Some music from melancholic country

Picture: from Hurriganes' official website

One thing I wanted to share with those interested in the country of Santa Claus and reindeer is some music. A while ago I got some music recommendations from my workmate. I just copy and paste, so it is not about my music preferences. He wanted me to learn about some new and old Finnish bands. Here we go:

Hurriganes - I will stay
Lauri Tähkä - Maailma on renki
Lauri Tähkä - Pauhaava sydän
Leningrad Cowboys - Leningrad
HIM - Right here in my arms
Hanoi Rocks - Million miles away
Hanoi Rocks - People like me
The 69 Eyes - Lost boys
Apulanta - Koneeseen kadonnut
Yö - Joutsenlaulu
Yö - Rakkaus on lumivalkoinen
Uniklubi - Kaikki mitä mä annoin

Of course there is also Nightwish, Apocalyptica, probably slightly forgotten nowadays The Rasmus... Fans of heavy sounds know Children of Bodom. The name of this band is by the way associated with murders of some young people staying overnight by the lake of Bodom. A bit scary story.

Some of us know Lordi, some of us remember them from Eurovision :)

There is surely a lot more to recommend but this is not a musical blog so I'll just mention two more singers. Recently I came across Chisu (Sama nainen, Baden baden) and Jenni Vartiainen. Jenni's song "En Haluu Kuolla Tänä Yönä" is more positive and less melancholic than most of Finnish songs and with this positive accent I will end my today's post. For those who want to listen: Jenni's song :) Enjoy!

Guys' turn - Miesten vouro

A movie "Miesten vuoro" is a Finnish candidate to Oscar. Since the weather is nowadays quite rainy it was not a bad idea to go to cinema. My Finnish still isn't perfect but I was hoping that maybe they don't talk too much and I can get the point. They did talk quite a lot, however. I really had to focus to understand something. I think I have partially succeeded.

Spoiler warning! If you want to watch the movie and discover it for yourself do not read any further!

The movie was a documentary. In short sections different men told about their lives, what kind of painful experiences they have been through. The environment is always sauna or some facilities/fresh air before/after sauna. Men are moved when they tell their stories, they cry. If there are male witnesses they are also moved by stories they hear, but they seem to feel awkward, don't know how to react, what to say. It is indeed difficult to say anything to a person who lost his/her child, for example, as one of the man did.

I saw this movie as a voice in a discussion of "maleness" stereotype. It is quite natural point of view in Finland that men should never show any signs of fragility, weakness nor exhibit emotions. Those who are in the documentary say themselves that they should be strong, shouldn't be so emotional. They are helpless in the face of cruel experiences they had to go through, they don't know how to cope. Nobody has ever thought them how to deal with a loss of somebody they love, they "only" should be strong and supportive.

I read this movie also as a male turn to talk. Usually - according to stereotype - it is women who are more open to talk and share their experiences and emotions. It was good to hear men talking.

And the last but not least remark - the lonliness of men suffering seemed to be highlighted by pictures of nature: uninhabited vast lands, forests covered with snow, mists over a river, the one and only tree on the horizon... Typical Finnish landscapes and mind/soul landscapes of Finns at the same time - full of life but harsh at the same time.

Anyway I did enjoy this movie a lot and I can recommend it. Not a holywood style movie at all :) I hope you'll enjoy it as well.

Diving and sporty elderly Finns

As I mentioned previously Finns are quite a sporty nation. Possibilities to join various sport clubs, hobby clubs are numerous when one just wants to do something. A while ago I had a chance to try diving, I liked it, therefore I thought that maybe I should make an Open Water Diver course. Especially that water in lakes was so warm. I thought that a chance that water will be so warm again during the summer is so small that I have to act now.
So one Tuesday in the end of July I decided to do this course. I got a book to prepare for the theory around 10 pm, read until 1 am, went to work next day and had a theoretical exam next day after work. Luckily I passed.

On Thursday I had first exercises in the swimming pool. Even though the water was 27 centigrades I had blue lips after two hours while other course participants were OK. All together I spent over 3 hours in the swimming pool and to be honest I was quite happy to get out of water and run to sauna.

In the changing room one lady, probably in her 70' asked me if I could help her out with applying moisturising lotion and we had a short chat. She was such a lovely, positive person that I felt like I wanted her to be my foster-granny. The point is though that despite her age she was still physically active, going to the swimming pool with her friend. And she was not the only older person in the pool and this is how I want to age - being physically and intellectually active.

I did all required open water dives and managed to finish my OWD course. I need to say that in comparison to most popular diving locations conditions for diving in Finnish lakes are relatively difficult: not such a great visibility, cold water and no colourful fish around. But then it is only easier to dive elsewhere :)