Friday, October 9, 2009

Exam Celebration

I had the pleasure of taking my hunting course instructor Crocodile Lars for a celebration dinner at Lofoten in Aker Brygge last night.

Crocodile Lars is a class act. There is no question that without his most excellent guidance, I would have struggled with the Norwegian language in the state administered exam.

We were joined by my young brother in law, a keen hunter himself, and his girlfriend, with whom I did the course. There is no question that without their most excellent support, I would have struggled.

I am grateful! There was plenty of Montrachet, excellent fish, and lively discussion.

Through his course lectures, Crocodile Lars demonstrated to me in many ways he was a world class instructor. Though I had difficulty understanding his Sworsk, his acting out of hunting vignettes was theatre on a grand scale.

The man is an outstanding communicator, and a passionate one.

One of my favourite lectures was his instruction of how to gut and de-bowel an elk after shooting. Using his own body, he simulated hanging the elk by its front legs to a tree branch. Sitting on the edge of a table, feet dangling, with hands in a diagonal crucifixion pose, he began.

Directing his imaginary knife to a spot just under the neck, he made a careful incision, slowly unzipping his fleece to just over the groin area. Meticulously peeling back his fleece, he proceeded with an elk biology lesson pointing out major organs, and how to best use gravity to complete the job. Truly magnificent!

Dinner conversation revealed that he is a classically trained pianist and a world class yachtsman, in addition to training the prime minister and other dignitaries in matters of hunting. This from a man in his 60s who looks like Woody Allen with a 5 o’clock shadow, and dresses as if he has just walked out of the bush! Never judge a book by its cover.

When I sent him the invitation email, I made a point of communicating my appreciation for his support and the enjoyment of receiving world class hunting instruction. World class is not a term I use often in Norway for reasons I will not bore you with. It is good to know I can still pick them having lived here for almost 4 years.

While Crocodile Lars and I discussed being in the zone, peak performance, the importance of teamwork, social anthropology, and standard deviation, my young brother and law and his girlfriend became bored. They like Crocodile Lars but think he is a bit weird. I have found a new friend with whom I can share life experiences.

You just cannot explain a lot of things to some kids in their 20s, they either get it or they don’t.

It is like passion. You either have it or you don’t.

I thank the gods for being genetically endowed with passion and love to meet others as infected. I am not sure I'd cope well without it!

Beaverboosh

10 comments:

nursemyra said...

Passion is so sexy

jinjir minjir said...

Social Anthropology? Hmmm... Did you touch upon the subject of "The Representational Hermeneutics of Ferrets and Ferret Care in the Lesser Known Poetic Works of Midget Lesbian Eskimos"?

p.s. this is an actual manuscript - my imagination isn't as wild as Lars' skills.

Anonymous said...

there is something tasty about a passionate renaissance man... so long as a man's passion isn't for 'dungeons and dragons', i can be instantly smitten...

Lesley said...

Does he call you Grasshopper?

sunflower said...

Congrats on being given the honour of hunting down Norwegian 'wild' animals!
and Crock Lars sounds like my kind of man, although the age might be a bit hard to overcome :)

Michele said...

Congratulations on passing your exam! As for your new friendship with that fine man, Croc Lars, I think it takes someone with a lot of character to appreciate the same in others.

RennyBA's Terella said...

Congrats with the exam! and what a great place to celebrate. I just love that restaurant and their food!

I'm old enough and have lived long enough to know what you mean and agree to 110%

Return to Norway said...

Nothing better than good company and good entertainment. I hope there will be more Crocodile Lars stories.

MsTypo said...

Uhoh, i have a friend who wants to visit Norway next August for some reindeer hunting. This permit thing will be bad news for him since his Norwegian is even worse than mine. LOL

beaverboosh said...

nm - you know because your bursting with it...

jm - funny, can't find that one on amazon, please post

df - yeah, or like feltching

lesley - hahaahah excellent... yeah he said 'when you snatch the bill from my hand grasshopper you may pay' hahahahahaha

sf - yeah, you need to find a yound dude with those qualities, not like i am ageist or anything...

michele - thanks

renny - indeed my wise friend

caroline - i hope there will be more stories too, the guy is pretty cool

cairo typO - hey welcome, only need a viz permit if you don't live here, nor worres, and hey great blog... good to meet someone with whom i have knitting in common