...I got the grill out tonight and we had kebabs. First time this year.
That'd be embarrassing if I were actually a Finn. As only a pretend one, I think I get away with it. It wasn't even my idea - husband came home with the kebabs, expecting me to cook them (do I look like a master chef to you?) - at least they were already marinated. They were delicious :)
16 July, 2013
14 July, 2013
Lazy Saturday
So my sister-in-law came over to visit, and we had a picnic in the park then played Ticket to Ride and drank long drinks.
Verdicts:
Verdicts:
- Having a picnic in the park is nice.
- Calling it "my famous bean salad" does not make me famous, even if it's good.
- I'm not as good at the game as I thought (came 4th out of 5... boo)
- Salmiakki & Lemon long drink is apparently foul, even worse than chilli vodka.
- The buses are still running at 2am.
Now you know.
Elisa's Famous Bean Salad
6 sticks of celery, diced
1 can of kidney beans plus 1 can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
(or you can just use two cans of "bean mix")
1 spring onion, finely chopped (or green onion, or ½ red onion)
1 can of corn kernels, drained
1 punnet chopped cherry tomatoes
1 diced orange or red capsicum (some people call these bell peppers)
Dressing:
freshly-ground black pepper
sprinkle of salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lime (or more, to taste)
optional: finely chopped coriander
01 July, 2013
The "AND THEN" Argument of stupid debts and student loans
WHAT IF the biggest "hell no" argument was just removed from a discussion? It'd start like this: Hey, did you know, you could study overseas and get your degree much cheaper. Normally, they'd interject with all the things that they didn't like about that, all the things they saw as negative. But what if, what if those things are (gasp) potential positives after all? It's a whole new discussion:
I COULD go overseas and get my education.
BUT THEN, I'd have to stretch my brain and learn a foreign language.
AND THEN, I'd have to learn to live in a modest apartment while I studied.
AND THEN, I'd have to eat home-cooked food and avoid spending money on useless junk.
AND THEN, I'd have a world-class education.
AND THEN, I'd have no student debts.
AND THEN, I'd have a broader perspective on life than just the town I grew up in.
But why stop there? We could do it with work, too.
I COULD move overseas and work in another country.
BUT THEN, I'd have to adapt to a totally new culture.
AND THEN, then I'd have to pay more tax.
AND THEN, I'd have a lower salary.
AND THEN, I'd have to live in a modest home.
AND THEN, I'd have fewer things.
AND THEN, I'd have free health care, excellent public services, reliable public transport, and good, free education for my children.
AND THEN, I'd be happier.
Unfortunately most people just derail the entire conversation when the tax and salary thing starts. As if tax and salaries are the only things that matter in life.
Sure, you can't pay the bills with shiny-happy-thoughts, but you're still missing the point. I'm absolutely tired of people who have a LOT of money but still think that they don't. They still want more. They still think they pay too much tax compared with Joe Average. They still think things suck more for them than they suck for everyone else.
And the people who think money is more important than everything. That the only way to happiness is enormous debts. That these things are necessary, because there is no other way to eventual financial freedom. That they will need to do all these things because the big salary at the end is the only way to be happy in life. The ones who think they would never give up expensive luxuries in exchange for living without masses of debt.
Take a lesson from a culture which values simple things. You don't need that new (whatever) and you don't need a 300 square metre apartment for just you and your frickin' cat. Lower your expectations and you could magically find that you have everything that matters.
Imagine you thought that 30 square metres for yourself was plenty. Imagine that you were perfectly content with having your bed at the other end of the living room. Now imagine that you could work part time and have no mortgage as long as you were happy with that. Or imagine that you could retire earlier, and do whatever the heck you please, as long as you're content with your two-year-old phone and your three-year-old computer and no cable tv. Or you could give up your yearly holiday to the Bahamas and just spend a month in the countryside without indoor plumbing. You could read a book by day, go fishing, then cook your dinner over an open fire.
Imagine that was enough. Imagine you had already achieved it all. Imagine the satisfaction of knowing: I did it! We made it!
IMAGINE NOT FEEDING THE GREEDY CORPORATIONS WHICH HAVE TURNED EDUCATION INTO A PROFIT-DRIVEN BUSINESS.
It's not like that in the whole world, you know. This might mean you have to challenge what you thought you knew. Maybe you thought that the way your homeland does it is the best. Maybe you just assumed that because nobody told you any differently.
There are many of us who don't think education should be about profit. Look into it. Find out where we are. Learn something.
I COULD go overseas and get my education.
BUT THEN, I'd have to stretch my brain and learn a foreign language.
AND THEN, I'd have to learn to live in a modest apartment while I studied.
AND THEN, I'd have to eat home-cooked food and avoid spending money on useless junk.
AND THEN, I'd have a world-class education.
AND THEN, I'd have no student debts.
AND THEN, I'd have a broader perspective on life than just the town I grew up in.
But why stop there? We could do it with work, too.
I COULD move overseas and work in another country.
BUT THEN, I'd have to adapt to a totally new culture.
AND THEN, then I'd have to pay more tax.
AND THEN, I'd have a lower salary.
AND THEN, I'd have to live in a modest home.
AND THEN, I'd have fewer things.
AND THEN, I'd have free health care, excellent public services, reliable public transport, and good, free education for my children.
AND THEN, I'd be happier.
Unfortunately most people just derail the entire conversation when the tax and salary thing starts. As if tax and salaries are the only things that matter in life.
Sure, you can't pay the bills with shiny-happy-thoughts, but you're still missing the point. I'm absolutely tired of people who have a LOT of money but still think that they don't. They still want more. They still think they pay too much tax compared with Joe Average. They still think things suck more for them than they suck for everyone else.
And the people who think money is more important than everything. That the only way to happiness is enormous debts. That these things are necessary, because there is no other way to eventual financial freedom. That they will need to do all these things because the big salary at the end is the only way to be happy in life. The ones who think they would never give up expensive luxuries in exchange for living without masses of debt.
Take a lesson from a culture which values simple things. You don't need that new (whatever) and you don't need a 300 square metre apartment for just you and your frickin' cat. Lower your expectations and you could magically find that you have everything that matters.
Imagine you thought that 30 square metres for yourself was plenty. Imagine that you were perfectly content with having your bed at the other end of the living room. Now imagine that you could work part time and have no mortgage as long as you were happy with that. Or imagine that you could retire earlier, and do whatever the heck you please, as long as you're content with your two-year-old phone and your three-year-old computer and no cable tv. Or you could give up your yearly holiday to the Bahamas and just spend a month in the countryside without indoor plumbing. You could read a book by day, go fishing, then cook your dinner over an open fire.
Imagine that was enough. Imagine you had already achieved it all. Imagine the satisfaction of knowing: I did it! We made it!
IMAGINE NOT FEEDING THE GREEDY CORPORATIONS WHICH HAVE TURNED EDUCATION INTO A PROFIT-DRIVEN BUSINESS.
It's not like that in the whole world, you know. This might mean you have to challenge what you thought you knew. Maybe you thought that the way your homeland does it is the best. Maybe you just assumed that because nobody told you any differently.
There are many of us who don't think education should be about profit. Look into it. Find out where we are. Learn something.
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