Cosima Underwater

I shot very few pictures for HNT in 2007, which doesn’t make it any easier to choose a favorite. But here we go…

It’s this one. I think the lighting is fabulous, and hell was it difficult to set up. I don’t have any professional lighting equipment, and I can tell you an ordinary bedside lamp is very hard to work with.

And have you noticed? My boobs can be seen. They are ordinary boobs, a bit on the small side, and like every female pair of breasts have seen quite some changes up until now. At the present stage, there are definitely not perky young things anymore, but I love them nevertheless. Call me shameless, but in the right circumstances and context, I am not embarrassed to show them.

HAPPY HNT!

Little man and his travel companion (me) are on a quick Christmas tour to visit grandparents all around Europe. Yesterday, grandpa number one served a meat-heavy feast directly from the barbecue. I decided to squeeze in a quick workout on the stepper before another meat feast is served for today’s lunch.

The work-out wasn’t tedious at all, because while I was stepping away my all time favorite Christmas movie was showing. As I was searching for clips on Youtube later on, I discovered that I am not the only one calling it a favorite. The movie has fans all over Europe, and for many it’s a must to watch it at least once during Christmas.

The movie is called Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella, and is a 1973 Czech/East German co-production. It’s by far the best Cinderella adaptation I have seen. Below are scenes with music from the original soundtrack.

The actress playing Cinderella, Libuse Safrankova, also plays in another favorite of mine Kolja, which won an Oscar for best foreign film in 1997, and tells the story of a little Russian boy, who is stuck in Prague with a grumpy old man (who discovers his nice side over the course of the film), while Europe is undergoing massive political changes. Both are wonderful Christmas movies.

Hope that Santa Claus didn’t forget you :)

Last year for Christmas, I posted one of my favorite German Christmas poems, and this year I wanted to continue the tradition. I started to translate “Knecht Ruprecht” (Servant Ruprecht) by Theodor Storm. To understand the poem, you have to know a little bit about German Christmas traditions, which differ from region to region, and have changed quite a bit over time. “Knecht Ruprecht” is not Santa Claus. He has pagan origins, and when Christianity came to Germany, he was made the helper of Saint Nicholas. While Saint Nicholas gave presents to the good children, Knecht Ruprecht gave bad children a whipping with his rod.

After the reformation, Martin Luther wanted to stop the worship of saints and encouraged the tradition of giving presents to children on Christmas Eve instead of Saint Nicholas Day on the 6th of December. Instead of Saint Nicholas, the “Holy Christ” brought presents for children. Over the years, the abstract “Holy Christ” became the angelic, golden-robed “Christkind” (Christ Child). The Christkind and her helper Knecht Ruprecht made the rounds on Christmas Eve, and brought presents to children.

Somewhat ironically, the Christkind was slowly replaced by the “Weihnachtsmann” (Father Christmas) in Germany’s Protestant North, while the Catholic South continues Martin Luther’s tradition of the Christkind to this day.

Theodor Storm, who wrote “Knecht Ruprecht”, lived in the North of Germany in the nineteenth century. His poem mentions the Christkind and her helper Knecht Ruprecht, who gives whippings as well as presents. No mentioning of Saint Nicholas… he had already emigrated to the US, changed his name to Santa Claus, and taken over the North American Christmas franchise ;).

Knecht Ruprecht

These days, the poem is recited by Weihnachtsmänner/Knecht Ruprechts all over Germany as they enter the homes of little children on Christmas Eve. My uncle (even-numbered years) and my father (odd-numbered years) used to recite it as well. After Weihnachtsmann had made his entrance, he asked my cousin and me whether we had been good, which we always affirmed even if we had been rather naughty…lol. Then he asked us to recite a Christmas poem. Afterwards, Weihnachtsmann opened his large sack and gave us our presents.

To speed up the translation of the poem, I pasted it into Babel Fish, and the result is so funny that I couldn’t stop myself from posting it…

Farmhand Ruprecht

Of drauss of the forest come ‘ I;
I must say you, it weihnachtet very much!

All everywhere on the fir points
I saw golden light flax sitting;

And up there from the sky gate
The Christian child saw out, with large eyes

And as I strolcht in such a way ‘ by finstern the Tann,
There rief’s me with bright voice on:

“farmhand Ruprecht”, called it, “older associates,
Lift the legs and spute you fast!

The candles begin to burn,
The sky gate is opened,

Old ‘ and boy are now
Of the hunt of the life ruhn;

And tomorrow fly ‘ I down there to ground connection,
Because it is to become again Christmas!”

I spoke: “O dear Herre Christian,
My journey nearly to end is;

I am only into this city,
Wo’s vainly good children has.” -

“haste the Saecklein also with you?”

I spoke: “the Saecklein, that is here;

Because apples, nut and almond core
Meal pious children gladly.” -

“haste the rod also with you?”
I spoke: “the rod, those is here;

But for the children only, the bad,
Those meets it the part, the right.”

Christian child flax spoke: “like that it is quite;
Thus go with God, my faithful farmhand!”

Of drauss of the forest come ‘ I;
I must say you, it weihnachtet very much!

Now speaks, how ich’s here inside find ‘!
Sind’s good child, sind’s bad child?

Knecht Ruprecht

Von drauß vom Walde komm’ ich her;
Ich muss euch sagen, es weihnachtet sehr!

Allüberall auf den Tannenspitzen
Sah ich goldene Lichtlein sitzen;

Und droben aus dem Himmelstor
Sah mit großen Augen das Christkind hervor,

Und wie ich so strolcht’ durch den finstern Tann,
Da rief’s mich mit heller Stimme an:

“Knecht Ruprecht”, rief es, “alter Gesell,
Hebe die Beine und spute dich schnell!

Die Kerzen fangen zu brennen an,
Das Himmelstor ist aufgetan,

Alt’ und Junge sollen nun
Von der Jagd des Lebens ruhn;

Und morgen flieg’ ich hinab zur Erden,
Denn es soll wieder Weihnachten werden!”

Ich sprach: “O lieber Herre Christ,
Meine Reise fast zu Ende ist;

Ich soll nur noch in diese Stadt,
Wo’s eitel gute Kinder hat.” -

“Hast denn das Säcklein auch bei dir?”

Ich sprach: “Das Säcklein, das ist hier;

Denn Äpfel, Nuss und Mandelkern
Essen fromme Kinder gern.” -

“Hast denn die Rute auch bei dir?”
Ich sprach: “Die Rute, die ist hier;

Doch für die Kinder nur, die schlechten,
Die trifft sie auf den Teil, den rechten.”

Christkindlein sprach: “So ist es recht;
So geh mit Gott, mein treuer Knecht!”

Von drauß vom Walde komm’ ich her;
Ich muß euch sagen, es weihnachtet sehr!

Nun sprecht, wie ich’s hierinnen find’!
Sind’s gute Kind, sind’s böse Kind?

by Theodor Storm (1817-1888)

I hope you have been good this year… ;)
either way, I wish you a

MERRY  CHRISTMAS  AND  A  VERY  HAPPY  NEW  YEAR!

It must seem as I have fallen off the edge off the earth, but the truth is not even half as dramatic. Little man was sick and there was quite a lot to do for Cosima Inc. Whenever I sat down in front of the computer to write a blog post, I couldn’t find the energy to piece the words together. Instead I watched television. We subscribe to a broadband tv service, and they offer a wide choice of US, European, and Asian channels.

I am strangely fascinated by all the reality tv shows. There are tv shows about people trying to get their own businesses out of the red, about people sifting through the clutter of their homes, people slimming down, being better housewives, being better dads, renovating their homes, … etc, etc. It is always the same story. People start by being hopeless slobs and end up well-organized and pretty.

It’s nice to watch. Firstly it’s comforting to know that there are greater slobs out there than me, and secondly that there is always a happy ending… always. Some are harder to believe than others, but these tv shows are strangely comforting. Even if you are a slob, your children are little monsters, and your home is crumbling, there is hope.

I am also trying to ignore the Christmas theme springing up around me. This year, I just can’t take it. Luckily, in Hong Kong that’s easier to do than in Europe or America. I just wish my local supermarket would not play that tacky Christmas CD over and over.

The only Christmas stuff I am able to take are Christmas cooking shows. Seeing people that have never cooked before, creating a perfect family Christmas dinner is very comforting. I will survive Christmas, I will, I will… because I just need to smile and play along… I don’t need to cook dinner.