The fourth Sunday in Advent

For longing, joy, hope and peace.

Himlen i min famn by Carola

The third Sunday in Advent

For longing, hope and joy.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (赤鼻のトナカイ) by Hello! Project

The second Sunday in Advent

For hope and joy.

Walk This Sleigh by Robbie Williams

The first Sunday in Advent

For joy.

Getting Ready For Christmas Day by Paul Simon

Holidays are coming

This may be proof of how upside-down the world has turned; No thing on earth gets me in the Christmas spirit as completely and effectively as this thing does:

Thank you

I must mention something I adore about Buddhism (my stepmother is a Buddhist).
You know when most Christians pray they tend to say thinks like "please give me strength to get through this" or "please look after my loved ones" and such... (Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ;p)

When Buddhists pray (at least the group my stepmother belongs to) she simply tells Buddha (or her inner self/the universe, I don't really know who she's talking to) all the things she's thankful for.
All the time I see her bowing her head to that little sculpture, she's not asking for anything, she's saying her thanks.

I often think that Buddhism is the only somewhat sensible religion on earth (even though I'm not a Buddhist myself).

So. USA is celebrating Thanksgiving and a friend invited me to share what I'm thankful for:

I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my boyfriend and my four legged friends. They are what keeps me trusting.

I'm thankful for my imagination and ability to mentally escape. It is what keeps me standing.

I'm thankful for music. It is what keeps me calm.

And I'm thankful for people's belief in me. It is what keeps me trying.

Is this how a star falls?

I got a new jacket. Or more like a coat really.
I love it. It's my favorite color, it's warm and kind of ladylike. (It's this one in green)
But when I wear it, it feels like I've put on someone else's coat (I guess it will pass as I get used to it).
Actually; it feels as if I've put on my grandmother's coat (the live one).
She's a beautiful lady with great style so I really don't mind being like her.
But it feels like I'm trying to fill an office I'm not qualified for.
Then again...
That is how life in general feels like these days.

Here's one of my all time favorite songs. Not related to the content of this post at all (or anything else for that matter), it's just stuck on my mind.
Jupiter Crash by The Cure


(Many of the songs by The Cure sort of tells a little story in addition to (or in the process of) illustrate an emotion or address a subject. i.e This one, Jupiter Crash, or Pictures of you, Catch, Just Like Heaven, The 13th...
I love that.)

I'll be two steps on the water

Some cover songs almost insult their original and some good ones remind me how much I love the original.
I just stumbled over this one and I love it. Hounds of Love is one of my absolute favorite songs by Kate Bush and, even though nobody can surpass Kate Bush when it comes to voice and beautiful sounds, The Futureheads has managed to put this lovely song into my favorite (at least one of my favorite) music genres.

I haven't listened to Hounds of Love for a long time and now I want to listen to both the original and the cover over and over again.








the original:

I spent my life, becoming invisible

Finding Twilight (by Stephenie Meyer) on my reading list for this year's literature class, I suddenly regret having watched the movie and read the comic. I know everything that happens in this story, but I still insist on reading it 'cause I know there are differences, and in case we're gonna discuss language and phrasing in class. I need to know how Meyer wrote the thing not how Catherine Hardwicke directed it or Young Kim drew it.

But reading it takes forever. I'm bored and constantly (and somewhat happily) letting myself get distracted. After trying to read the printed version, I have settled for the audio book. Being able to do crafts while listening stops my mind from trailing off too often...

It came as a surprise too. This American book is not what you expect to must read when you're taking "Modern Scandinavian Literature"... But this includes popular Scandinavian books, and Twilight is a popular book in Scandinavia, just as in the rest of the first world, so...

Oh well, I'll manage. It's a good opportunity to finish my cross stich table runner.

Speaking of worldwide bestsellers...
Here's another song from the Hunger Games Soundtrack, I kept having this on repeat all last week:

and while am at it. music and blogging and stufffff.

SEPTEMBER JUST CAN't COME FAST ENOUGH.
Amanda Palmer's new album is awesome and I want so much to just hold it in my hands. Who can resist beautiful madness like this?:

Gothamist House Presents: Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra, "Lost" from Gothamist on Vimeo.

*continues to impationally wait for the album-release*.

About The Hunger Games

So I watched the movie. And found it surprisingly captivating.
It's actually a pretty decent movie.
No shame in watching it. ;)

The Games of Death

Which is what you get if you take the title of the Norwegian version of The Hunger Games and translate it back to English.

I haven't read the books, I haven't watched the movie. Maybe I'll watch the movie someday just to know what everyone is screaming about, but I don't think I'll ever read the books. I'm sure they are great, but I sincerely think I'm not in the target group.

HOWEVER.

Some Norwegian paper (was it Aftenposten?) spoke kindly of the movie's soundtrack. And as I was raised to have/born with an open and curious mind towards music; I had to check it out (I mean; the soundtrack to Sucker Punch is absolutely fantastic, so why not?).

It's great. the soundtrack is great.

So to all you other people out there thinking like me ("I'll never get this Hunger Games-hysteria, but I'm glad people are having fun"), or to all you people convinced that this phenomenon doesn't interest you the slightest, I urge you to give the soundtrack album a chance.

i.e this song. One Engine by The Decemberists.

The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 And Beyond at Spotify

In the Norwegian version of Itsy-Bitsy Spider the spider is climbing up "my hat", not some random water spout...

Muwahahaha.

I've been sulking around trying to find something good to blog about (life's pretty dull these days, nothing interesting to report) and now I have found something I want to rant about. So yes! I'm letting it out on the poor soul who for some reason is reading this.

I like to know what I'm getting into before I might, in example, spend money or at least time on something. So, I love how reviewing stuff is sort of an internet trend. Whatever you're considering; someone out there is reviewing it for you. Great.

BUT
(And this does of course not include everyone, I know of people and got close friends who are excellent reviewers. But they aren't that well represented at amazon, goodread etc.)

When I'm reading a bookreview, I DO NOT want to know what's happening in the book. I do not want to know how it ends. I'll actually read the book itself for that.

I want to know whether or not it's worth my time. Is the writer a good storyteller? Is the text well formulated? Are the characters well developed? Did you like the end (not what happened, just did it surprise you? was it fitting? or was it too abrupt or poorly done?)? How would you compare this book to other works by the same author? Is the voilence/sex/tragedy/jokes/relationships elegantly described? Would you recommend this book to what sort of reader? And do YOU consider it a good book?

Now. Is that so hard?
________________________________________

btw. Amanda Palmer has recorded a new album (yay, hurray, woohoo!!) and I can't wait for it to come! September is usually one of my least favorite months, but now it can't come fast enough.
Since we're talking about one of my biggest idols (perhaps the biggest), I'm sharing the link to her kickstarter here: http://kck.st/GrandTheftKS in hope that some more people out there will support her and her new band. So there.
________________________________________

I should do this more often, right? Just blog what's on top of my mind without judging it. I'm gonna share more of my dragons though, but I thought I should spread it in between other posts. Like spice. or something, rather than going on and on about dragon after dragon.

Yes. ... Merry May, everyone.

Dramico

I wanna share my dragons with you. 'Cause I love them so.



This is Dramico, he's a Schleich. There have been some years since I got him and I don't think Schleich is breeding anymore of his kind. He is the very start of my dragon collection. I remember getting him sometime when I was out shopping with my Mum, Granny and Sister. There were several colors to choose from, but I wanted a classical green one.

As the classical European Dragon he is, Dramico has been my model several times when I wanted to draw a dragon. I don't know why I call him Dramico, but at the time I got him I thought it sounded nice and like the perfect dragon-name.

Isn't he cool though? He got a kinda scary look if you look him in the eyes, but he's really a nice guy. *dead serious*

mokrbkao

I made myself a bookmark!
I'm creative and productive, yay.

I got thousands of bookmarks already (alright, not thousands, but a whole lot) and I'm using them all.
Yes, I'm that kind of crooked person who reads several books at the same time. (Which is why the book list on this blogg is called "Books I finished in 20xx", and not "Books I read...")
And the other day I was one bookmark short. (using postcards, receipts or napkins as bookmarks is too boring ;P)

So I found some of the lovely printed paper I got for my birthday (Thank you, E2) and I stole (I said please) some Aida from a friend (thank you, Vilje) and I made myself a bookmark.
And I feel mighty proud 'cause it's been a while since I made something on a whim like this.



For those curious: the book in the picture is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

Cake icing and decorating set

It's the first month of a New Year and usually this call for New Year resolutions. This year I won't bother. I know that within the year I'll have forgotten about them and come next year I'll be writing the same resolutions over again because I failed to keep them.

Instead I want to reflect a little over the long term goals I have and the ones I've already fulfilled. Not the huge “I wanna be an astronerp when I grow up” ones, but the little ones.

In example. When I was younger (I'm talking toddler) I remember seeing my Mam fixing my Daddy's tie. To my four years old mind this was a really cute and romantic scene and I remember thinking that “when I grow up to be a wife I wanna be able to fix my man's tie”. (True story).

(I was also going to marry my Daddy, but he calmly explained why that couldn't happen. He also explained why Grandpa couldn't be my second choice as that marriage was out of the question too)

When I was around ten I remember finding a recipe on how to tie a tie and I practiced this knot over and over again. And I'm proud to announce that I can tie a perfectly ok tie. So there. Goal reached. Mission accomplished. (It's good to see that not all goals crumble to pieces).

I even saved Seb's neighbors the other month. The mother and the two teen sons were getting in their car. Both sons were dressed nicely in suits, ties in hands. And the mother came over to us asking Seb if he knew how to tie a tie, because father wasn't there at the time and they were going to some fancy event. Seb shook his head and said “sorry, I rarely wear ties” and they all looked disappointed. So I raised my hand, ahemed (that is now a word) and said “I can, I know how”.

I, a little curly filly (yup, I'm a horse now) from the forest of Norway, I too can be a hero.

(I know I've posted this song earlier, but it's relevant for this entry so I'm posting it again (plus: I love it so it's allowed to be posted twice).)



Another role model for me would be my aunt on my mother's side. Whenever we were having some sort of big event or party she would be wearing her bunad and in her bunad-purse she would always keep band aids and a tiny sewing kit. So whenever you got hurt (during the run under the decorated tables or hide behind everyone's fancy coats in the rented wardrobe -games) or your clothes ripped, she would be there for your rescue. I have wowed to myself that when I “grow up” I will be Aunt Safe with an unlimited stack of band aids and other useful items. I already got band aids in all my bags and purses and I hope that when the time comes I'll be ready to save either my own kids or whichever nephew/niece/godchild or random kid in distress. (or grown-up, should that be the case)

Other goals for my life would be to learn to cook my family's traditional Christmas-dinner so that my kids can eat it sauce and all, and to stand on the top of the Eiffel Tower at least once.

I also wish I could play music of some sort so some day before I die I want to learn a music instrument. It shouldn't be too hard and it doesn't have to be anything fancy. I hear it takes no time at all to learn the ukulele so maybe that's what I'll learn, I dunno, either way I will eventually play something.

And I want to get better at knitting. Aaaand maybe I'll learn by heart the Rubik's cube, if I ever get the time. (All the cool grown-ups in my family have at one point known the Rubik's cube)

I think that in the end these little “trivial” goals are the ones that really matters. Who cares if I ever reach the “ideal” weight and status or the top of any career; I have band aids and I can tie a tie.

I'm alright

It was just one of my wisdom teeth being surgically removed. No big deal at all if it weren't for my silly phobia. I still refuse to let anything (including my own tongue, toothbrush or food) touch the relevant side of my mouth. The stitches are supposed to be gone now, but I don't know if they are, I can't bring myself to check.
Seriously. stitches in skin and/or surgically opening/parting skin with knives or needles are the most disgusting things. Screw spiders.

funny thing though; I don't mind scars. Or accidental cuts or the like.

hm hm. The mind works in mysterious ways.

On to a more fun topic!
..... I got nothing. January is a boring month isn't it? In my head it got this sort of warm, somewhat dirty yellow color. Like #ebc44d. (that is a color code used mostly in html. If you google it you should find a color sample).
I have no idea why January is yellow. It just is.

"And if you knew nothing could replace you
if you were sane
your heart wouldn't ache."
[So What by The Cure]

Dark but shining

It's 10pm, it's January and it's Norway. Does that mean it's pitch black dark?
No.
There's twinkling stars and sparkling snow, like a glittering painting on a black colored canvas.
Sure half the stars I see are probably dead, the snow is just frozen H2O and the curls tumbling around my field of view are just dead cells growing out of crooked hair follicles.
But it's still magically beautiful.

And tomorrow I'll put on my superhero-costume, bring my sidekicks and endure my panic attacks the best I can.
I'll close my eyes and pretend I know nothing of needles or knives against my skin. And if I can just avoid thinking of the stitches in my skin afterwards maybe I wont throw up every minute.

I know. It's just a tooth and I'm gonna be ok.
But I'd rather go bungee jumping.

Gee, I wonder why I'm not a doctor or why I'm not a fan of Grey's Anatomy? I'm not phobic about this at all, I love such things.

For this song to work its real magic you need to turn up the volume until your ears might just burst.
That way it's easier to ignore the world and pretend it's not there.



am I being melodramatic?

Books I finished in 2011

Well, here we are again old love, here's to me and thee...

I did this in 2010 and enjoyed doing it so I’m doing it again. Here’s a list of all the books I finished reading during last year and I’ve written a tiny review of the books I think deserves special attention. Since this blog is mainly in English (If people are wondering why I can explain that later) I’ve used the English titles in my list and whenever I couldn’t find a title in English I used the original title. One exception would be Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I’ve read it before and this time I deliberately read the Norwegian version so I added the Norwegian title to my list.
16 books. That's just like last year...

The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle
To me, this book is THE book. I read it for the first time when I was around twelve and it was the very first book that kept me reading the whole night despite my mother’s bedtime rules. I’ve been up reading books the whole night many times since, but no book or allnighter really succeeds that one first time. Besides holding this memory the book itself is awesome. I’ve read it several times and its magic hasn’t bleached one bit. It is everything a good fantasy ought to be. Twelve years later I’m still somewhat in love with the clumsy Schmendrick. I still adore the Unicorn. And I can still relate to Molly (maybe even more now, when I think about it). Oh and the cat! I love this book. Lovelovelove.

- Little Lord Fauntleroy - Frances Hodgson Burnett

Coraline & Other Stories - Neil Gaiman
Coraline was the first story by Gaiman I ever read and it’s still my favorite. It’s a great story about courage and gratitude. This book also included some of his short stories and in my opinion they’re all good. I especially liked “How to Talk to Girls at Parties”. They’re all marvelously strange. Need I say more? It’s Neil Gaiman after all…

Another Way to be Young - Per Nilsson
I remember reading another book by Per Nilsson when I was around 14 or so (Yes, Let him smile … huh?). There’s something about the way he captures the casual everyday life of youth and combines it with the weird thoughts and ideas of teens. This book is both thrilling in some ways and comfortably philosophical in other ways. Like many books for teens it rotates around finding your identity and role in life, but it’s not cliché at all.

The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova
It’s a story about the real vampires. Not the glittering ones. Not the raving predator ones. The real ones. The whole book builds on Bram Stoker’s Dracula and weaves a story about the actual Vlad Tepes (aka The Impaler, aka Vlad III, aka Wladislaus Dragwlya, aka count Dracula) and his librarian minions (heehee XD). I have two minor issues; It is too detailed to make sense (how can a grown woman remember that when she was young her father told her that when he was young his teacher told him that when HE was young, on this specific day he was wearing this specific sweater and eating this specific dish at this specific time?) and it stops being scary too soon (The whole book is entertaining and fascinating but only the first part is really scary, I missed that as I read the actual climax of it). Otherwise it’s a good book and I really enjoyed it. It’s one of those books where you learn tons of funfacts about subjects you didn’t know you were interested in. I loved that.

- Deathvariations - Jon Fosse

- Alice i eventyrland (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, translated to Norwegian by Zinken Hopp) - Lewis Carrol

- Teori og praksis - Nikolaj Frobenius

- The Boy in the Suitcase - Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis

- Bli hvis du kan. Reis hvis du må. - Helga Flatland

Kafka on the Beach - Haruki Murakami
Oh, what a bizarre book! I’ve heard so much praise for Murakami, but I never heard or read anything about his specific books. Ergo; I knew nothing about this book when I started. I work in a library and I usually pay attention to the authors and titles people “have to read”. Once in a while I read some of the titles myself and most often there are good reasons why people recommend them to each other; they’re mostly good. But most of them seem to follow the same patterns and genres so when I started reading Kafka on the Beach I expected some kind of bland book. Probably very good, but bland. I was surprised. Even to me, who loves nonsense and weird stuff, at first this book felt just too weird. And I was like “why is he naked all the time?”. But it hypnotized me and kept me reading and I wished the book would just continue forever. It’s really enjoyable. And there are several philosophical moments where I just felt like “this book gets me” or it made me think. It was fun.

- Downfall: a love story - Per Olov Enquist

- Kjærlighet - Hanne Ørstavik

The Book of Dead Days - Marcus Sedgwick
Do you understand what I mean when I say sewer-fantasy? Or maybe graveyard is a better word than sewer. This book is dark and wet and you’ll definitely get dirt under your nails. Still I’d say it fits children of, I dunno, ten years and up. It’s got magic and illusions and orphans and gravedigging and mad science. All wrapped up in an alternative Victorian atmosphere. It’s kind of like a fantasy-version of Oliver Twist, except it’s not like that at all. I liked it.

- Morning and Evening - Jon Fosse

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror - Chris Priestley
If I were twelve, this book would be the perfect kind of wicked. The kind that would scare me just right, without being too grotesque. Seeing as it’s been twelve years since I was twelve (How did that happen?!) it didn’t really scare me at all, but I still enjoyed it very much.