Twilight Of The Thunder God

Well, I just got back from watching the movie “Thor” and I really liked it. This made me once again to think about Norse mythology. I thinks it’s so versatile and full of interesting characters. The second reason I like the band Amon Amarth (the first is of course the music) so much is that the lyrics are about Norse mythology. And that’s why I decided to write about it.

One of the central ideas in Norse mythology is Yggdrasil – The Tree Of Life. In the midst of Asgard, where the gods dwelt, was Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil was the tree of life. It was an eternal green Ash tree, its branches stretched out over the worlds. It was under this tree the gods held their meetings and held court. Yggdrasil had three roots.

The first root of Yggdrasil went to Asgard, the home of the gods. By this root was a well named Urd’s Well. This was where the gods held daily assemblies. It was at Urd’s Well the three Norns lived. Their names were Urd (fate), Skuld (present) and Verdani (future). The three Norns were the goddesses of fate. They spent much of their time spinning the threads of life, deciding the fate of every human and every god. Whenever a child was born, the Norns spun the fate of the child in their threads. Every morning the three Norns would start the day by placing a rooster at the top of the tree. The crow of the rooster would work as a wake-up call for all humans and gods. Every day the Norns would also fetch water from Urd’s Well and pour it over Yggdrasil. The water from the well was of vital importance to keep the tree green and healthy. In Viking times it was quite common to serve a woman who had just given birth to a child some porridge. They called this porridge: Norn-porridge. The Vikings believed the Norns were nearby whenever a child was born. The porridge was considered an offering to the Norns. They hoped the porridge would please the Norns and secure good health for mother and child.

The Second Root of Yggdrasil: Mimir’s Well. The second root went to Jotunheim, land of the giants and trolls. By this root was Mimir’s Well. Mimir was the wisest of all living beings. Odin sacrificed an eye for the rare privilege to have a drink from this well, thus gaining its wisdom. That is how Odin became the one-eyed god. In Norse mythology there is also another older family of gods. They were called the Vanir. The Vanir had a reputation of being masters of sorcery. The Aesir and the Vanir had been at war with each other. To end the fighting, the two branches of gods decided to exchange hostages. The Aesir sent Honir and Mimir to the Vanir. In exchange the Vanir gave Njord and the twins, Frey and Freyja to the Aesir. The Vanir made Honir their chief. As time passed they grew quite upset with Honir. It seemed he could not make a decision on his own, but relied on Mimir to provide the answers. In a rage the Vanir beheaded Mimir and sent his head rolling into Asgard. Odin was devastated. He took the head of Mimir and anointed it with special herbs. He also recited spells. Miraculously the head of Mimir was restored back to life and became the talking head. Odin kept the head. He would consult the head of Mimir whenever a difficult problem arose.

The Third Root of Yggradsil. The third root went to Niflheim. This was the place where Hel ruled her gruesome Underworld. Hel was the daughter of the despiteful Loki. Anyone who died of old age or disease was sent to Hel. It was a dark and gloomy place. Nidhogg gnawed on this root. Nidhogg was also known to suck the blood out of the dead bodies. The well by this root was named Hvergelmir.

Norse mythology had 9 worlds. These were: Asgard, Vanaheim, Jotunheim, Niflheim, Alfheim, Svartalheim, Nidarvellir, Midgard, Muspelheim. As said before Asgard was the home of Gods. Vanheim was the home of the Vanir gods. The Vanir gods are an old branch of gods. The word “heim” means home. The Vanir were masters of sorcery and magic. They are also widely recognized for their talent to predict the future. Jotunheim was the home of the Jotuns, the giants. They were the sworn enemies of the Aesir. They lived in the mountains. Niflheim was the dark land of mist and cold. It was in the far north. This was the lowest of all the nine worlds. The home of the dead was in Niflheim. It was ruled by Hel. It was a gloomy and pitiful place. All humans who died of old age or illness were sent to live in Hel in their afterlife. Alfheim was the home of the light elves. Their home was right by Asgard in the heaven. They were beautiful and auspicious creatures. They were considered the “guardian angels” in Norse Mythology. Svartalheim was the home of the dark elves. They lived under the ground. They were hideous and could be a great nuisance to the humans. The dark elves were nothing but trouble. Many believed dark elves were also responsible for nightmares. These dark elves were called mare. A mare would sit on a sleeping person’s chest and whisper bad dreams to haunt the poor soul. A mare could also haunt animals, especially horses. Nidarvellir was the home of the dwarfs. They lived under rocks, in caves and underground. They were masters of craftsmanship. The gods of Aesir received many fabulous gifts from the dwarfs; the magical ring, Thor’s hammer, and the amazing ship are some examples of their outstanding talent of craftsmanship. Midgard was the home of the humans. It was mostly populated by the Sons of Heimdall. The humans were constantly exposed to the gods, goddesses and creatures from the other worlds in Norse Mythology. It was Odin and his two brothers who had created the humans. A rainbow bridge called Bifrost connected Midgard and Asgard. The gods frequently travelled across Bifrost. Muspelheim was the land of fire. It was ruled by the giant Surt. He was a sworn enemy of the Aesir. It was located in the far south. It was the first land of existence. Surt will ride out with his flaming sward at Ragnarok, the end of the world. Surt will kill Freyr and set fire to Asgard, turning the home of the gods into an inferno.

Odin was the chief god. He was the most powerful god in Asgard. Odin was the grandson of the very first Aesir, Buri. He was the son of Bor and Bestla. Bestla was a Jotun woman. Odin was married to Frigg. Together they had the sons Balder and Hod. He also had children with other women. Odin and Fjorgyn had a son named Thor. Odin and Grid had a son named Vidar. Thor was the strongest god in Asgard. Vidar was the second strongest god. Fjorgyn and Grid were both Jotun women.

Thor was the son of Odin (the chief god) and Fjorgyn (Earth). Thor was the strongest of all the gods. Thor had red hair and a beard. He was known to be ill tempered. Thor was the thunder god. He ruled the storms. Thor rode above the clouds in a chariot pulled by two goats. The names of the two goats were Tooth-grinder and Tooth-gnashed. Whenever Thor rode in his chariot people could hear the noise from the wheels and saw the strong sparks the wheels sent out as they speed across the sky. Others said the mighty sparks (the lightning) came from his hammer. The humans called this thunder and lightning. Thor has given his name to Thursday.

Loki was the son of the giants Farbauti (father) and Laufey (mother). He was not an Aesir but lived in Asgard with the Aesir. Odin had taken him in and made Loki his blood brother. Loki was described as being quite handsome.

There are many other characters in Norse mythology but the list would be too long to write it all down here. But Odin, Thor and Loki are three most well-known gods. I’ve always thought the Vikings were awesome and I think Norse mythology is even more awesome. It’s a pity that old Scandinavians were forced to accept Christianity as the new faith.

But definitely go see “Thor”. I liked it because it was different – the plot moved between modern day and Asgard and it gives a short glimpse into the Norse mythology. Sir Anthony Hopkins as Odin had a minor role but he played it so well. Thor was played by an Australian actor Chris Hemsworth – he played his role well also and looked good also But what I liked the most was the character Loki – he was a villain but yet there was still something good in him (kind of like Darth Vader), overall it was a very multifaceted character and I so loved how Tom Hiddleston played the part. And although Chris Hemsworth showed off his well trained body there was something about Tom Hiddelston that made me say – I like him, a lot I know that some people have criticized the film for being too far from the truth. I say – if you want only the true facts, see a documentary. I’ve watched documentaries about Vikings and Norse mythology and I’ve found them to be really good. “Thor” is a movie not a documentary, so naturally it has a storyline that is not only pure facts and figures. So, definitely go see the film

I’m a Taurus

Well, since my birthday is coming up on 28th I thought about writing about astrological signs and how they are interpreted. By astrology I’m a Taurus and here’s some information about a Taurus woman:

The Taurus woman is feminine, soft and highly diplomatic. She has a lyrical speaking voice that soothes and comforts you, and she could even have a talented singing voice (Barbara Streisand is a Taurus). Ruled by Venus, Taurus is a sign which adores the arts–from music to painting–and will enthusiastically go to any cultural event her lover suggests. Outwardly, the Taurus woman may appear relaxed and inactive, then all of a sudden she can shudder and a great eruption takes place. The normal somewhat placid and caring nature of the Taurus girl should never be taken for granted. While she is in every way, a very loyal and resolute individual, she should never be deceived or betrayed. Taurus is the personification of Mother Earth and a Taurus woman’s feelings are, like the richness of the earth’s bounty, buried deep within her philosophical sensitivity.

Taurus is a child of Venus, the goddess of love. Therefore the Taurus woman is very romantic and, once she has given her heart she does so with the thought of “forever” in mind. Since the Bull is earthy by temperament the sign of Taurus is one of the most sexual of all the signs. Gaining the love of a Taurus woman might take quite a time, however, once accomplished, the Taurus woman will return your efforts with both loyalty and devotion and, she will remain a steadfast partner through out the most difficult of life circumstances you may encounter. The Taurus woman does need constant proof of love and affection and, she expects evidence of such through flowers, special gifts and a profusion of physical attention and affection.

She loves animals and likes to surround by animals. Love is in her head, but Freedom is in her soul. She has her own idea about love and afraid to show her true feeling for fear of rejection. She is not the type to talk about love, but she sure has a strange way to show it. She is not good in showing when she is in love, but if she loves you she will be honest to you than any other women.

A Taurus woman wants a real man, who can make her proud of himself as much as she is proud of herself. However, if he fails in his role, she will take the control in her own hands. Neither will she act like a mewing kitten, nor like a roaring lioness. She is independent and has a mind of her own, but she does not want to dominate in the relationship. Taurean women do not see social status while making their friends. They want to be friends with people who do not hide their true nature and come across as they really are.

Their friends may be a little weird, but they will not be phonies or hypocrites. A Taurus girl doesn’t fight with people she dislikes, she simply ignores them and becomes indifferent to their presence. However, she will be loyal to her true friends and they will remain with her throughout her life. In return, she will expect them to stand by her when she needs them. A Taurean woman also gets jealous, but only if you exceed the limits of casual flirtation. Everything has a limit and this also does. It’s better not to provoke her anger or you will be very sorry.

She is brainy, but not too much interested in intellectual subjects. She is practical in her thinking and does not feel the need to indulge in mental gymnastics. She is balanced in her approach and you will hardly see her in a restless disposition. A Taurean girl hates anything artificial, be the flowers in her vase or the friends in her life. She has to feel the fragrance of real roses and the presence of real people. The beauty of Mother Nature especially pleases her.

This is the general description. But surprisingly enough most of this fits my personality. I know other Taureans who have said that this does not apply to them but it does apply to me. Which is weird because to be honest I can’t really believe that star signs can tell much about people’s personality and the way they behave. When I read daily/weekly horoscopes it’s always full of crap and none of them has become true. But the general description is true. So I guess it’s like with the prophecies – one can read them but must not take them very seriously.

And talking about my birthday, such people as Jessica Alba, Penelope Cruz, Nancy Lee Grahn, Jey Leno, Ann-Margret, Saddam Hussein, Harper Lee, Oscar Schindler, James Monroe, Daisy Berkowitz, Jacques Dutronc, Jorge Garcia, Paul Guilfoyle, Carolyn Jones and Terry Pratchett are also born on April 28.

I Challenge You

Just about a month ago I started the “30 Day Song Challenge” on Facebook. This challenge is that you post a song about a certain subject/matter every day on Facebook. So I thought I’d put all the 30 songs together here with links too.

• Day 1 - Your favorite song – Nightwish-”Beauty Of The Beast” – I can’t really explain why. I like many Nightwish songs but this song has epic music and great lyrics.
• Day 2 - Your least favorite song – Günther-”Ding Dong Song”-  I know Günther is doing a parody. But I still hate this song.
• Day 3 - A song that makes you happy - W.A.S.P – “I Wanna Be Somebody”
• Day 4 - A song that makes you sad - metallica – Fade To Black
• Day 5 - A song that reminds you of someone – The Cult – “Painted on my heart”
• Day 6 – A song that reminds you of somewhere – Yann Tiersen – La Valse d’Amelie
  
• Day 7 - A song that that reminds you of a certain event – Moonspell – “Full Moon Madness”
• Day 8 - A song you know all the words to – Arch Enemy – “Revolution Begins” – This was actually a random choice because usually I know all the words to the songs I like to listen to. During day 8 I was listening to Arch Enemy, so that’s why the choice.
• Day 9 - A song you can dance to – Danzig – “She Rides”
• Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep – Nightwish-”Sleeping Sun” – it’s a very soothing and beautiful song.
• Day 11 – A song from your favorite band – Rammstein-”Sonne” – Rammstein is one of my many favorite bands.
• Day 12 – A song from a band you dislike (hate) – Tarja Turunen-”Until My Last Breath” – I liked Tarja when she was in Nightwish. I think she has an amazing voice and she is probably one of the best Finnish singers. BUT I am not a fan of her solo career.
• Day 13 – A song that is your guilty pleasure – Laura Braningan- “Self Control” - I have this weird “attraction” to 80′s songs. There is something in their melody/sound…… that catches my attention.
• Day 14 - A song that no would expect you to love – Satyricon-”I Got Erection” – I think some people would assume that because of the lyrics I wouldn’t listen to this song. But I think this song is a great Turbonegro cover and I like it.
• Day 15 – A song that describes you – Ensiferum – “Lady In Black” – this was a tough one. But this song was the first that came to my mind.
• Day 16 - A song you used to love but now hate – Bullet For My Valentine-”Tears Don’t Fall” – I discovered Bullet For My Valentine when they were warming up for Metallica in 2006. I used to listen to this song a lot but now I don’t like it that much anymore.
• Day 17 – A song that you often hear on the radio – Queen -”Show Must Go On” - I don’t actually listen to a lot of radio. For news I have the internet and evening news reports on TV and for music I have my records and iPod.
• Day 18 – A song that you wish you heard on the radio – Dimmu Borgir – “The Serpentine Offering” – probably never going to happen but still….
• Day 19 – A song from your favorite album – Amon Amarth-”Guardians of Asgaard” from the album “Twilight Of The Thunder God”. This was again a random choice because in reality I have so many favorite albums.
• Day 20 – A song you listen to when you’re angry – Children Of Bodom-”In Your Face”
• Day 21 - A song you listen to when you’re happy – Metallica-”Whiskey In The Jar”
• Day 22 - A song you listen to when you’re sad – Swallow The Sun-”Don’t Fall Asleep”
• Day 23- A song you want yo be played at your wedding - Scorpions-”You And I” – it’s just a beautiful ballad and I like it very much.
• Day 24 - A song you want to be played at your funeral – Hans Zimmer – Gladiator main theme
• Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh - Children Of Bodom-”Oops! I Did It Again” – it’s not like “ha-ha-ha funny” but it’s funny to hear Alexi Laiho sing a Britney Spears song.
• Day 27 – A song you wish you could play on an instrument – Nightwish – “Ever Dream” on piano - I skipped day 26 because in reality I can’t play anything on any instrument.
• Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty – Michael Jackson – “Earth Song” – in my everyday life I’m not an environmental activist but this song always makes me think that I should do more, contribute more to saving/keeping our planet.
• Day 29 - A song from you childhood – Terminaator – “Juulikuu Lumi” – The song in English would be “The Snow In July” and you can find the English lyrics to this song here – “The Snow In July”. When this song came out I was probably 8 years old. And I still think it’s a good Estonian rock song.
• Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year – Type O Negative -  “Black No 1″ – Just before Peter Steel’s death I started listening to Type O Negative more and even wishing they would do a gig in Estonia again. And then Peter Steele died and I listened to even more Type O Negative. So, here’s to you Peter

So this was my 30 day song challenge. I advise others to do it also – it really makes you think through what different songs mean to you and what song would be good for different occasions

Die Another Day

This is exactly how I felt in the beginning of this week. I had a terrible headache, vertigo and the overall feeling was really bad. At one point I really thought I will die. But then I got the right medicine and thought to myself “I’m gonna die another day”. The reason why I was so sick is actually simple – I had a migraine. And yes – a migraine can cause all the symptoms I had. But what is a migraine?

Well, a migraine is a very painful type of headache. People who get migraines often describe the pain as pulsing or throbbing in one area of the head. During migraines, people are very sensitive to light and sound. They may also become nauseated and vomit. Migraine is three times more common in women than in men. Some people can tell when they are about to have a migraine because they see flashing lights or zigzag lines or they temporarily lose their vision.

Usually migraines have 4 stages:

1. The prodrome, which occurs hours or days before the headache – Prodromal symptoms occur in 40–60% of those with migraines. This phase may consist of altered mood, irritability, depression or euphoria, fatigue, yawning, excessive sleepiness, craving for certain food (e.g chocolate), stiff muscles (especially in the neck), hot ears, constipation or diarrhea, increased urination, and other visceral symptoms.

2. The aura, which immediately precedes the headache – For the 20–30% of migraine sufferers who experience migraine with aura, this aura comprises focal neurological phenomena that precede or accompany the attack. They appear gradually over 5 to 20 minutes and generally last fewer than 60 minutes. The headache phase of the migraine attack usually begins within 60 minutes of the end of the aura phase, but it is sometimes delayed up to several hours, and it can be missing entirely. Visual aura is the most common of the neurological events and can occur without any headache. There is a disturbance of vision consisting often of unformed flashes of white and/or black or rarely of multicolored lights or formations of dazzling zigzag lines. There is actually a Youtube video in which migraine aura is simulated – you can find the link here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLJ00o-vmh0

3. The pain phase, also known as headache phase – The typical migraine headache is unilateral, throbbing, and moderate to severe and can be aggravated by physical activity. The pain peaks and then subsides and usually lasts 4 to 72 hours in adults and 1 to 48 hours in children. The frequency of attacks is extremely variable, from a few in a lifetime to several a week, and the average sufferer experiences one to three headaches a month. The head pain varies greatly in intensity.The pain of migraine is invariably accompanied by other features. Nausea occurs in almost 90 percent of patients, and vomiting occurs in about one third of patients. Many patients experience sensory hyper excitability manifested by photophobia, phonophobia and osmophobia, and seek a dark and quiet room. Blurred vision, delirium, nasal stuffiness, diarrhea, tinnitus, polyria or sweating may be noted during the headache phase. Vertigo may be experienced; a variation of the typical migraine, called vestibular migraine , has also been described.

4. The postdrome – The effects of migraine may persist for some days after the main headache has ended. Many sufferers report a sore feeling in the area where the migraine was, and some report impaired thinking for a few days after the headache has passed. The patient may feel tired or “hungover” and have head pain, cognitive difficulties, gastrointestinal symptoms, mood changes, and weakness.

Many things can trigger a migraine. These include

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Lack of food or sleep
• Exposure to light
• Hormonal changes (in women)

So, it’s actually a very serious disease (if I can call it that way). I had migraine headaches when I was in my teenager years. Then they stopped. I still had headaches but nothing a serious as migraines. Recently migraines have been coming back. But I labeled those headaches similar to migraine, not an actual migraine. But this time I went through all the four stages of a migraine and had almost all the symptoms. And it was a a truly bad experience. I’m trying to find out what triggered such a big migraine and trying to avoid the trigger because I DO NOT want to go through this again. I really thought I was dying. When I got better I started to do some research on the migraine subject and found out some fun facts also. For example famous people like Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Ulysses S.Grant, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Virginia Woolf, Cervantes, Lewis Carroll, Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, Elvis Presley, Elisabeth Taylor and Lisa Kudrow also suffered from migraines. So, I at least I’m not alone with such a problem.

To believe or not to believe – that is the question

Lately I’ve been wondering about various prophets and future/fortune tellers. Most of them don’t really know anything, are just guessing or have good people reading skills like the character Patrick Jane from the TV-show “Mentalist”. But out of all these so called “prophets” a few have stood up from the others and I can’t help but to wander if they really are right or not.

A very big thing is the Mayan prophecy that the world will end in 2012. That is wrong. If we look at the actual facts and texts that the Mayans wrote then we see that they themselves didn’t believe either that the world will end in 2012. They actually wrote that a long period/cycle ends in 2012 and a new era/cycle begins. That’s the main point of their prophecy, not that the world will end.

Another well known prophet is Nostradamus. He is best known for his book “Les Propheties” (The Prophecies) which was published in 1555. In “The Prophecies” he compiled his collection of major long-term predictions. Nostradamus enthusiasts have credited him with predicting numerous events from world  history, including the French Revolution, the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, the atomic bomb, the rise of Adolf Hitler and the 9/11 attacks on the WTC. For example he wrote:

“From the deepest part of Western Europe
A young child will be born to poor people
Who will by his speech seduce a great multitude,
His reputation will increase in the Kingdom of the East” (Century 3, Quatrain 35)

“Beasts ferocious with hunger will cross the rivers,
The greater part of the battlefield will be against Hister.
Into a cage of iron will the great one be drawn,
When the child of Germany observes nothing.” (Century 2, Quatrain 24)

Many believe that this prophecy was about the rise of Hitler and his later conquests in the world.

Then I also found an interesting prophecy about the assassination of JFK: “The ancient work will be accomplished, And from the roof evil ruin will fall on the great man: They will accuse an innocent, being dead, of the deed: The guilty one is hidden in the misty copse. (Century 6, Quatrain 37). JFK was shot from the roof, he was a great man (one of the most well known US presidents) and many believe that Lee Harvey Oswald was just a scapegoat to hide the real murderer.

He also said about the 9/11 attacks that “Five and forty degrees, the sky shall burn: To the great new city shall the fire draw night. With vehemence the flames shall spread and churn. When with the Normans they conclusions try.” ‘Five and forty degrees’ was said to be the latitude of New York City (which is incorrect; New York’s latitude is 40°47′), or was interpreted as ’40.5 degrees’ (even though the decimal point had not yet come into use in the Europe of Nostradamus’ day). ‘New City’, similarly, was claimed to be New York (even though Nostradamus refers in this way to various ‘New Cities’ whose names, unlike ‘New York’, literally mean ‘New City’, and especially Naples – from Greek Neapolis, ‘new city’).

And I also found a prophecy about the death of princess Diana: “The last son of the man with the Prophet’s name Will bring Diana to her day of rest. At a distance they wander in frenetic grief Delivering a great people from ruin.” (Century 2, Quatrain 28). The father of Dodi al-Fayed, the owner of Harrod’s department store, is named Mohammed, the name of the Islamic Prophet (the man with the prophets name). He is with her until her day of death (day of rest.) In this verse he gives the month of Diana’s death, it is the last number of the verse. If you add the 2 to 28, you have 30. Diana died on 8/31. We can create 8/30 by adding the numbers making him only one day off.

I don’t know what to think of these predictions. It seems like they could be true and would fit these events that happened but then again the original text is in French – have they translated the text correctly? Since Nostradamus lived in 1500-s words may have had different meanings then today (for example when they said that a woman and a men were companions it actually meant they were married). And also it seems that some of the Nostradamus prophecies are too general and since they are like “coded” 4-line verses then anyone can interpret them in their own way.

And then there is also Baba Vanga – a Bulgarian mystic, clairvoyant and herbalist. In her childhood Vanga was an ordinary girl but the turning point in her life when she was caught up in a sand storm that lifted her up carried to another place. She was found after a long search and due to the storm she became blind. After that her “powers” became more evident. Baba Vanga is credited with foretelling many future events that have already happened. During the earlier years, it is said that her older brother, Vasil, had joined the army and was ready to go to war. Baba Vanga cried and begged him not to go as he would die at the age of 23. Despite the warning, her brother left and eventually surrendered to the Germans who tortured and later executed him. She is believed to have predicted the break-up of the Soviet Union, the Chernobyl disaster, the death of Princess Diana, Boris Yeltsin’s electoral victory and the date of Stalin’s death. Over the years, she was visited by many political leaders, including Adolf Hitler. Always the one to turn away bad people after exposing their hidden secrets, Hitler was seen leaving Baba Vanga’s house in a bad mood. Had she booted him with harsh words or just told him a future he didn’t want to hear is unknown. In 1989 she predicted the World Trade Center disaster, she wrote ““Horror, horror! The American brethren will fall after being attacked by the steel birds. The wolves will be howling in a bush, and innocent blood will be gushing.” “Brethren” is believed to refer to the “Twin” Towers or the “Brothers”. “Steel Birds” are obviously the jets. The part about the bush is believed to refer to President Bush. Among other things she predicted the following events:

• 2010 – World War III. The war will begin in November 2010 and end in October 2014. It will begin as usual conflict but then grown over to a war where nuclear bombs will be used then also chemical weapons.
• 2011 – As a result of the nuclear fallout in the northern hemisphere there will not be any animals or vegetation. Then Muslims will wage war against surviving Europeans with chemical weapons.
• 2014 – Most people will suffer skin cancer and other skin diseases (a consequence of chemical warfare).
• 2016 – Europe almost lonely (empty).
• 2018 – China becomes a new world power.

And actually the list goes on until year 5079 which Vanga believes is the date when the world will end.

Again, I don’t know what to think of her predictions. Her previous predictions about the break-up of Soviet Union, the Chernobyl catastrophe, the Kursk  catastrophe and September 11 attacks seem quite accurate. She also said that basically WWIII begins in 2010 in November – exactly the same time the conflict between two Koreas started off. As for this year (2011) she talks about a nuclear fallout – there is such a threat in Japan at the moment. I guess some of her predictions are true but not in the same extent that she predicted. But if I read her far-reaching future predictions – well, to be honest they seem a bit weird and possibly not true.

So, I don’t know if we should believe these so called “prophets” or not. Some things they have said have become true, some have not. I know that I sometimes dream about things and they end up happening exactly the same way I dreamt – does this mean I’m a prophet? No, it does not mean that. I think that sometimes we can either sense something coming or use the people’s behavior reading skills but I do not think that we -humans- can actually foresee what’s happening in the future. It’s exactly the same as going to a fortune teller – you go there, she/he talks to you a bit, lays down her cards and basically says just want you want to hear – not the things that are really going to happen. So when it comes to these various prophecies I think we can read them, question them, discuss them but we shouldn’t take them very seriously or as an absolute truth.

Inside The Music Business?

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of “Inside The Actors Studio” about various actors. I love this series because I think it gives an insight into the actors/directors world that doesn’t come out in the usual interviews. You get to see people how they really are and see how they talk about other subjects than the current movie they are promoting. I really liked the episode in which Al Pacino was the guest, then also Angelina Jolie, Hugh Laurie and Robert De Niro. And there are other very good and interesting interviews with other awesome actors. I think that if you are a beginning actor/director/scriptwriter then it’s an awesome way to meet and listen to your idols and get real advice. But I am not an actress/director or a scriptwriter. I just like to get insight into the real world of the people I respect and admire. Usually when people give interviews they (especially Hollywood people) are not that sincere and honest. But for some reason when they are talking with James Lipton in “Inside The Actors Studio” they are sincere, open and you really learn something about them. I think that the actors studio series is a brilliant idea and I would love to see more European actors interviewed there also.

I especially like the Bernard Pivot questionnaire. The answers to the questions are always interesting and really characterize each person. Since I love to know others answers I thought I’d answer the questions myself also. So here it is – my answers to Bernard Pivot questionnaire.

1. What is your favorite word? - awesome – I don’t know why, I’ve noticed that when I do my videos or write something  I always use “awesome” to describe people/places/feelings etc.

2. What is your least favorite word? – no – Because I don’t like it when people say “no” to me

3. What turns you on? – bravery and intelligence

4. What turns you off? – arrogance and egoism

5. What sound or noise do you love? – I love the cracking sound that a burning fire makes

6. What sound or noise do you hate? - I hate the sound of metal being scratched against metal and also the sound of the dentist drill

7. What is your favorite curse word? – mostly I use “fuck” and “damn”

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? – I’d like to be a detective or a musician

9. What profession would you not like to? – A doctor because I faint at the sight of blood or a financial adviser because I hate everything in connection with numbers and calculating.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? - You see, I exist after all

I think that if there would be a show called “Inside The Music Business” it would be interesting also. musicians talking about their early lives, how did they get started, from where they draw the inspiration, what drives them to do music, what are their greatest accomplishments. I’d watch it. For example it would be great to see Slayer or Black Sabbath members sitting all together talking about their influences, early years etc. And what would be even better than watching it – it would be totally awesome to be the interviewer in that show. I could be like James Lipton of music. I wonder if people would watch that kind of show? But oh well, as the lyrics in a Nightwish song go “sometimes a dream turns into a dream” or in other words – this will never happen. But it’s always good to dream

 

BE FREE

Estonia‘s Independence Day was on February 24 and usually on that day our president holds official celebration concert and after that an official reception for well-known and respected politicians and celebrities. And usually before the celebration concert our president presents his most important speech throughout the year. This year I think the president had an average speech – he spoke a lot about stuff he has spoken about previously also but one aspect stood out to me. He said that Estonia has come a long way – we are member states of EU and NATO and we finally have Euro as our currency. Now the focus should be more on people. He emphasized that we are no longer a slave nation that has to constantly think what other countries and other nations think about us. Now it’s time to think on ourselves, to be ourselves. I couldn’t agree more with his thought.

Why is it so important what others think about us? Do we define ourselves through others? Why do we constantly need others approval?

When I was a child I didn’t care what other people thought of the things I did. I only cared what my parents would say about that. Then in my teenager years all things changed. I have to admit that I wasn’t popular among my class mates at all and some of the meanest things were said to me during my basic school time. And it was at that time I started to care about what others might think of me. Even during high school I never said what I really thought of things because I didn’t know what others might say about it. I tried to fit in with others to get their approval. And it’s only now I see how wrong was that. And how stupid I was holding back my inner self. my high school years were pretty much ok and I got along with everyone. But as I said – I was afraid to speak up, to firmly stand behind my opinions and to do what I really wanted. I was afraid what others might think. I remember that there was one guy from our class that always used to comment on the shirts I was wearing (usually they had some text on it, generic text they put on to the shirts). Every time he would say to me something about it and to this day I can’t figure out if he was just joking or really mocking me. I usually just smiled and didn’t say anything to him. What I should HAVE DONE: I should have said to him something in line of “fuck you, if you don’t like don’t look”. But I never did that.

During the university time my self confidence started to grow and I wasn’t so held back anymore. Today I can say that I don’t care anymore what others think. It’s important how I think, feel and what I want. If I feel good doing certain things or wearing certain clothes then I’ll continue to do that. And if anyone has a problem with it – it’s their problem, not mine. Of course there are certain things/topics I’m still not so confident about and when given negative feedback on them I do care and I do feel hurt. But overall I can say that “what others think of me” is not my main problem anymore. When I finally reached that point when I could say screw the others, I felt liberated and free. Constantly living by the rule of “what others think of you” makes you feel like a chained slave. And I don’t want to be a slave, I want to be FREE.

I think that one of the best examples of not caring what others say about you is British king Edward VIII who abdicated the throne to marry a divorced American woman Wallis Simpson. He loved her and didn’t care even if he had to leave his position as a king to be with her. Another good example is Lady Gaga. I am not a fan of her music but I do think it’s kind of cool how she always wears these crazy costumes and doesn’t care what anybody says about them. And also British actor Helena Bonham Carter – she has her own style and didn’t wear a typical red carpet dress even at the Oscars. That’s something I admire – the courage to stand out.

I think more people here in Estonia should focus on ridding themselves of the constant need to get others approval. It doesn’t matter what your neighbor thinks about you/your family, it doesn’t matter if a gossip magazine says that your clothing style is not “in” at the moment, it doesn’t matter if you are doing a job you like but others disapprove of, it just does NOT matter. The only thing that matters is if you yourself are happy and content and want things to be the way they are. Then and ONLY then you can be happy.