How are you today?

[alx5962]

My last day in Iceland today, saw many nice places but to be honest I don´t really like icelandic people... Only few were nice and they don´t care at all about customers, strange
I don´t know if it´s because of the economic crisis or not, but at least they should make an effort!
Anyway the lanscapes are magics so that's the most important

[RobB]

Last week i was in Liverpool,checking out all the 'Beatles' sites....Penny Lane, Strawberry Field, where John was born,where John grew up, where John got married,where Paul grew up, the site of the old Cavern, etc etc..... had a trip on the ferry (across the Mersey) and also saw the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang musical at the Empire theatre......now home for a rest.

[RobB]

I ended up creating 4 pieces of music and allowing the YWCA to pick which one they felt best suited the campaign. They actually went for the first one they heard!

Was that the first piece you created? If so,that sod's law for you.

My tinitus has diminished to a tolerable level now, though it has meant turning down my ipod

Excellent news. Any improvement is a good sign rather than things remaining the same or getting worse.

Anyone seen the Korean film 'Mother'? It's brilliant, seek it out!

I havn't seen it but i'll certainly check it out. The Korean film industry went up in my estimations after they produced the beautiful 'A Tale Of Two Sisters'.

[RobB]

My last day in Iceland today, saw many nice places but to be honest I don´t really like icelandic people... Only few were nice and they don´t care at all about customers, strange

yeah, well, if you were paid their wages you wouldn't have much job satisfaction either?
Ok, no more Iceland 'jokes'(sic) .......glad you've enjoyed the scenery Alex, i'll look forward to seeing your photos on here when you get back. Have a pleasant flight home.

[blue]

I guess this is going back a couple weeks, but I love your story about your daughter's name!

It makes me laugh now to think I was going to call her after The Bionic Woman! And also makes me realise just how very young I was. Still a child myself, really.

Also, my sister has a nephew (on her hubby's side) named Luka. I think his father is Croatian. I think Luca and Matteo are both lovely names. Maybe I'll have to steal one of them!!

I like Luca myself, less keen on Matteo. When she told me she wanted to call him that, I said oh, isn't that a toy manufacturer? Oops.

Latest news is that he's probably going to be called Valentino, as that's the only Italian name his mum and dad can both agree on. I think it's beautiful! It'll get shortened to 'Tino' though, probably.

[blue]

I recently was commissioned by the YWCA to write an instrumental piece for a campaign they are running in August 2010 against the sexualisation of young girls in the media. It was a great experience to take part in, I created a piece of music that accompanies very shocking photographs of the ridiculous images of young girls in the popular media that is somehow allowed and deemed as acceptable. It was very challenging to create something that reflected the shocking and terribly sad message the YWCA are highlighting. I ended up creating 4 pieces of music and allowing the YWCA to pick which one they felt best suited the campaign. They actually went for the first one they heard!

Oh wow Daniel, that's great! How fantastic to be involved in something like that, good on you for doing it and I hope it gets the message across to some people. It really concerns me the way girls are being sexualised at very young ages now just by the culture they live in, it's incredibly depressing that so few people, particularly mothers, seem to understand the issue or be concerned by it. I hope the campaign wakes a few of them up.

[alx5962]

I put online some pictures of my trip in Iceland :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alx5962/se ... 405937389/

I really miss the weather and the landscape

[RobB]

Love those scenic photos Alex, you seem so isolated. How did you travel around?

[sound world]

Yeah, great Alex. That waterfall is something else!

As for me-tomorrow is my last day of teaching for the year. I will be jumping hoops. I calculate that I have taught 689 individual piano lessons since September. [:xx]

On Friday, off to WOMAD where Lisa, Robin and I will all be playing in the final Procession on Sunday!

[alx5962]

Love those scenic photos Alex, you seem so isolated. How did you travel around?

By bus and by car, icelandic buses cover almost the entire country by chance !

[RobB]

I calculate that I have taught 689 individual piano lessons since September. [:xx]

Blimey, even i wouldn't need that many lessons......hopefully?

On Friday, off to WOMAD where Lisa, Robin and I will all be playing in the final Procession on Sunday!

Have fun and i hope it stays dry for you.

[kuhn]

My last day in Iceland today, saw many nice places but to be honest I don´t really like icelandic people... Only few were nice and they don´t care at all about customers, strange

yeah, well, if you were paid their wages you wouldn't have much job satisfaction either?
Ok, no more Iceland 'jokes'(sic) .......glad you've enjoyed the scenery Alex, i'll look forward to seeing your photos on here when you get back. Have a pleasant flight home.

.... Spoke to an Icelander some days ago, they don`t mind the jokes - not post 2007.

[alx5962]

I'm near Luxembourg these days and enjoying the areas surrounding my location but I feel everything a bit dull here; after seeing so magnificent places in Iceland I'm just bored of everything else now

[RobB]

If you lived in Iceland, the novelty would soon wear off and you'd be bored agian and want a change.
Its like people who live by the sea.....i always think how lucky they are but people who do, who i've talked to say they don't take any notice of it after a while.

[blue]

Your photos are amazing Alex. I can see why everywhere else would seem dull!

It's a rare Saturday off for me today, haven't really done much except read and drink gallons of tea and talk to the cats. I'm such a wild child.