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Sunday, December 13, 2009
My Kind of Day.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Courage.
Obviously yesterday's skinny-dipping post wasn't just about being crazy and loving life. Of course it was that, and... it was more.
It was me tapping into my courage. I need tons of that right now.
As I shift my focus from "finding opportunities" to "pursuing opportunities", courage is the single most important ingredient.
With yesterday's cold plunge still in my memory, I engaged in a bunch of courageous acts today (this time without even taking my shirt off ;)...):
I called the lady that's in charge of the hiring for the future teenage refugee home job... and felt like a complete dork (mostly related to language issues - but she definitively encouraged my application. Note to self: Must absolutely kick ass with that application!!).
I also checked in with the moose guy (haven't heard from him for a little to long... and hello! got an immediate reward by receiving an answer within the half hour and now have lunch plans in Stockholm to discuss what he calls "several opportunities for me" on December 21st... mm-mh courage!).
A few minutes ago I emailed the Tiniest Ski Hill Ever to remind the guy in charge that he really wanted to meet me, or didn't he?
And last but not least: I cut Beefy's claws (now this is embarrassing but since I got him back after our time apart in summer I really struggled with that task. Kind of like a phobia... but I am getting better and am cutting small little nibbles off of him almost every day. Today we had a longer snuggle session that included his getting a manicure that actually shows a little... - hey, YOU!, before calling the animal rights organization know that his claws are still OK... it's mostly in my head. Weirdo? Yup, naturally).
Ahhh.... these are the exact kinds of things that make me sink into bed happily at night. What about you, are you going to be courageous today?
It was me tapping into my courage. I need tons of that right now.
As I shift my focus from "finding opportunities" to "pursuing opportunities", courage is the single most important ingredient.
With yesterday's cold plunge still in my memory, I engaged in a bunch of courageous acts today (this time without even taking my shirt off ;)...):
I called the lady that's in charge of the hiring for the future teenage refugee home job... and felt like a complete dork (mostly related to language issues - but she definitively encouraged my application. Note to self: Must absolutely kick ass with that application!!).
I also checked in with the moose guy (haven't heard from him for a little to long... and hello! got an immediate reward by receiving an answer within the half hour and now have lunch plans in Stockholm to discuss what he calls "several opportunities for me" on December 21st... mm-mh courage!).
A few minutes ago I emailed the Tiniest Ski Hill Ever to remind the guy in charge that he really wanted to meet me, or didn't he?
And last but not least: I cut Beefy's claws (now this is embarrassing but since I got him back after our time apart in summer I really struggled with that task. Kind of like a phobia... but I am getting better and am cutting small little nibbles off of him almost every day. Today we had a longer snuggle session that included his getting a manicure that actually shows a little... - hey, YOU!, before calling the animal rights organization know that his claws are still OK... it's mostly in my head. Weirdo? Yup, naturally).
Ahhh.... these are the exact kinds of things that make me sink into bed happily at night. What about you, are you going to be courageous today?
Favoring the Farmer.
My favorite farmer and I finally talked for a long time today. He lives on the tip of the peninsula Beef and I live on. Naturally some of our hikes lead us his way. Sounds like that may happen even more often in the future.
I have had this fantasy about him being my Swedish teacher for a while. He seems like an ideal candidate: Older (hence full of stories), Swedish-only speaking, a bit lonely (and with that possibly interested in spending some time with a Swiss straggler?), and into nature (whether by choice or not may have to be determined at a later time). Today I made a major step in my mission of hiring him (I mean, befriending him).
While B and I's interactions with him prior were minimal (i.e. I asked if it was OK for us to trespass, said "hej" on another occasion, and waved on another), today's was quite informative. Naturally it was all in Swedish (which makes the author of this post very happy and a bit giddy).
This is what he wanted to know:
- Are you unemployed? (ahem... yup, obviously I added a bit of my story and asked if he had work for me - he said that he has lots of work but not much money to pay.. [I think..., my Swedish got a bit hazy right there])
- What was your previous job? (... that's were I explained to him wilderness therapy and talked about my crazy lifestyle)
- Did your dog run away? (no, he's right up there) What kind of dog is that? (Boarder Collie / Aussie mix) Is it a male? (yup)
Stuff that I learned about him included:
- He owns the land, the stables, and all the houses (there are some too-cute-to-be-true summer homes on his property that he rents out in the summer)
- He lives a bit lonely in one of the houses with two cats (one is 18 and one some other age I didn't understand)
- He works as a farmer and as a fisherman and as a vacation rental contact person
- He has traveled extensively when he was young (all continents minus Australia)
- He was about to go read his newspaper
- He wanted for me to come back and have coffee with him sometimes..... wait, did you hear this: HE WANTED FOR ME TO COME BACK AND HAVE COFFEE WITH HIM SOMETIMES!! does that mean I just hired my Swedish teacher?
- He also said that my Swedish wasn't so bad and that he liked B.
I think my imaginary friend just moved into the realm of reality.
I wonder what his name is....
I have had this fantasy about him being my Swedish teacher for a while. He seems like an ideal candidate: Older (hence full of stories), Swedish-only speaking, a bit lonely (and with that possibly interested in spending some time with a Swiss straggler?), and into nature (whether by choice or not may have to be determined at a later time). Today I made a major step in my mission of hiring him (I mean, befriending him).
While B and I's interactions with him prior were minimal (i.e. I asked if it was OK for us to trespass, said "hej" on another occasion, and waved on another), today's was quite informative. Naturally it was all in Swedish (which makes the author of this post very happy and a bit giddy).
This is what he wanted to know:
- Are you unemployed? (ahem... yup, obviously I added a bit of my story and asked if he had work for me - he said that he has lots of work but not much money to pay.. [I think..., my Swedish got a bit hazy right there])
- What was your previous job? (... that's were I explained to him wilderness therapy and talked about my crazy lifestyle)
- Did your dog run away? (no, he's right up there) What kind of dog is that? (Boarder Collie / Aussie mix) Is it a male? (yup)
Stuff that I learned about him included:
- He owns the land, the stables, and all the houses (there are some too-cute-to-be-true summer homes on his property that he rents out in the summer)
- He lives a bit lonely in one of the houses with two cats (one is 18 and one some other age I didn't understand)
- He works as a farmer and as a fisherman and as a vacation rental contact person
- He has traveled extensively when he was young (all continents minus Australia)
- He was about to go read his newspaper
- He wanted for me to come back and have coffee with him sometimes..... wait, did you hear this: HE WANTED FOR ME TO COME BACK AND HAVE COFFEE WITH HIM SOMETIMES!! does that mean I just hired my Swedish teacher?
- He also said that my Swedish wasn't so bad and that he liked B.
I think my imaginary friend just moved into the realm of reality.
I wonder what his name is....
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Wish List.
B being brave on today's hike.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
With all these crazy opportunities and ideas I sometimes lose track of what's important to me. So, instead of trying to figure out if I should go north, or south, or elsewhere I'll focus on the crucial stuff today.
Whatever comes next, it has to include the following points in the long run:
B must feel safe enough with my living situation to be brave often.
We must have room, time, and environment to live a healthy lifestyle.
Mountains and/or the sea need to be close. Or at least forests. Or all?
Sustainability (physical, environmental, financial, all of it).
It must be inspiring and challenging.
There must be authenticity.
There must be laughter.
There must be daily exploration of the self, others, and nature.
There must be opportunities for me to tap into my courage.
Internet access would be nice.
So would be a lovely soul to share it all with (in addition to the B).
Friends must find room, too.
And crazy trips.
And a fire place please!
And a "Shark" to explore new places on this continent.
That's about it. Wait... as I look at these points it dawns on my that I can probably realize all of those in any of my recent mind trips. So, stop waiting, Marlies?!
B being safe.
(This photo means a lot to me. I took it past weekend after B had been a bit possessive of his sleeping arrangement and growled at a somewhat ignorant girl. N (holding B) made sure that I didn't pull B away as I had warned the girl prior when she intruded B's sleeping bag. N asked B to come over to her and he spontaneously hopped on her lap. She held him probably for half an hour....)
(This photo means a lot to me. I took it past weekend after B had been a bit possessive of his sleeping arrangement and growled at a somewhat ignorant girl. N (holding B) made sure that I didn't pull B away as I had warned the girl prior when she intruded B's sleeping bag. N asked B to come over to her and he spontaneously hopped on her lap. She held him probably for half an hour....)
Monday, December 7, 2009
December Days.
Buford and I left the comfort of N & N's home over the weekend and exchanged it for some time outside. With the help of some kiddos we baked bread in a sweet oven that I kind of wanna adopt and played outside. Beef and I even got to sleep in a tiny shaggy hut and eat sausages and drink Julmust. I am told that I am becoming a Swede....
After ten days of bliss at my friends refuge B and I finally made it back to Paradise today. We were greeted by our new couches and DVD player that we knew about (our neighbor S had given them to us as she moved out) and a million other things. It took me a while to figure out whether all the clutter I found was actually a good thing or just a burden but I figured out that it actually is quite the blessing. While I basically doubled the number of things I owned while I was gone, I also have new luxuries. Here some examples: I am now using actual dish soap versus my camp suds. I now own a few beers in my otherwise very empty fridge. I now have rice. I also have lots of yeast for baking. And new spices. And another lamp to brighten yet another room (very much needed as it's pitch black at 4pm now). And more plates. And another pan. And a thingy to dry my dishes. And a pair of binoculars. And a new B bed. And a comforter. And more candles (see light issue above). And many other small things that make my life more diverse. Kinda like an early Christmas... :)
I also have another SWEET option. Remember how I talked about opening a home for asyl-seeking youth? Get this: N just called (yup, I better start paying him something for making me aware of all these opportunities) and told me about an ad he had seen in the newspaper. A community south of here is opening such a house in April 2010. They are planning to take in eight boys between 16 and 18 for starters. They are looking for a director and employees. Applications for the director are due on December 20th and those for the employees in January. The director job asks for the following:
* Has an education with focus on social or educational work, at least 3 years full-time study
* Has many years experience of similar work
* Is good at planning, organizing and communicating
* Has good leadership skills
* Is driven and focused
* Has a positive view of human beings and sees opportunities instead of problems
* Is flexible and comfortable with managing tasks independently
* Enjoys working in close collaboration with our local residents, traders and colleagues
Check..... check.... check... check... check......... check!... check.... and... check.
The employee job asks for the following:
* Trained as social worker or educational/social education/experience we consider equivalent
* Has experience working with children / young people
* Is used to crisis management
* Has the ability to see and support the individual's own resources
* Has good empathic skills while s/he has the courage to set boundaries and be consistent
* Has good interpersonal skills and communication skills
* Has good organizational skills
* Enjoys working in close collaboration with our local residents, traders and colleagues
* Has a B license
* Has basic computer skills
I'll make it short: CHECK all.
I am sooo applying. N offered his and N's help to do it right. Make it Swedish, you know.
Question is: Do I have to be the director to ensure that Beefy can come?
They are highlighting their interest in hiring from a diverse applicant pool.
Sounds like.... this is yet another way my life could unfold.
After ten days of bliss at my friends refuge B and I finally made it back to Paradise today. We were greeted by our new couches and DVD player that we knew about (our neighbor S had given them to us as she moved out) and a million other things. It took me a while to figure out whether all the clutter I found was actually a good thing or just a burden but I figured out that it actually is quite the blessing. While I basically doubled the number of things I owned while I was gone, I also have new luxuries. Here some examples: I am now using actual dish soap versus my camp suds. I now own a few beers in my otherwise very empty fridge. I now have rice. I also have lots of yeast for baking. And new spices. And another lamp to brighten yet another room (very much needed as it's pitch black at 4pm now). And more plates. And another pan. And a thingy to dry my dishes. And a pair of binoculars. And a new B bed. And a comforter. And more candles (see light issue above). And many other small things that make my life more diverse. Kinda like an early Christmas... :)
I also have another SWEET option. Remember how I talked about opening a home for asyl-seeking youth? Get this: N just called (yup, I better start paying him something for making me aware of all these opportunities) and told me about an ad he had seen in the newspaper. A community south of here is opening such a house in April 2010. They are planning to take in eight boys between 16 and 18 for starters. They are looking for a director and employees. Applications for the director are due on December 20th and those for the employees in January. The director job asks for the following:
* Has an education with focus on social or educational work, at least 3 years full-time study
* Has many years experience of similar work
* Is good at planning, organizing and communicating
* Has good leadership skills
* Is driven and focused
* Has a positive view of human beings and sees opportunities instead of problems
* Is flexible and comfortable with managing tasks independently
* Enjoys working in close collaboration with our local residents, traders and colleagues
Check..... check.... check... check... check......... check!... check.... and... check.
The employee job asks for the following:
* Trained as social worker or educational/social education/experience we consider equivalent
* Has experience working with children / young people
* Is used to crisis management
* Has the ability to see and support the individual's own resources
* Has good empathic skills while s/he has the courage to set boundaries and be consistent
* Has good interpersonal skills and communication skills
* Has good organizational skills
* Enjoys working in close collaboration with our local residents, traders and colleagues
* Has a B license
* Has basic computer skills
I'll make it short: CHECK all.
I am sooo applying. N offered his and N's help to do it right. Make it Swedish, you know.
Question is: Do I have to be the director to ensure that Beefy can come?
They are highlighting their interest in hiring from a diverse applicant pool.
Sounds like.... this is yet another way my life could unfold.
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