"But why should we hear about body bags, and deaths, and how many, what day it's gonna happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it's, it's not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"
Barbara Bush on Good Morning America (March 18, 2003) discussing her son proposing Iraqi Invasion II.
Read on Sylvana's blog Renegade Mouth
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Is this Winter?
It's snowing. Snowflakes touching my window. Landing gently on the ground. The city lighting up the night and snow filled clouds, coming in waves. Resting gently on the leaves still left on the trees. You never want it to stop. Snowflakes land where the wind blows them, and they stay until a rain drop comes. Landing in a snowflake's embrace, joined together for a second. The rain drop remains but the snowflake is lost for ever.
I love snow. I just don't like it when the rain comes and the world is covered with five inches of slush. I could never, in my wildest dreams, have imagined it would snow today. Yesterday there was a storm again, it was kinda bad, no wonder when they name after a nasty god. There was one like it two months ago which left two women dead after a mud slide destroyed several houses. This time one man was killed by another one. Bergen seems a dangerous place this time of year.
When I got out yesterday morning the street was a river and the cars were boats. I had a lecture and when I got back after a 15 minute walk, all my clothes were wet. Down my (waterproof) boots, my pants were so heavy when I got them off I don't understand how I could have walked with them on, even my underwear was soaked. I got out of it all and crawled into bed, reading anthropology for my exam next Monday.
The wind was incredible too. Strange to just stand and watch something like that, even if it's just a little wind. I saw it come towards me from the north, crashing into the wall and trees 20 meters in front of me, then changing directions to the west where I was standing watching it. I just stopped on top of some stairs and saw it come. It was strong enough to twist all the metal in my umbrella, not just turn it inside out but really bend it so hard I can't get it straight no matter what I do. It nearly swept me off my feet, much like I would have been if I had had to cross the street outside my building - the current in the road would have been strong enough to wash me away.
Mother nature sure is having a ball this year, the whole world over. She just gotta stop killing people. We seem to do that just fine on our own.
I love snow. I just don't like it when the rain comes and the world is covered with five inches of slush. I could never, in my wildest dreams, have imagined it would snow today. Yesterday there was a storm again, it was kinda bad, no wonder when they name after a nasty god. There was one like it two months ago which left two women dead after a mud slide destroyed several houses. This time one man was killed by another one. Bergen seems a dangerous place this time of year.
When I got out yesterday morning the street was a river and the cars were boats. I had a lecture and when I got back after a 15 minute walk, all my clothes were wet. Down my (waterproof) boots, my pants were so heavy when I got them off I don't understand how I could have walked with them on, even my underwear was soaked. I got out of it all and crawled into bed, reading anthropology for my exam next Monday.
The wind was incredible too. Strange to just stand and watch something like that, even if it's just a little wind. I saw it come towards me from the north, crashing into the wall and trees 20 meters in front of me, then changing directions to the west where I was standing watching it. I just stopped on top of some stairs and saw it come. It was strong enough to twist all the metal in my umbrella, not just turn it inside out but really bend it so hard I can't get it straight no matter what I do. It nearly swept me off my feet, much like I would have been if I had had to cross the street outside my building - the current in the road would have been strong enough to wash me away.
Mother nature sure is having a ball this year, the whole world over. She just gotta stop killing people. We seem to do that just fine on our own.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
New Language?
| You Should Learn Japanese |
 You're cutting edge, and you are ready to delve into wacky Japanese culture. From Engrish to eating contests, you're born to be a crazy gaijin. Saiko! |
I do love them languages...
But Japanese?
I knew an American girl in France who spoke Japanese...
Their signs are strange. I was thinking Spanish was next.
The Underwear Oracle
A while ago I got a negative comment on my having mentioning my underwear on this blog. I don't believe I do that a lot but I do like my underwear so I thought I'd take a test, see what my underwear says about me, and let all of you know and be as annoyed as you want.
I don't quite agree with this though.. You are supposed to tell them what kind of underwear you're wearing right now and apparently my red thong says I'm a closet exhibitionist. But hey, fine by me. I have no problems being 'secretly naughty'...
| What Your Underwear Says About You |
 You buy the sexiest underwear you kind find, and always have something hot on underneath your clothes. You're a closet exhibitionist who gets a thrill from being secretly naughty. |
I don't quite agree with this though.. You are supposed to tell them what kind of underwear you're wearing right now and apparently my red thong says I'm a closet exhibitionist. But hey, fine by me. I have no problems being 'secretly naughty'...
US Citizenship Test
| You Failed the US Citizenship Test |
 Oops, you only got 3 out of 10 right! |
Ummm yeah.. Doesn't look like I'll be coming over any time soon..
Bergen International Film Festival
As a member of 'Kinosonen' - the Cinema Zone - I was chosen to receive a VIP pass to the festival. I didn't go there until the third day but after that I saw everything I could. During five days I saw 21 movies. 22 if you count the one I saw twice.
- Sex/Life in LA
- Cycles of Porn
- The Brooklyn Connection
- For Levende og Døde
- The Norwegian Short Film Competition
- Crash Landing (x2)
- Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
- The Boys of Baraka
- Barnet
- Lost Children
- 13
- Up and Down
- The Peacekeepers
- The Women of Mount Ararat
- Skilpadder Kan Fly + Bawke
- The District
- Hundevakten
- Dear Wendy
- Murderball
- Medicine Under the Influence
- Gudenes Kamp
From Germans making documentaries about sex in LA, young American boys being sent to Kenya, the UN fighting for peace without fighting at all and the American and Canadian rugby teams in the Paralympics.
From Belgium to France, the Czech Republic to Russia, via Hungary and Kurdistan to Mexico. Back to Iraq, detour to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and straight to Canada and then the US. It's been quite a ride.
I think the one I liked the most was Up and Down taking place in Prague. It was sort of split in two with all the stories coming together in the end. The one half of the story wasn't much fun but the other was hilarious. The people behind me loved the animated The District from Hungary but I didn't like it as much. Then Russian Hundevakten / The Graveyard Shift (translated from Norwegian it would be Dog Watch, wonder who let them call it that...). Completely wasted.
The Mexican Gudenes Kamp / Battle in Heaven, which was the very last film I saw during the festival left me speechless. Not because it was particularly good. I just didn't understand what it was I'd been watching. It was weird, not very entertaining, just a few naked people walking around. Standing still. Lying still. When it ended I just sat there... wondering why on earth anyone would make a film like that. I didn't even understand what it was about.
That last day, Wednesday, I also went to a Panel Debate following the Canadian Crash Landing. I'll be writing something about that later, it deserves a post on its own, not to say a double page in the country's biggest newpapers. More on that later.
It's been a nice week. A lot of movies. A lot of people. I really hate to admit it but it was pretty cool have to a pass to get in wherever I wanted, not having to stand in line to buy tickets. Once when I was going to see a movie, the guy checking tickets was going to check mine, I showed him my pass and he just went "Oh! Yeah you just go on up." I got to touch upon the oh so fragile feeling of being seen as a little more important than most people just because I had that little card.
However... there was something that struck me. Although there was a row of seats reserved for VIPs and the press (I never sat there), that was it. If you're an 'important person' around here, you're not treated very differently from anyone else. You don't get to cut in the line, there's no special places for you to be, if you're the director talking about your movie you just get someone to walk you there or you stand outside with people handing out notes saying there's a debate later.
We're all the same. It just gets a little easier when people think you're someone who matters. And I pretended to be one of those for a few days. It was interesting. But rather than feeling more important than anyone else I just had the feeling I was pretending to be something I'm not.
I don't like to pretend.
Wonderful week though. Very very hectic with five movies a day for four days. There were some I wish I could have seen but I didn't manage to work it into the schedule. With five theaters and 300 shows it took a little planning to work it out. I saw much good stuff and some real bad but I'm pretty happy with my choices. I wanna go again!
What part of fall are you?
| You Are Apple Cider |
 But downright nasty when cold. |
Apple cider. I should have seen that coming..
Saturday, October 29, 2005
I'm a Monster!
Blogthings has a Monster name generator.
Priests? Yeah I could agree witht that...
| Your Monster Profile |
 Mad Hitchhiker You Feast On: Fried Twinkies You Lurk Around In: Sewers You Especially Like to Torment: Priests |
Priests? Yeah I could agree witht that...
On and Off
Two weeks with no internet and no network connection. Relaxing in a way but annoying when I'm unable to pay my bills. Last night a guy from the network group in the building came over to find out what's wrong. Everything had started working for everyone else a few days ago but not for me. He spent an hour poking around, saying I have too much stuff on here and feeling sorry for my computer. He found nothing and said I should delete everything and install Windows again.
I said two weeks ago, when everything stopped working, I had just installed a new antivirus, and messed around with settings to get this image onto the computer. I told him three times but he said no, that couldn't be it. When he left I called my brother to get him to send me the CD with the Windows thing on it since I don't have it here. When I hung up I deleted the antivirus and voila, everything works just fine.
I emailed the computer guy saying it was ok now and thanks for your help, and he wrote a loong email back saying he had suspected it was the antivirus. I told him about it three times when he was here, he told me that wouldn't be it, yet a few hours later he had suspected it all along. Who needs guys anyway?
So now I'm back and I have stories to tell. I just don't know where to start or what to write so I'll probably do what I always do - forget everything.
I'll just start and see how I'll do.
I said two weeks ago, when everything stopped working, I had just installed a new antivirus, and messed around with settings to get this image onto the computer. I told him three times but he said no, that couldn't be it. When he left I called my brother to get him to send me the CD with the Windows thing on it since I don't have it here. When I hung up I deleted the antivirus and voila, everything works just fine.
I emailed the computer guy saying it was ok now and thanks for your help, and he wrote a loong email back saying he had suspected it was the antivirus. I told him about it three times when he was here, he told me that wouldn't be it, yet a few hours later he had suspected it all along. Who needs guys anyway?
So now I'm back and I have stories to tell. I just don't know where to start or what to write so I'll probably do what I always do - forget everything.
I'll just start and see how I'll do.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Missing ink
Thanks for all the birtday wishes, was a nice day and I am indeed older. It feels like I've grown up a lot the past year but it has nothing to do with age.
The net hasn't been working for over a week now, I did mean to leave another post (or ten) - Applestories turned 1 when I hit 21 so that would be reason to celebrate. I only get to check my email at the computer lab, I'm not supposed to be on here so I'll wait till my net is back up to write anything about it.
This would also be the reason why I seem to have neglected both you and your blogs. To those of you who keep asking what's going on and if I'll be back on soon - I sure hope so.
While I'm waiting for things to get fixed I'm enjoying autumn, we keep getting these beautiful sunny days with temperatures around 0. It hit the freezing point last night and this morning there was ice covering the puddles. The sky is so blue it almost hurts to look at it. I don't know what we've done to deserve it but I wish it would stay like this forever. With snow. We need snow. And maybe not forever, maybe just until April.
It's also time for BIFF - Bergen International Film Festival. I pretty much get in anywhere I want (I have a VIP pass) and I'm taking advantage of that, seeing all the movies I can squeeze in between my lectures (and tomorrow I have to skip one but don't tell anyone!). I saw one yesterday, Canadian documentary called Crash Landing. The director was there talking a little about it, my mind kept travelling far away (or not so far away) as I was watching but I liked it and I think I have the time so see it again between a lecture and a debate thing on Wednesday.
Saturday I saw two movies in the 'gay/lesbian' category on male models/prostitutes/porn stars in LA. The director was German and he was there too. Sunday there was the Norwegian Short Film... umm... thing. I liked some of them but others.. there were two that lasted about 60 seconds and we were just starting to concentrate when it was over and the lights came back on. People were just looking at each going "What was that?!?"
So I'm having fun and it seems that the net crashing (well it didn't crash, they took down an antennae and just won't put it back up) wasn't so bad after all. Kinda sucked last week when I had to do a paper in Economy and had to run back here for info we were supposed to look up, then I couldn't write it here cuz it closes at 8pm (I was up till 6am). Then a lecture at 10am and back here to send it off.
I really think that when we are required to check our Uni emails once a day, when lectures keep changing and we only know by checking our accounts, when we need the net (and not just 'should have' but the Uni says we 'have to' have access to it 'every day') then the student organization who owns and runs the building where I live, should be able to keep us online.
Well anyway, I'm off for a movie. I wish I remembered which one... I'm pretty sure it was the documentary called The Boys from Baraka. Can't wait to see it.
And four others.
The net hasn't been working for over a week now, I did mean to leave another post (or ten) - Applestories turned 1 when I hit 21 so that would be reason to celebrate. I only get to check my email at the computer lab, I'm not supposed to be on here so I'll wait till my net is back up to write anything about it.
This would also be the reason why I seem to have neglected both you and your blogs. To those of you who keep asking what's going on and if I'll be back on soon - I sure hope so.
While I'm waiting for things to get fixed I'm enjoying autumn, we keep getting these beautiful sunny days with temperatures around 0. It hit the freezing point last night and this morning there was ice covering the puddles. The sky is so blue it almost hurts to look at it. I don't know what we've done to deserve it but I wish it would stay like this forever. With snow. We need snow. And maybe not forever, maybe just until April.
It's also time for BIFF - Bergen International Film Festival. I pretty much get in anywhere I want (I have a VIP pass) and I'm taking advantage of that, seeing all the movies I can squeeze in between my lectures (and tomorrow I have to skip one but don't tell anyone!). I saw one yesterday, Canadian documentary called Crash Landing. The director was there talking a little about it, my mind kept travelling far away (or not so far away) as I was watching but I liked it and I think I have the time so see it again between a lecture and a debate thing on Wednesday.
Saturday I saw two movies in the 'gay/lesbian' category on male models/prostitutes/porn stars in LA. The director was German and he was there too. Sunday there was the Norwegian Short Film... umm... thing. I liked some of them but others.. there were two that lasted about 60 seconds and we were just starting to concentrate when it was over and the lights came back on. People were just looking at each going "What was that?!?"
So I'm having fun and it seems that the net crashing (well it didn't crash, they took down an antennae and just won't put it back up) wasn't so bad after all. Kinda sucked last week when I had to do a paper in Economy and had to run back here for info we were supposed to look up, then I couldn't write it here cuz it closes at 8pm (I was up till 6am). Then a lecture at 10am and back here to send it off.
I really think that when we are required to check our Uni emails once a day, when lectures keep changing and we only know by checking our accounts, when we need the net (and not just 'should have' but the Uni says we 'have to' have access to it 'every day') then the student organization who owns and runs the building where I live, should be able to keep us online.
Well anyway, I'm off for a movie. I wish I remembered which one... I'm pretty sure it was the documentary called The Boys from Baraka. Can't wait to see it.
And four others.
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