KIMI IS BACK!!!

I am happy to admit that I was half wrong: Kimi Räikkönen is the next new Finnish Formula1 driver, not Valtteri Bottas!

http://www.lotusrenaultgp.com/8034-Kimi-Raikkonen-back-in-F1-with.html

I really hope he will have a competitive car next season, same as I wish the "other" Lotus will pick up their technology and also Heikki Kovalainen has got a chance to race for single-number positions.

Gentlemen, start your engines...!

HYVÄ KIMI!!!

PS 25 nights until Christmas!

Bad Christmas Lights - Malttia Jouluvaloihin!

Now that our American friends have finished the Thanksgiving turkey and turn the mode towards Chirsmas, I think it's time to think about what christmas lights and how we should put up. Some seem to think it is stylish enough to just throw up a line of lights on a tree, but I've got news to you: It's not!

Also some should understand that sometimes less is more. That means you should not put up eeeeeverything you have purchased along the years, particularly without any planning. For some examples, you can visit http://www.uglychristmaslights.com/2011_collection/merry_christma.html

There are some innovative solutions out there too, this one is perhaps my favorite even if I would not put it up on my house...

Eli malttia jouluvalojen kanssa; ihan kaikkea ei tarvitse laittaa esiin - ja toisaalta jos laitatte jotain, tehkää se kunnolla.

27 yötä Jouluun - 27 nights to Christmas! And one additional to the ones who celebrate on 25th...

PS I'm still looking for an answer to my question about futurology, what is that in relations to photography.
Eli etsin vieläkin vastausta kysymykseeni http://withlovefromtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/11/hei-linssiluteet-mika-hiton-futurologia.html 

Hei linssiluteet, mikä hiton "futurologia"?

Kävin läpi historiallista materiaalia ja siellä tuli vastaan mm. Suomen Valokuvaajain Liitto ry:n jäsenelle myönnetty

"KURSSITODISTUS

FUTUROLOGIA"

Myöntämispaikkana on ollut Aulanko Hämeenlinnan kupeessa ja ajankohta maaliskuun 19 armon vuonna 1973. Kurssitodistuksen allekirjoittajina ovat toimineet "puheenjohtaja" jonka nimen tulkitsen olevan Sirkka Kallama, sekä "asiamies", joista erityisesti tuon jälkimmäisen nimen tai oikeastaan roolin haluaisin kaivaa vähän syvemmälle.

Jos joku teistä mahdollisesti tietää mitään(!) erityisesti tästä futurologia-osasta niin kertokaa! Jos ette kerro, kiroa teidät alimpaan kurssitodistusfuturologiaan niin syvälle kuin objektiivi kattaa...!!!


UGH!

The next Finnish Formula1 driver!

Ladies and Playboys, may I introduce the next Finnish Formula1 driver, Valtteri Bottas!

http://www.iltalehti.fi/formulat/2011111714774156_fo.shtml

About 3 years ago I sat next to him on a flight when he was returning to Belgium from one of the last races that season. He had already won some title and was after another. I gave my son a card with his signature and a message "he's gonna be in F1 some day". And it seems I was right after all...

Well, I guess the crash in famous Macao race didn't harm the plans but let's see if he is in already next season. Follow the dark car starting from the second row and taking 2nd position, crashes a bit on 5th lap.

Or will Kimi Räikkönen make a come-back.

I feel good...!

One of the not-so-fun-or-enjoyable traditions in Finland is the joint voluntary day of the house community you live in, talkoopäivä. When preparing for the winter, it is quite important to clean up the yards particularly from the leaves, fix what's needed and move the necessary stuff to the storage.

Too bad the Blues lost their game against the league leading team Kalpa, where also Sami Kapanen - a former NHL star plays as a main owner of the team.

Still, it has been a heck of a day!

Groceries.

6 hours of outdoor work with 2 shirts sweated.

Common beneficial work done.

Arranged our outdoor shed and moved some stuff to indoor storage for the winter.

Sauna with wifey.

Best pizza in town avec olut.

Big couch with a glass of wine.

Bright sky with the stars.

Relax...towards tomorrow's soccer fan stuff.

...WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD...

Go Blues!!!

7 wins in a row, wow!!!

Espoo Blues took a nice 2-1 win from local competitor, HIFK from Helsinki - the team that beat the Blues in the finals last season. Despite of this, the highlight of the game was HIFK's only goal scored by Markus Granlund.

Howcome?
It was almost a duplicant to his big brother Mikael Granlund's goal from last May's World Championships: air hook goal that you can find from Youtube and from here.

Those bro's are something else...!

Still, Go Blues - Hyvä Siniset!!!

The Brunch

The brunch on Sunday was great - just like the rest of the day. Sorry that the pic is low quality, the phone cam is not the top level...

PS We won the basketball game on Sun eve, which was very positive after all the hits and bruises. Also the scored 16 points helped the mental recovery from the pretty physical game :o)

Hyvää Isänpäivää - Happy Father's Day!

Today many countries celebrate the Father's Day - Isänpäivä, and Finland is one of them. My day has been until now, midday, pretty good one. Wake up at a pretty good time not to waste time, and heading to the (indoor as it's +5C outside) football pitch for my son's football practice.

Today it was more than a practice: we played Fathers against Sons football match and I can tell you, it was FUN! The boys won by one goal, 7-6 I guess, but who cares (except everyone on the pitch) as the main thing was to get another father-son experience together. Naturally the mothers were cheering, I guess equally to both sides even though my wife said that perhaps next year they will need to start cheering the fathers as we are getting to be on the weak side...

Now after the shower I took the time to sit down on the couch while the rest of the gang are preparing a fabulastic brunch with karjalanpiirakka, munavoi and mud-cake. I guess there's some Mimosa available too, even if I target to play a basketball game still tonight.

Hyvää Isänpäivää kaikille, myös omalle Faijalleni siellä missä olet!

Happy Father's Day to all!

Hope also you get the treatment you deserve!

15.000 - and the story goes on - and on - and on...

Kiitos paljon! Tack så mycket! Grazie 1000! Muchas gracias!Thank you! Danke schön! Dank u wel! Merci beaucoup!

Somehow you have made this 15.000 happen...
And yes, I know that for some of you the image shows a bit wide.
However, when you visit and potentially wish me to say something else or more: PLEASE SAY SOMETHING! It feels most of the time pretty damn stupid to talk by myself...

Hyvää yötä!

Nenäpäivä - Red Nose Day

Tonight we've had the local Red Nose Day program in the local TV, the Red Nose Day as it's known on BBC. Many thanks for the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, even though let's keep as a target to make it next time even a bit better!

In Finland, I'd say my favorite was the SUURI VHS ILTA 2011, the GREAT VHS evening with local insane comedy characters... Thank you for finishing it off with Normipäivä :o) It's on YouTube, but I can't link it via this laptop.

Anyways, the YLE program collected over 2.000.000 Euros so great job!!!

PS I am thrilled for Riki Sorsa for beating the cancer that was expected to a) end his singing career and b) end his existance on the planet and tonight he was singing his ass off!!! Hyvä Riki!!!!!!!

Mucha dinero - Prices in Spain

I came across with some old receipts and decided to share some price info from Andalucia, Spain with you. Make up your own mind if they are cheap, expensive, or something else...

Some restaurant prices;

• 6 portions = raciones of different seafood, bread, 8 x soft drinks, 4 x water bottles, 2 x 0,75 liters of Rioja wine, all together 67,80 Eur in our favorite restaurant
• Pizza in a bit better restaurant with wooden chairs etc 8,90-10,50 Eur
• Pasta in the same place +/- 9 Euros
• Similar pizzas and pastas you can get for 5~6 Euros in a restaurant with plastic chairs

From grocery store;

• 2 liters of Pepsi, Pepsi Twist that we don't have in Finland, for 1,19 Eur
• 6x2 liters of still water á 0,23 Eur = 1,38 Eur
• Irish Cream 0,7 liters 4,88 Euros
• 12 x 0,33 liters of San Miquel beer á 0,49 Eur = 5,88 Eur
• Rioja wines from ~1,5 Eur up
• Philadelphia fresh cheese 150g 1,48 Eur
• Oven pizza 2,49
• Not much different from Finland
• Plastic bag 2 cents
• Yep, much weaker than the Finland 20-40 cent versions, but still

Others;

• Billabong's fabric wallet 10 Euros - youngster's choice... 
• 6 people access to BioParc Zoo, an amazing one in the middle of the city, 76,80 Eur including some sort of flyer discount of 20%
• Access to a big water park, Parque Acuatico Mijas, adults 19 Eur, kids 14 Eur

Adios con poco dinero...!

PS You better save some money in your pocket to pay for a taxi of 29,4 kilometers, as it can cost you 61,40 Euros...