What?!

I just read an AP wire story that claims foreign students at OSU think studying in the US is harder work. I have to disagree.

The story, which nicely adds that foreigners boost tuition revenue with more than $15 million a year, reports that OSU turned to an outside recruiter to help the foreigners adjust to American university life.

Now, read this:

On the board of a classroom at Oregon State University recently, new international engineering students made two lists about what it's like to study in the United States.
Under "hard," they wrote: "homework," "wake up at the morning" and "a lot of things to do and to read!" The "easy" list was blank.

(Source: Associated Press)

I was an international student myself at the University of Oregon, and I felt the studies were easier than those of my home college, University of Bergen. Waking up in the morning is nothing new, and I am definitely no stranger to homework! And - the finals here in the States usually involve multiple choice. We don't have that back in Norway!

Maybe OSU just didn't recruit enough smart Scandinavian students? :P

It's like, whatver

ANNOYING WORDS

(AP) -- What word or phrase do Americans find most
annoying when used in conversations?
It's, like, "whatever."
The popular slacker term of indifference was found "most
annoying in conversation" by 47 percent of American adults
surveyed in a Marist College poll released Wednesday.
"Whatever" easily beat out "you know." The other annoying
contenders were "anyway," "it is what it is" and "at the end
of the day."
"Whatever" is an expression with staying power. Immortalized
in song by Nirvana in 1991, popularized by the Valley girls in
"Clueless" later that decade, it is still commonly used, often by
younger people.
Pollsters at the Poughkeepsie, N.Y. college surveyed 938 U.S.
adults by telephone. The margin of error is 3.2 percentage points.
Whatever.

(Soure: Associated Press)

'Tis the Season!

It's barely the beginning of October, but Christmas decorations are already covering store shelves. Even before people can carve their pumpkins it's obviously time to cue the carolers.

I snapped this picture during a shopping trip at Rite Aid.

Americans ARE crazy about decorating for every occasion, but come on... The Thanksgiving turkey is still kicking!

What do you think? Is this too early?

Guilty Pleasures!

I admit it.... I don't have a lot of self discipline.



I am not good about diets, I don't get up early, and I am pretty lazy when it comes to housecleaning. But at least I admit it, right?



One of my favorite things is cuddling up in a blanket with a cup of tea, reading a good book. I welcome cooler weather just because of this.



Now, let's take a look at my Top 10 Guilty Pleasures!



1) I love reading glossy mags under the covers. Especially while eating popcorn. (Yes, it leaves a mess.)



2) Eating chocolate. LOTS!



3) Postponing chores..... I HATE chores. I'd rather surf the web and read about piglets.



4) Shopping!! (Savings account? Whaaaa..?)



5) Playing Super Nintendo.



6) Watching 90210! (Don't tell anyone, but I actually enjoy it. Love me some 90s retro action!)



7) Reading stuff that grosses me out... I know you like that too.



8) Pretending the bills don't exist. Out of sight, out of mind.



9) Iced Vanilla Lattes. (Daily. Don't tell hubby.)



10) Reading boring people's facebook statuses. I don't know why, but it amuses me.