10 Aug 2011 – Where When How Why What!

The summer weather here in OSL has so far been a mixture of alternate days of sun and rain, which has made it unnecessary to water the little patch of grass and garden that exist! Can we keep burying our heads in the soil?

All the food, garden, weather etc talks are not going to help (or would it!) with what is happening and this is just over a period of less than one month which is most disturbing. Are there answers and solutions besides voicing our concerns??? Perhaps like the ostrich, the heads will remain buried to yet another scenario of it is not happening to me…

Sharing an educational link and a thought-provoking speech in hopes of understanding the unrest and turmoils.

22 Jul: The bombs and shootings in Norway.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14261716

Jul/Aug: Unrest in Africa and the  Middle East

9 Aug: Violence spreads across England.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14460554

Some comments from friends in that area-  The rioting has been in the poorer parts of London, and the poor victims are those who have lost their homes and businesses eg a barber aged over 80 who had his shop burned down. Its just hooliganism. The world has gone mad!

It’s troubling. Yob culture and opportunistic looters are all jumping on the bandwagon orchestrated by anarchists and serious mischief makers.

9 Aug: Stock markets and financial world in turmoil.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14456518

9 Aug 2011 – The Red Dot between Malaysia & Indonesia!

To family, friends and to those sharing my birth-town of SIN, regardless if you are in SIN or anywhere on this planet, have a wonderful celebration and enjoy SIN National day and the National Day Parade.

Was sent off to boarding school in Dublin/Ireland 1965 when SIN just declared its independence and became the Republic of Singapore then. The NDP and fireworks are more impressive for every year but unfortunately usually not in SIN at this time! The beautiful song Home has been performed for some NDP, but for me home is where the ♥HEART♥ is! And whoever says that beautiful music does not stir the emotions is tone-deaf 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7g-PUjbusQ&feature=related

This year in Norway where the memory wandered back to 1967 – touring Belgium, Germany, Denmark & Norway with my father! The last night of the tour was in Balestrand/Norway@Kvikne’s Hotel where Ole, a charming young man approached to ask father’s permission to dance with me. That gesture and courtesy made this incident unforgettable!

Balestrand: an idyllic village in the heart of the fjord country with spectacular views had a pop of under 1,000 then (2010 pop was 1,344). Kvikne’s Hotel, built 19th century is one of the most famous buildings there and was made popular for European visitors in the early part of the 20th century by Kaiser Wilheim II who visited often. Pix credits to different sites. B/W pix from 1967 are in SIN.

The recent bombs and shootings here got me to make an attempt to locate friends from the Norway days. Managed to find Ole thru’ FB to discover that he is a famous author, journalist and film-maker now located in Canada! Hopefully we can re-establish some contact. It would be nice to hear what has happened and what is happening to friends when the memory is still in tact! The innocence is still within and may I never grow to old to treasure the once upon a time in a far far away land 🙂 🙂 🙂

We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us – Marcel Proust

7 Aug 2011 – This & That…

What a mixture for both weather and events; grey gloomy Fri, like the stock market and beautiful sunshine yesterday. Nice to catch up with M&B and Berit with an afternoon visit for dinner and to view the baby’s room which is now ready for our common grandson due next month.

Thu: took a walk to Sandvika, but not the trail originally planned which is more in the woods and by the river. Somehow somewhere, told a wrong turn but resulted with interesting experience. Had to walk pass Bærum Hospital and Martina Hansen Hospital, a private hospital, built 1936. Took a little tour around MH as I have never been there. There is a pix of L&M paternal great-grandfather, John Kløve HALD (1893-1969) who was one of the founders and the first orthopedic surgeon there.                                                    

Løkke Bridge (1829), the oldest cast iron bridge in Norway is located in Sandvika over the Sandviks River.  The iron was cast at Bærums Verk in 1837. This bridge has been an inspiration for many painters including Claude Monet. The bridge painting was done in 1895 and it is private collection but can be viewed at the OSL National Gallery. Also discovered a Kolsås painting by Monet!

It’s on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly – Claude Monet

4 Aug 2011 – Does it Exist??

Sharing some of these humourous pix before trashing them. Another thought-provoking subject to ponder on – True Love! To open this can of worms, one need to first agree on the definition of LOVE and the 3 top definitions according to: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/love

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend
3. sexual passion or desire

2 Aug 2011 – Only for Some, but Age comes to ALL!

The Frog/Horse picture brought back memories of a posting from a writer who sent the 21st Century Fairy Tale many moons ago when I returned to SIN in 1999! He was trying to get a date but after an evening of drinks, he figured my answer and thoughts 🙂
http://amylamsg.com/2009/07/20/21st-century-fairy-tale/

A few days ago another frog story jumped into my mail, tkx to friends from Gao here is a bi-lingual & good one to share:

1 Aug 2011 –  Of Life!

Tkx to Richard, here are some amazing pix and when seen in different angles will give another meaning and or a different pix. Sometimes we forget to pull back and look at things from all perspectives. Ones needs to move away from the judgements, pre-concepts, prejudices etc to see another angle, a solution, a larger pix or sometimes a whole pix to the meaning of a situation.

Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear!

Aug Special Dates:

5 Aug – Happy Bday LAM ChengEn

8 Aug – Keith & Marianne Silver Anniversary

9 Aug – Happy 46th Bday SIN, Marianne & Thorfinn/2008

18 Aug – Ingrid & Hans K

23 Aug – Guri & Hans Olav/2010

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become – Zen quote

31 Jul 2011 – Till Death Do Us Part!

To a certain extent, we are all rather dependent or addicted to the activities on computers, PCs , iPads, etc. But where does one draw the line to be considered as an addiction? Like any addictions and like any realistic human, one will deny the addiction. Reading about users who do not eat or sleep or spending 12hrs without taking a break, the word addiction is certainly appropriate for the scenario! That is an extreme case. Does moderation exist for this subject?? Everyone has their own moderation ie can only be measured subjectively!

A man whose son died after playing video games for long periods is campaigning for greater awareness of the risk posed by their excessive use.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-14350216

The conclusion – each to their own as long as one is not harming oneself and their loved ones, again very subjective!!!

In this interesting but long and drawn-out article, one can read and might learn something about computer addiction –

… Even if someone uses a computer extensively for purely recreational purposes, that doesn’t necessarily represent a real addiction any more than someone who spends hours working on a model train set, making quilts or gardening is “addicted” to those activities. Even the agreed-upon definition of addiction itself has evolved over the decades and remains a matter of debate in the medical community. In fact, the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association do not currently consider computer addiction a valid diagnosis, a controversy we’ll discuss later.

As a result of all these complications, any single definition of computer addiction is necessarily broad and a little vague. If the computer use is so pervasive that it interferes with other life activities, and if the user seems unable to stop using the computer to excess despite negative consequences, the problem might be a computer addiction…
https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=87949823683&topic=11057

Good-bye to Jul 2011, Norway will never forget such sadness & pain. Welcome Aug 2011 with hopes for Harmony & Peace!

30 Jul 2011 – Venabygdsfjellet

Tue: bus from OSL on E6 North (with a few stops including the airport) to Hamar 150NOK/S$34 app 2hrs and was met by Anne. Drove to Ringebu and headed up the mts/app 900m, another app 2hrs drive from Hamar. The first and last time there was Feb 1982 in freezing temps of -20C and the hytta was just completed but the kitchen was then set up during that visit. This was a spontaneous visit and the battery in the camera was nearly flat, thus only few pix.

Wed: a nice morning walk to the river and waterfall Svartåa with the suspension bridge. We had the woods, river and waterfall to ourselves, a luxury feeling of space with clean fresh air! An afternoon drive app 1.30hrs  to Raphamn (not far from Otta) to visit god-daughter Guri, who was at her in-law’s hytta. Congratulations to Hans Olav and  Guri who gave birth to her 2nd child Eline in Mar. Uploaded some of the pix from Anne&Roar’s camera  but seeming unable to locate them, not the first nor last time this happens! Will post them when and if  they appear!!

Here in the county of Oppland where Gudbrandsdale is located, a beautiful area surrounded by the national parks of Jotunheimen, Rondane and Dovrefjell and is known for medieval farms, good skiing and hiking. Lake Gålå/Vinstra stages Ibsen’s Peer Gynt set to Grieg’s music in the open air. It is an annual event since 1990. Must try to make it someday!

Thu: Ringebu Stavkyrkje/Stave Church, a medieval wooden church from 1220, is one of the 28 historic stave churches still standing in Norway. Took the 18.15hrs train from Ringebu to OSL 454NOK/S$102. Had to change connecting to a bus at Lillestrøm due to works on railway line on that stretch. The train & bus took app 3hrs and another 40mins on bus 151 from OSL to Kolsås. Reached the house app 22.30hrs. Tusen takk/thousand thanks to A&R for their most gracious hospitality.

29 Jul 2011 – Aftermath

Mon 25 July 1200n: when the Nordic World stood still in respect to the victims of Fri 22 Jul bombings and shootings. Was in town at the OSL University where the Norwegian Royal family, King Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg/the Labour leader, survivors of the shootings and many others like myself were there to pay our respects with one minute of silence. The survivors of the youth camp were there to show and sign the condolences book.

Meanwhile, Anders Behring Breivik, the suspect will be interrogated for a second time today, Oslo Police Chief Johan Fredriksen said

Gratitudes to the Hustads for their company and for having me stay the night at their house on this grey and sombre day. Decided to take up Stenseths’ invitation to spend a few days at their hytta in Ringebu somewhere up in the Norwegian mountains. Never can tell what tomorrow will bring and being with family and good friends is the top of the list.

For Norwegians still in shock from Friday’s horrific attacks, there is a sense they have woken up in a country that has ‘lost its innocence’ – CNN