My new ibook - I love love love it!

My ipad has never looked this great ♥ 

50 questions that will free your mind

These questions have no right or wrong answers - as sometimes, asking the right questions is the answer.

Give them a go:

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
22. Why are you, you?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
25. What are you most grateful for?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now?
30. What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
32. If not now, then when?
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
48. What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that?
50. Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

Source

Source

Det er den draumen

Det er den draumen

Det er den draumen me ber på

at noko vedunderleg skal skje,

at det må skje -

at tidi skal opna seg

at hjarta skal opna seg

at dører skal opna seg

at berget skal opna seg

at kjeldor skal springa -

at draumen skal opna seg,

at me ein morgonstund skal glida inn

på ein våg me ikkje har visst um.

                                                                                                         Olav H. Hauge (1966)

It is that dream

It is that dream that we carry

that something wonderful will happen,

that it must come to pass -

that time will open itself

that the heart will open itself

that doors will open themselves

that the stone will open itself

that springs will arise -

that the dream will open itself,

that we, one morning, will glide in

on a bay we never knew before.

                                                                                                  translated from Norwegian
                                                                                                                         by myself

Source

Do you believe in Father Time?

One of Mitch Albom's newest books states that Father Time is real. He is no myth, no work of fiction...real.

He has been banished for an eternity for the crime of trying to measure time, listening to the people of the world always asking for a little more of it - a few minutes, a few hours...a few more years - as punishment. The whispers and wishes never stop. There are too many people in our world asking. Too many voices.

Now he is on a mission - he has the chance to redeem himself at last. All he has to do is teach two people the true meaning of time. An easy task, you may think?

We humans seem to believe that we have all the time in the world. That there will always be a tomorrow where we can fix things, do things, make dreams come true. That it will never be too late. We also seem to think there is never enough time. Never enough time to stop by a friend, have that cuppa or make that call. Never enough time to stop and simply be - be in the moment or take that deep breath while doing absolutely nothing. We are such strange creatures.

Have you tried to imagine a life without timekeeping? Yes? No? Can you? Have you realised that man are the only ones on earth that actually tries to measure it? And by so doing we all fear something no one else fears.

You see, mankind invented the fear of time running out.

The book "The Time Keeper" by Mitch Albom really makes you think. And when you are finished reading it it may have changed your perception of time, too. At least I sincerely hope so.

"The Time Keeper" by Mitch Albom

A book in every nook?

Are you guys like me - always reading more than one book at any given time?

I have books spread throughout the entire house... and when at work I am usually reading three books: one in my room, one at my desk and one on my iPad kindle app! Reminds me a bit of this guy:

Chris Gall

Close to the perfect holiday

A little while back we jumped on a plane to the Caribbean. We had no plans, no thoughts as to where to go - apart from the date on the return ticket. What a joy! We roamed about around the British Virgin Islands - and visited 7 different islands in the area. We absolutely loved a few of them - they were so tranquil, so beautiful and in general amazing places to spend some time!

Needless to say: I brought books! And a hammock. You do not need much to make some pretty perfect days on the beach ♥

A book I found down there:
A Trip to the Beach 
by
Melinda and Robert Blanchard

Another book from the amazing "Black Jewels"-series!

Luxurious days!

Nom!

"Bright Young Things"
by
Scarlett Thomas

I really have to plan another trip - perhaps to a different part of the Caribbean this time. Although I must say that I will have to drop by "Ivan's Stress Free Bar & Campground" on Jost van Dyke - that place was the closest thing to paradise we found ♥

A Peculiar teaser

Sometimes you see a book that has such a colourful and fantastic cover that you simply must have it. This is one of those books.

"The Peculiar", as it is called, is indeed a peculiar book, although the creature the title references to is so much more.

As a creature of two worlds, Bartholomew is hated by both. This story begins the day he got himself noticed - which, he knew, he ought not to be. The wise saying of the area he lives in clearly states:    

"Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged."

Now what? Next thing he knows he has to flee for his life - and gets himself tangled up in a sinister plot where he must gather all the courage he can to try to set things right... before it is all quite too late.

My teaser:

"You didn't simply go places. It was unwise to leave the house, dangerous to go into the street, but it was mind-bogglingly foolish to venture out of the faery slums. Bartholomew had not needed to be mind-bogglingly foolish until very recently."

pp. 268 

"The Peculiar" by Stefan Bachmann

I enjoyed the story, and I am eager to get home so I can start on the second and possibly last book, "The Whatnot". I might even treat myself to the short-story collection Bachmann has made in collaboration with a few other authors.


More teasers:
Flukten fra virkeligheten
Should Be Reading

Incredible book art

Sometimes art can be so detailed and beautiful - and what better material then books to make it out of? A book that has seen better days might turn into this perfect project. I especially marvel at the pictures and drawings of this book - they are truly magnificent when displayed like this.

"Modern Painters" by Brian Dettmer