falken sykkelregister

I've been meaing to do this since the scandinavian post as I was chatting with one of those friends and this came up:


Her: ....and took the bus home from [ ], just to discover that my bike was stolen!!!
Trini to de bone says:
your bike was stolen?!?!?!
people steal things over there?
her: yes
Trini to de bone says: damn
BUT
been lots of raids of East-Europeans having large trucks and just stealing every bike, so it must be one of them
so u mean u can get it back somehow?
I'll report it to the police
they left the lock, so I'll bring it as evidence
i'm sorry but this is hilarious!
u live in a country where u report a BICYCLE theft to the police
thats fucking AWESOME!!
and then each bike has a registration-number, so I'll report that and they'll look for it
a registration number!!!?
it gets better and better!!
the suck-part is, that I've been thinking about getting an extra insurance on my bike, but I postponded it until [we moved] so i wouldnt have to go through the address change

WHAT?!
of course we do
it's a theft
u MUST see my viewpoint on this?!
i guess....
but still
we put an whole lot of money in it, soo...
this is just amazing
you skiped that extra insurance part?
yeah i was laughing too much
you get a sticker on your bike and it will be registered in an official thingi..
a registar for bikes
no way!
heck yea!
this is killing me!
seriously: can I blog this one?

Can you imagine?! I couldn't stop laughing through this whole conversation LOL She have de lock as evidence! LMAO!!! I jes picturing myself goin in the police station in trinidad an tellin them my bike get tief LOL LOL LOL And the insurance!! She have insurance! I wanted to be a smartass and ask if it was collision insurance HAHA But i can understand how annoyed she must have been so i didnt push it.

I was so completely amused by the thought of such a system, I was thinking "MAN! I GOTS to go spend a whole year over there!" Another friend, when I asked her, said O yeah if you see a bike you dont touch it in case its evidence or something. Somehow I thought of getting on the trams via ANY open door and people going automatically to dip their farecards at the boxes throughout the tram. Its the idea of doing the right thing I htink...having such a different mindset... knowing that small things can have a ripple effect. And expecting quite rightly that good will come back to you if you do your part. Planning with confidence to report your stolen bicycle!

I just realised i never got an update on this... i hope she does get it back after i laughed so much!
Till nex time...

What's next?

Hello Hello!

It seems like now that I am OUT of school I have LESS time! hehe, nah its just more sleeping, more taking it easy, more doing things on my own time. But I must apologise for not including blogging in the "things on my own time". I even got ideas for topics but havent gotten around to sitting here and writing.

Since graduation, the inquiring masses want to know "so what are you going to do now?" Well that is my own damn business!! just kidding ;-) Ok, as an international student, I have to apply for "Employment Authorisation which enables [me] to accept employment in [my] field of study and commensurate with the degree level completed." All dat to say I cant take a job e.g. as a pharmacy clerk or something. So i'm waiting for the INS to complete that, suppose to take a couple months. In the meantime, I am enjoying the free life :-D

Planning to visit some friends/family in the next couple weeks. Also a concert, a soccer game, and of course still playing. Too bad you can't travel overseas while that application thing is going on (I'll have to get a visa all over again to come back). Looking forward to summer camps again. By the time that's over I should have the Employment thingy. So yep... just floating along at the moment hehehe....

In the more immediate future though, I'll try to blog some more.
Till nex time....

Obituary

Unfortunately my "return blog" has to be about my dog Toffey, who sadly fell ill and passed away last week. Soundin nice eh? haha. He "passed away". De damn dog dead. The story is he get sick, stop eating only drinking water. Then I suppose they (my mom or my nephew) found him on the side of the house not moving and realise he dead. I was happy to hear they didnt throw him in the river which runs maybe a 150 meters from my house. Instead a friend who come all the time to lime by me, dig a hole in the yard and bury the dog. Apparently they had a lil service an ting, my nephew cry, awww. I'm sorry but I had to laugh when my Mom say they light a candle! LOL Somehow she is always the one there when the dog dead (my father is visiting in NY at the moment). The one before was the same thing: come and put her head through the burglar-proof in the front and stay there and dead and my mother was all sad. So the nex summer when I went home I get a nex dog, Toffey, to keep them company as I up here. He was truly a fun and happy dog, yuh know the dogs with the smile? And he had a lil dreadlocks, two strands, one on each side coming from just behind his ears, it gave him character. Unlike the previous dog, he would never run out when the gates was open, and would furiously guard each one, having his own lil way between the plants to get from one to the other. And most of all, when I started goin home only for Xmas, he would remember me :-) He DAMN WELL better had after I keep him in my room in de night through the cryin when he was small! So here's to my dog, now I feel sad as I'm writing this and reflecting....

I wonder if I should really get them another... I could probably arrange it from here, but then is them who go have to take it if he/she cry in the night in the beginning... and then the nex time I visit, the dog eh go know me! Pressha! Hmm...I have to think about this one...

Till nex time

The Scandinavians in my life

ok as promised, I am back after the hectic week last week, all graduated and everything now :) Now I've slept late for 2 mornings and have a bit of focus back now to do this, not to mention the pressure is on as some of the following people are actually looking out for this post:

a small sample

Hanna, Aase, Maria, Jennie, Anne, Stine, Sandra, Lilja, Rut, Hildur, Tove, Amanda, Erik, Andrea, Annika, Sara, Thora, Sigurros, Therese, Johanna, Sofia B, Camilla, Maja, Sofia H, Linda, Cecelia, Malin, Pernilla, Sofie, Hilmar, Hans, Siv, Henning, Magnus.

Isn't that cool?! A small paragraph! Consisting of Swedes, Icelanders, and Norwegians, in the ratio of 10:3:3, I suppose reflecting the general ratio of swedes. Over the years there has been varying levels of intimacy, which is just a fancy way of saying I knew/know some of them better than others :-) And to be honest I wish I had gotten to know more of them alot better. Anyways, they have all in some way had some influence in my life, again some more critical than others but I will proudly claim the ability to recall a moment of fun, a laugh, a drink, a smile, with each of them.

From the beginning, its been good. Really rough at times but that is to be expected with any new experience: my coming to school here and then rooming at close quarters with a Norwegian. Turned out to one of the best things ever to happen to me. What a great friend! Took some figuring out, but then... they all kinda take some figuring out. In my first year there was also a Swede: a most non-typical swede as I came to realise after another couple years, she was real impulsive, and wasnt too level-headed. Later on I met another who had some of the same qualities but not as pronounced. Still good-natured though.

Second year two more Norwegians and two more pleasant, friendly, and thoughtful people. Then I got to Bridgeport (current location) where began the cascade of Swedes and Icelanders, starting with my coach who happened to be another non-typical swede. Although I can't quite explain how, even though I know another 30 of them now, I know he's just different, maybe too Americanised or something, I still find it amusing to hear him speaking swedish.

So what's "typical"? well I already touched on a few characteristics not the least of which is being good-natured, they dont go around being aggressive or in a bad mood. In general, if you see that then theres a problem. More or less straightforward in their approach, they say what they mean. BUT the thing I MUST really mention is that of those that I have met: these must be the most patient people in the world! Probably a function of the above, they take alot of shit from people, yet seem to always take their time to try to figure things out, not necessarily letting things slide but always keeping cool. Amazes me. Also good listeners.

Such a level headed approach to life must be difficult to maintain, but as I mentioned, I have also met some that didnt fit the mold. They say variety is the spice of life hehe and damn sure! the 2 or 3 exceptions provided entertainment and stress alike. Impulsive decisions, statements, and unexpected actions (all of which were magnified since none of these are associated with nordic people therefore unexpected x 2) brought laughs as well as uncomfortable moments. All part of the experience I guess.

I remember covering different cultures in an International Business class, one of which was the Scandinavian. Theoretically, they are supposed to be quite a reserved people and I think they would agree to that description...to some extent...with a big HOWEVER at the end. Like anyone else, they like to have fun, and most can drink like Vikings of old, a trait which most are proud of. lol. And you know what else? After you get to know them, and they you, quite an affectionate people in their own way, not all cold like one might think. In fact I consider some of my closest friends Scandinavians.

Ok well its pretty late now, and I've covered the major traits. I know some would have liked me to do a separate post for each group but really, what does it matter? unless I was going to get into a description of each person. I love you all! Never met one I couldn't get along with.

So here's to a great people, good friends and most of all to my next visit! skål/skál!

All blogged out....

After Lime challenged me to post for 5 days straight (which ended a week ago) I haven't been able to get any focus on here, I haven't even been reading that much. I'm in the mad rush now to get prepared for Graduation on Saturday, just got my new hood today after I thought I had had the right one all along, that could have been most embarassing. Damn I need to get on top of things! Hopefully I can get in a post I planned for this week...but not tonight.