my paintings travel farther than I do

I painted this image for a friend of mine when he finished his Ph.D. Andy is now in Antarctica and my painting went with him to Scott Base. I might never get to see Antarctica, but at least my painting got to go.


Oh, and that vehicle in the background is a Hagglund, a Swedish made ice transportation unit that researchers use to travel around.

Thanks Andy. Truly appreaciated.

not all anniversaries are good anniversaries

On march 24, 1989 the oil tanker Exxon Valdex left the port of Valdez with an overworked crew, an alcoholic master, and a broken radar system. Only three hours after the departure, the vessel struck Bligh reef and spilled 10.8 million gallons (40 million litres) of crude oil into the Prince William Sound. The spill covered 11,000 square miles (28,000 km2) of ocean, killing hundreds of thousands of animals. NOAA estimated in 2007 that more 26,000 gallons (98,000 litres) remains in the sandy soil surrounding the spill area, continuing to contaminate the shoreline.

In 1994, an Alaskan jury convicted Exxon, ordered the company to pay $287 million for actual damages, and one year's worth of profits ($5 billion) for punitive damages. Exxon appealed multiple times managing each time to reduce the amount. In June, 2008, the Supreme court ruled that punitive damages were excessive, returned the case to a lower court, and limited the amount to $507.5 million. Exxon continues to argue that any amount over $25 million is excessive since the spill was "an accident". (You do the math: when divided between the 30 000 plaintiffs this amount becomes ridiculous compensation for lost livelihoods.) In comparison, when Lee Raymond, the president of Exxon at the time of the spill, retired in 2006, he was awarded a $400 million as a bonus.

Here's to this sad anniversary.

Local exploration

Today, with the help of a couple of dogs, I managed to prove something that I had long suspected: the trails by our cabin connect to the Dunbar-Livengood trail. This means that if I so desired, I could ski from our cabin to the Bering Strait, and if courageous/stupid enough, over the strait and into Russia. I doubt that I'll ever do anything like that, but it's pretty cool to know that it's a possibility.

I've been thinking a lot about the future lately. If things go according to plan, I will be graduating a year from now. It's difficult to see how I would be able to stay in Fairbanks and keep doing the research that I'm doing, but it's also difficult to imagine leaving Fairbanks. A part of me is excited for the opportunities (hopefully) awaiting me elsewhere, but a part of me wants to buy a cabin, a dog team, and a canoe, and spend my life exploring the Arctic. Maybe I can find a compromise... Or maybe I've been reading too many books about Arctic exploration.

kotirouva suosittelee

Sarjassamme kummallisuuksia: Miksi netin englanninkieliset mainokset ovat täynnä kotirouvien ja äitien keksimiä härpäkkeitä? Facebook mainostaa: "Uskomaton ihmeparantuminen: kotirouvan keksimä luonnonuute." "Äiti paljastaa nuoren ihon salaisuuden. Taistele ryppyjä vastaan."."* Miksi nimettömillä äideillä on turhakkaiden keksimisvimma?

*Suomennettuina mainokset kuulostavat vielä alkuperäiskieltäkin hölmömmiltä.

++++++

Now that I have frequented Facebook, I get to see a steady supply of GoogleAds. It is weird though how "break through" inventions seem always to be made by nameless moms or housewives. "Get your miracle cure. Invented by a housewife." or "Incredible wrinkle treatment invented by a mom." Are moms somehow more trustworthy? Do housewives have secret inventive superpowers that manifest themselves only as weight loss medication or cleaning supplies?

Update: Jason doesn't get any wrinkle cure adds. His Facebook is filled with business opportunities (with seminaked ladies) and basketball. I must be targeted by housewife adds because a) I am a female (they must then think I find the nameless moms trustworthy) and b) I'm old and really need whiter teeth.

myyrän kosto

The vole is out there.

This time the critter was seen by Jason, not me. It was in the hole (not much of a problem since everything is frozen anyways), freaked out, crawled out, and vanished somewhere. This explains the shredded toilet paper that I saw a few days earlier.

Excitement in Fairbanks.

Moose on the loose

I found this e-mail rather amusing:


TO: UAF students

FROM: Police Chief

SUBJECT: Moose on campus

This is a reminder that moose living near the University of Alaska Fairbanks may pass through campus. Members of the campus community should use common sense if they come in contact with wildlife and be aware that wildlife could be present, especially in the wooded areas of campus.

Do not attempt to feed wild animals or try to approach them.

The University Police Department has had a dramatic increase in the number of reports of moose on the Fairbanks campus this year and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is reporting an increase in the Fairbanks area moose population.

Moose can be easily frightened, have been known to charge without  notice and can be especially dangerous when trying to protect offspring.

If you see a moose on campus, please call the UAF Police Department.

tekoäly hoi

Google mainostaa: "Suorana lähetyksenä kotona USA Avulla by USA Kokematon Karstata.".

On tää konekääntäminen hupaisaa.

+++

Google translations strikes again. You English speakers just have to assume it is funny.

Upside down Switzerland

Then we were off to the Grand Canyon. We weren't sure quite what to expect, since we knew that (1) the Grand Canyon is always crazy busy with tourists, (2) many of the hiking trails are closed in winter, and (3) even more trails would be closed because of the heavy snow that had fallen while we were getting wet in the Superstitions. We dove up from Flagstaff for a day hike, enjoyed the day hike, decided that the snow and people weren't a big problem, and decided to do an overnight hike. So the next day we descended to the bottom of the canyon, zig-zagging our entire way down to the river. The elevation difference from top to bottom is nearly 1 mile, so it kind of feels like your walking into an abyss.

Hiking there is a bit like hiking in Switzerland - it's as if the Grand Canyon was the mold used to create the Alps. You can walk up hill, or you can walk down hill. When you get to the bottom of the canyon, you can go get a beer at the "ranch". You can even sleep at the ranch if you're not cheap like us. There are people everywhere, but you learn to ignore them by soaking in the spectacular views. Sound like Switzerland? Neither of us had been there before, and I'm not sure if we'll be going back anytime soon, but we definitely enjoyed it.

We were feeling pretty good about ourselves on the hike back to the top of the canyon. We were much faster than we anticipated, and we managed to overtake quite a few people on the way. We were feeling good, anyway, until we were overtaken by a runner who had started at the top, ran to the river, and was then running back to the top. This was over 16 miles horizontally plus 1 mile down and 1 mile up. We were impressed. I almost felt inspired to start a rigorous training program.

After reaching the top we drove to Phoenix, slept through New Year's Eve celebrations, woke up early the next morning, and flew back to Fairbanks. We were greeted with nearly two weeks of -40 C (-40 F).

Views of the south rim:

The trail downward. Don't look at this next photo if you get vertigo.

The Colorado River:

Inari jumping into the abyss:


Some of our friends and acquaintances have perfected the art of jumping photos. We still haven't quite figured them out, but you have to admit the leaping into the Grand Canyon is rather dramatic.

Arizona, part 3

As usual I'm falling behind on my blogging...

After our hiking experience in the Superstitions Inari and I decided to head north to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon (which are about 2 and 3 hours north of Phoenix, respectively). On our way to Flagstaff we stopped at a couple of archaeological sites. We first went to Montezuma Castle National Monument. I would've loved to have lived in such a place. Nowadays though you're not allowed to enter the dwelling, which is an extreme disappointment.

The dwellings must have been a pretty ideal place to live: sheltered from cold winter nights and hot summers and next to a river that allowed for cultivation of corn, squash, okra, and other foods. Nowadays there are some beautiful Arizona sycamores growing in the low lands.


We then continued on to Wupatki National Monument, which is basically a bunch of pueblos (sort of like manor houses) in what appears to be the most inhospitable landscapes imaginable. No food, no water, no wood. Basically just rocks and silence. Very stunning. What I found most surprising was that people lived in this landscape, when just a few kilometers away (less than 50, anyway) the desert rose up into pine forest that must have supported some big game.


Highlight of the day: seeing a jackrabbit, a roadrunner, and a fox within a span of two minutes.

joys of teaching

So far I have spent the beginning of this semester in a front of a computer playing tag with my students, trying to stay one step ahead of them. No matter how much work I put into preparing my lectures, there are always six more to give next week. An endless cycle in a making, but I digress.

This semester I have also seen an increase in student email. Clueless questions varying form "How come you don't have text book listed on the textbook ordering site?" (because I don't require one, honey) to "Where is the Art department located anyways?" (I dunno, maybe looking at a campus map would help). Yesterday's in-class exchange was priceless though. One of the classes I am teaching is called 2-dimensional design, a beginning art class about design elements and composition. After giving a lecture (Intro to composition, art and life or something equally lofty) I am going around, helping each student to do their in-class assignment. Halfway, I reach one them, carefully crafting his name in the tiny print on the middle of the paper. The drawing itself is good, but I raise the issue of paper size and urge him to reconsider the placement and size of his text. He looks at me, confused, and asks: "You mean that this class is about composition?"

I don't know what he thought 2D design was going to be. Maybe I should have asked.

Library criminal

That's how I felt this morning.

---------------------

Story: I've been slowly reading Tin Drum by Gunter Grass. It's an interesting book, but not a page turner, and besides, after spending all day trying to use my brain I'm not always motivated to read at night. I first checked out the book from the public library in October. The first renewal wasn't a problem. When I went to renew it a second time I had to ask for permission from the circulation desk. Today, I went to renew it a third time.

Me: Hi, I'd like to renew this book. I've already renewed twice, so can I get permission to renew it a third time?

Librarian: You've already had it three months?

Me: Yeah..

Librarian: I don't think we can do that.

Me: And... why not?

Librarian: We don't like books being out of the library for long. How much longer do you need it, a week?

Me: I was hoping for another month. If somebody wants it can't they just put their name and list or have you contact me?

Librarian: ...

Me: Well, whatever, I don't need to renew it, it's okay.

Librarian: Let me see if we have any extra copies...

Librarian gives me a dirty look and says "I'll tell the check out counter that it's okay to renew it again".

---------------------

Is it wrong to keep renewing a book? Why do I have to ask permission? Should I be treated like teenager that is continuously late for class? People aren't exactly waiting in line for this book. On top of it all, our library's method of dealing with overdue books is to send out weekly reminders in the mail. There are no overdue book fees. Seems to me that the solution in the future is to not even attempt to renew the book.

Shouldn't technology (i.e., e-mail and online library accounts) have prevented this conversation from ever happening?

my 5-year anniversary

Of dry* cabin life.

And what kind of dream did I have to celebrate this occasion? I was dreaming about a nice, hot shower (this part of the dream was fairly grounded to reality too, unlike other instalments that included a new transportation method where people were lift up by their necks). Maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something.

*Those of you that are not familiar with Fairbanks realities: dry means a cabin without running water. All water needs to be carried in (and then out). We have an outhouse too.

Feeling superstitious

I've been raving about the U.S. southwest to Inari ever since we met. This year I finally got the chance to take her there. We spent the first two nights in Phoenix with a friend from my Widji days. It was good to catch up with him. But then the desert called us. We thought it was telling us to come have fun and be warm, but we know now that wasn't the case. It was about to rain cats and dogs and all other sorts of creatures that could be used to describe a hard rain that doesn't stop for 36 hours.

But we didn't understand what the desert was telling us, so we headed east to the Superstition Mountains. The Supes, as they are called, are just on the outskirts of Phoenix. As such they are heavily used, but we managed to avoid the crowds by being there over Christmas. We nearly had the place to ourselves. It probably would've felt fairly remote if planes from Phoenix hadn't been buzzing overhead all week.

I vaguely remember being quite miserable on several occasions. Something about wet boots from numerous stream crossings, not having an extra pair of dry shoes for camp, a rain jacket that no longer works, strong gusts of cold wind, and sleet. Christmas Day may have been my most miserable (memorable?) Christmas ever, but I'm not sure. It's just a vague memory now. Actually, I do remember the wind quite well. It was really cool, because you could hear the gusts of wind funneling down the valley before they hit the tent. Sometimes the gusts would pass over the tent. It was like a train coming toward you, but you didn't know if you were standing on the tracks.

There must have been some good times too, because I seem to have lots of photos of cacti glowing in the sun. Such bizarre shapes they have!


After the rain stopped were treated to beautiful colors as the sun was setting:


A view of Garden Valley:


An impossibly gargantuan saguaro cactus:


My favorite cactus, the teddy-bear cholla:


P.S. If you find yourself in the Superstition's, don't try to fight the "cat's claw". You won't win. I didn't.

San Francisco

This December I went to San Francisco for the American Geophysical Union geek fest - 15,000 scientists from around the world talking about science for five straight days. I still can't decide if I like the conference. On the one hand, it's exciting to be in such an international community. On the other hand, when I read through the program I find that many of the talks and posters sound really boring. And by corollary, this must mean that the reverse is also true: that most people who read my abstract must think that my work is really boring.

Inari came down to San Francisco near the end of the week to rescue me from the conference. We spent a few days exploring the city, seeing museums, visiting Alcatraz, and eating really good food. We had to get out of there to avoid going broke.

View of downtown from the Nob Hill area:


Some random shots from Alcatraz:


This last one is for you, Anu:

amerikan ihmeellisyyksiä

Kysymys: Kuinka oikeaoppisesti maksetaan pankkitiliin yhdistetyn luottokortin kuukausilasku?

Vastaus: Lähetetään niille tietysti shekki.

On tää kumma maa.

Declining moral values

I've now done something that I once promised to never do. I joined Facebook. What's next? An iPhone?

Thanksgiving ills

During the past three days I've averaged over 12 hours of sleep, only left the cabin to take short walks, read three graphic novels, and made sourdough banana bread. That's about it. Not exactly the way I had envisioned spending my holiday, but I guess I'd rather be sick now than during our upcoming trip to Arizona (Inari and I will spend Christmas break there).

After getting over a sickness I always feel so fresh and alive. Maybe my body's immune system needs to occasionally shut down to make me appreciate what it does for me. Well, that's one thing that I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving. A good immune system.

google knows

This is just too funny to pass by. Some of you got tired of waiting my translation, and put Google on the case. The resulting text is sort of understandable, and you you can figure out at most of the context (even though some sentences come out as total opposites)*.

*No, we don't have a "domestic elk farm" in our backyard in case you were wondering. And yes, people in Europe smoke too much. Plus, in the comment section, Google translates my name as "callan".

The translation of the vacuum cleaner rant** really got me. Here's the Google version (I translated the few Finnish words left in the text that Google didn't understand):

"6. Horrid vacuums. These weighty, inconvenient and obtrusive machines, which are all in addition to the planned inoperative. Vacuum cleaner is the bottom for some strange reason, the light which is intended to enlighten apparently the floor. [Snip]"

I guess this answers all my questions about the horrid design of American vacuum cleaners. This enlightenment business explains why these machines weigh a ton, spew most of the dust back into the air, and why the cord gets wrapped around me all the time. I am still left wondering: can I ask spiritual advice from my floor when I am done cleaning?

**I am not the only Finn hating these machines. Most of the Finnish comments complain how bad US vacuums are.

top yhdeksän

(For the English readers: this is a list of things I like/don't like about living abroad in Alaska. Right now I'm debating if I should translate it or not. I'm not sure how interested others are about my whining, or how universal these feelings are among immigrants. All the things on the list are seen through my Finnish heritage, and might seem incomprehensible (i.e. not a big deal) to others. I might provide a shorter summary in the near future if you are interested).

+++++

Tässä edellisyön unettomuuden tulos. Havaitsin yhtäkkiä asuneeni Alaskassa miltein viisi vuotta (ja enemmänkin jos lasken mukaan vaihtovuoteni) ja suhtautuvani asioihin eri tavalla kuin aikaisemmin. Yhä moni asia ärsyttää, mutta en enää jaksa vetää hernettä nenään kun asiat eivät sujukaan tottumallani tavalla. Päätin siis kirjoittaa itselleni muistiin, mitkä asiat tulevat päällimmäisenä mieleen, kun listaan Alaskassa elämisen hyviä ja huonoja puolia.

Hyvää
1. Ihmisten ystävällisyys ja muiden huomioonottaminen. Tiedä onko tämä vain Alaskaa, mutta täällä ei todellakaan tarvitse odottaa apua. Toissapäivänä olin kaupungilla ison pahvilaatikon kanssa. Äheltässäni kaupan ovea auki, joku kiirehti parkkipaikalta avaamaan minulle ovea. Siis kaukaa, juoksujalkaa ja tuntematon ihminen, joka ei ollut kaupan työntekijä. Pahoitteli vielä, kun ei heti ollut huomannut.

2. Luomuruoka. Täällä kaiken voi ostaa luomuna tavallisesta automarketista (lukuunottamatta miesten partavaahtoa, jota yritin Jasonille toissaviikolla metsästää. Ehkä miehiä ei viherpiipertely kiinnosta?)

3. Luonnonläheisyys. Saattaa olla vain Alaskan ominaisuus, mutta luonto alkaa kolmen metrin päästä kotiovelta. Ehkä muualla maassa ollaan vieraantuneempia, mutta täällä karu luonto on kokoajan läsnä. Nimim. hirviä kotipihalla.

4. Ihmisten mutkattomuus. Toisiin on todella helppo tutustua, ja uutta tuttavuutta pyydetään helposti mukaan erilaisin rientoihin. En tiedä kuinka paljon tähän vaikuttaa oma elämäntilanne ja yliopistoväen suuri liikkuvuus, mutta sosiaalista elämää on helppo viettää (sanoo syrjäänvetäytyvä ihminen, joka ei sosiaalisuudesta niin kovasti perusta. Jopa minulle on kertynyt huomattavan monta ystävää).

5. Tupakoimattomuus. Tupakan poltto on halvinaista, eikä missään sisätiloissa juurikaan polteta. Eurooppaan palatessani nuuskin aina epäuskoisesti ilmaa ja ihmettelen miten ihmiset voivatkaan polttaa tupakkaa.

6. Aukioloajat. Pankkeja (ja virallisia instansseja) lukuunottamatta kaikki ravintolat, kaupat sun muut ovat auki pitkään. Rovaniemellä asuessani jouduin hiki päässä toimittamaan asioita koulun jälkeen, kun paikat eivät kertakaikkiaan olleet auki tarpeeksi myöhään kaltaiselleni yökukkujalle. Tähän tosin vaikuttaa olematon työlainsäädäntö, jonka mukaan sunnuntaityöstä tai juhlapyhistä ei tarvitse maksaa korkeampaa palkaa. Työntekijän kannalta siis miinusta, asiakkaan kannalta plussaa.

7. Toimeliaisuus. Täällä vapaahtoistyötä tekee suuri joukko, ja yhdistyksiä on satoja. Fairbanks on Rovaniemeä hitusen isompi, mutta kulttuuripuolelta täältä löytyy vapaaehtoisvoimin pyöritetty ooppera, kolmesta neljään teatteriryhmää, sinfoniaorkesteri, kaksi isohkoa musiikkitapahtumaa, alkuperäiskansojen taidefestivaali ja neljä taidegalleriaa. Kaikki ilman valtiovallan tai kaupungin tukea mikä tietysti tarkoittaa, että suurin osa työstä on palkatonta. Laadusta en sitten sano mitään.

8. Juuri kukaan ei tee suurta numeroa juomattomuudestani, eikä kukaan ole tyrkyttämässä alkoholia kun tulee puheeksi etten siitä välitä. Suomessa olin joku kummallinen friikki, koska ainoat sosiaalisesti hyväksyttävät syyt raittiuteen ovat (olivat?) uskonnollisuus, entinen alkoholismi tai raskaus (väliaikaisena selityksenä hyväksyttiin myös lääkekuuri). Kun en suostunut lokeroitumaan mihinkään näistä, alkoi kysely ja suureen ääneen ihmettely. Minusta aina tuntui että juomattomuuteni oli jonkinlainen uhka kanssaihmisille, josta oli helpointa päästä eroon saamalla minutkin juomaan.

9. Elitismin puuttuminen taideyhteisöstä. Ehkä tämäkin on vain selitettävissä kaupungin pienuudella, mutta kuvataiteilijana toimimista ei nähdä traagisena kohtalona, tai valtavana neroutena. Suomessa en olisi ikipäivinä ryhtynyt maalariksi, koska en tuntenut itseäni tarpeeksi lahjakkaaksi. Täällä olen ymmärtänyt ettei niinkään kyse ole taivaasta tippuneesta lahjakkuudesta, vaan kovasta työstä.


Huonoa
1. Amerikkalaisilla on tapana ilmaista asiat kiertoteitse, eikä suomalaisittain töksäytellen. Ennen kysyin ihan suoraan kyllä vai ei, kunnes Jason korjasi ja sanoi kysymystenesittämistapani olevan epäkohtelias. Nyt sitten on ollut pakko oppia kohteliaaksi ja monimutkaiseksi. (Ehkä tämän listaaminen "huonoksi" on hieman liioiteltua. Kyseessä on enemmänkin erilainen asia.)

2. Maailmankuvan täydellinen Amerikkakeskeisyys ja Yhdysvaltain esittäminen maailman parhaana maana. Ennen muuttoani pidin väitettä liioitteluna ja sen korostamista eurooppalaisena ylemmyydentuntona, mutta tätä "maailman mahtavin maa" propagandaa on oikeasti kaikkialla.

3. Autokulttuuri. Infrastruktuuri on suurimpia kaupunkeja lukuunottamatta rakennettu niin, että oman auton omistaminen on välttämätöntä, eikä julkista liikennettä ole. Pyöräilijään suhtaudutaan Fairbanksissä kuin heikkopäiseen ja jotkut autoilijat unohtavat kaikki velvollisuutensa kevyttä liikennettä kohtaan. Lisäksi Fairbanksin kylmässä ilmanalassa on tapana jättää auto käyntiin kun ajaja piipahtaa ruokaostoksilla. Tuloksena on ihana pakokaasupilvi, joka talvisaikaan peittää osan kaupunkia.

4. Käsittämättömän turvaton (ja kummallinen) pankkiliikenne. Vain pankkikortilla maksettaessa tarvitsee näpytellä tunnusluku, luottokortilla ei koskaan. Henkilöllisyyden varmentamiseksi riittää allekirjoitus (jota kukaan ei vertaa kortin nimeen). Bensaa ostaessa kortti vain höylätään koneen lävitse vailla mitään turvallisuusmeininkejä. Vaihtaessani euroja muutama vuosi sitten sain kokea, että vain muutama suurin pankki vaihtoi rahaa ja sielläkin homma oli nakitettu yhdelle työntekijälle, jonka poissaollessa kukaan muu ei voinut rahaa vaihtaa. Niin, no, käyhän tuo dollari kaikkialla, mitä sitä turhaan.

5. Paha ruoka. Suurin osa ruokakaupan tuotteista (siis ne ei-luomut) maistuu pahalle ja on epäterveellistä. Jokaiseen elintarvikkeeseen tungetaan sata lisäainetta ja high-fructose corn syrupia (= keinotekoisesti tuotettua sokerilitkua) on ihan kaikkialla. Osa ruokayhdistelmistä on kokolailla kummallisia (niinkuin sokeroitu ja toffeella kuorrutettu popcorn). Vanhempieni ollessa vierailulla he ostivat erehdyksessä Maple Baconia, siis vaahterasiirappiuutteella maustettua pekonia.

6. Hirviöimurit. Nämä painavat, epäkäytännölliset ja hankalat rakkineet, jotka ovat kaikenlisäksi suunniteltu toimimattomiksi. Imurin alaosassa on jostain kummallisesta syystä valo jonka tarkoituksena on ilmeisesti valaista lattiaa. Imuroija näkee siis mitä imuroi, mutta kun vehje ei kuitenkaan mahdu sohvan alle, niin valo on aika hyödytön (ellei sitten sammuta kattovaloa ja imuroi pimeässä pienen imurivalon turvin). Portaiden imuroiminen on tuskainen toimenpide tällä helvetinkoneella.

7. Epäluulo kaikkea valtionhallintoa kohtaan (tämä on ehkä selitettävissä kohdalla 8). Tässä poliittisessa ilmapiirissä on vain yksi oikea tapa kampanjoida, ja siihen kuuluu lupaus laskea veroja ja pienentää hallintoa. Kun kommunismia ei enää oikein voi pelätä, niin nyttemmin asialistalle on nostettu sosialismi, tuo kammottava tuloerojen tasaaja. Emmehän nyt millään halua muutta Yhdysvaltoja sellaiseksi sosialistiseksi valtioksi kuin esimerkiksi Ruotsi. Tämä on erityisen hupaisaa Alaskassa, jossa osavaltion hallinto jakaa jokaiselle asukkaalle osuuden öljytuloista ja joka on nettohyötyjä osavaltioiden välisessä tulonjaossa.

8. Byrokratia niin paikallistasolla kuin liittovaltiossakin. Kaikki liittovaltion lomakkeet mielletään niin vaikeiksi, että oletusarvoisesti ne täyttää joku muu kuin hakija itse. Tavallisilla palkansaajilla on siis oma lakimies ja kirjanpitäjä, koska säädökset ovat niin monimutkaisia, ettei niistä yksittäisen kansalaisen edes oleteta ottavan tolkkua. Ollessani viimeisessä maahanmuttohaastattelussani viranomainen oli aidosti hämmästynyt ettei meillä ollut lakimiestä mukanamme. Paikallistasollakin osataan. Yliopisto vaatii sata erilaista lippusta ja lappusta täytettäväksi mitä omituisimmista asioista. Joka toinen viikko minun on allekirjoitettava palkanmaksukuitti, jota ilman palkkaa ei voida maksaa. Lappu kierrätetään vielä varmuuden vuoksi esimiehelläni, joka allekirjoittaa sen tahollaan. Ymmärtääkseni lapussa vain mainitaan palkan määrä ja sen miltä tililtä se maksetaan, eikä sen avulla pidetä kirjaa työtunneista. Jokaikinen yliopiston työntekijä allekirjoittaa oman lappunsa, jotka sitten allekirjoitutetaan esimiehillä ja varastoidaan jonnekin. Kai tällä paperinpyörittelyllä työllisteään muutama virkamies sen sijaan, että saataisiin jotain aikaan.

9. Uskonnollisuus. Uskonnolla oletetaan olevan merkittävä rooli ihmisen elämässä. Ateistit ovat epäilyttäviä, jotka ovat joko moraalisesti epäkelpoja tai vaihtoehtoisesti koko ajan peloissaan ja hukassa. Uskonto tunkee päälle jokapäiväisessä elämässä, eikä se suinkaan tunnu olevan ihmisen yksityisasia. Vaikka perustuslaki määrää valtion ja uskonnon pitämisen erillään, käytännössä nämä kaksi ovat hyvinkin yhtä. Sanomalehden neuvontapalstalla kehoitetaan usein puhumaan ongelmista "luotetun hengellisen neuvojan" tai papin kanssa ja avustamaan kirkollisessa vapaaehtoistyössä jos elämä tuntuu tyhjältä.

Temporary relief

I passed my comprehensive exams today. I stumbled a little bit along the way, but I made it to the finish line - and with all major appendages still in tact. Overall the exams were a worthwhile experience, but I'm really glad that they're over. It will be really nice to have my evenings and weekends back. I think Inari would agree.

The whole experience would've been a little nicer had I started preparing months in advance, but that's easier said then done. Especially when you have a computer full of interesting data to look at.

Phew.

P.S. Dana - Thanks for cookies. They were better than Martin's - though I'm fairly impartial to most cookies.