31 joulukuun, 2021 by tanssityttö

AT THE TURN OF THE YEAR

On the eve of the turn of the year, there will be a little deeper reflection about life. I started thinking about these things last night …

MIDDLE AGE IS SECOND PUBERTY

Someone once said somewhere that in middle age you realize you no longer know how to live this life. It is true. I don’t know anymore either. Maybe middle age really is like another puberty. You will start to rethink who you are and where you are going (more exactly where you are going than where you are coming from which was much thought about in that first adolescence.) However, it seems that there are again more questions than answers, just like at a young age. At some point, I kind of thought I knew pretty much every answers. I thought I knew how to live this life. Somehow I even little proudly thought I was wise and knowledgeable but then suddenly in my forties everything was unclear again. I was lost with myself and my life. There are, of course, many reasons for this, such as the onset of menopause but also all these experiences, especially the losses of recent years.

In Finnish the word puberty is translated ”murrosikä” which means transition age… and yes, I have really lived through the transition period now, so word ”murrosikä” is well suited to describe this time as well …

However, the biggest reason why you no longer know anything about life is, of course, life itself and the realization that one cannot really know the truth. One can only deduce something, and create one’s own views on different things but no one knows the true truth and the right answers. Life is ultimately a mystery.

It also makes you humble to realize that you never know the end of life either. One cannot know when or how it will happen. It’s easy to think that it happens when you’re old and sick, but it doesn’t necessarily go that way.

Things often don’t go the way you would have thought. Almost everything cannot be planned or controlled as you (in a certain way) probably imagined when you were young.

COVID -19

Every day and every year we move towards the unknown, and anything can happen at any time, like this surprising covid -19 pandemic that stopped the world and changed views on life again. Even this period of exception has been going on for two years now, and it is still going on, and no one knows when it will end.

The biggest news of the year that has been featured almost daily is still Covid. It has lately punished also Finland with unprecedented severity.

On the other hand, I think this new variant of omikron might even be a way out of a pandemic. However, it is clearly milder than its predecessors, which may predict a weakening of the virus. It may remain with us, but it will likely become like any common flu virus.

If all goes well, the coming year will be brighter for the covid, but in addition, light will also be visible in my own life but no more about it yet…

I have lived a lot in the memories of the past lately, after the loss of my family members but now let’s turn our gaze to the coming year and hope for the best. I really hope for a happier year, there have been quite a few sad ones… and…

I HOPE FOR YOU ALL TOO, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Usually I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but now I do this one: I promise to try to LIVE more IN THE MOMENT and APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE!

18 lokakuun, 2021 by tanssityttö

EVEN TWO VACCINES DO NOT PROTECT AGAINST COVID -19

Beautiful colored plants in our yard, photographed in early September.

I have tried to move my life forward, even if it is not easy. There is so much of everything involved in my brother’s death. Severe causes of death and sad thoughts about my brother being alone in the last moments, at least not make me feel better. If only he had talked to me more about everything …

In addition, there is a great deal of practical work to be done. Fortunately, the tax office just granted extra time to make the charter.

I currently manage the economies of the three economies. In addition to my own finances, I take care of my mother’s and now, of course, my brother’s finances (etc.). For I am the only sister.

There is a little too much work for one person. The issue is that there is enough work in our own finances as well. At times, I feel like I’m exhausting myself… Maybe some time I will open all this a little more, but now to another topic of concern …

I heard the news about our friend’s family some time ago. All of them except the father of the family had been infected with corona virus. Despite both vaccines, the wife has had high fever. The two children in the family have also become ill with fever.

One of them has one vaccine, the other none (because they are pretty small children). Hearing this did scare me. If, despite the vaccines, you can get so sick (and even children can get sick properly), at least I haven’t been really careful in vain. I wonder what would happen without vaccines… Many seem to trust the effectiveness of vaccines. I haven’t had very much credit for it in a long time, now even less. Even if you don’t end up in the hospital, (or go there if you feel really weak and somehow survive at home) it is not nice to get sick. Besides, this disease can last for a very long time and there are not even guarantees of proper immunity. So it is still important to be careful even if that too is already starting to strain so much so that I really no longer know how to cope in the midst of all this. Just like there wasn’t enough in my life already…

The situation does not seem to be any relief, but on the contrary, it is getting worse here again although vaccinations are well advanced. That too, makes this scary. Although on the other hand, the progress of vaccinations has slowed down a bit here, as now surely the majority of those willing have taken it. Unfortunately, the number of those who oppose vaccination seems to be so large that the pace of vaccinations is declining. Besides, shouldn’t this virus already getting weaker? Thus, it was long ago promised that the virus would weaken and the pandemic would subside. Still, the virus has only worsened over time, and shows no signs of fading. Well, what can be done here? Nothing.

There are so many things in life that you just can’t be affected… It just has to be accepted. People imagine they can choose the direction of their lives, but in the end, they can’t have much influence on where life takes them… I, too, will now see what happens next. If good things could happen for a change. Let’s hope so.

11 kesäkuun, 2021 by tanssityttö

I GOT MY VACCINATION

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/valot-pimeyksien-reunoilla-lights-verges-darkness.html

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/vapaa-free.html

Finally I will be free! On monday morning me and my spouce got our first vaccinations. I’m so happy of that!

Soon I can start living a more normal life again without constant fear which was already almost destroying me. Of course I can’t fully relax yet but I am much closer to that moment. Anyway, the situation here in Finland has made it easier with the summer and vaccinations. Today, there were only 6 new cases in Helsinki. I don’t remember when was the last time virus counts were equally small.

Monday’s vaccination day was exciting. We had been afraid all the time that there would be a lot of people in the place and that someone there would infect corona to us. We arrived on the ride of our friend. There was some queue on the outside and even more people inside. The vaccination itself in a small booth was rapid but after that each was directed to wait 15 minutes if you happen to get an allergic reaction. I thought my spouse is in the same hall where I was following the others but he was not visible. Someone in the hall coughed loudly all the time, even though if you have flu symptoms you should not even be vaccinated. Luckily I soon saw my spouse passing by in the hallway, outside the hall I was sitting. I ran after him and fortunately got out of the hall where the coughing woman was. There had been someone next to my spouse too who was constantly coughing and my spouse changed place. I heard the coughing voice still in the hallway where we were but there was a screen in between. Well maybe they had allergies or tobacco cough, don’t know about it…

Photos on our yard. It’s so beautiful in summer!

________________________________________________________________________________

After a while we began to feel a little bit weak. For a moment we feared it was a vaccine, that we had an allergic reaction but it went away as soon as it came. Probably it was only due to the heat cause the day was really hot. About a quarter later we set off for a walk home. The distance was almost four km (over 2mi). We would have taken the city bikes from a nearby bike station but for some reason we didn’t get the bikes to work. The bike screens stayed off mode and the push buttons required for the code did not work. So we walked all the way home (because we don’t want to use the public transport). At least we got a decent walk. The weather was good too, so it was quite nice to walk although the heat was a little exhausting.

At home, I noticed muscle pain in my left hand (vaccination hand). The pain was similar as after training but the next morning that pain was almost gone. Neither has had any other symptoms. Well, on Monday night, my head ached, but it was surely due to the thunder that started then. Thunder is usually caused by headaches, or maybe I just drink too little…

I can hardly wait for the second vaccine in August although, on the other hand, it is exciting because I have heard that the second Pfizer vaccine can cause worse symptoms than the first. Well, let’s see…

Now I try to start enjoying summer more. I hope you all can enjoy it too, wherever you are!

3 maaliskuun, 2021 by tanssityttö

ACTION AGAINST CORONA

One should not be left wondering, or be left to lick ones fingers

THE VIRUS IS NOT WAITING

We need more determined action

As much as I have praised and appreciated Finland and finnish, I have to say this corona situation could have been better managed. The virus is now spreading in Finland worse than ever before. We have had record high readings in recent days and a large proportion of the cases are already the British variant (once we let it spread here as well). Two different Finnish variants have already been found here too. I can’t help but wonder about this activity and our bureaucratic system. What we should absolutely have is a law that allows for the immediate introduction of agreed exceptional circumstances, if necessary. Now it seems that there is none, so decisions are progressing slowly and it will take days, if not weeks, to prepare them before they take effect. In the meantime, the corona situation is advancing. That virus is not waiting for us.

Measures (or planning for them) should have started early fall, with the onset of the second wave. Instead, what did we do then? We waited, we waited … and we waited …the situation could have already been overcome, or at least with better care, if we had acted faster.

We should take lessons from Australia, where one new case of corona was recently found. After that, the curfew came into force there. That’s the way to handle this! That’s the way to make sure the situation does not get out of hand! We don’t have time to wait!

the rate of vaccination is too slow

Nor have I been satisfied with our pace of vaccination (although I found an article that says we are ranked number one with Denmark (in Europe, I think). https://www.talouselama.fi/uutiset/laaketeollisuus-ylelle-suomi-on-jaetulla-ensimmaisella-sijalla-tanskan-kanssa/76349747-8ab1-4441-a1d5-11ae544e688f)…but then again Lasse Lehtonen at Helsinki University Hospital HUS have said that if we continue at this pace, vaccine protection (70%) has not been achieved until the autumn of 2022. This was really crushing news and I think it is closer to the truth. Why in the world are we not negotiating a Sputnik vaccine with Russia if once through the EU we do not get vaccines fast enough. One should not be left wondering, or be left to lick ones fingers. Oh, but we can’t place orders past the EU…except that other countries have done that…This is no longer the small, safe Finland I was born in. That’s sad!

obsessive compulsive symptoms and mental health problems

I do not understand either how we have still not achieved, for example, a mask compulsion. Well, like I said the decision-making process is far too long here but there have been lot of time. This situation has continued for a year. Would think a year is enough to bring such an important law into force! However, it was decided to close the restaurants finally (after much deliberation)…but I’m afraid it’s too late already…

I also feel bad to watch TV shows (like Talent) where the audience sits fabric masks on their faces, side by side. Why are there no safety distances and / or better masks? After all, a fabric mask provides only 20% protection. No wonder the virus is spreading.

If I survive without a corona, mental health will go anyway, at least if this situation continues like this for a long time. I am already suffering from some degree of obsessive compulsive symptoms (such as the constant compelling need to wash hands). At least this doesn’t get any better. If you want to find something good about this, then it is this: I no longer tear my lips! It’s been my bad habit but now during the corona I have ended it because I don’t want to touch my lips (not even at home). Some say it’s hard not to touch their faces but to me it has gone firmly into the depths of consciousness. I don’t even do it by accident, especially outdoors…

in the grocery store … again

I would no longer want to go anywhere, not even to the grocery store. Last time I ordered food home, but still had to get nicotine (for my spouce), and at the same time I bought masks, a couple of beers, vitamin d, paper and chocolate (-there is always use for these-).

In Finland nicotine and beer cannot be ordered to home (don’t ask me why). So I went to the grocery store. I put another scarf on top of the mask for extra protection. Firstly I wondered why there were so much traffic on in the stairwell on monday morning before nine (I always try to leave so that there are no others in the staircase at the same time -and many in finland strive for it even before the corona…However, I was mainly afraid of the virus.) Anyway, there were someone in the staircase. When I saw him waiting for the elevator, I left myself to the staircase waiting for him to leave. I wondered if I was looking like some freak…

Well, I left and noticed soon that wasn’t like most monday mornings are: peacefull and quite nice. There were people much more than usually and that made me nervous! Again, there were coughers on the move. Just before I went to the store, someone came in front of the door to make a call and while I was wondered should I walk past her to store and decided to do that, she -ofcource- coughed in front of me. (Should have circled the other side and entered through it). Well, there were maybe 5 meters between us but now there’s those variants, I’m more skeptical is it enough.

Anyway, there were more people in the store than usual (taking into account the time). I was as fast as I could and went to checkout. Of course some construction worker came right after me. Usually I try to get around the construction workers from afar (they have been diagnosed with a lot of infections) but naturally I couldn’t do it on checkout line. He also received a call. I turned in the opposite direction so that I don’t get drops on my face at least. Luckily he didn’t talk a long time and then I had to pay my shopping…When I came back home I realized the reason of the traffic. I saw a moving van in front of our house…

Well, there is no choice but to try to somehow cope…

As Dave Lindholm sings in his song, ”How the Night Went Away”

”endure this night, then you will endure tomorrow and the day after tomorrow”

3 tammikuun, 2021 by tanssityttö

BLACK YEAR 2020 (& best posts)

These cinnamon/ginger bread buns I made on New Year’s Day (at night, when the year did change).

resepti/recipe (in finnish):

https://www.k-ruoka.fi/reseptit/piparipullat

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I haven’t had time to finish this new year post earlier but now I finally had just enough time to complete this so here it comes…

Year 2020 was so horrible that I ever want to live year like that again. It was definitely the most horrible year ever. Let’s look at everything the year contained:

First in the beginning of the year the covid -19 surprised everyone. I remember we read with my husband about a virus rife in China and we wondered if it could spread here as well. At first we were hopefull (atleast I was) but very soon it came clear that we would not escape this virus thanks for tourism.
As the incidence of infection increased, my spouce and I panicked and began to lose our mental health
I decided to take a summer vacation from work as early as April-May
Some time after my vacation I decided not to take (any new tasks so far) from my other job (where I am as a task worker), mainly because I got some health issues, like strange stomach upsets (irritable bowel syndrome suspicion) and back problems (old ones but it got worse sometimes). It also appeared that continued use of the mask caused severe respiratory symptoms. (I got an asthma suspicion later on summer -finally went to doctor when the pandemic calmed down for a while-).
However, I continued my second part-time job normally (just a few hours…and that ”customer” (=person to be assisted) -who’s also our family friend- is living near by us. She just moved (quite close), earlier she lived within walking distance. It was really easy and peaceful commute route which was so big relief.
In may my spouce’s mother suddenly passed away.
We did faight with my hubby more, mainly related to covid-19 (such as how to behave, how to act), the stress and fear was way too much for us.
My mother fell in the spring at her home and underwent hip surgery which, however, went well but after that long hospital episode, she could no longer return to home because she would not have gotten there with worsening Alzheimer’s. Therefore, she was applied for a place of care, which was found in the fall. She’s ok but I miss her cause I have not been able to meet her.
My spouce’s father was hospitalized for a while in late spring. At the moment he’s ok and home again but that caused also worry and stress for us.
Our car’s gas pump broke down and we could not order a new one from abroad apparently due to a pandemic (the pump is not available for automatic cars in Finland). This is the worst possible time for the car to break down.
There have been also problems related to the inheritance process and a wide variety of surprises as well as all kinds of headaches.

As you can see a lot has happened. Lots of sad and gloomy things…

Then something more positive. I want to share with you my best posts of 2020. Here are my ten most liked posts of 2020:

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/08/31/helsinki-shots/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/09/25/the-garden-birch-is-gone/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/10/18/friendly-friday-photo-challenge-dreams-of-childhood/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/11/18/the-anniversary/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/11/05/november-poem/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/giving-tuesday-tekojen-tiistai-1-12-2020-advent-calendar-1-door/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/21/advent-calendar-door-20-my-gingerbreads/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/22/advent-calendar-door-22-fun-christmas-treats/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/24/advent-calendar-door-24/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/28/different-damson-plum-jams/

Here are my personal favorite posts which did not fit in the previous list:

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/07/18/__trashed-36/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/03/adventcalendar-2-door-helsinki-punavuori-before-and-now/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/06/advent-calendar-6-door-finnish-independence-day/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/advent-calendar-7-door-korona-aika-covid-time/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/15/advent-calendar-door-15-laugh-more-live-more/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/19/advent-calendar-door-18-childhood-christmasses/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/11/14/titanic-real-time-sinking/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/02/01/a-dream-2/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2020/12/30/pikku-kakkonen-jaavaroitus-finnish-childrens-program-little-ones-tv-ice-warning/

I can only wish the year 2021 would be better than the previous one…for all of us…and…

…I hope the vaccines will finally help defeat this pandemic and we all could return to a normal life!!

…I WISH EVERYONE OF YOU A REALLY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021!!!

4 joulukuun, 2020 by tanssityttö

ADVENT CALENDAR 4. Door Dancing With The Stars FI (=TTK)

Last sunday we heard spesific news from TTK Finland covid-19 case which was why this show was on break. One dance student finalist -ex hockeyplayer Niklas Hagman- got the covid-19 and he decided to quit the competion. He was feeling so week and didn’t have energy to train anymore (still after the quarantine).

Luckily his dance teacher pair didn’t got infection but they were one of the winner favorites so it’s very sad they had to quit and just before the finals! Dance teacher Kia Lehmuskoski was weeping in tv when they were interviewed. They had eagerly waited the finals and trained hardly so naturally the disappointment was great!

I can imagine the feeling. I have also performed (in flow gymnastics and before that in cheerleading). Lately I have been wondering what if for example the WG -15 (the international massive gymnastics event) would have been canseled. https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/gymnaestrada-2015/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/wg2015-paattajaiset/

or SG -18 (national gymnaestrada event) would have been canseled.

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2018/06/08/turku-sg-2018-thursday-friday/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2018/06/13/turku-sg-2018-saturday-sunday/

https://tanssitytto.wordpress.com/2018/06/15/turku-photos/

It would have been very devastating to me and for all of us. We had been training about 2-3 years for both of those events. Field shows are so big spectacels so training must beginning at an early stage….So I really do understand the feeling of TTK-dancers!

Well, this Sunday is the 2.final show where the winner will resolves. Hopefully we don’t get anymore any devastating surprises and…

good luck to all three couples left!

21 marraskuun, 2020 by tanssityttö

THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD🥇

”I may not be there yet but I’m closer than yesterday!”

I participate to this challenge with answering questions below. Thank you for inviting all of your readers to join, Soni!

https://sonibindaas571181659.wordpress.com/2020/11/10/the-sunshine-blogger-award%f0%9f%a5%87/

1)Rate your writings out of five and with reason

If I have to do it myselves, which is hard, I would give 3,5 but actually I should ask you cause everybody likes their own work (or if not, they should). What’s the point to write otherwise…One thing that makes me uncertain is english language. It’s not my motherlanguage and I’m not sure how well I write in english…

2)Define the meaning of life and your purpose

I think the meaning of life is to learn and grow as human. We can make ourselves always better and when that’s your goal, you can’t go wrong!

3)Your role model and why you choose the person

My mother. She has always been my big support and got me for a better mood! We have had so fun together! She’s warm hearted person!

4)Your humanitarian values to the society

Every social class should be noticed and taken care of. There shouldn’t be a big gulfs! Young and old (and all in the middle) should be noticed as well and them all should be taken along to society. Sometimes I feel like there’s more curses and more events for younger people. Those should be arranged also adults (40+ people). Also I wish we could help all people with weaker status, like those who have no opportunity to studying or poor young women who got to get married soon and give birth to limitless amount of children…and the judgements should be more fair like rapists often survive with small sentences what’s so wrong!

5)Your priorities in life

Health is absolutely the most important thing in life. (You realize it, when you starting to loose it!) My spouce, family and friends are surely important too and financial management is also very important so that you can pay your bills and rent and buy food! (Everything else is just extra).

”Money may not make you happy, but it relaxes you” as my father used to say!

6)What do you value in relationships

Trust, caring and openess is the most important things. You have to speak to your spouce about everything. Then you will become closer and understand better each other! Also you should have about same values. If we’re talking about the most ideal relationship, then argumenting should be constructive and you shouldn’t be blaming each other when arguing. Like I said, this is the ideal but not very often be realized in real life…

…and last but not least you sure should have fun together!

7)Your concerns to this present world

I think the no1 thing which concerns evrybody right now, is covid-19. This is the thing I’m very worried. Now this virus have started to spread here in Finland badly too and I think I will loose my mind if we’re not getting the vaccine soon! I’m always so scared when I’m in the air of people even in grocery store where I rotate everyone from afare…but then other people are not so careful and sometimes come to my space…and almost always someone is coughing…I’m just praying for God we could get the normal life back!!! Not nearly everyone is even using masks. I’m begging you, pleace use the mask! Everybody should do that now (if you’r not too sick)!!!

8)Are you a successful blogger and why you chosen this platform

No I’m surely not…yeat! Hopefully some day I will be!

I’m better writer than speaker. By typing you can just say so much more than you ever will when you speak! More specificly I don’t really know why exactly this (wordpress) platform. I think it was simple to get start and simple to use and well known so it was easy to find (name that came first on my mind).

9)Whats your contribution for others

I have two aspects for this:

My blog, where I can share my thoughts and values with others and hopefully give something to think about.
My caretakeing job is other way for me to give my contribution to my customers with the help I’m giving them in their everyday life.

In addition to this I helped my parents when they got older and weaker. Now my mom is in nursing home and my father is in heaven.

10)Empathy or sympathy, which one you opt and why

It depends on situation. Very hard to choose one but I think I’m usually more sympathetic than empathic person. It’s just more natural for me. It’s also about how person you’r with is reacting but I don’t know if it’s because we finnish people don’t show so openly how we really feel and even if you’r totally broken, you don’t easily show it to others. That can impact to other persons reactions when she/he thinks that person with you is ok. Then the empathy will not show. That’s quite sad!

11)Self Introduction or self assessment

I’m also ambivert (like Soni said). I love nature, specially on summer time… so I’m summer child like it’s said. I wake up from hibernation on spring time when sun will shine and flowers start to bloom…on the contrary I hate darkness. Winter can be beautiful if there’s snow which there’s not very much on these days (in Helsinki) but there’s still too dark (and cold). Darkness makes me sad and depressive…but one thing what’s great to do then (or any day really) is gourmandism. That’s what I also love. Then I do love photographying, writing and dancing too! Those are the best things in life!