About Home

Do me a favour and give this vid at least one minute of your time. Believe me it is impressive once you get into it.

Now...My parents and brother came home, finally. They have been away since early morning Friday. And I have been in more or less isolation. My interaction with people friday was less than an half an hour, yesterday a bit better an hour maybe two, and today was rather good. But I think I surprised the guest today with my chattyness. Apart from that I have slept a lot to make time pass. Yes, I am not cut out for solidary confinement. Yes, I have no problem being alone for a few hours or maybe a day, but when we are talking 48 or 72 hours... I crack and go crazy...
When I walked to and fro work today I stopped at the bridge and looked at the place I live. Listened to it, a trick from Michael in 7th Son. And what I felt was a feel of never changing. Now you need to know that there have been people here for really ages. For about as long as there have been Norwegians in Norway. The place got it's name from King Svein who is burried here. Now there have not been a king Svein as long as Norway have been one kingdom, which places this place as a big setting before 930 AD. If you ever come I'll point you to his burrial mound. This place have been more or less the same since then.
Home is never the same once you have left home. It is not home in the same way. But I love it even more than when I lived here. Now it is home in a completely different way. It is something never changing. When I need a break, somewhere to escape to, this is it. I can go into the forest, walk along the old trails and paths made by animals, at those moments I am the young kid who went elf hunting again. Well I never actually went elf hunting, don't dare to. You see, the is this one place in the forest that gives me the creeps, it is a top of a hill which the trail I used to train my horse along and is the trail I run on snakes around. One late fall evening, in the twillight I was out with my horse and I looked up there are I could have sworn I saw something humanoid up there. Tall, thin, and looking straight at me with a look that said "Don't you dare come any closer." Which of course resulted in me walking up there. I have never felt that I didn't belong so much. Not even at family dinners in Hong Kong with Cheryl's family where they all spoke Cantonese. The only way I can describe it was that it felt like I was trespassing... Needless to say I have never been there again. But I am rambling.
I love this place, don't care much for the people but the place, this is where I belong, maybe more than the people who's families date back to King Svein. Because I am not a local, I paid attention to the place, learned to love every tree and twig and stone. And now the place loves me. I finally understand the line of our national anthem that goes like 'even we when it's demanded for its peace will encamp'. Actually I am gonna give you the entire national anthem. Because I think it is a rather beautiful anthem.
JA, VI ELSKER DETTE LANDET (Yes, we love this country)
1
Ja, vi elsker dette landet, Yes, we love this country
som det stiger frem, as it rises forth,
furet, værbitt over vannet, rugged, weathered, above the sea,
med de tusen hjem. with the thousands of homes.
Elsker, elsker det og tenker Loving, loving it and thinking
på vår far og mor about our father and mother
og den saganatt som senker and the saga night that sends
drømme på vår jord. dreams to our earth.
Og den saganatt som senker, And the saga night that sends,
senker drømme på vår jord. sends dreams to our earth.


2
Dette landet Harald berget This country Harald united
med sin kjemperad, with his army of heroes,
dette landet Håkon verget this country Håkon protected
medens Øyvind kvad; whilst Øyvind sung;
Olav på det landet malte upon the country Olav painted
korset med sitt blod, with his blood the cross,
fra dets høye Sverre talte from its heights Sverre spoke
Roma midt imot. up against Rome.


3
Bønder sine økser brynte Farmers their axes sharpened
hvor en hær dro frem, wherever an army advanced,
Tordenskiold langs kysten lynte, Tordenskiold around the coastline thundered
så den lystes hjem. so that we could see it back home.
Kvinner selv stod opp og strede Even women stood up and fought
som de vare menn; as if they were men;
andre kunne bare grede, others could only cry
men det kom igjen! but that soon would end!


4
Visstnok var vi ikke mange, Sure, we were not many
men vi strakk dog til, but we were enough,
da vi prøvdes noen gange, when we were tested sometimes,
og det stod på spill; and it was at stake;
ti vi heller landet brente we would rather burn our land
enn det kom til fall; than to declare defeat;
husker bare hva som hendte just remember what happened
ned på Fredrikshald! down at Fredrikshald!


5
Hårde tider har vi døyet, Hard times we have coped with,
ble til sist forstøtt; were at last disowned;
men i verste nød blåøyet but in the worst distress, blue-eyed
frihet ble oss født. freedom was to us born.
Det gav faderkraft å bære It gave (us) father's strength to carry
hungersnød og krig, famine and war,
det gav døden selv sin ære - it gave death itself its honour -
og det gav forlik. and it gave reconciliation.


6
Fienden sitt våpen kastet, The enemy threw away his weapon,
opp visiret for, up the visor went,
vi med undren mot ham hastet, we, in wonder, to him hastened,
ti han var vår bror. because he was our brother.
Drevne frem på stand av skammen Driven forth to a stand by shame
gikk vi søderpå; we went to the south;
nu vi står tre brødre sammen, now we three brothers stand united,
og skal sådan stå! and shall stand like that!


7
Norske mann i hus og hytte, Norseman in house and cabin,
takk din store Gud! thank your great God!
Landet ville han beskytte, The country he wanted to protect,
skjønt det mørkt så ut. although things looked dark.
Alt hva fedrene har kjempet, All the fights fathers have fought,
mødrene har grett, and the mothers have wept,
har den Herre stille lempet the Lord has quietly moved
så vi vant vår rett. so we won our rights.


8
Ja, vi elsker dette landet, Yes, we love this country
som det stiger frem, as it rises forth,
furet, værbitt over vannet, rugged, weathered, above the sea,
med de tusen hjem. with those thousand homes.
Og som fedres kamp har hevet And as the fathers' struggle has raised
det av nød til seir, it from poverty to victory,
også vi, når det blir krevet, even we, when it is demanded,
for dets fred slår leir. for its peace will encamp (for defence).

You know.. There is really only one word to describe this place. It is home.

The most chilled 17th of May ever...

Today is the day when we celebrate Norwegian-ness. It means big party. This year, my family and I did not go. I think that has mainly todo with my mom being in Rome. So I have just chilled today. Sleept untill two and not done anything. I love this. My brother have been freaking out about the LARP we are both going to attend in about a months time. I really need to start working on that, get the costume and the character down, I have no clue what I am going to play, but I think my little brother might want to play a bard troupe. Could be fun. Yeah, the LARP is one that have been running for years and it is a Tolkien like thing, called Elencalion Formen (which as far as I know is Quenya). The first EF was my first larp ever, so I am a bit excited about getting to do it again. Last year they even had hobbits, meaning Rune Tobias, who is seven now I think. Should work on that yeah... And then talk to Baba about running a vampire oneshot.

These last few days I have been doing a lot of reading and working on Shadowrun stuffs. I have been trying to get vocab down so I can speak the way Silver speaks, so far there is really only two words that have worked their way into me, frag and intel. But I am working on it. I am also working on my German. And taking pictures. Yesterday I decided to walk to my old escape spot, meaning to take pictures. It is a nice spot by the river where I can watch the bats and the eagles hunt and watch the sun set. It is my spot where I go when I need to be alone. And I discovered that it had been fucked up. Not the spot itself but the way I walk there have been used as a road when they where cutting down the forest. They have ruined my entire spot. This might seem like over reacting, but you need to understand that part of the calmness of that mediation spot is the walk out there. Walking/Running over the old trails, barefoot, listing to music, having to consentrate not to step on anyting unpleasant, it is just not possible anymore. So I need to find a new spot. This is the second time I have had to. I have three in mind, but they all have downsides to them. The first one is not by the river at all, but I can see the sunset, and it is nice and hidden away. The other one is easy to get to(it is underenath a bridge), maybe too easy, and by the river. The third one is ok walking distance, fairly hidden, but not by the big river, it is by the stream. Meaning no eagles and few bats, on the other hand it has bevers. So yeah, I am going to have to walk to all three and just feel the place. The place I end up choosing needs to have a certain feel. And it can take years before it truly becomes my spot. The old one I had for at least 4 years. Kinda sad...

Up at a sensible time

Yeah it is half past nine in the morning here, I woke up about 45 minutes ago. And for once I got up and took a shower. Considering that I have slept untill half past one the last few days that is pretty good. But I have too much that needs to be done today. First finish easting, I am dead hungry because I forgot to eat yesterday, have a cup of coffee, take the horse out in about fifteen minutes, she did not want to get out when my brother tried earlier so I am going to let her stew for a little while, bake bread, make dinner, vaccum the kitchen and living room and do laundery. Considering that I have no clean clothes for tomorrow that is pretty bad. My brother, Dad and I are celebrating tomorrow back home, having a really chilled 17. I might celebrate the 16. tonight, after all there is that bottle of vodka and then I have some wine and some (good) beer, not planning on finishing anything tonight, but I might have a beer or two. My mom left for Rome yesterday. She is going to be gone untill Sunday. I hope she has a good time, it was her 50th year birthday present from her siblings. I am kind of proud since I was the one who got that started.
I haven't been that jetlagged this time, I was on monday. And then it is Claire's fault I was up untill dawn yesterday morning (dawn starts at 4 AM by the way). Dawn is very beautiful. It is something special about having been up all night just to see it get light again. Two of the coolest ones I have seen was last year in the end of may. First the night before my Norwegian exam, staying up roleplaying with Ace, Seth and Armand and the second was sitting next to Bunny or Cheryl on the bus to Oslo leaving Flekke for good.
Sewing is going well. The bodice is at the embroidery stage and it is going to take a while to get past this stage. There is a lot of embroidery to go on this. The skirt is almost finished cut and ready to be sewn, that will take maybe an hour. The corset is still not done, but I don't have the material I need, so that is going to have to wait untill mom gets home.
Apart from that I am reading, watching 'Allo 'Allo which my brother gave me the first 4 seasons of, and just chilling. I am online pretty much all the time.

Det snør, det snør.

It is snowing, it is first day of school for my brother and mother (my mom is a teacher), but my mom is upstairs with a migrene. I am sitting in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. Mars the male cat is playing with his tabletoptennis ball and Gaia the female one is just sitting on the table looking out, even though she just came in. Ronja, the horse, is outside, I'll take her out for a trip later. The breads I am baking smell nice, I have been up for over three hours, but I have not eaten breakfeast yet, I want fresh bread for breakfeast. I am reading MET books and plotting for the oneshot larp I am running in a week or so. I should also so some plotting for the bigger larp I am doing this summer. Not to mention all the rpgs I have to plan. I really like all this plotting and stuff. I have been thinking about being a professional storytellers/GM. It could be a lot of fun. Maybe I should look into some theatre course for the art part of the latin honors, such as voice for actors.

I also plan on celebration winter-een-mas this year, I should get started..

Weekend. Haircut and first day of work comming up.

Yesterday was nice, after one and a half year I finally got a haircut. It was needed, big time. I also went to the village BBQ. I don't know if we are allowed to call ourselvs a village though, we're about 60 people, most of them old as hell. But it was nice anyway.
Today have been a nice, easy day. I've started cleaning my room and that's it. Very easy. Tomorrow I am going to start my real job this summer though, museum guide. 4 hours and I am 400 NOK richer, I get a wage rise because I am over 18 this year. 3 weeks of that and I am closer to my plan of going to Hong Kong next summer (which by the way Thomas is spelled Hongkong in Norwegian (No kidding, it is) For those of you that do not understand this, Thomas nearly killed me once I spelled HK the Norwegian way). I might have the money for the ticket and maybe, maybe some spending money. Hehe, anyway my mom said I could borrow the rest from them and pay them back by working next summer too. All work and no p(l)ay makes Jack a dull boy. Now I have to return to cleaning my room and find my home work underneath my clothes...

Return of the 52,0 and Nightwish consert.

Let's see, where to start? Over the last 5 days a lot have happened, I started travelling on wendsday at around 19.00 and arrvied home yesterday at 21. something. Longest travell I have ever done. But it depends on wether or not everything count as travelling, I spent 2,5 days at my uncle's close to Oslo. On friday I was to the 'Skools out' festival, apprently 4 bands is a festival, and saw Mohamed, Carburntors, Nightwish and Mötley Crüe. The two first are Norwegian bands of (in my veiw) okeey bands with a little to much pyro effects. Nightwish was great (They were the reason I was there), I still haven't really grasped the fact that I have seen them live yet. It was just....WOW. Mötley Crüe was a little bit to 80s for my taste, but cool anyhow.
I am back home now, and that means no more broadband. I am back to a 52.0 modem. I miss everyone back at school. I don't like it here. I rather be back in school with homework than here, I miss them so. I guess it is time to write long e-mails to them...

Home and DW,3.Try.

A couple of hours ago I finished off 'Darkwings, third try'. I am rather happy about it. Even though I have to sit down and go through it, page by page to find all the spelling mistakes, but if you can live with spelling mistakes (consider it a part of my charm) go ahead and enjoy the new design.
Tomorrow we will be going home, I have to hand in my world litt, and clan my room before I can go on the buses. Then I will spend the night on the bus and too bad for me all my good freinds are going on the other bus, because they are flying home. I am going to stay with my family in Oslo for a couple of days and then go to a consert (among others Nightwish are coming). Then I am going home.

On sunday, after reading some of Thomas' old blogs, I felt down for some reason I do not know and went for a walk. Walks are for me what meditation is for others, I think a lot better when I go for a walk. So I was walking along towards the islands, thinking about how I am going to survive the summer with out my two best freinds, Cheryl and Thomas, when I saw this.

This is a sign we have here at the college to show the distance from the college to diffrent places. Hong Kong is one of them. They say that your home is where your heart is. If that is the case, Hong Kong is going to be one of my homes for this summer, because my heart will be with my freinds. I will think about them all the time and miss them constanly. I am probaly gonna sit and read the yearbook some lonely night and cry because I wish I was where they are.