Samuel Clemens

For some reason lately I occasionally think of this somewhat bourgeois but valuable sentiment: "If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life." That is an introduction to the below paragraphs.

"Words realize nothing, vivify nothing to you, unless you have suffered in your own person the thing which the words try to describe. There are wise people who talk ever so knowingly and complacently about the "working classes," and satisfy themselves that a day's hard intellectual work is very much harder than a day's hard manual toil and is righteously entitled to much bigger pay. Why they really think that, you know, because they know all about the one, but haven't tried the other. But I know all about both; and so far as I am concerned, there isn't money enough in the universe, to hire me to swing a pickax thirty days but I will do the hardest kind of intellectual work for just about as near nothing as you can cipher down -- and I will be satisfied , too.

"Intellectual "work" is misnamed; it is a pleasure, a dissipation, and is its own highest reward. The poorest paid architect, engineer, general, author, sculptor, painter, lecturer, advocate, legislator, actor, preacher, singer is constructively in heaven when he is at work; and as for the musician with the fiddlebow in his hand who sits in the midst of a great orchestra with the ebbing and flowing tides of divine sound washing over him -- why certainly, he is at work, if you wish to call it that, but lord, it's a sarcasm just the same. The law of work does seem utterly unfair -- but there it is, and nothing can change it: the higher the pay in enjoyment the worker gets out of it, the higher shall be his pay in cash, also."
- From "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court"

Cate's contribution.
You may not be able to see the link if you're not on facebook. Sorry.

Don't take the above quotation necessarily as my own opinion. I don't know if the best summer of my life was spent gardening or teaching how to garden.


In addition:
Every day I am in Copenhagen makes me love this city more.

Cate is in Scandinavia with me, as the contribution should make clear.

Happy New Years. I love you all.

The Dude

This weekend I found a good little cafe/bar hidden away in Grunnerlokka called Cafe Mir. It is hidden away off the street, occupying two floors of a building covered with some pretty rad art. Downstairs has two foos tables. It is always good to find new places while exploring that I can dig on. I spent a few hours on Saturday early evening exploring. Much of the city center is lit up with Christmas decorations, and it makes the darkness bearable, really.

I also finally went back to the Munch Museum for the first time since SUST 05. I picked up some postcards too. I like Munch alright, he is a good artistic counterpart to Knut Hamsun's early work. They both capture the inner turmoil and dread of early-modernism with its existential crises. I think anyway. And Munch does a great job portraying the dark side of Norwegian society.

This is walking down Karl Johans Gate.

I've been pretty busy the last week updating the reading compendium for Divided States of Europe. Because the program hadn't been run before it needed to be filled out a bit. It needed to be spiced up with easier and less academic readings. The more interesting additions are part of Vaclav Havel's Disturbing the Peace, bits from Darkulic's Cafe Europa that I was reading earlier this semester, Lech Walesa's Nobel acceptance speech, and the chapter on Solidarity in A Force More Powerful. That's the less academic stuff, anyway. There was some heavier additions like Habermas as well as some research from a few Scandinavian NGO's. When the syllabus is complete I'll make it available.

We still haven't gotten the compiled evaluations back from HECUA, though we've been told this week. I'm just glad I've been able to sink my teeth in the syllabus project instead of stressing about the evals and feeling lonely with folks gone or leaving.

I do have a couple friends sticking around for the spring, but no one I am close to right now. Charloette, formerly a SUSTer, will be around. Tim, the German I hung out with a couple times early in the semester, has extended into the Spring. Knut Erik, Martin's friend, will be here of course. I've also met another German I got coffee with last week and we've made similar plans this week. She leaves this weekend but will be back in February.

There is also the small matter of visitors! Cate will be here in less than two weeks! We're staying in Oslo for Christmas, but will go for a week trip to Copenhagen, including New Years, and then to Stockholm. AND, I've got friends coming! That's right, Amanda and Neal ponied up the cash to make the trip: Jan 2-12. I've known Amanda for a couple years, first peripherally through Jane Addams School, then as a roommate of a friend's, then as Youth Farm West Side Program Director. Neal was in Americorps with me this last year, working on the West Side at Guadalupe Alternative Program. He also lived on my block, which led to many unplanned and excellent beers, guitar, and chillin sessions. We all hung out a lot over the spring and summer, and they became good friends of mine.

So things are looking good here overall. The wolf abides.

The National

Here are a couple goodies. They are a couple music videos from the band I went to see last Sunday, The National. They were really good, the best show I've seen since TV on the Radio. I've been digging on their last album, Boxer, this fall so it was a pleasure to actually see a band I liked live. Most of the show was excellent, the music was on, the band energetic, and even funny stage banter. They missed the mark on two songs, and sadly one of those was my favorite: "Fake Empire."

And the audience was pretty lame of course. If you've been to a show with me you know I don't usually move around too much. I'll sway back and forth, rock my head and bounce a bit on my right leg. Moving a bit but not dancing. Folks here are usually such passive listeners, that I'm in the top 5% rocking out. That is shameful.

Anyway, I like this band. Their songs could be accused of sounding too much alike, but I don't care. I like the sound. Most songs start a bit quieter then build into a bit of a jamming crescendo. They keep their songs short so they don't get too indulgent or experimental. Oh and it doesn't hurt that their lyrics are strong and fit my psyche here.





Here is that fave song of mine overlaid on a homevideo of a French family's trip to the USA. Yes, it is kinda strange. They can't do a good live version, from what youtube indicates.

I dream of better weather.

Skate Geekout: Marc Johnson

Oh yes. A few years ago I got a skate video called Modus Operandi. There was a part in there by Marc Johnson that straight up blew me away. You don't have to watch all the videos I'm going to post, but the first minute of this video is definitely worth your time.



This video also introduced me to Built to Spill. I still love this song! Marc's parts have solid music, which is definitely important to building a quality vid part.

Marc skates with an incredibly smooth style while being truly innovative. When this part came out, just about everyone was skating big handrails and jumping down stairs. Marc did a little bit of this, but it was everything else that impressed me. Just a huge bag of tricks that he made look good.
Personality matters a lot when in skateboarding. I liked Marc, not just his skating. He is a bit of a flamboyant goofball at times, yet is shy to fame and seems fairly intelligent.


And then there were my Marc Johnson Emericas. These were probably my favorite skate shoes ever. They lasted a hell of a long time and had ridiculously good feel.

After Modus Marc became my favorite skater. He released a couple bro videos, Tilt Mode and Man Down, and then helped start Enjoi Skateboards with most of that crew. Enjoi has ridiculously absurd ads that are not about skateboarding at all. Good company.




Not long after helping to start Enjoi, Marc left to join the Chocolate Skateboards. Chocolate is sister company to the Girl Skateboarding Co. The two companies and their teams are widely considered among the best in the world. Their videos have rocked my world. Marc had a part in Girl's 2003 video Yeah Right.



More recently Marc has been working on his video part for his new shoe sponsor, Lakai Footwear. Lakai has been working on the Fully Flared video for the last four years, and it is the most highly anticipated skate video in years. Among a number of skate legends, including Eric Koston, Mike Carroll, and the return of Guy Mariano, Marc got the coveted last video part. The video premiered less than two weeks ago and hasn't been released to stores yet.

Even so, everyone in the skate community is talking about Marc's part. And today it was announced that he was awarded Thrasher Magazine's Skater of the Year award. Thrasher's SOTY is skateboarding's ultimate recognition.

The State of Scandinavia

From the centre-right Norwegian daily Aftenposten: "Norway's New Underclass"

"Thousands of people, most of them immigrants with no legal right to be in Norway, are believed to be working in the country under conditions that some experts describe as modern-day slavery.

Newspaper Aftenposten has been running a series of stories describing the lives of many members of the country's new underclass of illegal immigrants. The vast majority sought asylum in Norway, were turned down, but have avoided deportation.

Most are hiding out all over the country, in friends' homes, basements, churches or makeshift shelter. With no legal right to work, and lacking the state tax card necessary to obtain legitimate employment, members of this new underclass are vulnerable to exploitation.

That's because there's a pressing need for labour in Norway, and work abounds. Some employers are as willing to "hire" illegal immigrants at wages well below scale as the immigrants are willing to work.

Among them is "Ziad," a 32-year-old Palestinian who grew up in a refugee camp in Lebanon. He's been living underground in Norway for seven years, ever since his appeal for asylum in Norway was turned down. He sleeps on a mattress on the floor of an Oslo cellar along with six other illegal immigrants in Oslo, and is in constant fear of being seized and deported.

Ziad worked long days for a vegetable dealer in Oslo, also from the Middle East, who regularly abused him and paid him small change. But even that helped Ziad eat, since he's constantly desperate for money. The job ended abruptly when the vegetable dealer replaced him with a family member.

Such stories of desperation are repeated from Kristiansand to Tromsø, and have included a couple who even had a baby girl while hiding out. They're constantly worried her crying will attract attention and reveal their location in a small mountain town."


On a somewhat related note, Norway has slipped from number one to number two in the United Nation's Human Development Index. The HDI ranks nations on the basis of life expectancy, literacy, standard of living, and education.


Amnesty International has accused the government of Denmark of direct discrimination against recent immigrants. Here is the story from the Copenhagen Post: "Amnesty Accuses State of Discrimination

"The human rights watchdog has criticised the government for giving lower social benefits to new immigrants

Amnesty International published a report today labelling the government's controversial Start Help benefit, discriminative and causing poverty and blaming it for marginalizing immigrants.

The benefit, paid instead of the regular state income support, is for unemployed people who have not resided in Denmark for seven out of the previous eight years.

The amount is DKK 11,968 monthly before tax for a family of two adults and two children - an amount lower than the EU margin for poverty.

The start benefit is significantly lower than that of the normal state income support, which amounts to a monthly minimum of DKK 21,672 before tax for the same sized family.

Amnesty finds the benefit directly discriminative as it is primarily given to immigrants and refugees. In 2006, 94 percent of recipients were people with non-Danish backgrounds.

Stinne Lyager Bech, author of the report, emphasised: 'Even if the Start Help benefit was intended for all, in practice, it affects foreigners, and that is illegal.'

She also stated that the legislation was not in accordance with international human rights standards.

'Start Help is an example of discrimination that the Danish state is directly responsible for,' she continued. 'It must therefore be abolished.'

Ida Elisabeth Koch, senior researcher at the Institute of Human Rights, reiterated that the benefit affected Danes and foreigners differently.

Similar cases had been taken to the European Court of Human Rights where it was possible for Start Help recipients to sue national states on charges of discrimination.

The newly appointed integration minister, Birthe Rønn Hornbech, did not wish to comment on the outcome of the report.

However, Karen Elleman the integration spokesperson for the prime minister's Liberal Party, said: 'Start Help is a loving push in the right direction - results show that recipients are more motivated to look for work or enter a study programme.'

that is a wrap

Its been a while since I really updated about whats going on over here.

SUST 07 is done. Last night our group went on an overnight cabin trip in Nordmarka. We are home and the semester is officially over. It was a good trip, with a couple nice hikes through snowy forested hills. Tim made a reindeer stew last night and this morning we had a good American style breakfast. We had a cozy fire inside and a toasty bonfire outside. A few drinks, some cards, some stories.

I am very glad it is over. This semester has been very difficult, and I am really looking forward to a new semester of TAing now that I have more experience. For the next couple of weeks we will have semester wrap-up work and some prep for the spring, and then I have about a month off for vacation. Cate arrives on the 23rd of Dec for two and a half weeks. yes.

We won't receive student evals for a couple weeks yet, until they've been compiled at HECUA and sent back. I am VERY much looking forward to reading them, though I know it will be a stressful and difficult process.

The last few weeks have been pretty busy. I've been enjoying more of the cultural life of Oslo and further developing friendships. I made it to a couple films during the Oslo International Film Festival: Bomb It and I Love Hip-Hop in Morocco. I especially recommend Bomb It, which is a great documentary about graffiti. It looks at its development, its different styles including culture jamming, and also covers several continents. Trailer here.

I made it to another show at the John Dee. This time a Norwegian bluegrass band, Ila Auto, that was surprisingly excellent. Folks were dancing and singing along, which is rare here. Listen to them on Myspace here.

On Sunday I went to a jazz show at Blå that was free and quite good. Free music here is rare and while the band was a bit rough and less than first rate, it was a lot of fun and I ran into several friends there. The Frank Znort Quartet is kinda a house band at Blå and they play free just about every Sunday. Their definition of jazz is pretty open, including some bluesy and rocky numbers and even a cover of the Dead Kennedy's "Too Drunk to Fuck!" I will definitely be making return visits. Website, including videos, here

I also managed to read Henrik Ibsen's verse epic Peer Gynt which combines Norwegian folk tales with some skewering of Enlightenment ideals of the self. I've also been slowly reading Naomi Klein's No Logo. This book has been really quite good, though it is slightly dated. It details the convergence of corporate branding, mergers/synergy, and the changed nature of the job market in the mid 1990's than describes some of the new types of activism popping up, especially grounded in anti-corporatism and culture jamming. It is very connected with some of the things I've been interested in lately.

prince

Dave Chappelle Show. Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories. Prince.

Its old and everyone has seen it. But I'm betting its been a while since you have. Do enjoy. It is good to laugh.




Between pancakes and waffles I seem to be on a breakfast theme this week.

on waffles and revolution

Found at blitz.no

"I began making waffles with 82 men. If I had to do it again, I do it with 10 or 15 and absolute faith. It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and a waffle recipie".
- Fidel Castro

"An ounce of waffles is worth a ton of theory."
- Friedrich Engels

"Anarchism is the revolutionary stock that no one is more qualified than you are to decide how your waffles will be"

”No one in this world can you trust, not men, not pancakes, not beasts. But this (points at the waffle), this you can trust” - Conan's father

”And he also came to know the pleasures of waffles, when he got bred with the finest stock....” - Conan the Barbarian.

"We anarchists do not want to emancipate the waffels; we want the waffels to emancipate themselves." - Errico Malatesta

"If there is a State, then there is domination, and in turn, there is pancakes." -Bakunin

"Lenin is not comparable to any revolutionary figure in history. Revolutionaries have had ideals. Lenin made pancakes." - Peter Kropotkin

"Vladimir Ilyich [Lenin], your concrete actions are completely unworthy of the waffles you pretend to make." - Peter Kropotkin

"Freedom, morality, and the human dignity of the individual consists precisely in this; that he makes waffles not because he is forced to do so, but because he freely conceives it, wants it, and loves it." - Bakunin

"Does it follow that I reject all authority? Perish the thought. In the matter of waffles, I defer to the authority of the waffle-maker." Mikhail A. Bakunin

"And if it were said of us that we're almost romantics, that we're incorrigible idealists, that we think the impossible, then a thousand and one times, we have to answer... WAFFLES! WE MAKE WAFFLES!" Ernesto Che Guevara

DF

Tomorrow there is an election in Denmark. The populist Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti or DF) has released the below as their main campaign ad. This three minute video can teach you a lot about why SUST and DSE tackles immigration in Scandinavia.



I can't translate all of it, but here is the gist.
The Danish People's Party has put Denmark on the right course. But there is a threat. The welfare system can be saved if it is only for those who need welfare. The Danish People's Party will return Denmark to a safe harbor.

Around the 2 minute mark the film gets a little nuts. The film uses images from demonstrations in the UK, from the Danish cartoon controversy, from youth riots over the loss of a youth radical center, and a few other sources.

The Danish People's Party openly admits that it is racist. The party is the third largest in Denmark, though recently has suffered a bit. It generally polls between 12 and 18 % and has arguably been the most influential political party of the last twenty years though it has never been in government.

this is skateboarding

These are worth your time. From the Stereo Sound Agency These clips kinda encapsulate why I think skateboarding is so beautiful: art, music, the streets, people, travel, movement, and of course the fun of it all.









From the Stereo website:

"Founded in ’92 by renowned professional skateboarders and longtime friends Jason Lee and Chris Pastras, Stereo came as a breath of fresh air during a time that many skaters felt that skateboarding had creatively hit rock bottom.

Stereo’s unique and highly innovative approach to skating, with emphasis on style, originality and plain old fashion fun, was quickly embraced by the skateboard community. By incorporating street art, 50s and 60s design, jazz album cover artwork and ideas pulled from early men’s magazines, Stereo has been credited as revolutionizing skateboard graphics, artwork and advertising. The classic Americana styles Stereo produced -- and continues to produce -- carries with it a lightness and humor that promotes individuality and creativity amongst skateboarders of all ages.

As fate would have it, however, Chris and Jason joined forces again in ’03 to re-launch Stereo under Giant Distribution. With a new team of skateboarders and other influential artists, musicians, actors and individuals dubbed Sound Agents, Stereo quickly gained momentum.

In addition to resurrecting Stereo, Jason and Chris continued to advance their personal careers. Jason landed the leading role on NBC's hit sitcom My Name is Earl, and Chris was beginning to establish himself as prominent figure in the contemporary art world, displaying his work at world-famous galleries all across the globe."

The team also includes a former MPLS-head, Clint Peterson, who I have much respects for.

I'm famous, but so is Sheba.

I forgot to mention I got into a newspaper here last weekend. Aftenposten, a centre-right paper and the most popular daily in Norway, runs a weekly person-on-the-street deal. Well, last Thursday as I was walking near the bus station I was approached for it. They asked for a comment on the fact that only one in four parents who are heavily involved in their kid's schools are men. I mentioned something about historical construction of gender roles with the kids education as a woman's purview but how this was also changing in Norway and folks need a more global perspective to understand that one in four is actually pretty good (not to say that it is perfect by any means, still a long way to go!). Regretably, the journalist had to take a photo of me. If you remember, last Thursday was November 1st. Day after Halloween, drinking heavy night before, early morning to get students to homestays, etc. I looked ROUGH.

yup.

A bit of interest for Rooney fammers and visitors to the farm. While I was at the REMA (local grocer) today another shopper was picking up some cat food. Or at least, I assume it was cat food as it had a black cat on the tin. Here is the crazy part: the name of the food was Sheba!
For those not it the know, Sheba is the name of the cat at my mom's farm. My mom named the cat, I always thought is was kinda a strange but cute name that my mom just kinda made up. Damn cat hadn't liked me for years, but after Meenous (Sheba's son) disappeared she became friendlier. The cat has been blind for a few years now and is well aged. I just got kinda freaked out seeing our cat's name on catfood.

crazy.

Also crazy awesome was the Circus World Theatre last night! CWT is connected with HausMania, that lovely anarcho-punk squat/hangout. CWT celebrated its 100 year anniversiry this week with a few shows. Last night Paul and I made it out for about an hour and a half. Sadly we missed the first hour and had to take off before they were done, BUT we still saw some awesome stuff and had a great time. There was a big folk-gypsy band going off. There were comedians, jugglers, dancers, pyros, acrobats, and even a clown. Now, keep in mind this was a radical scene, so this ain't no regular clown makeup kinda circus thing going on. Oh no, this was in the basement of a squatted flat off the river, about 100 people standing or sitting on the floor in a loose semi-circle with some great audience-performer interaction.
Here is a photo from their website promotion of the gig:



Last night was hella hella rad and a highlight of my time here.
It was really unfortunate that I missed part of it! I had to get up early this morning to proctor the TOEFL test weekend I did the same for the GRE. It gives me a few extra kroner in the pocket, but terrible timing.

reverse graffiti in brazil

Find out more.

news of the world (read all about it)

hey hey my my

Allow me to fill in a bit on happenings lately.
Last Thursday SUSTers went out on their regional homestays. They spent a long weekend with a family living in regional Norway. One of the hosts was a woman who I stayed with two years ago, Debbie. She invited me out on Thursday evening for dinner with her two SUSTers and a few friends. She only lives 30 minutes away by train, so it was very possible. And it was very fun! We went hiking for an hour and a half, sat in a sauna, had a nice big meal, engaging in decent convo. Her guests were a bit of the stiff academics, but it was still alright. It was just nice to get out and be cared after, if only for a bit. I took the train home that night.

Last friday I hung out with Knut Erik. It had been about a month, what with all my travels. It was good to hangout, drink some beer and gin, talk about politics and love and music. He lived in Birmingham for a while a couple years ago and has some interesting thoughts about american society and race relations. Just good convo, y'know.

The rest of the weekend was pretty quiet, which I was happy about considering three nights of going around a bit. I was TIRED!

I think the early night is starting to affect me. The sun rises around 8:30 and sets around 4, I would say. My kind mum got me a blue lamp as a going away present. I used it a couple times but have lent it to a student who is in much rougher shape. Looking forward to getting it back in three weeks!

That's right! Three weeks! Thats all thats left in SUST 07. It is an early end, but we began early too. Official last day of class is Wednesday, November 28th. And only two full weeks of class left, really. The semester has flown by. As teachers, we have felt like it has gotten away from us, but we also recognize there has been a lot of growth and learning over the course of the semester. That is all I will comment on publicly, except to say that today was one of our best days, in my opinion, as a class.

Last night I went to a show! It was terrible! Disappointing! I haven't been to too much live music here. There were a few shows that looked good, but I had time conflicts or just never got around to getting tickets. So, last night I went on a limb and went to see Liars. They had gotten a good review on pitchfork. I downloaded their album but didn't care for it much, honestly. still, I hadn't been to a show in a while and there isn't anything else I'm interested in for a few weeks. So I took a chance hoping for the best.
It was bad. Just loud noise without much rhythm. Lead singer was annoying. I went with Paul, and we left early. Even the opener sucked. Very disappointing, but hey, not every show can rock.
In about four weeks there are a couple shows I wanna go to: Mos Def and The National. Hopefully I'll get off my butt and get some tickets!

Off Butt!

DSE, gnome, banksy

A lot has been happening here lately. It is kinda wonderful!

Big news first:
The application deadline for the spring program, Divided States of Europe, has passed. DSE, which was canceled before as summer and spring terms for lack of students, has four students registered for spring 08. HECUA has asked Tim and I to run the program.

Justifications: Programs have been run with few students. Last year SUST ran with 6. Colombia in its first year had 5. Environmental Sustainability has run with 3. If DSE doesn't run this spring and we cancel, the program is dead. period. Many students have expressed interest in DSE for spring 2009, by finally getting the program going we'll build momentum for the future. The Norway site is still in the black, what with 14 students this fall and support from institutional partner the University of Oslo's International Summer School.

Problems: The pedagogy is dependent on participation of students in discussion and in engaging with guests. With four students, this could be damaged especially if we have quiet kids. Inter-group relations are also quite difficult, if any students are outcast by the others it could be an incredibly lonely and difficult semester for them. We want them to have a good time! They're studying abroad! Four students could kill Tim and I as teachers. Tim struggled with six, but the hope is with me around four can be managed. It is also difficult to schedule the high quality of speakers that we get when we only have four students. And since this is the first semester with this program, we don't have established relationships to rely upon. The program also runs a two-week trip to Poland. Field trips are HARD on groups. Two weeks is going to be just brutal no matter what, but with four students it could be a nightmare.

Personally: I want to go ahead with four, if just have another semester teaching. I've learned a lot this semester, if only by making mistakes. I never quite found my footing with this group, and I would be quite upset if this semester was my only experience as a HECUA TA. There would also be the issue of trying to find a job as soon as I got back.

SO: We are planning to go ahead with the program. We are informing the students of the low numbers, with full disclosure in mind. If any students drop out before November 8th, if we go down to three by next wednesday, we will not run.

Okay, thats out of the way.

HALLOWEEN!
It was a blast! We started partying here, us flatmates. Some friends came over, including Sierra who I've barely seen in the last month what with all the travel. We drank plenty of Tullamore Dew. We went to a party on campus hosted by the International Students Union. It was a good time: decently packed with club atmosphere, cheap drinks, and good dancing. Walked home around 1. I went as a garden gnome (Thanks Mo!). Last week my corduroys ripped, so I cut them off into shorts. I wore my olive green shirt and stuck a red cone on my head. No suspenders, but still an excellent amount of goofy. Nobody got it until I told them, and when I did folks either looked confused or said brilliant. Costume culture among the international crowd is different, there isn't the goofiness factor so much as at home.

I've uploaded photos from Halloween online. I've also posted photos of the SUST field trip and some other random parties in Oslo. Lots of photos of me in there. Click here.

Of course Halloween came at a price. I had to get up early the next morning. Students went off on their regional homestays this weekend. I arranged most of it, so I wanted to be there as they left to make sure they made it and there were no problems. Of course, the first train left at 8 am. Of course. But I made it! And all the students made their travels, which was good. During one stretch between departure times I walked down Karl Johans and went to Tronsmo, one of the best bookstores ever.
And I bought something! Banksy's Wall and Piece. YES! YES! YES!

A few of his pieces:
And the above is from a previous post, of course.


Okay, I have more to say about the last few days but I need to go do some actual work.
Shame.

trick? or treat?

I was sitting in Blitz just a little bit ago, chompin' down a cheap vegan meal. Some haggard old dude comes up and speaks norsk to me. I ask him to switch to english and he says he has a bike he wants to sell for 300 kr. I had been wanting to get a bike here, but after shopping around online I decided I couldn't afford the 1000kr + for used. New in stores around 4000. So I finish my meal and go check it out. Its a nice mountain bike. I note the clip on shoes - a hassle for me - so he drops the price to 250. I take it out of Blitz and ride it for a minute. Feels alright.
I spend several minutes contemplating my ethical dilemma. I have the opportunity to buy a GOOD bike for super cheap. But the bike was clearly stolen and the dude was likely going to use the cash for drugs. He kinda had this nervousness to him, this shaky edge. And he was kinda old and haggard hanging around Blitz...
I decide to pass.

I go in and tell him. He looks pained. "200. 150!"
I pause.

I contemplate. What is one person's price?


My price was 150. What's yours?

nachips

Hmmm, the wolf. My friend definitely said lonely wolf. Perhaps lone wolf would have better established the base of my existence, while lonely defines the emotional world I (usually) inhabit.

My room is on the side of a hill. I can look out my window and see lights from nearby single family homes and god-knows-what in the distance. About a kilometer away is a freeway. Next to it runs the T-Bane line to Kringsja. Every 15 minutes I can see the T-Bane ride by. It is beautiful at night viewed through bare trees, lit cars moving across my window. No leaves left. Sunsets at five. There is occasional snow in outlying parts of the city, but I haven't tasted it yet.

This week I have downloaded and loved music. Against Me!'s latest album, New Wave, is anarcho-punk at its funnest. Meat Puppet's II is just so damn good I can't believe I hadn't heard it yet. I knew a few of their songs from Nirvana covering them for MTV Unplugged, but hadn't heard the band before.

I'm still waiting for a haircut. I look ridiculous and usually wear a hat.

I don't know what I'm gonna do for Halloween. There is a big International Student party. Most folks I know are going. What will I be?
Tempting to go the guerrilla revolutionary look: green shirt and pants w/ hiking boots.

There are many many magpies here. and pigeons. Thats about all the birds I've seen.


where do bad folks go when they die?
they don't go to heaven where the angels fly
they go to the lake of fire and fry
won't see 'em again till the fourth of july

i knew a lady who came from duluth
who got bit by a dog with a rabid tooth
she went to her grave a little too soon
and flew away howling on the yellow moon

where do bad folks go when they die?
they don't go to heaven where the angels fly
they go to the lake of fire and fry
won't see 'em again till the fourth of july

now people cry and people moan
look for a dry place to call their own
try to find some place to rest their bones
before the angels and the devils
fight to make them their own

where do bad folks go when they die?
they don't go to heaven where the angels fly
they go to the lake of fire and fry
won't see 'em again till the fourth of july

update

Well, I can't really explain the reasons for outbursts in the last couple of posts in this public setting. It will have to remain a mystery.

Things seem more or less back to normal now. I have much free time, especially now that I'm not taking norsk. I'm actually friends with a couple of the students now, which is positive for my mental health but occasionally problematic. I am much closer to a couple of my flatmates, especially Isi and Wiebtke.

I've heard about two awesome job openings in the Twin Cities, which is quite hard to hear. HECUA's City Arts TA and a job as coordinator at Jane Addams School. And I've been getting some love at JAS and YF lately.
I still don't actually know if I'll be here next spring. It drives me crazy. Right now there are 4 students expected. I don't know if more will register, the deadline is Nov. 1st. Tim has said he would definitely run the program if 5 register. Four is a weird zone and I don't know what any of it means for next year.

I'm trying to appreciate Oslo again, but it is much more difficult here than in Stockholm or Copenhagen, especially Copenhagen. It is not an easy city to get to know well solo either. It is not easy to break into and become established on your own. My reserved nature around folks I don't know well makes this much more difficult. And this city is so damn expensive that to do anything on the town.

Not much to say. Any questions?

still feelin in

I am feeling very West Bank right now. In touch with my inner anarchist. Wanna hit the Hex and the Seward and NORTH COUNTRY and Luce and Hard Times and Arise and Mayday and Heart of the Beast and CC Club and Triple Rock and Intermedia Arts and MINNEAPOLIS

Punk music and street art and disturbing the paradigm and culture revolution and revolution and fight

Not my revolution if I can't dance

I'm beating my eartrumpet into a megaphone

I got mine here. scandinavia is a radical nexus. but oslo is dull and only the kids are here.

Must fight for it. only way i can do it.

phoenix

photos from prague posted to flickr. monthly quota full.

trip to stockholm and copenhagen with class complete.
highlights:
-Political rally in Norrebro for Ungdomshuset with set by Manu Chao
-Stockholm's KulturHuset and its showing of Martin Parr photos
-Getting in touch with my inner anarchist
-Sweden's Museum of Modern Art
-Hot White Chocolate at Chokladkoppen, a gay-friendly cafe in Stockholm's old town
-Yummy sandwich at Kaffekoppen, next door to above
-Drinks with Tim, including a Left Hand Sawtooth Ale
-Student engagement with our speakers and our course material
-Yummy mochas in Norrebro, with steaming whole milk poured onto a popsicle of chocolate slowly melting in quality espresso
-Living dreams in Tivoli
-Seeing smoldering street barricade and riot police outside Christiania
-Three trips to Christiania
-Two delicious meals at Christiania's vegetarian cafe Morgenstedet
-Accepting the limitations of my situation and refusing the submersing/subverting/sublimating of myself
-A renewed affection for Oslo
-Fall train rides through Sweden
-Meeting some incredible people through class
-Surviving Sweden's U.S. Embassy
-Late night Cheap Red Wine over a 14th floor view
-Two visits to Riz Raz, a cheap and delicious Mediterranean buffet in Copenhagen
-Falafel Stand in Christiania
-Reading Havel's Disturbing the Peace
-Free drinks in Vesterbro
-Tipsy and ineffective communication in French
-Forging friendship
-Survival

ANARCHY

www.ungdomshuset.dk
www.obeygiant.com
www.adbusters.org
www.blitz.no
www.christiania.org
www.dontdoitarmy.com
www.derrickjensen.org
www.banksy.co.uk

in a fightin mood

Turman

Cate sent me a small package recently that included a recent issue of the Minneapolis Observer Quarterly. The MOQ used to be a free monthly but is now a paid quarterly, given as a gift from Cate's folks (thanks Rynda!). I like the rag, even though it makes me feel like an elite liberal. Its very MPR/Garisson Keiler/Kenwood in some ways.

In this most recent issue sent my direction, a Minneapolis based graphic artist, Adam Turman, was featured on the cover with a the above print based on the Gold Medal sign and building. I like Adam Turman, I dig his style. He did the main graphic for last summer's Stone Arch Bridge Festival, and I checked out his work at that fest. I kept him in mind, and a few weeks later saw some of his work at some concert/gallery showing. What stands out for me are his designs based on landmarks in Minneapolis.

He also does a fair amount of work based on voluptous women. I don't like these nearly as much, I find them kind of... pointlessly sexist maybe? (can sexism have a point?) Maybe I'm just bothered because a man is making prints of women that I think are both sexy and art. Am I such a prude as this? The women are as similarly artificial as barbie dolls. It bothers my inner feminist.


Despite these reservations about this part of his work, I still really dig on his stuff. Below are a few favorites of mine, and a couple of new prints that are just outstanding for many reasons.

The above is beloved.

This should hang on many a wall. The only thing that would make this better woulda been tattooed forearms. Ikke sant?

This is one of the best beers I've ever had AND it is from a local company. I've seen it rated one of the best in the world by some of those beer snob websites. And its called fucking Surly Darkness. How bad ass is that?

A different sort of Purple Pride.

Solo Oslo

I posted photos on Flickr of Copenhagen and Vienna. Lots of photos of palaces and churches, but hopefully some more interesting ones from Hundertwasser and other random bits and pieces I found interesting. My account is full up right now, so photos of Prague may have to wait unless I go through a bit of trouble with Yahoo! Accounts.

I am back in Oslo, got in at 6 this morning. It was cold!
It is beautiful here today, but I've spent most of the day inside. Napping for a few hours, becoming reacquainted with my laptop.

I had a solid 10 hours in Copenhagen yesterday. I walked Stroget, but mostly hung out in Norrebro. Norrebro is this awesome neighborhood full of youth activists and immigrants. My kinda place, its got a great diverse vibrancy to it. I hung out on this pedestrian mall in the hood a chunk of the day, sipping a cafe or beer. I finished the Chomsky, thankfully. It was a great book to understand U.S. foreign policy, but kinda depressing.
Last night I picked up the Vaclav Havel, Disturbing the Peace, that I had bought on Wenceslas Square. I am LOVING this book. It is totally addressing some of those things I was thinking about the other day about the need for a creative and democratic society.

Here he describes the crisis caused by the world becoming super organizned, whether through the communism of the U.S.S.R. or the capitalism of the U.S.A.
"The reasons for the crisis in which the world now finds itself are lodged in something deeper than a particular way of organizing the economy or a particular political system. The West and the East, though different in so many ways, are going through a single, common crisis... This late period [is] one of conflict between an impersonal, anonymous, irresponsible, and uncontrollable juggernaut of power (the power of "megamachinery"), and the elemental and original interests of man [sic] as a concrete individual."

This is part of his description of his "personal 'utopia'"
"I would tend to favor an economic system based on the maximum possible plurality of many decentralized, structurally varied, and preferably small enterprises that respect the specific nature of different localities and different traditions and that resist the pressures of uniformity by maintaining a plurality of modes of ownership and economic decision-making, from private (indispensable in the area of crafts, trades, services, small business, and retail enterprises and areas of agriculture and, of course, in culture as well) through various types of cooperative and shareholding ventures, collective ownerships (connected with self-management schemes), right up to state ownership."
That is awesome!


He also stress the importance of relationships, however he focuses on relationships between individuals. Added to this, I think, should be further attention to relationship with the rest of the natural environment.



Also to continue in super blogging mode which you have been privy to lately, right before I left on this trip I made a mix. I did not have time to share it with you. Now I do.

Happy Travels/Happy Feet:

1. Prince and the Revolution - Let's Go Crazy
2. Kanye West - Stronger
3. Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, and the Furious Five - White Lines
4. Mark Ronson - God Put a Smile Upon Your Face
5. Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up
6. Jamie Cullum - Get Your Way
7. Aceyalone - All for U
8. Tom Waits - Step Right Up
9. Ike Reilly Assassination - The Boat Song (We're Getting Loaded)
10. The Hold Steady - Massive Nights
11. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
12. The Go! Team - Feel Good by Numbers
13. Jens Lekman - The Opposite of Hallelujah
14. Belle & Sebastian - Electronic Renaissance
15. Paul Simon - Kodachrome
16. Heiruspecs - 5ives
17. Paul Westerburg - Angels Walk

Hard to describe the theme. Mostly playful, uplifting, danceable songs that bring me joy. I needed it.

'Mother Prague has cluthes'

Things I didn't do in Prague that I wish I had:
-Go out to the bars and clubs. There was one really cool bar that had like 7 rooms all splayed out in this cavernous underground setting. I just walked through, couldn't pull myself to a solo beer. There is also this famous 5 story club that I was supposed to go to last night. I did not.
-I didn't really find the 'alternative' prague I was looking for. I blame lack of guidebook.
-Walk into St. Nicholosas' Church. It is supposed to be awesome. The one time I walked by I didn't go in, and I never came that direction again.
-Learn more about the history of Prague Castle. This didn't happen beause I didn't want to pony up the 300 ck for a ticket. Cheapskate!

Other notes:
-Some Americans here when they first met me thought I was European, because of how I talk.
-My first day here I went to a traditional czech restaurant. The tables there were built the exact same way as the desk/table I use at home. The table I use was made by Russ's father. I ended up thinking about Bohemian settlers in the midwest, partly also because I've been reading Willa Cather's My Antonia. It was a pleasurable read that made me feel warm. That's all I can say to recommend it, some will find it dull.
-I've been spending a lot of time here in Prague thinking about societal collapse. Perhaps it is because of reflections on the collapse of Sovietism. 'Freedom' came where there was none. I want to ask people whether they are happy with their capitalist Czech Rep. Is that rude? I suppose I think about it strangely, because of thinking about civilizational collapse and environmental damage. We have freedom for individuals (certainly much more so now than under the long arm of Soviet rule, even if you consider some of the different freedoms Communism championed). So freedom in relationships with others. But what about our relationship with nature? And there is our relationship with humans who are dying from lack of medicine, water, food, safety, and so many of the other things we could lessen if we tried (or cared). I am stuck on what is good, what is the way forward to sustainable existence where people can be creative and free and live with love in their hearts. Is it possible for us to create this condition? Will be have societal collapse first? In the process of trying to create this new society within the shell of the old, will new forms of oppression be created (as happened with the Reds)?
-I need a vacation from my vacation.
-I read Prachet and Gaiman's Good Omens on the way to Vienna. Very reminiscent of Gaiman's American Gods and Anasazi Boys,. They are all page turners and highly recommended by me. Good Omens was an excellent vacation book. I got lost in it, instead of feeling shitty for a 4 hour layerover in Dusseldorf on my way to Vienna. In Vienna I was reading Chomsky's Hegemony or Survival . I still got a ways to go. What is with me and the downy clowny stuff? Cather has been a better fit, its all about the midwest prairie and a bunch of settlers. Those Bohemians I mentioned also provide a small flavor of the old Czech country.
-Being here and especially in Vienna, I've been reminded at how fit Norwegians and Scandinavians are.

On my way home tonight I was thinking about things that I like and dislike. How that changes over time and further develops. How some of my tastes are distinct. It started with thinking about my taste in 'art'.
I started to make a little list of things I like and dislike:

likes: Matisee, Hundertwasser, Rothko, Russian icons, cedar and maple trees, pine forests, small creeks, graffitti, the radical left, collective work, cozy cafes and good coffee, tasty suds, gardens for food or flowers, public transportation, unprententiousness, humility, David Bowie, beards, strong independent women, skateboarding, books, love, warm hugs and soft kisses, wood furniture, being comfortable, whiskey, white russians and hot toddies, fires, red wine with close friends, getting cozy under a blanket, sharing poetry outloud with others, deep greens and blues, Minneapolis, the West Side of St. Paul, the art farm, walking, iPod, playing hockey, learning, log cabins, urban neighborhoods, community, walks in the prairie, dogs and cats, Canada, pancakes, pita bread, Thai Tofu Dip, brick walls, the sun on my face, being warm in crisp weather, sweating

disikes: hostels full of loud and dull australians, chauvinists, racists, aristocrats of blood or wealth, experiencing Western Europe as a tourist, fear, aching knees, pollution, homophobia, xenophobia, empty e-mail boxes, being cold to the bone



-I have other things to share. This happens when you travel solo, I suppose. I figure two long posts in one day should be enough for you. You'll likely hear from me next when I'm back in Oslo.

P.S. Kafka wrote that quote about mother prague. Maybe my next post will talk about kafka? Oh, you know I know Kafka. I suck like that.

More news from old Prague

I like Prague.

There, you've had the ever important judgement of Phil. Truly you need never think of Prague again, except to know that Yes, Phil likes Prague.



Sorry.
Too much solo time?




Anyway...

It is a fun city to walk around in. The old part of town is well preserved, though there are too many souvenir shops and restos geared to tourists. There is still a bit of an off the beaten path, but not much. I'll say this though: Prague is a beautiful city with an incredible history. Thats another reason why I enjoy this place. It is incredible to hike up to Prague Castle, go to the Vitus Church, walk across the Charles Bridge, sit in the Old Town Square. All pondering the history of the Hussites and Bohemians and what all.
The Jewish Quarter, Josefov, is incredible and includes the oldest synagogue in Europe and an old cemetary dating to the 15th century. The graves are piled on top of each other with 12,000 souls filling perhaps 2 acres.
The recent history of the end of communism still marks the city. I vistited a the Museum of Communism, which was in the same building as a casino and right above a McDonalds. It had a very amusing pro-capitalist bent. It was also incredible to sit in Wenseclas Square, stare at the national museum and ponder the Velvet Revolution. I'd been meaning to read Vaclav Havel's Disturbing the Peace for a few years but haven't gotten around to it. I was inspired sitting there, and proceeded to a book shop on the square and picked it up. I also got two other books I've been meaning to read: Collapse by Jared Diamond and No Logo by Naomi Kline. Nice uplifting and light vacation reading, eh?

I sometimes joke that I can tell how much I'll like a city based on how often I get offered hash. And it is here! Walking around the tourist drag one night I got three offers. Last night it appeared at my hostel. I ended up going out last night, deals were fairly open in the club we went to. In part of the club folks openly rolled their sticks and lit up right there.

Besides seeing a bit of hash, last night I also saw a shadier side of Prague. I met up with two English girls I'd met and befriended in Vienna. We went to this club in Old Town called Chateau. I liked the place decent, besides it being filled with tourist types and a disproportianite amount of sausage. Soon after we arrived one of ladies I was with became violently ill. After getting her out of the bar we hoped a taxi to a hospital. We suspected she'd been sliped something, but not sure. There'd been a strange shady dude hanging around us a bit, couldn't qutie figure him out. Paranoia?
She'd been out last night, but hadn't partied to hard. Poor planning had her eat only one meal that day. She had a couple drinks and most of a spliff on her own (but word was she smoked plenty at home, though a different grade). I went with the ladies to the hospital, of course. They didn't do much for her there, except advise a night of sleep for her and a friend to keep a watch on her to ensure she didn't asphxyiate (too lazy to look up spelling). So, I ended up back at their hostel. I stayed up an early shift with coffee and a borrowed book. Bill Bryson's A Brief History of Everything, but I didn't take to it. Pop-science short on ideas and long on prose. I was able to crash there for free, thankfully. It was a disappointing evening, not only because a friend became ill, but also because I hadn't really had a single big night out on this trip. I've had a few beers here and there, but its not really me to hit up a scene solo. The folks I've met haven't had schedules conducive with mine for partying. Last night was gonna be big night out, and was gonna top what was by far my best day of travel.

Other news: my cold cleared! thank fucking god!

I had my first ever Vodka Red Bull! It was gross and tasted like cough syrup. Why would anyone drink that trash? especially here in Czech, home of the Pilsner and some of the finest brews on the continent?

I start heading home tomorrow. boo. Plane to copenhagen, hang out for afternoon and evening, night bus to Oslo. I've done bits of work related business here and there. I'm not looking forward to returning, even though this trek hasn't been all that I'd hoped.

have travel, will blog

A few further thoughts about Vienna before I get into Praha.
I was struck at how polluted Vienna seemed. It was not a "dirty" city, really, but the air quality was atrocious. The hills in the distance were barely visable. Before you point out that hey, they're in the distance and so will be hard to see, I will also note the the city's skyscrapers were also quite fuzzy. There are few pedestrian only streets, and I swear I was smelling auto exhaust most of the time I was there. At least, I smelled car fumes when the occasionally waft of piss (human?) and shit (horse?) came in my direction. I will add the caveat that I had a sore throat when I was there and may (was) more attentive and bothered by these things than I am normally. I guess I'm used to the clean air of Oslo. Copenhagen isn't too bad, since everyone bikes everywhere. Minneapolis has its rough days, but compared to most U.S. cities isn't too terrible.
Other notes. Austrians: not very attractive. (I am such an ASSHOLE)
Today Vienna is definitely central european. It has not be a major power in the vast part of the 20th century. And there seems to have been a vast influx of eastern europeans into the city, causing a bit of a boom in the last 15 years or so. Nonetheless, the city was quite modern and very Western (capital W on that shit). Meaning: it wasn't as cheap or as intersting of a contrast to what I'm used to as I thought it would be.

Enough Vienna!

Yesterday after a slow morning I took an afternoon train in to the Czech Republic and Prague. The train ride was pretty dull on the Austrian side, but became much more interesting one we crossed the old East-West divide. For one thing, it was just more beautiful: mountains (okay...hills) combined with autumn foliage, small rivers, and a nice small-hamlet vibe from a few villages. Plus, it was awesome to see all the crumbling buildings from the warsaw pact era (and all that business).

Prague is...a beautiful city and (!) it is a joy to walk around in.
There are too many tourists, parts of it overflow. I feel like I'm 5-10 years to late to enjoy Prague as it once was. Yes, it is "safe" for tourists now. Meaning, a bit too many souvenir shops, trinket hawkers, and befuddled groups abound (albiet sluggishly).
Still, the city has some edge to it. For one thing, I felt like a complete asshole for speaking English. I was treated to as poor of restaurant service as I've gotten anywhere, it may match a nefarious resto in Nice from previous trip. Speaking of the French, I've been suprised at how often I've heard my mother('s) tongue. New french hotspot?
Still, the city is cheap. Not as cheap as it once was...tourism is driving up the prices. Still, I can get a good hot filling meal and beer for 10 USD close to a tourist area. In Norway I'd be paying 12 USD just for a beer in a comparative location.

Ughing Norway. This trip has reminded me what a small town Oslo is. Fuck-ing Os-lo.

Can I mention: I am tired of feeling like shit. My sore throat has moved into runny nose town. Full blast the last two days. My knee feels much better today, which I am very thankful for. The last full day in Vienna was pain.

I sene I've written a lot but haven't SAID ANYTHING. This may deserve a later post. I have thought more of things to put up. Maybe later tonight, maybe tomorrow. Maybe never?

More from Vienna

Okay, I accidently deleted the blogpost I was working on. I HATE that.

I've been in Vienna for 48 hours or so now. I've got a bit of a feel for the place, more so than the avg. tourist I hope. It is difficult without a guidebook (or guide for that matter) to know where to go and what to skip. I got drawn in to a couple things I maybe could done without. The Leopold Museum for one. I didn't go to a couple things I wish I had: like the KunstHistoireMuseum or whatever it is called. Still, I think I did well for myself. I made it to the PalmHaus and Schloss Schönbrün. I checked out the major churches, palaces, and sights (I think). I never found "the hip neighborhood", which is a bummer. I usually trz to hang out in that kinda district anztime I visit a citz. Just have a coffee and browse through some book or record stores. Didn't see it :(

I made it to the Hundertwasser House, which was fucking awesome. So was the KunstHausWien, which was mostly dedicated to the Hundertwasser. I am now a fan.


Can you blame me? That is awesome! I am really looking forward to posting photos up of my visits there. I heard of Hundertwasser through Russ, ye olde stepe-dadde. I can see connections between their ceramics and approach to house renovating. If any of you made it to the studio in wisconsin, you especially know what I'm talking about.

I'm looking forward to Prague. I take the train tomorrow at 1:33. Just under 4 hour trip. That'll be nice, and will round out the trains, planes, and automobiles randomness that is going on. I need a bit of a travel/rest day anyhoo. My sickness is mostlz gone. It was just a sore throat and general exhaustion. But my knee really does need some rest! I keep worrying it will flame up really bad while I'm travelling. My only insurance coverage right now is under the Norwegian National Health Insurance Scheme, and I'm fairlz sure it would not cover expenses here (even if I wanted to risk the Austrian or Czech medical systems!).

I kinda dislike travelling solo! I really wish Cate was here. My hostel is fairly big. I've met a few folks, but I'm still kinda inward when I meet new folks. Plus, I don't meet new folks very easily! Maybe I look off-putting or threatening? I blame the beard!

Always the beard!
More thoughts about Vienna:
I think Satan would like it here. There is something about its aristocratic air combined with the haute couture just barely hiding what I imagine to be an extremely seedy underbelly (but an underbelly I haven't really seen!). Vienna makes me think of S&M. Or that Kubrick movie that sucked: Eyes Wide Shut!


Now you know: Vienna=S&M=bad Kubrick

Wien!

I am in Vienna.

Do we in the States sleep on Vienna? Whenever folks talk about where they want to visit its Paris, London, Italy, Spain. Even Germany or Ireland. But Austria? Vienna? Why go there?

Man, do we sleep on Vienna. I think Vienna would be upset if it knew the extent. Vienna considers itself a cultural capital of the world (THE world capital of music) and capital of central europe. Its is architecturally beautiful. It has incredible churches and palaces. A beautiful and accessible Opera House. Many high quality theatres.

But its kinda old. Established. Prentious and too preoccupied with its own status as elite.

I make broad generalizations based on truly nothing, but I may just be right.
I could also be some American asshole trumping some bizarre Midwestern system of quasi analysis based on non-rigourous qualities like democratic, open, diverse, etc.

Am I already sick of travelling? I am tired here. And sick, I may add. And my fucking knees hurt from walking 6-7 hours daily.

Anyway, enough about me. I am deflating my own analysis by shifting lens from Vienna to I. Just like Vienna to do that.

I got in last night around 6. Checked into hostel. Grabbed a kebab and walked down Mariahilfe Strasse. It was beautiful! The street has all these trees that are going yellow, and under the street lamps and neon signs it was as a glowing golden canopy. Under this cover I strolled a hopping boutique lined street, punctuated by cafes and pizza shops.

Last night I got my closest thing to a good nights sleep since Friday. Spent the day walking around the Old Town checking out some of the major sights. I went to the Leopold Museum, lured in by its poster advertising Klimt masterpieces. I found masterpiece and was disappointed. Still, good walking. I took a prolonged break at a cafe housed in a greenhouse just off a royal garden. More walking brought me to Karls Church, which was beautiful (the nicest of the three I walked into today). Then I took the tram around the Ring, which limits the Old Town and highlights the sights. Tonight I hope to do the same, but with the city all lit up nice. Take in a couple sights all well lit, too. Not too major plans, I need to rest more. Break this cold or whatever I got and rest 'dem knees.

Tomorrow I hope for Schonbrun Palace (sp?), the big market, and Hundertvasser. Maybe a sachertorte, depending on my cash.

COP: a feel

the lonely wolf is out of oslo and into copenhagen. københavn!
I have re-explored the city and christiania. still no tivoli, but it will be open when I return with SUST. I love this city. Def a fave. Its like Oslo, but cubed. CUBED!
Except for the prices, which are halved. And no forest.
But CUBED!

Only one day here though, I leave tomorrow early in the morning for Vienna.

bruce

Well I never thought I'd say it. I think it had to do with my connecting Reagan with "Born in the U.S.A." Springsteen resided in my mind somewhere between Reagan and John Candy and friends singing "I was born in the U.S.A." repeatedly in Canadian Bacon.


But then my misconceptions had to be ruined. Sometime in the last year or so a friend lent me a copy of Nebraska. I loved it.


Then I actually bought (bought!) a copy of Darkness on the Edge of Town. I loved that too.



Last night and today I've been listening to Born to Run.

In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected
and steppin' out over the line
Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
and strap your hands across my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
Will you walk with me out on the wire
`Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta find out how it feels
I want to know if love is wild
girl I want to know if love is real

Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard
The girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonight
In an everlasting kiss

The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight
but there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy we'll live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Someday girl I don't know when
we're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go
and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us
baby we were born to run

Goddam it, I officially am a fan of Bruce Springsteen.


I blame Bri, Aaron, and the Hold Steady.

BTW, the last of those three's Boys and Girls in America has received the most spins on my I-Pod over here.

jeg studerer ikke norsk

So, I suppose I have a big update for y'all.

Lots of ups and downs over here. Tim, the program director, was gone for 10 days so I was in charge. I thought it went pretty well, all things considered (and there was a lot to consider). He is back now, which I am thankful for.

We have our break coming up next week. I'm very much looking forward to getting out of Oslo. I've felt pretty cooped up here. It will be fun to explore Prague and Vienna for the first times, and re-connect with my old fave Copenhagen.

I've decided to shift a few things in my life here. The workload between TAing and my norwegian language classes has been more than I anticipated it being. I'm also finding that both are demanding ever greater amounts of my time. Now, I don't have a huge social life here or anything, but it has been difficult. Part of the difficulty lies in having to do norsk after long days with SUST. I'm doing TA related work for 7-8 hours, then study for norsk and have dinner at my office, then go to Norwegian class for two hours. I do this three days a week, being on campus for about 12 hours, plus I work three more days part time. I've had this kind of work load all last year and mostly loved it. I was really looking forward to having more free time here, though. I feel like my work load has contributed to my not being happy with my life here. Plus, I don't really like studying language. It is tough to devote energy to norsk, and even more difficult is recognizing that I need to devote even more time and energy to the course. And, there have been some SUST-related issues that are demanding me to make a sustained and increased effort in TAing. Soooo, I've decided to drop my Norwegian language class.



I feel positive about that decision for other reasons beyond those alluded to above. I didn't come here to learn Norwegian, and I don't see myself living here. Home is Minneapolis. Not knowing Norwegian is really not a problem here. I came to work on teaching, and I need to focus on that.
It is a disappointment, yes. But I'm not paying for the course, and I believe my dropping this will have absolutely no long term effect (except to make me even more cautious of learning other languages). I had looked forward to learning norsk, yes, but I have to prioritize. My happiness and teaching are more important than I third language I will almost never use.

Now I get to read more. I get to have dinner in my flat. I get to come home and not be burnt out exhausted. It was different when I've done this before. I was working with YF kids, or working with Somalis at JAS, or bringing in students for HECUA. My working life was very positive, all aspects of it. I was able to come home to Cate :) or go out with my friends :) or spend time with my family :)
I could handle working 50+ hours for a year when I had so much positivity at work and at home. I can't handle 50 hrs when there is neither.

In other news: new photos posted on flickr.

quick note on rand and greenspan

Late night perusal of the NY Times found this "gem" of a quote from our former chair of the fed:
“‘Atlas Shrugged’ is a celebration of life and happiness. Justice is unrelenting. Creative individuals and undeviating purpose and rationality achieve joy and fulfillment. Parasites who persistently avoid either purpose or reason perish as they should." (bold mine, ja) Scary that this person arguably held the most power over the U.S. (and therefore world) economy. Mind you, Greenspan wrote that in his twenties. But good lord!


I had to share that from this article. Also this: "Every year, 400,000 copies of Rand’s novels are offered free to Advanced Placement high school programs. " This is such a TERRIBLE idea. Perhaps soon I will write of my relationship with Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand? You better hope I don't...


I also have a posting on populism in mind, comparing historical trends in U.S. and Europe with present trends. It is in mind, percolating.