Oops!

I am very sorry to have neglected my blog for such a long time! I blame Facebook but really it's just an excuse.

I've had a very lovely, quiet, traditional Christmas time visiting my parents up north. Christmas Eve (the big celebration takes place on the Eve rather than the Day in Finland) was traditional: sauna, Christmas dinner, presents, mass in the evening. I felt really elevated by the mass: the lights, the joyful hymns of praise (like 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' by John Francis Wade - hymn 27 in Finland) and how they sounded with the organ. My only complaint is that people did not sing loudly enough. With that sort of joyful songs, they should sing their heart out and sing out loud if they come to the church!

Otherwise during the holidays I've done a bit of writing work and watched French & Saunders and Absolutely Fabulous; I've got the box set of the complete series of both (though sadly they don't include the specials) and I'm such a huge fan. Absolutely Fabulous is, apart from making me laugh more than just about anything, one of the most psychologically perceptive comedy shows I've seen. And French & Saunders... well, it's just pure brilliance.

It has been really cold on most days until, minus 27 Celsius at lowest, but I have done some forays outdoors, dressed in several layers of cotton, wool, skiing overalls and mittens - once to take an oxygen trip in the form of wading around the field through the snow at a brisk pace (a real power exercise that!); and once to take some pictures. Temperatures of below minus 20 C are funny in that only then does it begin to look like everything is frozen solid and standing still out there. It doesn't feel like that when it's only -15 C or so. Another special thing about the very very very cold temperatures is that they often create an extraordinarily beautiful blue, sleep-like atmosphere. Here's a picture - this one taken through the window.

I'm travelling back home to Helsinki on wednesday. I'll be trying to go see the city's New Year things on New Year's Eve although if it's too cold I suppose I might just watch it all on telly.

Here's hoping everyone will have a good 2010!

A winter day is white, blue and silent

It really is. I'm happy because proper winter has arrived. It has snowed and the temperature fell to minus 10 degrees celsius. A short, brisk walk in the cold air (properly, warmly dressed of course) is incredibly invigorating. Today I really enjoyed the nibbling of the cold on the cheeks, the dry sound of the -10 C snow under the heels and even the familiaring stinging, tingling sensation when your fingers get a bit cold (and no, I didn't go barehand, I'm not a fool - I had thick mittens on my hands).

Here is an image of melancholy beauty: fallen, brown maple leaves covered by frost.

Warm wishes

If you stare at the picture long enough, you can almost see the flames fluttering.

I bought a lot of candles yesterday, in an attempt to bring some warm, cosy light into the dark. For a couple of days it looked like it was going to get colder; proper winter coming and all that. But no, it's again well above zero, wet, cloudy. Of course, even if it gets colder it doesn't mean it will snow. Oh, it's also dark, obviously. That goes without saying. I wonder if December is going to be the same as November?

All the same: warm thoughts to all!

Update

Didn't get it. Bah.

Anticipation

I have feelings of anticipation, to put it mildly. They are going to decide about the research grants I applied for today, so I'm waiting to see if they're going to put up the info on their website soon. It's a Finnish foundation connected to the Kone company, which is one of the leading businesses in the world in the field of elevators and escalators - so, one of those foundations started by industry magnates who wanted to become patrons of culture. I have no idea of my chances, but last year they approved 19% of the applications, which is pretty good for foundations awarding grants. It would be good because it's a bit over 25 000 euros for 12 months. If I don't get it I will have to apply for the unemployment money at least for some time, while I apply for other things. There's one grant application that's still open, but they don't decide on it until February. The unemployment money isn't much financially, but it's not too bad for a limited time, and I also have a small amount of savings. I just hate applying for such things, with all the millions of appendices you have to have with the application etc. Oh well...

Otherwise things are fairly ordinary. It is November. It rains and rains and rains and is cloudy every day. I have got some work done on the papers I'm working on. At least there are things to celebrate: last sunday was my younger nephew's first gig with the choir he's in - it's the small children's music play school (or whatever you could call it in English) of Cantores Minores, which is a famous boys' choir here; their Christmas concerts are sold out well in advance each year, etc. My nephew's choir performed at a children's church service for the first Advent. They sang three songs connected to the Advent theme and did very well. An immensely adorable sight too, about ten little boys in their best clothes, white shirts, hair neatly combed etc. This coming weekend is my younger nephew's birthday - he'll reach the proud age of 5.

To end, here is a hitherto unreleased and unseen U2 video that was discovered in the vaults not too long ago:

And this particular thing works on so many levels, and I'm sure especially the ladies can relate to it:



I completely adore these two ladies.