Magical Norway from an American point of view

Bergen, Norway. The singer is Evior, the female voice and the one playing the drum, a Faroes singer. From the Faroe Islands. This was a tech rehearsal for a music festival.

I visited Scandinavia a couple years ago. Couldn’t tell you how many exactly, there were a couple years that disappeared in the pandemic.

I was shocked at their philosophy when it comes to government and what the government does for the people.

They have a philosophy. From the cradle to the grave.

It means, you will be taken care of your whole life by the government.

In America, that might read as, “you don’t have to work,or do anything,you can be a lazy piece of shit, and others will pay for you.”

In Scandinavia,because this is their mindset from the beginning, it’s completely different.

They pay a lot of taxes to be sure but they see where their money goes.

They have a mindset that they all take care of children, parents of children (we don’t make this connection in the States), and the elderly as well as themselves.

From the cradle to the grave.

There are other vital differences.

Norwegian people are said to be the happiest people and I can contest to that.

And Norway has months where the sun doesn’t really rise, so that’s saying a lot.

We’re a capitalist society, a blame the individual society, it’s not healthy and we often have to figure out how to be calm amongst chaos.

Traveling shows you alternate ways of thinking.

Cheers to you, Norway, and cheers to traveling to see different ways of life.

Eiver on her own.

The Good in Humankind

Reading the recent headlines it’s easy to loose faith in people.

Mass shooting in Colorado. Terrorist attack in Israel. A myriad of other more localized violence.

If you were an alien from another galaxy and you googled earth, you would think the worst. World wars, massacre’s, genocide.

All happened and happening as I write this.

However, having travelled the world, and I know I’m privileged to have been able to do this, I have a different take.

It’s controversial but I’ve seen that people are generally good. They’re just living life and getting by as they can.

I went to Norway a couple years ago and was taken aback when a Norwegian teenager who was working in a store asked to hug my mom.

He said that he’d lost his grandmother recently and my mom reminded him so much of her.

I could see his loss. And then saw his heart grow.

Having lost her teenage son, I’m going to say tragically but that’s a massive understatement, I saw her heart grow.

I can’t actually remember if they hugged due to a pandemic in between, but I remember that my mom’s heart went out to him, and he received it.

This was so beautiful and I hold onto that.

Two people of completely different generations across the world connected for a moment to create a memory for a lifetime.

Humankind, is at its core, positive and incredibly warm.

I leave myself with that today.

Mrs. Mann

I had a third grade teacher named Mrs. Mann

They taught me ancient Egypt mythology, Greek mythology and read from a book that had its protagonist, a happy go lucky kid burns their eyes out by illegal fireworks.

It was life changing. The way it was explained. In a perfect way a child could understand.

I loved Mrs. Mann, and now I see that this person was trans. Back in the 80’s.

I remember they were called a “her” at assembly. Yet, They wore a tie and pants everyday.

I remember a time when we all were talking about Mrs Mann. Why does she wear the clothes she does? They’re man’s clothes.

They heard this and offered answers. “I look like a woman but I wear mens cloths. Do you have any questions?”

We didn’t because we had no context.

That’s what I remember.

There was no way to understand this. But, I loved Mrs. Mann. I didn’t understand them though.

I learned a lot from them.

It was a moment before we appreciated the moment.

Gender is fluid.

Gender roles are thankfully not a thing.

Women are not barefoot and pregnant

Men are not unfeeling robots who pay bills.

Somehow this is lost on the older generations.

Certainly lost on me until I took a look at it.

I have such great confidence in the newer generations.

I support the idea of “them”. It means women aren’t immediately thought of as home makers, men aren’t immediately though if as providers.

Things all women will go through

I’m 47. That’s the age most women will experience peri menopause.

You might go for a routine check with your OBGYN.

I did that, 2 years too late, and my OBGYN noticed a large polyp.

She was down there and said something.

I was completely freaked out.

Of course I was thinking, “There’s a huge tumer and it’s stage 4 cancer”

I hadn’t seen an OBGY for years. I had no context.

Apparently, its common for a peri menopausal woman to have polyp’s.

Something about hormones.

My doctor told me not to worry about it. Because I’m still menstruating.

If I wasn’t It could mean cancer.

The moral of this story is, ladies, get checked every year. Especially if you’re over 45.

How can you afford that if you don’t have insurance?

I don’t know.

That’s a crime.

Specifically because you need to check yourself over 40. Male or female.

Here’s my bid for universal health care.

A great dad

I can remember a time when someone on my school bus was going off on Hispanic dads.

Can’t remember the specifics, I can only remember being so shocked at this narrative.

That they’re unavailable or absent all together.

I told this person they were wrong, so wrong.

Being a shy pre teen, I didn’t think to back this up even though this person fought me on it.

I think I said, “not my dad!” And that was that.

On the eve of my dad’s birthday, this memory comes back with a story I wish I had articulated but maybe didn’t have the context yet.

A few years ago, my dad was diagnosed with lyposarcoma. A large non metatastic tumer in his abdomen which had to come out.

In his stomach.

I remembered a time when we vacationed in Florida.

I was sick the whole time. My nose would not stop bleeding.

One day, when I was better but not 100%, we were outside and a sudden thunderstorm broke out.

I feared wind like it was certain death.

I instinctively buried my face in my father’s stomach and he wrapped his arms around me.

Despite the booming thunder and lightning, I felt safer than I’d ever felt before.

Because my dad had me secured.

I thought about this when he was being wheeled away on a stretcher into surgery which would take hours.

I wanted to bury my face in his stomach.

I did metaphorically. And I felt safe.

This is a testament to him and what he’s given me.

A sense of personal and emotional safety.

That’s everything anyone can ask of a dad.

And I love him more than these words can say.

In the air tonight

music.apple.com/us/album/in-the-air-tonight-from-little-fires-everywhere/1501411514

Sometimes a song brings you back to the days when you invited a friend over to listen to music.

Another Days Work: Part 6

The Greeks

Just as we were about to break, Ptuto raised his hand.

Shiah saw this and nodded.

“Did he sign the letter?”

It was a great question. No one was legally allowed to print the Pharaoh’s name without him knowing about it.

“I mean…. yes? Sure?”

Shiah hesitated for a moment. It was telling.

This sent everyone into a state of disbelief. The workers were getting louder.

Shiah put an end to it. “Silence!! Hear me when I say this! Pharaoh himself handed me this copy AND said it was an EXACT copy of the one he gave his priest! When have I ever lied to you!?”

It was true. She’d always been very truthful and told us what was going on in the highest parts of the palace. Important given we would all most likely die in service to these pyramids. Or, as Ptomeses called them, “unnecessary gravesites for the rich.” I suspected he was sold off for a reason unlike myself. Maybe to avoid Pharaohs judgment? There were rumors.

“Should I just keep any further news to myself!?”

No one was able to answer. Disappointing Shaia was like disappointing the sky goddess Nut or worse, your mom. It was terrible.

“All right then! Let’s get to work!”

We went to Ptuto for our daily assignments. There was dissent in the air. I got the feeling some didn’t believe Shiah and maybe thought Ptuto’s question was agreed upon before the meeting. Actually, that second part was me. Best not to share that, I don’t even know why I thought it.

I blame the Greeks.

Nothing good happened whenever they were mentioned. My parents had once invited a merchant over for dinner.

He knew a man who knew a man who’d been to Memphis and had seen multiple pictures drawn on large pieces of papyrus of Greeks.

They were always laying down and eating grapes. They were fat too. No surprise there. If you’re just eating grapes all day.

What were grapes anyway? The man called them that, I just pictured whole cooked animals like rats. And laying down!?

Who lays down without sleeping?

Greeks.

I had no reason to believe these pictures weren’t true.

I almost bumped into the man ahead of me when he stopped.

I’m taller than most so I could see why he stopped.

One of Ptuto’s bodyguards drew a dagger and put his massive body in front of him. Ptuto held onto him trembling as they both looked at something in the sand.

Another Days Work: Part 5

Letters to the dead

“Our Pharaoh has assured us that he will do everything he can to keep us safe. I myself saw him write a letter to his father, who as you all know rests in the field of reeds at its highest point!”

Ptomeses groaned and shook his head. He didn’t like this Pharaoh or his father. He thought they threw too many feasts for too many visiting dignitaries and worse, philosopher’s.

Shiah noticed this but she ignored it like usual.

She raised her hand. She held a folded papyrus.

“Here is a copy of the letter.”

Shiah opened it up. This really was serious.

“Father, I beg you to keep Egypt safe from those who would harm us. Bring forth an army of snakes and lions to guard our shores.”

She folded the letter back up.

We all just kind of looked at each other.

It seemed anticlimactic. A little bit short. I wondered if he really meant it.

There were rumors that the Pharaoh had taken many trips to Greece and had hundreds of lovers and political ties there.

I didn’t believe them but I did see his caravan leaving his palace many many times.

You don’t bring a caravan if you’re just going somewhere half a days walk away.

This was going to be a very long day.

Another days work: part 4

Shiah

Shiah took a deep breath in, her eyes closed, chin up to the sun god, then she exhaled, her chin down to to the god of the underworld, set.

This couldn’t have been good.

“There is talk from the north. The kingdom of Greece. There is talk of expansion.”

We all knew what that meant.

A change in management and worse, ideas.

Shiah herself knew better than anyone. The kingdom of Kush was constantly being attacked by older Kingdoms from the west and south.

There was this new idea of expansion.

It used to be a kingdom would send an army, conquer, take anything they wanted and went back home.

Now, it seemed like kingdoms wanted to own everything and everyone.

I didn’t really get it.

Why would anyone want that?

You wake up, you bless the Gods, and you work.

More importantly, you live that day, put in a hard days work for your family and love who you love in your heart.

Shiah spoke again.

Another days work: part 3

Once again, I didn’t get to the fountain quick enough. There were already 6 men in front of me, drinking their morning water.

We got four bowls each.

It was enough at the time but given what we knew was in store for the day, it was never enough.

By first break, we’d all be painfully parched.

I looked at the sky and Ra was going to be ever present today.

The sun God was usually there but at this time of the cycle it was especially hot and dry.

There was constant talk before sleep of the water source and how for all we knew, it was much more plentiful than anyone in power made it out to be.

Ptomeses claimed that it was a mountain of water on an endless flow. Limitless.

But, he hated Ptuto for whatever reason. In his stories, Ptuto was the one hiding the limitless source of water.

I think it was because of his assistant, Shiah. A beautiful woman from the kingdom of Kush.

Ptomeses was obsessed with her. Her dark skin, her wit, her power over Ptuto was irresistible to Him.

He always wanted things he couldn’t get. His father was the same. He had two camels. Milk to sell from the female and a strong procreation possibility from the male mating with her.

It wasn’t enough though. He took his earnings and invested in things like, the sale of imported goods from other shores. More importantly, sailors who talked about imported goods from other shores. Things he’d only heard about in taverns.

My parents were different. They were happy with food on the table at least once a day, two if we were lucky.

I finally made my way to the fountain. The water was sweet as I drank it.

I headed over to the breakfast area. It was a handful of figs, a piece of wheat bread and a cup of camels milk.

What a treat!

To be fair, I had just only started working on the site when Ptuto was in charge.

I’d heard that conditions weren’t so good in the recent past.

Shiah clapped her hands.

We all stopped what we were doing and paid close attention.