DJ is a Lion.. Lion of Zion

Ok.. I promised to write about party. Actually there were two, as next day after Maailmamustrid, was the 30th birthday of my old friend. I must say that first time I have felt completely fine in Tartu. That even though it is fucking cold here. But like I wrote in facebook when advertising the party, we will heat up the place.

So yes, now I have finally performed as an professional DJ. It was really good and I should have had that courage already earlier. I got lots of experience. Certainly, first set was not very good, but every next one was better. People seemed to like. Although I with two other DJ's were playing in downstairs smaller room, when main party hall was in second floor, then Martin, my friend who is resident DJ there, said that sometimes down there seemed to be even better party feeling. Well, our room was smaller, so it felt sometimes full. Yes, I wouldn't complain, it was really great.

As vanity is my favourite sin, I have to say that hopefully I got little bit more fame now. Well, as an attention freak I certainly got a needed dose again. BTW, it is interesting how DJ profession has an effect on social life. Like Kudrun said, DJ is for everyone, everyone feels some connection with the performer. Like with famous actors, everyone wants to get to know the DJ. When some random guy goes to talk with a hot girl having good time in the party or with some group of people who already know eachother, then it is quite likely that they think: "what this guy wants", but as a DJ I can go to talk with anyone and get accepted. Some girls really seemed interested of getting to know me personally, it was seen from their eyes, smiles and actions, and in these two parties I think two, certainly one showed her interest of me. I too liked that last girl, she is so pretty and seems cool. I didn't do anything stupid.. at least not yet. But it was first time when I needed to put all my strength together to resist. I shouldn't do that to my gyal.. even though she is so far. Or.. I don't know, three years is a long time to wait and she doesn't have to know everything. I really love her, but still, I would like some closeness with girls until I get back to Kenya. Ah, better not to think about that right now. If I don't think, then I don't have to think twice. Well, now is this point where all my readers can comment and advise what should I do, what would be healthier. Then again, I think everything goes just as it goes.. either I have righteousness in my mind or desire.. and my mind fights between these two.

Ok, back to parties. I think I and Ma'Irie, one another DJ with whom I played together, made a good team. I really would like to play with her again in the future. We were about same good at the profession and our music selection fit really well together. Other DJ was little bit different and well, not so experienced, as he really put together music from side to side with really different speeds. But even he got people to dancefloor, so why not, it also gives more experience to him. I'm not perfect yet either. For example I still can't mix really into the rhythm like Dave does. Or well sometimes, when I really know the music and with little bit of luck, I can do it, and actually I have few times done it. Anyway, when so far just practicing or in these private parties, I have felt a little bit insecure and felt that things are bit over my head as I might forget things and track ends too quickly and hundred other things worrying me, then at this party I really felt good. I didn't worry at all. I went with the flow and that was what made that party good (exactly like Simmo said).

Also other party rocked. Yeah, it was rock party.. but this also means that it was very different from the Maailmamustrid. And true, at first it was harder for me to get myself going and connect with others. I'm not so much of a rock guy as I was. Of course this virus is still somewhere in me and I know how to enjoy harder music, but somehow especially after Africa, I have found that reggae and other exotic music makes people more natural, and I like it. I like myself more in that kind of mood and also all the people, they are just like a one living organism to whom DJ pumps music as blood. So I felt in Maailmamustrid, it was almost like going back to Africa for these few hours. I wonder if people from parties like Maailmamustrid; do their personality choose their musical interest, or does the music they listen create their personality. They really are more free than most Estonians. Ok, still I see some reservations in all Estonians, for some reason people are holding guard over how freely they move/dance/interact, and they tend to hold some personal space or mingle among the group, but hold some distance with others. Even when people get drunk and they start talking with you and basically let you into their group, it rarely happens that next morning you can call to them, or they call you. This is what happens so easily in Africa. Ok, even Kenyans are not absolutely open to socialize with anyone, but it still happens much easier there. In parties you really can find friends over night. Hell, you can find friends everywhere, just visiting post office or shop.. or even on the street. Africa really is hot and ice melts quickly there. This is why people who stay in Africa are changed. They find what humanity really should be, what meaning the brother and friend may have. At least for me it was so.

Also I wanted to say that I tagged this post also as work, because performing as a DJ was in one side work. I got paid, not much, but still. From the other hand, this is best profession. When playing music and seeing people to have fun, it just gives me such a power. Money at this point doesn't even matter.

Remember, remember the 2009 november

Some things we do are not worthy of even our own time, yet some things are so important that we would need time and power of others too.

Like I said in the last post, I got for a change to do a day of real job. Other than that I have lately only made few ordered paintings, book illustrations for Kudrun and other such things.

So Taavi (or Dave, however you would like) to Lasnamäe Childrens Daycare Center to carry out the sculpture workshop. Taavi has worked there from the end of summer, and well, Taavi thinks I'm kind of best at sculpture. Also in this center other teachers introduced me like well-known professional sculptor. It was little bit funny.

Basically this Childrens Daycare Center is place where kids from problematic families (for example from poorer families, or from those ones where parents are not the best rolemodels yet not bad enough to take kids away from them) are directed by psychologists and/or social workers. No this is not the place like orphanage where children live. It's just that after school they can come there to play with others, take part of different workshops and things. There they can also get a proper hot meal and if needed they get help with their schoolwork. Also unlike ordinary youth centers, here every kid has a folder and they are monitored and analyzed. Pretty good thing.. I saw how some of these kids had some problems (low self esteem or critically changing moods that often went to melancholy or one boy was really closed and like in his own world somewhere) that without proper attention could end with very bad consequences or at least with children growing up pretty much as some loser and going after their parents footsteps (probably not good in most of these cases).

So we did this day all kinds of animals and fantasy creatures from the clay. We tried to make them to turn more attention and care for their works, as mostly kids just take a piece of clay , then other, then other and put these all together.. and soon they say: "Look I have a kitty done". And you can't really say nothing. Not that it isn't completed. Neither that it really doesn't look like a proper kitten. Of course some still did that but by well explaining how sculptures are actually done, telling the faults that can not be done or their animals can not be burned in the owen, and of course I also took couple of my own works so they can be well inspired to take it seriously and make something beautiful. Though, Taavi said that they were pretty well interested, and yes, some (especially some boys) took time to peacefully make their visions true. Many of them finally had nice and well complex figurines.

Taavi gave me a little money too, and certainly it is good for me, but I think I would have went there even without payment. In addition I was given a box of really good Estonian candies, of what of course I gave some half to the children, as I just can't hold such happiness to myself. Only thing for what I felt bad was that unfortunately I couldn't speak with Russians without translation of others (and there almost half of the kids were Russians). Although these kids had problems either at home or in school, they were most warm-hearted, kind and tolerant.

It was fun and after that I went to visit Liisi that further made my mood better. She made me pancakes and tea ;)

Writing this took really long time, as little feedback had lowered my inspiration to write here.. hint, hint.. write me lots of stuff here! And of course, lately I have got big plans and therefore I have been busy to make these true. Busy have I been also because I must pretty quickly finish the illustrations for this book. Only three more to do. So, all for this time. I don't know if I write this political thing I too promised last time.. but why not.. it isn't some serious political argumentation, nor ordinary whining, but a funny page in the style of what to do if...

So I hope to get lots of feedback, if anyone is reading this at all. See ya!

..And of course I didn't fall for any latvian speaking girl.. whooh!

Oh.. I was supposed to add some photos from Latvia here. Maybe I shouldn't, as it takes away all the imagination you had about that place.. and possibly you may be dissapointed, as in my description everything may have been more beautiful. Well, but I didn't get many good photos anyway, so I still upload these few. The second time there was this cloudy weather (at least most of the time), and feeling was more off because of that, making much of that previous excitement disappear. As I have said in countless times, I work on solar power.

I went to Gauijena (yes it was i and then j.. I made mistake in the last post) in the previous eavning before the day our scenes were filmed. Man who drove us there was that day already on a second "to Estonia and back to Latvia" trip, and as waking for everyone in this filmcrew is early in the morning and we were supposed to get to Latvia around the midnight, he was pretty darn tired. In the same carride with me and another "looniecase" was one of the Estonian well known Actors - Elle Kull. She was quite talkative anyway, but when we saw that our driver is really really so tired that may just fall asleep behind the wheel, she simply didn't dare to shut her mouth. Fortunately we made it. Naturally I didn't feel any urge to go to sleep when we got to Gauijena. So I stayed up with few others almost half that night. It was good company with little drinks, fun and music. And even next morning wasn't so hard to wake up, but some time at midday it was my turn to feel overpowering tiredness. And again, although I don't like to drink coffee, I drinked it so much that later when we were driving back to Estonia I didn't feel really well.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I had somekind of misundersatanding when I was asked to be one of the actors there. I thought that it will be some commercial, but it was another weird Estonian movie. But it wouldn't had mattered anyway.. I would have agreed to act in anything, i guess. To me it seemed that writers/producers of it wanted to show us "insane" more normal than any other character there.

I had read only part of the script, and I pretty much only know that it is again such a slowpaced and hardly understandable thing with some surreal feeling. Main character is a man who has been in Afganistan for some time and become an muslim there and now is back in home country where he is suddenly drawed into weird events. There was a nudist theater/circus and a drowned man, and hearse driver who looked like Michael Jackson.. and of course the asylum with us.. normal people and crazy doctors. Anyway, like I said, I don't really know much anything about it and have to wait for the premiere like any other to be sure what it exactly was. Name is "Kirjad Inglile" (Letters to the Angel).

I guess I "forgot" to say in how bad shape these great manorhouses actually were.. only this place where we stayed, was in OK condition. And nature was still beautiful. Really better than it may seem from these photos.





Grrr.. I hate this blogger photo resizing.. I don't know.. if you click on the photos, will it be possible to see bigger pics.

No photos of me :p

Born to be wild!

Friday morning, waking up early. I haven't woked up 6 o'clock for.. ages. Shower, eating and before the eight I was already on a train to Tallinn. But this WAS the hardest part of the day. Then 4 hours nice car ride through beautiful Estonia to even more beautiful place in northern Latvia named Gaujiena. The "hard work" of rest of the day was to endure the strong sunlight and warmth, and to watch the filming of others, as our scenes were delayed and finally completely set for the next day.

Yeah, after many-many years, I am finally again acting. This time not in theatre but in a movie. And acting is much more for my liking and also much easier for me than is the job of movie director.. or any other job in that matter. I really like acting.. it's absolute fun. And it doesn't matter how much cash I get from it,.. I can travel freely,.. it is the active and interesting life without the need of money, in a company of other very nice people. Well, this time I got only small part. I was one of the patients in the asylum. Other "patients" were really cool people too. This woman who picked us as actors, said after many of our crazy jokes that if she has not turned crazy herself before, then our posse will surely do that (this was said in the best meaning as she really was entirely happy with us).

By the way, I already said that the place where the movie takes place is beautiful, but it is actually just mindblowing. Behind the ten hills and valleys, over the ten rivers, lies a fairytaleland. The so said asylum is actually a schoolhouse that resides in the old manorhouse. I must say that german landlords in Latvia were more richer or just wanted to show more of their power than the Estonian counterparts.. manor consisted at least three big houses with columned entrances, many smaller houses, great parks, and the place where we stayed overnight (about that later). The "asylum" was the mainhouse on the hill. In the valley below was the small lake (one of many around), and still in the middle of it a small island. The lake was also the important place in a movie. Nature was beautiful, weather was perfect, butterflies and dragonflies who were bigger than any I have seen ever before landed peacefully on the hand. I counted at least three different dragonfly species.

Oh, and you can't imagine the palace where we were housed. Probably this was the latest addition to manor as summer residence or something. A historicistic house somewhat reminding these cool english houses with little tower, unsymmetrical planning, great entrance hall, etc. Yep the entrance hall was greatest as it went through two floors and ended with dome of glass mosaic. Around it went the stairs up. First floor had marble pillars, second one the wooden. But the glass dome was not seen from the outside as there was also the third half-floor. All this house was filled with different old furniture. Even the view from the window of greater wc on the second floor was priceless, as there was also the park behind the house, then some woods and as it again was on the hill, then in the valley was another lake.

At first I was so sad that I didn't have photocamera with me, but saturday, after our scenes were taken, we were said, that we have to go there once more in a few days. This time I'll lend a camera from my friend.

Estonians know that Latvians have many jokes about us.. mostly about the recless or selfish or perhaps even poshy nature of ours, and Estonians often make jokes about Finnish, Russians and even Germans, but I had not heared any about Latvians.. now I did. And few even quite cruel.

For example: In old times Estonians thought that Latvians are bit weird,.. somewhat different. There was even a rumor that Latvians have six toes. But it figures they still have only five.. three in front and two in behind.

And friday, when we visited a shop there, it happened that after a while only one fairly new car came. Then one of our guys said: "Ah, these are then the wealthier Latvians". And the answer: "Yeah, look, they can even support two kids".

Still, do not think that Estonians are cruel. We just have weird humor.. and often we make it even upon ourselves. That said one more joke. For foreknowledge: Setu is one of the Estonian local populations, who are seen as clever and wise.. their region is even called Setu Kingdom. So the joke is as follows: Setu and a Jew is going court. What is the verdict? Prosecutor gets five years!

Well.. just can't stop with joking, but the next one was situational in front of that same shop. One of our cars needed the change of left rear tire. It not only showed how many men are needed to change one (Full pit), it still took so long that our car driver started explaining how everything in the world is normally done from the right side - cow is milked from the right, operations that are done through the nostril is done from right,.. sa perhaps they should have changed the tire too from the right side.

Only thing there that troubles me is that we get somewhat too little to eat. Stew is limited and when there is many actors and filmcrew then it is doubtable if I can request more. Anyway, if I'd eat so little in home, then probably I would soon be translucent. Too little meat stuff. Well at least saturday morning there were different porridges and enough of that, so I carried through the second day.

And finally at the saturday afternoon it was our turn to "go crazy". Director was happy with us, and so was the woman who organized us there. And one more time,.. it was lots of fun. Only really bad thing was that I hurt one of my fingers when playing rugby :P

One of other actors even would have offered me a part in theater play they are soon starting to do if I only would have been from Tartu (biggest small city in South-Estonia). Damn, I have so many friends in Tartu, and I really would like to move there.

So.. soon back to Latvia.. and then I bring some photos back with me.