Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

Prompts.

Me & The Olympics: Mind the Gap

This week, WordPress has been asking us whether social media has changed the way we view the Olympics. My initial response was that it hasn’t. To be honest, the title they provided in theit blogpost acutally illustrated my relationship with the Olympics (and for most parts also sports in general): “Mind the Gap”. There is a huge gap between me on one side, sports on the other.

But starting to write this blogpost, I suddenly thought of how a friend tweeted about the sponsors of the Olympics. I then realized that they are the big shots who can easily get away with mistreating their employees, exploiting the communities they work in, and crushing local companies with equally good products by covering it up by actually producing excellent products and appear to do good deeds.

I do find that sports can be of and for the better. Some people might be saved by their interest in sports just as I and some of my friends have had our youth (and possibly the rest of our lives) saved by attending dramaschool. I believe that it is stuff like this that can make world peace a reality. When listening to Brian Laudrup speak of why he started the soccer school he started, it sounded just like the reason why I think that the dramaschool I attended was a success in my and my fellow student’s lives, among the reasons being the sense of community, teamwork, and discipline being developed.

But having the magnitude it has, the Olympics seem to be able to ruin a few things. I have heard so much about how overshadowing it was when being held in China; seemingly everything related to breaking what they may have broken of Western laws of human rights has been forgotten when it came to the Olympics. That’s not what I appreciate when I think of sports. That doesn’t seem like a decent interhuman team spirit to me.

I think that what I’m trying to say is that there are these huge organisations, be it in the shape of firms or countries, which can get away with too much by being associated to something perceived as good on the surface. And although I think I was aware of that as it was, I don’t think I would have been thinking too much of it if actions and opinions against it hadn’t been mentioned on the news or over the social media.

In conclusion to my opinion/viewing of the Olympics changing through the social media, I would have to say that I think it has. But not in the way that WordPress might have thought of; they spoke of speaking about the Olympics through social media. They spoke about viewing it, as in following it. I haven’t spoken of it because I don’t follow them (though I’m happy when hearing that Denmark won something), so I still stand by what I responded in their poll: That I haven’t spoken of it through my channels.

Or, word by word: “Not at all, the two are completely unrelated for me.” And so are I and sports in general. Even if I was in London this summer, I would probably be sitting in a theater instead of in a stadium. So please: mind the gap.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Wrong

An advent calendar spiderweb candle burning in August.

I think I partially forgot about it last year, so it didn’t burn all the way down, and I didn’t have the heart to toss it. Now, on the other hand, I would like to have my home as Christmas free as possible so I can truly appreciate the season when it comes around (this is also the reason why I don’t listen to Christmas music for most of the year). But I still don’t want to toss it. It’s just too perdy, and there’s too much “unburned” to toss it in my opinion (it was stuck between the 16th and 17th when I started earlier today).

Having an advent calendar candle is a tradition in Denmark – and it being a spiderweb candle is a special tradition I have had for a few years by now. But more about that in due time.

This is part of The Daily Post at WordPress.com. Waddya think – is this something I should be doing more of?

A couple of thoughts on food (#BAD – Blog Action Day)

Food. We all need it to survive – but unfortunately it’s not all who have easy access to this life necessity. This is why I write this blogpost: today is Blog Action Day, an annual day that happened to fall on the same day as World Food Day. This is why the theme of Blog Action Day this year is food. I have been wanting to get some thoughts on food down in writing on this blog – and now would be the chance.

There are so many ethics when it comes to food. Personally I believe that we should be taking care of our planet, the people and other animals on it, and the environment around it all, not just run it down to make money. This may sound saved and hippie-esque – well, it does, doesn’t it? But we should, shouldn’t we? And food and drinks seems to be something of the most obvious to work around to do so.

I’m no angel, though. Although I would love to buy everything organic and fairtrade, I don’t have the money to do so in my present situation. And I like meat a tad bit too much to not eat it. Not that I am entirely a carnivore – I’m an omnivore (just as human beings were initially made to be).
I do admire those who can lead a strictly vegan diet/lifestyle, and I love vegan and vegetarian food when it’s made right (just like every other kind of food; frikadeller, the Danish meatballs, don’t taste right if they’re made wrong either). I just don’t want to lay off meat.

But I do believe in treating animals well. This means that I buy as much of my animalistic products (meat, dairies) organic – and on the rare occasion I buy fish, I go for MSC-certified fish.

A concept I love and think should be a rule rather than an exception should be freeganism. A lot of supermarkets throw out food that is still in a good condition, and some people know how to get to the containers with the disregarded food – and they take the food with them. You who do this: know that I praise you! Everything else is a waste of food.
I remember when I visited London on my own back in 2004 – it was my third time there, but my first trip on my own – I ate at a Pret a Manger. I can’t remember whether it was a sign on the wall or one of those signs at the table, but it said that whatever was left at the end of the day would be given to homeless people. I love that solution as well. I think they still do stuff like that. Dear Pret, know that I praise you for that.

Anyway. I would love to give you some wise words on how to live the perfect, sustainable life with food – but as I said, I’m no angel. The best tips I can give you is to make your favorite food – BUT: try to do it with sustainable products! And google freeganism. Or check GratisMad (in Danish) and TrashWiki (in English).

TAG: Friend Book (tagged by Ana Naddoush)

My name is Unna – but changing it on April 10th, 2012.
But people call me everything but (unless they’re Faroese, Icelandic, bright foreigners, extremely bright/attentionate Danes, or just heavily indoctrinated over time by yours truly). Why do you think I’m changing it?
I am 28 years old
If I was the dictator king everybody should focus on Matt. 22:34-40 rather than negatively charged passages of the Bible (or anything similar in their respective religion), only be able to buy organic, fairtrade, recycled, and other sustainable products (freeganism might even be the rule rather than the exception), have a block parties and BBQs throughout the summer, playing in the snow and have indoor/fireplace hygge throughout the winter, care well for the Welfare State (left wing style!), and just freakin’ BEHAVE.
My favorite subject in school: Wow… Which school?
Berna: P
Berna – 10th form: P and X
Johannesskolen: German, Music
Copenhagen Hospitality College: English: Wines from the New World 1+2
Frederiksberg HF-kursus: Music, English, Philosophy
My least favorite subject in school:
Berna: Physics & Chemistry
Johannesskolen: English
Copenhagen Hospitality College: Practical lessons in the kitchen (unless Jim Elkjær was the chef/teacher).
Frederiksberg HF-kursus: Religion
In my free time I like to procrastinate.
My favorite color: Blue.
My favorite animal: Cats, horses.
My favorite sport: Basket ball, soccer/European football
My favorite actor/actress: I find that Joshua McGuire did a fantabulous job as Hamlet when I saw the play at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre last month.
My favorite singer/band: Jamie Cullum.
The best book I have read: The Harry Potter series, Frank McCourt’s autobiographies.
The best movie I have seen: As my first action movie at age 12, “Batman Forever” is epic in my memory. Equally epic are the LotR Trilogy and X-Men movies. But the best right now must be “Interstate 60” and “Down with Love”.
I really don’t like caviar.
I really like The Daily Show. Watch this – and this. And this. And this.
I would like to travel to London, England and New York City, NY, US of A – those are topping my list right now – but am hoping and semi-planning to do some Interrail-ish thing through Germany, the Netherlands, and England next year.
I dream about working with theatre (if I may dream high, work at the Globe or for Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust) and do photography and travel/staycation/local observational blogging on the side.
When I grow up I would like to be one happy camper girl (sadly, I’m not too fond of camping… 😦 )

Friendbook Page Tag

An old fellow student of mine – we both attended Brandbjerg Folk High School – and someone I also consider to be a friend by now tagged me to fill out a friendbook page online, and I am about to post it.

I didn’t tag anyone at this point, but I thought I would post the questions before posting my “page” – and you’re welcome to fill them out!

It goes like this: You stick in a picture of yourself and answer a bunch of questions. I remember that those who had it would stick in a passport or school photo, but those who didn’t would make a drawing of themselves, something they liked, or something we had in common where the photo was supposed to go. You’re welcome to do so yourself – you could do a small drawing in Paint or another drawing program on your computer and put it up there.

Click here to see my friend’s entry!

My name is…
But people call me …
I am _______ years old
If I was the king everybody should …
My favorite subject in school:
My least favorite subject in school:
In my free time I like to…
My favorite color:
My favorite animal:
My favorite sport:
My favorite actor/actress:
My favorite singer/band:
The best book I have read:
The best movie I have seen:
I really don’t like…
I really like…
I would like to travel to …
I dream about …
When I grow up I would like to be …