Sunday 9 January 2011

Wishing for a Snow Day so that exams will be postphoned? Highly unlikely to happen when the forecast for next week looks like this:

How long ago was it when we had temperatures of 9 or 10 degrees in Glasgow? I can't recall.
A nice weather, but unfortunately we can't go out and play because of the major, mind boggling stressful papers on that week!

Thursday 6 January 2011

Sunrise

I am lucky enough to teach at Tækniskólinn, the Technical College of Reykjavík, which rests stolidly upon the rise of Skólavörðurholt, just beside Hallgrímskirkja. Lucky to have a permanent position, lucky to work next to, for and with amazingly talented people from many technical and industrial fields, such as engineers, pilots, ships captains, carpenters, electricians, beauticians, designers, programmers, plumbers, masons and goldsmiths. Lucky to have students who let me rant my idealized, world-of-the future rants (in between mini-lectures on verbs and such.) And lucky to have a 360°view of the lovely city surrounding us.

This morning, during our first teachers meeting of the semester, I found myself absorbed by the gorgeous sunrise glowing brighter and brighter over the ridge of mountains to the east. This photo was taken with my new little compact camera pressed just up against the window with my daughter's school, Austurbæjarskóli, in the immediate foreground and the white twin church spires of Háteigskirkja just visible in the distance. As the day progressed the weather got worse, and by now, eveningtime, we are settling in for an intense 13th Night of Christmas storm.

Tuesday 4 January 2011

Anticipation

It is midnight and I am hungry.. I can't wait for the day and hopefully a 'new addition' to my already crowded rooom :)

Pharm Shirts

A shirt for sale by a pharmacist at US$31.45

Monday 3 January 2011

Spending crisis

2011's resolution: Stinge!

As of midnight tonight, VAT increases from 17.5% to 20%. Previously I was penny pinching. As of tomorrow, I'm gonna be Pound pinching extra hard!
Price increament for everything from phone bills, electrical goods, meals, train tickets etc....
Stinge.. stinge.. stinge.... aih...
Looks like the GREAT SALES will never be a good as previous ones ever again....

Whats worse is when retailers are allowed to do this:
"And until February 1, stores are being allowed by the Government to apply the 20 per cent rate by marking up the price paid at the till, rather than on shelf labels."
"It means shoppers will not know the true cost of items until they go through the checkout, raising the prospect of disputes and queues as they come to terms with being asked to pay more."

Need to stinge and...do the math when reading shelf labels.

Saturday 1 January 2011

Scottish food

The one thing I've always wanted to know was, "What is Scottish's food?" Every Scot I have asked could only name me one - Haggis. Some say soup! Before coming to Glasgow, I've been told to try Haggis too. SOURCE

So, I found a couple more Scottish food.. I could make one of my new year resolution as "To try all the Scottish food!"
Haggis - A Scottish Staple. A bag stuffed with minced heart, liver and lung boiled in lamb stomach.

Roasted Grouse

Abroath Smokie - Scotland's version of salted fish

Scotch eggs - Hardboiled eggs wrapped in minced sausage and coated with breadcrumbs.
This doesn't sound too hard to be eaten or made.

Black pudding - Congealed blood wrapped in intestine, battered and deep fried.