Photo for CMC © Jan-Erik Nilsson 2009
LIFESTYLE
Nailing the thesis at University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Photo for CMC © Jan-Erik Nilsson 2009.
When I was told that I was supposed to “nail” my thesis to the University wall, it initially didn’t occur to me that I was supposed to do so literally and in person, with a hammer.
But so it went.
A University tradition since Medieval times
In the West, universities developed as centres for research and higher learning as we know them today around the 11th to 13th century when it became obvious that the old cathedral schools were no longer adequate.
A fully developed medieval university had four faculties of which the theological was the most important. Then came law and medicine, while philosophy was a preparation in the ’seven liberal arts’ such as math and rhetoric etc. that you needed to clear before entering the higher levels.
In 1517 Martin Luther nailed his ‘95 Theses’
Looking back at the traditions of the European universities, there is surprisingly little written on academic traditions. As for “nailings”, what comes to mind if something is the famous occasion when in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the All Saints’ Castle Church in Wittenberg.
In most stories about this event, it has appeared as if the nailing in itself was a unique act of rebellion, to draw attention to his protests, but personally, I think what he did was to follow an academic tradition of publicly announcing his “theses”, which in Greek means “position”, and more or less invited others to discuss this at the Wittenberg University where he was a Professor in Theology.
That the nailing of the theses by Martin Luther was in academic spirit and inclination appears all the more likely since in 1502, the All Saints’ church served as an annexe and a chapel to the University of Wittenberg. The church was the place where university students were awarded their doctorates and it would have been a place where the general public would weekly (or even daily) frequent in those times.
A ladybug hotbod or warming buddy, filled with natural wheat, from Australia.
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.
As the temperatures dipped for this winter season in Sweden, I’ve been using or rather, abusing this little ladybug hotbod. These hotbods or warming buddies are Australian made and are filled with natural wheat.
They give off the most wonderful scent when heated in the microwave and can stay warm for up to 3 hours at at time. I find them absolutely perfect to have on my seat when working or having them between blankets to warm the blankets.
This little bugger though, has suffered quite some this winter season. Instead of giving off a wonderful scent of wheat, it has now started to smell of burnt popcorn when microwaved. I think it needs saving of some sort but I don’t really know how to save one of these hotbods.
Any ideas?
Maria in a traditional Swedish folkdress, hand-stitched and sewn. Photo by Robbie Nordin, Robbiesphoto.com.
For some years now, I have observed that Swedes have several forms of folk dresses and a National Costume, that they use on special, festive ocassions such as Midsummer’s. Sverigedrakten lends a good history of the folk dress, where the dresses displayed the wearer’s province of origin, their distinct style of clothing, their culture and history. Folkdresses went out of fashion around the mid-1800s, where these days, they can fetch enormous prices at auction houses due to that the textile to the dress was usually hand-loomed and then the dress hand-sewn. An approximate cost to a folkdress today would be around 15,000 kr to 20,000 kr, which is about USD $2,500 – $3,000 or SGD $4,000 – $4,500. Continue reading ‘Maria Gibson, at Midsummer’s in traditional folkdress’
Brrrrr! My first toe-dip of the season, and possibly my last. Missing the warm beaches at Singapore’s Sentosa Island. It would take quite a lottery win for me to go swimming in the sea this summer if the weather doesn’t let up!
Outfit: A white crochet halter neck dress by BCBG Max Azria.
This island in the western Swedish archipelago has its own tradition on Midsummer’s, where it was here that the Society of Arbores literally brought back forests and green life.
For a number of decades every century, as long as anyone can remember, huge shoals of herring used to suddenly appear along the western Swedish coast. It is said that the sea was so full of herring that they could hardly find space to swim amongst themselves. During winter the fishermen could cut a hole in the ice and the herring would pour up onto the ice by themselves. While this might be of a slight exaggeration, the thing was that year after year the herring did indeed come back, by the millions. The most important periods were between 1747-1809, and then in 1877-1904. Continue reading ‘Midsummer’s Day 2008, in the Western Swedish archipelago’
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine
~William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, II (i).
Sitting at the foot of the Midsummer pole. Western archipelago of Sweden, 2008
The weather is ever changing this Midsummer’s Eve, which marks the ancient middle of summer or the summer solstice. It is during this time that even south of Sweden experiences hardly any night and where night is marked these few days with a long dusk that turns to dawn. Continue reading ‘Midsummer’s Eve 2008′
“You’ll be dinin’ with the captain.” – Pintel to Elizabeth in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) But unlike that scenario, I wasn’t disinclined to acquiesce to the Captain’s request.
Just noticed in DN that Gotheborg III was now visiting Stockholm. The reconstructed 18th century Swedish sailing Ship Götheborg III has made its trip to Canton in China, and back. It was time now to hold a final Board of Directors meeting to close the books on the entire adventure of building the replica ship and its sail to China and back. On the agenda was also the ship’s future adventures. Her upcoming Baltic Sea Tour 2008 looks to be enough of a challenge to keep even the most hard core sailing enthusiasts happy, but even so, it sounds a breeze and a walk in the park compared to the high sea sailing to China.
After the meeting, it was dinner onboard the East Indiaman Götheborg III. Continue reading ‘Dinner onboard the Swedish East Indiaman Götheborg III’
A studentklänning or Graduation Dress ensemble for a Swedish graduating party!
Dress from L-R:
- Studentmössa from CTH Ericson
- Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Sunday dress in white cotton; draped sleeveless with a full layered skirt. It has a stripe detail throughout and a fitted bodice.
- Catherine Malandrino Cotton sundress in white cotton empire line; knee length with pintuck detailing and circle pattern. It has a visible white lining, a pleated skirt and cross over woven ribbon straps.
- Tibi A-line pinafore dress in white broderie Anglaise; pleated hem with two patch pockets on front, button detail straps with acrylic button fastenings on back and falls to mid thigh.
Continue reading ‘Studentklänning, graduation dress ensemble’
A selection of wine and cheese with bread
I think Asians generally have a different socialization towards diary products than Europeans – we just don’t consume diary products all that much. My idea of cheese when growing up in Singapore was hard Cheddar or pre-packed sliced cheese, the kind you toast on bread and little cubed cheese in various flavours, which I liked very much.
I also think my encounters with milk and cheese would be more numerous than my classmates’ experiences since most of their lunches as I recall consisted of spam and bread, hard boiled eggs and baked beans and Bovril sandwiches as the most mainstream. Continue reading ‘A cheese and wine dining’
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