Child-minding Maja

Music has always been an important part of our family life. Tullen has played the piano from her childhood with a.o a public performance (debut) in the University Aula. I have only played the trombone in the school boy-band for 6 years and our daughters have learned to play the piano (Trine) and the flute (Rikke). Now Helene has taken up the clarinet and do we see a female Benny Goodman coming up?
From memories, cultural experiences and future challenges we turn back to this Saturday activity. With Rikke at Svalbard and Tor busy working we had to do child-minding forMaja. We went to the child-park (Mor Godhjerta) where Maja had a lovely playtime.
The most spectacular experience for us all was, however, bird-feeding the ducks and pigeons at the riverside of Akerselva.
The birds were eating the yesterday bread out of our hands, and Maja was excited.

Aliens, Hardware and Heavyware

Early Friday morning I gave my youngest daughter a hike to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. She left via Tromsø for a stay over this weekend at Longyearbyen, Svalbard visiting her best friend Ylva. Many strange objects can be found and seen around an airport, but most can be identified.
It is not so easy to identify the Aliens I later this morning met at SATS, but no UFO as far as I can imagine. However, the shape of the equipment reminds me of the Battle Droids we saw in the Clone Wars ( StarWars)Yesterday evening I used the Face Time function on my iPhone 4 for the first time. My eldest daughter in Wales received her new iPhone4 the same day and we just had to try out video communication via this IT-equipment. Very, very good.
Using the iPhone for video conferences is a combination of Hardware and Software in a brilliant solution. Next Wednesday, Oct 20th, we will get more news from Apple (Hardware or / and Software) under the Back to the Mac invitation. Until that we have to use other types of Hardware for coping with age and the virility of our body-ware.
For special interested, I will use this "----war(e)" blogpost to do as Apple and pre-recommend The Philosophy of Software, but you must accept that the text probably can be as heavy as some of these Heavy-wares at my Fitness-studio.If you think reading is not your most preferred activity, rather take a look at this video recommended by David, the author of the book mentioned.
Have a nice weekend wherever you are and do.

Another 33

Yesterday I wrote about the magic number 33 connected to the date and the successful rescuing of the 33 miners in Chile. Today, on the winterday, we celebrate our 33 years of marriage, and I give you some of the highlights from that togetherness. Above memory from our wedding day in our home at Sinsen, Oslo a long time agoFrom our stay in Singapore mid 90 a photo from the food paradise at East Coast with peper crabs, drunken prawns etc.
This photo show the couple in a tent at the boarder between The Emirates (Dubai) and Oman (muscat) at the Arabian Peninsula.
We visited Japan together shortly after the earthquake in Kobe, and experienced the hospitality of our Japanese colleagues showing us around the old city of Kyoto.
In Barcelona Parque Guell and the all the other Jugent Art expressions in this Catalonian city became memories for life shortly after my rebirth through organ transplantation.
Many of the memories we experienced together, neither Tullen nor I was in front or behind the camera. In many years the only photos we took was connected to the development of our girls. These photo memories with only us together on the same images must therefor be a short review, ending with sunset in the South China Sea at the island Rawa.
Many other experiences you may find if visiting my blogposts from June 2008

An emotional day - 131010 = 33 miners

October 13th 2010 (131010) must be one of the most emotional days on Global Television.

All right, after my transplantation almost 13 years ago (Smultaneous TX Cor and TX Renis) I have often got tears in my eyes when extraordinary occasions happen. I am much more emotional to other´s success and I am touched by things and situations that I never before bothered to care about.
Some of the more experienced transplanted persons says that it has to do with the medications we are using for the control of our immune system, and others say that it has to do with the psychological tags in our brain after being very close to death and then saving our lives by receiving organs by donors that have lost their own beloved one.

The rescue process of the 33 miners through the 2,041-foot escape shaft in Chile today is a spectacular event on TV-channels all over the world, and a very emotional experience for those involved. So for me too.
When I see the images of miners returning to surface from 622 m down in the demolished mine, my eyes becomes wet. In this situation I recall what I experienced when waiting for suitable organs in 12 months and the uncertainty after coming out of a hard operation lasting 13 days due to various difficulties.
The situation of my wife and children and the process my family went through in 1998 are similar to what the miner´s relatives have been going through during their 69 days of uncertainty. Chile's President Sebastian Pinera embraces Florencio Antonio Avalos Silva, the first miner to be rescued (photo AP)
No reason to be embarrassed when I and probably thousands of others in Chile and around the world let the tears come out when watching pictures like the one here.
The 33 number will forever be linked to this emotional day.

Sognsvann - Ullevålseter return

This morning we used the opportunity in the lovely autumn weather, and took the easy trail out in the beautiful nature around Oslo instead of visiting SATS; our Fitness center. We followed the trail from Sognsvann to Ullevålseter, which is one of the "main courses" into the forest. This road is very widely used, both summer and winter. We started a little early, but on our return we met a lot of young mothers with pushchairs. "Black Pool" (Svartkulp) is the first lake / water we meet. Svartkulp is located a short distance after the start, east of Sognsvann. Near Black Pool the geographic center of Oslo can be found.This morning (after a night below Zero C) the frosty mist is still sweeping the surface of the lake and the grass was covered with hoarfrost.We then followed the trail towards Store Åklungen. You pass 60 degrees north (marked on a board) along the way.The lake Store Åklungen is during wintertime frozen and the ski-trail goes on ice. This morning with no wind the intence blue color reflecting the sky became one of my photo motives.

At Ullevålseter numerous opportunities for varied hikes in the surroundings are possible. We did however (after a cup of hot chocolate and a waffel with brown cheese) return to Sognsvann where the car was waiting.

Closing cottage for winter

It is time to close the cottage for this season. Furnitures have been moved from the lawn and under cover. The grass is still green and a single rose is searching for sun beams, but the cold is coming closer
Rikke and Tullen are cutting down perennials and use the leaves to cover the roots against frost and snow. The golden hedge and a late blooming yellow Potentilla is not willing to give in yet.
At the central pipe bowl "competent" people are gathering for the closing of water supply and emptying the pipes. Temperatures are estimated below zero C deg. in the coming nights.The renovated piping system must not be damaged by frozen water during the long winter so we all are emptying tanks and pipes.
"Winter apples" are still hanging on trees and Tor makes a short sour taste in front of the colorful hedges outside our garden. The test results in one conclusion: Let them hang some weeks more.It is time to say goodbye and thanks for the lovely garden-weeks Rikke, Tor and Maja have stayed at Tullarbo this year. Welcome back next year.

Saturday city strolling and lunch

As usual our way down town is through the Royal Garden. Although the sky was grey this Saturday the colors in the leaves are undoubtedly clear; the autumn is here.
This is also the Norwegian capital. In a backyard close to our main street, Karl Johan, you can find an example of the diversity of Oslo. Normally we talk about ethnic diversity, economic and social differences, east and west, variation in skin colors and consequences of melting different people into a new Oslo citizen. If looking up the facades, into backyards or take a brake at one of the many benches, you will find colorful buildings, ornaments and details adding more love to this city.
This Saturday strolling ends up at Cafe Sorgenfri, Aker Brygge for lunch (almost Danish Breakfast) with Maja (here having ice cream for desert) and her mother.
Have a nice weekend.

Liu Xiaobo 刘晓波 Nobel Peace Prize 2010

This morning I was in the process of writing about China based upon the journey two of my friends did in this fantastic country only a few days ago. However, the choice by the Norwegian Peace Prize Committee to give this year price to Liu Xiaobo had to be prioritized.The Nobel Committee awarded 刘晓波 the Prize "for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China". I expect the global media will cover the award good enough, so I do not need to go deeper into this controversial decision.

I therefore return to the photos from China Today and will urge you all if possible to visit the huge country Zhōngguó (center of civilization) as the Chinese themselves call their country. Civilization (the stage of human social development and organization that is considered most advanced) is why I believe Chinese administration within short will return to openness and prosperity (bringing wealth and success) to all it´s citizens.

Environmental challenges and pride of ancient times will be some of what you will meet on your journey.
Maybe it is not fair to show you the next photo, but the diversity from luxury hotels in cities to ordinary rural life is also a part of your potential experiences when going there.

Almost an ordinary Thursday in Oslo

Thursday afternoon, city strolling without shopping but a short break at Hannibals Hybel, Aker Brygge in the beautiful autumn weather. The sun was really warm, no wind and anybody could have called it indian summer.
When the blue sky became darker we visited Frogner Manor (Oslo City Museum close to the Frogner Park) to participate in a Jazz event in combination with opening of an art exhibition.
The only reason for joining was that the "drummis" Gunnar Svendsen (a fruBurum´s fellow) had invited us. But we had a nice evening listening to "three seniors plus" before walking home in the peaceful Oslo night.

Homemade Spacecraft - Autumn Holiday activity and a trip to Papua New Guinea

Many of my visitors and blogs that I visit, are what I call Photo-bloggers, and many of their images are really interesting. Many are however repetitions or variations of the same motive like flowers, nature, clouds and sky and can be categorized under the label: "postcards". The comments are also very predictable: "OMG! vakkert, Vakkert, VAKKERT", "Wunderschöne Begegnung", "Nydelig", "flotte bilder", beautiful images, WOW, "Gosha meg", "fantastisk", Thank you for sharing This fabulous work with us. etc.,
and let me add Anne´s date with Fall consisted of really beautiful images that day. Happy birthday!Maybe some of them who make the photo blogs would like to develop into Video-experimenting too? Maybe their cameras can be used to make more out of their own experiences then only carrying heavy photo equipment around their necks.
I have previously told you about Vimeo , (a respectful community of creative people who are passionate about sharing the videos they make). Luke Geisbuhler´s is one of the video bloggers that have joined VIMEO and his experiment with a camera attached to a weather balloon that rose into the upper stratosphere and recorded the blackness of space, is absolutely great and worthy to be seen by many. Go here to see his spectacular Homemade Spacecraft video At least those with children home on Autumn school leave and need to add more to their youngsters hours than football and indoors PC-games etc., could try this version of homemade spacecraft.If this "provocative" blogpost was nothing for you then I recommend an Atlas trip to Papua New Guinea (a group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia)From this part of the world I yesterday (among 93 new unique visitors), got my first blog visitor.

New Guinea was one of the first landmasses after Africa and Eurasia to be populated by modern humans, with the first migration at approximately the same time as that of Australia. It is estimated that more than a thousand different cultural groups exist in Papua New Guinea. Most of these different cultural groups have their own language. Each year about 70 000 tourists visit Papua, and maybe one of those were surfing the web when finding my blog.
However, this visit give me the possibility to show you my flag nos 157 The flag of Papua New Guinea was adopted on July 1, 1971. In the hoist, it depicts the Southern Cross, in the fly, a raggiana bird of paradise is silhouetted. The designer of the flag was 15 year old schoolgirl Susan Huhume who won a nationwide competition for a new flag design in 1971.
Red and black have long been traditional colours of many Papua New Guinean tribes.
If your youngsters are out picking potatoes in the Autumn Holliday, I am sorry to disturbe you with other activity suggestions.

5 generations in 135 years (or even over one millennium)

Yesterday I presented the visualizing tool Popplet and gave you an example of one of the possibilities; describing a family tree.
This morning I searched for some old photos of the generations before me; our parents and grandparents. On this image 5 generations with a birth date from 1875 (Anna Marie) to 2010 (Hedda Emilie) are presented.
Searching for old photos and making them available in a digital form may help the upcoming generations to better knowledge of and interest in their roots. If our grandchildren want to go further through genealogy research in Local history books or Parish registers (Kirkebøker), this is a start.

Parish registers are one of the most important primary sources for Norwegian genealogy documentation. The first mention of parish registers is in 1668, when the priests were requested to maintain such a register. Although this request did not become law until 1685, some priests in Norway had already begun keeping such registers in the first half of the 1600’s.

Through documentation like that, the web and other persons works, I have been able to follow my ancestors back to the same period starting with Klaus Serkvidsson Helsem (1628 - 1690) and Rasmus Engelbrigtsson Myklebostad (1588 - 1666).
There are a some documentation that can lead me back to Torberg Arneson Giske (990 - 1050) who participated in the Battle of Stiklestad (1030) and his father Arne Jarl Arnmodson Giske (963 - 1024) who participated in the Battle of Hjørungavåg (986), (and even to his grand-grand-grandfather Finnvid born 850 in Ønundarfjord Iceland). But that is only if I WANT TO.

POPPLET - The best app for sharing visual ideas ?

On September 23rd 2010 I presented a post about Twitter and my early connection (April 7th 2007) to this Network. In 2007 I looked upon Twitter as a playing tool and did not see the potencial and speedy development of Social Networking for people and organisations. Today "everybody" all over the world is talking about or are on Facebook or Twitter, part of Vimeo and / or Ping.Today I give my visitors a new and interesting tool: Popplet, through a brief presentation of a family tree 2010 by use of this App. Popplet is at the moment on iPad, but also developing in the ordinary web. Hopefully an iPhone version will be ready soon too.

Btw, if you don´t know, have to Choose One and thus are eager to evaluate Facebook vs Twitter see Twitip. For me (@ArneA) the 140 characters per update limitation on Twitter is very important.

Saint Lucia, flag 156

Before this visitor found my blog, I had never heard of the country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean, called Saint Lucia.
For me Saint Lucia was connected to December 13th and Saint Lucy the wealthy young Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint by Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Orthodox Christians. The island-country with an estimated population of 160,000 and its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plantations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to producing tropical commodity crops. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

The flag of Saint Lucia was adopted on March 1, 1967. The blue color stands for the blue sky and blue ocean that surround the island, and for fidelity. Gold stands for sunshine and prosperity. The black and white portions symbolize racial harmony, although the majority of black shows the dominant influence of black culture over European culture. The triangle parts of the design are intended to evoke the Pitons, the island's two large peaks that rise from the ocean and are recognized symbols of the island.

Hope you will return to my blog again.

3 x B

Grandma, Mom and Maja strolling Aker Brygge.

Kaare Berntsen as is 80 years

80 years ago Kaare Berntsen Sr. opened his antiques shop in Kristian August Gate, Oslo. They moved autumn 2009 to Munkedamsveien 62, and opened yesterday evening an exhibition celebrating the 80 years anniversary which we attended together with many others.
On the photo in front of a huge painting by Bjarne Melgaard , you may see Inge Solheim leader antiques dept, Morten Zondag leader art dept and (with mic) Thomas Berntsen MD welcoming the invited guests.
Melgaard was born in Sydney Australia, raised in Norway and works and lives in New York. Early in his career Melgaard created controversial installations referencing subversive subcultures such as S&M and Heavy metal music. Currently, his practice consists of an emphasis on expressionistic paintings and drawings, often containing text.
The price of Melgaard´s painting on the photo is 1.5 mill nok. and with a size that I call museums or institution-decorating art.

Listen

Read phonetically

Some years ago Kaare Berntsen sold this painting by Thore Heramb to a price of only 5% of Melgaard´s painting. In addition Heramb´s "Autumn Landscape" has a size that can hang in an ordinary home.
One of the paintings you may find attractive at Kaare Berntsen´s walls today is Andy Warhol´s portrait of Mic Jagger. Go and have a look (and bring your creddit card too).