When I was a kid, I got my first taste of video games through my brothers' Commodore  64 computer. Some years later, my parents bought me a Super Nintendo, and a Super Mario World game (where we get to use the dragon Yoshi for the first time) to go with it. I later also got the Super Mario All Stars game, which contains a collection of the Super Mario games released before Super Mario World.

Last year, I realized that I would like to play those games again, but had two problems:

• My old Super Nintendo was broken

• Even if the game box wasn’t broken, we didn't have anywhere to plug it into, because we don't own a TV, only computers
  

A question remained; was there a possibility to find a way to play the Nintendo games on computers, or was it a lost cause? Fortunately, I have a computer genius (at least in comparison to me) for a boyfriend. He found the game emulator online along with the two games I wanted.

When you play with the emulator, you have the choice between using the computer keyboard keys or a game pad. I tried the former for a while, but it's not the same as using a game pad.

In the end, I bought a Logitech game pad from Komplett, a Norwegian online store selling computers, software and accessories. This specific game pad was the only one compatible with macs, so I didn't have much choice.

I got the game pad about a week ago, and have been playing a little bit every day since. I'm actually quite proud of myself, because I've completed levels by myself I never had completed on my own before...

I've been accepted into the French language MA program (page in Norwegian) at the university, which takes two years (four semesters) to complete.

Most of the Master's programs have the same duration as mine, and is thus worth 120 ECTS credits. The degree is ended when the Master's thesis is handed in and validated.

Some Master's programs offered in English takes from one to two years, according to the international agreements in which they are a part.

My degree is as follows: 

This semester, I take three classes; two in French grammar, treating adverbials and appositions, and one in English linguistics called Contrastive analysis: Syntax, Lexis and Discourse.

One of my favorite musicals, RENT, is closing it's run this summer, after 12 years on Broadway...

I saw the musical for the first time in New York, in July of 2000, and have been a devoted fan (a RENTHEAD) ever since.

I've seen it on stage at the Nederlander theater two more times, in addition to buying the movie that came out in 2005.

I will miss not being able to see it when I'm in the States, but that's the way it is. I'm just sad at the moment...

All there's left to say is: NO DAY BUT TODAY! and May the memory of Jonathan Larson stay with us RENTHEADS forever!!!!

Lånekassen is a national association providing loans to Norwegian studying at domestic or foreign institutions, and, I think, for foreigners studying at Norwegian institutions. This includes English speaking countries (UK, US, etc...), although with some restrictions because of high tuition and such.

You are eligible for loans for a total of eight years (16 semesters). After you’ve passed a semester, a certain percentage is converted into a scholarship. You won’t, however, know the total deduction until the degree is complete.

You can apply for a loan either online or by a form sent to you by mail, or obtained at a secondary school.

I called Lånekassen today because, this fall, I’d applied for a loan on the basis of my admission in the Language Bachelor’s program. In reality, because I was only completing the "80-group" (2 2/3 semester) I needed for Master’s admissions, I wasn’t going to use my BA spot anymore after Christmas (provided I passed the classes needed, of course). This is what I learned:

• I can transfer from a BA to a MA in the duration of the year and not inform Lånekassen, provided the transfer is within the same educational institution
• All that counts is that I pass my semester/year
• At the next application (this fall), I can change my admission data from a BA to an MA, no problem (!)

I wasn't able to sleep right away, coming back to the hotel after seeing Avenue Q.

Before leaving the hotel to go to Piccadilly Circus, some suspicious noises and odors were emerging from a room across the hall from ours. That night, we were woken up at around 2am by the fire alarm. When we finally understood what was happening, we got dressed, and went downstairs. Sylvain overheard some staff members talking to the firemen, saying that the alarm had originated from our floor... Oh well...

The next morning, we checked out, left our luggage at the King's Cross station Left luggage service, and took the Tube down to Piccadilly Circus again to return to Forbidden Planet. There, we got the following books:

For Sylvain:

• The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson
• A Fall of Moon Dust by Arthur C. Clarke 
  

• Sandworms of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

• Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
• the Time Machine by H. G. Wells
• the Lathe of Heaven by Ursula le Guin (mentioned in the Jane Austen book club by Karen Joy Fowler)
  
• Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon
• The Sky's The Limit (a Star Trek anthology)
  

Before going to the bookstore, we went by a Subway sandwich shop to get our lunch. Unfortunately, they were out of my favorite bread (honey-something-or-other), but I got my favorite dressing (honey mustard).

After leaving the Forbidden Planet, we stopped at a Starbuck's for a coffee, and to give my back a little break after all the walking I'd done the past few days. The coffees we got were expensive, but still worth the money.

Before collecting our luggage and heading to the airport, we went to a couple of Sainsbury's supermarkets in search of English smelly cheese (Stilton and extra strong Cheddar) and salty Cheddar crackers.

At Heathrow, I (of course!) had to take a look in the bookstore, and came out with Persuasion by Jane Austen and There's No Place Like here by Cecilia Ahern. Again, I ask; WHEN AM I GOING TO READ ALL THIS?????????

I had been waiting for this moment for over a year, long before our failed attempt to go to London for our one-year-anniversary. I even thought the thought of my returning to London was cursed... silly me...

We had gotten quite good seats for the occasion, about 10 rows from the stage at the Noël Coward theater at the West End.

Before the show, we ate dinner at a Burger King on Piccadilly Circus (can you believe there aren't any BKs left in France? Apparently, they disappeared practically overnight), and got three scoops of ice cream each at a Häagen-Dazs ice cream take out counter for desert.

When we arrived at the theater, I couldn't help myself at the souvenir counter. I just had to get a "I'm not wearing underwear today" t-shirt and a "It sucks to be me" latte mug... Granted, it's only funny when you know the reference, but still...

I knew the songs inside and out, so I could concentrate more on the staging and the performances. There were some differences between the Broadway and the West End productions:

• In London, Gary Coleman is played by a man, because, apparently, the British won't understand the joke.
  
• Some lyrics have been changed, to fit a more "European/British" audience. Personally, I think the changes were unnecessary, but there it is... The British audience will be a bit puzzled when they listen to the cd they bought at the theater, because it's the OBS...

Besides this, I had a great time at the show,and so did Sylvain! I even saw the actor playing Gary in the street afterwards. I didn't stop him, though, because he seemed to be rushing off somewhere.

I was excited to spend an extra day in London with Sylvain after celebrating Christmas with his family.

Our hotel for the night is situated between King's Cross and Farringdon Tube stations. In the same road, there are two hotels of the same chain, Travel Lodge, and the web site's map is a little inaccurate. It's best to have a real London map on hand, just in case.

As fate would have it, we headed into the capital the day Christmas sales began. While walking around Piccadilly Circus, waiting for our evening entertainment to start, we happened upon the clothes store Hawes and Curtis, where they sell shirts, ties, accessories, etc, for both men and women.

I had been on the lookout for more casual shirts Sylvain could wear with the cuff links  I got him for his 28th birthday. I thought it kind of a shame he couldn't wear them more often... We ended up getting three shirts (one light purple, one light blue and one dark blue with thin vertical stripes in other colors) - 25£ each, and a three-for-the-price- of-two deal on two ties (one flashy purple one, and one blue with stripes) and a pair of plain silver cuff links.

We had also planned to go browse the Forbidden Planet, a store that specializes sci-fi and fantasy related reading materials and toys. The store was, however, closed when we went there on the 26th, or Boxing Day... Fortunately we had another day to go back...