Friday night tired

Tired as a dag, dog tired. Really tired. And I haven't even left work yet. And now it's aperetivos and bars and beers and maybe dancing before home to my sweet bed.

I have one week left at work and people are starting to give me pitying glances because I'm leaving without any immediate prospects of an immediately promising career. I could do with sympathy yes but the pity I'd rather do without!

Oh well va bene.. I'm looking forward to sleeping late tomorrow. Ciao ragazzi!

The senses

In these overly cerebral intellectual times there is something to be said on focusing on the experiences relayed by the senses. What you can see, hear, smell, touch and taste can have a profound effect on your perception of the world, and can transform a despondent mood into a hopeful one.

What I’m looking forward to hear:
The Swedish language
My mother talking to me from another room
Seagulls in Gothenburg
My mobile phone beeping with text messages
The radio

What and who I’m looking forward to see:
Friends!
My mother
Swedish TV
Newspapers
Gothenburg
Clean streets
Frost
Cafés
My books
My CDs
My flat
My oven

… to taste:
Sweets
Bad coffee
Cinnamon rolls
Potatoes
Sushi
Indian food
Sandwiches
Good bread
Beer
Semlor

… to smell:
Clean air
Sea breeze
My mum’s cardamon cake, freshly made (hint hint)

… to touch:
My things
The hands of my friends

I was, after a random inquiry on my part today, informed that my unit here at work cannot offer me a consultancy at the end of my internship. So, unless something were to appear as if by magic, it seems that I'm going home in about two weeks. It's disheartening news, not because I don't want to go home, but because now I have to deal with a lot of immediate problems, mainly in the shape of bills. It would have been nice, no great, to have a job here at WFP. But we'll see.

Can't write more now, got to rehearse some songs for tonight's jamming session.
Ciao

Band camp

Practicing with my supervisor's band tonight. Practicing with the other, secret band on Wednesday. I love it - finally something creative and fun!

Last weekend was full of exercise and culture as I walked in Villa Borghese and down Via Appia Antica (the Regina Viarium if case you wonderered). Two days of blazing sunlight isn't to be poo poo'ed! The evening's I spent exhausted in front of Jane Austen's Persuasion, Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey and the film Becoming Jane (about and not by Ms Austen). I know speak with a silly inflection and say things like "indeed Mr So and so..". All in all a terrific weekend.

Gotta go, ciao!

Boys boys boys

Email exchange between myself (i.e. D), S and M. Please note the fantastically sarcastic use of UN discourse and jargon in our emails!

D: [The lunch with G]... was a big massive bore. Talked about work. He got called away on business. Ended up hanging out with V - not really the reason I ironed my blouse this morning..

There you go - the extent of my romantic life
--
S: ...well, could also be that he is talking about work to impress you...he is quite successful within his domain you know...
--

D: Urgent reminder to Ms Joumal

-- -- - - - pls stop encouraging the kamikaze-like thoughts and romantic notions in Ms Bresky's head. G is either
a) gay
b) not interested
c) all of the above

and D needs to stop this wishful thinking and join an online dating agency or something like it.
--

S: Dear Ms Bresky, pls see further clarification below.

The purpose is not to encourage you to feel, do, or think anything...Guys are not always super confident, and as far as I know, he is quite shy. So, there could be alternative explanations to those on your list.

Nonetheless, no matter where he stands, join one of those sites...increase your pool of options!! :)

Ciao bella
--

D: Dear HQ reviewer Ms Joumal,

I thank you for your input. However, there are still matters of concern that require your immediate action.

i) Pls refrain from reminding me about guys in general.
ii) Pls recommend a dating site.
iii)Pls do not reflect upon the apparent lack of logic of (i) and (ii)
--

S: Dear D,

I am afraid I won't be able to provide input requested under ii) as you already know, the extent of MY romantic life is even more limited than yours...
--

D: so let's join a dating site AND a support group together ;)
--

M: Dear S and D,

Please excuse the absence from my email limiting my apparent concern for these matters.

Point 1: Wake up you two! Boys are silly, stupid, ill informed and blind. (in no order and not mutually excluding other adjectives)

i. So D - keep working it. G may/may not comprehend the good things coming his way... but either/or refer to point 1.
ii. D and S - you two do not need internet dating to spice things up... next weekend lets go find nice boys (or fun ones who do not work for the UN) but don't get all excited remember point 1.
iii. And if 'support group' is code for friends eating, drinking, dancing, hanging out, having fun and being there for each other... sign me up too.

love you lovely ladies..

Dear Auntie

Thank you for your concern! Yes I haven't written in a while and that's due to a toxic combination of increased workload, facebook, sunshine and a general lack of creativity. Last week at work was all about sappy Valentine's Day nonsense and last weekend I was stood up by a guy I kind of fancied so I wasn't in a jolly mood.

This day finds me grinning in front of my computer, thanks to silly Swedish songs on Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1wBddJgqKE&feature=related

Cheers

Que sera sera

It's been an absurd day. But entertaining. The head of the World Bank was at WFP today, and his presence sparked a tonne of silly emails flying around the place, mainly about us throwing shoes at him. And then I had a meeting with The Boss, about my imminent future here. I'm microscopically hopeful. And to top it off the sun came out, and while basking in the warmth and the light after lunch I was approached by a guy who suggested drinks after work. It's the guy I have a crush on! Of course it's not going to be just me and him, and of course I really don't think he's straight, and of course he might just blow me off but hey, I haven't given up hope just yet.

So I'm good. How about you?

timewasters inc.

Abandon hope of doing any work at all, all ye Facebook members! Today I joined that blasted community and sweet baby Jesus (or dolce bambino Jesú as the Italians say) I find myself completely sucked in. I haven't done a lick of work today and it's just getting worse.

Maybe you expect a long explanation/diatribe about when and how I changed my mind vis-à-vis Facebook but to tell you the truth I don't have the time for it since social networking has made me lag behind in my work. Gotta a motherload of reports to read, see ya (preferably not on Facebook, please!).

Explicit content

Finally my computer is up and running again. The temporary solution to my longterm problem was apparently to move desk - to take my laptop and sit somewhere else in the office. The "somewhere else" turned out to be my former boss' desk so now I enjoy a window view ladies and gentlemen! The technician who set this up yesterday just wandered into our part of cubicle heaven and I, seeing the answer to my woe, launched myself at him and wouldn't let him go without fixing my computer troubles first. He swore a lot, but he pulled us through. Apparently all the ingeniousness the Italians don't spend on say, fixing the debilitated infrastructure or the corrupt politics, they use for swearing.They talk about bodyparts and fornication habits which seem to include not only relatives, but dead relatives. It was fun to watch all the native Italians in the office wince at torrent of words all brought forth by in "internal error or incorrect ipconfig" or whatever.

Work is OK. I've started the mental count-down to the end of my internship; can't really tell whether I'm looking forward to the end or not..

Ciao people

Mostly cloudy

dammit it's one of those days when I let everything get to me - the cancelled band practice, the stupid malfunctioning computer, the gray rain clouds and the uselessness of trying to get a job in the building.

it's a shame that I almost always write when something's wrong and not vice versa, cause it gives a crappy impression of my life here abroad and it also just makes me sink deeper into a bog of self-pity and whiny complaint.

well.

That's the spirit (not!)

The title to this post is my middle sister's reaction to a dispirited email I sent to her this morning. It's a long story; and it involves a meeting with the Chief of the Climate Change unit in Policy here at the agency; my hopes and fears for the future; my inherent pessimism and cowardice when daring to dream.
The meeting went as well as to be expected when an intern out of the blue meets a busy important chief to beg for a job. I mean, he was polite. I really want to join his team. He said he'd let me know, and that in the meantime I should apply for JPO - a Junior Professional Officer, i.e. someone sent from a donor country, paid by that donor country (cheap labour for the agency, expensive for Sweden). The JPO prospect doesn't seem that appealing and naturally I just assume that I'm too underqualified for it(you know what they say about 'assume' - it makes an ass of u and me..).
He wasn't sure he had room for anyone else on his team but he would keep my resume on hand just in case.

I can't expect anything more so ... I can't think of anyway to finish that sentence, I'm too tired.
Ciao people

In a good mood, happy, content

It’s raining outside and I am at my desk, reading through a hundred thousand identical reports. The work becomes bearable because I’m in a good mood; listening to Beatles’ Blackbird and humming to myself.
The drummer in my supervisor’s band just surreptitiously contacted me and asked if I wanted to sing in another band too. They’re just a bunch of happy amateurs but guess what, so am I, and right now the emphasis is on the word ‘happy’. At this moment I’m wondering how I am going belt out Nobody’s wife by Anouk (the band’s choice, not mine) and still keep my trademark cool (it's an awful song, really).

I’m also happy because I spent a good weekend with M; and to top it off yesterday a package from my sister A arrived at work, filled with Jane Austen DVDs! Since I have no computer able to play them I am for now content with just reading the blurbs and reviews on the back of them.

M in Rome

My friend M is more than occasionally a wonder of efficiency and energy - but last weekend saw her bedridden and slower than usual. Due to an infection on her part we met half-way, energetically speaking. We ate, walked, talked, slept and generally tried to solve life's agonies over a pizza slice or three. Nice!

Starting Monday morning with rejection

"Dear Ms.Blablabla,

Thank you for completing the UNV application. Based on the information you have provided and the current demand for volunteer services, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer you a UN Volunteer assignment in the near future. We will, however, keep your information for at least six months in case there is a change in opportunities."

Applying for jobs on the net is a simple, straight-forward task. Too bad that the rejection is immediate too. Didn't they even want to consider me?