Scara takes a bearing

And it came to me, to my exploring mind, that this - ladies, gents and TARDIS-owners - THIS is my 250th blog entry! Whey!! What a post-birthday gift! Or should I say after-birthday-gift-post? Anyways, I decided to make a little list again. Because it's fun and non-demanding. Amusingly distracting. So, onto the big task, what goes around and comes around in Bergen right now:

1. Free stuff! Always neat. Go to public places and find ballpoint pens and other nicey thingies. Coffee mugs, chewing gum, matches - plus a new popular item of the year: buttons! Me luv buttons! Free concerts, too, and loads of special offers. Orientation meetings usually aren't carried through without chocolates, fortunately enough, and even Craig the Clown has fallen for the sweet addiction. Notice in Casino Royale when he says to the money man with the funny accent and the suitcase; did you bring any chocolates, or something-like-that, and he gets that small grin on his face when the money man just gives him an uncertain laugh in return? I did. I'm happy to say I tend to pay attention to those small, significant lines. Lol. Says more about me and my addictions than the Clown's, I suppose. And I'm so mean. Yup, but I prefer briefings and hearings where they bring Twist (is that a Norwegian brand, or what?) and serve coffee! For free! Smiling-trained people handing out product ads and information folders one may throw away with no concern - as long as they give you stuff as well. From what you do decide to keep, you may actually learn something as well. Practical in every way, everyone profits! Nothing paid, nothing lost, all to gain! Stands and posters, I've got a radar on for this kind of events. And as for the others, no need to attend!

2. Rainstorms! And I was, like, going to the bus and, like, completely friggin' SOAKED after, like, five seconds! You know! Plus, I was, like, walking behind these three, like, you know, American CHICKS who, like, say LIKE all the friggin' time! And I'm so...British! Well, no, I'm not, I'm obsessed with British pop. culture and pretty lousy at speaking British accents properly - BUT! Still! - I LIKE to use LIKE as a friggin' verb! It IS a verb! Ok, very clever trying to avoid the whole rain-subject. I'm not discriminating anyone, I love America and Americans - well, not as much as I love Scots, but then again; Scots are beautiful. Thing is, though, Bergen weather is currently changing between rainy, windy, sunny, windy and just plain ice cold. I brought a small umbrella and an open leather jacket. Bad move. In Bergen, the rain isn't light and wet. It's a heavenly shower. Like (!) someone's turning a water tap all the way 'round to the max, bringing the entire content of the pipes down on us. And here it doesn't pour, it buckets. Upside, downside, vertically, horisontally, anywichway it can. I had water running underneath my backpack, under the umbrella, through a 2 cm opening between the pack and the back. My back. Got soaked too, needless to mention. I entered the "school bus", as it is preferably called by Fantoft people, dripping and moaning, and shaking rain water off my stylish but idiotically tiny umbella. Meaning, honestly, Size Zero's gone too far. Now they've decided to use it for accessories you can't even wear on your body as well! ...yet we all sing; "Under my umbrella-ella-ella-eyh, under my umbrella-ella-ella-eyh!" Haha!

3. Pleasures! Smaller joy! Like beer and pillows, late night smoke, in circles all around, slowly filling the fresh air with raindrops and clouds lingering, and nice bartenders to chat with. People who know about music and films and themes conventient to use for discussions. Wine cellars with ghosts in the darker corners and wobbly stools. Brown tables. Candles in old bottles. Atmosphere and classical music and soulful exchanging of views about "deep topics". Storytellers employing a great deal of exaggerations. Very typical and cosy. Arrangements. Pulling it off. Blankets and tricky forms solved. I think. Never having to predict what tomorrow brings, yet knowing that today was fine. And that's quite enough.