An impressive set of brass bells

I can't decide whether the bells are ringing more today or whether they always ring this much, but I am not normally home to hear them. I live across the street from a rather large church, so when the bells get going, they tend to be hard to ignore. Today it seems like they are being rung by a hyperactive monk with the memory of a goldfish. Crap, did I ring the bells? Better go ring them again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ring the bells! Ring the bells!


So here we are, Christmas day in Copenhagen. I've been trying hard to get into the holiday spirit the last week, with rather limited success, I'm afraid. Although I have become a big fan of glögg - that is the traditional hot spiced red wine that Danes drink around Christmas. On Saturday, I went to the last day of the Nyhavn Christmas market. I perused the tat in the stalls, odd assemblies of random leather goods and animal skins, wool sweaters and viking regalia, not to mention the mystifying fairground-like collections of stuffed reindeer and santa clauses. Failing to find the inspiration I was looking for, I picked up a bag of roast chestnuts and went across the road to watch the ice skaters in Kongens Nytorv for a while.

For an atheist, I am, rather oddly, a big fan of Christmas. It's mostly because of the aesthetics - the scent of pine, the colors green and red, the association with sleighs and skates and snowball fights, a hint of vintage, a dash of goodwill towards fellow man, the feeling of tradition. Plus, no one ever pushes the whole religious aspect too hard, so it's easy to celebrate if you're a non-believer. It seems more akin to the worship of capitalism than any kind of omnipotent god, if we're honest. Which makes it the quintessential holiday for Americans, I suppose.

So yesterday I made my traditional Christmas roast duck, and today I'll do my just as traditional pierogi making from the leftovers. Perhaps it's impossible to truly feel the Christmas spirit when you are far away from everyone you love, but I am certainly going to give it my best try.

So merry Christmas, happy holidays, lovely Kwanza, joyous Ramadan, and a very happy Chanukkah (even though I think it's over).

the daily show does Denmark

OK, this is old, but it's the first time I've seen it, and it's kinda funny. (If you only watch one, part two is funnier than part 1.)

the anarchists ride again

So I was on my way home from work and ran across another young anarchists parade. Two flatbed trucks blasted bad punk ear-splittingly loud as an endless sea of early teens marched with torches and bonfires in wagons like the scene when the villagers storm the castle in Frankenstein. It was close to the center of town, and I remember being surprised as I'd never seen them there before. Frankly I was just glad they decided to go someplace other than outside my window. Of course, I spoke too soon. Turns out they were just taking a tour before heading back to their spiritual home - the square across the street.

They've apparently upgraded their sound system since last they were here. Plus they've found some sort of firework that bears a striking similarity to a sonic boom. And they are interspersing the music with speeches this evening. I can't decide which is more annoying. There will be no sleep for me tonight.

stuck on my itunes

Vermillion Lies "No good for you"

Click the link above to download it free.
(Because I am too lazy to learn how to post music right now.)

Roadkill toys

Limited edition - they come complete with bodybag and toe tag.

I confess. I want one. Does that make me sick?

(Spotted on Something Rotten - nice one Aaron)

too old for this crap

Think it's time for another self-imposed Ruby's ban.

For those of you who don't know, Ruby's is the default agency bar. A night that starts at Ruby's usually ends up at this after-hours bar that I never remember the name of, which I think has some association to jazz and which closes well after the night before should have become the morning after. I always tell myself I won't end up there. I am always wrong.

Some people can carry off the hard-partying lifestyle well into their 30somethings (JB, this means you.) However, for others of us, this is not such a good idea. I am definitely in the second camp. For me, this means I will crawl into bed Saturday morning and stay there, reading and sleeping alternately until Sunday.

Lost weekend, indeed.

For those of you who can booze happily until the sun comes up, be sure to check out JB's DJ set Thursday nights at Liar's club next time you are in Chicago.

JB, it's up to you to carry the torch for the rest of us. I think I am turning mine in.

it's hard to look tough in a santa hat

an unexamined life and such

Tell someone rather vehemently they look great today.

One kind of person will smile and say thank you.

The other will wonder whether they looked like crap yesterday.

I am apparently the latter.

when jellyfish attack

Dear lord, masses of jellyfish going on an inter-species killing rampage. Beware the rogue jellyfish.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article3191664.ece

Hello Christmas

Only three days after dragging myself back from a lovely week in Chicago, I was back at Copenhagen airport. Yes, it was the soon-to-be-infamous Hello Christmas party in Berlin. Things I've learned from the trip to Berlin:

If you go with the right people, everywhere you go in Berlin looks remarkably like Ruby's on a Friday night.

Champagne is the true breakfast of champions

Everything you've heard about Danish Christmas parties is true.

You can go a remarkably long time without sleeping, even if you probably shouldn't.

I love the people I work with - every single one of them. It's obvious we all deserve each other. If you're reading this, I love you guys.

(Dreadful picture of me on no sleep and too much champagne courtesy of Jorgen Juul)