The Point and Joy in doing something meaningful.

This summer I have had a lot of time on my hands because it is so quiet at work. I have been thinking about how important it is for me to do something valuable with my time. The fact that I am now a qualified teacher and is going to start a new job in August scares me a bit. Am I ready for this? But the more I think about it the more confident I get that I definitely am ready for it. I want to have a job where I feel needed, valuable and have responsibility. I want to know that what I do is something meaningful but also joyful.

To be a teacher is a profession where you help children to get an education and to teach children social behaviour. To me that is meaningful and it gives me great satisfaction to be able to do that.

This job where I am at now really does not give me the same satisfaction. I sit in a reception and do paperwork. I also register the patients into the computer when they arrive. The only time I feel genuine helpful is when I sometimes take patients in wheel chairs to the X-ray department. Everything else is just paperwork and phone calls etc. It all feels a bit pointless.

Now, I don’t mean that you others that has got similar jobs don’t contribute to society or should feel guilt for anything. If you are happy doing what you are doing, that is really good. I just feel that I have to get that special feeling of joy at work, helping others, in order to feel happier. I want to feel useful. I believe that you get so much in return for helping others, it is a feeling that you cannot replace with any money and it is hard to describe it too. All I know right now is that I want it and need it soon.

Busy week

On Sunday I went through all my old school work from uni, I also put my old desk in the "study room".


On Monday: After work my mom and I went out for something to eat together.

Kalmar Castle
Mummy, yumm, yumm :)
Kalmar Harbour
Yesterday: I went home to Ida after work. We drank coffee, went for a walk and talked a lot. We have not seen each other for about 3 weeks so we did a long catch up :)

Today: I am going to meet Sofie after work and finally I get to see how she and Christian lives.

Tomorrow: I have no plans yet, but I will probarbly find something fun to do after work anyway!

The Pig Party

Friday: The Pig Party was a success. Around 25 people came and we had such a great evening/night. We ate a lot, drank a lot and danced in the living room to loud music until 2 am.

On Saturday: I drove Jayne to the train station (past McDonalds) around 10.00 am. When I got home I passed out in bed until 17 pm. Then Mike and I cleaned the house and garden for hours…

On Sunday: We continued cleaning the house and did laundry. I moved a desk into one of the extra bedrooms so that I can use it as a study room for when I start my new job. In the evening we made a nice dinner and watched some films.

Today: I am back at work again. After work my mom and I are going out for some dinner in Kalmar together for my birthday meal.

Whole roasted pig party

Tuesday: When I came home from work the dinner was already made. That’s great! After dinner and a few beers Don, Jayne, Mike and I played croquet, kubb and some cards.

Wednesday: After work I had a bath at my Moms. Dinner was ready again when I got home, nice one! Martin and Susan were at home as a surprise as well. We ate BBQ and relaxed.




Thursday: I had a migraine so I phoned in sick from work. In the evening Jayne and I went shopping in town and we also went to the sun beds.

Today: We are having a BBQ. One whole pig is going to get cooked over open fire in our garden. I have invited around 20-25 people so it should be a fun evening. I have been quite worried about the weather because they said earlier this week that it was suppose to rain today, but so far the sun is still shining.

My Birthday!

Yesterday it was my Birthday. When I got back from work Mike, Don, Jayne and Mattias surprised me with a BBQ, flowers and wine. We played some kubb and went for a walk to the mountain with the sea view. We went swimming in the lake for a good hour. It was so nice.






We made a camp fire to warm ourselves up after the swim :)

Trip to Stockholm for my Birthday

This weekend Mike and I have been to Stockholm. We stayed with Ida.A and her boyfriend Joel. We drove there after work on Friday and got to their apartment in Hägersten for around 19 pm. In the evening we had some drinks and a BBQ.

BBQ and Party :)



On Saturday we took the boat out to Vaxholm and enjoyed the beautiful scenery around Skärgården. We ate herring and mash potatoes at a restaurant in the harbour. After that we ate ice-cream and walked down to the “beach”. In the afternoon to took the boat (ferry) back to Slussen and walk around in Gamla Stan (The old city). We also walked around City center (Drottninggatan etc) in Kungsträdgården we watched a street performer called “Space Cowboy” that rode a unicycle and juggled with axes and chainsaws. In the evening we went for a late dinner at a Thai restaurant that was situated on a boat with its own sandy beach, wonderful. This day was brilliant!
Ida.A and I on the tube
Skärgården
Ferry to Vaxholm
The beach at Vaxholm
The Old City
Space Cowboy

On Sunday we ate a lovely breakfast; pancakes with bananas and strawberries. Then we said goodbye to Ida and Joel and headed of to the airport in Skavsta to pick up Mr Don from Belfast. It was so nice to see him again. We drove home and got back to Jayne and the cats around 20.00 pm. For a late dinner we made some spaghetti bolognese and drank some red wine.
Breakfast
Don and Mike
In the candyshop, Linköping (600 different kinds of candy)

Today I have been back at work as usual, and it is MY BIRTHDAY!!! I believe that we will have a BBQ tonight; Jayne, Don, Mike and I. Dad and Karin popped in at work as a surprise and gave me a present. After work I will get something from my Mom as well.

BBQ Party, Jayne is here!

Jayne and I playing around on my i-phone :)
On Saturday: We had a BBQ party. Jayne came over from England! She is staying with us for about two weeks. I got a beautiful bracelet from her Mom. We had a great party, I just hope that the neighbors won’t hate us now because of the loud music...hehe.

On Sunday: We had a relaxation day. Movies, pizza, sleep and snacks.

On Monday: Back to work again. Boring. The baby birds outside the coffee room are growing and are getting bigger for every day. In the evening Jayne and I drank some beer and played some cards.


Tuesday: Work again. It was a nice and sunny day today. I went to visit Susan on my way back from Kalmar. We were sat in the sun talking and drinking juice. Jayne spent the day with her brother (Carl) so I picked her up from his place. Then Jayne and I watched a film "Hush" horror in the evening. Mike is working afternoons this week (14pm - 22.30pm)

Wednesday: Work. After picking Jayne up from Carl’s place we went shopping in the afternoon. When we got home we went for a walk to the mountain with the lake view, it was sunny and nice.



Yesterday: Work and then I was packing :)

(Pictures will be added later)

Midsummer

Now I have done 3 weeks at my summer job. I am quite tired in the evenings when I get back so I have not done much else than to relax in the evenings.
These are the little baby birds that live outside our coffee room at work. They are so cute.

Last weekend we had Midsummer here in Sweden. It is a tradition to get really drunk drinking schnapps, so I did! We celebrated together with Linn, Marcus, Sofie and Christan. We had a lot of fun and ate a lot of nice food.




Last Tuesday our old tenants “the Norwegians” came over for a dinner party. It was nice. Our other neighbors Sören and Ann-Britt also came over to play some “kubb” game.


Tomorrow we are having a BBQ here. Jayne is coming over from England. I have been looking forward to that a lot! Then Don from Belfast is coming over on the 10:th of July :