Public transportation needs more weather practice.

I don't get it. Why is it that every time it rains heavily, or maybe snows just a little bit, Danish public transportation just doesn't seem to know how to operate?!? I mean seriously, instead of having delays on the buses during a heavy rainy day like this morning, there should be extra buses instead, since bad weather = less people on their bicyles = more people on public transporation. Do the math!

But noooo... . The bus had to come almost 10 mins later than usual, which meant that I was a little late at work. Yeah, I know that I can get up earlier on a rainy day instead, but I won't know how heavy the rain is until after I get up at my usual time, right? I mean, if I normally get up at 08:45hrs in the morning, God is not going to come into my dreams at 08:00hrs and tell me that it's raining really heavily outside, so I might want to get up at 08:15hrs instead, is he?

No, He's not. Therefore, I get up as usual after the usual number of snoozes on my alarm clock, and do my usual thing in the bathroom within the usual timeframe, and then out the door at the usual time and walk towards the usual bus-stop, with the only difference of having an umbrella in my hand on a rainy day.

Therefore, how can it be that the bus doesn't show up at the usual time? I mean, rain is just water, no? H2O? And a lot of rain is simply just a lot of water...something that big buses can handle with their big wheels and big wipers?

So yeah...I don't get it. And it seems that public transportation is always "surprised" when something "non-sunny" happens. Tsk.

My last Eurovision Song Contest

Every year, Europe has an event called the Eurovision Song Contest, whereby active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union compete against each other to see who has the best song. It has had many years of history (since 1956), and many current/past famous artistes had become famous because of this. Examples include Johnny Logan (who won twice for Ireland with his song "What's Another Year" and "Hold Me Now"), Abba (who won for Sweden with their "Waterloo" song) and Celine Dion (who won for Switzerland).

Denmark's most recent win was in 2000 (funny enough, that was the year when I watched the Eurovision for the very 1st time, and quite by accident too), and the year after, Denmark almost won again (we came in 2nd, and almost became a host country winner).

Over the years, as more countries join in (especially from Eastern Europe), the rules had to be changed, both for selecting qualifying countries into the final, and also to keep the final from becoming too long to watch... . The winner is still decided by a voting system, whereby all country members vote for their favourites via sms (except their own country), and points are awarded from 1-12. The more added points a country gets from the other countries, the better.

Sadly enough, there is a major flaw in this method of deciding the winner. It has somewhat become a very political "game", whereby Eastern European countries give the highest points to each other (especially to Russia), and Nordic countries also tend to do the same amongst each other (Iceland always gives Denmark 12 points, or vice-versa). However, since there are more Eastern European countries than "the rest", it has become a pretty much "1-sided" competition.

And then, let's not forget, we also have a lot of Eastern Europeans living in Western Europe, so again, Ukrainians will obviously vote for Ukraine, whether the song was good or not, and Turkish people in Germany will vote for Turkey, again, whether the song was good or not.

I have therefore decided that this year will be the last time I will watch the Eurovision Song Contest. Until they change the voting system, that is. I mean, I have no interest to watch something whereby politics will decide the best song anyway. It has become so predictable, that the contest itself is now a big joke.

Anyway, I felt that Denmark's entry this year was good, even though Denmark was placed at number 15 (out of 25). Simon Mathew, who represented Denmark, did a pretty good job (he's ½ Indian, ½ Danish btw...so cheers to his Indian ½!!!), and the song IS catchy... . Maybe not a Eurovision winner, but it certainly had the potential to be one. Should have been at least in the top 10 in my opinion... . But ok, maybe I'm also a bit/very biased because his brother serves at my church, and he and his 2 sisters are sometimes there too ;o).

Well...here is the Danish entry for you:

Simon Mathew - "ALL NIGHT LONG"

And the Russian winner (that I think would be MUCH better if it was done in Russian since his accent when singing in English is a bit funny. Good song though, I'll grant you that. Sounds a bit "oriental-style", I think):

Dima Bilan - "BELIEVE"

Btw, it must have been very cold for him to be barefooted on the ice towards the end! Didn't notice that until now... .

New mini poll!

In connection to my toilet paper post below :o). Go make your vote! If majority say "outwards", then there should be a law against "inward tongues" ;o).

Being anal (retentive) about my toilet paper

No puns intended, but there is something about the tongue of my toilet paper that I am quite anal about. I don't exactly know when I started to be bothered about it. Maybe it has been always, but was only aware of it a year ago, or maybe it is a recent thing.

Anyway, what I'm anal about is the way the tongue is facing. I like it outwards, not inwards, know what I mean? Well, you can see what I mean with a picture instead:


At our home, the tongue is *always* facing outwards, 365 days a year. At the office, I have a favourite toilet (out of 3), and it just bothers me when I see the tongue inwards! I don't really care how it is in the other toilets, but in "my" toilet, it has to be right.

Thing is, someone in my office seems to like using "my" toilet too, and he/she seems to be anal retentive about it too, but in the OPPOSITE way! I don't know who it is (or if it's more than 1 person), but this person(s) is always putting the tongue inwards. When I use the toilet and see the tongue inwards, I'll change it so that it's facing outwards. Then the day after, I see that it's inwards again, so I change it also again to outwards. The next day, same thing!

I could let it be, but then I won't be anal retentive about it, would I? Besides, it's *easier* to grab the tongue when it's facing outwards, so why would anyone want to have it the "difficult" inward way anyway? It rolls better too when it's outwards.

Also, if you go to most hotels, especially the fancy luxury ones, do you see the tongue outwards, or inwards? I'll say 90% of the time, it'll be outwards, and in luxury hotels, you can make that 100%, and the tongue would even be folded in a pointy way. I mean, you can't make pointy tongues when they're facing inwards, can you?

So yeah, if you ask me, outward tongue = the right way, inward tongue = the wrong way.

Nevertheless, though I'm anal about this, it's not an obsessive compulsion. I mean, I don't care how you do it in your own home and won't bother to try change it for you if I am your guest, so don't worry ;o). I just like it "my way" in my own home (and Martin doesn't care which way anyway), and "my way" in the toilet I use the most while at work. That's it ;o).

I'm not the only one who's anal about an outward tongue though. I know a friend who's the same, funny enough...and did point out this fact to the "guilty". Oh, and another thing we seem to share, is the "love" for the soft, luxury, slightly more expensive type of toilet paper. My mum likes this too, so I guess I take after her on it... . Why can't my butt crack deserve the best, right ;o)?

Grill party in Svinninge

Last Monday was the last public holiday (2nd day of Pentecost) in Denmark until CHRISTMAS!!! How depressing is that? Can you imagine, no more days off in June, July, August, September, October, November and almost till end of December???

Ok, don't wanna talk about that anymore. On to happier things, such as a FANTASTIC SUMMER-ISH weekend at my parents-in-law's home in the countryside of Svinninge. We had a grill party with LOTS of good food and fun, both with family and friends. I don't normally have friends coming with me to visit my in-laws, so Wagma was the first of my friends who joined me on this one.

Funny how 1st generation is to the left and 2nd generation is to the right.


Anders. Yes, both of them.


Morten and Klaus


The comfy hammock.


I like this shot of MIL. So relaxed... . This should be her new Facebook profile pic.


Demonstrating how to down a shot.


Hard at work. Big grill, huh? It's serious business!


Mmm...best spare ribs EVER!


Soaking in the last bit of sun for the day.


Before the feast.


During the feast.


"Pass me those sausages!" said Anders#1


Mormor (grandma) savouring her spare ribs.


"I'm liking it!" said Morten.


Paparazzi on the loose!


Oh, it was just Martin. BORING! ;o)


Smile! Camera loves us!


Dear friend Morten and me. He's a really sweet guy...and SINGLE! So if anybody wants his number, just let me know ;o)!


Made a Photoshop on the previous pic...because I can.


Me and Wagma.


Still camwhoring.


Chocolate sticks?


You try first, Wagma!


My turn! My turn! Hmm...it's NOT CHOCOLATE!!! Ok, I really didn't smoke that thing; just posing. I've never smoked in my life, not even out of curiosity, not even for entertainment, nada. Never have, never will.


Mafia boss.


Human chimney?


Morning breakfast in the morning sun.


This is the BEST way to read the newspaper. I don't get why some like to do it in the toilet.

There was 1 thing I did on this visit that I had never done before, and that was to run around the house almost butt naked. Had HORRIBLY lost a dice game, and the loser was to run around the house completely butt naked, so though it was VERY embarrassing, a forefeit was a forefeit, right? I wasn't completely butt naked...just almost. Good thing it was quite dark outside by then, and that I wasn't wearing granny undies that night (not that I have any).

Anyway, it was a really enjoyable weekend. Should have more of it, that's for sure.

Ivy's back! Weekend in Bramming.

This post is actually long overdue, but I had been updating my blog on our Singapore/Australia trips, so had to push this till now.

Anyway, Ivy's back from China!!! For those who don't know, Ivy was my former colleague who became a good friend, and she had returned to China without certainty if she was going to return to Denmark. If she does return to Denmark, she will live in Jutland instead of Copenhagen, so that means 3hrs away by train

On 1st April, she made a surprise return to Denmark, and went straight to her Danish boyfriend's home to surprise him. Nobody was expecting her to return that day, least of all, Esben, so you can imagine how happy he was to see her early in the morning :o).

As 18th of April was a public holiday in Denmark, a few of us had decided to pay Ivy a surprise visit ourselves. After all, 1 good surprise deserves several more, doesn't it ;o)? My colleague, Shi Hua, her hubby and baby girl were the first to surprise her in the morning, then Martin and I surprised her in the evening when we made our way to Bramming after work, and Alice+Anne Katrine did the last surprise the next morning :o). It was good that Ivy had a strong heart so that she could take so many surprises in 1 weekend ;o).

Some of you already know, Esben (Ivy's cowboy) owns a farm in the countryside. I'm actually amazed that a city girl like Ivy is able see herself settling down as a farmer's wife. Really, I am, because as a city girl myself, I know I can never live such a life. Good that Martin's not a farmer then, huh ;o)? Ivy herself did not think that she would be able to live out of the city, so it is quite a big sacrifice for her. This goes to show what love can do indeed, and it's just so beautiful.

So yeah, we stayed 2 nights on Esben's farm, celebrated his birthday with him, had a big feast of our lives, played table-tennis, had a tour around the farm, and tried out cow tipping (pushing cows over so that they fall and can't get up again)... . No, just kidding - we didn't do that. Martin was actually very disappointed that cow tipping is just an urban legend.

Here are pictures from that wonderful weekend:

China vs Denmark!


"Please don't eat me!"


Esben has around 150 cows on his farm!


This one's called "Mila" - the cow that brought Ivy and Esben together.


Not sure if this one has a name.


Was quite scary to touch them. This one started to lick me with its nasty wet tongue, that's why I pulled away just when Martin snapped this pic.


Giant tractor, tiny me.


Do I look enough like a farmer girl?


The sign says "POTATOES" - and I can vouch for Esben's delicious ecological potatoes!


Esben's farm house.


A monkey on the farm... .


Success!


Preparing for dinner.


Surprise#03 that weekend - Alice and Anne Katrine.


Back to preparing the food - Chinese dumplings!


Here's 1 little dumpling I managed to steal from the kitchen ;o).


City girls on the farm.


Secret joke between the two?


Alice found a new friend!


Cute teenage cow with cute pinky tongue. Hmm...actually, I should be worried, because if anyone should be licking lips, it should be me while I look at it and think "Mmm...beef steaks". But it seems here, its thinking "Mmm...human steaks."


Cow pooping... . Click to see the big picture if you dare.


If you didn't dare click on the above pic, here's one of a container filled with cow poop for you to see anyway! Haha.


Fresh chickens and eggs on the farm too, but not a big product here.


Little farm children playing on the swings.


New baby friends.


Me and the farmer's beautiful wife.


Alice and Ivy


The party's starting!


Alice and me.


"Do you think I'm hot?" asked very drunk Lucy. I don't think we need to translate the reply on that question... .


Martin trying to be Asian with his Victory sign... .


Try count the candles if you want to know Esben's age.


It was Esben's mum who made the cake, and it was DELICIOUS!!!


This was where a few of us slept in. Goodnight, everyone!

A big thank you to Esben and Ivy for not kicking us back to Copenhagen when we showed up at your doorstep unannounced! Well ok, Esben actually helped to plan the whole thing, so it was good that Ivy welcomed us all too :o).