Freeze frame

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Risto

It’s cold in Finland. It’s cold like in Russian hell, as the saying goes here. It’s especially cold for a guy who insists on not wearing socks, but as the Swedes say, “there’s no bad weather, just poor clothing.” So I’m not complaining, because only wimps complain, as my Dad says.

Besides, it’s not like I’ve never seen minus-25 degrees before. Listen up, kids. When I was a kid, I walked to school every day: ten kilometers, on barefoot, uphill both ways. After I had milked the cows but before I went to work in the mines.

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So this is Xmas

Posted on November 28, 2010 by Risto

On my desk, there’s an envelope addressed to Santa Claus, on its way to Korvatunturi, Finland. Inside, there’s a handwritten letter.

“Dear Santa,
I would be really happy if I got the following things. (NB: All items are Lego). “

The items are listed by category – Harry Potter, Prince of Persia, Toy Story, Power miners, Atlantis, Racers, Space Police, Star Wars, and “Other stuff” – with a product number next to them, neatly copied from a Lego catalogue.

On the bottom of the page, it says “turn”, on both sides of the letter, then signed by Son.

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There’s “tea” in “team”

Posted on November 26, 2010 by Risto

There are few things that make me as happy as seeing Son and Daughter take care of each other. Being an only child, I’ve never had that connection with anybody. On the other hand, having always been just me is the only way I know, so I’ve never really missed it, either.

(Although, Mom likes to tell the story about me hugging our dog, and whispering into his ear my joy about getting a new pair of skates for Xmas.)

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How to make one great friend

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Risto

Today, I wrote a piece for the International Ice Hockey Federation, about how players returning to Europe sometimes don’t meet the expectations. The transition from one team to another, let alone from one country to another, and from one league to another, can be difficult, and sometimes the high expectations the club management, the fans, and the player himself, aren’t met.

I should know. I was that player once.

This was our home rink, the PEAB-hallen.

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Son’s Grandpa’s Son

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Risto

“When I grow old, I want to be just as fit and stylish as Grandpa”
– Son, September 17, 2010 at the Museum of Natural History

As long as I can remember, people have told me that I look exactly like my father. Of course, I don’t, and of course, I can’t see it, but since so many different people – including Wife – say it, there must be something in it.

Not that I mind it. Not one bit.

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Pearl Awards Winner Announcement

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Risto

So, the news came out today: Link.

Now, when Mr. Pakarinen feels all uncomfortable and awkward about something, who does he call? Me, that’s who. So:

Let it be known to the world that Mr. Pakarinen, your resident writer, has won third prize in the column category of the Pearl Awards, a competition organized by the Custom Content Council, the leading association for the custom publishing industry in the United States.

That’s America, people.

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Fake Modesty

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Risto

Helsinki in November is not exactly chicken soup for the soul. If we assume that today was an average day – and why not – it’s safe to say that on an average day, you can’t see the sun at all. Helsinki is dark, it’s gray, it’s wet. It’s cold.

Then again, it’s one of the best little cities in the world. Because it’s mine.

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May the Force be with you

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Risto

“Prrrhkkkkhhhhh!”
– Son, making an explosion sound, Nov 9, 2010.

The one thing that always annoyed me with Buster, the excellent sports comic book that had its heyday in the 1970s, was that there was never any hockey. I remember only one series, and it was short-lived. They might have had a hockey player on the cover, and I’d only realize that there were no hockey stories inside after I had bought that and 20 other comic books at the second-hand store around the corner from Dad’s work.

But I loved Buster. Johnny Cougar (Puuma in Finnish), the wrestler, was cool, Hot-Shot Hamish (Super-Mac) funny, Billy Dane (Benny Goldfoot in Finland and Sweden, a boy who became a fantastic soccer player whenever he wore Jimmy “Dead Shot” Kean’s old boots) exciting, Buster himself silly, and the club pages full of interesting trivia.

And then there was Roy Race.

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Floored

Posted on November 7, 2010 by Risto

Traveling with a family of four means that there will always be special sleeping arrangements. At hotels, we need a pull-out sofa or an extra bed, and when staying with friends and family, we’ll just have to make do with whatever is there.

If there’s only one king-sized bed, in our family, that means that I will sleep on the floor.

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My writing life

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Risto

When I got the job as trainee at the Swedish custom publishing company what now not only seems like a long time ago, but is a long time ago, I didn’t really know what I was hired for. The five of us, varying in age and sex – two guys, three young women – had different backgrounds, which was the whole purpose of the exercise.

The company was ultrainternational, ultranational, with representatives of over a dozen different nationalities on staff. The times were good, we had nice offices across the street from the Royal Palace in Stockholm, and we were a pretty hot ticket in town.

I have since added another line to the story I was working on.

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