Otso, Urho & Voima

What have the following got in common: Otso, Urho and Voima (our valiant icebreakers), and myself?

We're all unemployed in the summer.

I have no deeper insight into how Otso, Urho and Voima make it through this time. Looking from the distance though, they seem rather comfortable in their neat sunbathing spots.

To me, they way things turned out means a challenge – and a true privilege as well. I find it quite enjoyable to sit at one of the market place stalls over unhurried coffee and conversation with a friend. Just as it was this morning.

Francis of Assisi

This morning, I got a call from my consultant broker. Since 2nd of June, I've been waiting to meet a client to accomplish a work deal, which was supposed to be just a simple procedure "with my strong credentials, and the growing demand". So I was told... But reality worked out different. First, my broker's client was on holiday. And when (s)he finally came back, their client (i.e. the owner of my potential project) just left for holiday. So we cannot meet, negotiate, agree, or anything else until August when they're back, and I'm back. This is Finland, the Promised Land of Long Summer Holidays!

The deal was/is about a major job from August to November or so. And my livelihood.

A friend from a Christian magazine calls. "I'm writing on Slowness, and thought about your life choices, and efforts to find a slower rhythm of life. Has it been successful?" - Yes. It has been successful. Thanks for asking!

Then, without any hesitation, I tell her about Francis of Assisi, whose thoughts I've been reading lately in Richard Rohr's excellent book Hope Against Darkness. When asked by a brother "what is joy?" Francis used a story to illustrate. "When we come... soaked by the rain and frozen by the cold, all soiled with mud and suffering from hunger, and we ring at the gate of our friary... and if we continue to knock and the porter comes out and drives us away with curses and hard blows and if we bear it patiently and take the insults with joy and love in our hearts... That is perfect joy!"

White night biking

My home town is beautiful! A bike ride from town at 11 P.M. means pure enjoyment. The streets are empty (so you can ride fast) and it's not so hot as in the daytime. The fact that it is still light – the two pictures were taken at 11 – can be misleading though as one wants to hang out very late and easily forgets about sleep.

I spent the evening at one of my friend's. Besides being a truly thoughtful and kind hearted person, she is also an excellent cook. Every time I visit her, I'm amazed at her Finnish-Italian cuisine. This time, I had the chance to learn some of those dishes myself: home-made cheese and gnocchi ai zucchini. Lactose free.

Anybody noticed the change in Language Policy? Well, I did. After some reflection, I reckon that a) writing bilingual is time consuming and b) the right place for Finnish, the language of my heart, is still in the old-fashioned diary – not to be shared with the world. "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

Pianonsoittoa ja blogifilosofiaa

Pyöräilin itä-Helsingin rantoja myöten ja piipahdin isosiskollakin. Mukaan tarttui pianonuotteja; näin käy, kun ryhtyy opiskelemaan kuoronjohtoa! Kuoronjohdon peruskurssin katselmuksessa Klemetti-opistolla pari viikkoa sitten pärjäsin hienosti musikaalisuutta vaativissa tehtävissä, mutta pianon prima vista tökki odotetusti. "Hommaa nuotinlukurutiini, soita vanha koraalikirja läpi, opettele myös bluffaamaan", kuului opettajan ohjeistus minulle. Harjoitukset ovat alkaneet: soitin juuri pari sivua 376-sivuisesta koraalikirjajärkäleestä.
Juttelin vielä elämää ymmärtävän isosiskon kanssa bloggauksen herättämistä ajatuksista. Huomasimme yhdessä kammoavamme sitä, että blogin kautta lähtisin selittämään elämääni, ajatuksiani taikka edesottamuksiani "...että etäännyttäisin itseni selittelyillä elämän ja ihmisten aidosta kohtaamisesta"! Näin ajattelen edelleen. Samoin mietin, mitä tekisin, jos blogin kommentit alkaisivat elää omaa villiä elämäänsä... Ei, semmoiseen en tähtää. Elämäni tapahtuu ensisijaisesti siellä, missä kokonaisena fyysisesti olentona läsnä. Joo, olen vanhanaikainen!

Made a bike ride along our seashores. Met my big sister; borrowed some of her piano notes. Piano practice is a big theme for me, having recently begun my choral conducting studies. During the first course week earlier this month, I did quite well in areas which require musical talent and will. However, my piano score reading routine was absolutely poor. But it is improving now, day by day, thanks to persistent workouts.
My sister and I also ended up talking about blogging. The idea of justifying my life and my undertakings through the blog appeared rather dreadful to us both: "... alienating myself from encountering human beings and this life as they come"! This is definitely not what I want. Nor am I envisioning lengthy comment chains having a life of their own. No thanks! My life takes place primarily where I'm present as a physical being. Out-of-date thinking?

Juhannus / Midsummer

Tämä päivä alkoi isin ja äidin mökillä. Herätin itseni aamu-uinnilla Kuhanen-nimisessä järvessä. Ihanaa! Kuvassa näkyy uimaseurani Aino, itseänikin innokkaampi vesipeto.
Juhannus on minulle edelleen "vaikea" juhla - vähän niin kuin uusi vuosi ja vappukin. En oikein tiedä, miten tai edes miksi sitä pitäisi juhlia. Jotenkin siitä kuitenkin aina selviän, pakkojuhlintaan sortumatta. Tällä kertaa se sujui lopulta aika rakentavasti. Halusin tavata vanhempiani ja tiesin myös heidän haluavan tavata minua. Juoneen liittyi viime metreillä isosisko perheineen. Lopputulos oli siis lähes spontaani sukutapaaminen.
Eilisestä jäi mieleen yksi mukamas pieni juttu, joka selvästikään ei sitten ollut niin pieni. Matkalla mökköselle (isin ja äidin antama diminutiivi-kutsumanimi pikkuruiselle mökilleen) päädyin bensa-vessa-tauon yhteydessä, tasan hetken herätteestä, ostamaan itselleni T-paidan. Vähäks mä oon ihana oli itsestään selvä valinta. Huomaan mieltyneeni sanomaan suuresti!

Began the day with an enjoyable swim in a lake called Kuhanen - which, as we all know, is the diminutive of pike-pearch in Finnish. Celebrating Juhannus, "the most harmonious of Finland's public holidays", has often been a challenge for me - don't quite know what to celebrate and how. Nobody seems to care about John the Baptist, who originally gave his name to this day! Anyhow, the final outcome was quite beautiful this year: ended up at my parents summer cottage in Mäntyharju. My sister's family came along, too. Even if the family idyll is far from perfect, there is plenty of warmth and caring between us. I love my old Mom and Dad very much.
On the way to the cottage, I spontaneously bought this T shirt with a Message on it. Somewhat lovely, aren't I is one attempt to translate it. Not going into any in-depth analyses on (wobbly?) self esteem, assertion or the like... The text puts you in a good mood, doesn't it?

Juhannusaatto / Midsummer's Eve

Tänään, juhannusaattoaamuna, loin lopulta itselleni blogin, kuukausikaupalla ideaa ensin hauduteltuani. Oikeasti koen tämän asian, julkisen kirjoittamisen siis, jokseenkin isona juttuna. Mitä kirjoitan, kenelle, miksi? Missä menee rajat? Ketä kiinnostaa? Arvelen, että tässäkin pätee tuttu totuus: asia selviää vain kokeilemalla. Matkan ensi askel on otettu! Muusta en nyt murehdi. Enempään en tänään ryhdy: hetken päästä nostan kytkintä kohti Mäntyharjua.
Paitsi että onhan tässä tämä kielikysymys... Moneen kertaan jo todettuna: suomi on sydämeni kieli. Ja toisaalta: kaikki ystäväni eivät osaa suomea. (Voi jummi jammi ;-)

Today, on Midsummer's Eve morning, I created my first blog - having thought about blogging for quite some time already. To me, the idea of blogging raises a lot of questions. What am I going to write, to whom, why? Where do I draw the line? Who cares anyway? I believe I can only find it out by trying. Taken the first step already! And that's all that matters for now. Soon I'll be heading towards Midsummer celebration at a cottage.
As you can see, I also decided to handle the Language Issue in this rather old-fashioned style. Cannot change the fact that some of my friends still haven't learnt Finnish ;-)