Happy Walpurgisnacht!

Some Saturday notes on life in Wonderland

The older I get, the wierdner it gets. Life. In the common sense of the word wierd as well as in the original sense of the word, wyrd. I am not going into juicy examples of my own life. We all have our own examples and that is what suffices here.

I woke up this morning after sleeping much longer than usually. What a luxury to wake up after a noon. My schedule is getting a bit easier when it comes to fixed timetable. I am happy to have my hands full of work, but now I am more free about what to do and when.

Some of the things of urgent attention are getting the final pages of my first book translated into English and getting proper programs to my computer so that I can start to record new music. I am full of ideas and I just can’t wait to start working with them.

The first thing I did this morning was to finish reading Ben MacIntyre’s Forgotten Fatherland. The Search for Elisabeth Nietzsche. What a wonderful book that was. A true key to seeing this life as Wonderland.

Elizabeth Förster-Nietzsche was truly a twisted sister. At least if you look at things from his brother’s perspective. It is too bad that she shamelessly used and ripped off his brother’s philosophy to her own ends after returning to Germany from Paraguay, where her and her husband’s utopia called Nueva Germania went down the hill.

As my regular readers have noted, I have been heavily influenced by Friendrich Nietzsche’s philosophy. This has been the case since I was around 16 years old or so. With this background MacIntyre’s book was just a “must to read” for me. But it was interesting also because I have always been interested in utopias. Plato, Thomas More, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, as well as J.R.R. Tolkien have all painted their own utopian societies. I have been nurturing ideas of my own in this field too, for years. Maybe those thoughts will turn one day into a book.

MacIntyre’s book gave a really interesting angle to see life as a Wonderland in realizing that there are still Germans in the original site of Nueva Germania, in the middle of a jungle. It was shocking and fascinating to think for the reasons why those persons were living there, and where they could be if their ancestors would not have decided to go there, if Elizabeth Förster-Nietzsche and her banana-brain antisemitic husband Bernhard Förster would not have come up with such a wild idea called Nueva Germania. All of a sudden seemingly whimsical effects of the Universe on my life looked a bit smaller in comparison to these things.

Another angle to life as Wonderland were my meditations while doing tons of dishes while listening to Neil Young’s Living with War. I listened to the album twice. That should tell something about how much I had dishes... maybe also of something else.

A bit more happier angle to the Wonderland came while listening to Hecata and while pondering on what a magical path I have been travelling ever since my ancestor who was a teacher looked into my eyes through a black-and-white photograph some 15 years ago and contributed in a wyrd way in getting me into studying pedagogics and becoming the second teacher in the family. This spring marks a Victory in my practise of Thelema in this field.

The moral of these ramblings – life is a Wonderland, in good and bad, in pleasure and pain. It is pretty much up to you, what you make out of it. Don’t just read about magic – live magic. Jump into the transmutating fire of Aletheia and open yourself to Wonders of your whole humanity.

To forget one's purpose

To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.
- Friedrich Nietzsche

Great album covers, IX

Fuck yeah?

Fuck yeah!

Heroes, I

He was a man with a big loving and creative Heart. He was a man who created for himself a joyride with Chicago busses and beyond. He was a man of what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has called flow. He was a man of pure genius. He has given me more happiness than any MTV video (or so many other things) ever. I love you like a milkshake, Wesley Willis. Big headbutt for you in the great beyond in your honor and for all of my friends in your spirit here on this side of the Universe!

Rock over London, rock on Chicago! Nokia - connecting people!

Escape from Heaven

Here's a CD that I am really waiting for - Niko Skorpio's Escape from Heaven. Listen to samples and read more from Some Place Else and Niko's webpage.

Always look on the bright side of life

[...] For life is quite absurd
and death's the final word
you must always face the curtain with a bow.

Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

So always look on the bright side of death
just before you draw your terminal breath.

Life's a piece of shit
when you look at it
life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.

You'll see it's all a show
keep 'em laughing as you go
just remember that the last laugh is on you.

- Eric Idle, Always look on the bright side of life from Monty Python's Life of Brian.

Making plans

To make plans and project designs brings with it many good sensations; and whoever had the strenght to be nothing but a forger of plans his whole life long would be a very happy man: but he would occasionally have to take a rest from this activity by carrying out a plan - and then comes the vexation and the sobering up.

- Friedrich Nietzsche, Assorted Opinions and Maxims.

Dynamite Easter, 1864 CE

You will never get the crowd to cry Hosanna until you ride into town on an ass.
- Friedrich Nietzsche, Assorted Opinions and Maxims.

Friedrich Nietzsche in 1864 CE

142 years ago Friedrich Nietzsche was 20 years old and at crossroads with his life regarding religion. He had been religious but his faith had started slowly but steadily to crumble. And then, he forcefully decided to not take part in Easter’s holy communion. It could be said to be a day of a personal death and resurrection, a start of a new path for Fritz. A path that eventually resulted in his revolutionary philosophy.

Quotes on Aletheia

Ah Moisa, I beg you, and Alatheia (Truth) daughter of Zeus, with your right hand upraised shield me from this reproach of a pledge broken and a friend’s dues dishonoured.

- Pindar, Odes Olympian 11 str1

Alatheia (Truth), who art the beginning of great virtue, keep my good-faith from stumbling against rough falsehood.

- Pindar, Frag 205

Alatheia (Truth) is from the same city as the gods; she alone lives with the gods.

- Greek Lyric IV Bacchylides, Frag 57

A man was journeying in the wilderness and he found Veritas-Aletheia (Truth) standing there all alone. He said to her, 'Ancient lady, why do you dwell here in the wilderness, leaving the city behind?' From the great depths of her wisdom, Veritas (Truth) replied, 'Among the people of old, lies were found among only a few, but now they have spread throughout all of human society!

-Aesop, Fables 531 (from Babrius 126)

Prometheus, that potter who gave shape to our new generation, decided one day to sculpt the form of Veritas (Truth) [Aletheia], using all his skill so that she would be able to regulate people's behaviour. As he was working, an unexpected summons from mighty Jupiter [Zeus] called him away. Prometheus left cunning Dolus (Trickery) in charge of his workshop, Dolus had recently become one of the god's apprentices. Fired by ambition, Dolus (Trickery) used the time at his disposal to fashion with his sly fingers a figure of the same size and appearance as Veritas (Truth) [Aletheia] with identical features. When he had almost completed the piece, which was truly remarkable, he ran out of clay to use for her feet. The master returned, so Dolus (Trickery) quickly sat down in his seat, quaking with fear. Prometheus was amazed at the similarity of the two statues and wanted it to seem as if all the credit were due to his own skill. Therefore, he put both statues in the kiln and when they had been thoroughly baked, he infused them both with life: sacred Veritas (Truth) walked with measured steps, while her unfinished twin stood stuck in her tracks. That forgery, that product of subterfuge, thus acquired the name of Mendacium (Falsehood) [Pseudologos], and I readily agree with people who say that she has no feet: every once in a while something that is false can start off successfully, but with time Veritas (Truth) is sure to prevail.

- Aesop, Fables 530 (from Phaedrus App. 5)

He beguiled Veritas (Truth) herself with his many [false] expressions of affection.

- Apuleias, The Golden Ass 8.7

Vox Paganorum 1/06

Late last year I won a competition for covers of this year's numbers of Vox Paganorum, the publication of Pakanaverkko (Pagan Net). The first of those covers, Sender of Dreams, is presented above. The drawing was published for the first time in my second book Saatanan Mustat Nahkasiivet.

The first number of Vox for this year is available. Among other subjects, the number includes articles on herbs, martyrdom, ancient Roman views of nature, mythical animals, music and ritual, as well as an interview I made with Ensio Kataja and a review I made of his book Riimujen Viisaus (translates into Wisdom of Runes). The review can be found in English from here.

If you are a Finn and want to support some national group that looks after and speaks for the rights of marginal religions and philosophies that can be contextualized as 'pagan', one good grassroots level way to do that is to order Vox Paganorum. 15 Euroes is not much for four numbers per year.

Sonic magic

I set up MySpace page few days ago. My thanks for Ovro and for guys from Gemina Stella for technical support in this. There is just Underground Voices -track available on my page currently, but more is to be added soon. I will also start creating completely new soundscapes sooner or later within the next few weeks...

Animal rights, II

I taught animal rights to some ninth graders last Friday. I based those two hours pretty much on Peter Singer’s classic Animal Liberation, although a good amount of information kindly provided by Animalia was in my use as well. Somehow I maganed to jam a song called Huipulla by Keuhkot into the palette as a motivating element. There was plenty of good discussion dealing with various forms of speciesism. I am quite sure the next time some of those students grasp a milk carton they might remember the contradiction between the happy cow drawing in the carton and the reality behind the product.

Animal rights, I

All the arguments to prove man's superiority cannot shatter this hard fact: in suffering the animals are our equals.

[The introduction includes a quote from Alice Walker that says animals] were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites. ... can only be compared with that which resulted from the centuries of tyranny by white humans over black humans.

An animal experiment cannot be justifiable unless the experiment is so important that the use of a brain-damaged human would be justifiable.

- Dr. Peter Singer

Friends, II

I am still stunned. In the most positive way I can think of.

I supposed it was going to be a pretty quiet Saturday night. I was wrong.

On Saturday afternoon I and my guests Ensio Kataja and his lovely partner Satu (who I converted into Keuhkot-maniacs) were going to be picked up to my friends, Petri’s and Päivi’s place. I expected a quiet and private Saturday evening with just these friends. Odd things started to happen from the very beginning though. I am glad I didn’t dress up just in jogging suit... At least I had a cool t-shirt on :-)

Aino, a friend of mine was there to pick us up (instead of Petri) with some weird party-wig in her head. It didn’t ring any bells for me. Maybe it tells of my thoughts of Aino’s common place repertoire of dressing up or my total naivety regarding conditions involved. In any case, as Jussi, Aino’s brother, joined us “accidentally” during the trip and as we took an unusual route, I knew something related to my coming 34th birthday was taking place... I started to get worried about options... Luckily none of my worst case scenario ideas took place. I found myself from Petri’s workplace’s door soon instead.

What happened next blowed my mind away… totally. There was this huge golden gate with my name and age on top of it. I think no Order of the Golden Dawn ritual ever saw anything that elaborate. And then… all of those friends of mine did flow into the lobby of the building… from different parts of Finland and also all the way from the United Kingdom... Jesus! (Joe Young from Orgazmo says here: “Where?!?”). I also heard of a good number of people who almost made it there.

It was just so absolutely weird to be there with all of those people all of a sudden. There was a speech in my honor and in order to welcome everyone present, a green boosting drink offered to everyone, and a big videoscreen feeding the audience with pics dealing with my life accompanied with music from my CD Terra Hyperborea. It was a very cartesian moment. I almost asked somebody to pinch me to wake me up.

The building where we were has four floors and a very cool architectural setting. On the second floor there was food. And I mean, there was tons of food. On the third floor there was a karaoke/music floor and I should also add sauna and a smoking balcony... After everyone had taken food we pretty soon moved to the upper floor to listen to Päivi’s skilful singing… also a good number of others stepped to the stage. We heard some amazing versions all the way from Iron Maiden to Britney Spears.

They sang me happy birthday. They made tribute songs for me. Absolutely great throat singing by Korpinsilmä. Wesley Willis-type of stuff by Kevin and Kristian. Petri had sacrificed few days to prepare a killer multimedia-video presentation about my life.

They presented me gifts, tons of stuff... Savinelli’s churchwarden pipe. A genuine Sacher-chocolate cake straight from Austria (Danke schön, Karin!). A splendid gift certificate to Some Place Else. A kick ass edition of Victor Neuber’s Triumph of Pan. An Aletheia-spirited belt (Live to ride, ride to live!), Gurdjieff’s hymns and dances, true Finnish folk (Valkyrend Variete), good coffee, chocolate and wonderful old red wine… not to forget a new killer computer.

Päivi’s brand new video for Varjokansaa was presented there too. It was great. Keep your eyes and ears open for her, she is going to get known sooner or later in a much larger circles.

I feel I have not yet said even half of what I have wanted to say here... It deals with having friends. That evening elevated my consciousness to the fourth (and at times fifth) floor of my house of consciousness. It all did show me so strongly what it means to have true friends. I need to confess I held up tears a few times due to being so moved of having all those wonderful people there with me. I have no words for how much you all mean for me, how much you brought and bring me happiness. The world is so much better because of people like you. I love you like a milkshake, to quote Wesley Willis.

My special thanks for Petri and Aino who made the party possible. My thanks also for all of you who were there... without you it would not have been what it was.

Geburtstag

Wow... what a magical and amazing weekend it was. Ensio Kataja and his partner visited me all the way from Oulu and my friends arranged a huge surprise birthday party for me. I am still happily stunned about all of that. There will be an entry in my blog about things related tomorrow.