A quarter of a century. Today is Sanna’s 25th birthday. Amazing, nearly three years since I got to know her. I remember the day she left Austria, I remember it as if it was yesterday. I felt lonely, lonely as I had never been before. Two years after that day in June 2001, Sanna is…
Read moreRain. After many long months it has finally rained here again. I never thought that I could anticipate the first rain of the season so much, that I would even crave it. Unfotunately it is over already, but you can see where it left its mark, and the earth is alive again. Bring on the…
Read moreA farewell to arms. Remember Hemingway saying “this is the war to end all wars” and thinking of Einstein “A problem can never be solved on the level it was created on” – when will we as mankind will be able to say a farewell to arms? Today a US helicopter was shot down in…
Read moreAt home in one hundred places. This last week has been one of the most crazy, confusing and amazing of my life so far. After feeling lost and misplaced only a few short weeks ago I find myself now with the hardest decision of my life before me, and not the one I ever expected…
Read moreAll Saint’s Day. Thinking of my grandpa, mom showed me a huge picture of him she had hidden somewhere. Would he still reocgnize me? Would I recognize him? Either way, he’s guarding me along my way, whereever he may be. I believe.
Read moreIt seems like I should say “as long as this is love…” Sanna’s 25th birthday is coming up, I remember last year we had this nice dinner in downtown Jyväskylä and I got her Anne Frank’s diary, because I wanted her to understand where I came from, the legacy and burden even 3rd generation post-war…
Read moreShe says Shhh, I know it’s only in my head. Bianca had her 23rd birthday yesterday. Went out for dinner and had a pretty interesting discussion – Bianca had spent 1 1/2 years in San Diego – of how being abroad, spending time away from the people and things we know, changes us. We just…
Read moreA promise. “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” Nelson Mandela – A Long Walk to Freedom I believe.
Read moreHanging by a moment. Finally got to see “Baltic Storm” today, I posted about it just before I left Finland. The sinking of the passenger ferry “Estonia” in 1994 is counted as one of the biggest post-war maritime desasters. Still the governments of Finland, Sweden and Estonia have done everything possible and impossible to cover…
Read moreTu felix Austria. Today is our national day. On October 26th 1955, one day after Austria’s ten year occupation had ended, the Austrian government declared Austria neutral now and for all times. Nearly 50 years later, we’re still neutral, that in the middle of world that slowly descends into war and terror. It took us…
Read moreNot in my name. “You measure a democracy by the freedom it gives its dissidents, not the freedom it gives its assimilated conformists.” – Abbie Hoffman We may just look a bunch of crazy dissidents to some, but those who I marched with today in San Francisco once again confirmed something for me. That there…
Read moreSpecial needs. Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism — how passionately I hate them! Albert Einstein (1879-1955) America, are you listening? I believe.
Read moreTake me away. I’ve seen it all and it’s never enough it keeps leaving me needing you take me away take me away I’ve got nothing left to say. Well, I guess there’s quite a few things left to say. Because I believe.
Read moreFree Speech. For the first time, George W. Bush has visited my home country and oh, what a reaction it has invoked. Once again I am proud of those politicians such as Sen. Bob Brown and Sen. Kerry Nettle who represent me when they challenge the US goverment’s right to hold Australian citizens and others…
Read moreBeautiful day. It’s a beautiful day, don’t let it slip away. How true. Had a good, day, this winter’s first snowflakes are silently kissing the earth. Thinking about last year. How targetless I was, begin drifted along by life. Now, I feel like I’m back on track again, the right track this one time. I…
Read moreThe Price of Oil. Voices on the radio tell us that we’re going to war those brave men and women in uniform they want to know what they’re fighting for. The generals want to hear the end game the allies won’t approve the plan but the oil men in the white house they just don’t…
Read moreA perfect moment. Warsaw. A cold winter day in the December 1970. The Warsaw ghetto memorial. A man falls on his knees. Silence. Only silent clicks of hundreds of cameras surrounding the quiet silhouette. The man is Willy Brandt, German chancellor. Silently he asks for forgiveness for the other Germany, the better Germany, a German…
Read moreAcross the rhine. It’s been some time since I just took four days off and did nothing special. I flew from Klagenfurt to Düsseldorf on thursday just to see Mia, a friend whom I met in Finland again. Weird, it’s been over 5 months since we last saw, but some things never change. For example…
Read moreStuff. To my surprise and amusement, my neighbour is outside right now washing his car (a brand new BMW Z4) for at least the 3rd time this week. His incredibly patient girlfriend gets the great job of detailing the wheels with a toothbrush. Apart from providing his neighbours with something to talk about, this guy…
Read moreIt’s keeping me awake. Dreams are like stars: you might never fulfill them, but the lighten up your way. I can not change everything this world, but I still feel that on my mission during this life, I can change whatever I WANT to change. So often do we forget that the little things we…
Read moreMiracles. “To treat life as less than a miracle is to give up on it” -Wendell Berry I won’t give up.
Read moreNot dark yet. 188. 188. 188 american soldiers have been killed after the war on Iraq has officially been declared “won” by mr. bush. 188 lives to many. 188 souls used and abused for one man’s war on whatever. when will the united states, the american people and the american administration start to understand that…
Read moreBali. “This seems a reasonable time to search our souls for some corner where humility resides. Our nation behaves in some ways that bring joy to the world, and in others that make people angry. Not all of those people are heartless to kill us for it, or fanatical enough to die in the effort,…
Read moreAnna begins. he’s talking in her sleep It’s keeping me awake and Anna begins to toss and turn And every word is nonsense but I understand and Oh lord, I’m not ready for this sort of thing But I’m ready for some changes on mindwork.net. From this day on Emily will contribute to mindwork. I…
Read moreNew beginnings. First of all, thanks to my dear friend Stefan for inviting me to contribute to this. It really is something special and I hope that I can only do it justice. Somehow it is fitting that today I feel like my life is starting again, not that it ever stopped but was rather…
Read moreLast dance with Mary Jane. It’s been a week of emotional limbo. Having Sanna here again just showed me how much I loved her, how much I wanted her to be here and share my new-found spirit for life, work and emotions. We’ve been together for over 2 years now and it’s amazing how well…
Read moreSays she’s close to understanding Jesus. Round here we’re carving out our names Round here we all look the same Round here we talk just like lions But we sacrifice like lambs Round here she’s slipping through my hands Sleeping children better run like the wind out of the lightning dream Mama’s little baby better…
Read moreRound here. Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog where no one notices the contrast of white on white. And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right. I walk in the air between the rain through myself and…
Read moreGoodbye to you. There are those days, that pull me down. Those moments that make me believe, that the trail I decided to leave, leads nowhere. But recently, those moments have been more and more covered by believing I once could be someone, I could creat something bigger than this. Whoever stops to learn has…
Read moreIt’s been awhile. And it’s been awhile Since I could hold my head up high And it’s been awhile Since I said I’m sorry In failure and error lies the power to improve, the power to become a better person, a better partner and a better friend. Sometimes I am so bad in learning from…
Read moreA few good men. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) Why do we kill all good men, if there are only so few? I believe.
Read moreBist du bei mir. (Be thou with me.) My grandfather’s room is once again filled by the music of J.S. Bach, I started randomly going through my old classical collection and came up with “Bist du bei mir” – inspiring, motivational, caring and full of faith. What would grandad think to see this room full…
Read moreButterflies. Tomorrow’s the “long night of museums” (http://langenacht.orf.at) over here. Can’t wait to drive up to the planetarium here and watch Mars. It’s been so close for weeks now, you can clearly see it shining in clear nights. A slight tint of orange, so far and yet so close. I believe.
Read moreIn that dry white ocean alone. What’s it going to be like? I haven’t seen Sanna since she left Austria after our trip back in mid-June. She’s probably the person that knows me best. She has seen me laugh, cry, celebrate and moan. Will it feel the same? Will it be the feeling that drove…
Read moreImagine all the people. We had our first meeting with the international students of the local University here. It felt great and once again remembered me of my time in Finland. While Mr. Bush is waging wars wherever he believes it fits, people from Austria, Germany, Poland, Chile, Brazil, Finland, Ireland, USA, Japan, France, Italy,…
Read moreWhen we dance, angels will run and hide their wings. Sanna will come here in October, actually she’ll be here in a couple of days. When she told me on the phone, it felt so good. Just a couple of weeks ago I wasn’t sure if I could have this life with Sanna in it…
Read morefinland. When I cry, I close my eyes And every tear falls down inside And I pray with all my might That I will find my heart in someone’s arms I miss you all I wish I was With you now I wish I was I believe.
Read moreAs now can’t reveal the mystery of tomorrow. Sweden voted against the Euro. A democratic decision, that I and all other europeans will and have to accept as it is only a small part of this miracle called european union. I believe.
Read moreSometimes when we touch. I had a blast last night, went out with three of the newly arrived exchange students, one from Ireland the other two from the US. When I left home around 9.15 pm I thought I’d only stay for an hour maximum, I came home at 2.30 am, knowing, that wherever we…
Read moreNo skips guaranteed. Though it’s saturday I had to work, but it isn’t a “have to” in the sense of “I don’t want to”. The job at the paper is exactly the right thing and day after day I feel thankful, I was once again given a chance to listen, to learn and to grow….
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