Introducing Tytti

Tuomo writes: This is what a funk brings you to: How can it take so long to write a blog entry on one of your dearest friends?!? I mean I wanted to do this for her "major milepost," and the gifts that were supposed to reach her and to be waiting for her when she’d return from her trip to Turkey didn’t get sent until today (like FOUR weeks late)...

At any rate, I have been wanting to write about my friend Tytti for the longest time. With Pekka and Timo, she’s the third leg of the tripod that keeps my life in focus. For the life of me, I cannot remember the exact circumstances of how we met other than it was at some party organized by SUB, the student organization for English majors at the University of Helsinki. In what must have been the fuksiaiset, or "freshman induction," and in my drunken haze, I remember her saying timidly that she wanted to participate in Sub. Fast-forward a year or two, and she was the chair of SUB!

So what do I appreciate so much about her? For one thing, she’s always been able to provide a frank but fair view of the state of affairs. I can’t think of anyone as well-grounded and well-versed in her opinions, ranging from choosing the perfect pair of floral pattern pants to how to deal with parents in denial. All of this delivered spot-on with kick-ass precision of a world-class stand-up comedienne... Oh the bons-mots I have come to cherish!

Second, we both share the joys of travelling. Unfortunately we haven’t had too many opportunities to travel together (London 1990, Tallinn a time or two in the late 90s, and hosting her in Toulouse and Barcelona 1991 and Vancouver in 2008), but even these few ones are worth a pot of gold. Oh the anecdotes! Without her and her infallible taste in culture, I don’t think I would have discovered as many best kept secrets. Add to this an appreciation of good food, be it gourmet or not, I couldn’t think of a better travelling companion. I don’t understand people who can’t sit down every once in a while for the tiniest of salads or just an amuse-gueule to process the sights and sounds du jour – or just to chitchat. Nor can Tytti. Add a refreshing gin and tonic to the equation, and things just get better. Nor will I ever have to worry about coming down with malaria either.

Finally, I appreciate her taste in music. With a background in music from high school, she has a taste for a wide variety of music, ranging from classical to the most eclectic performers of world music. As a perennial language queen, I love music that isn’t always your run-of-the-mill, dime-a-dozen mainstream music in English; when she’s around, I have no qualms about putting on music that I know would drive other people climb up the walls: French, Turkish, Latin/Spanish, Arab, bhangra, you name it...

In fact, the song that I would like to dedicate to her is Hijo de la luna by Mecano. I discovered this Spanish group while I was studying in France in the early 90s. When I returned to Finland, she was the first one to appreciate Mecano categorically without comments like ewww, creepy or This isn't in English. As a lot was going on in our lives at that time, we both seemed to get a kick of some kind from their somewhat edgy and controversial lyrics. Oh and I guess we were both going through some kind of a Spanish phase in our lives, too...

We miss you very much. Husband-hunting in Seattle any time soon?

Click here to see the original version of Mecano's Hijo de la luna.

But check this version out, too. It is so up our alleys! ¡Arriba!

Who's Got da Funk?!

Tuomo writes: And not the pleasant kind of funk either...

I guess the current slump started after our European friends left and our week at the beach was over. Ever since that everything has felt more or less blah.

It didn't help when when our friends at the beach - hopefully jokingly - mocked my attempt to keep in touch by means of this blog. All kidding aside, I felt hurt, especially when since the trip none of them have even bothered to wonder and/or ask me why I haven't been updating my blog. They were the main target audience in my mind that determined to write this blog in English. I might as well change the language to Finnish because those who do read this are our Finnish friends. And considering that I haven't written much in a few months, they probably haven't been following this either, so I'm questioning why bother in the first place... which definitely guarantees that this blog doesn't get any updates!

I haven't gone to the gym in ages. I haven't eaten sensibly or been on WeightWatchers since June. All I have done is eat and watch TV. And not without snacking on goodies that aren't carrots... I just can't seem to get interested in anything.

I postpone doing things for later. Or tomorrow. Or next week... or month.

I did get myself to go to a hot yoga class (Bikram) for like three times. Then I lost interest. Or motivation. Or maybe it was too pushy. Or something.

I need to get excited about doing something. Like going to the gym... or something.

Though I do have to point out that there has been a glimmer of some end to the funk. I recently got in touch with two friends from the past (thanks to FaceBook, my seemingly only source of social contact). I've written an e-mail or two with them in French and Estonian, something that seems to get my groove back on. I also got my car serviced today, and for some strange reason I feel like achieving things so that when Dave comes home the kitchen won't be a mess or the hallway upstairs won't be strewn with laundry to be folded or put away.

In fact, to prove the point that not everything is as gloomy as it may seem, I ran across another blast from the past, or a YouTube clip, Zoolookologie by Jean-Michel Jarre that got me in a merrier place, at least temporarily. Oh I so love the 80s graphics; it reminds a lot of my high school art work :-)

We're South-East Asian!

Tuomo writes: We had nothing else to do, so we took the Which Country Are You quiz. Here are the results, first for me, then for Dave:

Tuomo: You're Vietnam! After years of muddling through on your own, you've finally repaired yourself to a point of respectability. You would have been much better off had people you didn't like not kept insisting on spending so much time with you. But
those times are fading quickly and these days you're pretty sure you won't get burned.

Dave: You're Thailand! Calmer and more staunchly independent than almost all those around you, you have a long history of rising above adversity. Recent adversity has led to questions about your sexual promiscuity and the threat of disease, but you still manage to attract a number of tourists and admirers. And despite any setbacks, you can really cook a good meal whenever it's called for. Good enough to make people
cry.

Now that was positive!

Teddy In Memoriam

Tuomo writes: On Sunday September 7th approximately 5:05PM Dave and I bade Teddy farewell.

After the lab report from our vet, it became clear that it would require next to a miracle to end Teddy's declining health. At first we had thought that Teddy had begun to lose weight because he was getting a bit more excercise walking up and down the stairs, but eventually it became clear that something else was going on. By the time we contacted the vet, we weren't sure for how long Teddy hadn't been eating or drinking at all.

The lab results were devastating. All indicators, way beyond several deviations from the normal, suggested that Teddy was suffering from kidney failure, a typical ailment among small pets I believe. As suggested by the vet, Dave brought Teddy over to the emergency clinic for intense IV. Unfortunately the first 24 hours had no effect on his wellbeing, and in course of the following 24 hours Teddy had a seizure. It was a tough decision to make, but it was clear that there would be nothing but suffering ahead for poor Teddy, so we requested him to be put to sleep.

As I'm writing this, I still can't help welling up. We made use of one more opportunity to be with Teddy. We petted him a lot and took lots of pictures, but it was clear that Teddy was in a lot of discomfort; the IV tube hanging from his left paw probably didn't add to his benefit.

Needless to say, Dave and I wept unashamedly while we watched Teddy explore the room we were in. Ten years of good times as well as bad were about to become precious memories... In the end, it felt really painful to say, "Goodbye, Primogenito."

In memory of Teddy, here's a poem in Finnish I found on the Internet (originally in Swedish?) ; underneath it is my prose-y translation in English:

KISSAN HAUTAJAISISSA

Luona pikku ruumiin me seisomme,

ei nouse tuosta enää konsaan se.

Sun kehruutas koskaan ei kuulla saa,

ei nähdä miten luomes vilkahtaa.

Kissavainaamme, kiitos, pikkuinen,

joka päivästä, yöstä saat kiitoksen,

jotka saimme sun kanssasi elellä

ja sua rakkaasti hellien hyväillä.

Sinä lohtua meidän käsillämme toit.

Sinä monena äänenä meissä soit.

Mau, sähäys ja kynnen välkähdys-

mitä kertoikaan häntäsi pyyhkäys.

Olit itsenäinen sä aina vaan,

mitä ikinä kävitkin luuraamaan.

Sinä vapaa olit, taas orjia me

kunnes hautaan viimein vaivumme.

Vailla unia sä nuku, ja maaksi jää.

Meitä pöydässä ikävä räydyttää.

Mutta muistos on talossa ainiaan.

Se ei tunnu kylmältä milloinkaan.

-Lars Huldén-Suom. Satu Marttila

AT A CAT’S FUNERAL

We now stand gathered next to your tiny body

Ne’er shall it move again;

Your purring won’t be heard any more

nor how your eye bats will be seen

Our dearly beloved, lifeless kitty cat,
We thank you for every night and day
That we got to share with you
And pet you with tender love and care.

You brought us comfort by means of our hands

You rang many chords within us
With a meow, a hiss and a flash of a claw
Or whatever that flick of your tail ever meant.

Forever you maintained your independence

Whatever you set your mind on

You were free while we mere slaves were

Until we all in a grave in peace shall rest.

Sleep your dreamless slumber and dust become

While the pain of missing you consumes us

But your memory shall always remain in the house forever:

Ne’er shall it feel cold ever more.

May you, Teddy, rest in peace in a place where nobody ever steps on his tail or picks you up without your concent :-)

What's Going On with This Blog?!

Tuomo writes: Where did Septemebre go? And what's up with updates?

Just having some technical problems (read: annoying pop ups) at the home computer that prevent timely and unadultared blogging.

Hang in there, my friends! :-)

Teddy's Seriously Ill :-(

Tuomo writes: Those of my readers who are on Facebook may have already read that Teddy, our Primogenito (who I wrote about) has not been feeling well.

Basically in a nut shell, we noticed a while ago that teddy had started to lose weight. No biggie there because he was "big boned" to begin with; maybe the exercise of running up and down the stairs were having a positive effect on him. It wasn't until last week that we noticed that the loss has been quite substantial and was having an effect on his personality... He doesn't seem to have been eating either, so the poor creature is probably not only dehydrated but also undernourished.

To the extent that I had to take Teddy to the vet, who carried out some lab exams to see what was ailing poor Teddy. It turns out that he has a serious case of kidney disease: his blood, urine, and other figures were way over there, and now as an immediate remedy should be on IV fluids for the next 3-5 days.

The vet (for references for what seems like otherwise a great and tactful vet contact me!) basically made no promises of permanent or even imediate recovery, so we are understandibly under a lot of emotional distress. We can only hope for the best - whatever it is...

Why Public Schooling Is Important

Tuomo writes: Here's another clip that our friend Doug brought to our attention. A leprechaun in Alabama? Or is it just a crackhead who got hold of the wrong stuff and was told to "play a leprechaun," eh? See for yourselves:



Apparently the town of Crichton and the leprachaun sightings have turned into a pop culture phenomenon. For more visit Wikipedia or Where Da Gold At.