AJAJAJ

- time go so fast

Documentary film festival in town!

Documentary film festival! Yes! Finally I have the chance to actually go and see some great documentaries here at the festival of RIDM. Also I will attend two master classes given by Fernand Melgar and then one with Stan Neumann. That's going to be quite amazing!
By now I'm able to follow a film in French too, as long as it's subtitled in French that is. And since it's an international festival with many languages involved, it often is the case.
So, today I saw an excellent documentary named Water, People and Yellow Cans. It was a frightening experience to see the global problems connected with the theme of water. Sometimes it's just way to much, sometimes it's all gone and sometimes it's a struggle just to get water to drink every day. I really liked the film, and feel that the environmental issues has in documentaries a great medium. If you get the chance, watch this film. It gives a visual, a voice and a face to the water related catastrophes our world are facing, new and old.

Tomorrow I'm watching this one: Une morte insencée. I have high hopes for that one.

Immigrant life

When you go to the bank in Montreal, they don't ask for an identity card - they ask for TWO! It's normal here. - What?? Passport only? No, how will we be sure it's really you? You could have faked it!
So, today I went there with both my passport and my official Canadian resident card (which shows I have an status as permanent resident). The lady looked at it, very suspicious, then she said she had to verify with someone in the bank, which she did. Then she wanted to verify with immigration of Canada that the check they had sent me was REALLY sent by them. Which she did. Then she spoke to a supervisor about it. Then she came back and looked at me really suspicious and asked if I had any immigration documents to show, which I didn't have. Finally she asked - Where do you come from? Sweden, I squeezed out, trembling by now, feeling like a thief who belonged on Guantanamo! - Aha! Sweden!! Why didn't you just say so, here's your money!
Fuck, we Do have a good reputation here. Next time I'm gonna wrap myself in a Swedish flag with a Viking-helmet with the two horns and all, maybe THAT will satisfy these hopelessly crèpes-eating, plu-plu-pluuuu-speaking, overly suspicious Montrealers. My God! Should I sing the anthem too??

Well, sorry, yes, I know, it's ridiculous... but it's just so funny pictures!
Check out more here.

A big gap is imploding!

I woke up with a smile today... Obama, Obama, OBAMA!
He actually, really, f***ing made it to the White House! Man! As a Swede, do I really, fully realize how smashing, crazy, unbelievably unlikely this election was? I mean, in Sweden, we already have a socio-political and left leaning context to place our prime minister in, but in the USA? Yes, they do have a social agenda, of course, but the American Dream are very excluding for the majority. And from my reading, listening and discussing all the official politics of Obama for months now, and to hear his vibrant election speech yesterday night, there is no doubt that this new president will come with a socio, leftist change big time! I'm so happy for the people of the states - and the rest of the world! - that this overwhelming election of Obama could take place. Me and M was glued to the computer and TV yesterday evening, and when Obama finally entered the stage as an elected president, we were both smiling and listening intensely, it felt somewhat surreal. It's true, they did it! The white population finally showed something graceful about themselves here, that despite the history of racism, they now got together with there fellow Americans and actually elected the first black president of USA, which is not any tiny country among the small ones in the world.
I heard a black guy say, that this means crazy much for the young black community, just the small but oh so important words in the USA to a child - "You too can become the president one day!", now the black community can actually say this to their children and feel that it's possible for real. When I heard this, I started to realize what a gap there is that are now starting to implode. It's mind blowing - and for real!

Citizen.org

New link in my list of links.

For all of you who seeks facts, check it out! Very interesting is the facts about the Bush governments secrecy policies and politics around homeland security after September 11.

www.citizen.org

Word of the day:

"I guess Obama was named after Saddam Hussein."

- John A. Mitten, 64, the inventor of the new McCain-Palin rally-chant: “John McCain! Not Hussein!”, talks with reporter about Obama's middle name, at rally in Florida yesterday.

The Onion - sick humor I love

I just love the sick humor of theOnion.com and their Onion News Network with news broadcasts of highest quality humor.

Je parle française!!!!

J'ai fini mon deuxième cours de français, et je suis très, très content! J'ai fait 3 essais finals (écriture, compréhension et oral), et j'ai eu 100% sur tous!
Whoooohooo! Finallèment, je peux parler française!
Maintenant, j'ai un semaine de vacances, et mercredi le 4 novembre, le troisième cours de français commence! The final 3 months! Puh!

If the world could vote

...they would vote like this. Cast your vote here.

Trust me - I'm a maverick

I just watched the beautiful 30 minutes infomercial of Obama - and YES, He Rocks! For some reason I actually start believing in the USA again, kinda. I mean, they do have all this gun-shooting, oil-drilling, money-making, trucker-sports-beer-drinking-hunting-humorfree-honk-honk-dudes, hockey-mom-money-digging-no-sex-until-the-brah-comes-of-women, with a love for wars and God, at the same time. But, surprise, they do have a cool and obviously intelligent dude like Obama. Maybe it's his African heritage that makes him different? But, don't forget the words of the nice old lady I shared earlier in this blog; - he's been raised by a white family, so he's probably white deep inside. Well, anyway, I can't tell you enough of how much I agree with this hopefully coming president. It's what the world needs right now, and yes, Canada to, being their closest neighbor with a scary Harper-the-knife-sharpener (he cuts in the cultural budget faster than Zorro can swing his machete). And if you don't like Obama-my-Man, check out the McCain's new ad on John the Truthtwisters homepage. It has some moments in it of Obamas more unprepared photos. You know the ones when you are caught looking like you just swallowed the whole Thanks giving turkey and are about to burp it back up.
I actually don't know what I will do when this election is over? I've spent sooooo much time engaging myself in the stories around it, that I will probably have some kind of project-coma afterwards. Did I mention that I even dreamed about Obama? Yes, it was a shower scene in it, but it's not what you think. Honestly! No, I mean it, it's true, Joe the Plumber wasn't there, NO, I mean, Obama the President was, I mean...
Really.
It's true.
You have to believe me.

Sarah the Lapdancer

Haha! The 25+ something potential voter answered on the journalists question about what he thought about Govenor Sarah Parlin;
She's just talking about Joe the Plumber and Average Joe all the time. I don't want an Average Me as the president, I want someone smarter than me!

Doesn't that just sum up the whole rhetoric of the Republicans so nicely?!
(Photo: Charlie Riedel)

Unpaid filmjob = happy PluPlu!!

Got a un-paid research job within the documentary film industry here! Tjoho!!! With some luck, the well known filmmaker will like me enough to actually engage me in the filming-part as well, but that will take place about 2010, IF she will get the money. Can't tell much more until the project is official. But I'm just so super happy to be able to work for such an well established and amazing filmmaker in Quebec. It's flattering - and exciting!

Whatch this!

YouTube rocks! Don't miss out on this super spin-off from the Budweiser commercial some years ago, remember the screaming dudes: Whaaaaaaasssssssuuuuup????!!!!
Well, here they are in a new shape, and it's not a commercial for Budweiser anymore..

Check it out here.

Fantastic day again of filmmaking

I came along with Magnus Isacsson and Martin Duckworth for a shooting they made in Montreal. It was a celebration of the famous montrealian Norman Bethune, who is a medical hero in China and Spain, and very much a respected man in Canada, but dead since many years ago. He made blood transfusion possible during the Spanish war and in China too he worked against tuberculosis and with blood transfusion etc. A very much interesting man! So they had a sculpture of him restored and put back in place in the heart of Montreal, with people like the representative of China in Canada, the mayor of Montreal and other known people. And me, but I'm not so known, just yet that is :)
So I "worked" as Magnus and Martins assistant for the day, seeing them in close-up work on the floor so naturally demanding their space between national TV-stations big cameras and photographers, and then later at a museum filming another session with prominent people. I mean, maybe not the biggest shooting, but wow, I'm just soooo thrilled and happy to have the opportunity to be with, learn from these guys and hopefully one day do it myself with more knowledge and confidence in my luggage. It's so inspiring and joyful to see somebody do the job they love! And I think they liked me, so who knows, maybe I will be asked to continue a bit more with them. I will at least join Magnus for a 2 days intensive course of documentary film making in late November, it's really expensive, but worth every penny, I hope!
Whoooohoooooooo!!! Happy happy PuPlu!!

Obaaaamaaaaa

I wanna quote a great thing said by an 60-something year old Florida former Republican voter, who now will vote for Obama. This is what she wrote on a New York Time's debateforum after the third debate between Obama/McCain:

"I am an independent who has voted Republican. I’m a pollster’s dream. I’m 60-year-old white woman in Tampa, Florida. I was a HIllary supporter.

I am going wtih Obama. I had decided this before the debate, but his performance tonight solidified my choice. I think that he demonstrated that he’s thoughtful, and can see shades of gray in the issues. These are the qualties that I want in a president.

McCain was kind of angry, that like Palin, he relied on talking points. He seemed hopelessly out of touch on the issues. I could not believe the school vouchers answer. His attacks felt sort of desperate and weirdly rehearsed; they often felt out-of-context.

The Joe the Plumber thing was comical. My younger brother is a plumber and he makes more than $100k a year. If the guy was going to make more money by buying the business, then he should pay more in taxes. I don’t think McCain’s argument here made much sense.

I own a small business. Yes, if you file as a sole proprietor, you could have income of more than $250k. But I also get a lot of tax breaks for my business — and would have more under Obama’s plan.

What McCain is glossing over is that if your business income gets that high, it frequently makes more sense for you to pay yourself a salary and file a separate return as a business/corporation. That’s why so few would be affected under Obama’s plan. (It’s something like 3%)

McCain looked angry, made snarky comments and said things that I know are simply not true. Obama needed to show that he’s steady and trustworthy, and I think that he did that.

What really struck me, particularly after sleeping on it, was that Obama would explain a point, often correcting McCain, who would then go on and make the same false statement again. I found this disturbing. My dad did that when he had early Alzheimer’s.

I thought that Obama’s comments on abortion were well thought out, too. I haven’t seen this issue discussed in a national forum.

I agree that Obama missed some opportunities. But I can understand why he played it a bit safe.

I don’t think that Obama needed to harsh on Palin. Watching McCain defend her was enough. Biden - great foreign policy experience. McCain said Palin was “refreshing” twice. What is she, an air freshener? Polls show that 35% of Americans think she is qualified to be president, and that number keeps going down.

Three weeks ago, I was on the fence. McCain’s “suspension” of his campaign woke me up. His negative campaign truly put me off. His people have called me saying he’s a Muslim and a terrorist. I’m not stupid, for crying out loud!

After the debate, I can’t wait to cast my vote for Obama!!
-Florida voter"

Fantastic day of filmmaking!

I had a fantastic day yesterday! I woke up by a phone call from one of my favorite documentary filmmakers in Canada, the Swedish born Magnus Isacsson. We meet at an outdoors opening event the night before, for the interesting art-"terrorist"-organization ATSA's new store CHANGE, and he now phoned to ask if I wanted to come with him to a sound studio at the national film board, for sound-mix of his new documentary. If I wanted to?? YES!
So, of we went, and I spent a whole afternoon in this spectacular mixing studio (which was big as a full cinema theater with the movie screen as the monitor!), watching and learning by the big guys. What a privilege! It was so inspiring to get to see how the high professionals work, and boy, it's very different from anything I have experienced so far in my own non-funded work. It goes fast, smooth, and nothing is too complicated when you have all these experts doing the job. For the sound mix, there was one sound designer who has been designing the films whole sound scape, one head sound technician and his sound assistant, the two directors (Magnus Isacsson and Martin Duckworth) - and me.
We later followed up the evening by attending an opening of a documentary film at Cinéma du Parc - Mirages d'un Eldorado by Montreal-based Martin Frigon.
This day has definitely been a turning point - or a more pin-pointed start, of my future. I'm overly happy! Thank you Magnus, for giving me this day!

Hockey-mom Palin

Oh my dear... It was time for the fight between the politic dinosaur and the Alaskan hockey-mom; Biden vs Palin. She made it through, squeezed herself painfully with a rapid tongue of jidderish and had the voice of a correcting mama. She did the same thing as her fellow friend McNoBrain, trying to persuasive the voters in a very, very patronizing way. It's funny, but to me Palin and her lapdog McCain come across as smearing aliens in their way of speaking and sometimes just as barking dogs. They have non what so ever credibility in my eyes, and it stuns me that anyone at all are even willing to be connected to their believes.

Palin hade it on her agenda tonight to not answer any question she could possibly avoid, with the result that not much clever came across her lipstick. She seemed well instructed and cleverly filled up with facts and dirty words on the Obama/Biden part, but no real statements. She did say though that she doesn't support gay marriage (nor does Biden, but he want's equal citizen rights within laws and society), she want more domestic drilling of oil, she wants to implement the now famous "surge-technique" that went on in Iraq to Afghanistan, even though the States own military general in Afghanistan have stated that that wouldn't work there, she also supports the idea of selling out the health care system to the private market, leaving the people unprotected to the market prices... bla, bla, etc.

Biden on the other hand, he's experienced enough to see when a kiddo has entered the game. He didn't fall for her tactic of trying to anger him and start pointing the finger against her. He kept himself cool, attacked McNoBrain hard, talked all about in favor of Obama and came across as intelligent, experienced and with an actual agenda of wanting good in this world. He was sharp and harsh in his critique of McCain, but I think he struggles a lot with his accessibility for the younger voters and the not so well introduced voters, in his way of rambling numbers and figures and long talks of complex politics. But the content that came through is that he knows what he's talking about and that he's trustworthy with a strong politic, plenty of great changes on the agenda and a mind set on peace. Which I guess is what the people wants to know.
Well, I say if you haven't already, watch it yourself, it's quite a show.

McNoBrain makes me giggle

I just saw the first debate between Obama and McCain, and I mean - HEEEELLOOOOOO???!!! How on earth can anyone even consider voting for Mc NoBrain? I agree with my M at home, when he said that he wouldn't even let McCain take care of our cat! Just by looking at his face, you KNOW he can't be trusted.

McCain made me giggle over and over, but also scared me with his nonsense. He spoke with this low, conspiracy voice, like "Liiiisten to meeeee, my dear old (read rich republican) friends. I'm the ONE to trust in all this. Trrruuuuust meeee..." Urk!
He repeatedly used Obamas words in his own answers, but it all came out fake. He tried to tell lies about Obama, but it kinda back-fired. And he had a sloppy and disgusting ending; on Obamas remarks that he wouldn't let the war veterans end up without economic help when they return sick and devastated, like many have been experiencing during Bush-time, McCain looked into the camera and said in a sad voice that HE LOVES the American veterans and they know he will take care of them. Bläääsch! Sooooo smootshy disgusting.

Anyway, happy to say that Obama did good, maybe not perfect, but really, really good, and McNoBrain wasn't much to have at all. He mostly looked like an ashamed and lost old dude. Now it's gonna be fun to see Palin facing Biden in their debate soon. But he better watch out, she's really a vicious character.

It's new, it's sassy, it's hot - iiiiiit's Madame PluPlu v.2.0!!!!!

Yes sir, I can boogie!, like ABBA sang during the happy years of my parents generation.
I'm back after a, hmm.. let's just call it an emotional vacation, or "djävla sommarlov", and suddenly it hit me, my dear Madame PluPlu with ALL it's enormous amount of steady readers (hello you few and blipping aliens in my space), you are all missed soooo much by me! So, here I am, in a new and never seen before hot comeback, that will forever clear your dubious mind on the topic of this side of the Atlantic called l'Amérique du nord!
It's new, it's sassy, it's hot - iiiiiit's Madame PluPlu v.2.0!!!!!
Stay tuned!

Happy immigrant!

Jajjemän! I've got a French course for immigrants - after all trouble and disappointment. Tjooo!
So, nowadays I'm studying French full time, unfortunately in afternoons/evenings, from 1 - 8 every day. We are a super nice bunch of beginners, trying to make this language into our won. But man, it's hard! Since I did take some classes before I actually feel like I'm quite good in the context of the beginners course, but it's still very, very hard. But I enjoy sooo much being there, learning and meeting all these amazing new people. At the moment I'm hanging out mostly with some Iranians, a bunch of happy Chinese, an energetic Indian, a cute Bangladeshi girl and some Russians, Cara bean, Colombians and Argentinians. It's quite a wird group together, but ojoj, we have so much fun! I love being an immigrant, well, at least for the sake of meeting others in the same situation. It's such an weird and outcast way of being, and you learn sooooo much about everything from life itself, longing, beeing outside, emotions, loneliness and belonging. It makes you humble in a way I never experienced before. Maybe I can say this because I'm an very lucky immigrant, guess things would have been different if I had to leave my own country due to other facts than pure love. I know. But still.

Viva la Espanol!

My new amazing friends are all from South America, a super nice mix of countries and the beautiful Spanish. It's full of happy laughter, friendly teasing humor and South American music. I love it! Unfortunately the two closest, whom I spend days learning French with and drinking tons of coffee, are both leaving back to their countries (Argentina and Colombia) in the end of June! Madre Mia! It's going to be sooooo lonely and quiet here without them. They are really making my life here lively and exciting. But me and my friend K from the states will be here, struggling along the path of love.

streets of Montreal

Does this feel like American streets to you? I'm thinking Amsterdam or maybe even in Austria somewhere. This is pictures from a nice neighborhood around the hip area of the Plateau. Like it! Common to see graffiti everywhere.

Bajja

Bah! Immigration rules! I didn't get my free 3 months French course due to some kind of an waiting list for at least 3 months! That's a looooong f***ing time when all you need is really the language! ANGRYYYY!!! And on top of those 3 months comes 2 months summer break for the courses, so my course won't start until late August! Man! Shitty immigration.

arty farty

Me and M went for the electronic art happening "Feed" at the festival Elektra yesterday night. It was supposed to be spectacular and cool and mind blowing. They talked about loosing track of space and find yourself lost in ambiance... öööh.. arty talk. Well... The artist was working with physical sound (you know, when your body starts vibrating due to heavy low frequency sound), 2D computer animation art, stage smoke/fog and strobe lights. All in all I would conclude it like this: after stressing to get there in time, we had to actually wait 40 minutes since it was delayed (supposed to start at 11 in the night), so by the time we were seated we were very tired. It starts with heavy sound (cool) and an arty animation on big screen with weirdly moving naked body floating around in the air, becoming multiplied and weirder as time went on (fun for the first 5 minutes). After kinda 10 minutes of not much actually happening, suddenly there came a heavy, duty fake stage-smoke, thick as grandma's whipped cream, and in an instant everyone around you in the audience dissapered in the fog and you found yourself "alone" and isolated. Cool! But irritating for the lungs and a bit like a sleeping pill. Then starts a flickering strobe light, music more intense and heavy, strobe a bit shifting with music... This was meditatively slow - and quite boring and after 15 minutes of nonstop of this, I couldn't help falling in and out of sleep, M too, I just didn't see it at the time. Then it was suddenly over, but the heavy smoke stayed and nobody could find their way out and everyone was coughing. Just great. Arty and weird. This is what they say in the festival program:
"... The loss of control that arises from this immersive environment assures a sensorial, emotionally satisfying and
truly alarming experience. This is a great opportunity for you to put your senses to the test… and experience something beyond understanding."
Yes, they were right - it was beyond my understanding - and the fire alarm actually did went of

mmmm... camera...

Today me and my French-class friend A went to look at some video cameras for me... Mmmmmm... I felt like a kid in a candy store.
This is the favorite so far. Canon XH A1

METAL head bang

Yes, my dude loves the metal scene and hard rock (sorry M, my categorization might be off the track a bit..), and since it's been his birthday recently, we decided to celebrate it a bit more by going for a show of metal music. And hey, it was the Swedish band Meshuggah playing, which M really likes), before the grand show of Ministry. Yes, it was hard rock/metal alright! I had a really good time, even though I had my earplugs stuffed extra deep in. Meshuggah ruled! It's dark, heavy and angry, every ingredience to make you wanna punch someone in the face. I really enjoyed to watch all these head banging guys and girls with looooong hair, on and off stage, some even sitting and head-banging. Rock'n'roll grandpa'! So, it won't convince me to start loving metal or hard rock, but it was great to actually be at a good show and just see it for real once. And Ministry, well, that's something. Very political, huge video screen showing really super good "film-sequences" behind, adding story to the music, a lot of Bush and war and anger and anarchy. And the singer was all dressed up in weird outfits and make-up, there was a cow scull attached to his mic stand and the band was performing behind a high metal fence, which was part of the staging, not for security. Very stylish! I only had one problem; I was sick as a half dead cow in fever caused by the measles (yes, it's true, all red dotted over my body!) and actually fell asleep in the middle of Ministry's show. Hmm... how's that for a resumé.
And a funny thing happened. Next to me in the crowed I spotted a known face, and yes, there she was, in all her glory: the Swedish Robyn! Hey hopp! I'm all surrounded by Sweden. :)

ROOOOAAAARGH!!!!

I found this very inspiring Swedish independent documentary filmmaker, well, she's been in Montreal for 15 years now, but anyway. So, she just won a film competition on social subject documentaries in Montreal and I wrote her a mail to just, well, I guess I was hoping for just a friendly contact, just to start somewhere. And boy, did I get friendly answer alright! She instantly invited me over and we had a nice chat and she for some reason just evoke that ROOOOAAAARGH inside of me that I've been hiding for so long out of bad self esteem (I guess), a scream that is shouting out loud inside of me:
I WANT TO BE AN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER!!!!!!

So, I say, let's do it!

Häpp!

TICK-TACK

I've discovered something that's makes a huge differens between living in Montreal and Stockholm: Montreal is somewhat timeless! In Stockholm, everywhere you go you will always find a clock ticking on a wall somewhere, right. Even the subway are divided into minutes, announcements coming out of delays by minutes and when is the next train to arrive, even buses have timeschedules by minutes announced on digital screens. But here subways are coming and going within 10 minutes interval, and you kinda newer know when. There's an exception from this at the biggest down town metro station and 2 more close to it, where BIG screens shows some kind of metro TV with commercials and some news and announcements of events (in silence) - and the time and next arrival of the train, but on all the other stations, people just walk down to the platform and wait knowing you won't have to wait more than 10 minutes, sometimes less than 1 minute. I love this! And usually there is no clock indicating time ANYWHERE to be found whenever you really need one! For the first time in my life I found myself having an actual need for my arm-watch, just as soon as I manage to remember to buy a new battery. Why I haven't done that yet? I still haven't seen ONE store selling clocks!

Future is near

Sorry, this might sound a bit rude, but that's not what I'm trying to say here, it's actually good news.
I went to see some newly produced films from filmmakers in Quebec. I was highly dissapointed. Sorry to say this, but it kinda gives me good hope about my own abilities... Take a really not happening student documentary film, too long (1 hour), add not happening camera and strange editing that never takes the story anywhere it wants to go - and then excellent mixed sound! - and you start wondering what's going on here? But after the credits rolled by you realize - it's been professionally funded by all kinds of Canadian fonds and film fonds - and therefor this so-so production can afford a professional sound mixing. Halleluja! This country are blessed with film fond money - and it doesn't seem hard to get it. Yeeeha!

kitkat

Trying to make our little kitten friendly with the BIG male cat of the B&B house... It's not going too well... (The kitten has many claws)

I'm an legal alien!

YES! Today we crossed the border to USA, swinged around the pole (fully dressed!) and entered into Canada again, got my final stamps and signatures in my documents for immigration - and Whips! I'M AN LEGAL ALIEN! So, now I have my immigration done and are now living in Canada as an permanent resident. Tomorrow I'm handing in my application for the Canadian social number, medical insurance and then a French course full time payed by the government for us immigrants. So, after 3 months of full time French, I believe I will be a master of the language, neh?!
Tomorrow we "move" to our new residency for a month - the Bed & Breakfast!
Miss you all!

D'oh! Var ä bruuudarna..?

Jag citerar ur DN:

"Simpsons portas i Venezuela

Den satiriska teveserien "Simpsons" fortsätter att skapa kontrovers i Sydamerika.

För ett par år sedan planerade Rio de Janeiros turistbyrå att stämma Simpsons-skaparna efter familjens kaotiska Rio-resa.
Nu kastas den dysfunktionella amerikanska kärnfamiljen ut från venezuelansk morgonteve i Caracaskanalen Televen. Venezuelas tevemyndighet menar att Simpson är ett dåligt föredöme för unga och sprider "budskap som går emot all uppfostran av pojkar, flickor och tonåringar".
Vilket program som ersätter "Simpsons"?
"Baywatch", såklart. "

Living spacious

We're doing a spring move - for 1 month only! Happen to meet this sparkling woman who after meeting me only once asked if maybe we would like to baby-sit her big house and cat - AND Bed & Breakfast! She's going on a trip for a month so we are from now on Bed & Breakfast "owners" right in the down town of Montreal! Hihi! Never thought that would happen.

So, need a place to stay?

Beer is fantastic

Yep, I told you so! In Montreal they have amazing beer culture, with their own micro breweries. My favourite place right now is Dieu du Ciel, that makes my newest favourite beer: Black Pepper Beer!
Check out their beer menu, quite impressive neh::
http://www.dieuduciel.com/en/beers.php?nom_en=

Mitaine - je t'aime

I know I know.. This cat-name will sound strange in Swedish, but it is a French speaking cat, so we just had to give her a French name. And it happened to be the first thing we called her when she first moved in, that got stuvked into our minds, so here it is:

MITAINE - which means Tumvante in Swedish. Why? Because she has six feet! yes, she's a bit strange, with like eight claws on each front foot. So, it really looks like she has Mitaine's on.

Je parle un peu français

Salut!
Finally! My French are going the right way!!! The other day I had my very first longer talk compleatly in French with another person than my own ego. Yes! It was actually one of the other immigrant french students, but she speaks very good French, way over me, since she's been here for 2 years now. But she speaks kinda easy light French, and not the crazy quebecois dialect they have here. And yep! I got it all! And I answered to in French, even though I speak bad turc-french, but hey, I'm just sooooo happy it finally starts!
Je me souviens!

St. Paddy's Day!!!

St. Patrick's Day! Tjoho! This is the crazy celebrated Irish day, when everything goes in green, I even saw a poor dog who had his fur colored green, and everyone are covered in green costumes and crazy hats and bracelets and anything green they could find in the dollarama shop.

We celebrated this strange event during a Sunday around lunch , first watching the HUGE parade (apparently the St-Patricks Day-celebration in Montreal is the biggest outside Ireland itself!) - then drinking beer like crazy and the mood in the Irish bar was very, very high - and absolutely PACKED of people, we could hardly move. I felt like I was back in the student pub in Norrköping at some sort of an "pubtömmning". I mean - CRAAAAZZZYYYYYY!!! Everybody sang and screamed and danced and drank like maniacs.
This is the only day when Montrealers are aloud to drink alcohol out on the streets in the open, so I believe this might have added to the high spirit. Everybody had a brown paper bag with a little something inside, including me of course. Stand up for your right - to paaaaaarrrrrrtyyyy!!

America behind bars?

I read an astonishing article the other day, saying that "... more than one in 100 American adults now is incarcerated, according to a study released yesterday by the Pew Center's Public Safety Performance Project."

Wow, what are they doing over there? Could it be that Americans are more criminal than other countries population, or is the system just more likely to sentence people to prison, even for minor offenses? Well, I choose to believe the later.
The article goes on:

"... Texas' prison population -- 171,790 -- is the nation's highest, according to the study. The study concluded that much of the growth in prison populations has to do with "a wave of policy choices that are sending more lawbreakers to prison and, through popular 'three-strikes' measures and other sentencing enhancements, keeping them there longer."
"... Men are about 10 times more likely to be incarcerated, but the female population is growing at a faster rate. The study also found that age limits jail time. One in every 53 people in their 20s is in prison, but above age 55 that falls to one in 837. Even so, between 1992 and 2001, the number of state and federal inmates aged 50 and older rose from 41,586 to 113,358, a jump of 173 percent.

The racial disparity is stark: While one in 30 men between the ages of 20 and 34 is behind bars, for black males in that same age group the figure is one in nine."

Yes, I'm amazed... This is crazy...

So happy I live in Canada, though, I haven't seen the figures here, yet...

Let me introduce...

Hi everyone,

I took a break from the blog, but now I'm back!

Let me present our new best friend - Theeeeeee ... *TAM-TAM-TA-TAAAM*
"No-Name" cat!!!

She came to live with us a week ago and we became best friends all three of us from the very fist moment. She's a loving purring-machine, full of energy and funfun! We are amazed. Didn't know how much I really missed having cat around, she really makes the home even more homey! Right now she's 4 months old, so bit too young to walk outside by her self, and there is amazing lot of snow too, so she would disappear, but as soon as spring is here she will be an outdoors cat for sure. She's already hunting down her toy mouse with precision and dedication.

So, she doesn't have a name yet, but it will come soon I think. Any suggestions?

Otherwise our life is good, M is working crazy and playing till I fear his fingers will fall of, he's good!, and I'm struggling with French and looking for jobs. So far I've applied for three really interesting ones I hope to get, but no news yet. I'll keep you posted.

Eastern is soon here, and then my best childhood friend C is coming, so I'm sooooo excited and happy about this.

Are you there? Let me know, fun to know if anyone is reading. Well, otherwise, at least I'm contributing to the information age.

Miss you all dearly!
Love/PluPlu

super article!

C sent me this article and when I read it I felt like it truly put words to how it feels to move to another country and not have the language. read it, it's really super! Thanks C! Sorry, only in Swedish...

http://www.00tal.com/arkiv/art9_10.html

happy times

Helloo,

I seem to be fading a bit in my updating of this blog, don't know if this indicates a good or a bad thing. I guess I have more things to do now than before that doesn't include a computer. Well, not that my life has taken such a drastic change, even though I now can officially stay in Canada and find a work, but I have a better feeling inside that came with these new possibilities. I'm happier, more out going and less likely to burst into tears for nothing. And that is an amazing change inside! And this makes me less motivated to spend my time in front of the computer and therefor less time spent on the blog. Sorry! I guess I'm happy! :)