So believe it or not, it was reposted 3 years ago on December 28, 2017. But it is relevant today.
And so no harm in reading again....
First published on December 28, 2012, I am republishing this keeping with the theme of Nobel and prizes--and December of course--and not to forget that I am still aiming for 52 posts before the year end...here is an 'encore' --well, sort of .....
PS: I do understand more Swedish now than I did when the post was written....five years ago---wow!!
I often forget I am living in the country that bestows the Nobel Prize (except the Nobel Peace prize which is conferred by Norway).
I missed the ceremony the last two years. And so was committed to watching it this year.
But ofcourse, I forgot again!!
And I was so lucky that I turned on the Tv on just the right day...accidentally. When saw live commentary in Swedish over images of people dressed in tux and gowns....I knew i needed to get my blanket, a cup of glögg (mulled wine, an apt drink at this time of the year. By the way, to those concerned the alcohol level in glögg (pronounced ‘glug’), is less than 2%, which makes it less intoxicating than cough syrup....ahem, ahem...),
But sadly enough after a about ten minutes I had to move away. Not because I was not interested, but because the commentary was in Swedish and I understood every tenth sentence. Secondly, because i had much work to do.
I did pay attention to what the commentators were talking about. The guests, nominees and menu. So in many ways the ceremony is more classy than the Oscars, where red carpet is all about ‘which designer are you wearing’.
I tried to research information on my computer as I watched the ceremony. Thankfully, many nominees are American so they speak English...ha, ha...
I enjoyed the interviews. I researched the Laureate for literature, who happens to be from China this year.
Here is what the official website states about him...
The Nobel Prize in Literature 2012 was awarded to Mo Yan "who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary”.
Just that makes you want to read his writings.
As I was watching it, I realized that they never televised this ceremony in the US. What with Oscars, and Emmys and Tonys and Grammys, and VH awards, and many other mindless ones created to constantly honor those who are always in the limelight anyway, where is the room to televise Nobel Prize Ceremony!!
Having thought that, I myself got busy organizing my place. But kept my television on for the background sound.
And then I heard something that made me realize another fact that I keep forgetting...
The dance number came on....Voulez Vouz...
Ah, not only am I living in the country that bestows the Nobel Prize, but also the country that gave the world ABBA!!
And I stood in front of television, wrapped in my fleece jacket, with a broom in one hand and a dustpan in another. Smiling as broadly as I could.
I smiled when they showed overhead shots of heads of state and royalty from all over Europe gliding on the floor to the seventies number.
There were close ups of food being served. Something I have noticed is a tradition in Sweden. Whenever we eat at formal places, the chef comes and lists all the goodies being served and explains the delicacy in detail. I understand only a little ----but now I do expect the cook to show up and list the dishes on the menu.
Isn’t Nobel Prize Ceremony more important than the Oscars, I thought? (Although I love watching the Oscars?) (PS: I do think that good story told, that becomes a part of our mythology, and gets retold for generations, is as important as finding a cure. Stories do heal, just as medicine does, if not better. )
I put that question to my students the next day (Isn’t Nobel Prize Ceremony more important than the Oscars, I thought?).
*Naah....’ wrinkled the young man in my class.
I had to giggle....young people, they are the same everywhere....
And in some ways those who care about awards, may vary in their tastes....but they are all waiting to hear......And the award goes to........
PS: I do understand more Swedish now than I did when the post was written....five years ago---wow!!
Above pictures were taken from the internet. More pictures may be seen by clicking here.
I missed the ceremony the last two years. And so was committed to watching it this year.
But ofcourse, I forgot again!!
And I was so lucky that I turned on the Tv on just the right day...accidentally. When saw live commentary in Swedish over images of people dressed in tux and gowns....I knew i needed to get my blanket, a cup of glögg (mulled wine, an apt drink at this time of the year. By the way, to those concerned the alcohol level in glögg (pronounced ‘glug’), is less than 2%, which makes it less intoxicating than cough syrup....ahem, ahem...),
But sadly enough after a about ten minutes I had to move away. Not because I was not interested, but because the commentary was in Swedish and I understood every tenth sentence. Secondly, because i had much work to do.
I did pay attention to what the commentators were talking about. The guests, nominees and menu. So in many ways the ceremony is more classy than the Oscars, where red carpet is all about ‘which designer are you wearing’.
I tried to research information on my computer as I watched the ceremony. Thankfully, many nominees are American so they speak English...ha, ha...
I enjoyed the interviews. I researched the Laureate for literature, who happens to be from China this year.
Here is what the official website states about him...
The Nobel Prize in Literature 2012 was awarded to Mo Yan "who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary”.
Just that makes you want to read his writings.
As I was watching it, I realized that they never televised this ceremony in the US. What with Oscars, and Emmys and Tonys and Grammys, and VH awards, and many other mindless ones created to constantly honor those who are always in the limelight anyway, where is the room to televise Nobel Prize Ceremony!!
Having thought that, I myself got busy organizing my place. But kept my television on for the background sound.
And then I heard something that made me realize another fact that I keep forgetting...
The dance number came on....Voulez Vouz...
Ah, not only am I living in the country that bestows the Nobel Prize, but also the country that gave the world ABBA!!
And I stood in front of television, wrapped in my fleece jacket, with a broom in one hand and a dustpan in another. Smiling as broadly as I could.
I smiled when they showed overhead shots of heads of state and royalty from all over Europe gliding on the floor to the seventies number.
There were close ups of food being served. Something I have noticed is a tradition in Sweden. Whenever we eat at formal places, the chef comes and lists all the goodies being served and explains the delicacy in detail. I understand only a little ----but now I do expect the cook to show up and list the dishes on the menu.
Isn’t Nobel Prize Ceremony more important than the Oscars, I thought? (Although I love watching the Oscars?) (PS: I do think that good story told, that becomes a part of our mythology, and gets retold for generations, is as important as finding a cure. Stories do heal, just as medicine does, if not better. )
I put that question to my students the next day (Isn’t Nobel Prize Ceremony more important than the Oscars, I thought?).
*Naah....’ wrinkled the young man in my class.
I had to giggle....young people, they are the same everywhere....
And in some ways those who care about awards, may vary in their tastes....but they are all waiting to hear......And the award goes to........
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