Slightly satisfied

Hollow

2012-01-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

We clamber to the position of our years
holding on to generated fears
but what we all posess
is as hollow as nothingness
so let the salty brine
trickles down a frown
on the topocracy of your face.

Act on principel and ignore the moment
Do it right, and not on impulce
do all that you have learned.

But what the soul delivered
fell... and quivered.
Perspektive, lost in a fog.
Hollow men! Hollow men!
Another, defektive COG.
Screwing up the machine.
All are subject and falable
To the terror of the routine.

Act on your emotions, ignore the press
do right and be impulcive
do what you feel.

DON'T WORRY, IT WILL BE ALRIGHT, IN THE END!

Crisis what crisis!

2012-01-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

Public Domain picture from the openclipart.org
http://openclipart.org/detail/46897/man-at-work-by-cybergedeon

I often hear, the preaching of our world ending, especially in the news. This year is 2012 and the Maya should be the culprit and not the environment, nuclear war, or what ever we have earlier been told.

There is though someone, who's world ends everyday, and from what the news have been broadcasting since it's inception, this has always been the case. I can't base my knowledge about the world on news, just look, at what you have to conclude about the world, if that is all there is to life. Humanity would be a pestilence on the earth and spiralling towards destruction.

The world though, as it is, has not gone away, disappeared or ended in a grisly manner yet. So, I must conclude that the news is no place to base my views of reality. I am not saying that any of the stories are false, in fact I believe them to be true. I just think that the real news happens amongst people and not across media.

Community is what drives people, everything any decent person does is to earn the respect of others. To have an interest, at all or dedicate ones self to something, is an attempt to earn credit.

An interpretation of credit would be payment, but that is often by proxy. You get the money wired to your account and if you are lucky an acknowledgement of work done, in that way it is not a direct communication of respect, or acknowledgement of a job well done. The last is important, because, when you are acknowledge and someone shows true interest in you, then you can start feeling that you have a worth.

In reality respect is an exchange like any other, an exchange of feelings. Money is also an exchange, often with work, at the other end, but make no doubt, money is an exchange by proxy and no replacement for the real deal.

So what type of crisis do we have? Well if it is an economic crisis then we aren't so badly off, but if it is a crisis of community, then we are much poorer.

Think...what is poverty, to have no wealth or to be poor. An economic crisis means to have less material wealth, not to be poorer. Poverty is relative, there are many places in the world where people live with little or no money and live healthy fulfilling lives. Money does not dictate for them if they are wealthy or not, their community does, if they have no food, no friends, no family, no work, no interests, no happy moments then they are unhappy.

If something is to be learned from a crisis then it is to value what you have, it is to grow your community, to seed the grains of respect in others, so they can give you respect in return.

You can learn a lot from computer games, I heard someone explain a game to me, he said something like this, that the goal was to go on missions, with a group of you friends and by doing an activity gain points. It sounded a lot like real life, WHEN IT IS DONE RIGHT!

How do you make real life better?

My recipe would be to:

Show real interest in others and what they are doing!

Show that you respect them.

Share what you know with those that the knowledge can help.

Do meaningful activities, meaningful work, meaningful free time.

These things create community and community pays back, it is an exchange you get something from others in return for what you have done. Respect is in a way, it is getting the true value of what you give others. Maybe we all have to start thinking of getting paid with cash, as only being half- paid.

I can't say I am great, at following my own advice, but I know it to be true, and I hope to be more aware of it. I can easily become too proud myself and pay out blank emotional checks. If I want to get out of this crisis then it is through seeding the plains of community!

There is also something else, and the thought drifts out of my head, as I think of it. Innovation is also another important factor, when it comes to coming out of a crisis. Innovation works also on an individual level, in the old days there were many names for it inventing and creating. There is not that much real poverty amongst innovators, they are not just making do, they make and they innovate.

Making do is in a way of just staying afloat. While in contrast innovation is to sail or even to fly. Think how many thoughts are wasted on self pity, that could have dug one out of a hole. I have done it myself, dug so deep that I almost made it on the other side.

Truth be said, innovation needs a surplus, surplus is a type credit and community is certainly a type of surplus. Can you do everything you could with money on community alone? Almost.

In fact it is the best way to get money. Where do jobs come from, if you answer is friends, acquaintances, family, comrades, buddies, employees from previous jobs then you are amongst the plenty. Community is what makes the world go round! Any one without community is truly poor and it is they who experience the crisis.

So nurture you community, give respect and earn respect, and by my values, you will never be poor!

Back in black

2012-01-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

Public Domain picture from the openclipart.org
http://openclipart.org/detail/2900/human-skull-(side-view)-by-liftarn

Dear reader

I am back, and after a few years of doing a lot of other things, I finally decided to get back to blogging my eclectic thoughts. I don't know what goals I had with this blog, when I first made it, it seems to have been a hap hazard collection of journal/diary comments intermixed with photos. It must have been a pre- facebook and twitter live stream, yeah, who knows, what use it had and what it could be used for, but it's reach wasn't broad, it was of no public interest and had nothing worth debating about, nor hint of controversy and what more, nothing to stimulate the senses.

I have changed slightly since then and have become a bit more ideological and more conscious of what I believe. I could have chronicled that change, but then again, if I did do that, would I have changed to who I am now. I as the observer changes the world I live in, as the world within me changes too, so by observing the world, I also change myself!

There is always one reason that serves, as the dynamo of change, a proverbial straw that broke the camels back or light bulb turned on, that illuminates the mind.

My reason for taking up the pen once more, is the thought, that thoughts confined to the head are no challenge to myself or society. And if there is one thing that is important for society then it is renewal, renewal comes from thoughts, and thoughts put to paper are the kindling in the steam engine called society. Therefore it is my duty, to write down any thought radical enough to deserve, being put into print. So I can be part of a larger debate, than the beating of my own drum and share what value I have been blessed with. I hope that I can live up to my own values, and spread a message that thoughts should be shared for the sake of friendship, community and democracy.

I have no higher assumptions, as to who should be reading what I have written, I do not claim either that any of it has any value, it is the principle of the matter and my way of living up to my own ethics and values.

I do though have my own wishes, as to the direction which society has to take, but it is by no means the bat I wish to throttle any one with. I firmly believe that the balance created by the democratic masses in the long run, creates a society for the masses, if let to run it's natural course.

So I do not believe that any view, unless firmly rooted in my societies taboo's or against the will of democratic thinking is wrong. It has though to be understood that the thoughts or information I share are mine and not necessary, an argument, against any one or anything else.

I hope that you enjoy what you read and if you feel, so compelled to send me a message or comment, do so with my blessing.

Alexander Henning Drachmann

My little halloween party

2008-11-03T01:51:00.000-08:00

Kenneth, Martina and Sillas.

Here are a few pictures from my little halloween party and the pre-party in trappen from the night before....

Pictures from the construction of my crocodile mask.

The pre-party in trappen .... it went so well, until a FOOL violently broke my crocodilles jaw,,,what a psycho,,, apparently nopt everyone can get into the halloween spirit.

I'm gonna bite you!Children of the night!!!
I've seen a crok!

Innocent angel chatting with a vampire, spot 3 mistakes!
Blood, blood, blood feel my teeth, arn't they sharp. I love my virgin zombies, arrrrgh!
Party, party, party!!!

Like a virgin, my brother shows of his metal breast plates.

Evil!

Very evil!

I am afraid!

That is where the magic wand went!

This fairy is scared!

One last dance!

The Halloween party!!!

Kenneth, Martina and Silas... A Vincent Van Gogh master piece....the sunflowers

My brother Michael Drachmann blessing Silas with fairy magic.

My brothers costume was created by myself.

One of the guests came with this delicious cake.

The kitchen is where it is at.Having a be-witching time...

Devils and smart chicks welcomeParty on!!!

Michael sleeping as usual,,,but wait....what is wrong with his nose.....

more pictures can be seen on http://silajko.blogspot.com/2008/11/silass-frste-halloween-hos-alex.html and http://alexhalloween.blogspot.com/... they were taken by my good friend Kenneth.

My crocodile mask

2008-10-29T02:37:00.000-07:00

This is my crocodile mask which I made out of cardboard quarter circles, precut with jagged teeth, a half ball of smaller quarter pieces make up the back of the head and the entire thing has been taped together and covered in papmache.

Blåvand

2008-09-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

Here are few pictures of a this Sundays trip to the beach with Inger B and my brother in blåvand (blue water).

The following is from the Tirpitz ruins from ww2, it was supposed to be a german mega canon, but it was never finished.

The beach with my little brother and Inger B

The lighthouse Blåvand Fyr

KOLDING

2008-07-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

As a break in a long series of earth shaking events, I was challenged to save my brother from the horrible fate of having to walk home from Kolding. For those outside of the Danish boundary and with little knowledge of this excellent town, I will share these excellent images of the trip.

Town statue.
Michael, happy to be saved from a great walk home.

Despite the serious nature of the trip, it turned out to be a decent day and I have plenty of good memories of it.

Kolding lies at the hub of Denmark, a modern city, by which almost all of the heavy traffic of this nation passes close to or through. It is a dynamic mixture of old and new.

Koldig hus is the icon of Kolding, it is a medieval fortress, which has been damaged over the centuries and restored again and again.

Lots of rhubarb

A copper clad house close to Kolding hus

On our leaving this town we got a glimpse of some boats.

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE in HJERTING

2008-06-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the summer solstice celebrations in Hjerting close to Esbjerg. This first image is of Esbjerg, as you can clearly see, there is little chance of any fire catching on that wood.

It was very windy in Hjerting and by the time the fire was lit, most of the people had gone. I had a few beers and stayed a while, after all it was the summer solstice and the gods had certainly lit the sky with a golden flame, so it wasn't really needed.

In Denmark we burn a symbolic witch and all that is bad or unpleasant in the flames, so a lot of student papers were thrown on the fire. With a few of them flying about still burning in the wind.

It wasn't the most eco event ever, a lot of petrol was used on the fire, but a lot stayed away from their TV's for a while, so it must be a small victory for the eco crowd.

Filipstad Day 1 and 2

2007-12-23T04:05:00.000-08:00

Day one was a very ritualised affair; tea, tea, coffee, tea, water, a drink, coffee, water sleep!

Day two, here I am writing this and nothing has happened yet, yes, I am in the middel of no where, it is a Sunday and there is nothing to do!

Göteborg to Filipstad

2007-12-23T03:42:00.000-08:00

It was a very long night, I walked for a few hours well until the break of dawn. I thought at some point that I should avoid getting blisters, as much as possible. Even the endless lit shop facades can't distract someone from the pain of foot blisters, so I made my way in the direction of the bus terminal.

I must say that on my way there I saw tons of seven ellevens, I guess that is just a sign of city life.

I then decided to wait until the first cafe's open, coffee was essential at this point. What ever I do I should not fall asleep, who knows what I would miss.

After that I waited even longer until the ticket office opened and then until my bus arrived. I was at that point bothered by a drunk Scottish guy in his fifties, he talked German to me and was as irritating as anyone can possibly be. I just kept on telling him in Danish that I didn't understand a word of what he said. Apparently he wanted a cigarette. There was a Swedish guy beside me, he gave frowns of sympathy, but he didn't feel that he needed to but in at all. In the end he got the hint and buggered off.

I kept awake until the bus arrived and once I had embarked on my journey, I thought it would be safe to take a nap, but a metal head sat beside me and insisted on playing death metal,,,,I think I managed about an hour all in all, but really all it did was make me feel even more tired.

After a short break in Karlstad, I finally made it to Filipstad, where I was greeted by my oncel and grandad.

The day was over after a few short hours of catch up time and I sleept like a child.

Ready, steady, GO!

2007-12-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

PART 1 Göteborg here we come!!!

It has been a very long journey andnow I have gotten a bit of rest, I have enough energy to tell you of my travels up north.

I started this journey in Esbjerg and with only two bags round with their burdon, I made it to the railways station. I was in a bit of a fluster, because I knew that if I didn't make it, then there wasn't going to be a holiday. I also had the ussual financial/economic problems to deal with, this holiday isn't going to be over until March, well financially it isn't.

On the train I had the usual supplies, books a plenty, most of them study books and a few from the Danish kanon of approved books. I was also furnished with beer, chocolate and a bag of manderines. The journey until Frederikshavn was all in all, uneventful, I wasn't able to sleep and shouldn't either (what if I missed my boat or worse), so I had to please myself by reading books, even though they were quite heavy and could put a full grown rhino to sleep.

In Frederikshavnn I enjoyed a burger, at a little and probably only lokally known establishment. It is the sort of a place where you breathe fat instead of air and a guaranteed heart attack is on the menu. I had made it 2 minuttes before closing time, so I had to sit on a bench outside and eat it, but that was alright because it was still in the 1 degree over minus.

After having eaten I made it to the boat terminal.

I was the only one waiting in the waiting hall, ok there was an old man with a suspicious moustache too, but less about him the better!

I got a shy sqirm from the guy at the desk when I pointed it out, but I suspect he wasn't much practised at smiling.

The boat didn't rock too much, the weather was nice outside and people were sleeping everywhere, where the chairs wern't fastened to the floor, they would put them together, well it was after between 10 pm-2 am and humans need sleep.

I didn't sleep, who knows what could happen if I did!

When ever I started to nod, I walked the floors of the ship and if I was about to count sheep, then I quickly made it up to the upper deck where there was an endless quantity of fresh air.

Götenberg started as a series of dots in the distance, but sooner turned into a disco in the horizon.

2007-09-28T03:25:00.001-07:00

Roskilde the last passage

2007-07-11T02:40:00.000-07:00

The same night as I wrote my last post I went up to hear a few concerts, The first of which was a heavy metal band, Danish, but I did not know them. They were quite good, but because I had too much water in my boots and because my feet were starting to hurt, I had to turn around and go back to camp. I went back to where my tent was, I opened my tent and when I picked up something, I noticed that the bottom of the tent was floating on a cushion of water. I picked up a few cans of beer. Drank them and made my way up to the music area again. It was a hard trip, it had started to rain again and I had water in my boots. I couldn't get rid of the water, there was more and more of it. My clothes were soaked and i was starting to get a rash all over my body, especially where I had it come into contact with the sandy mud. I had placed a few plastic bags in my boots, at first it was a weird experience, my feet were cushioned by water, but at some point the water had dribbled down into the plastic bags, I felt as if I was slipping inside of my own boots. I went somewhere and got something to eat. I then headed for the festival music. I was checked at the gates for beer, something not allowed in the music area.

I then saw Bjork, I had to empty my boots every 20 minutes, it was becoming unbearable, I wasn't enjoying it at all. The rash was getting worse.

I saw then a few jazz numbers and some ethnic music, I loved the music, but now I had a real hard time walking, the rash had crept up to my thighs. When the last number was over, I went to a stall, I got a few Swedish meatballs with lingon sauce. I love Swedish meat balls.

I then decided that after I had gotten a few beers I would go to the first aid tent, so I went back to the camp.

I looked for my tent and I could only find the top of it, it had sunken into a lake of mud, I opened it and found a few beer cans on the lake inside. This is where I broke down, this was too much, i had 3 beers, there were still about 40 under about 1 meter of mud and water.
Enough was enough, I wanted to go home, so I asked one of the guards about when the trains leaved and promptly made my way to the exit.

In order to make my way out of the festival, I had to go through the music area, where my last beers were taken from me, by this time I could only walk at half-zombie speed, the rash was really severe. I walked to the main road it took sometime and I asked someone how to get to the station, the guard said that I should take the bus, the bus was 2km away, so I walked as fast as I could to where the bus was supposed to drive from. When I arrived there I found out that the bus didn't drive for another hour, so I might as well walk to the station, apparently it was only 2km from where I got the advice from the guard to take the bus. 4km later I was at the station amongst several hundred unhappy souls. I waited there for an hour or so. Then came the train, it drove me to the station in Copenhagen, there I waited another few hours until the break of dawn. Then I waited half an hour for the first coffee shops to open, if there ever was anyone in need of coffee, then it was me.

With a national geographic, a cup of coffee, 2 Danish pastries and chocolate drink in hand, I drove back to Esbjerg, from where I waited half an hour until my brother collected me, this was followed up with a trip in a taxi home.

My rash was far more sever than I thought at the time, I also had cuts and bruises from top to toe, despite that, if you ask me if I ever would want to go to Roskilde again, then I would have to say YES. Next time, I will just have to sleep in a boat.

Roskilde festival a really wet experience

2007-07-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

When people say that they have been wet before then they are truly wrong. They have never been as soaking wet as I have been on this day, my second day at the famous Roskilde Festival. It is beyond belief, but some how it has brought people together.

People talk to each other share stories and complain about the weather like never before. We all have one thing in common, we are all soaked to the bone. The energy is here, the party atmosphere is here and rain is the only real threat. I have seen a few people leave already, soaked to an inch of their lives, tents destroyed by the wind are littered overall. I am ok, I do not dare to sleep in my tent tonight, the sea has moved under it and the only force keeping my things from being soaked is my will not to place my weight on it. Tonight I will party until I am dry and I hope that at the crack of dawn new weather will approach Roskilde's weathered inhabitants, bringing forth a dry spell that will dry my things before I have to take it all back home again.

Will I sleep, no I wont, but I will coffee until this has become a story and is a reality no more.

The real test is my army boots, which have finally succumbed to the water, something that years of use have not been able to do. They are fine, but for the first time my socks have become wet.

From Roskilde with love

2007-07-05T01:04:00.000-07:00

Here is what has happened since I have come to Copenhagen, I was commissioned to paint motives in the toilets of a Club in Copenhagen, I did that it took about 8 hours, I drank a bit with my friend Kenneth (he was on the soda water diet), who then drove me to Roskilde. I got off walked a bit and then gave Tanya my brothers ex-boyfriends daughter some stuff so she could survive the festival. Then it started to rain, I got stuck and fell in the mud several times over an hour ( a lot of idiots filmed and photographed me but none helped me, there were even a few who laughed at me), until some swedes gave me a beer and a tent. They were great. We had a few beers followed by a trip to the shops I bought a flute as dinner, all my provisions were so soaked that they could not be eaten. I then went and bought a navy cap from the old German DDR, it rained so I needed something cool for over my head. I can't find it right now but it is probably still in my tent. I then walked round a bit, I tried to get some idea of the size and scope of the festival. Drank a few beers, went back to my tent, but couldn't sleep because of all the loud music being played, one group was especially disturbing, they played Beasty Boys throughout the night, waking me up at intervals, not only that they themselves sang to the various hits. A disaster they couldn't keep a tune.

This morning I have had breakfast a cup of coffee (25 dkr) last nights sandwich and coffee was about 40dkr and since then all I have done is write this.

I will write again soon, see ya all, I am logging off, from Roskilde with love.

Pic of me at 80s party

2007-04-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Just as it says in the title. Not the best party I have ever been to, but at least I came dressed in a smart suit, shirt and I had the crappiest sunglasses on that I could possibly get hold of.

SKATING

2007-01-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

I have been out skating with my little brother, I had a wonderful time and have proven once again that I still have IT! I had though to watch on, as my brother fell on his arse, again, and
again!!! Ha. Ha!

Wicca ics calender file

2006-12-23T08:09:00.000-08:00

I have created a ICS file, which is a calender file format, with the 8 calender dates in the Wicca calender (Sabbaths). This should help, as a reminder for the more nerdy witches and warlocks out there. I will upgrade it and this first version, is spartan with only the basics. I created it for Evolution in GNOME on the Linux desktop, but I expect it will work in most calenders.

CALENDER FILE

COLLECTORMANIA September 2006

2006-10-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

DAY 1

I arrived in London Stanstead after a short flight from Esbjerg airport on the west coast of Denmark and promptly made my way to the various busses parked outside the terminal. The weather was grey and it was threatening to rain any time soon. I looked around and promptly found a tempory kiosk, where I bought a national express ticket, the bus terminal was in the process of being built.

When I borded the bus O was greated by the sound of Danes, it is apparently not that easy to get away from home. I took to reading a book once the engine had started up and the terminal slid away behind the bus. A few hours later I would arrive in London, in time to see school uniformed boys & girls go home and the rush hour traffic.

In the city, I disembarked at Victoria station and close by I ordered a pint, which was followed by several others after my friend Rebecca had arrived with her entouage.
After a change of venue, I ordered a curry which was later to turn into a not too sever case of deli-belly. Which had dissipated by the next day.

Day 2

The journey to Milton Keynes lacked the normal traffic chaos of visits past, we came on time and were in no hurry. My good friends Amy and Rob, came a bit later and booked us all in. We then inspected our very reasonable accomodation. We had a great view ofo the
country side from our 3rd floor room. Then we went to the shopping center, where everyone
promptly got lost and I spent the following few hours trying to find all of them again.
I bought a few bits of star trek gear, I also saw chucky, a few star wars folk and I had a nice
conversation with a few Americans. I wasnt too impressed by the stars on display, but that has never been what the event is about. I don't know how, but Amy had found me and conveniently it was about lunch time, so we made a trip to the shopping center and lots of little shops. We then lost each other again and at some point or other we made it back to the hotel. Later that night we dinned in our hotel room. I had a very nice quish and with broccoli and pepper corns followed by a slice of cheese cake all washed down with ginger ale. Smashing. In the evening we tried finding a few sci.fi guys and gals, but to no avail, instead we drank beer at an Australian bar in X-scape.

Day 3

The last day in Milton Keynes. Hangover. Was followed by a trip into sci-fi heaven. Later I went on a mad dash to get internet, I wanted to buy a coach ticket, so I could make it back to Denmark. It was hard, but I made it 30min's before it had to close for the night.
We had some pizza for dinner, tried to party, but there wasn't really a party atmosphere in town, Instead we went to the hotel bar.

Day 4

I left like a mouse, disturbing nothing but the guy at the desk and the cab driver. After a shocking early morning transvestite display, I hopped onto the coach and was on my way once more to DK.

Breakfast in Milton Keynes amd bowling with a hangover.

A few computer game characters.

Collectormania Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes

The view from my hotel room.

collectormania

THE ICE CREAM FACTORY : Part 1

2006-09-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

Part 1 – Interpreting the mysterious lines
by Alexander Henning Drachmann

In the mind there is no boundary between fact and fiction.
Illusions are often taken to be true, so do not trust your eyes, your
senses or for that matter yourself. If you feel that something must be
true from head to toe and in every essence of your being, then it will
take a lot to change your view.
How many haven't fallen for a Lockness monster con or thought
that they have seen an unidentified flying object in the sky at night.
There are even those that think they have been raped by aliens.

The question is, how do you know if what you see and feel is an illusion or not?

The flickering neon lights would buzz to the ever steady beat of his heart, reflecting their lights onto the walls chasing the shadows away only for them to reappear a second later. The green walls shifted its colours from dark green to light green, covering a spectrum of shades.

There was a party on the wall, they were all dancing to a sure beat, the people all looked familiar. He tried to reach out and join the party. Hands out reached, he stumbled forward, but it wasn't real, he shook his head, slapped one cheek and got back to work.

DÆMONER

2006-09-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

af Alexander Henning Drachmann

Der var en gang et land, så lang som den var bred med fire hjørner,
hvert hjørne af riget peget som en kompas, på en af de fire blæste.
Om vinteren kom der altid vind fra norden, en kold blæst, og vinden
fik derfor navnet fra kompas retningen, ligsom alle de andre hjørner
af riget, man skulle være stærk og dygtig for at overleve her ude.

Landet havde en diktatur en gang, som det var i mode dengang at have.
Da han overtog embedet var han så gode som en engel, men som gammel
var han blevet krøbet sammen til en grim hæselige mand. Han sad på en
forgyldt trone i midten af rummet. Han brugte dagen på at lave regler,
som når læst op højt lød ganske fornuftigt, men i praksis var fyldt
med ondskab af en hvert type. Han tænkte kun på rigdom, luksus og sig
selv og det hele af hans magt gik på at skaffe rigets rigdom og få det
samlet i sit palads. For hvert år der gik og der gik mange år, steg
hans forbrug markant. Folket blev fattige, hvor de før var rige.

De onde kræfter i magien, brugte han for at holde folket nede, han
legede med det som et barn med et stykke legetøj. "Mere magt" lød det
fra hans mund, "mere magt" kom der fra højtalere på gaderne og "mere
magt"kom der fra fjernsynet i hvert borgerlige hjem.

En dag lød det at han ville skabe arbejde for alle arbejdsløse, på
fire nye fabrikker, en for hvert hjørne af riget. Den ene skabte
rigdom og luksus, som en syg, narige og gamle drage, blev det samlet
og kørt til paladset, hvor det skulle blive tællet op og placeret i
hvert af de fire hjørner i hans palads. Han kendte hvert stykke guld
personligt, som om det var hans eneste ven på kloden, såvel som alle
de andre rige sager i rummet.

I østen blev der bygget en fabrik som fremstillet djævler af en hvert
art, til en hver størrelse. Djævle var for folket, som blev født med
synd i årene, men om hvad synder som de har bragt til verden talte
ingen om. De skulle stå ad hjørner, i vindueskarm og alle de steder
hvor de kunne minde folket om deres evige synder.

Fra vesten kom der dæmoner, samlet på samlebånd i en fabrik med udsigt
til bjergene. Alle skulle have en, de fattige fik de største og de
rige folk havde nogle, på størrelse af deres tommelfinger. De gloede
ud fra hvert deres kroge, synlig for alle, med deres røde øjner og
tatoveret kroppe, med hvert en djævelsk mønstre kendt fra fortiden.

Da folket var født i synd, så må der siges at de havde ingen
samvittighed. Derfor blev den også skaffet for dem, bygget i sydens
største fabrik. Den var som en måtte og derfor flad, mens de rige fik
en så flad som en pandekage var folkets så tyk som en bog.

Fattige havde næsten ingen plads til overs, djævler og dæmoner, som
var stående på deres samvittighed, fyldte op rummet Gloende onde
skikkelse fulgte med i alt som skete i livet, ikke en eneste sekund af
deres liv var bragt i fred og ro.

Heldig vis var ikke alle i riget under kongens magt, for oppe i
bjerget var der en stamme, ædelige på helt deres egen måde, prinser og
prinsesser af sne, vind og ikke meget andet.

De kendte diktaturens magt og kunne se den sprede sig til hvert kroge
af landet indtil de var isoleret højt oppe på bjerget. De kæmpede ikke
over magt, fandt sig ikke i luksus og havde så hårde live i forevejen
at alt synd var skyllet væk i en daglig helved. De kiggede på, men
for blev neutral, det var indtil en lille pige, så hvad var skete. Hun
råbte sandheden foran øjnene af moren og faren, såvel som hendes lære
og bogmesteren, men de forblev alle tavs og neutrale. Sandheden gned i
sjælen af hende og med hænder rystende i vejret, tog hun hendes jakke
på og tasken af kroget og gik hurtigt ned fra bjerget.

Denne mørke nat fandt hun sig i en landsby og fik læ for denne nat.
Hun sov under dæmoner og djævler. De var lige så høj som hende selv,
på toppen af en samvittighed med samme tykkelse, som en roman. Hun
vågnede pludselig midt på natten og tænkte til sig selv. Hvor falske
disse djævler og dæmoner var, samvittigheden lagde hun dog også mærke
til. Hun kaldte dem for andre navne, og da hun råbte deres rigtige
navne forvandlet de til det de i virkeligheden var og blev skærret til
små stumper og til sidst brændt til støv i dagens første stråle lys.
Hun samlet samvittigheden op og sat de i hendes taske, og var hurtigt
nok på landevejen, førende til stor byen.

Til frokost fandt hun sig selv i en lille landsby, og hun var hun
inviteret ind til nogle barmhjertige folk, som så at hun var tynd og
maver, af gå turen. Hun sad på bænken i deres stue og kigget op på
ansigtet af djævler og dæmoner på højde af større mænd. Da hun havde
sagt tak for mad kom deres sande navne frem, de viste deres sande
klæder frem og da døren blev åbnet brændte de indefra, til sidst var
der kun samvittigheden tilbage, som hun lagt med den anden i tasken.

Hendes folk oppe i bjerget havde set det gode hun gjorde og drog ud i
verden for at gøre den samme gode gerning for alle. De sagde de
magiske ord, for de var også lige så kloge som hende og samlet
samvittigheder op fra støv og mudder over alt i landet.

Om aften var det at hun kunne se paladset, op alle dens onde djævle
vogter ud foran. Der var ingen lys at få, hun følte fortabt og grad
der hun stod. Der var det at en fattig dame så på, med ingen ting at
kalde for sit egen, en enke og med alle hende knogler slidt ned af
hårdt arbejde. Hun så den største djævle og dæmon nogensinde fylde så
meget af hendes tigge sted at hun ikke kunde få balderne på jorden.
Hun gav pigen, det sidste som hun havde tilbage, og hjertet gloede,
som lyset inde fra mennesket var så stærk som en hver stråle på en
solskin dag. Pigen skreg de sande navne ad dæmonen og djævelen og i
hjertets strålende skår forvandlet de til støv. Hun kunde næsten ikke
løfte samvittigheden, så stor og tyk som den var.

Tilsidst var alle fra bjerget kommet til paladset. Vægten af folkets
samvittighed lå tungt i deres tasker, men på grund af deres glæde fra
at gøre en gode gerning var den let som en fjeder. Det var næsten
midnat, da pigen stod foran porten af paladset, med hendes folk bag
hende. Dæmoner og djævler kigget på hende og hun kigget tilbage,
utallige onde væsener kom frem fra mørket, mod hende og hendes folk.
De var dog ikke bange og sagde deres rigtige navne, for dem havde de
alle lært udenad. Deres godgerning havde gav så kraftig en lys, at
folk endnu taler om at det var som om solen var for et sekund på
jorden.

Porten stod åben og de fandt hurtigt hans stor rum, med rige fra alle
kroge af landet. Der inde så de ham i alt hans reagalia, han talte om
magt og penge, men de ting var fjernt fra bjerg folkets forstand. Han
talte om rigdom og luksus, men det kendte de intet til. I sidste
forsøg talte han om sig selv, men hans gerning lå fjernt fra dem.

Pigen da hun genkendt ham hans rigtige navn, og masken faldt ned fra
hans ansigt. Hele bjerg folket kendte ham nu for det han virkelig var
og de kastede folkets samvittighed mod ham, indtil mere blod lå uden
for hans krop end flod igennem hans mørke hjerte. Der under folkets
samvittighed død han, men ikke en tår blev spildt på ham.

Da lyset skød frem var det som om folket vågnede op fra en lang
mareridt. Rigdomme blev delt ud til alle, men var ubrugelige bare som
det var. Metal blev støbt til hammere, sakse og nåle, de rige kåber
blev syet om til vaske klude og tøj for dem som ingen havde og det
rige mad blev tilsat grøntsager for at blive fordøjelige.

Pigen og bjerg folket drog den samme dag tilbage til deres rige, hvor
de nu ingen samvittighed havde på rykken, var det lettere og hurtigere
at nå frem, men de glemte ikke hindanden eller andre får denne sags
skyld. Derfor gjorde de mange slags god gerninger før de nået tilbage
denne nat. Den lille pige sagde tak for alt det barmhjertighed som hun
havde fået udskænket denne døgn og faldet i søvn, med en stor smil på
munden.

A trip to sweden - last febuary (2006)

2006-09-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Fastelavn

This is about the school party in which I became totally rat arsed - I kept it in Danish, as through reading it in Danish you can get an idea about how rat arse I was!!!

Skole festen - 10 - fastelavn

I min tid har jeg haft karate en gang om ugen, jeg følte at det var kedeligt efter 3 måneder. Jeg var inspireret af filmen "karate kid", ligesom så mange andre unger dengang. Jeg havde en plakater med "Bruce Lee" på væggen. Sår over alt på hans museløst krop. Derfor var det at jeg kom med en hoved bånd ligesom den "karate kid" havde på i filmene. Jeg kom for sent, vel det var jo meningen at jeg skulle.... Jeg drak, festede og undgik at danse. Alle var min ven. Jeg var dog ikke ligesom karate kid, jeg var lidt ældre og smukkere. Jeg havde drukket før jeg nået ud af døren og en del bagefter, og det var kun med held, at jeg nåede frem til min tog den næste dag. Jeg kom 3 timer for sent og med ikke bare tømmermænd, men en hel firma af dem bankende i mit hoved Observationer andet end de få jeg eviggjort igennem lensen af min kamera, kan jeg ikke bekræfte, så fuld var jeg, det var godt at jeg skulle til Sverige.

Esbjerg 8 - 9 o'clock

...I awoke with a bang,,,,I had quite a lot to drink the night before,,,,It was the large amount of rum and beer that did it. I should have been at the station at 6.55. What a fool I had been. I was suffering from a headache that could kill a rhino. I was suffering all the way up to Frederikshavn

In Frederikshavn we had a bit to eat....kebabs...chips...dessert. More dessert...even more dessert. Yeah well you know how it goes. Then we tried to sleep a bit, but there were kids running all around on the ferry. We then meet our onkel in Göteborg...the years wasted away, it was as if nothing ever changes,,,it will always be the same, it does not matter what baggage we have with us. Though we will try not to take 5 bottles and 40 cans with us next time, or take a trolley, it makes it so much easier.

12.FEBUARY A long days travel

I awoke once again, the eight o'clock curse has followed me a
while....I just keep on waking up at 8 o'clock, and I have been doing
this since I was a kid. Alarm clocks don't work half of the time, I
have had 5 on the go at one time, but still if my body is tired I will
always wake up at eight. I looked at my brother he had been rumbling
like a diesel motor on unleaded all night...I was relieved to see him
wake up, with a grunt and a snort. My face was against his, hoping to
scare the shit out of him, but with out success, he just asked what
was for breakfast. Crisp bread soft cheese and other lovely
Scandinavian specialties were presented for us.

Around 12. ish were we in Göteborg train station (Gotenburg to all
English speaking people), expensive coffee and cake was served on my
brothers tab. It was now a matter of getting to Filipstad. The journey
consisted of 5 hours of sitting still and trying not to make a sound
least of all fart sounds for all that time. We made it eventually to
Filipstad, though my brother was a bit anxious, as he couldn't see
past all the snow, hills and mountains. I reassured him in a brotherly
way, but to be quite honest I hadn't really a clue either. We reached
out and felt the familiar shadow of our Gran dad, he lead us past the
snow hills and across the ice clad streets, to his home, which he
shares with our Grandmother or is it really the other way around?

We were hugged, cuddled and fed. It was a cosy night, it ended with us
falling asleep. I am now on page 160 of the latest Harry Potter book.

13.FEBUARY A mission

We had a mission, there was no real honor in achieving it, but we just
had to do it. It was decided upon, when we woke up that day that we
just had to find out where all the young people went. We could not see
any older than 12, so you could see the dilemma, how could I get even
the smallest chance of scoring a beautiful Swedish girl, if everybody
that I could see was in their 60s.

We went shopping, bought loads of stuff drank coffee in an arty
cafe/gallery. Later we ate lunch...but that is irrelevant ....we had
to resume our mission.

Our path towards the target was blocked by great masses of snow and an
alcoholic that was following us and throwing snow after us. We hid
behind a great hill of snow and later sought shelter in an art store.

We were a bit unfair to the alcoholic, he was only trying to be like
us, when we had made it round to our grandparents place, we resumed
our alcoholic activities until the day was no more.

Our public apology to the alcoholic man we meet in Filipstad:

Dear Alky

We were a bit unfair to you, I know now that you were trying to
express yourself non verbally when you threw snow balls at us, as you
were incapable of speech. As your tongue was paralyzed by the large
amount of ALKY you had been drinking. If you are reading this today,
take a few extra beers with you, cos you never know, we might meet you
in town.

No more snowballs.

Yours in the gutter.

Laced good and proper

Valentines Day – No love, no young people, no one night stands with blond Swedes

Today our mission was to find a brothel, not to go into one and order
a woman, but just to see if such things exist in this little town. We
did so after a not so hearty breakfast of crisp bread with cheese on
top.

We had found a swimming hall that was closed, I looked at my
brother....this was not a brothel...but at least we had found a few
people under 60. The place was closed for all other than school kids
so we were eyed with suspicion.

We made it back to base, I had to urinate, I did so by first breaking
of the ice. It was minus 8 degrees centigrade.

After lunch. We went to an amateur exhibition, a lot of the locals had
drawn and painted for this exhibition that happens only once a year.
We had paid 20 Swedish kroner, but I must admit that there were only a
few photographs and a couple of sketches, that I thought was of any
note. We went up a set of stairs to another exhibition, it was of the
town hero Nils Ferlin, who was a famous poet. He is made permanent by
a statue of him on a bench in the center of Filipstad.

We had an early dinner, but it was I was getting a bit claustrophobic,
I couldn't stay at home all night, so me and my brother gone to a
video store/video arcade, to play pinball, video golf, double bubble
and a very realistic tennis game. We had a beer someplace where
everyone had gone to celebrate valentines day, it was a bit depressing
actually. I can understand why almost all the young people leave this
place. We went slowly back to base, where we ended up discussed
antique furniture until late.

February THE FINAL MISSION

This was the final "whole day" in Filipstad. The great shopping day. I must say that most of this day was spent purely on shopping/walking about in and out of shops. Not just purely this day, but all of the others too. Well there is nothing else in this little town, cut of from all of civilization and the broadband network too. We had a cup of coco at some point and visited an arts and crafts store. Every where, was the air filled with small town gossip. We had a few bargains, half price crisp bread, but nothing fantastic. We never got to go swimming either, as my brother got a cold. Well it is almost night, so we are going to eat dinner and waffles. Tomorrow we will travel back...

16. February - THE GREAT EXODUS

A funny coincidence, there were other Danes in Filipstad than me and my brother. Around the same time we went into a shop, a couple of Danes went out and the shop keeper told us about her attack of deja-vu. Odd that. In a town in the middle of no where, just like when I went to Milton Keynes last year, more or less the same happened.
Well, in an hour or two I will take the bus to Gotenburg - then ta ship to Denmark and then of down to Esbjerg by train.

I know it is a small town, but Esbjerg is where it is at, at least in comparrison to Filipstad.

Sorry, but it is true.

16. Febuary - The return journey

Snow, snow, snow we travelled through the Swedish landscape. My brother slept on my shoulder all the way to Gotenburg. He was sick, he had been working so hard the last year, that I suppose it had to happen. He blamed me, as I thrown a few snowballs in his direction when we were in Filipstad, but I think he knew that it was not true. A weido was looking at us all of the way to Gotenburg. He reminded me of the character from the Norwegian film "Elling" (duckling in translation), which is about a man who has lived with his mum all of his life. When we had reached Gotenburg, we went in for a bite to eat, we ate the obligatoriske "Swedish meatballs" and a sauce called "Lingon"...i think....it is spelled like that. It was dead cheap on the boat, but they did not sell a great choice of products. I was able to read the last of the "half-blood prince" and a book called "radiator" which was part of my home work. We took a train home, tried to sleep, well my brother did, as I read. Drunkards celebrating in the back of the carrige. He had problems sleeping, so he took out to bottles of "CAVA", we regretted every mouthfull. I have never been fond of any sparkling wine, but this was torture. "I believe the toilets on the train are cleaner´now", i would have exclaimed, but I did not want to direct my brothers attention to my having poured it away. I just had to get rid of the horrid liquid. We seperated at the train station, and I took a single stop on the Varde train home.

Vejen til Bække

2006-09-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

En ferie beretning af Alexander H Drachmann

Det var ikke planlagt at jeg skulle have ferie, lommerne og kontoen var begge tomme, men fabrikken lukkede halv-vejs igennem summer og jeg havde ingen valg. Søndag blev fulgt lørdag med hurtige skridt og jeg kom i tanke om, at jeg måske skulle tage de dage fri et andet sted end hjemme. Mandag, så snart at jeg havde hoppet ud af seng, udfoldede jeg mit kort af Danmark, jeg lukkede øjnene og svævede min indeksfinger over kortet og efter en lille stund prikkede jeg et sted på kortet.

Min første valg var Kolding, men jeg vidste udmærket at Kolding ville tage mig et par dage og jeg ville kun af sted den ene dag. Derefter begik jeg proceduren et par gange til indtil jeg ramte Vejen. Jeg søgte på google om Vejen og fik at vide om deres Kunstmuseum og ikke særlig meget andet, alligevel besluttede jeg at rejse af sted.

Jeg spiste min morgenmad færdig, drak ud den sidste kop te og hoppede ud af døren

Min ankomst i Vejen

Jernbanestationen ligger nær centrumet af Vejen, med de sædvanlige butikker, som findes i næsten hvert by i Danmark. Den har dog mange skjulte skatte, f.eks. der er fra banegården nogle små blå keramiske fliser med pile som viser vejen indtil byen.

Ind i den centrale del af byen vil man nemt kunne finde kunstmuseet, med alle de fantastiske skulptur stykker af Niels Hansen Jacobsen som levede imellem 1861-1941. Skulperne er på størrelse af mennesker og ofte i menneske skikkelse de har forskellige emner såsom døden, militarisme og sult. Den mest berømte af dem alle, er Vejles varetegn trolden, som står midt på vandet omringet af forskellige uhyre som sprøjter vand over den.

Her fik jeg min første skuffelse, museet er lukket om mandage. Jeg gjorte som jeg plejer når jeg er et fremmed sted og ved ikke hvad jeg skal, jeg gik i en retning og håbede på at jeg farer vild. Efter en halv times tid, var der at jeg havde fundet en vandre sti som skulle lede op til en gamle jordhøje far bronzealderen ”konge høj” er vidst hvad den hed. Jeg nåede til et sted med masser af skilte som sagde at stedet var byggegrund og ikke må betrædes og andre skilte som beskrev stedet som en vandresti. Jeg ignorerede advarslerne og gik under barrieren som de havde placeret foran stien.

Det var en uhyggelig sti, snævert, small og hvert hus med land op ad stien havde pigtråd indhegning og adgangs forbudt skilte. Jeg kiggede foran mig og ind i en lille skov, blade og mos dækkede bunden og insekt liv var overalt. Sollys skinnede ned igennem træerne og ramt jorden. De små lyse pletter viftede frem i takt til bladenes vippende bevægelse.

Ved udgangen af stien og op mod vejen lå jordhøjen, det var lidt af en skuffelse, især siden at den lå op mod vejen, som skær igennem siden af den.

Turistkontoret

Turist kontoret fandt jeg lidt senere, da jeg havde nået byen igen, det var op ad nogle trapper, i siden af en kedelig bygning. Det første jeg fandt ud af, var at der var strøm afbrud. De to damer som arbejdet der oppe, var ellers meget glad for at hjalp mig, og gav mig et par kort over området. Mere end 40km lå imellem den ene attraktion og den anden, så spørgsmålet blev stillet om jeg havde bil, det havde jeg ikke, men jeg svarede at mine begge mine fødder duede endnu og nogle få kilometer var ikke et problem.

Jeg prøvede at finde herre vejen, som er Danmarks ældste vej, kortet morsom nok inkluderet ingen gadenavne, så jeg var nødt til at lave lidt detektiv arbejde. Jeg fandt hurtig ud af at den jordhøj jeg havde set var op ad herrevejen og derfor valgte jeg den ene retning over den anden.

Efter nogle kilometer stødt jeg på en landsby. Ved en lille side vej lå der en kirke udført i den romansk stil, foran den var der en stor runesten udført i en rødt farvet sten. Inskriptionen skulle sige efter en planche under stenen, ”Ravnunga –Torveihug runner disse: efter: Tyre. Dronning: sin.”.

Allerede nu føltes dagen lidt speciel og med en del kilometer bag mig, drog jeg videre til Bække.

Det var varmt og solen brændt mig i nakken og vandet i min vanddunk blev hurtigt varm, så jeg vendt min krage opåd, lidt beskyttelse var stadigevig beskyttelse og gik den lange vej mod Bække.

Det første jeg fandt, var en ødelagt jordhøj mod vejen, være end den første og nærmest så lav som det land der ligger omkring den.

Bække

Bække nåede jeg endelig ved omkring halv firetiden. Lidt større end den første landsby bække var i besiddelse af en over 400 gammel værtshus og endnu en kirke med en runesten foran. Stenen skulle have ordene ”Tue, Ravns, Ætling og funden og Gnyble, de tre gjorde Tyras høj” hugget i den.

De to bedste fund var omkring en kilometer uden for Bækken, den første kunne ses fra lang afstand. Det var 2 bronzealder jordhøje og ind imellem dannede en del sten, formen af et skib. Skibssætningen var imponerende og især a top ene af højene. Ifølge en af stenene med runer var der en dame begravet i midten af skibssætningen, senere havde en del sten blevet brugt som bygge materiale og kun 5 originale har overlevet.

Blåtand og Saxo

Lidt længere hen og rundt om hjørnet lå der en meget berømt sten. Hamborggårdstenen skulle ifølge Saxo have blevet slæbt til dens nuværende position af Harald Blåtand, hvor han lad den lå efter hans søn gjorte oprør, men den har højst sandsynligt lagt næsten sammes sted siden istiden.

Jeg havde nået mit mål, jeg havde brugt dagen på noget fornuftigt og lavede nogle spændende opdagelser. Dagen havde ført til en næsten 20km vandre tur in og ud omkring Vejen og med hensyn til mine fødder valgte jeg at rejse med bus tilbage til Vejen og videre med tog til Esbjerg.