On wobbly walking while waffling windwards...

...or something...

Meanwhile, in the Burrow, there is an actual post with words in it. I can only justify observing Wordless Wednesday so many places, after all...

On slug tales

Hello. My name is Sluggie. Well, obviously, that isn't my name, since I have a much longer and more impressive name. But the human I am currently residing with is part goldfish and thus she has forgotten my full name. She seems to think it is "Slugbart von Knittlich" or some such silly thing. I have grudgingly allowed her to use the short-version until she can recall my proper name. I wouldn't have put up with it if she hadn't been feeding me crocheted leaves. 

Anyway.


My name is Sluggie and I'm a slug. Not just any slug, mind you, I'm one of the few remaining individuals of the rare Bostonian Mollusca Knittilus breed. We're on the WWF endangered species list. So as you can see, you're in fine company today. I thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself.

First of all, I am very fond of flowers. And cookies. Anything is better when you add flowers. And cookies.

I'm a voracious reader, and for some reason I mainly enjoy books about the political situation in the Middle East. I'm quite sophisticated, you see. 

Still, it isn't beyond me to relax and have some fun. Get out of character for a while. Halloween is my favourite holiday, and I always go trick or treating. Sadly, my speed limitations doesn't allow me to visit as many houses as I'd liked, but I do enjoy a good costume.

Count Slugula

By the way - would you like to hear a joke? It's my favourite.

"Waiter, there's a slug in my soup!"
"But of course, it's your cousin Wally."

Why didn't you laugh? Perhaps it'd help if I posted a picture of my cousin Wally:

He's my best friend, but he can also be a pain in the slime. He keeps boasting about his fancy shell, and his ladyfriends. I wish Susie would sell Wally's shell by the seashore. That'd show the slag... Sometimes Wally's bragging makes me feel grumpy.

But for the most part Wally and I get along.

I'm getting tired, so I think I'll wrap things up and slide back into my sleeping bag. It was nice meeting you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand if you're once again wondering if I've lost my bonkers I do believe we have established that QUITE some time ago... I can explain why I allowed my blog to be slimed away with (knitted!) slugs today, though.

Me and slugs - we go way back. It's a looooooong story, but let me do the short version: I am/was a Harry Potter geek. In this capacity I spent some time at a Harry Potter website (where I met most of my fellow Burrowers, incidentally). On this site I developed a complicated theory that slugs somehow were important to the Harry Potter series, since they were frequently mentioned. It went as far as me counting how many slug references each book held. I may or may not have written a fanfic about slugs. Slugs and me - it was a thing.

As a consequence of this, the WONDERFUL Leanne (also of the Burrow variety) KNITTED me a slug! That is - as you may have guessed - Sluggie (he really is very offended that I cannot remember his full name).

Finally, today's post is the result of a challenge, which in turn is a result of the challenge that initiated this week - my threesome O-post. Since we had so much fun with the threesome, we decided to extend the challenge to a foursome, where we each posted in each our styles (or our knitted pet's styles...), using four keywords or topics if you like. Tami provided soup. Natasha offered sophisticated. Tara came up with slags. And I couldn't not pick slugs. I have absolutely no idea what any of them will write, but I do have a feeling it will be entertaining. Thus I highly recommend paying them a visit, and learn all you ever wanted to know (and more) about these four fascinating topics...

On distant digital derivation (and a digression or two)

This weekend I attended a photo class. It was a impulsive thing - a wish generated by my mother, adopted by me, triggered by an ad in our local newspaper, and eventually followed through by the combined effort of miscommunication and generosity. My mother entered us despite me having laid other plans, and without knowing the cost. When discovering the cost (which was a little over the price we'd expected), she offered to pay. I altered my original plan, and we were thus able to participate.

Much alike how I will change my original plan for this post. 

I meant to write a little about the class, about how useful it had been, and to show a few samples of snapshots that proved I had through the course of 14 hours concentrated on one hectic weekend, I had become a superb photographer. But then the course didn't prove that. 

What I learned through this course, in addition to the stuff on the curriculum, was a) that I am NOT (as I thought) a good-ish amateur photographer; I am a terribly mediocre one, b) my beloved camera, Buck, that has been my compadre for four years, on three continents, during various times of stress and worry; is outdated. Buck is no class act camera. Buck has limitations, and c) if I want to take great pictures I also will have to do some post-shot work, meaning Photoshop. Tampering with images is no longer an issue; only purists will consider it any different than doing work in a darkroom. Photoshop is the darkroom of the digital age. 

It was three largeish disappointments to handle on top of a whole lot of (very useful) information regarding shutter speed, aperture, ISO, file formats, lightning, composition and so on. The class was interesting; the instructor impressive, engaging and lovely; and I think in the long run it will make me appreciate photography more. It has triggered a new set of thoughts around this vagueish hobby of mine. But I feel I had more use of learning of these things than of learning how to use them (especially since I didn't learn how to use them, due to points a) and b), and by default c) (since I don't have or plan to get Photoshop) above. But rather than taking all these new "rules" I've learned and putting them into use, I prefer learning by doing. Walking the road myself, see what happens. Okay, so the chances are that I will take a gazillion crappy photographs. But perhaps that is the price I have to pay to find my way of taking those few, great ones I sometimes feel I get. 

One could easily turn this into a writing analogy. I recently almost applied for a writing class. I didn't tell a soul about it, because I didn't want to face having to deal with people's reactions should I not get in. In the end, I shouldn't have worried, since I didn't even apply. One reason was the whole Japan debacle that turned my life upside down for quite a while (and to an extent still does). But at the same time, this freed up considerable amounts of time, so if I had wanted I still could have applied. 

The deadline was April 1st. I ended up not even trying. I could analyze it all day long, and I could make excuses all day long. It makes very little difference. But the lesson from the photo class applies here too: a writing class might have infuriated me more than inspired me, since I like to walk the path myself. Everything I know about writing, I have taught myself, from reading. By adding new genres, new authors, new books, I have expanded my horizon. Obviously there are still things I could have learned from a writing class, but I am not sure I'm ready to go there just yet. I need to figure out things on my own first, then I can absorb more information, more "rules", more ideas. 

Or maybe I'm just scared to discover that I am mediocre, that I am outdated, and that I need to "Photoshop" my work before it's ready for the world? 

Or. Maybe my failure to apply for the class has to do with the general post-Japan funk I've been hitting lately. I'm having a hard time getting out of bed, getting my butt off the chair in front of my computer, enjoying the weather, enjoying free time. I've been restless and motionless at the same time. I don't have anything to do, but there is an abundance of things I could do, should I feel like it. But I don't. I don't feel like doing anything. It took me days to summon the energy to write one single email to my current (former? Past and future?) employer to ask them if anything regarding "my situation" had changed. Will I go back? I still don't know. They still don't know. Shall I apply for jobs? Of course I shall. But I postpone. And postpone. It took me another day to change two lines in my resume. At this rate it will take weeks before I send off any applications. 

Limbo funk. Writing funk. Spring funk. Japan funk. And now photo funk. I need to snap out of it, but I don't really feel like it. I feel like sitting in a blanket hut in my room with a flashlight, pretending that the grown-ups are monsters, and that they cannot reach me as long as I keep completely still. 

This post is long, especially for A-Z standards. And yet I am asking you to visit a few links I'm about to post. Outrageous. One is another blog post I wrote for today. Over at Burrowers, Books & Balderdash the complete different side of my funk is showing - the silly side. Then, at our Burrow website, www.the-burrow.org, our collective spring mood is displayed in a brand new drabble feature. ¨

Finally, I read a blog post by the lovely Bru yesterday that really made me nod and shake my head all at the same time. She makes some very good points about the A-Z challenge, and I think the post and the comments below are well worth a read no matter how you feel about the challenge (but please keep the discussion civil). Obviously I don't agree with everything she says, since I am participating. But I must admit it got to me, even if I feel I've been clear from I signed up that I'm in this for my own part - for regularity - and not to gain followers. I won't attempt to visit every other blog in the challenge, and I don't expect every participant to visit mine. The new blogs I find as a result of the challenge, I consider a bonus. (I had a longer comment on this over at Bru's blog, but something technical sumfink has been messing with me, because it is all gone, and it was waaaay too long for me to even consider writing it again.)

Anyway. In response to Bru, possibly; as a way of talking myself through the funk, definitely; and because the whole "reader friendly, short post" concept doesn't always go well with my random, digressionary nature - this has been the monster post of the century. Bear over with me, and come back for Wordless Wednesday tomorrow (it will be a picture from my sorrow-less, pre-photo class days as a good-ish amateur, when Buck was solid gold and I thought Photoshop was for the tech savvy alone). Thanks for listening.  

On pictures and words

If 1 picture > 1000 words, could you watch 473 pictures and say you've read The Lord of the Rings?

Could you take 50 snapshots, and claim to have "won" NaNoWriMo? 

Could you query an agent, pretending that you only took 80 pictures, while you actually sneaked (sorry, Tami, snuck) an additional 12 into the album?

I think not. Though sometimes a picture is worth quite a lot of words. Like this one: 

By my count, it is worth 179 words. 

You'll have to swing by Burrowers, Books & (today more than ever) Balderdash to find out which words. 

On chocolate. And then some.

I took on quite the research project for today's "Topical Tuesday" post over at Burrowers, Books & Balderdash. It started out as a new perspective on Valentine's Day (as if we didn't have enough of that last week, right..?), inspired by my surprise at the Japanese version of the Western holiday (they do so love to adopt holidays over here). But then I discovered a whole new story within the story, which led me to read up on African politics, specifically that of the Ivory Coast (or Côte d'Ivoire, as I've now learned it's supposed to be - though I am not sure why the French name reminding them of the colonial past is better than the English version meaning the exact same thing..).

As usual, you'll have to go over there to read the full post. This is just a teaser, and an outlet for all the things I didn't manage to fit into the post at BB&B. For instance the demoralizing statistics on fair-trade chocolate versus definitely-not-fair-at-all-trade chocolate (the fair-trade one only accounted for about 1% of the market share in 2005, the most recent number I could find). The latter often uses child labour, many of which are the victims of human trafficking and slavery.

As if this was not enough, cocoa production also contributes to deforestation, as the coca trees often compete with rain forests for space. The cocoa tree itself is also a fragile plant, which holds an important part in the ecosystem. With deforestation, the cocoa tree is endangered too, and farmers will constantly need to chop down new areas of forest to plant new cocoa trees. Thus it is a vicious cycle.

All this reading made me want to stop eating chocolate and go hug a tree (if it hadn't been for the fact that I once heard that trees were actually hurt by hugging...). Instead I wrote a blog post (or two, actually, since this one probably also counts with all its depressing facts) about it - so maybe you can find the inspiration to stop eating chocolate and (not) hug a tree.

No. I'm not pointing any proverbial fingers (not even the middle one, though the cruelty in cocoa production does seem to warrant it). I bought a packet of chocolate myself today (though in my defense, it was before all the researching took place...), and there isn't as much as a hint of any fair-trade emblems or rain forest frogs on it. Thus I am pretty sure I would be tossing cocoa beans in a glass house...

We should all be buying only fair-trade. We should all recycle, and while we're at it, we should floss our teeth and make our bed every morning. It is when I realize I fail on most of the above I wonder if I'm a faux idealist - if I am not willing to change myself, then how can I expect the world to change?

At least I can advertise. Buy fair-trade! 

And if you see this little guy on your products, you can be sure it didn't kill any trees.

If you want to read more, I found this pretty cool blog - The Frog Blog - which is where the Rainforest Alliance shares info about new initiatives. One of them, the REDD+ is a UN programme to reduce emissions in developing countries by providing a financial initiative (so there is environment and development). As for fair-trade, you find lots of useful info on both the Fairtrade International and World Fair Trade Organization. For instance, you can here see lists of products that are fair-trade, so that the next time you go chocolate shopping, you have a choice.

On even more yuki

Last weekend was a cold affair in Tokyo (see previous post if you don't believe me), but it was even colder in Yokohama. See this post if you still don't believe me. I've no idea why you suddenly seem to think I'm a liar. Could it be because I trespassed on a cemetery and briefly considered consuming alcohol in a public place? Surely not. But you might have to check out Burrowers, Books & Balderdash to be on the safe side...

Also, extra points if you can tell me what's happening in the picture below:

Seriously. If there is a giraffe grooming salon somewhere nearby, I want to go there!!!

On Valentine's Day

It might be "funy", but what struck me with this piece of art (spotted at the Valentine Exhibit at a local gallery. "Local" being a vague term, since it's nowhere close to me. But it was very much local where it was located. Funy that) was that the artist was very talented. I do find it slightly ironical that while I was able to take a picture, the piece really was "unphotographable", as my meager shot really can't do the simple brilliance of the artwork any justice. Is it my favourite work of art? Well, it certainly was my favourite at the exhibit in question. So if you find yourself nearby a local gallery, why don't you have a look? It might be the right one. And it might make you smile with your heart.

Happy Valentine's Day!


Also, make sure to visit www.the-burrow.org today, regardless of whether you have a funy or funny valentine - or none at all. The Burrow and guests have put together a collection of drabbles inspired in some way or other by love, but not merely romantic love. Because, to once again refer to The English Patient (it's been a theme lately, sorry...), what word takes on more different meanings when an adjective is placed in front of it than love?


"Love? Romantic love, platonic love, filial love---? Quite different things, surely?" ~ Katharine Clifton


So please stop by for your fix of [insert adjective] love. At least one new drabble will be up all through February.

On magical realism

Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction ^[1] in which magical elements are blended into a realistic atmosphere in order to access a deeper understanding of reality. These magical elements are explained like normal occurrences that are presented in a straightforward manner which allows the "real" and the "fantastic" to be accepted in the same stream of thought. 

Above is a direct quote from the Wikipedia article on magical (or magic) realism. I even included the original links, in case you're fuzzy on the definition of "fiction" (I know I am). If the Wikipedia article had been written with magical realism, it would have read something like this:

Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction ^[1] in which magical elements are giraffed into a realistic giraffe in order to access a deeper understanding of giraffe. These magical giraffes are explained like normal occurrences that are presented in a straightforward giraffe which allows the "real" and the "fantastic" to be accepted in the same stream of giraffe. 

Actually, I'm being silly. Magical realism rarely have anything to do with giraffes.

However, elements that to the average reader seem far out will occur, and while it is a powerful tool for many writers, it is equally challenging for many readers. My concern is that magical realism often for a reader will feel like the author takes the "easy way out". As any writer will know, we occasionally write ourselves into corners it is hard to get out from (and unlike with painting, it's not always sufficient to wait until it dries...). It seems to me that certain writers choose to get out of these corners by adding fantastical elements into otherwise realistic stories. If you're a fantasy writer - fine, you're allowed to have characters that can fly (at least if it fits with the "rules" of your magical universe). But if you're writing literary fiction, it seems like you're grasping at straws if the main character suddenly develops wings...

Anyway, I realize I am being superficial here. Magical realism can be used as a means of conveying a deeper meaning of the story. It can be used to evoke images of mythology or a cultural background the text otherwise would lack. In fact, many would argue that my issues with magical realism has to do with my cultural background: often, Western readers are more dissociated from their mythological roots than non-Western cultures (or, again, so Wikipedia informs me). Perhaps. Perhaps I just prefer to compartmentalize my genres and find that magical realism pushes me out of my comfort zone as it's neither this nor that.

Either way, many talented and popular authors have used it successfully. Paulo Coelho comes to mind (though he is no favourite of mine, he certainly has a large following), as do Isabelle Allende, and the Japanese author Haruki Murakami.

Murakami is, incidentally, the subject of today's blog over at Burrowers, Books and Balderdash. Well, not so "incidentally", actually, since I wrote that blog too. You see, I prefer the "magic" in my writing to have a natural explanation... Why don't you stop by and see if and how my dislike for magical realism and fondness of Murakami's books can coexist?

On digital reading

There are many opinions about the digital reading devices that have become the big opportunity and headache for the publishing industry and customers alike. Judging by it's name, the Kindle intends to start a fire, but it's popularity seems to spread like wildfire. We can only hope that book burning won't be the result.

I was skeptical at first, not listening to voices explaining digital reading was the future; that it was environmentally friendly; that it felt just like a book once you got reading. But then I caved. This Christmas, the Kindle was my only major wish, and I got it. I have so far been very happy with it, and I see no reason that would change.

I do, however, see some reasons why the Kindle might change me as a reader and a book buyer. In this age of digital reading, you might be interested to know what these reasons are too, but I am not going to let you in on it here, of course. I am being tricky again, leading you to think you will get a full post here while it is actually located over at Burrowers, Books and Balderdash, where I am this week's Reading Monday host. Join me there, and don't forget to let me know how you feel about digital reading - will you stick to paper or has technology lured you into its seductive claws?

On burrowing again

I am burrowing again. Meaning I am blogging over at Burrowers, Books and Balderdash. I am a little rusty, and still very much busy (the post over there might explain things - lately I've basically been living at work). Hopefully you'll all forgive me. I hope to accumulate some time to visit blogs again this week (if I still remember how...), but until then - enjoy a frustrated vent from a poor retail worker in this pre-Christmas time of the Big Crazy.

Speaking of the Burrow - have you all visited our 2010 Advent Calendar, which isn't really an Advent Calendar at all, because it continues until New Years, over at www.the-burrow.org? Say you will!

Toodles my spaghettinis!

On colour

I recently read Oliver Sacks' The Island of the Colorblind, where he describes two journeys to islands in the Pacific Ocean - some of which has a unusual rate of people genetically disposed to develop achromatopsia, colourblindness. Like Sacks I wonder what it would be like to never having seen colour. It is one thing being colourblind in the sense that you cannot distinguish a red ball in the middle of a green lawn (a condition relatively common, especially among men), even if this can cause enough problems (watch Little Miss Sunshine if you need further proof). But having absolutely no perception of colour, that your entire world consists of shades of black and white and grey, is unfathomable to me (though if you want a glimpse of what the world looks like through the eyes of someone who knows, you should check out the incredibly talented Meghan Sims). It sounds oddly like living in an old movie. However, I learned from the book that it is slightly less glamorous than that, since people with this condition also tend to have other problems with their vision, as well as the social implications it might have "being different".

It might seem like a strange jump to go from this to the current Burrow feature, which is a tribute to colours.  We have picked pictures relating to a colour and organized them in a specter, where one drabble unlocks every day for the month of October. Even if someone with achromatopsia would only see the pictures in shades of grey, or even blurry shades of grey, however, they might enjoy the drabbles which in one way or another are tied to the colour it's representing. No one can describe colours in words, perhaps, but we're never afraid to take on a challenge in the Burrow.

So, whether your colour vision is perfect or not, I urge you to visit www.the-burrow.org this month and throughout November to get an idea how we see the world through colours.

On good news and bad news

If you're sick of me writing "I'm not here, I am over at the Burrow" posts, I have both good and bad news for you. Let's start with the bad:

I'm not really here. I am over at Burrowers, Books & Balderdash today, where I present a tool. Depending on your definition of choice, this could be almost any kind of post, though one clue might be that today is Writing Tuesday at the Burrow...

Now onto the good news (though again, this depends on your definition. Personally, I'm a little ambiguous).  This will be the last time for a while that I announce that I am posting elsewhere. The reason is that I have been granted a Burrow-break, a hiatus, a sabbatical so to speak. Because my attention the next couple of months probably will be even more focused on my bloo.. ahem, lovely thesis, I have decided that the fewer distractions the better (and where does NaBloWriMo fit into all of this? It really doesn't, that's where... But logic has never been my thing...). So, I will post here every now and then, but I won't feel the need to offer quality posts (sorry) all the time. For non-quality stuff, though, check back in all through October!

So, for the last time in a while: if you want your fix of digressions, the place to be today is  Burrowers, Books & Balderdash! (Now don't be such a tool about it)

On Peace One Day

When I was in Japan in 2006 I was invited to a local celebration of Peace One Day. I had no idea what Peace One Day was, but after a quick introduction in the car on our way there, and then a viewing of the Peace One Day movie, I begun to realize I had just become part of something big. Our local Akita celebration hardly tore down any walls, but I think that the people who participated (I know I did) felt that we had been empowered to go out in the world and spread the word about what Peace One Day is all about. That is what I am doing right now.

Peace One Day is a concept developed by filmmaker Jeremy Gilley who in 1999 decided to try to convince the world community that just one day of world peace could be the starting point for something much bigger. His initial goal was to make September 21st the United Nations official day of peace. In 2001 this was achieved, with the 192 member nations voting for adopting this day as an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. Peace One Day had won its first victory, but the project was not over.

Since 2001 the work of Jeremy and his organization has spread the word about Peace One Day. The new goal is to reach out to 3 billion people by 2012. Peace Day is supposed to be a day of non-violence, both between nations, within countries, and between individual people. Call me a hippie, but if we can make 3 billion people stop being violent in every aspect of their lives for just one day each year, that is one hing of an accomplishment.

This year I think the thought behind Peace One Day holds a particular meaning to me. I’m finally in the process of putting the finishing touches on my thesis. For two years I have been surrounded by narratives, images, old documents and history books – all telling various aspects of the same tragic story. The people in the Middle East has been living in a state of war, or under the threat of war, for more than 60 years. After having seen what it does to me to only hear about it for two years, I can’t imagine what it must feel like to live in the middle of it a lifetime.

The current negotiations offers a slim, but much needed hope. I can’t say that I believe it is as easy as a signed document in front of a smiling Obama (and I’m not even saying I believe that will happen). But I have to hope. One day of peace will not save the Middle East either, but again I want us to hope. Hope that each day without war will somehow make the world slightly better. That perhaps we eventually can talk about Peace One Week, or Peace One Month. That enough people will be convinced that peace is the way to go, and that war is not.

Thus I encourage you to take part in this. Spread the word about Peace One Day. Raise the awareness. Remember that if just one man could do all this, then perhaps it is time the rest of us start paying attention.


Happy International World Peace Day!
http://www.youtube.com/peaceoneday


Also - in a slightly related vein I'd like to tell you about another, much smaller project. Imagine that one good deed set in motion a chain of events that lead to a slightly better day for each person affected. In August, The Burrow invited a number of our friends to participate in a drabble cycle - inspired by a post by B. Miller - where each mini-story covers a selfless action that helps another human (and in one case an extra-terrestial) being. The Burrow Pay It Forward project will only be up a few more days before a new project is due, so I urge you to visit www.the-burrow.org ASAP to get a chance to read all the drabbles.

On إعلان oznámení bekendtgørelse Ankündigung ανακοίνωση anuncio ilmoitus*

I have two announcements to make today. First of all, it is Friday the 17th of September 2010. You probably already knew that. Unless you're reading this late, which means that it can be Saturday the 18th of September 2010, or Sunday the 19th, or even Tuesday the 3rd of March 2065 (but I highly doubt that since by then the apocalypse surely will have wiped out the internet and the human species and probably even this blog). Even if you are reading this late, however, the chances are that you already knew what date this was posted, since it says so right at the top. Boy, what a useless announcement.

The second announcement, however, is slightly more thought-through. I hear there is another post up at Burrowers, Books and Balderdash. The reason I heard is that I wrote it, and then told myself. I can be complicated that way. So, I guess this announcement only serves to gently ask you to head over there and check it out. Or, you know, you can take a nap.

Happy weekend!

* These are all the translations the Free Online Dictionary suggested for "announcement". Not one of them is Norwegian. I am slightly offended.

On to these messages before our regularly scheduled program continues....

This is the blog equivalent of a commercial break. So, if you're dying to get up, take a leak, make a snack, change channels, this would be the time. Since I'm the sponsor of this show - er, blog - however, it is within my interest to make you stay and watch the commercials. My trick to lure you in is that I broke off my post at an extreme point of tension (a blogiversary! Yay! But what's next? Is she going to continue in the same giraffable mode, or will she digress her way onto new topics?), so that you have no choice but to sit through the commercial break to make sure you don't miss as much as a second of the actual post (and at no point do you suspect that the commerical IS the actual post, because that is how clever my marketing strategy is). You just painfully sit back in your couch, suffering through the stupid commercials while waiting for the return of your show blog.


1) Feeling a little blue? The Burrow has the solution. A drabble a week, makes you happy and sleek!
A new drabble dare is up at Burrowers, Books & Balderdash, and it is your loss if you don't participate. Talk to your doctor today about Drabbles.
Common side effects are drowsiness, giddiness, fatigue, mouth sores and death.


2) Could reading a blog really make you laugh more than two times per minute? Could unfamiliar viewpoints on a familiar concept really cause unnecessary confusion? Could there be anything more annoying than commercials consisting solely of rhetorical questions? Really?
There is also a new blog post up at Burrowers, Books & Balderdash, and even though it might seem like it is written by a madwoman, the owners of the blog claim not to know where the post came from. You'll have to check it out for yourself to see if you can reply to any of the questions above with confidence. Can you?
Subject to reading habits, laughing habits, geography and other restrictions. May not be available everywhere.


Once the commercial break is over, though, you come to realize that you indeed could have gone for a snack, since the show you were watching blog you were reading always offers a recap before returning to the point of tension... In this blog, for instance, we have just read an interesting post about blogiversaries (and by "just" I mean three days ago). Coming next, a post about record stores. Or cute guys. Or embarassing memories. Or all of the above? Stay tuned...

On bold faced confessions

Well, well... We had some interesting guesses yesterday. Perhaps I am better at lying than I thought. Or perhaps I am just very tricksy. The task was to create six truths and one lie, or six lies and one truth. I actually chose to come up with a bunch of half-truths, a few complete falsehoods and one I cannot talk my way out of, even if I once tried.... If you didn't read the original post, all my lies can be found here. Let's sum up:


The truth behind the lies:

1) While I have had many of those jobs at one point or other, I have - as Patricia guessed - never written obituaries. In fact, I have never been paid for anything I’ve written. And I suppose it’s a stretch to say I’ve been a maid as well, even if I felt like I was doing a lot of cleaning when I lived with my parents (I didn’t really).

2) I did once cut a class to go see the Crown Prince (he was opening a museum in my home town, which is something of an event I can assure you) as many of you guessed. However, this was definitely not the only time I “played hooky”. Though most of the occasions when I didn’t feel like going to school I pretended to be sick, and then I felt so guilty I actually got sick. Most of the time...

3) My bike-o-phobia is completely false (no, Leigh, I guess I'm not your daughter's twin after all). I learnt to ride a bike as a kid (not sure of the exact age, but maybe seven-ish?). It isn’t entirely far-fetched that I’m not overly comfortable on a bike, though. I especially don’t like riding bikes in cities (so it’s out of the question here in Oslo).


4) I wish I had travelled that much! Actually, the only continents I have visited are Europe and North America. I have been to Asia, but as Japan technically isn’t part of the continent… Okay, maybe that counts. I still have a lot of travelling to do, though. And the story about Egypt is true. Stupid war! I really want to go to Africa (and not just because of the giraffes).

6) The story about me applying for a show theatre doesn't have a grain of truth in it. The mere thought of myself in that setting is completely ridiculous. However, something similar happened to my sister (and she was brave enough to go to the audition… Man, I wish I had photographic evidence!)

7) The funny thing is that this is true – almost. I once was asked to leave the Opera House, but I didn't get a fine - I only got a warning. The “public drinking” consisted of opening one can of beer, and I should specify that this took place on the roof of the Opera House (hm... That doesn't make it sound any better... It might help if I add that the glacier looking architechture of the Opera has made it a popular hang-out where you can walk freely all over it - including on the roof). It actually is illegal to drink in public in Norway, except in establishments that have a license (so it’s legal to drink in a restaurant, but not on the pavement outside the restaurant). This rule is not often enforced, though, otherwise the cops would have a blast in any given park every sunny day all summer. The Opera House, though – don’t try it…


As for the truth (5) – what can I say? I was a goodie two-shoe, and I couldn’t bear the thought of one poorly crafted wooden box to blemish my perfect report card…



For those of you who have a few moments to spare today I also have a post up at the Burrow Blog. While you're there I also highly recommend checking out this week's drabble challenge. I'm very eager to see what you all can come up with to match the excellent picture Tara picked out for us :)

On wolves, maybe?

Cherio, good people!

I'm over at the Burrow Blog again today where I offer my advice on... Oh, I won't give it away here, of course. You'll have to run over there to find out!


I do have a little something for here too, though. See, I keep getting these awards. I know, what a hazzle, right? Nah, I’m kidding, of course. I LOVE awards, because it makes me feel all blog loved (bloved? Lovged? Blovged?) plus it is a wonderful opportunity for me to discover new blogs. So yay!


I am terrible, terrible at passing them on, though. So I thought that since I planned to write a “head over to the Burrow” post today anyway (makes me sound like the world’s worst blogger – yesterday I didn’t so much post as show you pictures of my coffee mugs… Sheesh!), I might as well take this opportunity to share some blove (after much consideration I think this is the term I’ll coin).

A small clarification is in order, though. Most of these awards come with conditions such as “pass on to 173 bloggers” or “write 52 interesting things about yourself”. While I like rules as a rule (hah), I also like to break them… I will pass these awards on to a few, very deserving bloggers, regardless of rules. It’s just the way I roll…

First of all Clarissa at Listen to the Voices (a blog that offers great tips and clues for writers, by the way) gave me the Supportive Commenter Award. I have lots of supportive commenters, and I cherish them all (and try to reply to them and visit back every now and then), but there is one that practically never misses a post. Thus, I hereby award the Supportive Commenter Award to Yvonne of Welcome To My World Of Poetry. Congratulations!

Secondly, I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from Rosie and Jamie (or The Powdered Toast Man. Hope I didn’t just reveal his superhero identity). I already accepted this one in all its “Reveal Seven Things About Yourself” glory, so this time I’ll stick to passing it on to one awesome blogger: my dear friend Chary at Bronx Tales and Inner Musings. Chary is a member of the Burrow, so we go back way before we became bloggers. However, I am really glad she dived into blogging as well, because her point of view as a writer/mom/wife/daughter/sister/American/New Yorker/Puerto Rican/teacher/[insert many more labels], expressed in drabbles/memoirs/short essays on debate topics/[insert form of writing] always provide food for thought.

Finally, I was much to my surprise awarded another award this week, by Mohamed Mughal. The Trendy Blog Award astonished me because I never think of myself as “trendy” (and frankly, it baffles me that anyone else would think so). But I very much appreciate it. Mohamed is one of those writers that have so many clever thoughts (and ponderings) that I almost am afraid to comment. He is also very down to earth, though, so there really is no need to worry. You should all click “open link in new window/tab” (since I don’t want you to disappear from here before I have said everything I wanted to say…) and go check his blog out.

Anyway, the irony isn’t lost on me that I received this award directly after having read a post from Deb and Barbara at The Middle Ages about how they were annoyed with “Hot/Not” lists made by people who apparently elevate themselves to judges over what is trendy and not. The post triggered a nice debate where the common consensus appeared to be that it is more important to find what you like and your own style than to mindlessly follow trends. I am not criticizing the award or those of you who do like to follow trends – after all, staying tuned with trends can be a great way of exploring new things – but I would like to add an extra element into this award.

To me, trendy isn’t just following what’s “in”, but rather sticking with your own style and voice, and make others see the value of this. After all, that is how trends are made. Thus my final award today goes to a lady who is not afraid of speaking her mind. She definitely has a style of her own, and she proudly displays it. She definitely inspires others to do the same. That is as trendy as it gets to me. Thus, February Grace, you have been given the Trendy Blog Award!



I actually have one more award up my sleeve (what a misleading “finally” it was up there, you might think), but I will hold that one a little bit longer. I might consider following the rules for that one (ish).

Now that I have said everything I wanted to say here, I suggest you go there and see what I really meant to say today. (It might have something to do with the title of this post. But then maybe not.)

On mug shots*

I was going to write a "I don't really have anything to write about today"-post, but then I realized that I do have something to write about. See, I think there are still one or two of you out there who don't know I am nuts. It is time to change that. I hereby present you my collection of coffee mugs:

The Twins. These were actually given to me by two different people on different occasions. My giraffability is well-known!

The Secretive. It's got a LID!!! How awesome is that?

The Pretty Giraffe. No caption needed.

The Silly Giraffe. Still no caption needed...

The GIANTS. It might not be apparent from the picture, but these two are about twice as large as the rest of my mugs.

The Welsh. This one I got from my friend Tara when we met for the first time in person, two years ago.

Tara's mug has more than one side to it, of course ;)

There. If I haven't convinced you I am nuts by now ("Hey, I post pictures of my cat. Why can't she post pictures of her mugs?"), I'll probably never succeed. There are a few that didn't make it into this blog because I don't have them nearby (one of my current favourites - "Fruits and Nuts in History" - lives at the university). Maybe I can make a "On mugs part two" post sometime in the future?

The only lucid thing I wanted to include in today's post will have to come at the end of my insanity. Please make sure to check out this week's drabble challenge over at the Burrow Blog. Unless you're reading this unreasonably late, there is still time to let the creative juices flow and write down a 100 word long story for us. Who knows, YOU might be our next winner! (I promise there will be no commemorative aming the prizes...)

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*For those who are confused because this post used to have another title, I feel I should clarify. I changed it after my blog buddy Boonsong made a most excellent comment (see comment section below) that made me realize I had not exhausted the title potential of this post. Amends have now been made.

On spiders

Itsy, bitsy spider...

I'm almost 100% certain that I lost a few readers on the title of this post, and a few more on the three first words. People with arachnophobia (fear of spiders) are among the most outspoken of phobics (is that a word? Should it be? I think so, but I always think so... Maybe I should check... Ha! It IS a word, and it even means what I thought it did!).

The other day a coworker of mine was telling (or acting out, actually - it's kind of slow in the bookshop during the summer...) about how she had killed a spider by use of an entire bottle of detergent, fifteen plastic bags and her roomate's slipper... When I teasingly tapped her shoulder directly thereafter, she nearly fainted because she thought it was a spider. I also have a friend who is so afraid of spiders, that one time she was house-sitting she did not go into the bathroom for a whole week because she had spotted a spider in there... (Before you ask - yes, the house does have two bathrooms. I do believe she used the other one)

Why, then, since I know the topic of spiders makes so many people uncomfortable, do I still choose to write a blog post about it? Well, I didn't exactly. I wrote a post about something else entirely, but I wrote it over at the Burrow Blog... So you'll have to scoot over there and check it out!

(For the record, the blog post over there is slightly spider related, but no worries - I am fairly sure I won't cause any nightmares. Not about spiders, at least...)

On Summer Reading

I'm on a mini-vacation back in my hometown for a few days, so I hope no one will think terribly of me for spending more time with my family than in the blogosphere... In addition I am also hoping to get some reading done. I have finished the first four Percy Jackson books, and I am craving the fifth. If you happen to work in a bookshop in Oslo that carries it, can you please hold it for me until Wednesday? (My own shop is out, and the publisher is out, so I can only hope that there are stores that still have them in stock, or I will have to order it from abroad and that will take FOREVER!) I have also brought another book - Mark Zusak's "I Am The Messenger", which also should be very good if I am to judge from the other book of his I have read - "The Book Thief".

Summer reading is on my mind, then, more than writing. This should also be evident in the little something I have written today over at the Burrow Blog. It's my first "real" post there, (yesterday's Drabble Dare - which you should also check out, there are still four days left to churn out 100 words - didn't really count as a "real" post...), so please head over and take a look. Don't hesitate to leave a comment there - we are a friendly bunch, and we're most happy with any sort of attention ;)

Hope the rest of you are having a great day and that you are able to get some reading or writing or whatever you'd like to do to praise the summer (or winter, if you're down under...). Have a great Monday, everyone!