mánudagur, ágúst 30, 2004
Here we go, another "what did I do this weekend" blog.
Well, I was all set to spend the entire weekend playing videogames when I noticed that Dave sent me a mail on Friday saying "We're going to 2 parties this weekend". So I said what the hell.
First party was at a house called the "Lunderdome" after it's resident, Jason Lun. Clever. We get there at around midnight and right away it doesn't look promising. We see groups of people walking away, and as we step out of our car a police car zooms past. Well, the police car did not bust the party, and it turned out that the people leaving were going skinnydipping. Of course, we didn't know about that until later, otherwise we might have joined them :)
The party was fine, open bar as seems to be the norm around here, and we chatted a little, I got to know Georg a little bit, turns out he is a rock climber, and he managed to convince me that I should try it out. So I will.
You know, I've noticed that, for some reason, a certain type of american guy will take off his shirt at a party. Why they think this is cool is beyond me. It's something new to me, at least in a normal party scenario. You go out camping, or to a concert, fine, guys, go nuts. But in a party, in a house? Strange.
Second party we also got there at midnight, when half the people were gone. Dave brought the bottle of icelandic Brennivín I gave him at christmas and people had a taste. Most liked it for some odd reason, and some even likened it to gin, the rationale being, "they are both herbal". The host was a guy named Sandro, who is absolutely manic. Talks at speeds I thought were unimaginable and always has an input on everything...EVERYthing.
On sunday, Freyja, Þóra, and Andy had planned to meet up with me, talk birthday stuff and get something to eat, and I was looking forward to it. Too bad my body decided to be DEATHLY ILL, from drinking.
Sigh.
I couldn't believe it, saturday, after the first party, I was fine. Sunday, after the second, horrible. Drank more on friday, only rum. On saturday I drank mostly beer with 2 shots of Brennivín. Maybe it was the Brennivín? Either way, I was the worst company possible. And I'm sooo sorry guys. They took me out to look at cellphones and to find a local restaurant to eat at. All I could do was stay as still as possible, not daring to breath for fear of throwing up. I could barely even speak. Freyja gave me some pepto bismol tablets. They did help, in the sense that they made me throw up :) While we sat at a local restaurant and the three of them had some food, I had some water and ginger ale....and I managed to throw up 3 times. It was the first time I'd ever thrown up pink. Yay pepto bismol.
Buuut, I really did enjoy myself, listening to them talk and once in a while getting in some words. Þóra gave me some assorted fresh spices from her garden, and two tomatos and a green pepper. And then, as they were leaving, Þóra hands me a card which had a check in it for a ridiculously high amount, which I am to spend on trumpet lessons with Chris Gekker.
Silly Þóra (and peter, courtney and Kirk), you gave me way to much money! But thank you so much, I had already decided this was too expensive for me, especially since my funds are a little less this year than last. But now I can take about 8 classes, yay!
I really wasn't expecting gifts at all, just taking me out for food and a fun day would have been totally enough for me :) But I will make it up to you guys, I'll be better company next time.
Tonight I managed to cook my first salmon steak. I didn't think about marinading, and I totally underspiced it, although I tried using Þóras herbs, but it still tasted great. Salmon has such a strong flavor, maybe one shouldn't spice it too much? I also stir fried Þóra's green pepper in the same pan after frying the fish, which was pretty good as well. All in all, a success.
Well, I was all set to spend the entire weekend playing videogames when I noticed that Dave sent me a mail on Friday saying "We're going to 2 parties this weekend". So I said what the hell.
First party was at a house called the "Lunderdome" after it's resident, Jason Lun. Clever. We get there at around midnight and right away it doesn't look promising. We see groups of people walking away, and as we step out of our car a police car zooms past. Well, the police car did not bust the party, and it turned out that the people leaving were going skinnydipping. Of course, we didn't know about that until later, otherwise we might have joined them :)
The party was fine, open bar as seems to be the norm around here, and we chatted a little, I got to know Georg a little bit, turns out he is a rock climber, and he managed to convince me that I should try it out. So I will.
You know, I've noticed that, for some reason, a certain type of american guy will take off his shirt at a party. Why they think this is cool is beyond me. It's something new to me, at least in a normal party scenario. You go out camping, or to a concert, fine, guys, go nuts. But in a party, in a house? Strange.
Second party we also got there at midnight, when half the people were gone. Dave brought the bottle of icelandic Brennivín I gave him at christmas and people had a taste. Most liked it for some odd reason, and some even likened it to gin, the rationale being, "they are both herbal". The host was a guy named Sandro, who is absolutely manic. Talks at speeds I thought were unimaginable and always has an input on everything...EVERYthing.
On sunday, Freyja, Þóra, and Andy had planned to meet up with me, talk birthday stuff and get something to eat, and I was looking forward to it. Too bad my body decided to be DEATHLY ILL, from drinking.
Sigh.
I couldn't believe it, saturday, after the first party, I was fine. Sunday, after the second, horrible. Drank more on friday, only rum. On saturday I drank mostly beer with 2 shots of Brennivín. Maybe it was the Brennivín? Either way, I was the worst company possible. And I'm sooo sorry guys. They took me out to look at cellphones and to find a local restaurant to eat at. All I could do was stay as still as possible, not daring to breath for fear of throwing up. I could barely even speak. Freyja gave me some pepto bismol tablets. They did help, in the sense that they made me throw up :) While we sat at a local restaurant and the three of them had some food, I had some water and ginger ale....and I managed to throw up 3 times. It was the first time I'd ever thrown up pink. Yay pepto bismol.
Buuut, I really did enjoy myself, listening to them talk and once in a while getting in some words. Þóra gave me some assorted fresh spices from her garden, and two tomatos and a green pepper. And then, as they were leaving, Þóra hands me a card which had a check in it for a ridiculously high amount, which I am to spend on trumpet lessons with Chris Gekker.
Silly Þóra (and peter, courtney and Kirk), you gave me way to much money! But thank you so much, I had already decided this was too expensive for me, especially since my funds are a little less this year than last. But now I can take about 8 classes, yay!
I really wasn't expecting gifts at all, just taking me out for food and a fun day would have been totally enough for me :) But I will make it up to you guys, I'll be better company next time.
Tonight I managed to cook my first salmon steak. I didn't think about marinading, and I totally underspiced it, although I tried using Þóras herbs, but it still tasted great. Salmon has such a strong flavor, maybe one shouldn't spice it too much? I also stir fried Þóra's green pepper in the same pan after frying the fish, which was pretty good as well. All in all, a success.
fimmtudagur, ágúst 26, 2004
I think I've figured out what one of my problems is (if not my main problem)
I only have an attention span of just under 3 years.
When I was in HR doing my computer science BS, I remember having so much fun, all the way until my last semester, when I couldn't wait for it to be over. This is the feeling I have pretty much every day out here. I can't wait for it all to be over so I can get on with my life, do the next interesting thing, whatever that may be. On the other hand, I already know about myself that I need structure to function. So this is the idea I had...
Get myself a steady job where I only have to work 75%, or like 6 hours a day, or less. At the same time, start to methodically go through every degree I could possibly have any interest in. A BS degree takes 3 years, which would be perfect for my attention span. This way I would have the structure (the job), and the constant bombardment of new and interesting things as well, along with new people every step of the way. How does that sound?
The things I see myself going into are:
Philosophy
Psychology
Literature
History
Any foreign language
Possibly even business or economics
And when I have nothing left to study, Law or medicine.
I think I've had enough with the computer/engineering/math side of the world :p
As an interesting side effect, having such a wide education, rather than deep, would possibly open up (carreer)paths I'd never thought about while digging my computer science hole.
Hey, maybe I'll just be a professional polymath.
I only have an attention span of just under 3 years.
When I was in HR doing my computer science BS, I remember having so much fun, all the way until my last semester, when I couldn't wait for it to be over. This is the feeling I have pretty much every day out here. I can't wait for it all to be over so I can get on with my life, do the next interesting thing, whatever that may be. On the other hand, I already know about myself that I need structure to function. So this is the idea I had...
Get myself a steady job where I only have to work 75%, or like 6 hours a day, or less. At the same time, start to methodically go through every degree I could possibly have any interest in. A BS degree takes 3 years, which would be perfect for my attention span. This way I would have the structure (the job), and the constant bombardment of new and interesting things as well, along with new people every step of the way. How does that sound?
The things I see myself going into are:
Philosophy
Psychology
Literature
History
Any foreign language
Possibly even business or economics
And when I have nothing left to study, Law or medicine.
I think I've had enough with the computer/engineering/math side of the world :p
As an interesting side effect, having such a wide education, rather than deep, would possibly open up (carreer)paths I'd never thought about while digging my computer science hole.
Hey, maybe I'll just be a professional polymath.
mánudagur, ágúst 23, 2004
Back in the USSR...er, I mean, USA.
I'm not going to detail my whole vacation, it would take too long and probably bore most of you to tears. I'll just jump straight to the highlights.
Originally, I was only going to stay for 2 weeks, from July 28, to August 14. But, then I learned the the Reykjavík Night of Culture (Menningarnótt) was scheduled for August 21. There was absolutely no way I would miss that event. Each year, I and the dixieland band I am a member of (The Dixie Duck) play at the same place, and this is my favorite night of the year. Each year we manage to bring more and more people and have more fun than the previous year, and this time was no exception. In the whole of downtown Reykjavík, there were about 100,000 people that night. We probably had about a thousand of those people stop by our concert in the tiny Kaffi Vín, at some point during the evening. The closest tables were of course inhabited by our most supportive fans, who called me before to make sure I'd save them a spot. They are there every year, and each time they manage to bring a couple friends and convert them into raving fans of the Dixie Duck.
The highlight of our concert is without doubt our "impromptu" parade down Laugavegur, Reykjavík's main street. Around 1 am, when the official schedule is long over, and people are at the peak of their partying, we march down Laugavegur mardi gras style, pulling a crowd of hundreds with us, all the way down the the center of the city, where the masses rival the partying on our national holiday. This year, we had the largest parade yet. Before the concert we had sent a notice to a Jazz newsletter, asking all players to come along with their instruments and join us. We ended up having about 10 extra players, trumpets, trombones, and saxophones. In addition to this, the crowd following us, dancing, singing along, and generally being merry, was larger than ever before. I estimated at least a thousand followed us down the street, with a couple hundred more filling in on the way as others dropped out.
We ended back up at Kaffi Vín with the stragglers from our parade, and the people who decided to wait for our return and use the time to drink more beer, and played our last set til about 3am, when a neighbor started complaining.
But I'm way ahead of myself.
The original timing for my visit home was to coincide with Úlla's wedding. Yup, my little sister is married. She and Manuel brought his whole family from Spain to take part in the festivities. Originally they weren't all going to come, but I'm glad they did. We all had a blast. Manu's older brother Javier brought his wife, Sara, and their two children, Daniel (4) and Marina (1-). His two younger siblings, Pablo and Maria came and partied hard with us, lotsa fun. And of course, his parents, Manuel and Carmen.
Of these people, only Úlla, Manu, and Javier were able to translate. Oh yeah, and Pablo as well, after drinking a six-pack :)
The wedding itself was at Skógar out in the country, and we stayed there at a hotel for the night. The day after was spent showing the Spanish family the wonders of the south part of Iceland. I'll reserve a detailed description of the wedding for Úlla. She will probably post something about it on our family blog.
Three days later, there was a wedding party in Reykjavík for the close family, Pabbi's brothers and Mamma's sisters, and pabbi's aunts, and their immediate families. All in all about 30-40 people. Some of Úlla's friends showed up as well...and got drunk at a record pace :) We ended up dancing a bit there before the older (and younger) people had to go home to bed. We not so young, but not too old people went out to party after that, and ended up dancing for about 4 more hours. The family left the day after, managing to make me promise to come visit and to learn Spanish.
The week after that was spent lying around, playing video games, chilling with Svanur, going to rehearsals for the Dixie Duck, and just getting ready for the Menningarnótt, and also preparing myself mentally for going back to the USA.
An interesting stroke of luck, a good friend of mine decided to get married this summer and sent me an invitation a couple of weeks before I came home....for the 21st of August. What's interesting is that I had just prolonged my visit the day before, so I was able to make it. On the 7th of August we had a bachelor party for him. Not a cheesy hollywood party mind you, just 18 guys driving around in a bus and getting drunk. We went sea fishing, watched Jóhann ride a $20,000 horse, listened to him read custom made, humorous poetry, went to an Icelandic ghost house (which is not scary by the way), and generally got drunk and had a good time. Actually though, I didn't drink, I had to pick up the Spanish family from the airport that night, so I just watched everyone else drink. Still, was lotsa fun.
So how's that for a disconnected jumble of events? Boy, you'd think I'd be able to tell things linearly. But then again, they say the best stories look like the roots of a tree, branching, diverging, sometimes circling. Hey, sounds like my life.
Who knows, maybe I might circle back to Iceland sometime soon.
I'm not going to detail my whole vacation, it would take too long and probably bore most of you to tears. I'll just jump straight to the highlights.
Originally, I was only going to stay for 2 weeks, from July 28, to August 14. But, then I learned the the Reykjavík Night of Culture (Menningarnótt) was scheduled for August 21. There was absolutely no way I would miss that event. Each year, I and the dixieland band I am a member of (The Dixie Duck) play at the same place, and this is my favorite night of the year. Each year we manage to bring more and more people and have more fun than the previous year, and this time was no exception. In the whole of downtown Reykjavík, there were about 100,000 people that night. We probably had about a thousand of those people stop by our concert in the tiny Kaffi Vín, at some point during the evening. The closest tables were of course inhabited by our most supportive fans, who called me before to make sure I'd save them a spot. They are there every year, and each time they manage to bring a couple friends and convert them into raving fans of the Dixie Duck.
The highlight of our concert is without doubt our "impromptu" parade down Laugavegur, Reykjavík's main street. Around 1 am, when the official schedule is long over, and people are at the peak of their partying, we march down Laugavegur mardi gras style, pulling a crowd of hundreds with us, all the way down the the center of the city, where the masses rival the partying on our national holiday. This year, we had the largest parade yet. Before the concert we had sent a notice to a Jazz newsletter, asking all players to come along with their instruments and join us. We ended up having about 10 extra players, trumpets, trombones, and saxophones. In addition to this, the crowd following us, dancing, singing along, and generally being merry, was larger than ever before. I estimated at least a thousand followed us down the street, with a couple hundred more filling in on the way as others dropped out.
We ended back up at Kaffi Vín with the stragglers from our parade, and the people who decided to wait for our return and use the time to drink more beer, and played our last set til about 3am, when a neighbor started complaining.
But I'm way ahead of myself.
The original timing for my visit home was to coincide with Úlla's wedding. Yup, my little sister is married. She and Manuel brought his whole family from Spain to take part in the festivities. Originally they weren't all going to come, but I'm glad they did. We all had a blast. Manu's older brother Javier brought his wife, Sara, and their two children, Daniel (4) and Marina (1-). His two younger siblings, Pablo and Maria came and partied hard with us, lotsa fun. And of course, his parents, Manuel and Carmen.
Of these people, only Úlla, Manu, and Javier were able to translate. Oh yeah, and Pablo as well, after drinking a six-pack :)
The wedding itself was at Skógar out in the country, and we stayed there at a hotel for the night. The day after was spent showing the Spanish family the wonders of the south part of Iceland. I'll reserve a detailed description of the wedding for Úlla. She will probably post something about it on our family blog.
Three days later, there was a wedding party in Reykjavík for the close family, Pabbi's brothers and Mamma's sisters, and pabbi's aunts, and their immediate families. All in all about 30-40 people. Some of Úlla's friends showed up as well...and got drunk at a record pace :) We ended up dancing a bit there before the older (and younger) people had to go home to bed. We not so young, but not too old people went out to party after that, and ended up dancing for about 4 more hours. The family left the day after, managing to make me promise to come visit and to learn Spanish.
The week after that was spent lying around, playing video games, chilling with Svanur, going to rehearsals for the Dixie Duck, and just getting ready for the Menningarnótt, and also preparing myself mentally for going back to the USA.
An interesting stroke of luck, a good friend of mine decided to get married this summer and sent me an invitation a couple of weeks before I came home....for the 21st of August. What's interesting is that I had just prolonged my visit the day before, so I was able to make it. On the 7th of August we had a bachelor party for him. Not a cheesy hollywood party mind you, just 18 guys driving around in a bus and getting drunk. We went sea fishing, watched Jóhann ride a $20,000 horse, listened to him read custom made, humorous poetry, went to an Icelandic ghost house (which is not scary by the way), and generally got drunk and had a good time. Actually though, I didn't drink, I had to pick up the Spanish family from the airport that night, so I just watched everyone else drink. Still, was lotsa fun.
So how's that for a disconnected jumble of events? Boy, you'd think I'd be able to tell things linearly. But then again, they say the best stories look like the roots of a tree, branching, diverging, sometimes circling. Hey, sounds like my life.
Who knows, maybe I might circle back to Iceland sometime soon.
