5 AM while listening to “Glittertind” by Todd Terje:

5 a.m.

Sliding in her car, while listening to all the Gluckblich compilations, the weather was not a problem. In this case the rain, the slight fog, their heavy coats in the backseat and the warm provided by the car formed a perfect set. This felt like Home!

All the problems were vanishing in the dashed line of the road. H. and S. were not running away from them, just accepting and embracing them with a strange hope! A hope that told them that even if they would not overcome those problems they would be ok! It was that quiet hope! So refreshing! The connection that both felt whenever their eyes crossed one another made them reach for that small warm contact. That was powered by the strong melodic bass of the tune, and all those small little sounds that involved the main line seemed so colorful, occupying completely the soundscape of their car and minds. Even though they had been together for a while now the sense of something new was driving them!

A sweet silence, surprisingly beautiful and comfortable, was about to be broken. That peacefull silence and the fact that it made them so relaxed was the proof that their minds were crystal clear and free as they never had been. She said: “We have to stop for gas.” While looking him in his eyes S. made a small gesture with her right hand graciously asking for a cigarette. He carefully reached for the pack and lighted one for her. This small event was something that she could never miss! The Home Feeling grew every time she watched him light a cigarette for her. After flipping the cigarette through his fingers, in that unique way that he did, he extended his hand so she could safely grab the cigarette. By then he noticed  that she was observing him like so many times before. While they hands touched so did their eyes. The bass stopped for just a second. The flute started. Lots of small electronic clicks started to dance around the flute line and the synthesizer kept on delivering that 90’s warm, melodic peace. He just nodded.

The gas station sign told them the gas pumps were 200 meters away. They pulled in and without saying a word both got out of the car observing each other. He immediately went to pump the gas while she just asked: “Chocolate?” to what he replied: “Don’t forget your water and ….” “…magazine” she kindly finished his sentence. The heavy coat was protecting his body from the wind but his face was exposed. He had always enjoyed that border feeling between cold and fresh! He looked around and realised there's no one else there. No cars pumping gas, no other cars passing by in the freeway. As she was heading for the counter to pay to the only other person in miles she looked trough the window and smiled after notecing the tapping of his foot to the drums of “Jetstream” from New Order. Even though Ana Matronic’s voice seemed so right it was strange listenning to that sound coming out from the gas station stereo. When he got inside she was drinking coffee. So independent, so sure of her, just with a fragileness only obvious to him! As S. noticed him entering she waves the magazine and smiled when Mike and The Mechanics invaded the stereo and he sang along in an ironic, yet not mocking way. As he was going towards her he passed by the shelves from which he grabed some sandals and some glasses and with the help of some eyebrow moves made a mask that brought laughter to her face! As he got to her table they kissed. They calmly leaft and right before they got back in the car they stopped, looked around and, for a few seconds, enjoyed that peculiar set of conditions: fog, rain, wind, empty gas station, and Bebel Gilberto’s voice trough the cheap outside speakers of the gas station that had no bass. Despite enjoying watching her drive he asked if she wanted him to drive. He had always preferred to drive but not that night, not with her. Even though she loved to watch him drive her car, something that made her feel safe and protected she replied that she would keep on driving. She knew that driving him was like a small protection that she gave H. in return of the feeling of security that reached the very heart of her when they were together. When she drove that mix of strong and fragile human conditions reached a balance that both loved.

They got inside the car and listenned to the last few seconds of a song by Jimpster. As they drove back to the free way the beat of Joakim’s Remix of Antena’s Camino Del Sol filled them with energy. She drove faster accordingly with the music, but their minds were at the same speed as before. He turned the volume up and she felt those sounds surrounding them. H. reached for her hand in the gear shift and S. slightly spread her fingers so he could fit his. She then squeezed them a bit, just enough so he would kiss her. The pleasure of leaving that gas station was such as of the one they had on arrival.

As soon as that song ended he grabs the magazine. Turned the radio down and read to her how they could make their relationship more intense, sophisticated and truthful in ten steps. Each step was one more laugh that came out of them! They looked for weird pictures in the magazine . It wasn't raining anymore and the sunrise was in the verge of happening, a fast beat flooded the car, Alan Braxe’s remix of Annie’s hit “Heartbeat” was kicking in. The fast bass line was driving the car right now, Annie’s voice reminded them of the night they met(all the conversation, touches, chills, every little detail) and the constant mid sounds filled their souls. It was much brighter now and she noticed that the sky was less cloudy. At that moment the white morning light didn’t feel cold at all! It was like a new chance, it had that "start from scratch" feeling despite not leaving all the problems behind.

He was fighting really hard not to lose any little thing of this amazing journey. But the Home Feeling, the warm provided by her car and eyes, the sweet sounds of "so weit wie noch nie” by Juergen Paape in Erlend Oye’s Dj-Kicks were taking him to a peaceful sleep. He looked at her and with their facial expressions had a small conversation: “I am tired” “Get some sleep” “Are you ok with that?” “Sure I am” “I know but I had to ask”. All this conversation without having to open their mouths assured them they were in the right track. He felt asleep. Next thing he knew he waked up with a major truck honk, Erlend Oye was singing The Smiths lyrics in Royksoop’s “Poor Leno (Silicon Soul Remix)”:

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
I’ll die by your side

And if a ten ton truck kills the both of us
I’ll die by your side
I’ll die be your side
Such a heavenly way to die!

The TIR truck's flashing headlights blinded them. The Truck was in their lane and on the wrong direction. Colission was about to happen. And as her car fliped over trough the verses:

Poor Leno
Where you'll be, I'll go
Where you'll be, I'll know

He saw her lips saying; "I am sorry!"
As the car stopped tumbling they looked at each others faces while Erlend was singing:

There is a light that never goes out
(Where you'll be, I'll go)
There is a light that never goes out
(Where you'll be, I'll go)
There is a light that never goes out

Their eyes closes one last time as they faded away listening:

Little things I should have said and done
I never took the time
Little things I should have said and done

You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind

(I’ll post more and better pictures soon)

ANGEL A

I recommend this beautiful Luc Besson's movie to one person and after watching it you will find out if you were the one I was thinking of.
Well, but now I would like to explain some of my ideas about this movie. Off course the message is simple and direct (some may say too dam naïf and obvious) but that is what the movie is all about.
Choosing to shoot in black and white is usually something that creators do to point directly to something (color adds one more variable to the equation and sometimes it scatters the entire concept). In this case the choice of black and white is perfect! Off course it is very well shot and the light is very well captured. The framing and camera movements are really good, but the most important thing is that it allows you to get inside the Angel-A and Andre (played by the beautiful Rie Rasmussen and the extreme talent Jamel Debbouze).
Simple stories do give great movies and even though some may think life and the human mind are really complex, sometimes our soul just needs a simple story. This story is not needed as an excape of reality but because it can give you some really good perspectives (even if those are not the ones that the movie presents). Well I could go on and on about the power of meaning of a work of art (and all that stuff about the relation of meaning/observer/work of art) but my main reason for this post is simply to say:

It is really worth it!

We do make things more complicated and off course all the problems come to us because we care about something or someone but that is no reason from escaping to look inside our souls and face what we really are, what we really want, to realize that we are a gift!

Every time i think of you
I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue
It's no problem of mine but it's a problem I find
Living a life that I can't leave behind
There's no sense in telling me
The wisdom of a fool won't set you free
But that's the way that it goes
And it's what nobody knows
While every day my confusion grows
Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
I'm waiting for that final moment
You'll say the words that I can't say

I feel fine and I feel good
I'm feeling like I never should
Whenever I get this way, I just don't know what to say
Why can't we be ourselves like we were yesterday
I'm not sure what this could mean
I don't think you're what you seem
I do admit to myself
That if I hurt someone else
Then I'll never see just what we're meant to be
Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
I'm waiting for that final moment
You'll say the words that I can't say