For PR – promoting things, like Lars Wallin clothes, we still use paper…
Writing novels, short stories and poetry…
Writing other important, or less important, messages…
Milk Maid Made in Sweden (out of milk packages)
Art and documentation – Photo after Pinatubo’s eruption
Paper craft…
Information and news…
…and for candy bags of course…
So, except for wrapping paper, these were a few more I found in my pockets, for Ailsa!
The gracious black cat immediately came up to me. And he would not leave me alone.
No, he did not want to…
In Western history, black cats have often been looked upon as a symbol of evil omens and friends of witches. In Sweden, as in most of Europe, a black cat is considered a symbol of bad luck, especially if one crosses paths with a person, which is believed to be an omen of misfortune and death.
But the folklore surrounding black cats varies from culture to culture. According to Wikipedia, The Scots believe that a strange black cat’s arrival to the home signifies prosperity. In Celtic mythology, a fairy known as the Cat Sìth takes the form of a black cat. Black cats are also considered good luck in the rest of Britain and Japan. A belief I would like to argue for, is that a lady who owns a black cat will have many suitors…
I find black cats extremely attractive to the eye…but sometimes they have a menacing look, don’t they? My students were always treated to Edgar Allan Poe’s short horror story The Black Cat. Read it if you haven’t already – it is a classic.
For more facts about folklore and superstition about black cats, click here.
Review of Looking For Infinity: El Camino (2014) Director: Aaron C. Leaman
This is a philosophical documentary, runtime 58 minutes. The text on the DVD says: ”Looking for Infinity: El Camino is an immersive voyage along the ancient pilgrimage route El Camino De Santiago.”
The film is said to be “an emotionally driven chronicle of a group of people all at turning points in their lives.” Some quotes from the walkers: “You walk and you become a humble being”; “I need to get away to recharge my batteries”; “Simplicity is the key”; “Religion and vanity takes your energy away[…] When I am in nature I recharge my energy”; ”El Camino is the best place to find people that really care about others”.
The message of this introspective movie is that we need to slow down and reflect upon our lives – and if you are at a crossroads or at a turning point, walking El Camino might give you some good answers to your questions. Those who have walked it and lived it often say it is a metaphor of Life itself. “I’m not here to get to the Goal but to do every single step”.
The film technique involves using the camera at walking pace to show the landscape passing by and the empty streets mixed with close-ups on people while someone is speaking – mostly not the person in focus. The sound is soft and natural for the most part: Walking on gravel, running water, birds singing, a piano and some slow drumming, a faint opera voice – or simply – silence.
The variety of people and reasons for walking are enough to show what this is all about. But, I believe the movie would have won some extra points by having a more equal combination of male and female thoughts and speakers. Both voices need to be heard.
The conclusion is simple – this is an important movie and a movie for everybody in our modern, stressed out society. Its slow pace might make it easier for you to get in contact with your inner self. In today’s society we need to question our living – planet Earth is running out of her resources and our young (in the western society at least) are increasingly troubled by mental illnesses. There is a connection and we know it.
Looking For Infinity: El Camino, is a very philosophic piece of art, and beautifully directed. I think it appeals both to those who have walked the Camino and to those who are considering doing it – as well as to those who never have thought of it before.
The movie gives you many thoughtful comments and reasons for walking, and they will stay in your mind for long. They might even inspire you to take a break from your busy life and enter on a great learning experience – El Camino.
Links to website for more about the movie, and for DVD: www.caminomovie.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lookingforinfinity
For my own articles on El Camino, at Leya, click here:
A rather big city, renowned for its yearly dangerous race between men and bulls…
…running along this street…
…ending up in the arena on the other side of these red doors.
The man who made this race known to the whole world had a street named after him here – just beside the arena.
And he happens to be one of my favourite authors. Although I must say the monument does not do him justice…
Surely you, by now, know where we are in Spain? – Pamplona!
We once started writing to sum up collected taxes and to label things. We still do. But, we also write for many other reasons – Love for example, and for religious reasons (I guess that too is out of love).
Me meeting all the Harry Potter fans at the ”Elephant House” in Edinburgh.
Sometimes the writing is not that beautiful…but still written out of love.
Tibetansk skylt ovanför ingången till ett tempel – Tibetan sign from a temple in Lhasa.
And sometimes I find writing utterly beautiful.
Often the eastern ”alphabets” and writings are much more artistic and beautiful than ours – or what do you think?
Travel theme this week is all about poetry.
William Wordsworth´s poem To Daffodils is one of my favourites. Especially since I found this marvellous illustration on it. Showing my students this piece of ”art cartoonery” from an unknown artist has been one of my ”musts” in life.
One of my favourite poets is William Butler Yeats – here a poem for the WordPress’ Challenge Half-Light.
He Wishes For the Cloths of Heaven
William Butler Yeats
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
The much loved, Swedish poet and writer Bodil Malmsten is dead. Two hours ago I heard it on the news. She was in her seventies only and a brilliant thinker and poet. I cannot say how sad this day is – no more poems, books, subtle humour or new thoughts to look forward to. She had such a crisp and different look upon things…something we all needed. Many of us has got her last book by our beds today.
Media is filled with personal memories of her and people’s thoughts of what she has meant to them. She said herself she was not afraid of the big secret – what happens after death. She also said about her cancer: Why not me? Where many of us would think – Why me?
I guess I should not ask – Why you, Bodil. But I do.
The rules are simple:
1) post a black & white photo daily for 5 days
2) Invite someone different to participate each day. (because no one wants to play alone!)
For Day 3, I am happy to invite Ninnao at http://ordibild.com/2015/ She is a colourful young lady who loves pictures and reading too. I wonder what she would come up with in black and white?
No strings attached if you don’t feel up to it.
Leya 
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