Speaking of Finnish Rock Bands

I don't know exactly when or where, but recently at a party in SL there was some discussion about rock bands from Finland. Well, likely it was at Gearz or somewhere that Diamanda was serving up the music (we all know how she loves Finnish Death Metal). At any rate there was some random discussion about the music scene in Finland.

To my great surprise I learned today that a band I only recently discovered - and like quite a lot - is based in Finland.

Poets of the Fall.

Arriving at their official web site today, I learned this and found their 2008 tour dates. As a matter of fact I lunched at the Virgin Oil Company in Helsinki where they held a sold out show this year. :-D

I find their music to span the rock continuum fairly broadly from ballad to much heavier pieces (bet you already have them, Dia). The first song I ever heard from POTF was Fragile. The lyrics really move me. I have posted them below.

FRAGILE
You've been biting bullets all these years, I know
There beside yourself, choking back tears
And you aced avoiding possibility
When you made your bed upon the bittersweet

Oh now don't you worry
There's no need to be sorry
There's still time to step lightly

Cos the love you used to feel is still in there, inside
It may be the faded photograph, the lock of hair, don't hide
If you're scared, I'm here to hold you,
If you get lost I'm here to guide you
Love is peace when peace is fragile
Love is all the good in you that still remains
Love is peace when peace is fragile

You've been going out of way to agree
Like you've been rubbing yourself all wrong just to be somebody else's genie
Catering to your disasters every need
Waiting to finally be set free

I said baby don't worry
Life will carry
Just take it slowly....

The goodie that I really want to share with you today is this video for Carnival of Rust. A good song filmed with a very steampunkish look, which I think many of you will enjoy.



Do let me know what you think.

Eva

A little poetry from Finland and Russia

Some discoveries are too good to keep to oneself. Here is a selection of poetry found during and just after my wonderful holiday in Helsinki. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.



If you love, love madly
If you threaten, threaten seriously
If you hurt, hurt in anger only
If you hit, hit with all your force
If you argue, argue bravely
If you punish, you should have a reason


When you forgive, forgive with all your heart
When you celebrate, celebrate till dawn

Aleksei K. Tolstoi

Niin kuin aalto uittaa aallon
yli valtameren,
niin selviydymme mekin
toinen toisiamme tukien.

Just as one wave carries another wave
Across the ocean,
So we, too, survive
One supporting the other.

Risto Rasa

Sano heti jos minä häiritsen,
hän sanoi astuessaan ovesta sisään,
niin minä lähden saman tien pois.

Sinä et ainoastaan häiritse,
minä vastasin,
sinä järkytät koko minun olemustani.
Tervetuloa.

Tell me immediately if I'm disturbing you,
He said, coming in the door,
And I will leave right away.

You not only disturb,
I answered,
You shake my whole being.
Welcome.

Eeva Kilpi

Nukkumaan käydessä ajattelen:
Huomenna minä lämmitän saunan,
pidän itseäni hyvänä,
kävelytän, uitan, pesen,
kutsun itseni iltateelle,
puhuttelen ystävällisesti ja ihaillen, kehun:
Sinä pieni urhea nainen,
minä luotan sinuun.

Going to sleep, I think:
Tomorrow I will heat up the sauna,
Pamper myself,
Walk, swim, wash,
Invite myself to evening tea,
Speak to myself in a friendly and admiring way, praising:
You brave little woman,
I believe in you.

Eeva Kilpi

Sinun jäljiltäsi katson itseäni;
silmieni ympärillä onnelliset poimut.

After you, I look at myself;
Around my eyes, happy wrinkles.

Eeva Kilpi

A wonderful adventure

The trip home on the steamer took much longer than my travel to Finland via airships, but the rest and relaxation to be found aboard more than made up for the additional travel time.

To say that I enjoyed Helsinki and Finland would be an understatement. I found this Grand Duchy of Russia to be wonderfully full of culture and art; of music and dancing; of romance and literature. Her people were most gracious and kind.

Below are just some of the many things that I was able to do and see while traveling there.


The gentles with whom I came in contact during my holiday celebrated a proper tea each day. Here is one example of a Russian Tea/Coffee service from the 1850s. Simply wonderful!


This lovely table and chairs was found in the drawing room of one of the officers on Suomenlinna. I am told this piece was also brought from Russian at mid-century.


The Helsinki Cathedral and some wonderful examples of Russian/French architecture


Uspenski Cathedral. I attended vespers services with my Orthodox hosts at this magnificent church. I shall not soon forget the solemnity with which worship was conducted....a truly moving experience.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the opera in Helsinki and the ball which followed. The hall was so intricately designed and beautifully decorated that is nearly took my breath away. The opera presentation was of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's The Snow Maiden. As a guest of the Suomenlinna Commander and his family an escort for the evening was chosen for me. The gentleman proved to be a most delightful soul and was excellent company. His name was Alexai Kirillovich Vronsky, a very dark and dashing military officer.


Breath-taking view from the boxes at the Opera House.


Waiting for Vronsky to join us.


Enjoying the view at intermission with Vronsky


The ballroom


The last dance of the evening - and my trip to Finland.

Wonderful!

Oh - and by the way.....shopping was no issue as the monetary exchange was nearby.




And now it is good to be home.

I shall be remarking on the Courts and titles issues soon. Unfortunately one of my court was left off the lists. Fortunately my court continues to grow.

Mitä kuuluu, Venäjä?

How are you, Russia?

Here we are in the summer during the late 1880s visiting Finland. No trip would be complete, I am told by my friend, The Empress of all Russia, Maria Feodorovna, without a visit to Suomenlinna Fortress.

Suomenlinna, which was initially called Sveaborg by the Swedes, has occupied a significant role in Finland and in the politics of the Baltic region. Constructing the coastal fortification in the Gulf of Finland in the mid-1700s was a last attempt by Sweden to reclaim the land it had lost to Russia at the turn of the century. The people of the time generally referred to the fortress as the Gibraltar of the North. The fortress was built from granite and was considered to be impenetrable. Nevertheless Sweden surrendered her to the Russians in a siege in 1808, after which Finland became a Grand Duchy of Russia.

Despite the fact that the garrison and fortress were greatly damaged during a bombardment in 1855 (Crimean War), the Russians have rebuilt and reinforced the area, and it remains a central focus of social activity here in Helsinki and Finland.

The garrison commander has been gracious enough to permit me to tour the area and to stay a few nights on the island. I am in great anticipation of the evening's ball, although I doubt it will compare to those in Caledon.

Here are some images that were captured over the last couple of days:

Making this Scotswoman feel right at home, the thistles were in bloom at Suomenlinna. (photo courtesy of my human on Suomenlinna 2007)

Touring the fortress

Looking out one of the commander's windows to the sea

What the soldiers see as they shoot their cannon. (photo courtesy of my human on Suomenlinna 2007)

Reviewing one of the many naval vessels at the Suomenlinna docks.

On board

One of the many earth-reinforced areas of the fortress.
(photo courtesy of my human on Suomenlinna 2007)

A watercolor of the view from my room - the ladies of the garrison and several from Helsinki observe the building of the new officer's barracks. (photo courtesy of my human on Suomenlinna 2007)

Found at the local designer's shop
(photo courtesy of my human on Suomenlinna 2007)

Here is where my letter to you must end. I need to lay on the divan for a bit of an afternoon rest, have a bath drawn, and slide into my silk gown for the ball tonight.

I wonder what wonderful things tomorrow will hold.

Terve Suomi!

HELLO FINLAND!




Well my human and I have made it to Finland. The flights on the various airships were not too bad. And most pleasantly, we find ourselves not terribly out of sync with our circadian rhythms.

Last night, we walked in the sunlight at around 10:30pm and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city. I also tried some traditional Lapland foods at dinner. The Reindeer and Cheddar Soup was particularly fantastic.



Now, I suppose, I should change into something a bit more comfortable to go exploring. Hopefully I will have wonderful things to report to you in the near future.

Therapeutic Singing.....anastaa ajaksi Avustaa Elinikäinen???

Therapeutic Singing....appropriate for Second Life???

My human discovered that she will be traveling to Finland this summer. This came as a complete surprise to her when her spouse announced that his business will be sending him there for a European conference in July. In the mad dash to get as much information as possible on Helsinki, required visas, passport updates, etc., she discovered the Complaint Choir of Helsinki listed on the end of the wiki article.

The Complaint Choir??? This sounded too good to be true. Following the link to the youtube site, she discovered that there are MANY Complaint Choirs in the world. Why, oh why, has she never known about these before now?? She is a semi-professional singer after all. Good Lord, the fun that has been missed! The therapy of singing through all the injustices (minor and major) that might have been.....*sigh*

Nonetheless, she asked that I offer this selection up to you with the questions: Does Second Life have a Complaint Choir? If Second Life does not, should we start one?

Your comments are strongly encouraged.