Tate! Tinie! Teens!

Here's something rather wonderful.

Tinie Tempah,who at the time was at number one in the UK singles chart, at the Tate Britain rapping about a painting:

http://channel.tate.org.uk/media/73392362001

Please don't be too impressed that I have my finger so on the pulse of modern British pop culture. I know all this because super-cool Ellen (Percival) was actually there and told me about it.

I quote:

I have never experienced so much impassioned teenage girl wailing in my life! amazing.

What made it even more evocative was that he was performing in front of 'the great day of his wrath' by john martin a.k.a. the cover of 1990 dark ambient classic, 'heresy' by lustmord.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb249/SARGE921/o579709.jpg

http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/martin_john_great_day_of_his_wrath.jpg

The whole thing was weirdly atmospheric.

Jinkies!

I suspect it's not every day that there are howls of impassioned wailing at the Tate Britain.

All somehow very quintessentially British.

Here be dragons! And opionated 7 year olds!

Don't under-estimate the intellectual pretensions of a seven-year old!

Tomorrow Kai and I are going to see the new Dreamworks blockbuster, How to train your dragon, at our local fleapit in glorious 2D.

He is already going round telling everyone that the book is so much better than the film, despite the fact that he hasn't seen the film yet.Clearly he already understands that success in life is largely dependent on loudly and confidently expressing opinions on topics of which one knows nothing. That boy will go far!

But in all the excitement over the film, it is worth saying that the book is wonderful. Imaginative,exciting,wacky and very amusing. Kai and I laughed out loud when reading it.

Here's an interview with Cressida Cowell, the author, from the Yorkshire Post.


http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/books/Interview--Cressida-Cowell-Island.6200809.jp

So, parents, go and read it with the little 'uns!

Joys of spring!

The wonderful Ranarim should get you all springy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGzhHpX7hVQ

Mint condition?

You wouldn't believe the problems that nursery staff have with small persons putting things in their mouths that they shouldn't.

This morning Ulrika and I went to the nursery for Zoe's Progress Assessment Meeting. (anyone got a better transaltion for Utvecklingssamtal?)

Anyway, as Anna-Maria and Susan began to tell us how well Zo was doing, I noticed a large plate of rather yummy luxury mints on the table.

Don't mind if I do, I thought as I grabbed a large handful and crammed them into my gob.

The two of them looked at me in horror.

John, please don't eat our stones! The children are rather fond of them.

Ooops!

Lap of Electroluxury?

Oh dear!

I am becoming like those old ladies who lurk behind lace curtains to keep an eye on what their improprieties their neighbours are up to!

An attractive young blonde just rung the doorbell and wanted to ask me some rather probing questions about my vacuum cleaner.

How often did I get it out? Did I get a good suck out of it? Was size important to me?

Hasn't she got a job to go to? No respectable girl would be knocking on strange men's doors in the middle of the day like that and asking them questions about their appliances.

She even asked for my phone number! Just in case!

I don't know what her game was, but I am convinced she was a Hussy and Up To No Good!

Hair today

From Black Dog to Bronski Beat in five easy snips! Here's the new look Kai!

Eyajaffajallajollwööllybullyfeellyikoolly!

Not much to laugh about this week with that bloody icelandic volcano causing distress and discomfort to thousands of poor souls: stranded where they don't want to be or not able to get where they do.

But I can't help being amused by the fact that The World's Most Famous Icelander, has been wheeled out to comment on the whole business.

Now don't get me wrong! Ms Gudmundsdottir is a fabulous musician.But loveable fruitcake that she is, I don't think I'd trust her weather forecasts!

Her take on the recent eruptions seems to be that the Little People are not happy.

What will the Great American Public make of that?

Say what you like about Iceland, they certainly know how to put themselves on the map.

So far I've seen no conspiracy theories about the recent eruptions although I wouldn't be surprised to hear at this very moment the CIA are checking the guest books of icelandic hostels to see is a Mr Bosama Ladinsdottir has been on a pony tracking holiday recently.

Jinkies! Is Osama in league with the small ones?

Or is the product of extra-terrestial interference?

Are the dinosaurs about to make a come back?

Nothing seems beyond belief any more!

Sweetheart of the Moshpit!

Muddi and Messi

This morning I had my first experience as a football dad, standing on the sidelines as Kai did some training.

This big idol of my son and his pals is a guy called Mr Messy. Appropriate really, as they all spend their life as though it were an audition for the lead role in a washing powder commercial! Where there's mud, there's boys!

I meet the Unthanks!

I had no CDs for the amazingly talented Unthank sisters to sign after their wonderful gig on Saturday night. So I did the next best thing and got snapped with them!

Urban wildlife!

I was talking to a neighbour this morning who had been up rather early a few days ago and seen a beaver walking past our building!!

I know foxes have gone urban but this is ridiculous.

I knew that there were beavers living in the area. I 've seen their handiwork(toothiwork?).

But the nearest lake is a fair toddle away and I'm surprised to hear they dare venture so near human civilisation.

Kärrtorp - where the wild things roam!

But Daddy! I don't want to look like Fred Zeppelin!

A subject of very hot debate here is the length of Kai's hair. We think he looks wonderful with his long golden locks (jealous? moi?); he wants to go for the skinhead look all his pals have.

He looks like a young Robert Plant, so why on earth does he aspire to look like Buster Bloodvessel?

No Daddy I don't want to look like Ringo Zappa or Jimi Ramone! I want a nice short back and sides!

Youthful rebellion! It's the bane of every parent's life.


And as for the tasteful collection of tattoos that I've lovingly chosen for him...

The first pied wagtail of spring!

Kai, Zoe and I were down at our local lake yesterday. Despite the fact that most of the snow has melted there's still ice on the lake. Look Daddy, it's thick enough for me to walk on! commented Kai, giving me a minor heart attack!

A lady walked past and commented: Look it's a "sädesärla" The first of spring!

Yeah, whatever! I replied deeply embarassed that I didn't the English name.

It is of course, pied wagtail and here are some photos to show what they look like:

http://www.biopix.com/Species.asp?Searchtext=Motacilla-alba&Category=Fugle

I also enlose my pathetic attempt.No job with Sir David for me!

The art of eating a chocolate biscuit

Zoe loves chocolate biscuits and really has got eating them off to a fine art. We lesser mortals believe that it's just a question of putting a biccy in your mouth and chomping.Nothing could be further from the case. For full enjoyment, the chocolate should be plastered all over your face and hands and any other available surfaces!

Quite remarkable how much mess one small girl can make with a single bisuit!

On your broomstick!

Strange country, Sweden. Paganism is alive and well here. According to tradition, every Easter all the Swedish witches get on their broomsticks and fly down to Blågylla, a small island just off the island of Öland where Grandma Stina lives, for a big orgy with the Dark One.


And so of course to celebrate this, on Easter Thursday all the small children dress up as witches and go round collecting sweets from friends and neighbours. Here's Zo, all togged up, looking very sweet.

Don't worry! That's not the Horned One in the other photo, just me. People do often get us mixed up!

The smooth jazz sounds of ...........Metallica!

Mmmmm.Nice!Jazz!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBmM79YadYM

I saw this on The Word's weekly newslettter which can always be relied upon to come up with something interesting!

After chilling to the smooth jazz sounds of Metallica, I discovered that there's a whole YoofTube sub-culture of mash ups.

Death metal Satchmo is priceless:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLkOYHYQ2tc&feature=related

and the Disney Radio Slipknot is fun too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG6G4XBnvLQ&feature=related

And while we're on the subject of mash-ups, one of my favourite tracks of recent years is Ce Ce Peniston and the Sex Pistols, Finally, did you no wrong.

A treat!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do3ZcYN7bVI


Mosh on!

A cornucopia of goodies from down under!

He's sung with the Beatles and Basil Brush. kate Bush adores him . He can sing in Swedish. He even can get poms to stop whinging.And yesterday he had his 80th birthday.

Enjoy all this and more on The Word's Rolf Harris tribute:


http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/rolf-harris-greatest-living-entertainer-80-today

Magic!