Quotes of the day

Working on my thesis and reading Hewison:

"Whatever the true figures for productivity and employment, this country is gripped by the perception that it is in decline. The heritage industry is an attempt to dispel this climate of decline by exploiting the economic potential of our culture, and it finds a market because the perception of decline includes all sorts of insecurities and doubts that make its products especially attractive and reassuring."

"Instead of manufacturing goods, we are manufacturing heritage, a commodity which nobody seems able to define but which everybody is eager to sell, in particular these cultural institutions that can no longer rely on government funds as they did in the past. Which means every single one, from the universities to the Arts council."

Oh. The sarcasm.

On excercise, dog owners and essay production

This morning I finally went out running again (or er... jogging.) after a break of... months..? This has been the longest break I've had since I first started running, so I was a bit worried about my shape, but it went well and I enjoyed it so much! I had started to notice my own bad shape on karate practice, where I haven't been able to train on the (physical) level I had grown used to. The one thing that bothered me was - again - certain dog owners... There are obviously still people who refuse to accept that it's against Finnish law to bring your unleashed dog to the jogging trails. If you want to train with your unleashed dog, please stick a fenced dog park. There are several in most towns. Don't believe me? Google it.

Now at uni, trying to finish a package of four ethnological essays. Looks like I'll be spending the rest of the night here. I find what I'm working on right now very interesting, I just wish there were more hour in a day so I wouldn't always have to have to feel I'm compromising the result to finish on time. Or, now that I think about it, that is quite possibly just exactly how I would still feel, no matter how much time I'd have.

Listening to: Von Herzen Brothers, Kings of Leon, Megadeth

Tallinn revisited

Field trip to Tallinn with the department of Ethnology, April 23rd. Here on my personal blog, I've chosen to try and avoid posting too many pictures with people in them.

Open air museum

...and Old Town architecture

Old pharmacy

All in all an interesting trip, even though it was tiring (bus from Turku at 4 am, then almost 24 hrs on the go) and I was especially impressed with the open air museum. Have to return for more touristing, or take the time next time I have a karate course over in Estonia.

2 x Tallinn

pic blatantly stolen over the interwebs

It looks like I'll be going to Tallinn no less than two times next month! In early April there is a karate course (for black and brown belts) hosted by our Estonian karate friends, and later the same month my department (dept of Ethnology) is planning to do a short field trip. I'm happy about both! The Estonian karate courses are always good, and the spring B&B course is one of my absolute favorites. But then again, I have actually never gone to Tallinn just to go "touristing", so I haven't really seen that much of the city. Everything I've experienced of Tallinn is what I've seen through the car window when going to or from the harbor and to or from a practice venue or restaurant, as we tend to be on quite a tight schedule during the course weekends. So I'm looking forward to both trips, but for different reasons.

The theme of the April course seems to be all about ageuke again. This might be the right time to finally get that gum-shield...

Good news - bad timing

Today I talked to one of my professors about a work experience opportunity. I don't know how much I should write about it yet, but the job includes helping out in hosting a big ethnological event here in Turku in June. It seemed very exciting, so after the talk I was very happy to learn it seems I'm being recommended for this. There are only two downsides to it: 1. The work is unpaid. This I as OK with, as I still see it as a good experience, and the deal also includes free participation (when possible) in an event that would otherwise have you pay an expensive fee. But then I noticed downside 2: The symposium coincides exactly with the Sensei course in June... This is one of the biggest karate happenings of the year, and since i started practicing I have missed it only once. Both happenings are major events in their respective area, that I should partake in. So frustrated now!

happenings and weekends

Wow. I've actually enjoyed going back to work after the long weekend. However fun it is to have days off, three Sundays in a row is a bit too much for me. At least getting things done now.

This weekend there will be a medieval fair here in Turku, see pictures from two years ago here and here. I got a peek of the preparations yesterday on my way home from university, some of the stalls were in place and the actors were practicing. This happening is both touristy and well... a bit tacky to be honest, but I still love it! I keep telling myself that as an ethnologist I should see through it, but that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to enjoy something, does it?

Sleeepy

I came here (computer class, university.) to finish the things I had planed to do earlier today. In the early afternoon, when I was here last, the biggest issue was that I simply couldn't concentrate on anything with so many people around me. Now, instead, I am far too sleepy to get anything done. Another example of great planning.

For the most part a good day, though. It started off with a short field trip (with the ethnologists) to a nearby old mansion - now museum. It was a nice visit though cold. It was interesting to move around in a closed-off museal environment, bit of a "behind the scenes" experience.

After managing to stay awake all through one of those less necessary lectures - but instead failing at using the computer class - I decided instead to go for a long walk in the sun and then get things done at home (which I did.). The walk did good! One step closer to returning to my running routine, perhaps?

I also ordered tickets to Tallinn! I'll be going there this weekend after all, to attend my first ever Black& brown course. Yikes! I'm a bit worried considering my health, or rather my lack of recovery after the last course... But decided to play stupid and just go! Hah! And for the most part I'm just excited.

Things To Do tomorrow:
- Finish at least a couple of the job applications. Having started is not good enough.
- Buy kitty litter - the usual brand! My futile try to change to the more environmentally-friendly wood-based brand was not appreciated. At all. I got no less than two blankets pissed on. OK. Point taken. You win, you little bastard princess.
- Study for exam next week. Had forgot all about it!
- Send thousands of emails before the weekend, as I will quite possibly have no internet before Sunday evening.

And practice in the evening! Hope the walk helped soften me up at least a bit!

On productivity and change 8-)

Wow. This week has actually started off quite productively! The work on my thesis is going if not smoothly, then at least forward, especially since I found some similarities (theme-wise) to earlier writing of mine. Which of course meant that I got a couple of "new" sources to use. Yay!

Other things have gone my way, too. small things mostly, but still. I would just love to believe that this means I am finding my way back after all of the recent stress factors, but of course I don't want to take that for granted either... Anyway, I do enjoy finally getting things done, after a period of serious problems focusing and motivating myself.

I worry a bit about the future too, but I tend to find it easier to cope with actual changes (good or bad) much better than the fear of things eventually changing. I mean, once you know something is going to happen, then - at least - you know. And that's when you can start working on stuff.

Really sleepy now... Quick nap or dinner..? Hum... dinner it is!