And polar bears walk the streets of Oslo

Yesterday, I was having an IM conversation with this American girl that I met through an online writing community. She calls herself Icelandic, and claims to have grown up in Denmark, and lived in Iceland for years before she moved to the states. And yet, she managed to say the following things to me:

Heidi: "I went swimming today."
Heidi: "I love swimming!"
American Chick: "Wasn't it cold?"

...

At this point, there were a lot of things I could have said, but most of them approached a level of snark that's not considered polite by most people you don't talk to that often. So I settled for saying "In a pool, silly!"

American Chick: "Was it heated?"

...

Really? Really?

Creep!

Okay, so Norway isn't exactly the most talked about country in the world, and as a result, people from other cultures aren't all that familiar with what is stereotypically Norwegian. Well, allow me to educate you. We're cold and unapproachable. We don't smile at random people on the street. We don't talk to strangers unless drunk. In fact, the only way to befriend a Norwegian is by way of alcohol. Lots of it.

But today, I met someone who clearly had not heard this. I was talking a walk, and I was strolling along, listening to music and minding my own business. Then this guy smiles at me. I smiled back, but kept on walking. He followed me. I could see that he was trying to talk to me, but I was listening to music, and really had no desire to chat. Except he didn't get that. He kept following me, and fell into a pace that matched mine, so that he was walking next to me. I popped my ear phones out to see if maybe he had a question to ask. He did. Personal questions. What's your name? Do you live in the city? Where? Do you go to school here? What are you studying? What are you gonna do when you've finished school? Do you have a boyfriend?

At this point, I was starting to get really creeped out, because, although being told I'm beautiful is nice, it's not that nice to be told so over and over again by a Nigerian stranger who seems overly interested in being my friend. Even after I lied and said I had a boyfriend (a jealous boyfriend, even) he wouldn't quit. So I texted my best friend and told her about this creepy guy that was following me, hoping she'd get the picture and call me. She did. Except I'd already managed to shake him by just turning a corner very abruptly and telling him I really had to leave. But chatting to her, she reminded me that the exact same thing had happened to her on her way home from our place last year. And it's happened to a few other friends as well. Apparently, there's a group of guys in the city that start talking to random Norwegian girls, I guess hoping that they'll fall madly in love and marry them. I've got news for them though.

Not. Gonna. Happen. Ever. No chance in hell.

All they're managing to do is to creep out the poor girls. And violate pretty much every social norm that Norway has.

Sexy Spork!

Click!

Holy smokes! I'm quite partial to the looks of both Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine, just as they are, but I've gotta say that together, they make for one very lickable guy!

I foresee a night of much pain

Fabulous, but ow-so-hurtful: my new pair of heels!

A dose of confusion now and then...

I think it might be a sign that I should turn off my computer and go to sleep when instead of 'confession is good for the soul' I read 'confusion is good for the soul'. It even took me a few moments to realize that it didn't make sense.

Oh em gee!

Tonight I saw John Cleese live. How awesome is that?

Why am I awake?

Would you look at that! Six has an AM too! I'd forgotten about that.