Suomi & Sverige (Finland and Sweden)

Here are my photos from my recent trip to Finland for my dear Anni's wedding and also our time in Sweden. I have tons of photos so the slide show goes quickly. Even still, to see them all you might want to pull up a chair 'cause it's gonna be a while. Or see them all quickly by clicking the thingy on the bottom of the screen. Enjoy!

Michelle Obama

I like the Obamas. And I really like Michelle Obama's style. It echoes Jackie Kennedy. The key is the dress (vs. the horrible pant suit). Check out these photos.

The Alfred Nobel Museum

I recently returned from Finland and Sweden traveling with Crolace. We went over for a mutual friend's wedding. Many things from our trip were fun, interesting, enlightening, and meaningful. One of those things was the Alfred Nobel Museum.

It is a small, modern looking museum in the heart of Gamla Stan, the old city. The building was formerly the stock exchange! Our tour guide told us the story of Alfred Nobel. He domesticated nitroglycerin, inventing dynamite. He built factories world wide and the invention was a major contributor to construction projects undertaken worldwide. He collected 

great wealth and sadly had no family of his own to share it with. However, Nobel is more famous for his will, establishing the Nobel prizes, than dynamite. His will instructed that the interest on his fortune (which has now been proportionally added to) be given yearly as five substantial monetary prizes which "shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." The categories for the prizes are physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, literature, and peace. (A sixth category for economics was established in 1969.) 

The museum celebrated prize winners, around 800 in all! We heard and saw some of the winners' stories. I was so impressed with them. They are passionate for their field. They are good. It is so refreshing and uplifting to hear about 800 people who have really, really made our world better. From Marie Curie to the inventor of x-ray to Jane Addams (the mother of social work) to Elie Wiesel. 

The winners are also great examples to me of taking time to meditate into creativity. Our guide told us of a scientist who was working on light or something who was observing the river in a quiet moment. He saw the water move in waves and it gave him the idea that perhaps light also might move in waves. Also, the cafe in the museum, is designed to replicate the cafes where the Nobel laureates gathered to discuss ideas and form ideas and become inspired. This is something that I sometimes feel is missing from my life -- using my time to be creative in anything. 

So when people have asked me about my trip, among the story about sauna and Drottningholm Palace, is the story of the very small Nobel museum, with it's inspiring message. There stands a neon sign in the museum which reads, "What is now proven, was once imagined."

Witty Title

Every once in a while we meet up with someone who just makes us feel awful. Or speak I just for myself? They aren't trying to be awesomer than us, they just are. (Note: I'm really not this down on myself. I have lots of really great talents too.) Artistic people! Oh, I covet! One of the people is the owner of The Black Apple. I don't know who the chick-a-dee is but let's just say she is freakin' awesome. Jealous, party of one. There isn't an artistic bone in my body. Herman Fox is another artsy-fartsy type who just sees the world in a different way from the rest of us. And their art is just genius. I guess that's why we (I) need these people. Because their art really does something for us (me), or at least for me, deep down that words can't explain and that I could not have come up with on my own. 

Nine in the Afternoon

It's the first song from Panic At the Disco that I actually like. Nine in the Afternoon. It's catchy, peppy, and rhyming noon and moon is neato. I looked up the lyrics to see if there was some deeper message. The band alleges there is not.

Now maybe I'm jaded being a therapist and all.

I looked up meanings of the song according to fans. I looked up what the band said about the song. All very innocent. It's a song about love (according to fans) that the band came up with one evening pretty quickly (according to Panic).

But I think it's about drugs.

The music video is a little trippy and kind of high on meth. "Eyes the size of the moon," "Back to the room where it all began," "Feeling so good, just the way that we should, when it's nine in the afternoon." These lines are suspect. I don't really see a love story. 

Dang it! Why does the universe toy with me this way!

1 Year

Someone once said that we should life each day as if it were the last day of our life.

In theory, gorgeous. In practice, impractical. 

Theory: We just don't know how much time we have. That's part of the thrill of living. So we should make the most of everyday, living a full life. I often say to myself, and others, you could be dead tomorrow, or next month, or next year, so do it now. It's not morbid; it's inspiring. I wanna go out in a blaze, on the path to doing what I really wanted to do, even if I didn't get to do all I wanted.

Practice: If you actually lived each day as the last, life would be an endless parade of goodbyes and running from debt because you know that student loans and credit cards (up to $10,000 with Mastercard!) are forgiven if you die.

Maybe instead of living each day as the last, you could live each year as the last. That way, you can keep your job. It has theory and practice.

If I knew that a year from now I would be dead, how would I live this year? I would travel any place I got the chance to go. I would wake up early and sleep in late (different days) and enjoy which ever one. I would practice guitar. I would finish my scrapbook. I would write more often in my journal. I would deliver baked goods to friends and neighbors. I would call my family more often. I'd give gifts with meaning behind them. I would chose to be alone less (sometimes, I'm just alone 'cause I'm lazy). I try harder to be spiritual. I probably wouldn't do some of the things I do. I wouldn't miss concerts I want to see or events I wanted to attend, saying that I'll do it some other time. I'd be nicer so I'd leave a good impression. 

The natural following to all I've said is, What's stopping me from doing these things now?

The cold, hard truth is, I really could be dead in a year and am I in a place (not heaven, but a nice beach so to speak) where I would feel proud of how I went out?

What about you?

Tick Warning

If someone comes to your front door saying they are checking for ticks due to the warm weather and asks you to take your clothes off and dance around with your arms up, DO NOT DO IT!! THIS IS A SCAM!! They only want to see you naked. I wish I'd found out about this warning yesterday. I feel so stupid.

Guitar Hero

I did it. I bought a guitar. It's a Bullet Strat from Squier by Fender, if that means anything to you. It's really more of a seafoam than blue, like in this picture. I can play Ode to Joy and Yankee Doodle and the first two phrases of Fidelity. 

Venice Beach

Mixing work and pleasure Aisy and I had a blast in Venice Beach. (To hear her side of the story click here.) I learned a lot professionally and personally from Aisy. You should get to know her. We thought it was a good omen when Flo Rida finally came on the radio. The song, incredibly catchy and degrading, was the theme of the weekend. (Not that our weekend was catchy yet degrading but just that we sang the chorus of the song all weekend.) After driving around for a half hour, with Aisy stressin' and me just rockin' out, we finally found a parking space. Then we took a long walk to the beach. First stop: toilets. It was a laugh or cry situation. I laughed and Aisy got hit on. My stall had no toilet paper, something on the metal seat, and a used maxi pad on the floor mixed with toilet paper. We enjoyed the street performers and a little people-watching. Skaters, dancing roller-skaters, a drum jam session, and tumblers. One guy was hawking his rap CD by previewing it on a disc-man. It was pretty skillful and not holy. He was a little too touchy-feely but he had real PR. 

This is where Aisy introduced me to Mims "This is Why I'm Hot," with very intelligent lyrics (cough, cough). And I don't think bikinis should come in plus sizes.

The best part was the beach cruisers. We rode from Venice to Santa Monica with the beach on one side and a wonderful conglomeration of humans on the other. The air was warm and the wind was in our hair. Imagine a bike path over two miles long with that kind of atmosphere. Heaven on earth! We ain't got that where I am. 

I got asked where I would go for a weekend away. This may be the place. 

These are a few of my favorite things

If I were an authority on everything, then the following list would be valid. I expect disagreements, but what is a blog but for discussion? Also, I must point out that I made the list not after hours of thought, but in the moment; therefore, I reserve the right to change any part of the list without prior written or verbal notice. 

Best modern chick flick: You've Got Mail

Best classic film: Casa Blanca

Best P and P adaptation: BBC

Best Rogers and Hammerstein: The Sound of Music

Best actress: Emma Thompson

Best teen movie: She's the Man

Best book you are forced to read in high school: The Great Gatsby

Best dessert you don't know about: Arby's chocolate criossant

Best television show currently: Pushing Daisies

Best Disney character: Sleeping Beauty, Aurora, Briar Rose... it's all the same. Pink dress rocks.

Best color: pink

Best British movie you've probably never seen: Cold Comfort Farm 

Best television show of all time: Cosby Show

Best Judy Blume book(s): Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing, but I can read the Luckiest Girl over and over and over, and the same goes for Are You There God, It's Me Margaret. 

Best Harry Potter book: 5

Best looking movie (the way it's filmed): A Little Princess

Best college activity: anything at the Hari Krishna temple

Best hot chocolate: Seattle's Best Coffee, the cocoa trio

Best ride at Disneyland: Splash Mountain