finding my iceland

Dearest Mundi

2012-01-20T18:32:00.000Z

The Weird Girls Project: Shanghai Special

2011-12-31T14:44:00.001Z

Here's the best of the photos from The Weird Girls Project: Shanghai Special, the whole wedge of which you can view here.

They were all shot by Tang Ting, check his website here.

aaaand here's the behind the scenes video from the Episode as well. I cannot wait for the tour in March!

More China please

2011-12-30T14:23:00.002Z

This is being written on the train from Devon to London sat next to my well traveled and thankfully incredibly well behaved 2 year old. We have been through a sticker book and finger puppets and she is now happily plugged into my (slash her) ipod touch watching Angelina Ballerina.

Since being made redundant from CCP I genuinely thought I would have time on my hands but rather alot has happened and me being me, I have been organising things to do with people here and there to the point that time for blogging has been sparse. I officially give in, I am not likely to update this thing more than once a month realistically it seems.

China went well.

China went very well.

I am now going back in the Spring next year to do no less than five Episodes of The Weird Girls Project in collaboration with Converse China. VERY EXCITING. details will be revealed later but lets just say its fucking awesome.

Here's a fuck tonne more photos from the China trip of November/December.

For your utmost entertainment here is an article recently written in a Taiwanese magazine about me/the project. The title is by far and away my most favourite of anything ever and I shall henceforth introduce myself as a 'big girl of indefinable age'.

Click on the image to go to the readable size version.

Since I got back there was much running around doing and hosting various festive things and then within 2 weeks my daughter and I hopped on a plane again to go to the UK for Christmas, from whence we are now returning. Soon on a plane to winter wonderland - Reykjavik has had more snow in the last 24 hours than it has had since records began in 1929 apparently. I checked the airport and so far almost all flights are coming in on time so all being well, we shall get home safe and sound tonight.

China

2011-11-29T08:29:00.000Z

Well my false promises of regular updates is attributed to all sorts of things happening here which I was not expecting.

Last time I came here - in 2008, I was a mere smidge away from outright hating the place. It was in the depths of a very horrible winter with wet snow and I was also unwell on the journey over and ended up in hospital. This time, I am very much enjoying myself even though some of the same things are still overwhelming me.

This is almost the exact opposite of Reykjavík in these aspects. It is so dirty, the air is so revolting like thick soup on some days, the noise of car horns and more never, ever, ever stops. These things are why I cannot see myself ever living here. A stay for 6 months maybe, but no more. Maybe its the mother in me, maybe its because I was born in the countryside or maybe its just because base things like peace and clean air are completely understandable requirements. But as I am here for a limited time, even these things are not marring my stay in any way. I am instead absorbing the heat, the energy, the size, the variety - the things which Iceland doesn't, or rather can't provide.

Being here is more or less the equivalent to being on Mars, or as Ívar says, another dimension. I went shopping for simple household things, and it took me about 20minutes to buy shampoo as I was sniffing various bottles of some sort of toiletries to try and work out which was shower gel, or shampoo or conditioner.

Getting a taxi requires you to have the address in Chinese or confidence to pronounce the street, which I try and have done quite well at, but sometimes its best to get the address from smartshanghai.com on your phone and simply show the driver the screen. There is no guessing any words, everything is so completely foreign. I have stood staring at written Chinese just from complete fascination about how on earth it works.

The green man at crossings does not mean cross the road. It means look both ways frantically before crossing, or use the rule as I have adopted - don't cross a busy road without a Chinese person or five stood next to you. The roads are absolute bedlam. The bicycles piled higher than imaginable with stuff, mopeds and motorbikes with whole families including infant babies held by their mother perched on the back - no one with helmets. I am continually amazed. And yet, there seems to be very few accidents. It seems to work.

The city has about 28 million people in it. When I have told locals that the entire of Iceland has a mere 350,000 people they laugh almost hysterically. Its beyond their comprehension. But even though the city is this size, I have bumped into people I know every day except one. This point blank freaks me out but is incredibly common I have been told. The ex-pat world and art worlds specifically are not so big.

So far I have been sampling things around the city, amazing cocktails at el Coktel, now my favourite bar on earth. Its like being in a Bladerunner scene, and the staff are impeccable.

I have taken advantage of the ridiculously cheap prices of manicures and pedicures and massage and tailors. In addition I have had a haircut which was a very interesting procedure. One assistant massaged me and washed my hair and then cleaned my ears - he managed to rub just up to my ear drum without making me deaf. I sat more still than I ever have in my life whilst this went on - terrified if i moved I would lose my hearing, but but it was amazing. The chap who cut my hair seemed to almost cut one hair at a time he was so precise. We got through the entire proceedings with not one word mutual in language and I enjoyed myself immensely. I shall go back when I am here next.

It appears there will be a coming back next year. These things I cannot discuss yet. But what I can discuss is the fact that I am doing a Shanghai Special of The Weird Girls Project in 2 days time. This is one of the reasons I have been busy.

I have managed to pull this off because Converse have been ever so good and are supporting the project. You will have updates after the event of course. I am very excited and also very nervous. I need a translator for the direction and wonder how much will be lost this way - only one way to find out though!

This weekend I am off to Moganshan, an amazingly stunning place by everyone's account, bamboo forest everywhere and that will be my last days here for this trip. I can't wait to use up ridiculous amounts of film. Talking of which, I will be collecting more films from development today, so expect an image only post soon. There is so much to talk about but to be honest, I would rather spend my time out there enjoying it than sat here writing. Maybe on the plane home, maybe.

Theme song

2011-11-28T05:45:00.001Z

This is my theme song for this trip. And it will be the theme song for Thursday's Shanghai Special of The Weird Girls Project.

Rewind Selecta

2011-11-26T05:55:00.003Z

As it has been not only a long time since I wrote last, but a long time in regards to the amount of events which have unfolded, its best in my opinion to write a blog entry now, reflecting on what happened pre-China and then another starting from my trip here.

Looking back, as I always do, using my photo albums, I can see I was up to my usual tricks - hanging out with friends, playing with my daughter and going on the odd night out - including Halloween, of course. My mother also came to visit for a week just during and after Airwaves. Life ticking on.

However, through these weeks some great feeling of uncertainty was in the air at work. I smelled redundancies and several weeks before CCP cut jobs I investigated unemployment benefits as in my life I have worked in companies which have folded/been taken over and the air was familiar.

I have to admit that I was becoming very anxious and although well aware that losing one's job is not the end of the world, being a single mother in a country separate from your family doesn't leave great security - especially if you have no nest egg of savings - which I don't.

During my mum's visit the announcement happened, and mine - unsurprisingly (as they had stopped all the projects I was working on the weeks before) was one of the jobs cut. Most of my closest friends within the company were also cut. If you are interested in more official line from CCP about what happened you can read it here.

As most people would, I have been swinging up and down about the situation. Tears have been shed when thinking about what ifs and not finding a job. I am really not ready to leave Iceland and the bottom line is that if I am not able to find a job/earn decent money I would probably have to up sticks and head to my parents in Devon. Its lovely and they are lovely but my life hasn't been there since long before I moved countries. Besides which - taking Lilja away from Iceland is also not an option in my view.

However, this very real and understandable concern has been knocked to and fro by various points.

1. I am a very capable person. I have never had to seek employment for longer than a few weeks before and have competency, CV and skills which are pretty impressive.
2. My friends in Iceland are family and have made it very clear that they will help in exactly the same way I will, would and do support them.
3. Iceland may well have collapsed financially before anyone else and it may very well be a tiny population but the governmental support - especially for single mothers - is incredible comparative to say, the UK. Even if I drop onto the most base benefits I can at least cover my rent and other payments. Sure I will have to live off button soup for food but I happen to be pretty good at making one chicken last 4 meals and also happen to grow my own vegetables.
4. I do have 3 months full pay for redundancy so the immediate freak out is rescheduled until around February.
5. Fate is a funny fucker.

So in the end of October I, along with many of my friends, found ourselves freed from work but still on temporary pay. We hung out and supported each other and split time between watching movies with face packs on, and helping each other redo our CVs. Many, including myself, were approached by other technology companies very quickly but all required relocation - for me, not an option. To relocate single with a 2 year old to a country I know no one would mean I would work then be with her. Take her away from all family and the Icelandic language.

Shortly after this, I had a romantic tumble too. I never discuss things of this nature on here but this was something which added to the job loss started me thinking that a little escape from the country would be a good idea. After all, how often is one on full pay but with free time, especially with winter heading in? And once I had a job again, taking vacation days would not be so easy for a while.

My original plan was to spend an extended time in the UK for Christmas. My sister was due her second baby at the end of November and I had been planning on going for a month in february/march anyway.

At exactly the moment I needed it, an opportunity arose. My friend Kate (mentioned in the post below) decided to extend me an invitation to Shanghai where she lives. I had been before and not particularly enjoyed the sprawling mass, but this moment was different.

Not only did I want a trip out of Iceland, but my best friend Ívar had moved there only 2 months previously. Weirdly Ben who I live with in Reykjavík was also relocating at the end of November to Shanghai. On top of this was the recent attention The Weird Girls Project had in China also within recent months.

So as I pootled all 4 doors down my street to the Chinese Embassy with Ben to apply for our respective visas something told me this trip was meant to be. So, with a 2 night stop in London on the way taken advantage of, here I am.

Calm before the storm

2011-11-13T07:20:00.002Z

In October I was made redundant. This throws some interesting spanners and opportunities in the works. So I am doing what everyone would do in this situation, I am off to China.

No, seriously more explanations will follow and I plan on updating this blog a little more thoroughly during my stay. This trip was brought upon by my friend Kate who lives in Shanghai. She has always pulled me in sideways to her own creativity. I am very much looking forward to seeing her, her family and the others I know there - which includes another of my very best friends who moved from Iceland only a few months ago.

For now I am on panic packing and whatnot, but here below is some of Kate and what she's included me in over the years.

If you missed the screening

2011-10-18T13:37:00.002Z

Here is the full 40mins programme.

There is a shorter version (13mins) which is just the interview section viewable HERE.

Winter's here

2011-10-11T13:31:00.002Z

I am sat in the You Are In Control conference in Harpa with my newly received Iceland Airwaves festival pass on my wrist. Crazy week ahead this is.

I just watched Champagne Valentine speak and love not only their work but the fact they are finding a way to earn money from branding and marketing without having to sacrifice their recognition from the art world. This discussion reminded me of the very good film Art and Copy which I have watched 3 times and now want to watch again. I recommend you do too.

This last month of zero updates has been focused on being mum and working.

Now there is MUCH FUN and also screenings of my own stuff. I screened Episode 13 at the opening ceremony of YAIC last night. It is very enjoyable to watch it on a big screen. Then, this weekend its my 40minute programme on both friday and saturday at Bío Paradís as part of Airwaves. Excitement. If you are around, please come by, its free!

I am also brazenly covering the front of the University of Iceland magazine. There is an article in the magazine about yours truly and Th Weird Girls Project and I am art directing the following 5 covers of the magazine. You can read the PDF here, and the interview is conveniently written in English.

New Video

2011-09-23T12:34:00.002Z

Here is the Episode 14 video, finally released into the wild. Its a little mixed feeling for me as its the first time a band member/artist is the main feature. I think if asked again, I would do a music video with the artist but not as part of The Weird Girls Project and keep the project more pure. But regardless, it was crazy fun and I am so happy to have finally gone all out 80s cheese. Its been hiding in me for ages!

Love Vesturbær much?

2011-09-14T10:26:00.003Z

This friday I will be going to a special screening at Bio Paradís held by Crispin Glover which includes watching his highly acclaimed film 'It's fine! Everything's fine!" plus a Q&A plus his slide show. I am very excited. He is also there on Saturday showing his other film "What is it?" which you can go and see as there are still tickets available.

He is apparently a true weirdo and I cannot wait to go and see this.

God yes

2011-09-12T10:06:00.001Z

Its been like this all weekend and is supposed to be for the next days as well. Oh how I appreciate anything to make the winter shorter.

Visual Vomit.

2011-09-09T12:10:00.003Z

Without any cohesion, nor in date order, the following things emerged since I last wrote:

CCP have been working on a collaboration with Nicola Formichetti. Its being shown at New York fashion week:

Nicola Formichetti -- CCP Games Collaboration from CCP Games on Vimeo.

The photographic gallery for Episode 14 of The Weird Girls Project has been launched. You can see the full load by clicking here.

I hosted a British themed party which as usual everyone took very seriously. It was definitely in the legendary category of party.

Menningarnótt aka Culture Night came and went with great weather and great fun. This year Reykjavík city closed loads more roads than normal for it and this lent a truly outdoor festivaly feel to the whole thing. It was so incredibly busy that I decided to stay mostly in Hjartargarðurinn where there were many outdoors concerts of a smaller variety. Its one of the best places to be as its almost completely sheltered from the wind.

Apart from that there have been various other nights out, concerts, and hangouts on top of tending to my garden and harvesting loads of crops. Until last night when the bitch winter wind hit us and tore my plastic greenhouse down. My kingdom for a proper greenhouse.

One of the concerts I went to was for Hermigervill. His new album is covers of well known Icelandic songs. The show was absolutely amazing and he is playing at Iceland Airwaves festival this year. I recommend you check him out. You can listen to the tracks here.

Hermigervill leikur fleiri íslenzk lög by Hermigervill

I will have my own Iceland Airwaves event at Bio Paradis. I am very honoured to have been asked to screen 40minutes worth of my work there. After the heart attack I had at screening there last month I am not sure I will go myself. But you should.

The You Are in Control people also contacted me to screen in Harpa, which is a fairly big deal to me, as part of their opening event. They said they chose me as one of 6 artists who are "the most cutting edge and exciting projects within the
creative industries in Iceland and where the digital is at the forefront". Rather flattering n'est pas? I am meeting at Harpa to see what else we can work with to do on the event apart from screening as the facilities are great, I just don't have much time. But there will be something on 10th October to see.

Additionally, Reykjavík University approached me to Art Direct the 6 magazine covers this year, specifically using The Weird Girls Project as the criteria. I have suggested some ideas and it looks like the first issue will involve me naked. Casual.

Just as a recap, you can see all video from The Weird Girls project HERE.

Here it is

2011-08-15T08:14:00.000Z

Thanks to everyone who came to see it on the big screen. Wowzer that made me nervous!

Something beautiful, this way it lies

2011-08-09T12:35:00.003Z

Finally, this piece is ready in its entirety. If you are nearby, please come and see it with us.

It is only now that it is finished that I realise how heavily emotional this is for me. First of all it is the best work I have ever done, to say I am proud is an understatement.

Beyond that however, it has morphed into a representation of a complete change in my life. The concept of the piece and the storyboard has become literal for me. During the location scout I remember explaining to Manny and Krummi that this was the first piece throughout the Project's lifespan in which I was being emotionally pushed.

Following the breakdown of my relationship - which this was immediately afterward. I wanted to sink into myself, to hide. I was leaning to being purely behind the camera, not because of the challenges of filming or my development as a director - which demand me more and more on that side - but because I didn't want anyone to look at me, I didn't want anyone to see me. I wanted to be invisible.

Straight after the break up I called Manny and Krummi and explained I wanted to pull the piece. Completely lacking my focus and usual ability to cope. In addition to the massive task of organising this, the financial hit was something impossible combined with the new challenge of finding a new home and buying half my furniture again.

I am a very lucky person. The people around me believed in the Project and wanted to help to make it happen no matter what.

The day after I visited him and let my utter exhaustion and devastation show through tears of disappointment and frustration, Manny Santiago arranged a Kickstarter fund on behalf of the Episode. During the next days he proceeded to call and pitch sponsorship for the event from Reykjavik Excursions for the transport and Hosteling International for the accommodation.

Via contacts from Krummi I managed to get part sponsorship for the equipment from Pegasus and crew members came forward left and right to donate their time and skills. Very special people gave financial support via Kickstarter, including some special support from Brian Haines, Linda Ward, Nathan Richardson and Derek Wise.

As I have said before, the weather gods gifted us and the cast and crew all worked with a realisation this was something different. A certain kind of magic was with us on set for that weekend. The women bonded more intimately than on any previous piece and joy was felt throughout.

On set, as we finished the last shots I could feel an emotional tidal wave creeping up inside me. I realised the very process of completing this Episode in the exhausted and drained state I had been in for that month, at its core had helped me to move forward and reach needs of my own I hadn't been listening to for a long time.

As I watched the raw footage of the women behind the waterfall (Part I) I burst into tears. I composed myself pretty quickly. But later that day, specifically as Derek was serving us incredible food he had cooked and paid for himself I felt myself crack. Escaping outside whilst everyone deservedly stuffed their faces, I sat and let myself sob. Release, joy, amazement and euphoria.

Now I have had the wonderful trio of Logi Hilmarsson, Helgi Jóhannsson and Michael Todd working on the editing and post for the pieces, and between us have brought the footage into entities of their own.

The screening is on Sunday and I am fairly certain I will cry.
Like the women in the piece, I have climbed into a dark cave, been drenched with cold realisation and felt the energy from that surge me upwards until I stand tall and full, breathing in the wonder of life.

England: Final visuals

2011-08-03T14:57:00.002Z

Here is the last of my films from England. You can see Knightshayes Court, and blame its gardens for my new ambition of creating a Victorian walled garden here in Reykjavík - somewhere, somehow. I will though, you just watch me.

Back to business

2011-08-02T10:02:00.001Z

posted from Bloggeroid

Skittish

2011-07-28T19:11:00.002Z

Definition of SKITTISH
1 a: lively or frisky in action : capricious
b: variable, fluctuating
2 easily frightened : restive (a skittish horse)
3 a: coy, bashful
b: marked by extreme caution : wary

Some facts:

I miss my bike terribly.
One of the things I can't wait to see when I fly home in 3 days is my garden, and all the edible things I shall find therein.
Marks and Spencer's bra fitting service is still brilliant.
My bewbs are now back to the size they were in 2006, I am awaiting the rest of my body to follow.
I cannot wait to go to the Robert Maplethorpe exhibition when I get back to Reykjavík.
I have not done anywhere near enough work on The Weird Girls Project as I should since being in England.
Several times this week I have had to kick myself as I say the words "It's too hot"
The lushness of the trees and foliage here is keeping me constantly wide eyed.
This trip has been utterly amazing and I feel I have used every day to its best so far.
If I lived here I would definitely have a National Trust membership.
You absolutely must go to Nightshayes Court if you are ever in Devon.
Primark have done me more favours this week than I thought possible.
Tomorrow I go reef fishing and this is very exciting to me.
I have been enjoying pretending I am a cameo in a Mary Wesley novel on my days out.
Today Imogen Heap asked to see the second part of the Episode 13 video, awaiting her conclusion is making me nervous.

New Björk stuff is awesome.

My stepdad has been playing this in the car a lot on our trips. Its making me feel quite skittish at the moment.

Imagery from Devon continued:

Iceland / Devon

2011-07-20T21:54:00.002Z

First, I love this work below. I remember Curver from Ghostigital sending me various versions of this track when he was working on it for my input due to my quite heartfelt and long interest in opera, soprano particularly. I have a copy signed to me and I play it often. Oftenmost when in the bath with the door open and at a volume which makes things fall off my shelves. It takes me somewhere very strange, a little dark but in an optimistic or naive fashion. Inquisitive maybe.
Love it.

Right now I am in Ole Blighty. Devon. Its raining a lot, but things are very green because of it, and very warm. This I enjoy. The seagulls are swarming around the town, trying to escape the sea. I have yet to go to the sea. I have been first and always foremost to Dartmoor. The Iceland away from Iceland. My friend Fríða found it very bizarre to be somewhere so Icelandic. I blame my continued love of the moors for my relocation to Iceland.

It is strange to miss both countries whilst enjoying both. But its not a bad thing.

ICELAND//July

DEVON//July

Of course I just finished Episode 14 of The Weird Girls Project before I left and have been remotely discussing post of Episode 13 Part II with Mike who is grading for me - and I am now slightly freaking out as what with working from the UK and seeing family, going to random raves and cocktail bars I haven't even begun to look at the footage for 14. Its got to be looked at tomorrow at some point or my nerves will explode.

The Project has now been gaining such international attention that I feel a weird new pressure when working on my pieces. Vision magazine in China just published a 10 page spread on me/the project and I received an email today inviting me to the International Women's Health Meeting in Brussels in September to 'present' my work based on what I did for UN Women. Currently I have no idea exactly what that means thusfar I sort of stared at the email as if it came from Mars. This is about the same time as an arts festival in Poland I am due to exhibit at, as well as several other things on the possibly-maybe scale for the same month.

It's fun though, especially when I show my latest work to my mum who asks 'So is this footage stuff you found on the internet?' and 'So who exactly thinks of these?'.
I know somewhere there she is proud in some way, just not entirely sure of why.

Here's an entirely illicit look at the set on Episode 14. Byeo for now.

Well, well, well

2011-07-12T21:06:00.002Z

I just went to myspace to find a song I remembered I had on my old profile. I found my 'about me' section. I wrote this in something like 2006. Nearly every word is still true now after 5 years, except the british accent. It's almost died from Icelandic bastardisation, except when I read out loud - then its English Speaking Board the whole way.

just remember, I'm the one going to hell, you were only watching.

a woman who dances like a teenage girl. people who don't know me tell me they find me intimidating. people who do know me think i'm nice, albeit bossy and a little interfering at times. i live in reykjavik as of 2006 after many years to-ing and fro-ing. british with a very british accent and unbritish blood. i have mild ocd. things must be tidy and logical. people, especially here in Iceland, underestimate the power a cup of tea has over me. i wish people would see that you can be obsessed with sex without dishing it out to just anyone. i love scifi and detective shows. i dance and sing in my mirror more than is healthy for someone of my age but i enjoy it so won't stop. i hate cocaine and wish lovely people would see it turns them into boring arrogant fools, or at the very least not look at me weirdly when i decline their offer. photos and film, photos and film, photos and film. i am happiest when playing housewife with my pinny on. always aiming to have haircuts my children will laugh at me for in the future. when someone smells good it makes me feel funny. i have been known to follow someone several streets just to keep smelling them. when someone smells bad i find it hard to think beyond that. i am a hopeless romantic. clichés like flowers floor me. for all my attitude i giggle when boys wink at me and love being called pet names. i am referred to as 'strong' but i seek out those stronger to enable the princessness to emerge. apparently masculine, but i hope this doesn't cancel out my femininity. i hold manners in extremely high relevance.i cannot understate this. same goes for chivalry and punctuality. i always feel like the last 2 years have had more in them than humanly possible. i like being put in my place.
a girl and I who were inseparable through my late teens used to pack our bags full of anything we would conceive needing and arrive at the bus station and get on the first bus leaving, go to its final destination no matter where it was. Sometimes we had everything we needed with us. Sometimes we were totally unprepared. Sometimes it was a fucking park and ride car park with nothing but a burger van at the end, other times we’d end up in the most amazing countryside and run around through trees and roll around on beaches. That’s life damnit. Sometimes you can smell the burger van and know you’ve fucked it, other times you can be climbing the top of a tree, laughing your head off until you get to the top and suck a big fat breath in because you are higher than you thought you’d ever get.
i am a walking contradiction and i will never, ever, ever be bored. truefact.

Eeeek!

2011-07-06T12:43:00.002Z

Hekla? In height of tourist season and - on a selfish level - when I am due to leave the country next week? Oh god.

I used to have repetitive nightmares as a child about escaping volcanoes. How bizarre.

Through the Eye of the beholder

2011-06-30T12:17:00.004Z

Highlights of this week already include a girls pamper party at my place with facepacks, nail painting and cosmos. The night after was Caribou playing live at Nasa. It was infinitely better than I could have imagined. The live band aspect was incredible - much less programming than actual playing and the vocals were as good as on the record, a rare thing these days.

Life in general:

(These photos below by the lovely Katrín Ólafs)

(These photos by the talented Ben Mathis)

Addicted

2011-06-27T15:23:00.001Z

I am utterly addicted to this song. Its the sort of summer song that makes me want to have a crush.

The Weird Girls Project: Episode 13 Part I

2011-06-26T16:52:00.002Z

Official BLURB:

The first of the 2 part video piece is released online and viewable at the link below. This piece is an introduction to the themes of the main video work which will be launched with a cinematic screening in Reykjavik in July.

Thank you to everyone who worked on this, it is magical.

Please watch in full screen.

Símilíf

2011-06-21T12:37:00.002Z

The month via mobile and photo booth photos..... it is obvious I eat and grow alot of food.

Leaving the island

2011-06-12T02:57:00.001Z

posted from Bloggeroid

Dinner time and Vikings

2011-06-11T21:22:00.004Z

I am currently sat Djing on Viðey island whilst 60 german tourists are eating their gala dinner. The smell of the food is driving me crazy and I have to wait until the Vikings come to take over before I can go and eat the insanely good smelling lobster.

This was a gig I was booked for only a few days ago and its the sort I absolutely love. A selection of people having a celebration of some sort and who simply want to enjoy themselves. Tonight's selection is 60 German tourists aged between 40 and 60 who specifically requested types of music I rarely get the chance to play, 80s soft rock being one of them.

I infinitely prefer DJ at events like this rather than downtown for a load of drunken crazies.

Tonight is even better as I am in the restaurant on Viðey run by the same people as Hotel Holt - one of my favourite places to eat if I have enough money (which isn't often), so as part of my agreement for playing tonight, I bargained I would be fed as well. The viking singers - part of the evening's entertainment have just appeared so it looks like its almost time.

Tomorrow is an extra party night due to the bank holiday on monday and I am being spoilt rotten by my lovely gays. After pre-drinks at Manny and Palli's, Rick is taking us all to the new concert hall Harpa for dinner before we go to see Cyndi Lauper! Manny and Palli treated me to front row seats and I have to admit I am a completely spoilt primadonna. I cannot wait!

Talking of being spoilt - I have no shame in saying I sobbed hysterically over this, in a good way.

Off to the island

2011-06-11T19:01:00.001Z

To play a DJ gig

posted from Bloggeroid

Busybusybusy

2011-06-08T21:18:00.002Z

I launched the latest Episode of The Weird Girls Project photo collection on my Flickr. The video for Part I is almost ready. I am hideously excited about this.

Apart from that I have been doing rather alot, for a change, Ahem. Apart from planning the next Episode which is in July, here's what - pictorially.

In addition to this I have been adjusting to single parentdom, which in a country with no family is not the easiest but I have to say I am very proud of how Daníel and I are doing this. Lilja has been unwell and thus sleep for me has been sparse but we are supporting each other and being incredibly decent to each other.

The Gus Gus album Arabian Horse is now out and is, incidentally, fucking excellent. You should all buy it forthwith. Listening to it isn't the easiest thing for me right now but as its in every single club, radio station and facebook post I am listening to it anyway. It is very good. Go check it out.

Other things I have been obsessively listening to includes MONSTER. Good lord I am so in love with Nicki Minaj. The only thing preventing me going psycho stalker on her (incredibly fine) ass is the use of autotune/vocoder. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY WHEN WILL POP MUSIC MOVE PAST THIS!?

Watching the last of Oprah

2011-05-27T21:33:00.001Z

posted from Bloggeroid

Awaiting

2011-05-22T21:44:00.001Z

This is it, on its way

posted from Bloggeroid

Ash

2011-05-22T21:39:00.003Z

Once again. The eruption struck on the day of The Rapture. The ash is now heading our way. I have just been closing all the windows and curtains. I await a very mucky apartment when I wake up.

Here's some pictures from local news

I love

2011-05-17T13:50:00.001Z

this video for Sin Fang

Sin Fang : Two Boys from morr music on Vimeo.

Eurotastic.

2011-05-15T22:54:00.001Z

Just as I sat down to announce summer seemed to have finally made its way to Iceland, the sky covered grey with heavy clouds and its seconds away from raining. But this is Iceland and Icelandic weather. This morning and for most of the weekend the very bright sun has been making itself known and what an appreciated reunion it is. I spent most of today in the garden planting seeds and repotting young plants. This made it finally feel home. I am addicted to getting my hands covered in soil. It fills me to the brim.

The weekend was full of Eurovision. PEOPLE IN ICELAND TAKE EUROVISION VERY SERIOUSLY. This had to be in caps lock to get you to understand. I think more people have parties around this event than any other all year. Its amazing and I love it. Ben (my short term new flatmate) and I held a party with more people than we could really fit in the living room and his friend in England made us the best (if a little complicated) score sheet with full explanations. Nothing would explain how Italy ranked so high however.

Afterwards about 15 of us headed downtown along with the rest of Reykjavik. I am still smug at my accurate balance of booze, no booze, red bull, water and no hangover. I stayed out until 6 which hasn't happened once since 2008!

(photos to be developed and added later)

My favourites for this year's fest-de-tackorama are below.

Blue - of course, look at the backdrops! I think there should be a new genre in pop of man-bands.

Jedward! Hyperactive Chihuahuas indeed, how they didn't win I do not know. I danced to this song 3 times out downtown. It was being played everywhere!

Biggest scandal for me this year was that THIS SONG DIDN'T GET INTO THE FINAL. I mean seriously, the lyrics, the costume, the dance, and the gimmicky boxing ring! Blimey.

More info to come on the Weird Girls Project Episode 13 which was filmed just over a week ago. My absolute favourite yet experience wise and looking at the raw footage - my favourite yet for content. I am bursting at the seams to show this to you all.

For now I shall leave you with Germany's entry to Eurovision. The commentators here in Iceland accused Lena of ripping of The Weird Girls Project which I found very fun. Of course many many strange people have been wearing spandex long long before I decided to do it but nevertheless, that The Project is becoming a household name here is very pleasing.

Sad times and new beginnings

2011-05-04T11:13:00.002Z

I have been very quiet on this blog of late, and although I don't tend to dip deeply into personal details on here usually, I will give a brief statement of fact about why.

Sadly Daníel and my relationship has ended. We have had some pretty hard family things to cope with over the last couple of years and we simply haven't made it through. On a plus point, we are not acrimonious which is wonderful for our daughter, and ourselves. No one else is involved and we have been able to get through it relatively unscathed. That's not to say it doesn't hurt, or isn't sad, it does and it is. Particularly sad is the fact I am now no longer Una's foster mother which is very hard after raising her for almost two years. Even more sad is that Lilja won't be around her 'sister' daily she has always known - although they will maintain contact.

I am not planning on leaving the country (at least for the immediate future), even though single motherhood in a country with no family is very daunting. I have had absolutely stellar support from a network of friends I truly don't know what I would do without.

The decision came to post this blog now that we have registered the separation officially, had confirmation that Una will stay with Daníel and Lilja and I have a new apartment. I felt skipping this info and simply going on to post entries about a new place without Daníel might leave rumours likely to rise by people who have nothing better to do than guess, especially in light of Daníel's current media presence.

So there you go. Its sad, but there's nothing juicy in it for the tack-o-mags to photoshop a broken heart over, as is their style. It is horrible when a family breaks up and even more so when there are children involved. I hope that this is all that needs to be said about it.

The new flat is lovely and is nestled in between close friends on every side in my old neighbourhood. By some miracle I found a flat I can (just) afford which is in walking distance of leikskoli, my job and has a garden. I will post pictures of all the lovely-slash-tacky furniture I found on barnaland.is later.

For now I am on panic mode as Weird Girls Episode 13 is about to commence on friday - involving 2 nights in the countryside and was made possible thanks to everyone who donated to the kickstarter on the post below.

More news will follow on that, plus much more next week.

x Kitty

Beg Borrow Steal

2011-04-11T20:24:00.001Z

Blog Award!

2011-04-01T11:28:00.003Z

What a nice and unexpected email I just received!

"Tripbase Awards 2011

I am pleased to inform you that your site has been chosen to receive a Tripbase 2011 Blog Award.

This year our panel of judges reviewed hundreds of sites from across the Internet before hand-selecting the best ten for each travel category. Your site is among these elite ranks, and can be seen here:

http://www.tripbase.com/d/awards/2011/categories/winners/iceland.htm

I would like to congratulate you on your continued hard work and achievement in winning a Tripbase Award - this year, the awards have been featured in CNBC, CBS and AOL News.

Well done once again, and keep up the great work.

Kind Regards,

Claire Tucker

~ Tripbase Inc ~"

Enough

2011-03-29T12:05:00.008Z

This precise moment I am working offline at Social Media Forum 2011 at Olympia. This is a conference and expo for social media companies and tools and the fact that their internet doesn't work is the single most ironic thing I can imagine. All around the expo there are invitations to tweet and win prizes and to send questions to the panels to discuss.

This is ridiculous.

I find events of this type quite fascinating and whilst I am waiting for the next engaging panel discussion "Monitoring and managing investment in social media" I am sat in one of the casually placed giant beanbags taking note of the types of people milling around.

Social Media events are one of the rare places that today's business dinosaurs and Generation Y ipadded tech nerds coexist. They actually don't tend to interact with each other - yet both attend the same keynotes. I often wonder how the two archetypes translate the same keynotes when they return to their fold.

Talking of returning to the fold, I am on my last 48hours in London before I finally head home. This is something I am now craving for. London - and especially the weather - has been incredibly kind to me but I can safely say I have absolutely zero interest in returning here to live, and my current mindset feels that is a statement for forever.

The last few days of traveling to places to get to do anything has drained me more and more. Even though in general the transport has been good - the truth is that I am now used to living in a city I can walk across within 30minutes.

Back home, we - the family - do not have much money. We don't go wanting, but we certainly don't have money left at the end of the month and we can't afford to go out for dinner regularly or buy ourselves new clothes much more than when we need to. Yet, we have social lives and are very busy and generally happy people. It took me a little by surprise to realise that if we as a family lived here in London with the equivalent income and equivalent rent, we would be if not pretty miserable - at least very restricted. The place makes you hemorrhage money. Using transport is almost unavoidable and expensive, the community feel is not anywhere near the same level - even though it exists, and the cost of everything seems untoward.

Having said all that, on sunday, whilst on my way to my old haunt of Crouch End for sunday lunch, I sat on the top deck of a double decker bus and really quite enjoyed myself. I realised after only a few days in London that I no longer look ahead of me. Instead my gaze drifts upwards as I try and feed the hunger for the romantic side of the city.

Above the mass of people pushing and shoving, hurry hurry hurrying to get where they are going exists a world most hardly ever notice. Growing from the tops of the hideous shiny fronts of the banks and Boots and MacDonalds are often jaw droppingly handsome buildings. Majestic towers and columns of sandstone or red brick. There seems to have been a drive towards cleaning the smog off of the buildings recently in central London which brings these magnificent structures into their element. The king of all in my eye is St Pancreas station. It is one of the single most impressive buildings I have ever seen and when I look at it I do not see anything else, hear anything else - which to be honest - in King's Cross is fairly significant.

The other places I love sighting are roof terraces and other vertical spaces being used to grow plants. They are little pockets of magic in streets which are often stained black by pollution and use. I have been staying with my dear friend Sebastian in Notting Hill, Portobello Road to be precise and he lives on one of those most enviable little cobbled mews with a giant wisteria climbing up the old stables buildings and a roof terrace to die for.

I never lived west during my 7 years in London and it has been very nice indeed to play pretend and live where people wear sunglasses worth more money than my whole outfit and men have a penchant for coloured jeans. But even here I have been itching to return to clean air and quiet, even though a regular stay in London would be nice.

One of the tipping points of my tolerance came when we (my sister Hannah and Sebastian) travelled across London to Tooting Bec to have a lovely dinner with my stepbrother Nick and his lady and then we went en masse to Brixton academy to see Primal Scream. This in itself was lovely but the journey there and back (including over an hour and half on night buses) pushed me to the edge.

The concert itself was enjoyable, but I couldn't help wishing I was either as completely out of my head on MDMA as most of the (seemingly male) audience or that I had purchased a seated ticket. Yes my back and legs ached but the wish for seating was more that as this was a sold out gig, there was hardly room to dance and in addition people - mostly fucked up people - were pushing and shoving their way to and from the bar and didn't mind pushing and shoving us to get there. Yes I am old. But you know what, I feel quite happy having made the decision that I will not bother with a live gig in a large venue without seats.

The band were good, although admittedly not excellent but hearing Loaded some on live with 5 thousand people all screaming with joy at every beat reminding them of their youth, reminding them of summer, it was a true moment.

Having said I am desperate to get home and that I cannot stand the smell of London any more, I have had a spiffingly good time. Its been great to do the things I haven't for so long. To pootle the streets of Soho, to poke fresh fruit and vegetable markets, to buy cheap fabric trims and to simply feel London. But now, for the first time, I really realise its very far from what I want in life.

Gerist

2011-03-25T18:40:00.002Z

Here is the video I made for Gerist and Reykjavik Towel. Unabashedly I must admit I rather love it. Immense kudos to the girls for smiling in the absolute bitter cold and to the crew, especially Hrafn Gardasson.

GERIST: Reykjavik Towel from Kitty Von-Sometime on Vimeo.

Season cheater

2011-03-24T16:38:00.005Z

I am now in London, Notting Hill to be precise, and the weather is nothing but summerlike. I feel I have cheated. Reykjavík has been in snowfall for over 3 weeks. Exactly the length of time I have been in the UK.

Today I sat outside a coffeeshop and worked on my laptop in the sunshine almost pinching myself. I arrived in London a few days ago but had been in Devon before that, a week on my own with Lilja and then a week with Daníel and Una joining us. We explored and ran around and adventured and took best advantage of the weather and the countryside.

During my entire trip I have been susceptible to the mental see-saw any ex-pat experiences when they return home - what's better where, what do I miss, which is where I want to be.
This weather has been playing England an unfair advantage, but as a whole I still want to be in Iceland. That said, sideways from my family being here, I have been particularly enjoying the following:
* Trees
* Historic architecture
* Availability of affordable decent fresh fruit and veg
* Ale
* Sausages
* M&S underwear
* M&S simply food
* Brick buildings
* BBC iPlayer
* Garden centres

Things which have been driving me nuts about being here are:
* Noise
* Pushing
* The amount of people
* Dirt
* Dirty Air
* Media on celebrities
* Media on politics (or more precisely, spin on)
* Gobshite teenagers (yes I am aware they exist in both countries but the ratio of gobshite todecent teenagers is more favourable in the UK)

What conclusions have I come to through this assessment?
That I must somehow afford both monetarily and timewise to build my own house in Iceland made of bricks to an 18th or 19th century English style, complete with fully walled gardens and plants trees and loads of fruit and vegetables. Thence I must start making sausages and my own Ale and I would be fairly set.
Marks and Spencer are unlikely to position themselves in Iceland whilst the economy is as it is so I will have to continue bulk undie purchases when I return to the UK for visits.

Finally

2011-03-12T17:48:00.001Z

Goodness goodness me. What a great deal I could write about. Whether you would really be interested or not is another thing. But isn't that the joy of blogging - spouting your opinions and experiences out there into the interwebs for people to read, get irritated by or simply ignore. I am aware however that rather alot of people subscribe to this blog for reasons best known to themselves. My best guess is some sort of love for either Iceland or quite possibly, spandex.

For those of you interested in Iceland, know this: if you live there, escaping to a foreign country circa February is a very cunning plan. One I have currently set into action with a month's stay in the UK. Having lived through five Icelandic winters and although I can cope and in fact in ways welcome the snow and darkness by February everyone's patience with it is wearing thin and the deep and powerful longing for light overtakes. For me, the deep and powerful longing to garden is the overwhelming force. (I plan to update my Gardening Blog whilst here as well)

So this year I planned with my wonderful employers at CCP to work remotely from my hometown in Devon so that I could simply be around family and the cusp of spring. I have to admit its a darn sight colder here than I had hoped but the sun is making itself known and the trees are covered in blossom and the crocuses are out.

The month and a half prior to this trip I admittedly overstretched myself somewhat, piling too many projects on my personal time combined with a steep day job workload and reached my maximum velocity. Not something I wish to do again quickly yet I am very proud of the work I pulled off. More on that later in this post.

The last month has been somewhat snow covered in Iceland and so most 'spare' time has been spent with the kids in that or enjoying friends company in the warmth somewhere.

Daníel and I have managed to have some date nights but we have been as busy as each other really. He has just finished the theatre show Ný Dönsk í Nand which finished a sold out couple of weeks at Borgaleikhusið and is now booked again for April. The photos below are from the show. I don't know what I feel about Daníel making a more feminine woman than me...

He is also releasing his solo album within the next month, the first single Yeah Yeah Yeah which he wrote with his cousin Barði (Bang Gang) is already out.

The things which were keeping me so occupied involve 2 Episodes of The Weird Girls Project and another commissioned art piece which is a short musical film incorporating much of my Weird Girlsness but was choreographed and rehearsed. I worked on that with the dance instructing help of Margrét Erla Maack and it is for Gerist and their two products Reykjavik Towel and Reykjavik Soap.

We filmed on a completely hideously cold and windy day at Vesturbærlaug pool and I got to use my favourite camera and my favourite camera crane and my favourite crew. You can see a news clip here. Here are a few sneaky screenshots pre-grading. Its going to be beautiful.

Prior to this back in January I produced Episode 12 of The Weird Girls Project and just before I left Iceland I held a screening of the rough cut of the video. Now the video is released online and so is the amazing photographic collection by Héiðinn Eríksson. I worked on this video with Arnar Valdimarsson who is also our video genius at CCP and I hope this is not the last time we create something together.

Taking a chance to express the lack of daylight in this time of year and the feeling of society's desperation for the light to return, Kitty engaged with Krummi Bjorgvinsson (of Mínus) and collaborated with music from the new side project Legend. Comparative to the episode previous to this, Kitty pulled the women into the darkness to revel and gorge on combined visual representations of witchcraft and religion.

In the performance the women come together as vessels for evil performing a ritual to wake a dark spirit. For the first time ever the video work includes a performance by a band member, although this was filmed on a separate day – to maintain the Project's boundaries are set. A 'pure' Project video work has also been produced.

* Producer, Concept Artist and Artistic Direction: Kitty Von-Sometime: Kitty Von-Sometime

* Filmed: 22nd January 2011

* Director of Photography and Editor: Arnar Valdimarsson

* Photographer: Héðinn Eríksson

* Lighting Technician: Rósant Guðmundsson

* Behind the Scenes Photographer: Katrín Ólafs

* Post Production: Arnar Valdimarsson

* Costumes: Fiona Cribben and Kitty Von-Sometime

* Head Runner: Fríða Einarsdóttir

* Runners: Manny Santiago, Þorgerður Sveinsdóttir and Lilja Hrönn

* On set costume assistance: Magga Sigga

* Make up: Neníta Aguilar, Theordóra Torfadóttir, Dýrleif Sveinsdóttir, Labinota Morina, Berglind Stella Benediktsdóttir

* Music: Sister by Legend

Only a couple of weeks after shooting this one I produced a Special Episode for UNIFEM who were joining forces with some other institutions to form UN Women. The behind the scenes video is in the post before this which has more explanation in it.
The piece was revealed in downtown Reykjavik on Tuesday which was International Women's day and sadly I missed it. There was even a marching band dagnamit. But here's some photos.

So now I am planning to work, rest and play. I have Daníel and Una flying over next week to join Lilja and I and then just over a week in London without the children. I cannot wait for more pubs, Wagamamas, soho and Primal Scream live. Woot.

Promises

2011-02-24T21:56:00.000Z

I will be going to the UK for a month at the end of next week. This is to rest. So blog post updates will come then.

For now, see some of why I haven't had time for blogging...

Out of reach

2011-02-21T16:49:00.001Z

posted from Bloggeroid

Happy Valentine's day

2011-02-14T22:46:00.001Z

posted from Bloggeroid

Snow much?

2011-02-07T21:21:00.001Z

Even for Iceland this isn't usual in the city

posted from Bloggeroid

Screamadelica

2011-02-02T21:37:00.000Z

Guess who's got tickets to Primal Scream in London in March. Weeeeoooooooooooooooo! I shall relieve my youth oh yes I shall!

Meira

2011-01-29T14:16:00.001Z

Body popping

2011-01-27T12:38:00.000Z

This week has been spent scouring over the footage filmed on Saturday. My dear lord I am very excited about Episode 12's video and am itching for the editing to begin.

The press have been very prevalent this week and this is the only glimpse of the new Episode you will get until its ready.

The snowball that is the Weird Girls Project is accelerating in speed and this week also included an invitation to the NordLand art festival in Poland for October to produce a full episode.

Crazy times. Crazy times.

Because I am insane, it is only 8 days to the next Episode and so spare time is a precious thing. I spend any I have on reading gardening magazines and starting to germinate the seeds of vegetables which need a longer season. This is leaving me no opportunity to update my gardening blog which I promised myself I would keep completely current.

My entire soul is aching to be growing things which the Icelandic environment will not let me yet - or in some cases, ever. If I had any money at all I would buy myself a heated greenhouse. I announced to Daníel this week that for the first time in my adult life I know what I want to do. Spend two days a week being a housewife, cooking everything, cleaning and fixing bits around the house: Two days a week as an artist, able to concentrate entirely on art: Two days a week as a gardener and one day to just be with family and friends. Luckily whilst this is financially not an option I work at CCP which is one of the best places to be.

We just released this new aspect of EVE:

The title of this post brings me to a topic a little more personal than I tend to get into on this blog. However, it is something which is in the forefront of my thoughts at the moment. I have PCOS and have lived with it my adult life, successfully managing the affects through diet. As someone who is very into cooking, it has been relatively easy, but I have been aware that at some point I would need some sort of extra help to keep myself healthy.

Over the last 8 months or so, managing my weight has been quite tough and even though I am not fat per se, I am over 10kilos plus what I should be for this syndrome. Last week I was told I was heading into a pre-diabetic condition and thus something should be done. Specifically losing 12 kilos. To me, that's one heck of a wedge. I haven't weighed as little since I was 18 and in complete honesty have always enjoyed being a hips and tits kind of a girl, even if I would like things to defy gravity. But health and well being demands it. My testosterone levels of late have left me a little aggressive and my energy levels sinking - which with all this brilliant activity going on, is something I cannot afford.

So the bottom line is I have been put on a insulin regulator, Metaformin, and in just one week I have shed 2 kilos. This is crazy stuff. I have to admit even with less side effects than usual, I don't feel so great now, but rumour has it in a few weeks I should be all good. One issue however, which one shouldn't debate over health and well being, is that I cannot drink. Not only as sugar reacts with the meds and makes one very unwell, but alcohol itself is a no no. I am already pining for red wine. I can deal with not getting drizzunk out partying but man oh man, the red wine. For now, I have to lose the weight, after I do, I might be able to stop taking it. We will see.

I have heard excellent things about this drug, but if you take this too and wouldn't mind a dialogue - use the email address on my profile.

Best headline ever

2011-01-23T20:11:00.000Z

(click image for link to article)

Absolutely beyond exhausted from yesterday's shoot. It was EEE to the PIC. Can't add more than that right now.

Official Request

2011-01-18T10:27:00.002Z

More of things like this in everyone's life please.

No rest for the wicked.

2011-01-11T21:37:00.000Z

Kids with fever and snot = parents with no sleep. This is a very quick update, life, love, art and my seedlings (yes I have started gardening albeit indoors) need more attention than I have time.

The Weird Girls Project
I am pleased to announce that as well as an Episode in January, I am producing an Episode in early February to help UNIFEM celebrate joining UN Women.

Not only has the documentary for Episode 7 (The No Seeing Eye) been selected but The video from Episode 11 for Olafur Arnalds has been selected for The Northern Wave Film Festival.

Documentary teaser clip from kitty von-sometime on Vimeo.

Apart from that I am way too busy to do more than a photo dump here now as this is the first night in ages Daníel and I have any hours together as not only do I have much on my plate he is in the last week's work of the new Gus Gus album.

So here are more photos from Christmas, and from the insanity which was my night out on 1st January at the Boston Masquerade.

And to finish off the last mention of Christmas. I always like to make a tacky Christmas video. Here is A Lot Of Christmas 2010.

Christmas Overload 2010 from kitty von-sometime on Vimeo.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-01-01T17:05:00.000Z

Yes! 2011 is finally here. I am, for one, very pleased to start a fresh year. I entered the year with a very clean house, some bags full of stuff for the Red Cross, very full food cupboards and no outstanding bills. I also have no hangover unlike most of Reykjavík. This Gamlárskvöld is the first since I moved here on which I haven't been Djing at Nasa. Even when I was pregnant. So, as Daníel was performing at 3am I stayed home with Lilja Constance. Tonight is a different story however.

Anyway, a quick rollback. Very quick as I am currently updating my vegetable seeds excel spreadsheet. No, not a joke.

The month started off with me flying with my crippled back to Atlanta for work where I was promptly taken to hospital having contracted some hideous virus from on the plane.
Before I did get ill I managed to enjoy internet whilst flying for the first time and Skyped people in China, the UK and Iceland which was insane, and was told later, illegal if I had read the terms and conditions of the provider. Oops.

I also managed to see Walmart. That my friends, was it. My stay in ATL was an epic fail.

Epic fail excluding purchasing some hideous Christmas jumpers and 2 delightful Christmas dresses for the girls.

On 16th December Manny and I hosted the Dance of Defiance clubnight and it was a roaring success even with the crap equipment we had. I have yet to look at the film and plan to edit a piece in the first week or so of January.

Apart from that there were various Christmassy type events and of course Mumsy and Mike came to stay. Alot of food was eaten and a vat of wine was drunk. Lovely.

Now its 2011 and this is the year for some heavy duty art, more Djing and even more gardening. 2010 was more heavily family orientated, as is what comes with having a new born, and also becoming a foster parent. This year will keep heavy importance (as it always should) on familial love and balance but I would like to edge a little more in on the art now that Lilja only has a couple more teeth to come and sleep should be more forthcoming. Broken nights have meant that come 8pm all I can muster is watching a space documentary or a steam bath. I hope and aim to be more productive in the evenings and am keeping an eye out for a teeny studio space.

Let's see shall we, let's see.

Jonsi

2010-12-29T21:40:00.001Z

His homecoming concert. Right now. Right here.

Snow may finally hit

2010-12-22T14:54:00.001Z

We seem to be the only ones waiting.

Kitty's knock your head off Christmas chutney

2010-12-05T18:40:00.001Z

Cranberry, red onion and apple with lashings of red chili and ginger.

I managed to make this with the wonderful assistance of Frida who chopped when I couldn't stand anymore.

Deck the halls

2010-12-04T09:11:00.001Z

Crippled or not, Christmas has come to this house.

Its my birthday and I'll cry if I want to

2010-11-30T18:54:00.000Z

Well, I didn't cry ON my birthday, just the morning after. As that is when I slipped a disc, or to be more medically accurate - herniated my spine. I don't really give a monkey's what you call it - this is pain only held from first place by childbirth.

This was a week ago, and I am still more or less bed bound. I have progressed from crawling to shuffling in the last two days however so some dignity has been recovered. It is safe to say that life has been pretty dull with a side order of frustration so its lucky for you that there was some fun had before that, and that I find it incredibly tedious to read, let alone write, whiny blogs.

Before there is a bombardment of photos I would like to make a statement that my friends are truly amazing. My man has been abroad during this crippledom and I have had people support me in the avenues of babysitting, doing my laundry, perky calls and company. Thanks especially go out to Fiona, Svavar, Lilja and especially Maísol who acted as a live in care assistant for several days.

Now on with the show. Below there are photos from various home stuff with a massive starring of my daughter. It has been agonising to be unable to pick her up but as I have spent most of my time in the last week on the floor she has found it rather entertaining that I am at her level. During the last month or so she has been displaying her character properly for the first time. She's at that age. This has for me been absolutely amazing. The first words are emerging and I am loving every minute of it.

The rest of the homey images are from various days in which we went to or held dinner parties and other average stuff, boring to others if it were not for my beloved Olympus snapshot camera, without which I do not know what I would do.

Way back at the end of October there was Halloween. As anyone who reads this blog is aware, I will dress up in costume at the drop of a hat and thus I enjoyed myself immensely. There was a closed guestlist party and every invitee was assigned a character to dress up as, mine being the specific of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. Sadly that particular party was rather wack but downtown was full of events and for once many were beginning pre-midnight.

I drank various punches at various parties and then had various mis-steps on my way home as every single punch had Landi in it - something I discovered the day after. This is the Icelandic version of moonshine. It is liquid insanity and legendarily "can make you go blind". Or so they say. Personally - I had a hangover akin to nothing I remember pre-2008 at least. This frustrates me as I take great pride in waking up early the day after going out, to be with the kids - even though on 'party nights' I get to sleep in the spare room.

Usually my combination of stopping drinking by a certain time plus a vitamin boost plus alka seltzer plus eating strategic pizza plus drinking a litre of soda water before bed means I am safe. Sadly not this time.

The appearance of moonshine plus extreme drinking is something I have issue with in today's club scene. So much that I am hosting a protest which I will discuss at the end of this post. But for now, here's the photos showing what fun I had even in my less than sober state.

Next up was my 33rd birthday party. Being a slut for theme parties this was called The MTV Generation and everyone had to come as someone from a music video since MTV was invented. We had the following superstars:
Lilly Allen, Marylin Manson, Eddie Vedder, Damon Alban, Kurt Cobain, Lady GaGa, Lil Jon, Britney, Kate Bush, Weezer, Goldfrapp, La Roux, Beth Ditto, Makr Knopfler, Shirley Manson, Mike D, Courtney Love, Debbie Harry, Moby, Jam Master Jay and more. I will leave you to decide who was who, but I was attempting Annie Lennox circa Sweet Dreams.

Right now, I am generally going crazy at the fact I should be making my house look like Christmas threw up but am physically unable to do so. Being in bed for over a week at this time I have practically had to wrestle myself to stop from watching various tacky Christmas films online. Mumsy and Mike are visiting at Christmas and I get to go English Christmas crazy. But I shall wait until I can at least reach the top of the tree. Its driving me grade A crazy that its not now. The folks are also excited to come so it seems, and so should they, as Reykjavik is apparently number for a Christmas holiday.

More on the Aforementioned Protest which I hope to be fully functioning for..... Press Statement as this:

DANCE OF DEFIANCE: A public protest against the dying club scene
people go out later + spend less money out = lack of nightlife + extreme home drinking = no dancefloor community

Manny, Chicago-born DJ who established himself in the US rave and club scene in the mid 90s has teamed up with Kitty Von-Sometime, concept artist and creator of The Weird Girls Project and DJ (No Limits 90s nights at NASA) to host a public participation performance art piece protesting the lack of Dancefloor community since Kreppa.

“Since the crash the economic pressure combined with the heavily increased tax on alcohol has led to people drinking at home and not arriving in the clubs until extremely late. When they arrive they are usually very very drunk” says Manny

“Yes” says Kitty “The Icelandic hours always used to be extremely late compared to London for example, but now its simply ridiculous. People cannot afford to stay out and drink all night so they drink at home purely for the purposes of getting drunk – these days its entirely usual to encounter landi at house parties. This results in the crowds hitting the bars much later and in a much worse state.
There used to be an ability to go out at least for a short while if you had small children, or if you didn’t like drinking. Now, its very unpleasant for those staying sober and there’s no party if you want to go home by 3am and enjoy the next day with your kids”

Manny and Kitty are hosting a night in Bakkus on December 16th from 20.00 until 01.00 and inviting the public to come and dance to show their support for change. The aim is to have the place completely full of people dancing before 23.00 and to show that it is possible to go out, dance and enjoy themselves – yet get home at a time which leaves the entire day after fully functional.
The public participated art piece will be filmed and photographed throughout, and a short film will be produced as a record of the event. Additional local artists are joining forces in this including Gus Gus and Ný Dönsk front man Daníel Ágúst plus more to be announced next week.

The public are urged to attend and if they want to participate in any more involved way – contact Kitty and Manny by posting on the ‘Confluence of Sound DJs‘ facebook page

My prime view

2010-11-25T18:04:00.001Z

For the last several days.

Slipped disc?

2010-11-23T12:41:00.001Z

Suspected slipped disc yesterday, am in the specialists waiting for cray results. This pain is quite something even with all the drugs.

My Teasmade

2010-11-22T07:31:00.001Z

The single most English and never endingly best alarm clock in the world.

Lunchtime swim

2010-11-10T13:02:00.001Z

In the crispest of cold in the brightest of winter sun. Looking at snow capped mountains, inhaling oxygen - nothing revives me more to take on the rest of the day.

Snow arrives

2010-11-04T08:43:00.001Z

Winter is definitely here.

Would you help to produce the next Episode of The Weird Girls Project

2010-11-01T10:40:00.002Z

Or, even be in it, or photograph it?

The fundraising is in the last week and we need all the support we can get to produce the next Episode. Without support and grants the project is in danger of skidding to a halt.

Many thanks to all of you who have spread the word on my behalf, and of course to those who have supported with donations so far.

Oh just wait for this

2010-10-28T20:03:00.001Z

The country I live in has gone crazy. And I like it.

Almost human again!

2010-10-28T10:08:00.000Z

Well Its been a fun week of snot and vomit. Sexy stuff. But now I am almost up and at em again. Over the weekend I did little more than hang out at home, but on Saturday night my most awesome friend Karolina invited me to her place where she had made some Borsch Polish soup to aid my recovery.

On monday even though I was struggling I was determined to pull of The Weird Girls support of Kvennafrí (Women's Strike). We played very loud uplifting girl power tunes (9 to 5, I'm every woman, Sisters are doing it for themselves etc) from a balcony as the 50,000 - yes FIFTY THOUSAND, women marched past in wind and snow - showing true dedication to the cause. It was excellent fun to watch them start to smile as they walked past in the cold. We were on the news here. I felt appalling afterwards and went straight back to bed, but do not regret it for a moment.

(The images below are stolen from mbl.is - credit: Kristinn)

Apart from that, there is little to report from here, hopefully the next weeks will be more productive from my side. Daníel has been very busy polishing his album. Here's my favrouite track from it. Enjoy and share it.

Yeah Yeah Yeah by Daníel Ágúst

Remedy

2010-10-24T13:27:00.001Z

Cammomile flowers, garlic, lime juice, chilies, ginger and honey. Boil until reduced down. Add whiskey.

Failing that, parkodin.

Man flu

2010-10-23T14:04:00.001Z

Currently I am holed up in bed feeling on the more pathetic side of sorry for myself. Although it is probably only a level 5 in how severe a flu can be, I have been wiped sideways with it. My usual winter illness of choice is a cold spreading to a chest infection, something I have always ended up with - bizarrely more severely when I was in the UK. Anyway, the other worldly aspect of flu is the thing I had forgotten, its been a few years since I have felt this and being responsible for a baby whilst feeling, quite frankly, off my face is not something I feel comfortable with. Luckily the man is here and Daníel is doing his Dad duties well.

Having realised I have no paracetamol or similar at home I have turned to the almighty root Ginger and have been going through it at a rate of knots. How can slices of the stuff in hot water be so good, so reviving. Its amazing.

There is a meeting in an hour for artists involved in Kvennafrí (The Women's Strike) and I am trying to get myself in gear to go. The Weird Girls Project is supposed to be holding a party on one of the street corners as the expected 100,000 people march by on Monday. Not sure dancing around outside in spandex is a good idea considering its zero degrees but we need to do this. So yes, tempted as I am to stay in bed and skip the meeting I am telling myself this is not manflu.

Ghostigital at Airwaves

2010-10-18T21:44:00.000Z

yessssssss.

That would be Ghostigital with The Weird Girls Project video for Episode 5 behind. Amazing. I was there to watch this until just before they went on stage when I was summoned as Lilja was awake and not happy with my friend rather than I greeting her. But anyway, the lovely Adrienne took this shot.

The weather is cold. Winter is here. My lips are hanging off and my hands are cracking and one wonders if a shaved head in Iceland in the winter was really a good idea.
Still, I am doing my hot yoga every monday and friday (or at the least once a week) which is doing me more good than I thought possible. Everyone should go.

Well it might not be a double rainbow

2010-10-14T10:14:00.001Z

But its the brightest one I've seen in years.

My new blog

2010-10-11T20:42:00.002Z

You might want to check out my new blog. Its just about gardening. This one was getting slightly overwhelmed on that topic. Lets see if I can maintain it. I hope so.

The English Garðyrkjumaður

The Drift

2010-10-08T15:23:00.003Z

The first track from Daníel's new solo album is up for sneak preview...

The Drift (WIP) by Daníel Ágúst

In Icelandic news the protests last week here seem to have kicked up some stink, whether that be spin or not, the Conservatives don't want to participate in anything to ease the general economic difficulties most families are facing.

Instead they just have their MPs slag off supporting one of Iceland's very critical artistic industry. Even more amusing seeing how said MP was violating Icelandic laws and lining his pocket whilst claiming his business was making losses.

I suggest you bookmark grapevine.is for the more sarky commentary on the general news here.

Reykjavik major Jon Gnarr

2010-10-01T14:22:00.001Z

Commenting on the need for a cultural revolution. And polar bears.

Youareincontrol.is

Imogen Heap

2010-10-01T12:06:00.001Z

Talking at You are in control conference

Follow the leader

2010-09-29T15:59:00.002Z

Following Adrienne Griersons great success with Kickstarter on funding her documentary following the project, I decided to sign up with IndieGoGo for fundraising on the next Episode of the Weird Girls Project.

Please share this around as without funding I do not know when the next Weird Girls Episode will be

Wow

2010-09-27T17:14:00.001Z

Just when I had given up. Aubergines cometh.

Sunday morning

2010-09-26T11:08:00.001Z

Kaffihus visit

Photo dump

2010-09-21T21:08:00.003Z

More pictures than words. I'm in Devon staying with the folks after my sisters wedding and am absolutely exhausted. But I saved a load of films to develop here as its much cheaper...

One very old one..circa June

Random stuff

Lilja Constance's first birthday

Begga's leaving-to-Berlin party

Eva's birthday

Ladies night

Family things and the end of summer

And the wedding

80s revival

2010-09-10T21:30:00.001Z

Bring it.

You should subscribe to

2010-09-10T10:53:00.001Z

This series. Yours truly will be on it, but its also fucking cool, well filmed and interesting.

The Sleepless In Reykjavik WebTv Series - Episode 4 from Gussi - Sleepless In Reykjavik on Vimeo.

Its here

2010-09-09T13:51:00.000Z

To everyone who worked on this. You rock my world

Ok Epic Failure

2010-09-07T10:45:00.002Z

on the ability to write my blog this last month. To say that work has ramped up would be an understatement and adjusting to full time again has been making it hard to keep balance with the family let alone anything else!

Much has happened but I will skip past the mundane for now and let you figure it out via visual instead with a ridiculous wedge of photos. Before that various bits and bobs have cropped up.

The Weird Girls Episode 11 video has been FINISHED. I cried when I watched it last night. Many artists have done more and bigger and better but I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. The crew are just melting my heart right now. There is a screening tomorrow evening at Bakkus at 9pm. I will put it online after that. Here are a few screen shots for now.

There is a documentarian, Adrienne Grierson, making a documentary film following the project on Episode 12. She has actually been appealing to me to do this for 2 years. She has a Kickstarter project here which you can help to fund and win cool stuff at the same time.

Man, I wish I could do a Kickstarter project but I need a US bank account to do so. The Weird Girls Project is coming under some strain as moneys even tighter to mention than it used to be, I simply cannot self-fund this these days.

There has been some minor political hooha here with a minister in the Faroe Islands rejecting the Icelandic prime Minister due to her sexuality and attempting to base it on religion. You will probably hear about that but take a look at this blog entry from Arni Zachariassen, a Faroese Christian writing an open letter about this.

In general news, Winter has been creeping in and although the garden is still producing like crazy, the tone has changed to grey and wet. We harvested the potatoes and brought in the fruiting plants to ripen indoors. This weekend I am roping in some friends to help dig over various patches and prep for winter.

Also this weekend, Lilja Constance is 1 year old. Insanity!

Here's the visual overload, including fishing with CCP as part of the annual Kick Off and Menningarnott with my lovely friend MegaRach who was over staying from the UK which seemed to be the last weekend of summer.

GÓÐAN DAGINN!

2010-09-01T11:42:00.000Z

The major of Reykjavík telling everyone to say GOOD DAY with a smile to people they meet to spread the happiness.

So much

2010-08-26T14:43:00.001Z

to do, so much has been done, so much to write about.
Not enough time.

Soon, soon.

Octopus

2010-08-05T09:57:00.001Z

The worlds 9th largest super yacht has been here for several days. Complete with a pool, two submarines and two helicopters one could humour an invite aboard.

Blind test

2010-07-30T22:29:00.001Z

Shot in Seyðisfjörður

Advantages of living here

2010-07-30T20:58:00.001Z

Freshfreshfish

Bewbs and Baldness

2010-07-27T12:08:00.005Z

Well I say, what a difference a shave makes. I am so very glad I got rid of the hair. Its very bizarre but I feel incredibly good for this. Its as if its kicked alot of my blah feelings of late to the side. Many people at the party on saturday night thought I was doing something silly and drunken and the girls with long hair were squealing even though I tried to explain it was planned. I had called my sister earlier in the day to discuss this as I am being bridesmaid in september for her and didn't wish to stress her out. She said she didn't mind and it would save money on hairdressing, so thus here it is.

So Saturday was the legendary Dead Celebs theme party at our place. The first time Daniel and I have held a proper party since pre-pregnancy and it was wonderful to be back so to speak. The kids stayed with family away from the mayhem, although we made the invite open to kids too, we wanted a rare chance to both kick our heels up.

As we didnt know the status of the neighbours whereabouts we asked people to start arriving from the ungodly hour of 5pm. Ungodly to be dressed up as Leigh Bowery at that time I can tell you. Most people came between 7 and 9 really but it meant we had the stereo outside in the garden blasting and being unruly yet all was done by 12.30 and we headed downtown before an Icelandic ASBO headed our way.

I love a theme party which people take on seriously - as far as the costume goes that is. My 2 favourites were Keiko and Anna Nicole Smith. Dana who came as the latter, did not drop out of character the whole time. It was epic.

(Non film images below taken from Daníel, Dana and Juliana Espana's cameras)

Discussing costumes, the photos are now live from the last episode of The Weird Girls Project, which involved very little costume. I am immensely proud of this one.

There is a much bigger set of images but I am holding them to be exhibited in gallery space. All photos taken by Katrín Ólafs.

Late yesterday afternoon Daníel and I went for a sail with Stebbi on his sail boat. It was perfect weather and soulfilling. Moments like that make me so glad to be here.

By the way if you don't know what you should be doing on this weekend (Verzlunarmannahelgin) then you should be going to Akureyri for the 3 day shift.

Midnight saturday

2010-07-26T13:23:00.000Z

Photo frenzy

2010-07-23T20:32:00.003Z

Today and last night I spent hours making Lilja Constance's food for the month: Lentil and cauliflower curry, garlic liver and mash, fish pie, slow cook lamb stew, lax and spinach pasta, spaghetti bolognase and vegetable cheesy bake.

I am knackered, she is full.

The freezer is also full and I desperately need another one as the garden is beginning to throw out quite the selection of vegetables, great excitement at baby tomatoes and paprika appearing.

Anyway, it looks like my film from LungA didn't come out at all, one of the hang ups of old school film. But i did get these images from the summer house we stayed in after the Weird Girls Episode 11.

On ice

2010-07-23T19:23:00.001Z

No frivolous spending allowed. Lilja Hrönn gave me this idea. Its been working a treat. Have just defrosted to cut up one card and to book my flights for my sisters wedding with the other.

Daniels cards are in there too and my debit ones. Its brought our minus figure down substantially.

Away from the city

2010-07-22T15:03:00.002Z

As you gathered by the mobile uploads I was away at the LungA festival in Seyiðsfjörður last week. Its a crazy long journey and epic scenery the whole time - except when we couldnt actually see anything.

The festival was amazing fun and Lilja, Yvan and I had much silly fun of evenings running around the hills and getting somewhat damp. Lilja's mum Hanna provided me with a proper warm tent to sleep in with her and acted as camp captain providing tea and food as well as egging us all on to get drizzunk, which we did with very little argument. These are just mobile photos (some stolen from Lilja and Dana). My films are being developed, and Yvan took quite alot, as that's his job. So I am hoping to get some of those soon.

The only bummer was that it was COLD. about 7-10degrees and very much drizzle slash rain. So after 1 night in a 9 hour car journey, and 2 nights spent in the rain, albeit having fun, I decided to act my age and take a plane back to the west side of our island and to 20+degrees heat.

Fríða and Daníel Kári drove me to the summerhouse where Daníel and the girls were staying. We played around and had a BBQ and in the afternoon decided to pop to a nearby hamlet where a farmers market and small festival was taking place. It was VERY summery indeed and I bought the best cheese evaaaaar.

Now I am getting VERY excited. Daníel and I are hosting a theme party at our place on Saturday night, our kids will be with family elsewhere and even the nighbours below us have been kind enough to go to a summerhouse as they have a small baby who would not appreciate it. The theme is Dead Celebs. I am going as Leigh Bowery, I am not sure how many Icelanders know who the feck he is, but they will by the end of the night. I have persuaded Daníel to go as Dio. I cannot WAIT.

This is the work in progress:

Watch out... Episode 11 photos up in the next day or two...

Back home

2010-07-18T16:45:00.001Z

And its been 20+ degrees

Casual jaunt

2010-07-16T16:24:00.001Z

We went for a walk today.

Visibility nil

2010-07-16T10:09:00.001Z

This is how we drove for most of an hour on what is my least favourite piece of road. To the left is a pure unfenced drop off the mountain.

Seythisfjordur

2010-07-15T17:11:00.001Z

We are here.

On the way

2010-07-15T00:42:00.001Z

To LungA festival. Only nine hours to go.

Yes it is still me

2010-07-14T10:32:00.003Z

I decided to take advantage of the new blogger layouts with gadgets etc. Quite snappy I have to say.

To add content to this post, here is my new all time favourite youtube clip:

Picture perfect

2010-07-13T21:35:00.002Z

Some rather amazing photos by my rather talented friend Mæja.

Now I am full of motherly guilt. Tomorrow I go with friends to LungA arts festival in Seyðisfjörður, a 9 hour drive away. Last weekend I spent the night after the Weird Girls Episode 11 (which went amazingly) in a Summerhouse with the ladies too.
I am toing and froing about going to LungA now. I turned down 2 much financially needed DJ gigs to go and now feel bad about the cash and the missing of the kids. Argh, to or fro to or fro.

Ég veit ekki.

Ballet

2010-07-08T19:47:00.001Z

Sunshine again

Home girl

2010-07-08T11:53:00.003Z

I have been taking my time writing this one up, as its been a bit sore to type. Yes, I had a very exciting accident, I slipped on a wet floor in the bank and fractured my shoulder.

Great party tale.

Anyway, there has been much going on apart from that though. The Jónsvaka exhibition came and went and the whole documentary will be viewable at a later date, for now, check out a clip and admire the fantastic grading done by Michael Todd.

On a Weird Girls tip, the next shoot is happening on Saturday and the gale force 7 winds we have had the last couple of days have somewhat worried me. Hope is that my obscene luck with all Episodes to date won't fail me. If it does, the storyboard is allowing us to work with that. Lets just hope we don't all get pneumonia.

I mentioned in my last proper post, I went to the UK for a short stay in Devonshire, with the main aim being to attend my Dad's wedding celebration. I took what little time I had apart from this to immerse myself in the countryside.

Its no wonder I am somewhat obsessed with gardening, the surroundings of my childhood involved some of the most beautiful countryside and my stepdad Mike was a landscape gardener once he left the Navy. The garden in these photos is his.

I went with my friend Dave to a small village called Dunsford where I would like to take the children for a 6months stay before they start school. There is a small teashop with a multitude of naughty things to eat and out back they have a walled garden. Something I dream of, and it is stunning, absolutely enchanting. The whole village of Dunsford is.

Dad and Sue's wedding celebration was very wonderful, just laughs and proud tears and a bit of dancing. Perfect.

Back home there has been some trips out and much much silliness in the garden. Until this gale force wind appeared. What is that about? July people! July!? my potato plants look like someone went for them with a baseball bat. I had a check last night to see where we were with the potatoes themselves in case they don't recover. Una and I brought in the 'test' tatties and added them to dinner. The realisation that these plants I have been pointing out now actually end up on the dinner table has gripped her. She helps in the garden every day after leikskóli no matter what the weather.

Daníel took Lilja and I to a summerhouse at the weekend out at Mývatn and we had a very short but calm stay out of the city. I had wanted to do more of this through this summer but there does not seem to be enough time.

The previously mentioned stay in Devon is something I have mentioned since I was pregnant. I don't want to move back but I feel that its been a long time I have been away from home. I have missed Devon summers and especially with children have found the distance from my family quite something. The idea would be to keep wherever we are living and sublet it, and should my work be amenable - work from the UK and or take sabbatical. I am a very busy person and this is mostly my own doing. I would like to step down a notch and feel my family and feel my roots for a bit.
I doubt very much that Lilja would remember this as she will be so young but I also want her to spend some time with them. Cross continent relationship maintenance is important in my life.

Ah, yes and now Tiny Dancer as Lilja was known in my stomach for her moving around, now is actually dancing. Or headbanging. Whatever.