Cultural differences

I read an article,
regarding a subject which has always fascinated me,
the naked bathing in Iceland.

See we have public pools,
this is where we take swimming lessons (mandatory in public school system)
and where a lot of us (at least me)
spend a big chunk of the good weather days of our childhood,
swimming in the water,
playing,
having a good time.

And we are raised that we must, MUST wash our private parts thoroughly before entering the pool.
Even at one point,
when me and my friends were 13-14 and just about all of us were shy about our bodies,
some of us were developed,
some of us were not,
the bathing guards would be even more agressive making sure that we did not leave on spot unwashed before going into the pool. Those are not good memories for a lot of us.

Then I came to the US,
where women would go into dressing rooms at the gym,
and dress and undress,
completely private,
I was usually in a rush,
and since my private parts are not deformed or all that much different from other women's,
I didn't have a problem in the common space.
Except feeling self concious that perhaps I came across as an exhibitionist.

I guess this is just part of our cultural differences.
How it came to be this way I don't know,
well I know about Iceland,
but not so much about the US.

If anyone would like to inform me,
feel free!

Something exciting is happening

I changed the commenting system!

I will now,
myself,
personally,
in the flesh,

try it for the first time!

So you've seen the ugly

A few days later,
I did my best to really bring the cute.

It was Wednesday
I was going to the DMV to get a new license and I was determined that in this license picture, I WOULD LOOK CUTE! (I have a bad history with US dmv's and license pictures (since Iceland is just one state you get your license with a picture (black and white taken by a professional photographer in my vain case) when you are 17 and it expires when you are 70! Mine I got in 1998 and it will expire in 2051!))

SO I did my hair for a long time,
did my best with my make-up
and then took a few practice shots on my MacBook via photobooth.

And then spent hours trying to learn how IMovie works while making a promotional video of my alleged "cute-ness"

Cute or ugly......ugly cute, sometimes ugly sometimes cute

So...
it seems like there is this part of USA
that is absolutely and totally obsessed with looks.

Especially celebrities and what they look like.
I notice that when I cash out at WalMart,
after seeing some "not so attractive average Americans"
that the gossip mags are saying:
Jessica is fat
Kirstie looks great
Angelina is too skinny
blah blah blah.....

the beat goes on

And then of course in between: buy Jenny Craig, buy Cover Girl! buy slimfast!

Fantastic!

So here I am,
trying to make sense of it all:

Enjoy!

Wrrrrrrrrestling!

So my son is really into wrestling right now.
WWE Monday night raw.
I have no idea what that means really.
But him and his father went to see it last night, live in Boston.

I have never really understood wrestling,
it's one of those parts of American culture that never interested me enough to find out much about what it is all about. But from what I have seen (very little) it does look scripted.

I saw a few minutes of two wrestlers trash talking on a big screen TV and I could have sworn it looked like both of them were about to giggle.

You know those scenes on SNL, especially some of the Chris Farley scenes, where the other actors can't help themselves because they are trying so hard not to laugh. I love those scenes.

Or the ones where the news anchors can't stop laughing.
This one is my favorite one of those.

In honor of veterans, I will have a glass of red wine today

But no joke,
my heart goes out to people that have died or suffered in fighting for the beliefs of whomever is currently in charge in the US government at the time, and their families.

I kind of have the feeling that I am like a drunk guy sitting at a bar rambling on here on this blog to whomever wants or cares to hear me talk.....so I have been thinking that if you do read my stuff,
please let me know either via e-mail bjarna@gmail.com or a lot of you have my phone nr.

Peace and love!

Remember what John Lennon said:

"War is over (if you want it)"

Dear everybody that lives in the Attelboro district court - disctrict.
Do not get in trouble with the law.
Ever.

It's not worth it.