The Brain as Sandhamn
Walking across Sandhamn (Sand Harbor), anisland in Stockholm's archipelago. The ground
was rather spongy, all moss and sand. We ate
lingonberries and blueberries from the forest floor.
While folding my clothes yesterday in the laundry room, I heard what seemed to be an endless series of buttons being pushed on the digital security pad outside the apartment manager's office. It's right across the hall from the laundry room. After a minute, I began to think that it was actually the alarm arming, because the bleeping was so plentiful. Then that someone was frantically trying to get into the office or set the alarm.
Finally, the door to the laundry room opened and I heard a surprised, "Oh."
Then, the sound of footsteps hurrying away.
I didn't see who had opened the door, but as I was done folding clothes I departed. I looked about the hallway. Calmly walking up the back stairs now and heading outside without turning back was the man who paints the interiors of the apartments between occupancies.
Though I assume he was simply having trouble accessing the office for whatever, and though he may have opened the laundry room in search of one of the building's staff members, that did not stop my mind from inventing oddities for what it was he wanted in opening the door.
Perhaps he was the one who had years before painted the erection on the owl on the laundry room's wall mural? Perhaps he's a serial vulgar painter? Or perhaps he needed a place in which to have a breakdown or smoke a joint, or maybe standing in there he can observe a woman in the neighboring building? Someone with whom he's hopelessly in love?
What a strange machine the mind is....
** Draw out vowels when they are followed by only one consonant. When followed by two, the sound is shorter.
Example:
Klara skrattar (Klara laughs). The name Klara is pronounced more like KLAHHH-ra. The verb skrattar is pronounced more like skraytar.
My explanation is crude, and that isn't quite the right way to teach the sounds, but you're getting the gist of it. End of lesson.
Things I'm ReadingFinally, the door to the laundry room opened and I heard a surprised, "Oh."
Then, the sound of footsteps hurrying away.
I didn't see who had opened the door, but as I was done folding clothes I departed. I looked about the hallway. Calmly walking up the back stairs now and heading outside without turning back was the man who paints the interiors of the apartments between occupancies.
Though I assume he was simply having trouble accessing the office for whatever, and though he may have opened the laundry room in search of one of the building's staff members, that did not stop my mind from inventing oddities for what it was he wanted in opening the door.
Perhaps he was the one who had years before painted the erection on the owl on the laundry room's wall mural? Perhaps he's a serial vulgar painter? Or perhaps he needed a place in which to have a breakdown or smoke a joint, or maybe standing in there he can observe a woman in the neighboring building? Someone with whom he's hopelessly in love?
What a strange machine the mind is....
Today's Swedish Lesson
** Draw out vowels when they are followed by only one consonant. When followed by two, the sound is shorter.
Example:
Klara skrattar (Klara laughs). The name Klara is pronounced more like KLAHHH-ra. The verb skrattar is pronounced more like skraytar.
My explanation is crude, and that isn't quite the right way to teach the sounds, but you're getting the gist of it. End of lesson.
Book: I'm reading Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö's mystery novel The Man Who Went Up in Smoke. This is the third in the Martin Beck series. I'm confused, though, because in this reading I've realized it notes events of Book 1 taking place two years prior; whereas in Book 2 it is clearly three years after Book 1. What gives? Maybe the "couple of years ago" reference was a generalization and not a time stamp.
Other things online:
* A man in Sweden was nearly shot by an elk. I love this line: "Both man and beast remained on the forest floor for around 45 minutes before the elk retired to a more private spot and lay down to die." That's the type of journalism I'd love to get paid to write. You know those writers are having fun!
* The Birdchick's beekeeping tales are really quite cool.
* And a rather funny site for Miranda July's forthcoming book. I really enjoy images 15 and 16 on this page (the point at which she begins using the stove)...and her advice to read only books that match your clothes. Big thanks to the Night Editor for connecting me to this (and big thanks to Jamison for connecting her).
* And an English farmer has set up web cams to ape the popular series Big Brother…only he’s giving you 24-hour access to his cows. The show is called Big Udders.
posted by cK at 7:53 fm
2 Comments:
ps - from the last post/comment: really happy about the full page format of the commenting area. Now I can "Show Original Post" and keep up with what I want to address.
1)Lovely photo
2)Were you sitting a top the washer in the laundry room? Maybe Painter Man was confused/embarrassed in thinking that he had entered a public bathroom and had caught you on the throne?
3)Laaaahra. There's no K - just sayin'.
4)Your book leads me to Bookclub, which leads me to Gina, which leads me to her party, which leads me to her invitation that I must show you. I can pretty much guarantee you that I'm going to have a massive hangover.
Aside) I've missed writing to you!
5)I almost spewed tea on Shot by an Elk.
6)Bee in a DeathStand...you see something new every day.
7)Miranda July has hilarious appliances. I loved the lit stove and the blank page.
8)Udderly ridiculous.
9) I love my Lol!
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