Humiliation

I have been humiliated, my self-esteem has been reduced to next to nothing. To be cocky led me nowhere but to grief. I guess you can say I learned the hard way to never stray from what you preach… I am humble, but not broken… just about ready to build my confidence back up to the level it used to be.

Last weekend I was in Barcelona along with the staff at my school. 120 coworkers travelled together to a big city for a workshop on classroom management and to get challenged on social bonding. The school has 200 employees, and it is hard to get to know one another. On a trip like this we are forced to interact on a different level than we do on an everyday basis and I have to say it really lifts the spirit and the motivation. To know your coworkers on a more personal level makes cooperation easier and more… we just consider cooperation more of a commitment towards one another when we get to know each other. Just like we do in any other aspects of life.

So, what is the humiliating part in all this? My handbag was stolen in a skating park/playground. It seems so unfair, and yet I have no one to blame but myself; I knew we were in a big city, I knew that a lot of theft occure and I know about all the precautions you have to take in order to protect yourself from being robbed.

I even told my roommate not to bring any valuables with her: “Bring a credit card, if you have to, and cash. Everything else you put in the safe and lock it”.

So.... instead of doing what I preach and taking the time to put everything in the safe in the room; I chuck everything in my bag and ran off... I was planning to return to the room shortly anyway, and it was stolen.

 We were 8 coworkers sitting on a bench working. That is what the hurry was all about: I had to get there on time, you see. (Feels good to come up with an excuse, no matter how dumb.) I had my hand on my handbag.... turned to my coworker to discuss what we were going to do.... put my hand back on my bag and hit empty air

None of us even noticed anybody. That is: we were approached by a guy on a bicycle who asked us where we came from and if we spoke English (Very classic, I know; one person distracts the group, and a second person steals the stuff.)

It is very annoying and I could kick myself for falling for the trick. On the other hand you really have to admire the skills. So clever. Imagine what they could do if they used their skills to something constructive.

They are so fast as well, I didn’t even notice a shadow or anything. A guy sitting on a bench behind us said I was looking for a very young child, so young he was not even in school, but…

I don't know if he was in on it or not, but the essence is: my handbag was gone.

The outcome from this loot, apart from making me feel like an idiot (and to some of you this might be an interesting insight in a woman’s handbag) was:

-       A very nice handbag

-       A jacket

-       A great purse containing:

o   Cash:

§  140 Euros,-

§  $ 40,-

§  Nok 100,-

- Visa credit card
- Visa Cash card
o   Proof of travel insurance
o   Register id for my dog

o   And a couple of discount cards to different stores.

-       My lunch (prepared by the hotel: a baguette, a sandwich, a youghurt, an apple, a bottle of water and a juice with a straw)

-       A printout of my ticket

-       My passport

-       A mini flask of Wunderberg (caughmedicine…ehm…)

-       Make up (a couple of lip sticks, hand lotion, concealer and a mascara)

-       My mobile phone

I have been criss crossing the Middle East, travelled around Europe to quite a few cities and places, been to the US and this was the first time ever for me... but I had a clear thought of what I had to do, so basically they got nothing from it other than cash, which, to be honest, I think is what they were after.

At the end of the day they didn’t get anything really valuable to anyone else but me, but it is just so humiliating knowing some stranger has been going through my stuff, I don’t know how they treated it all, i.e. what they did to my mobile phone with pictures of my kids in it.

Talking about pictures: they saw the picture of me in my passport… a picture I have refused to show anyone (for reasons known to everybody who curl up inside with shame every time they have to present their passport). I am not sure a theft can be more personal than that.

Metal

Music has always been important to me. I often find that music can express my moods, my feelings and my state of mind a lot better than I can possibly do by the help of words. My own ability to perform music is at best poor, but luckily the world is full of artists and bands which through their brilliant talents, abilities and guts present their music and lyrics to the world… and thus me.


So often I listen to lyrics and think: “That is me, that is exactly how I feel right now. I can relate to this”. I do realize that lyrics to most are less important than the sound and beat, but to me the two complete each other, they intensify the message by creating mutually dependent actuating quantities (big words, I know, but still true).


I have no definite favourite when it comes to genre of music. What I choose to listen to at a time is most times defined by my own feelings and circumstances.


I was a young teen when I first heard metal, and I have to say metal back then appealed to the darker sides of me, not that I adopt all the values (and I certainly do not adopt the lifestyle many turn to in order to show where they are at in life), but I find metal adds values to the diversity my personality, at the end of the day, consist of, and complete me as a person. Even though I am getting older and in many people's opinion should know better, metal is part of that.


Just for the fun of it I thought it would be kind of enlightning to show how the genres of metal differs. It is not all about people with abnormal lung capacity screaming their heads off, you see.

Brief History of Metal Music:

Metal music is a worldwide form of music that has held the attention of younger generations for over 50 years. Metal music has branched off into different sub genres, but one thing is the main motivator for the survival of metal music through all the generations. That is a need for younger generations to rebel against the status quo, to express themselves and their frustration of an outdated way of life.
Black Sabbath were the first real metal band, and become the inspiration for the sub genre Doom Metal. Metal went on through Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, while other bands such as Motorhead, Iron Maiden and Metallica belonged to the sub genre, infused punk.
Metal bands began to look further from the blues scale that Black Sabbath used and went on to use diatonic modes. This sparked a new phenomenon that spread through nearly all of the sub genres of metal.
In the 80s, the sub genre of thrash metal evolved into death metal. Some of the prominent death metal bands of that time were Possessed and Death. Traditional metal also began in the 80s and bands like Fates Warning and Queensrysce were accepted into the mainstream of music.
More sub genres of metal surfaced quickly in the 90s, including Stoner Metal and Sludge Metal.

Sub Genres Of Metal Music:

Metal, much like rock, is made up of many sub-genres. Metal genres can at times be difficult to differentiate as they seem similar but have small changes in overall structural, temperamental, instrumental and vocal changes. This is made even more difficult to differentiate, as often sub genres are similar to each other in other genres.


Black Metal: Black metal evolved from thrash metal. Black metal is not as cold and brutal as thrash, although it is still considered to be an extreme genre. The sound is a combination of tremolo bass and vocals are usually screamed or yelled by performers. Themes of Black metal are usually supernatural or occult in nature.


Death Metal: Death metal is closely related to thrash metal. It tends to be more brutal in nature, with odd chord progressions and mixed up time changes. Like many genres of metal, the words of the songs include themes that relate to the occult and the darker side of human nature.


Doom Metal: Doom metal emphasizes emotion, melancholy and depression. Tempos are usually slower with somber harmonies. Doom metal has the same type of vocals as death and black metal. Classical instruments are also used a lot in Doom metal to enhance the mood of the music.


Folk Metal: Folk metal started out as a fusion of folk rock, power metal and black metal. Now it is a term given to folk-themed bands that use folk based lyrics and themes, including instruments.


Glam Metal: Glam metal was popular in the 80s and was also known as hair metal. Many of the band members used makeup, similar to the 70s glam rock bands and Idols such as Alice Cooper.


Gothic Metal: Goth Metal had the same style as doom, black and death metal, but used heavy keyboard sounds with romantic story like words. Goth metal often used two vocalists.


Grindcore: Grindcore is like thrash metal with tones of hardcore and punk. Vocals are a lot like death metal and the songs tended to be very short. Grindcore today is mostly influenced by death metal.


Heavy Metal: Heavy metal is the origin of the genres and where metal music got its name. Loud rasping vocals and long solos with the guitar characterize heavy metal. The words of the songs are often unfocused on any particular theme.


Industrial Metal: Industrial metal uses Distortion of guitar sounds, synthesizers and drum machines. Industrial is heavily influenced by techno and industrial music.


Metalcore: Metal core bands use the vocals and beat of American Hardcore metal with the instruments, such as guitars that are used in European thrash metal.


Neoclassical Metal: Neo-Classical uses parts of classical music in normal metal music.


Nu Metal: Nu Metal has very little to do with heavy metal and is largely influenced by Hip Hop.


Power Metal: Power metal is more upbeat and uses clear vocals. Power metal uses science fiction or fantasy themes and is inspiring to the listener.


Progressive Metal: Progressive metal is sophisticated and complex. Vocals are clean and often lean towards philosophy or politics. Progressive metal is very much like progressive rock.


Thrash Metal: Thrash Metal is heavy metal combined with hardcore punk. Thrash is usually complex with many tempo add time changes. The words are usually yelled, although they remain in tune and melodic. Thrash was also the first metal genre to use double bass drums in their music.

The history of metal music can also be found here:

http://www.rusticgirls.com/fun/history-of-metal-music.html

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