Being back, and all that

It's been a fortnight since my last post - one can definately tell I'm back in Swansea!! It's great though, and this past week has been so much fun meeting up with people and getting started with all things that belong to a Maria's Swansea life. (Apart from the work, of course, and being yelled at for not making thirty sandwiches per hour. However, I'm not going there...I'm grateful for being able to pay the rent.) Drumming, children and young people, buying a rat, being told I "speak ironic English with an accent"... And that beautiful word: etc.

And it is a new year too. Something is definately different, the air is thick with new plans. Mainly other people's, but I'm open to suggestions... Last summer I admitted to myself that I was up against a wall faithwise, and while I like that wall for it's familiarity and am slightly worried what is on the other side, I've also decided I can't stay there. Since then amasing things have happened. Interesting people have been put in my way, helpful books, new ideas and thoughts, and a whole exciting drive to make this faith mine in all areas of life. The recent death of somebody I know has also prompted a lot of reflection. Not in particularly morbid way, but I think I'd quite like to know what I am doing and why. "In Christ there is hope, peace and joy". That's what I'm aiming for. (And life is too short not to believe in fairies as I've often said...:) Besides, spring is coming! What is there not to be excited about!

Niinpä

Aikaa on laskettu jo 2006 vuotta, mutta uudellekin vuodelle jäi lukuisia kysymyksiä, joihin ei ole saatu uskottovaa vastausta:
Mitä Luoja teki maailman luomista edeltävällä viikolla?
Mikä oli ensin: kana, muna, broileri vai kukko?
Miksi hevosella on isompi pää kuin ihmisellä?
Mistä otettiin se sekunti, joka lisättiin atomikelloihin vuodenvaihteessa? Onko ylimääräisiä sekunteja vielä paljonkin varastossa? Jos evoluutioteoria pitää paikkansa, mikä on ihmistä seuraava kehitysaste ja milloin se toteutuu?
Minne joutuvat kaikki laihdutettaessa häviävät läskit? Montako on paljon? Missä on kunne? Milloin on konsanaan? Kuka on Agnes?
Mistä tiedetään, että ihovoide vähentää ryppyjä 17,1 prosenttia? Minkä nimisiä ovat taulutelevision 16,7 miljoonaa väriä? Sininen, punainen, keltainen, violetti, oranssi...entäs sitten?
Jos tänään on nollakeli ja huomenna kaksi kertaa kylmempää, paljonko mittari silloin näyttää? Miksei hissi mene kahdeksanteen kerrokseen, vaikka painaa nelosta kahdesti? Jos ajaa autolla ajovalot päällä valon nopeutta, näkeekö mitään eteensä?
Kuka keksi kysymysmerkin ja miksi?

Kiitos Jukka Ukkola!!!

On writing/the arts. I thought it made sense.

Riches I hold in light esteem
And Love I laugh to scorn
And lust of Fame was but a dream
That vanished with the morn-

And if I pray, the only prayer
That moves my lips for me
Is-"Leave the heart that now I bear
And give me liberty."

Emily Brontë

mincepies vs piparkakku...

(Piparkakku is the ubiquitous Christmas biscuit here in Finland.) My first impressions of being back amongst the snow have been dominated by noticing the small, inconsequential differences between the counries. perhaps I'm so used to the big differences that they pass me by unmarked? However, it's the little things like the locks on toilet doors, or that in the UK bottles of Beck's get decorated with art (Tracy Emin, isn't it?) whereas here it's the cartons of milk that get the artwork...
Personally, there are huge changes. Here I'm indulging in lie-ins, reading a couple of books a day, and being fed! What a difference to Swansea! I suppose it's the fate of those who move around to be forever comparing places against each other. Not necessarily to rank the places, but even just to remind oneself where you are and who you are in this particular place...
Well, I'm enjoying the change of being here for now!

Testing the waters...

Well, here it is. My first attempt at blogging and whatever that may entail. Having made the epic journey to Finland and now having some time on my hands (hooray!), ventures into the unknown seem to be the order of the day.

Happy winter solstice for tomorrow everyone! The sun set at 14:45 yesterday so I'm glad we're at the turning point and can look forward to more light...