dad:being

Why The Wind Blows

2008-06-16T22:32:00.005+03:00

That's when you realize everything is alive,
The wind, the rain, even the nectar of the bee hive.

Mohit K. Mistra

I took a lot of pictures of flowers the other day. The wind made it hard. It doesn't really matter how stable your camera is when the subject is moving.

I need that wind.

Veins

2008-06-06T21:09:00.004+03:00

Life within.

Sun's Heart on Earth

2008-05-24T20:24:00.003+03:00

To find, seek.

For a mother

2008-05-11T20:29:00.007+03:00

When all things
are said and done,
what is,
is your love.

I love you.

Flowers of the Spring

2008-05-04T15:57:00.003+03:00

     With daisies pied
          and violets blue,
we say the spring of the year
     comes in!
          So may it be
with the spring of love's year
     also
          if we can but find
the secret word
     to transform it.

William Carlos Williams

She's my flower of the spring.

There is a beer can on the table

2008-04-05T08:28:00.001+02:00

Some pictures taken by my 5-years-old variation

2008-03-05T18:14:00.007+02:00

No wonder she likes to sleep in our bed

2008-02-24T19:44:00.002+02:00

Evidence

2008-01-19T16:04:00.000+02:00

Of the truth out there.

It'll take a lot of milk to ingest these cookies...

2007-11-23T09:24:00.001+02:00

And why buy an egg clock when we have perfectly functional smoke alarm?

Ride

2007-11-11T21:22:00.000+02:00

Unreachable

2007-10-28T22:23:00.000+02:00

The places that cannot be reached, the places which always escape us.

The end of a rainbow.

The place where an echo turns.

And somewhere there is the transition where the sea becomes heaven and heaven is the sea.

First Snow

2007-10-19T20:50:00.000+02:00

Somewhere There Is Dawn

2007-10-14T20:46:00.000+02:00

Right now.

Relaxing

2007-10-07T20:49:00.001+02:00

This is from our summer trip to Tallinn, Estonia. I don't know where Veikka gets those ideas, but when he does I'll be there with the camera.

An Old Blog

2007-09-27T14:10:00.000+02:00

I have been reading an old blog. Back then they were called Journals. Back then they were better. It us a Journal of 19th century Danish philosopher / theologian / humorist / poet Søren Kierkegaard.

In 1836 he wrote:

Feb. People understand me so little that they do not even understand when I complain of being misunderstood.

That must be a good point to start reading his journals.

March. … I have just returned from a party of which I was the life and soul; wit poured from my lips, everyone laughed and admired me–but I went away–and the dash should be as long as the earth’s orbit -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------and wanted to shoot myself. …

I was in Helsinki yesterday. Had four hours to kill. I tried to find his books, but apparently concepts such as cooking or dream interpretation are better sellers.

1841 Nov. 15. … It is a positive starting point for philosophy when Aristotle says that philosophy begins with wonder, not as in our day with doubt. Moreover the world will learn that the thing is not to begin with the negative, and the reason why it has succeeded up to the present is that it has never really given itself over to the negative, and so has never seriously done what it said. Its doubt is mere child’s play. …

How to get the girls

2007-09-24T18:42:00.000+02:00

Even a 5 years old knows this one:

Bedroom photo shooting session: includes pictures and video coverage

2007-09-14T07:33:00.000+02:00

I was emptying the memory card of my camera when I noticed that there has been a photo shooting session in our bedroom.

Now I know why there is so much sand on our bed.

Are you ready for the video coverage?

Work of a Romantic Engineer

2007-09-12T08:42:00.000+02:00

Viviparous lizard

2007-09-11T14:30:00.001+02:00

Viviparous lizard
Originally uploaded by opaxff

Just testing flickr.com and blogger.

So you married a fly fisherman…

2007-08-28T13:47:00.000+03:00

How do you know your husband is a fly fisherman?

It was August the 28th 1999; you were standing on dry, late season riverbed in your wedding dress.

Happy Anniversary My Love!

Rouvalle

2007-07-26T14:43:00.000+03:00

He looks almost as good as I do.

It is summer even when it rains

2007-07-24T14:34:00.000+03:00

Study the map.

How do we get down there?

Define fun.

Trust

2007-07-12T15:05:00.000+03:00

What could be better, than sitting close to the fire, with your only daughter, while she tightly holds your sleeve?

I wish

2007-07-03T10:58:00.000+03:00

Wind Daughter by Eileen Curteis

She stood there, a small shred of a thing
as the wind tore into her without mercy.
“Oh Mother Wind,” she cried,
“in the heart of a sobbing tree
You bring rain upon me.”
“I do that,” she said,
“for without this burden
how else can the torn face
of a rag doll get ripped?”

“But Mother Wind,” I cried,
“I want to be real! Make me real!”
“Suffering will make you real,” she said.
“Just listen to the harsh voice
of a howling wind
and know you can’t always
stop the hand that hits you, not always.”

“I love you, Mother Wind,” I said,
“but you tug hard
at the roots of my knotted hair
and like the slit of a cold knife
going into me
it hurts where you enter.”
“Yes, my child,” she said.
“It hurts where I enter.
Pain always hurts.”

Grief knew no words
And I was silent before her.
“Wind daughter,” she said, “you are real.
This last ache has made you real.
Go no to the others.”

Addicted

2007-06-21T14:55:00.000+03:00

About two and a half weeks ago my cellphone went permanently silent after a dive to a river. Generally speaking, that is the way to go for my cameras and cellphones. I did purchase an Aquapac after the incident, but a friend of mine also challenged me by asking why did I carry a phone to the river in the first place. Its a valid question and I actually did leave cellphone to my car last time I went fishing. The reason for carrying a cellphone to river would have something to do with being reachable or matters of personal safety. I'm not sure do I really like to be reached when I'm fishing (Mrs Opax has the final word for this one, unless I forget the phone to car), and as for the safety, I don't know what good a phone can do if I'm drowning. But I'm off the target here: this post is about being addicted. And I'm addicted to the Internet.

The best ways to reach the Internet from nearly everywhere is by a business cellphone. I just (and finally) got a new one today. For the last two hours I have done nothing but playing with the thing. I just counted that it a takes 26 seconds to open a bookmarked web page. After that it works a lot faster as the browser program is already started.

So what was it like in last two and a half weeks to be without an Internet connected cellphone? Was the quality of life improved? Definitely not, although I do admit that I sometimes overuse this device. Gladly the feedback coming form my kids is instantaneous.

Testing Blogger in draft: Video

2007-06-15T16:40:00.000+03:00

Dad-Son-Talk #4322

2007-06-15T12:11:00.000+03:00

Son: "Look dad, I'm cleaning the mirror."
Dad: "Hey! Don't lick it!"

Saturation

2007-06-11T19:08:00.000+03:00

A friend of mine has showed me a few basic tricks to enhance my photographs and it has made a big deal with my photographing in a last few months. Basic instruction is this: add some light, add some shadow, and finally a little bit of saturation. This time I have greatly overdone the saturation.

Clouds

2007-06-09T15:45:00.000+03:00

Every winter I miss clouds.

At winter the clouds are different, all shapeless and dull. At summer they are everything. (As a little boy I saw God in one.)

One of my my favourite moments with my brother is when we watched a huge thunderstorm dancing over city.

Rain poured down on us until we were soaking wet.

We didn't care.

It has been 3 years (and one week) with this amazing girl (of mine)

2007-06-07T17:33:00.000+03:00

I can't imagine her to be anything more than she is, but she amazes me every day.

Missing Work

2007-06-07T15:06:00.000+03:00

If you work for IT company, you got to love Office Space. Right now this 'missing work' part is too close to reality.

Last weekend

2007-05-25T10:03:00.001+03:00

While I mostly wait for the weekend to start, here are some picture from last weekend.

What would you do?

2007-05-18T11:32:00.000+03:00

Boy (5yrs):
”Wouldn’t it be odd if there would be only two persons in the world?”

Grandma (50+yrs):
”What would you and your sister do then?”

Boy (grinning in enlightenment after a moment of thought):
”Speak dirty words.”

Hyvää Äitienpäivää!

2007-05-12T22:25:00.001+03:00

Little something...

2007-05-10T15:16:00.001+03:00

"When I push her belly button she laughs."

My son has started the endless journey to understand the woman nature by studying his little sister.

After another conflict with Sheriff Truman

2007-05-01T17:40:00.000+03:00

Albert Rosenfield: Now you listen to me. While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a naysayer and hatchetman in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I'll gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love. I love you Sheriff Truman.

Twin Peaks

Son

2007-04-18T14:58:00.000+02:00

"...
I was born at the time of snow, My name-
It was Miats Ta-weet Tu-eka-kas,
The son of my father Tu-eka-kas.
But not my true name. Only after ten snows
Was I, a boy, ready to climb
Alone to the mountain, to lie with no motion
On the stone-bed I made, no food, no water, heart open
To vision. To float as in vision and see
At last, at last, my Guardian Spirit
Come to protect me and give forth my true name.
..."

Robert Penn Warren

Named after his great-grandfathers, with a modern twist, to Veikka.
Named after someone who climbed K2 in summer of 1994 and Mount Everest in spring 1997 (without bottled oxygen).

He is five years old.

Fire in ice

2007-04-16T17:09:00.000+02:00

At this moment it is amazing 66ºF or 19ºC and we can't believe it.
It will pass, but it will also return.

(Blogger has been translated to Finnish. I can live with that, but the spellchecking is also Finnish...)

ayo - down on my knees

2007-04-11T14:58:00.001+02:00

A melting heart

2007-04-07T07:56:00.000+02:00

Connected

2007-03-31T22:59:00.000+02:00

One night last week I was laying in bed (I call it "thinking"), when my sleeping wife suddenly says "Is it Venla?"

And about a second later Venla starts to cry in her room. I get her to our bed, and then ask my wife how had she known.

She says that our daughter had cried for some time in her dream. And, judging by her cry, Venla indeed had cried for some time in her dream...

In between

2007-03-27T11:47:00.000+02:00

The air is warm.

And the ice is cold.

A flower.

And all four season.

Light, and Shadows

2007-03-25T17:03:00.000+02:00

This picture is dated February 25th, 2007. Much has changed in the view since that, a lot of snow has been melted, and the ice covering the lake is now snowless and hard.

What makes this a good picture is the light of the sun and the shadows.

There are shadows in pictures and in lives.

Shadow: "a dark figure or image cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light."

My Girls

2007-03-21T11:07:00.000+02:00

They both say they need me.
And it is my job to take care of them.

And sometimes I do well.
And other times not so well.

But it is no job.
And I need them.

And I love them.
And there wouldn’t be me without them.

Baking Love

2007-03-16T09:39:00.000+02:00

Time will pass by,
and so many things will change,
but the absolute joy
that a child brings to life
will only grow deeper
and more important.

- Deanna Beisser

Of Power

2007-03-14T13:41:00.000+02:00

“Do Angels have guns as they are so powerful?” my son asked.
“No” his mother replied.
“Then how come they are so powerful?” he asked.
“Because they have invisible power.” she replied.

My son is again the photographer.

The Sun, Fire and River

2007-03-09T06:58:00.000+02:00

This finger-paint art has the Sun, Fire and River. We have about zillion pieces of art at home, but this is the first one to include River, so it has special meaning to me.

And here is the Picasso, with a Mom-made Snow Heart. This boy is all about the sun, fire, and never ending stream of movements.

Muistatko?

2007-03-07T14:05:00.000+02:00

The fountains mingle with the river
   And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix for ever
   With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
   All things by a law divine
In one another’s being mingle.
   Why not I with thine? —

See the mountains kiss high Heaven
   And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
   If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth
   And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What are all these kissings worth
   If thou kiss not me?

Percy Bysshe Shelley, Love’s Philosophy

Muistatko olenko koskaan käyttänyt tätä kirjeessä sinulle?

Me, coughing

2007-03-06T12:06:00.000+02:00

A friend of mine took this picture while we were waiting for pizza.

Lovework

2007-03-02T10:18:00.000+02:00

My wife’s grandma gave us an advice on our wedding day. In English it goes something like this: “Don’t go to sleep when you are angry.” It is a good and solid advice. The essence of the advice is that we, as a married couple, should not go to sleep before we have agreed any quarrels we have.

I wish that I could say that we have always followed it. I can’t. For years we did, and it meant a lot of work. It sometimes takes hours to talk things through. And it’s worth it as making up has been always the best part of any argument we have.

But sometimes I am, or we are, just too tired. So we go to sleep. I never sleep well in nights like those and I know she doesn’t either. And in the morning we say we are sorry and that it feels bad and that we love.

Maybe it is the strength of our love that allows us to go to sleep feeling bad or mad. I still hope that we will have strength to follow the advice better. It is those hours of talk that strengthens our love.

Angel of Music

2007-02-25T16:22:00.000+02:00

Yesterday morning the Angel of Music, from The Phantom Of The Opera, was playing inside my mind. So I put the CD on.

My son gets excited: listening and dancing. When the Overture ends, he asks me to play it again. I tell him that its the theme, it will repeat again later. Next song starts, it is "Think of Me" and a woman sings. He is quiet for a moment. Then he asks me: "Is Theme a girl?". I laugh and agree. For a boy theme usually is a girl.

Pictures, by my son

2007-02-22T12:38:00.000+02:00

My 4-years-old son learned the critical buttons of my camera. To me, his pictures are best I have ever seen.

Pictures are unmodified. Copyright owner is my son and I have used them here, with permission.

Undereducated

2007-02-19T12:52:00.001+02:00

When my first child was born I was 31-years old. I was just as unprepared to be a parent as I can imagine any person of that age to be. I have no sisters; the idea of playing with dolls (that don't come with guns) or being a dad was totally alien to me.

I had spent about 20 years in various schools, institutes, and colleges. I wonder why our education system does such a poor job preparing a person to the parenthood.