End of the road

Here we are, now lay the burden down

We're coming to the end of our road

Sorrowful yet glorious somehow

To be humming this one last ode

So calm and still... it wasn't all that bad, or was it now?

Fulfilled... it doesn't only hurt to end it now

Sentenced - End of the Road

So, today we had our presentation for Treehotel. It was the last thing we had left for our courses this "läsperiod". Next week we start the last remaining courses for our education (well, I have some extra courses during spring but still), and then all we have left is writing a thesis. Pretty scary. Exciting but scary. 

If I look back at the past 4,5 years, I can say that it has been both good and bad: lots of hellos and goodbyes, as well as ups and downs. But one thing is for sure: I'm so glad I chose LTU and Luleå! 

Is it thursday already?

This week we have been working hard on our Treehotel project, as well as our project for e-commerce. If you want, you can check out the link below, to see what it is we are doing for Treehotel:

http://www.ltu.se/edu/program/FMIAA/Studenter-samarbetar-med-Treehotel-1.97923

They even wanted to include some comments from yours truly in the web article :)

Jergus and I have been working on our e-commerce project for the past weeks. We were looking at LTU and how they use social medias and we tried to come up with a few improvements and new ideas. Well, quite many to be honest. Social media usage for business purposes is not as easy as one might think, but it is a great tool if you know how to use it right. There are so many channels to choose from, but I am a firm believer in IMC, so coordinating the channels is extremely important.  We can also use social medias to create and communicate your own brand. Oh and by the way, if you are studying at LTU you have to take the course Branding You. Seriously, do that. You can probably still apply (late) for the course. Otherwise I recommend you take it at some point during your education. Trust me, you will not regret it. 

A relaxing weekend.

It's has been a really, really nice weekend I have to say. I have not been doing too much school work, because my parents have been here for a visit. We've spent most of the weekend talking and eating (thank god Peter is a great cook), and we even took a short trip to Gammelstad Church Town. That is something I can recommend to anyone who visits Luleå! It only took me 4,5 years...

Yes, it has been a nice weekend. But I also heard that my grandpa was admitted to hospital and he is waiting for a surgery. They apparently found a tumor, but they are not sure if it's cancer or not. It makes me sad, because I don't even know when (or if) I am going to see him again. Fingers crossed he will be better.. 

Well behaving dogs.

Look at these cute little faces. Well, looks can be deceiving. Actually in this case, looks are not only deceiving, but a big fat lie. Let's just say I'm never ever gonna forget to take the trash out after yesterday's shenanigans. 

The girls, Peter and I went for a walk the other day and we walked by a bunch of kids. Elsa is not a fan of these small little creatures, shouting and jumping and being all weird. Because Alma and Elsa are small and all, we usually get a lot of attention especially from kids. So, this is what happened (and this is a free but very accurate translation)

Little girl: AWWWW, your doggies are so tiny and cuuuuute

Elsa: Shut your ugly face! You call me cute again and I'll kill you. I dare you, call me cute. Make my day!! I'll EAT YOUR FACE!!

Needless to say, mommy was embarrassed. Elsa was proud of herself. People often think they are puppies because they are so small. We never correct them: "Yeaaah, these puppies have not been trained yet". 

Blaablaablaa.. Internet?

So, I just finished my e-com test. I am rather surprised that I managed to finish it, not just considering my experiences with the subject, but mostly due to the fact that I had not taken with me any pens or pencils. Well done, Anna I really do like a challenge, don't I?

The past month has been a struggle for me anyway. Not because I've had so much to do, but because I just feel like I don't have any motivation left to study. Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoy my courses and classes but I just want to be done with them already. I guess that is what (nearly) 5 years of studying does to you. Hmmm, actually it's closer to 20 in total.

I don't know.. Sometimes I get this feeling, which you can only describe as panic. Pure panic. Here I am, 5 years of university studies behind me and I'm supposed to get into the "real" life. The life of loans, interest rates and all that. All that I'm fine with, but it's the idea of actually having to know something. I mean what is it that I actually know? What can I actually offer to my future employers? I bet we all experience this right before the "jump". Or am I wrong? It's probably gonna be okay. After all, I already have a job and it feels really good to have that as your safety net. And I do like my job at Forex: I work with the greatest people in a rather challenging environment - just how I like it.

Oh happy day

Yesterday was a busy day for me - and I barely left my apartment! I have an e-com test coming up tomorrow, and I have been studying the past days. Even though all I see is "blaablaablaa internet" and every time I see the word "cookies" I must read it in a Cookie-monster voice, I feel like I've learned something at least. For example that these are the only kinds of cookies that survive in this household..

Anyway, like many of you know I have lots of different "projects" going on in my life. Right now I'm the student member of our recruitment board at LTU, for our faculty. Yesterday we had a meeting (usually we meet twice or so /month) and I feel so excited every time we have a meeting. As a student I feel that it is important our voices are heard, and we feel like we can make a difference. There are so many ways you can become active at your university, and I wish more students would do just that. After all, you can't really complain unless you've tried to fix the situation.

Besides for studying and meetings I've been doing some working out and... wait for it.. BAKING. Yes, I made bread yesterday. I even took some pictures, for those of you who don't believe me.

Mmmm, mmmm, mmm

Dog shaming, workout, redoing the apartment and studying

If you don't know what dog shaming is, I suggest you google it. I actually think I could upload a picture or two on the site myself..

Anyway, my weekend has been quite nice. My saturday ended up work-free, so I decided to use that time to something extremely productive: redoing the bedroom. Last week we moved stuff around in the living room. Peter was not too happy about that, don't know why he is complaining so much. It turned out great. Well, needless to say when he heard my plans about the bedroom I was sure he was gonna cry.. What's up with that, I'm the one doing all the hard work: planning.

Pictures coming up soon. Looving my "new" place.

Yesterday I felt like a Swede

Nationality is a strange thing. It is something that is clearly stated in your passport and all the official documents. It is a way to put you into a specific category, a way to label you. "Finnish". Based on that label I only drink vodka, carry a knife in my pocket and I should be depressed basically all year round. As you can imagine this is very far from the truth. I mean, I am definitely not depressed ALL year round..  

At times I think about who I am, and how I'd like to label myself. At times I don't fit in here, but when I go back home to visit my family I get the exact same feeling. It doesn't have to be something negative. I believe that you become aware of the "social programming". We all have something to learn from each other, and I try to find the good things from the Swedish culture and adopt my way of thinking to make a better, improved version of me. Anna 2.0. No matter what your passport says, it is how you feel like that matters. You cannot fit me in one tiny box. 

However, yesterday I felt like a Swede. I heard a song by Melissa Horn and I really liked it. 

What's happening to me?! 

I completely forgot..

Here is the third wiener (no pun intended?). I know, Peter does not look normal in this picture, but that's just because he is completely bonkers. I guess he has to be, considering he is living with me.

My partners in crime

Like the name of my blog says, this is also about my doxies. Dachshunds or doxies, wiener dogs, hot dogs, sausage dogs, are well.. Demanding.  They think  know they own you. They have extremely strong personalities and they rarely listen to what you say. If they could speak, their first words would be: "f-u, you go fetch the ball, you're the one who threw it".  They are manipulative, and they might fake a heart attack just so they don't have to go out in the rain (no, it's not a joke, they really can fake heart attacks and other conditions). And they REALLY hate the rain. Doxies are also very, very smart - unfortunately for us owners. Whenever doxie-owners meet, we share a look of pity, desperation and mutual understanding.

So, let's meet the wieners.

This is Elsa. She is 2,5 years old and my baby. She is extremely energetic and loving but not the sharpest tool in the shed. I'm not sure if animals can have AD/HD, but I'm pretty sure this one does. Elsa's favorite words are "karkki" (candy) and "nukkumaan" (let's go to bed). This girl weighs less than 4 kilos, but when she sees herself in the mirror she sees a great dane. Or perhaps a bear.





This one on the right is Alma, 3 years old. She is the sensible big sister, who likes to sit and think about things and take her time. She is really smart and learns tricks quickly. But she might also be the laziest dog I have ever met. She HATES waking up early, and I have even found her sleeping and hiding in a pillow so we would not find her. Alma likes to whine whenever things don't go her way, which is often. She is also just like her mom, and looooooves food. We were/ are both on a diet, so I get the whining ;)

"Studying" for my exam/ test

... Here on my blog. It's just one of those days: I know I should study (not that the last minute hard core studying ever works), but I just can't. If you plan on visiting your friends who study, do it during the exam weeks. Why? Because their homes are spotless. You would rather spend several hours cleaning your flat than studying for that "really important exam you really need to pass". I wonder what is going to push me to clean after I'm done with uni? Oh right, that's why I got myself a boyfriend.

Me and Peter went to rent a couple of movies the other day. Unfortunately we didn't have time to watch one of them, Avengers, so we decided to watch it later this week. I have A LOT going on in my life right now and my schedule is reeeaaally busy. Well, Peter asked me when we would watch the movie and what do I answer? "Just wait a minute, I have to check my schedule". Pathetic, isn't it? And the funny thing is that I actually had to write it down.