Sofas and slackers

We got our new sofa two days ago. Finally, I should say, because it certainly took its time. Buying it in the beginning of January, we were promised it delivered by the end of the same month. January coming to an end, they called us from the store saying that we unfortunately had to wait another 3-4 months, since the shipment of sofas that had arrived from China contained only couches assembled the wrong way. A lousy discount was all we were offered. Or the opportunity to undo the whole deal. But it was this particular sofa I wanted, so giving up on it was clearly not an option. Well, it's here now! Apparently with some wrong legs, but we'll manage.

It's huge! And finally, my dream can come true - three people can take an afternoon nap on this monster, at the same time.

News readers and their language

It's time to criticize. I'm angry, mad infuriated! And who's the target of my anger? A reporter in the Norwegian radiostation Petre. More accurately: a newsreporter, or newsreader, or whatever they're called these days. I should like her, really, since she sounds like she's from about the same place as me, the wonderful northwestern coast of Norway. But no, oh no. Here's the thing: I thought there was some kind of norm regarding language use in news broadcast. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not against people using their dialects - on the contrary, I'm very pro - but this girl is not using her dialect - she is MISUSING IT! I listen to the radio on my way to work, and I quite enjoy that radio station, but lately I have felt so nauseous by the sound of her misuse of language that I have simply had to turn the radio off the few minutes that the news last. She has one word that she uses which is charming and cute, namely "he" instead of the standard "har" (meaning has/have). So far, so good. The trouble starts when she starts using all kinds of genders and conjugations of nouns and verbs. It is just one terrible molotov coctail of verb- and noun endings and I fail, I really do fail, to see a pattern in it all. But maybe this IS her dialect, I hear you say. NO, IT IS NOT! I know, because I speak that dialect. Noone speaks like that, NOONE. Someone, please stop her! Please teach her the proper gender of words, and the corresponding conjugation. This cannot go on. In the name of the father, stop the madness!