Hellsinki

I have a love-hate relationship with our capital, Helsinki. Shopping in Helsinki is a fun way of spending a day or two but after that I get kind of homesick. I mean, my relationship with Helsinki is one you cannot explain in words. Some how I feel like Helsinki is too big of a city even though I’ve lived near Los Angeles, have travelled all around the world (Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, New York just to mention a few).

Pearl Jam - Last Kiss

This song was originally recorded by Wayne Cochran in 1961. But, I didn’t hear it before American grunge band, Pearl Jam, recorded it in the late 90s’. Eddie Vedder, the vocalist of the Pearl Jam, had found this old record at an antique store in Seattle. He then convinced his band mates to play the song, and it was actually played a couple of times on their 1998 tour. Later, it was recorded and released as a 1998 fan club Christmas song.

If you listen to the lyrics, you find this song very touching and sad, at the same time. And it definitely makes me cry:

”The singer borrows his father's car to take his girlfriend out on a date (on a rainy night). Driving at an obviously high rate of speed, the singer suddenly comes upon a stalled car in the road. Unable to stop, the singer swerves to the right to avoid hitting the stalled vehicle, losing control and crashing violently in the process. The crash renders both the singer and his girlfriend unconscious. The singer later regains consciousness and finds several people at the scene of the accident, but is able to find his girlfriend, still lying unconscious. When the singer cradles his girlfriend in his arms, she regains partial consciousness, smiling and asking the singer to 'hold me, darling, for a little while'. The singer then gives his girlfriend what would be their 'last kiss' as she fades into death. In the song's chorus, the singer vows to be a good boy so that he may reunite with his girlfriend when his time comes, believing she's made it into Heaven.” (Wikipedia, 28.2.2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBGfoOVn4o4

Laskiaistiistai_Pancake Tuesday

Täydellinen päivä: hernekeittoa lounaaksi ja kropsua jälkkäriksi. Illalla laskiaispulla (mantelimassalla, tietty).

Laskiaispulla (shrove bun)

Sattumoisin löysin vielä laktoosittoman laskiaispullan Herkusta. Sen enempää laskiaispulliin paneutumatta täytyy vain todeta, että valikoimaa riittää: laskiaispulla hillolla; laskiaispulla mantelimassalla; laskiaispulla mantelimassalla, joka on sekoitettu kermavaahtoon. Laktoositon, gluteeniton... Miksei kaupoista muuten löydy laskiaispullaa, jossa on sekä mantelimassaa että hillosilmä?!

Wikipedian(!) mukaan laskiaispullat yleistyivät 1800-luvulla Suomessa. "Ruokaan liittyi uskomuksia: Sen piti olla rasvaista. Mitä enemmän rasva kiilteli sormissa ja suupielissä, sitä paremmin lehmät lypsivät ja siat lihoivat. Eikä rasvaa saanut pyyhkiä sormista pois vaan sen piti antaa kulua itsekseen pois. Tämä takasi hyvän viikatteen käsittelykyvyn. Sormennuolija sen sijaan sai sirpeistä haavoja. Kun ruokien annettiin olla pöydässä koko päivän, se takasi runsauden koko vuodeksi." (lähde: Wikipedia. 21.2.2012.)
- Pistäkäämme siis muistiin tämä vanhankansan uskomus ja katsotaan sitten lähempänä kesää, kuka on nuollut sormiaan, ja kenen viikatteen käsittelykyky vie voiton meistä muista.

Pancake Tuesday - whatta hell is that?! Well, it's exactly what we're celebrating today here in Finland.
I found this on the Internet: "Pancake Tuesday is celebrated the day before the beginning of Lent. This is the time we remember the forty days Jesus spent in the desert. It is known by different names in different countries. In Scotland it is sometimes known as Shrove Tuesday, from the word shriven, which means you are cleansed of your sins, by the priest, before Lent begins. Traditionally fat and flour was used up before the fasting of  Lent began and pancakes were the best way to do this." (source: http://www.european-schoolprojects.net/festivals/Scotland/pantues.htm. 21.2.2012) Well, here we have shrove buns (with whipped cream, and jelly or marzipan) instead of pancakes, yummy!

Erm...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Playing with the M&M's, yummy!

"It's amazing
With the blink of an eye
I finally saw the light
It's amazing
That when the moment arrives
You know you'll be alright
It's amazing
And I'm sayin' a prayer
For the desperate hearts tonight."
-Steven Tyler and Richie Supa-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSmOvYzSeaQ

Pretty stamps, aren't they?

My Luck_Paha saa palkkansa

                                                         Lapsuudenkodissani lauantai on siivouspäivä:
                                                         Isä kiikuttaa matot pihalle.

Äiti imuroi ja pyyhkii pölyt.
Äiti pesee lattian.
Äiti vaihtaa vuodevaatteet.
Isä kiikuttaa matot takaisin tupaan.

Minun kodissani lauantai on siivouspäivä:
Minä imuroin ja pyyhin pölyt.
Minä kiillotan rakkaat esineeni…
Mattoja minulla ei ole.
Joku sanoi, että näin voi käydä.
En uskonut.
Niin kävi.

Saturdays are made for master cleaning.
Or Fridays. Sundays can also be considered…
Someone once told me that “that could happen”.
I didn’t believe him.
And it happened!
Don't you dare laugh!
'cause you don't see me laughing...
And I hate that pot. And that stupid flower.

Winter Freezeland, part III

We all thought it was stuck - stuck at -21C (-5.8F). But, guess what?! It wasn't.
It's -24C (-11,2F).

Winter Wonderland, part II

It's freaking freezing!

I had a walk this morning with the dog, Ukko. And nearly got a permanent blush on my cheeks - if you know what I mean... I think that I have made up my mind. Or mayde I should give it another try, another day, and another frostbite...

It was in the news that in Russia one poor sucker had had a drink (or two) in the evening, fallen asleep on the park bench, and woken up in the morning not feeling his toes. His toes were all black - and I mean b l a c k! I wonder if this homeless guy ever feels hopeless, eh.

Ukko didn't like to wear his jacket. This tough guy is greater than his history and legacy. And we all will remember him for the rest of our lives. We just must!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hxz6qJi-9k

Winter Wonderland, part I

Up until now I didn't like winters. I could even say "I hated winters". Or, maybe I am totally wrong! In fact, when I was a kid I loved to ski, skate, and do all the other winter activities. My favourite sport was (and still is) ski-jumping... I never tried it but was very keen on Finnish athletes...

Then, winters became (for at least in my mind) rainy and gray. It was just like in the autumn but darker - a lot darker.

However, last year was totally a success. It was like in a postcard: "Greetings from the Winter Wonderland". Of course, it gets on ones nerves when it's like -30C (-22F) for weeks. This winter has already been "cold" with lots of snow (at least here in Tampere, Finland). It still sucks to wake up and go out in the early morning ('cause it's so dark) but, I have a confession to make: I did enjoy my walk this afternoon in the woods. The Sun was shining, it was just me and the dog (plus -18C/1F).

But, I will take up on this winter issue in my later entries. Maybe I have changed my mind, and after all, do hate winters. Or was it the opposite..

- Hyvästi, vastasi kukka.

Katkelma Antoine de Saint-Exuperyn Pikku prinssistä:

Ja hän nauroi vielä. Sitten hän tuli vakavaksi.
- Tänä yönä…kuulehan…älä tule.
- En jätä sinua.
- Vaikuttaa ehkä siltä, kuin kärsisin…vähän kuin jos kuolisin. Se on   sellaista. Älä tule katsomaan sitä, se on  turhaa…
- En jätä sinua.

Pikku prinssi ei ollutkaan vain joku, joksi halusin isona tulla. Pikku prinssi oli joku, jonka halusin löytää elämääni. Ajan kuluessa näitä ”pikkuprinssejä” oli, tuli ja meni. Niiden menetys sattui. Enemmän ehkä pettymyksestä itseen ja siihen, että oli tehnyt väärän "valinnan". Nämä pettymykset olivat suojakuori, jonka taakse piilouduin yhä vahvemmin. Se haarniska on raskas kantaa yksin.

Tapasin oman Pikku prinssini ja pystyin aika ajoin iloitsemaan siitä, että olin unohtamassa menneet pettymykset ja sain mahdollisuuden elää tässä päivässä, olla onnellinen kuin Pikku Prinssi hoitaessaan kukkaansa, josta ”hän oli vastuussa, ja joka oli niin heikko, ja niin lapsellinen. Eikä sillä ollut kuin neljä heiveröistä pientä piikkiä puolustautuakseen vaaroja vastaan”. Meilläkin oli vain tämä päivä.

Kunpa voisin kirjoittaa: ”Nyt olen jo vähän unohtanut suruani. Tarkoitan…en kokonaan. Mutta tiedän pikku prinssin saapuneen tähdelleen--. Ja öisin kuuntelen niin mielelläni tähtiä. Ne helisevät kuin viisisataa miljoonaa tiukua...” En voi. En aivan vielä.

The Little Prince

I came across The Little Prince not until my early teen years. It wasn’t one of those bedtime stories that my parents read to me and my sister. I guess I wanted a little more action and ponies and courageous little boys in my bedtime stories back then. But, then, my dear friend, Kirsi, had written a quotation from the Little Prince on my farewell gift (I was leaving living abroad).

I came so deeply interested in this Little Prince that I bought the book. First, in Finnish, and then, in English.  Putting more and more time and effort in this lovely story I finally understood the hidden meanings in the story, and maybe found something more valuable along my way. At one point I wanted to be just like The Little Prince – he’s my hero! One of my dreams is to find The Little Prince in all languages. So, where ever I go in my travels I look for my Little Prince.

On the back of the book reads: “On one level it is the story of an airman’s discovery in the desert of a small boy from another planet – the Little Prince of the title – and his stories of intergalactic travel, while on the other hand it is a thought-provoking allegory of the human condition.”

Forgive me for not getting more deeply in my thoughts and the meanings I had put in this story. Let me just share my favourite line:

‘When you look up at the sky at night, since I shall be living on one of them and laughing on one of them, for you it will be as if all the stars were laughing. You and only you will have stars that can laugh.’ And as he said it he laughed: ‘And when you are comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be happy to have known me. You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And from time to time you will open your window, just for the pleasure of it… And your friends will be astonished to see you laughing whilst gazing at the sky. And so you will say to them, “Yes, stars always make me laugh’.

I hope that we all have a Little Prince in our lives as our friend. I recently lost mine.

I Don't Use Jelly

I can so relate to this great song.

In fact, it must be all about me.

“--I know a girl who thinks of ghosts

She’ll make ya breakfast

She’ll make ya toast

She don’t use butter

She don’t use cheese

She don’t use jelly

Or any of these

She uses vaseline--”.

the Flaming Lips 

(taken from the album Transmissions from the Satellite Heart)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfpyoGFJNNE