HAPPY NEW YEAR MISS SOPHIE

Just saw the trailer for the new film Happy New Year on YouTube. I know it looks like a cheerful and simple film, but you know what? Think it's gonna be light funny entertainment. Take a look:



And that got me thinking; where do I wanna celebrate New Years eve? We've talked about having a house party in our house in Swansea. So Swansea, London, Oxford I donno. But one thing IS certain (99% at least), I'm doing it UK style this year :D Probably fly back on the 28/29/30 or sometime around there.

This was London last New Years eve! OMG!


Would be great to experience that! Or really, just something different. It's become so boring in Norway in the last three years, cause almost all fireworks is forbidden except what's known as "batteries" (fireworks where the element/case/thingy itself doesn't leave the ground). That more or less killed the fireworks in my village. We've always get some "batteries", so have some. But I want something different this year, turned 20, live in another country and have had 19 good New Years in Norway, so time for a change. I think New Years eve is great, cause for me it's starts a thought process were I reflect on the year that's been. It makes you appreciate what you've got and what you can do different.

So cheers to that everyone! To change! To the future! To friends & family! Or simply put, cheers to life!





Countdown-Clocks

Oh the blog title is from a British sketch that's been shown every single New Years eve in Norway since 1980. "Grevinnen og Hovemesteren"

This was the "Today's song" on my blog 01.01.11. Love it!
Today's song: Ian Axel - This is the New Year

TUSENFRYD + CLUBING

Went to Norway's biggest theme park today, Tusenfryd, with mom, Marianne, my sister and two of my cousins. As some of you may know, I was out last night and have to admit I felt a tiny bit rough today. After the third time in a thingy that goes up, down, sideways and turns, I started feeling the 8 beers and kebab have a samba class in my tummy... You we took turn riding with each and all three were like "Come on TD, just one more time"

My sister and cousin waiting for the splash from the Super Splash, which is basically a roller coaster that lands in water at the end.

My 8 year old sister and 8 year old cousin wanted to ride Loopen/The Loop... I've ridden it several times and it's okay, just a bit hard in the turns. Me and mom stood at the side whilst Marianne took one at the time with her and we both had a VERY raised heart rate. Mom said: "I don't wanna look, just let me know when it's over" Haha! I said the same, but the I remembered that someone needed to take some pictures. (No it's not my camera, it's moms)

I LOVE two of the other roller coasters, ThunderCoaster and SpeedMontster. ThunderCoaster is a massive wooden coaster, which reach up to 100km/h / 62mph, you're exposed to 3 G and you're weightless 12 times. Speed Monster is one of Europe's fastest, going from 0-90km/h / 0-55,92mph in 2 seconds and you're weightless 7 times and it's got 3 loops. WICKED! I don't like stuff that goes slowly up side down, but speed wiiii!

As I said I was out last night, cause some of my friends attend Oslo University so I joined in on the last Freshers/Fadderuka event. We started out with a vors at her place, which was nice, funny people. Then we went clubbing... That is the FIRST and LAST time I go clubbing there, at one of Oslos biggest clubs. It got overcrowded cause the let in to many people. So we didn't dance, we moved with crowd. I must say one thing: If you bump someone say SORRY! It's a bloody simple word, that apparently none that bumped into us last night knew.

And we were down dancing and there was 2 girls trying to get across the dance floor. I saw them go through every other "group" on the floor like two bulldozers, without saying sorry just bumping people aside. There were, at that time, loads of space behind us, but noooo. They wanted to go through our group too, so I danced/blocked them. She said "What the fuck's your problem?" I answered "Walk around, you don't have to go right between us do you!?" She said "Fuck you!" And before I were able to answer, one of my girl friends shouted at her "Piss off!" Bloody Norwegians, the dancefloor ain't a construction site, just use the words  Excuse me and Sorry.


Anyway, parts of the night were funny and I got to spend time with my friend Ina (and her very nice apartment), so happy :D

Today's song: Robyn - Dancing on my own

MULTICULTURAL NORWAY

I would say that Norway is a multicultural country, at least in the cities. In one store you can buy asian food, nextdoor it's indian or how about shish kebab? I would say that our culture has never been better than in 2011.

Source: ndla.no

Norwegians have always been good at keeping to traditions, and we still are, but now a days it's developing every day. All the different people that in the last 100 years, but mostly 50 years, migrated to Norway, have helped shape our country to the better. The three big topic that define a culture is language, food and music.

Language

We've got three official languages in Norway, bokmål, nynorsk and samì (last one normally only spoken by the samì people in the north). From the age of 6 we learn English in school and from 13 you normally have to learn another language (French, German, Spanish etc) I chose German, but cause I haven't spoken it in a while, having a conversation will be a bit hard at first, but I can understand some. As in many other countries, after the internet came, cultures and languages started to move around. Also after the EU started opening up borders and people from other countries moved to work here, they brought their culture and language with them. Main influence is English, where many day to day words come from, either in original form or an altered version. I get customers in the store who say "Thank you" instead of the Norwegian word "Takk". I use the word "invite" instead of "invitasjon" when I ask people to send me an invite to something. We use the word "deal". And this goes on and on. Also some words with origin from other languages, f ex Arabian. 

I've particularly noticed this in the last year after I moved to the UK. Cause when I get back to Norway, many many English words is still left. Sometimes the English word comes out instead of the Norwegian. When me and the other "Swansea-Norwegians" talk, after we've been in UK a while, we almost speak a "fusion-Norwegian/English". One word here and there might be English or a phrase or saying might pop out.

Norwegian: "Er det middag nå?"

English: "Is it dinner-time?"

Fusion: "Er det dinner-time?"

Often it's just easier to use one English word instead of 2-3 Norwegian words. Also sometimes I simply forget the Norwegian word and just automatically use the English one. I love learning new languages, and between you and me, I regret not choosing Spanish, haha!

Food

I've always liked foreign food. Two very traditional Norwegian dishes would be kjøttkaker med poteter og brunsaus (meatballs with potatoes and brown sauce) and Fårrikål (sheep meat boiled for hours with cabbage and pepper/salt). They are OKAY dishes, fair enough. But if I get taco, Italian pasta or Tikka Masala on my plate, I'll get water in my mouth. Personally, I think some of the "traditional" Norwegian food is so boring and could have much more flavor. In Norway it's custom to eat taco or pizza on Friday and/or Saturday. I'm not joking. I work in a grocery store and the sale of sweet corn, tomatoes, taco kits and spice doubles on a Friday afternoon, it's crazy. I grew up with a mom who hate boring food and we'd never had Fårrikål until 2 years back. She likes to cook Greek food or should I just say, Meditarinian food. So naturally I've gotten that input into my taste of food. So called "fusion cooking" is great. Then you basically mix different types of food from different cultures. F ex Norwegian + Indian + Italian = kjøttkaker med hvitløksmarinerte poteter og karrisaus/ meatballs with garlic marinated potatoes and curry sauce.

I've always had milk in the tea and ever since I could speak I've said the English word "toast" instead of "ristet brød" in Norwegian. My "excuse" is that my great nan was British and then grandma grew up with that, then my mom and now me. 

Music

   
Left: Stella Mwangi - This years Eurovison song. (English and african)
Right: Erik and Kriss ft BYZ - A song that was played loads a few months ago (Norwegian and Swedish)
   
Left: Katastrofe - New up and coming Norwegian rapper (Norwegian)
Right: Samsaya - A great artist, with several "top 10" hits throughout the years (English + some Norwegian)
   
Left: Gabrielle - A new artist (I've never heard of her before this one any way) A song on the "top 10" now (Norwegian)
Right: Aqua - Let us not forget Aqua. What would the 90s or the world be without it xD

Oh and BTW, many of Rihannas songs were produced and written by a Norwegian company, Stargate. Anyway, music is a universial language. You may not always understand the lyrics, but you can understand the beat. I remember as a kid singing P!nks Get the party started without really knowing what I was singing.

I'm not a huge Eurovison fan, but when Stella Mwangi was chosen to represent Norway this year I was proud. She sang in two languages and shows a new culture. Several people went public saying "Oh but she's not singing in Norwegian, it's an african language" "That's not our type of music" and some went as far as to say "But she's black, it's wrong that she should represent us". The last one was random people in the commentary field on articles who said, racist twats! Anyway, I was proud cause that song DOES show our culture, that we are a multicultural society. But I'm glad she didn't win, cause in 2009 the worst thing happened.... Alexander Rybak, Norway's singer, won... Oh my god... his song Fairytail was E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E! Every single store, radio channel, TV channel, elevators, ringtones, people humming etc. People were going crazy. It was started several "hate" groups on Facebook and it got well over a million, haha! Lesson to be learned here; if your country didn't win Eurovision, be happy.

I think that most people find other cultures more exciting than their own. It's exciting trying something new, learning new stuff. My dream job for 6 months-a year would be to work as a camera operator for Travel Channel and travel the world to see its cultures.

Stella's new music video for her song Lookie Lookie! Check it out
Today's song: Stella Mwangi - Lookie Lookie

FRIENDSHIPS

"Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods."

- Artistotle

Friends

The one thing we all need, a friend. A person who'll listen to you when you've got problems, who'll listen to you when you've got something great and magnificent to share. A true friend sees you as you, no more, no less. A friend is also honest with you, even though it might be hard some times.

All this is important. Without it, what is life? To find a person you can laugh and laugh with for ages whilst emptying a bottle of wine or two. A person who'll be there no matter what. If you're in trouble you need only call out and that friend will be there. Supporting. Caring. Sharing. That's a friend. 

A good friend of mine told me something today, something that for him was really hard and that he'd been wanting to say for a while. When he'd said it, he said he felt silly about not telling this before. I said that's what friends are for. I believe, and hope, that after that experience today we've become even better friends.

For after all, what are friends for if not just that? Supporting. Caring. Sharing. That's a true friend. It's nice isn't it? To have someone there for you?

Well I'm gonna say this: Thank you, all of my amazing friends who'd been there for me throughout my life. You rock! And I hope to have many good years left filled great moments, both negative and positive. Cause after all, it is precisely that who make up the incredible person YOU are. You do the same, let you're friend know they are great! :D

By the way, me and one of my best friends, Marianne, had our 10 year anniversary last Saturday. Cheers to that :D

I know I had this last week, but it's bloody brialant and I get a happy lush fuzzy feeling of it, like I can run 10 mile cause of happiness. You get the same feeling?

Today's song: Coldplay - Every teardrop is a waterfall

KIDS AWAY

Finished the budget for my charity project today, Kids Away (Discovery Swansea charity). From September I'm the project coordinator for this project. I've submitted my budget proposal to the board and have to wait for their approval.

The Kids Away project provides trips and activities to children and young people aged 10 – 16 who have been referred to us by external agencies such as social services. We organize a range of opportunities which aim to promote confidence, independence and self awareness. This is done by encouraging positive behaviour and participation in fun and challenging activities.

The Kids Away team organise and run the project including selecting the activity, contacting families and organising transport. Volunteers are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of children on the day.

The plan (or my proposal) for next year:
- Bushcraft course (out by Gower)
- A visit to Plantasia (local mini-zoo for exotic animals/plants)
- Christmas workshop
- Climbing wall (at the gym, LC2)
- Cinema
- Bowling
- Fruity Loop Beach day (Swansea beach)
- Summer BBQ (Swansea beach)

Basically I'm asking for almost £1600, but that's for all the activities throughout the year. I just hope they like my plans enough, to grant us that. I love working with kids, gives me so much joy. Kids often look at the world in a great and different way, which gives me inspiration.

Other than that, I did my one hour training today. Cardio and abs training :D Love it! And check out my new header (on top). What you think? Just felt like getting a new one.

Check this out! The video for the top hit Stay Awake. I love the shots and editing in this, really good! And the song really good to.

Today's song: Example - Stay Awake

ELVEFESTIVALEN

In Drammen (city near me) there was the annual Drammen Elvefestival (Drammen Riverfestival). You get the standard stuff, traveling tivoli, booths with cheap stuff from China, gipsy people in the street begging for money, but you also get a bloody good speedboat show, water jets, Dragon race and much more. After that me, Anine and Marianne joined our friends Christiane and Hansa at the Drammen Uni freshers halls party :D We were home (Anines) around.... 3 ish....



This is one of my favorite summer tunes! When I listen to this I'm just imagining lying in the grass next to someone and just feeling all of your problems just disappearing for a few minutes :D
Today's song: Jason Mraz - I'm yours

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours by jasonmrazworld

WHO'S LAUGHING NOW BITCH

A very small amount of my classmates from primary/secondary (barne- og ungdomsskole) called me fat and chubby when we were younger. That kinda got to me and yes I was chubby, but that's still not something you go around saying. Now I know that, that you shouldn't let other strangers pull you down. But I'm now gonna say thank you for the "pain", cause that gave me so much motivation you have no idea. I feel more confident about my body now than ever. Running gives me a great feeling, so do going to the gym, simply fitness i general.

School photo of me in 8th grade, about 13:

This was me yesterday after I'd gone for a run (all sweaty and red, mmmm nice xD )

I use Endomondo to track my running, cycling and swimming - my profile. In the last few weeks I've tried to exercise at least 3 times a week. Where I run between 4-5km and for every 1-1,5km I stop and do 10 leg-ups, 20 sit-ups, 10 lean sit-ups each side and 10 push-ups.

Yes I would love to have a six-pack and more muscle, and that is my ultimate goal, but you know what; I'm happy now. So, as Jessie Jay says, who's laughing now bitch?!?!

Today's song: Jessie Jay - Who's laughing now?

SISTERS

Visited two (out of six) of my sisters today, Henriette and Camilla. We chit-chat'ed and made tacos :D :D Take a look at this everyone. My sister Camilla playing piano. I had to hide the camera cause she didn't want me to film, but hey, what else do have big brothers for? What you hear is a part of Chris Medina's - What are words. She hasn't looked at a single note, she just listened to the song and played what she heard!!! She's a natural!



Henriette LOVES Ed Hardy and her car is Ed Hardy... Ed Hardy seat covers, Ed Hardy floor mats, Ed Hardy steering wheel cover and last but not least, a Ed Hardy air freshener!

 I'm crossing my fingers for Henriette cause she gets it confirmed tomorrow if she accepted into the BA Nurse and medical staff at Buskerud Institute of Higher Education (Høyskolen i Buskerud). She's heard a rumor that she's in, cause in Norway if you don't turn up to your first day you loose your place (unless you're ill of course). FINGERS CROSSED EVERYONE :D


I love this song and the video is so cool. Really like the stop-motion effect!
Today's song: Coldplay - Every teardrop is a waterfall

BIRTHDAY

It's one of my sisters birthday today, Christina. She turned 8 today :D

And my step-aunt and uncle have got a new dog! The cutest thing ever. Its name is Alvin and if I remember correctly, it's 11 weeks old. It "attacked" my camera, biting after it, haha!

Have a great Monday peeps!

Today's song: Jessie J - Pricetag

NEW WEBSITE

My new website is now done. Check it out at tomdaniellaugerud.com or tomdaniel.eu. I still haven't a 100% decided with what domain to go with. I used the Wix editor to create my site, cause the little web coding I know won't get me that far. I can do some basic stuff here and there, but that's about it. If you're wondering why I have two domains, it's because I got tomdaniellaugerud.com free through Wix, simple as that.

In mid June, actually at Gatwick Airport in the VHSmith, I spotted a magazine "Computer arts projects". On the front was the title "Improve your digital portfolio". This issue contained loads of tips on how to show off yourself and your work and how crucial that is in the creative industry. They'd interview people every branch on the industry, film, photo, design, art etc. If you get can a hold of a copy of this, do it, it's well worth the £7,50.

I've also started a "career blog", where I'm gonna post updates on project, inspirations etc. For me it's really important to separate my "private life" from my "job-life". It's not everything a future boss needs to see and vice versa. Also then I use that as a online journal, not just for myself, but also to use in uni where we have to do a "visual diary" of the year. You can find this at blog.tomdaniel.eu.

As a "mini-blog" I've set up a twitter account, so follow me @tomdaniel_blog. If I'm working on a project I can post short updates which will then appear on my blog.

Next step:

- I'm soon starting working on my Facebook page, hoping to have that online within August

- Business cards

Please give me feedback,would love to hear your thoughts.

MINI-APARTMENT

As I was tidying my "mini-apartment" today I realized I haven't shown you guys it! It's an add-on to the house my amazing step-dad built for me so I could get my own space. It's 8m x 3m (26.25ft x 9.84ft) and separated into a living room-office-"kitchen"-corner-area and a bedroom-area.

Used Photosynth to create a 360 picture so you can have a look. Use the mouse to "drag" the picture and move around in the room.

I love my parents for making this for me! I've was speechless when they told me and immediately said "Well I don't want you to spend money you don't have" They said it was fine. I was thrilled, not having to stay in my old kid room for the periods when I'm in Norway. Love my mom, step-dad and sister, but sometimes it can get a bit crowded xD Of course when I'm in Swansea they are gonna use it etc., so it's not just for me.

So now it's all nice and tidy which is probably gonna last for two days, three tops...

Today's song: Diggy - Copy, Paste

VLOG: SHOPPING WITH SIMEN

Shopping with Simen :D We did a vlog to tell about out day. It's texted in English people. YouTube is a bit slow on the sub titles so. Never tried the transcript function before and never gonna.... God it took way to long. Learn Norwegian people.... Anyway :D (You can download the transcript here, cause I know at least my friend Dian is learning Swedish/Norwegian so here you go)



Everybody get those legs moving cause here's JLS! :D
Today's song: JLS - She makes me wanna

TIME LAPSE ABERTAWE

My newest / old film. A time lapse of Swansea, which I started in February 2011 and countiniued working on until late April. In May some university projects came up, so this project was put on hold. But today I did the finishing touches and uploaded it.

I wanted to experiment and learn more about time lapse. The raw material is composed of 2330 still pictures, shot on my Canon EOS 400D, which then is imported into After Effects as jpg-sequences. In AE I adjusted the size of the pictures and also some brightness/exposure correction on shots with changing lighting (f. ex. inside Quadrant)



I'm not 100% happy with it, cause there is some shakes, over-exposed parts etc. BUT I learned very much from this project. I learned about what different frame rates does, where I used the wrong settings etc. When taking pictures of people I discovered after that it would have been wiser to have shutter speed set to between 1/15 and 1" and have short intervals. This is to avoid them showing as "blips" on screen. So I hope to deliver an even better product next time. Thanks again to Swansea City Council, Quadrant Shopping Centre, O'Briens Sandwish Bar and First.

As Timothy Allen, an amazing BBC photographer (still & moving), said about time lapse:
"Experience will be your best teacher here and as you practise you will discover what works best for you."




If you didn't know it, Timothy Allen is one of the photographers behind BBC's amazing Human Planet. Which has some of the best shots I've seen in documentaries ever. Real absolute beauty. He is one my favorite photographers in the world.

I miss Swansea now, after looking at that all day. Gonna be good to get back in September, moving in to the new house, my own room and most of all, back to my daily routine :D

Today's song: Hoobastank - The Reason

NEW WEBSITE (BETA)

I've started working on my new website today. Still not completely done, but I'm getting there.

Here, take a look at the BETA version:

Right now it's on a online editor domain. Most of the site is flash coded. I bought my own domain several months ago, tomdaniel.eu , which had a old version of my site (now empty) just haven't connected them yet.

Still missing some bits and pieces here and there:
- Some links
- Getting the blog (my career blog) which is connected with an iframe-code, to behave...
- Sort out contact page
- Add a description on one of the photo albums
- And of course connect with my domain, but hardly takes any time

Today's song: Beyoncé - Best thing I never had

THE ULTIMATE PLAYLIST

Have you enjoyed the music I put on my blog? Today's music? Weekly playlist? Well look no further than this. I've put all of the lovely music into one ultimate playlist (a few songs aren't on Spotify)

164 tracks = 10 hours of mixed pure pleasure

The Ultimate playlist - Blog 2011

Everything from Bryan Adams - Summer of 69 to David Guetta - Little Bad Girl. Like it? Subscribe to it!

And of course its got today's lovely tune in it! :D And for all of those of you that are cool enough to live in Wales or are coming to visit, they're coming to Cardiff 26/10/11 Millennium music hall - Facebook event

Today's song: Puddle of Mudd - Blurry

220711 (MY NEW FILM)

22nd of July 2011 two of the most tragic terror attacks happened in Norway.

Left: Anders Behring Breivik Right: Oslo
Source: VG.no

Anders Behring Breivik detonated a bomb in the heart of the capitol Oslo, taking out several government buildings, amongst others Prime Minister’s Office and Department of Justice (where one of my family members work, she's okay). This paralyzed the people in the capitol. What no one knew or imagined was that another tragic event was yet to come. Anders drove to a place called Utøya, an island about 1.5 hours from the capitol. Here the ruling party (Labour/Arbeiderpartiet) held its annual summer camp for kids. Anders was dressed as a police officer and said to the kids that he had information and was there to protect him. When the kids had gotten close, he started shooting them. There were 650 children on that island; at least 69 never came home. The youngest kids on the island were 5 years old. The kids threw themselves into the water and started swimming for their lives, a swim which was at least 1000m. Kids hid in the forest, behind cliffs and under beds. With no mercy, Anders Behring Breivik walked around shooting kids in the head. The massacre lasted for 1 hour.

Rescue people and volunteers did an amazing job; civilians threw themselves into their boats and drove out to pick up kids from the cold water. But that is no comfort for the parents, families and friends that lost their beloved.

All over the country people arranged light ceremonies and in the capitol, with several hundreds of thousand participation, a rose parade was set up. Here is my pictures:


I also attended the unofficial light ceremony in Drammen (city close to me). You can view my pictures here.

When in Oslo and Drammen I also filmed a lot, to make up a memorial-documentary-film. My goal was to only have moving pictures and music, timing the edits and content to the music. I met up with fellow student Thea and close friend Marianne in Oslo and we helped each other to get even better photos.

Norwegian version:



English version:



I would love get your feedback please! Both on the film and pictures.

Today is two "today's song". The first one, Closer the edge was the first song I turned on when I sat down after work the 22nd of July 2011. Really listen to the lyrics! Like I posted on Facebook (above)

The other song Mitt lille land is an iconic song in Norway, that's been played everywhere throughout this tragedy. To me it symbolizes Norway and also hope.

Today's song: 30 seconds to Mars - Closer to the edge


Today's song: Maria Mena - Mitt lille land