rain or shine - anilize's 365blog

Standby

2008-07-25T12:45:00.002+02:00

So what's going on?

Essentially what it boils down to is that I haven't been posting for a few weeks now.

There's no technical excuse for this. My camera functions, more or less, as does my computer and my broadband connection. All systems remain go.

However I find myself suffering from what I can best describe as the summertime blues (I know, other people get low in the winter - what can I say - I'm contrary). And the trouble with this, as with most known forms of procrastination, is that the longer it goes on for the harder it is to break.

Eventually this too will pass; hopefully I'll be back before too long.

Until then - keep snapping.

Wardrobe

2008-07-06T13:33:00.003+02:00

For those seriously overburdened with money, there's the official Festival merchandise available:

Others use a different means of lightening their load:

But the old standby remains this:Because it ain't Roskilde Festival without a proper mud bath! And while this year has been dry so far I doubt anyone has forgotten last year's rainout. It was getting to be ark-building time...

Drugs

2008-07-05T13:18:00.003+02:00

Sadly, no festival without drugs.
The Festival as an institution tries to hammer the message home:But then, at this stall you can openly shop for various smoking paraphernalia...... and no doubt the sales guy would be happy to direct you to the nearest dealer.

It appears to be a losing battle.

So far the police have confiscated far larger quantities of drugs than earlier years. Not only the (at least over here) 'traditional' festival stuff like marijuana and hashish, but also this year a large number of E's and some cocaine. And a few days ago a Norwegian festival goer went into cardiac arrest after taking heroin, and remains comatose in hospital.

All I can say is: I've been to the Festival several times (though it's been many years now), and I never had any trouble having a good time without drugs. It really shouldn't be so hard...

Shopping pt. II

2008-07-04T13:11:00.005+02:00

During Festival week, almost anything can be bought. Market stalls spring up like weeds:
The local shops also get in on the act:If you can't sell it during Festival week, it's essentially unsellable! Take this, for example... Loads of fun stuff to be had, if you're drunk or silly (or both) enough.

However, I have to say... Kurt Cobain in tie-dye... that's just wrong. Truly.

Music

2008-07-03T13:06:00.001+02:00

Today the 'real' Festival grounds are opened and official concert programme begins (there has been a series of less known bands playing on small stages in the camping grounds, some to very good reviews).
And for those intent on making their own contribution, instruments are sold literally in the streets:
Some allow themselves to be inspired...

... while others take the opportunity to lay in some more supplies:

Shopping

2008-07-02T13:02:00.000+02:00

Although the basic shopping needs are catered for in the camping area...

... most of the kids make the journey into town in order to shop more cheaply. Also, the 'official' music part of the festival doesn't start until Thursday...

... so there's plenty of time to spend money, and plenty to spend it on. And then, afterwards, there's the trip back:

Logistics

2008-07-01T12:59:00.000+02:00

They come from all over, by any means necessary:

And the local bus company gets in on the act with a dedicated service between the train station and the Festival campsite:

Festival Week

2008-06-30T17:57:00.004+02:00

It's that time of year again:

For a week the town's population will more than double as young folks from all corners of Denmark and beyond flock to Roskilde for a week's worth of camping out, having fun, and listening to cool music. And for those who don't remember what it's like the library has kindly put up a little 'reminder':

Blogger's Note

2008-06-30T17:49:00.000+02:00

Note to readers: The posts spanning the week from June 30 till July 6 are all covering the same theme, namely the Roskilde Festival. Therefore each post may contain pictures that were not necessarily taken on the supposed date, as I've tried to give each post a sub-theme. Every picture was, however, taken during that week.

Teaser II

2008-06-29T16:18:00.000+02:00

McDonald's test marketing a new menu?
Nope...

(Keep watching this blog; all will be revealed. I promise.)

Teaser

2008-06-28T19:25:00.001+02:00

A TARDIS convention?
Nope...

(explanations will follow; watch this blog)

Fountain of Youth

2008-06-27T19:10:00.001+02:00

Freshly minted high school graduates a-frolicking in the fountain (local tradition). I think it's safe to say the average blood alcohol level is non-zero...
About the headgear: Danish tradition dictates that students upon passing their last exam be presented with a 'student cap' (bought and paid for in advance; whether you follow the tradition is voluntary, though). The caps have different coloured bands, denoting which branch of youth education the student came up through (academic, business, technical etc.). This bunch have maroon bands, so it's the academic branch, and many will no doubt be starting university in the autumn.

Good Fences

2008-06-26T11:14:00.001+02:00

I'm pretty sure this is giant hogweed (and some pretty poppies in the background).
Which means I didn't really want to get any closer.

Mindless

2008-06-25T14:07:00.000+02:00

A few months ago I snapped this sculpture:
Now somebody else has snapped and vandalised it! Here's what it looks like now:
Close-up of the damage:
B***ards.
(I'd use stronger words but this is a family-friendly blog.)

Lovey Ducky

2008-06-24T14:11:00.001+02:00

Last month I snapped this mallard. Today he (or one of his twins) and a lady friend were back, apparently not bothered by the traffic in the square:
I came past again a couple of hours later, and they were still there! And the male was especially bold:
He was less than a foot from the lens; probably thought the camera was a new type of bread :-)
PS sorry about the angle, I was sitting down and shooting from the hip.
His lady friend was more shy; she kept to the middle of the basin.

Sunbeam

2008-06-23T14:54:00.000+02:00

Cloudy day. Then the sun broke through somewhat, and the roof of the steeple just seemed to light up (the pic doesn't quite capture it, I'm afraid).
And well... that's what this picture was about.

Light Nights

2008-06-22T23:59:00.001+02:00

Taken shortly after midnight - so technically the 23rd, I know...
(cheat)
We don't quite get midnight sun, Denmark isn't far enough north for that, but around midsummer the sky stays fairly light even when it's darkest. At least it does when it's not cloudy...

In Clover

2008-06-21T17:25:00.000+02:00

It's the bzzzzy season.

Leftover Goodie

2008-06-20T18:13:00.000+02:00

The remains of last night's lasagna.

PS: it was delicious :-)

(and healthy... I put peas in it... and the pasta sheets were wholemeal... so practically health food... right?)

Happy Birthday!

2008-06-19T14:26:00.003+02:00

Today's pic in honour of one of the world's most famous, fuzzy, furry feline overlords celebrating his 30th birthday!

Who says pasta ain't good for ya?!

So guess what I'm planning to cook tonight :-)

Download Day pt. II: The Reward

2008-06-18T17:46:00.001+02:00

I'm easily pleased.
At least they fill in your name for you.

Yep. I'm a geek :-)

Download Day

2008-06-17T23:43:00.000+02:00

It's the day us geeks have waited for... the day Mozilla Firefox 3 hits the servers!

(it's official: I have no life)

Starburst

2008-06-16T16:47:00.000+02:00

Ladybug

2008-06-15T15:11:00.002+02:00

No comment.
Except to say don't be fooled by this pic... it's raining most of the time these past few days.

Lilac Coloured...

2008-06-14T16:41:00.000+02:00

I'm pretty sure it's a poppy. Don't think I ever saw a purple one before, though.

Build Me Up, Buttercup...

2008-06-13T13:38:00.000+02:00

There's something about them (and I don't mean Mary)...

Duck Roast

2008-06-12T11:17:00.000+02:00

Taking a break from all that paddling around.

Stretch

2008-06-11T16:34:00.000+02:00

The counter is barely long enough...

Fresh Air

2008-06-10T16:57:00.000+02:00

We may be an indoor Cat, but We still appreciate a healthy breeze around Our toes.

Heartsease II

2008-06-09T17:08:00.000+02:00

A flower for many seasons...

Fowl, not foul

2008-06-08T11:17:00.000+02:00

Ducklings, yes. Ugly, no. I find them adorable. And so clearly not scared of people (I was crouching a couple of feet away from them and they totally ignored me). Probably they think humans=breadcrumbs.

Swanning Around

2008-06-07T16:07:00.000+02:00

No ugly ducklings these... baby swans all in a row. Swan Lake :-)

Hooked on Grass

2008-06-05T15:32:00.000+02:00

This could be a long and meaningful relationship...

Catchup

2008-06-04T22:13:00.002+02:00

Saturday: Bad modem. Bad, bad modem.

Sunday:

Not sure what this one was about, really...

Monday:

It's strawberry season! Yum!

Tuesday:

I think these must be a close cousin of this one. There's a certain family resemblance...

Wednesday:

Probably the only cat I've ever known not to instantly inhale her yeast tablets.

Fritz

2008-06-02T10:42:00.002+02:00

I'm having a problem.
My Internet connection is flaking.
My provider has promised to send a technician to check the problem. Unfortunately they won't make it until next Tuesday.
So until then I'm left with no Internet access from home. Which bites, sucks and blows all at the same time.

"So how is she writing this?" I hear you cry.
Well.
I'm at the library, of course.
But - for some reason - I can't get the library puter to cooperate with my camera. So I can't upload pictures.

Oh well.
#1 Chick Friend has asked me to come visit for a few days, starting Wednesday. So I'll be able to update from her place.

Till then, guys :-)

PS: Perhaps without the procrastinative potential of ***The Web*** at my disposal I'll be able to pull myself together and get some writing done...

l00t!

2008-05-30T14:13:00.005+02:00

Picked up some bits of literary goodness that I've been awaiting for months (the Stross one, anyway). So that's my weekend filled... :-)

Cleaning pt. IV: The Thaw

2008-05-29T14:10:00.003+02:00

Cleaning the fridge today.
One of those chores I keep putting off and off and off...

Sunset

2008-05-28T22:08:00.002+02:00

Another sunset. This time what I find cool (apart from the clouds) is that you can just see where the sun actually went.

Yellow

2008-05-27T11:06:00.000+02:00

Yet again... some tree that I don't know the name of, in full bloom.
Sorry if it's getting repetitive.

Promises, Promises...

2008-05-26T15:11:00.006+02:00

The weather prophets have been forecasting more nice summery weather, not necessarily hot and sunny all the time, but definitely dry. They have in fact been calling this the dryest May in fifty years or so. So here's what it was like this morning (and still is now, mid-afternoon):
Naturally.
Oh well, at least the farmers will be pleased.

On a related note: On special days (royal anniversaries, state visits and such) the buses will drive around with little flags on top, like this:
Today's occasion is the Crown Prince's 40th birthday. And judging by the weather somebody's been a bad boy... ;-)

Strange Fruit pt. II: Suckers

2008-05-25T15:08:00.003+02:00

Out on a Sunday walk, what do I see? A pacifier tree!

That Ol' Chestnut

2008-05-24T13:51:00.000+02:00

Royal wedding today.
So as a measure of how much that means to me personally I'm giving you this picture of a young but ambitious horse chestnut tree.

Setting Sail

2008-05-23T19:02:00.001+02:00

A couple of reconstruction Viking boats out on the fjord. A fairly common sight in the summer, at least hereabouts.

A Short, Sharp Shower of...

2008-05-22T20:06:00.001+02:00

Laundry today. Hung it outside, seeing that no rain was forecast. Then when I went to fetch it back in I found that some unspecified avian had decided to 'gift' me with a little air-mail delivery.
Aaaargh!

Again and again and...

2008-05-21T13:11:00.000+02:00

Lilacs yet again. This time it's the snow-white kind.
Okay, that's enough with the lilacs already. No more. Promise.

Slugfest

2008-05-20T11:38:00.000+02:00

Another spot of wet from above has really brought out the snails.
PS: Sorry if critters like that creep you out. Me, they don't bother. When I was eight or so I even collected snails in an old apple crate, covering it with potato sacking to keep them in. I was a weird kid... ;-)

Wall of Ivy

2008-05-19T18:02:00.000+02:00

Rain earlier today. The droplets make the new-born leaves look all fresh and sparkly.

Running Late?

2008-05-18T19:11:00.000+02:00

Nice 'little' sundial. Except... I took this picture at almost exactly 6 PM. Now, even allowing for summertime this means either whoever set up the sundial did a shoddy job of it, or the Sun needs a new alarm clock :-)

Shapes

2008-05-17T19:19:00.000+02:00

Sculpture by the local high school. For some reason I see it as a woman. Albeit a rather oddly-shaped woman...

Standout

2008-05-16T18:27:00.000+02:00

I don't know what this tree thinks it's doing, wearing the wrong colour for the season! But I intend to find out.

More Lilac

2008-05-15T16:43:00.001+02:00

I've never realised before that lilac comes in several different colours. That'll teach me :-)

Duck!

2008-05-14T14:19:00.003+02:00

In one of Roskilde's two squares stands a sculpture part of which is this broad and very shallow basin. This morning I came past and spotted this mallard standing in it (barely got his feet wet), and I just had to snap him!
PS: The green is in fact the beeches standing just inside the wall of the neighbouring cemetery. I think the reflection makes the whole picture wonderfully absurd.

Another Mystery

2008-05-13T16:24:00.002+02:00

Dunno what this is... I pass it down the street. Vanilla and pale pink, the colours always remind me of marshmallows :-)

Lilac

2008-05-12T13:43:00.000+02:00

Aren't they pretty?

Work Out

2008-05-11T21:01:00.003+02:00

This is what it looks like when 6000 women gather in central Copenhagen for a 5- or 10-kilometre run (well, walk in my case) sponsored by a leading women's fitness magazine. #1 Chick Friend and myself made a girls' day out of it.
I probably shouldn't tell you this, but after finishing we went to McD's for milkshakes :-P But after slogging through the city at midday with 24 degrees in the shade (that's 75 degrees Fahrenheit) we'd earned them!

Yellow

2008-05-10T14:58:00.001+02:00

Nothing special today. Just dandelions.
I think they're pretty. But then, this isn't my lawn.

Re-View

2008-05-09T18:03:00.002+02:00

Okay, I showed you this view of the fjord back in February. But it looks much nicer now :-)

New Flatness

2008-05-08T12:34:00.003+02:00

My old monitor has been acting up for a couple of months (well, it is nearly eight years old), and a new computer shop just opened in town with some very good special offers, so now I'm the proud owner of a 21-inch widescreen. Compared with my old 17-incher I feel like I'm in a freaking movie theatre now.

Art d'Eau

2008-05-07T10:22:00.001+02:00

Another one of Roskilde's many sculptures. This one looks better live because of the water running down it. But here it is anyway, with the morning sun gleaming off it.

Open Air

2008-05-06T18:02:00.000+02:00

First day of sandal season. Free those toesy-woesies!

Ball On

2008-05-05T21:57:00.000+02:00

Watched the final session of the Snooker World Championship tonight. I happen to like snooker.
Ronnie the Rocket beat Captain Fantastic, predictably.
At the start of the session there was a - get this - streaker! In snooker of all things! And apparently it's not even the first time that's happened in snooker - head on over to YouTube and search the keywords 'snooker' and 'streaking' and you'll see what I mean. Warning: There will be nudity.

Catchup

2008-05-05T21:47:00.017+02:00

Saturday: Bad modem. Bad, bad modem.

Sunday:

Not sure what this one was about, really.

Monday:

It's strawberry season! Yum!

Tuesday:

I think these must be a close cousin of this one. There's a family resemblance...

Wednesday:
Probably the only cat I've ever known not to instantly inhale her yeast tablets.

History Lesson 3: Liberation

2008-05-04T22:52:00.000+02:00

Back in 1945, the German occupying forces agreed to surrender in Denmark and Norway on May 5th. The announcement was made via radio (from London, I think) on the evening of May 4th, and people immediately tore down their blackout curtains in celebration so that, for the first time in years, light from within was allowed to spill out. It has since become tradition to light candles in the window on May 4th to commemorate the outbreak of peace.

Clock's Fast...

2008-05-03T10:32:00.002+02:00

This picture is not a cheat. I took it less than an hour ago. I didn't expect to see dandelion clocks yet.

Stumped

2008-05-02T14:21:00.000+02:00

Spotted this lovely tree stump in one of the parks.

Defiant

2008-05-01T16:25:00.000+02:00

Okay, this picture is a cheat. I actually took it one year ago, on May 1st, 2007.
The explanation is simple: Here in Denmark the trade unions normally celebrate the International Worker's Day. However, last year the Roskilde chapters announced they would not be carrying the traditional red banners through the town (for whatever reason). So I was kind of pleased to see that someone was determined to fly the flag :-)

Thrills

2008-04-30T14:08:00.003+02:00

I went to the bookshop today. They still didn't have the book I asked about three months ago! (somebody cocked up and ordered the wrong title, and somehow getting the right one kept slipping through the cracks...)
So I went to the record shop instead and got Seasons 1+2 of Wire in the Blood. I love this show (though definitely not for the faint of heart or weak of bladder), and as for Robson Green... well, I've always been a sucker for a North English accent. So I'll be having a ball tonight :-)

Hedge

2008-04-29T18:09:00.000+02:00

Almost too cloying...

Cut Down

2008-04-28T20:26:00.000+02:00

The daisies are out in force. Or, rather, they were... A couple of hours later I passed the same spot. In the meantime, so had a lawn mower:

Hazel

2008-04-27T15:17:00.000+02:00

It's pollen season. I'm glad I'm not allergic.

Cleaning pt. III: Forgotten Treasure

2008-04-26T14:05:00.002+02:00

Came across a bunch of rubbings I made in Sweden more than ten years ago of Bronze Age rock carvings. I'd hang one on my wall except I don't have space.

Fog

2008-04-25T11:04:00.000+02:00

Moody.

Morning Dew

2008-04-24T07:49:00.000+02:00

Just looks nice.

Jaws

2008-04-23T08:17:00.000+02:00

The library's automated book-return machine eating another volume. They really make it hard to come up with an excuse for not returning books on time ("oh man, you guys were closed" just went out the window...)

Beech Party

2008-04-22T16:53:00.000+02:00

It's truly spring when the beech unfurls its leaves.

Itsy Bitsy...

2008-04-21T11:16:00.000+02:00

One big creepy-crawly. Well, as long as she does her job and keeps the bug population in check she's welcome.

Flowers

2008-04-20T16:26:00.000+02:00

As usual - I have no idea what they're called. Just a tree in someone's front garden that I happened to pass by.

Window Dressing

2008-04-19T11:22:00.000+02:00

With the serious afternoon sun we're getting now it's time to get out my trusty homemade window blind. On overcast days it can hang like this:

(sorry about the poor contrast - here's a better idea of what it looks like:)
I can also lower it if the sun is shining - like this:
And if I attach it in all four corners I can even open the window and still cut most of the glare. Like this:
Pretty clever, if I say so myself.

Frenzied?

2008-04-18T12:15:00.003+02:00

Well, I hit 100 pages about half an hour ago. Note the page count in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
So now I can in (relatively) good conscience eat that chocolate.

Good Neighbour

2008-04-17T20:14:00.005+02:00

One of my neighbours asked if I could help her out. Turned out the 'help' she wanted was to dispose of a rather incriminating stick of chocolate mints.
What can I say? I'm a helpful sort of person ;-)

Flag Day

2008-04-16T14:42:00.000+02:00

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, dear Daisy,
Happy Birthday to you.
(Today is Queen Margrethe II's birthday, and therefore a national Flag Day. She's sixty-eight now.)

Cleaning pt. II: Got Gunk?

2008-04-15T15:17:00.000+02:00

Decided to clean my keyboard today. Almost wish I hadn't. Uck.

Sucker

2008-04-14T16:08:00.000+02:00

The insectile vampires are back in town. First kill of the season.

Peekaboo

2008-04-13T19:55:00.002+02:00

Sun hiding behind the cloud. Beautiful.

Tiptoe through...

2008-04-12T11:43:00.000+02:00

Tulips have arrived too. Lovely.

DIY

2008-04-11T15:17:00.000+02:00

My landlord showing his best side (by which I mean retiling the bathroom, of course...)

Jack Frost

2008-04-10T09:48:00.000+02:00

Icy ferns in the rear window of a car I passed.

History Lesson 2: Occupation

2008-04-09T13:11:00.003+02:00

I went up to the local cemetery to see if there was a World War II memorial, but if there was I couldn't find it. So here's a Western view of the church instead.
I wanted a memorial because 68 years ago today - April 9th, 1940 - the people of Denmark and Norway woke up to find themselves occupied by German troops. Until then we hadn't been involved in the war at all. Sweden escaped occupation due to its officially neutral (and unofficially collaborative) position relative to Germany.

Belatedly

2008-04-08T14:18:00.003+02:00

A little late for this year's Easter, but I thought the colours were just so lovely! Don't know what the purple ones are called...

Nutty Squirrels

2008-04-07T16:12:00.000+02:00

Read on the BBC website how in Russia some squirrels had attacked and killed a dog, presumably due to lack of food. It couldn't happen here...

Sunday Blah

2008-04-06T13:05:00.003+02:00

Dull, drab day. At least the forsythia can still brighten it up, even though they took a beating in the cold snap at Easter.

I [heart] my ISP

2008-04-05T15:36:00.005+02:00

This is the coolest: My Internet provider is now offering free, legal music downloads for broadband customers from their online music store!
There's a DRM catch or two, of course; I can only hear the files on my computer (can't stick it on my Zen, for instance), and if I switch providers I'll lose the licence and won't be able to play the files anymore.

But hey.

Free music.

So guess what I'm doing instead of scriptwriting!

Showbusiness

2008-04-04T19:52:00.002+02:00

The circus is in town this weekend.
Not that I'm going. Just thought you should know.

Postcard

2008-04-03T16:07:00.001+02:00

I'm a regular contributor to Unicef, and once a year they send me an update telling me what kind of thing my money's being spent on. This year it's fighting malaria in Angola.
It's nice. It makes me feel that I'm actually making a difference.

Bark!

2008-04-02T13:09:00.000+02:00

Papery bark peeling off... looks beautiful, I think.

Hardly Foolish

2008-04-01T15:02:00.000+02:00

Just sitting pretty right below a concrete wall.

Red, Red Wine...

2008-03-31T18:51:00.003+02:00

Well, the EdMo is now officially over for me. I've logged my fifty hours. So now I'll celebrate The Month of the Red Pen with a glass of red wine. Just the one, the Screnzy starts tomorrow, need a clear head for that (yeah right :-P)

Blackout

2008-03-30T16:32:00.003+02:00

Okay, I'm cheating a bit. This picture was taken last night during Earth Hour. Those four candles were my sole source of illumination for a whole hour; I'd unplugged everything but the refrigerator. Made me realise how good I have it...

Got Ink?

2008-03-29T13:54:00.002+01:00

Time to print, then get some serious editing done. I'm still eight hours short, and the deadline is Monday.

Viking

2008-03-28T11:15:00.001+01:00

Readying the longboats for the summer's conquests :-)