I live alone in a tree, I live alone in a tree, I live alone in a tree

birch_tree @ 2012-09-16T13:44:00

2012-09-16T11:45:22Z

Is anybody still here?
I think I might be back -this time for real, because of reasons- and I would love to see familiar ~~faces~~ userpics again.
New ones are welcome too of course :)

Question for the lj savvy

2012-03-03T09:38:42Z

I probably knew the answer myself once, but it's been a while ;)
So: how do you make your journal friends-only locked?
Is there a way to do that in one step, or do I need to go entry by entry?
If the latter, this is going to be a hell of a journey down memory lane...

tee-hee! ^_^

2012-01-14T15:13:25Z

I don't know if any of you has seen this already, but:

go to Google Maps and search for walking direction from "Shire" to "Mordor".
Then have a look at the warning box, where it usually says things like "use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths"
.....

:DDDDD

A very, very special birthday!

2010-11-26T15:38:51Z

Grattis på födelsedagen, Pippi!

There's no earthly way of knowing / Which direction we are going

2010-04-16T17:39:29Z

No, the title of this post does not refer to my life or life in general -although oh yes, it would apply perfectly to my life right now.

But some of you know better ;)

The Wondrous Boat Ride
sung by Gene Wilder
words by Roald Dahl

There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There's no knowing where we're rowing
Or which way the river's flowing

Is it raining, is it snowing
Is a hurricane a-blowing

Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing
Are the fires of Hell a-glowing
Is the grisly reaper mowing

Yes, the danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing

I like very much the idea of the parallel between Wonka testing his "candidates" (who get eliminated one by one...) in order to find the one who will take his place, and Jacob's candidates.
I also love the way some people have analyzed that almost psychedelic and totally creepy sequence of the movie, finding a few parallels with Lost -one for all, the image of the eye O_°

What I personally did like most, though, was simply the idea of a "wondrous ride".
With only 4 episodes left before the show finale, looking back at the past 5 years, all I can think right now is that any way the show is going to end, I will still be grateful for what has been such a wondrous ride to me.

something I already expressed some time ago, here
birch-tree.livejournal.com/98536.html

This very weird and creepy promo pushed me out of my laziness, something I should have done much earlier, especially for this last season, and especially since SkyTv Italia finally realized that Lost fans are not willing to wait even just 8 days to get the dubbed episode. They had this quite brilliant idea, I have to admit, and decided to air the previous week's episode dubbed in italian, followed by the new episode in the original version with italian subtitles -on Wednesday night, so only 24 hours later than overseas. This I can accept ;)))

I am not really going into deep discussion and theorizing, unless you drag me to it. I've been out of the loop for too long, but I am ready to jump in again if you prompt me.

c'mon, I am challenging you! :DDD

JJ my friend, aren't you going a bit too boldly now?

2009-05-10T00:00:56Z

I went to see the new Star Trek yesterday.
I still can't elaborate properly... all I can't think of right now is

reboot. Tabula rasa.
O_°

Buon compleanno!!!

2009-03-08T15:29:49Z

A very happy birthday to someone special, a great person and a dear friend -all rolled into one :DDD

I hope you're having a great one,estelanui !!

Some virtual sicilian cakes and sweets, for a virtual celebration, hoping we can celebrate in person (and with the real stuff!) sometime soon :)))

Gratulerer med dagen!!

2009-02-05T09:47:07Z

Happy birthday, ansostuff !!

You know, I am not posting and commenting much these days, but I try to keep myself updated reading your journal.
You are a very special person and a good friend, and that's why I want to celebrate with you here today!
Hoping we will meet again someday, maybe in Norway, maybe in the Netherlands, who knows maybe in Italy or maybe somewhere else :)))

Have a great one!!

Well, am I back?

2008-11-24T15:01:21Z

Hopefully yes! :)

I've had one computer trouble after the other, as if real life isn't stressful enough already...
Anyway, I am posting this quick little thing for now, just to let you know that I am okay -stressed yes, but still okay ;) - and that I am planning to return to my regular activities here :)

In the meantime, please please update me on things regarding your life and general stuff.
I've been able to lurk and leave one comment here and one there, between one computer crash and the other, but I think I fell so much behind that I really need your help.
So please, if there is anything you think I should know, please reply here, or leave me a link.

I mean it! :)

back for a birthday!

2008-10-26T13:18:42Z

This is my first post after 10 weeks, and what better occasion than celebrating the birthday of a dear friend...

Hartelijk gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag,
feaxede_steorra (formerly known as Melilot Hill :)) ) !!!!!

I hope between moving house, pregnancy and all the rest, you can still take a good rest and enjoy this day in the best way you wish!

Lots of hugs!!!!!

This is why I believe people like me shouldn't have children

2008-04-22T17:38:12Z

It's not because I don't like them. Actually, I find them fascinating little creatures with funny ways and an interesting psychology.
And it's not because they're noisy and dirty and smelly either. I know adults who are much worse than that.

It's just because I think I am not that good with discipline and behaviour myself.
See for example what happened last time I went to see a friend of mine who has two young children. The older one started to be particularly interested in the beer I was drinking. Then he started to dip the biscuit he was eating into it. I noticed his parents didn't seem to mind, so fair enough by me. But when he asked me to try a bit of it, my firm and mature personality came out.
Or tried to.

me: - Aren't you a bit too young? Let's talk about that again in 5 years.
him: - But Im already 5!
me: - No, I mean 5 years from now. When you are what?...10? 11?...oh God, let's make at least 12.

Not very convincing. He grabbed my glass and took a sip.
His reaction was priceless, though.
He made a funny face and said:
- I swallowed it!
...and I liked it!

It doesn't even end here. The younger one saw that and of course asked to have a go too.
But don't worry. Not even I would let a 3-year-old little boy have alcohol.

- No, forget it. Let's talk about that in...in...2 years.
*rolls eyes*

That abusive boyfriend is back again...

2008-02-07T19:10:08Z

Lost obsessed fans in my flist already know what I'm talking about.
For the others...don't be worried, I am only referring to this

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about the idea of introducing more FF beside the usual FB in the show. Maybe I am a conservative, but I liked the way it was and I thought it worked.
Except it didn't.
Let's face it, the fb were starting to be a bit stale. Probably there wasn't much more to say about the characters' past, so yeah, kudos to the writers for giving the show a complete new twist. We're a bit more than halfway through the whole thing now, and somehow it feels natural to get glimpses of the future toward the final solution now. It doesn't even seem to be particularly gimmicky as I feared -it would stress me a bit having to compose timeline puzzles.

But it doesn't stress me having to go into wild speculation, cracked-up theories and insane analysis.
This is actually one of the things I love best in Lost. All the crazy stuff people come up with might not lead to anything coherent or actually related to the plot and clues, but I still find it such great fun, and a way to know things that otherwise I would have probably never heard about. Like this Godhead Trilogy, by James Morrow. Probably just a bunch of coincidences, but let's try that path as well, shall we?

My favourite, personal mind-wank (does that sound extremely wrong and nasty in English, lol? I am directly translating from an italian expression...) at the moment has mostly to do with Jacob and the scene inside his cabin: I am convinced Christian is not alive.
And the image of a corpse on a rocking chair reminds me too much of something...very likely totally unrelated, but still... ;)))))</div>
So we're back.
Eight months later, and I'm still faithfully in love. Call me Penelope.

Done!

2008-01-10T15:35:59Z

Now everybody's happy with a new, 2008 calendar on the wall, and I didn't hang myself from the Christmas tree.

Why should I? I even managed to spend a lovely new year's eve!
That was actually quite unexpected. Until a couple of days before I didn't even know what I was going to do -what I wanted to do. Then I met up with some friends and we were all in the same situation, and we thought maybe it would be nice to get together, eat together, drink together and be silly together. And so we did. Each of us brought something to eat or drink, and surprise! I did something myself!
The best Norwegian waffles I ever made! Almost perfect! Despite -or maybe thanks to- an almost full bottle of Martini and a full bottle of vodka.
Anso, you should have seen them! I was sooooo proud of "my babies" (that's how I kept calling them all night...)

I can't cook pasta dishes or vegetable dishes or other typical elaborate Italian dishes, but I can bake Norwegian waffles and Dutch kruidnoten (this thanks to Mel) !
Ha!
:ppppp

Look what he found!

2007-12-28T01:26:25Z

So yes, no stressing over Christmas preparations, take it easy, Zen attitude... and I managed to buy the last thing I needed 5 minutes after the shops closing time, on the evening of the 24th. They were already locking up the door, but still they let me in :))) Strange things happen on Christmas Eve... Well, now that I think of it, I had never seen those people in that shop before. Weird.
Maybe they were Christmas fairies.
Or maybe thieves...
:DDDD

Anyway, everything went fine eventually.
After all the madness is over, it is easier to think that after all it is nice to go and get gifts for people you care about, especially when you surprise them with unexpected -and hopefully useful- things (I hate gifts on demand almost as much as I hate useless crap)

I did get some very nice and unexpected things.
My boyfriend has been especially great with that, and he managed to find something I didn't even know existed, at least not in Italy: a dvd boxset of the very first Dr Who!
Old episodes, interviews, nice featurettes...it's like an archaeological finding, especially in a country where we hardly get foreign tv series which are not quite famous and/or recent.
It is actually getting slightly better lately, and they are starting to think that maybe even people in Italy might be interested in buying or watching stuff like The Twilight Zone, Sapphire and Steel, or Space 1999.

Now if only they decided to produce and distribute the italian dvd box set of Black Books...
Not that I am dying for the italian dubbing, but since it has been done, since it exists, it seems right for me to have it as well...

Ok, let's try to get into the mood...

2007-12-07T15:52:37Z

Stolen from speedcat93 :)))

A birthday :)

2007-11-23T09:44:22Z

This is for elanor1013

Wishing you all the best in this special day, and for everything in your life!
:))))

Almost two months later...

2007-11-07T00:31:47Z

I still mean to post about Ireland, for real! Picspam and everything.
I will, as soon as I get the scanner back.

For now, just a quick hello :)
I really need to get away from the computer now, as I've spent too much time trying to book reasonably priced flight tickets to Spain. I'm hoping to go and see my sister there during the New Year's holidays.

I found 3 or 4 different low-cost airlines that would do, but I just can't make the whole puzzle fit: if I change in Rome, there will be no connection at a useful time; if I change in Barcelona, the dates go all wrong...
I know it would be easier to just book from bigger airlines, but I can't afford that, especially if I really want to go back to Amsterdam sometime before the end of this century... *rolls eyes*

But I also need -seriously need- to make this thing work.
Just the thought of spending New Year's here makes me want to scream -I'd rather hang myself from the Christmas tree. And not because I do care about New Year's: just the opposite, I want to run away, as far as possible, from all that. If I could, I'd spend it somewhere close to North Cape, where it's night all day and there's no dawn of the new year to greet... (and then I could go a bit south and see my Norwegian family, yay!)

Right, back to Earth...

...and off to bed!

*waves* :)))

and I spent all me money on whiskey and beer!

2007-09-10T10:46:38Z

well, maybe not all on whiskey and beer...and definitely I am ready to play the wild rover again anytime soon... ;)

Yes, there will be pics of beautiful, amazing Ireland, and a little report. I am thinking of doing the same also for last summer's trip to England (and maybe backdate the entry, if I can make it work properly...) because it also deserved it, even if I never got around to do it.
It'll just take some more time before I write another proper entry, though. It's been almost two weeks since I came back, but I am not quite settled yet: I found full, wild summer when I arrived, so most of the days I wanted to do nothing but cool down at the sea. Taking a little swim at sunset, with that big, glowing red ball (that's how the sun looks here after a day of southern hot wind...) slowly plunging down the water just in front of you is such an relaxing thing to do...
Anyway, I am not going to talk about the weather, because I found it soooo weird and confusing this year O_°

For now I just wanted to say hello!! to all of you.
Needless to say, I will never be able to catch up with flist completely, so I'll just go check some journals directly, those I already know having entries I wanted to read. If you think your lj should be one of those too, please let me know! :))

Slán!

2007-08-07T08:45:52Z

I am going to Ireland tomorrow :))))))

I will be back at the end of the month, so, until then...

... Sláinte + Slán agat !! :)))

birch_tree @ 2007-06-08T17:16:00

2007-06-08T16:04:41Z

If you like celtic/folk music, try this harp and guitar duo:
http://www.myspace.com/leopizziguzzo
They are from my hometown, and I have had the pleasure not only to listen to them playing live several times, but also to chat a bit with them afterwards, and everytime they have been extremely open, kind and friendly.

I am in his "mailing list" for friends and people who appreciate their music, and from time to time there was an email telling about their next concert or performance.
I got one three days ago, but this was a very different one: it was from his daughter, saying that her father just died - a few days earlier- after a fulminating illness.

As I said, we only spoke a couple of times, but I still feel so sad and upset about this loss.
Yes, there's always going to be his music, and music is forever, but I can't believe I will never have the chance to listen to them live again, or have him explain the differences in sound of his favorite guitars, how he got the inspiration for that particular song, why he wanted to have the cd cover done that way, or why he thought there was a deep connection between celtic and mediterranean music.
The last email I got from him was for a live performance, about a month ago, when there was no suspect whatsoever that he was soon going to fall ill. We didn't go because I had a work shift that evening, and we thought never mind this time, we can go to the next one, because there's always a next one...

rainy Sunday

2007-05-27T13:28:33Z

Summer has already arrived some days ago, but I don't know why it is often a different thing for the weekends: I went to the sea yesterday morning despite some clouds, and today it's actually cool and rainy... I have to admit I like that too :)))

...especially since I have other plans than going at the beach for today: I got free tickets for a theatre play for this afternoon, and also, I'll get free dinner in the evening (same place same event as in this post http://birch-tree.livejournal.com/101463.html)

And if we don't come back home too late (or even if we do come back late...), I have the season finale of Lost yet to watch!
I can proudly say that I am almost completely unspoiled, so I don't really know what to expect!
O_°

3 years -and 1 day- ago

2007-05-18T15:34:55Z

Yesterday I was so worried about not getting spoiled for the new episode of Lost (which I haven't watched yet!), that I kept myself away from lj, and missed a double celebration:

- my lj anniversary (yes, that's 3 years !! And the reason why I am still around here and enjoying it so much is because you people are the best!! )

- and Norway's Independence/Constitution Day

ansothehobbit , I hope you had a great one! :)))))

Maybe it is ka. Maybe everything happens for a reason...

2007-05-16T15:41:08Z

...but what about free will?

I am finally writing this post, right before tonight's Lost, when we will (probably) see the solution to the issues raised in Flashes Before Your Eyes.

When I made that cryptic post regarding that episode, a long time ago ;) I loved Abby_normal's reply and her comment regarding Fate vs Choice.
Lost has definitely so very many keys of interpretation, different levels and ways to watch it, so mine is just one of them.
I do believe that Charlie is not going to die tonight.
Not just because he's always been one of my favorite characters, lol!
And not just because his death would be simply too obvious and predictable now.
But because of what has been a recurring theme in the show lately: the idea that there's no Fate really, but what we make for ourselves. From Desmond trying constantly and repeatedly to change things despite what the "Oracle" told him about the Universe's way of course-correcting, to Hurley defying (and winning over) death and the "curse" in Tricia Tanaka is Dead, despite Sawyer saying that there is no hope on the island.

Fate vs Choice is a recurring theme since ever, in literature, religion, arts, folk songs...
There is for example a song by an Italian songwriter which I believe was inspired by an old poem or a classical piece of literature, about a soldier who sees Death -as a silent, black woman- looking at him among the crowd during the parade. He rides away with the fastest horse given to him by the king, far away up to Samarkand, only to find that it was indeed down there that he was meant to finally meet her. He thought he was running away from his destiny, while he was actually running towards it.
That's one for Fate.
As for the opposite, many of you might be familiar with the phrase: "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" :)))
There's also tons of examples in cinema: science-fiction mostly (I adore the scene in Terminator 2, when Sarah Connor carves the words "No Fate" on a wooden table), but also little jewels like Groundhog Day. The situation for Bill Murray's character in that movie is so much similar to Desmond's :)))</div>
And then of course there's also The Dark Tower.
Some of you might be fed up already with me constantly finding parallels between that series and Lost, as in this post: http://birch-tree.livejournal.com/85224.html
But seriously, reading the last pages of the last book really gave me an idea of what could be possibly up with Desmond, long before his episode was aired.
I don't want to spoil the finale for those of you who haven't finished reading it yet, so I am eager to discuss it with you sometime or somewhere else. There's especially one element, the course-changing object, which makes me think...
</div>
So, to draw a conclusion to this rambling post...
... there's this thing going all around the internet lately, saying "save the junkie, save the world".
I would then say "save the junkie, save the free will"!

PS: no need to say that I am staying well away from flist until I get to see Greatest Hits!

OMGFTFJACOB!!!

2007-05-13T12:59:30Z

I haven't posted much lately, so I haven't done many "reviews" or comments for Lost either.
Well, now is the best moment to start again! :)
Before next week's episode, because it will probably be crucial for the solution to issues raised by Flashes Before Your Eyes (abby_normal , I would still love to discuss that episode with you!), and after last week's episode -in my opinion one of the best (if not even the best ...) of this 3rd season.

This year I've been extremely happy with Lost: except for a couple of weaker episodes, I think most of them were just excellent, either for the plot development, ideas and issues raised, references, and also for style and techniques (Flashes Before Your Eyes and Exposé are just two examples in this sense to me) and also for the acting (as in One of Us and The Brig <--- I am still speechless for that one!...)

As for The Man Behind the Curtain...well, that was pure, absolute Lost -Season one!!!
I watched it yesterday, and it gave me exactly the same feelings I had watching episode like the pilot one, or White Rabbit, or Deux ex Machina: it made me jump (literally!), it gave me the creeps, it gave me a brand new perspective, and although several of the previously scattered pieces of the puzzle are clearly starting to fit into a bigger, coherent picture (some of which I had guessed correctly already! go me! ;))), it still left me with lots of questions, the biggest of which is "What happens next?!?!"
Pure season one style :)

There have been spoilers for quite some time, regarding the death of one of the biggest "regulars", but the authors have been very smart keeping these spoilers/rumors very vague: according to each different theory, you basically have any character killed off... And they're still being very smart leaving us with two very obvious options, probably too obvious to be true. I wonder if they are smart enough to end up giving us a total, complete twist next week, by having neither Locke nor Charlie die (or even better, no-one at all...)

True, Terry O'Quinn posted something very suspicious at The Fuselage: Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle...
But are we supposed to believe that he is actually giving away so much already?</div>

As for Charlie, I still cling to my idea regarding Flashes Before your Eyes, so I am going to discuss it in my next post, as I run out of time for now :(

I only need to say one more little thing about last week, regarding

OMGWTFPSYCHO!!!!! Just like Norman and his mum!!!!!!!
That movie scared the crap out of me when I was a kid and I saw it the first time and I was home alone and then all the lights went out all night and I still remember that night!!! :DD
Does any of you think that it was actually psycho-Ben who said the words "help me!"??!!
But then we actually saw Jacob for half a second!! Omg maybe we are all psychos too??!! O_°
</div>
Ok, I also have a couple of more ~~rational~~ relaxed theories about that, but still this is my favorite for now ;-))))

Happy birthday!!

2007-05-11T12:10:49Z

To one of the first authors of fanfic I ever read (even if at the beginning I thought you were a man...a university teacher actually, lol!!), and one of the first people to join my flist:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, dear llinos !!!

I hope you are having a great one! :)))