FAQ #5: Did you send a long, boring Holiday Greeting?

This is the FIRST version which will be available on the Internet, only:

I guess one of the big stories for me, in 1998 is that I did, in fact, finally get around to trying to actually DO something about learning Danish. I really don't know why, but I thought all along that one morning I'd wake up and be able to understand and speak Danish. Well (surprise) it didn't happen. So, on the fifth of January I began school again. Now, that might not seem like anything to some of you....but, I recall clearly having made the decision (in about 1988) to NEVER go to school again. I made that decision as I threw away an expensive stack of Law School Acceptance Test (LSAT) study guides.

Well, to say the least it has been an interesting "journey" (which is, of course, nowhere near its end . . . I guess I could learn Danish for about ten years, or so . . . and maybe be just barely good enough to get by about 90% of the time). The most interesting part has been the opportunity to meet and get to know some really fine folks that have also moved from their homeland, to Denmark. Of course, I came pretty much because I wanted to. Some of my classmates came for a variety or other, and much more important reasons. Daily I have the pleasure and extremely humbling opportunity to be with folks fleeing from many of the places in the headlines over the last several years. You can meet some of them by looking here. (Their "stories" are presented in the best Danish they could muster after a couple of months hard work . . . well, we had LOTS of help from the teachers!)

Any sparked interest you might have in my efforts at school can probably be filled if you visit, and look around that part of this web site. (If you can find it--right now I can't!)

The year also brought more "opportunity" to work on this old house. The main projects for the year was a new clay tile roof, the first coat of paint over the thin layer of concrete added in 1995, and a comprehensive kitchen project. Well, considering the cost and effort involved I guess I should tell a little more about each, but I won't right now. Maybe after the holidays I'll sit down and fill in some of the empty details. (Then again, maybe I won't. You can check back and see for yourself . . . well, I have this burning desire to buy a digital camera . . . maybe I'll look for one on sale right after the holidays.)

The year gave me several chances to follow my own rule: If you get a chance to see "The Real Deal", do it:

• Mette and I were able to stand, leaning on the stage, in Århus and watch B.B. King do "his thing". Last year we saw him at the Skandborg Festival. Here is a shot of that beautiful venue:
  
  
• We had tickets to the Elton John and Billy Joel "Face to Face" tour. But, Billy Joel did make it and we had to enjoy (greatly) Elton all by himself.
  
  

  We got to see the Rolling Stones in their Bridges to Babylon tour.

  
  
  
• We got to the "Legends of Rock and Roll Tour" which had Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis , and B.B. King (again!) all on the same stage, on the same day . . . one right after the other, from about five o'clock until about midnight.

I guess these don't fall into "The Real Deal" category, but they were worth the time and money none-the-less:

• We saw Rocky Horror, a stage play done by an English troupe in Vejle.
  
  (Do you know the movie? The play followed the original and included one song not in the movie or on the CD.)
  
  
• We saw a Blues Brothers stage production in Vejle just a couple of weeks ago. It was a really fine musical . . . lots of oldies and goodies.
  
  
• Each year Horsens holds a Medieval Festival. This year was (I think) its fifth year, and it is already the largest held in all of Europe. It is real neat. This year that put up a big tent and offered a medieval meal . . . very interesting, and very good.) I'm looking forward to making a costume and take part next year. (I'll probably go as a beggar.)

The year was not all fun however. For one thing my sister's husband died of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), sometimes referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease. I can't say any more about that milestone. . . except that as I write this (1 Dec 1998) I'm preparing to travel to the US tomorrow for some time with my sister (and sons, mom and friends). I was not able to go over for the funeral, so this will be my opportunity to grieve with my sister and nephew/niece. If you would like to learn more about ALS, a good place to start is Family Caregiver Alliance Clearinghouse.

The other definitely-not-fun thing for the year was my diagnosis of having psoriasis. Okay, so its not that big a deal. Its only ugly scaly skin . . . and I'm not out looking for someone new to date . . . right? Right, but try waking up because you have just scratched some place until you are bleeding. Or, have to vacuum the flakes out of the bed before you make it . . . well, I have not yet learned to live with. So, far I have been real lucky. I seem to have found a drug which controls the problem pretty good, but it has some side effects that are not so neat (like headaches and hair loss, just to name a few. Some day I'll get around to putting together some more information on psoriasis on this site. For now, if you are interested you can nose around the info offered by The National Psoriasis Foundation. Ok, so . . . that is not all there was to 1998, of course. But, it is all I have time for at the moment. Let me close with my well worn (but very real) hope for Peace on a worldwide scale, in our lifetime. And let me extend to you and all of those you know, my sincere wish for your most Happy Holidays.

Denver D. Robinson
1 December 1998, Hosby Denmark