Under Age 3

Some years ago I wrote two posts about getting asked for an ID when I bought wine in the UK  (Under Age &  Under Age 2). I thought it probably wouldn't happen again for another 500 years. But then, when you least expect it, the world has something unforeseen up its sleeve for you!

I was at the shop buying some essentials—plus a can of excellent Swedish pear cider. The lady behind the counter asked "can I see your ID, please?" Let's just halt there for a moment shall we?

So, my beard have started to get some gray patches (I know, me and Clooney). I had bent my head down to pick something up and she repeated the question as I came back up.

Me (sticking my chin forward and pointing with the index-finger):
"See? My beard has gray patches!"
Her: "Yes, but I'd like to see your ID please."
Me: "For the soap or the cider?"
Fredrik: (Starts laughing!)
Her (a little bewildered): "That!" (points to the cider.)

I showed her the ID.

Really, I'm up for a good compliment any day, but in reality's highborn name! Some other day perhaps? -when I have a clean shave and a colourful base-ball cap? Mom thought it was hilarious though, so at least the story came to serve some form of higher purpose! :-)

Natalie Cole

Rewind the clock back with me to the summer of 1991 or 92, and a raging torrent of sound came out of the little radio in my granddad’s dusty workshop in Northern Norway. It would play-and-play-and-play inside my head until I finally got the record. The track was ‘Paper Moon.’

The first full price CD I bought as was ‘Unforgettable,’ I played and sung along to it constantly! Natalie Cole has made her way through R'n B, Pop, Jazz and Classical Crossover and she was instrumental in shaping the direction my early love for Jazz took. I love her work with José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and orchestra; and the the fantastic duets with her late father, through wonders of technology. Over the last decade my strongest memory of her is her swinging away with Diana Krall to a lush big-band. Her distinct voice has throughout her career been employed with the greatest possible versatility!

25 years after its release, ‘Unforgettable’ still stands as one of the most complete and memorable jazz-albums I have ever bought. I sang her music and tried to follow her amazing phrases; the sound of the big-band played relentlessly in my head, with or without my consent—day and night, and sometimes kept me from sleeping; and needless to say, I was 12 and had a crush on her!

I sometimes thought of telling her the story of my granddad’s workshop if I ever got to meet her. Sadly, I have run out of time! The beautiful Natalie Cole has left us at age 65 — early, like her father. I’ve attached a picture of the album-cover so you too can get a crush on her!

I hope I get to tell her that story one day.

Scott Weiland

Scott Weiland, you poor battered soul! We will miss the lyrical brutality of your beautiful voice! You made even dreadful memories sound nostalgic! We'll let your records cry for us and hope that your voice will turn horror to tears of joy, one final time... You will be missed!

Intelligence

We treasure the sexy,

it's even sneaking into mainstream corporate language today

(to my annoyance)

We cherish kindness,

for good reasons

We respect the hard working,

and we should, but to what aims are we working?

We cherish beauty,

even though it will fade

The only beauty that transcends our lifespan is mountains, forests, sunshine, God and His presence

We amaze at fame,

and question too little what brought it about

We once respected loyalty,

do we still?

We crave self-fulfilment,

and leave a trail of broken hearts

***

What is sexy without intelligence?

What is kindness without the stability of commitment?

What is hard work without both intelligence and commitment?

What is beauty without long-term admiration for a soul, it’s just a fleeting moment.

What is fame without substance, character and fidelity?

What is respect without commitment to principle or person?

What is self-fulfilment with regrets and a life span shorter than your own?

***

Intelligence is underrated

Long term planning and commitment is undervalued

An Event

We have visitors from the North. Mom's sister is here with a friend and they'll be travelling down South to see an old aunt of theirs in a couple of days. The aunt originally came from the North. Last night they were on the phone with her. Northern humour is darker. After years of being made fun of by more densely populated parts of the country, a certain hostile humor has developed. The old aunt had exclaimed that she was looking forward to meeting "sensible North Norwegians again! It will truly be an event!" It was well received by much laughter around the house.

I was up late last night and the house was in full motion by the time I joined the ranks of the awoken this morning. To my pleasant surprise, my sister was on a visit. Her and Mom was stood talking in the kitchen. I had left a newly acquired glass-shelf for a book-case in the library, on the kitchen bench. It had a sticker on it and I rubbed it in dish-washing soap last night to get ridd of it. Now I got to work on it. After scraping and washing I held the shelf under warm running water. I looked around... Then I said to Sis: "Could you get me a..." (I didn't get any further) "Sure!" she said, and got a kitchen towel out of a drawer for me. How nice! I haven't had someone finish my sentence in a long time. It's probably one of the things on this planet I enjoy the most! How nice to have "a sensible brain around again! No trivias, and a deeper sense of understanding! It was truly an event!"

There With Me

Melancholy sadness,
lingers over the distance;
in time,
and in lines on the map.

Were we found,
on the same mission?
yours or mine?
and the lines drew your face across my mind.

Whenever it's day,
or in it's counterpart at night;
you and me,
one on the mountain and one by the sea.

Eternity - Love Lost Is Found!

(Photo credit)

Macro Economics, Aurora & Deer

I spent all night in the dungeons of the University chasing money through macro-economic models and pouring over Keynes-models. The clock struck midnight and I was afraid of getting caught in the burglary-alarm. Out on the car-park the air was crisp and cold. Since campus is right next to the woods and I had been inside for hours it was time for a walk.

An otherwise gung-ho track across the fields and into the woods, but the ground is frozen now so the walk is quite smooth. At the edge of the field the reeds have frozen and the ice-crystals made high-pitch whistely bell sounds, when the wind brushed through them. Several times it made me turn my head around to see if anyone, or anything, was following me. I didn’t figure out what it was till I was almost back at the car.

On the last leg I came down a hill and out of a small valley. The road was lit in front but I chose the big dark plane at the side instead. The fields are all walkable after the harvest, and especially after they freeze. The Northern Lights were spreading themselves across the sky up above. I turned the torch on to see where I was stepping. After a while, distant reflections of the torch-light appeared in my peripheral vision. I gave it no further thought until the reflections started moving about. What?

I pointed the torch at the reflections. They were still there, but weren’t moving any more. Ah! All of them were in pairs. I couldn’t see their bodies, but knew I had the company of a group of deer. When they ran off they became ‘visible’ as the dark shadows they looked like were moving instead of standing still. Toward the woods they went, but I couldn’t see them entering, and think they were still somewhere in the field. Further down there were more but I tried not to disturb them too much this time. After all, I wouldn’t want to hang in a field with my friends under the Aurora and be scared off by some dark creature carrying freaky portable starlight.

Far away somewhere in my mind I could hear TNT playing ‘Northern Lights.’