update

i had a very successful shopping trip on fri.! finally, i found a coat that will actually keep me warm that doesn't cost 300+e. i've been looking in the 2nd hand shops, but all of those coats were either too big or didn't look like they'd actually keep me warmer than what i have. same w/ the coats in stockmann & joutsen (they don't just make down comforters); except that the coats were either 300+e or didn't look like they'd keep me warmer. so, i decided i should go to a sports shop & maybe get a snowboard jacket & on fri., i wound up in "intersport" when i was attempting to get out of another store i was in (looking @ boots). i found my wonderful jacket that's pictured below & it was 50% off, so it was only 150e & another coat that's smaller for when the weather gets warmer, but is still freakin' cold to me @ 50% off for 50e. i also got a new pair of gloves that are more for cold weather & big enough for me to wear my other gloves underneath & i still maintain my dexterity as well as another undershirt & "underpants". i am done freezing my ass off, that's all i gotta say....

eno called me while i was shopping & told me he wasn't going to get the laundry key because it requires a 60e deposit & he can't afford to pay that & he's fine w/ his little washer....i told him i'd pay for the key (which, i'm sure the deposit will be given back upon return of the key, but he thinks they give it back when you move out)....he went on about not understanding what they were saying & that he pays too much for the apt...kinda alluding to the fact that the rent he charges me doesn't compare or whatever. he's commented a couple of times that as soon as i get richer, i'll start paying him more - ha! i told him before i came over that i wouldn't be getting richer, but that i could afford 300e/mo. he refused & said he only asks for 250e. so, as far as i'm concerned, he has no place to complain along those lines.....

other than a few things here & there, i'm pretty much done shopping for myself & can start looking for souvenirs for you folks @ home....so, send me your requests!...if any. some of you will get something no matter what (although, it might end up being something cheesy from the souvenir section @ stockmann's if you don't give me suggestions ;D).

we had potluck @ church this Sabbath & i made egg salad. it took me awhile to figure out what i could actually make for other people to enjoy & thought of making my egg salad w/ sundried tomatoes & basil....i couldn't find sundried tomatoes, so i used a "sundried" tomato-paprika pasta dressing instead - not quite the same. i found sundried tomatoes on sun., so i'll be making it again for myself to enjoy.... :) i was invited to play volleyball by a church member & went there after potluck. i haven't played volleyball since tvja (note: that would be at least 14 years ago), but it was fun. my wrists were hurting quite a bit after wards (still are a wee bit).

sun., i tried to do my laundry again, but the key eno got from the office doesn't unlock the door to the laundry room. i have no idea what the purpose of that key is. he obviously didn't take the time to ask about it in the office either. he said he would go to the office today to get the key that actually opens the door, but i doubt he did. he doesn't trust finns. the only reason he has ever gone to office before was when they wanted more money from him (he's complained that they raised the rent 7% "& nobody complained...in france, the most rent was raised was 1% & everybody complained"). he's called finns thieves (because he's missing some of his vinyl lp's & his drum machine). he was talking about the finnish sauna's one day & said he doesn't like them because the heat rises & it goes to your head (he thinks that might be why finns are crazy in the head). of course, while he was telling me this, i was thinking: yes, heat rises, that's what it does....he's worried about his daughter smoking & drinking @ age 9 (like that wouldn't happen in france or amsterdam - he has family there as well - or, maybe since he smokes, that might be a greater influence on whether she starts smoking or not than where she lives)......

so, i had to do just enough laundry to get me through the week (not even half). it was two loads in his washer & some of it still isn't dry even though they've been hanging up all night & all day. plus, they're all stiff & scratchy.

he had a couple of friends come over as well - i know! he has friends!...w/ how little he actually leaves the apt. & how negatively he speaks about finns, i'm surprised he has any.... i ended up talking w/ iida for quite a while. she & the other guy (i don't remember his name) are both musicians. she's planning on taking a trip north & said she'd call me when she decides when & that i could go w/ her. she apparently knows mr. lordi as well (my 5th cousin) & one of the members of apocalyptica. according to eno, she's famous & every finn knows who iida love is (primarily because she jumped on stage during a live taping of finland's version of american idol).

anywho, that delayed me posting last night. while i was waiting for at the end's video to load, i changed a few settings. first, i changed it so that anyone can comment, you don't have to have an account or login, you can comment as "anonymous" if you like. also, i found where i could e-mail my blog to people (only 10). so some of you are now getting my blog directly in your e-mail, either because you had asked me to, or because i figured you'd like to know what i'm up to, but probably not aware of my blogging activity, or just too busy to think about visiting it. the first posts done after that were pictures of my room. if that's all you've seen, there are many more & much better pictures already posted....when i post pictures, you'll be inundated w/ e-mails because i can only upload a max. of 4 pics per post. if you don't want this, let me know, & i'll remove your email.

today, i got a lot of practicing in again. my repetoire is getting back to it's rightful size, although, for some reason, it's easier for me to learn music i didn't write than what i've actuall written - weird.

i landed on outi's elbow today (left side rib cage) while we were working on takedowns from the clinch & then when we were "live", she kept getting me in her death-grip/anaconda squeeze. so, now my side hurts! it hurts to cough, blow my nose, etc. (which really sucks since my cold is now moving to my lungs & throat, but hasn't quite left my nose yet). and i heard from one of the other girls that outi loves to work w/ me & is always talking about it & that she doesn't want me to leave; she hopes i stay... :D that makes me happy. i got my ticket to fight festival today, too, where outi, lucio, jamba, & others from the gym are fighting (well, hopefully, jamba - he hurt his knee in class today).

kay, i'm going to bed now....