Forever and a day...

*Walks in, blows away dust covering...well...everything?*

I'd almost completely forgotten about this blog! My bad...I sorry! Since my "family" blog has been converted from English to Danish, I need an outlet for my written English...and so I'm wondering if any of you out there still keep tabs on this place? Leave a comment in the appropriate place if you're still with me, and I *promise* to keep you more updated from now on! :-)

Much love, Atrejù

PS: couldn't leave you without a shot of the boy, now could I...? ;-)

Some good news, and some fun old stuff

Hey gang,

it's been a while since my last post, but it's not like things have slowed down: I was asked to go to a job-interview with our favourite personal navigation solutions company on Thursday the 5th of October. Naturally, I said I'd love to go, and went! The interview went really well (at least that's what I thought), with me giving clear and to-the-point answers to any and all questions, all the while being myself, i.e. not "over-selling" myself in any way.

After the interview, I spent a couple of days trying to keep calm, telling myself that even though I thought the interview had gone great, I didn't know who I was up against - could have been the inventor of GPS navigation for all that I knew? So I kept calm, and went about the daily routines.

On Monday, they called and asked me how I thought I'd done. I told them straight forwardly that I had enjoyed the interview, and loved the fact that they saw the potential of my qualifications, and didn't label me "overqualified" straight out of the box. (In fact, at the interview, they aired some thoughts about using me more for training and less for actual retail visits, seeing as they saw a strong trainer-profile in me...how's that for changing the game to suit the applicant?!? *grins*)

After I'd told them how I felt, he went quiet for the gratuitous 2 seconds, before he uttered "Well - they want you!" I think I may very well have lost my balance a little... :-D Apparently, they shared my reactions to the interview & also had a good feeling about the chemistry, and would very much like me to start next week (i.e. Monday the 16th)!? Wow. So I'm employed I guess? :-D

However, I got a call Friday that they hadn't been able to align all the paperwork properly this past week due to an upcoming electronics expo in Stockholm eating up all of their resources, but that they would get back to me as soon as humanly possible! So again, I'm holding my breath, crossing my fingers that I don't get the "We've changed our minds"-call... I guess, in a sense, this is self-defense? I want to see the contract signed before I go ballistic? :-) So I'm still searching for other jobs, even though I haven't sent any applications since they told me they wanted me...

Phew - glad I got that off my keyboard. ;-)

In other news: the kid rolled around on his own for the first time yesterday!!! He was lying on the couch beside the girl, while I was on the phone with her in the car (en route to the postoffice), when suddenly she nearly dropped the phone in all the excitement!

"WOW! - HE JUST ROLLED OVER ON HIS OWN! ON HIS OWN, HONEY!?! I can't BELIEVE IT! Who's a very gifted young man? Who's a very gifted young man?! Ohhh Mommy's little boyyy!!" (you get the idea...)

She proceeded to max out the memory card in the camera with pictures and video of him attempting to recreate the feat - I will have to sift through the copious amounts of footage and post some here...

For now, here's a(n oldie but goodie!) video from our favourite American: Weird Al Yankovich!

About time for an update, no? ;-)

Wow. Summer came, summer went - and not many blog-post from yours truely. Some people I guess would say "Good on you! - get offline for a while, live life!"

But the truth of the matter is, I haven't been that offline: in Cannes, there's WLAN in the appartment, and now that I'm back in Denmark, the old DSL is in place...so what have I been doing? I've been parenting! Dang those little guys take up a lot of time! *grins* And we're two parents, doing the parent-thing full time (yeah, yeah - living off the trust fund, you know how it is...*grins*) - and it's killing us?? Between us, he takes up the entire day: quite a feat for someone not yet 3 months old? The days seem to be taking each other by the hand and skipping off into the sunset before we even realize they're here...? Very, very unpleasant - especially when you have a tonne of stuff to do, and no time to do it in already. But when he looks like this, you tend to forgive a lot:

(He's started scratching himself in his sleep? Gives himself some nasty gashes - so now, he wears gloves to sleep. Looks incredibly cute. Must photograph it one of these days. *grins*)

But back to me: I'm a Master of Science! Yay me! :-D Passed with an average grade (what I expected from 9 weeks of work, I must admit), but with many, many cudos from both my teach and the censor: they actually told me I could have gotten an A if I'd spent a full 6 months on it. Oh well. I'm fine and happy - and now the proud owner of an M.Sc. in Business Management and Computer Science. And now, looking for a job. So if any of you know of any jobs, please do let me know! *grins*

The family-situation has taken a new and exciting twist: the sister-in-law has told us that she has photographs (and now videos too?!?) of her husband cheating on her...and she still chooses to stay with him??? And when I say cheating, I mean cheating: there must be at least 15 different girls in the pictures?!? So here's a little poll "for all the ladies in the house": if you found photos and videos of your husband cheating on you - would you tough it out, or would you divorce him? Add to the mix that you haven't lived in the same country for 8-9 years (and as an aside: that he has yet to send you a present on your birthday while he's lived abroad) - you still stay with him? Let me hear your input.

But the family's had enough: both the girl and I + her parents are done. We're discussing how to let her know, but the fact of the matter is, that her husband is now persona non gratta for all future family events. And yes; this includes Christmas! Personally - and I'm not proud to say this - I hope she stays with him. Just for the hell of it? She's been with him this long, she seems to enjoy being hurt - let her live her life the way she likes? Only one thing: I don't want to see the guy, I don't want to hear his name, and I don't want him to be any part of my sons life, at any time, ever. For my part, I'm done with him - and her, if she chooses to stay with him. The only problem is her son: he's cute as buttons - and completely innocent. But he knows somethings awry: he's told his Mom as much. He even says he doesn't want to see his Dad anymore - how much clearer does it get from a pre-teen?!? But his Mom is oblivious... Man, I want to snatch up that kid and run with him! He's never had a father-figure in his life - and boy does he need one! Does he ever...

He's a good kid, all the way to the marrow of hiw bones, but he's got a defiant streak in him a mile wide, which comes into play when he's confronted with boundries of any kind, e.g. when given limitations by his Mom: he flat out refuses, and often times ignores her when asked to do stuff. And she doesn't know how to tackle it, so she does nothing. And then showers him with expensive gifts when she guilt-trips. I know, I know: it's so cliché! I'm living in a Danielle Steel novel for cryin' out loud! *grins* But I must admit that these photos and videos are the best thing that's happened in a while: I can't stand her...something about how she's just so weak just...irks me? So if she stays with her husband, and as such is more or less ousted, that's fine by me. More peace of mind.

But does that make me a bad person?

The comments are open - flame away. :-)

PS: hope you all had amazing summers, and got some R&R on- or offline as apropriate...*grins

Glamorous Cannes...

Thanks for all your comments on the last post! :-D I realize that, as a European, I'm blessed to have all of these wonderful, semi-exotic locations within a very short distance (London, Paris, Milan, Rome, Florence, Nice, Cannes, Luxembourg, Monaco, Barcelona, Seville...you get the picture. *grins*). And yes: Cannes does have its glamorous sides (see any postcard). However, I decided to go about documenting the less glamorous sides - such as I see them when I walk down to the boulangerie (bakery, for the non-francophiles) in the morning to get baguettes (yes, ordinarily the butler would get the bread, but I enjoy mingling with the common people... *grins*).

But enough by the way of introduction: I give you the flipside of Cannes!

Security, Cannes-style. This will deter any and all would-be trespassers. Maybe.


With a plate like this, you would think the guy's saving up for a VW...?


A nicer view - and the more observant viewer will be able to distinguish the bread-running photographer... :-)


I guess this is as close as you can live to someone without living with them...?


Pedestrians in Cannes do not receive a lot of love from the city council...

The End

It's done. I'm finished. It's over. 6 years of my life have passed, and shortly I will be on the receiving end of a diploma, stating that I have an M.Sc. in Business Administration and Computer Science - or cand.merc.(dat.) as it's called in Danish. And it feels...strange? A little empty? As if somehow, it's not quite real just yet. So in an effort to attempt to make it real, the family's packed our bags, and gone to Cannes for 3 weeks. If that doesn't work, I may just have to go out and get a job?!? ;-)

Have a great summer - I may blog some more from down here, but don't count on it... :-)

No bad student - only bad teacher...

Hey Dad! - I've got a question for you. Something that's been on my mind a lot lately.




My question is: can you do this??? I'm pretty good at it, so I thought I'd ask if you're as good as me?




(I can't believe I made him do it!)




Hey Mom! Is this guy my real Dad? Are you sure? Like really, really sure? Bummer...

Good laugh!

My friend Tom Keating has a hilarious post on the new Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) nag-screen - read it here.

I'm off to find some "high quality" bootleg of win2k...wish me luck! *grins*

Oh: and the baby's fine, as are the Mom and Dad...even if the Mom's a bit tired from the nightly feeding (Daddy very supportively snores straight through). :-P

It's a boy!

I realize I've been scarce...but that's what parenthood will do to you! :-) A healthy, strapping baby boy arrived last Wednesday (17th) at 02.53am. Now, a week later, I still pinch myself that he's here...he's so unbelievably gorgeous and sweet, it makes all the clichés even more clichéed...*grins*

But don't take it from me - judge for yourselves:


I know I'm hooked. :-)

Epitaph

...and a voice cried out from heaven, saying: "It is done."
- Book of Revelations, 16:17

After 9,5 weeks, 86 pages now await the final read-through (thanks Pete & Martin!), before I correct the last comma's and dot the last i's. It's been a growing experience for sure: I have had virtually no social life for the duration of this project, and - oddly enough - not that many "all-nighters"? I guess when you get up at 7am every day, you tend to not last so long into the pm (latest recorded shut-down: 03.25)?

So now, it's time to relax, help out where I can (both the girl and the house!) and wait for impending fatherhood.

So long, thesis, and thanks for all the fish...

Gentleman Poet

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

Stumbled upon this poem from my past, and was sent tumbling down memory lane. I love the feel and emotion of it. I think it safe to say that it is one of my favourite poems of all time. Robert Frost was a remarkable wordsmith indeed.

Oh - and no baby yet. :-)