krokodillefellen

My biannual update about life and things that matter:

- I am almost done writing my 10-page essay on the removal of the onnagata from early Japanese cinema. Basically: why did the "imposter female" (I don't like this term much) suddenly disappear from Japanese theatre and film.
I'm pretty happy with it, although I'm frustrated to only have found a few good sources. Almost all books on early Japanese film gloss over this topic, while I find it really, really interesting.

- On Tuesday, I'm headed to Bergen (8 hour train-ride ahoy) to write my exam in Personality, Social Psychology and Psychological Methods. If I happen to pass and do well, my bachelor's degree is almost done.

- I finished my Molecular Biology labs today, whoo! We did our own SDS-PAGE of isolated protein from scratch, and it turned out great. I'm starting to feel confident in my abilities.

- R and I got the funkiest apartment! It's in the area we like, and my only worry was that 1) R hasn't seen it yet and 2) we'd have to sign up for a new gym.
I've taken to walking home from school (takes about an hour), and I passed by the gym I was considering to sign up for when we move. Well, it had been bought up by the company we already have a 24-hour access to. Score!

I can't wait to have my own washer, dish-washer in party-free housing. I would prefer to move RIGHT NOW, but I guess patience is a virtue. 5 more weeks.

I have a shitload of exams to do well in, and am somewhat stressed while waiting to hear from my new job (it's taking them a long time to arrange for my first introductory shifts).

On the other hand, I've got an interview on Monday for a temp service that supplies temp teachers. I think I could do well as a science teacher (I have some social skills).

Everything is looking up. While we put off paying debt (except the minimum) until we're settled in the new place, we'll be done with the debt in under a year. This'll coincide with me having a finished degree!

I'm in such a good mood I even called a dentist for an appointment. Which means I've got approximately 10 days to live.

When I was 18, I moved from a rural town in Norway to Bergen to study.
My boyfriend at the time wanted a cat, and since I'd always had a cat as a child, I promptly browsed animal shelters in the area.

I saw all the "standard" cute cats - kittens and pretty long hairs.
Then I saw Goliath. He had been at the shelter for two years. He looked like a bulldog.

We went to the shelter. I asked about the cat I'd seen on the webpage. I got to meet him. This 23 pound bully had taken the whole outdoor fenced area for himself, and was busy herding other cats out of his garden. When he ate, the other cats crawled away in fear.

This was my cat!



When Goliath was rescued, he was covered in oil (from staying under cars) and had eaten thrash from a burger stall for a year. At the shelter, he got a makeover (clean shave - the oil couldn't be washed off, and his fur was totally matted). He developed a canned tuna obsession.



My boyfriend at the time was lukewarm to this monster of a feline. He sat down to think, and a tiny black cat waltzed up to him. She wailed once loudly and decided to stay with him.

We brought both cats home. We were worried about Goliath eating Frida - at at least mauling her, but this didn't happen. Goliath turned out to be a gentle giant, who was perfectly happy with his new girlfriend. They were inseparable, and spent their days sleeping and exchanging friendly whacks to each others heads.



Goliath and Frida stayed with us for 4 years. We spent a lot of time disagreeing on the alotted tuna rations:



This photo illustrates the humongousness of this cat! The name picked at the shelter was fitting. He was not very fat, but carried his weight like a bulldog, with his wide chest and huge muscles. I experimented with fixing a metal lock on the food closet, but this was no problem, because when I got home, the lock was ripped off and the kibbles were spread around the entire apartment.



When my boyfriend and I broke up, as young people often do, we decided that the cats needed to be safe.
First, they stayed with my father - and the Newfoundlander Emily. This was not a great success!



My mom decided to take care of them while I tried to find a place that would allow cats in Oslo. This turned out to be impossible for a poor student.

Luckily, my mom fell in love with Frida. She would occasionally admit to liking Goliath, but she cuddled him and fed him tuna treats in secret.
He liked my new boyfriend too:



For two years, Goliath enjoyed his retirement with my mom in her apartment. He would trot after Frida and protect her from other cats. Frida never got bigger, she stayed at a tiny 7 pounds.




She would reciprocate with bringing small birds and mice home to Goliath, but he was not easily amused. The only time he was impressed was when Frida brought an impressive catch home: a huge, very live crow.



Goliath was on a special kidney diet, and I saw him getting older, slower but steadily. During Christmas, he was his old self, happy and leaping to the highest book cases to steal Fridas food. Frida was always fed at high altitudes to hinder Goliaths obsession with food. When he was very bored, he would do his well-calculated leap, and books would crash down.

This weekend, I went to visit to help take Goliath to the vet. I didn't notice anything particular until he started walking about. To make a sad story short, Goliath was suddenly very ill - he couldn't use his hind legs, didn't groom, and slept all day.
He had lost 5 pounds of weight.

This huge cat used to break carriages open from the inside and hated vets, but now he was resigned.

My ex came to the vet, and we decided to let our buddy rest after hearing the vet's advice.

I'm making this post because Goliath was my best buddy and the best cat in the world. I'm glad I gave him good years - and I'm proud of being able to make a decision so that he could keep his integrity and end his many lives with happy days.


Goodbye buddy - rock on!

 

 

jeg er en forbryter.

 



 

det finnes bevismateriell.

 



 

gjerningen er av finanskriminell art.

dommen er klar.

jeg har ranet et statlig organ, for en betydelig sum!

 




 

dere lurer kanskje på hva jeg sier til mitt forsvar, posten?

jeg har bare EN ting å si dere, rotter!

 



 

a whole new year!

1. we're gonna pay off the debt
2. i'll get a B in something even if it kills me
3. work out 3 times a week

i usually just plan from season to season. we'll see.

Yesterday, a terrorist bombed my city and killed 7 people, which was nothing compared to what he did after - went to a youth camp on a little countryside island  - a blue collar political part - and shot 80, EIGHTY, teenagers.

It was no Moslem's doing jihad. The only group it was related to was the disgusting right-wing, extremist, nazi-sympathetic collection  of "pureblood" Norwegian.

I saw a dead man yesterday, but now it doesn't even register. Now this is a national tradgedy, and it hit so close to my heart and home.

At least Norway got a warning. We have needed to up security for so long. We have been naiive. I hope we will take precautions now. I hope people will open up to their Moslem and non-ethnic Norwegian neighbours. We have seen what extremism does.

Fuck all this.