Life

Life

On our journey through time
For a while we visit this earth
We laugh, cherish and dance

Suddenly we may leave
And disappear into the wind
Like grains of Sahara sand

Reading 2

This blog might perhaps not be the fastest place on the planet! But my visitor log reveals that some of my dear online friends have not given up on me, despite my rather erratic posting frequency.

Today I saw a visitor from a new country, Botswana. This of course brings back happy memories of one of my favorite writers: Alexander McCall Smith, who writes absolutely charming books. I blogged about him a while ago, here. So my dear visitor from Gaborone, if you come back here, please let me know who you are.

Gaborone, as seen by emster214

As for my other readers/bloggers I have another question: Very few of my real life friends read my blog these days. (It was different in the beginning when I was travel-blogging as a way of staying in touch. ) Today I have a nice little circle of online-friends, of whom I have met none, (well OK, very few!). How is this for you, do you have many real life friends who read your blog?

As for my own life, it is presently rather full of not too good family related troubles. Such things hardly help me find the time or energy to post. Let us leave it at that.

Of Music And Chess

Well, another hiatus. Well, another year. Welcome to 2008. Thanks for stickin’ by.

Those of you who have not played a lot of chess might find it hard to see a natural connection between chess, and music. No matter, I think there is one. Music has the ability to transport your mind to another universe, to a world where other laws and values rule. To a world where you can find peace. Chess, sometimes does the same.

I may have blogged about this before, but when it comes to music I can warmly recommend one specific source: Radio Paradise, is a web-radio station that I cannot help fall in love with. They describe themselves as an “eclectic rock music station”. You may say that you are not “really into rock”. But these guys will play an amazingly broad selection of music. You may hear anything from the Beatles to the Chemical Brothers. If you love David Bowie, Calexico, Jethro Tull, Aimee Mann, Roxy Music, Björk, Beck, REM, Tom Petty, Tori Amos, Goldfrapp, and such, you should check it out. Or if you just like to be musically surprised, to hear a lot of new bands that you never heard of, you should click that link. The cool thing is not only that they play very cool music but if you listen for a couple of hours you begin to notice that they mix it in a really cool way that adds up to more than just the separate songs. Now the really great thing is that it is 100% commercial free. It is all working through voluntary listener support. Try it!

As for chess: a year ago I wrote that my goal for 2007 was to improve my rating by 200 rating points. 200 rating points, is a tall order, approximately you would win 4 out of 5 games against someone 200 points below yourself. So it is a significant improvement. Now, one year later the result is [drum roll please]:

230 rating points. Of course I am happy with that. For this year I hesitate to set a new goal because another 200 rating points is quite unrealistic. Anyway, the interesting thing is that my improvement did not chiefly come from intense study or training. Most of it came from a psychological shift, in my attitude towards the game. I have grown more, confident, careful, less risk prone, and most of all, more patient and persistent.

That might be a good lesson, for all of us, in all areas of life. Trust your decisions, stay patient, and do persist.

The Kite Runner

Mo blogging has been rather silent for a month. Not the first time. Now...

I started reading this book while visiting San Francisco. It was electrifying to read the opening paragraph of the book where the narrator is overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge [me myself and I being there, quite a coincidence] and saying: " I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment..." here I end my quote because I warmly recommend you to read the book.

A boy is born in Afghanistan in the mid 1960's. He grows up in a country: then rich, well organized, civilized, and beautiful, a fully functioning society. He sees the "revolution" where the Afghan leftist rebels overthrow the monarchy, and a total disintegration of a peaceful society, followed by a period of turmoil, followed by the Soviet invasion, then the undignified Soviet withdrawal, followed by the extreme islamist mayhem, followed by 9/11 and all.

With all this historic turmoil as a background, all the personal experiences, family hardships, and difficulties are painted before us in a painful, yet very down-to-earth image.

I can only say: Get it. Read it.

Berkeley

This weekend’s excursion went to Berkeley. Across the San Francisco Bay lies this super nice little university town. Everything revolves around the university. The atmosphere is very relaxed and pleasant. I spent a whole day just walking around campus and the streets. Just hanging out and absorbing the atmosphere, I really enjoyed it.

And, of course, academics and culture are high on this town’s list. Bookstores are all over the place.When I wandered into one the record/DVD stores, at the back I found a shelf that really won my film loving heart and mind. ( Most people when talking about film usually ask: “Who’s in it?”, while I ask: “Who directed it?”.) Movies in this section were sorted by director: Robert Altman? Check. Fellini? Check. Hitchcock? Check. Ingmar Bergman? Check. Francis Coppola? Whaddaythink?

If you ever spend a good amount of time in San Fran, do not miss Berkely.

Convivance

“Convivance”, or “living together”, a term that some apply to the phenomenon of different groups of people living, and getting by together. Two groups of people here in San Francisco are bicyclists and car drivers. Me being a bicyclist, and them... being car drivers. Don’t get me wrong, I am really glad I got a bike for my stay here and I love riding it everywhere. But some car drivers here really scare me to death. I mean I have been biking in NYC The Big Apple, but biking here is really something. Car drivers here often forget about the outside world and just cut corner and lanes like they were alone. Several people who live here agree with me on this; that bikers and pedestrians really need to watch out. Cars running red lights here happens all too often, I saw it myself twice in just a week. And I am honestly a lot more afraid of the cars here than in NYC, because I see a lot more unpredictability here.

Now I am not saying that car drivers here, are more evil, or stupid, than in New York. But in a city which is so much structured in favour of cars, people automatically adopt different patterns of behaviour. I suppose I might too. New York is packed with pedestrians, so that makes the whole race so much more balanced.

Ah well, just a silly little rant, and perhaps some of you, with a bit of knowledge of history, and me, know of another very specific episode in time that this term also may refer to….

Fates Worse Than Death

If you want to know about Fates Worse Than Death, I suggest that you take a look this book by my favourite author Kurt Vonnegut. Meanwhile this title was just lingering in my mind, waiting to break free. It has – at least for the moment – nothing to do with my own fate, which certainly is much better than Death!

Right now I am in San Francisco. My boss sent me out here for three weeks. Ah pauvre petit. Not! On weekdays I have to work, but evenings, weekends, it is really like paid vacation.

Friday night was good, I bumped into some fun people Don and Betty, who showed me a few bohemian aspects of the city. As a consequence Saturday was, ahem, slightly, slow. But I did enjoy a really spicy Thai dinner downtown. And I am just nuts for spicy Thai.

Another good thing is my bike. Today I took it for a big spin all over the city and across the Golden Gate. I went on to Sausalito, a really nice little town, even if a bit too touristy. And if you haven’t seen the Google 360-thingy, you might enjoy this. I promise, it is really worth clicking that link, it spins (but Firefox might handle it better than IE). And on the northwestern edge of the town, I got another dose of bohemian life. There they have a huge marina of houseboats. I am at a loss for words, but this will give you an idea.

And yes, I do need to get some software for my work computer so that I can upload my own pics...

Steven King in bookstore - mistaken for vandal

Steven King, introduction redundant, was visiting a bookstore in Alice Springs, Australia. As he started taking out his own books from the shelves and autographing them,he was at first firmly stopped by vigilant staff. They hadn't recognized him and, quite understandably were a bit upset for this dude writing in some books. BBC story. King, of course hugely famous, by name, but how many of us would recognize him on the street corner café?

Imagine yourself in the position of the bookstore clerk. Having to switch attitude from cold and stern, to submissive and apologetic. And also gathering your wits fast to think of some really interesting questions you would like to ask a guy like that. One chance in a life time, five seconds to use it.

Ah, eh, Mr. King... How do you like Australia?

Not! a good question, but how can you find something more clever in five seconds?

Deus ex machina

I recently read this story about a big guy, Thomas Martel, 28, of Bonnie Brae, Colorado, who chose to have surgery in order to alter his thumbs, in order to be able to use his iPhone more efficiently.

So he has a hard time using the features on ever-shrinking user interfaces on devices like his new iPhone. At least, he did, until he had his thumbs surgically altered in a revolutionary new surgical technique known as "whittling."

Read details on zDnet or the North Denver News.

What is your opinion of this?
Make sure to form an opinion before reading what others have written.

News

Since that horrible Marathon I have busied myself with
1. work
2. a large national chess tournament, I did good, improved my game but not as much as I had hoped.
3. traveled, a great tour around France and Spain, in an old rusty Volvo. A rather bohemian but perfectly enjoyable trip, actually blogging on that trip was much harder than you might imagine. Picture a small Basque fishing village of a hundred or two inhabitants. Not really overwhelmed by internet cafes... Still I might post stories and pix later on, but right now my writing itch is stronger.

My next big trip will be to my fav US west coast city: San Francisco. Lucky me got chosen, and my employer is paying for it. Due in 8 days from now.

Click Pic

Silence Is

Silence, they say, is golden...

Me I dunno, but the rumours of my untimely demise, have (so far) been completely untrue. I was not hit by an 18-wheeler on the highway while training for the Kuala Lumpur Marathon. Nor was I hit bit a freak meteor, while sunbathing on the Mediterranean beaches of Tripoli. Nor, I promise, was I eaten by a Great White Shark while scuba diving leisurely on the coral reefs off Nassau. And: I am sad to admit that these rumours were equally untrue.

So I guess I dedicate the above words, and this post, to my three most loyal fans, Highlander - who always remembers me, Red - who cannot go unnoticed under any alias, and Tom – who likes my photos and I sure like his. Thanks friends for being so patient.

Speaking of gold I just heard this beautiful ballad with these lovely lyrics:

I carry the Sun in a golden cup
The Moon in a silver bag

Lovely. Her name is Carla Bruni, song’s name is "Those dancing days are gone". Try it out on www.allmusic.com.

Marathon Dreams, again

With less than two weeks away, my preparations for the Stockholm Marathon are getting into their final stage. Last year I really wanted to do the New York Marathon, but I didn't win the lottery to get into it (as it is hugely popular). But in Stockholm I got in and unless something really dramatic happens, well off I go!

[EDIT]
Done-That-Been-There OK, I did make it but in the scorching dry 28 centigrades it was no walk in the park. I crossed the finish line more than an hour behind my planned schedule. 520 kms of tarmac behind my runners this year did not matter. The heat got to me, I had the cramps and whatnot. But I did finish the bloody thing.

The Red Surface

Few people expected it. But in hindsight it seems like it was only a matter of time. Fact is, now it has happened.

The match in the post below was just a stunt of sorts, but in the final of the ATP tournament in Hamburg Roger Federer managed to beat his archrival Rafael Nadal, fair and square on Nadal's favorite surface: clay. Afterwards Nadal said:"If I have to lose against anyone, then he is the man, I am not sad to lose to the best in the world."

With such a boost to Fed's self confidence the outcome of the French Open is more uncertain than ever. There is very little doubt in my mind that we will see these two in the final. But who will win? Now there's a good question!

What Will They Think of Next?

If you are into tennis the tiniest bit, you know that the uncrowned king of clay-court tennis is Rafael Nadal. He has got amazing string of 72 consecutive clay court victories. And you will also know that Roger Federer, Fed Express to his fans, is the world’s top seed. He has got ten Grand Slam titles under his belt, and 48 grass victories.

Every time they meet they play great games but Nadal always wins on clay, whilst Federer usually wins on anything else, and always on grass. The latest brainstorm of tennis promoters is to create a tennis court with both surfaces, exclusively for a one-off match between the two! They call it "The Battle of the Surfaces".

Imagine that! The game takes of this Wednesday, April the 2^nd . The King of Clay vs. The king of all other surfaces! And it takes place in Nadal's home town of Majorca. Who will win? Methinks Fed has a slightly better chance, from a pure tennis point of view, but let us not forget that this is an exhibition match without the established "gotta win"-attitudes of regular tournament play attached to it. I am sure that the home crowd will do everything they can to fire Nadal up! And both players are tremendous fighters when they put their mind to it. The online bookies seem to hold Feder slightly in favour, so does the voting on the match site...

We are both looking forward to this absolutely new event. The idea really appeals to me as we both dominate one of the surfaces. Rafa holds the record of 62 victories in series on clay and I have not been defeated on grass since 48 matches. It'll be fun to find out what it's like to play on a court with mixed surfaces! And it ought to be interesting to see who chooses the better tactic. People have been talking about this event for quite a while. Now it's coming up pretty soon already and I like the fact that the stadium - which is very nice, by the way - is located on Majorca, Rafa's home. He has been to Basel, after all, and now I've got the opportunity to play at his place for once.

– Roger Federer

Update:
Nadal wins! 7-5 4-6 7-6 (12-10)
BBC NEWS REPORT!

So, I guess I was wrong :)

Music, Maestro!

Just imagine: what do you think would happen, hypothetically, if one of the world's greatest violinists performed incognito before a travelling rush-hour crowd in the Washington DC subway? Imagine him dressed as an ordinary street musician, playing on a 3 million dollar Stradivari violin. Would people pay attention? Interesting idea methinks. Even more interesting is the fact that exactly this has happened. I urge you to read the Washington Post article.

It is quite long, so make sure you some good amount of time to spare when you read it, because it is really interesting. And the videos are amazing too.

Stupid stupid me

So, after a great week in New York City, I depart from Newark Airport, NJ. I depart on Friday the 13^th.

Arrive in Stockholm Arlanda airport completely wasted after the flight. Half asleep I gather my book and my bag and my jacket and make sure I bring my earplugs. I stumble, zombie-like, off the plane. With my good friend Thomas I walk through the completely unpopulated customs checkpoint. We take the rapid to Stockholm City. We part and I take a cab the last bit. At home by 8 a.m. exhausted, but I wish to get into sync and stay awake for two hours. Unpack my laundry and shopping from NYC. Decide to take a nap for an hour, set the alarm clock to make sure!

Sleep through the alarm. Wake up at 4 p.m. I slept six hours instead of one. My world is upside down. Watch TV for a moment before eating, and suddenly it is 7 p.m. Go out for a stroll; find a new Indian place in my hoods. Great food, but less spicy than I was hoping for. Walk back. Crash into bed. Fall asleep.

Wake up Sunday morning. Feeling fresh. Miss anything? Nah don’t think so. Liz calls we’re gonna have lunch. Just before noon I think: “Why not bring my camera?” The weather is great so why not bring my camera! My camera yes where is it? Hmmm… Not in the kitchen by my big unpacked bag. Not in my ante by the coats. Not in the living-room by the sofa, not by anything. I get a bit nervous. Neither do I find it in my heaps of dirty laundry. OK, do not panic. Do not panic. I have no idea where my camera is!

My expensive Canon SLR, and all my photos. Gone.

It could be anywhere between Newark airport and my flat. Cripes! I call the cab company but they do not keep records of lost property, even though Stockholm cabbies usually are very honest. Call the airport-lost’n’found but they do not pick up the phone on weekends. File a report online, but expect no report until Monday. Rush off to meet Liz.

Her cheerful way warms me up a bit and brunch is nice. Still shaky about my camera of course. As I get back my feeling that I left it on the plane grows slightly, just slightly, stronger. Still far from sure. It is about 2 p.m. Even though I expect nothing I check my email every half hour. Hours pass while I do my laundry. A strange female person has left an item of black underwear in my laundromat. Keep checking my mail. Oh shit, still no clear memory of when I last had my camera. All I am 100% sure about is that I had it before airport security in the US.

At 5 p.m. an email comes through. It is from Stockholm Arlanda Airport lost’n’found. The contents of the email make me expel en enormous sigh of relief.

The Tandem Story Experiment

Thank you all my my friends. McKenzie, Highlander and TomQ. This little experiment in interactive male-female writing has been a lot of fun. What happens if a woman and a woman have to create a short story together, by writing every second paragraph, alternatingly? Not my idea. I was inspired by this post by blogger Highlander and found the idea intriguing.

Plunge in and enjoy the two litterary creations below!

The Day It All Changed

A tandem story by Highlander and Tom Q.
Comments on the story as it evolves are very welcome in the parallel comments thread.


Now this post is back on top. Nudge, nudge, Highlander!

Blue

Another tandem story, by McKenzie and Adam

Completed! But make sure you read the three final paragraphs!

Sahara Run

Well my friends, the rumours of my untimely death have been exaggerated. Two legs, two arms, and my head, still in place.

I thought that I was done with the Sahara, blogwise but no, not yet. This story is so good that I must share it with you. I wrote that the Dakar was a tough challenge. Well, compared to this the Dakar is a walk in the park.

Three top athletes ran 6437 km from coast to coast in the Sahara. It took them 100 days. That corresponds to more than two marathons a day. I'm not kiddin, two marathons a day! And marathons are sort of tough, even under the “luxurious” conditions of paved roads and a nice climate. Really really impressing…

Check story on National Geographic and Yahoo.