Dunneh’s Neighborhood

Well, today's the big day in Oslo again. Same proceedure as every year.
Maybe some of the nerves are running a bit higher then usually given the fact that another US president is visiting.
Though travelling through the city center by bus on my way to work, the city felt calm. And I am not thinking of the lack of traffic ;)
There is something about the Norwegians that I like a lot. The bigger the fuss on the outside the more relaxed they get. I saw that before on other occasions. Also the fact that the bus driver suddenly announced that he would only follow that far of his normal route and then take a short cut to a station that's a bit further out of the center, was taken with stoical calm. Some people nodded knowingly "yes right - high profile visitor" and continued reading their newspapers, other listening to their music or just staring out of the window into another gray and rainy morning.
I personally was thrilled. Because that meant for me that I actually would make it to work in good time. Unlike other mornings when I feel the need to continuously checking the time whether or not I might be late.

Though what brings my blood into the direction of boiling point is the public attitude regarding Mr Obama his politics in general and the awarding of the Nobel Peace prize.
I absolutely agree with all the critics that say it is too early. Of course it is. The man had barely a year to get into his work and try to do what he intends to do.
But what would have happened if he had declined the award? If he had said "I am truly sorry but I can not accept?"
It would have been the right thing in my eyes. But I am pretty sure there would be many, many people who would have found something to criticize about that too.
Right now my take on it is: it's done, it can't be changed - move on.

Though I do not agree with those who drag the NPP awarding in context with the war in Afghanistan. This is not a war Mr Obama has started. This is a mess that had begun 7 years ago initiated by a different president with a different government. Mr Obama is now in the unfortunate position to have to clean it up.
What would happen if he'd say "Everybody! Pick up and leave!"? Just let them sort it out on their own.
Oh I already hear the voices "How dare you invading a country and then just leave them to their own, and don't make things right first"
Or the other way round "You invaded our country, you left it in pieces, you killed our men and women and children! And now you run and chicken out?" I am certain that this will cause just as much the wish for revenge as the war itself does in the first place.
So the other option would be the soldiers staying there with no weapons? Just a white flag, and then try to secure and help rebuild the country and everything will be okay from that point on? I love the idealism in that - but unfortunately we all know what would happen with those people.
I would very much like to see that there comes a point where every part is willing to sit down and talk, communicate and come to a mutual agreement. And even though the Afghan government might be - obviously there is a large group of people who are willing to do everything to prevent anything like that to happen. Sad but true, right?

There is now doubt in my mind that humans are very narrow. And I don't exclude myself in this. There are so many things out there that I feel incapable to fathom.
But - too many of us think they do.
When the Obama-mania started I had one big fear: That we will project all our hopes and wants and needs on this one man. That we imprint the Impossible on him. That we'll praise him to the sky - and the second he doesn't deliever the way we want him to, we will tear him apart. And look - it has already started.
(Never mind all the vultures that have been waiting behind the scenes to be able to attack the second the started his job, because they don't agree with any of his ideas and ideals)

One man can't make 8 years of wrong right within days, weeks or months.
One man can't save the world.

I am not a religious person, spiritual yes. But as long as we judge, condem and kill in the name of religion I do not want to be associated with it. Though this situation reminds me of some biblical story we all heard about.
Jesus our savour. He too was praised and all our hope. From the moment he could not save us all, or did a job some didn't like he wasn't as popular any more. And look where we did put him!

On another very narrow minded basis the Norwegian media is also trying to leave some scratches in all that shine and glory by critcizing the fact that Mr Obama has been cutting down on his program while being in town.
What the h"¤%(()¤?! Why do we have to take this personal?
The man arrived at 8 - 8.30  am at the airport. Had about a 20 min drive to town. Then he might have had a little time to get to his hotel, freshen up before he had to show up at the first appointment at around 10 am. The next at 11 am, then another at 12 am before the big thing starts at around 2 pm. And I actually don't want to know what else is on his schedule. That he prefers not to race around town to see X other places - I can emphasize with that.
If I had been at a conference several days in a row I had be totally beaten by that already. Having another full day schedule ahead, I think I'd rather hang myself. And here we are expecting him to be all happy and cheery and jump like a puppet because we want him too.

My only hope is now, that most (preferably all) tempers calm down. That we let Mr Obama try to do his job as best as under circumstances possible. That we give him a little slack if he is not able to do all the right things. He to is only a person and not a machine. And satisfy everybody is an absolute impossible task. There will always be people/interest groups/nationalities that will feel rubbed the wrong way.
And most important of all: That WE contribute with everything WE can, and not sit back and wait for someone else to pull the waggon.

On a less serious note:
There are also funny things going on. One of our biggest newspaper agents are running a sales campaign on the cities trams. One banner saying "Hey Mr President. How about a cup of coffe. Mr Clinton had one". (Then a picture of black coffee) The other "Yo Will! How about some fresh coffee for the Fresh Prince" Behind that a picture of a cup of black coffe with a very typical Norwegian bun made of yeast dough - and then instead of the prices in Norwegian currency they printed it in Dollars. Very obviously calculated with the current currency exchange rate.
It really made me laugh. They should have stuck with the Norwegian currency. I doubt the Obama family or Smith familiy wouldn't have reacted at all and just payed instead of calculating the amount into Dollars.
What's a black coffee going for right now in the US? 75 cent to a 1.25$ ? A bun probably about the same?
So let's say all in all one would pay at the most 2.50$.
The Norwegian price: 4.66$
Don't you think they would choke on it even before buying? :)

Are we losing our ability to listen?
More and more I experience how people won't listen to each other. Whether it's family, friends, customers or co-workers.
One person says something and the other always has a reply. Usually it's a 'but'.
My parents are very often a good example. Mum says something - dad disagrees and replies with his version.
Or vice versa. And they just aren't able to notice that they actually talk about the same thing. Only in different words.
It drives me nuts!
When I talk with friends (customers, co-workers) and I might tell something almost every sentence is replied with 'yeah but'.
Do they know better? Is what they say more important?
Makes you want to scream? It has this effect on me at least.
It usually feels like everyone else thinks that they have more information and I am just stupid.
Which I know I am not.

Just the other day I was talking with dad on the phone and he told me something about mum. My reaction:
"yeah but maybe this and that..."
Yesterday it suddenly hit me and I realized: we talked about the exact same thing - just in different words.
And it scared the living daylight out of me!!

This girl is - without a doubt - not built for multitasking.
Just been sitting lazily on the couch with a cup of nice hot Cappuccino on my belly, while watching NCIS.
Then the following scene played out on the screen:
McGee was hacking the internal system, trying to push Ziva forward in a waiting line of paper work and saw that something was going on. I can't remember the exact choice of words of the 3 characters involved. But it went somewhat like "oh oh code blue!" "You just got a red flag" (McGee) " Bla bla Black list" (DiNozzo) "What's this blue, read and black thing?!" (confused Ziva)
And then it all started to go wrong. During Ziva's inquiry I took a nice big zip from my cup when DiNozzo answered dryly "A Zebra in a blender".
A huge laughter forced it's way up and out, which resultet in the Cappuccino going somewhat the wrong way. Normally it would mean chocking on what you're drinking - in this case the laughter prevented me from that. In stead I showered in a wide spray the floor, the coffe table, of course my clothes, and most importantly my beloved couch.
So instead of continuing watching the episode I was busy cleaning everything around me, while fighting a laughing fit.
And definitely feeling very sorry for my sofa - which suffers profoundly of stains.
For some reason the former one which also was of a light colour never got as many stains as this one has gotten already in the first 6 months in my possession. I am just glad that I chose the microfiber fabric which is easy to clean.

And my personal moral from this will be: never try to multitask. From now on it will be either NCIS or Cappuccino.

Just read in the news that the first step towards the new US Health bill is done. With the risk of p#&¤"# - ing off a few people - I just got to say this anyway: I hope they go for it. In the long run it will benefit more then it will do harm.
The ones opposing it, meaning that it will cost too much, are the same that have been coining money through the system as it is right now in all the years before. If this means for them to no longer cashing in millions, not longer sitting on a gold mine, but actually have to invest a little - I don't think there's any harm in it.
It's basically the same thing that we've experience in Germany 20 years ago when East and West were re-united.
40 years of mismanagement of the East-Germany economy had to be equalized. It took time, it took money. It still does. But in the end something good will come out of it.
My view on it is this: if people can go to a doctor regularly on check up's, (serious) illness can be detected far earlier and be treated. Instead of people waiting for too long because they can't afford it, and then first being treated when it is almost too late - when it really costs money to get them back to health.

If nothing else counts - then at least this: what I've learned so far, the jaw - dropping amounts that Americans have to pay to their insurers every month - it's such a rip off that they DESERVE a better health care system!!

Another Monday morning - and it's raining again. Can't complain really, since we we're quite lucky lately with the weather. But today it seems even more gloomy. Maybe because the rain is suppose to turn to snow later?
Sure feels like it. The wind is biting cold. And all you want to do is go home again and curl up on the couch with a cup of hot tea. Been at work for a little over an hour and don't seem to get the hang of it. Instead I went to the grocery store and bought myself rice pudding - breakfast didn't last too long either today.
Now I am sitting here spooning down the comforting sweet 'gunk' together with some coffee, in an attempt to get the corner into a productive and satisfying work day.
Not getting my hopes up though .....