dilemma...

My favorite place in the world where I used to hang out, was the Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Square, across the street from the Performance Center, ABC New York and the LDS Temple building. It was 4 floors of fantastic heaven for me, the place was light and airy, had a cafe at the top, magazines, music and films in the basement, and.... best of all..... three whole floors, filled, top to bottom with stories, countries, information of just about any kind... books...

the store as seen at night

the cafe on the fifth floor...

Then, I went away, and the building owners decided to raise prices on the rent, B&N said "fuggedaboutit"(a very typical Italian NewYork'ish slang) and left... It was so sad, now there is a discount designer clothes store there, ick!!! 
Now, I am back and forced to find a new hangout, which is turning out to be a very trying business....

My first thought was of course to try out the other B&N stores in Manhattan, there are of course several. There isn't one close to my house, but with a metro pass that didn't really matter to me. The second consideration is lighting and general "feel" of the place, too "hip"?, too young? Too old?? And the only real viable option came in the Union Square store. But even with it, there is a kind of a big problem imho. and that is, they don't let the public sit on the floor even if it is tucked away in a corner, and there are not enough cosy crannies and corners. :(  All the others were too dark, too small, too busy or just didn't give me the relaxing feel I am looking for. 

I have also considered some places that aren't necessarily a B&N bookstore, such as Ikea (too busy and a bit cumbersome to get to), any of the parks but it really kind of needs to be indoors at the time, which also cancels out Columbus Circle, the docks at the tip of Manhattan, or the little square around the corner... I considered the Library, thinking, well that's as good as a bookstore, better in fact because one can check out the books and take them home if one wanted... But, again, they are waaaay too busy, and quite noisy as well.. It seems as if I find myself at an impasse... I don't know where else to look... but I also need a place to hang out, relax and just have "me" time... :S 

As for right now, the search continues, and though I feel a little dejected, I am by no means giving up!!! (so there!!) :)   

pict. from newsstation

Last week, the day after I got back to NY, there were some drama in the neighborhood when a man was shot and killed at my subway-station... He was a very bad man, who was running from the police after having shot his girlfriend the day before, and sadly he was able to hurt the police officer before he died.

The way I found out something was up, was seeing a helicopter hovering in the air over a building a block down, and it just sat there for a loong time.. I could see it from my window and thought it very strange.. Then we looked online and sure enough it was all over the news. So I'd say I got quite the welcome-back! Fortunately the police officer just got shot in the arm, and will be okay, a dangerous man is now off the streets for good, and all is nice and peaceful again in "da hood"  :)

The news reported later that:" The shooting turned a busy Harlem intersection into a crime scene for hours, re-routing traffic and delaying trains. Bystanders said they were thankful they didn't get caught in the crossfire.

"I guess they took it in their own hands and did what they had to do," said Johnny Wilson of Harlem. "But they ain't thinking about everybody around them. Kids getting out of school, all types of factors. It's real busy over here."

 As I was sitting in Union Square Park, enjoying the sun after lunch today, I noticed a rather large bird, kind of the size of a chicken sitting over in an area by itself. This was a rather surprising and peculiar behavior, so I went to investigate, and sure enough it was a juvenile who had hurt it's foot and seemed a bit dazed.

It started attracting a lot of attention and I noticed there was another lady on the phone with someone who seemed to give her instructions of some kinds. She asked around for a box and I went to get one for her. Fortunately, there were some farmers at the market, and I was able to charm a box from one of them, to put over the bird. I was also very fortunate to remember some of the training we had gotten in Salt Lake City last year with the Peregrines. (Thank you Bob and crew).

So back I went with the box, turns out my co-rescuer (I never got her name unfortunately) had been on the phone with the Wildlife Resource (or some such thing) and they were on their way to meet us. She had been instructed that we capture the bird in the box and kept it until they could come pick it up...

We had a fun few minutes chasing the poor stressed thing around, before we finally got her under the box, and we attracted quite the crowd. All wanted to see the bird, know what was going on in general, and a good portion of them had ideas of how to handle the situation... But we held our ground and finally a Park Service Maintenance man came over and made some phone-calls. Then all we had to do was wait for the Park Ranger who was coming to take the bird and deliver it to the Rehabilitation People. She came equipped with a cage and thick gloves, and after a little struggle, got hold of the bird and was able to show her/him off to the waiting crowd. We all got a round of applause, and after a short photo session, the bird was off to get checked out.
 
A happy ending to a most exciting afternoon. Again thanks to the SLC Falcon volunteers and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, for all you do in taking care of our wonderful, majestic, feathered co-inhabitants! :) My tiny "wealth" of knowledge came in handy today, largely because of you! And it was a pleasure for me to use what I had learned in watching you!!

Norwegian Holiday Traditions....

As I'm going through some papers, I am coming across all sorts of different things... among some are talks and presentations from Church activities...
Like this one;

Christmas in Norway is associated with white snow, candles, Santa Claus, decorations in red, green and gold, and the smell of homemade cookies. 

Christmas is definitely the number one family holiday in Norway. Half the 24th all of the 25th, 26th, 31st and half of the 30th as well as New Years Day, are all holidays in Norway. The schools have a lot longer vacation, usually lasting two weeks.

Santa Clause 

in Norway ...is called “Julenissen” and looks very much like the santas found elsewhere in the world. However there exists another character whose name ends with “Nisse” in the Norwegian folklore - a peculiar figure named the “Fjøsnisse” (the barn “nisse”). For a long time, when most Norwegians were farmers, this Nisse was believed to be a secret helper in the barn. If the family on the farm was nice to him and left him a bowl of porridge every Christmas eve, he would be kind to them and help them the next year. If they didn’t they could expect accidents, sick animals and mysterious noises.

This superstition eventually mixed with the commercial Santa Claus, leaving the Norwegians with one name covering both figures and the mutations in between them - “Nissen”. Today one may often see Christmas displays where there is one head Santa (Julenissen) surrounded by many other, smaller santas (versions of the fjøsnisse), or even entire Santa families.

Advent 

Every year in Bergen (where I'm from), in December, the inhabitants are invited to participate in the making of the world’s biggest gingerbread city. Schools, kindergartens, anyone who wants to can make a gingerbread house and bring it to the shops downtown, where they have an area especially set apart for this display. All the ginger houses, ginger boats, schools, churches, people and decorations are put on display and for many years it has been officially the worlds largest Gingerbread City Display (in accordance with Guinness World Records). The admission is low if not free.

The Norwegian children typically have Advent calendars with 24 flaps/windows. They open one door in the calendar each day from the first of December and open the last on Christmas Eve. That day is also the day Norwegians open their presents and have their big Christmas meal.

Behind each door in the Advent Calendar is a small chocolate or toy, or if it is a homemade calendar, something else like a pencil or other type of little gifts.

The national tv station NRK has since the late 70s sent a special daily “Advent Series”, for children. The later years the station has produced the series itself and these series are said to be some of the more expensive productions. Each series is normally about 30 minutes long. And often the religious messages are toned down to make it more including. Usually, in combination with the tv shows, are there calendars and other toys made as well. Many times the family will gather and watch together.

Christmas Preparations...

The shops start putting up their Christmas decorations in mid November, but the big rush to buy presents does not start until mid-December.

...At home 

As the times get closer to Christmas Eve, many families bake cookies. The tradition is that there must be at least seven kinds of cookies on the table Christmas Eve. Making marzipan and marzipan figures dipped in melted chocolate is also a popular way to prepare the holiday season.

...In schools 

Many schools arrange Christmas workshops some days before the holidays start. This kind of activity is found in grades 1-7 almost without exception. 

Before the school’s Christmas vacation starts, the students in grade 2-7th will put on a play for the parents. The play is a version of the Christmas story. The show also typically include some Christmas carols, and usually ends with the everyone being served cookies and juice.

Welcome 2012

I wanted to be good and start the year on a good note by blogging a bit.... 2012 is hopefully going to be a better and less stressful year than 2011 was. And it looks like it will be a changing year for this girl... Hopefully I'll have lots to blog about and tell. :)

That's all for now. Short and sweet. Happy New Year everyone!!!!

the Legend of the old Christmas song

The old Christmas song

Once there was an old Christmas-song who dragged himself along the way. It drizzled and he was frozen. A yellow tit sat with puffy feathers on a birch twig. - Who are you struggling along? it asked.- I am the old Christmas song, said the wanderer. Everyone has forgotten me. Sing me, little tit!
-Me?? I am hoarse and Christmas songs I do not care about. It is spring ditties I like. And the tit flew his way.

The old Christmas song struggled tiredly on. Then he met a rich businessman.- I'm an Old Christmas song. You could knew me well when you were little. Sing Me!-Although I have been able to sing you at the time, I do not anymore. The sound of cash registers is the most beautiful song I know. Go your way, I do not have time to talk, I have to think about Christmas sales!And the wealthy businessman went his way.

The Song continued further. The wind blew cold through the thin clothes. When he met a busy wife.-What kind of a drag are you? said the lady, she could not stand that not everyone was busy.-I am an Old Christmas song. Your mother used to sing me, do you remember me? Sing Me!- As if I have time to sing Christmas songs now, just before Christmas. I must clean the house and cure the ham, cook the turkey and bake Christmas cookies and iron Christmas tablecloths and rolling and polishing and scrubbing and dusting, and .......More did not the old Christmas song hear, for the busy lady was already far behind him as he ran away.

The rain kept up, it froze stiff on the ground and the cold began to bite, but still  the old Christmas song walked around seeking someone who would sing it. Then met a famous poet. The old Christmas song was happy.

- I am an Old Christmas song, said to the poet. - You remember me for sure. Will you sing with me? The poet stopped. - So, an Old Christmas song? But my how you look. You're full of rhymes! And with no rhythm. As if I would sing something like that! I am a famous poet, very modern. What I sing is more like: -In solitude. despite the fact that I do not know if you are a green-yellow frost, big, bigger biggest ......The famous poet's voice disappeared in the distance, for the old Christmas song ran away as fast as it could.

Tiredly he sat down on the stairs of a tiny cottage by the forest at the edge of town. - I'm going to die. No one remembers me or want to sing me, he thought sadly. Then came an old woman on the trail. She held the hand of a small child.

-Look, Grandma, there is someone on our stairs, said the child. Grandmother saw with the old, worn eyes, and although she was nearly blind, she knew the old Christmas song again.- It's the old Christmas song, she cried. - It was my grandmother who taught me, and she had learned it from her grandmother, that's how old it is!Sing-me, bade the song low. It couldn't do any more.- But come in, come in, said his wife, And the song went into the poor but warm living room.

And the wife began to sing with the weak and cracked voice, and the bright child's voice fell in too. And the old Christmas song was no longer a gray and tattered wretch, but clear and brilliant with a gown that shone in the glory of the stars and lights.

And it was like the roof lifted up on the little house, and the song spread beyond the notes and hurried out of the dark and dreary world. And everyone who heard it, forgot the bustle and cares and began to sing along. Their childhoods old Christmas song.  Oh, THOU HOLY, O THOU Blessed .....





This story is written by Marjatta cure Niemi. The translation to Norwegian is done by Jo Tenfjord and the story was originally published in the book Christmas in our house in the 1980's. Translated into English by myself....

Idaho trip

In the spring some time it was apparent that Mary was going to attend a Con in Idaho at the end of the summer, and as the weeks progressed this became a "family" vacation, meaning that John and the kids would come along and also visit a bird center near where the Con was. So after having been invited, I decided to go with. As this had turned out to be a family thing I only had to pay for the attendance ticket to the con myself, so I decided why not....