Head Uut Aastat aka Hea Lumememm

Ah, so Estonia made it! Into the wonderful and happy 2009! I celebrated it in front of my computer with Audi the kitty, listening to the Estonian Presiden'ts speech and then sipping Estonian Fizz blueberry cider.

I wish you all an amazing (Estonian) 2009!!!! Hea lumememm!* I think it will be a great, great year!

My biggest wish for 2009 is to see YOU this year! There have been too many changes and I need to inspect it closer! Especially before I may be moving to New Zealand the next year. Just kidding:) Or who knows. I may or may not be further away from you as the time moves on.

* Hea Lumememm (Good Snowman) is commonly used in Estonia to wish Happy New Year.**

** - it's actually not common. It was just an answer option at the Estonian Quiz a few years ago. A great option though.

eh... sick...

May I complain? I really need to... Just a little. So my throat is sick. Officially. It doesn't let me sleep (because I can't swallow) :( And even though it's just my throat, along with the little fever (I could take a high fever, but the tiny bit is just a drag), I feel SO tired and out that I can't do my work :( And this makes me panick. How can I make it???? This Pibel of mine...
But - on the positive note - I have a very sexy voice ;) I can entertain Audi:D

Since I've been useless for anything else, and also in desperate need for fresh air, I had tea with Dorota and that was nice. And along the way we saw Dimitri and Mitra. Their medschool is going well.

And I saw "Rachel getting married". What an intense movie. Lots of talking, music, drama, yelling... A well-done and acted movie, but slightly long and crazy... And what was the point? ...not sure...

I should do something good now.

voiceless

So, I think my yesterdays hike through the wintery town was not the best idea. In a way it was a good workout (7.5 km, about 1.5 hours). Outside and everything. But it was SO icy, and I really can't break any bones right now. Also it was not the warmest (-14 degrees, plus the windchill). The food was amazing though - starting from pate de foie de gras (paksu hane maksa pasteet) with Conundrum white wine (I'm not usually a fan of white wine, but thisone was good. Sweet a bit) to duck meat fried on salt. And desserts:) And it was great to see my supervisors parents again (his dad is 90 years old now) and also Anna (she used to live in Ottawa when I came, and she helped me, when my stuff got stolen). After everything, around 5 pm, got a ride home.

But last night I couldn't sleep well, due to a very sore and itchy throat. And this morning I sounded like I'm a male and I have been smoking for years. And the feeling doesn't go better... I don't have time for this:(
Stupid virus (it must be a virus, 'cos bacteria I have trained to behave - lol).

Anyway... on the good note I learned to use Prism today. It's this ultracool program for doing stats and graphs. I even performed 1 way ANOVA unpaired t test on my blood data. Don't ask me what exactly it means. It just gave me the right to add a little star to my graph, which indicates that my data is significant, and that is needed badly for selling my work better:)
And the graph looks pretty. Way better than Excel graphs:)

Ah, and also I watched a movie "Definitely, Maybe". Very cute. I liked it:) Chickflick.

anyone here?

Sometimes I wonder whether anyone comes to this page... I do get comments for the posts sometimes, but not too many - about twice in a blue moon. So that is one indicator. But still - is there anyone else? :) Curiosity, curiosity... So on one Sunday in October I got myself a tool to measure visits.

And it's really cool! There are actually more people dropping by than I thought.
Today my blog has got 733 visits (usually spending 1 or 2 min) and 1160 views (viewing means that no reading happened unless the visitor managed to it in less than 1 minute - or so I understand it).
I can even see the world map with the dots. 4, I can see you:) And there is Pärnu and Missisauga and Brussels:) And today it's especially exotic. Next to cool places like Guelph and Tartu there are places such as Singapore, Malaysia, Huntigton Beach in California and Leasburg in North Carolina (I think all of them are random people blog-hopping). Very interesting though!

But perhaps I should make my blog password protected? Thinking of future and such... What d'ya think?

Hundionu jõulud

The 24th: Hundionu spent most of the day napping. With the kitty. She did go to Loblaws to get some sauerkraut and ice-cream though. And She opened a few presents. Now She can show off with the wonderful yellow pashmina scarf:) So watch out. And her Christmas tree is richer by an angel.
At 5 She started walking to meet Eve and Co at the park near Kent St. Eve's ex-neighbours organized this outdoors Christmas mass with singing and candles and hot cider/chocolate. It was really, really nice. Despite it was raining... And Jakov was ready to go home:) They stayed for a little. It was very neat (see the pics). Great idea, Shethinks.

And then they picked up Tädi Veera (aunt Veera) and went home. Well, to Eve's/Jakov's/Samuel's home. And the wonderful evening continued:) They had some hot gloggi and then they had a shot of vodka with beautiful "sakuskas". And then the wine. And the supertasty meal. And the cheese (see the pic). And the Santa had been by, so there were presents. She got a signed CD by Cat Jahnke and an amazing sparkly pair of earrings:) Oh, She SO loves jewellery! The next day She was sitting at the computer, and the sun was shining at the earrings, and the entire room was full of dancing sun-spots. So, so pretty! And there was more. Enough for everyone. Samuel got the most, starting with the Narnia castle and finishing with Indiana Jones game. He was one very happy dude.
By 11 She was at home. It had been one wonderful Christmas Eve.

25th: She slept in. And then She decided to make the Christmas cards, as the cards being undone and unsent kept weighing down Her mind. There used to be a day, where She made 40 cards and hand-delivered them all. And now... So She made the cards. And the Corel Paint (?) program is quite amazing. And She sent them to people.
And then She went for dinner. Not an ordinary dinner, because that's not Her style. She had met Martin a few weeks ago. They had agreed to go for a movie or sth, but hadn't had time yet. So He invited Her for Christmas dinner with His friends. And She didn't know how to say no. And why not - She needs to get out of the house. They went to the Friday's Steak House. The food (prime rib) was delicious! And the company was great (Martins golf friend with his wife, sister and Mum)! Lots of joking and laughing. Good times!
After the dinner they went for movies. Random choice - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Just first day of screening. And it was great!
*****
The movie has Brad Pitt in it. And it has a very interesting story. And has quite a few sad moments in it. Most importantly it's a story about love and life. And how at some moments in life you gotta take bad decisions. And it's also about trying and accomplishing. So I recommend it.
Also I saw Will and Am at the theatre. Will was on our floor until September and then got in to med school. We used to have amazing conversations regarding life, career etc. We were both doing the lets talk science too. And now, just after this 10 min chat, I feel inspired again. It's so easy to get weighed down by this crazy thesis business. But I gotta keep dreaming. And aiming high. It's time to blow the dust off these dreams and get them rolling.

And now it's nap time. Tomorrow there's lunch at Supervisors house. But since there's no buses, I may need to walk (1.5 hours), unless I can figure something else out. Nevertheless, I need a good sleep!

Merry Christmas - Häid Jõule

I wish YOU beautiful Christmas with good food and good friends and family. And I wish you a wonderful New Year :)
It will be a great and special year - I can feel it!


I hope you like the card:) Composition -Eve, Photography - Hundionu, Style - Hundionus new Corel package (and desire to practice for her paper).

the last days before Christmas aka drummer anyone?

Friday was a good day! I did my last experiment for this year, and I think also the last experiment for my degree. The results still need some thinking... It turns out that my peptide reacts differently with different bloods... But I think I'll just leave it like that.
Leslie finished her Comp II on Friday. And JP had done so on Wednesday. So the celebrations were in order. We had some drinks at the Blackthorn Cafe. It was really, really nice:)

Saturday there was Estonian community church and christmas party. The mass was like usually. I feel I don't belong there. The songs are SO slow that they are driving me crazy and making me yawning. And the talks and etc - they don't inspire me :( But it's the Estonian event so I feel I'm obliged to participate.
But before the mass I decorated the christmas tree with Lisas father. That was SO nice. The last time I decorated the christmas tree was at 1994 maybe... After that we have always had branches. And after the mass there was SO many people. Like 60 or more. Very impressive. And there was food. And just when the Santa was making his way in, I had to leave.

I was heading to Dorotas place. She picked me up, and then we needed to wait for the Princess and Mike (as usual), and then we went to Dorotas new home. It's SO nice! Big and open and smells so good! And we had some wine and cheese and we played Rock Band and foosball and then made dinner and then had Margaritas and chatted. Such a lovely night!
The Rock Band was good too. I have played it once (base) and I sucked. I got booted off the stage fairly quickly. I tried this time, and the same. I get maybe 30% of notes... Maybe! And then tried the drums. And I got 75% the first time! I was so impressed with myself. So all I need is a little bit of practice and I would have an alternative career:)

Sunday I was enjoying the snowflake dance on the roof next door and then spent some time with Kornelius (Dorotas/Radeks cat). He was so happy that he was drooling. It means that he really liked the time with me.
Once everyone was up, Princess made pancakes and we had an amazing breakfast:)

On our way home we picked up Audi (Princess's/Mikes kitty who was here in August) and I finally made it home. To discover that the kitty was in heat. It was very interesting. The loving looks that I got. And all that affection. And tried one treatment Mike suggested, and she loved me even more. Very interesting times.

Monday - the last day at work. Since there are no buses, and I'm not walking 1 h in this snow and cold. I had to do a few changes to our submission. And I had a meeting regarding a potential reviewer position. And then Dorota and I went for dinner. But before I had an interesting encounter. Somebody thought that I'm at her. And she decided to clarify it with Dorota (poor Dorota). And then I showed up. And the story went from that I may be mad at her, since she didn't help out enough with the christmas party to an accusition that she worked so hard and way more than the others and never got thanked or appreciated. All of this is crazy. First of all - the event is over and forgotten (by me at least). It was a success. And everything got done (even though she didn't do everything she promised, but it doesn't matter). And also - I thanked her the night of the event, I thanked her the day after, plus I sent out an e-mail thanking everyone.
On top of everything else - it takes much more to get me angry. And even then I forget it quickly. I don't have time for this. Anyway - now it's done. Off the chest. Moving on!

The dinner with Dorota was so nice! And I got a little present - a beautiful necklace:) I hope to show it off soon:)
And after we went to Esprit to shop and then to have a coffee at Starbucks and then we went to Lafreniere & Pai Gallery, which is my favourite gallery. It's all jewellery, and some other cool decorative items. And all the jewellery is made by Canadian artists. I have already chosen some pieces that I will buy once I get this Nobel prize :P
We went to find a present for Dorotas sister. It wasn't easy, since there's lots of good stuff. But by an hour later we had our pick:) I hope she will be happy:)

And then I had one more thing to do. I had promised to go to Martas (my old lady friend) to help her to write christmas cards. We had tea and cookies and wrote cards (she dictated, I wrote). It was nice! This is another thing I have not done for a long time. I should get to it more.

I got home at 10 pm. And then just had some tea and watched "Finding Neverland". Such a wonderful movie! I liked it a lot!

Tuesday - I got some milk and bread for the holidays. And now I remembered that I forgot the sauerkraut :( And I got a package from my Mum. Some estonian candy and two issues of Stiil. Niiiiice!