While awake...

The obligatory links of interest...

The "Yearning for the socialist hell hole" article in the Helsingin Sanomat gives an interesting view of what we look like from one Finnish perspective!
More Scandinavian reality (that you really should read to get a good grasp of what is happening there) while you're at it.

And ohmygod, you like so have to read this.

While awake...

Today I visited JPL. I still have fake Martian red soil on my shoes after having stood right next to the replica of Spirit in the simulation lab. I have met the coolest, smartest and best nerds of space technology and science, and during my drive back home in the orange and purple sunset of South Pasadena right before one enters Downtown L.A. I found myself smiling; what an absolute adventure I am living! What a great country this is!
I have actually got the freshest information about the Mars Exploration Rovers from the primary sources themselves! From the people who built and planned the whole mission. How awesome is that!?

The Elves are in Town!

The Elves are in Town!



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While awake...

This year I have a true Christmas spirit. Now that it's December and Advent time I can officially admit that I have been lighting candles every night for over a week so I could enjoy the coziness of the live and burning candles, and that I have already signed all my Christmas cards!

As further evidence of my growing spirit of this season...
• I will bake gingerbread cookies from scratch, something I haven't done since I moved to the U.S. I have cookie cutters already, and one of them is in the shape of Finland.
• I will fashion a wreath from actual living fir tree branches.
• I will do a proper Finnish Christmas cleaning before I put up any decorations.
• I will (as I have done for years and years) watch "The Snowman" on Christmas Eve and I will need a full box of Kleenex and a warm blanket to get me through to the end... If you haven't seen this masterpiece, make haste and watch it on Christmas Eve. I simply love the music.
• I will not skip days on my German chocolate Advent Calendar... (yeah, it almost sounds like a promise)
• I will make glögg often.
• I wish I could make a real Snowball lantern.
• I will bring out the elves! Tonight!

God Lillajul!