The last week before Christmas we had our last "Star Wars Monday" watching "The Last Jedi". We've seen "Rogue One" and "The Force Awakens" as well, getting ready for the premiere of "The Rise of Skywalker". TROS was SO amazing! I have no words! We got many answers, though leaving room for theories, and just an epic ending to the saga. My heart is broken, but that's because I'm Kylo trash for life, but it was a beautiful ending as well, and I can't believe that it's over. The Star Wars universe has become one of my favorite worlds, and I love all the movies and shows. The Mandalorian has to be the show of the year as well. 

We decorated our new Christmas tree. We decided to get a green one this year after years of having a white one. I'm so happy with the lights and decorations, and think it's the most pretty tree we've had so far! 

A final shopping trip before Xmas had to be done, and we supported some of the local stores. Found a few records at the "Retro Nook" as well; Eurythmics - Revenge and The Look - Everybody's Acting, and Vandenberg for my hubby as he finaly bought a vinyl player for the livingroom. I've had mine upstairs for years, spinning records, and now he's finally caught the vinyl-bug :D 

Here's the rest of the Christmas movies we watched in December:

Some of my new favorite Xmas movies this year are "Christmas Cottage", "The Christmas Candle" and "The Man Who Invented Christmas".

On the day before Christmas Eve we had lunch at Didriks, another tradition :) 

And on Christmas Eve, we watched "The Christmas Story", went for a walk, read Christmas comics, ate good food and dessert, and opened presents! So much nice stuff! I even semi-spoiled myself with a new guitar, a snow white Jackson Warrior, thanks to my Patreon support <3 

I'm very happy with December and look back on a very cozy and full month packed with movies, traditions and just a general good vibe to end the year, and the decade. ​I'm very excited about 2020 where more music and adventures awaits! 

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2020! 

Ever since we got back from Oslo, it's been non-stop Christmas preparations and activities. After Thanksgiving we started decorating, and on December 1st, the 1st Sunday of Advent, we went to Tore-Garden's Christmas market, a tradition we've had for many years to start off the Xmas season. 
We ate some tasty "sveler" by Minibakeriet and had "gløgg", and bought some Christmas decorations. 

We've seen maaany Christmas movies seen since November 10th, so here's a list from then till December 10th, the rest will be in the part II wrap-up:

The second weekend in December we stayed at my mother-in-law's place, and went Førde to do some Christmas shopping. A very cozy Xmas weekend with good food, Xmassy TV series like "Hjem til jul" and "Merry Happy Whatever" and movies, plus finding some new Christmas stuff and presents. 

The weekend after we didn't go anywhere, just celebrating Saint Lucy's Day with saffron buns and the movie "I'll Be Home for Christmas" on December 13th, a tradition we've had for years - buns and said movie that is!  
We were also out and about, having dinner at China Resturant Chen and just enjoying a weekend of more Christmas cheer :D 

On November 25th we saw Firewind and Queensrÿche live at Vulkan Arena in Oslo. Two awesome shows I'm so glad I got to see! 
Firewind kicked ass, and Gus G really sparked a guitar flame within me. Though I've been playing some, I've never really played anything else than what is on some songs and records, and though that require some talent, I want to get better, so much better, and Gus G is just amazing! I've been playing a lot more since I got home, reading tabs, studing YouTube videos, and might have put a snow white Jackson Warrior guitar on my wishlist for Christmas... But that's a story for another time ;) 
Anyway, seeing a band live always gives me renewed metal energy and an urge to check out and listen to a band more, so I've been kinda playing Firewind non stop since I got home from Oslo, and Gus G's solo album; Fearless. LOVE that album! Denis Ward from Pink Cream 69 and Unisonic on bass and vocals, how can you go wrong?

Firewind set list:
1. Ode to Leonidas
2. We Defy
3. Head Up High
4. Hands of Time
5. World on Fire
6. The Fire and The Fury
7. Mercenary Man
8. I Am the Anger
​9. Falling to Pieces

It was so great to see Queensrÿche live! I saw Geoff Tate's Operation: Mindcrime band live last year, so it was cool to see Queensrÿche with Todd LaTorre live as well. Such heavy metal perfection! OMG! We managed to get closer to the stage when they played, so sometime during the show, Todd pointed at me and winked - yay! I'm such a fangirl :D I think I winked back, hahaha, however that might have looked! :p
Anyway, epic set list and show by the Rÿche, and I'm so happy we got to go Oslo and witness progressive, power melodic metal! \m/

Queensrÿche set list:
1. Blood of the Levant
2. I Am I
3. NM 156
4. Man the Machine
5. Walk in the Shadows
6. Condition Hüman
7. Operation: Mindcrime
8. Queen of the Reich
9. Silent Lucidity
10. Jet City Woman
11. The Mission
12. Screaming in Digital
13. Take Hold of the Flame
14. Light-years
Encore:
15. Empire
16. Eyes of a Stranger

After the shows we went to check out the merch, and I got a slight fangirl attack when I saw Gus G himself standing there selling merch... It was kinda surreal, and after purchasing a Queensrÿche tee, I had my PayPal ready to buy Gus' Fearless record on vinyl. I had "Ozzy shakes" when showing him my phone to see the transaction, hahaha. But I managed to utter some sentences, got the vinyl signed, and got my picture taken with him. Such a cool, calm  and humble guy! So nice to have met him! I hope I get to see Firewind live again, and Gus' solo band too! :)
I'm so dreaming about getting a Gus G signature guitar some day. Those Star guitars are so freakin' awesome! And they sound sooo great! I need an active guitar for a more thick and heavy sound! Never too heavy, it's metal! \m/

On November 24th we went to Oslo to see Firewind and Queensrÿche live. We always make a "concert trip" into a cozy trip, the gig being the main event of course, but there's time for good food, some shopping and just having a great time getting a break from the eveyday life and routines. 
We had dinner at T.G.I. Friday's on Sunday, and I met my little brother which I haven't seen since my birthday in August. 

On Monday, November 25th, the actual day of the gigs, we did some shopping and went to a Christmas market, and of course to my fave vinyl store; Råkk & Rålls. I got some records; Heaven, Bonfire x2, Pauline Gillan Band and Samson. 

Ready to go home on Tuesday. A fun trip and great shows to look back on! Metal music is life, and it always gives me fuel and inspiration to keep going, to keep on rockin'! \m/

In November I had the chance to try out two different kinds of internships. One was at Sagastad, hosting Norway's largest Viking ship, where I got to work a bit on a visual PowerPoint presentation, and at NRK Sogn og Fjordane, where I got to see how it's like being a news reporter. I had the chance to see how interviews were done, and how to edit radio news and such. 
I enjoyed trying both, as I really want to work with media design and writing. Now that I'm on "the mend" after my hip surgery last year, I have the opportunity to think anew on what I want to be when I "grow up". I've never really given it much thought, because I've worked since I was 17 at different shops, and it's been okay. I've never been the one for status and education, never letting my work define me. It's just, well, work. What I am, who I am, is not in my labor, but my label; a very creative person with too many ideas to sit still for too long. I love music, photography, movies, books, writing, creating jewelry and so much more. And I really want to work with something that lets me use my skills, not contain them and being an outcast just because I'm a little eccentric. We can't all be the same norm, and thank goth for that! 
Working with media design would have been nice because I know I got a neck for design and layouts. And writing and photography wold have been awesome as well. I qucikly learned  that news reporter is not me at all, as I'm not updated on news ever. I've never been, never will be, so finding angles and just an interest in general in what's happening is just, no. Politics and all that shi**, uhm, I mean, stuff. I tune out. But human-interest stories, culture and such, that's more me. 
I got the chance to go out and interview a few people, taking pics and start writing a story/radio story. It was just horrible to go out and try to find random people to ask. Social anxiety and introvert and all, it was, well, hell! But I got through it, but I just know I won't put me through that again. 
I'm excited to see how the story turns out though. I was promised a by-line, so that's cool. 
I'm all about trying out and getting new experiences helping me pin point my way down the road called life. It would have been amazing living of music as an artist and songwriter, but until that (if it ever will) happen, I have to be a bit more realistic. 
My goal is to finish high shcool next year, so I have the proper grades to get into a college to study something I'm really interested in. 
I don't regret not finishing high school. I never have, because all the choices I've made, have lead me here I am today, and I'm happy and grateful. 
I'm exited to see what 2020 will bring. 

On November 2nd, we went to see "Maleficent - Mistress of Evil" at the movies. It was a great sequel to the first one, and I enjoyed it very much. 
Then we went to Pizza House and had a very tasty dinner, before we took a ride giving my latest EP "Marita - A Tribute To Twin Peaks" a final hear through before submitting it to Record Union to be added to all music streaming services. 
It was a magical sunset as well, and the ambiance couldn't have been more perfect. 
I will make a post about the EP soon! It's been out for over a month now, so it's about time! 
​

Some photos taken at night in Nordfjordeid. Love the first one! And the frozen cobweb one.

Just an outfit from October. Elvira is so awesome! I got a patch and a pin as well to put on my horror vest. 

Just a bunch of nature pics from early November when the light was just right, and the details frozen and pretty. 

Just an outfit from October. Think I've had that AC/DC sweater for three years, and I finally got around to wear it... I have sooo many band shirts! I'm thinking of doing a band tee documentation in 2020, where I style all the shirts I have. You know what they say; a band tee a day, keeps the doctor away! ;) \m/