Inspirational idols.

I love my husband. I think he's the greatest there is. But, I hate his goatee. Of course it's no secret that I prefer the "scruffy" look over the clean shave. But this new fixation with seeing how long his goatee can get I don't care much for. When it's so long that my daughter braids and decorates it with her very girly hairbands on a regular basis, I think it's time for a trim. But, he has not given in to my pleading and begging, and keeps it growing with a smirk on his face.

People have suggested trimming it or even shaving it completely off while he's snoring the night away, but I would never do that. As much as I dislike that grey growing thing on his chin, I respect his choice and it's not really hurting me in any way.

I've been pondering why in the world such a good-looking Big Hunk as my husband would ruin his good looks with all that facial hair. And honestly, I couldn't really come up with any good ideas. Until it dawned on me that it's all about idols. We all have them. You know, the people that you love and want to be just like. I think my husband is secretly, and without really knowing it himself, just trying to be like Metallica vocalist, James Hetfield. And I have the pictures to prove my suspicions!



I guess I should be grateful that he hasn't started growing the big sideburns.... yet. Please don't mention this to him as it may give him ideas.

I recently saw an interview with James Hetfield (I actually find him quite fascinating myself) without a goatee. Clean shaved in fact! So now my only hope is that he will continue to inspire my husband.

Norwegian Music 101.

Welcome to Norwegian Music 101; an introduction to Norwegian Music, or a beginners guide to Norwegian Music, if you like.

Although Norway is a small country of only 4.7 million people, we have managed to produce some great musicians over the years, some even reaching a level of worldwide popularity. One is Edvard Grieg, Norway's best-known composer. If you like classical music, I highly recommend his music. If you don't, I still highly recommend his music.

Another is Sissel, who you most likely have heard sing even though you don't know it; she participated on the "Titanic" soundtrack. She's the one oooing and aaahing through out the whole album.

And of course I have to mention the group A-ha from the fabulous 80s. Remember "Take On Me", ripped jeans and those leather wristbands? There was a lot of oooing and aaahing involved with them as well. Not on their albums, of course, I was thinking more in the direction of the female album listeners.

Today I'm going to introduce you to one of my absolute favorite Norwegian song writers. His name is Rolf Løvland. The name may not sound familiar to you at all, but I don't think there is a person in the whole wide world who has not heard "You Raise Me Up" sung by Josh Groban. Well, Rolf Løvland wrote that song, and it has been recorded by more than a hundred different artists.

In 1994 he and Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry founded a duo they named "Secret Garden", playing New Instrumental Music, also known by some as Neo-classical music. If this is greek to you, just trust me when I say it is beautiful music.

Last year they released an album called "Inside I'm singing" presenting an amazing circle of different artists who perform different songs of "Secret Garden". (Barbara Streisand and Elaine Page may be familiar names....) I think it is a fantastic album, and I have already sent a copy of it to my in-laws. I've coordinated with Santa to make sure it is in someone's Christmas stocking this year, too.

One of the songs on this album, "Sometimes A Prayer Will Do", has become one of my all time favorites. It is sung by the amazing British singer Tracey Campbell. Music has always been an important part of my life, and it gives me so much. This song is no exception, it gave me a lot of comfort during some challenging times. I wanted to share it with you because it is absolutely beautiful. Enjoy!

http://www.imeem.com/loveontheinternet/music/8dUUIAcL/secret_garden_sometimes_a_prayer_will_do_with_tracey_campbe/

A woman of many names.

I am a woman of many names. First and foremost, my name is Tonje (pronounced To-n-ye).

*MEANING OF THE NAME TONJE*

New thunder, flower

There you have it. My sometimes thunderish temper suits my name very well if I may say so. (I can't for the life of me think of why I would be associated with a flower, though.)

Now, let me introduce you to a few of my other names:

I once had a pen pal named Ted. This was way back in the good, old days when you would actually pick up a pen, handwrite a letter and send it off through snail mail. Ages ago, I know. It was an exciting ordeal, though, especially because Ted was American. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but to a giggly, big haired, teenage Norwegian girl it was. My best friend, Nina, found it equally exciting, and she actually had the fortunate opportunity of meeting Ted in person while vacationing in the States. Upon her return home she reported that he had referred to me as.... TONCH. Go figure....

In the early 90s, I dated Mike. This was during the time when Toni Braxton told the world that she would never "Breathe Again". This inspired Mike, and he started calling me Toni Tone. Ok.....

My name was slaughtered a couple of other times in the States as well. While working for Marriott, I once received an e-mail that started like this: "Hi, Tongue!" Nice. Do people replace their brain with spell check? Just listen to this little incident: I gave a talk in church, and printed on the Sacrament meeting program was my name, Tonga. What in the world?

To be honest, I don't care much for any of these variations of my name, and have decided to stick with the name my parents gave me, their new thunder, 36 years ago. Today there are about 6,500 of us in Norway. In case you were wondering.

Tackling obstacles.

I'm not a football fan. To eliminate any confusion: I'm talking about American Football. If you say football in Europe, everyone assumes you are, of course, referring to "soccer". (The word "soccer" is taboo on this continent.)

Anywho, like I said, I'm not a football fan. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the sport, I just don't understand why anyone could enjoy such a slow moving game. Having said that, I firmly believe there is one particular skill football players have developed that I would like to develop myself. I am in desperate need of learning how to properly tackle someone. It's a skill I would be able to apply every day on my way to and from work. Let me tell you why.

I use public transportation every day. It's a lot easier than driving: I don't have to worry about parking, which is a constant nightmare, and most importantly, I don't have to go through the agony of being stuck in traffic and having my blood pressure rise sky high.

However, using public transportation is not a flawless adventure by any means. I will tell you the most irritating part of it. It's not the late buses or incompotent bus drivers. It's not the defect buses that still roam the roads even though they should have been removed centuries ago. It's some of the other passengers.

The bus passengers cut in line. I could be standing in line to get on the bus minding my own business, and another passenger will just walk past me and get in line right in front of me. It's not like the bus will leave until everyone is on.

However, I can deal with the bus passengers. The subway passengers, though, is a different issue. This never fails: I'm on the subway approaching my stop. As the subway comes to a stop, herds of people waiting on the platform will flock right outside the doors, making it impossible for anyone on the subway to get off. They try to push their way past the people getting off and it gets quite chaotic. (I'm not sure if they're rude or just plain stupid. Maybe both?)

This is where my tackling skills would come in handy. Since I know nothing about tackling, I searched the web for some tips. I've slightly modified the methods to fit my specific needs:

Step 1. Identify your oponent. This will be the individual pushing furiosly towards the subway doors.
Step 2. Run toward your oponent at full speed, keeping your head up at all times. Aim your face at the center of his chest or inside shoulder.
Step 3. Run through your oponent, wrapping your arms around his waist.
Step 4. Pull your oponent into you and drive him to the ground.
Step 5. If you get up first after a successful tackle, offer a hand to help your opponent up and give an encouraging pat or slap as you run off to your final destination. This shows good sportsmanship and preserves the spirit of public transportation after an extremely aggressive act.

I will get right on it!

Pets and such.

My 7 year old's reading assignment for the week has been a book about a girl who invites her horse to her birthday party. Her Mom tells her she can invite anyone she wants, so she invites 4 other kids and her horse, who is also her best friend.

At the end of the book there were some questions in regards to the story. One of the questions was: "Why do some people not have pets?" My daughter had 3 clever answers.

First, she said that people may not want a dog because they chew the furniture and toys and shoes. I could tell she based this on her personal experience. When we lived in the States, we had a family dog; a pitbull named Odin. He was a crazy, fun, huge, annoying, loving, cuddly, handsome, friendly, dumb and strong dog. And he chewed the furniture, toys and shoes.

Second, she said, some people may not want a cat because they run away. This she also based on personal experience. Her sly, black cat, Bubbles, ran away when Odin got bigger than her, never to return. (I wasn't too upset since I don't really like cats that much.)

Third, she said (and I was excited to hear this one, because she hasn't had any other pets), some people may not want mice or rats because they'll eat all the cheese in the fridge. Or even the apples! I thought this made a lot of sense.

I must admit that I'm not really a pet person. Growing up, I only had 2 pets. My first pet was a bird, Romeo. I think I was around 8 or so when I got her. That's right, we were told the bird was actually a girl, but the previous owner had named her Romeo, and I didn't want to change it in case it would confuse her tiny bird brain. I was very sad when she died. My Dad put her in a milk carton which he threw away in the garbage bin outside. I freaked out about this and told him Romeo was no regular garbage! I made him dig a grave in the back yard (important fact: it was in the middle of winter and the ground was hard as rock). She deserved a proper burial, though.

My second pet was given to me on my 18th birthday by 2 of my friends; a goldfish named Hieronimus Bach the 21st of the Maldives. He hung around for a while, and was pretty cool and mellow. He suffered a tragic death when we went on summer vacation and it got really hot in the house. We came home to a nasty fish odeour and a dissolved Hieronimus. No proper burial this time, though, just a flushing of the toilet. Oh, the fate of a fish.

My husband is like Dr. Doolittle and I am convinced he can talk to animals. During our 9 years of marriage we have included a frog, guinea pig, hamsters, fish, dog and cat in our family No snake yet, though, which would be my choice. I think snakes are pretty cool and fascinating. I should get one and invite it to my next birthday party.

Remembering.

I will never forget 9/11. I almost felt American that day. The sadness, shock, disbelief and anger I felt that day is still very vivid in my memory. My thoughts and prayers go out to all Americans , especially those who lost a loved one on this day 7 years ago.

Brought to you by Kleenex.

Do you ever cry during a movie? Of course you do. You might as well admit it and stop blaming it on your contacts or your eyelashes getting stuck in your eye.

I am proud to admit that I'm a sucker for tear jerkers. I cry during emotional movies. Even happy movies will bring out the tears. (Such as "Homeward Bound". I cry every time at the end when Shadow and Peter are reunited.) And I bawl without limitations at sad movies. I think it's good for the soul. I used to fiddle with waterproof mascara, but now I don't bother any more. Who cares? I'm not embarrassed to pull out my tissues and sniffle during a movie.

So, this week's movie list lists my 10 favorite tear jerkers. There are many to choose from, and it was hard to narrow it down to 10. (I have refrained from including classic children's tear jerkers such as Old Yeller, Bambi and Fox And The Hound.)

10. Kramer vs. Kramer
Movies involving kids pull at my heart strings. Every performance in this movie is a marvel, and the family drama is heart wrenching.

9. Pay It Forward
I'm convinced Haley Joel Osment can make even the most stonehearted shed a tear.

8. When A Man Loves A Woman
I think this movie shows the true pain and confusion that loom in relationships where one member has a drinking problem. The scene between Michael and Jessie when Michael is leaving is especially heartbraking.

7. Beaches
Great movie about friendship. It makes me think about my true friends and that itself is enough to make me emotional. Even though I'm not a big Bette Midler fan, this movie still gets me "all verclept" every time.

6. The Pianist
If Adrien Brody had not won the 2003 Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in this movie, I would have boycotted the Oscars for the rest of my life. A truly astonishing film. Intense, emotional content.

5. Dying Young
I've watched this movie with my Mom who has had cancer, and we both think this movie is realistic. Which is probably why I cry every time I watch it. I also love how it shows that the person you need in your life and fall in love with is not always the person you imagined yourself being with originally.

4. My Life
Very, very sad story of course. Crocodile tears during the scene where a near death Bob limps to his son's room, up to his crib, touching him gently, and explaining to him that "this whole dying thing wasn't my idea".

3. Finding Neverland
This movie is a gem and I cry buckets every time I watch it. I love young Freddie Highmore who plays Peter. The last scene with him and Johnny Depp is so touching, and by then I'm dripping tears anyways, so why not turn on the faucet?

2. Steel Magnolias
Love, affection, friendship, small-town characters. One moment you're laughing, the next you're reaching for the Kleenex. .....Bring it on!

1. Legends Of The Fall
I haven't actually watched this movie in years because last time I watched it, I was sad for days afterwards. It's so tragic and heartbreaking. However, it really is a wonderful movie with a fantastic cast. I think I will be daring and watch it again soon for a good cry. And then follow up with a really good comedy.

The Number One Superfood.

Today, friends, I'm going to share with you what the Number One Superfood is. No, it's not chocolate. Not ice cream either. Not even pizza. Brocolli you may think? Or maybe bananas? Not even close. The Number One Superfood is..... (drumroll).... cod liver oil. That's right. This marvelous golden oil contains large amounts of elongated omega-3 fatty acids, preformed vitamin A and the sunlight vitamin D, essential nutrients that are hard to obtain in sufficient amounts in the modern diet.

The only problem with this marvelous golden oil is that is beyond gross and disgusting. Words can not even describe how foul it tastes. Why would I voluntarily expose my mouth and tastebuds to something so nasty then? Well, let me tell you.

My husband, bless his pig-valve-heart, is somewhat of a health nut. In a very positive way of course. He takes his vitamines, loves fruit and vegetables, doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, goes to the gym regularly, loves his Gary Fisher bike and so on. HE is the one that is crazy enough to drink cod liver oil.

The other day he asked me to get him another bottle of it when I went to the store. "No problem", I thought, "it's great that he's so healthy, as long as I don't have to drink it." Little did I know....

There are 2 different kinds of cod liver oil here: the regular kind and then the kind with added lemon flavor, which, by the way, is still not enough to tempt me. I couldn't remember for sure which kind he prefers, but for some reason I vaguely remembered something about "the lemon doesn't make a difference, it still doesn't taste very good." So, I just got the regular kind.

Later that evening, my husband kindly reminded me that he does indeed prefer the lemon flavored cod liver oil. So much for my vague memory. "Well, that just sucks. I spent $15 on a bottle of cod liver oil that will just be wasted." My husband, having completed his training in being frugal, assured me, however, that he will still drink it anyways. Since I'd already bought it and all. How's that for making me feel bad.

My tendency to speak before thinking got me in trouble again: "Well, dear, I feel really bad for you, so since I was the one who bought the wrong kind, I'll take a tablespoon a day as well. Just to help you get through the bottle quicker." Why in the world would I say something so stupid? Now I'm committed to tasting this rotten oil every day for a very long time (it's a pretty big bottle.) The only comfort is that at least it is really healthy.

Lesson learned today: close your eyes and plug your nose when taking cod liver oil. Also, keep a glass of something sweet tasting close by to wash it down with.

Chick flicks.

I love movies and tend to watch an increasing amount of them especially during the dark and cold season. Since I am a chick and I love flicks, I have decided to dedicate this blog entry to chick flicks.

There are various types of chick flicks. I've decided to devote a seperate blog entry to those that make women (and certain sensitive men) cry faster than chopping onions. There are also some that are too gooey and lovey-dovey even for a chick flick enthusiast as moi.

Below I've listed my 10 most favorite chick flicks that fit in to the romantic, perky, upbeat and happy ending category. These are not necessarily Oscar worthy, but then again I don't necessarily love them for the great acting, score or directing, but for the simple fact that they brighten my day.

10. Serendipity
You just can't go wrong with John Cusack. Fluffy comedy with a lot of heart and great cast. And humor. Especially John Corbett's dead-on portrayal of a Kenny G clone.

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid."

9. Notting Hill
Confession: I'm especially partial to movies that take place in England. And I love the whole idea of being a regular person in a book store who meets a major celebrity who ends up falling for you. It's a contemporary fairy tale, so anything is possible.

"Happiness isn't happiness without a violin playing goat."

8. Bridget Jones
Those of you who have read my previous blog entries (Mamma Mia!) know that I'm especially partial to movies starring Colin Firth. I read the Bridget Jones books when I, myself, was a Singleton, and could really relate to Bridget. Hillarious!

"I didn't mean it. Well... I meant it, but I didnt mean what I meant."

7. Little Women (1994)
I love how this movie portrays how the March girls learn about life, loss and most importantly, love.

"Feminine weaknesses and fainting spells are the direct result of our confining young girls to the house, bent over their needlework, and restrictive corsets."

6. Return To Me
A little sad to begin with, but such a cute movie. I love Grace's cute Grandpa!

"Sometimes you have to run away to see if someone is gonna follow you."

5. The Holiday
Of course I love Jude Law, but I think Jack Black is charming in this one as well. And I want to go to Iris' cottage.

"I have a cow and I sew. How's that for "hard to relate to"? "

4. Hope Floats
Not only a great movie, but great sound track as well. Sandra Bullock is the queen of romantic comedies.

"Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it is the middle that counts the most. You need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up.... and it will too."

3. An Affair To Remember
A true classic. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr are smashing! I fell in love with this movie a long time ago, even before "Sleepless in Seattle". Not really a comedy, of course, but very romantic. (If you haven't seen it, I need to warn you: you may need tissues.)

"I'll just take my ego for a walk."

2. While You Were Sleeping
Cute, cute Bill Pullman. And the casting of the Callaghan family is superb. Sandra Bullock will steal your heart and draw you in to her dilemma with style. This one is a feel-good movie for sure!

"When I told my mother I was going to marry my wife, her intestines exploded. If you tell them now, you might as well shoot Grandma."

1. Pride And Prejudice (BBC version)
The famous Colin Firth-jumping-in-lake-and-walking-up-to-the-mansion-scene that makes you go "ahhhh" and weak in the knees is fantastic! Mrs. Bennett is hysterical (literally), Mr. Bingley is a cutie, Jane is sweet, Lizzie is delightful....

"In vain have I struggled, it will not do. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. "