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Komp til «Jugerkvæll»

2009-02-07T17:34:00.000+01:00

A little bit of Banksy

2009-01-29T01:12:00.009+01:00

Go check out Banksy. It’s more true than you can possibly imagine.

Ina 10 ans

2009-01-25T13:01:00.006+01:00

Gratulerer med 10-årsdagen Ina!

Hello Saferide, Hello #1-2008

2009-01-21T01:22:00.015+01:00

«People are like songs, it’s true».

With that statement Annika Norlin and her Hello Saferide start this set. And I think she is quite a song herself. Her tales are all small (honest?) stories, with narrative twists and turns - and they have a very direct feel to them. They are in fact almost painfully open. After listening very quietly (sic) to «I Wonder Who Is Like This One» it was the opening chords of the second track «2008» that made me understand this would be a sweet experience. Sweet as in affectionate, mind you; not at all as in sticky and sugary.

The melodies are (primarily) light-hearted, but the lyrics add unusual depth. Some of these Modern Short Stories remind me of «Luka» by Suzanne Vega, a song which still reminds me of a carefree summer (before I actually started listening to its lyrics), and which I then learned was not supposed to fill me with the joy the melody surrounding its words had offered. (However, I admit hearing «Luka» these days still makes me pleased that sad songs can be wrapped in such joyful music.) And Annika Norlin has the same ability as Suzanne Vega, providing uplifting music accompanied by stories about the more strenuous parts of life. The mentioned «2008», together with «Lund», «Anna», «Parenting Never Ends» and «X Telling Me About The Loss Of Something Dear, At Age 16» are all songs that more than qualify with me – songs that jolt the grading system provided by iTunes. (Like Mr. Yan Friis, when he in a state of euphoria handed The Waterboys «Fisherman’s Blues» approximately 40 out of 6 possible stars in his review in the Norwegian magazine «Det Nye» back in 1988.)

I’m aware of that there may have been released other albums this year that will stand the test of time better than «More Modern Stories From Hello Saferide», but this – my choice – is about which album that reached me most notably in 2008. And there are no doubts about which album that is.

Hello Saferide and Annika Norlin at Wikipedia.

Hear her here at LastFM and MySpace.

Tracklist:
01. «I Wonder Who Is Like This One» – 3:01
02. «2008» – 4:04
03. «Overall» – 2:47
04. «Lund» – 3:15
05. «X Telling Me About The Loss Of Something Dear, At Age 16» – 3:30
06. «Middleclass» – 3:53
07. «Parenting Never Ends» – 3:31
08. «Anna» – 3:10
09. «25 Days» – 4:04
10. «Sancho Panza» – 1:49
11. «Travelling With HS» – 2:40
12. «Arjeplog» – 4:25

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes#2-2008

2009-01-19T04:22:00.009+01:00

Fleet Foxes almost made it to the top of my list (as they certainly did – and almost did – on so many other round-ups from 2008 as well). This band have conquered critics and music-lovers with their debut, and it is well deserved. (They are quite pop over at Pitchfork’s offices too...)

Not much more to say, but here are the usual links I provide. You can visit their homes on the internet; at MySpace, LastFM and you can read more about the guys at Wikipedia. Well, I’d like to add that out of many it is «White Winter Hymnal» which is my favourite song on the album.

Tracklist:
01. «Sun It Rises» – 3:12
02. «White Winter Hymnal» – 2:27
03. «Ragged Wood» – 5:07
04. «Tiger Mountain Peasant Song» – 3:29
05. «Quiet Houses» – 3:32
06. «He Doesn’t Know Why» – 3:21
07. «Heard Them Stirring» – 3:02
08. «Your Protector» – 4:10
09. «Meadowlark» – 3:12
10. «Blue Ridge Mountains» – 4:26
11. «Oliver James» – 3:24

Albums of 2008 - #1-10

2009-01-19T01:31:00.011+01:00

My favourite albums of 2008:
#01: Hello Saferide – «More Modern Stories From Hello Saferide»
#02: Fleet Foxes – «Fleet Foxes»
#03: Rachael Yamagata – «Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart»
#04: Titus Andronicus – «The Airing of Grievances»
#05: Kathleen Edwards – «Asking For Flowers»
#06: The Big Sleep – «Sleep Forever»
#07: Vampire Weekend – «Vampire Weekend»
#08: Marit Larsen – «The Chase»
#09: Goldfrapp – «Seventh Tree»
#10: Elbow – «The Seldom Seen Kid»
---
See the list of albums from #11-20 here.

Rachael Yamagata - Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart#3-2008

2009-01-18T22:37:00.006+01:00

That sweet Rachael Yamagata released «Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart» in October 2008, and it’s an album [aah, well it’s two albums actually...] filled with songs that at least warm up a snow-filled, Norwegian winter. Her voice reminds me slightly of Cat Power’s; it is deep, balm-like and jazzy, without the performed music actually being jazz – mind you. As mentioned this album is actually two – and the first ten tracks touches the listener slowly and delicately; tracks like «Elephants», «Sunday Afternoon», «Duet» [with Ray LaMontagne, another of my favourite artists] and «Horizon» stand out to me, but these are all fabulous songs. On the second part – which contain the last five songs – called...Teeth Sinking Into Heart, she speeds up the tempo, and proves that she can sound angry, however though, in a very appealing manner too.

I am the first to admit that I’m overjoyed having discovered Rachael and her music.

Read about Rachael on Wikipedia, check out a review at AllMusic – and another one from a (fellow) blogger in Malaysia. And she is just clicks away on MySpace and at LastFM.

Tracklist:
01. «Elephants» – 4:14
02. «What If I Leave» – 5:03
03. «Little Life» – 4:07
04. «Sunday Afternoon» – 9:04
05. «Elephants (Instrumental)» – 1:46
06. «Duet» – 4:01
07. «Over And Over» – 5:25
08. «Brown Eyes» – 3:46
09. «Horizon» – 8:15
10. «The Only Fault» – 4:04
---
11. «Sidedish Friend» – 3:00
12. «Accident» – 4:09
13. «Faster» – 3:50
14. «Pause The Tragic End» – 4:42
15. «Don’t» – 3:09

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend#7-2008

2009-01-18T13:05:00.006+01:00

Vampire Weekend’s self-titled album sounds much more like weekend than vampires. Like a successor to Paul Simon’s «Graceland» in a (rhythm) way, but still totally different. Playful, danceable songs – joyful and happy moods, and most of all a that quality-sign written all over it. Mentioned Paul Simon-comparisons kicks in on track 3 «A-Punk», where instruments, beat and vocal sip inspiration from the same source as Garfunkel’s old partner. The underlying beat, choice of instruments, choir bare all resemblance to African rhythms and music – and it is done in a fab manner. Think driving a 2CV, rolled-back roof and on your way to the beach; with this music in your head you’d be deliberately extending that drive. And you will bring the music with you down to the sand and shores.

(I still can’t believe the choice they made by calling themselves «Vampire» though... «Weekend» would have sufficed!)

Listen to them here at MySpace, check out more here at LastFM and check out background-info at Wikipedia.

Tracklist:
01. «Mansard Roof» – 2:07
02. «Oxford Comma» – 3:15
03. «A-Punk» – 2:17
04. «Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa» – 3:33
05. «M79» – 4:14
06. «Campus» – 2:55
07. «Bryn» – 2:13
08. «One (Blake’s Got A New Face) – 3:13
09. «I Stand Corrected» – 2:40
10. «Walcott» – 3:42
11. «The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance» – 4:03

Marit Larsen - The Chase #8-2008

2009-01-18T12:07:00.008+01:00

«The Chase», the second solo–album from little Norway’s pop-princess Marit Larsen is like a box of sweets. Naturally, the artist herself is such a likeable person, I have mentioned previously how she reminds me of the great actress Liv Ullmann, though that point [merely being behavioural traces between the two] has of course nothing to do with this album. The songs are catchy, filled with enjoyable, quirky sounds, containing some untraditional instrumentation and Marit’s own ability to make great pop-songs. It’s exciting to witness this artist develop into becoming such a great songwriter, in addition to that really charming way she inhabits when performing her work. She seems like a cool human being – and she’s hot...

You can read more about her at Wikipedia, be a fan here [Facebook] and listen to her at MySpace or LastFM.

Tracklist:
01. «The Chase» – 3:33
02. «If A Song Could Get Me You» – 3:30
03. «This Is Me, This Is You» – 4:07
04. «Ten Steps» – 3:31
05. «Steal My Heart» – 3:48
06. «Is It Love» – 4:51
07. «Fuel» – 2:07
08. «Addicted» – 3:43
09. «I’ve Heard Your Love Songs» – 3:38
10. «Fences» – 4:44

Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree #9-2008

2009-01-18T10:32:00.006+01:00

Goldfrapp wondered off to popland with their «Seventh Tree». Beautiful melodies, soft and tender vocal, melodic and warm. This album has served as mental therapy and as a tool of relaxation for me the last year. And – even though this is more pop than the material they have created previously, there is never any doubt about that it is Goldfrapp performing. They have just developed their sound in – to me – an even more accessible form. «A&E» is in my top-15 list with songs from 2008, but some of the other tracks from this album are not far behind. Trés bien!

Goldfrapp at Wikipedia.

Tracklist:
01. «Clowns» – 4:10
02. «Little Bird» – 4:26
03. «Happiness» – 4:18
04. «Road To Somewhere – 3:53
05. «Eat Yourself» – 4:08
06. «Some People» – 4:42
07. «A&E» – 3:15
08. «Cologne Cerrone Houdini» – 4:27
09. «Caravan Girl» – 4:07
10. «Monster Love» – 4:22

The Big Sleep - Sleep Forever #6-2008

2009-01-18T09:52:00.004+01:00

The Big Sleep and their «Sleep Forever» is a somewhat slow set of songs, but I really like that. They can be loud and rough in one tune, then settling for the slower build-up in the next. Most of the songs are without vocal, or with a sparse amount of it, so I guess tunes are the more correct term here. I’ve seen reviews that don’t favour this groups slow efforts, but this kind of music is my cup of tea. I particularly like «Chorus of Guitars» and my favourite «So Long», but have no problem listening through the whole set. The Big Sleep deserves a good-morning-greeting from all of us.

Listen at MySpace.

01. «Intro» – 1:21
02. «Slow Race» – 3:11
03. «The Big Guns» – 3:01
04. «Bad Blood» – 4:02
05. «Pinkies» – 4.34
06. «Little Sister» – 3.59
07. «Chorus of Guitars» – 5.13
08. «Tigers in our Hearts» – 2.04
09. «Undying Love» – 3.09
10. «Organs» – 4.07
11. «So Long» – 2.57
12. «Sleep Forever» – 4.50

Albums of 2008 - #11-20

2009-01-05T23:28:00.012+01:00

I will probably finally get there, presenting these albums from #11–20, but I must fill in the «blanks» in the coming period. However, for the meantime, this is how it looks:

#11: The Hold Steady – «Stay Positive»
The Hold Steady is going full throttle. First stand-out track to me was the slightly calmer «Lord, I’m Discouraged», which is a beautiful ballad. This record is a safe choice if you’re into rock’n roll (à la...ok, let’s say Springsteen too). Classy story-telling accompanied by piano and guitars. Quality. •••
#12: MGMT – «Oracular Spectacular»
MGMT has two really great songs up their sleeves – and then some. «Time to Pretend» and «Kids» are as good as it gets. Even people with no clues on concepts involving dancing will move their feet to this. •••
#13: The War On Drugs – «Wagonwheel Blues»
The War On Drugs is pleasant new company (even though they have self-released one album before this one). Lyrics and sounds come in a noisy, though melodic landscape. Among many lovely tracks: «Buenos Aires Beach» is the highlight for me, deserves attention – and plenty of repeats. •••
#14: Bob Dylan – «Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol 8»
#15: TSOOL - «Communion»
#16: Kings Of Leon – «Only By The Night»
Kings of Leon is slowly becoming some sort of favourites within their genre. I found their previous album to hold a few stronger songs, but this set ends up on a slightly higher average. Slick and catchy. Guitars, drums and backing-choir-practice for the whole band. •••
#17: Ane Brun – «Changing Of The Seasons»
[To me] A sincere attitude towards «real» music supports Ane Brun’s song-writing. Acoustic, the sounds’ emphasis on string-instruments, guitar-picking – and she sings like an angel. Stand-out tracks; «Changing of the Seasons» and «Linger With Pleasure». •••
#18: Calexico – «Carried To Dust»
Now this is tex-mex in perhaps the original meaning of the word. Calexico is an orchestra that draws upon musical traditions from both sides of the border [between Mexico and the States]. It is folk-music, swinging, Spanish (Mexican) and Am-English lyrics. •••
#19: Bonnie ’Prince’ Billy – «Lie Down In The Light»
Somehow Mr. Oldham starts off sounding less down than usual; (if only an inch or so). But don’t let that put you «wanna-be-miserable» ones off – there are also serious issues to be dealt with here. His finish «I’ll Be Glad» is a masterpiece, and one of my favourite-tracks from 2008. •••
#20: Balmorhea – «River Arms»
Read more here.•••

---
2009-01-24:
Status, saved as «published draft» [...to be continued...]

Kathleen Edwards – Asking For Flowers #5-2008

2009-01-04T16:25:00.015+01:00

Released; March 4 2008 under Zoë Records.

Kathleen Edwards have delivered a beautiful set of songs. Listen to «Alicia Ross», which is a song with lyrics based on actual events, expressed by Edwards in such a sincere way. But before that she has opened with three strong pieces. I admit; I like her voice [actually, I love her voice], but alongside that, she makes music that I fall for - it’s among the music that I really like.

«Buffalo» is a sweet, calm song with Kathleen weaving words that make out the story. The second one «The Cheapest Key» is faster, lighter – more upbeat. But already on the title-track Edwards is back to what she does best, telling stories about more quiet, hushed moments in life.

And then comes «Alicia Ross»...

«Asking For Flowers» is Kathleen Edwards third studio album.

Tracklist:

01. «Buffalo» – 5:15
02. «The Cheapest Key» – 2:42
03. «Asking For Flowers» – 5:02
04. «Alicia Ross» – 5:06
05. «I Make The Dough, You Get The Glory» – 4:37
06. «Oil Man’s War» – 4:01
07. «Sure As Shit» – 4:09
08. «Run» – 3:43
09. «Oh, Canada» – 3:59
10. «Scared At Night» – 4:09
11. «Goodnight California» – 6:28
---
12. «Lazy Eye» – 3:29 (bonus track with online album purchase)

MySpace; Kathleen Edwards

Review «Asking For Flowers» at Pitchfork.

Balmorhea – River Arms #20-2008

2008-12-20T03:10:00.007+01:00

Balmorhea – «River Arms»

This one is such a treat. You might call it classical indie-music, or you might call it «whatever» you like. Nevertheless, there are string instruments, piano and a certain longful mood throughout the album, and the result is beautiful. Slow arrangements, intense melodies, occasional vocals [without singing any actual words], merely sounds – all carefully intergrated in the final result.

This album has [probably] been overlooked. Surely. Someone should take on the task of waking people. I’m quite sure I’m not the right person to do it, but this is my contribution. If you like classical music, you have a lot to discover by listening to this collection of songs. Grab a beer, no actually, just find a comfortable chair and sit down with this music. Then grab that beer... Stare at the sky, gaze out on the sea, study the waves or the movement of clouds, try listening to trees giving in to the storm – and you won’t find anything to complain about with this as the soundtrack. You just need time. Time to listen.

[This review was written under the influence of amounts of Carlsberg – and the aftermath of good company, following a night out.]

Tracklist:
01. «San Solomon» – 3:43
02. «Lament» – 3:35
03. «The Summer» – 3:56
04. «The Winter» – 5:51
05. «Greyish Tapering Ash» – 3:41
06. «Baleen Morning» – 3:44
07. «Barefoot Pilgrims» – 4:53
08. «Context» – 4:02
09. «Process» – 6:20
10. «Divisadero» – 3:09
11. «Limmat» – 3:22
12. «Theme No. 1» – 5:11
13. «Wind And Sea» – 3:56
14. »San Solomon (Reprise)» – 3:30

Myspace: Balmorhea

Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances - #4/2008

2008-12-17T18:14:00.009+01:00

Titus Andronicus / «The Airing Of Grievances»

It was released by Troubleman Unlimited in 2008. The band is from Glen Rock, New Jersey (US), and was formed in 2005. «The Airing of Grievances» is their debut-album. These guys are building blocks of sound with their guitars, drums and loud singing (read: screaming vocal). However, the «noise» they make is of the melodic kind – and is probably suitable when working out in a gym, fighting your way onto public transportation or anything else that makes you sweat. One thing I’m sure of is that it would work well contrasting a quiet Sunday walk.

Tracklist:
01. «Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ» – 5:56
02. «My Time Outside the Womb» – 2:55
03. «Joset of Nazareth's Blues» – 2:30
04. «Arms Against Atrophy» – 5:16
05. «Upon Viewing Brueghel's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus» – 4:25
06. «Titus Andronicus» – 3:13
07. «No Future» – 7:39
08. «No Future Part Two: The Day After No Future» – 6:54
09. «Albert Camus» – 6:25

This is how they present themselves on their own blog:
«Titus Andronicus like to scream and carry on at excessive volume. Titus Andronicus like songs which are fast more than songs which are slow. Titus Andronicus think slow songs are okay sometimes. Titus Andronicus never sing about love, only hate. Titus Andronicus have no hope for the future. Titus Andronicus believe only in nothingness. Everyone in Titus Andronicus was born to die. Titus Andronicus crave your approval but will settle for your utter disdain.»

http://titusandronicustheband.blogspot.com

MySpace | Pitchfork (review) | Wikipedia

Label as: Shakespeare, Albert Camus, «...your life is over...»

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid - #10/2008

2008-12-16T01:22:00.013+01:00

Elbow / «The Seldom Seen Kid»
First released by Fiction Records on 17 March 2008 in the U.K.

This is another strong collection of tunes from the Elbow. Since their debut back in 2001 (Asleep In The Back), I must admit I have been off and on following their work. They have in total released four albums and as with their first release, this one caught my immediate attention. They’re belting out fat vocal, rhythm and riffs like weather beating mountain tops, while telling interesting stories. Why ask for more?

Tracklist:
01. «Starlings» – 5:20
02. «The Bones Of You» – 4:49
03. «Mirrorball» – 5:50
04. «Grounds For Divorce» – 3:39
05. «An Audience With The Pope» – 4:27
06. «Weather To Fly» – 4:29
07. «The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver» – 5:14
08. «The Fix» – 4:27
09. «Some Riot» – 5:23
10. «One Day Like This» – 6:34
11. «Friends Of Ours» – 4:38
12. «We’re Away» [UK bonus track] – 1:59

Mormor Anne Cath.

2008-12-15T10:45:00.004+01:00

Takk Anne Cath.

Jeg lurer på hva Lillebror ville ha sagt.

Larsen & Ullmann

2008-12-15T02:09:00.010+01:00

Two quite captivating personas, Liv Ullmann and Marit Larsen.

Obviously, their presence are known to me because they are Norwegians, like myself. But apart from tiny coincidences (like that of citizenship) I just want to state that these two women resemble each other in so many ways. The way they talk, body language and their appearance in public situations bare many similarities. I hope I don’t qualify in being some sort of stalker by declaring such a thing – at least that was never my intention. My knowledge of these gifted two is limited to what I’ve seen in interviews and read elsewhere about them. (And of course from their work within the arts, which I find enticing; Larsen and her music, Ullmann as an actress and director.)

They appear somewhat shy (in that, to me – agreeable fashion), funny and enlightened in a coy, [feminine?] manner. Of course I am not sure if this annotation at all serves any purpose, I only write about it here because it is my own observation. [In fact it is probably a very inadequate reflection.]

This was first of all a post to congratulate Liv Ullmann on her birthday tomorrow.

Järvinen & Norlin - För varje hjärtslag

2008-12-15T01:31:00.002+01:00

---
Wonderful. Not new, but wonderful.

Fifteen highlights

2008-12-10T23:58:00.032+01:00

Here are fifteen musical highlights for me so far this year. It was impossible for me to find links to all of these songs, but I have tried to compensate by including another tune from the albums containing the songs in question. Other links again might have some poor sound-qualities, so it would be wise to check out the actual albums.

---

• / «Time To Pretend» - MGMT (Oracular Spectacular)

• / «A&E» - Goldfrapp (The Seventh Tree)

• / «Anna» - Hello Saferide (More Modern Short Stories...)

• / «Chorus of Guitars» - The Big Sleep (Sleep Forever)

• / «Only One» - The Cure (4:13 Dream)

• / «Your Protector» - Fleet Foxes (Fleet Foxes)

• / «Buenos Aires Beach» - The War On Drugs (Wagonwheel Blues)

• / «Alicia Ross» - Kathleen Edwards (Asking For Flowers)
[alternative link: acoustic guitar-version from Privatclub, Berlin]
• / «Surely Gone» - Ida (Lovers Prayers)

(link to the song «The Weight of the Straw»)

• / «Broken» - Late of the Pier (Fantasy Black Channel)

• / «Notion» - Kings of Leon (Only By The Night)

• / «Slipped Dissolved And Loosed» - Lambchop (OH[Ohio])

• / «Baleen Morning» - Balmorhea (River Arms)

(link to the song «San Solomon»)

• / «Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur» - Sigur Rós (Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust)

• / «If A Song Could Get Me You» - Marit Larsen (The Chase)

----------------------------------------------

This is most likely a post that will be updated.

[1st update, making it sixteen]
• / «I’ll Be Glad» - Bonnie ’Prince’ Billy (Lie Down In The Light)
[alternative link, a tribute to the ’Prince’ with some well revealing photos]

The iPod Shuffle Game

2008-11-16T22:22:00.010+01:00

The Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet has picked up on a new "game" presented in the English magazine The Word by David Hepworth. Randomize! Set your mp3-player to shuffle, and see which five songs it picks out for you.

It’s labled the game "everyone-but-cheats-can-play", so it’s all about honour I guess. Wouldn’t want it any other way... me? – I cheated...! (only a little bit of course), but I think the majority of people cheat (and especially online), here’s my list with the first five songs from shuffling my iPod:

Hanging Around The Day --- The Polyphonic Spree
Brand New World --- Cowboy Junkies
Throw The Stone --- Micah P. Hinson
Not So Far To Go --- Kelly Joe Phelps
I Let Love In --- Nick Cave

In that order; and I just cheated to avoid Abba. I do listen to Abba occasionally, but they are everywhere these days, so I wouldn’t want to support that. Everyone ought to forgive me for that! (And Nick Cave is really a rather good replacement for the Swedish kings (and queens) of pop.)

Here’s the list from iTunes on my Mac today though (I’ll try not to cheat this time, but I can’t promise anything):

Orleans [Traditional] --- David Crosby
This Is On Fire --- Computerclub
Torn Blue Foam Coach --- Grand Archives
The Water Is Wide --- Bob Dylan
Static On The Radio --- Jim White

(I didn’t cheat...)
Now go see what others have shuffled here at The Word, and here at that Norwegian so-called-newspaper – cause they do present news, though with a rather lame selection of important stuff, but with a stronger emphasis on celebrity-gossip, sports and such. I can live with that. I can always go elsewhere to get information.

Shortlist - Albums Of 2008

2008-11-07T20:50:00.013+01:00

Hey Rosetta!

2008-10-13T09:49:00.007+02:00

Hey Rosetta! "Into Your Lungs (And Around In Your Heart And On Through Your Blood)" is unable to beat Marnie Stern’s "This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So It That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That" in the race for longest title on their album, but the Canadians has delivered a treat what-so-ever. "Into Your Lungs..." was released on June 3 2008, produced by Hawksley Workman.

Opener "New Goodbye" sets the tone. Alongside the tracks "There’s an Arc", "Handshake the Gangster", "A Thousand Suns", "We Made a Pact" and "Red Heart" it is still very much the first song on the album that grabs your immediate attention. Guitars, piano, violin and cello, sing-a-long choruses and a fat, solid sound are keywords describing the efforts here. "Into..." is not talking-revolution-or-a-new-world-order, but the band have put together a very good set of songs. Vocalist Tim Baker's efforts can resemble Chris Martin, however luckily lacking the latter’s sulky [and much too frequent] outbursts.

Hey Rosetta! can be checked out at Wikipedia, MySpace and their official site. (And they're here on Facebook.)

Listen free to the band at Last.fm.

Hello Saferide

2008-10-08T03:18:00.010+02:00

Hello Saferide's latest "More Modern Short Stories From Hello Saferide" (2008 / Razzia Records) has already been praised by others, and I have (of course) also become captivated by these songs [and words] by Annika Norlin.

The album has been played over and over again (and again) since I imported it into my iTunes-library a small week ago. From the more up-beat efforts like "2008" and "Parenting Never Ends" to the more quiet songs like "Lund" this collection is a winner from start to finish. Wonderful short stories accompanied by brilliant melodies that immediately put a smile on my face. I give no guarantees, but I’m quite sure it would be able to do the job for you as well. This album will definitely figure in my top-10 albums of 2008.

HS at Wikipedia.

HS at MySpace.

Le Scaphandre et le Papillon

2008-07-12T03:03:00.009+02:00

Last night I watched the film "Le Scaphandre et le papillon" (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) – and what a moving experience it was. The way the story is portrayed, the imagery, direction and the acting is magnificent. I have to admit I have a soft spot when it comes to films done in the French language, but as the director Julian Schnabel says in an interview (bonus on the disc), it wouldn’t have been correct (in any way) to make this French story that happened in France, in another language. (The script was originally written in English by Ronald Harwood.)

The film is based on a book by Jean-Dominique Bauby and depicts his own experiences after suffering a stroke which made him (almost) completely paralyzed; only his left eye was not affected. As the film commences only we (the audience), understand that behind the shell that has enveloped Bauby, his mind and memory are still working. Through vivid – and extremely effective – camera-work the audience only see what the main-character sees for about the 20 first minutes. Via Jean-Do’s perspective we experience his frustrations in not being able to respond to and communicate with doctors and other persons that come to see him at the hospital. Slowly he learns to communicate by aid of a specially composed alphabet – where letters are arranged in an order depending on the frequency they appear in words. By aid of a highly motivated and patient speech-therapist he slowly develops an ability to convey his thoughts.

An amazing story and amazing film making.

More:
Wikipedia – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly [the film]
Wikipedia – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly [the book]
IMDB – Le Scaphandre et le papillon [the film]

Cultural Update - May ’08

2008-05-26T12:34:00.006+02:00

Been a while since my last post, but who cares? Thought I might add a little information, mostly cultural - as always. Music; well I have particularily enjoyed Gemma Hayes, The Hold Steady, Bonnie ’Prince’ Billy and Willard Grant Conspiracy these last few days. New findings the last couple of months include; The Ting Tings, Titus Andronicus, Vetiver, No Age, Le Loup...

Books lately have included Haruki Murakami’s "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World", John Ajvide Lindqvist’s "La Den Rette Komme Inn", Jørgen Norheim’s "Ingen Er Så Trygg I Fare" and at the moment I am in Margaret Atwood’s "The Blind Assassin" in a combination with re-visiting Lars Saabye Christensen’s "Bly".

I watched the new Indiana Jones-film Friday, and it is ok. No real big surprises though, everyone could probably understand....[warning: SPOILER]....when the young dude came along, that Indiana should have expected that at least one of his previous girlfriends (through the first three films) had to end up pregnant from fooling around, and that his son now would i.e. be riding a Harley while having a much more relaxed relationship to snakes than Henry Jones himself. Good two hours fun, a lot of action-sequences, though slightly more sci-fi than the three first flicks.

Apart from not updating my blog on a regular basis, I have lately been busy updating these pages, and also starting another blog containing pictures related to that domain.

Also; to download the new track (the first in eight years) from the highly recommended orchestra called Spain just go here.

On My Playlist Now + Recognition Overseas

2008-02-21T00:55:00.008+01:00

MGMT’s "Time to pretend" is tickling in all the right places. So while enjoying tea, water, carrots, pears and such – this song is on heavy rotation in my current playlist. Their very danceable electric non-indie (they don’t want to be labeled an Indie-band, because quote "we will never end up owning a ranch or a castle by being an indie-band") is irresistible. Alongside Jason Isbell’s "Chicago Promenade" – picked from Uncut’s latest CD (Take 130), "Logistical Nightmare" by Taken By Cars, "Kite Song" from Rosie Thomas’ "These Friends of Mine", "A Compass Of The Light" by Baby Dee – MGMT is definitely the kaisers of my playlist these mid–February days of 2008.

Recently I’ve also learned that my albums of the year 2007 have been noticed overseas in Canada. Kill the Lights’ brilliant "Buffalo of Love" deserves all the credit they can get, so I am humble by the fact that my praise of their album is being appreciated with the words "Scandinavia has recognized!" I am also happy to read that their recent near-death-experience-with-a-moose ended in hugs all around.

Hva gjør de vanligvis?

2008-02-14T08:35:00.006+01:00

Jeg undrer hva journalistene, som i disse dager bruker all sin arbeidstid på å skrive om Manuela Ramin Osmundsen, holder på med – sånn til vanlig altså? Vi er da ikke så mange som bor her oppe, så de fleste kjenner da hverandre.

Personlig tror jeg det finnes viktigere saker å bruke tiden sin på.

(Foto: Jarl Fr. Erichsen, sakset fra Aftenposten.no, 2008_02_14)

Ina 9 ans

2008-01-24T18:12:00.002+01:00

Ina is 9 years old tomorrow 25 January 2008. I usually publish a greeting on her day – but as I will be travelling down to Zürich/Thalwil to celebrate the day with her tomorrow – I’ll do this now.

Happy birthday Ina!

Cultural Update #01-2008

2008-01-14T08:15:00.002+01:00

Atonement; This film contains a lot of elements that appeal to me; the English countryside with beautiful, lush vegetation, ponds, creeks, gravel roads; a layered, rather complex story that holds more than what we initially see – and a great cast. The story grew, more due to subtle incidents, than by reason of what it is a part of – the actual film itself. It was moments of laughter too among the audience in the theatre, even though this compelling movie overall was a wistful, heartbreaking experience.

atone vb atoning, atoned to make amends (for sin or wrongdoing).
atonement n 1 something done to make amends for wrongdoing. 2 Christian theol the reconciliation of humankind with God through the sacrificial death of Christ. [Middle English at onement in harmony]

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I have finished a couple of books lately. "Luftslottet som sprengtes" by Stieg Larsson and "The Book Thief" by Marcus Zusak. They both come recommended by me, but they undoubtedly belong to different genres within literature. Larsson’s book is a great page-turner within crime, both on the traditional level; dealing with violence - and politically, with criminal actions hidden in the shadows of a state-run system. Zusak’s story depicts a story about a girl growing up in Munich during the second world war, a story told by Death itself. And he actually comes across as more than just an unlikeable fellow, Death, even though he is generally remorseless. I guess he has to in his profession.

As always, I listen to a lot of music – and the one and only radio channel worth listening to here in Norway. Recent favourites of new albums are Ida "Lover’s Prayer and Sarah Perrotta "The Well".

Albums of 2007 - listed links

2008-01-04T02:16:00.001+01:00

Listed links to each of the albums on my top-10 2007;
01: The National «Boxer»
02: Kill The Lights «Buffalo Of Love»
03: Wilco «Sky Blue Sky»
04: Plant/Krauss «Raising Sand»
05: Ola Podrida «Ola Podrida»
06: Kings Of Leon «Because Of The Times»
07: Tord Gustavsen Trio «Being There»
08: Bon Iver «For Emma, Forever Ago»
09: Feist «The Reminder»
10: Beirut «The Flying Club Cup»

Statistics: 4 album titles starting with the letter B; 5 albums containing 13 tracks; 8 of the represented albums are by bands with (mostly) male members of our species; 1 animal mentioned; 1 athlete; 3 words related to elevation; 2 names for people (names that are relatively normal in my country of origin); 1 object that can, or may not contain, liquid; 3 themes on the concept of time; 1 love; 1 colour ––– bla-bla-bla...

Also albums of 2007...

2008-01-04T01:08:00.000+01:00

Even as I have just finished listing ten of the best albums released in 2007, there are many other records and artists that deserve a mention too. Through the past year I have thoroughly enjoyed music by The Weakerthans (Reunion Tour), Alaska In Winter (Dance Party In The Balkans), Bright Eyes (Cassadaga), Babyshambles (Shotter´s Nation), Band Of Horses (Cease To Begin), Will Stratton (What The Night Said), Project Jenny Project Jan (XOXOXOXOXO), Sam Amidon (All Is Well), Jonquil (Lions), Dinosaur Jr (Beyond), Kaada (Natural Born Star), Radiohead (In Rainbows), Superfamily (Warszawa), Yeasayer (All Hour Cymbals), M.I.A. (Kala), Aarktica (Matchless Years), Stars (In Our Bedroom After The War), Rufus Wainwright (Between My Legs), Jamie T (Panic Prevention), Sissy Wish (Beauties Never Die), Steve Earle (Washinton Square Serenade), Mark Olson (Salvation Blues), Revival (Horses Of War), Silje Nes (Ames Room)...

As if it mattered, they are all highly recommended by me.

"Alt du vet er det du virkelig eier".

Albums of 2007 - #1

2008-01-04T00:40:00.002+01:00

Number 1: The National "Boxer"

Playlist, twelve tracks: 1. Fake Empire, 2. Mistaken For Strangers, 3. Brainy, 4. Squalor Victoria, 5. Green Gloves, 6. Slow Show, 7. Apartment Story, 8. Start A War, 9. Guest Room, 10. Racing Like A Pro, 11. Ada, 12. Gospel

"When Tindersticks have withdrawn to the back of the room, enjoying their own company, Matt Berninger & co comes forward. And we’re all better for it. Whereas Stuart Staples and his solemn Tindersticks are perfect allies when you’re merely up for drinking Scotch, The National provides whisky and beers, even occasionally encouraging your feet to move in rhythm. Yet, this is not average dance-music, but a set of strong musical favours. Wow...!"
---
Released: May 22, 2007 by Beggars Banquet Records.

http://www.americanmary.com
http://www.myspace.com/thenational

Albums of 2007 - #2

2008-01-03T19:21:00.002+01:00

Number 2: Kill The Lights "Buffalo Of Love"

Playlist, ten tracks: 1. 2 Sinister Gentlemen, 2. Skinny White Girls, 3. Orestes, 4. Arctic, At Dawn, 5. Lady Sniper, 6. Bombs, 7. You Took My Knife, 8. Palest Form Of Sabotage, 9. Secular Beginning, Hideous Mess, 10. Ceremony In The Basement

”This is pop fashioned the way rock would have done it. Guitars as introduction, guitars as follow-up; guitars all the way. It is extremely melodic, the coolest vocal on brilliant lines. The song-titles resemble short stories, and this whole album is an uplifting experience throughout.`Hey, Marcus! I have no need for bourgeois patience...´ `I’ll buy you a camera, and we’ll point it at the sky...´"
---

Released: March 13, 2007 - on Maple Music Recordings.

Kill The Lights
www.myspace.com/killthelightsband

Albums of 2007 - #3

2008-01-02T17:03:00.002+01:00

Number 3: Wilco "Sky Blue Sky"

Playlist, twelve tracks: 1. Either Way, 2. You Are My Face, 3. Impossible Germany, 4. Sky Blue Sky, 5. Side With The Seeds, 6. Shake It Off, 7. Please Be Patient With Me, 8. Hate It Here, 9. Leave Me (Like You Found Me), 10. Walken, 11. What Light, 12. On And On And On

"I like the way these songs are brought together by the sound of a full Band, the way it conveys a stroll in a quiet street, or stares out over the mountains; how it one moment visits snow-covered landscapes and in the next portrays sun-baked urban scenes. Music that dwells."
---
Released; May 15, 2007 by Nonesuch Records.

http://www.wilcoworld.net

Albums of 2007 - #4

2008-01-02T14:05:00.004+01:00

Number 4: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss "Raising Sand"

Playlist, thirteen tracks: 1. Rich Woman, 2. Killing The Blues, 3. Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us, 4. Polly Come Home, 5. Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On), 6. Through The Morning, Through The Night, 7. Please Read The Letter, 8. Trampled Rose, 9. Fortune Teller, 10. Stick With Me Baby, 11. Nothin’ , 12. Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson, 13. Your Long Journey

"Robert Plant and Alison Krauss is in harmony. You don’t need to be a fan of bluegrass, country, blues, americana or whatever genre you can imagine - you only have to like music. Class."
---

Released October 23, 2007. Produced by T Bone Burnett.

More:
Robert Plant
Alison Krauss

http://www.robertplantalisonkrauss.com/site.php

Albums of 2007 - #5

2008-01-01T22:27:00.002+01:00

Number 5: Ola Podrida "Ola Podrida"

Playlist, eleven tracks: 1. The New Science, 2. Jordanna, 3. Instead, 4. Cindy, 5. Photo Booth, 6. Run Off The Road, 7. Day At The Beach, 8. Lost And Found, 9. A Clouded View, 10. Pour Me Another, 11. Eastbound

"Firstly; I am not sure if I initially imagined this album to be more appropriate as a soundtrack than any other record I listen to. (As music often become movies to me.) However, as I have learned that David Wingo works as a film composer, perhaps his profession somehow shines through also on this album? Undoubtedly though; these are extremely fine songs, beautiful melodies and histories told with conviction. And if I was forced to choose; track no 6., Run Off The Road would have to be the soundtrack to my 2007."
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The album was released in the spring of 2007. I have seen little or almost no press about this artist in this corner of the world (Norway), so if an album ever deserved the term "hidden gem", this must be the one from last year.

Pitchforkmedia - "Ola Podrida":
"...variation on the Spanish term olla podrida, which refers specifically to a stew and generally to any sort of miscellany. Podrida itself means rotten, suggesting a dish made of ingredients unused in previous recipes..." – Stephen M. Deusner, May 4, 2007

http://www.myspace.com/olapodrida

Albums of 2007 - #6

2008-01-01T17:18:00.003+01:00

Number 6: Kings Of Leon "Because Of The Times"

Playlist, thirteen tracks: 1. Knocked Up, 2. Charmer, 3. On Call, 4. McFearless, 5. Black Thumbnail, 6. My Party, 7. True Love Way, 8. Ragoo, 9. Fans, 10. The Runner, 11. Trunk, 12. Camaro, 13. Arizona

"Kings of Leon delivers straight rock; guitars, drums and bass - creating catchy songs, cool riffs with lines and melodies that tickles where you want them to. From my playlist it seems that I’ve preferred the following tracks; On Call, Ragoo, Fans, The Runner and Arizona, however in my (humble..) opinion the whole album deserves credit."
---
The album was released the following dates; March 30 (Ireland/Australia), April 2 (UK) and April 3 (US).

More: Wikipedia; Kings Of Leon

http://www.kingsofleon.com

Albums of 2007 - #7

2008-01-01T14:41:00.002+01:00

Number 7: Tord Gustavsen Trio "Being There"

Playlist, thirteen tracks: 1. At Home, 2. Vicar Street, 3. Draw Near, 4. Blessed Feet, 5. Sani, 6. Interlude, 7. Karmosin, 8. Still There, 9. Where We Went, 10. Cocoon, 11. Around You, 12. Vesper, 13. Wide Open

"Delicate and whispering tunes. Music that guides you in search for silence, contemplation and need for recreation. This collection is excellent music from excellent musicians."
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Tord Gustavsen Trio consist of Tord Gustavsen (Piano), Jarle Vespestad (Drums) and Harald Johnsen (Double-Bass). "Being There" is the third album from the trio – the third in a mentioned trilogy that commenced with "Changing Places" (ECM, 2003) and continued with "The Ground" (ECM, 2004).

The Guardian: "...it's possible for even hardcore jazzers to get the point about Tord Gustavsen. This one just did." – John Fordham (April 27, 2007).
Livingwithmusic.com: "Tord Gustavsen's trilogy now completed with "Being There" is a 21st century work of art that will - beyond doubt - stand the test of time." – Volkher Hofmann
More; Wikipedia, Tord Gustavsen Trio

http://www.tordgustavsen.com

Albums of 2007 - #8

2008-01-01T13:32:00.003+01:00

Number 8: Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago"

Playlist, nine tracks: 1. Flume, 2. Lump Sum, 3. Skinny Love, 4. The Wolves (Act I And II), 5. Blindsided, 6. Creature Fear, 7. Team, 8. For Emma, 9. Re: Stacks

"These songs are shy moments, they weave themselves around Justin Vernon’s voice in his quest for recognition of his memories and solitude; a state we at times all may crave in a world out of tempo which limits the possibilites to slow down. Like a winter-coat in a cold summer - like an all-embracing privacy. Bon Iver sings to us all. Bon hiver... a good winter!"
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Justin Vernon is Bon Iver. This album is self-released, but Bon Iver is later signed to the label Jagjaguwar. "For Emma, Forever Ago" will be released again on his company February 19, 2008.

http://virb.com/boniver

Albums of 2007 - #9

2007-12-30T22:30:00.001+01:00

Number 9: Feist "The Reminder"

Playlist, thirteen tracks: 1. So Sorry, 2. I Feel It All, 3. My Moon My Man, 4. The Park, 5. The Water, 6. Sealion, 7. Past In Present, 8. The Limit To Your Love, 9. 1234, 10. Brandy Alexander, 11. Intuition, 12. Honey Honey, 13. How My Heart Behaves

"Leslie Feist is an obvious companion for anyone who just wants to count loudly (in tune, mind you...) from 1 to 10 like it is a completely natural thing to do in public places, melodically cure hang-overs by the dousin like it is a perfectly normal state to be in, or merely wander quietly through a park watching birds. Or you can also choose to dance. If that´s what you prefer..."
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Feist (Leslie Feist) is a Canadian artist that also have performed in the band Broken Social Scene. "The Reminder" is her third solo-album [Nice!]. The album was released April 23, 2007 outside the U.S. and May 1, 2007 in the United States and Canada.

Det er typisk norsk å...eh...et eller annet; Eirik Glambek Bøe from Kings of Convenience adds vocal to "How My Heart Behaves".

http://www.listentofeist.com

Albums of 2007 - #10

2007-12-30T16:09:00.001+01:00

Number 10: Beirut "The Flying Club Cup".

Playlist, thirteen tracks: 1. A Call To Arms, 2. Nantes, 3. A Sunday Smile, 4. La Banlieu, 5. Cliquot, 6. The Penalty, 7. Forks And Knives (La Fete), 8. In The Mausoluem, 9. Un Dernier Verre (Pour La Route), 10. Cherbourg, 11. St. Apollonia, 12. The Flying Club Cup, 13. Untitled

"The perfect soundtrack to a pit-stop in a Parisian "Boulangerie Paul" enjoying black coffee and a mille-feuilles, waiting for the evening train to the west of France about to enter Gare Montparnasse with rhythms from the Balkans. This is "modern" folk-music, blending various instruments, voices and languages."
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Beirut is Zach Condon. Beirut's second album, "The Flying Club Cup" was leaked on the internet at August 25, 2007. Subsequently it was released in shops October 9, 2007.

http://www.beirutband.com

Favourite Songs - 2007

2007-12-29T16:34:00.000+01:00

Before launching "my-albums-of-the-year-list" in this tiny corner of the internet I provide this list of favourite songs from 2007:

1) Re: Stacks | Bon Iver (For Emma, Forever Ago)
2) Run Off The Road | Ola Podrida (Ola Podrida)
3) Virtute The Cat Explains...| The Weakerthans (Reunion Tour)
4) Green Gloves | The National (Boxer)
5) Saro | Sam Amidon (All Is Well)
6) So Lonely Was The Ballad | Jamie T (Panic Prevention)
7) Ceremony In The Basement | Kill The Lights (Buffalo Of Love)
8) Mr Brightside (Jacques Lucont's...Remix) | The Killers (Sawdust)
9) 320 | Project Jenny, Project Jan (XOXOXOXOXO)
10) 2080 | Yeasayer (All Hour Cymbals)
11) Favorite One | Revival (Horses Of War)
12) Palest Form Of Sabotage | Kill The Lights (Buffalo Of Love)
13) We´re Not Alone | Dinosaur Jr (Beyond)
14) Sonol | Will Stratton (What The Night Said)
15) My Moon My Man | Feist (The Reminder)
16) Please Read The Letter | Plant/Krauss (Raising Sand)
17) Jigsaw Falling Into Place | Radiohead (In Rainbows)
18) The Beginning After The End | Stars (In Our Bedroom...)
19) A Beautiful Place | Robert Wyatt (Comicopera)
20) Sett Deg Ned | Leieboerne (Følg Oss Hjem, Ole Paus)

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Songs in bold are also represented in my top-10 list of albums of the year.

Christmas Eve all over again

2007-12-24T01:20:00.001+01:00

It is Christmas Eve today and it seems like a good opportunity to update this weblog. Just watched "Reprise" again this evening – a treat for anyone like me; who enjoys scenes from bleak parks, the city of Oslo, snapshots from Paris, people who are mostly wearing black, talking about films, music and literature. In addition to other subjects of life-saving of course. I´m also working my way through the Book Thief by Markus Zusak which is rather entertaining (...must hurry this post and get reading again, as I know I will commence reading my xmas-present tomorrow night...). I have (as usual) chosen the book I will receive myself. Still exciting to unwrap it though. Quality is a requirement, then I am easily pleased.

Also finished "Ensemble, c´est tout" since last posting here, and it is a book I can recommend to anyone. Feel-good book, but not at all in a bad way! Missed the film at the cinema, so I will get the DVD whenever it is available for approximately NOK 100. (Me...? I hardly ever buy a film for more than that...)

All the best for the holidays – and for 2008 – to anyone who should happen to swing by this corner of the internet. Quite pleased about the fact that it was exactly you who became the reader. Feel special - you are almost all alone.

I have also recently bought the books "Bikubesong" by Frode Grytten, "Eg vil at nokon skal vente på meg" by Anna Gavalda, the film Infernal Affairs by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak.

I think it´s going to be a nice break - - -
(and psst...it is still Kill The Lights with "Buffalo of Love" who´ve released the best record so far this year. All other bands must hurry! A revised list from me will be published here early next year.)

Saman kan ein vere 300

2007-11-26T08:25:00.002+01:00

I går så jeg "300" - en film som i noen partier minnet om enkelte reklamefilmer som presenterer haute couture, i andre som om innspillingen fant sted på samme location som åkeren i "Gladiator" og i atter andre som en virkelig (som i; virkelighet) tegneserie. Og dette var etter det jeg kan forstå også meningen. Jeg likte filmen, men på en helt annen måte enn en setter pris på filmer som "Little Children", "Lawrence of Arabia", "Salmer fra kjøkkenet" eller "Little Miss Sunshine". Så klart. Det skulle bare mangle. "300" var for meg også en introduksjon til Lena Headey – selv om jeg ante at jeg hadde sett henne på film eller fjernsyn tidligere, kunne jeg ikke plassere henne før hadde googlet henne. Hun ter seg og tar seg ut som et fint eksemplar av arten vår.

Ellers har jeg i dag tidlig passert 100 sider av "Ensemble c’est tout" - oversatt til nynorsk som "Saman er ein mindre aleine" av Anna Gavalda. Så langt er dette en frydefull opplevelse. Tror faktisk jeg avslutter denne posten her sånn at jeg kan lese videre før jeg drar på arbeid.

Ilrhéa - Pineau des Charentes

2007-11-18T13:16:00.001+01:00

Det finnes manglende kunnskap blant folk om bruksområdet for produktet Pineau des Charentes (Pineau Charentais eller bare Pineau). Dette er urovekkende, siden kunnskap bør etterstrebes. Men det er dog ikke utrolig, siden det er en drikk som nesten bare er kjent i de franske regionene Charente og Charente-Maritime hvor den produseres.

Legenden vil ha det til at en vinbonde (i 1589) slo en blanding av moste druer opp i et fat han ikke var klar over inneholdt eau de vie – fatet ble deretter satt i vinkjelleren, og vóila; noen år senere oppdaget man at en ny drikk var klar til å bli introdusert for verden. Drikken brukes som aperitiff, og den finnes i både en hvit og rød utgave. Den hvite blir laget på druetypene Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche og Colombard. Enkelte ganger med innslag av Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc og Montils. Såkalt barnelærdom vil noen hevde. Blandingen blir lagret på eikefat i en periode på minst 18 måneder. Resultatet er en drikk som inneholder en alkoholprosent fra 16 til 22%, mens varen som selges i butikker vanligvis holder 17%.

Den røde utgaven på bildet over er produsert på Ile de Ré, og det er denne jeg har drukket mest av. Den har en fin, dyprød farge. Via franske bekjentskaper har jeg også smakt en variant av hvit pineau, servert fra flasker uten etikett (et element nordmenn nok kan ha et smule ambivalent forhold til). Her snakker vi likevel ikke hjemmebrygget skvip, siden ansatte på Coopérative de Vignerons i La Bois Plage en Ré får med smaksprøver fra distilleriet før etiketter festes på flaskene.

Da tenker jeg vi slipper de helt store overraskelsene enkelte har fått om de forsøker å servere Pineau som cognac til voksne menn i 50-årene her i distriktet (ingen nevnt = ingen hengt ut). Selvsagt nevner jeg at dette ikke gjelder undertegnede med flere års erfaring i å drikke Pineau.

Brumund Dal har padlet videre

2007-11-17T15:43:00.001+01:00

Brumund Dal har reist videre - han installerte seg i en fullastet Elvegris i går og ble sist observert på vei opp Overfloden. Han etterlot seg mye å bli husket for. Tusen takk!

Lyntog, klementiner og ti-meteren

2007-11-14T16:21:00.001+01:00

I dag – onsdag den 14. november 2007 – åpnet St Pancras – Eurostar-stasjonen i det sentrale London. Klokka 11 [ lokal tid ], kjørte det første lyntoget ut fra stasjonen for å ankomme Gare du Nord i Paris to timer og femten minutter senere. Dét er raskt det. (Et hyggelig poeng er at toget ankom den franske hovedstaden uten forsinkelser, til tross for at de av franskmennene som vanligvis sørger for at togtrafikken fungerer streiker i disse dager - men...vel, streik er en relativt dagligdags aktivitet i Frankrike. Og ikke misforstå, jeg liker Frankrike jeg...)

Tilbake til tog - lyntog! Tidligere har standarden på den engelske delen av jernbanenettet, på den aktuelle strekningen, forhindret togene i å oppnå samme hastighet som de har kunnet holde på fransk jord. Jeg har kjørt fra Waterloo til Brüssel og Paris flere ganger tidligere, og gleder meg sammen med briter, franskmenn og andre som nå kan suse enda raskere til og fra London og Paris på den genialt avslappende måten en togreise tilbyr. Stasjonen St Pancras er bygget om til den nette sum av £800 millioner. Det engelske pundet koster pr nå (kl 16H50) kr 11,163 - vi snakker om NOK 8,9 milliarder! Dét er mye penger det. Toget i dag var det første passasjertoget som benyttet den nye "channel tunnel rail link", som gir togene anledning til å kjøre like raskt på engelsk som på fransk side av kanalen.

Sakset fra The Guardian:
Richard Brown, the Eurostar chief executive, described the improved service as a "new dawn for short haul travel in Europe". "Our move to St Pancras makes Eurostar even more accessible to travellers across Britain," he said. "We will carry passengers with greater speed, ease and reliability than ever before, and our travellers will have the extra reassurance of knowing that they are making far less environmental impact compared with flying."

Heia lyntog - også i Skandinavia, selv om befolkningstettheten (les: kundegrunnlaget) på kontinentet og her oppe selvsagt ikke kan sammenlignes!

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Ellers i vinden: Klementiner / The Killers; "Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lucont's Thin White Duke Remix)"

Jeg er frivillig dyttet ut fra 10-meteren av to (velmenende) rampejenter, uten å være sikker på om bassenget inneholder vann.

Dokumentasjon

2007-11-06T18:28:00.001+01:00

Alle tar bilder for tiden. Nesten hele tiden gjør de det faktisk. Disse fotografene dokumenterer sine og andres liv - på godt og vondt. Heldigvis kan disse bildene nå enkelt (og enklest) lagres i kilobytes og megabytes og-så-videre, sånn at det fortsatt er en sjanse for at de fleste av dem etter hvert skal glemmes eller bli til noe forgjengelig. For det taes mange unyttige bilder i vår tid. Vår evne til å fortrenge det unødvendige er grunnen til at vi overlever - ja, til at vi i det hele tatt er i stand til å overleve. Dokumentasjon er ikke alltid å foretrekke. Ikke lytt til pessimistene. For all del - ikke hør på meg!

Lytt for eksempel i stedet til Sam Amidon og hans "Saro" fra albumet "All Is Well". Eller hva du nå enn foretrekker.

Cultural Update

2007-11-05T00:20:00.000+01:00

Music lately: Bob Dylan | Joy Division | Robert Plant & Alison Krauss | Sam Amidon | Babyshambles | Will Stratton | Jonquil | The Russian Futurists | Raven & Chimes | Rilo Kiley | Kill The Lights Books lately: "Love in the time of cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez "En Tid For Alt" by Karl Ove Knausgård "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai "How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul" by Adrian Shaughnessy Films lately: "Little Miss Sunshine" directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris | "Little Children" directed by Todd Field | "La Haine" directed by Mathieu Kassovitz | "Das Leben der Anderen" directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

"A little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of whoo, a little bit whaa... I just fell down! Brilliant!" [Courtesy of Fast Show] - this week I´ve mostly been eating self-made vegetable soup, french baguettes with butter while drinking tea; reading "Love in the time of cholera" and "En Tid For Alt"; while listening to Plant/Krauss, Raven & Chimes, Rilo Kiley, Dylan (as always), Joy Division - purely for joy, The Russian Futurists to learn more about Canada - and Kill The Lights and The Weakerthans for the same reason; and I watched "Little Miss Sunshine" yesterday with awe, while Kate Winslet will be appear in a (film in a) living-room near me this night - or tomorrow...

Raising Angels With Alison & Robert

2007-11-02T01:24:00.000+01:00

Fully aware of the fact that I´m joining a number of reviews praising the album "Raising Sand" by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant; this is excellent music. It is a collection of songs that slowly grab your attention. Roly Salley´s "Killing The Blues" is the most direct route one can choose, but the other numbers offered by this duo are patient, growing - and after a couple of rounds listening you´ll get your reward, again and again.

Favorites so far include "Your Long Journey", "Killing The Blues", "Stick With Me Baby", "Please Read The Letter" and "Polly Come Home". Incredible vocal performances both by Krauss and Plant. His voice embracing space around hers - even though the opposite originally was intended. The whole album is produced with distinction by T Bone Burnett.

You don´t need to be a fan of bluegrass, country, blues, americana or whatever genre you can imagine - you only have to like music. Class.

http://www.robertplantalisonkrauss.com/site.php

Albums of the year 2007

2007-10-22T04:22:00.001+02:00

I have now started working on my list for the best albums of the year. Not easy to choose, as some of the albums I have liked (and played) the most this year have been released prior to 2007. Nevertheless; here´s a list (so far) from this year:

1. Kill The Lights - ”Buffalo of Love” --- Pop fashioned the way rock would have done it... 2. Beirut - ”The Flying Club Cup” --- Waiting in a Parisian "Boulangerie Paul" enjoying black coffee and a mille-feuilles, while the train that´s going to bring you west in France rolls into Gare Montparnasse with rhythms from the Balkans... 3. The Weakerthans - ”Reunion Tour” --- Amazed by the song depicting the story of Virtute the Cat, but also due to the fact that this album contains good tunes like "Hymn Of The Medical Oddity", "Tournaments Of Hearts", "Night Windows", "Utilities"... 4. Alaska in Winter - ”Dance Party in the Balkans” --- Skiing in freshly fallen snow towards a house in the forest where vodka on ice awaits in front of the fireplace... 5. Kings of Leon - ”Because of the Times” --- Melodies that tickles where you want them to... 6. Stars - ”In Our Bedroom After the War” --- Pop the way pop should be... 7. Band of Horses - ”Cease to Begin” --- In my opinion not (yet) as strong as their debut album, but it is still way good enough... 8. Ola Podrida - ”Ola Podrida” --- Ola from N.Y. made a pit-stop in my flat with their "Run Off the Road" 9. Wilco - ”Sky Blue Sky” --- Wide open landscapes, gentle breezes - while slowly taking their songs in... 10. Bright Eyes - ”Cassadaga” --- A nice salute to us all from the house of Conor Oberst...

---
Lurking on the threshold (as they have just arrived):
Babyshambles - "Shotters nation" --- Keep carrying on up in the mornings...

Radiohead - ”In Rainbows” --- Another Jigsaw falling into place...

Books, films and music - and then about life itself

2007-09-04T03:29:00.001+02:00

Since my previous post here - ages ago, at least it must have been June - I have listened to and read things as best as I can.

I´ve watched films and comprehended in the way only I can - my way. The last book I read was "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen. A treat. Before that; "Ligge i grønne enger" by Anne B. Ragde (and I was, as intended (?) by the author, slightly disappointed with how the story ended), in France this summer I was amazed by "Perfume - The Story of a Murderer" by Patrick Süskind (at least the first 80% of the story), earlier in the summer "Snømannen" by Jo Nesbø scared me slightly, and at the moment I am half way through "The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai. "Kamelskyer" by Thorvald Steen was a small surprise. Very intimate, human, though as books can be. Philip Roth's "The Plot against America" was (of course) well written, with a interesting take on what "might have happened". I also ended a long relationship with Harry Potter, Hermine and Ronny when J.K. Rowling's published her seventh tale on their years at Hogwarths school of witchcraft and magic.

I saw "Ratatouille" at the La Maline cinema in La Couarde-sur-mer with my daughter when we spent our annual week at Ile de Ré in company with Cécile and Hok. I had some good weeks together with Ina. As always. I watched "Paris, je t'aime" twice, because I loved the film and I like Paris, even though it is a difficult city to acquire (Steve Earle; "Paris was never my kind of town...". I really liked Almodovar's "Volver" too - and alongside these I've probably seen films on television that I, in this moment of writing can't recall.

I have listened to a lot of music this summer, with albums by "The Weakerthans", "Stars", "Wilco", "Beirut" and "Rilo Kiley" among my favourites.

However, this link, provided by Mary, is still probably of the most touching things I have experienced this summer. It's not a piece of fiction - it is very real, like fiction occasionally intend to portray. Not many people frequent this blog of mine - but as YOU happen to be here just now please read this:

http://avil.wordpress.com

Sara and Kjartan in the park

2007-06-05T02:29:00.001+02:00

Jeg hadde gleden av å høre Sara Stridsberg i samtale med Simen Ekern i strålende sommervær i Søndre Park på Lillehammer, lørdag den 2. juni 2007. Det var mange som hadde tatt turen til parken for å høre årets vinner av Nordisk Råds Litteraturpris.

Onsdag 30. mai regnet det da Kjartan Fløgstad satte seg ned for å snakke med Mats Gellerfelt, og hvor sistnevnte fikk Fløgstad til å vri seg i stolen da det viste seg at Gellerfelt i Paris i 1969 hadde drukket whisky sammen med Julio Cortázar - en av Fløgstads helter. Og da Gellerfelt videre fortalte at han ved en senere anledning hadde håndhilst på Borges - også en viktig inspirasjonskilde, ga Fløgstad høylydt uttrykk for sin "misunnelse". Fløgstad gjorde et godt inntrykk på meg, og jeg oppsøkte umiddelbart etterpå en bokhandel i Storgata for å sikre meg eksemplaret (jeg hadde sett meg ut på vei til parken) av hans forrige bok "Grand Manila" (2006) - med 70 hyggelige % avslag (for meg, og ikke for Fløgstad...).

Sara Stridsbergs "Drömfakultetet" er selvsagt også blitt interessant - ikke bare fordi hun ble tildelt Nordisk Råds Litteraturpris for denne - men mye fordi forfatteren selv er det. Likevel må jeg nok først forsøke å komme meg videre i Simone de Beauvoirs "Det annet kjønn" - som påbegynt fortsatt står i bokhyllen - før jeg beveger meg inn i drømmefakuletet blant annet sammen med Valerie Solanas.

Lest siden sist:
"Når jeg er hos deg" Linn Ullmann / "Snømannen" Jo Nesbø

Hørt siden sist:
Ola Podrida / New Young Pony Club / Chet / A Hawk And A Hacksaw

[Foto: Trond Ødegården, Copyright 2007 ]

Jeff Buckley - Mystery White Boy

2007-05-29T12:37:00.001+02:00

Today it is 10 years since Jeff Buckley died.

Today I am a Mystery White Boy too.

The Girl... / The Kite Runner / Thomas F

2007-05-21T00:46:00.000+02:00

Lest siden sist:
Stieg Larson "Jenta som lekte med ilden" / Khaled Hosseini "Drageløperen" / og små utdrag av Kjell Askildsen "Thomas F´s siste nedtegnelser til almenheten".....sitat: "Det har jeg litt glede av, men jeg slipper dem aldri inn, folk som tror på det evige liv er ikke rasjonelle, en vet aldri hva de kan finne på." Som en venn av meg ville ha sagt; glimrende – og det er bare gullkorn, hele tiden, de bare ruller i mot leseren; "Jeg rakte henne den ene, jeg husker ikke hvilken, men det var den andre hun ville ha. Hun gransket den en stund, så smilte hun og sa: ‹‹Var det ikke det jeg tenkte, De skulle ha vært død for lenge siden.››

Slike tekster burde vært påbudt ved lov om almenkunnskap og i vår utdanning - og dermed tatt inn som del av pensum i den norske grunnskolen - selv den misantropiske holdningen til fortelleren Thomas F. tatt i betraktning .

Akkurat nå leser jeg Fred Vargas "Have mercy on us all" – Chief inspector Adamsberg investigates. Gleder meg veldig over å skulle lese om Paris igjen, og Frankrike. Ved siden av Vargas på nattbordet ligger også Robert Wilsons "Mørkets makter", men den har jeg jo nevnt tidligere. Det kan hende den blir liggende en stund, siden jeg har en del bøker ventende i hyllen...

Sett siden sist:
"The French Lieutenant´s Woman" på fjernsyn [NRK1] denne helgen. Fin film, og Meryl Streep var som vanlig god.

Spring Is Here

2007-04-20T18:23:00.000+02:00

"The Proposition" var en god australsk western, og Nick Caves "innflytelse" i dette arbeidet (vel, han skrev jo historien, så det dreier seg vel om mer enn innflytelse...men jeg velger altså likevel å bruke ordet) – både hva musikken og dialogen angår, var merkbar. Fin stund på kino med andre ord. Jeg har også lest ferdig "On Beauty" av Zadie Smith, og selv om jeg brukte en ganske lang stund på denne var den en god opplevelse. På alle måter en god bok, morsomme situasjoner i samspill med mer alvorlige undertoner. Jeg likte den. Anbefaler også "White Teeth" som var veldig bra - "The Autograph Man" står i bokhyllen, og jeg må derfor komme tilbake til den senere.

En avslutning av Haruki Murakamis novellesamling "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman" ligger i nær framtid. Videre har jeg startet på Robert Wilsons "Mørkets Makter", hans første bok som handler om Bruce Medway i Vest-Afrika. Jeg har lest mange av Wilsons bøker, og denne har ikke en like "captivating" begynnelse. Jeg venter (litt mindre) spent på fortsettelsen.

På vent i hylla:
Murakamis "Norwegian Wood" // Benoît Nadeau & Barlow: "Sixty Million Frenchman Can´t Be Wrong" - (fransk valg søndag 22. april 2007, uten at det – så vidt jeg vet – har noen umiddelbar sammenheng med akkurat denne boka :) // DVD; "La France - vue du ciel", filmet av Sylvain Augier // Inger Hagerup; "Så rart" // Carsten Jensen; "Jeg har sett verden begynne"

----

Going Fishing In Pop Culture

2007-04-16T15:56:00.000+02:00

Lest siden sist: Stieg Larsson: "Menn som hater kvinner" / Tom Egeland: "Sirkelens Ende" / Oscar Voch: "Boutades" (fotografier, Voetnoot Publishing, Amsterdam/Antwerpen) / Cap & Design, nr.4, April 2007

Musikk: Josh Ritter / Ane Brun / Emmylou Harris / Midlake / Dinosaur Jr. / Wooden Wand And The Sky Band / Ole "Hoffpoét" Paus

Filmer: "München" (Steven Spielberg) / "The New World" (Terrence Malick) - ...og "The Proposition" (John Hillcoat - manus: Nick Cave) ligger og venter ved DVD-spilleren.

I tiden nå: Tippeligaen 2007 / Vår 2007 / P2 / Flybilletter Zürich-Oslo

Lake Mjøsa

2007-03-22T00:30:00.000+01:00

Lake Mjøsa, Norway - view from Honne, Biri.

Lush, green, insects, flowers and grass, 21 degrees in the water, warm pleasant evenings, barbeques, scents from plants, bushes and the woods, misty air, burning hot asphalt, naked feet, nightswimming, high sun, the light on the horizon constant through the night, low voices from the neigbours´evenings, rolling around on the lawn, feet-dipping, ice-cream, green, lush.

Printemps - vers l´été

2007-03-22T00:17:00.000+01:00

Våren begynner å få tak. I dag kunne jeg sette ut en stol på terrassen, sitte ned og nyte sola en halvtimes tid. Dette er vel ikke tiden for løvetann å kvitte seg med det hvite sløret sitt, men jeg måtte sette inn et bilde fra i fjor sommer likevel. Nå er det snart påske - det skal bli godt med noen late dager. Mars har vært en travel måned på mange måter. Det er godt med travle måneder, men da er det også godt med en liten vårpause etterpå.

I ørene: Josh Ritter, Sufjan Stevens, Cowboy Junkies, Bob Dylan (Live 1966)

På nattbordet: "On Beauty", Zadie Smith / "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman", Haruki Murakami (jepp, den har blitt forbikjørt av flere den siste tiden, så den ligger der fortsatt)

Sist leste: "Vi, de druknede" av Carsten Jensen

Morning Moon

2007-02-20T16:06:00.000+01:00

Morning moon | Biri | 07H30 | 3 February | 2007

Printemps

2007-02-14T12:21:00.000+01:00

It is full winter here now, and even if I like this time of year (too), I always look forward to the next season. T-shirt, jeans and no socks (very important), a warm terrace and open doors. Just planning the next swim in the lake. Flowers. Orange ones. Long evenings and the sun merely hiding behind the hills in the east before it shows itself again in the early hours of a new day. Summer rain. The whole world with a scent of earth, flowers and barbeques. Seasons.

So this evening we are going skiing, even though it is a far cry from the joys of summer - it is part of the present season.

Olive-oil-drenched juicy tomatoes, parsley, black pepper and chévres. White wine. Chilled. Refreshing. Like winter.

Time, Location, Weather, Lighting

2007-01-27T05:17:00.000+01:00

Time: Morning, late in the summer of 2006 / Location: Biri, Norway
Weather: Amazing / Lighting: Natural / Result: The above

Culture Right Now

2007-01-26T03:46:00.000+01:00

Playing in my head:
"Where Is My Mind???" Pixies / "Chips Ohoy!" The Hold Steady / "The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth" Clap Your Hands Say Yeah / "Sparkle Me" Buffseeds / "The Crane Wife 3" The Decemberists / "Crazy, Crazy Nights" Susanna & The Magical Orchestra / "Love Will Tear Us Apart" Susanna & The Magical Orchestra / "Nothin' No" David Vandervelde

Reading matters:
"Jeg har sett verden begynne" Carsten Jensen / "Vi, de druknede" Carsten Jensen / Uncut - February 2007 / Cap & Design, #1- 2007 / "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman" Haruki Murakami / I am also constantly checking the URL "Forfatterbloggen" to see what's going on there. It has become a (pleasant) "addiction", and lately I´ve started feeling (unjustly so, I am totally aware of this fact...) that I "know" many of the people frequenting this spot on the internet discussing anything, nothing and everything. However, it is interesting. So I keep going back to read comments, new posts, experiencing their thoughts; perhaps mainly about literature, but also about daily life including routines, problems and happy moments in the situation we all experience called life.

Films lately:
"Caché" with Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche (on DVD in my local "cinema") / "The Calendar Girls" with Helen Mirren & co. (seen on TV2 Zebra) / "Once Upon A Time In The West" with Claudia Cardinale, Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda & co. (seen on TV2 Zebra)

And:
Working on my website: De Garden which still is to be altered, adjusted, designed and reconsidered in a very time-consuming way. I have hopes now though; it might be finished by Easter, or at least before summer...

Ina 8 År

2007-01-25T00:35:00.000+01:00

Gratulerer med 8-årsdagen Ina!

Happy New Year

2006-12-30T11:05:00.000+01:00

Happy 2007...

Snow It Is Then...

2006-11-06T16:25:00.000+01:00

Just a few weeks ago (actually, it is exactly a month today, but it sounds better with the term "a few weeks ago") I wished for winter, and now it has officially arrived. Last week, the night before Tuesday to be correct, we got a (approximately) 35 cm white layer of wonderful snowflakes coming down covering our habitat. Everything turned white and heavily covered with cold snow - and even though children (and everyone who feels like one) are happy like all supporters of the football-club FK Viking of Stavanger today Monday 6 November 2006, it also brings along the (by so many) loathed activity of moving snow from one place to another (i.e. from footpaths, roads, parking lots and such simply to ease accessibility to mentioned areas) I guess we'll all be better off if we just breathe in the cooler air, put on our woolen hats and gloves - and deal with it...

On the positive side - to those who long for spring (already) - today it was around +5 degrees, so a lot of the snow has taken the shape of water again, disappearing down into the ground or wherever it goes... Despite this current rise in temperature I am sorry to remind that it will be winter for at least the next 4 months. Yes, I am Norwegian, we do talk about the weather. However, that´s what we do up here... Enjoy the snow, enjoy winter!

Lemon

2006-10-07T18:06:00.000+02:00

Lemonsjøen Alpinsenter, Randsverk, Norway. Mountains and clouds - summer 2006.

Snow, soon? (Patience Is My Weapon)

2006-10-06T01:35:00.000+02:00

Any snow this year? I know it is a bit early to talk about winter - but hey, who knows when these white, delicate things are going to start landing on us from above... It is now October; petrol stations and their alikes have started filling up (hah, did you get the pun..?) shelves with marcipane-pigs and chocolate-covered xmas marcipane candies (actually they started in September!)...so it really ought to start snowing? This little cow on the photo above is not worried about being covered in chocolate (or snow..), but she sure liked the view from her window last winter. Milky-white snow somehow relaxes her... But it is not too hilarious with that marcipane entering shops already though, it is waaay too early for xmas-candies. December will be here soon enough - pigs (made of marcipane) should wait a little bit longer... Therefore I urge you all NOT to buy any until the 1st of December!

Listening to: Tindersticks: "Desperate Man" - (Curtains), Lucinda Williams: "Those Three Days" (World Without Tears), Steve Earle: "Goodbye" (Train a comin´), Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas: "Claudja" (Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas), Yann Tiersen: "La Redécouverte" (Amélie, soundtrack). Just watched: Seinfeld on TV3, and these days I am reading: Haruki Murakami "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman" and Bill Bryson "A Short History of Nearly Everything". "Soon" I will be working on my website: www.degarden.net - still not finished as (patience is my weapon)...

(Also should have been doing: Organising papers (to be delivered) to my accountant, but somehow it is being delayed due to all the other things I am occupied with... :-)

Patience is my weapon...

3. August 2006

2006-08-14T00:50:00.000+02:00

On a wet and windy day this August I went for a stroll along the beach outside La Couarde-sur-mer. The beauty of the sea is especially evident on days like these. The sky and the sea become one. Even though most of my previous sejours spent at Ile de Ré have been dominated by sunny skies and high temperatures, I really like the rainy days there as well. And if winds in the year ahead are on my side, I´ll be returning to Ré next summer. It is a very special place. A bientôt!

Ile de Ré

2006-08-06T05:46:00.000+02:00

I came back Friday from Ile de Ré after travelling by car (Melissa & Davy), train (TGV), bus (Autobus), plane (SAS Braathens), train (NSB) and car (Hans Ole, courtesy of Kari Anne). In between these sessions of transportation I certainly did some walking (albeit no running!!), so after getting up at 06H00 in the morning at the French island in the Bay of Biscay it was nice enjoying a beer and two glasses of wine on the terrasse at #18 after coming home around 18H30. This holiday has brought me to Switzerland for five days and France for seven, so I am tres content with my summer-break. Spending time with Ina is always great. Enjoying french cuisine (fruits de la mer, des fromages, gateaus), wine, enjoyable company - and as said hanging around with my daughter - is a pleasing way to spend a holiday. And although I am not the biggest fan of sandy beaches (way too much sand that gets stuck everywhere...), I really do love swimming in the sea, searching the beach for beautiful shells and simply admiring the vast ocean. Now, returned to the Norwegian summer (which is still very much here), I went for a swim in Norway's largest lake (again) yesterday - regarding the temperature in the water; we must be talking records. Very comfortable - and thoroughly refreshing in the warm weather we're still blessed with. Summer is certainly not over yet, but we all know it can quickly change...

Thalwil - Zürich

2006-07-17T11:54:00.000+02:00

Just back from Thalwil/Zürich. Went to pick up my daughter, and we had some nice days in a very, very warm Switzerland. Followed her to school the two last days before her summer vacation started.

In the river

2006-07-07T01:58:00.000+02:00

Today I went for a swim in the river - for the first time this summer. The weather has been very nice this last period here in Norway, so the temperature in the water was close to 20C. It was very refreshing - so too for Frida, my friend´s Golden Retriever. Summer is a good thing, a very very good thing. I wish it could be more of it... Next week I go to see my daughter in Thalwil (Switzerland), before we travel back to Norway for a nice vacation. I am happy as a dog in the river on a very hot day!

My week at my "cinema"

2006-06-21T04:20:00.000+02:00

It has been a quiet week guarding the night here at the hotel, so I have taken advantage of our excellent facilities, watching four films in our only "local cinema" (for members only though...). Had some DVDs at home that really needed to be seen, so in the following order I have updated myself with these gems: The Constant Gardener / Bin Jip / Det Levende Slottet (Hauru no Ugoku Shiro) / Le déclin de l'empire Américain

Someone must take care of the night, while everyone else is sleeping...

View from my window

2006-04-02T01:11:00.000+02:00

View from my window, February 2006. Winter has been winter this season. You can´t ask more. The remarkable effects of the changing of seasons is the best feature of this country, and I would think it is like this in other countries at similar latitudes around our planet. Right now I am looking forward to going to Lemonsjøen tomorrow. Departure will be at 08H55, 2 April 2006. I will be awake, I will have had my breakfast: 1/3 juice of a grapefruit and 2/3 orange, two pieces of toasted bread with St. Agur and a large mug of tea.

Do not underestimate Massive Attack, Madrugada, Josh Rouse and the mighty Tom Waits. Respect and understanding. Good night and good morning!

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

2006-01-27T19:45:00.000+01:00

Born 250 years ago today. Vielen dank!

7 år

2006-01-25T01:25:00.000+01:00

Gratulerer med 7-års dagen Ina!

Films 2005 continued - etc.etc.etc.

2006-01-06T01:53:00.000+01:00

Concerning my previous post (december 2005) I have now had time to (sort of) catch up on my miserable "cinema-life". Not that I have been able to update so many of the holes from "myfilmfailures..2005" - but at least I have been to the cinema twice over the holidays. I saw "King Kong" and "The Legend of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe" within a period of 24 hours as a much needed break in this rather "festive" season. In addition to cinema-activity i have also watched "The Aviator", "Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai", "Kung Fu Hustle", "Hitch" (well, of course it counts - Eva Mendes is in it) on DVD... so I feel a little bit better about it now - still have to keep on updating though...

Last night I put my Orhan Pamuk "Mitt Navn Er Karmosin" (original title: "Benim adim Kirmizi") on hold, to read my new-bought book by Jo Nesbø "Frelseren". It was (as usual with Nesbø) extremely captivating as a crime-novel - no, actually; as a Book, and I managed to read it through from 19H00 to 05H00 in the morning (yes, I admit that I am still on some sort of vacation after the holidays - read: working on my projects when I am not sleeping or seeing friends). So culturally it has been a good start to my 2006 - I believe it continues. Now I have to get some more sketches done for a new project - in addition to finishing some of my files/projects that follows me from last year - so I´ll stop now...

The house on the photo is december at one of my neighbour´s house, seen from my window. Winter in the inland lake-districts of Norway. Cold but beautiful.

"Sweet Jane" (Lou Reed) with the Cowboy Junkies playing in my ears (mind and heart), Sufjan Stevens "For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" is a fantastic piece of work - and what a songtitle! "Ghost of a Shark" by Tom McRae is dark, yet utterly uplifting, and I think life is going to be marvellous - not all of it, of course - but good things do come at intervals. "Somebody Got Murdered" by Matthew Ryan is a fantastic cover of The Clash, and now I have to stop.

X-mas presents

2005-12-14T21:05:00.000+01:00

It is that time of year again. Running around the shops with my list on potentially fitting presents for everyone that expects (and perhaps deserves) one. So I have a system; a system that in my opinion should be considered. I only buy presents I would like to receive myself. However, easy as it seems - a budget [and I do have a budget] still limits the options. And it should! Most of us are spending too much, and before christmas everyone is pushing it a little bit further. I know that I shouldn´t generalise, but it does seem that way. Shopping is a ambivalent experience. As member of our certain species (Humanus Collector) I am a natural collector. I want a lot of items on offer - but can I live without most of it? Luckily, yes. Go smell the fresh air, or sit down at your favourite spot. Take it easy!

Myfilmfailurestwothousandandfive

2005-12-08T00:59:00.000+01:00

Why is it so difficult for me to get myself over to the cinema?

The brilliant people at Uncut (take 104, January 2006) provide their list of best films of the year 2005, and I am immediately informed that I have missed out completely. I have been sleeping. Real hard! Well, this isn't exactly a "I have not seen any of them" statement, but it's so close...

Uncut-best-film-of-the-year-2005 is "A History of Violence"... and nope, haven't seen it..., #2; "Downfall"! ...nope, failed again... however, all the way down at #20; "Wedding Crashers"; so 1 point (and even though I liked this film, the fact that I have seen it doesn't give me comfort seeing the rest of the list after having read reviews throughout the year but still failed at going to the movies to see them), #24; "Maria Full of Grace"; 2 points (this probably should score more than a single point, but I restrain myself from being too generous). And at #29; "The Aviator" - at least this one is "on hold" in my bookshelves, before finally finding its place in my DVD-collection. (1/2 a point then - and 2 1/2 in total). Weak! Weak!

So I have a job to do in the coming period. First of all, I should put a lot more emphasis on actually getting myself over to the local cinemas more often, and secondly; I will have to spend huge amounts of money on buying DVDs in 2006.

Thanks Uncut (not!!!) - for giving me this sense of failure at popular culture. But a million thanks for always keeping me updated on what I miss out on in the world of cinema, DVDs, books and music every month. I wouldn't be the same without your perpetual quest to inform! It is not my lack of interest, it is really a lack of time. And aren't we bored with always saying that we don't have time. Everything has to be so convenient - convenient is never easy.

Priority in the coming period:
1. A History of Violence / 2. Downfall / 5. Sideways / 10. Sin City / 12. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou / 18. 2046 / 19. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang / 25. Hotel Rwanda

Lights & lamps - vol. 1

2005-12-07T08:59:00.000+01:00

I just had to add this photo to my blog. This beautiful lamp can be found somewhere in Lillehammer, Norway. Have a look around town - and tell me about it when you find it!

Spring

2005-11-20T06:26:00.000+01:00

This photo - of "gåsunger" - as a contrast to this season.
Spring will arrive come april here in Norway.

Where is winter?

2005-11-09T04:33:00.000+01:00

So - where is winter?

I wouldn't mind a crisp, clear, cold november-day that slowly turns itself into a misty, snow-filled afternoon. I don't mind mild weather, but now - now it is time to skate ( Motorpsycho said that ) and now it is about time us looking out the windows seeing a snow-covered, white and pure landscape ( I said that ). As mentioned - I don't mind mild weather, but the dark surrounding us at this time of the year is in need of a contrasting white ground.

Anyway, nobody can do anything about the weather - at least so we say - however, we have probably already done too much about it. Then again, maybe it is not too late doing some more (read: less) - at least something better and with a little bit of care for the times ahead? We could spend less, re-cycle more efficiently, re-use and take better care of our belongings - and be critical about what we purchase. Every time! Every single time. Does everything have to be new? Does everything have to be bigger, better, more expensive... enough about that, here are some

...sights and sounds that helped me through last week:
Sounds first;
Elbow / Bob Dylan / Madrugada / Bill Evans / Stevie Wonder / deLillos / The Afghan Whigs / David Bowie / 10.000 Maniacs / Abba / Cowboy Junkies / Kanye West / Monica Zetterlund / Ryan Adams / Drive-by-Truckers

...then still- and moving images;
"Finding Neverland" / "The Wizard of Oz" / "Lawrence of Arabia" /

+ various family-photos (bien sûr)

Trampoline

2005-10-05T00:52:00.000+02:00

Ina on the trampoline, july 2005.

New sandals

2005-10-05T00:35:00.000+02:00

Ina´s new sandals.

La Rochelle, july 2005, next to the town hall in this beautiful French city. We were waiting for Opa to finish his business at the cashpoint at La Poste, and Ina and her cousin Alexandre both ran around the square in the summerheat in Charente Maritime that evening. Michel, Maryvonne, Cécile and me (Trond) relaxed next to the statue on the square.

Control+D (part 3)

2005-10-02T01:30:00.000+02:00

Music:
Stevie Wonder He's Misstra Know-It-All" / Tre Små Kinesere "Agnar Mykle" / The Streets "Get Out Of My House" / Sufjan Stevens "For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti" / Songdog "Janie Jones" / Solveig Slettahjell Slow Motion Quintet "Look For The Silver Lining" / The Smiths "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" / Damien Rice "Eskimo" / The Polyphonic Spree "Hanging Around The Day Part 2"/ Pixies "Dig For Fire" / Phoenix "Love For Granted" / Odd Nordstoga "Det Som Kjem Att" / Ray LaMontagne "Narrow Escape" / Lambchop with Zero 7 "Up With People (Zero 7 Dub Mix)" / The Jayhawks "Sound Of Lies" / Sivert Höyem "Ladyfriend" / Emmylou Harris "Strong Hand" / Fairground Attraction "Moon On The Rain" / Tanya Donelly "Moonbeam Monkey"

Films:
"Un Long Dimanche De Fiançailles" / "Maria Full Of Grace" / "The Royal Tenenbaums" / "Sex & Lucia"

---

end; Control+D (part 3)

Autumn & Books

2005-08-22T06:18:00.000+02:00

I fell for the adverts (again) - well, I am not the one who is able to turn down offers of "free" books! Bokklubben had some interesting books to offer, both for myself (and my daughter I think). She really likes books, so I am not afraid of going wrong by ordering "Teskjekjerringa ordner opp", "Knerten" (Alf Prøysen) and "Mio, min Mio" (Astrid Lindgren) for her. Of course I should have gone modern, but those works of art are classics, so she NEEDS them in her library too... For myself I accepted their offer on "En tid for alt" by Knausgård (I know, I should have had time to buy it by now...), "Hamsun - erobreren" by Ingar Sletten Kolloen and "Ut og stjæle hester", Per Petterson (and of course, these two are way overdue as well... but finally I'll be able to read them too).

In addition to the mentioned books I am also looking forward to receiving "Kina" - Torbjørn Færøvik, "Kulturhistoriske årstall" - Jakob Brønnum and "Latin" - Tore Janson.

So I am ready then! The summer can fade - and resurface as autumn. Colder evenings are welcome, the cooler air can force us indoors. I don't mind sitting down next to the fireplace, with books at hand. Mentioning the fireplace... that reminded me that I still haven't purchased one! I will have to discuss this with Summer. Maybe it can hold on for another month or so - until I have sorted out this fireplace-issue?

Control+D [part 2]

2005-08-19T03:41:00.000+02:00

Music:
St Etienne; "He's On The Phone" / Songdog; "Desolation Row" / Spain; "Untitled #1" / The Stone Roses; "Bye Bye Badman" / The Streets; "Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way" / Kanye West; "Family Business" / Van Morrison; "Madame George" / Neil Young; "Mansion On The Hill" / Unni Wilhelmsen; "Journey" / Josh Rouse; "Sad Eyes" / Kelly Joe Phelps; "Not So Far To Go" / Les Negresses Vertes; "Les Megots" / The Beautiful South; "Frank And Delores" / Antony & The Johnsons; "Fistful Of Love" / Alphaville; "Big In Japan" / Sigur Ros; "Olsen Olsen"

Books:
Jan Kjærstad; "Tegn til kjærlighet" / Levi Henriksen; "Snø vil falle over snø som har falt" / Don De Lillo; "Cosmopolis" / Jan Tschichold; "The New Typography"

There's no such thing as "just music and books"!

Early morning

2005-06-29T19:03:00.000+02:00

Early morning, Honne - Biri, june 2005.
Returning to the reception-area after picking up the newspapers at 05H00.

Ina

2005-06-28T20:36:00.000+02:00

Ina on her way to visit Omomo, April 2005.

Right Now

2005-06-17T04:32:00.000+02:00

Music right now:
MOTORPSYCHO - "Wearing yr smell" | NINA SIMONE - "Mr. Bojangles" | RADIOHEAD - "Lurgee" | PIXIES - "Hey" | BRIGHT EYES - "Land Locked Blues" | BJÖRK - "Desired Constellation" | NICK DRAKE - "Fly" | EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL - "Flipside"

Book right now:
KARL OVE KNAUSGÅRD - "Ute Av Verden"

In my head right now:
Music, Ina (always), Ile de Re, Biri, this moment, letters on a screen, my view towards morning (early morning), enveloping mist, no wind, daylight, fading shadows, light (creating shadows), tomorrow, the coming July, this June as well, music (I know; again), these next few words, guitars, a little bit of piano, angry beautiful voices, green, more light (and more shadows), fading guitars and fading angry (but) still very beautiful voices, silence... (poorly illustrated by three dots)

Blog most recently visited: http://soulfulspell.blogspot.com
(thoroughly enjoyable reading)

For verden er gammel...

2005-06-17T04:20:00.000+02:00

Karl Ove Knausgård:
”Ute Av Verden”, Karl Ove Knausgård (1998, Tiden Norsk Forlag, Oslo)

Because the world is old - in Norwegian:
”Og vi? Vi hever blikket og ser på stjernene. Vi lar oss bevege av dette lyset som har brukt flere hundre år på å komme hit, dette forhistoriske lyset som har blitt kjøligere og kjøligere på sin reise gjennom verdensrommet og som når oss dødt og kaldt. Som alt som når oss fra fortiden er dødt og kaldt. For verden er gammel. Men livet er ungt og tiden et barn bøyd over sine brikker. Leende sitter han der og leker, barnekongen. Uten en eneste bekymring flytter han på brikkene sine, av og til går han lei og dunker dem irritert mot brettet, kanskje feier han alt bort for å begynne på nytt og igjen la seg oppsluke. Han husker ikke hva som hendte i går og bryr seg ikke om hva som vil hende i morgen. Han leker, han pludrer, han er fornøyd. Det er vi som er bekymret".
s. 175, ”Ute Av Verden”, Karl Ove Knausgård (1998, Tiden Norsk Forlag, Oslo)
---

For verden er gammel - på Engelsk:
”And what about us? Raising our eyes, looking at the stars. We inhale this light that has travelled hundred of years to arrive, here, this pre-historic light that has cooled and lessened on its journey through space - and reaches us dead and cold. Just like everything that reaches us from the past is dead and cold. Because the world is old. But life itself is young and time a child hunched over its pieces. Joyfully it sits and plays - the Kid-king. Without hesitation and worry on his mind, he moves his pieces around, occasionally he gets bored and slam them towards the board, or wipe them fretfully away - for then to start all over again in a new, deep concentration. He doesn’t remember what happened yesterday, and he doesn’t care about tomorrow. He plays, he concentrates - he is content. We are the ones who are worried.

(This was my effort to translate this piece of text from Knausgård´s novel. (p 175, Ute Av Verden, 1998, Tiden Norsk Forlag, Oslo). The author, Knausgård himself, has not been involved in this effort, and I take full responsibility for all errors that might have been caused by my endeavours.)

---
MY THOUGHTS ON THE TEXT:
The sentence(s) that I find so beautiful is the following: “For verden er gammel. Men livet er ungt og tiden et barn bøyd over sine brikker”. Furthermore I have tried to translate this piece from K.O. Knausgård, Ute av verden, like this; “Because the world is old. But life itself is young and time a child hunched over its pieces”.

This sequence in his novel (I have yet to finish reading the whole book) moved me. It is hard to explain how this passage, these few words, these mere letters - that were put together in exactly this way affected me in such a way. However, I will try; firstly it is so illustrative. And it is simple, yet inclusive and all-embracing. The words and their meaning put us in place, puts me in a state, in time within time. Sometimes when reading, I lose out on (some of) the words. I haste past them, without really letting them in, and without allowing them their deserved attention. And even if the first third of Knausgård’s story about Henrik Vankel so far has been truely captivating, somewhat unconsciously I had fallen out half way down page 175. My thoughts were elsewhere until this sentence brought me back - actually there are two sentences in question, but if two sentences can belong to each other, these two exemplifies this fact; “Because the world is old” – something we all know this is true, even if we can’t imagine 4,4 billion years, ever!

The five words are not even particularly distinguished (read:noteworthy); not until “But life itself is young and time a child hunched over its pieces” revitalises the preceding sentence. And suddenly I feel somewhat - mapped. I am touched by this – and it makes me feel (perhaps unintentionally) included in history, our history. This, my increasingly feeble effort to explain the way these words affected me, is becoming too sentimental, but I can’t recall a sequence that have overwhelmed me like this.

However, saying that I somehow think about Knut Hamsun and/or Gabriel Garcia Marquez. And yet, even if there might have been parts in their writing that created moments like this, I can’t bring any of these back to the surface right now. Those passages have most likely settled back into the story they belong to. Knausgård’s two sentences on page 175 may eventually also blend back into my closing experience of his book, but somehow I doubt it.

I am genuinely affected.

In transit

2005-06-03T21:40:00.000+02:00

Summer is here - when you look at the calendar that is - because temperatures stay low, rain is a much too frequent visitor and evenings still require coats. But June it is, and as one normally should start planning for the beach-season, barbeques (outdoors) and chilled rosé or white wine on the terraces, we still prefer staying inside watching Jack Bauer, Gabrielle, Susan & Co. on the box.

I am moving house - or Ina and I are moving house. Our flat is (probably) 90% ready by now, and the actual date for moving-in is 6th July 2005. My budget is going to be tighter than it has been the last period, but I am so looking forward to getting the final arrangements in place. Kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living-room, loft will be the subjects of my attention in the coming period. So I am in transit, about to become slave of bills, mortgage-payments, rent and such... and still I am looking forward to it.

Summer it is then, new flat, Ina is coming to Norway on vacation - we are going to Ile de Ré together as summers before. French food, the company of Cécile and Hok, the beach at La Couarde-sûr-Mer, bicycling along the paths of the island: French vacation with family, what better way to have a summer holiday...?

Anyway, first another month working, then moving in to new flat, meeting Ina at the airport... I do think this summer will be mighty fine, despite the hesitating temperature-rise in the Norwegian summer.

Underestimated

2005-02-24T02:09:00.000+01:00

A listed contribution on the subject "underestimated":

¬ Pockets
¬ The letter y
¬ Comfortable shoes
¬ Empty cups
¬ Pencils
¬ A blank sheet of paper
¬ Not having to wait
¬ The original intentions of public transportation
¬ Being served food
¬ The people who keep Parc Diderot free for trash
¬ An open window
¬ Wood
¬ Lime
¬ A perfect view

Control+D [part 1]

2005-02-14T18:02:00.000+01:00

Bookshops worth visiting:
Zwemmer, 80 Charing Cross Road, LONDON WC2H 0BE, UK [Tube station: Leicester Square]
WH Smith, 248 rue de Rivoli, 75001 PARIS, France [Metro station: Concorde]
Omnibooks, 175 High St Poole, POOLE BH15 1BN, UK

Music-shops worth checking out:
Second-hand shop just off..Charing Cross Road/Leicester Square, London, UK
Second-hand shop next to..Boscombe bus-station, Bournemouth, UK
FNAC, La Défense, Paris, France
Platekompaniet, Oslo, Grønlands Torg, T-banen

Destinations worth going (back) to:
Islington/London, UK Ile de Ré, France Paris, France Antwerpen, Belgium Poole, UK Copenhagen, Denmark Marseille, France Verden, Germany Maastricht, Holland Espedalen, Norway

Directions worth paying attention to:
Bauhaus De Stijl Constructivism

Artists that made/makes a difference:
Constantin Brancusi / Walter Gropius / El Lizzitsky / Wassily Kandinsky / Paul Klee / Kazimir Malevich / Henri Matisse / Jan Tschichold / Jan Tschichold (2)

Music worth listening to right now:
Desolation Row, Bob Dylan / Lilac Wine, Jeff Buckley / Rented Rooms, Tindersticks / The entire album: (Come On Feel) The Lemonheads / Canadee-I-O, Nic Jones / Empty Cans, The Streets / I'd Rather Dance With You, K.o.C. / Ft. Worth Blues, Steve Earle / Happy Happy Happy, Poor Rich Ones / Rainy Transylvanian Day, Ugress / Pancho & Lefty, Townes van Zandt / I May Know The Word, Natalie Merchant / Anything by The Pixies / Breathless, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds / Across The Universe, The Beatles / Monkey Heart & The Horses' Legs, Preston School of Industry / Mr. Bojangles, Nina Simone / Heat Miser, Massive Attack / Flight Attendant, Josh Rouse / Latin Note, St. Germain / Born On A Train, The Magnetic Fields / Mirroball, Everything But The Girl / What Did You Think, Kelly Willis / Essence, Lucinda Williams / Sulk, Radiohead

----------------------------------------------------------------

:::end_part 1_control+D [Favourites]:::

2004-2005

2004-12-31T19:48:00.000+01:00

Transmissionassistance deux-mille quatre a deux-mille cinq:

Music to welcome a new year to:
"Hallelujah"; J.Buckley´s version
- alt.; "Breathless"; Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Film to welcome a new year to:
"Y Tu Mama Tambien"; Alfonso Cuaròn
1. alt.; "Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi"; Hayao Miyazaki or
2. alt.; "Flåklypa Grand Prix"; Ivo Caprino

Book to welcome a new year to:
"Frost"; Roy Jacobsen
- alt.; "A Prayer For Owen Meany"; John Irving

Sound to welcome a new year to:
"Bonne Année mon Papa!" (no alternatives...)

Remember those who need to be remembered
(I know; What a task...but just do it!)
Happy 2005!
-T.

To the mountain

2004-12-10T05:29:00.000+01:00

Brand new sleeping bag, warm sweater, b.i.b. (3ltr.), hat, thick gloves, arranged transport, cell phone; fully charged but in a-non-ringing-mode, some money in my pockets, through the valley, in a car, through the turns, up the hill...

Snow, more snow than here, much more than here, and I do hope I will be able to see the moon through the clouds. And the stars; they always seem so much more nearby when in the mountains, one can almost feel like one can count them, but more importantly; one can try... one should try!

Today

2004-12-09T06:31:00.000+01:00

K! Wasn't staying passive too long. Minding a blog should probably have some sort of priority.. so here goes..

Today I want to finish my banner/web/ad project for one of my clients! Albeit - first I will sleep a few hours after working through the night... then I will have my meeting for a new project at 17H00, a meeting which very-much-so predicts that I will be even busier (...though leading to more hours to invoice clients for...:-) - but it also means less hours to spend (being not bored, I am never bored) doing my important non-important stuff in close proximity to a stereo, listening to P2 - or something worthy from the record-collection..

Friday I will travel to the mountains (Høvringen, Norge/Norway) with friends. That should be refreshing, even though warm clothes and hot drinks must be considered - then consumed in frequent intervals...

I haven't been to the mountains for such a long time now. That is a good reason for (me) looking forward to it.

First time around

2004-12-09T06:21:00.000+01:00

Even though it could have been a better, smarter way to start this (b)log... I have settled for this.

I am too busy at the moment - not having time to write as much as I would prefer, but I am sure I will find it real soon - time. I used to have lots of it, so that makes it a lot more complicated - now having to look for it.

...soon it'll be christmas and I will see my daughter again. Ina lives in Switzerland with her mother, and I don't see her often enough. But this christmas will be good. Work has been good, life has been pretty good - and my daughter is coming to be with me for the holidays! Actually it could have been much worse!