mindfulness

I discovered that the camera is a perfect tool to practice mindfulness. I woke up this morning feeling agitated. I went to an office party last night. Many of my colleges got really drunk, but they were having fun. I was just not in the mood for it all and left early. I woke up this morning, and still not feeling rested, sat down at the computer to read your blogs. Then I grabbed my camera to play around a little bit.
As I was pulling my attention away from yesterdays party and into the little details I was trying to capture with the camera in my kitchen I had a smile on my face.

wedding New Orleans 2007

I love New Orleans. I'm planning to bring my daughter over for easter to see my uncle. Maybe I get some tickets this weekend. I love the spirit of the place and I love the food, the drinks, the garden district, the french quarter, to go antique hunting on magazine street and to practice yoga at Melanie Fawer's studio, uptown.

sunset in Malawi 2005

I'll tell you why I never forget the people of Malawi another day.

inspiration

My daughter is sick again, and I have a ton of workers in the house fixing my flodded bathroom. But I found some things that inspired me today, and I want to share them with you:-)

Nureyev- The life, is for me an obsessive read. He was just totally consumed with ballet and the arts in general. I know the feeling to well. I have trouble putting it down.

I also made a little collage, and I noticed in the process that I chose images with a lot cleaner look than I used to. I’ve been totally into the romantic, shabby chic look for years actually. But I think maybe I'm on a new path esthetically.

Word of the day:
It is in the knowledge of the genuine conditions of our lives that we must draw our strenght to live and our reasons for living.
-Simone De Beauvoir


And the soundtrack ( and video) for this post you can find here.

"The painted veil"

(images from Berlin diaries)


I’m in love with this beautiful movie. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and I love the costumes worn by Naomi Watts. They reminde me of one of my favorite scandinavian brands "Noa Noa"

studio

I went to the studio this morning to practice......I did some but ended up taking pictures....

weekend

 

Well everybody else is sick so I’ve been working my ass of with yoga classes all week. I came home last night and was totally exhausted and the second I lay down on the sofa there is water running through my bathroom ceiling. I have water everywhere because of the above neighbors’ washing machine. I’m telling you this is a mess, thank god I’m insured. But I just wanted to show you, the beautiful snow that’s been falling for the last couple of days. We rarely have snow because I live so close to the sea so this is really special. I hope to post more soon, when I get my place dried up. And I have a new Mac. The old one broke down again. I was so excited when I got it, but right now I'm just frustrated. I cannot make the spelling or Photoshop work.

dance dance dance

I’m finally feeling better and life is getting back to normal. My daughter had her first ballet lesson of the year yesterday afternoon and she was totally excited. I love it myself. I never danced ballet, but I love taking her to her lessons. Just before x-mas they dance the ”Nutcracker”. Every year when the rehearsals in early autumn starts up I get the chills. I love the fantastic music, I love the costumes and I love the hours of endless rehearsal. The dancers in the most exquisite costume eating a burger and reading a book waiting, waiting, waiting to get back up on stage.

I went to my first yoga class this afternoon. I felt a little bit heavy but it was lovely to get back on the mat. And it truly was a lovely escape after two crazy days back at the office.

Since the theme of the post is dance I want to share with you a little obsession of mine, Lykke Li (picture below) and her song Dance Dance Dance. Enjoy.



Image from Blackbookmag

perfection

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis shot for French Glamour aug 2008, shots by Chris Craymer, via This is glamorous

larimeloom

My new stuff arrived yesterday. U like? If so visit Larimeloom for more beauties:-)

knitting

I know it’s not much, but I did it. This is the first thing I've finished knitting. The red tube thing my daughter is wearing. You see, I´ve never been really good in the creative department. I’ve diagnosed myself as creatively challenged. I always wanted to do stuff, I mean anything creative, but always raised the bar to high. If I was going to do anything at all it had to be absolutely brilliant. If not, better do nothing at all.

Well I lowered the bar. It started with yoga. Then I started to write, just for me in my journal. I wrote a lot that made no sense at all. But I didn’t care, because things started to happen. I wrote about all I wanted to do, and after enough writing I actually started to do it. I write, I make collages, I blog, I draw and paint, photograph, bake, knit- and these are all things I really didn’t think I could do. But this is one of the important lessons from yoga….just practise and all will come…….

mac

I’ve been to the doctor today. I’m not sick. Well I got the flue, so I need to take it easy for a few more days, but I do not have the kissing disease. I'm soooo happy. And as you might notice, my mac is back in action, and now I have a new tablet. I can now draw and write in my pictures. It’s really hard but a lot of fun.

gift

This gift from a dear friend was left at my door yesterday afternoon.

The card:
"We should be better at showing love while we are strong and healthy, considering we begin and end this life needing the care from others".
-Dalai Lama

etsy

I´m feeling better today and I spent some time on Etsy. I´m already awaiting an order from this wonderful Etsy shop called Larimeloom



I also found these at Ellita´s flying snail. I might need some of these to cover up my funky, swollen neck:-)

sick

I´m sick, something called kissing disease in norwegian, I have to figure out what it is in english. I´ve been in bed with a fever since Saturday, and worst case senario I will be sick for a while. I´m really upset about all of this. I have classes with more than 130 students, and I might not be able to teach at all for a long time. On top of this the bluetooth om my beloved mac is broken, so I will not be able to post any pictures for a couple of days. But trust me...I will be back....this is pretty much all I have to look forward to at the moment.

daughter

yoga

The semester started again yesterday. I had more than 70 students yesterday. It's so inspiring and exhausting at the same time. We have all ages attending our classes. It so rewarding when students come up to me to share the importance the practice has made in their lives. When I say exhausting it's because you give a lot. You're counting the class, adjusting and trying to make sure that everybody gets the most out of their practice at that particular day. Some take serious illness with them to the mat others tight muscles and stress or others again just sorrow or worries. But it all comes in to play at the yoga mat.

Pictures from Bali, I'll post pictures from shala when I get some good light:-)

blouse

Picture by me, blouse by Malene Birger. See more at malenebirger.com

Liv Ullmann (3)

Picture from NRK

Follow this link for more lovely images.

I was planning on writing this post about some of my favorite work by Ullmann, when Mary-Laure left me a comment yesterday asking me about my favorite work by Ullmann. This is for you.....:-)

Ullmann is most famous for the 8 films she made together with Bergman. My favorite, as well as her own, I've been told, is "Scenes from a marriage" (1973).

But she's directed a lot of wonderful movies as well. "Trolösa"(2000) is written by Bergman and directed by Ullmann. Lena Endre has the lead in this exquisite movie. English tittle "Faithless".

Picture from Cinemazone


I also love this book written by her daughter:

Picture from Fantasticfiction.co.uk

family

Mother in law ( with the bucket) with her two sisters.