pikkuinen

Alright, update on the internship-situation!

I sent out the applications to Jyväskylä, Lahti and Tampere II on Monday. Here's what's been happening since then:

University of Tampere (I): I wrote back to them last week, telling them the application wasn't for THIS year, but for NEXT year. The woman, Leena, got back at me today, saying she'd talk to her supervisor again, she'll get back at me next week. I think she's pissed at me, though that ipression might also be due to her bad English.

Technical University of Tampere (II): I got an answer today, saying they had experience with interns, but only from the University of Tampere. Also, they usually get money from the university for taking in interns and they only employ them for up to three months, not six. Nevertheless she told me she'd ask her supervisor again as she'd love to have me. Flattering much?

University of Jyväskylä: Oh my god! I got an answer yesterday from the big boss, Kimmo. He told me he had made great experiences with German LIS-interns at the library he worked at before and that he could very well imagine taking me in for the internship. But he also asked whether I was aware of the high living costs in Finland and whether I'd be able to get student grant or a scholarship. I replied this morning, saying that I was aware of all that, that I am able to get money through the Erasmus program and that I also have some money saved up, which will definitely be enough. He'll ask his colleagues for their opinion on June 1st.
He sounds so fucking nice!
Also, he got one of the Call for Papers on Monday, as I had put him on the list. Apparently he recognized my name (as me and Hannah had 'signed' it) and then told me in another mail this morning that: Hey! It's so cool that you're part of Bobcatsss! I was a Keynote speaker at the 2009 conference in Porto!
Awesomeness, I broke down in hysterical giggles xD

No answer from Lahti yet.
What the hell am I supposed to do if they all say yes in the end? xD It'd break my heart to 'reject' Kimmo, but Tampere is still my first choice in a way. Anyway, we'll see what time will bring.

I got four mails from Finland within two hours today. Jyväskylä, Tampere I and II aaaaand Oulu! Hanna got in touch with me and she seems super-excited about her semester abroad. She also seems to be really nice. One more Hanna in my life, you can never have enough of them :P <3

Well... instead of writing that paper I finished three more applications. They will be sent out tomorrow to TUT Tampere, the Library Services of Lahti and the University Library of Jyväskylä.
The one in Lahti sounds quite good actually. They're opening a whole new centre for information and education in August and the concept sounds great. Also, they have a 'tutor for LIS students' listed in their staff, which means they've got experience with interns like me. Well, we'll see. I'd still love to live in Tampere, but if TUT doesn't want me either... well, we'll see :)

I also got an e-mail from our 'international office' asking if I was interested in being a 'buddy' to a girl from Oulu who will spend a semester at my uni from September on. They know me well... *giggles* Of course I said yes and my mail-address has now been forwarded to Mrs Hanna Taskinen ;)

And now I'll have some noodles and vegetarian bolognese... and then I guess I'm back to the paper. Don't wannaaaaaa >.

So... I went to university yesterday just because I wanted to buy books. I had a lecture, too, but honestly, I would have skipped it and stayed at home if it hadn't been for the booksale xD

Have a picture of the stack of 20 books that cost me 10€ :D

( Booklove )

I'm at work. And trust me, this is not a calm morning, although there aren't many people in here^^
An hour ago a girl came downstairs and told me the book-scanners weren't working. So I locked up the cash box, shut down the computer and locked the door because otherwise I am not allowed to leave my table as I am alone in this building until 2pm.
Went upstairs, chekced the scanners and realized there's no electricity. Damn. Went downstairs again, checked our super-awesome emergency-folder and looked up what to do in case of an outage. It told me to check the fuse box. Now where the hell is that one?! Luckily, the super-awesome folder also has floor plans and the fuse boxes are marked red, whoohoo! Found it, checked it, found a fuse that was flopped down, called technical support. The guy told me 'Oh, it's fine, just flop it back up again.' Duh. So I ran upstairs again (all that while people were impatiently waiting to get in or out of the library), flopped that fuse up and ta-daaah! Everything was working again. Nice. Now why couldn't that have happened after 2pm? My colleague would have been here and there would have been no need to lock everyone up -.-

I can't do anything for university right now, seems like both servers are down. The homepage doesn't work, just like the e-mail-accounts and moodle. Damn. I need to work on that paper, my scripts and the list of addresses >.<

On a very happy note, the library at my university is throwing out a lot of books and the students can buy them for 50 cents. I'll bring a biiiig bag on Monday. They're even selling novels and children's books :D

Remember how I used to have stomach-aches every day a few years ago? I think the pain has moved to my head now. I've been taking painkillers regularly for the last two weeks and it just won't fade away. It's driving me mad.

Adding to the madness is the fact that it's spring. And everybody seems to be developing feelings of some sort. Not necessarily of the good kind, but usually directed at some guy. There's this annoying girl at uni who had something going on with the really annoying guy in my class... he's got a girlfriend though, so now she's interested in some other guy from my class and they were sitting in front of me today and she was hitting on him all the fucking time and it made me want to punch both of them.
And then there's my friend who is telling me about her boyfriend every day... not directly, but he's in every fucking conversation we have... 'and, oh, my boyfriend did... my boyfriend always says...' For fuck's sake, I know his name! There's no need to call him your boyfriend all the time >.<
And then there's the other friend who's been away for a while and whom I miss quite a lot. Our conversations have been getting fewer and fewer. She doesn't say much when I write to her on MSN... but I'm always the first address when she has some problem or other with some guy I don't know. Why does she ask me? I mean, I feel honoured that she trusts me enough, really... but I can't help her with anything concerning guys. And it hurts to hear how many guys are interested in her. The latter is selfish, I know, and I'm sorry.
Just please stop suffocating me with all your boyfriend/men-related talk. There's nothing I could add to the conversation. It makes me feel stupid and inferior.


( On a happier sidenote... have some pictures )

Alright, so a few weeks ago we got group assignments in one of the lectures and I was paired up with two girls I didn't really know. Which was fine with me as most of the 45 students in my year are really nice. We did the research together and it was okay. A week later we were told to do a powerpoint about our results. Deadline was last Wednesday. I put the presentation together on Monday because none of the other two had sent me anything and sent it to them via e-mail, asking them to have a look and tell me what they think.
I never got an answer. Which made me pissy, but well... I uploaded the presentation to our e-learning server, ready to hold a little speech the next day. It never happened and she said we didn't have to do it as our topic wasn't that important.

This morning I woke up to a headache, so I decided to skip the first two lectures. When I finally came to university a friend told me the other two from my group had to hold the presentation today. I am not the least bit sorry.

On a happier note, I'm having tomorrow and Monday off. Sleep, yay. Or not, I'll get up early tomorrow and watch Disney movies all day :D One of our TV programmes is having a special.

Oh, and to everybody who has heard of Stuttgart 21... this is what happened right in front of nose yesterday morning. It was filmed from the rooftop of my university building. I was sitting with my back to the window when our lecturer suddenly looked very confused and told us to turn around xD

http://www.gmx.net/themen/nachrichten/deutschland/787is1y
The building they're showing is Stuttgart's new public library, it will open in autumn.
(And yes, it is funny that it is being built right in front of our, future librarians', eyes)

I'm not even one week into university and I'm all stressed again. Wednesday and Thursday are awful, I have lectures non-stop. Thank goodness the summer semester is so short, I only have three months to go, including three weeks of holidays and two extended weekends.

I'll have another three lectures tomorrow, we'll see if they're more interesting than the ones I had so far <.<
We also got more people to the Bobcatsss-team... four guys. Of the type I usually try to avoid. We'll se how that goes.
I met Alex today before lectures started... he poked my shoulder so hard it still hurt half an hour later. How I missed him. Not.

Tomorrow night will be great. I'm meeting up with some old friends. A Friday night at Chris' house... just like the old times <3 This is just what I need right now. A night with people that love me and have been there for me for more than ten years. It will hopefully take my mind off things.

I need sleep.

Update on the insect... several people got me convinced that it might be flea (Las, I'm sorry, I should have listened to you), I'm still not sure about it. I called the vet on Tuesday and told her everything and she told me to come by and get some more Frontline. Even if it wasn't flea it wouldn't hurt the kitty to get some extra-protection. Also, this kind of Frontline doesn't only kill the adult flea, but also the larvae and eggs. It also takes effect on everything around the kitty. She also gave me the advice to wash my bedding (not only the sheets, also the pillows and comforter) and vacuum clean at least twice a day. I've been doing that since Tuesday and haven't been bitten again. I bought some insecticide, but I haven't used it yet... I just want to try without chemistry first. I don't think having that stuff in my bed would be all that healthy :/

Hanna came to visit me on Wednesday, she left a few hours ago. It seems like some higher power was against this meeting... first her car broke down on the way here (it was quickly fixed though). Then I was having awful ups and downs to my mood, there were moments when I just felt like crying my eyes out for no reason. Then we kinda started bitching at each other during our shopping-trip to Stuttgart... luckily it all got better after some Asian noodles and Starbucks^^
Apart from all that we had nice time. Fuck you, higher power :P
We made karjalanpiirakkat on Wednesday and although they were a little fail (a. we had too much dough and not enough filling and b. I had formed them all very prettily on the table but then they all fell apart when I tried to put them on the baking sheet) they tasted quite good :D

Yesterday we went shopping in Stuttgart. I didn't buy anything at first, I just couldn't find any nice clothes... Hanna got frustrated with me :P I found a longshirt in the last shop xD She was pleased.
At some point we started talking about the musical Grease, so we watched the DVD of my school-play when we came home. Such good memories <3 I can't believe it's been six years, we had such a great time rehearsing and stageing it.
Today we did some more shopping, but only in Waiblingen. I finally bought calendars... a small one with Petterson & Findus for the kitchen and then I found that hugeass Finland-calendar in my local bookstore :D
And I bought shoes!
And now Hanna's gone again and I'm sad :( Minttu is trying to cheer me up though, the lovely little thing <3

( Shopping )

Work this weekend... I don't really feel like it.

I went to see Apocalyptica yesterday. It was amaaaaaaaaazing <3
Vero didn't come with us, she's ill :( Anni is ill, too, and I was really scared she wouldn't make it to the gig... she loves Apocalyptica, so it would have been very sad for her, too. But in the end I picked her up anyway :) We had planned to stay in the back, just to be on the safe side and to not make her feel worse. Then we found out there was a gallery with seats, so we sat down there and had a perfect view and lots of fun :D

They made me laugh so much with all their little jokes and stuff... and Perttu's German is awesome xD At some point he said "Stuttgart, ihr seid schön!" (Stuttgart, you are beautiful!), then he gave a very smug little grin and said "Hehe, ich auch! :D" (I am, too!). Damn right you are! He is a pretty klutz <3 Though I am more of an Eicca-fangirl... I just love his hair. And his arms aren't all that bad either :P

When I came home I found Minttu in the living-room... I called for her and wanted to give her food. She came to the kitchen and I lifted her up to pet her, but she started meowing and then hissing, so I put her down again. She hid under the bench. I was a bit worried, so I asked me sister this morning if anything had happened. She said Minttu came in last night, hissing at her and her friends. I guess she fought with another cat outside. Now she's not hissing anymore, I'm glad about that. What worries me though is that she's still meowing when I try to pick her up or touch her right behind leg. I can't find any wounds and she's walking normally and even jumped on the windowsill earlier. So I hope it's just a bruise and she didn't break anything :/ Poor kitty.

I helped Miri with the moving on Tuesday. The new flat is nice. But let's just say I don't ever want to talk to her mother again. Ever. Yes, I gained weight. No, I'm really not pregnant. And yes, still waters run deep... but I am neither a slut nor a liar, as you so kindly implied.

Today I did some... well no, a lot of cleaning. Kitchen, dining-room, living-room and hallway. Not only the usual stuff, I cleared out several cupboards and closets, too.

( Pictures )

I'll be out of here tomorrow night. Thank goodness. Diana invited me and the other Bobcatsss-girls over, we're having a SingStar-night :)