My Fred

Yet again another list post with old pictures. At the moment I am in Estonia and all my filmrolls are being processed, so the outcome will be seen the end of the week. Since Valentine's day is very in this week then I wanted to show how awesome my best friend Fred is. My intentions is not to rub it in that I have relationship, however just to write everything down before I forget (have you seen 'The Notebook'?).

1. How long have you been together?
Okou, next month or so it will be six years, basically PhD.
(we can be pretty...

...and we can be different kind of pretty)

2. How did you meet?
We met in 2007 when we became classmates. Sadly we didn't hang in the same gang and weren't even in the same language group (the class was divided in half) so I don't remember him that much. I do recall that he wore dead ugly sandals, however I was too hipster hippie to notice so practical and down-to-earth gentleman like him.
(this is a picture of a class party, we weren't together then however it seems like Fred would like to kiss me there)

3. Who initiated the flirting?
I guess it was mutual. We started hanging out more in 2009/2010. I was newly single and he was playing records at nightclubs, thus it was rather smooth way to create a friendship. Of course big thanks to our friend Ott, who dragged me to all these kind of club nights and later on invited us on a cruise to Sweden, where Fred and I officially started flirting.
(the picture from that cruise. love sponsored by Tallink)

4. Did the relationship start smoothly? 
Yes, I would say that. We were single and ready to mingle. It was spring time, the school was almost over, it was great time to get the romance train going.
(The picture of the graduation ball. 
We weren't officially a couple, yet we ditched all our friends just to look at the starts together.)

5. What moment did you know for sure that you were together?
We skipped the awkward "Do you want to be my boyfriend?" part and instead I asked Fred if he would like me to kiss only him now on and he said yes.
(awkward threesome)

6. Do you live together?
Yes we do. After I failed to get into acting school, I followed him to England, so we became housemates just after 6 months together. It could have gone either way, but I am glad it worked out fine.
(my birthday in 2011 and the theme was Royal Circus. 
I add a little crazy to him and he makes me more practical, perfect combo)

(we have been together since I was 18)

7. His best qualities?
He is down-to-earth. He is the best teacher and remains calm despite
how hysteric or emotional I can be. He is caring. He is funny. He is smart. He is hot.
(he taught me to drive! he never gives up, although I give up 10000 times)

8. But his worst?
That he does not think that he has all these above qualities.
(I like you so much better when you're naked)


9. What disagreements do you have, what do you fight over?
As I have borderline OCD and he is a normal person, then I nag about tidiness. I love when books are in height order or teabags are colour coordinated. I know, it is so silly and I am sorry that he has to put up with that. He is actually so clean and the best cook. SORRY, hon.

10. What's the greatest gift he has given you?
His love...öak...NO! I'm not going to be that sleazy. Actually it was pretty cool when he made a song inspired by me and greeted me on radio. (fast forward to 5:19)



11. How do you spend your girlfriend-boyfriend time?
We like to play computer games together, like DOTA and Battlefield, in other words we like to kill. Also we can lay on the bed and talk hours and hours, or laugh at unusual fart sounds. We like theatre and travelling, but that needs more money than we have at the moment.
(us in Hungary, the best just-two-of-us trip)

(note to self - Budapest should be our honeymoon destination)

(us in Amsterdam, first time we were high together)

(us in England, a very important chapter in our life)


12.Why him?
Because we suit together. I like that we are not that annoying couple (or I hope we aren't that), we can hang with our friends without kissing and smooching all the time. We are normal people, who love each other.
(respect!)

(one night stand with extra nights)

(it is awesome to camp together! to hold each other, when wild boars are running around our tent)

(he is my centre if I spin away)

(he is my medicine for PMS)

(he is awesome)

(locked between my legs)

(he makes me fly high)

(kiss-kiss bang-bang)

Advice? I have none. Be single. Be in a relationship. Don't compare yourself with others, just do whatever you want. The love will struck you whenever you least expect it, or at least until the next Tinder date.

Sweden vs. Estonia (Don't hate, celebrate or at least tolerate.)

I've lived in Sweden year and a half all together now (Erasmus time + present) and I have visited this Nordic heaven a lot before moving here (after they stopped stamping passports, I lost count, but I guess 30+ times) , thus I wanted to write down some observations and thoughts I have about Sweden. Before you send me hate-mail, please note that the following is a generalisation and I am not trying to state that Estonia and Sweden are dichotomous, bad vs. good (read: I am the smartest and my opinion is the only truth).

WARNING! This is a tl;dr post.

Let's start in a random order:

1. Handsfree is not a new invention, but people here are really not afraid to use it. If you didn't know better, you would think that all Swedes are crazy, talking with themselves. For example a lady on metro can look me in the eye and ask me: "Does this foundation suit me?".  And I'm like "Damn, woman, I don't even know you!", although she was just on a phone. Awkward...


To add more randomness, this post is illustrated by photos of me in Sweden. 
Here I am 13 spending my summer holiday on Djurö, my grandfather's place. 
I kissed a boy that summer, that was neat. 
I found out that my camera has a timer and that was pretty neat too:

2. When Swedes ask you how you are doing, then they actually are interested in what's up today. It does not mean we have to talk about sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, but you can be polite without actually reaching the private sphere. On the other hand, Estonians will shit their pants and run away when you even say hello to them.


Luckily or sadly my archive hard drive is in Estonia, so I cannot share a lot from blast from the past.
However here I am 16, just graduated from 9th grade and took my two besties with me to Sweden. 
My grandfather had three teenagers to handle that time, but we had more fun that should be allowed:

Life was good in 2007, picnic every day and party every evening:

3. FEMINISM! My vagina salutes that there is a political Feminist party here, I love that gender equality is so important, I feel like Beyoncé. When you're on a date, it does go without saying that both parts share the bill. Paternal leave. Gay rights. Don't hate, celebrate or at least tolerate. Menstruate with pride! (now it seems that in Estonia girls live in a dungeon).

Word "stoned" had another meaning back then:

4.  In Estonia everything is opened 24/7. Yes, rather nice when you are a customer, but rather jävla kukhora helvete how it sucks, when you work in customer service. Trust me, I'm a professional, I'm a girl, who works in retail. OK, you need condoms/tampons/painkillers middle of the night, pharmacy and gas-stations should be open. But do you really need a cute little sparkling top that says "Meow" 9PM? NO! GO HOME AND BE WITH YOUR FAMILY, OR BE ALONE AND WATCH AK ON TV! ...oh, well this was aggressive. 

In Sweden clothes stores close at 7-8PM. Saturday is shortened and Sunday is like 4 hour work day. Also in Sweden there are "uncomfortable hours" where you get paid extra, like mornings, evenings and weekends. In Estonia all hours are very much comfortable...

Year 2008, I had begun to learn little Swedish, like 30 words max.
Felt like a retard, but grandfather was oh-so-happy and patient with me:

5. As I am on a roll, I shall continue with working environment. Love and hugs to H&M group, since its values don't mind country borders. In addition not being force to work 7AM on Sunday, you have to take out your holiday during June to August. A whole month! Summer warmth is holy. Also if you work 10h/20h/30h per week, you get lesser paid time off. In Estonia a store manager, who works in blood, sweat and tears has as long holiday as 10h chill-piller.

Every school holiday I spent in Sweden.
2009 and shopping until dropping, like always:

I was all alone with my pocket money and monthly ticket that took me to Stockholm every day:

6. Estonians work hard. Estonians always want to show that they are no slackers. They come to work despite falling down from a cliff day earlier or despite being in a train accident. They will come, they will work their asses off and they will not say not a single word about being in pain. In Sweden, you sneeze, you go home without any guilt, you get well and you come back without the world falling apart.

Still year 2009 and cruising between the islands:

7. Thanks to sick people being at home I haven't been infected at all, only a little cold after a little trip to Estonia.

2010. I was single and ready too mingle. 
Drank too much alcohol, wore too much silliness and wasn't that happy inside.
I discovered the second hand stores in Stockholm:

8. Swedes are really neutral and will rather avoid conflict. It seems rather lovely, but then small problems grown bigger and bigger, since they are not handled in time. Estonians are really good at giving critique, yet we really have to work on positive feedback.

Year 2010 I took Fred to Sweden and little did I know that soon he will become my boyfriend and husband material.
How can you resist the boy with sexy pants:

9. Yes for Sweden alcohol policy! Country monopoly. Opened form 10 to 17 and 11 - 15 on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. I've felt the most Swedish when I'm in a 1km queue to buy Champagne for New year's eve. Yes for limiting alcohol sales and commercials in Estonia. No for drunk driving, no for traffic deaths. Estonians have dumber ways of dying.

2010 Fred, Vilja and I came to Stockholm to see a Delphic concert. 
We were 18 and ignored the 20 age limit so much as we could:

10. Everybody works out! I feel ashamed not taking up sports. My fat ass cries chocolate.

I should...I could...I won't...

Later in 2010 Reggie, Fred, Ott and I took the booze cruise to Stockholm.
Then I first noticed Fred...
Also I tried to be a kitty cat:

11. I am the only one at work, who does not have allergies (or not that I know of), where are they hiding?


Year 2010 was a busy year. Before moving to England I took a little Stockholm trip 
and visited my favourite amusement park Gröna Lund:

12. Every third Swede has been to USA, yet every tenth one has been to Estonia.

13. There are so many grammar-nazis is Estonia (õieti vs õigesti; peale vs pärast) and overall we have very strict language rules,  but there are like one hundred different correct ways to speak Swedish. And it is so hard for me to choose the one for me. Det är så så så svårt!

14. So many beggars! So so so many beggars.

I have spent most of my summers in Gröna Lund.
I am not sure, when this is taken, but I am sure that Kalle was not Vilja's boyfriend then:

15. I earn more money than I have ever earned, but I have never been so poor.

Year 2013. My birthday. Yet again in Gröna Lund.
That time Ott lost his Gröna virginity:

16. Love it here and love it there. Two homes.

Stockhome & Karaoke

"Hello, it's me! I was wondering if after all this years you still like me...?"

Actually I just wanted to say that I bought Adele concert tickets, the Lady Diva inside me is pleased. I'm so ready for rolling in the deep. Gladly my friends and I rehearsed loud and proud singing screaming this weekend, as we cheered the neighbours up with some karaoke. But first some hometown glory and Stockhome pictures (the amount of Adele references in this post is too damn high!)

Finally the cold arrived to Stockholm,

it was about time Mr.Siberia to send his love:

A bad day to forget your mittens on the metro:

Hometown glory at its best:

She's so pretty and expensive:

And now something completely different,

Fred and I want to take a dog in the near future before marriages and baby-carriages.

Here I am scouting around:

Us again in Sollentuna judging people:

Mirror, mirror on the wall,

who's the hairiest of them all:

Rumour has it that they are pretty good friends now:

Sometimes it is nice to escape Stockholm and slight hangover and visit grandfather.

Quality food, Netflix and Söndags mys:

Telia has a new 'Baltic and Nordic' deal,

All the billboards show the places you can call with a good price, 

all of them are classy, like Riga has a business woman sitting in the airport, 

but Estonia has this butt-naked guy and I suspect the picture is made in Sweden.:

Last but not least,

that escalated quickly, alul ei saa vedama, siis ei saa pidama:

No sleep and repeat.

I didn't make any New Year's resolutions, since I have no idea where 2016 takes me.

 Fred in the other hand started going to gym every other day(!) thus soon I can grate cheese on his abs. *she is eating cookies herself while typing this* Although I'm really proud for taking up new computer games - slowly yet in heightening tempo I'm improving my skills in DOTA, Battlefield and AOE II. 

No, I'm not only sitting home and playing computer games without seeing the shower for three days...or am I? Here are some pictures  to prove that I actually have friends.

I truly been working a lot, yet I don't want to miss out all the fun. In other words I rather torture my body with 4h sleep and 9h work-shift after that, just to join my friends and watch them play boardgames and drink quality Estonian vodka. Alright, but then go home early the next day and have a long sleep, you say? No! Of course not, too easy. Just go to next party instead:

Happy birthday Vilja!:

Even though body tells you to "Abort all missions!"

Then you still ignore sleeping and go out with your colleagues and wave your boss Lady goodbye: 

Sounds like story of my life when I was 17,

but now...body needs sleep, body needs warm clothes, body needs extra care.

The funeral of 2015

2015 is dead, long live 2016!

We were invited to Sollentuna hemmafest and had a fancy Slovak-themed dinner

there we ate potatoes that tasted like macaroni or was someone seriously trolling us...?

Never trust an Eastern European, also never let them pour you a drink!:

Look at us,

all neatly dressed up and smelling like shower and spring-flowers:

That escalated quickly:

"So, do you want my number or what?"

Maybe or maybe not there's a guy lying down on the kitchen floor.

The human mop was created:

Mr.Human was ignoring gravity.

We, Eastern Europeans tend to reject physical laws:

"Our New Year's Resolution is to buy Spotify Premium!!"

Every time I plan to make a different symbol,

but then I panic and make, yet again, a heart shape:

Few minutes left and 2015 was dead.

 Tid för skumpa!

No, I wasn't stupid enough to lid all the sparkles at the same time

and I did not burn my hand.

I am sophisticated and always keep the wisdom in.:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

GOTT NYTT ÅR!

HEAD UUT AASTAT! (с новым годом!):

It was nice being at a house party, instead of running around at the city and queuing.

As I woke up half past six that day to go to work,

sloth inside me pushed me going home really early.

"NAP ALL DAY,

SLEEP ALL NIGHT,

PARTY NEVER!"

Big up for the Sollentuna family.