World o' Cookie: Olympic Hopeful

While the majority of my life has changed since just last October some things never change. I found some updates I had written for a 15 week period while living in Sweden as a tourist before I went back again with a visa. Those updates were meant to be upbeat and no one really knew how miserable I was right from the beginning. I was determined to make it work, so determined that I got out and went back again! It is funny to think this time period was before actually living in Stockholm too. It was living just outside Stockholm in the craziest make shift house that was cheaply done with a shower that only produced approximately 12 seconds of hot water which was housed in the basement. God, I could go on forever. The fact that I still twitch with discomfort when I go to Ikea means my experience is still too fresh in my mind.

Anyway, it was a learning experience and it got me back to Mr. Cookie in the end so no complaints here. I did find my week 2 posting from almost 4 years ago amusing so I thought I would share it with you here.

As we rapidly approach Olympic season I become nervous that a certain hospital visit will make me miss the opening ceremonies. My thoughts about the Olympics are exactly the same as they were 4 years ago, granted I've done nothing to become an Olympian in the last 4 years, a girl can still dream. Along with my love for the Olympics, I still love purple Gatorade and now have it readily available to me again.

August 16, 2004

so is stealing bad when visiting a foreign country? Week 2.‏

I am happy to say that week 2 is behind me. I cried everyday except yesterday (Sunday). Well...part of Saturday's crying spell was mostly Olympic related. Some may not know I love the Olympics and still have hope that I will be there. competing. You might be thinking to yourselves, "hmmm...she isn't really good at anything, what is she talking about..." Well, there are these sports that I believe I may have a natural talent that hasn't been recognized yet. Like air rifle shooting. who knows? maybe I am so good at that? or archery. For the winter I am sure I could kick ass at curling as well as bobsled. what does the person in the middle do anyway? lean? huh. I can totally lean.

Anyway, each time I watch the opening ceremonies I cry like a baby. I imagine what it feels like to be the athletes, especially the ones from the countries where they only have 2 people competing. Imagine how proud they must feel and how proud their country is. So, maybe I will take up some new sports and move to a very small country. stay tuned for my new ideas in the upcoming months!

Week 2...well, let's see. didn't do a ton. went looking around Stockholm a few times, had dinner in the city a few times. bought 3 cd's for $80! wtf? i know, i should have paid closer attention to the prices and did a little currency conversion, but a cd should be like $12. that will be the last time i do that. I got the new Outkast, the new Beastie Boys and a Swedish band called Infinite Mass. Not liking Beastie Boys at all, even though it is a tribute to NYC.

We stayed in Erik's dad's work apartment in Stockholm on Thursday night, then left for his family's summer house on Friday when Erik got off work. It was nice, the summerhouse. It is in the archipelago where they say there is up to 150,000 islands. this is a high number if you count the tiny, tiny islands. The house was great except for the bathroom situation. There is a bathroom, but you really try not to use it since it is some special toilet where you have to clean it out or something. So, the idea is to go outside unless the weather is really bad. After seeing how that inside toilet worked it was my pleasure to go outside. It reminds me of camping and I had forgotten that peeing outside is OK. We played cards and jenga and watched the Olympics and had a little BBQ. On Sunday we packed the boat up again and headed back.

If you have been assigned to tape shows for me I hope I have put my trust in the right person!!! Yvette and Jill!!!

Oh! I have been stealing at the store! Apparently you have to buy your grocery bags at the checkout. you grab them in the beginning and lay them on your stuff and bag your own groceries at the end. Well...who charges for bags? Not in MY country. So, I have been paying for my food and then remembering no one is there to pack my bags so I look for the bags and realize they are at the front. I then roll my eyes (quietly) and think how STUPID it is to put the bags in the front. I then cut through everyone to take my handful of bags and (realize now) I get a look from the cashier. I bag my stuff and leave the extra ones I took for the next person. Then I walk out. No one has said a word yet. I realized I am a thief when I went with Erik and he explained. It all makes sense now. They are nicer bags, but I don't want to PAY for them.

There you have it kids...at this rate I will just get deported anyway. One dead fox and a little stealing in a country that isn't your own.

PS- In case you missed the first email, I killed a fox last week with the car.