End of Pain

This post will be in English, as a thank-you to all the people on 43Things.com, and especially Gemma.

A half-month ago, I had my final session with my psychologist. It was a good day. I've been fighting now, for more than two long years, to finally be able to lead the life I want, without my depression. It's been horrible, I know some of my friends, not to mention my wife, have been burdened by it, but they've been there for me, and they've been a great help in getting me through it all. I give my deepest and most sincere thanks to every one of you. You know who you are.

Here's what I posted on 43things.com:

"Couragous people do not surrender hope" is a quote from the Icewind Dale Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. It’s helped me to remember my priorities during my trials, and now that I’m done with it all, healthy and feeling well, I’ve fulfilled an old dream of getting a tattoo.

I thought it was, in a strange way, pleasant – the feeling of the needle getting under my skin... It’s hard to explain, but it wasn’t painful as I expected. I kind of reminded me of my scars, which made me contemplate.

The result, Dîr verin ú-awarthar i-amdir (“Couragous people do not surrender hope”, or directly translated “People/men brave not-surrender the-hope”), you can see on the picture.

A note: It looks as though the whole tattoo is curved, but that's just because I took the picture myself, and the angle was a bit odd.

Finally, a Proper Blog

This isn't my first blog, but it's the first one I've taken seriously. I plan to use this to post about my life, for good and for bad, and for inspiration for myself, and possibly some other people too. I haven't decided yet, whether the blog will be in norwegian or english, but it'll probably stay in english due to all the friends I have online.

So, what's happened today? Well, I've been at work at both my jobs. First teaching firstgraders and then at SFO (skolefritidsordning – after-school child care). Today, we decided that I'll give the first- and fourthgraders a one-hour-introduction to taekwon-do tomorrow, so I'm really looking forward to getting back to work.

After work, I had to walk back home. I got some food, and drove to Isfjorden, where we train. It was a fun two-hour session of self defence (ho sin sul) and arranged sparring (sambo -, ibo - and ilbo matsogi). Oh, and I got a knee in the nuts. Ouch! But it was fun.

For you 43t-guys: Today's been alright.