted. I can't believe how difficult it must be for someone who's in a wheelchair on a permanent basis to get out and about. Just something as simple like going to the shops or to uni has proven to be a hard workout. Curbs. My biggest enemy, curbs, and getting up them.

Anyhoodle, I'll get back out there and I'll hit the ground running! I WILL finish uni on time. I'm doing my best to prepare as much as possible when it comes to work, so I can get right at it.

Today's song: P!nk - Raise your glass

IF MONEY WAS NO OBJECT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:14:00 +0000

The full text:
“So I always ask the question: What would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really enjoy spending your life? Well it’s so amazing as the result of our kind of educational system, crowds of students say ‘Well, we’d like to be painters, we’d like to be poets, we’d like to be writers’ But as everybody knows you can’t earn any money that way! Another person says ‘Well I’d like to live an out-of-door’s life and ride horses.’ I said ‘You wanna teach in a riding school?’

Let’s go through with it. What do you want to do? When we finally got down to something which the individual says he really wants to do I will say to him ‘You do that! And forget the money!’ Because if you say that getting the money is the most important thing you will spend your life completely wasting your time! You’ll be doing things you don’t like doing in order to go on living – that is to go on doing things you don’t like doing! Which is stupid! Better to have a short life that is full of which you like doing then a long life spent in a miserable way. And after all, if you do really like what you are doing – it doesn’t really matter what it is – you can eventually become a master of it. It’s the only way of becoming the master of something, to be really with it. And then you will be able to get a good fee for whatever it is. So don’t worry too much, somebody is interested in everything. Anything you can be interested in, you’ll find others who are.

But it’s absolutely stupid to spend your time doing things you don’t like in order to go on spending things you don’t like, doing things you don’t like and to teach our children to follow the same track. See, what we are doing is we are bringing up children and educating to live the same sort of lifes we are living. In order they may justify themselves and find satisfaction in life by bringing up their children to bring up their children to do the same thing. So it’s all retch and no vomit – it never gets there! And so therefore it’s so important to consider this question:
What do I desire?”

- Alan Watts
Source: Fstoppers.com

Start to think here and try have an answer by the end: If money was no object, what would you do?

What would I do? That video really made me think. What do I want to do with my life? What are MY dreams? If I could do anything in the world, what would that be.

The real world and future seems to be big and ugly, but why should it be? I know for a fact that those questions are running through 99.99% of all final year students is What am I doing after this? Currently the media students graduating in the UK have a very dim future ahead of them. Cause it's 1 job position per 300 graduates, I read that on BBC ages ago (unfortunately I couldn't find the link, so please don't quote me on that figure.) Many I talk to find out after university that they don't want to work with that any more that they want to do something else.
About here my mother, and probably your parents too, would say Well if you're not going to work as it what's the point in taking that course then?!? Well the answer to that is simple; many things you learn in life can be adapted. For example I have a good mate who studied Media and Communication with me in college for three years. He's now studying to become a primary school teacher. But that doesn't mean his media skills won't be relevant, quite the contrary He could easily use that to teach the kids for example. Besides it's not always that easy to know what you want to do at the age of 18... It's quite scary some times. So even though you might not want to work directly within the field you have studied, you can always use it. Some really clever people once told that you shouldn't feel like you have to stay put. It's never too late to change. How is an 18 year old supposed to know what he/she wants to do? I bet that you felt a similar feeling as well and you might still be feeling it.

Check out my jogging/hiking route here: Endomondo

As I was running up in Kilvey Hill Community Woodland for about 1.5 hours yesterday, I kept thinking about this video and about what Alan Watts said. When I was running to the very top of the hill, I felt a sensation of peace I haven't felt in a while. I felt calm. I felt like I simply existed without actually over thinking it all. That's why I run. Because I love and need that feeling once in a while. Anyhoodle, side tracking here. The question was in the back of my head the whole way and first when I was standing in the 1m by 1m shower, getting all the sweat and dirt off, I had it. At least to some degree.

If money was no object, what would I do?
Well I love staying active. I like working with people. I like sales, marketing and advice. I'd like to leave my mark on the world. I like travelling and trying out new things. After that I stood there thinking Okay, but how can I do that?

My dreams and what I really want to do..... DRUM ROLL please

- I'd like to work for Travel Channel/Lonely Planet as a camera operator and travel the world and see different people and cultures
- I'd like to work with youth. To make a difference to the world.
- I'd like to run my own cafè, pub or B&B in the countryside
- I'd like to work as a personal trainer or tour guide

That's what I want to do. I don't want to sit in a office, shuffling papers. I don't want an A4 life, I'm terrified of that. Why should I wait until I'm 42 to have my mid life crisis? Why can't I have my mid life crisis now? Which I actually am...

Source: teNeues

I remember watching Travel Channel at my grandparents house in the 90s, because they had cable TV. Some of the stuff I saw was breathtaking. I couldn't all of what they were saying but that didn't matter. It was captivating. This year I spent my New Years Eve in London, the city with worlds most famous clock. Ever since I was a kid, I've dreamt about celebrating NYE in three places: New York, Sydney and London. Again this is due to what I saw on telly when I was a kid.

Credit: iStockphoto/Jacob Wackerhausen

The working with people bit has much to do with my mother, my upbringing, my job experience and volunteer work. My mother is one of the most caring people I know and I was raised with a good set of moral values. She's worked in a shelter for abused women and children and now currently works at day centre for people with mental disorders. I started working in a store when I was 15 and it taught me a lot about customer service and sales. And the volunteer work I did in 1st and 2nd year, gave so much joy. It gave me an amazing feeling seeing those kids/youths laugh and enjoy life.

I love staying active, so if I could do that as a career that'd be great. I actually considered this years ago. When I was...ehm... 17? I think, I went to a gym in Norway called Elexia. After attending several spinning classes, I actually sat down with one of the instructors and asked about how she got there, the joy and what else she did. That's how serious I was about that dream.

My point with all this, that there's loads of stuff we all enjoy doing. The challenge now is just to turn all that into a job. Don't EVER let other decide what should do in life. By all means, take advice from people. I know I've really appreciated the advice I've had of friends and family, just NEVER let anyone decide your future. The worst thing I hear is when people I know say I'm not allowed to take that subject/work as that, because my mother and father said no. Pardon my language, but TO HELL WITH THEM! Seriously grow a pair of balls and do it. Do what you want to do.

We need to stop dreaming and actually realise them! That's my New Years resolution: Stop caring what society say, fuck 'em. And get to my dreams.

If all this goes according to my plan/idea, you'll have a great suprise summer 2013. That summer is the one I'm taking control of my dreams and realising them. But I'm not going to say what I'm doing, that's a hush hush secret!

So have you got an answer yet? If money was no object, what would I do? Any thoughts you want to share?

One of my Facebook-friends posted this the other day. It's brilliant! Both the video and the song.
ENJOYYYYYY!

Today's song: Avivii vs. Romero - I could be the one

FIRST POST 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:05:00 +0000

It's been a while I know, but December was a really stressful month. First having to sort out uni stuff and then Christmas arrived. My Christmas is mental, I mean mental. This year I had seven Christmas parties, think that is a personal best.

Christmas is truly a magical time of the year, I love it!

Also went skiing, which was great!

Roaccutane; my skin is looking much better now. So I'm keeping up with the good work.

Roaccutane: day....?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:38:00 +0000

Right then kids...

This hasn't turned out to be the daily routine I hoped it would be. I simply can't find the time, energy or motivation to actually bother to blog every day.

So I hereby cancel out my promise on bloging every day. There. But I promise to try to blog roughly once a week and give you a summary.

I will some time this week try my best to tell you my skincare routine. (Not making any promises though)

Roaccutane so far:
It's been alright actually. Only side effects I've had so far is dry skin (face and back), dry lips and a slight break out on my break. By break out I mean more spots/acne appearing. The dermatologist told me this might happen, it flaring up before getting better. So I was prepared for it.

This might just be a coinsidence, but I feel that my face has calmed down a bit.

I'm still managing to avoid drinking alcohol. Only had a sip of my mates pint the other day. I CAN drink whilst on it, but it absolute minimal amounts. I shouldn't exceed 2-3 pints a week, with no more than one per day. So I will have one beer on Christmas eve. And before New Years eve I've been given permission to drink a bit more. I still can't, and actually don't want to, get drunk. But I CAN exceed the 1 pint rule. This is because the week coming up to New Years I'll alternate my med days. Meaning instead of taking a pill every day, I'll take one every other day.

Today I went to Neath Port Talbot hospital to pick up my next batch. This time I got enough pills to last me two months. So now I'm all set until the 3rd of February.

Right then, I'm going to say good night.

By the way, if anyone has any questions, tips and/or suggestion, please comment below or email :D

ROACCUTANE: Day 5 to day 11

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Hi,

Sorry I haven't blogged in the past week or so. It has been a manic week, so much work.

The Roaccutane treatment is going alright. I've started to get some dry areas around my nose and between my eyebrows,but nothing too annoying. I'm moisturising a lot and making sure I drink enough water.

I promise I'll blog about my skincare routine tomorrow.

ROACCUTANE: Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:10:00 +0000

DISCLAIMER
I'm not a doctor, dermatologist or any other type of medical staff. This is my own personal opinion, experiences and advice. You follow the advice at your own risk.

--------------

The side effects have arrived.... AUCH! Or it might be a fly which I caught from someone, who knows.

I assumed that they would surface soon, but not this soon. Basically I woke up today with the headache from hell, fever, soar throat and a tiny bit pain in my joints. I don't know if that I run did yesterday was the greatest idea I've had...but I can't help it. I NEED to work out! But I guess I need to give a rest for a week or so...

Been drinking Lemsips' all day today... For those of you that don't know what Lemsip is, it's THE BEST painkiller on the face of this planet if you ask me.
The Lemsip MAX contains 200 mg of guaifenesin, which helps to relieve "Chesty Cough", in addition to 1000 mg paracetamol and 12.2 mg of phenylephrine hydrochloride (12.18 mg of phenylephrine hydrochloride in Lemsip Max All In One Liquid) which aims to relieve headache and sore throat, fever, body aches and pains and a blocked nose.

It's just that this REALLY came at a bad time... I got to hand in 3000 words on my dissertation in the morning and I've got a film to edit for a client.

Besides that, no dry skin etc. yet, which is good! On the weekend something I'll try and write about my morning skincare routine.

Today's song: Coldplay - Every teardrop is a waterfall

ROACCUTANE: Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:40:00 +0000

I know I said I was going to write about my morning routine today, but I have postpone it until the weekend because of work.

Feeling pretty average today, no side effects etc.

Sorry about the short post.

ROACCUTANE: Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:09:00 +0000

DISCLAIMER

I'm not a doctor, dermatologist or any other type of medical staff. This is my own personal opinion, experiences and advice. You follow the advice at your own risk.

--------------

It's only a short update today, been a long day and I need some sleep.

No major side effects so far. My doctor told me that it might take a few days before any possible symptoms might appear. He also said I should be sure to moisturise from day one. The better I am at moisturising, the less dry skin I'll get. I'm also drinking a ton of water/fluids, so I'm peeing like a pregnant woman, haha!

Tomorrow I'll tell you about my morning skin care routine, what products I use etc.

ROACCUTANE: Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:53:00 +0000

DISCLAIMER
I'm not a doctor, dermatologist or any other type of medical staff. This is my own personal opinion, experiences and advice. You follow the advice at your own risk.

--------------

Acne vulgaris (cystic acne or simply acne) is a common human skin disease, characterized by areas of skin with seborrhea (scaly red skin), comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules (pinheads), pustules (pimples), nodules (large papules) and possibly scarring.

Most people will get acne some time in their life. It's normal. So many as 80% of people between 11 and 30 will be affected by acne at some point. Then there's those that have it for years and don't grow out it after puberty. People like me. I have had acne since I was 12. It started out in the face and moved on to the back and shoulder area. The ''acne gene'' came from my biological father. Several people on that side of the family had/has a fair share of acne.

I didn't get much banter and teasing about it, but I still hated the sight of it. It really got to me, I felt like the new pizza from Pizza Hut. Having said that, I'm one of the more fortunate acne victims. Some people are much more worse off than me, so I should really be grateful.

I've tried every product and home remedy known to man. I begged my GP to put me on some antibiotics, but he didn't want to do so whilst ''I was still growing''...... So as the good boy I was, I waited patiently to finished puberty. When I moved to UK I went to my new local GP and asked if she could refer me to a dermatologist cause I wanted antibiotics. She said she wanted me to try Oxitetracycline, a milder antibiotic, for 12 months. So I did. It did help a bit, but far from enough. So a couple of months back I got my GP to refer me to a dermatologist. Today I had my first appointment. So happy!

I told the doctor in the Neath Port Talbot hospital dermatologist dep. my story, which I've just told you. He got absolutely furious at my previous Norwegian GP. He said that the puberty excuse was so some mumbo jumbo and not true, far from it. He said that if he'd seen me when I was 13 he would have put me on roaccutane straight away. He said that the point of treating it early is to stop future scaring. Finally, a doctor who makes sense. So if you're GP says no because you're too young, change doctor and bypass him/her I say.

Roaccutane or (previously accutane in USA) is a that goes underneath your skin and kills all the bacteria and infections. Roaccutane (accutane) is the brand name, but the generic name of the drug is Isotretinoin. So if you're prescribed this, it might not be called roaccutane or accutane, but it is still the same drug.
Basically what Isotretinoin does, is to dry out your skin. It pushes everything to the surface and removes the infected skin. That's why I will have to moisturise like a crazy person.

About here, you might be thinking; what about side effects? Well yeah that list is CRAZY long. Most common is dry skin, dry lips, headaches, dry eyes and inflammation of skin.

The entire list of side effects can be found here: NHS UK

Sorry about the picture quality...

These pictures was taken today. That's how my back and face looks right now. Believe me, it took a bit of me to publish that. But I did it cause it will serve as a constant motivation. After I'm done on this drug, my skin will be as smooth as a baby's bum.

I've weighed the pros and cons, read more blogs/reviews than I care to remember and talked to mates that have been on it. My mates who've been on says it was the best thing they've ever done. The pros clearly outweighs the cons. The possibility of becoming free from acne for the rest of my life is worth a bit of headache and dry skin. So after the cure I will have perfect skin (over 90% success rate with this drug).

For 8 months I'll be on this drug. My dermatologist said to me that male patients that go on this cure have a much higher success rate when going on a smaller dosage for a longer period of time. Meaning that 1 pill a day for 8 months gives much better results than 2 pills a day for 4 months. He said if he were to put me on a high dosage, my back could flare up and become borderline infected and my face worse too. So that's why I'm on the 8 months cure.

I can hardly drink alcohol during those 8 months, which actually I'm kinda looking forward to. It's not just that I might get a bad headache if I do, but I could (in theory) be hospitalised If I've been on Roaccutane for let's say a month and go out and get really really drunk, my liver (and other organs) CAN shut down. Even though this is highly unlikely, the chances are still there. What will happen, is that my skin gets extremely dehydrated. I did ask about Christmas and New Years Eve, if I could have SOME drinks. My dermatologist suggested that a week before New Years, I start taking the pills every other day instead of every day. So that means I CAN actually have some drinks on New Years Eve :)

I'll be documenting the whole process on my blog and I will take one photo of my back and face every day. Loads of people have questions about acne, roaccutane etc. So even though I'm FAR from a dermatologist, I can still answer based on my personal experiences. I will also write about and show what products I use and have found that people recommend online. And also where you can get a free skin care consultation. You might be surprised to see what products I use.

So stay tuned!

Today's song: The Script - Hall of Fame ft. will.i.am

RIP TOYOTA COROLLA

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 21:00:00 +0000

My dear Toyota Corolla 92 model has now offcially been pronounced dead. I decided it was time to let it go and my granddad will take it to the tip for me next week, which will me 2000NOK/£200 through the scrapping scheme.

To be honest though, I kinda did see this one coming. The faults was just piling up at the end. I bought this car from my grandmother for 10 000NOK/£1000 just over four years ago, so can't really complain. It was never going to pass the MOT (EU godkjenning).

List of faults:
- Every time I turned, it sounded like I was opening a door from the 1900 century. All squeaky.
- The horn didn't work properly before I used some gaffa tape and some cardboard to fix it
- The passenger door had gotten a nice bump in it after a hit and run at IKEA...
- The rust was appearing all over
- The cover at the bottom of my back window was gaffa taped (then fell off last April when I went into the car wash)
- The front hood was wonky, but a bus pushed me into another car two years ago. So every time I needed to pop my hood, I had to take the window down, keep my right hand on the handle and my left on the hood to open it.
- At last but not least, I had to "hill start" it, because the ignition had decided to cave in... Meaning I'd had to put it into gear, pick up some speed by pushing it and then releasing my clutch, haha! I had to hill start it yesterday evening, twice.

My philosophy is, if it can't be fixed with gaffa you haven't used enough!

Nevertheless, it was a nice car and I loved it. With an average fuel consumtion of 0,45 litres per 10 KM you can't complain really. And it's a great car to drive. So light, shoots off like a lightning and feels like you're driving a mini car on a track. Also so easy to park in the city.

The fun!
Oh the fun I've had in this car! It's been everywhere. It's travelled thousands and thousands of miles in Norway. Last trip was 2000KM on my Norway trip, which I promise I will show some pictures from VERY soon (sorry, forgot).

During our "end of college party month" / russetida, this car did it all. Most of my friends loved it as much as me (probably). We've been five people driving to Bergen in it, we've slept in it and partied. This car has done it all. The bumper sticker you see, I got on Crete (Greece).

Some of you might be wondering the story behind the black footprints. Well, here it is. You see, when my cool mama got her first car at the end of the 80s (Volkswagen Beetle), she brush painted that pink and added mint green footprints. So as her cool son, I wanted to follow in her footsteps (haha!). That's it.

Will I ever have a Corolla again? Well I hope so!

I kept the instruction manual, the spare keys and some other stuff to remember it by <3

RIP Toyota Corolla 92 :(

Today's song is from a Norwegian rap duo, Karpe Diem, singing about Toyota Corolla. Love it!

Today's song: Karpe Diem - Toyota'n til Magdi

MY BIG FAT GYPSY ROADTRIP

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 07:14:00 +0000

I'M GOING ON A HOLIDAY! My big fat Gypsy roadtrip of lower Norway. I'll be traveling over 1725km/1072 miles in my lovely red Toyota Corolla 92 model. Hopefully I'll make it all the way...

I'm leaving my lovely village Åros tomorrow morning and will hopefully arrive in Stavanger before four o'clock. In Stavanger I'm visiting my good friend Nina. She's put me up as a Freshers rep, since I'll be taking pictures one night, then party the rest. Maybe I'll pretend to study.... engineering? Yeah!

Then after that I'll hopefully be on my way to Aurland, to visit my former housemate Eirik and Ieva. They lived with us in Swansea in the previous year. But this is still a bit uncertain, don't know if they are home yet.

Then I'm heading to Volda, to visit Marianne, who's starting her study up there. Here I'll pretend to be a Fresher.

Then my journey takes me across the mountain again, to Lillehammer. Here I'll visit two people, one is my good friend Christiane who's starting her study her, so need to check out her apartment. Then I'll also pop by my mate Ola who's in the Airforce and is based there. After all of this I'll head on home.

So, let's recap:

- Stavanger

- Aurland (maybe)

- Volda

- Lillehammer

I'm SOOOO looking forward to it.

The fun behind it all is that I get to see new places (even though I've been in most of them before). Besides it's kinda turned out to become a tradition. This is the third year I'm traveling to the South/West part of Norway. And I love what I see. The scenary is amazing! That's why I'm making a timelapse of the whole thing. I've already built a set up for my monopod to go into my car, making sure it's safe. Then I'll hook up my remote and volà! That should be fun. That is if I can get my remote to work... So don't get your hopes up just yet.

Also, guess what I managed to do last night? Delete my own C: drive... You're probably thinking "HOW???" Well I'm fixing my friend Mariannes laptop and was going to format her hard drive. So I took it out, placed it in a docking station and hooked it up to my laptop. Then I used a software to wipe the hard drive. But in the selection, I managed to click the wrong one... So when I pressed the ON button today it said; "No operation system available"... Haha! So I've even managed that.

Anyhoodle, I'm off in a couple of hours. Aufwiderzen!

Today's song: Owl City - Alligator Sky

MY WEIRD LITTLE MIND: Highway to Hell

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:08:00 +0000

WARNING!

In the blog post I'm writing about death. Not blood or any of that, just my thoughts of growing old and dying with honour. If you do not wish to read about this, I suggest you exit and pop back another day.

About here I'm probably imagining that you're wondering why I'm talking about death. Well, me and some friends of mine started talking about dying of old age plus I read an article in a Norwegian newspaper (Dagbladet) about the life expectancy in Norway. That's basically it really. The death of a young person is the most tragic thing in the world and I do not envy anyone this tragic event. That's not what I'm on about here. What I'm on about is growing old after having lived a great life and dying of old age.

According to the statistics a Norwegian man born between 1991 and 1995 will, in average, live until he's 74,4 years old. (Haha, if you're born in 1990, jokes). I plan on living my life to the full and at least reach 70. So I've got loads of years ahead of me and talking about death seems like the oddest thing ever.

I remember when my great-grandmother was hospitalized. At the time I was 8 years old. She was in a bad state and had tubes and wires hooked up to her. I was asked if I wanted to go and see her, but I said no. I think I didn't want to see her like that, so fragile, so vulnerable. Today I kinda regret not going I think, but what's done is done. Anyhoodle, she had explicitly said that she did not want to be kept alive by machines when that time came, she wanted to die in peace. That's a wish I respect. My great-grandmother kept it going to the very end. I remember visiting her in her apartment in Oslo and making the most amazing chocolate cakes with green peppermint icing. That's what I remember. The laughter, the smells and the experiences. I remember I wasn't crying in the church, even though everyone around me was. I started crying when I saw my grandmother cry outside as the coffin was taken away.

Dying with honour is something I think is really important and something that every single person has the right to. Over the past couple of years I've heard of several cases in the papers were senior citizens in nursing homes/retirement homes in Norway have been told when they could shower, use the toilet, go for a walk and when to go to bed, or sometimes worse, being denied it. I think that's bloody outrageous! How awful! These citizens deserve so much better.
That's why I'm planning on not going to a retirement home, unless conditions improve dramatically. I really can't imagining "living" a life where I can't wipe my own behind after I've been to the toilet or not remembering my kids when they come visit me. Or walking off in the middle of the day and heading into town not knowing who or where I am. To me that's not living. To me that's not honour.

When you loose the ability to do those basic things and have to be in care, that's when life ends in my opinion. This may sound harsh and you might even hate me for saying this, but think about it. Would you like having a nurse wipe your behind and shower you at specific times of the day? (Having said that, the staff working with senior citizens are doing an amazing job and I applaud you for that! So please don't take this as criticism towards you.) I don't care if I can get 5 more years, if the price I have to pay is my freedom and my mind. I'd rather die 75 and sound at mind than 80 after 5 years in care and dementia...

That's why when the day comes that the doctor asks for my driving license, gives me a walking chair, sends me off to a retirement home and my memory is slipping, I plan on letting it all go. I'd rather my future children and grand children remember the strong me. There's no shame in wanting to die when you've reached the end of the line. To die with your honour intact.

My funeral is going to be a blast. In Western cultures and societies, it’s common that funerals are a time for mourning of the loved one that’s been lost. A funeral is normally the last time people come together to mourn and honour the person. Is often custom to wear black clothing to show one is mourning. For many African countries this is a time for celebrations, where dancing and singing is key. I read online that this is very common in many funerals in Ghana for example. When a death in the family happens, they come together to sing, dance, eat and drink and instead of wearing black, they show up wearing the most colourful clothes and finest jewellery. Apparently these funerals can often last long into the night. Ghanaians see funerals as a time to celebrate the life the person has live, not as a time to mourn.

I like that thought. So I hereby pledge my wishes for when I die at the age of 74,4:
- Black clothing is forbidden! (except for underwear and socks)
- Those that plan on speaking, have to tell at least one amazing joke!
- I want AC/DCs "Highway to Hell" to be played, yup that's right.

When people die of old age, after having lived a long and exciting life, I think it's important to celebrate that person, not just stand there and sob. Of course I cry at funerals, but I also try to treasure the time I had with those people.

Okay, that was probably the most morbid thing I've ever written on my blog, but it's just something that popped into my head.

Today's song you've probably already guessed.

Today's song: AC/DC - Highway to Hell

FITNESS 3: Gear and gadgets

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 20:46:00 +0000

Having the right gear is absolute key when you're working out. And doesn't have to cost a fortune... except for the shoes. Those are worth investing in.

I bought mine in XXL (Norwegian sports store) just over a week ago, amazing! Nike Zoom structure they're called. Good stability and support and especially designed for those that need extra medial support like me, but at the same time need/want extra cushioning and light weight. I bought them for 1399 NOK / £148 / $231 in Norway, but if you don't live in Norway you can get them LOADS cheaper. On Footlocker.com they got them for $99 (597NOK / £63). The reason for the redicioulous overpricing in Norway is due to our import, VAT and tax system. But I needed new shoes and couldn't wait until I was back in the UK.

Clothing

I've got a series of polyester t-shirts which are great for getting all the body sweat out and about. Then one good pair of shorts and a pair of running tights. I bought those tight when I was in St. Maxim (near St. Tropez France) in 2008! And they're still going strong. Same with one of the t-shirts. So if you come across the brand Kalenji, don't walk past it, buy it.

I need to get some more t-shirts when I get back to the UK, can't be arsed to buy 'em here. Because all I got is 3 t-shirts and one of them is too small now. Bloody washing machine's been shrinking it into Barbie size.

Next thing on my list is a couple of polyester boxers, cause cotton ain't cutting it anymore. Right, if you're a bloke you can relate to this and if you're a girl I apologize. You've been out running for example or lifting some weights in the gym. You're sweaty all over the place and is it one thing that's not nice it's a pair of sweaty cotton boxers either going high up or clinging to your sack like a pair of hungry puppies. And sometimes after you've finished and sit down, it feels like the Abominable Snowman has paid you a visit. So thought I'd just give it a go and see if it's any better.

Also getting a jacket and maybe a long sleeve top.

Shopping list:

Craft Men's Active Run Tee - £14 x 2 = £28

Mens 2 PAIR PACK More Mile cushioned LONDON running sock - £6.99

Craft Men's Pro Cool Boxers £23.96 x 2 = £47.92

Ronhill Men's Advance Windlite Jacket - £33.62

Ronhill Men's Advanced Long Sleeve Crew - £14.99

Total - £131.52

And you should also get a armband or similar for your phone (or mp3 player). They cost next to nothing on eBay from China.

Add the shoes (US price) and a pair of shorts...

Slazenger Woven Shorts - £4.00

Nike Zoom Structure - $99/£63

Smartphone armband (multiple phones) - £2.89

... and you get a total of £201.41

I know it sounds like a lot, but most of the stuff I've got has lasted me for several years. So look at it as an investment.

Gadgets & apps

For my workout I use several apps and some gear to make the most of it.

Workout trainer is a smartphone app which helps you find workout programs. They've got thousands of different program for all parts of the body. And it's so easy to use. It comes in a free version and a pro version. Basically the pro version gives you a real persons voice as audio coach plus access to more programs. I've been using the free version and works great for me. The reason why I use this is for example instead of using pen and paper to make a list of the exercises I'm doing, I can have picture, audio data and more. It also doubles as a social network, allowing strangers to connect. I've created four programs myself.

Endomondo Sports tracker is an absolute life saver! This is because it help me keep track of my progress and also gives me detailed performance data with its GPS feature. For example it measures you speed at specific points, also how steep that hill was. It also acts as an audio coach during your workout, giving you your lap time, distance and more.

You can also, with the PRO version, beat yourself and compete with others. You can set it to involve any type of sport, not just cycling or running. Same as with the Workout Trainer, it doubles as a social network, but can also easily be connected with Facebook.

I use this every time I go running/cycling and also for interval training, both strength and cardio.

AND MUSIC!!! I can't go running without music! I need those beats drumming through my head. It's also proven that music can increase your performance with 15%. That's why I always got a ton of playlists on my phone.

All of this stuff, the clothes, the shoes and the apps, is only there to help you preform better. And I personally feel I preform better with them. To me, it's important to able to use technology to make life a tiny bit easier, but it shouldn't control my life. So I say give it a go!

And one more thing. I'm really not trying to sound like a know-it-all-goodie-goodie here. And I know I'm no expert on this, but I'm just typing what I've learned and what I like. Cheers!

Next time I'll show you my new program which is gonna run from next week until.... ehhhh.... a while. And I'd love your feedback please :D

These are two of my favourite artists!! Fireflies and Call Me Maybe are two great hits!

Check it out!

Today's song: Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen - Good time

FITNESS 2: Food & supplements

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:29:00 +0000

Food
I can't stand complex diets, that requires a Mensa diploma to remember and understand... What's the point? I've got some simple rules I follow which are simple and makes me feel good.

* Eat all the time - Try to eat six times a day, every 2-3 hours. We're not talking full meals here every two hours, but enough to keep your metabolism up. Point is to not become hungry.

My typical meals when working:
06:30 breakfast - Two-three slices of dark bread with ham and liver patè
09:00 snack - a banana
11:00 lunch - three slices of bread
13:00 snack - 1/3 of a broccoli
16:00 dinner - whatever mama cooks up, which in 95% of the cases is healthy
20:00 supper - fruit and low-fat yoghurt

* Protein is my BFF - Chicken, milk, nuts (unsalted), lean meat, eggs, fish, peas, green vegetables and dark bread are key. Also a protein shake after each workout.

* Find a healthy craving - Find something healthy that helps you keep your crawings down. I found out that broccoli is mine. I swear, since I started this I've been eating at least half a broccoli a day. I love it raw! I know, kinda weird, but so good.

* Skip the junk food

* Have a cheat day a week - Sticking to a diet is hard. And I've tried one before. The problem was that if I slipped, I slipped properly. We're talking crisps, beer or junk food. Having a cheat day a week, where you can have a burger or a nice pizza, makes a diet much easier.

Dark bread, chicken, red meat (remove the fat), fish, potatoes, wholemeal rice, cous cous, wholemeal pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, squash, aubergine, peppers and much more. Even though you're eating healthy, doesn't mean you can enjoy yourself.

My supplements
In addition to a healthy diet, I take performance enhancers and protein shakes.

After each workout I have a whey protein shake, the favourite being mint chocolate! I also take supplements to increase the body's natural fat burning ability and to increase the muscle build up. The stuff I'm on now I bought from a good Norwegian online store, Gymgrossisten, but I've tried to find the products I use on more international sites for you guys. My examples are from PhD supplements, which is my favourite brand for whey protein. Another brand I've tried and some of my mates use is Maximuscle.

Whey protein - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/10/1/PharmaWhey.html
Lean degree caps - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/6/1/LeanDegree.html
BCAA caps - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/38/1/BCAA.html or http://www.maximuscle.com/bcaas
CLA caps - http://www.phd-supplements.com/store/p/48/1/CLA.html or http://www.maximuscle.com/cla1000

Remember, these are just examples. It's important that you read the description and find out what works for you. Also, keep in mind that all that are SUPPLEMENTS not REPLACEMENTS! They do not replace any meal what so ever! They don't do the job for you, they just help you ensure that the hard workout YOU do is noticed by the body.

Stay tuned! I'll talk about what gadgets & gear that make my life a lot easier. What can I say? I'm a sucker for tech stuff. I'll also show how my week 6 ++ program looks like.

This song is now officially stuck in my head. I hear it all the time on the radio here, like it!

Today's song: Tacabro - Tacata

FITNESS: My workout plans

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:34:00 +0000

This is going to be a series of blogposts, covering my workout plans, food, supplements, gear & gadgets and motivation. So stay tuned!

The first rule: Forget about the number on the scale! (your weight) If you wish to loose fat and gain muscles and to become lean, your weight shouldn't be any concern. The reason for this is that muscle weigh more than fat.

Me the other day after a workout. Just felt like taking a picture really.

What does count, is how YOU feel, how YOU preform and how YOU feel you look. What I do from time to time, even though I know I shouldn't, is to compare myself with others. Everyone does it. Especially if you go to a gym. You can't help but look at others and often feel envy. Yeah sometimes it sucks, I know. That some people can just look at a gym and eat fast food and still be fit and look good, while you work out 3 times a week. But here's some comforting news; when those people hit their 50-60s they'll most likely get larger, fat clogged up in their arteries, muscle deterioration and general body fatigue. It's a bit mean to think that, but hey? What's the world without the devil on your left shoulder?

My goal
I want to get lean and increase my muscle mass. Not massive, but defined. I want to loose belly fat and get a six pack. And also improve my cardio. Simple as that really. Take a look at Zac Efron, now that's a great body! Lean, nice muscles, six pack, but still not Arnold Schwarzenegger massive.That's my goal. And yeah, I know it will take time, but I will get there.

Define your goal early. Having a goal it helps me push that little bit extra and gives me something to aim for. Also I feel writing a blog, posting stuff on social medias and other apps helps to motivate me. Could be something so simple as someone pressing LIKE on my photos/statuses of workout stuff.

My workout plan
I try to follow this as closely as possible, but sometimes I've had to cut it short because of work. All these sessions take about 1 hour, maybe a bit more. From next week I'll change my plan, which I will tell you more about later.

Abs workout - Day 1 and 3

Week 1 - 2

Run 4 km. At every km you stop and do a muscle session:

- 20 diamond sit ups
- 10 right oblique sit ups
- 10 left oblique sit ups
- 10 hip lifts
- 20 leg lifts

Week 3

Run 5 km. At every km you stop and do a muscle session:

- 20 diamond sit ups

- 10 sit ups whilst right leg raised and left leg bent behind it
- 10 sit ups whilst left leg raised and right leg bent behind it
- 10 hip lifts
- 20 leg lifts
- 10 wide push ups

Week 4 - 5

Run 6 km. At every km you stop and do a muscle session:

- 20 diamond sit ups

- 10 sit ups whilst right leg raised and left leg bent behind it
- 10 sit ups whilst left leg raised and right leg bent behind it
- 10 hip lifts
- 20 leg lifts
- 10 wide push ups
- 10 frog legs
- 10 wide push ups (if you're up for it)

Stretch out! You should be at 70-80% max pulse when running.

Dumbbell workout - Day 2

You keep the same exercises, but increase the weights. I try to up mine every 1-2 week.. So taking notes of what you do the first time is a good idea. It should be so heavy that doing one extra tricep kickback is impossible. You can access the program on you Apple or Android phone here: http://www.skimble.com/workouts/375051 I'm going to tell you more about the apps and gadgets I use later.

- Start with a 20 min cardio warm up. Cycling or running. About 70% of maximum pulse.

Dumbbells
- 12 dumbbell squats
- 12 dumbbell lunges right leg first
- 12 dumbbell lunges left leg first
- 12 dumbbell chest press
- 25 sec rest
- 12 dumbbell bent over rows
- 10 tricep kickbacks
- 10 right tricep extensions
- UP YOUR WEIGHT FOR BICEPS
- 10 right bicep curls
- 10 left bicep curls
- 25 sec rest

- 10 right bicep curls
- 10 left bicep curls
- 12 dumbbell lateral shoulder raises
- 12 overhead press
- 25 sec rest

Abs part - this part you do TWICE
- 30 sec plank
- 20 crunches
- 10 right oblique crunches
- 10 left oblique crunches
- 20 bicycle crunches
- 12 Russian twists (with or without a ball, you choose)
- 20 leg lifts
- 15 hip lifts / floor bridge

Stretch out
- Cobra (20 sec)
- Child's pose (20 sec)
- Shoulder stretches, alternate arms after 20 sec
- Chest stretches, alternate arms after 20 sec
- Tricep stretches, alternate arms after 20 sec
- Quad stretches, alternate legs after 20 sec
- Hamstring stretches, alternate legs after 20 sec
- Right side stretch (20 sec)
- Left side stretch (20 sec)

Shake it out!

Fitting it all in
Try to make it work for you. Also try to make sure that you have a meal straight after your workout to get all the benefits of your workout! Sometimes I can't workout that day, but I try my best to make it up the following day. Now I work full time, normally 5-6 days a week, so shuffling about is sometimes necessary.

Take the stairs, suddenly do 10 push ups at work or bounce around. Move your body every day. Don't just sit on your arse when you're not working out.

Motivation
What keeps me motivated is the progress I've been making so far. I've lost about 5 cm / 2 inches of fat at my waist during the last 3-4 weeks. I feel that I get more energy from working out. It also helps to keep me healthy.

Also I'd like to feel more confident about my body. It's not like I hide it away and shove it in a closet (haha, got it?), but I don't LOVE playing football topless on the beach for example. When it comes to my body, I'm satisfied with everything except my abs, chest and arms. I'll be the first to admit that if I had a six pack I'd probably go running shirtless down at the beach. Why? To show off, haha! I wouldn't to it every time, but I can just imagine that it would brighten your day having people whistle after you when you run past.

STAY TUNED! Pop by tomorrow and I'll tell you about what I eat and the supplements I take to maximize the workouts I do.

Have a nice Wednesday night with some Latino rhythms!

Today's song: Shakira - Addicted to you

A FIREMAN MAYBE?

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:50:00 +0000

I've written about this several times, but the question never seems to get old. A question asked ever since you could walk. Normally magician, fireman, policeman or astronaut are the kings of the career wishlist for many boys when growing up.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

When I ask that to anyone else, I normally do so in present tense. I don't go ...when you were growing up, because we're still growing. We always change, we always grow. The prospect of leaving university in just one year from now is kind of terrifying. Think about it. For the last 16 years I've been in full time education. A new era of my life is about to begin.

So what do I want to be? Well I love gadgets and media. TV, film and music are key elements of my life. I also LOVE moving about at work and could not handle a office job. One of the many things I got from my mother, is the urge to work with people. I love being around people, so office work at home is no option for me. As some of you may know, one of the things I actually thought of doing in my life was Child Protection Service worker. Working with children. I love kids, I do.

I have got an idea of my dream job. I would love to get to work for Travel Channel as a camera operator. Traveling the world, meeting new people and cultures and trying all kinds of different food. That's my dream. I think my urge to travel and get as far away as possible comes from the film "Eurotrip". That was the first DVD I bought for my own money when I was 12. Ever since then I've been signing/humming "Scotty doesn't know that Fiona..." once in a while.

Basically I'e boiled my future down to a few elements:

- Ability to express myself
- Organizing
- People
- Active

That's the four elements I'm looking for in my future. Stress is also something I enjoy from time to time, but not everyday. Makes you feel alive and shows yourself what you're capable of.

Where would this be? That's another thing. I'm a bit torn between at least two different places, Norway and UK. I do love Norway and I'm proud to say I'm Norwegian, but I'm.... I donno.... bored being in the same place I guess. And besides, the film industry or drama productions for TV, in Norway is very small, simply because we're only 5 million people.

In the last 6-8 months or so, the idea that's been stuck in my head is trying to get a job for BBC Wales in Cardiff. A large number of BBCs drama productions are based in Cardiff now, not London. That's also a reason I'm trying to pick up some Welsh. If I could learn Welsh, at least some basics, it might be to my advantage. So far I can present myself, greetings and count to 10, haha! Hopefully I'll get better.

But I am being a realist. Getting a job in the BBC will be really hard and IF by a stroke of divine touch I get in, I would have to start as the assistant of the assistant. I'll also try to apply for jobs with other production companies to. The only thing is that the recession has hit the UK, which has made the job market unstable as hell. In Norway the recession never came and any Norwegian telling you otherwise are completely bonkers...

And besides I like it in Swansea.

The scary side. What's holding me back is family and friends in Norway. I often feel a guilt for leaving my sisters for example. And I do miss my parents, not living under their roof, but having them near me. And my friends of course.

My auntie told me something in April which has stuck with me "Why should you move back? You're young. Explore the world". That's what she did. After working as an Au pair in UK, she lived several years in America with my uncle. One of my nephews were born there. They've lived in Norway now for like 12-13 years, but MIGHT be moving to the States again for a few years. They survived.

But then again, true friends and family stay with you forever wherever you are. And so far they have. I've got some amazing friends in Norway which I speak to very often when in the UK. And I speak to my family often too. Skype calls are a wonderful thing! Should I then hold back my dreams because of the scary side? I think one should take family and friends into the account, but not let them make the decision for you. True friends and family stay with you where ever you go. Just remember to call home once in a while.

What will become of me? Who knows? Maybe I'll wake up one day and decide to become a... nose spray tester! Point is that even though I kinda hate it, the lack of a secure path and future that is, it's a part of growing up I guess.

So cheers to uncertainty!

Anine Stang is a great Norwegian artist. I filmed her during the Pride Days in the capitol a few weeks back. She was absolutely amazing live and what mooooooves! She had a pre-premiere on her new song which I believe is set to be released very soon.

Today's song: Anine Stang - Dominoes

PRIDE DAYS 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 19:51:00 +0000

All the videos I did for Oslo Pride 2012 is now up. Not the greatest, I know that, but they did the trick. I had an absolute blast during pride days. I met some amazing people and made some new friends which I'll hopefully see soon. Pride days is about being proud, about showing off and about feeling comfortable in your own skin. And show the world that we're here and you can't hide us under a carpet, not even a rainbow one.

Anyhoodle, here's all the films:

And of course, today's song was easy. I know the LGBT society is trying really hard to get rid of the typical stereotypes. Like that gays are only into make-up, glitter, glam and pink or that lesbian all dress as tomboys in checkered shirts. That's not true. But one stereotype we can't get rid off is Eurovision, so I think "most" just embraced it. I personally am not a great fan of the music, but I watch it to get a laugh. This song was played a ton of times EVERYWHERE during Pride.

So, Euphoria....

PUSH IT HARD FOR THE SUMMER

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:45:00 +0000

Howdy partner! Long time no see.

It feels great being back in Norway again for the summer, weird, but great. It's almost like you live two separate lives, like it's two co-existing worlds. When I go back I go into my old routine, full time work and hangout with friends. It's like flipping a switch.

One thing I noticed when I talked to an American mate of mine over the weekend is that it almost felt alien speaking English. I could already feel the Welsh/British "twang" slipping away... O__o That's something I'm not going to let happen! After heavy thinking I came to a conclusion; download "Gavin and Stacey". A BBC comedy show.

Anyhoodle, what's my plan for the summer? Well on Wednesday I start working for Oslo Pride making all the of their films, which is going to be great. Besides that, I'll be working full time in the grocery store, starting my dissertation and working out.

My workout plan for the next 12 weeks are now sorted. I'm using Skimble workout app to manage my workout program. It's available to both iPhone and Andorid devices. Both programs are created by me, with some inspiration from fitness guides online.

The first program is mainly dumbbells. You can download/view it here

- 20 min stationary biking
- dumbbell squats
- left leg dumbbell lunges
- right leg dumbbell lunges
- dumbbell chest press
- Dumbbell bent over rows
- Tricep kickback
- Tricep extensions
- right concentrated bicep curls
- left concentrated bicep curls
- dumbbell lateral shoulder raises
- overhead press
- 30 sec plank
- crunches
- left oblique crunches
- right oblique crunches
- leg lifts
- 30 sec plank
- stretching

Then the second program is a cardio interval program. You can download/view it here

The first program will be repeated three times a week and the second program one time a week. I don't increase the reps and the amount of sets stay the same for the six first weeks. from week 7 to 12, there will be an increase in the sets. Each week I need to adjust the weight so that I'm working so hard that I won't be able to do the 11th tricep kickback for example, thus gaining muscle strength. Depending on how the first week goes, I might tweak it a bit.

My goal is getting more toned muscles and a six-pack. I don't won't to become much bigger, or smaller for that matter, just gain muscle. Personally I wouldn't like looking like Arnold, too big for me. My goal is more Zac Efron kind, toned and six-pack, but not massive.

Why am I so determined on this? Well because when I look at my self I see too little muscle and too much fat. No, I don't want to loose weight. No, I'm going to stop eating, quite the opposite, I need to increase my food amount. No, I don't care much about the scale. It just bothers me that when I look at myself in the mirror I see fat. Not size wise, just lack-of-muscle-kinda-fat. ... If any of that made any sense.... And no I'm uncomfortable in my own body. And not THAT unhappy about either, just need to build some muscle.

Call it whatever you want, vanity, pier pressure, low confidence blah blah blah... I don't care. All I know is that I need to do this for me and that right now this my number one priority. Do I think this will bring me happiness in life? Hell yes! And is that because of some conspiracy theory that Hollywood dictates how humans should look... well I don't know, probably influenced by that.

But mostly it's because I need to do this for myself.

Today's song: Jessie J - Who's laughing now

ANOTHER YEAR

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 05:14:00 +0000

Another year in university has come to an end. Scary isn't it? How quickly time flies. The big and scary world is coming ever so closer. Next year I'll be a graduate... now that's a scary thought. What will I do? What will become of me?

In the last year I've gotten the taste for production and the organising behind film/TV productions. I enjoy the pressure, the need to plan. Marketing, publicity, organising, logistics and administration are all key elements I've come to enjoy in the last few years, even outside media. When I sat down thinking what field I wanted to study, marketing or logistics were actually fields I was considering. Since I was 16 I've worked in a grocery store chain in Norway. From there I've learned a lot. I like my job, I do. A few times or lets be fair, several times, through the years, I've faceplanted and made mistakes. Messed up and pissed off a fair share of people. But after a while I started to learn from my mistakes and I improved. I might not always admit to it, but I can be stubborn as hell, seem rude and a know-it-all (even though I don't really intend to). Through my jobs I've learned a great deal and I'm greatfull to all the different people I've been able to follow and learn from!

Anyhoodle, I'm derailing here. My point is; next year I'm graduating and life is really starting. What are my thoughts of my future? I've set a goal and that is to try to get a job in BBC Cardiff, where most of BBCs drama productions are based. If I end up there, time will show. People ask me if I want to return to Norway... Not yet. I don't feel ready. My aunt said some wise words to me a little while back; why should you return? You're young. Stay abroad and enjoy! She herself have lived several years abroad in different countries. I'm planning on going through the BBC Welsh language site this summer, in an attempt to pick up Welsh or at least set the foundation for it. Reason for that is that is if you know Welsh you're more likely to get a jobb in BBC Wales. At least that's what I've heard.

Over the weekend I'm planning to apply for work experience at the BBC for September. I'll take anything. I'll work for free if I can. Even making coffee and tea will allow you to pick up things in the industry. And one day, your responsibility will expand and that will develop into more. Here my stubbornness is a good thing. Keep pushing. Keep fighting. And one day you'll take down that wall. My mum taught me that.

Not the nicest picture of me... but hell. It was raining and had been working for hours. The lovely girls are two of my AMAZING colleagues, which never fails to put a smile on my face.

This year has been a roller-coaster, mostly fun moments. Uni work took me to my very limits, alongside my other classmates. I swear the International Space Station could hear the 2nd BA (hons) Video class let out a sigh when the final assignment, dissertation proposal, was handed in. Outside uni it's been a amazing year with Student Swansea Events, filming and interviewing many of Swansea's lovely students. After a couple of months I considered quitting my job. Because some problems and because of the stress. But then my stubbornness kicked in and now I don't regret it a bit. It's been amazing, learned so much. And I've gotten to meet some celebrities to, like Tim Minchin.

I've made some more amazing new friends, become closer with the ones I already had and broken a few connections. Learned a lot from that to. Sometimes you realise that not everything isn't meant to last or to have a future. Is it one thing this year has taught me, is that you shouldn't give up, but it's okay to say "You know what? No. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to have a rest day" I sometimes try to be like Jim Carrey in Yes Man and say yes to it all, but I've learned you can't always do that and that it's no shame in that.

What am I doing this summer? I'll be working in the grocery store and working on a couple of event/TV productions. Then hopefully I'll be able to do some freelance journalism for the local paper. Besides that, it's all about family, friends, fitness and dissertation research.

With this I say goodbye to Swansea, Wales and the United Kingdom for the summer and hello to Norway. And I hope all of you guys have a lush and amazing summer!

And true to my tradition, today's song is of course Breakaway.

Today's song: Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

PRINCE OF WALES GARDEN: DAY 3

noreply@blogger.com (Tom-Daniel L.) — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:49:00 +0000

I've now gone as far in as planned.

Mainly what I've done today is cutting down trees and bushes.

The garden waste pile has now grown to way bigger than me.

I've cleared all the grass and stuff from underneath one of the trees.

I only had like 3-4 hours available today to work, but still got a fair share done. Early in the morning I phoned up the Council to let them know what kind of waste that needed collection. If they think they can forget me, they'll have to think twice, haha. That said, they've really been great so far. After 20 minutes (!), one of the Environment Department managers, Neil, and another employee, Paul, was at my door. I was quite shocked at that, didn't expect them to come that quick. They took a look around and I explained what I was doing and why and they really liked it. Neil took some pictures of the broken/stolen fence and said that they will come and set up a new one. And Paul is coming back next week some time to collect all the rubbish.

I'm really enjoying this, good workout and much fun! Even though my arms and legs are filled with small scratches from the bushes and branches, but details details.

My plan is to host a BBQ or something similar when it's all done. Hopefully I can manage to get the Evening Post (South Wales biggest newspaper) to cover it. Was a couple of people that stopped and waved today, so hopefully people will notice the progress.

Again, if anyone in Swansea is full of energy and wants to do some good, you're more than welcome to come down!

Today's song: Calvin Harris - Feel so close