Christmas Present from work

Another thing I forgot to post before Christmas, this was the present given to us from work.

It's a reindeer rug!  It even comes with a note that says this.

What would PETA say?  It's a good present nonetheless, well I think it is!

New Year's Eve

I spent New Year's Eve with the following people.

• Wouter (Dutch, I work with him on the same product at work)
• Özlem (Turkish, she is Wouter's girlfriend)
• Hermann (Mexican)
• Anne (Hermann's wife, Norwegian)
• *Hermann's Mexican friend (HMF, he is working on a Phd in Maths)
• *Mischa (HMF's girlfriend, Russian).

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.  Or rather, I forgot their names and had to make it up or guess the spelling.  Bah! I'm getting old.

We had dinner at Hermann's house.  Other than Wouter I didn't know anyone else but it was a rather interesting night.  Of course I had no idea what to expect, Wouter said to bring some food or beer but everything closed early so I bought chips and nuts thinking everyone else was going to do the same.  Instead everyone else cooked food.  The food was very tasty.  There was guacamole, different sauces, mexican chicken with curry, mushrooms, bread, mexican chilli chocolate with chicken, tzatziki and more good food.  I caught the bus 31 from where I was to Hermann's place with Wouter and Özlem.  It seems like everyone knew everyone from couchsurf which is a website.

The memorable moments were..

• During dinner we made racist jokes about Russians, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Black people and everyone under the sun.
• We had a dinner with all minorities except the Mexicans who were the majority.
• There was also lots of karaoke (Queen, Bon Jovi, Kiss, as far as my memory can remember) and drinking.
• Wouter saying how in Thailand they couldn't hear the difference between V and B and they said his name as Bouter.  Wouter said bout means fart in Dutch.
• Wouter said how the curse phrases in Dutch are like, "get cancer!" and other disease related phrases.  You can also say things are "cancer good".  Or something like that.
• Hermann was saying the first time he met Wouter he told him he had a nice ass (in Dutch).
• I had two shots of vodka which is insane, I normally don't even drink.  I had some beer too and champagne.  The aftermath was bad, I spewed several times, it really didn't feel good.  Good thing I don't do this everyday, my life bars would be halved.
• Going downstairs to the neighbours (who are the landlords) and wishing random strangers Happy New Year and seeing fireworks everywhere.
• Walking back home with a blistering headache at 3am from the bus stop.
• Everything else that I cannot remember.

I came home and could not sleep a wink till 5ish am, too much coffee I think.  But overall it was good, and definitely something to remember.  I woke up late on the 1st of Jan and 2nd of Jan because of the bizarre Apple iPhone alarm bug.

2011 here I come.

Stabekk apartment

So I've moved again, to my final stop for a while (hopefully).  These are pictures of the apartment I'm living in.

Kitchen, with oven, microwave and fridge (it's underneath the microwave).

Living room

Living room (different angle)

Hallway / Dining table

Entrance on the left and ahead is the bedroom.  Bathroom to the right.

Bathroom

Bathroom (again).

Bathroom (last one).

Bedroom door, and wardrobe.

Bed.

View from hallway.

Entrance.

Entrance drawers.

The total size is about 36 square meters, the price?  8000 NOK per month.  Or 1348 Australian dollars.  It's a lot more expensive than what I paid in Australia.  The plus side is I get to walk to work, it's about half an hours' work down the hill.  I get to walk 5km a day to and from work.  I moved on the 31st of December aided by my kind landlords Olaf and Åse.  They even paid for my groceries that day and gave me champagne and chocolate for New Year.  Where would you find people like that?