Reykjavík Grapevine - des. 2021, Síða 2

First 11: Hekla's Sonicscape
06: New Government
07: Eir—Goddess And
SuperNurse
12: Eivör's Global Roots
15: Au!ur's Perfect Day
20: Gu!n"'s Unsettling
World
Christmas is coming. And that means one thing. Stress.
Mental breakdowns. Sweaty frustration at the mall. Even a
silent scream with a single tear sliding down your cheek when
you feel like you just can’t go on. And don’t forget COVID-19!
The Omicron is looming, just waiting to morph us all into
bloodthirsty zombies. Or at least fucking up our Christmas
get-togethers.
The saddest thing is the inevitability of all of the above.
There is no way to avoid the madness, but there are a few ways
to deal with it.
First, we just need to accept that this year, once again,
Christmas is going to be weird, and possibly even sadder than
the last one. Perhaps this year, we should just repeat Nikos
Kazantzakis' famous quote: “I hope for nothing. I fear nothing.
I am free.” Hey, there’s a reason the guy won a Nobel Prize.
Perhaps it’s time to ponder, sit down and consider. Is there
something else you would like to work at? Perhaps write a
book? Perhaps an article? How about travelling to that place
you’ve been talking about for so long? What do you have to lose?
Well, there is always something. But if there are no stakes, it’s
probably not worth your time to worry.
We at The Reykjavík Grapevine have been living by Kazant-
zakis' motto for years, and we have realised that in extreme
circumstances there can only be new paths. And although
not all of them work, some do. And you might just enjoy the
journey.
So, we want to thank you all for your incredible support
in this truly mad year, which will be remembered as the year
nobody really remembers. Because nothing happened, and yet
everything happened. You all have been wonderful.
Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Valur Grettisson
Editor-in-chief
26: Voices Of Pólífónía
28: Top Chef Book
31: South Iceland Power
Trip
COVER ART:
Photo: Art Bicnick
Art director: Sveinbjörn
Pálsson
Rockers Skrattar strike a
santa pose before trying
to party harder than
Reetta Huhta, our Finnish
reporter. (Spoiler alert:
they failed.)
EDITORIAL A
Mad
Year
John Pearson, the
Grapevine's culture
editor, is a Reykjavík
resident with profes-
sional backgrounds
in live music events,
broadcasting, scuba
diving, journalism, en-
gineering and under-
water photography.
We suspect that he
just likes to collect job
titles. He is a big fan of
puns, alliteration and
lists that have three
things in them.
Art Bicnick, the
Grapevine's video
magician and pho-
tographer, is himself
unphotographable.
This is due to the
fact that he consists
mainly of stardust; a
handy characteristic
that enables him to
float smoothly across
rocky volcanic ter-
rain, and through
apparently solid
objects.
Poll! is a hard-work-
ing journalist by day
and an enthusiastic
ball-catcher by
night. A five-year-old
dachshund mix with
an IQ of a five-year-
old human, Poll! is
Chief Morale O"cer
at the Grapevine, and
a regular contribu-
tor to the Grapevine
Newscast on You-
Tube. Woof!
Josie Gaitens, journal-
ist and YouTube
Content Coordinator,
is also an arts worker,
musician and writer
from the Scottish
Highlands. She was
once erroneously
referred to as the
Queen of Scotland
by a Malaysian news-
paper and has been
falsely using that
title ever since.
Catharine Fulton is a
writer who has been
involved with the
Grapevine for many
years—possibly too
many—serving as
journalist, food edi-
tor and news editor
before settling on
copy editor. When not
wielding her red pen
she's o#en found
opining on Canadian
politics (profession-
ally), and bitching
about Icelandic
politics (for fun).
Shuruthi Basappa is
one of Iceland's most
knowledgeable food-
ies. She's covered
local restaurants for
years and has also
been involved in vari-
ous food competi-
tions in Iceland, such
as Food & Fun and
more. By day, she
works as an architect
at Sei Studio.
Andie Sophia Fontaine
has lived in Iceland
since 1999 and has
been reporting since
2003. They were the
first foreign-born
member of the
Icelandic Parliament,
an experience they
recommend for
anyone who wants
to experience a
workplace where
colleagues work tire-
lessly to undermine
each other.
Reetta Huhta is a
Finnish student who
moved to Iceland
to become an au
pair, and decided
to never fully leave
the country. She
aspires to become a
journalist, and what
would be a better
place to start than
Grapevine? You can
probably spot her at
Ka" Vest, where she
spends most of her
free time.
Valur Grettisson is
an award-winning
journalist, author
and playwright. He
has been writing for
Icelandic media since
2005. He was also a
theatre critic and
one of the hosts of
the cultural program,
'Djöflaeyjan' on RÚV.
Valur is not to be
confused with the
dreadful football club
that bears the same
name.
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