Linear view vs. Masonry View

Author Archives

Unknown's avatar

ullehaddock

Writer of sorts with a soft spot for Photo. Writes about life and what comes into my mind.
Plastics

Plastics

Why is it a problem

It has been under debate. Single use plastic and the fact that it ends up in the oceans and nature. To me very evident as I live by the coast. We usually have voluntary activities to clean the beaches from plastics and other waste. As much as five normal size bathtubs of waste flushes up on the shores of Bohuslän due to the currents. According to the Swedish environmental organization “Håll Sverige Rent” (Translates Keep Sweden Clean) 70% of all waste in the ocean is made of plastics. The most dangerous type is the plastic part grind down by natures forces into micro plastics. So small you cannot see it. It creates problems for fish and birds to digest their food and to reproduce.

Found in the forest on an island.
Human behavior

So where do all this “shit” come from? Is it the locals and tourists that drop of their garbage after their fishing trip or pick nick at the shore? This is part of the problem and this behavior is unacceptable. But most of the waste floating to the shores and bays of Bohuslän comes from Europe with the currents. The plastics parts, packaging and other, has somewhere in the world been thrown away by a human. It is an indisputable fact that no animal drops plastic parts in the nature!

Advertisements

It is us humans and hand to your heart. Have you ever dropped a package, cigarette-end or a bottle to the ground and not picked it up? Have you ever put your waste in, or rather beside, an over filled dustbin? This is then taken by the wind or the rain water out into the waterways and finally into the sea. Around 50% of this sinks to the bottom and the more close to the shore the more damage it does. Sea freight and fishing is also a huge source of plastic waste to the oceans, boxes blowing overboard, nets and ropes lost, and finally amazingly waste dumped from the very boats that has the sea as their source of income. It takes up to 100 years for a plastic part to be broken down by nature.

Advertisements

So trying to reduce this by banning single use plastics like bags and mugs is a good start but not enough. For many this sounds more like political symbolic but I guess we need to start somewhere. We need to realize that plastic is a fantastic material that solves many problems for man and even nature. As with all tools we need to use it correctly. To quote Bob the Builder: “don’t use the saw as a hammer”! I like to draw the attention to another, in my view, big contributor to the problem. Over packaging!

Over packaging

I guess you all have cursed and had your blood pressure raising when you try get to the product you actually bought. But you stand there. Blood running from your fingers. Sweat pouring down from your forehead. You try using a scissor but it was destroyed the last time you tried to penetrate a package. Yes, you know the type preferred by the electronics industry. The hard stiff plastic. When you finally get to the product. Hopefully without any damage. You realize there is more package material to get rid of than the actual product.

If you are lucky you live in an area that has a good recycling collection system where you can get rid of it. However in many areas this will end up on in a landfill. Landfill sites close to the ocean.

Advertisements
Call to action

As a consumer you buy the product and not the packaging material. But this is part of your consumer experience and you can actually do something about it. Check out the company website or read on the package to find a e-mail adress to give your feedback. In worse case they send you a band aid but in best case they change to a more environmental friendly package.

Was the environment even considered here?

Finally I need to share the above picture with you. What do you think? My best guess the brewery tried to make it Covid-19 safe. Then they decided to make a crash display making most of the lids fall of! Even worse that on the shelf there was a six pack variant. In shrink wrapped plastic! We cannot rely on the politicians to solve this. We need to take sound consumer decisions and raise our voice to the producers.

As always like, subscribe, comment and share. Check out my other post here. As always take care of mother Earth! Also check out my social media.

0
Missing

Missing

Missing the improvised tunes from the grand piano. Fingers moving with ease over the keys. The harmonies and mixes from psalms to Rammstein.

Missing the intelligent puns. The playing with words. In English and Swedish and sometimes both.

Missing the sound of the drums. Pounding away. Learning fast. Heal toe technique on the base drum.

Missing the walks in the forest. Picking mushrooms or just walking. Thinning forest with chainsaw and clearing saw. Working together.

Missing the keyboard clicks. Coding or mixing music. The sound of guitar strings. Then base guitar. Then piano. Click to record then sliding over the floor to play.

Missing working in the garage. Grinding and welding. Creating and mending stuff. Building that Cross Cart. Fixing the car Mulle Meck.

Missing going fishing or just having hot chocolate in the boat. Excursions to the small islands.

Missing that hug in the morning. The click on the remote to start the TV. Being your breakfast machine.

Missing my best friend.

Find more post from me here. Like, subscribe and comment.

1
Bite

Bite

The dog barked aggressively. Showing her teeth and growled deep down in the throat. But this boy showed no fear. Smiling at his friends with confidence. They had dared him to approach the baby carriage that the dog was protecting. After all it was his baby brother in the carriage. His three year younger and five months old brother.

Their mother used to put his brother on the courtyard and leave the dog to watch him. The dog would bark when the boy made noise in the baby carriage. His mother came down from the second floor in the apartment building to feed the baby or change diaper. No one else were allowed near the baby. The bitch was really a hunting dog and not a family pet. For some reason she had taken the newborn under her protection. She barely allowed her master to pick the boy up. The master that she would obey blindly when they were out hunting.

Advertisements

Today everything would change as the older brother continued to approach the baby carriage. When he reached over to pick the baby up she attacked. She attacked with her strongest and sharpest tool. Her teeth. The bite tore a large part of the cheek of and the boy screamed in pain and terror. The boys mother that just came down to see what was going on froze for a few seconds to the scene.

Her oldest boy bathing in blood. The baby on the ground, also covered in blood. The dog growling and barking with blood dripping from her teeth. Not knowing where she got the courage from she gave the dog a hard punch on the nose and picked up her oldest son. A large skin flap was hanging from the cheek and she placed it back the best she could and tried to stop the blood with her kitchen towel.

Advertisements

Now the neighbors started to come to aid but the dog had now recovered from the surprise from the punch. She was now standing over the baby with bloody teeth and a dark dark growling. An ambulance was called for the boy and police to take care of the dog. The two policemen was not able to get hold of the dog until the boys father came home from work. He managed to contain the raging dog and the boys grandmother could finally pick up the baby from the ground.

This is based on a true story taking place in Göteborg, Sweden in the mid sixties. The doctors managed to save the older brothers cheek with only minor scars. The dog had to be put to death as it could not be trusted anymore. Please like, subscribe, share and comment. Check out more from me here.

3
The Reunion

The Reunion

She had moved away and gotten married in southern France. Now he was on his way back from that long last reunion. It had been as perfect as he dreamt of all those years.

Advertisements

She was so beautiful as he remembered. Even if the years had put some fine lines around her eyes. But her smile. Her smile hit him like a hammer in the gut as she stood there at the train station in Marseille. He always thought that her smile could melt a solid rock. He was thrown back to a high school kid and his legs could not move. She waved. Still smiling but now with eyebrows frowned. Questioning why he stopped.

As the platform was almost emptied with people his legs finally started to function again. They met in a warm long embrace. He felt his whole body melt into her arms. He could not hold back his tears. They were tears of longing and time lost. She broke loose from his embrace and held his face in her hands. Those soft warm hands. With the thumbs she dried his tears of and gave him a kiss. He was unprepared so it was short. They looked at each other. Still with her hands around his face before they joined in a long kiss. A twenty year of waiting kiss. He could see it from the outside like in a movie. You know when the camera circles around and the song She with Charles Aznavour playing.

Advertisements

With a warm feeling inside he told this to the two young backpackers he was sharing train compartment with. He did not have to tell them this. They had only started some small talk as they realized they were from the same country. As the train pulled out of Paris Gare Du Nord he continued his story. The two youngsters listened with big ears and interested eyes. He decided to leave out the first night they had together as they arrived to her small Vineyard outside Marseille.

When he heard that her husband left her he had struggled with himself to dare that first letter to his youth love. The love of his life. Finally the longing got the better of him and he wrote. His own marriage was already over as there was no love. He wrote with the pieces of his shattered heart. The heart that broke when she did not returned after a year as au pair. He waited in turmoil for the reply. Lost several kilos as he could not eat or sleep. After a week he got her reply that he opened with trembling hands and sweat dripping from his forehead. He had to start over several times to finish as his eyes was blurred by tears of yearning.

Advertisements

He called in sick to work. Booked a train ticket and sent her a letter explaining when he would arrive. He was that confident that the feelings were still there. Confident that if they met the spark would burst into flames. Now he sat here telling his story to the two boys. Going back to finish of his entire life and move to the south of France. Move to her. She who shattered his heart now so gently mended it piece by piece.

Please leave a comment of what you think of this story. Like, subscribe and share. Check out more from me here.

0
The Walker

The Walker

He came walking with small steps supported by a old peoples walker. It was a cold damp morning in December with temperatures just above freezing point. He walked towards us as we stood in the small shelter waiting for the tram to arrive. He was dressed in hospital clothes. Those thin trousers and loose hanging shirt covered only by a thin jacket. He did not appear to be bothered by the cold as he entered the shelter to check the board for arrival time of the next tram.

Tram (Picture by Ulle Haddock 2020)

As it was early in the morning there was a few minutes more wait than during the day. He leaned against the walker and breathed fast from the walk. We just stood there in silence waiting for the tram. As the tram approached he asked if we could help him aboard. He explained that these older type of trams was difficult to board due to the gap and the walkers wheels sometimes got stuck. We offered without hesitation to assist him. He looked at us with a big smile of relief.

We got on the tram and helped him get seated. I think he saw the question in our eyes so he offered an explanation. He was on leave from the hospital where he recovered from a small surgery to meet up with a lady friend in the city center. He emphasized that it was a lady friend. They plan to have coffee and then go for lunch before he went back. There was a sparkle in his eyes when he spoke about his lady friend. I guess there were deeper feelings involved.

Advertisements

As we approached the city center he asked for help again. This time to get of and change to another tram line as this one would not get him to his final destination. How can you refuse? We even waited to help him to enter the next tram. Luckily so because the driver tried to close the doors on him several times before a lady in the front shouted at him to calm down and let the man get on the tram.

We watched him as the tram drove off. Last thing I could see was that he was struggling to be seated and I hoped that someone else could help him. We crossed the tracks to our next tram taking us to our final destination. So the life went on but I sometimes think of this man. Was he on the run from the hospital? Should I try to call somebody? How has his life been? Did he have any children? Why was he out from the hospital alone?

Advertisements

These questions remain as hidden gems for a wannabe writer like me so I will cherish them and be thankful that I could be of any assistance, right or wrong. If you are bored with commuting, try to look at the people around you. They are stories that only they know and if you do not feel like talking. Just make the stories up, nobody will know. As always please comment, like, share and subscribe. You can also me out on social media or check my other posts. Both pictures in this post are made by me. First attempt to draw on the touch screen.

3
Mother Natures Plea

Mother Natures Plea

Global warming and other alarming reports about Homo Sapiens abuse of Mother Nature hits us every day. Somebody needs to do something about it soon! We turn to our political leaders and blame the industry for the crisis. But what about us. You and Me?

Politicians, they are idiots only in it to get rich themselves, right. True in far to many cases but in most cases they are in it to make a difference for something they believe in. Ever so good they cannot do it without a mandate. This is even written in the Swedish constitution; “All political power stems from the people”. Many democratic countries has something similar. So if we want politicians to be able to change anything we need to give them that mandate. But this also means we have to take the good with the bad. Simply due to the fact that nobody thinks exactly the same way as you in everything. Unless you are married then your wife tells you what to think!

Advertisements

Okay but the industry and the large companies still are the biggest culprits. Polluting from their big factories and hoards of lawyers bending the rules. They also try to hold the politicians hostage saying that jobs will be lost if they make the wrong decisions. Guess what! We have the power also here! We are consumers. The first rule of business is that you have to fill a market need. That can, and is, done by aggressive marketing but in the end it is Our choice to spend our hard earned money on that particular product. Yes, I know there are many if’s and but’s here depending in how much you earn and what is available in the market. The moral obligation falls harder on those who earns the most.

Twisting and turning

For example buying a car. The first question you should ask is, “Do I really need one”? If you live and work in the city will public transport or a bicycle do the job? Second question is, “For what transportation tasks do I need the car”? Commuting and driving my kids to school and activities or moving very large rocks? Hand to your hearts. Do these questions really occupy your mind or are we more interested in having something bigger and better than the neighbor? Why else are the cities filled with large SUV’s. Putting low profile tires on really takes the argument of driving to the summer house in the mountains once a year out of the debate.

Advertisements

So we make many decisions every day and we need to vote for mother nature as often as we can. Short term and long term. I know it is sometimes hard to know what is the best choice but we need to seek out facts and question our choices. The storms, flooding’s, migration, and forest fires will effect You sooner then you think. Taking a quote from the Blues Brothers. We need you, you, you. You, you, you! Act before it is to late. Somebody is us!

Like (even if you disagree), share, subscribe and comment. Check out more posts from me here.

0
Aftermath

Aftermath

It is now a month since my son died. Leaving a huge void in my heart and I miss him beyond words. I am trying to find a way to live on and keeping his memory alive. He was my best friend. Gifted with abilities to write music, both classical and punk rock. Highly intelligent he could code and did his own compiler when he was 16. We enjoyed nature as I have written in my previous posts. All this is stored in my heart to bring laughter among the tears.

Writing down words on a piece of paper or on a computer screen has been a good way of dealing with things in life. For the last month, even this has been difficult. I have “only” been able to write some poetry. I have started to write this text many times but had stop when the energy ran out.

Advertisements

When someone in your family dies you are not only left with grief and loss. There are also many practical things that needs to be done. Arranging a funeral or ceremony, close of accounts on the internet, cancel contracts and the list goes on. And even if this is hard, I feel that this helps dealing with the loss.

One of the hardest things was to clean out the student apartment. He had a very nice apartment at the Campus that is very hard to get. Every item carries a memory more or less and you need to decide to keep or get rid of. If you keep it. Where to store it?

The hardest part is to close everything of on the internet. My son had just started up a website to sell his music to games and films. The first thing I had to do is to try and stop all ongoing add campaigns. I think I managed to do that but then it got harder. For the accounts I had the logon credentials I managed most. You be surprised how many sites that does not offer an account cancel button. Next option is to try e-mail the companies, but you get stuck with a chatbot that cannot compute the fact the somebody died.

Arranging the funeral was easy as we got help from a funeral director. The church has played a big part in my son life as he played the church organ. Whatever your faith they are very supportive and helpful. My son’s own music was played in the speakers and ended with a recording of the Star Wars theme that he played on that organ at age 15. It was even easy to choose the headstone as my father-in-law found a stone shaped as a heart.

The Headstone

I hope you did not find this post too depressing, if so check out my other post for something more uplifting. We tend to be uncomfortable around death and grief but there is only one thing in life that is certain. We die. Fortunately we do not know when or how.
0
Stranded

Stranded

Like an island in the stream, caught in a maelstrom.
Life streams on, flows past you.
Stuck in vortex on an island of rose bushes.
Tearing thorns from loss, beautiful flowers of memories.
Stream of life passes by, calling you out again.
How can I leave this island of roses?
How can I leave this comfort of pain?
Waiting for the flood to wash me of.
Should I make a raft of rose bushes?
A raft to float down the stream of life.
A raft of loss and memories.

Writing is a way to deal with things in life. After loosing my son some weeks ago I have struggled to find the strength to write again. Writing this helps me deal with the sorrow and if it can help anyone else I will be glad. Please share, like, comment and subscribe. Also check out my other posts.

0
Vienna

Vienna

Travel has been restricted this year so I will share some old travel memories instead. I think many of you has a favorite city to travel to. I have several but if I must choose one it will be Vienna or Wien in German. Capital of Austria in the middle of Europe. If you are interested in history, architecture or classical music this is the place to go. With many restaurants and cafes it is the perfect weekend holiday for those who just like to take walks, do some shopping, sit in a cafe or have a nice dinner.

Advertisements
Transport

When I go to a larger city I like to travel by public transport. Vienna probably has the best in the world. Even if you stay in a hotel in the suburbs it is easy to go in to the city center with S-Bahn (Commuter trains). In the city you can go with the excellent U-Bahn (Subway), bus or Strassenbahn (Tram). The tram network is the largest in the world. Once in the city center it is mostly walking distance. Always make sure you have good shoes in the city.

Culture

Just walking around in the city with many historical buildings and parks is enough pleasure if you are on a tight budget. As the city has been the center for one of the larges kingdoms in central Europe there are may castles to visit. One you must not miss is Schönbrunn that you easily reach by U-Bahn. The castle has 1600 rooms and a garden worth visiting by its own right.

Advertisements

Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss are composers connected to Vienna. Or way not Ultravox with the song Vienna. There are may possibilities to hear music or opera in the city. It is always a good idea to book in advance but not needed as tickets are sold all over the city. The many churches have also organ concerts and if you are lucky someone might sit and practice while you visit. Yes the churches are worth a visit and the grandest of them all is the Stephansdom.

If the family has different interests it is not a problem. In the city center you will find shopping streets, cafes and restaurants for those not in to museums and churches. A visit to a cafe is a must if you have a sweet tooth like me. The pastries you can get! A pick nick in a park a warm day is also highly recommended. I could go on and on but I suggest you go there yourselves when this pandemic is over.

I have visited the city twice. The first time I was young and on my first Eurail ticket. We stayed in a simple pension just outside the city center. We had planned to stay for two days but liked it so much we stayed almost a full week. Second time was twenty five years later with my family. As my son plays grand piano, church organ and classic guitar this was quite an experience for him. He composes his own music that you can find here.

Next city on the list is close call between Berlin or London so I will see if I can decide. Until then do not forget to like, subscribe, share and comment. Also check out other posts from me.

2