By now everyone knows that Iceland punches above its weight in music creation. They put out so much good music in so many genres, I will probably never run out of Icelandic music to write about. So here is more Icelandic music I like.
ByGD
Perfect Princess Party
Books by Shannon Hale are autobuys in my family. My youngest child was exactly the right age for The Princess in Black when that series began, so we picked it as the theme for their birthday party. It was in December, so we couldn’t hold it outside. Instead, we used my husband’s martial arts dojo, which had a conveniently padded floor.
Guests were encouraged to dress for the event and we got a nearly even mix of fabulous gowns, Disney costumes, and ninja suits. We served tea and cake, and let the kids run around. When the only boy at the party ended up at the bottom of pig pile, risking the integrity of his plastic armor and I think getting a little frightened, we moved on to more organized activities.
My husband pulled out the punching bag and let kids hit it with sticks. Then he taught them three evasive maneuvers and lined them up to take turns dodging swings from a padded stick.
It was a perfect princess (martial arts) tea party.
ByGD
Some Pop Music I Like
For years I claimed that I hated pop music. Then Coldplay put out Yellow and I had to eat my words. Nowadays, my taste in pop music skews heavily indie, and often local. But there is no question that pop is music I like.
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ByGD
A Prayer, I Think
If I remember correctly, I took a picture of this plaque at the bottom (or was it the top) of Helgafell, a small mountain in Iceland near Stykkishólmur. According to legend, if you climb it without speaking or looking back once and make a wish at the top it will be granted. I climbed with my family. My oldest child raced ahead and barely made three steps onto the path before turning around to shout something at us. The rest of us did better, but it was slippery and in April there was still snow in places. I slipped up at the very top, accidentally asking out loud, “Does this count as the top or is it over there?” It must have been over there because my wish didn’t come true.
ByGD
Romeo et Juliette From PNB at Home
If true love is the one that makes you throw away your own rules, it must hold true for art as well as relationships. Story ballets are supposed to be the easy one to get into, but to be honest, they’ve never really been my thing. And yet, Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Romeo et Juliette is one of my favorite ballets and one of my favorite adaptations of the Bard’s much misunderstood tragedy.
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