Making nostaliga real

Sunday was a big day in the house of Joy B. Her teenage son chose to have a civil confirmation. You see, at the island of extremes all kids his age get confirmed to Christianity, well almost all, believers or not. However on April 17th (my birthday) 93 brave souls went against the stream and got confirmed in a civilized way. The kids got fantastic preparation and education before the confirmation ceremony took place, such as; ethics, human relations, human rights, equal rights, relations between the sexes, prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, skepticism, protecting the environment, getting along with parents, being a teenager in a consumer/advertising-dominated society, and what it means to be an adult and take responsibility for your views and behavior.

You might not know it but Joy B is a rather nostalgic person, she craves for a big family and likes family traditions. She likes to carry on with the things she loved when she was a kid. Like how the family used to come together every year at my grandparents house and after eating much and talking much we sang, my grandfather played the guitar, my mom too and my granny played the harmonica, the rest of us sang. It was just something about it that would make me get all warm inside. Therefore, my aim was to get that warm feeling inside and try to give that to the rest of the family somehow. Most people in Iceland are just too busy to meet the rest of their family; aunts and uncles relations are almost over. It is quite crazy, and I refuse to take part in it. Anyway the most important thing was to see it is possible, so when I have a bit bigger living space, maybe a house someday, who knows, than I will start to have big family parties… I shall make new traditions. Anyway Neptunus the king of the ocean was of course beautiful during the ceremony and at his confirmation party. Poor thing my mom had made a poem about him and his many qualities and we all sang except him that wanted to sink into the earth or something. Of course I managed to have a little accident, the zipper on my antic dress broke in front of everyone as I was opening the window. The most important thing about this all was how everyone helped out in making this possible, even my neighbor let me keep my bed in her flat because my flat is small and I had to rearrange everything to fit all these people in here….

My birthday was a bit in hiding, because it was my sons day, he was to shine… I don’t understand people that don’t cherish their birthdays. I think it is cool to have a day that is mine mine mine…. Moreover, I get to have a cake, always, no matter what. For an artist, writer or a poet age is good, because it creates a depth, the knowing we want to share..