blackgirl on mars: notes on a life in copenhagen (or how my alienation brings me closer to people).

and introducing the Bandit Garden!  Courtesy of the Grade 6 class at EuroSchool!  this is what it looked like before:  Before...

photo courtesy of Wayne Liburd 2013 The last time I had a walk with Buddha, we were in Christiania. He had no teeth. The sun shone, and new spring leaves tickled the air, as gentle breezes danced above our heads. A chilly, spring day. Copenhagen has lots of them. Buddha said, "The only real complaint any human being has, is that they know not the origin of their existence and the meaning of it. Everything else is bullshit." Thanks Buddha. I think you're right.  Bad-Ass Angela, Ben the Kalimba specialist & Mo, Big Island, Hawaii 2011

Thanks Awkward Black Girl for assisting Blackgirl on Mars! This show really got me through a lot! Great acting, writing & production team. 

from where i sit... The weather is getting warmer - although there are those rainy, gray days in between. It's fine with me, though - although it's still a bit chilly sometimes. But I suppose that's fitting given the current news headlines. Europe is losing it. Or perhaps she already has. Someone has a lot to gain from economic instability and the social instability this seems to entail. Riots in Stockholm and an attack in London which is being described as "terrorism". I'm just saying folks, be on your extra p's and q's. So when Merkel & Sarkozy (to name a few) announce that Multiculturalism has failed, it's no so much an assessment, but a declaration. So no. I don't choose to write about dating, men, make-up, fashion- I won't give you that fluffy, phony, plastic portrait that "Denmark is the new place to be!" Hey, Europe is Europe - don't sleep. For real. adieu, the lab

Parts of a new bill (§ 22, 24 and 27) named "Freedom of Information Act" ("Offentlighedsloven") are threatening Denmark's, and potentially other countries’, democracy at its core. If the bill is passed, the Danish public, the media and even opposition Members of Parliament will no longer be allowed to monitor vital parts of the government’s paper trail, effectively blanketing the Danish government in a cover of darkness. Illegal activities within the administration will be able to be freely hidden from the general public, the media and even the parliamentary opposition. This will set the stage for an uncontrolled government, and the death of Danish democracy. Denmark is already known within Scandinavia for its secretive traditions and practices within the state administration. The government openly admits that recent scandals would not have been revealed under the proposed new law. Leading international watchdogs are already concerned. The IPI (International...

sometimes peace, cph 2013.

Sometimes a picture is the best narrative.  It's interesting to note that in Danish the verb (to) fool = (at) narr.   farvel,  the lab

"I wonder if Columbus thought of me", Lesley-Ann Brown, Copenhagen 2010

ida's elixer The bandit garden project was a success. The garden is almost up and running at the local park close to the school. It's amazing how activated the kids become (both genders) when engaged in something creative--whether it's planting a garden or learning how to knit.  We started on Thursday with cleaning up the bit of land I depicted a few posts ago. The grade 6's had to go to P.E. so some 5th graders took over and they were really good at it. They prepared the land and made sure it was all ready for planting on Friday.  Friday I made my way over there to meet the sixth graders. Some planted in a large pot many beautiful flowers which were provided by the park. Would you believe I forgot my camera? Thus the lack of up-to-date photos, but I'll load them as soon as I get them.  It was an amazing experience to see how engaged the kids were in making the park that they play in, beautiful. It was also a joy to experience how open and helpful the worke...