Have a haircut in a time pocket!

It is amazing to think of - I have known my hairdresser for almost 40 years! He know me and my life history better than most. Entering Jørn Sten Hansen's saloon is like stepping into a time pocket. Even though more than 40 years has passed since Jørn opened his saloon back in 1967 not much has changed. If it wasn't for the movement of the hands of the clock and the new date on the newspaper you wouldn't be able to see much difference from back then. You still need to turn the handle on the cash register as back then and the whole establishment: the black chairs, the sinks, the choice of colors and the big mirror which has experienced so much bears witness of a time which has passed - and thanks God for that - please don't change anything Jørn!

To be honest a few more things has been changed - giving a connection to the outside world - the photos. Jørn is a keen photographer and from time to time a new photo finds its place on one of the walls. For instance a collage with hairdressers from New York, Washington DC and Jørn him self in his shop in Denmark.

But apart from that, visiting Jørn is like being taken prisoner in a time pocket, which is living its own life totally unnoticed - places like this are becoming more and more rare now a days. In less than a second I'm back in time - hooked to all the memories in my own life. But it is more than that, it is a room for reflection, silence and relaxation and not least conversation - Jørn has the ability to be a therapist based on life experience and living in the present. It is a welcome opportunity to escape the busy hectic outside world which is moving on and on. When I arrive stressed and with low batteries - he turns my thoughts into new circles - I believe it must be better than tranquillizers.

American Beauty - the flying plastic bag

After writing about "My life on the clothes-line" I came across the famous "flying plastic bag" scene from the movie "American Beauty" from 1999 directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball.

There are many interpretations whether the film is a mystery story, a kaleidoscopic journey through American suburbia, a series of love stories or whether it deals with loneliness and beauty. Many of the scenes are about life in general and deals with issues such as hate, anger and frustration. And it is sometimes hard to figure out whether it is a funny drama or a serious comedy.

But the reason it is mentioned here is that from my point of view, one of the main messages of the film is to show that even in situations of utterly ugliness, there is beauty in everything - even if it at first sight looks insignificant, meaningless or boring. In this perspective even an inharmonious plastic bag floating and dancing in the wind above a parking lot in front of a wall on a cold gray day becomes beautiful. As the plastic bag is representing the real value of life and beauty, so are the swing patterns of the clothes-line a kind of carrier wave at which I in the end find my personal resonance in order to bring everything into better harmony.

In the film Ricky recognizes the beauty of everyday life in small things and shoots a video of as much as he can in fear of missing it. The scene with the flying plastic bag is what he considers the most beautiful thing he has ever captured. He tells Jane that the dancing plastic bag got him to realize that there is "an entire life behind things" and he feels that "sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it ... and my heart is going to cave in".
 
Take a look at the flying plastic bag scene with Ricky and Jane...