A moment for Norwegians!

Still can't understand why. I hope the guy will live looooooong so that he understands and suffers from what he has done!

Thoughts to Norway

Just like many other people, I have given some thoughts to our neighbor country Norway yesterday and today. I've been trying to think of the reasosn from many angles and I'm now stuck with one simple question;

WHY?

Hot, hot, hot - in Finland scale

As we speak it's getting close to midnight - 1130'ish - and it is pretty warm outside for Finland scale. Normally we celebrate the few daytime tempratures of +25, but I guess many people who have a bit warm inside their houses are not happy.

Yep, it is half past 11 pm and it is +25C outside, the heat level, and soooo far away from the winter time.

There are many options for online weather forecast, here is one Finnish option with Iltasanomat.fi.

Today was a great day getting towards the end of the first holiday week. After yesterday's fabulous lake house afternoon and evening, completed with wooden heated sauna, swim in the lake, bbq, and particularly good time with friends, I got myself to the gym for a morning exercise. Naturally at summer time I - whenever possible - do the warm-up and cool down afterwards outside. What could be better than do a short bicycle ride and minimize the time used indoors.

Yeah, someone there thinks why I don't do all the exercise outdoors, for example by swimming in the sea? Yesterday I did combine the sauna and swim with putting a bit effort for the swim and getting the pulse up but that just is not enough. I can't get similar impact to the core muscle or full body exercises outside the gym.

Same thing is stopping me to put in the hours for golf - instead of for example basketball and gym: I could not get the exercise I need! I would not be able to feel myself exhausted, and I can tell you it feels gooooood!!!

Hmmm, back to the day; After getting some things done at home we went to Helsinki City Centre for a leisure day out. Nothing special, hanging out, eating some good stuff and enjoying the city in a great weather. 

Or there was actually one thing to do - almost a ritual I'd say: I sold all of my LP records to a second hand shop. I didn't have many of them left but still, it was not easy to let them go and at the same time say goodbye to the LP player as part of the old, traditional stereo set. But now it's done and I already regret that I didn't save for example 5 of them. Perkele!

After a fantastic trout BBQ, again with herring, fresh season potatoes and as an additional dish for the gents a bit sausage, Spanish Chorizo and German Bratwurst.

The it was time for a movie: The teacher was in one sense BAD but on the other hand she was something else. Well, in my mind it is not easy to make Cameron Diaz bad... Check out the trailer from here. I'd say it is pretty handy to have the movie theatre one kilometer away as you can either walk, cycle or drive there.

Well, I know one couple who lives across the street from Kino Tapiola so that's a LOT closer. He even checked out for me one Saturday if the book store next to the movie theatre was open.

And after a chill out after movie evening I'm finishing off by writing to you some thoughts - just for the sake of it. Not sure if anyone is really interested but still. I would have shared some pics with you but I gotta do it with the other PC so that I can use the bluetooth from the phone. But that is now for later.

Take it easy and enjoy the summer as long as it is where you are! I've made sure my summer continues with fantastic weather - and food and culture and so on - as I'll be heading to Spain soon!!!

Hasta la proxima amigos!

PS Regards from Aruba! I guess that was in mind of the person who just recently visited the site from Aruba. Perhaps I should check out more about the country. Info available from the flag list, then clicking the country and so on...

How about checking the signs before printing?

There are numerous needs to print something in public places. Some more public than others, but still I think it would be fair to put a little effort in checking the language. And particularly to check that it makes sense in the language that is not your strongest one since foolish mistakes happen.

Just like happened with the Swedes like I wrote earlier. I know Finnish is a difficult language but even that can be checked.

I'm not that sure about the English versions of the following sign - and particularly I have no idea of the Estonian ones - but the Finnish one in the lower text is a bit funny.

But not as funny as the one below since this is plain stupid. Or are the week days different from one language to another?

The beer sale is from Monday to Friday as you can see in the sign above, but the Finnish text shows Monday to Thursday...

Way to go Linda Line!

Helsinki Cup 2011 - Fabulastic!!!

If you love the European junior football, soccer, Helsinki Cup - link here - has been your thing during the past week. And tomorrow is THE crown for the week. But my heart weeps - as any sports parent can understand from the following...

My Main Man K was playing there and I can tell you he played a fantastic tournament with the team; they won their group without any losses - and with a pretty decent goal ratio. They got all the way to the semi-finals, that is playing for a place in the finals but then the nasty side of these tournaments stepped in:
The pitch was very small and hence the more skilled team (with good conscience) was not able to use their benefit and drawed the game.

Well, to keep the schedule it means directly penalty shots which is never, ever a sportsman way to finish a game but that's part of football today. They had won one other penalty shoot out in the tournament, but now mrs Fortuna was not on their side and they need to "settle" with bronze medals.

Not bad to be in top 4 out of 72 teams - not that far from the crème de la crème of their age group...!

The finals and the medal ceremonies are tomorrow and also the bronze medalists are expected so that's where I'll be tomorrow morning. Smiling! 

Still few words about the time before the semifinal;
I was nervous. Perkele I was nervous. Even more nervous than ever before my own games - and I've had them all the way up to the top level in the Finnish basketball league. I guess the main issue was that I had no control what so ever to the game. I've been coaching my son in both football and basketball for years and helping out coaching my daughter's basketball team, but that's piece of cake as you can sense the team's temperature, mode and readiness to the game - and influence it. When you are at the sideline, it bugs me a LOT to sit back and enjoy.

Referring to what I wrote earlier, it is not helping that I put myself into the performance of my own games 120% and now that I'm on the sideline without influence, I am emotionally in 120% but as I should be a silent partner it makes me suffer.

When you add on top of this the following facts, it's no wonder that there is sometimes a bit of extra discussions;
- I hate unfairness, even if it's based on the referee's mistake
- I really hate incompetent, casual and negligent behaviour towards players who put in all they have. And when this comes from the person who in most of the cases is the only person being paid on the pitch, it just simply is unacceptable. And unfortunately I have seen it a LOT both playing and coaching - and also nowadays being a fan. 90% is just not enough!
- I have opinions, and I am not shy to share them. Hence in case of the above, it's difficult to let the bad performance go. And as I'm not in a position to handle it properly via coaching sessions, an instant feedback feels better even if it is not coming in the heat of the moment. Despite of the fact that one should let the players, coach and the referee do their job as particularly the referee is always right...!

Yes, I love sports in all of it's forms. Even when the almost nude ladies are sunbathing and rolling on the beach, getting themselves sandy... Yep, that's sports too!

Go sports, go K, go me, let's sweat and enjoy it!!!

PS Tomorrow - or most of you today - Saturday is the finals of the Helsinki Cup. If you are in Helsinki, why don't you go there to enjoy a moment of fresh air, sports feeling and some enthusiastic football - that's different from what you see on TV!

PPS Honka is playing a home game again next week both on Thursday and on Sunday, check it out from here.

Social team spirit

The Social democratic party in Finland has made a comeback to the government. Many have been wondering what has been the secret behind the success, but I can reveil it to you;

It is the extremely good teamspirit, where the members are so close to their colleagues' presense particularly in the meeting environment.

Need some proof...?

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Well, what do you say about this?

And while we are in politics, here is a reminder from Italy; Perhaps not all of them have a good taste with what they put in their mouth - and remember, somebody is watching you all the time...

Firstly, I'd like to tell you how fantastic it is to watch your kid play sports. Or perform arts. Or do whatever they feel confident and happy enough to show to the other people! In principle, hatever they are doing, where one can clearly do well!!!
I just love it - even more than to playing myself and I gotta tell you I LOVE TO PLAY SPORTS!!!

Basketball is my game and Honka jersey is the only Finnish club jersey that I have worn in any official games, both basketball and football. It all started with the elementary school football team where I was asked to join the local club Honka. This version is a shortcut (perhaps I'll tell you more later on...), but after playing for a while with the team mates who also played basketball, they asked me to join in the b-ball team.. What a surprise, I was a head taller than the other guys... - but on the other hand, my skills were not that good to start with.  sit back in a relaxed moment and have FUN!!!

With heavy shortcuts in the story, I chose basketball at the end and the only time I had (on top of the Finnish team invites) to give a serious thought for an option to play in another team an official game was in Belgium. And that was soooo much fun but at the same time realisticly out of scope at this age from what  most of you can think about. Let's leave the details for the later "Sports History of Me ;o) ..."

To overwrite what I just said in the first part about kids' sports, actually my feelings towards my own kids's performance is a lot more than liking: I feel in my guts what they are doing and since they are my blood, you can imagine the adrenaline going on in my body...

I live the game of my kids even more full than I live my own games. And I can tell you that I put 120% of myself into the games - both physically and otherwise.

One thing that I'd be happy to set aside in my mind is the referees. No matter what the calls or their approach is, I should act accordingly and remember that they are the ones "mastering" the game and keeping it in balance. I hate to see the ups-and-downs in the quality of them, but ref's, please make sure that if you put on a jersey of a referee, you are as well equipped and motivated as the guys/players are!!!
...and in some cases you are the only one being paid for the job so please respect the honor.

I have a story to tell with the sports, I guess what made me what I am sportswise, but let's save it for later on. What I can guarantee you, is that my story is not as exciting as the one of Seppo Kuusela's autobiography "Hyppyheitto". The key messages after getting half way of the book are;
"Sports - that's my thing / Playing/training activity / Multiple sports - don't stick with one sports or you'll be lost! / Training for myself - not for anyone else / Have fun with the training / More fun than ever - as I love sports...!!!

But the planning of how to tell the story will get further in Ribis in Tapiola, Finland.
Hyvää ruokahalua ja menoa...


MIKA

Hmmmm,

Black or White Nights...?

C'mon guys, I know how the drill goes up here in Finland but could you please tell me what's going on as our guests left a short while ago and I'm wondering when shall it get dark. And it's now 2:30 am in the morning.

Yep, the Finn buddies reading this are thinking: "Mitä hittoa, kyllä sä nää hommat tiedät" and they are right - I just want to get you not-so-customed-to-Finnish-standards guys  a reminder what the white nights are all about.

Again;
Hyvää Juhannusta - Have a great Midsummer!

Juhannus - Midsummer, Fantastista - Fabulastic!!!

Juhannus, Midsummer can be either horror or fantastic, depending on how you make it happen - or how you take things as they are. We headed towards the market place down town Helsinki in the morning. We had three objectives; get a not-so-healthe-breakfast, get fantastic new season potatoes with some fresh peas and carrots, and as somewhat last minute idea from last night to meet a person who will be reading this.

The city was still quite busy waiting to die right after noon, the market place athmosphere was as usual in a busy day, potatoes were fan-fxxxing-tastic and both the carrots and peas were as great as expected. Niiiiice!!!

In few hours they will set the bonfire by the beach cafe - same as they will do in some thousands of places around Finland. The tiipii-shape thing at the back will be on fire in a short while...

As you can see we've had a pro photographer on the job.

If you are around the last minute (I believe family E is in the more popular place), Cafe Mermaid is the place to be.

For the day some setting up of the house after the move, cycling to the seaside cafe for the Midsummer moments, Finnhits music at home, fantastic sauna at home, bbq with overwhelming tastes and - should I say - the best company one can imagine!

Hyvää juhannusta - Have a fabulous Midsummer!!!

Sun, Sushi and Midsummer

Oh baby, please feel free to let the sun come here more often than occationally during the day. Today we've had mainly stormy weather with heavy rain, rainshowers, clowdy wind breezes as well as the few sunny moments. Temp around +15 C sounds quite ok but with the wind it is not what I would prefer.

Today it was a bit windy by the seaside but the windsurfers loved it.

On the other hand, it is hell of a lot better Midsummer weather than some years. We've had some Midsummers with sideways rain and temp between +5 and +10C...

On Tuesday was the longest day of the year, the solstice. In Helsinki that is in Southern Finland the sun came up at 4 am and went down at 11 pm. The time of a really dark time is around 1 hour so we are again in the times of getting back from the nightclub with a sunlight. Up in Lapland, in Utsjoki the white nights started on 18 May and the normal days will come back on 28th July. That's why also Santa is on summer holiday...

I've written about these also earlier, use the search word Lapland on the left side of the blog.

By the way, the last time I did it was a year ago when we have fantastic visitors from all over Europe - and that was a fabulous weekend!
Thanks guys!

Our new bedroom has got fairly small window, but the morning sun hits it. Surely we have curtains but I'd want a balance between light in the room and a good night sleep. Let's see if we'll look for some other alternative for the white night season. Well, sleeping is a waste of time anyway.

Today we Finns took off from the office towards Midsummer festives. Sooo many Finns headed towards summer cabins, but even though we have 180.000 lakes, 2.000.000 saunas and about half a million summer cabins - most of them at the lakesides - not all of us have one or are heading towards such. Many of us stay in the city and we are one of them.

Surely I hope and trust the weather will be better so that we get to enjoy outside more, but what ever it will be tomorrow will be bbq time!

But tonight it was not that traditional Finnish food - we had sushi. HYVÄÄ!!!
L&D,
I guess we are pretty laim for Finns as the sake bottle is still unfinished. There's not much left but still - it has been several years even if it's 1.5 liter bottle...

It's Midsummer eve tomorrow. That means most Finns get wasted and many of us on summer cabins. We'll start the day down town Helsinki having breakfast at the market place. At the same time we can get fresh season potatoes from the market place.

Then enjoying the day slowly towards evening bbq. Let's see what we'll figure out for the day time - if the weather is good, we could stroll down to the seaside cafe for some refreshments, seaside air, nature and perhaps they have for the eve some ball room dances coming up. But we'll have our bbq waiting so dances only on our patio.

Have a great Midsummer - Hauskaa Juhannusta!

PS I'm afraid there will be at least 10 people drowning during this Midsummer - too many of them with zippers open - and potentially another 10 on the road kills so please guys let's be careful and smart out there!!!