Last night, old Kastljós did a ‘Year in Review’ type of segment [I’d provide a link, but the RÚV site appears to be f*ked at the moment] in which it replayed choice bits from the programme over the course of the year. Seriously, you just have to laugh, because if you don’t laugh, you cry. Case in point – our fearless Prime MInister, in the first interview:
This is criticism that is sometimes heard, yes, that the Icelandic banking sector has become too large for the Icelandic state – but I don’t believe this is the case. I believe that, by employing various measures, like we’ve been discussing here, we can assume that the Icelandic state can completely fulfill its role as far as the banking system is concerned.
Meanwhile, six months later:
There is a real danger, my fellow countrymen, that the national economy would, if worse came to worst, be sucked into the fierce surf along with the banks, and the result would be national bankruptcy.
How can these people hold their heads high and continue to act on behalf of this nation, even with such blatant proof of their incompetence, not to mention thousands of people calling for their resignation??
I ask you!
Anyway. We’re not here today to lobby for the PM’s resignation but to give you…
THE ICELAND WEATHER REPORT’S 2008 IN REVIEW!
JANUARY
The Iceland Weather Report was shortlisted for The 2008 Weblog Awards [Bloggies] in the Best European Weblog category. wOOt!
FEBRUARY
YT was approached by a publisher who gushed about her work and then disappeared completely. Too bizarre.
MARCH
EPI and I went to Berlin. Thankfully all concerns about having to pee in the middle of the room proved unfounded.
APRIL
We migrated to WordPress and got a fresh new look. Yowsa!
MAY
Earthquake!!!
JUNE
We had a surprise visit from a polar bear, and then another one a few days later. Both ended … badly. Sniff. On a happier note, my eldest stepdaughter graduated from medical school and we had a party. Huzzah!
JULY
EPI and his father and I drove across Sprengisandur in the central highlands and EPI and I went hiking in amazing Skagafjörður.
AUGUST
Iceland made it into the finals at the Olympics and took home silver. EPI and I went to the most awful Eric Clapton concert. [Never again.]
SEPTEMBER
EPI and YT went to Croatia for two weeks. The day after we got back, my bank went bust, setting in motion the spectacular collapse of the house of cards that masqueraded as the Icelandic economy.
OCTOBER
The entire month is a blur.
NOVEMBER
The tiny Faroe Islands stepped forth and offered to lend Iceland [a substantial sum of] money – the first nation to do so. Protests heated up and so did citizen’s meetings.
DECEMBER
Protesters “stormed” the Central Bank, and the Bank sent YT an urgent [and totally bizarre] email. My youngest stepdaughter graduated from upper secondary school and the National School of Dance. Then Christmas arrived, despite everything.
THE ONLY CONSISTENT THING WAS THE WEATHER
And it was consistently good, bad or so-so. The outlook for tomorrow evening is good [yay!] except there may be some wind … however, not enough to kill our pyrotechnic glee or penchant for lighting large bonfires. [Which reminds me … you can find a rundown of a traditional New Year’s Eve here in Niceland here.] I’ll be back tomorrow to wish you a Happy Happy and announce the winner of our Googlie of the Year [don’t forget to vote!]. Temps right now 2°C [36F], sunrise was at 11.21 am, sunset at 3.40 pm.
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May I give an honorable mention to the stunning blue dress (70% off!) and the sparkly limited-edition cell phone?
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Ah, yes, I remember the Bloggies. That’s how I found you.
As we say in Norway at the end of the old year: Takk for det gamle! (Thanks for the old [year]).
I hope Niceland recovers next year and you have a great new year too.
Bonne Année!
nel frattemppo ,se ne avrai voglia , escudendo rancori incomprensibili , ti chiedo di leggerti tutto quello che scrissi ( dall’inizio alla fine ) chissà che tra un’orso ed una banca maleodorante tu non riesca a trovare lo spunto per essere ” te stessa ” indipendentemente dale traduzioni piu o meno riuscite. nel frattempo godo del tempo che dandomi ragione ,vi , e mi , vede, trionfante su di un bastione di rovine…. P.S. oggi , brinderò con “chianti ” anno duemilaquatro ” accetterò auguri pi uo meno formali e nel frastempo me ne fotterò di 4 idioti arroganti esclusivamente supponenti e ” SENZA CULTURA ” dediti all’allocamento indiscriminato …tu …dall’islanda …abbi il coraggio di rispondermi altri,enti fanculo tupida gallina
Happy New Year!
How is the New Year celebrated in Iceland – same as everywhere else, or is there anything special?