Well, there's the oil, of course.

Apart from that, there is the high taxation on everyone living there, or thinking of living there, or for some bizarre reason would like to live there but cannot afford to...you get the picture.

For me, even though I've lived abroad for almost three years and have only visited there for a few days during that time, the whole thing is very complicated. You have to send in a self-assessment report to Revenue & Customs which is supposed to be easy to fill out, but only if you think what they've already filled in for you is correct. The minute you realise something is amiss, that's when the fun starts.

I remember when I was little that my dad used a whole evening to fill out every minute detail on his and Mum's reports. That was the only time of year that the Big Calculator was brought out. Of course, later on my mum owned a shop and that meant even more evenings with the damn report on the kitchen table, and that was just for their personal reports, because she already had an accountant for the shop.

I take a look at all the rules and fine print and still can't get my head around how much I'm supposed to pay and to which country. You see, they like putting taxes on absolutely EVERYTHING in Norway, even things with which they don't really have anything to do. My biggest fear is ending up paying double tax, because OBVIOUSLY I cannot afford that.

...although I did manage to win 20/1 on my puny five-pound-multiple bet on three football matches yesterday. I quickly withdrew the money from my account there so I wouldn't be tempted to "just place another bet; how difficult could it possibly be?" Disclaimer: I do not endorse gambling! Believe me, I have mostly lost my money when gambling, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Labels: Norway, personal

The New Year's Honours List was unveiled today. Amazing news for Sir Ian McKellen. And I just finished watching him as Magneto in the third X-Men film. :-)

Labels: film, time wasting

Apparently Benazir Bhutto has just been killed by a suicide bomber after speaking to the crowds in Pakistan.

PROGRESS, people. Get with the program. We need freedom of speech.

I hope I'll never understand their narrow-mindedness.

Labels: current affairs

As a Norwegian I am very proud to hear that Sissel (Kyrkjebø) is in 1st place on the Billboard Classical Albums list for the 9th or 10th week in a row (11 weeks in the chart altogether), together with the massive Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra with their Spirit of the Season. They have also been nominated for a Grammy.

As a Weezer aficionado, I am very happy to hear they're planning the release of their sixth album for April/May 2008. By that time I will have been a fan for 14 years. Wow, how time flies.

I was also surprised and happy to read that the late Denis Quilley was part of the Chess concept album from 1984. I discovered at the same time that James Graeme, my favourite from the first concert featuring songs from musicals that I ever went to (in 2002, after Philip Quast had turned my world upside-down with his fabulous voice some months earlier), features on one of the many Chess albums. Unfortunately the only one I don't have (I think). But hey, as long as I have the ones featuring Tommy Körberg, I'm happy. I also have the Which Witch? album with Tim Morgan on it, so I shouldn't really be complaining. And I'm not. It's Christmas, after all!

Speaking of the Holidays, my Christmas has been very lazy so far (which would make Aug happy, since he told me to have a lazy Christmas). I managed to wait until around 1pm on Christmas Day with opening my presents, and was very happy with every single one. I am proud to say I have FINALLY got Dirty Dancing in my collection. It's the weirdest thing; I watched it at least five times in the cinema back in 1987/88 and have seen it about a dozen times on telly afterwards, but I have never owned it (probably because it's on telly "all the time" anyway). This year, however, marks the 20th anniversary and that means they released a special edition double-DVD which, together with the new Hairspray film, was the only thing I specifically wished for this Christmas (as, PER USUAL, people didn't heed my pleas of giving their money to charity instead, apart from my dear friend in Holmestrand (kudos!) - and therefore certain people demanded to know what I wanted for Christmas).

I am currently updating my film collection database, and have hit the 1000th mark, which is slightly distressing and impressive at the same time.

I have also started watching old episodes of Whose Line is it Anyway? (since there aren't any new ones, let's face it) and have thus rekindled my old semi-admiration of Greg Proops and acquired an interest in the comedy of Colin Mochrie. To my great surprise (since I didn't know the history of the show, frankly) they both feature in the UK as well as the US versions. Unfortunately the current repeats date back to the early nineties and up to 2002, but beggars can't be choosers etc.

Since I believe I'm due back in the office tomorrow morning (I'd better be, since I've been off for the past 12 days and feel like I've been gone an eternity), I guess I should go to bed right about now. Just have to upload some new music to my mp3 player. And by "new" I actually mean music which isn't there already, like Norwegian favourites Surferosa, DumDum Boys, Xploding Plastix, Gatas Parlament, Jaga Jazzist, Dimmu Borgir and Briskeby (Apoptygma Berzerk having already been uploaded a long time ago).

A continued Happy Holidays to everyone! *hugs and smooches to those who feel they deserve them*

Labels: Christmas, comedy, film, music, musicals, Norway, philip quast, tim morgan

No, not the couple who allegedly lived 2000 years ago. I am of course talking about Lee Mead and Connie Fisher, respectively, winners of the 2006/2007 "casting shows" for the new productions by Lord Lloyd-Webber on the BBC. Tonight saw them meeting up again and it is quite apparent that we, as the (very actively, at times) voting public, chose the right people for the parts in question. No slips-up from either of the two, and I'm sure the time they've been on stage this past year has helped. I'm proud, for no reason at all.

Well, it's Christmas Eve and I am stuck here listening to my favourite songs. I was only going to fill an hour before some wretched programme at nine, but I have a feeling the way I keep adding songs to the playlist I'll be sitting here for the next three hours or so.

At least the weather is much better than yesterday. I woke up to fog as thick as pea soup and a flatmate who was running around like a headless chicken because she was going to fly home for Christmas. As the day panned out, after giving up on the National Express and instead sharing a cab with four Polish people, she ended up on the plane almost on schedule. Lots of others weren't as lucky. (And that prompted me to add "I Should be So Lucky" to my playlist - gotta love those antipodeans! - which again reminds me I am currently looking for the complete collection of Stingers (just sharing here, nothing to get hung up on - ooh, must add "Hung Up" by Madonna))

Today, after having done the last bits of my Christmas grocery shopping and phoned my grandma and parents (Dad is suffering from the chatting bug, I believe...but then again we hardly ever speak on the phone because it's usually Mum who phones me on my days off), I got stuck with three films in succession. Damn BBC1. So I watched the last 3/4 of Santa Clause, then Ella Enchanted (which was much better than I had dreaded), followed by Lemony Snicket's blah-blah-blah. Then it was time for supper and the aforementioned When Joseph Met Maria. Now you know what I've been up to today.

Oh yes, and I filled a huge bowl with sweets. I think I shall have to put it away, because where it is now (in the middle of the coffee table) it is making me slightly queasy.

By the way; mixing red food colouring with marzipan makes your hands look like you have just killed someone. (Let's just say that's why I postponed my marzipan adventure until AFTER Saturday's show and this morning's shopping.) Don't say I didn't warn you.

Labels: Christmas, film, Lloyd-Webber, music, musicals, personal, TV

I went to the matinee of La cage aux folles earlier today (Saturday) and it is getting even better! I am so chuffed they're sold out. Not that it has anything to do with me, but I like backing winners. ;-) I also found the PERFECT first act spot in the auditorium today...although it did become apparent it is a very silly seat for a notoriously shy person during the second act. I blame the lights for being VERY hot, but it may have been my face turning red when I suddenly found myself in the spotlight for a whole song (I actually knew I was in the wrong spot before I sat down, but it was worth it because of the sheer perfectness of the place during the rest of the performance.)

Of course, Philip Quast still looks like my uncle in this production, but at least he had heeded my tip from last time and changed the timing of one of his lines. (OK, I think perhaps it had nothing to do with me.)

I have also booked tickets for six plays, musicals and concerts over the next few months, so this is going to be a very inspiring spring. Hairspray is turning out slightly on the too expensive side of things, but I have a feeling I must save up for a ticket for sometime in the latter part of 2008. Now all I need is for someone to have the brilliant idea of backing a production of Victor/Victoria! (Yes, there is a common theme here.)

I just have to mention Spencer Stafford by name this time. He is the understudy for Douglas Hodge (Albin) in La cage and due to illness he is the only one so far who has been playing the role of Albin. Now, as my interest in the production lay not with Mr. Hodge, I couldn't care less about who played Albin to begin with, but I must say I am very happy to have been allowed to see Stafford doing the part twice now (and I believe there will be a third time in February).

In case I won't visit again before Christmas; Happy Holidays everyone! God Jul!

Labels: Christmas, musicals, philip quast, theatre

Michael Ball is extending his contract in Hairspray - which of course means I will definitely go see it at least once more during the coming ten months!

Labels: musicals, theatre

I had a day off today after working 15 days in a row, which was very nice. I decided I'd just relax and ended up (after having done the washing-up) watching programmes I have taped during the past month or so. A couple of episodes of the brilliant The Street (particularly looking forward to next week's episode) as well as The Secret Millionaire and Friends and Crocodiles, which was nothing like what I had pictured. By the way, I thought Jodhi May should have been top of the bill on that one, but perhaps I am biased.

Then I went downtown to witness the lighting of the Christmas tree at Trafalgar Square. It rained, which meant a lot of people with brollies, which again meant a lousy view. We also had to endure the embarrassing Norwegian accent of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. All in all a disappointing event which really wasn't worth the trip...well, apart from yours truly's annual testing of the old singing voice, as they played the Norwegian national anthem. Quite ruined by the annoying students in front of me (three Norwegians, one Brit) who just couldn't shut the fuck up. Total lack of respect, I think.

On a sidenote I am having mixed feelings about my blog quickly popping up when googling for most combinations containing the term "Philip Quast". Surely there are more informed and less biased sites out there?

And while I remember; The Stage ran a short review of this year's Royal Variety Performance today and it looks to be a good one. It's on next week, I think, and a would recommend it to my friends abroad as well. There's a number or two from Hairspray in there, among other things.

Labels: Christmas, jodhi may, musicals, Norway, philip quast, TV

I found out today that 1) I get too emotional, and 2) I am in much higher demand than I thought I would be.

Let's just say I didn't take the job I was offered.

And I felt really, REALLY bad about it. But the matter of the fact is that I wouldn't earn enough to begin with, and I just don't have the savings for that kind of a scenario. Last week I started telling a few people that I work closely with that I was leaving, and the general reaction was "oh no, that's too bad", but one took off completely and apparently, it turns out, they don't actually want me to leave! Wow!

So then I started thinking, "but I don't actually want to leave, either!"

And the ball started rolling from there.

Today I was given a better deal at my current work place and thought "great", but then I had to tell the new place that unfortunately I couldn't take up a position there. That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. They are very nice people and I liked it there, but all in all I just couldn't afford it. So I told the boss and hated myself, REALLY hated myself, afterwards.

Half an hour later she called me back and gave me a few options. All with increased pay. I seriously didn't think I was worth it, so it was a good and bad feeling wrapped into one. I was standing there, secretly thinking "PLEASE don't give me an offer I simply cannot refuse", and luckily she stopped 1K short of the recent offer from my current employers. After all, with my nervous disposition (shh) I probably shouldn't venture into the World of Sales. Which I told her (let's just blow EVERY chance I have of getting a job somewhere else, shall we!), but she seemed to understand. Apparently she has much better confidence in me than I'll ever have.

I haven't felt this rotten for a very long while, though.

Of course, saying "no thanks" to the other job means I have the next couple of days off, and suddenly I have 12 days off at Christmas. Too late to book a flight to Norway for Christmas, of course. Typical. Still, I've already planned my holidays, so...

In other news, I got the quite impressive Romulus, My Father the other day. Richard Roxburgh as director and Marton Csokas as one of the stars? Clear favourite.

Labels: Christmas, film, marton csokas, personal