X: Easter pictures/påskebilder

Jesus has risen! And I do not understand those who would disagree with me on that a snow-capped Brøstadbotn must be shaped by an intelligent, creative and almighty God. The album displays a few shots from my skiing trips with my father, the celebration of my grandmother’s 80th birthday and a few other people and places, included my childhood friend Steven and his girlfriend Lene Merete and newborn daughter Benedicte.

Easter 2008 in Brøstadbotn

Jesus er oppstanden! Og jeg forstår meg ikke helt på de som er uenig i at et snødekket Brøstadbotn i påsken må være påvirket av en kreativ skapermakt. Albumet viser noen fotoknips fra skiturene med min far, feiringen av min bestemors 80årsdag og diverse andre ting – som min barndomsvenn Stevens samboer Lene Merete og deres nyfødte datter Benedicte.

E: Countries of the world

A little Sunday mind game for you: How many countries can you name in five minutes?

82

I managed 82, but really froze up towards the end. Besides, when working against the clock, I forgot a bit of spelling and even names of the countries in English (Often different names in Norwegian). I would probably have done better if I had refreshed my memory on forehand watching the famous animaniacs ”nations of the world” song, or even better: learned the song – like this 4-year-old.

When I know the song, I will take the test again :)

E: Future career options

There is a probable chance that I will leave my journalism position for Agenda 3:16 this summer. The principle reasons I will discuss in a later entry. The big question is where I shall direct my everyday energy from August?

There are many things I would like to do and heaps of activities I could do. I could remain within journalism, but am not sure if that is what I am created to do. I love getting paid for telling others – hopefully in an intriguing manner – about what I learn and experience. But I think I have a personality more into counseling, analytical and motivational work. Maybe. Regardless of the outcome of the process, I wish I am able to lift my head and base my decision on where I would like to be in say 3-5 years rather than by all means getting something to do as soon as possible. I am also very eager to lay these choices in the hands of the Lord. Hopefully it will not be too hard to have my desires and His will concur.

Here are my current alternatives:

Journalism
There are many cool things to do when enlightening, encouraging or inspiring a reading, listening or viewing media audience. This is area is one I know.
* Within storytelling/feature
* Travel
* Working on the editorial desk, doing the layout and visual presentation as I did last summer for Vårt Land

Consultation / management / Human resources / mentoring
This vague list is touching upon an area I am very likely to pursue, but still working on defining exactly what position I would want. I love analyzing, breaking down problems, organizing and systemize. The interpersonal communication is something I feel I handle well on a general basis. Therefore I think working within such a field would make me feel at home.

Investigation
The nature of a journalist or researcher is not too far away from the mind of an investigator. Or so I think. I am not ready or motivated to do a full police academy course, but rumors say it is not needed to pursue an investigation career. This I need to clarify soon.

Teacher
Both my parents are educated to be teachers and the role of contributing to understanding in another human being is a wonderful feeling – something I have experienced through various leadership and coaching positions.

Free lance
This lifestyle could combine traveling, studying, writing, taking pictures, do lectures while pursuing my purpose in working life.

Studying
I am not a stranger to gaining some more university credits.
* Psychology
* Organizational theory
* Leadership
* Pedagogy
* Photography: if I could advance with my photographic skills, working as a photographer would give greater global options.

As long as I stick to my lovely lady (and if wants to remain in Oslo), I do not consider a working place outside of Oslo as very likely.

Feel free to vote on my ideas or add your own suggestions.

E: Amsterdam & Haag documented

A few shots from my stay-over in Amsterdam and Haag on my way back from Mali in February. Here I had a most hospital host in and a great time catching up with Arosha. See the album with a few of the memories saved through my viewfinder.

More pictures are scheduled to appear later this week from Paris, Poland and my Easter with my family up in the north of Norway.

Amsterdam & Haag feb 08

E: Online clips 27

There will be more pictures, stories, thoughts and happenings reported in the near future. Easter is the foundation for the entire Christianity. But for now I share a bit of recreational video time-outs for the holiday side of things.

Let us begin with a four musical contributions.

The best way to reveal a playback performance: Fall of the stage :)

A great way of having fun with Star Wars: Have Darth Wader play the harmonica.

Ronan Atkins has a great selection of character: see the janitor with a(n invisible) hidden drumming talent.

You think you can break dance? Not after watching this video

I have saved the best for last this time. This frozen Grand Central stunt in New York is one of the coolest things I have seen in a while. A similar project was undertaken in London. I would really like have a go at this idea myself sometime. (freezing)

E: Polish arrival

I am in Poland. With my travel mate Kjetil, Krakow is hereby becoming a familiar city. Its center is far from the largest I have seen, but the Old Town surrounding the main market square has a lot of charm.

We arrived this morning and have spent the day in the city. Tomorrow we will hit the salt mines and Sunday will be devoted to explore the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. Then we move to Warsaw where we will finish the remaining monday and tuesday before returning to Norway.

We enjoy ourselves down here and have a lot of fun together.

A few Polish observations/impressions:
* The country is slighty more modern/like the West than anticipated: the cars are modern and the way of dressing too.
* Pollution and overcast enhanced the impression of Polish (urban) landscape being less colorful than home.
* Many of the boys have army cut hair style or lone of the 80s.
* English skills are decent.
* There are very few non-whites around. If it has to do with immigration policy, country economy, racial attitudes or something else.

E: 2nd in 1st division

We won the final ranking tournament. If the team we beat in the semi final, Åsheim, had lost the bronze final, we would have won the entire division. We are not serious, rich and possibly not good enough to do decent in the big league, but fun to know we had the opportunity.

This is my Norwegian tournament report (written as a poem) and the story written by the national volleyball forum Volleymedia.no.

Nordnorske statutter

Denne gang er det ikke setninger av dialektisk art, men derimot en liste over punkter som bekrefter nordnorsk tilhørighet. Listen ble funnet på Facebook-profilen til min søster, Ingvild.

Alle setningene kan innledes med: ”Du er norlænding når...”

* Du forsvarer det å bade i Nord-Norge med at ”det gjør bære ondt de ti første minuttan!”
* Du vet at Svalbard ikke ligger rett utenfor Kvaløya, selv om det ser sånn ut på værkartet.
* Du anser 2-3 mil som en liten svipptur
* Du orker ikke å kjøpe hagemøbler, men blir bare sittende litt på sparken når sola skinner
* Du er sørpå å sier du er fra Hammerfest og får spørsmål om du kjenner Ivar fra Narvik
* Shorts, bikini og sandaler ikke viser tegn til slitasje etter ti års ”bruk”
* Du lever fint med at kollektivtrafikk begrense seg til en buss som går en gang om dagen unntatt mandager
* Alle som skal etterligne dialekten din høres fullstendig Joker Nord ut
* Du bor i Oslo og bestiller billett hjem til juleferien i mai måned, og det fortsatt koster deg en formue.
* Du er sørpå og folk synes du er mer eksotisk enn en pakistaner.
* Du kan fortelle folk sørpå at gjennomsnittstemperaturen her oppe er -30 grader uten at noen reagerer
* Du får spørsmål som: ”Unnskyld, finnes det VG her oppe?”
* Du legger vekk vinterklærne til barna og finner frem sommerlue og sommervotter

X: Volleyball win & loss/Får-i-Koll

Tomorrow the volleyball season of 2007-08 will come to an end. We are currently playing the very last ranking tournament. We are in the semifinal. No matter what happens, we will finish second in the league after all points have been added up, despite crappy league play. If we win, and Åsheim, which we will play in the semis, finishes fourth, we will win the entire 1. division.

Wednesday the fellows lost (without me) against Spirit Lørenskog (1-3). Sunday we won 3-2 versus Koll.

--

Les den engelske versjonen over for detaljer. Vi vant søndag mot Koll og tapte onsdag mot Spirit Lørenskog. Klikke på lagnavnene for kampreferat.

Jeg spilte ikke så mye mot Koll og heller ikke all verden i dagens del av rankingturneringen. Dette til tross for at jeg selv føler meg bra i slag og har gjort gode innhopp. Men nå er det én dag igjen av sesongen, og nå er det viktigste hvordan laget gjør det totalt.

Tenk at vi kan vinne førstedivisjon i morgen, til tross for en ganske dårlig sesong i serien.

Afterski og singelslipp

Nei, ingenting har med meg å gjøre. Jeg har to nyhetsmeldinger å dele om slekten fra nordnorske nettaviser.

I Dyrøy, min hjemkommune, arrangeres det afterski-treff i påsken. Om noen lurerer på hvordan min far, Ragnvald Storvoll, ser ut, er han avbildet i saken foran åstedet: det nye kommunesenteret Nordavindshagen.

The Fernets er et fremgangsrikt rockeband fra Tromsø. Brødrene Rudi og Norvald Nikolaisen er barn av min mammas søster, og spiller henholdsvis bass og trommer. Avisen Nordlys har sansen for gutta, med rette. The Fernets har gitt ut en plate, og kom nylig ut med ny single: When the lights go out.

Når jeg først er i gang, var det trivelig å lese at Tromsøs elitelag i volleyball, BK Tromsø, slo serieleder Førde i gårdagens hjemmekamp. Brøstadbotn, som er hvor jeg er fra, ga bort lisensen til laget like etter årtusenskiftet. Derfor kjenner jeg godt til mange av spillerne, som flere er tidligere lagkamerater. Volleymedia og Nordlys har to litt ulike vinklinger på seieren.

Klokken 14 i dag spiller for øvrig mitt nåværende lag, OSI H1, mot Koll i Kringsjåhallen.