Med hilsen til Nica

I natt drømte jeg en hel masse. Det er lenge siden jeg har husket drømmene mine når jeg har våknet, men de var veldig klare og tydelige i natt. Så Weronica: Du må komme tilbake til Romsdalen. Jeg savner å kunne besøke deg daglig.

De siste dagene

I går var Steven og Susann på overnatting hos oss. Vi blir aldri lei av filmkvelder, og nattens timer ble brukt på å se deler av Elvis' comeback-show, Leon, Below og The Legend of Bagger Vance. Alle tre er filmer som alle burde se, dersom de ikke har gjort det.Siden vi startet i halv ti-tida, ble klokka morgen før vi la oss, så jeg sto ikke opp før halv tolv. Det ble en rask tur på Moa for å spille de tre siste hullene fra i går. Det ble en heller fuktig fornøyelse. Det regnet jevnt og trutt, og på toppen av det hele havnet jeg bak tre pensjonister med en snittlengde på slagene sine på under 40 meter. De burde ha sluppet meg gjennom siden jeg spilte såpass mye kjappere enn dem, men noe slikt ble det ikke noe av. I tillegg reparerte de ikke noen av nedslagsmerkene sine, ei heller fairwayen. Trist... Spillet mitt var ikke spesielt bra. Jeg fikk ikke dreis på svingen, og slo mange dårlige slag. Jeg dro hjem og så halve Historien om David Gale, før jeg dro på trening. Vi ble ni på fritreninga i dag, så det var ikke så ille. Det ble en slitsom trening, med en lang grunnteknikkøkt til å starte med. Vi jobbet en del med mønster, og det endte med at alle fikk i oppgave å øve på firevendingene til mønstrene sine. Jeg var fryktelig sliten etter treningen. Det var ikke en slik "god sliten" type sliten. Bare utslitt. Kjenner igjen følelsen... Etter treninga dro jeg på golfbanen for å slappe av. Det gikk ordentlig bra i dag. Med unntak av det siste hullet (nier'n), spilte jeg bra, og lå an til å spille til handicapet mitt. På hull fire tok jeg igjen det tapte fra hull tre. Jeg startet med et glimrende utslag som endte opp ti meter forbi vannet og noe til venstre, slik at jeg hadde klar bane mot greenen. Jeg dro frem sjuer'n for å få den frem dit den skulle, men ballen gikk rett ut i skauen i stedet. Heldigvis for meg, lå ballen ganske godt til, og et velrettet slag sendte ballen rett inn på greenen. Ballen lå 7½ meter fra hullet. Jeg siktet inn én meter over hullet grunnet hellinga, og traff! Med fire slag ble det fire poeng. Moro! Femmern startet dårlig på første slag, men andre og tredje var glimrende. Så gikk det dårlig resten av veien, før det løsnet igjen på hull seks, syv og åtte. På nieren var jeg skikkelig uheldig da jeg nærmet meg greenen, så jeg endte opp med alt for mange slag, og ikke ett poeng. Jeg satser på at jeg kan ta igjen de to poengene jeg ligger under når jeg skal spille i morgen. Kvelden i kveld.... Kjeder meg. Er i grunn nokså trøtt og sliten. Og jeg tenker nå mitt. Holder for øvrig på å sovne her jeg sitter. God natt, verden.

Canned Blog Goes Norwegian

From now on, this blog will be in Norwegian only. There no longer is any reason for me to write it in English, so further posts will be written in my native language. I'll update the rest of the blog when I find the time for it.

Golfing after the Pro-Session

Today I went to Setnesmoa to golf again, and I have to tell you: That session in Molde really helped! My shots are far more accurate, I can hit the ball the way I want almost every time, and the ball flies further. It was fun playing. After 9 holes, I was 2 Stableford points under par/7 strokes over, but those strokes came when I had a bit of bad luck. On the second hole, I ended up hitting the ball too well! I'm not used to the improved swing yet... So the ball flew almost out of bounds. The result was I had to pitch it from 1½ feet from the road, and threw the thin line of forest... That cost me three extra strokes. On the par five, hole no. 5, I got a bit cocky at the end of the fairway, and took a chance on getting the ball over the treetops and on to the green. It almost flew over, but hit a tree and ended up in the forest... Which added four strokes to my result. So apart from that, I did well! When I was done with the ninth hole, I sat down for a little break. The rain was coming down heavier, and from hole 1 (i.o.w. hole 10), it was pouring cats and dogs. When I was done with hole six, I packed up and left. I really didn't want to play anymore, and I was soaking wet. The second round didn't go quite as well, but it was all right. Now we are going to have a movie night, with Susann coming over. It's nice to have the time to relax.

Tuesday: Pro-Lesson in Molde and Roleplaying in the Evening

Today we went to Molde, Kjersti and I, so she'd get her wedding day present. I had arranged with the pro in Molde to give us a pro-session. Kjersti was a bit nervous about it, but she turned out to be a quick learner, and really enjoyed the session. I got a few tips as well, and learned how to switch weight properly during the swing. I learned a lot, and the both of us smiled and enjoyed it. Hopefully, she'll get her own set of clubs during the summer. At 16:30, we picked up Charlotte at Åndalsnes. We got a present from her as well! We got ready for a long-awaited session. We hadn't been playing since February (!), so it took a bit of time for us to find out what had happened. To make a long story short: They finally freed Roland, Cordelia's/Charlotte's loved one, from the claws of the great visir of Thorva. Now they just need to recouperate. I hope we'll get to play more later this weekend. I know she was excited after the long night.

Two-Year Anniversary (Cotton)

Today, on the 9th of July 2007, my wife and I have been married for two wonderful years. The first thing I did today, after waking up, was reading a card from my wife. It ended with something like "I love you, and hope I'll grow old as stone with you." Today is going to be a great day. We do have a bit of cleaning to do, 'cause we'll have guests tonight, but it'll be done quickly (the cleaning). Let the whole world know it: I love you, Kjersti! I had a wonderful dream tonight. I dreamt Kjersti was pregnant. Hope the dream'll come true. Now I'm going to listen to "Paralyzed" by Elvis. Have a nice day. By the way: Happy birthday, Lill!

The Beautiful Romsdalsfjord

Just look at this picture. No wonder I love it here, right?

This Weekend (Fri. and Sat.)

We went out on Friday, with Ingrid-Elin (my sister) and here guy (Dean), bringing Susann, Steven and Mom and Dad along. Mom and Dad went home early along with sis and Dean, but the rest of us remained at the Shoemaker's Pub. Olemus joined us, and we later went back to our place for a nacthspiel. I had been up since six in the morning, so I went to bed not long after, but the other's stayed up the whole night. Next morning (Saturday), I (of course) woke up at 9:30, once again getting a night of not much sleep (and it wasn't because of the guests -- just can't sleep). Feeling not to well, I went outside, brought a blanket with me, and lay down on the lawn. I got to hours of quality sleep there, and after that, I went golfing on Setnesmoa. When evening came, we visited Susann, for a night of movies. Steven came to, and after he and I were done doing pushups, pullups and all sorts of training (which I can still feel in my arms :D), we saw DOOM. I really love that movie, especially the FPS-sequence. Made me want to play the game again. It was getting late -- around half past midnight, and I had to get home to get some sleep. Instead I ended up at Setnesmoa, to play 9 holes in the beautiful weather. I didn't play well at all, but I enjoyed it. However, when I had reached the eighth hole, I just wanted to get done with it. The excercise worked. I was really tired when I got home, and slept well for the first three hours.

Night Out on Town

Finally a night out on town. We went to the Shoemaker's pub, and went to our place at 3 in the morning. Steven, Susann, Olemus, Kjersti and I are all here, enjoying ourselves. May you have a pleasant night. And btw, I went golfing in Molde today. It was fun.

Trip to Molde

Today I had a funeral to play in Molde (Røbekk church). I played great, so it was with a relaxed self I drove to Eikrem Golf Course on the east side of Molde. They really have a nice course there, and they've got a pro shop and all. It was nice being there. Playing on holes 4 to 8 was challenging, and then especially on hole six, with it's steep left to right incline, including on the green. Here are a few pictures, once again taken with my very old Sony Ericsson K500i. Yihaa. This is a picture of hole 1. I guess the best player's drive across the rough, but I chose to drive on the left side of the trees. I spent a while searching for my ball, and even had to go back to the tee, to find the line (luckily there weren't anyone else playing there then). To my surprise, when finding it, the drive was great, and I got an easy pitch to the green (played short by 8 feet), then chipped in and holed it on par (5 for me, with my handicap). This is the second hole of the course, featuring a deep ravine to swallow your bad tee-offs. I used my 3W again, and ended up pitching straight on the flag on my third stroke. Since I'm new to the game, my handicap's 36, so finishing this par 4 hole with four strokes, meant I eagled! This beautiful par 5 is a tough one. You can see the water crossing the fairway, in perfect distance from bad tee-offs. Yes, my ball ended up in the water. It was a difficult hole, and this is where my problems started. I scored 0 points three holes in a row starting with this one. I'm really looking forward to playing here again. We'll be going here on Tuesday. If I'm lucky, I can afford another round. It's only 250 NOK to play there the whole day, so I really hope I can find the cash for it.

My Very First Round of Golf

Today I took a friend of mine for a round of golf at Setnesmoa. We had stayed up all night playing D&D, and went up to the course at 7:30 a.m. I played the nine holes with 63 at first, and then improved it to 57, totaling 120 strokes (including my handicap of 36). I was happy with that, especially since I got three birdies. My final result was 22 Stableford points.

I Passed My Greencard Test!

I played OK, and more than good enough to pass. I'll post about it later. Now the guys are a-comin', ready for a session of D&D. Update: Here's the picture I promised: (Picture taken with my very old Sony Ericsson K500i.) This is a picture of hole 5. As you can see, the fairway there isn't exactly fair, so there's a half foot ball placement on the whole fairway. This picture is below the fox hole's from WW2, right before the green. You can see my ball in the middle right of the photo. Even though this par 5 doesn't have a good fairway, I like it, especially due to the exciting ending of the hole. The 9I and 7I are really useful here, and there's many a ball that's ended up in the sand next to the foxhole. Regarding my playing: I can see that it's far from impossible for me to half my handicap. I have a lot of good teeoff's, and I've become quite decent with the fairway wood. What I need to practice more, is pitching and putting. I'm to unstable in that field. But it'll come -- it will.

Golfing Day

Today is the day that I get to proof myself as worthy of a green card. Wish me luck!

Today's Green Card Test

Today was the day for the great big test. I was excited. I took a green card class back in 1996, but I was sick when we were going to take the tests, and never did anything about it. I guess it was about time. This is me getting ready for my test in 15 metre putting. We got one point for every putt stopping within 2 metres of the flag. I scored four out of five, I think. We also had to make five short putts, 1 metre from the flag, getting one point for each success (I got four), and the same with 20-metre pitching (only two!) and bunker shots (four). To pass this part of the test, we needed a minimum of eight points, with at least one point on all of the tests. After finishing long putts and short putts, pitching and bunker strokes, we went to the driving range for the second part of the test. As you can see, it's an has an inspiring view. And this is with lots of clouds coming in. For my age and gender, the requirement for driving skills was six out of ten balls going at least 100 metres. In addition the ball had to stop within a width of 35 metres. I chose my trusty seven iron, and with two excemptions, the strokes were wonderful. I don't know how many I did, because after the sixth ball the pro just said, "OK, that's great. You passed." After this, the only thing left is the course test. Tomorrow I'll meet with Panya to play four holes, in which I need a minimum total of 2 Stableford points with a handicap of 36. I don't think it'll be a problem. On my way back home, I saw an ---- enthusistic little horse. At first I thought it was a fole, but I was wrong. I'll post a picture of the little Shetland pony later.

My first moblog-post

My computer up and running, with dualscreen and the whole schablang. In the background you can see part of Rapuel Gibson. Of course, with dualscreen, the dreaded BSoD is even more horrifying. It’s like two giant blue eyes staring at me. I had to reduce the overclocking … :)

Golf

The past week, I've been attending a green course class at the golf course at Setnesmoa. Rauma Golf Club celebrates 10 years this year, and the activity-level up there is high. It started as a six-hole course, but this year they officially expanded to nine holes. Here's a map of the course (from Rauma Golf Club's homepage)    The last photo was taken in 1905. English noblemen coming to Rauma to fish salmon, naturally brought golf with them, and as known to historians, Setnesmoa was the first place in Norway to host a golf match. Today is the day for my great big test. If I pass, I'll get my greencard and be ready to establish my handicap. Wish me luck!

Hooray for Ripping

Today I started ripping my entire CD-collection. How much easier it is now! I am a bit surprised to see how much Elvis I've got...

In Sorte Diaboli

I just played a wedding, then went to get some food, and when I was there, I saw a masterpiece staring back at me. So now I'm relaxing with Dimmu Borgir's "In Sorte Diaboli". Anyone interested in good music, ought to buy it straight away.

Belt Exam in Molde

Today, the TKD-club went to Molde for belt-exams. 34 of my students were ready to be tested, but one got sick (poor kid spent the whole day throwing up), and another broke her thumb two days earlier. Ah well. Out of the 31 that were left, every single one passed, and Master Andresen was very pleased. After the test, a few of us went to Burger King to celebrate, and then the Mjelva-ninja and I went to play pool. We were home again at 11 p.m. LOOONG day, but pleased.

Back in business

It's been two months now, since I last posted, and I feel bad about it. But what the hell -- it's my blog, and I made it for me... This weekend we're having a mini-LAN at out place. Steven and D.P. are here, and they and my wife have been up two nights in a row playing Deer Hunter. My computer ain't up and running yet. For some reason, I haven't gotten my PSU back yet. Would be great to have power... But I'll live. I'm going to Isfjorden today, to teach taekwon-do to a bunch of kids in a birthday party. A quarter of them already traing TKD, and the rest of them play hand ball, so they should be pretty fit. The mother, Susann (one of the instructors in our club), asked me if I'd like to do it, and naturally I accepted.

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On the 17th of May we celebrated our day of constitution. Yesteryear we began participating in the parade with our own club's banner, showing people techniques, sparring, board breaking and so on. We did the same this year, this time participating both in Isfjorden at 11 o'clock and in Åndalsnes at 4 p.m. In Isfjorden, we had set up for finishing the parade with me crushing a block of Leca (the kind of stone people use as foundation for their houses). I'd done this twice before, so I wasn't the least bit worried, but this time I had problems. I smashed it three times with my right elbow, then tried once with my left, then switched back to my right again, and then finally went through. A little practice of perseverence has never harmed anyone. Except my elbows, but they'll heal (they're just red and blue).

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Since last time, I've learned how to write hangeul. It really isn't hard, and it's beatiful to look at, and a far better language to write with, than our roman writing.