Say hello to 2015 by waltzing into the new year Austrian Style:
*if the embed does not show, please go here: http://open.spotify.com/track/6wR8tivN7AsXYD0dN2tJud
„An der schönen blauen Donau“ is the Austrian equivalent to „Auld Lang Syne“. This classic waltz plays on virtually all radios after midnight on New Year’s Eve, while people, wish each other all the best and dance together. It’s probably the only ten minutes all of Austria is content and optimistic.
I recently watched Snowpiercer and you should too. It’s the most visionary and visually stunning movie I have seen since Inception. I found the concept of this crammed train, although rather a fantasy than science fiction concept, agreat idea to dramatize current conflicts.
But it was a reminder of Carl Sagan’s „Pale Blue Dot“ that made me connect the dots of the mind-blowing scope of Snowpiercer’s vision. „Pale Blue Dot“ is a text Sagan wrote commenting on a photo the Voyager robot took of Earth looking back from beyond Neptune. It is a simple, beautiful and humbling. Here it is: (transcript here)
Here is how you have to understand Snowpiercer and it’s allegories: Snowpiercer is real.
It exists. There is a vehicle that is racing through an ice-cold, inhabitable environment making a cycle once a year. It’s called Earth.
We are on it, crammed together and we cannot leave this planet. Our ressources are limited and we have structures in place that put people in the back and up the front. And we also believe and do so many things we know to be wrong, because we are told it is necessary to keep the train running. Snowpiercer thematizes everything from child labor to numbing drugs, leaders who see no alternative etc.
Snowpiercer is not a fantasy vehicle to create a situation for drama, it is a focused view at the human condition today on this planet.
Oh the things you find while researching patterns for cutting paper stars with the kids. There are many great ideas but this year Krystal Higgins‘ designs for Game of Thrones themed paper stars took the cake. How awesome is that?
Needless to say and as attached photo proves this turned into a project for Dad. The houses of Westeros now on our window (top left to bottom right): Tully, Stark, Baratheon, Greyjoy, Thargaryen and Lannister.
If you are into the same sort of thing, you can find all patterns to download at Krystal Higgins‘ website: http://www.kryshiggins.com/free-game-of-thrones-inspired-snowflake-patterns/
Hello Hamburg.
It has been quite a ride that last month: papers, tests, reading, preparations. Had my last exam Friday, spent a day on the train Saturday and woke up here Hamburg today.
Tomorrow will be the first day of the Account Planning Boot Camp at Miami Ad School. I am excited and looking forward to 12 great weeks here in this town.
The train ride was very long, we had more than 100 minutes delay because of a fire that blocked the tracks somewhere in Bavaria. The mood at the train stations made up for it: the air was humming with the songs of German supporters after the already legendary 0:4 ass-whooping for Argentina. It was joyous. Even the England Supporter in me was enjoying it. Admit it, the Germans did a better job in reducing Maradona to tears than the English side could have ever achieved.
I prefer to watch the video above without sound, theme songs were never a strength of FIFA Worldcups. I am in the mood for some football – especially after this last season with Cup title for Sturm Graz, St.Pauli and Newcastle United back in their highest leagues – and I have my Vuvuzela app, I have my app for real-time complete statistics of every game. Barbecue is scheduled for this afternoon. I am ready.
As for predictions, my tips are always spoiled by my preference of sentimental underdogs like Denmark, South Korea, Australia or New Zealand. All teams that have the same or less potential compared to Austria and still regularly perform better. I always rejoice when they annoy the big ones (Denmark 1992, DEN-BRA in 1998, AUS-ITA 2006, Korea 2002).
And then there is England. The team that must avoid penalties at all costs, or practice them for four years in preparation. And in this tournament they must not lose another player. How thin exactly the side is on some positions showed painfully in the first half of the Japan game. You will need all the luck in the world. Fingers crossed.
Looking at the BBC Team Tracker (highly recommended) I fear the worst for all of my supported sides. Some big ones will have to fall in the first rounds to make this interesting.
Ke Nako! It is about time!
Long time no see, old friend. (have I mentioned that I love Winter solstice?)
I had to wait 30 years for my first bowl of Lucky Charms only to realize that no responsible parent should ever give their kids these sugar-coated sugarbombs.
Hmm. Wild raspberry buttermilk muffins. Baked today, gone tomorrow.
I spent the last few days with Heidi in Alpl, which in the center a rather remote valley in upper styria named the „Waldheimat“ (ca. Home in the forests). They were not joking about the forests there. There really is forest, forest and forest (but no cellphone reception)
We stayed at a Wellness/Family hotel and enjoyed the calm, the clean air, the massages and the sauna. We did some walks (in the rain), picked wild berries and mushrooms. Perfect days to relax.
And today we finished off with a hike on top of the Raxalpe. (The images are from that trip) Great weather (not too hot, not too cold) and a great view (as far as the Neusiedler Lake and Hungary).
The tickets for Russell Davies‘ interesting2008 conference went on sale today 9am GMT. This should be an interesting thing again. But not for me. Tickets were sold out in less than 3 hours, when I got around to log in from work. Sigh.
