tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37057580426078752702024-02-19T15:56:28.743+01:00Hyggelig and Giggly in OsloA blog of my fun and funny time in Oslo!hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-6790506497883926882008-07-22T13:57:00.001+02:002008-07-22T13:57:15.621+02:00Seems about rightSend a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-57062509620892141672008-07-18T12:55:00.017+02:002008-07-18T13:46:55.571+02:00Another sort of IndependenceIt seems I have made the cardinal sin of blogging - not posting in a long while. Yes, I have been on the computer. Yes, I have even visited my blog. I just didn't feel like posting. Naughty. Naughty.But never fear, I am here (now) and with pictures!!Unlike those of you in the States, I got to celebrate the 4th of July twice. Not only was there the independence celebration at the ambassadors hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-17724501694655141452008-07-01T14:05:00.005+02:002008-07-01T14:19:59.723+02:00Small Pond LifePart of serving at the American Lutheran Congregation, is that I am part of "the American Presence in Oslo". Sounds quite official huh? Well really, it just means that my swimming pond has shrunk a little. As an intern, I'm not really a big fish in a small pond, more like a medium size fish, or one of those helper fish. Or something.But in real life, it means that I get to attend events that hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-8748780080841415452008-06-27T18:17:00.006+02:002008-06-27T19:27:31.336+02:00Cultural OsloWhen one thinks of Norway, most people have visions of Norwegian sweaters, lutefisk, lefse, and tall blonde haired people. Well, in the past couple weeks I have encounted and lived in a Norway that is anything but this stereotype.A couple weeks ago, on a bright sunny day I was walking downtown when I heard some drumming. What is that? I wondered, and wandered across the street to check out thehyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-69742874623794424922008-06-13T13:22:00.012+02:002008-06-13T14:26:16.243+02:00Not NothingI was on the phone with a friend the other night, and he asked what was going on my life. I responded with my usual response, "oh nothing all that exciting. Its just life as normal."Naughty naughty. If I ever give you this response on the phone, I give you permission to laugh at me, or shake your finger at me. I realized after I got off the phone that much is going on in my life, I just tend hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-72772912087874450322008-06-05T21:46:00.004+02:002008-06-05T21:58:32.243+02:00Gratulerer med dagen! I turned 29 today. I'm not sure what to do with this age.Am I supposed to freak out?Am I supposed to begin feeling like an adult, since I will soon be 30?Am is this my free pass year, to live it up since this is the last year of my 20s?I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do with myself.Guess I'll just be the me that was created on this special day!hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-42253823331396575852008-06-03T15:51:00.008+02:002008-06-03T16:13:33.985+02:00The Cowardly LionI wore my collar all the way home from church on Sunday. I was nervous. I was paranoid. I was a little brave, to me.Gasp!! "What is so special about this?" You might say. "Did something traumatic happen?" No, it is not special, no nothing traumatic happened. I was just not such a coward as usual. You see, I normally take the little plastic collar part of my clerical shirt that identifieshyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-70072433417201882372008-05-29T12:36:00.017+02:002008-05-29T17:00:42.779+02:00Swedish BeautyI just returned from vacation with my visiting parents. It was great fun - full of many adventures, sites, and more family. On the 17th of May, we enjoyed the Norwegian Independence Celebration. It was a rainy and cold day, but we survived. We waved to the King, Queen, Prince, and Princess at the Royal Palace while watching all the school kids and bands parade up to the palace to pay their hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-9644109405911481212008-05-06T09:56:00.003+02:002008-05-06T10:17:03.736+02:00Early MorningThis morning the workers arrived at 7:15am to replace the front door of my apartment. I knew this was coming, so I got up mighty early, ate, showered, and dressed before they arrived. But, I wasn't sure what I would do with myself when they arrived. Yesterday, when they were working on the doors upstairs, it was quite noisy. But bearable, like living in a dentist's office. So, after they had hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-63286686934862096662008-04-30T15:05:00.001+02:002008-04-30T15:09:17.587+02:00Some picsI've put some pictures from Ghana up on my Picassa site. Not everything is up yet, but I'm working on it.hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-74410383436021602842008-04-30T14:33:00.009+02:002008-04-30T15:05:15.227+02:00Is that God Calling? After reading my last post, my brother asked me if I would go back to Ghana as a pastor in the future. Oh, the question of the day! While we were still in Damongo, I was trying to figure out the answer to this question, or more correctly, trying to figure out how I could finagle my answer to this question.I loved Ghana. I loved Damongo. Yes, loved. On our way out of Damongo, I said to Jim, hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-56004977055054416252008-04-24T14:43:00.004+02:002008-04-24T15:09:06.285+02:00Safe Return I have returned to Oslo safe and healthy, at least for now. The trip to Ghana was fabulous and more. Words don't quite work in this situation. I met so many amazing and warm people, lived in hot hot hot weather, was dusty and dirty from the moment I stepped out of the shower, and even learned some Gonja. I think I left part of my heart in Ghana, as I was ready to hop on the plane and return hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-79191919633903236612008-04-02T15:57:00.008+02:002008-04-02T16:30:56.722+02:00April Showers Bring More TravelsApril showers bring May flowers. We should have lots of flowers here in Norway, come spring!Experienced only my second funeral as a pastoral person yesterday. A beloved woman of the congregation passed away after a 2 year battle with cancer. It is good that she is no longer in so much pain and suffering, but hard on her family.This was my first service to go to the cemetery. Interestingly hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-14385145806498994672008-03-28T13:48:00.003+01:002008-03-28T13:51:30.581+01:00Familiar Much?Hmm, why does this cartoon make me laugh so much? Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.Hmm, not sure why this cartoon was ever drawn. It surely can't be true. Maybe I need to do some more internet research to figure out why this cartoon resonates so.hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-73707136342873601432008-03-26T15:32:00.008+01:002008-03-26T16:05:49.284+01:00Easter Dress Some people get a new dress for Easter. A pretty little number, sometimes with bows, sometimes with lace, sometimes with a matching hat. Others of us 'get' to wear the same clothes 4 days in a row. This grand fashion event culminates on Easter, when you would so much rather wear something besides the clerical collar, but well, this is a calling, and its not always up to you. And so you put hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-35944401587292770782008-03-25T13:25:00.009+01:002008-03-25T13:59:44.945+01:00Good Friday ReflectionsOur Good Friday service was a joint service with St. Edmund's Anglican Church. We journeyed through Eight Stations of the Cross as part of a traditional Way of the Cross' devotion and meditation service.I meditated on Station 3 and Station 8. For those of you who are still working through Good Friday, or who are like Thomas (who I get to preach on this coming Sunday) and can't quite yet believehyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-30082939920734267602008-03-19T16:06:00.007+01:002008-03-19T16:45:33.320+01:00For Real There's a new movie out in Norway called "Lange Flate Baller II" - yes it translates to what you think, but actually means 'Playing Wide'. But, its not the title that has gotten me, its the trailer or advertisement for the film that cracks me up. The trailer is actually a series of three trailers, but the first one gets the most play. Trailer #2 is quite funny too.The main trailer stars hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-78602445938490224962008-03-14T13:21:00.010+01:002008-03-14T14:05:27.997+01:00Lenten InternshipI've decided that internship is like lent. For those of you who are wondering what internship is like, just reflect on your own lenten journey (or the cartoon).First, you are all excited and wait in eager anticipation for lent / internship to begin. Oh, those ashes on Ash Wednesday. I love those! Finally, a chance to be with others and remember our mortality in this world that tries to tell hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-91826857304803220542008-03-13T11:37:00.006+01:002008-03-14T12:40:34.110+01:00Royal Wear Living in Norway, I've gotten a bit more insight into the role of the royal family in a country that continues to support royalty. Yet, my independent roots from the rebellious United States continue to cringe at the thought and concept of royalty. It baffles and frustrates me that a family, just because they are born into a certain lineage, are supported monetarily by the taxpayers just for hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-12052848385959357702008-03-06T16:54:00.010+01:002008-03-06T18:08:26.271+01:00The housing situationA certain someone (yes, my mother again) recently suggested to me that she would like to see more of my daily life - the interesting spots in Oslo I stumble across, my favorite Norwegian something, you get the picture. I was a bit reluctant at first because she will be visiting me in Oslo, so I didn't want to spoil the adventure of new discovery. But, oh well, I can never capture all the fun of hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-83816683287241609912008-02-28T17:50:00.011+01:002008-02-28T18:32:31.213+01:00Oslo fjørdMy mom recently asked why there aren't more pictures of the fjørd in my pics. In other words, why are your pictures more fun? Well, to be truthful, while it seems like I'm on some great vacation, I actually 'work' more than I get to see the sights. I am on a great adventure, but mostly my life is the same strange life of a pastoral intern.But, never fear, I did take some time to get some pics of hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-37146094701869469462008-02-22T11:56:00.015+01:002008-02-22T14:30:47.633+01:00Goings On My mom recently told me that I couldn't talk about the weather anymore. I'm sure that she will now tell me "no more knitting". Maybe I'm a bit obsessive compulsive, but maybe its just that my life tends to focus on certain things at certain times (or maybe I lead a very boring life). The funny thing is that when I'm actually trying to focus on something in the moment (like reading a textbook),hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-90645198118844215462008-02-17T19:49:00.014+01:002008-02-22T14:31:31.345+01:00Norske strikkingSince the time I saw my first pair of norwegian mittens, I have wanted to learn how to knit in such beautiful designs and they keep your hands warm! But, alas, I always figured it would be too hard for little ole' me who so loves to knit scarves! Knit mittens? And knit a fancy little design. Oh my! Plus, it requires a different technique right? Oh my! No way could I even desire such a skill, let hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-75777450503093078112008-02-14T17:04:00.009+01:002008-02-14T17:41:21.261+01:00Not liking lentI don't like lent anymore. Funny how things seem to flip around when one becomes a pastoral person, with all those pastoral responsiblities. I used to love the Wednesday evening community gatherings for worship and maybe some education time and of course food. I used to love that lent felt more focused. I used to love Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter (well, I have loved Easter recently, hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705758042607875270.post-91863543779037454702008-02-08T17:30:00.000+01:002008-02-08T17:54:56.121+01:00Giving Up for LentI've given up watching TV for lent. I've never given anything up for lent before, so this is a new experience for me. It seems like I want to watch tv more now that I have decided not to watch it than I did when I could watch tv. But, part of why I am giving up watching tv is that I felt like I was watching too much tv, instead of immersing myself in norwegian culture. Plus, I would often watch hyggelig_oh_giggleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06988748412295001447noreply@blogger.com1