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.

Marinating

I have learned a new word: Marinating! I love it! It is a metaphor which describes in a very figurative way how you are entangled, surrounded, boxed in, full of something for instance thoughts, a dilemma, a stressful or difficult situation for instance when the unemployment situation gets to be too much. You can't move, there seems to be no way out, you are stuck and you are just captured in that everlasting box of feelings and emotions - you are surrounded and soaked - it is all over you!

As for marination this process can last seconds or days and is carried out with different mixtures of spices to flavor the food items and the experience. But letting something soak in leaves time for reflection and for turning over the matter in one's mind and very often new possibilities will occur.

Thinking of nothing!

Field Music, a band from Sunderland, England is on my mind at the moment. The Band consists of the core members David and Peter Brewis, Kev Dosdale, Ian Black and from time to time Andrew Moore. They have been on and off since they formed in 2004, but they are still here and seem to have a massive tour going on in the UK this year

It is melodic classic English pop which pushes to my boundaries and I love them. They break the rules with their edge-cutting lyrics, riffs, their wry way of putting words together combined with humor and irony. Their expression is traditional with spots of Beatles and on the other hand utterly modern.

Their songs often expresses the everyday hopelessness in a challenging and provocative way - and are in many ways an outlet for feelings like: Shame, guilt, humiliation often associated to the meaningless in life and work life in particular.

Of course there songs strikes a resonance in my own situation by putting  words on the emotions and feelings and in that respect they are part of my mental work out.

So the picture of being shattered in different ways is recognizable: Applications which never became reality, the way "the system" - the job creation program - treats me as unemployed  - becoming more and more an illusion which in the beginning is dealt with enthusiastic but in time becomes a painful duty done in pure and simple necessity - "Them that do nothing make no mistakes" - it is well known that the system is a facade - "How do we trust the speaker - When his calling is to call?".

But this particular song also draws my attention to the different interpretations of "doing nothing" not meaning necessary laziness or cheating or the like as "the system" believes in. But to me there is also a forward-looking, positive, optimistic, reflective and edifying outcome of doing nothing for a period of time. It is a way to establish room for reflection, new ideas and creativity. I think it has become a new theme for me!

"I don't mean to sound tight" but listen to the song yourself!