Diamond in a Pearl
Posted on March 23, 2009 Leave a Comment
I read this little story through the glass counter of a jewelry store and thought it was worth sharing.
The Story of ” Diamond in a Pearl”
When an oyster swallows a grain of sand it feels the discomfort, so it begins to ease the pain by applying a coat of nacre (pearl). It is during this healing process that it creates a beautiful pearl. It is rather ironic to think that something so beautiful can be created out of so much discomfort. This irony is like life itself. It is easy to love in good times, but it takes courage to love through the discomforts of our lives. It is this understanding, this virtue, that has been my teacher, my healer, and has given me courage and a sense of hope.
“Diamond in a Pearl,” is an expression of this understanding. The diamond represents the grain of sand and the pearl evokes an aura of courage, love, and healing that is embedded deep within the soul. It is this unique transformation that has given birth to “Diamond in a Pearl,” the symbol of love.
Love has the power to heal all wounds, love defines our existence, love is a Diamond in a Pearl.
Chi Galatea Huynh – GALATEA Jewelry By Artist
The time has come…
Posted on March 17, 2009 Leave a Comment
A Poem by by Derek Walcott
Love After Love
The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other’s welcome,
and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.
Shakespeare on Body & Soul
Posted on March 16, 2009 Leave a Comment
While reading a short piece on the ancient Hawaiian teaching of Ho’oponopono, I came across a reference to the following Shakespeare sonnet. It describes how the body and soul are intertwined, the body being the slave of the soul ultimately paying the price for that which the soul endures. When you take time to quietly and patiently observe and intently listen to what your soul has to say through the body, you cannot help but hear every word.
William Shakespeare: Sonnet CXLVI
Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth,
these rebel powers that thee array;
Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth,
Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?
Why so large cost, having so short a lease,
Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?
Shall worms, inheritors of this excess,
Eat up thy charge? is this thy body’s end?
Then soul, live thou upon thy servant’s loss,
And let that pine to aggravate thy store;
Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;
Within be fed, without be rich no more:
So shalt thou feed on Death, that feeds on men,
And Death once dead, there’s no more dying then.
Quick Shots of the Snow
Posted on February 20, 2009 3 Comments
Taken at the entrance to Fælledparken, one of the Copenhagen’s most popular parks near the national stadium Parken.
The statue, called the “Monument for Genforeningen (reunion) 1920,” signifies the reunification of southern Jutland to Denmark. Before I learned this and when I stood there looking at it I actually thought to myself, “Mother Denmark.”
Pandora’s Box
Posted on February 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
Pandora, the first mortal woman, received from Zeus a box that she was forbidden to open. The box contained all human blessings and all human curses. Temptation overcame restraint, and Pandora opened it. In a moment, all curses were released into the world, and all blessings escaped and were lost — except one: hope. Without hope, mortals could not endure.
–“The Anatomy of Hope” by Jerome Groopman, M.D.
Music Awards Part II: Icelandic Music
Posted on January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
I don’t know how this happened, but I forgot to add examples of some Icelandic music in “Danish & Norwegian Music Awards” post. This is surprising because I have been a huge Björk fan most of my life (from 16 onwards thanks to my pal Corley), and my first trip abroad was actually to Reykjavik to attend the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival. In fact, I attended the very first one back in 1999 when I was living in New York. Yes, almost 10 years ago. Yikes.
It was an incredible show. I stood front row and center and jammed to the Icelandic vibes of Gus Gus where I learned the “official” Icelandic way of dancing = bouncing straight up and down like the singer does in the video below. Quarashi, an Icelandic Beastie Boys-type hip hop group, put on a “sick” performance. I had a total blast and met a lot of cool people. One of which was a French guy living in Iceland with his Icelandic girlfriend with whom I just reconnected on Facebook.
Here are some oldies and some new Icelandic music that might be worth checking out.
Gus Gus
Quarashi
FM Belfast: Underwear (Nothing like singing about running around in your underwear!)
Sin Fang Bous: Clangour and Flutes
Sigur Rós – við spilum endalaust
Emiliana Torrini – Sunny Road
Danish & Norwegian Music Awards
Posted on January 28, 2009 1 Comment
This past weekend music award shows in both Denmark and Norway featured some of the most popular and upcoming Nordic artists. Here are a few of my favorite winners and nominees from the shows.
For good measure, I’ve added a few of my own picks from Finland (actually the band I picked is from Australia (oh well!) & Sweden as well…
Enjoy!
Norway – Spellemann 2008
Pop: REAL ONES – ALL FOR THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
Electronic: LINDSTRØM – WHERE YOU GO I GO TOO
This video was taken down so here is another song “Music on My Mind”:
Rock: LUKESTAR – LAKE TOBA
Denmark – P3 Gold Show
P3’s winner of the year: PETER SOMMER – “8-6-6-0”
Nominee for Breakthrough Award: THE BLUE VAN – SILLY BOYS
Nominee for Breakthrough Award: SYS BJERRE – KEGLE
Nominee for Breakthrough Award: TROLLE/SIEBENHAAR – SWEET DOGS
Nominee for P3 Experimental: WHITE PONY – FALLING
Finland (Austrialia! not Finland)
ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI – THAT BEEP
Sweden
PETER, BJORN & JOHN – YOUNG FOLKS
ADAM TESTA – MY COOL
American Ambassador Leaves Denmark
Posted on January 24, 2009 3 Comments
Today the former American Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark James P. Cain (R) makes his departure back to the U.S. after serving in Copenhagen for the last 3.5 years. He left a few parting words with the Danish people via an interview posted on the tabloid newspaper B.T. The article’s headline, “The Ambassador to the Danes: You are 50 Years Behind,” refers to Denmark’s tolerance and attitude towards foreigners and lack of integration.
In the article, he says that Danes are not good at welcoming foreigners and that it’s extremely difficult for foreigners to feel at home and settle here. He underscores that it’s not about certain nationalities in particular, but all nationalities in general that has a hard time feeling at home in Denmark.
Cain also pointed out that it’s not about giving up traditions, but accepting that the world has become more global. And that Denmark shouldn’t be afraid of losing it’s culture/traditions/values and to realize that it’s possible to both keep them and and still encourage people who are different from them. He also said that it would make Denmark much stronger in the long run if they were able to welcome foreigners and accept them and the fact they have different belief systems.
I, like many other foreigners here, instead reach out and build a network among other internationals and form colonies of sorts, similar to the English in Andalusia or Danes in Solvang, California, or the Muslim community in Denmark. This creates further division or a sort of silent segregation that no one really speaks about openly. My hope is that over time this will change for Denmark too and the country will in fact become more global.
See additional coverage and video (in English) here on Berlingske Tiden
Some Shocking Danish Ads
Posted on January 22, 2009 1 Comment
Media is one way that defines a culture. And here in Denmark sometimes the advertisements really illustrate some clear differences between the U.S. and DK. It’s no secret that Europe in general is more liberal and that Denmark is one of the most liberal with an open attitude towards sex, beer and nudity, and just being more natural (i.e., grown men changing their clothes openly, topless women, and nude children on the beaches, and nude saunas just to name a few).
Despite this there is also a strong tradition of being conservative as it is truly a nation rich in tradition. It’s a bit of an oxymoron, but the two really do coexist harmoniously. Think about it, it’s the country with the world’s oldest monarchy with a history of vikings. It just works. It’s also this quirky side to the culture that really resonates with me. It’s raw but honest and takes freedom of expression to a new level. It’s a different kind of creativity with less restrictions or restraint.
Here are a few ads (posters and billboards around the city) that I captured on my phone that struck me. I don’t think you would see ads like this in the States.
“The Bed with 16 Million Positions”
An ad for The City Museum for an exibition called, “The Flow of the Big City: Water, Heating, Lighting and Toilets From the Last 150 Years”
“Fuck the Financial Crisis: Everything on Sale”
Laura Stadler Consulting 