Butterflies

They sure got an extra pair of wings, those butterflies in my stomach.

As I’m writing these words I’ve just started my adventure. This weekend me and some beloved lady-friends of mine went to the oldest known rock festival in Norway – Glopperock. Good times. I got a thing for these small festivals. Last Thursday me and my band VITO performed four songs at Open Mic in Volda. Last night we had our last jam session in 6 months. Got a Thin Lizzy LP – Black Rose A Rock Legend, as a going-away-present from my drummer. Then I got REALLY sentimental, and wrote a new song. Tears wont stop us being productive! Now I’m back in Tomrefjorden to say some good byes to my family. Gonna miss them, much! After a stressful summer I eventually notice the seasons ripe for change. Tomorrow I’ll head for the rail way station, one hour drive to a small town called Åndalsnes, located in the middle of Møre og Romsdal. Then it’s off to the state capital Oslo, baby. Then to Asker, to visit my love Nico. Monday September 3rd calendar says byebye everything I know – hello AUSTRALIA.

Along with 19 other fellow students on the Austral-Asian Culture program I’m going down under. To see the sun, to taste the salt water.. To get away. To the land of convicts, explorers, and adventures. Tomorrow on the train I’ll start dig down in history. A concise history of Australia – by Stewart Macintyre, pensum. Kangaroos and wallabies. Crocodiles and sharks! Can’t wait to see one! Got the rest of my stuff packed today. Credit card, passport, and my backpacker sack – CHECK! Hope everything goes smoothly with the tickets and stuff. Everything’s good to go. But, I guess with my pre history of bad karma I’ll forget my luggage at the wrong platform, oversleep, or get stuck in the doorway or something.. On the other hand I’m the luckies daydreaming bum since mom will take me to the train station. I’m not too good with time tables, busses, or any public transport, no doubt about that. I’ll cross my legs, arms, and fingers just to be sure… My sense of direction and intuition will be far more better in the next couple of weeks, I wish. Never thought it would be easy to get outta here. This great big challenge, I’ll have it anyway.

At the end of our first week in Brisbane our class will head out on a field trip to the outback of New South Wales, Bourke. I’ll post an update on the excursion later! The following five weeks I’ll be sharing apartment and travel with two happy guitar playing blokes named Martin and Marius, and an open minded globetrotter named Anne Berit. We don’t know each other that much yet, but I have to say at this point I’m pretty excited! Hippie spirit! That’s it for now. Gotta catch some rest before the new day arrives. Take care. Love K.

TUNEZ TODAY:  The Distillers – Coral Fang (Album)

Liebster Blog Award, thanks to Dear Kitty. Some blog

Dear Kitty. Some blog was so kind to nominate me for the Liebster Blog Award. Thank you!

“This award is to promote quality blogs & to help promote the work of bloggers who may not have a large following. Part of getting this award is giving it forward and to award it to 3-5 blogs you enjoy that have under 200 followers.”

According to the ‘rules’ (btw I’ve never done this before) – Presumably, one should add the Liebster Blog Award picture to the post on the award. Done…

Dear Kitty. Some blog fascinates me in so many ways. I wish more people in this world would share her point of view. Check her out!

Here are my nominees (I am not sure whether I have kept to the 200 or less rule, as not all blogs list their number of followers) (I have linked to the nominees’ blogs. I will notify them at their blogs):

just be. love all. live life.

dogsharon

SORRY, I CAN’T STAY LONG

The receiver of the award should copy & answer the questions below.
My answers are:

1. What’s your favorite word in the English language?

Fuck.

2. What are you listening to as you write the answer to this question (if not music, what sounds)?

A shy tinnitus buzzing in my ears. Can feel and hear my heartbeat, kinda. The sound of overdrive and distortion. School of Nirvana, and four songs with my band VITO. The open mic gig tonight was insane…

3. What was the last thing you ate that you really, really enjoyed?

A simple green apple. Enjoying it at this particular moment.

4. You’re at a job interview, and the interviewer asks you to make him laugh. What do you do or say?

I1d say I’m not that funny.

5. The world is about to blow up, but you’re being saved, and are allowed to take five things to another planet (aside from the clothes you are currently wearing), where you and only 999 other people will now exist (ignore the bleakness of this question). What do you take?

My guitar, my journal, a pen, a toothbrush, and a pillow.

6. What’s your favorite drink to consume first thing in the morning?

Milk.

7. What was the last book to make you cry?

Buddhas Children – A Journey Among People – by Torbjørn Færøvik.

8. What’s the most ridiculous or silliest way you’ve been injured?

Stumbled down some stairs, fell flat on my face, and ended up with a fractured ankle/foot – crutches for seven weeks. FML.

9. What’s your favorite city in the world? Why?

Stockholm. Fell in love at first sight. The Swedes got everything. Astrid Lindgren, Unga Klara – Suzanne Osten, Vår Teater, Stadsteatern, Kungliga Dramaten, Unga Dramaten. Also got good memories from Moderna Museet, and Beyond Retro. 

10. What’s the most embarrassing album in your music collection? (Be honest)

Aqua-Aquarium. First CD I ever got. I even know all the lyrics.

11. To borrow an old line from a Crowded House song, would you rather a mansion in the slums or a caravan in the hills (i.e. a nice house in a not nice area, or a tiny living space but with views)?

I’d like to live in a bungalow by the beach. Perfect view!

1. How long have you blogged?

Since 2005. Just random gibberish at that time, Gaffelioyet is the first “real” blog I’ve got.

2. What is your talent you are most proud of?

Never giving up..

3. You wake up in a shaggy hotel in a city of your choice with your best friend and a complete stranger of the opposite sex. There’s a kitchen-battle-axe on the floor with blood on it and an owl in the bathroom. What has happened?

We’ve played the game they play in Four Rooms, and the owl is the award.

4. What’s your favorite day of the week?

Any day after a good night sleep!

5. If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

A squirrel. Had to be one in a play a while go. Never got rid of the moves…

6. What are you doing for your living?

Traveling student at the moment. AUSTRALIA.

7. Where would you take me in your hometown, if I would visit you?

I would take you somewhere nicer than my hometown!

8. What is your favorite sound?

Waves.

9. Do you have a celebrity crush? Who is it?

I got two. Patti Smith, and Brody Dalle.

10. What is the first web-site you go to when you open your browser?

http://www.mangareader.net/94-8-1/bleach/chapter-1.html

11. What languages do you speak?

Norwegian, English, Swedish, poor Danish, and lousy French.

This rare evening… This week has been exhausting. Good though. Gotta show up at school in less than five hours. VITO – we had our best gig ever tonight, and I even got to perform cover of Nirvana with some other grunge blokes of mine. Open mic in Volda and the audience … mental ! Fuck. Then I got this award from http://dearkitty1.wordpress.com. What a day! I sure appreciate it! Don’t know what to say…

School’s up

Got all these nerves in a bundle. Don’t know if I’m scared, awkwardly shy, or just bashful about telling folks how I really feel. My knees are shaking, and inside my head – though I have never been there – I swear it’s JUST like Disneyland. Everything’s blinking, beeping, twisting, and turning. Bet some of it’s jumping too.

View from the place we’re staying in Brisbane – Kangaroo Point. I can get used to this!!! Mad. Pic downloaded here.

First thing I gained today was the knowledge that if you go East it takes one hour drive from Brisbane to locate the first surf spots. Up North, approximately one and half hour drive before you get great shores and waves. Whoop! I also learned the fact that I’ll have to befriend a surf-loving driver who’s in the possession of a real driver’s license. Or, I knew that already, BUT, we’ve been talking about this well known phenomenon – long distances. Very long distances. On the Australian continent there’s a lot of them. I guess I’ll forget about my favorite  activity as a non-driving hippie; walking. That was a joke, I prefer skating and bicycling. But neither will do. Gotta learn how to trust planes and cars. If there’s anyone in the Queensland area who’s up for surf in the middle of September let me know!

First day in my new class, and we’ve just started with the introduction course of the Austral-Asian program. Been chatting with some teachers from Brisbane, and we have started discussing different topics of our main major assignment. Children’s theater, shadow plays, masks, clay, costumes, traditions, plays, puppet theater, school system, vietnamese theater, aboriginal theater, culture for children – how is the situation compared to Scandinavia? And then there’s music! Oh, I’m such a nerd.

Australian phrase of the day: “No worries mate!”

The whole class had to say it out loud. At the same time. Awkward, and we all acted like small giggling girls. In front of the old school black board compassionate eyes of an urban globetrotter woman told me we still have a long way ahead of us. Not sure if our stuttering Norwenglish blew her away anywhere. Gotta work on my dialect! Then they started all this talk about spiders… and I went to get lunch. Now it’s back to class. Information about the seven day trip into the outback, more specific Bourke – is about to be given. I’ll welcome it with open arms! Stoked! Love K.

TUNEZ TODAY: Natural Mystic – Bob Marley & The Wailers, Flake – Jack Johnson, The Letter – Xavier Rudd,
Collie Man – Slightly Stoopid.

New and old faces

Find myself in the Volda University Library. Nerd. To be honest, hiding is what I’m doing. Kind of stressful down in the school caffeteria. Love to see so many new faces coming to Volda, though it reminds me of the fact that I’m done with three years, and I’m leaving. Sad. Very, very sad. Said hi to some of my teacters in drama and theater, and music earlier today. Went inside the theater studio… Had to skip the room where all the magic happens – the costume stock – where set design are being made, all the dresses and other costumes are brought in and repaired- and. Fuck. I’ll get my stuff there later. It’s just too sad. Terribly sad – my second home – I’m leaving it. The great gods know how I love that place. Going to find a piano room in the same yellow building (named Kaarstad) tomorrow, and play a deep low minor key to the sound of Niagra Falls streaming down my mascra painted face. Buu. Cry me a river. Afterwards I’ll cheer myself up with a picture of a surfing kangaroo. I’m also utterly pleased and happy. Got my band back in Volda. Ambivalence, my middle name these days. Who’s being emo?

Official start of academic year, today that is, and with open arms I welcome the autumn semester. Just got rid off all the books and articles I needed for finishing my bachelor paper. Everyone I know here in Volda i busy at the moment. Introductory tours are led by older students for the newcomers all over school- it’s the first day for most of the classes. But for me it’s not. I still got one week of vacation. Monday 20th. Introuduction course of the AustralAsian-Studies. Have to learn some Vietnamese this week – at least some life-saving phrases, like “Yes. I like pie – don’t touch me” or something. Just kidding. I’m so excited… it’s hard to find words to describe it.

Skam is a bunch of charming and eccentric musicians – a mixture of ska, reggae, funk, rock, and jazz.

Skam is playing at Rokken Studenthus tonight. Their concert during the opening week of Volda University has grown to be a lively and atmospheric tradition. Seen them at least four times now I think.. You shold check it out if you like listening to ska music.

2nd floor. Library. I like it here. Behind rows of books shelves – in the middle of thousands of unexplored titles and adventures… Gonna find myself a new book, and maybe some new friends in it. Will be joining my fellows from VITO tonight, and some other students from the drama and music section. First I’m gonna find Oddis, and some beer.

From the left Malin, Audun, Aleksander, Gard, Oddis, and Martin. Picture from fattysunroad.com.

Fatty Sunroad will do the warm up show. Bitches be crazy! Fatty Sunroad is a hard rock band localized in Volda, Norway, consisting of six strange people playing what themselves call “a musical soup with a mix of carnival attractions, punch-in-the-face attitude, and sexy under (and over) tones”(fattysunroad.com). You can read the rest of their bio here. Love & Light – Kriss.

TUNEZ TODAY: VITO/FATTY SUNROAD

Just thoughts

i put the blinds down low. make sure the door is locked. then i kill the lights. curl up like a ball in my bed and pretend i don’t exist. stay calm, breathe. keep my pillow tight. while i examine the cracks on the wall i wonder how to break this spell, this curse of living … hell?

what do you do when you know somethings bad for you, and you still can’t let go? i ask myself how to let go of naivety. how to end my path of stupidity. chasing ghosts in midday sun. don’t want to be chained to anyone.

i still remember the day. it was cold. i sat up waiting for you. the sweet touch of spring. i close my eyes and remember everything. how the clouds were covering the april sky. how your eyes looked at me the day before. why? you were supposed to come pic me up. you were just around the corner. but you never showed up. i had my finger nails done. my best dress on. but you never came. and you didn’t pic up the phone. heard from others you were busy. acting though man you lying little sissy. deadly kiss. you left me nothing but a broken promise. i never saw your face that week. nor the months that came after. silence. again. dust in the wind. one should keep one’s eyes skinned. i found my reality ripping at the seems. ignorance is bliss. greatest lie of all time, fooling myself like this.

then, now, years later i finally get to know your reasons. what once were, now departed by several lost seasons. the knowledge breaks my heart. i just couldn’t stop blaming you for everything. you played me like dart. i cursed you, hated you, despised you. all just to convince myself you were the worse. the one who didn’t deserve me. now i just can’t let it be. you did it all to protect me. fuck you, how i hate this misery. life goes on and i got caught up on a new track. try to paint in colors, but all i see is pitch black.

Don’t watch, do something!

Skeleton Sea, in association with Quicksilver Foundation Europe, presented in 2011 the film Albatross Exhibitionist. All pictures in this post are downloaded from the project galleries on the The Quicksilver Initiative website.

“Inspired by the tragic story and images of Albatross chicks on Midway Island dying slow and agonizing deaths due to ingested plastics consumed in error by the seabirds…..”

Last year I was lucky to get the opportunity (for the first time ever) to do the voice-over on a short film titled “Albatross EXHIBITIONIST”. It was a great experience, and I thought I’d share some of it with you readers. I have to admit it felt extremely mad to hear my own voice on top of high quality surf shots of the legends Kelly Slater, Jeremy Flores, and Craig Anderson, -but pardon my poor and lousy English. The film was part of a an art project performed by a group of friends and surfers named Skeleton Sea, led and produced by Xandi Kreuzeder and Joao Parrinha. I got the job through Nico (my boyfriend) who was animating some Albatross-scenes for Xandi. The short documentary points out and underlines some of the terrible consequences of plastic pollutants in our oceans. Beautiful beaches and interesting wildlife – it is our responsibility to protect it.

“Midway Islands stands as a reminder to all of us, about the choices we make and our ability to see ourselves as a part of an interconnected whole. The Albatross is a mirror for us to look into and really see ourselves.” -Clever words of Ian Hinkle, cameraman and producer of Midway journey.

North in the middle of the Pacific Ocean you find Midway Island, or Midway Atoll as it’s also called, a breeding paradise for Albatrosses. For generations the majestic birds have been living there, circling the skies above the oceans. The last couple of years pollution has become a greater problem than ever before. A soup of small plastic particles, bottle tops, pens, tooth brushes,  lighters, and so on has already covered way too much of the surface of our beautiful planet. The trash is getting washed up on the beaches, and the birds mistake it for food. It breaks my heart to know that the small feathery creatures are starving and dying just because we humans are stupid, ignorant and lazy, and can’t manage to pic up and recycle our own garbage. Embarrassing. Do we not have the knowledge and technology? Mainly the surfers of Skeleton Sea have been cleaning the beaches and made creative artworks out of the materials they’ve recovered – before heading out catching waves. One day I want to do the same..! It might be childish and naive, but I still cling on to the hope of a cleaner and greener world for all of us. You wait and see!

Quicksilver Foundation is working to provide environmental, educational, health and youth-related projects to board-riding communities around the world. Thanks to the organization the Albatross Exhibitionist installation and film was on public display at a number of surf contests, exhibitions and events last year, starting at the world-famous Roxy Pro in Biarritz, France mid July 2011. You can read the whole article “Quicksilver Foundation & Skeleton Sea join forces” here, and find more information about the Foundation on “The Quicksilver & Roxy Initiative” website here. Peace, love & light, K.

Sea turtle ♥

Here he is, the coatless demon. 

Facts from Wikipedia: “Midway Atoll, in common with all the Hawaiian Islands, receives substantial amounts of marine debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Consisting of ninety percent plastic, this debris accumulates on the beaches of Midway. This garbage represents a hazard to the bird population of the island. Of the 1.5 million Laysan Albatrosses that inhabit Midway, nearly all are found to have plastic in their digestive system.^[21] Approximately one-third of the chicks die.^[22]“

TUNEZ TODAY: Santogold – You’ll Find A Way, L.E.S Artistes, Sbtrkt – Wildfire (feat. Little Dragon).

Turn over a new leaf

Due to an awful lot of stress, and horrible internet connection I haven’t had the patience to blog lately. But now I’m back, and there’s been a change in status; I’m finally on the move! The butterflies in my stomach have got an extra set of wings. My temper is jojo-ing like a roller coaster from calm and relaxed to hysterical and back, and recently I’ve become an check-list-maniac. Chronic absent-mindedness. Focus is this week’s goal. Monday, and my backpacker sack (I’ve finally found one!) must be inhabited, and ready for take off. First stop Volda, then Asker-Oslo. September 3rd the flight leaves 0755 from Gardermoen -> Heathrow -> Hong Kong -> BRISBANE. If I’d say that I’m anything else than euphoric, it would be a lie.

Third day of vacation. This week I find myself living in my family’s new house in Tomrefjorden, which is a little fjord below high mountains, far out on the Norwegian country side. Just had my grandmother over for a cup of coffee. Her visit did me good. Haven’t seen her beautiful face for a long, long time. She had so many clever words of wisdom to share. The last ten years I’ve been lost in a turmoil. She told me that it’s time for some action. A stern look she gave me. -You should NOT look back, she said. -Never!

She made me realize more than ever that life happens, now, as I’m writing these words. I have to gain control. Nobody will ever do it for me. Have to stop worrying ’bout other peoples opinions. I’m 22 years old, and up till now this has been a very tricky point for me to figure out. Been rooted to the spot. Haunted by ghosts from my previous life. Chapter closed. I’ll burn it all all down to ashes. Now is the time to die and start a new life. Metaphorically of course. Like the phoenix I will spread my wings and fly away. I’ll be the queen of my castle. I’ve finally gained the knowledge. Life goes on. I’ll keep her words close at heart. We sure cannot be all things to all men. I’m one step closer to Australia and Vietnam. One step closer to the person I wanna be. -Happy and free from misery! Big smile on my face today. I’ll share it with you guys. Love K.

A nimble mind. Wide awake. I gaze at the world as my feet take me further. 
Clearly, I can see now. One step, then two steps at the time. Free from the 
chains in my mind. One step closer. I can feel it now. Erasing all negativity. 
Fed up with this stupidity. Self loathing is a curse. Constantly looking back 
over my shoulder - just makes it worse. Heading now the opposite direction. 
Took me a time to understand. I see a new wave is coming ashore the land.

TUNEZ TODAY: Fiona Apple – Regret, Every Single Night, Daredevil, Hot Knife.

Rope

How do you fight addiction. Mind floating in sweet fiction. Colors covering 
my eyes. Life as it is in disguise. Chained to bed. Only screaming noices in 
my head. Can feel my heart jumping, though I play dead. You look at me with 
hungry eyes. Dress me naked. Make it impossible for me to fake it. Misuse once 
was a game. Now all I feel is shame. The hunter became the hunted. Chasing 
ghosts in midday sun. Collecting 'em, and keeping 'em in my pocket.

Puke. Choke. Release. ME.

Love

I’m in love with Fiona Apple, Patti Smith and Janis Joplin.

Just saying. K

Piling up

Working class heroine. That's what I'm gonna be.
A working monster, ladylike machinery.

My box of snus just flipped, and took a salto mortale down into my dreamy sheets. FML. Now I’ll have to do even more laundry. Hate it. Piles of dirty laundry. Bathroom floor once were. Now its a living ocean of swimming slim legs and drowning t-shirts. A curled up tie, lying like a dead tongue is laughing at me. Bedroom floor dusty, and dirty. I’ve got to much stuff, and I’ve got no room for squirreling away anything. A mess. Chaos! Tomorrow I’ll have to store my student life into small little boxes, and huge plastic bags. Don’t have much – but a couple of guitars, a bass guitar, two trumpets, a keyboard, an unknown number of books, pictures, cds and dvds, hats, shoes, dresses, sunshades, and a collection of percussion instruments and leather jackets are on the move. I’m finally on the move. Monday 6th of August, and the calendar says VACATION BABY. Two weeks before schools up. Couch surfing is the new biggie. First stop is Malin and Torbjørn, living together with their baby, a full-grown rabbit named Tore. Awesome. Now back to my laundry. I swear it’s piling up secretly behind my back! And where do all the happy couples of socks go…? All I see is ugly break ups of marriage. I bet the monster under my bed is a lonesome fellah.

Just another random post… Can’t wait for my life to get a little bit more exiting. Yesterday I ordered tickets to the opening day of Jugendfest, a music festival located in Ålesund city. Thursday 16th. I’m thrilled! One of my favorite bands of all time, the Norwegian Kaizers Orchestra is coming for the show. And The Prodigy. Happy tears in my eyes! Sad to miss Roxette playing on Saturday, but I know, in life you can’t always get what you want. At least not all of it. K.

TUNEZ TODAY: Kaizers Orchestra – Bastard Sønn, Blitzregn Baby, Knekker Deg Til Sist, Bøn Fra Helvete, Christiania.
YOU should first listen to their oldest albums, then you play knick knock running stairs further up in their discography.